The What and How of Spectrum Analysers

The accurate and correct measurement of electrical signals, the process known as signal analysis, is considered to be a fundamental challenge for virtually all electronic design engineers and scientists. While the procedure provides valuable insights into the signal’s properties, keep in mind that the signal analysis is only good as the instrument with which it is performed. Two common instruments that are evenly employed for the analysis of electrical signals are spectrum analyzers and vector signal analyzers.

Talking about spectrum analyzers, a spectrum analyzer measures the magnitude of an input signal versus the frequency range of the instrument. So, we get to know that its primary use is to measure the power of the spectrum of known and unknown signals. Keeping in note the challenges of the behaviour of today’s RF devices, it is important to understand how factors like frequency, amplitude, modulation parameters behave over short and long intervals of time.  

What do Spectrum Analyzers measure?

Spectrum analyzers are used for the measurement of the following:

  • Frequency Response, Distortion and Noise Characteristics of majorly all kinds of radio frequency circuitry.
  • Occupied Bandwidth and Interference Sources in Telecommunications.
  • Basic Pre Compliance Testing for EMC Testing.

Why using a spectrum analyzer is important?

Given the several challenges of the behaviour of today’s RF devices, it is much necessary to understand how these factors such as amplitude, frequency and modulation behave at both short and long intervals of time. Some traditional tools do exist, like Swept Spectrum Analyzers and Vector Signal Analysers that provide a snapshot of the frequency but keep in mind that that information isn’t enough to confidently describe the nature of modern RF signals. Thus, to overcome this problem, the Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer is designed to overcome the measurement limitations that were experienced with the previous generations. The benefit of real-time processing is that it allows the user to discover events that are somehow invisible to other architectures.

So, we see how powerful the measurements and analysis capabilities of these modern analyzers have enabled engineers to realize a complete understanding of their devices and systems because understanding how the system works is essential in understanding its fullest potential.

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