Tektronix RF Scout Manual

RF Scout®
Interference Hunter
ZZZ
Quick Start User Manual
xx
Revision A
www.tektronix.com
071-1901-04

Copyright © Tektronix. All rights reserved. Licensed software products are owned by Tektronix or its subsidiaries or suppliers, and are protected by
national copyright laws and international treaty provisions.
Tektronix products are covered by U.S. and foreign patents, issued and pending. Information in this publication supersedes that in all previously
published material. Specifications and price change privileges reserved.
TEKTRONIX and TEK are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc.
NetTek and RF Scout are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc.
Contacting Tektronix
Tektronix, Inc.
14200 SW Karl Braun Drive
P.O. Box 5 0 0
Beaverton, OR 97077
USA
For product information, sales, service, and technical support:
In North America, call 1-800-833-9200.
Worldwide, visit www.tektronix.com to find contacts in your area.

Warranty 2
Tektronix warrants that this product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment. If
any such product proves defective during this warranty period, Tektronix, at its option, either will repair the defective product without charge for parts
and labor, or will provide a replacement in exchange for the defective product. Parts, modules and replacement products used by Tektronix for
warranty work may be new or reconditioned to like new performance. All replaced parts, modules and products become the property of Tektronix.
In order to obtain service under this warranty, Customer must notify Tektronix of the defect before the expiration of the warranty period and make
suitable arrangements for the performance of service. Customer shall be responsible for packaging and shipping the defective product to the service
center designated by Tektronix, with shipping charges prepaid. Tektronix shall pay for the return of the product to Customer if the shipment is to a
location within the country in which the Tektronix service center is located. Customer shall be responsible for paying all shipping charges, duties,
taxes, and any other charges for products returned to any other locations.
This warranty shall not apply to any defect, failure or damage caused by improper use or improper or inadequate maintenance and care. Tektronix
shall not be obligated to furnish service under this warranty a) to repair damage resulting from attempts by personnel other than Tektronix
representatives to install, repair or service the product; b) to repair damage resulting from improper use or connection to incompatible equipment; c) to
repair any damage or malfunction caused by the use of non-Tektronix supplies; or d) to service a product that has been modified or integrated with
other products when the effect of such modification or integration increases the time or difficulty of servicing the product.
THIS WARRANTY IS GIVEN BY TEKTRONIX WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED. TEKTRONIX AND ITS VENDORS DISCLAIM ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. TEKTRONIX’ RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS IS THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY
PROVIDED TO THE CUSTOMER FOR BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY. TEKTRONIX AND ITS VENDORS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY
INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER TEKTRONIX OR THE VENDOR HAS
ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
General Safety Summary . . ................................................................................................................ iii
Environmental Considerations ............................................................................................................. vi
Preface..................................................................................................................................... viii
Key Features......................................................................................................................... viii
Documentation........................................................................................................................ ix
Software Upgrades .................................................................................................................... x
Conventions Used in This Manual.....................................................................................................x
Preventing Personal Injury from Lightning ...........................................................................................xi
Installation .................................................................................................................................. 1
RF Scout Standard Accessories. ..................................................................................................... 1
Operating Considerations ............................................................................................................ 2
Connecting the AC Adapter .. ........................................................................................................ 4
Charging the Batteries................................................................................................................ 5
Powering On and Off the Instrument, and Functional Verification................................................................... 6
Touch Screen Concepts .............................................................................................................. 7
Calibrate the Touch Screen........................................................................................................... 8
Starting the RF Scout Application ...................................................................................................10
Setting Display Colors ............................................................................................................... 11
Enabling Signal Standards .......................................................................................................... 12
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual i

Table of Contents
Getting Acquainted with Your Instrument ................................................................................................. 15
Instrument Elements................................................................................................................. 15
Power On/Standby and Status Panel ............................................................................................... 16
Input/Output Connectors (NetTek Y400 Platform) .. ................................................................................ 17
NetTek YBT250 Module Signal Connectors......................................................................................... 18
Microsoft WindowsCE Elements . ................................................................................................... 18
The User Interface................................................................................................................... 19
The Command Bar...................................................................................................................20
The Tuning Controls ................................................................................................................. 21
The External Signal Status Buttons ................................................................................................. 22
The Measurement Mode Buttons.................................................................................................... 23
The Parameter Entry Controls.......................................................................................................24
Getting Help.......................................................................................................................... 25
Operating Basics .......................................................................................................................... 26
Setting Up to Take a Measurement ................................................................................................. 26
Spectrum Measurements............................................................................................................31
Channel Measurements Mode . ..................................................................................................... 49
iMap Measurement Mapping Mode ................................................................................................. 53
Signal Measurements................................................................................................................ 69
Specifications.............................................................................................................................. 71
Certifications and Compliances .................................................................................................... 100
Index
ii RF Scout Quick Start User Manual

General Safety Summary
General Safety Summary
Review the following safety precautions to avoid injury and prevent damage to this product or any products connected to it.
To avoid potential hazards, use this product only as specified.
Only qualified personnel should perform service procedures.
While using this product, you may need to access other parts of a larger system. Read the safety sections of the other component
manuals for warnings and cautions related to operating the system.
To Avoid Fire or Personal Injury
Use Proper Power Cord. Use only the power cord specified for this product and certified for the country of use.
Observe All Terminal Ratings. To avoid fire or shock hazard, observe all ratings and markings on the product. Consult the
product manual for further ratings information before making connections to the product.
The inputs are not rated for connection to mains or Category II, III, or IV circuits.
Power Disconnect. The power cord disconnects the product from the power source. Do not block the power cord; it must remain
accessible to the user at all times.
Do Not Operate Without Covers. Do not operate this product with covers or panels removed.
Do Not Operate With Suspected Failures. If you suspect that there is damage to this product, have it inspected by qualified
service personnel.
Avoid Exposed Circuitry. Do not touch exposed connections and components when power is present.
Replace Batteries Properly. Replace batteries only with the specified type and rating.
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual iii

General Safety Summary
Recharge Batteries Properly. Recharge batteries for the recommended charge cycle only.
Use Proper AC Adapter. Use only the AC adapter specified for this product.
Do Not Operate in an Explosive Atmosphere.
TermsinthisManual
These terms may appear in this manual:
WARNING. Warning statements identify conditions or practices that could result in injury or loss of life.
CAUTION. Caution statements identify conditions or practices that could result in damage to this product or other property.
Symbols and Terms on the Product
These terms may appear on the product:
DANGER indicates an injury hazard immediately accessible as you read the marking.
WARNING indicates an injury hazard not immediately accessible as you read the marking.
CAUTION indicates a hazard to property including the product.
iv RF Scout Quick Start User Manual

General Safety Summary
The following symbol(s) may appear on the product:
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual v

Environmental Considerations
Environmental Considerations
This section provides information about the environmental impact of the product.
Product End-of-Life Handling
Observe the following guidelines when recycling an instrument or component:
Equipment Recycling. Production of this equipment required the extraction and use of natural resources. The equipment may
contain substances that could be harmful to the environment or human health if improperly handled at the product’s end of life. In
order to avoid release of such substances into the environment and to reduce the use of natural resources, we encourage you to
recycle this product in an appropriate system that will ensure that most of the materials are reused or recycled appropriately.
This symbol indicates that this product complies with the European Union’s requirements according to Directive
2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). For information about recycling options, check
the Support/Service section of the Tektronix Web site (www.tektronix.com).
Battery Recycling. This product may contain a lithium ion (Li-ion) rechargeable battery, which must be recycled or disposed of
properly. Please properly dispose of or recycle the battery according to local government regulations.
Mercury Notification. This product uses an LCD backlight lamp that contains mercury. Disposal may be regulated due
to environmental considerations. Please contact your local authorities or, within the United States, the Electronics Industries
Alliance (www.eiae.org) for disposal or recycling information.
vi RF Scout Quick Start User Manual

Environmental Considerations
Perchlorate Materials. This product contains one or more type CR lithium coin cell batteries. According to the
state of California, CR lithium coin cells are classified as perchlorate materials and require special handling. See
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate for additional information.
Transporting Batteries
The lithium ion rechargeable battery pack in this product contains less than 8 grams of equivalent lithium content, with individual
cells containing less than 1.5 grams of equivalent lithium, as measured by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
standards. Consult your air carrier for applicability and determination of any special lithium ion battery transportation requirements.
Restriction of Hazardous Substances
This product has been classified as Monitoring and Control equipment, and is outside the scope of the 2002/95/EC RoHS Directive.
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual vii

Preface
Preface
This manual describes the installation and basic operation of the RF Scout Interference Hunter. For more detailed information on
individual measurements, tap the underlined link text on measurement screens to open the online help for those topics.
Key Features
The RF Scout Interference Hunter is a rugged, multi-standard spectrum analyzer and interference mapping tool optimized for field
use. Key features include:
Interference hunting functions that help find interference quickly
Spectrogram display for detection and logging of intermittent signals
iMap integrated measurement mapping for on-site analysis of interference and coverage problems
Signal strength, AM/FM demodulation, and noise floor measurements
Scanners or code analyzers for GSM/GMSK/EDGE, UMTS/W-CDMA/HSDPA, cdmaOne, cdma2000, 1xEV-DO, TD-SCDMA,
and iDEN signals
Multipath signal analyzer for W-CDMA signals
User-defined channels for taking general measurements and channel scans
Macro editor for creating collections of measurements to take in the iMap window
PN Sync function for displaying 1xEV-DO and cdma2000 PN offsets in areas that do not have GPS signal availability
viii RF Scout Quick Start User Manual

Preface
Documentation
To read about Use these documents
Installation and operation (overviews) RF Scout Interference Hunter Quick Start User Manual. The quick start user manual
contains general information about how to put your instrument into service, guides to
user interface controls, and application examples.
Help using the application Online Help. The online help is context sensitive, displaying information appropriate
for the active screen or the selected help text. (See page 25, Getting Help.)
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual ix

Preface
Software Upgrades
Periodic software upgrades may become available. The software is only operational if you have a valid option key for the specific
application module and serial number.
To check for upgrades:
1. Go to the Tektronix Web site (www.tektronix.com).
2. Click Software Downloads on left side of the screen to link to the Software Downloads Web page.
3. Enter the product name or model number in the Search by keyword field and click Go.
4. Scroll through the list and select the appropriate link for your instrument to show more information or to download the software.
The instructions to perform the software upgrade are in the readme.txt file that is part of the software download.
Conventions Used in This Manual
The following icons are used in this manual:
Sequence
Step
Front panel
power
Connect
power
xRF Scout Quick Start User Manual

Preface
Preventing Personal Injury from Lightning
WARNING. To prevent personal injury from the effects of lightning, exercise the following precautions when using this product:
Before connecting this product to any source
Check your local weather forecast for the possibility of thunderstorms or lightning.
If weather conditions could allow thunderstorms or lightning to develop, be sure to visually check the sky and weather
conditions in your area frequently.
If you can hear thunder or if you see lightning, do not connect this product to any source which may be exposed to the
effects of lightning.
Use your own good judgement and common sense. You must protect yourself from the effects of lightning.
You must assume that hazardous voltages will be present on exposed surfaces of this product if it is connected to a source
exposed to lightning. The insulation of this product will not protect you from these hazardous voltages.
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual xi

Preface
Do not connect this product to any source which might be subject to the effects of lightning
If thunderstorms or lightning are in your vicinity:
When weather conditions that could lead to lightning activity exist in your area, you could be at risk of a lightning strike
before the cloud is close enough for you to hear thunder or see lightning.
When lightning strikes a structure or facility, current travels through rebar, concrete, pipes, cables, vent stacks, and electrical
system.
Lightning can induce electric and magnetic fields into structures and portions of wiring. The length of a conductor affected by
the magnetic fieldofalightningstrikemayexceedtwomiles.
Be alert and aware of the effects of lightning
When lightning strikes a conductor, which in turn introduces the current into an area some distance from the ground strike point,
equipment can be damaged and personnel injured if they become an indirect path in the completion of the ground circuit.
Conductors such as the braided shields of cables or unshielded wires will have significant transient currents flowing in them
in regions exposed to the electric field effect of lightning.
Induced voltages may cause breakdown of insulation in wiring at connectors and in electrical components or breakdown of air.
xii RF Scout Quick Start User Manual

Installation
Installation
Carefully unpack your instrument and verify that it includes the standard accessories.
RF Scout Standard Accessories
Accessory Tektronix part number
NetTek Y400 Analyzer Platform Y400
NetTek YBT250 Field Transmitter & Interference Tester Application Module YBT250
AC Power Adapter 119-6984-xx
Lithium-Ion Battery 146-0151-xx
NetTek Y400 Analyzer Setup Reference 071-1430-xx
RF Scout Interference Hunter Quick Start User Manual 071-1901-xx
Your instrument may also include optional accessories. Verify that the optional accessories you ordered are included with your
instrument. For a current list of accessories, upgrades, and options, including service options, available for your instrument,
visit the Tektronix Web site, www.tektronix.com.
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual 1

Installation
Operating Considerations
AC Adapter Input voltage and current: 100 V - 240 V AC, 1.8 A
Input frequency: 47 Hz to 63 Hz
Output voltage and current: 24 V DC, 3 A
Dimensions Height: 25 cm. (9.75 in)
Width: 33 cm. (13 in)
Depth: 9 cm. (3.5 in)
Weight 5.52 kg (12.125 lbs) (with one battery)
Temperature Range Operating: 0 °C to +50 °C specified performance, –10 °C to +50 °C typical
Nonoperating: –40 °C to +60 °C
Humidity Operating: 5% to 95% Relative Humidity (RH), noncondensing: up to +30 °C
Nonoperating: 5% to 45% Relative Humidity (RH), noncondensing: +30 °C up to +50 °C
Altitude Operating: Up to 4,600 m (15,092 ft.)
Nonoperating: Up to 15,240 m (50,000 ft.)
RF Signal Input Input frequency range: 30 MHz to 2500 MHz
Coupling: AC
Input impedance: 50 Ω(nominal)
Maximum input power without damaging instrument: 50 W CW or peak envelope power
2RF Scout Quick Start User Manual

Installation
Cleaning
Clean the exterior surfaces of the instrument with a dry lint-free cloth or a soft-bristle brush.
Use a cloth or swab moistened with deionized or distilled water, or a 75% isopropyl alcohol solution for more stubborn stains, to
clean the instrument or touch screen; use just enough moisture to dampen the cloth or swab.
Use a gentle amount of force when cleaning the touch screen.
CAUTION. Do not get moisture inside the instrument during exterior cleaning.
Do not wash the front-panel On/Standby switch. Cover the switch while washing the instrument.
Do not spray liquids directly on the instrument or touch screen.
Do not use abrasive cleaners, or chemical cleaning agents that contain benzene, toluene, xylene, acetone, or similar solvents; they
can damage the instrument or touch screen. Do not use commercial glass cleaners to clean the touch screen.
Do not scrub the touch screen with excessive force while cleaning.
RF Scout Quick Start User Manual 3

Installation
Connecting the AC Adapter
1. Lift the instrument strap to expose the
power adapter connector.
2. Connect the AC power adapter to the
instrument.
3. Connect the AC adapter to a
properly-grounded AC power source
using the provided power cord.
4. Charge the batteries before using the
instrument on battery power for the first
time. (See page 5, Charging the Batteries.)
4RF Scout Quick Start User Manual