FR1 Vector Signal Transceiver – IQ7800
This Vector Signal Transceiver, used primarily as a power amplifier test platform, is a complete laboratory-grade software-defined instrumentation setup. This ultra-compact solution serves as a replica of the final use case, increasing the confidence of laboratory results vs. reality.
Base Hardware
Instantaneous Bandwidth
Frequency Range
Sampling rates
PRODUCT DETAILS
High-Performance RF Test Platform based on AMD RFSoC DFE
The IQ7800 is a versatile, high-bandwidth Vector Signal Transceiver designed for advanced RF characterization. By combining the power of the AMD ZCU670 evaluation kit with Wupatec’s dedicated firmware, the IQ7800 transforms a development board into a benchtop instrument-grade solution. While optimized for Power Amplifier (PA) testing, its massive bandwidth and flexible architecture make it ideal for 5G/6G prototyping, radar, and wideband signal analysis.
Key Features
- Frequency Range: Continuous coverage from 10 MHz to 7.125 GHz.
- Ultra-Wide Bandwidth: Supports signal generation and analysis bandwidth up to 1.95 GHz.
- Instrument-Grade Experience: Dedicated firmware allows the VST to operate as a standard lab instrument.
- Advanced Linearization: Embedded Wupatec/AMD CFR & DPD IP for real-time Digital Pre-Distortion testing.
- Ready for 5G: Optimized for LTE/5G PA testing under base station-like conditions.
- Multi-Mode Measurement: Supports 1-tone (CW/Pulsed), 2-tone, and complex modulated signal analysis (ACPR, EVM).
IQ7800 vs other solutions
| Criterion | Other Solutions | IQ7800 ✓ | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup flexibility | Dependant of lab equipment |
ADVANTAGE One single board |
Flexibility across 4G,5G and 6G telecom bands |
| Integration | VSA & VSG on different instruments |
ADVANTAGE Fully syncronous VSA & VSG |
Reduces system complexity, repeteable performance |
| Base hardware | Laboratory typical setup (VNA, VSG, VSA) |
ADVANTAGE Commercially available RFSoC |
Increased confidence in results since the first results replicate the setup is replicated. Reduced time-to-market. |
| DPD | Software DPD typically used in a laboratory setup | ADVANTAGE Fully embedded commercially available DPD |
Replicable performances from laboratory to final use case, total development time significantly reduced |
| Customer Support | Often slow, impersonal | Agile & dedicated technical partnership | Personalized attention from the engineering team |
APPLICATIONS
5G/6G Research
Wideband waveform prototyping
RF Power Amplifier Characterization
Gain, PAE, and linearity testing
Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD)
Algorithm verification and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Radar & Electronic Warfare
High-speed pulsed signal generation
TECHNICAL DEEP DIVE
Sampling Rates
Standard Rates: 245.76, 491.52, and 983.04 MS/s (Available across the full spectrum).
High-Speed Rates: 1474.56, 1638.4, 1966.08, and 2457.6 MS/s (Available on limited RF bandwidths).
Signal Generation & Analysis
1-Tone: CW and Pulsed CW with configurable rise/fall times.
2-Tones: Adjustable tone spacing from 1 kHz to 1500 MHz for video bandwidth analysis.
Modulated Signals: Supports modulation schemes from simple QAM to full LTE/5G New Radio (NR) test models.
Connectivity & Integration
Reference Clock: 10 MHz IN/OUT for synchronization with external lab equipment.
Triggering: Dedicated Trigger OUT for power meters and automated test benches.
Control Interface: Fully integrated with IVCAD Suite software for automated calibration and measurement workflows.
Network: Standard Ethernet interface.
CONFERENCE DEMONSTRATIONS
The WUPATEC FR1 VST was first shown in 2024 during the three main worldwide RF and Microwave events: the International Microwave Symposium in the US, the European Microwave Week in Europe, and the Microwave Workshop and Exhibition in Japan. Wupatec had a demo showcasing this board as a transceiver in the FR1 band sending 5G signals into a Power Amplifier Module also designed in-house by Wupatec. The transceiver was also applying directly the linearization algorithms (DPD, CFR) directly into the power amplifier.
We showcased the progress made in RF PA design and advancements in the RFSoc. This combination of different areas of knowledge, both digital and analog, made bandwidth enlargement possible: by that time, our PA covered the frequency range of 3.3 GHz to 4.2 GHz with 600 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth.
The demonstration showed a 2-stage 8W average high-efficiency power amplifier operating in the C band. This Doherty power amplifier used commercial GaN on SiC devices from Qorvo covers 3.3 GHz to 4.2 GHz, with 47.5 dBm peak power, 28 dB of linear gain, PAE higher than 35 % @8dB OBO and high linearity <-55 dBc ACLR with DPD and 5G NR one carrier of 100 MHz. The instantaneous bandwidth easily reaches 600 MHz of the RF frequency band.
In collaboration with AMD this demonstration used the latest Zynq™ UltraScale+™ RFSoC DFE (evaluation board ZCU670) together with AMD’s latest DPD and CFR IP. With Wupatec’s firmware, the RFSoC DFE was controlled using IVCAD Suite from Dassault Système, which allowed a comprehensive characterization of the RF power amplifier in an environment close to the final implementation of the radio unit.
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