Tektronix Releases DC To 8 GHz Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer
Market technology trends including the propagation of RF devices in consumer and industrial applications, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for inventory control, keyless entry and satellite radio systems for cars, wireless game controllers, GPS receivers and Wireless Local Area Networks are resulting in RF signals that are becoming increasingly complex and transient in nature, generating problems that are harder than ever to find and identify. More than ever, RF signals carry complex modulation and change from one instant to the next, hopping frequencies, spiking briefly and then disappearing. These transient and time varying transmission techniques help RF devices avoid interference, maximize peak power and, oftentimes, evade detection.
"Wireless technology is becoming pervasive, appearing in a rapidly increasing number of computing and consumer products in addition to communication devices." said Craig Overhage, Vice President, Instrument Business Unit, Tektronix. "Most of these wireless applications employ some form of time-varying RF signals, such as frequency-hopping in Bluetooth, or momentary communication links in RFID. This is what has led Tektronix to establish real-time spectrum analysis as a core element of our product strategy. The new RSA3408A demonstrates the maturing capabilities of real-time spectrum analysis and points to the day when this line of instruments will be a necessity for many customers."
Many complex problems are illuminated for the first time by time correlating signal behaviour in the frequency, time, and modulation domains. Tools that are able to seamlessly capture transient events and provide time-correlated, multi-domain displays of the signal will dramatically reduce the time engineers spend troubleshooting problems. Conventional spectrum analyzers are often inadequate to meet many of the new demands. These traditional instruments often miss what a Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer such as the RSA3408A can see.
"The RSA3408A Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer dramatically improves customers' ability to troubleshoot RF systems by providing insights into problems with their design," said Rick King, Vice President, Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer Product Line, Tektronix. "Customers will be able to capitalize on the capabilities provided by the RSA3408A in order to facilitate and expedite design characterization, system integration and validation to industry standards certification for emerging technologies used in a variety of devices from simple RFID tags to complex combo WLAN/Cellular systems. In addition, the new RSA3408A is the only instrument available with the ability to fully identify, capture and analyse individual pulses amidst a train of thousands, providing new insight for designers of remote sensing and location aware devices and systems. The net effect will be to reduce time to market and provide customers with higher confidence in the quality of the product they eventually deliver."
SOURCE: Tektronix, Inc.