R&S HA-Z24E User manual

R&S®HA-Z24E
External Preamplifier
Manual
Manual
1178.6140.02 ─ 02
(;ÜËX2)

This manual describes the following R&S ®HA-Z24E model:
●1331.6539.85
© 2017 Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
Mühldorfstr. 15, 81671 München, Germany
Phone: [phone] - 0
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.rohde-schwarz.com
Subject to change – Data without tolerance limits is not binding.
R&S® is a registered trademark of Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG.
Trade names are trademarks of their owners.
Throughout this manual, products from Rohde & Schwarz are indicated without the ® symbol , e.g.
R&S®HA-Z24E is indicated as R&S HA-Z24E.

Contents
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Contents
1 About the R&S HA-Z24E....................................................... 3
2 For Your Safety...................................................................... 4
3 Product Description.............................................................. 4
4 Retrieving the S-Parameters.................................................7
5 Measurement Setup with R&S HA-Z24E..............................9
6 Performance Test................................................................ 11
1 About the R&S HA-Z24E
The R&S HA-Z24E is an RF preamplifier with a specified frequency range from
1 GHz to 85 GHz with a nominal gain of 20 dB. It can be used up to 90 GHz
(overrange).
The R&S HA-Z24E allows you to measure signals from devices under test with
low output power, using measurement devices which feature a low sensitivity and
do not have a built-in RF preamplifier.
The R&S HA-Z24E is a stand-alone product which can be used with any kind of
test setup that provides two USB 2.0 host interfaces. The interfaces are used to
provide both the DC supply voltage and the control interface for the preamplifier
via a Y-shaped cable.
Each R&S HA-Z24E is characterized in the factory regarding both magnitude and
phase. The S-parameters measured in the factory up to 90 GHz are stored in the
internal EEPROM of the preamplifier. The S-parameters can be used to compen-
sate the magnitude and phase characteristics of the preamplifier in the test setup.
The S-parameters can be read out of the preamplifier via USB into an S2P file,
which can then be used for the compensation algorithms. As soon as you connect
the R&S HA-Z24E to a power supply, the preamplifier is permanently on.

For Your Safety
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2 For Your Safety
The R&S HA-Z24E is designated for use in industrial, administrative, and labora-
tory environments. Use the R&S HA-Z24E only for its designated purpose.
Observe the safety and usage instructions in this manual and the supplied safety
brochure, as well as operating conditions and performance limits stated in the
data sheet. The "Basic Safety Instructions" are delivered with the R&S HA-Z24E
in different languages in print. The product documentation helps you use the
R&S HA-Z24E safely and efficiently. Keep the product documentation in a safe
place and pass it on to subsequent users.
3 Product Description
The R&S HA-Z24E is delivered in a transport case, together with the following
accessories:
1
2
3
4
Figure 3-1: R&S HA-Z24E in delivery case
1 = 1.00-mm adapter cable female to male
2 = Screwdriver to adjust the preamplifier's feet
3 = Y-shaped cable with one Lemosa 5-pole USB connector and two standard USB connectors
4 = Preamplifier unit

Product Description
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The preamplifier unit consists of the following main parts:
Figure 3-2: Main parts of the preamplifier unit
1 = RF input connector
2 = RF output connector
3 = Lemosa 5-pole USB connector and status LED for power supply
4 = Adjustable feet
RF input connector
1.00-mm female connector to connect the device under test to the preamplifier.
The R&S HA-Z24E preamplifies frequencies from 1 GHz to 85 GHz with a nomi-
nal gain of 20 dB.
Beyond 85 GHz, the R&S HA-Z24E can still be used if you allow for a degrada-
tion in the small signal gain - a common effect in amplifiers being operated
beyond their dedicated frequency range.
Maximum input power of the R&S HA-Z24E: -10 dBm
Maximum DC voltage: 25 V DC
RF output connector
1.00-mm female connector to connect the preamplifier to the measurement
device, e.g. a spectrum analyzer.
Depending on the connector type of the measurement device, the R&S HA-Z24E
can be connected directly to the measurement device, or using the provided
male-to-female adapter cable.

Product Description
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Possible damage to measurement device due to excess power
To avoid damage to your measurement device, ensure that it supports the
maximum output power of the R&S HA-Z24E of +18 dBm.
Direct connection
Cable connection
Lemosa 5-pole USB connector
Female Lemosa 5-pole USB connector to connect the preamplifier to a PC or
measurement device.
A y-shaped USB cable is provided with the R&S HA-Z24E to connect the pream-
plifier to two standard USB connectors for power supply (max. 500 mA each).
Via the USB connection, the PC or measurement device provides power to the
R&S HA-Z24E, and data from the preamplifier can be transferred to the PC or
measurement device.
A green LED indicates the correct connection to the USB ports. If the LED is not
on, check the connection.
Adjustable feet
Four screwable feet to adjust the height of the preamplifier and ensure a stable
position on the surface.

Retrieving the S-Parameters
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4 Retrieving the S-Parameters
The R&S HA-Z24E stores the S-parameters as a touchstone (.S2P) file on the
device. You can read out those values from a connected PC.
4.1 Prerequisites
To read out values from the R&S HA-Z24E, the PC must meet the following pre-
requisites:
●Windows7 or Windows10 operating system in the 64-bit version
●Two free USB output connectors for power supply and communication with
the preamplifier
Note that the R&S HA-Z24E must always be connected to both USB ports to
obtain sufficient supply current. If connected to only one USB port, the
R&S HA-Z24E does not work.
●Installed R&S HA-Z24E driver and software
Reading out parameters from a measurement device
Some measurement devices support reading out the parameters for a con-
nected R&S HA-Z24E directly on the device. For details, see the device's
documentation.
4.2 Installing the Driver
Install the driver on the PC before connecting the R&S HA-Z24E.
1. Download the HA-Z24E_V1.00.zip file from the Rohde & Schwarz product
page on the Internet (https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/product/ha-z24e).
2. Unzip the file. It contains the HA_Z24E-1.06.msi driver and the
HA-Z24E-Tool.exe software.
Installing the Driver

Retrieving the S-Parameters
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3. On the PC, start the HA_Z24E-1.06.msi file to install the driver.
In case the Windows user account does not have sufficient rights:
a) Search for the command-line tool CMD.
b) Right-click the tool and select the "Run as Administrator" option.
c) Start the HA_Z24E-1.06.msi file from there.
4.3 Connecting the R&S HA-Z24E to a PC
Do not connect multiple R&S HA-Z24E preamplifiers to the same PC at the
same time.
► Connect the USB connector of the R&S HA-Z24E to the two USB ports of the
PC using the provided y-shaped USB cable. If you connect the R&S HA-Z24E
to only one USB port, it does not work.
A green LED indicates the correct connection to the USB ports. If the LED is
not on, check the connection.
Via the USB connection, the PC provides power to the R&S HA-Z24E, and
transfers data from the preamplifier to the PC.
As soon as you connect the R&S HA-Z24E to a power supply, the preamplifier
is permanently on. It is ready to use after its warmup time, see the data sheet
for details.
4.4 Starting the Software
Ensure the prerequisites and the connection described above are carried out
before starting the software.
► On the PC, run the HA-Z24E-Tool.exe included with the driver from any
directory.
Starting the Software

Measurement Setup with R&S HA-Z24E
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The software uses the installed driver and reads out the touchdown (.S2P) file
from the EEPROM of the R&S HA-Z24E. The file is stored on the PC, in the
same directory the software was started from. The name of the file is
HA-Z24E.S2P.
If the software recognizes and can read out the touchdown file, the DOS
ERRORLEVEL returns the value 0.
If any error occurs, for example, the R&S HA-Z24E is not connected or the
driver is not installed, the DOS ERRORLEVEL returns the value 1. The file
HA-Z24E.S2P contains an error message.
5 Measurement Setup with R&S HA-Z24E
The R&S HA-Z24E is inserted into the signal path between the DUT and a mea-
surement device. The measurement device can use the stored values to compen-
sate the effects of preamplification on the measurement results. The following
sections describe the necessary steps to insert the R&S HA-Z24E in your mea-
surement setup.
Prerequisites
The measurement device requires two free USB output connectors for
power supply. The R&S HA-Z24E must be connected to both USB ports
using the provided y-shaped USB cable. If you connect the R&S HA-Z24E
to only one USB port, it does not work.

Measurement Setup with R&S HA-Z24E
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Precautions to avoid damage to the RF connectors
When setting up a measurement with the R&S HA-Z24E, consider the fol-
lowing to avoid damage to the RF connectors:
●Use the cables provided with the R&S HA-Z24E to connect the pream-
plifier to your device under test and the measurement device.
●Use an appropriate torque wrench to fasten the RF connectors of the
R&S HA-Z24E. An appropriate torque wrench can be ordered from
Rohde & Schwarz (R&S ZN-ZTW).
●Adjust the height of the preamplifier's feet so the device is on the same
height as the measurement device and stands firmly on the surface.
Never let the preamplifier hang in mid-air, held only by the connector.
Figure 5-1: Measurement setup with the R&S HA-Z24E
To set up a measurement with the R&S HA-Z24E
1. Connect the DUT to the RF IN connector of the R&S HA-Z24E using the pro-
vided 1-mm cable, or directly.
2. Connect the R&S HA-Z24E to the measurement device. If the measurement
device has the same connector type as the R&S HA-Z24E, you can connect
the two devices directly.
a) Adjust the feet of the preamplifier to the height of the connector on the
measurement device.
b) Connect the RF OUT connector of the R&S HA-Z24E to the RF input con-
nector of the measurement device.
3. If the measurement device does not have the same connector type as the
R&S HA-Z24E, use an adapter cable to connect the two devices.

Performance Test
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a) Connect one end of the 1-mm cable to the RF OUT connector of the
R&S HA-Z24E.
b) Connect the other end of the 1-mm cable to the RF input connector of the
measurement device.
4. Connect the USB power supply connector of the R&S HA-Z24E to the two
USB ports of the measurement device or a PC using the provided cable.
A green LED indicates the correct connection to the USB ports. If the LED is
not on, check the connection.
As soon as you connect the R&S HA-Z24E to a power supply, the preamplifier
is permanently on. It is ready to use after its warmup time, see the data sheet
for details.
6 Performance Test
The following test describes how to check the performance of your device com-
pared to the specifications in the R&S HA-Z24E data sheet.
Test equipment
Network analyzer with a frequency range of 1 GHz to 85 GHz
Test setup
1. [ STIMULUS : START FREQUENCY : 1 GHz ]
2. [ STIMULUS : STOP FREQUENCY : 90 GHz ]
3. [ STIMULUS : POWER : -15 dBm ]
4. Connect the two USB cables provided with the R&S HA-Z24E to a PC.
5. Connect port 1 of the network analyzer to the RF IN connector of the pream-
plifier.
6. Connect port 2 of the network analyzer to the RF OUT connector of the pre-
amplifier.

Performance Test
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Evaluation
The measured S-parameter S21 should comply with the datasheet specification
for small signal gain.