Keysight Technologies V3500A User manual

Keysight Technologies
V3500A Handheld RF
Power Meter
Demonstration
Guide

2
Contents
Introduction 2
Demonstration Preparation
• Average Power Measurement
• Average Pulse Power
Measurement
3
4
6
Conclusion 8
Ordering Information 8
Related Keysight Literature 8
Related Web Resources 8
Keysight’s First Handheld RF Power Meter
for Average Power Measurement
Conventional power measurements were performed using bench-top power
meters with power sensors and USB power sensors. These require external
power supply (115 V/230 V) and powered-up USB respectively. When
working in the outdoors or in the field, external power supplies or PCs are not
available, so power measurement could not be carried out. Today, Keysight
Technologies, Inc. introduces its first handheld RF power meter—V3500A,
which can be used in both outdoor and field and research-and-development
(R&D) laboratory environments. The Keysight V3500A handheld RF power
meter is a low-cost solution for measuring average power with a frequency
range up to 6 GHz and a dynamic range up to 83 dB (+20 to -63 dBm), which
comes with a built-in LCD display.
This guide explains how to measure average power and average pulse power
using the V3500A. It also covers the key features of the V3500A that enable
you to optimize your measurement speed and accuracy.
Introduction
The Keysight V3500A handheld RF power meter is a compact handheld
instrument designed for making RF power measurements in both the field
and in R&D laboratory environments. Its built-in power sensor eliminates the
need for users to carry both an instrument and a separate sensor module,
and the same sensor is used when duplicating tests or measurements for
better repeatability. To optimize flexibility, the V3500A is capable of drawing
operating power from batteries, an AC-DC converter module, or a computer
via the USB interface. The Keysight 3500A handheld RF power meter is
suitable for a wide variety of RF measurement applications.
In the laboratory, the V3500A handheld RF power meter can be used as an RF
power data logger by transferring data through its built-in USB interface to a
computer, allowing for trend or drift analysis. It is ideal for production testing,
R&D or design-verification applications.
For use in the field, the compact size of the V3500A handheld RF power
meter allows it to be placed in a toolkit. Users do not have to carry both an
instrument and a separate sensor module (the V3500A has a built-in sensor).
The V3500A is ideal for installation and maintenance (I&M) or outdoor field
(satellite or base station) applications.
Key Features
– Wideband frequency, 10 MHz to 6 GHz
for average RF power measurements.
– Large dynamic range of +20 dBm to
–63 dBm.
– Both sensor and display housed in the
same compact handheld package.
– Built-in LCD display allowing measure-
ment in a single-function unit.
– Universal Serial Bus (USB) control
interface.
– Flexibility of drawing operating power
from an on-board battery, an optional
external power supply, or a computer
via the USB interface.
– Internal power reference, enabling
self-calibration and eliminating the need
for the user to perform an independent
calibration before the instrument can
be used.
– Ability to compensate for cable losses
with the Relative Offset function that
can add an offset to the display ranging
between –99.99 dB and +99.99 dB.

3
This demonstration focuses on average power measurement and pulse power measurement.
Demonstration Preparation
The following instruments are used in this demonstration guide :
1. E44380 ESG Vector Signal Generator1
2. V3500A Handheld Power Meter
+
Required Option
–E4438C firmware revision:
C.04.98 or later.
–Frequency range option:
503 or 506.
–Baseband generator option:
601 or 602.
Required Option
–Standard option.
To download and update instrument
firmware and software, please visit:
–www.keysight.com/find/V3500A
— www.keysight.com/find/esg
— www.keysight.com/find/mxg
1. Alternatively, you can use the N5812A MXG vector signal generator to generate the CW or pulse signal.
Connecting the ESG and V3500A instruction:
Connect the ESG and V3500A as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. ESG signal generator and V3500A handheld power meter setup diagram
E44380 ESG Vector Signal Generator V3500A Handheld Power Meter

4
Average Power Measurement Demonstration
Objective
To demonstrate the capability of the V3500A handheld power meter for average power measurement.
Note:
Keystrokes surrounded by [ ] represent front-panel keys of the instrument.
Keystrokes surrounded by {}represent softkeys of the instrument.
Instructions Keystrokes
On the ESG :
1. Turn on the ESG. Press []standby button to “ON” (green LED light displays).
2. Set the instrument to its
default setting.
Press [Preset].
3. Set the frequency and
amplitude.
Press [Frequency] 1000 MHz.
Press [Amplitude] 0 dBm.
4. Turn ON the RF Output. Toggle [RF On/Off] to “ON”.
Instructions Keystrokes
On the V3500A :
1. Turn on the V3500A. Press [] ON/OFF button to turn on V3500A.
2. Set the frequency to 1000 MHz. Press [ ] OR [ ] to change frequency to 1000 MHz.
3. Set the average count to 4.
Press [] button to enter menu mode.
Press [ ] or [ ] until “Averaging mode” menu is displayed.
Press [ ] or [ ] to increase averaging count to <4>.
Press [ ] button to exit.

5
Average Power Measurement Demonstration (continued)
Instructions Keystrokes
On the V3500A :
4. Save the instrument state.
Press [] button to enter menu mode.
Press [ ] or [ ]until “SAVE STATE” menu is displayed.
Press [ ] or [ ] to select <Save> mode.
Note : Saving the state of the instrument places all menu values in the memory of the unit so that they can be recalled
after power cycling. Frequency settings are not saved or recalled.
The “Save State” feature is only functional when the batteries are stored in the instrument.
5. Read the measurement. The measurement, 0.01 dBm displayed at left-hand corner of the display.
Note : The top line of the display shows the measured power of the signal. The measured power will be updated
continuously and displayed accordingly. In the upper right- hand corner of the display, an “at” symbol (@) is displayed
whenever a new measurement is completed and the results have been displayed.
Zeroing the Sensor
The zeroing function is used to zero the V3500A handheld power meter. When [ ]
is pressed, the V3500A handheld power meter measures the offset voltages in the
signal path and zeroes the power meter. This allows a more accurate measurement at
low power levels. The V3500A RF input may be left disconnected when it is zeroed, or
it may be connected to other hardware, but make sure that no signals are present on
the RF input (inaccurate readings will result). For example, if the V3500A is connected
to a signal generator, turn off the signal generator’s output before pressing the
zero key. When the V3500A is zeroed, the display will show “ZEROING.” The entire
operation takes approximately 30 seconds.

6
Average Pulse Power Measurement Demonstration
Pulse power is determined by measuring the average power of the pulse and then dividing the measurement results by
the pulse-cycle value to obtain the pulse power reading, as expressed by the following equation:
Power
B (Pulse Repetition Interval)
Measured
Average Power
Time
A (Pulse Width)
Duty Cycle A
B
Figure 2. Pulse power calculation
The measurement result is a
mathematical representation of the
pulse power rather than the actual
measurement with the assumption
of constant peak power. To ensure
accurate pulse power readings, the
input signal must be a repetitive
rectangular pulse with a constant
duty cycle.
There are some advantages to using
duty cycle to calculate the pulse
power. The duty-cycle technique
provides the lowest-cost solution,
with average power meters and
sensors being less expensive than
peak and average power meters and
sensors. Average power meters also
have the ability to measure over a
wide power and frequency range.
In this demonstration, we are
supplying a pulsed signal with the
pulse width of 20 μs and a pulse
period or pulse repetition interval
(PRI) of 40 μs. The pulse signal is set
to the power level of approximately
0 dBm. (See Figure 3).
Using a V3500A handheld power
meter to measure the average power
of the signal, the measurement result
is –3.04 dBm. We can see from
the results that the average power
over the full PRI is –3.04 dBm lower
than the pulse itself. The measured
value is therefore very close to
the calculated –3.01 dB difference
provided by the duty-cycle method,
which was for the ‘perfect’ pulse
shape.
Average Power Δ = 10 log DC
= 10 log (20 µ/
40 µ)
= 10 log 0.5
= –3.01 dB
Pulse Width
(PW)
Pulse Repetition Interval (PRI) = 40 µs
Figure 3. Measuring pulse power using duty cycle
Pavg
Pp= Duty Cycle
in linear term. (See Figure 2)

7
Objective
To demonstrate the capability of the V3500A handheld power meter for average pulse power measurement.
Instructions Keystrokes
On the ESG :
1. Set the instrument to its default
setting.
Press [Preset].
2. Set the frequency and
amplitude.
Press [Frequency] 1000 MHz.
Press [Amplitude] 0 dBm.
3. Set the pulse signal. Press [Pulse], {Pulse Period} 40 µs and {Pulse Width} 20 µs.
4. Activate the pulse signal. Toggle {Pulse On/Off} to “ON”.
5. Turn ON the RF Output Toggle [RF On/Off] to “ON”.
Instructions Keystrokes
On the V3500A :
1. Turn on the V3500A. Press [] ON/OFF button to turn on the V3500A.
2. Set the frequency to 1000 MHz. Press [ ] OR [ ] to change frequency to 1000 MHz.
3. Set the average count to 4.
Press [] button to enter menu mode.
Press []or [ ] until “Averaging mode” menu is displayed.
Press [] or [ ] to increase averaging count to <4>.
Press []button to exit.
4. Read the measurement. Press [ ] to exit menu. The measurement, –3.04 dBm displayed at left
hand corner of the display.

8
Conclusion
The Keysight V3500A RF Handheld power meter provides accurate average power measurement as well as average
pulse power measurement, as demonstrated in this document. The V3500A handheld power meter also provides the
following features when performing outdoor (satellite or base station) power measurement:
–Both sensor and display housed in a compact handheld package.
–Wideband up to 6 GHz average RF power measurement.
–Easy-to-use interface with LCD display.
–Flexibility of drawing operating power from an on-board battery.
Ordering Information
Product Type Model Number
Handheld RF Power Meter V3500A
Power supply V3500A-PWR
Holster carrying case with shoulder strap V3500A-SHL
USB interface cable (Standard-A to Type-B), 2.5 meter V3500A-CA1
Related Keysight Literature
Publication Title Publication number
Keysight V3500A Handheld RF Power Meter User’s Guide V3500-90001
Keysight V3500A Handheld RF Power Meter, Data Sheet 5990-5483EN
Related Web Resources
For the latest and most complete applications and information, please refer to the following URL:
www.keysight.com/nd/V3500A

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Technologies’ products, applications or
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This information is subject to change without notice.
© Keysight Technologies, 2010 - 2014
Published in USA, July 31, 2014
5990-5571EN
www.keysight.com
09 | Keysight | V3500A Handheld RF Power Meter – Demonstration Guide
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