Transmit App-Generated Wireless Waveform Using Radio Transmitters

This example shows how to use the NI™ USRP™ N310, USRP N320, USRP N321, USRP X310, and USRP X410 radio transmitters available in the Wireless Waveform Generator app to transmit an app-generated waveform over the air (requires Wireless Testbench™). These radio transmitters enable you to transmit up to 2 GB of contiguous data over the air at the maximum baseband sample rate supported by the radio device.

Introduction

The Wireless Waveform Generator app is an interactive tool for creating, impairing, visualizing, and transmitting waveforms. Using a radio transmitter available in the app, you can transmit your generated waveform repeatedly over the air. You can also export the waveform generation and transmission parameters to a runnable MATLAB® script. This example shows how to configure these radio transmitters.

Although this example shows how to transmit an OFDM waveform, the same process applies for all waveform types that you can generate with the app.

Set Up for Radio Transmission

To use the radio transmitters in the app, you need to Install Support Package for NI USRP Radios and set up your radio using the Radio Setup wizard.

Generate Waveform for Transmission

Open the Wireless Waveform Generator app by clicking the app icon on the Apps tab, under Signal Processing and Communications. Alternatively, enter wirelessWaveformGenerator at the MATLAB command prompt.

In the Waveform Type section, select an OFDM waveform by clicking OFDM. In the leftmost pane of the app, adjust any configuration parameters for the selected waveform. Then generate the configuration by clicking Generate in the app toolstrip.

Configure Radio Transmitter

Select the Transmitter tab from the app toolstrip. In the transmitter gallery, select a radio transmitter.

In the leftmost pane of the app, select the name of a radio setup configuration that you saved using the Radio Setup wizard.

Set the center frequency, gain, and antennas configuration parameters. The app automatically sets the waveform sample rate based on the waveform that you generated earlier. The radio transmitter uses onboard data buffering to ensure contiguous data transmission at up to the maximum baseband sample rate supported by the radio device. To achieve the specified sample rate, the radio uses a Farrow rate converter. If necessary, use this list as a reference when setting the sample rate:

• USRP N310 -- 120,945 Hz to 76.8 MHz, or one of: 122.88 MHz, 125 MHz, or 153.6 MHz

• USRP N320 -- 196,851 Hz to 125 MHz, or one of: 200 MHz, 245.76 MHz or 250 MHz

• USRP N321 -- 196,851 Hz to 125 MHz, or one of: 200 MHz, 245.76 MHz or 250 MHz

• USRP X310 -- 181,418 Hz to 100 MHz, or one of: 184.32 MHz or 200 MHz

• USRP X410 -- 241,890 Hz to 125 MHz, or one of: 245.76 MHz or 250 MHz

Transmit Waveform

To transmit the waveform continuously, click Transmit. To end the continuous transmission, click Stop transmission. To export the waveform generation and transmission parameters to a runnable MATLAB script, click Export MATLAB script.