TMYTEK BBox Lite FR3 6G FR3 phased-array beamformer

BBox Lite FR3:

Flexible Beam Control for FR3 Research

7–16 GHz RF front end with a 7.125–8.3 GHz Phase 1 AA-Kit for FR3 OTA, MIMO, and ISAC research.

What is BBox Lite FR3?

6G FR3 Active Analog Beamformer

Integrates T/R switches, PA, LNA, and 7-bit phase shifters with a 7.125–8.3 GHz modular array for 6G upper mid-band research.

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Fast Beam Control & Sub-2 μs Triggering for ISAC

Features < 2 μs SPI hardware triggering latency for real-time beam tracking and joint communication-sensing algorithms.

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Seamless SDR-to-FR3 Ecosystem

Pairs with UD Box 0630 to directly extend Sub-6 GHz SDRs into 6G FR3 without costly baseband overhauls.

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Why Choose BBox Lite FR3 for 6G
Upper Mid-Band Testing?

Dual-Polarization Control

32 SMPM back connectors offer full independent control over Horizontal (H) and Vertical (V) polarizations.

Configurable Active Subarrays

Easily route RF channels into 1×4 (H), 4×1 (V), or 2×2 (cluster) topologies.

Scalable 4T4R MIMO Tiling

Parallel up to 4 units via an Ethernet/SPI Hub to build a 4×4 (16-element) active array.

High-Power RF Performance

Delivers up to 37.5 dB EIRP and 37.5 dB Tx Max Gain for superior OTA dynamic range.

Key Features

6G FR3 Upper Mid-Band Coverage
6G FR3 Upper Mid-Band Coverage
7.125–8.3 GHz dual-polarized AA-Kit with a 7–16 GHz beamformer RF front-end.
4-Channel Precise Beam Control
4-Channel Precise Beam Control
4 controllable RF channels with 360° phase coverage at 2.8° steps and 31 dB gain adjustment at 0.5 dB steps.
Flexible Array Configuration
Flexible Array Configuration
Selectable 1×4 horizontal, 4×1 vertical, or 2×2 cluster active subarray mapping.
Modular Dual-Polarized Array
Modular Dual-Polarized Array
4×4, 16-element AA-Kit with 32 SMPM connectors, supporting flexible polarization configurations and custom antenna integration.
Fast Beam Switching
Fast Beam Switching
≤2 μs via SPI or 2 ms typ. via Ethernet, with up to ±40° beam steering in 1×4 horizontal configuration.

BBox Lite FR3 Introduction

BBox Lite FR3 front and rear panel RF and control interfaces

Beamformer Series

BBox Lite FR3
BBox Lite FR3
BBox One 5G
BBox One 5G
BBox Lite 5G
BBox Lite 5G
BBox 8×8 Duo
BBox 8×8 Duo
BBox Lite FR3
BBox One 5G
BBox Lite 5G
BBox 8×8 Duo
Frequency
7.125 – 8.3 GHz
24.25 – 27.5 GHz
26.5 – 29.5 GHz
37.0 – 40.0 GHz
26.5 – 29.5 GHz
37.0 – 40.0 GHz
26–28.4 GHz
RF Channels
1 × 4 / 4 × 1 / 2 × 2
4×4
1×4
8×8
Phi-A Tx/Rx Gain
-
8 - 12 / 0 - 4 dB
8 - 10 / 0 - 2 dB
1 - 3 / -1 - 1 dB
16 / 12 dB
15 / 10 dB
-
Phase Shifting Range
360 deg
360 deg
360 deg
360 deg
360 deg
360 deg
360 deg
System Tx/Rx Gain
49 / 34 dB
38 / 30 dB
38 / 30 dB
24 / 27 dB
34 / 30 dB
31 / 26 dB
20 - 60 / 20 - 60 dB
Beam Steering Range (V)
Fixed
±45 deg
±45 deg
±40 deg
Fixed
Fixed
±30 deg
Beam Steering Range (H)
±40 deg
±45 deg
±45 deg
±40 deg
±45 deg
±45 deg
±60 deg
Dimensions (mm)
-
152.5×82×82
119.4×102×101
120×53.3×183
Datasheet
BBox Lite FR3 detachable AA-Kit with 1x4, 4x1 and 2x2 antenna configurations

Development Tool for 6G Antenna Designers

The detachable AA-Kit exposes 32 SMPM connectors, allowing antenna engineers to easily detach the bundled array and connect custom-designed 6G FR3 antennas directly to the beamformer unit for immediate OTA verification.

Key Highlights

  • Independent Dual-Polarization: Full control over Horizontal (H) and Vertical (V) polarizations.
  • 3 Flexible Topologies: Route 4 RF channels into 1×4 (H), 4×1 (V), or 2×2 (centered) setups.
6G FR3 test setup connecting SDR, UD Box 0630, BBox Lite FR3 and XRifle Dynamic RIS FR3

7–16 GHz RF Flexibility

BBox Lite FR3 combines a 7–16 GHz RF front end with a 7.125–8.3 GHz Phase 1 AA-Kit for FR3 OTA research. Its detachable antenna interface also supports compatible antenna configurations for broader wireless research needs.

Target Applications:

  • 6G FR3: Beamforming, ISAC, and OTA research
  • X-Band Radar & SATCOM: Broader research with compatible antenna configurations
6G FR3 test setup connecting SDR, UD Box 0630, BBox Lite FR3 and XRifle Dynamic RIS FR3

Complete 6G FR3 End-to-End Development Setup

BBox Lite FR3 serves as the active RF front-end within TMYTEK's modular 6G FR3 ecosystem. Combine these components to build a complete benchtop research environment:

Ecosystem Components:

  • Baseband & Processing: Your existing Sub-6 GHz SDR / USRP platform.
  • Up/Down Converter (UD Box 0630): Translates Sub-6 GHz IF signals to/from FR3 (7.125–8.4 GHz).
  • Active Front-End (BBox Lite FR3): Dynamic beam steering & < 2 μs Fast Beam triggering.
  • Reflect-Array (XRifle Dynamic RIS): Controls NLoS environments for Smart Radio Environment (SRE) research.
TMXLAB Kit software interface for BBox Lite FR3 beam steering and channel control

Software Ready & Zero Learning Curve

Fully integrated with TMYTEK's software suite to accelerate your algorithm validation.

  • GUI: Interactive beam steering control, individual channel power/phase control, and custom antenna configuration.
  • APIs: Native support for Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, C++, and C#.

6G FR3 Application Scenarios

✓

Channel Modeling

Validate 3GPP Rel-19/21 upper mid-band models in the 7.125–8.3 GHz Golden Band.

✓

ISAC Research

Conduct dynamic radar sensing and beam tracking via < 2 μs SPI triggering.

✓

Multi-Channel MIMO

Tile up to 4 units for 4×4 active array spatial multiplexing.

✓

SATCOM & Mid-Band

Explore LEO satellite X-band and future 7–16 GHz wireless innovations.

FAQ

What is FR3 and why is the 7.125–8.3 GHz band important for 6G research?
FR3, often referred to as the upper mid-band, is being explored for 6G because it offers a balance between wider coverage and higher available bandwidth. BBox Lite FR3 covers 7.125–8.3 GHz to support upper mid-band channel modeling, beamforming, ISAC, and other 6G research.
What applications can I use BBox Lite FR3 for?
BBox Lite FR3 is designed for 6G FR3 research including beamforming algorithm validation, channel modeling, ISAC, multi-channel MIMO, OTA testing, and upper mid-band wireless experiments.
How do I connect BBox Lite FR3 to my existing SDR or USRP?
Pair BBox Lite FR3 with TMYTEK's UD Box 0630 up/down converter to translate Sub-6 GHz IF signals to and from the FR3 frequency range, allowing researchers to extend existing SDR or USRP platforms without replacing their baseband hardware.
What is the beam switching latency of BBox Lite FR3?
BBox Lite FR3 supports hardware-triggered beam switching with latency of < 2 μs via SPI, enabling real-time beam tracking, ISAC, and other time-sensitive experiments. Ethernet control is also available for applications that do not require ultra-low latency.
Can I test my own custom antenna array with BBox Lite FR3?
Yes. The detachable AA-Kit connects through 32 standard SMPM connectors, allowing researchers to remove the bundled antenna array and connect a custom-designed FR3 antenna directly to the beamformer unit for OTA validation.
What antenna configurations does BBox Lite FR3 support?
A single unit supports three configurable active-subarray topologies: 1x4 horizontal, 4x1 vertical, and 2x2 cluster. This allows researchers to evaluate different array architectures using the same platform.
Does BBox Lite FR3 support dual-polarization testing?
Yes. The AA-Kit supports independent Horizontal (H) and Vertical (V) polarization control, enabling dual-polarization beamforming and OTA experiments.
Can multiple BBox Lite FR3 units be combined for MIMO testing?
Yes. Up to 4 units can be synchronized to form a 4x4 active array, enabling multi-channel MIMO, spatial multiplexing, channel modeling, and advanced beamforming research.
What software and APIs are supported?
BBox Lite FR3 integrates with TMYTEK’s GUI for beam steering, individual channel power and phase control, and antenna configuration. APIs are available for Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, C++, and C# for automated testing and algorithm development.
Can BBox Lite FR3 be used for ISAC research?
Yes. Its < 2 μs SPI hardware triggering, programmable beam control, and FR3 active-array architecture make it suitable for Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) experiments such as dynamic beam tracking and joint communication-sensing algorithm validation.

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