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How can you put the QCA4020-based wireless module into special modes for regulatory testing?

An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) designing products that use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth may need to obtain product certifications in the region where they plan to sell products. During the certification process, some tests require the device to transmit a continuous stream of packets of a specified type and modulation or continuously listen on a specified channel. Wireless radio special factory test modes are useful to an OEM for:

  • Development
  • Evaluation
  • Manufacturing tests
  • Certification

Different chipsets have different tools that allow users to operate the wireless chipset in these continuous Rx/Tx test modes. For example, SX-ULPGN-BTZ, which is our Wi-Fi, Bluetooth plus Zigbee triband module based on QCA4020, uses the Qualcomm proprietary package called the QDART utility. 

What is QDART?

QDART stands for QUALCOMM Development Acceleration Resource Kit. It is available from Qualcomm under a technology licensee agreement also commonly referred to as a TLA. The QDART is a collection of software tools and resources designed to aid OEMs with subscriber unit hardware development and production issues.

QDART is meant to reduce engineering and development costs in a manufacturing process by: 

  • Reducing engineering development costs
  • Reducing manufacturing test time
  • Reducing test equipment costs due to innovative manufacturing approaches 

One of the software tools in the QDART package is QRCT (Qualcomm Radio Control Test). QRCT enables the chipset to operate in continuous transmit-and-receive modes. These special modes are needed to complete regulatory testing.

How Silex can help?

Our Qualcomm Authorized Design Center certification enables us to help our customers put their devices into special modes needed for development and certification testing. Through our interaction with customers, we have learned that using the QDART utility can be a tricky task and require guidance.

Please download the complete application note to learn the steps required to put SX-ULPGN-BTZ (QCA4020 based module) into these special modes using QDART/QCRT tools.

Regulatory Testing Guide

Note: The QUALCOMM documentation and tools needed require completed Qualcomm agreements to gain access. Please contact your sales manager or email us directly at sales@silexamerica.com so that we can help you get what you need to get access to these Qualcomm tools.