Marconi IFR Aeroflex FB100A Bit Error Rate Tester

The Marconi IFR Aeroflex FB100A is a modular bit error rate tester engineered for performance assessment of digital communication systems across telecommunications and data communication applications. It generates and analyzes pseudo-random binary sequences (PRBS) to measure transmission link bit error ratio (BER), supporting both serial and parallel testing topologies. The instrument accommodates system-level, sub-system, and component testing during development and compliance verification phases.

Technical Specifications

• Maximum data rate: 100 Mbit/s (serial), 160 Mbit/s (parallel)


• Maximum clock rate: 100 MHz


• Pattern depth: 4 Mbit


• Independent data generator and analyzer: 4 Mbyte memory each


• RF channel impairment generation: 5 MHz to 2.4 GHz tunable noise


• Carrier power levels: down to -70 dBm (standard); -140 dBm with OP240/OP240B option


• C/N and C/I ratio resolution: 0.1 dB


• External interferer capability: up to four signals, 5 MHz to 2.4 GHz

Key Features

• INSTALOK™ synchronization technology for rapid data synchronization and error code analysis


• Resident interfaces: TTL, ECL, PECL


• Interface pods: TTL, LVDS, RS-422 (V.11), MPEG SPI, ASI, OC3, HSSI, X.21, RS-449, V.35, V.36, RS-232, EIA/TIA-530/A


• Logic level outputs: TTL and PECL (serial); byte-width data and pilot wire (parallel)


• Signal connection options: Pod-to-Header and Pod-to-Micro-grabbers for circuit card and device probing


• Burst noise and flat fading carrier profiles


• Selectable channel bandwidths


• Automatic BER versus Eb/No measurement


• Windows NT user interface

Typical Applications

• Digital communication system performance validation


• Telecommunications component and subsystem testing


• Compliance verification and certification


• RF front-end simulation with broadband noise loading


• Co-channel, adjacent channel, and total interferer power testing

Compatibility & Integration The FB100A supports diverse transmission standards and interface protocols through resident interfaces and optional interface pods, enabling integration into complex test environments requiring multi-standard BER measurement and RF impairment simulation.