RF peak-power analyzer features blistering rise/fall time, ease of use, big color screen

Santa Clara, Calif.—Measuring "power "can range from easy to difficult, and measuring peak power at high frequencies and wide bandwidths is among the most challenging test and measurement assignments. The Agilent 8990B Peak Power Analyzer, combined with their N1923A and N1924B wideband power sensors, strives to combine aggressive specifications with ease of use, with two RF channels and two conventional "analog" channels.

Why ease of use, since this instrument is targeted at sophisticated, non-novice users? Paraphrasing what Agilent's Market Development Manager David Haug told me, their research showed that  his attribute is importnat even to these users, since they often don’t use the instrument every day, sometimes only weekly or every few weeks--yet they need to be able to get back to 'rememebering' how to use it quickly.

Of course, ease of use won’t help if basic performance isn’t there. The 8990B operates over the 50 MHz to 40 GHz range, depending on sensor, with 5 nsec rise/fall time (-20 to +20 dBm) and video bandwidth of 30 MHz and 150 MHz (repetitive), along with a 500 MHz scope bandwidth. Dynamic range is -35 to +20 dBm for continuous wave (CW) signals and -25 to +20 dBm for pulse signals, with a sampling rate of 100 megasamples/sec (Msps) to catch signal trace abnormalities and artifacts.

Among the available images and numerical data results available on the screen are basic waveform measurements, delay measurements, an droop measurement (an especially difficult one to "eyeball"), as well as key threshold setting spacing measurement, all of which can be "zoomed". Wideband sensors designed to work with this unit are the N1923A (50 MHz to 18 GHz) and the N1924A (50 MHz to 40 GHz), each with linearity better than 0.3%, overshoot under 5%, and SWR below 1.2.

What about that big screen? It's a GUI-based, 15-inch XGA color touchscreen which makes extensive use of soft keys, but you are not restricted that mode of entry and setup if the user is uncomfortable with the touchscreen approach. The analyzer can also be operated by plugging in a mouse, or keyboard, via standard USB ports. {Editor's note: a broadcast-TV front-end tuner module to go with the large screen is a real temptation, but there are no plans to offer it. I suspect enterprising users can work up their own such front end.]

Data storage is available via an internal drive, which can be removed by the user if the unit has to go back for any service or calibration, or put in a "safe" place while the unit is out of sight. Why is this needed? So any proprietary or classified data can be protected—and given the applications of this unit in mil/aero/radar applications, that's a likely scenario.

Pricing and availability: The analyzer and power sensors are available now. The 8990B is $28,500; the N1923A sensor (to 18 GHz) is $5,000 and the N1924A sensor (40 GHz) is $5,500.

For more information: go to http://www.agilent.com/find/peakpoweranalyzer .