Experimental Design of an IEEE 802.11a Receiver Synchronization Unit Based on a Software-Defined Radio Module

In response to the requirements of the “new engineering” discipline construction for the cultivation of college students’ practical abilities, a teaching experiment on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) synchronization algorithm in an IEEE 802.11a receiver based on a software-defined radio module is proposed in the communication principle experimental teaching. The experimental principles of frame synchronization, symbol synchronization, and frequency synchronization are presented. In the MATLAB development environment, the OFDM synchronization unit is designed and the software-defined radio module PLUTO is configured. Thus, the passband signal is transmitted and received using the PLUTO, and the functions of the synchronization unit are verified. Through this experiment, students can better grasp the theoretical knowledge of synchronization related to communication principle and enhance their engineering practical abilities.