The explosion of digital RF has created a highly complex technology environment, requiring next-generation test and measurement instruments. To address that need, Tektronix Inc. has extended its patented DPX waveform image processor technology to mid-range RSA3000B series real-time spectrum analyzers (RTSAs). Thus, enabling an unprecedented RF signal discovery capability for a broad range of digital RF applications including RFID/NFC, 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. As a result, models RSA3300B and RSA3408B are able to provide a unique live RF view, which was not possible with the older models without DPX technology.

Digital RF signals carry complex modulation and change from one instant to the next, hopping frequencies, spiking briefly and then disappearing. According to technical marketing manager Darren McCarthy, DPX waveform image-processing capability brings a new level of insight to mid-range RTSAs and permits test engineers to see hidden, intermittent and infrequent signals.

With a spectrum-processing rate hundreds of times greater than any spectrum analyzer on the market, the RSA3300B series and RSA3408B provide 100% probability of intercept for transients as brief as 31 µs on the RSA3408B and 41 µs on the RSA3300B series models, noted McCarthy. Combined with the exclusive ability to trigger on transient signals in time and frequency domains, the RSA3300B series and RSA3408B offer unmatched troubleshooting and debug of digital RF designs, added McCarthy.

The RSA3300B series is available with DC-3 GHz or DC-8 GHz frequency coverage. With 15 MHz capture bandwidth and 70 dB spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR), the RSA3300Bs are crafted for use in the design and debug of 3G mobile systems, RFIDs/NFC, Bluetooth, and narrow to medium bandwidth communications systems. In fact, the refurbished models have been improved to support new standards like the ISO18000-7 wireless standard for active RFID and ISO15693 for contactless vicinity cards. Likewise, the RSA3408B with DC-8 GHz frequency coverage, 36 MHz capture bandwidth and 73 dB SFDR is tailored for higher bandwidth and dynamic range applications including 3G mobile components and system debug, WLAN and WiMAX system design, demanding spectrum management applications and general-purpose digital RF debug.

By processing >48,000 spectrum measurements per second, similar to the previously announced top-of-the-line RSA6114A, DPX waveform image processor technology enables RSA3300B series and RSA3408B RTSAs to display the live RF spectrum. This is orders of magnitude more information than is shown by any other spectrum analyzer without DPX, minimizing the analysis gaps inherent in swept spectrum and vector signal analyzers, according to Tektronix. To achieve >48,000 spectrum measurements per second, DPX makes use of dedicated, real-time hardware to process the incoming signal.

Combined with the exclusive ability to trigger on transient signals in both time and frequency domains, the DPX-enabled RSA3000B series RTSAs offer unmatched capability to troubleshoot and debug digital RF signals.

In addition to live RF, the waveform image processor 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 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.

Furthermore, the enhanced RTSAs are the only mid-range performance spectrum analyzers that can offer a frequency domain trigger. This is performed using the frequency mask trigger (FMT) feature, finding interfering and transient signals that no other instrument can. FMT ensures that potential systems instabilities are eliminated from the design before they can cause a problem. By displaying a seamless record of frequency and power changes over time, the analyzers can solve many transient problems ranging from modulation switching on software-defined radio systems to identification of rogue pulses in radar transmission to dynamic modulation changes during a WLAN transmission.

Prices for the RSA3303B with DPX begin at $32,900. RSA3300B and RSA3408B software options are available for 3G, WiMAX, WLAN, RFID, signal source and general-purpose modulation and RF analysis.
Tektronix
(800) 835-9433
http://www.tek.com/products/spectrum_analyzers/rsa3000/

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