Rohde & Schwarz UK has provided Brunel University’s Wireless Network & Communications Group (WNCG) with a 40 GHz R&S ZVA vector network analyser, a 6 GHz vector signal generator and 6 GHz spectrum analyser, to begin important work on Mesh Network Applications, according to IEEE 802.15.3 Task Group 3c. The equipment will also support an M Sc WiMAX project.

One of the largest University based communications research groups of its kind in the UK, WNCG, part of Brunel University’s School of Engineering and Design, is involved in a wide range of research activities, including Mesh Networks, Wireless Personal Networks, Service Discovery, OFDM, Next Generation Internet, Radio over Fibre and Cross Layer Optimisation. Rohde & Schwarz UK will further support the School of Engineering and Design by donating a prize for the best final year M Sc project in the field of RF & Wireless Communications, as well as delivering seminars in Mobile Communications and Protocol Analysis to students.

WNCG has just moved to a new building on the University’s main campus. With new facilities and equipment at their disposal, the team has been able to apply to the EPSRC and the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme to participate in several additional projects. Among the themes that the group is planning to investigate are Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and Context-Aware Pervasive Networks (CAP-NET).

Professor Hamed Al-Raweshidy, head of WNCG commented: “Our academic staff and students are pioneering tomorrow’s wireless devices, networks, and applications. Research is a costly enterprise so the loan of this test equipment puts us in a position to continue our work whilst awaiting further funding.” He added: “We already have a PhD student who is in the process of modelling and testing the performance of a new antenna to be applied in OFDM and W-OFDM using Rohde & Schwarz’ network analyser and the signal generator. With a good basis on which to test the physical layer, we are now in the early stages of putting together a complete network test system that will give us a better understanding of the MAC layer, channel environments, and other parameters needed to study mesh networking applications and beyond.”

“Brunel University is pushing the boundaries of some very exciting research areas. We felt that it was important to support it’s researchers with the tools and equipment when they needed it, in order for this research to progress,” said Phil McCluskey, Rohde & Schwarz UK’s University Programme Manager.

The 40 GHz vector network analyser on loan is from Rohde & Schwarz’s latest R&S ZVA family. With the high sensitivity and wide dynamic range of the earlier R&S ZVR family, the R&S ZVA boasts extremely fast synthesizers, resulting in very short measurement times, as well as additional functionality and a sophisticated GUI.

Together with the 6.GHz vector signal generator and spectrum analyser, the equipment specifically targets the needs of those researching and developing the latest communications systems.