GW Instek GRF-1300 User manual

RF & Communication Trainer
GRF-1300
STUDENT BOOK
USER MANUAL and TEXT BOOK
GW INSTEK PART NO. 82RF-13000M01
ISO-9001 CERTIFIED MANUFACTURER
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

This manual contains proprietary information, which is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved.
No part of this manual may be photocopied, reproduced or translated to another language without
prior written consent of Good Will Corporation.
The information in this manual was correct at the time of printing. However, Good Will continues to
improve its products and therefore reserves the right to change the specifications, equipment, and
maintenance procedures at any time without notice.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Table of Contents
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ................................................................ 2
ABOUT THIS BOOK ....................................................................... 5
INTRODUCTION to the GRF-1300 ................................................. 5
Package Contents .................................................................................................... 7
Product Specifications and Function........................................................................ 7
Usage Instructions .................................................................................................. 8
OVERVIEW of the TIME and FREQUENCY DOMAIN.................... 13
Observation from a different perspective................................................................13
AN INTRODUCTION to SPECTRUM ANALYZERS ........................ 20
Broadband Receiver ................................................................................................20
Attenuator ..............................................................................................................21
Resolution Bandwidth Filter....................................................................................21
Detector .................................................................................................................23
Video Bandwidth Filter ...........................................................................................23
RF COMMUNICATION and SIGNALS EXPERIMENTS .................. 26
Experiment 1: Basic Operation of a Spectrum Analyzer...........................................27
Experiment 2: Measuring a Baseband Waveform.....................................................30
Experiment 3: Different Baseband Waveforms and their Harmonic Measurement...33
Experiment 4: Measurement of the RF Carrier.........................................................38
Experiment 5: AM Signal Measurement ..................................................................48
Experiment 6: FM signal measurement ...................................................................57
Experiment 7: Using a Spectrum Analyzer in Communication Systems ...................66
Experiment 8: Measurement of communication products .......................................72
Experiment 9: Production Line Applications ...........................................................75
TEST for LEARNING OUTCOMES ................................................ 79
APPENDIX.................................................................................... 86
dBm Conversion Table ............................................................................................86
The relationship between dB and dBc .....................................................................86
Resistor Values in π-type Resistance Attenuators....................................................87
Resistor Values in T-type Resistance Attenuators....................................................88
Modulation Index and Sideband Amplitude Comparison Table ...............................89
Declaration of Conformity.......................................................................................90
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
2
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This chapter contains important safety instructions that should be followed
when operating and storing the GRF-1300. Read the following before any
operation to ensure your safety and to keep the GRF-1300 in the best
condition.
Safety Symbols
These safety symbols may appear in this manual or on the instrument.
WARNING Warning: Identifies conditions or practices that could result in injury or loss
of life.
CAUTION Caution: Identifies conditions or practices that could result in damage to the
GRF-1300 or to other objects or property.
DANGER High Voltage
Attention: Refer to the Manual
Protective Conductor Terminal
Earth (Ground) Terminal
Do not dispose electronic equipment as unsorted municipal waste. Please use
a separate collection facility or contact the supplier from which this
instrument was purchased.
Safety Guidelines
General
Guideline
CAUTION
Do not place heavy objects on the device.
Do not place flammable objects on the device.
Avoid severe impact or rough handling that may damage the device.
Avoid discharges of static electricity on or near the device.
Use only mating connectors, not bare wires, for the terminals.
The device should only be disassembled by a qualified technician.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
3
(Measurement categories) EN 61010-1:2010 specifies the measurement categories and their
requirements as follows. The device falls under category I.
Measurement category IV is for measurement performed at the source of a low-voltage installation.
Measurement category III is for measurement performed in a building installation.
Measurement category II is for measurement performed on circuits directly connected to a low
voltage installation.
Measurement category I is for measurements performed on circuits not directly connected to
Mains.
Power Supply
WARNING
AC Input voltage: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50 ~ 60Hz.
Connect the protective grounding conductor of the AC power cord to an
earth ground to prevent electric shock.
Fuse
WARNING
Fuse type: 1A/250V.
Only qualified technicians should replace the fuse.
To ensure fire protection, replace the fuse only with the specified type and
rating.
Disconnect the power cord and all test leads before replacing the fuse.
Make sure the cause of the fuse blowout is fixed before replacing the fuse.
Cleaning the
GRF-1300
Disconnect the power cord before cleaning the device.
Use a soft cloth dampened in a solution of mild detergent and water. Do
not spray any liquid into the device.
Do not use chemicals containing harsh products such as benzene, toluene,
xylene, and acetone.
Operation
environment
Location: Indoor, no direct sunlight, dust free, almost non-conductive
pollution (Note below) and avoid strong magnetic fields.
Relative Humidity: < 80%
Altitude: < 2000m
Temperature: 0°C to 40°C
(Pollution Degree) EN 61010-1:2010 specifies pollution degrees and their requirements as follows. The
device falls under degree 2.
Pollution refers to “addition of foreign matter, solid, liquid, or gaseous (ionized gases), that may
produce a reduction of dielectric strength or surface resistivity”.
Pollution degree 1: No pollution or only dry, non-conductive pollution occurs. The pollution has no
influence.
Pollution degree 2: Normally only non-conductive pollution occurs. Occasionally, however, a
temporary conductivity caused by condensation must be expected.
Pollution degree 3: Conductive pollution occurs, or dry, non-conductive pollution occurs which
becomes conductive due to condensation which is expected. In such conditions, equipment is
normally protected against exposure to direct sunlight, precipitation, and full wind pressure, but
neither temperature nor humidity is controlled.
Storage
environment
Location: Indoor
Relative Humidity: < 70%
Temperature: -10°C to 70°C
Disposal
Do not dispose this device as unsorted municipal waste. Please use a separate
collection facility or contact the supplier from which this instrument was
purchased. Please make sure discarded electrical waste is properly recycled
to reduce environmental impact.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
4
Power cord for the United Kingdom
When using the device in the United Kingdom, make sure the power cord meets the following safety
instructions.
NOTE: This lead/appliance must only be wired by competent persons
WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED
IMPORTANT: The wires in this lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:
Green/ Yellow: Earth
Blue: Neutral
Brown: Live (Phase)
As the colours of the wires in main leads may not correspond with the coloured marking identified in your
plug/appliance, proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured Green & Yellow must be connected to the Earth terminal marked with either
the letter E, the earth symbol or coloured Green/Green & Yellow.
The wire which is coloured Blue must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or
coloured Blue or Black.
The wire which is coloured Brown must be connected to the terminal marked with the letter L or P or
coloured Brown or Red.
If in doubt, consult the instructions provided with the equipment or contact the supplier.
This cable/appliance should be protected by a suitably rated and approved HBC mains fuse: refer to the
rating information on the equipment and/or user instructions for details. As a guide, a cable of 0.75mm2
should be protected by a 3A or 5A fuse. Larger conductors would normally require 13A types, depending
on the connection method used.
Any exposed wiring from a cable, plug or connection that is engaged in a live socket is extremely
hazardous. If a cable or plug is deemed hazardous, turn off the mains power and remove the cable, any
fuses and fuse assemblies. All hazardous wiring must be immediately destroyed and replaced in
accordance to the above standard.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

ABOUT THIS BOOK
5
ABOUT THIS BOOK
This textbook was developed in conjunction with the GRF-1300 RF &
Communication Trainer and the GSP-730 3GHz spectrum analyzer as an RF
communications education system. It not only offers detailed examples, but
also the practical knowledge necessary for RF measurements, such as
spectrum analyzer principals, as well as AM and FM communication systems.
For you to easily understand the contents of this textbook, we have included
as many pictures and diagrams as possible to strengthen your comprehension.
This book is divided into a teacher version and two student versions. All
experiment results are included in the teacher edition. In addition, chapters
with an asterisk (*) indicate additional text for advanced reading not present
in the student addition. Students will not be affected by the omission of the
additional text. However to maintain page-numbering consistency between
both versions, the student addition will contain a “Notes” section in these
missing areas.
INTRODUCTION to the GRF-1300
The GRF-1300 is a well designed training kit capable of producing a 3MHz
baseband signal and a carrier signal up to 900MHz. The GRF-1300 is also able
to perform AM and FM RF circuit experiments as well. The practical exercises
in the training kit meet the needs of most general RF courses. The GRF-1300
consists of three modules, namely: a baseband module, an RF
Synthesizer/FM module and an AM module. The baseband module can
simulate a baseband signal and includes sine, square or triangle waveforms.
Its output frequency and amplitude are adjustable. During experiments the
three kinds of waveforms can be arbitrarily switched back and forth to meet
the signaling requirements of each of the different experiments.
The RF Synthesizer/FM module is used to generate an adjustable carrier
frequency as well as perform frequency modulation. This module covers
some of the focus points in the RF circuit theory. This will be highlighted in
practical experiments in later chapters. FM waveforms can also be produced
by using this module together with the baseband module. The GSP-730
spectrum analyzer can be used to observe the various characteristics of an FM
waveform.
The AM module and baseband module can be used together to perform
amplitude modulation experiments. The GSP-730 Spectrum Analyzer can be
used to observe the various characteristics of an AM waveform.
This experiment system can be connected to a computer via the USB interface.
The interface can be used to turn individual circuits on or off so that students
can perform diagnostic experiments.
Students can learn the fundamental aspects of RF theory through a variety of
experiments. Understanding RF theory has been made easier by breaking the
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
6
RF circuits into fundamental functions. This allows students to see in detail
how the theory relates to the practical aspects of the RF circuitry.
This system is a collection of different functions: signal generation, frequency
modulation, amplitude modulation, communication and other functions.
Connecting different modules together can create a number of different RF
circuit experiments. Specific experiments will be highlighted in later chapters.
The GRF-1300 RF & Communication Trainer is designed to modulate an
audio signal with a carrier waveform. The system takes into account the
difficulties arising from RF circuit theory and knowledge. It focuses on these
theories and sets up experiments to understand the theoretical aspects of RF
circuitry – This also has the added benefit of increasing a student’s interest to
learn RF circuits.
Figure A-1. The GRF-1300 control panel
Figure A-2. Reference platform: GSP-730 Spectrum Analyzer
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

INTRODUCTION to the GRF-1300
7
Package Contents
This package contains the GRF-1300 unit, RF cable – 2 * 10cm, RF cable 1*
80cm, a user manual CD, a student book, an antenna, a power cord and so on.
Title Photo No Note
GRF-1300
1
RF wire 2 100mm
RF wire 1 800mm
Antenna 1 800-1000MHz
AC power cord 1 100-240V～50-60Hz
CD
1 User manual and software
Adapter
1 N-SMA Adapter
Student Textbook
1 RF & Communication
Trainer
Product Specifications and Function
Function Item Spec.
Base Band
Waveforms
Sine, S
q
uare, Trian
g
le
Frequency Range 0.1~3MHz (Triangle-0.1~1MHz)
Ste
p
: 10kHz
Am
p
litude
≥1.5V
pp
Harmonics Distortion
≤-30dBc
RF/FM Analysis
Fre
q
uenc
y
Accurac
y
±0.15MHz
Adjustable Range ≥45MHz (870M~920M)
Ste
p
: 1MHz
Power Ran
g
e
≥-15dB
m
FM Max Frequency
Deviation
>3MHz
AM Peak Difference
≥-18dB
m
Communication Turn circuits on or off by remote command for the
diagnostic experiments.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
8
Usage Instructions
Procedure 1. For safety purposes, please connect the unit to the correct AC power
source: 100V~240V,
50-60Hz.
Make sure the ground terminal is properly earthed to prevent electric
shock.
2. The power socket and USB port are on the rear panel. The power switch is
on the upper
left-hand side of the device.
USB port
AC socket
Power switch
3. When using several modules together at the same time, connect each
module with the appropriate RF cable.

Figure A-3. Connection diagram between different modules
4. The UP and DOWN buttons on the Baseband module can be used to
adjust the frequency of the baseband signal. The baseband module is
adjustable in 10kHz steps.
WAVE Select is used to select three different baseband waveforms.
When the waveform is selected, the corresponding LED light will be lit
up.
The Reset button is used to reset the GRF-1300. When reset, the GRF-
1300 will output a 0.10MHz sine wave baseband signal and a carrier
signal with a frequency 880MHz.
The output port is used to output the set baseband signal.
The four-digit display is used to display the frequency of the output
baseband signal.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

INTRODUCTION to the GRF-1300
9
TP4 (test point 4) is used to used to monitor the output signal from the
output port.
The potentiometer knob is used to adjust the voltage of the output
baseband signal. Turn clockwise to increase the amplitude and turn
anticlockwise to decrease its amplitude.
Figure A-4. Baseband module
5. The UP and DOWN buttons on the RF Synthesizer / FM module can be
used to adjust the frequency of the carrier. The carrier can be adjusted in
1MHz steps.
The Four-digit display is used to display the frequency of the carrier
signal.
FM in port and RF / FM Output port are used to receive the FM signal
and output the carrier signal respectively.
TP2, TP3 and TP1 are used to monitor for breaks in the circuit. For the
position of each test point, please see Figure A-7.
Figure A-5. RF Synthesizer/FM module
6. The AM module is used for amplitude modulation. The AM in port and
RF in port are used to input the modulating signal and the carrier signal
respectively. The AM output port outputs the amplitude modulated
waveform.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
10
Figure A-6. AM module
7. There are five test points (Tp1, Tp2, Tp3, Tp4, Tp5) on the panel. These
five test points are set at different points in the circuit path of the
connected modules. Their specific locations are as shown in the Figure
below. They are turned on or off by their corresponding relays (B1, B2, B3,
B4, B5). An oscilloscope can be used to detect/determine the status of the
circuitry at these test points.

TP1 TP3 TP2
TP4
B1
B3 B2
B4
Figure A-7. Circuit location of each test point
8. Install the GRF-1300 driver onto the PC.
Connect the GRF-1300 to the PC. Below are the steps for installing the
software. Add the install software to the install directory. Click next
and a window as shown below appears.
Figure A-8. Software installation
Next, click on the “Continue Anyway” button to continue the
installation until the installation procedure is complete.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

INTRODUCTION to the GRF-1300
11
Figure A-9. Installation procedure is complete
After the software installation is complete, users can perform a system
error check by sending commands to the GRF-1300 using Hyper
Terminal.
Figure A-10. Operation interface for HyperTerminal
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
12
9. Below is a table listing each instruction and a description of each function.
Instruction Function
*IDN? Returns the manufacturer, model name and serial
number.
RF? Returns the value on the digital display of the
FM/RF module.
AF? Returns the value on the digital display on baseband
module.
WAVE? Returns the waveform type on the baseband
module.
Bn? (n is the relay
number for the
corresponding test
p
oint
)
Returns the state (open or closed) of the currently
selected relay.
WAVE:0 The waveform to sine.
WAVE:1 Set the waveform to trian
g
le.
WAVE:2 Set the waveform to s
q
uare.
Bn:0 ( ‘n’ is the relay
number. I.e., B1:0
)
Set the relay of corresponding no. to OFF.
Bn:1 ( ‘n’ is the relay
number. I.e., B3:1
)
Set the relay of corresponding no. to ON.
AF:N(N is setting
frequency)
Set the AF frequency to N.
RF:N(N is setting
frequency) Set the RF frequency to N.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

OVERVIEW of the TIME and FREQUENCY DOMAIN
13
OVERVIEW of the TIME and
FREQUENCY DOMAIN
Observation from a different perspective
When a signal is said to be in the time domain, it means that the signal is
expressed as a function of time. For example, if we describe a sine wave
signal that repeats once each microsecond (μsec, 10-6), it means that the
period of the signal is 1 microsecond. Usually we use an oscilloscope to
measure these signal characteristics in the time domain. In addition, when we
talk about the rise and fall time of a square waveform, we also can observe
that in the time domain. Phase delay is also measured in the time domain.
Oscilloscopes are well-known electrical signal measurement instruments that
perform measurements in the time domain.
1μsec sine wave Square wave with the same period
However, when we observe a sine wave and a square wave with the same
amplitude and period, is there a way to describe the difference between
them? Frequency domain measurements just provide a different view point.
First we will explain what frequency domain means. Frequency domain
means to observe the frequency composition of a signal. If we add a sine
wave signal that has a 1 microsecond period to a spectrum analyzer, we will
see an obvious signal on the scale at 1 megahertz (MHz). We know that
frequency is the inverse of period. Therefore, a sine wave with a period of
microsecond has a frequency of 1MHz. You can measure voltage from an
oscilloscope and power (dBm) from a spectrum analyzer. Voltage and power
can be converted from one to the other, so both of them can be used to
display the strength of a signal. Here we introduce a basic concept first. Each
frequency point in the spectrum represents a sinusoidal wave (could be a sine
or cosine) of a single frequency.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
14
What about a square wave? We will now explain how a square waveform
and sine waveform are different to each other in the frequency domain. If we
input a square wave with a period of 1 microsecond into a spectrum
analyzer, its waveform performance (we usually to say its spectrum or
f
requency distribution) is as follows.
If we compare it with a sine wave spectrum, we can observe that in addition
to the point at the1MHz scale, other signal points also appear at higher
frequencies and with decreased amplitudes. Therefore it shows that a square
wave also includes a combination of signals that are multiples of the
frequency baseband in addition to the 1MHz base frequency (fundamental
frequency).
We can see a classic relationship between the time domain and frequency
domain in the illustration below. A square wave signal in the time domain
can be decomposed into multiple basic harmonic waves. The distribution of
these harmonic components can be clearly seen in the frequency domain.
Frequency domain analysis describes the characteristics of a signal from
another viewpoint.
Time domain Frequency domain
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
20
AN INTRODUCTION to SPECTRUM
ANALYZERS
Spectrum analyzers are one of the most important instruments for RF
microwave measurements. Being familiar with spectrum analyzers in general
is very important for operating high frequency microwave equipment or for
performing communication measurements. In addition, being familiar with
the basic operating principals will allow you to quickly understand other
related test equipment. In this chapter, we will briefly introduce the basic
working principles of the spectrum analyzer. After understanding the basic
working principles, you will find that a spectrum analyzer can be a handy
tool to use.
Broadband Receiver
The principal function of a spectrum analyzer is to convert the input signal
frequency down to a frequency (band) that detection circuitry can handle. For
example, a 2.4GHz signal needs to be down-converted to several MHz before
the Detection & Display unit can process the signal. Therefore a spectrum
analyzer must be able to reduce the frequency band down to several MHz.
The first half of a spectrum analyzer is called the radio frequency module and
its task is to reduce the input signal frequency. A mixer and a bandpass filter
are used to decrease the frequency (they can raise the frequency as well). The
mixer is a component with three ports: two inputs and one output. Assume
that the two input frequencies on input port are fRF and fLO respectively, and
then the output frequency will be fIF. fIF is made of two signals of different
frequencies (fLO- fRF and fLO+ fRF ) that appear on the output port at the same
time. One signal is the sum of the input signals and the other is the difference.
Determining which of the IF signals that will be used depends on the system
and subsequent bandpass filter design. As for why the three ports are named
after RF, LO, IF, they are just the conventional terms that are used.
Tunable LOs
RF Input Detection
& Display
Unit
Mixers
BPFs
IF
Figure B-1. The basic structure of a broadband receiver
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

AN INTRODUCTION to SPECTRUM ANALYZERS
21
Next, we are going to introduce the other basic functional blocks that a
spectrum analyzer is composed of. These blocks are often mentioned when
instructed on how to use a spectrum analyzer.
Attenuator
An attenuator on the RF input path can increase the dynamic range of the
input signal level or provide more input protection to the spectrum analyzer.
Referring to Figure B-2, the attenuator limits the signal level coming to the
mixer (RF end) to a certain level. If the input signal is above a reference level,
it can cause measurement errors, or cause spurious noise.
Attenuator
Tunable LOs
RF Input Detection
& Display
Unit
Mixers
BPFs
IF
Figure B-2. Attenuator
Resolution Bandwidth Filter
When the input signal frequency is converted to an IF, a RBW (resolution
bandwidth) filter is used to distinguish the signals that are close to each other
in frequency. Figure B-3 shows this concept.
Mixers
Attenuators
Tunable LOs
RF In
p
ut Detection
& Display
Unit
BPFs RBW
Filter
IF
Figure B-3. Basic structure of a resolution bandwidth filter
Figure B-4 shows how two different RBW filters distinguish between two
signals that are close to each other in frequency. The bandwidth of RBW2 is
wider that of RBW1.
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

GRF-1300 User Manual and Teaching Materials
22
RBW2
RBW1
Signal under test
RBW
Results
Figure B-4. The effect of different RBWs (1)
After passing the narrower RBW1 filter, the components of the two tone
signal are clearly distinguished from each other as a result. But in the wider
RBW2 filter, the result is not as clear as RBW1. We can predict that if the
resolution bandwidth of RBW2 is wider, we could even misinterpret the
result as only one signal. This will also happen if these two signals are even
closer together in frequency.
Another case is when the amplitude of one signal is much higher than the
other; the smaller signal can still be detected using RBW1, but it is obscured if
RBW2 is used. Figure B-5 illustrates this difference. This is why these filters
are known as resolution bandwidth filters.
RBW1 RBW2
Signal under test
RBW
Results
Figure B-5. The effect of different RBWs (2)
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]

AN INTRODUCTION to SPECTRUM ANALYZERS
23
Detector
Following the RBW filter, the detector detects the power and coverts it to DC
voltage via an ADC so that it can be displayed.
Figure B-6. Detector
Video Bandwidth Filter
However, a filter is employed after the detector to filter out the noise
generated by the detector. This is the function of the VBW (video bandwidth)
filter as shown in Figure B-7.
Figure B-7. VBW filter
Figure B-8 shows how the VBW affects the displayed output. If the signal
under test passes through two different VBW filters, in which VBW1 is less
than VBW2, we can see that the magnitude of the noise floor of VBW2 is
greater than that in VBW1. But notice that the average level of the noise floor
remains the same. The VBW filter only averages the noise level; It doesn’t
affect the overall amplitude of the signal noise floor.
VBW1 VBW2
Signal under
VBW
Results
Noise
Figure B-8. Different VBWs
www.GlobalTestSupply.com
Find Quality Products Online at: [e-mail]