Product category:
Stand-Alone Instruments
News Release from: Tektronix | Subject: SA2600
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 18 June 2008
Analyser gives real-time spectral view
Real-time spectrum analysers are designed to offer benchtop performance on a portable handheld platform, specifically to solve problems created by digital RF technologies.
The latest handheld real-time spectrum analyser from Tektronix uses novel DPX waveform image processor technology to provide a live RF view of the spectrum In addition to the new SA2600, DPX is now also available on the H600 RF Hawk handheld unit originally introduced in February
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 7 Oct 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Finding and physically locating RF emitters that are misusing the radio spectrum can be a challenging process, especially when risk mitigation and time to response are critical.
According to Bob Hiebert, General Manager, Wireless Field Test Product Line, Tektronix "The new Tektronix real-time spectrum analysers are designed to offer benchtop performance on a portable handheld platform, specifically to solve problems created by digital RF technologies from Wi-Fi to WiMAX to UWB and UMTS".
"The new SA2600 and H600 handheld spectrum analysers extend the application of DPX to serve a broad range of fielded wireless technologies".
"These units uniquely assist customers with the discovery of interference and the mapping of wireless technologies in a variety of environments, both indoors and outside".
The explosion of digital RF has created a highly complex technology environment that is moving from the design bench to the field, requiring the need for next generation test and measurement instruments.
DPX waveform image processing provides a unique live RF view of the spectrum, enabling an unprecedented RF signal discovery capability for a broad range of applications including radio communications and spectrum management.
DPX transforms volumes of real-time data and produces a live RF spectrum display that reveals previously unseen RF signals and signal anomalies.
The SA2600 with 10kHz-6.2GHz frequency coverage, 20MHz real time bandwidth and -153dBm displayed average noise level (DANL) is designed to deliver benchtop spectrum analyser performance in a battery-operated, handheld field unit.
With a spectrum processing rate more than 100 times faster than any swept spectrum analyser from other vendors, the SA2600 and H600 provide 100% probability of intercept for transients with minimum event durations of 500us on the SA2600 and 125us on the H600.
The SA2600 and H600 are designed for field measurements.
The new models combine a high performance spectrum analyser with an intuitive set of user controls, allowing for the quick and simple classification and location of both analogue and digital RF transmissions.
The user interface is designed specifically for enhanced productivity in the field including a touch screen for easy navigation.
While other solutions may require offline GPS and mapping software, the SA2600/H600 includes integrated GPS and mapping tools to allow more efficient interference location capability.
DPX waveform image processor technology in the SA2600/H600 displays the live spectrum by processing at least 2500 or 10,000 spectrum measurements per second, respectively.
This is orders of magnitude more information than is shown by any other conventional spectrum analyser without DPX, minimising the analysis gaps inherent in swept spectrum and vector signal analysers.
To achieve thousands of spectrum measurements per second, DPX makes use of dedicated real-time hardware to process the incoming signal.
In addition to live RF, the waveform image processor also provides an intensity-graded persistence display that holds anomalies until the eye can see them to show the history of occurrence for dynamic signals and immediate feedback on signal variations over time.
This provides engineers the ability to rapidly see on screen both transients and signals that ordinarily could not be seen, either because they are masked by other signals or could only be deduced after time consuming offline analysis.
DPX waveform imaging will enhance productivity by quickly capturing elusive anomalies and transient events, improving accuracy and insight, and accelerating design debug.
Tektronix offers digital RF test tools from signal generation to acquisition.
In addition to real-time spectrum analysers, arbitrary waveform generators generate ideal, distorted or "real-world" signals.
Logic analysers enable the capture and analysis of the digital I/Q information to more quickly debug elusive problems within the digital baseband segment of a digital RF design.
Digital oscilloscopes allow measurements of strict timing relationships including signal integrity analysis.
With these instruments and supporting software, Tektronix provides what customers need to test demanding digital RF applications.
The SA2600 is priced at Eur 19,400 or GBP 13,100 and the H600 is available for Eur 32,900 or GBP 22,200.
Existing owners of H600 units can obtain a free DPX upgrade. Request a free brochure from Tektronix ...
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