Product category:
Stand-Alone Instruments
News Release from: Aspen Electronics | Subject: Bird Technologies EX series
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 25 October 2005
Antenna and cabling diagnostic tools
upgraded
Bird Technologies has upgraded its EX series of antenna and cabling diagnostic tools for field service, troubleshooting, maintenance and test of a wide range of comms equipment.
For field service, troubleshooting, maintenance and test of a wide range of communications equipment and installations, Aspen Electronics is launching the next generation of Bird Technologies EX series site analyser antenna and cabling diagnostic tools All models in the range have been upgraded and enhanced with additional measurement points, memory for settings and data memory
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 25 May 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Further, the operating temperature range has been extended to -10 to +50C, and instruments are supplied with a high capacity lithium battery for longer use in the field - minimum 3 hours operation, with an auto shutoff feature to extend battery life.
The top of the range instrument is now the SA-6000EX, providing users with a diagnostic range from 25MHz to an impressive 6GHz.
This unprecedented bandwidth capability dramatically increases the number of diagnostic applications that can be supported by a single field unit.
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This replaces the earlier SA-4000 unit.
The SA-6000EX, along with other units in the SA-EX series, now offer a choice of measurement points, from the standard 238 points, to 475 or 949 points.
The additional measurement points significantly increase the amount of data collected, thereby providing greater measurement detail and with it, visibility of the unit under test.
When operating in distance-to-fault mode the higher number of measurement points yields greater resolution, allowing the unit to show detail between points as close as 60mm.
This is particularly useful for viewing closely spaced events, such as in connectors.
In addition to its extended frequency band, the EX Series now provides storage for up to 500 x 238-point traces, believed to be the highest available in the industry.
All models have additional settings memory, now up to 15 instrument setups.
Other prominent features include better overall frequency resolution, a source VSWR of 1.12 to 1.00, and a VSWR range of 1.00 to 99.99.
The instruments are still easy to use, despite the increased functionality, with simple operation through intuitive on-screen menus.
A window mode allows the user to choose how data is displayed - max, min and envelope - as the display screen uses fewer data points.
The transflective colour display is visible even in direct sunlight and is most useful when comparing two on-screen traces displayed in different colours.
PC software is included, which can be upgraded free of charge, as necessary from the Bird website.
The units are built for dependable field use with a high capacity battery pack and rugged ergonomic design.
They feature immunity to on-frequency interference signals up to +13dBm, whereby the incoming signal does not affect the measurement.
Maximum input is +22dBm.
Optional accessories include any of the Bird Thruline or Terminating sensors (except Model SA1700EX).
Bird Thruline sensors generally do not require high power attenuators when used on cellular or PMR systems.
Examples include: 5012 wideband power sensor, 350MHz to 4GHz and up to 150W CW; 5010T Thruline sensor and (banded) element pair, 2MHz to 2.7GHz, up to 1000W; and 5011 terminating power sensor, 40MHz to 4GHz, -10dBm to +20dBm.
Aspen also offers a range of accessories including calibration pieces, open/short/load in N-type male, RF test cables, connector adapters and hard carry cases.
For existing SA-EX users, upgrades are available from the SA-1700EX to SA-1700EXP, to SA-2500EX and to SA-6000EX.
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