Hello All,
I'm remote controlling a N9000A-series analyzer which has option P03 and P07 installed. Option P03 is a 20 dB preamplifier up to 3.6 GHz. Option P07 is a 35 dB preamplifier up to 7.0 GHz.
Is there any documentation related to this preamplifiers regarding what happens around the 'switch frequency' of 3.6 GHz?
- If a swept SA measurement is selected from 3.0 GHz to 4.0 GHz: Is the preamplifier being switched at 3.6 GHz such that the P07 is used > 3.6 GHz, and the P03 is used < 3.6 GHz?
- Is the center frequency of a swept SA measurement used to determine the preamplifier that is used over the complete span?
- Is the end frequency of a swept SA measurement used to determine the preamplifier that is used over the complete span?
To make it more complicated:
The maximum allowed reference level is linked to the use attenuation and the preamplifier gain. The maximum reference level is determined by a formula like: max-ref-level = -10 dBm + attenuation - preamp-gain
How is the N9000A-series analyzer interpreting the maximum reference level if a swept SA measurement is performed with a preamplifier switch frequency in it's span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the start frequency of the span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the center frequency of the span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the stop frequency of the span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the maximum preamplifier gain that is used by all the preamplifiers that are used during the swept SA measurement in that span?
I can also imagine that a swept SA measurement is performed from 3.0 GHz to 7.5 GHz. In that situation the last part of the swept SA measurement (from 7.0 GHz to 7.5 GHz) is performed without a preamplifier. How are the above questioned managed in that sitution by the N9000A-series analyzer?
I do not have access to a N9000A-series analyzer myself, so I can't check it myself.
Thanks in advance!
Joro
I'm remote controlling a N9000A-series analyzer which has option P03 and P07 installed. Option P03 is a 20 dB preamplifier up to 3.6 GHz. Option P07 is a 35 dB preamplifier up to 7.0 GHz.
Is there any documentation related to this preamplifiers regarding what happens around the 'switch frequency' of 3.6 GHz?
- If a swept SA measurement is selected from 3.0 GHz to 4.0 GHz: Is the preamplifier being switched at 3.6 GHz such that the P07 is used > 3.6 GHz, and the P03 is used < 3.6 GHz?
- Is the center frequency of a swept SA measurement used to determine the preamplifier that is used over the complete span?
- Is the end frequency of a swept SA measurement used to determine the preamplifier that is used over the complete span?
To make it more complicated:
The maximum allowed reference level is linked to the use attenuation and the preamplifier gain. The maximum reference level is determined by a formula like: max-ref-level = -10 dBm + attenuation - preamp-gain
How is the N9000A-series analyzer interpreting the maximum reference level if a swept SA measurement is performed with a preamplifier switch frequency in it's span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the start frequency of the span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the center frequency of the span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the stop frequency of the span?
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the maximum preamplifier gain that is used by all the preamplifiers that are used during the swept SA measurement in that span?
I can also imagine that a swept SA measurement is performed from 3.0 GHz to 7.5 GHz. In that situation the last part of the swept SA measurement (from 7.0 GHz to 7.5 GHz) is performed without a preamplifier. How are the above questioned managed in that sitution by the N9000A-series analyzer?
I do not have access to a N9000A-series analyzer myself, so I can't check it myself.
Thanks in advance!
Joro
Bold Answers to your questions are set into your text below:
I'm remote controlling a N9000A-series analyzer which has option P03 and P07 installed. Option P03 is a 20 dB preamplifier up to 3.6 GHz. Option P07 is a 35 dB preamplifier up to 7.0 GHz.
Is there any documentation related to this preamplifiers regarding what happens around the 'switch frequency' of 3.6 GHz?
Agilent: Since the X-Series analyzers feature two physically different preamplifiers, the frequency at which the analyzers switch from one to the other is defined by the same rules which govern when the analyzer as a whole switches from low band to high band. There are two fundamental rules: The first is to stay in the lowest possible band for a given frequency range and switch to the next highest band only when necessary. The second rule is to minimize the number of transitions from one band to another.
Agilent: Therefore, when sweeping from 3.0 to 4.0 GHz, the X-Series analyzer will stay in low band up to 3.6 GHz and then switch to high band. This is where the first rule dominates.
Agilent: However, if the analyzer were sweeping from 3.5 to 4.0 GHz, if only the first rule were applied, the analyzer would sweep from 3.5 to 3.6 GHz in low band and then switch to high band from 3.6 to 4.0 GHz. But the second rule dominates here and causes the analyzer to sweep from 3.5 to 4.0 GHz in high band, thus avoiding a band transition.
Agilent: Now, to answer your specific questions:
- If a swept SA measurement is selected from 3.0 GHz to 4.0 GHz: Is the preamplifier being switched at 3.6 GHz such that the P07 is used > 3.6 GHz, and the P03 is used < 3.6 GHz?
Agilent: The Low band preamp is used up to 3.6 GHz and the high band preamp is used above 3.6 GHz
- Is the center frequency of a swept SA measurement used to determine the preamplifier that is used over the complete span?
Agilent: The center frequency does not determine the preamplifier used.
- Is the end frequency of a swept SA measurement used to determine the preamplifier that is used over the complete span?
Agilent: The start and stop (“end”) frequency are used to determine the preamplifier used.
To make it more complicated:
The maximum allowed reference level is linked to the use attenuation and the preamplifier gain. The maximum reference level is determined by a formula like: max-ref-level = -10 dBm + attenuation - preamp-gain
How is the N9000A-series analyzer interpreting the maximum reference level if a swept SA measurement is performed with a preamplifier switch frequency in it's span?
Agilent: The “-10 dBm” value referenced above is actually a user-settable parameter called Max Mixer Level; Its default value is -10 dBm. Now, to answer your specific questions:
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the start frequency of the span?
Agilent: No
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the center frequency of the span?
Agilent: No
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the preamplifier gain that is used at the stop frequency of the span?
Agilent: No
- Is the maximum reference level of a swept SA measurement determined by the maximum preamplifier gain that is used by all the preamplifiers that are used during the swept SA measurement in that span?
Agilent: Yes
I can also imagine that a swept SA measurement is performed from 3.0 GHz to 7.5 GHz. In that situation the last part of the swept SA measurement (from 7.0 GHz to 7.5 GHz) is performed without a preamplifier. How are the above questioned managed in that sitution by the N9000A-series analyzer?
Agilent: Since the maximum preamplifier gain that is used by all the preamplifiers used during the sweep is used in the calculation, the analyzer would autocouple to the same settings when sweeping from 3.0 to 7.5 GHz as when sweeping from 3.0 to 7.0 GHz (assuming analyzer is an EXA with Opt P07; if the analyzer is an N9000A with Opt P07, the preamplifier works to 7.5 GHz; if the analyzer is an N9020A with Opt P08, the preamplifier works to 8.4 GHz). In both cases, the maximum preamp gain is 35 dB.
I do not have access to a N9000A-series analyzer myself, so I can't check it myself.
Thanks in advance!
Joro
I hope this was helpful -
Relevant Products:#N9010A#