Keithley Instruments Inc., a leader in solutions for emerging measurement needs, announced a set of signal creation and analysis tools that extend its RF test capabilities to include WiMAX signal testing. Keithley’s new solution is built on a next-generation hardware platform that makes it simple and inexpensive to add support for new signal standards, such as 802.16e mobile WiMAX Wave 2 testing with up to 4x4 MIMO channels, without requiring expensive hardware upgrades or different instrumentation. In addition, the new instruments support testing to lower frequency bands down to 400 MHz, an increasingly important capability for new WiMAX solutions being developed.

Keithley’s RF test solutions are based on the company’s award-winning Model 2820 RF Vector Signal Analyzers and Model 2920 RF Vector Signal Generators. Because these test instruments rely on a next-generation DSP-based Software-Defined Radio (SDR) architecture, they are capable of making extremely high speed measurements both thoroughly and accurately. The SDR architecture enables Keithley’s highly flexible offering with instruments that are easy and less costly to upgrade as new wireless and cellular standards are introduced. In addition, the same Keithley signal analyzers or signal generators can be used in an automated production environment or can be moved easily to the bench for standalone test applications.

Keithley’s test systems provide frequency coverage from 400 MHz to 4 GHz and to 6 GHz if WLAN measurements are needed. Coverage in the lower frequencies, below 2.4 GHz, has become more important recently, as the 400 to 700 MHz bands are being opened for new mobile wireless communications services where WiMAX solutions are likely to be employed.