Spectrum Analyser

A Hand-Shake

1
 Over-View
„ This lecture is basically to familiarize with
SA functions & taking C/N Ratio Meas.
„ Newer Anritsu Model MS 2661B/C is
chosen as standard
„ It has some new modern features to
facilitate measurements
„ A little peep into more difficult area is also
given here & there, so that the people
interested can get into the nitty-gritty's

2
 Spectrum Analyser
„ Measures Amplitude (power) of different
Frequency Components in the signal
„ Max Rf Input is 30 dBm, 50 Ω, in some
new models 75 Ω is also selectable.
„ DC is strict no-no.
„ In some new models dc upto 50 V is
acceptable

3
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
„ Frequency
„ Amplitude
„ Marker
„ Display
„ Storage
„ Detection
„ Coupled (Input Processing) Function
„ Calibration
„ Measurement
„ Save Feature
„ Print Out

4
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Frequency
How to set the Frequency
¾ Centre-Span Mode
¾ Start-Stop Mode
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Frequency
¾ Center Frequency
¾ Span
¾ Start-Stop Frequency

5
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Amplitude
How to set the Amplitude
¾ Choose Reference Level
¾ Choose Log Scale
¾ Choose Input Impedance
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Amplitude
¾ Reference Level
¾ Log Scale
¾ Input Impedance

6
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Markers
How to set Marker
¾ Go to Marker Menu & select
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Normal Marker
¾ Delta Marker
¾ Zone Marker
¾ Zone Width
¾ Peak Marker

7
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Display
How to select Display Mode
¾ Go to A,B (Display) Menu & select
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Trace A & B
¾ Trace A on B
¾ Over Write Display etc.

8
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Storage
How to select Storage Mode
¾ Go to A,B (Display) Menu, then Storage &
select
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Normal
¾ Averaging
¾ Max Hold
¾ Min Hold

9
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Detection
How to select Detection Mode
¾ Go to A,B (Display) Menu, then Detection
& select
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Normal
¾ Sample
¾ Pos Peak
¾ Neg Peak

10
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Coupled (input processing) Function
How to select Coupled Function
¾ Select Coupled Function Keys
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ RBW
¾ VBW
¾ Sweep Time
¾ Attenuator

11
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Calibration
How to select Calibration
¾ Select Calibration (shift 0) Keys
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ All Cal
¾ Level Cal
¾ Frequency Cal
¾ FM Cal
¾ Factory Calibration

12
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Measurement
How to select Measurement
¾ Go to Measure Menu & Select
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ C/N Ratio Measurement
¾ Noise Power Measurement
¾ Frequency Count
¾ Channel Power Measurement etc.

13
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Save Recall Feature
How to select Save Recall Feature
¾ Select Recall/shift Recall (Save) Key
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Parameter Data
¾ Waveform Data

14
 Main Parameters/Functions of SA
Print Out
How to select Print Out
¾ Select shift Copy Key & Select
Keys/Terms To Remember
¾ Serial Port
¾ GPIB Port
¾ Centronics Cable
¾ Parallel Port

15
Setting Observation Frequency

16
Setting Observation Frequency
Center Span Mode

17
Setting Observation Frequency
Start Stop Mode

18
Setting Level Range

Setting Log-Scale

19
Setting Reference level

20
Setting Input Impedance

Impedance Transformer

21
 Marker Functions

Marker Mode Marker Search Setting Parameters Using

•Normal Marker •Peak Search Marker Values
•Delta Marker •Next Peak Search •Mkr CF / Mkr RLV

•Zone Marker •Next Right Peak •Delta Mkr Span

Search •Zone Span
•Marker off
•Next Left Peak Search
•Switching Marker
Search Mode •Dip Search

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 Marker Mode
Normal & Delta Marker

Marker Normal Marker Marker Delta Marker

1
2
6
3
4
5

23
 Marker Mode
Zone Marker
Changing Zone Position

1
8
7

Changing Zone Width Switching Marker Search Mode

Marker Marker Search Peak Dip

Searching the max & min value in the zone

marker is selected by this Key

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 Marker Search

Peak Search Next Peak Search

25
 Marker Search
Next Right/Left Peak Search

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Setting Parameters Using Marker Values
CF & RLV Keys

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Setting Parameters Using Marker Values
Mkr CF / Mkr RLV
Marker Marker Mkr CF

Mkr RLV

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Setting Parameters Using Marker Values
Peak CF / Peak RLV
¾Peak CF
CF Sets the max peak point & zone marker to the center frequency

¾Peak RLV
RLV Sets the max peak level to the reference level

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Setting Parameters Using Marker Values
Delta Mkr Span
Marker Marker Delta Mkr Span

30
 Setting Parameters Using Marker Values
Zone Span

Marker Marker Zone Span

31
 Display Method
Display Mode
„ Trace A, Trace B etc.
„ Trace A & B Overwrite Display etc.
Storage Mode
„ Averaging Function
„ Max, Min Hold Funtion
Detection Mode
„ Selecting Measured level by Detection Mode

32
Display Method
Display Keys

33
 Display Mode
Trace A & B Overwrite Display

A,B Trace A on B

Trace B (max hold)

Trace A (normal)

34
 Storage Mode
Selection of Averaging, Min & Max Hold Function

Selection Averaging Function

A,B ¾Averaging by Video Filter Increases Sweep
Time
Time Storage ¾As sweep time increases it takes a long time
to verify the whole spectrum

Normal
¾On the other hand digital video averaging
smoothes the trace w/o narrowing the video
Max Hold
Min Hold
b/w.
Average ¾Also S/N improvement is obtained with
View averaging
Return

35
 Detection Mode
Selection of Normal, Pos, Neg Peak
Selection Detection Modes
A,B
Normal Traces the max & min
Time Detection value between sample points

Pos Peak Traces the max value

between sample points
Normal
Positive Peak Sample Traces the instantaneous
Sample value between sample points
Negative Peak Neg Peak Traces the min value
between sample points
Return

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 Coupled Function
Auto to Manual Operation

RBW Manual

VBW Manual

Sweep Time Manual

Atten Manual

37
Coupled Function
Uncal Waveform

Optimum Sweep Time gives a

waveform like 1. However if the
sweep time is too fast decreases
the waveform amplitude as
shown in 2 & 3. When waveform
1 cannot be maintained
“UNCAL” is displayed.

38
Coupled Function
Input Attenuator
Atten Manual

Auto

Pre Ampl
On Off
All Auto

For Manual Setting

Optimally keep the atten. in auto
& measure the signal level near
Reference level. But when you
want to measure a low level
signal by raising the sensitivity
then choose atten. Settings
according to the adjacent table.

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Calibration

40
Calibration

41
 Save/Recall Function
Saving Parameter Recalling Parameter
& Waveform Data & Waveform Data
Selecting Recall
Item

42
Connecting to Printer

Printer

RS-232C Cable

GPIB Cable (or

Centronics Cable)
Printer Selection

43
 Measurement
Main Measurements

Noise Power Measurement

C/N Ratio Measurement

44
Example of C/N Ratio Measurement

Always Set Detection Mode

to Sample Mode
Center Freq. : 1.9 GHz
Offset Freq. : 100 KHz

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Example of C/N Ratio Measurement
Set span to 3-4 times the offset freq.
For our Case Choose RBW 10 KHz
Set Ref. Level near to Carrier Peak using CF &
RLV Keys
Set Delta marker with say 50 KHz offset for
beacon
Take C/N measurement
Change offset freq. by pressing marker & knob
or keys entry
Change RBW value & select the best C/N
Also make the atten value minimum
To Note: Even when the marker freq. is moved
to carrier level the measurement result does not
become 0 dB, ref. marker is considered as
noise & SA adds correction value to the carrier

46
Example of C/N Ratio Measurement

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 Measurement Accuracy
„ For Maximum Sensitivity both Input Attenuator & RBW
setting must be minimized.
„ If possible keep atten. setting below 10 dB
„ Also VBW can be used to view signal near noise floor.
„ Sample detection mode is good for noise measurements.
„ Use ALL Cal for taking Accurate measurements
„ Log scale linearity factor can be overcome by setting the
peak of the signal under test at RLV
„ The measured C/N is over-approximated by about 1.7 dB
in manual mode due to correction factor RBW & Video
filtering. RBW reads 1.2 (.8 dB) more noise, but
averaging by video filter & the non-linear processes by
log amplifier & detector cause the noise level to be
displayed 2.5 dB below the actual value.

48
Log Calculations
dB Tips

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 Log Calculations
dB Tips
± 3 dB multiplying/dividing power by 2
± 6 dB multiplying/dividing power by 2×2 = 4
i.e., every increase of 3 dB multiply by 2
± 10 dB multiplying/dividing by 10
± 20 dB multiplying/dividing by 10×10 = 100
i.e., every increase of 10 dB multiply by 10
0 dBm means 1 milli-watt
0 dBW means 1 Watt
dBW = 30 dBm (as 1 Watt = 10×10×10 1mW)

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 Log Calculations
dB tips
± 1 dB multiply/divide by ~1.26
± 2 dB multiply/divide by ~1.58
± 3 dB multiply/divide by ~2
± 4 dB multiply/divide by ~2.51
± 5 dB multiply/divide by ~3.16
± 7 dB multiply/divide by ~5
± 8 dB multiply/divide by ~6.3
± 10 dB multiply/divide by 10

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 Power Levels
dB tips
multiply/divide by 2 ± 3 dB
multiply/divide by 3 ± 4.77 dB
mul/div by 4 (2×2) ± (3+3 = 6) dB
multiply/divide by 5 ± 7dB
mul/div by 6 (2×3) ± (3+4.77 = 7.77) dB
multiply/divide by 7 ± 8.45dB
mul/div by 8 (2×2×2) ± (3+3+3=9) dB
mul/div by 9 (3×3) ± (4.77+4.77 = 9.54) dB
mul/div by 10 (2×5) ± (3+7 = 10) dB

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 Log Calculations
Examples

43 dB
= 10 +10 +10 + 10 + 3 = ×104 × 2
27 dB
= 10 +10 + 7 = ×102 × 5=500
or
= 10+10+3+3+1 = ×102 × 2 × 2 × 1.26 ~ 500
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