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R&S SMIQ as a replacement for a general signal generator?
davorin:
As I'm thinking of getting a vector signal generator I saw in the SMIQ specs that it can also do general AM/FM modulation which I sometimes also need for testing AM/FM radios (mostly those old vacuum tube ones ;o)
Is a SMIQ03 basically just a SMT03 with additional QAM option (besides higher frequency start).
Or are there better alternatives in this price range the SMIQs pop up on Ebay?
Wuerstchenhund:
--- Quote from: davorin on October 21, 2015, 06:31:52 am ---As I'm thinking of getting a vector signal generator I saw in the SMIQ specs that it can also do general AM/FM modulation which I sometimes also need for testing AM/FM radios (mostly those old vacuum tube ones ;o)
Is a SMIQ03 basically just a SMT03 with additional QAM option (besides higher frequency start).
--- End quote ---
The R&S SMIQ is based on the SME (the SMT is a SME intended for VOR/ILS testing) and is a true vector signal generator which can create a range of complex modulation signals. It's essentially R&S counterpart of the Agilent ESG-D Series (the SME is the equivalent to the Agilent ESG-A), although the SMIQ supports more modulation variants than the ESG-D.
Both ESG-D and SMIQ can be equipped with a built-in AWG to generate I/Q signals, but the one for the SMIQ only offers 512k (1M for the ESG-D). However, the SMIQ offers some slightly better specs than the ESG-D, and the SMIQ's display is much better than the poor LCD in the ESG Series.
In terms of software, Keysight offers some old version of IntuiLink for download which allows you to transfer waveforms into the AWG option of an ESG-D, but it's really old and very simple (it works directly from MS Office, although not with newer versions). R&S offers some better tools (i.e. WinIQSim) for the SMIQ, and while older, they work fine even on Windows 8.1 x64.
--- Quote ---Or are there better alternatives in this price range the SMIQs pop up on Ebay?
--- End quote ---
The Keysight ESG-D could be an alternative, but prices of SMIQ and ESG-D are pretty similar. The ESG Series has a common fault in the output stage (shows UNLVL on the display even when AGC is enabled) which isn't too difficult to repair. The SMIQ (like the SME) is pretty robust and doesn't show any similar common faults, however the metallic coating of the display glass tends to deteriorate over time which looks a bit like someone has put some glue on borderline of the glass. It's purely optical but replacement glass isn't cheap.
You should be able to get either one for a good price if you're patient. If I had to choose however I'd take an SMIQ over an ESG-D any day, mostly because of the better display and (with the exception of the AWG memory) slightly better specs.
davorin:
Well...I would prefer the R&S SMIQ over the Agilent model....quick look on ebay shows me that the Agilent E4432B is over US$ 2k while the SME03 is under 1k...some of them even lower but faulty with error numbers 172 and the like..not sure if fixing would be easy then...
Doesn't look though that the SMIQ would accept analog AC input for AM/FM modulation directly...only 0 - 1V....
Wuerstchenhund:
--- Quote from: davorin on October 21, 2015, 12:39:40 pm ---Well...I would prefer the R&S SMIQ over the Agilent model....quick look on ebay shows me that the Agilent E4432B is over US$ 2k while the SME03 is under 1k
--- End quote ---
The SME is not vector signal generator, so it's clear that prices are lower.
--- Quote ---...some of them even lower but faulty with error numbers 172 and the like..not sure if fixing would be easy then...
--- End quote ---
Often its just a dead battery, but before buying I'd ask in the R&S Yahoo forum for opinions as there should be a few people who have experience fixing them.
--- Quote ---Doesn't look though that the SMIQ would accept analog AC input for AM/FM modulation directly...only 0 - 1V....
--- End quote ---
Not sure what you mean. You can input an external AM/FM modulation signal but as you said the voltage should be 1Vpk (the limit is +15V).
It's the same with the Keysight ESG-D.
davorin:
Did I write SME03? No should be SMIQ03 of course..my fault (o;
Yes I definitively need to get more information on those errors and how it could be fixed...yahoo was always a good source for that kind of information...
Is there an equivalent NNTP group?
Hmm...not many youtube videos of the SMIQ in use besides booting it up (o;
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