RFSA Fetch IQ data type and base band frequency knowledge

[Sharmi]

Hi,

Could someone please answer the following two questions -

• In the RFSA Acquire Continuous IQ vi, the output of the step ‘niRFSA Fetch IQ’ shows waveform data type (which from my understanding is analog waveform). However, in 5663help and documents it is mentioned that 5622 digitally down converts the signal after frequency translation is done by 5601 and 565. Then Lab View can read this data in digital format. Then why the output data from ‘niRFSA Fetch IQ’ is not a digital waveform?
• If a single tone RF signal (say of 1GHz) is generated using 5673, is there any way I can get to know what is the baseband frequency which is up converted by 5450 and 5652 to produce this RF of 1GHz?

Thanks so much,

Sharmi

[Marcus_M]

Hi Sharmi,

You are correct, the waveform data type that is being output is essentially in an analog form and not a digital form.  This is because if the output of the "niRFSA Fetch IQ" was in a digital form it would be unrecognizable since the components of a digital waveform are built of 1's and 0's.  The "niRFSA Fetch IQ" takes the digital data and converts it into an analog representation so that we are able to visually observe it on the front panel of LabVIEW.

As for your second question, because you are doing a single tone generation the LO Source, the 5652, is generating a 1GHs signal which requires no modulation so there is no frequency that is unconverted.  

Regards,

Marcus

[Sharmi]

Hey Marcus,

Thank you so much for the reply.

Sharmi