Spectracom Releases 8-Channel GPS Simulator for Nav Device Testing

GSG-54 GNSS simulator

Spectracom’s new 8-channel GPS constellation simulator, the Pendulum GSG-54, provides a wide-range of capabilities for in-line production testing of devices integrating GPS receivers due to its ease-of-operation and fast test cycles, according to the company. Its versatility also supports engineering organizations’ efforts for integrating GPS receivers into devices under development.

As more and more electronic devices integrate GPS receivers, manufacturers require instrumentation to fully test the GPS capabilities of each device on the manufacturing floor. According to Staffan Johansson, Spectracom product manager, “We understand the need for high-throughput manufacturing testing of GPS receivers. A multi-channel GPS simulator must be easy to use, yet powerful enough to confirm each device’s performance under a variety of real-world conditions.”

The Pendulum GSG-54 simulates the satellite signals detected by a GPS receiver. It comes in a bench-top chassis that is compact and portable. It offers built-in standards-based test scenarios that can be initiated or modified on the fly from the intuitive front panel interface, and offers a variety of connectivity options to control and reconfigure test parameters, Spectracom said.

The GSG-54 GPS constellation simulator builds on the features available from Spectracom’s GSG-L1 single-channel GPS signal generator that offers simple but fast assembly verification for functions such as antenna connectivity, receiver operation, or satellite signal identification. The GSG-54 provides for many more test cases due to its ability to simulate eight different satellite signals to test position accuracy, sensitivity to loss of satellite signals, timing accuracy, and dynamic range. It can simulate movements and user trajectories, multi-path scenarios and various other atmospheric conditions.

“Like our other products, the GSG-54 offers the lowest cost of ownership for manufacturers and development engineers by providing complete testing of multi-channel GPS performance with high throughput and ease-of-use without unnecessary complexity or expense,” said Lisa Withers, president and CEO of Spectracom.