A test system for devices requiring a radio frequency (RF) input signal, the tester comprising:
- a programmable test unit, the programmable test unit outputting non-RF control signals and receiving non-RF test signals from a device under test, the programmable test unit being programmable to control a test sequence for determining a performance of the device under test, the device under test having at least one RF input terminal, the programmable test unit having no RF capability and being enclosed in at least one housing;
- a circuit board, external to the at least one housing of the programmable test unit, the circuit board having input terminals connected to the programmable test unit for receiving the non-RF control signals and having output terminals connected to the programmable test unit for transmitting non-RF test signals from the device under test to the programmable test unit, the circuit board comprising:
- a first controllable RF oscillator connected to receive a first control signal from the programmable test unit, the first controllable RF oscillator being controllable to output a plurality of radio frequencies where the particular RF output is determined by the first control signal;
- an RF modulator coupled to receive an RF output of the first controllable RF oscillator and coupled to receive a modulating signal from the programmable test unit, the RF modulator outputting a modulated RF signal at a first amplitude;
- a variable attenuator coupled to an output of the RF modulator and coupled to receive a second control signal from the programmable test unit for outputting a plurality of amplitudes of the modulated RF signal;
- a power splitter coupled to receive the plurality of amplitudes of the modulated RF signal, the power splitter having a first output terminal outputting a first split modulated RF signal for coupling to a first RF input terminal of the device under test, the power splitter having a second output terminal outputting a second split modulated RF signal;
- a detector having an input terminal coupled to receive the second split modulated RF signal, the detector converting the second split modulated RF signal to a DC level corresponding to a power level of the second split modulated RF signal, the detector having an output terminal coupling the DC level to an input terminal of the programmable test unit;
- and
- electrical terminals, configured to be temporarily connected to terminals of the device under test without cabling, to couple the first split modulated RF signal to the first RF input terminal of the device under test, to couple some of the non-RF control signals from the programmable test unit to control input terminals of the device under test, and to couple the non-RF test signals from the device under test to the programmable test unit for evaluation by the programmable test unit of the performance of the device under test in response to the non-RF control signals and the first split modulated RF signal,
- wherein no RF cabling is used between the programmable test unit and the circuit board.