Battery-operated, 6.2-GHz real-time spectrum analyzer incorporates DPX technology, GPS, and mapping
By Dan Strassberg, Contributing Technical Editor -- EDN, June 24, 2008
Tektronix describes its latest real-time spectrum analyzer, the $22,900, rechargeable-battery-operated, 10-kHz to 6.2-GHz SA2600, as a handheld instrument. King Kong might call it that, but few humans would. The company rejected characterizing the product as portable, because, among spectrum analyzers, “portable” usually refers to much larger and heavier instruments. For many of these, the term “luggable” seems more appropriate, but even it doesn’t fully convey the difficulty of moving them. Conversely, most people consider a handheld unit to be something that you can hold in one hand, but few people, if any, can hold a 10×13×4.8-in., 12.27-lb unit that way—at least not for long. However, with the aid of a sleeve that the manufacturer supplies, you can easily and comfortably slip the instrument over one forearm and operate the controls with your other hand.
The SA2600 incorporates the manufacturer’s proprietary DPX digital-phosphor technology, which was heretofore unavailable in any spectrum analyzer smaller than a benchtop unit. DPX uses dedicated high-speed hardware to process more than 2500 measurements/sec and show you how spectra change in real time. According to a Tektronix spokesman, the instrument processes spectra in less than 1% of the time the fastest swept-frequency spectrum analyzer requires and provides 100% probability of intercept for transients with durations of at least 500 μsec. The SA2600 also provides 20-MHz real-time bandwidth and 153-dBm DANL (displayed average-noise level).
The company has also added DPX technology to another RF-measurement instrument of similar small size, the $38,900 H600 RF Hawk. Owners of older H600s can add the DPX capability to these instruments at no charge. The SA2600 and H600 incorporate GPS (global-positioning-system) mapping tools that enable you to plot RF measurements on topographic maps without using separate GPS devices or PCs. Click here to view a video demonstration of DPX on the SA2600.
