Housed in a compact package, the 3250 series of spectrum analyzers from Aeroflex measure RF frequencies up to 26.5 GHz.

Wireless design, research, development, and production test engineers in military communications, satellite test, radar, portable mobile radio (PMR) test, and other applications can take advantage of the 3250 series of spectrum analyzers from Aeroflex. The series comprises four models, each measuring a range beginning at 1 kHz, with the 3251 ranging up to 3 GHz, the 3252 to 8 GHz, the 3253 to 13.2 GHz, and the 3254 to 26.5 GHz.

Each model includes a Windows XP operating system, remote-control capabilities via a local-area network (LAN), general-purpose interface bus (GPIB), and RS-232C, as well as a 7-in. touchpanel screen, making them easy to operate with exceptional connectivity, Aeroflex says. The display provides an ample viewing area so data can be seen easily, even in split-screen mode or with multiple windows open. Three traces can be displayed per window, and as many as nine markers can be selected with a marker table viewable in an alternate window.

Also, the series includes digital demodulation capabilities for the analysis of 802.11a, b, and g wireless networks, enabling engineers to analyze the transmitter characteristics of wireless devices. Optional measurement personalities include GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, WiMAX, and wireless local-area network (WLAN), as well as electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) pre-compliance test. Built-in functions simplify the evaluation of many common measurements, including channel and multi-channel power, pulsed measurement, gated sweep, occupied bandwidth, spectrum emission mask, third-order intercept (TOI) measurement, total harmonic distortion, AM/FM and digital demodulation analysis, X-dB down, and phase-noise measurement.

The 3250 devices offer local-oscillator (LO) of –115 dBc/Hz and a display average noise level (DANL) of –145 dBm/Hz. They also incorporate 30-MHz I/Q demodulation bandwidth and a removable hard disk as standard. An optional built-in tracking generator is available across the entire range. The software provides a graphical user interface (GUI) within the spectrum analyzer menus to display the required suite of user-selectable parameters. According to Aeroflex, all the performance of a larger benchtop instrument has been designed into these portable, compact spectrum analyzers, which range from 24 to 20 lb.

The 3250 series is now available, with delivery approximately two weeks upon receipt of order. A starting configuration costs approximately $15,000.