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    Hand Held, Portable, and Bench Top Spectrum Analyzers: Anritsu, Agilent, Rohde & Schwarz, Protek and More

    Full Featured Spectrum Analyzers for Field TestingTESSCO's most competitive offering in test equipment is the spectrum analyzer. A spectrum analyzer's role changes depending on the application. Compare features and find the analyzer that is best for your application and your budget.

    What is a Spectrum Analyzer?

    A spectrum analyzer is a wide band, very sensitive receiver. It is similar to your car AM radio. As you tune your radio you hear stations with varying degrees of loudness. If we modified our car radio by removing the speaker and replacing it with a display, we have essentially changed it into a spectrum analyzer. As the spectrum analyzer ‘tunes' past a signal it tells us how loud our signal is. In between signals, the trace represents low-level noise.

    Applications for Spectrum Analyzers

    • Site Monitoring — Verify that the frequency and signal strength of your transmitter is accurate.
    • Interference — Before a system is installed you use a spectrum analyzer to verify that the frequencies are not occupied or if the presence of a very strong signal will interfere with your new setup. Interference can be created by a number of different situations.
    • Other tests that utilize a spectrum analyzers features include antenna isolation, co-channel interference, adjacent channel power, occupied bandwidth, intermodulation, microwave or satellite antenna alignment, and characterization of components.

    Test Equipment for Spectrum Analysis


     

    FOR $5,000 AND LESS

    Budget Friendly Spectrum AnalyzersBudget Friendly Spectrum Analyzers.

    Spectrum Analyzers from Avcom and AEA.

    Benefits

    Typical lower cost spectrum analyzers are band specific or frequency limited.

    Key Features

    Most spectrum analyzers offered today have complete feature sets in max hold capability and additional measurement features. The decision specifications are whether the resolution bandwidths and subsequent noise floors meet the requirements of your measurements. Displays may be limited in resolution or sweep updates. Many models offer battery or DC operation field use, away from AC power. Most of these units are lightweight and portable.

    FOR $20,000 AND LESS

    High Performance Handheld Spectrum Analyzers

    Handheld Spectrum Analyzers - High PerformanceHigh performance handheld spectrum analyzers have finally addressed the market demand for portability and features. These include Agilent, Anritsu and Rohde & Schwarz.

    Benefits

    These units come in packages that vary from 5 to 7 lbs including batteries. They offer superior noise floor and phase noise specifications. They also include color displays that will not wash out in sunlight. Frequency ranges include continuous coverage to 13GHz, 18GHz or 20GHz depending on model selected.

    Key Features

    These spectrum analyzers have complete measurement capability with max hold, marker functions, peak search, marker to center, channel power, adjacent channel power, signal to noise in 1 Hz resolution, field strength, occupied bandwidth. They have both AM and FM demodulation so you can hear the audio of analog signals. Internal memory allows for storage of setups and measured traces, and with the RS232 interface and software included you can download traces to document and report verification or troubleshooting efforts. Enhanced feature like signal standards ease use with channelized systems to make interference analysis more effective. Options for these models include tracking generators, power measurements with wideband terminating sensors, distance to fault, digital personalities including GSM, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, WCOMS, HSOPA, and EvDO. Some unites have a network connection with software interface for remote control of the unit..

    FOR $8,000 - $45,000

    Full Featured Bench Version Spectrum Analyzers

    Full Featured Spectrum AnalyzersFull featured bench version spectrum analyzers represent the typical platform and performances associated with rack and stack test equipment applications.

    Products selections from Agilent and Rohde & Schwarz

    Benefits

    The full featured spectrum analyzers provide increased levels of accuracy in frequency and amplitude. They offer higher stability time base options for up to 1000X increase in accuracy. Typically the bench versions had better resolution and sweep speeds but the handhelds have narrowed the separation in performance here.

    Key Features

    These units include all of the measurement functions of the handheld units listed above. These tend to have more enhanced marker functions. They have a superior variety of options to make them more versatile for applications. In addition to these, you can get gated triggers, enhanced sweep speeds, narrow resolution bandwidths, preamps, tracking generators, demod, CDMA or GSM personality capability. Additional interfaces can be installed such as GPIB and USB. They may have 3-inch floppy disk or PCM/CIA drives to enhance internal memory too.

    These units are available in various models to provide frequency coverage up to 40GHz. Several models have battery and DC operation options enabling these models to be used in the field.

    Your Total SourceFor more information or assistance in choosing the spectrum analyzer right for you contact TESSCO at 800-472-7373 or e-mail us today.


     

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