Rigol DSA1000 Spectrum Analyzers

Mike · 2011-02-11T23:59:14+00:00

Has anyone out there tried one of these Rigol spectrum analyzers yet? have had pretty good results with with Rigol DS1000 oscilloscopes but the= $5k price tag on a 3GHz spectrum analyzer seems too good to be true. Unfo=rtunately I can't find a single mention of these on the web. Are these uni=ts worth a shot if you are on a tight budget?Thanks,Mike

Feb 11, 2011 24 Replies

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Mike 15 years ago

I realized after posting that they also have a "higher" end version of this= spectrum analyzer, the DS1000A with a bit improved specs:

-148dBM DANL

-88 dBc/Hz@10kHz

10Hz RBW

I work in electro-optics not in communications and am rather new to the use= of spectrum analyzers so I have had some trouble with the significance of = these kind of specs. As Joel mentions, is the RBW related to the phase noi= se? For what kinds of measurements is phase noise the limiting factor? =20

So far I have been using an old Tek 7L12 for laser laser heterodyne experim= ents and have been limited in my ability to measure line widths. It also d= oesn't help that there is no good way to digitize the results.

I understand that there are some great deals out there on older test equipm= ent but I am reluctant to invest in something without USB or at least GPIB = access to the data that it takes. Maybe this is just my generational bias = and craving for shiny new toys speaking though.

I have also been looked at the low end Anritsu and Avantest analyzers. Doe= s anyone have any thoughts on those?

Thanks.

-Mike

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Nico Coesel 15 years ago

Most 'older' equipment has a GPIB interface. If it has a floppydrive, USB shouldn't be a problem:

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Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply indicates you are not using the right tools... nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) --------------------------------------------------------------

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John Larkin 15 years ago

We have an Aeroflex IFR 2399C, and I don't much like it.

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The user interface is annoying and buggy, and it has nasty +-120 Hz spurs, which is about like a fine restaurant having roaches in the kitchen.

John

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JW 15 years ago

Interesting. There's also a half-height model:

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I wonder how well they work in older test equipment? Anybody ever used these?

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Phil Hobbs 15 years ago

spectrum analyzer, the DS1000A with a bit improved specs:

spectrum analyzers so I have had some trouble with the significance of these kind of specs. As Joel mentions, is the RBW related to the phase noise? For what kinds of measurements is phase noise the limiting factor?

experiments and have been limited in my ability to measure line widths. It also doesn't help that there is no good way to digitize the results.

but I am reluctant to invest in something without USB or at least GPIB access to the data that it takes. Maybe this is just my generational bias and craving for shiny new toys speaking though.

anyone have any thoughts on those?

Still not terrific, but hey, it's portable.

An HP 8568b (or 8566b on the lower frequency ranges) has a phase noise spec of -110 dBc/Hz from about 1 kHz out. It has GPIB and there's free software available to talk to it. I have mine on a Prologix GPIB-Ethernet connected to a wifi bridge so I don't have to trail wires off my rack. Works great, but is emphatically _not_ portable--it comes in two boxes and weighs at least 70 pounds.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

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