GW Instek GSP-818 Series User manual

Spectrum Analyzer
GSP-818 Series
Quick Start Guide
GW INSTEK PART NO.
ISO-9001 CERTIFIED MANUFACTURER

May 2019
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 the Good Will company.
The information in this manual was correct at the time of printing.
However, Good Will continues to improve products and reserves the
right to change specification, equipment, and maintenance procedures
at any time without notice.
Good Will Instrument Co., Ltd.
No. 7-1, Jhongsing Rd., Tucheng Dist., New Taipei City 236, Taiwan.

Table of Contents
3
Table of Contents
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS .................................................. 4
USER NOTICE.................................................................. 9
Safety Precaution before Operation ............................9
Electro-static Discharge (ESD) Protection ................10
First Time to Power on .............................................11
GETTING STARTED........................................................ 12
Front Panel Overview................................................13
Rear Panel ................................................................15
Front Panel Function Key ..........................................17
Parameter Input .......................................................20
User Interface ...........................................................22
Build-in Help ............................................................ 24
Basic Measurement .................................................. 24
APPENDIX ..................................................................... 28
Specifications ........................................................... 28
Declaration of Conformity......................................... 33

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
4
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This chapter contains important safety
instructions that you must follow when operating
the GSP-818, and when keeping it in storage.
Read the following before operating the GSP-818
to ensure your safety and to keep the GSP-818
series in the best possible condition.
Safety Symbols
These safety symbols may appear in this manual or on the GSP-818.
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 GSP-818 or to other
properties.
DANGER High Voltage
Attention Refer to the Manual
Protective Conductor Terminal
Earth (ground) Terminal

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
5
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 any heavy object on the GSP-818.
Avoid severe impact or rough handling that
leads to damaging the GSP-818.
Do not discharge static electricity to the GSP-
818.
Do not block or obstruct the cooling fan vent
openings.
Do not perform measurement at circuits directly
connected to Mains (Note below).
Do not disassemble the GSP-818 unless you are
qualified as service personnel.
The equipment is not for measurements
performed for CAT II, III and IV.
(Measurement categories) EN 61010-1:2010 specifies the
measurement categories and their requirements as follows. The
GSP-818 falls under category I.
Measurement category IV is for measurement performed at the
source of low-voltage installation.
Measurement category III is for measurement performed in the
building installation.
Measurement category II is for measurement performed on the
circuits directly connected to the low voltage installation.
0 is for measurements performed on circuits not directly
connected to Mains.

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
6
Power Supply
WARNING
AC Input voltage range: 100-240Vac;
Frequency: 50/60Hz
Connect the protective grounding conductor of
the AC power cord to an earth ground, to avoid
electrical shock.
Cleaning the
GSP-818
Disconnect the power cord before cleaning.
Use a soft cloth dampened in a solution of mild
detergent and water. Do not spray any liquid.
Do not use chemicals or cleaners containing
harsh material such as benzene, toluene, xylene,
and acetone.
Operation
Environment
Location: Indoor, no direct sunlight, dust free,
almost non-conductive pollution (Note below)
Temperature: 0°C to 40°C
Altitude: Up to 2000m
Transient Overvoltage on the main supply is
2500V.
(Pollution Degree) EN 61010-1:2010 specifies the pollution degrees
and their requirements as follows. THE GSP-818 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.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
7
Storage
environment
Location: Indoor
Relative Humidity: < 80%
Temperature: −20°C to 70°C
Disposal
Do not dispose this instrument 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.

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
8
Power cord for the United Kingdom
When using the GSP-818 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.

USER NOTICE
9
USER NOTICE
This chapter helps you in preparing the spectrum
analyzer for use and provides the information to
start using the spectrum analyzer correctly.
Safety Precaution before Operation
Check Power Supply
The analyzer is equipped with a three-wire power cord in
accordance with international safety standards. The product must
be grounded properly before being powered on, as floating or
improper ground may cause damage to the instrument or personal
injury.
Make sure the grounding conductor of the spectrum analyzer is
grounded before turning on the instrument. After which the AC
power cord can be connected. Do not use a non-ground power cord.
Allowed Variation Range of Supply Power Parameters
The spectrum analyzer is compatible with 100V~240V, 50Hz-60Hz
AC power. The table below lists the power requirement to run the
spectrum analyzer.
Power Supply Parameter
Compatible Range
Voltage
100 - 240 VAC
Frequency
50 - 60 Hz ±10％
Power 
22 W
To prevent or lower the risk of damage to the spectrum analyzer
from power interference between instruments, especially from peak

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
10
pulses produced by large power consumption instruments, a
220V/110V AC regulated power supply is recommended.
Power Cord Selection
The analyzer is equipped with a three-wire power cord in
accordance with international safety standards. This cable grounds
the analyzer cabinet when connected to an appropriate power line
outlet. The cable must be rated greater than 250Vac and 2A.
WARNING
Improper grounding may cause damage to the
instrument, or result in personal injury. Make sure the
grounding conductor of the spectrum analyzer is
grounded before turning on the instrument.
Always use a well-grounded power source. Do not use
an external power cable, power cord or an auto
transformer without grounded protection. If this
product is to be powered via an external auto
transformer for voltage reduction, ensure that its
common terminal is connected to a neutral (earthed
pole) of the power supply.
Make sure the supply power is stable before turning
on the analyzer to protect it from damage. Refer to
“First Time to Power on”on page 11
Electro-static Discharge (ESD) Protection
ESD is an issue often ignored by users. Damage from ESD on the
instrument is unlikely to occur immediately but will significantly
reduce the reliability of it. Therefore, ESD precautions should be
implemented in the work environment, and applied daily.
Generally, there are two steps to manage ESD protection:
1. Conductive table mats to connect hands via
wrist bands
2. Conductive ground mat to connect feet via
ankle straps

USER NOTICE
11
Implement both protection methods will provide a good level of
anti-static protection. If used alone, the protection will not be as
reliable. To ensure user’s safety, anti-static components should
offer at least 1MΩ isolation resistance.
WARNING
The above ESD protections measures cannot be used
when working with over 500V!
Make good use of anti-static technology to protect components
from damage:
1. Quickly ground the internal and external
conductor of the coaxial cable before it is
connected with the spectrum analyzer.
2. Staff must wear anti-static gloves before
touching the connector cord or doing any
assemble work.
3. Assure all the instruments are grounded
properly to avoid static storage.
First Time to Power on
Connect the three-pin AC power cord into the instrument. Insert
the plug into a power socket provided with a protective ground.
WARNING
Check the power source before turning on the
spectrum analyzer, to protect the device from damage.
Steps
1. Press the power switch on the bottom left
of the front panel.
2. Self-initialization takes about 30 seconds, after
the boot screen the spectrum analyzer will
default to the scanning curve.
3. After power on, let the spectrum analyzer
warm up for 30 minutes for stabilization to
obtain the most accurate results.

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
12
GETTING STARTED
This chapter introduces the front / rear panel, the
user interface and explains how to use the
instrument with a measurement example
demonstration.
Front Panel Overview ................................................13
Rear Panel ................................................................15
Front Panel Function Key ..........................................17
Parameter Input........................................................20
Numeric Keypad...................................................................20
User Interface ...........................................................22
Build-in Help ............................................................24
Basic Measurement ..................................................24

GETTING STARTED
13
Front Panel Overview
123
4
5
67891011
12
13
1.
LCD
800x600 color LCD display. The display
shows the soft keys for the current
function, frequency, amplitude and
marker information.
2.
Menu soft
keys
The F1 to F7 function keys directly
correspond to the soft keys on the right-
hand side of display.
3.
Function
keys
See page 17 for details.
4.
Knob
During parameter editing, turn the knob
clockwise to increase, or
counterclockwise to decrease the
parameter values at specified steps.
5.
Arrow keys
(1) Increase or decrease the parameter
value at specific steps while editing a
parameter.
(2) Move the cursor though the directory

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
14
tree in the File function
6.
RF Input
connector
The RF input may be connected to a
device via a N type connector.
Note
When input attenuator is higher than 10 dB, the RF port
input signal must be less than +30 dBm.
Input voltage at RF input port must not be higher than
50 V DC to avoid damage to the attenuator and input
mixer tracking generator.
7.
Unit keys
Unit keys include GHz/dBm/s,
MHz/dB/ms, kHz/dBmV/μs and
Hz/mV/ns. After entering the desired
numbers, choose an appropriate unit to
complete the input. The specific meaning of
unit is decided by the type of input parameter
(“frequency”, “amplitude”or “time”).
8.
Numeric
keypad
See page 20 for details.
9.
TG output
connector
The output of the tracking generator can
be connected to a receiver through an N
type male connector, users can purchase
this option if required.
10.
TG output
On/Off
button
When the TG function is enabled, the
backlight of button turns on and turns off
when the function is disabled.
11.
Earphone
interface
3.5mm stereo headphone jack (wired for
mono operation)
12.
USB Host
port
The analyzer may serve as a "host" device
to connect to external USB devices. This
interface is available for USB storage
devices.
13.
Power key
Push to turn on, long push to turn off

GETTING STARTED
15
Rear Panel
1
85
7643
2
1.
Handle
Stow the handle for mobile use.
2
AC power
connector
AC: frequency 50Hz±10％, single-phase
alternative 220V±15％or 110V±15％
3.
Stool
To adjust the angle of the device
4.
VGA port
provides a VGA signal output which is
used through a VGA cable or with a
projector
5.
LAN
interface
Through this interface, the analyzer can be
connected to your local network for remote
control. An integrated testing system can be
built quickly, as the analyzer conforms to the
LXI C Device class instrument standards.
6.
USB Device
interface
This configurable USB port permits external
USB devices. It supports PictBridge printer
and remote-control connection.
7.
10MHz
IN/OUT
The BNC input or output of the 10 MHz
reference clock

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
16
8.
Lock hole
You can lock the spectrum analyzer to a fixed
location using the security lock (please buy it
yourself) to secure the spectrum analyzer.

GETTING STARTED
17
Front Panel Function Key
Basic keys
Marker measure measure
Utility keys
Control keys
Keys
Description
Basic keys
Activates the center-frequency function, and accesses
the frequency function menu.
Activates the frequency sweep span function, and set
Full Span\Zero Span\Last Span.
Activates the reference level function, and accesses
the amplitude softkeys, with which you set functions
that affect data on the vertical axis.
Searches the signal automatically within the full
frequency range.

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
18
Control keys
Activates the RBW (resolution bandwidth) function,
and accesses the softkeys that control the bandwidth
functions and averaging.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to store and
manipulate trace information.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to configure
detector functions.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to control what
is displayed on the analyzer, including the display
line, graticule and label.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to set the sweep
time, select the sweep mode of the analyzer.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to select the
trigger mode of the analyzer.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to set the
tracking generator.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to set the
demodulation.
Marker measure keys
Places a marker on the highest peak, and accesses the
Peak functions menu.
Accesses the marker control keys that select the type
and number of markers and turns them on and off.
Accesses the marker function soft keys that allow you
to set other system parameters based on the current
marker’s value.
Accesses the menu of special functions, such as noise
marker, N dB bandwidth measure and frequency
counting.

GETTING STARTED
19
Advanced measure keys
Accesses the softkeys that let you make transmitter
power measurements such as ACPR(adjacent channel
power), channel power, and OBW(occupied
bandwidth), etc.
Sets the parameters for the selected measurement
function.
Utility keys
Sets the system parameters, and accesses the
calibration menu.
Accesses the softkeys that allow you to configure the
file system of the analyzer.
Resets the analyzer to the factory settings or user
state. This state can be specified in 【System】→
[PowerOn/Preset►] →[Preset►].
Save the contents of the current screen quickly.
Accesses the soft keys that allow you to save current
screen, trace data, or user state.
Press the Help key to activate the help system. Press
the Help key again to exit.

GSP-818 Quick Start Guide
20
Parameter Input
Specific parameter values are able to be entered using the numeric
keypad, knob, and directional keys.
Numeric Keypad
Numeric keys
Numbers 0-9 are available to be used.
Decimal
point
A decimal point "." will be inserted at the
cursor position when this key is pressed.
Sign key
Sign key "+/-" is to toggle the sign of a
parameter. When pressed the first time, a "-"
will be inserted and changed into "+" following
the second press.
Cancel key
(1) During the editing process this key will
clear the inputs in the active area and exit
editing mode at the same time.
(2) Turn off the display in the active area.
(3) Exit current test mode while in keyboard
test.
Back key
(1) During the process of parameter editing,
this key will delete the characters on the left
side of the cursor.
(2) While in the process of file name editing,
pressing this key will delete characters that
have been entered.