I just bought an HP 8560A SA. I'd like to check the noise floor. Does anyone know what test conditions should be used to test noise floor ? ( I understand noise floor should be between -103 dBm and - 130 dBm)
Also, I am looking for a 8560A Service Manual. Does anyone happen to have one maybe on CD ?
Thank you, John Mortlock
On my 8591E I believe the noise floor is measured at just about the narrowest bandwidths you have available, i.e. 1 Hz if you have it, with the input terminated with a shielded 50 ohm load. You may need to turn on video averaging if you have it, and go out and actually grow some coffee to brew while you wait for it to do enough scans to get the noise level really down there.
I gave up and just took HP's word for it.
I intend to send mine in for calibration some day and hope that it'll come back with some indication of the actual noise floor in the test results.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required