Deep Voice Guy from Rohde & Schwarz has my favorite explanation:
These days Rigol and Siglent (and SignalHound -- I have a SM200B that I love) offer this capability at a much lower price. Of course, I have yet to see an implementation from the economy players that matches the quality of the implementation from Keysight or R&S. Color grading, resolution, update smoothness, ability to really crank the juice on the spectrogram, triggers, etc are all much better from the Big Players. Still, these are exciting times, and it might well make sense to spring for an RTSA!
That said, once a spectrum analyzer has a powerful digital IF, typically they don't expose IF Out anymore because they want to steer you towards their own software solutions. Analog IF Out is good for time correlating signals on an oscilloscope, using a SA as a filter / downconverter, digitizing and steering signals into GNU Radio, etc. So, as always, there are tradeoffs.
It's really good to see more folks becoming interested in Real Time Spectral Analysis, and at a price point where individuals can consider acquiring instruments. The R&S video is an excellent example of the usefulness of RTSA, thanks for posting jj. Maybe can save up enough to get one of these RTSA someday
RTSA was usually for special applications in the distant past like or work back in 1982 using custom CCD devices (convolvers) as a core for a RTSA based upon the Chirp Z algorithms, or the decade old Single Chip Spectral Imager utilizing imaging chip concepts to capture an "image" of the RF spectrum similar in fashion as our phone cameras (can post more details if interested).
Best,
This snapped remotely directly to my PC from the other side of town examining a mates WiFi spectrum
This snapped remotely directly to my PC from the other side of town examining a mates WiFi spectrum
Sorry tautech but what problem that allowed you to solve?
It's really good to see more folks becoming interested in Real Time Spectral Analysis, and at a price point where individuals can consider acquiring instruments. The R&S video is an excellent example of the usefulness of RTSA, thanks for posting jj. Maybe can save up enough to get one of these RTSA someday
RTSA was usually for special applications in the distant past like or work back in 1982 using custom CCD devices (convolvers) as a core for a RTSA based upon the Chirp Z algorithms, or the decade old Single Chip Spectral Imager utilizing imaging chip concepts to capture an "image" of the RF spectrum similar in fashion as our phone cameras (can post more details if interested).
Best,
Yes please !!
However the SSA3000X-R along with SSA300X Plus and SVA1000X models all have many features including demodulation capabilities as per below:
Some time after the discovery & concepts patent applications were created which unfortunately fell on a company acquisition transition and the patent process was never followed thru after they closed our R&D center. Hopefully someone will pick up on this and follow thru with the development, I know of a DARPA program that was working on analog FFTs awhile back, so likely others are also involved.
I am still struggling to understand how is this useful for a HOME Lab. The OP's question was in the context of a home lab. These capabilities are totally useless for home/hobby use case.
I am still struggling to understand how is this useful for a HOME Lab. The OP's question was in the context of a home lab. These capabilities are totally useless for home/hobby use case.
Well, you could use your consideration for ANY test equipment purchased for home/hobby use.
Of course I disagree with you. You need to understand that people have different interpretation of what a home/hobby lab is and what's it purpose.
The picture that tautech posted, shows for instance a Constellation Diagram, which shows modulation errors, normally due to reception, cable or distribution problems. You may be a hobbyist developing your own amplifier, modulator, etc. and may be interested in this. A Constellation Diagram is interesting for something as simple as satellite DX (reception of difficult TV/Radio broadcasts via satellite).
A realtime spectrum analyzer will basically show you sporadic signals, which a sweeping spectrum analyzer will miss. This is clearly shown in the R&S video.
A home/hobby use might be the development of GNU Radio sink to implement 4G, 5G, WIFI, etc.
Consider that home/hobby might include amateur/academic research,
Also, another application might be for self-education. This is actually the main reason behind me buying test equipment. It often allows learning for less money and you get to own the equipment.
Regards,
Vitor