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Test and Measurement

Waveform generation, file IO formats, visualization, and performance analysis

Generate waveforms and use quantitative tools to measure system performance. Use graphical utilities such as constellation and eye diagrams to visualize the effects of various impairments and corrections.

Supported file formats to process captured signals include binary baseband signal and NI™ technical data management solution (TDMS) format files. You can read data into tables or timetables by reading TDMS-files individually, or by reading collections of TDMS-files simultaneously.

Apps

Wireless Waveform Generator	Create, impair, visualize, and export modulated waveforms
Bit Error Rate Analysis	Analyze BER performance of communications systems

Functions

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Bit Error Rate Calculation and Estimation

`biterr`	Number of bit errors and bit error rate (BER)
`symerr`	Compute number of symbol errors and symbol error rate
`berawgn`	BER and SER for uncoded data over AWGN channels
`bercoding`	BER for coded AWGN channels
`berconfint`	Error probability estimate and confidence interval of Monte Carlo simulation
`berfading`	BER and SER for uncoded data over Rayleigh and Rician fading channels
`berfit`	Fit curve to nonsmooth empirical BER data
`bersync`	BER for imperfect synchronization
`semianalytic`	BER using semianalytic technique

Visualization

`scatterplot`	Display input signal in IQ-plane
`eyediagram`	Generate eye diagram
`plotPhaseNoiseFilter`	Plot response of phase noise filter block

Utilities

`marcumq`	Generalized Marcum Q-function
`noisebw`	Equivalent noise bandwidth of digital lowpass filter
`qfunc`	Q function
`qfuncinv`	Inverse Q function
`showcommblockdatatypetable`	Communications Toolbox block characteristics

File IO

`tdmsread`	Read data from TDMS-file (Since R2022a)
`tdmswrite`	Write data to TDMS-file (Since R2022b)
`tdmsinfo`	Information about TDMS-file (Since R2022a)
`tdmsreadprop`	Read properties as single row table from TDMS-file (Since R2022a)
`tdmswriteprop`	Write properties to TDMS-file (Since R2022b)

Objects

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Measurements

`comm.ACPR`	Measure adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR)
`comm.ErrorRate`	Compute bit or symbol error rate of input data
`comm.EVM`	Measure error vector magnitude (EVM) of received signal
`comm.MER`	Measure modulation error ratio of received signal
`powermeter`	Measure power and CCDF of the power of voltage signal (Since R2021a)

Visualization

`comm.ConstellationDiagram`	Display and analyze input signals in IQ-plane
`spectrumAnalyzer`	Display frequency spectrum of time-domain signals (Since R2022a)
`timescope`	Display time-domain signals (Since R2020a)
`dsp.ArrayPlot`	Display vectors or arrays

File IO

`comm.BasebandFileReader`	Read baseband signal from file
`comm.BasebandFileWriter`	Write baseband signal to file
`vita49Reader`	VITA 49 file reader (Since R2022b)
`tdmsDatastore`	Datastore for collection of TDMS-files (Since R2022a)

Blocks

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Measurements

Error Rate Calculation	Compute bit error rate or symbol error rate of input data
EVM Measurement	Measure error vector magnitude (EVM)
MER Measurement	Measure modulation error ratio in digital modulation applications
Power Meter	Measure power and the CCDF of the power of voltage signal in Simulink (Since R2021a)

Visualization

Constellation Diagram	Display and analyze input signals in IQ-plane
Eye Diagram	Display eye diagram of time-domain signal (Since R2023b)
Time Scope	Display and analyze signals generated during simulation and log signal data to MATLAB
Spectrum Analyzer	Display frequency spectrum

Waveform Generation

Waveform From Wireless Waveform Generator App

Wireless waveform source exported to Simulink (Since R2021b)

File IO

Baseband File Writer	Write baseband signals to file
Baseband File Reader	Read baseband signals from file

Topics

Bit Error Rate Analysis Techniques
Obtain bit error rate results and statistics.
Analyze Performance with Bit Error Rate Analysis App
Learn how to use the Bit Error Rate Analysis app.
Compute BER for QAM System with AWGN Using MATLAB

Communications Toolbox™ features build upon the MATLAB^® computational and visualization tools, enabling you to use higher level functions when simulating communications systems.
- STEP 1: Examine 16-QAM Using MATLAB
- STEP 2: Use Pulse Shaping on 16-QAM Signal
- STEP 3: Use Forward Error Correction on 16-QAM Signal
Create Waveforms Using Wireless Waveform Generator App
Create, impair, visualize, and export modulated waveforms.
ACPR Measurements Using WCDMA Signal
This example shows you how to obtain adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) measurements using a WCDMA communications signal, according to the 3GPP™ TS 125.104 standard [1].
Measure Modulation Accuracy
Learn about EVM and MER for measuring modulation accuracy.
Scatter Plots and Constellation Diagrams
Display digitally modulated signals in the IQ-plane.
Visualize RF Impairments
Apply various RF impairments to a QAM signal.
Plot Signal Constellations
Show reference constellation plots for 16-PSK modulation of Gray-coded and binary-coded symbol mapping by setting PlotConstellation=true when using the modulation function.
Eye Diagram Analysis
In digital communications, an eye diagram provides a visual indication of how noise might impact system performance.
VITA 49 Packet Format
Explore the signal data packet and context data packet format of VITA 49 file.
Selected Bibliography for Measurements
List of references for further reading.

Related Information

The NI TDMS File Format
Datastore

Featured Examples

Link Budget Analysis

Demonstrate analyze link budgets in the design of wireless communications links between two sites considering issues of range, throughput, and received signal quality of critical importance to the system engineer.

Open Live Script

Measure EVM for 802.15.4 (ZigBee) System

Measure EVM of simulated IEEE 802.15.4 transmitter.

Open Live Script

Frequency Offset Calibration for Receivers

At the receiver, measure and calibrate to remove the frequency offset between a transmitter and a receiver.

Open Script

Frequency Offset Calibration for Receivers in Simulink

Measure and calibrate for transmitter/receiver frequency offset at the receiver using Simulink® and Communications Toolbox™. You can either use captured signals or receive signals in real time using the Communications Toolbox Support Package for RTL-SDR Radio. The receiver monitors the received signal, calculates and display the transmitter/receiver frequency offset.

Open Model

Spectrum Analysis of Signals

Downstream spectrum analysis of signals using MATLAB, Communications Toolbox and DSP System Toolbox™.

Open Live Script

Spectrum Analysis of Signals in Simulink

Use the captured signals, or receive signals in real time using RTL-SDR, ADALM-PLUTO or USRP™ radio, as a data source for downstream spectrum analysis with MATLAB and Simulink^®.

Open Model

VITA 49 File Reader

Read signal time data packets and the associated metadata (context packet data) from a VITA 49.2 format file.

Open Live Script