Tektronix Spectrum Analyzer User manual

Your Guide to Selecting the Right Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer
It’s Time To Get Real.

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RSA Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers www.tektronix.com/rsa
Today’s RF signals change over time, often unpredictably. To effectively characterize these signals, you need a
tool that can discover and trigger on both known and unpredictable events, capture the signals seamlessly
into memory, and analyze the behavior of frequency, amplitude, and modulation parameters over time. Using
traditional tools like swept spectrum analyzers and vector signal analyzers might provide snapshots of the signal
in the frequency and modulation domains, but this is often not enough information to confidently describe the
dynamic RF signals produced by the device under test. By providing insight into how parameters change over
continuous time, the Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer adds another crucial dimension to all of these measurements.
Complex RF Problems
RSA3300A Series
With a single acquisition, the RSA3300A Series
captures a continuous time record of changing
RF events and enable time-correlated analysis
in the frequency, time and modulation domains.
RSA3408A Series
Get fast resolution to complex problems with
enhanced triggering, more capture bandwidth
and great analysis tools with the RSA3408A.
Require a New Type of Analysis
Select Your Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer Performance
RSA6100A Series
The RSA6100A Series offers the revolutionary
DPX®spectrum display with an intuitive live
color view of signal transients changing over
time in the frequency domain, giving you
immediate confidence in the stability of your
design, or instantly displaying a fault when
it occurs.
RTSA Frequency Memory Modulation Real-Time Capture Triggering
Model Series Range Depth Analysis Bandwidth Modes
RSA3303A DC-3 GHz 64 MB, AM, FM 15 MHz IF Level,
256 MB optional (ASK, FSK), PM, Power and
Pulse Analysis; Opt. Frequency
optional general purpose Mask Trigger
digital mod analysis
RSA3308A DC-8 GHz 64 MB, AM, FM 15 MHz IF Level,
256 MB optional (ASK, FSK), PM, Power and
Pulse Analysis; Opt. Frequency
optional general purpose Mask Trigger
digital mod analysis
RSA3408A DC-8 GHz 64 MB, AM, FM 36 MHz Power and
256 MB optional (ASK, FSK), PM, Opt. Frequency
Pulse Analysis; Mask Trigger
optional general purpose
digital mod analysis
RSA6106A 9 kHz - 6.2 GHz 256 MB, Amplitude, Frequency, 40 MHz Power and
1 GB optional Phase vs Time and 110 MHz optional Opt. Frequency
Advance Signal (Pulse)Analysis Mask Trigger
optional general purpose
digital mod analysis
RSA6114A 9 kHz - 14 GHz 256 MB, Amplitude, Frequency, 40 MHz Power and
1 GB optional Phase vs Time and 110 MHz optional Opt. Frequency
Advance Signal (Pulse)Analysis Mask Trigger
optional general purpose
digital mod analysis

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RSA Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers www.tektronix.com/rsa
Multiple correlated views
in all domains (Frequency, Time,
Amplitude, Phase, Modulation)
with intuitive user interface.
It’s Time to Get Real.
Revolutionary DPX®spectrum
processing for unmatched
troubleshooting and live transient
analysis.
Touch screen, mouse and front
panel controls directly adjust settings
in the views.
Windows XP Operating System
with Tek OpenChoice®for easy file
operations, printing, Ethernet and
GPIB control, remote connections
and more.
Two external triggers to capture
key event information (1 front, 1 rear).
Two frequency ranges:
9 kHz to 6.2 GHz (RSA6106A) or
9 kHz to 14 GHz (RSA6114A).
DVD ±RW (standard) for waveform
storage. Removable HDD (optional)
for data security.
Familiar spectrum analyzer
controls plus fast access to all
acquisition and measurement
settings.
USB connections (2 front, 2 rear),
for mouse, keyboard and memory.
DC-Protected Input
±40 V DC, over entire frequency
range, +30 dBm CW, 75W Pulse
Maximum.
Completely Characterize Time-varying RF Signals

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RSA Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers www.tektronix.com/rsa
Discover
Easily Problems Using the Revolutionary DPX®Spectrum Display
Detection is the first step in understanding and resolving any problem relating to time-variant signals. As new
applications utilize wireless transmission, new channels crowd into available bandwidth, and RF systems become
digital-based, engineers need better tools to help them find and interpret complex behaviors and interactions.
Tektronix’ patented Digital Phosphor technology, standard in our RSA6100A Series Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers,
reveals signal details that are completely missed by conventional spectrum analyzers and vector signal analyzers.
The DPX®Spectrum’s live RF display shows signals never seen before, giving users instant insight and greatly
accelerating discovery and diagnosis.
Infrequently occurring transient is seen
in detail. The frequency of occurrence is
color-graded, indicating the infrequent
transient event in blue and the noise
background in red.
Revolutionary DPX spectrum display
reveals transient signal behavior that
helps you discover instability, glitches
and interference.
Performing >48,000 frequency
transforms per second, transients as
brief as 24 µs in length are displayed
in the frequency domain. This is a
1000-fold improvement over swept
analysis techniques. Events can be
color coded by rate of occurrence
onto a bitmapped display, providing
unparalleled insight into transient
signal behavior.
DPX Spectrum display after
5 seconds. Bitmap color mapping
is “Spectral”, to emphasize
infrequent signals with hot colors.
MaxHold trace is indicated in yellow.

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Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers overcome the challenges associated with today’s complex RF signals with both
frequency and time domain event triggers. These advanced triggers provide the ability to capture a seamless
record of RF signals into memory and perform time-correlated, multi-domain analysis.
Unlike traditional swept spectrum analyzers, the Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer offers a Power Trigger with
user-settable span, enabling spectrum capture whenever the power of any signal crosses a user-defined
threshold. Tektronix’ exclusive Frequency Mask Trigger enables the capture of the spectrum of interest when
a discrete change in signal frequency, amplitude, or bandwidth occurs, or when a signal appears or disappears.
Frequency Mask Triggering occurs even if spectral events are detected at a much lower level than adjacent
signals. In addition, the flexibility of the Frequency Mask Trigger enables the creation of a customizable mask
that can monitor multiple different frequency bands within the analysis span.
Using the Frequency Mask Trigger and
Spectrogram to determine if interference with
specific WLAN packets is coming from a
Bluetooth transimitter or a microwave oven.
Trigger
the Only Spectrum Analyzers with Frequency Domain Triggering
Frequency Mask Trigger can
catch unknown, transient
or low duty cycle signals in
a multi-signal spectrum
Trigger can be used in an
exceed threshold or “fall under”
threshold mode
Trigger position can be set to
designate what percentage of
the captured time record will
be pre-trigger and post-trigger
Point-click-and-drag editor
makes mask set-up easy

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User adjustable color scaling shows signal
amplitude transitions
Spectrogram showing a pulsed AM signal...
measure spectral occupancy and amplitude,
timing between pulses. Also measure transient
signals at carrier turn-on time
Marker/delta markers provide signal amplitude,
frequency, frame number and time
Trigger/pre-trigger time designation
As the complexity of new RF components, devices and systems continues to increase, the ability to acquire and
store a record of time-variant RF signal activity and thoroughly analyze its unique behavior – over time, in multiple
domains – is becoming increasingly essential. Tektronix’ Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers meet these requirements
by seamlessly capturing and recording all the signals across a user-selected span – up to 110 MHz, depending
upon model used. Transient, pulsed and other time-variant signals are all captured as a seamless time record into
deep memory. Some models also include an option for streaming live IQ data to an output for external recording
and analysis.
Capture
Continously a Seamless Time Record of a Span of RF Frequencies
Spectrogram showing oscillator
turn-on settling characteristic enables
measurement frequency variance
over time
Readouts show first and last spectra
(frame) displayed, with color scaling
that indicates amplitude
Time
Frequency

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RSA Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers www.tektronix.com/rsa
The analysis capabilities of the Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer provide simultaneous time-correlated views of a signal
in the frequency, time and modulation domains, enabling much faster resolution of complex problems that often
occur in today’s RF systems.
By acquiring a record of real-time signal behavior, the Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer supports numerous powerful
analysis tools. One example is the spectrogram display, which plots frequency and amplitude changes over time.
It provides an intuitive, three-dimensional display of the time-varying signal behavior, not seen in traditional frequency
domain plots. This view makes it easy to see phenomena such as modulation switching, signal hand-offs, frequency
hops and settling time between pulses, and changes in frequency over time.
In addition to providing time-correlated multi-domain analysis on a wide variety of signals, certain Tektronix Real-Time
Spectrum Analyzers support the latest mobile and wireless data standards, as well as providing a general purpose
digital modulation analysis on a wide variety of formats. With time-correlated views across the frequency, time and
modulation domains and a full range of analysis capabilities, you gain unprecedented insight into RF signal behavior
for complete characterization and quick problem-solving.
Analyze
Complex RF Signals Completely
Views for EVM vs. time,
eye diagram, constellation
(with and without transitions),
IQ amplitude (or frequency
for GFSK) vs. time
Time-correlated views relate EVM,
symbol value or constellation with
frequency vs. power or spectrogram
representation of a digital signal
View Multiple Domains At Your Convenience
Modulation analysis for:
BPSK; QPSK; 16, 32, 64,
256 QAM; 8PSK; π/4 DQPSK;
GMSK; GFSK and more
Automated measurements for EVM,
Magnitude Error, Phase Error, plus symbol
number where each measurement peaks
Settings for modulation
parameters, such as
symbol rate, measurement
filter and alpha/BW
product
Sub-view window: choice of frequency vs.
amplitude, constellation, EVM, many other
displays
Color-keyed lines show timing of Main View
analysis and Sub-View spectrum analysis and
trigger time
Measurements are time-correlated
Overview window: power vs. time
Main view window: time vs. amplitude,
time vs. frequency, time vs. phase,
many other views

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RSA Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers
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Analysis Feature Applications Product Series
Application
Solutions for Your Digital RF Challenges
Example Applications Benefiting from Key Standard Capabilities and Options
General Signal RF Communication Spectrum Radar & Pulsed SDR and
Analysis Systems Management Signals Cognitive Radio WiMAX WLAN RFID Cellular RSA6100A RSA3408A RSA3300A
DPX®Spectrum Processing X X X X X X X X X standard
Multi-Domain Correlation X X X X X X X X X standard standard standard
Hi-res Spectrogram X X X X X X X X X standard standard standard
Internal Preamplifier XXX optional
External Preamplifier XX X optional optional
110 MHz Capture Bandwidth X X X X X optional
40 MHz Capture Bandwidth XX X X X standard
36 MHz Capture Bandwidth X X X X X X X X standard
15 MHz Capture Bandwidth X X X X X X X standard
Power Trigger X X X X X X X X standard optional optional
Frequency Mask Trigger X X X X X X X X X optional optional optional
General Purpose Modulation Analysis XX X X optional optional optional
Removable HDD X X optional optional
Digital IQ Output XXXX optional optional
Analog IF Output X X X X optional standard
Differential Analog IQ Input X X X X X optional optional
Pulsed RF Analysis XX XX optional optional
Advanced Analysis Pulsed Signal Suite XXXoptional
AM/AM, AM/PM, 1 dB Compression XX XX X optional optional
Cellular Standards Analysis XX X X optional optional optional
802.11a/b/g/n Analysis XX X optional
RFID Analysis X optional optional
WiMAX Analysis Xoptional optional optional

For Further Information
Tektronix maintains a comprehensive, constantly expanding
collection of application notes, technical briefs and other
resources to help engineers working on the cutting edge of
technology. Please visit www.tektronix.com
Copyright © 2007, Tektronix. All rights reserved. Tektronix products are covered by
U.S. and foreign patents, issued and pending. Information in this publication super-
sedes that in all previously published material. Specification and price change
privileges reserved. TEKTRONIX and TEK are registered trademarks of Tektronix,
Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or regis-
tered trademarks of their respective companies.
03/07 DM/PT/ xxx 37W-19913-1
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Updated 15 September 2006