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SPECTRUM ANALYSER
A Spectrum Analyser provides a display of amplitude verses frequency. The spectrum analyser resolves the spectral make up of the signal and displays it in a wide amplitude and frequency range. The modern spectrum analyser has analysis capabilities from a few kHz to well over 100 GHz in frequency and an amplitude range well over 100 dB. The block diagram of a swept superhetrodyne spectrum analyser is shown in fig. 1. It is made up of a wide band input mixer driver with a swept local oscillator and the resolution capability of the instrument is determined as a fixed intermediate frequency (IF).

Fig. 1 Simplified block diagram of Spectrum Analyser Relating Front Panel Control to Analyser Circuits. Details of various blocks of swept superhetrodyne instrument is given below :Input Attenuator : The first block is the input attenuator. Its purpose is to limit the power of the incoming signal. Most spectrum analyser can handle - 99 dBm to 30 dBm (1 W) level at its input. The attenuator itself is usually in 0.5 to 1W power handling range. This sets the maximum input level that the instrument can handle without damage. Input filter : The next block is a filter for image rejection or preselection. These are electronically tunable filters which continuously adjust to track the tuned frequency of the spectrum analyser. A marker or cursor is placed upon the unknown signal and the signal analyser displays the true frequency of the response.

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Intermediate frequency stage (IF) : This is the stage where the real analysis is done in the signal analyser. The primary function is to provide a wide selection of resolution bandwidth filters. The resolution bandwidth is one measure of the resolving power of the instrument, the narrower the filter the closer two signals may be seen as separate responses. Resolution bandwidth filters are usually realized in a combination of LC filters, crystal filters and digital filters. Log Amplifier : The log amplifier processes the incoming signal in a logarithmic fashion which allows a large range of incoming signal to be measured and compared. Its gain varies with signal amplitude. At small signal level the gain may be 10 dB while at larger amplitude the gain drops to 0 dB. Cascading several stages of this type of amplifier is necessary to obtain the desired log. Detector : The detector in most basic spectrum analyser is a linear envelope detector similar to those found in AM radios. Video filters : Video filters follow the envelop detectors. These filters allow some post filtering or averaging of the detected output. Video filters are generally set to the same bandwidth diagram or larger than the resolution bandwidth unless the measurement needs averaging. Swept Local Oscillator : The S.L.O. is a very element in the total signal analyser. The stability and spectral purity of the swept local oscillator can be a limiting factor in many performances areas. The ideal local oscillator would be exactly stable and have no frequency modulation. In the normal analyser with very narrow resolution bandwidth, a few Hz of FM can cause the signal to smear. The stability of the oscillator can be obtained by using frequency lock loops or phase locked loops. Microprocessor : Much of the instrument is calibrated, corrected or aligned by the microprocessor. Calibration information may be stored in the read only memory of the instrument to be accessed. When any of the coupled function such as resolution bandwidth or sweep time is changed, the other should also be accordingly changed so that the equipment remains in calibrated form. The microprocessor tracks all instrument settings and make adjustments to remain calibrated. Markers and many other functions are provided through this central microprocessor. In case of markers the micro processors will handle reading the data stored at a given frequency and displaying the information to the user in appropriate resolution. The inclusion of micro processor also gives the remote capability. Calibration 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Turn the power switch 'ON'. Warm-up the analyser for 30 min. Connect 'CAL output' to 'RF INPUT' by the cable supplied with equipment. Cal signal is 100 MHz, - 10 dBm. Enter 'CENTER FREQ' as 100 MHz. Enter 'FREQUENCY SPAN/DIV' to 1 kHz. Enter 'REFER LEVEL' as - 10 dBm. The CAL pulse in this case should touch the top line of the graticule otherwise use the LEVEL CAL preset for proper calibration.

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Panel Controls 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. FREQ BAND CENTER FREQ FREQ SPAN START STOP LOG REFERENCE LEVEL PEAK > CTR << >> OFF TITLE SHIFT MARKER : : : : : : : : : : : : : Selects Freq. Band in two ranges, i.e. 10 kHz - 2 GHz and 1.7 GHz to 23 GHz. Enables to enter centre frequency of measurement. activates Normal marker in MARKER mode. Sets frequency span/div. 'MARKER' mode. Also

Also activates Delta marker in

To enter starting frequency of a band. To enter end frequency of the band. Selects vertical scale (10 dB/div or 5 dB/div or 2 dB//div or 1 dB/div) (i) Specifies signal level at top horizontal line to graticule. (ii) Activates peak marker in marker mode. Brings highest peak signal to the centre of the screen. Shifts the display to right or left of the screen. To increase or to decrease frequency span. Disables the selected parameter. For displaying Alpha Numeric character on top field of CRT. For shifting to special functions in blue colour. Displays MARKER menu from which desired marker can be selected. For numeric value input. Determines unit and ends data entry. Used to change value of selected parameter. Four coupled functions (RBW, VBW, Sweep time & Input atten) are set to most appropriate condition in auto mode. Sets attenuation of input attenuator from 0 to 70 db in 10 db steps. Adjusts sweep time between 2 micro sec/div and 10 s/div. Determines post detection filter bandwidth between 1 Hz and 3 MHz. Determines resolution BANDWIDTH of IF stage.
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NUMBER KEYS : UNIT KEYS CURSOR AUTO INPUT ATTEN SWEEP TIME VIDEO B/W RES. B/W : : : : : : :

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23. 24.

RECALL SAVE

: :

Enables to display all parameters stored in memory 0 to 9. Enables to display all parameters in memories 0 to 9. By selecting one of memory addresses, current measurement conditions are stored in selected memory. [SAVE] [3] Saves in memory 3 [SAVE] [-4] Clears memory 4. Makes copy of CRT display on printer or plotter on connecting GPIB cable. With shift 'OFF', copies all display. With shift 'ON' copies signal traces and graticule. To connect Input signal power (should not be more than +30 dBm) -10 dBm, 100 MHz RF signal. To read or write to the memories of channel A/B. To start sweeping. To freeze the frame.

25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. USE

COPY RF INPUT CAL O/P READ/WRITE (A/B) RUN SINGLE

: : : : : :

In AIR & DD network spectrum analyser can be mainly used for :1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Measurement of Harmonics level. Measurement of level and frequency of carrier and its side bands. At RN terminal or Earth Station it can be used for measuring level and frequency of downlink carriers and carrier to noise density. For checking/adjusting deviation of FM carrier. Optimisation of PDA.

PROCEDURE FOR USING A SPECTRUM ANALYSER 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Check the calibration of the spectrum analyser, adjust if required. Connect signal at 'RF INPUT'. Select the frequency band covering frequency of signal being measured and enter the centre frequency by pressing 'CENTRE FREQUENCY' key. Adjust 'REF LEVEL' and 'VERTICAL SCALE' to increase/decrease the amplitude of waveform on the screen. Adjust 'SPAN' to spread or compress the waveform horizontally. Adjust 'Video Band Width' (VBW) to reduce the post detection noise in the waveform.
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7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Use 'MARKER' to find frequency separation and difference of level of two different waveforms. Use 'MEMORY' to save data of any desired waveform. Use 'TITLE' to give any short title to the waveform. With the help of 'GPIB' cable use 'COPY' to get the print of the waveform. Use 'SINGLE FREE/RUN' switch to disable/able the sweeping of screen.

PROCEDURE FOR MEASURING C/No WITH THE HELP OF SPECTRUM ANALYSER 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Check the calibration of spectrum analyser. Adjust if required. Uplink pure carrier to the transponder of interest (Disconnect, Video, SS and E/D Signal). Connect and enter the downlink frequency of transponder, to the analyser. Get smooth waveform of downlink carrier with RBW = 10 kHz. Bring the main marker on peak of the waveform and delta marker on grass noise level. Note the level-difference of main marker and delta marker displayed on top of the screen. Add 10 log (10 kHz) (= 40 dB) to the level obtained at point no. 6 above. Sum of these two readings will be C/No (Carrier to noise density).

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