Software-Defined Radio Facilitates Radar, Satellite, and 6G Research
Intended to accelerate next-generation RF innovations, the NI USRP X420 from Emerson is a software-defined radio (SDR) platform that addresses the demanding requirements of advanced radar systems, satellite communications, and emerging 6G research.
The X420 expands the company's NI Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) product line, providing a frequency coverage of up to 20 GHz to access the high-frequency spectrumthat includes the FR3, Ku, and X bands. It also supports advanced applications such as multichannel radar, non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC).
With its near-instrument-grade RF performance in a flexible, software-defined platform, the X420 is optimized for research, prototyping, and deployment, offering wide frequency coverage, high instantaneous bandwidth, and phase-coherent multichannel operation. The platform can help rapidly develop and validate complex RF systems in aerospace, defense, wireless communications, and academic research.
Features include a phase-coherent multichannel architecture with an integrated local oscillator to simplify synchronization, reduce system complexity, and accelerate development. It also has a large instantaneous bandwidth to enable broadband signal acquisition and generation for applications such as spectrum monitoring, record-and-playback, and integrated sensor technology and communication.
The local oscillator's sharing capability is especially useful in aerospace and defense applications where phase coherence is crucial for beamforming, MIMO radar, and distributed sensor systems.
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About the Author
Alix Paultre
Editor-at-Large, Microwaves & RF
Alix is Editor-at-Large for Microwaves & RF.
An Army veteran, Alix Paultre was a signals intelligence soldier on the East/West German border in the early ‘80s, and eventually wound up helping launch and run a publication on consumer electronics for the U.S. military stationed in Europe. Alix first began in this industry in 1998 at Electronic Products magazine, and since then has worked for a variety of publications, most recently as Editor-in-Chief of Power Systems Design.
Alix currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany.