Fast, Low-Cost Signal Analyzer ???

From: rogelio villarreal <rvme..._at_yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 07:29:45 -0700 (PDT)

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Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:19:36 -0400
To: TSCM-L2006_at_googlegroups.com
From: "James M. Atkinson" <jm..._at_tscm.com>
Subject: Re: [TSCM-L] {2092} Fast, Low-Cost Signal Analyzer ???
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Roger,

The EXA and MXA is Agilent first major push into
the use to a software define instruments where
the BWO and sweep circuits are replaced with high
speed digitizers and a block convertor. You would
use a EXA or MXA in a similar fashion to that of
the ESA or PSA (thier flagship swept spectrum analyzers).

A software defined instrument used in the format
as a spectrum or vector analyzer has been around
for over ten years, but most TSCM people could
not justify paying $140,000 for a highly fragile,
75 pound instrument. The big benefit of a
software defined instrument is that once you
split the incoming signal into a I and Q signals,
and then digitize them the kinds of measurements
you can make with them is almost limitless.

For example you can display a segment of the RF
spectrum in a frequency v. amplitude as a
conventional spectrum analyzer display, or as a
frequency v./ time in several different formats,
or as a phase or constellation display, actual
data display, chips, or other data inside the signal.

As a TSCM instrument the software defined
instrument is quite valuable in capturing data
bursts where you set up on a set of frequencies
that you know that a bug is using, and you
capture the spectrum only when that band lights up.

For example, in September/October 1999 I
purchased two Tektronix 3086 Real Time Spectrum
Analyzers, and mounted them in a shock mounted
anti-vibration Hardigg rack as they were not
suitable for field use due to their construction
and special measures had to be taken to protect
them. These instruments were the very first
widely produced software defined instruments and
what you got was a Windows 95 PC with a modest
hard drive, multiple serial ports, digitizer
boards, down converters, etc. The actual digitize
bandwidth was 30 MHz, and with a little mod you
could tweak this up to just over 100 MHz of
bandwidth. What this means is that if anything at
all pops up on the air within this bandwidth the
instrument will capure it without regard for how
long the signal was present, so in the case of a
burst device that is only in the air for a few
milli-seconds every couple of hours these RTSA's
will capture it, albeit with a moderately narrow
bandwidth. By using two or more instruments you
can monitor two or more times as much RF real
estate, but you are still restricted to the
"bandwidth" of the instruments so that even if
you have only of the newer RTSA that goes up to
8.5 GHz you still can only watch 30 MHz or so at
a time (up to 120 MHz if you are clever with equipment mods).

If you are stalking digital signals that are only
present for short times, or signals that create
only a very small elevation of the noise floor
these types of instruments are invaluable, and
since they have been around for the last decade
the designs have become much more refined, and
the equipment reduced in size and more reliable..

-jma







At 10:29 AM 11/1/2007, rogelio villarreal wrote:

>COULD YOU TELL ME IF THIS WOULD BE OF USE IN SWEEPS?
>
>pERHAPPS THIS INFORMATION COULD BE OF INTEREST TO THE
>GROUP
>
>SALUDOS
>
>ROGER in Mexico
>
>Signal analyzer sets new performance/cost standard in
>signal analysis
>
>Fast, Low-Cost Signal Analyzer
>Claimed to make signal measurements 3× faster than
>competitive models, an economy-model signal analyzer
>targets design troubleshooting, complex signal
>analysis, and productivity gains. The analyzer uses
>vector signal analysis software to perform a wide
>range of measurements in an open Window XP
>Professional OS. Functions can be accessed with a USB
>keyboard/mouse and on the front panel
>
>Santa Clara, Calif. — Agilent Technologies Inc. says
>its EXA signal analyzer is the industry's fastest
>economy-class signal analyzer, providing engineers
>with the capabilities to troubleshoot new designs,
>increase manufacturing throughput, or analyze complex
>and time-varying signals.
>At a lower performance point than Agilent's MXA signal
>analyzer, the EXA integrates the same broad range of
>standards-based measurements with Agilent's 89600
>vector signal analysis (VSA) software in a single
>instrument. In addition to the use of an open Windows
>XP Professional operating system, the EXA also
>provides an advanced signal analysis user interface.
>All measurement features and functions are intuitively
>grouped and accessible from the front panel or via a
>USB keyboard and mouse.
>The EXA signal analyzer supports multiple frequency
>ranges from 9 kHz to 3.6, 7.0, 13.6 and 26.5 GHz, an
>internal fully calibrated pre-amplifier option up to
>3.6 GHz, and standard analysis bandwidths of 10 MHz.
>This fully scalable functionality is complemented by
>EXA's +13 dBm third-order intercept, -146 dBm/Hz
>displayed average noise level (without pre-amp) and 66
>dB W-CDMA ACLR dynamic range, as well as 0.4 dB total
>absolute amplitude accuracy, which is made possible by
>the all-digital, 14-bit ADC IF section. The dynamic
>range is maximized with an optional 2 dB mechanical
>step attenuator over the full frequency range and for
>manufacturing offers an optional 1 dB electronic
>attenuator to 3.6 GHz.
>Agilent said a breakthrough characteristic of the
>Agilent EXA is its intrinsic speed, unprecedented for
>an economy signal analyzer, which allows measurements
>up to 300 percent faster than other economy-class
>signal analyzers. The EXA returns a marker peak search
>result in less than 5 ms, local updates in less than
>10 ms, and remote sweep and transfer (via GPIB) in
>less than 12 ms. Measurement mode switching speeds are
>typically less than 75 ms. This speed enables a fast
>and seamless change between WiMAX, W-CDMA,
>HSDPA/HSUPA, GSM/EDGE, phase noise measurements, and
>89600 VSA software.
>Optional measurement application software provides
>preconfigured test routines for GSM/EDGE, 802.16e
>Mobile WiMAX, W-CDMA, HSDPA/HSUPA, and phase-noise
>applications. Running the Agilent 89600 VSA software
>application in the EXA enables advanced signal
>demodulation analysis and troubleshooting of more than
>50 demodulation formats including 2G, 3G, 3.5G, WiMAX,
>WLAN and Private Mobile Radio.
>The EXA also includes a comprehensive set of standard
>one-button-power measurements for characterizing
>signal quality. These include ACPR, Channel Power,
>Occupied Bandwidth, Spectrum Emissions Mask, CCDF,
>Burst Power and Spurious Emission. It's fully
>compliant with the LXI Class-C specification.
>Connectivity is possible via 100 based-T LAN, GPIB and
>seven USB 2.0 ports.
>Pricing:
>• N9010A-503 (Frequency Range, 9 kHz to 3.6 GHz):
>$16,900
>• N9010A-507 (Frequency Range, 9 kHz to 7.0 GHz):
>$25,900
>• N9010A-513 (Frequency Range, 9 kHz to 13.6 GHz):
>$30,900
>• N9010A-526 (Frequency Range, 9 kHz to 26.5 GHz):
>$35,900
>• N9010A- FSA (Fine step attenuator): $1,000
>• N9010A-PFR (Precision Frequency Reference): $2,000
>• N9010A-EA3 (Electronic Attenuator, 3.6 GHz): $3,000
>• N9010A-P03 (Preamplifier, 3.6 GHz): $1,500
>• N9010A-CPU (Instrument Security, additional
>CPU/HDD): $4,000
>• N9068A (Phase Noise Measurement Application): $4,700
>
>• N9071A (GSM/EDGE Measurement Application): $6,000
>• N9073A-1FP (W-CDMA Measurement Application): $7,400
>• N9073A-2FP (HSDPA/HSUPA Measurement Application):
>$4,300
>• N9075A (802.16 OFDMA Measurement Application):
>$10,000
>• 89601A (Vector Signal Analysis software -89600):
>$10,100
>
>Product information: N9019A
>Agilent Technologies Inc., 1-800-829-4444, item number
>8155, www.agilent.com
>
>
>__________________________________________________
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