Development Background:
LTE/5G base station and Wi-Fi device vendors use the Over The Air (OTA) test environment to evaluate the peak 4x4 MIMO performance of their products. This involves measuring the Tx/Rx radio performance of wireless devices using an anechoic chamber or OTA, which is designed to block external radio waves. Because the transmission environment varies depending on the distance to the user equipment (UE), one drawback of this method is the low reproducibility of the measurement results. While reproducibility can be improved by connecting the two devices with an RF cable, a simple coupler cannot simulate the MIMO transmission environment. The MA8114A solves this problem, ensuring highly reproducible measurements.
The upper frequency limit for NR FR1 has been extended starting with 3GPP Release 17, and the 6 GHz band has been added to Wi-Fi 6E/7. The MA8114A supports a frequency range up to 7.125 GHz in preparation for countries launching services on new frequency bands.
The Butler Matrix module product range also includes the Butler Matrix 8x8 (0.6 GHz to 7.125 GHz) MA8118A with 8 input and 8 output ports, which also supports a frequency range up to 7.125 GHz. The MA8118A can be used not only for evaluating 8x8 MIMO performance but also for effectively testing devices with multiple RF ports.
