Fast Gain Switching on TwinRX USRPs

Engelhardt M, Beuster J, Andrich C, Ihlow A, Del Galdo G (2022)

Publication Type: Conference contribution

Publication year: 2022

Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

Conference Proceedings Title: 2022 16th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2022

Event location: Madrid, ESP

ISBN: 9788831299046

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the gain switching performance of the software-defined radio (SDR) universal software radio peripheral (USRP) X310 with the TwinRX daughterboard and propose a method to optimize it for fast transitions. This receiver uses a complex structure of two switchable amplifiers and two digital step attenuators to realize the wide gain setting range of up to 92 dB. Our measurements of the settling time show that the bulk of transitions between two gain settings take below 1.5 mumathrm{s}, but some require more than 50 μs, caused by the power-up of the switchable amplifiers. Based on this knowledge, we propose a modified switching regime, in which the amplifiers are not toggled in time-critical phases, e.g., during a running measurement, so that a transition time of 1.5 mumathrm{s} can be reliably realized. Thus, a gain switching range of 62 dB is achieved, within which, for example, a fast automatic gain control can be realized.

Involved external institutions

Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen (IIS) DE Germany (DE) Technische Universität Ilmenau DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Engelhardt, M., Beuster, J., Andrich, C., Ihlow, A., & Del Galdo, G. (2022). Fast Gain Switching on TwinRX USRPs. In 2022 16th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2022. Madrid, ESP: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc..

MLA:

Engelhardt, Maximilian, et al. "Fast Gain Switching on TwinRX USRPs." Proceedings of the 16th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2022, Madrid, ESP Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2022.

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