When designing, validating, and manufacturing RF and microwave devices, it is necessary to use a spectrum analyzer to search for spurses.
Transmitter and receiver equipment in satellite applications must meet extremely stringent spurious limits. This means detecting very low levels of spurious over a wide frequency range. In general, a narrow resolution bandwidth (RBW) is required for measurements at high sensitivity, but this results in much longer measurement times. Even with a fast spectrum analyzer equipped with an FFT filter, spurious detection can take hours or even days.
A new spurious detection algorithm automates spurious measurements and increases measurement speed.
The R&S FSW-K50 spurious measurement application detects and determines spurious spurs in a three-step method. The optimal RBW is first determined by a quick scan. A second scan is then performed to detect possible spurses. The final high-speed search for each known spurious frequency determines whether the peak is an actual spur, a noise artifact, or an internal spurious from the analyzer. In the final step, the RBW is further reduced to meet the signal-to-noise ratio requirements.
Measurement flow for the R&S FSW-K50 spurious measurement application
1.Spectral view and noise floor estimation
Estimated measurement time.
Segmentation with optimal RBW**.
2.Spurious detection
Spurious detection limit passed failed.
Preliminary spurious**.
3.Spurious point search
Failed.
Final spurious**.
Optimized RBW (if needed).
Measurement settings for wide-range spurious search. Configurable parameters for each frequency band.
The R&S FSW-K50 offers several advantages over conventional spurious measurement applications:
Spurious detection is up to 30 times faster than existing spectrum analyzers, especially at low RBW.
RBW is automatically calculated based on the maximum allowable spurious level and the desired signal-to-noise ratio
There are two different measurement modes: wide-range detection for unknown spurious scenarios and directional detection for specific frequencies.
Spurious Measurement Application Results screen.
Scale spurious point search. Reduce spurious RBW to reduce noise floor and meet user-set SNR requirements, while determining whether the peak is true spurious.