MIMO Channel Sounder Based on Two Network Analyzers

Different channel sounders are reported in the literature to measure the multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless channel, most of them being dedicated systems. In this paper, a MIMO channel sounder that is based on two network analyzers is presented. The measurement process is totally controlled by a PC via a wireless local area network (WLAN), a local area network (LAN), and a general-purpose interface bus, and they are synchronized by using two global positioning systems (GPSs). The system is restricted to static propagation environments. An advantage of this system is its configurability, thanks to which it is not wireless system dependent. Last, initial measurements in a laboratory of a university at 900 MHz for a 4times4 MIMO system are also presented.