Agilent's MXA signal-analysis platform is an instrument that combines the functions of a signal analyser and spectrum analyser with, its designers say, the broadest coverage of wireless standards and the fastest measurement speed of any unit in its class. In particular, it can evaluate products and designs against both pre-release and finalised WiMax standards, including mobile WiMAX, 802.16e. The MXA is a PC-based instrument, running Windows XP Pro. Under the Windows OS, users can run Agilent's 89601A vector-signal-analysis software, further extending the measurement set. Agilent builds it with frequency-range options reaching 3.6, 8.4, 13.6 or 26.5 GHz, with a 2- MHz measurement bandwidth. Communications-signal formats covered include all wireless and cellular standards in common use, up to and including WCDMA with HSUPA/HSDPA. Single-button measurements include ACPR (adjacent-channel power ratio), channel power, occupied bandwidth, spectrum emissions mask, CCDF, burst power and spurious emission. Agilent highlights the instrument's measurement speed, citing a WCDMA ACLR fast-mode measurement in under 14 msec. It can switch between measurement modes in under 75 msec. Absolute measurement limits are characterised by a third-order intercept of 15 dBm, a noise level (displayed) of –151 dBm/Hz, and 72 dB WCDMA ACLR dynamic range: the architecture features a 14-bit ADC driving an all-digital IF stage. Absolute amplitude accuracy is 0.3 dB. An auto-tune function acquires and centres on the strongest signal present and sets up basic measurements on it, with one button press. When you specify an MXA, Agilent delivers a unit with a fixed base-frequency range: however, within model variants there are pre-amplifier and bandwidth options that Agilent pre-installs and activates via software upgrades.

You can use the MXA in design-verification scenarios; the instrument will interface to the EEsof high-frequency circuit-simulation software to compare simulated and measured evaluations, and to other instruments for "hardware-in-the-loop" analyses.