FieldFox adds demodulation, vector-signal and I/Q analysis

Santa Rosa, CA. Keysight Technologies announced new enhancements for its FieldFox handheld RF and microwave analyzers. FieldFox analyzers now connect to Keysight’s 89600 VSA software for signal demodulation and vector signal analysis. The FieldFox to 89600 VSA link provides a combination of hardware and software for design and troubleshooting of devices using signal formats, including

APCO-25 and TETRA for public safety radio

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FieldFox LAN connection feeding an APCO-25 two-way radio into 89600 VSA software for detailed analysis (Courtesy of Keysight Technologies)

IEEE 802.11p for wireless vehicular communications

low-power wide area networks and other formats for the Internet of things (IoT), and

cellular communications including LTE, WCDMA, and GSM.

“With increased spectral density and complex signal waveforms, engineers can find it challenging to identify and understand unique signal characteristics,” said Dan Dunn, vice president and general manager, Aerospace, Defense, and Government Solutions. “Option 351 provides a new I/Q analyzer mode for FieldFox, a portable I/Q capture and analysis solution ideal for field-based communication systems applications; interference identification and analysis; and signal demodulation.”

The FieldFox I/Q analyzer provides frequency and time domain measurements and customizable multi-domain display views. Users can capture and analyze I/Q data directly on the instrument, or capture and save the data for post analysis using Keysight’s 89600 VSA software, MATLAB, Python Toolkit, or other third-party demodulation software.

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Keysight 89600 VSA I/Q analysis mode showing frequency and time domain measurements of a pulsed RF signal (Courtesy of Keysight Technologies)

FieldFox’s I/Q analyzer mode also enables verification of baseband subsystems and final signal chain integration, as well as troubleshooting of signal quality degradation due to hardware and software issues. Users can gain further insight into RF signal environments by regenerating and playing back I/Q capture data using a vector signal generator. Furthermore, engineers can apply environmental fading profiles to I/Q data using a vector signal generator to determine the performance of a receiver.

FieldFox I/Q analyzer allows users to capture up to 10 MHz of flatness- and phase-corrected I/Q data, and measure magnitude spectrum (frequency domain) and RF envelope as well as I/Q waveform (time domain). With FieldFox, users can customize up to four simultaneous and multidomain measurement views and enhance performance with features such as amplitude and IF alignment before capture. FieldFox saves I/Q capture data file types including comma separated values (CSV), text (TXT), SDF (compatible with 89600 VSA software), and MATLAB (MAT).

“Combining the new 89600 VSA software and I/Q recording capabilities with real-time spectrum analysis makes FieldFox an ideal portable solution for engineers and technicians to analyze, understand and detect signals in any environment,” Dunn added.

The FieldFox family provides a choice of 22 combination (combo) and spectrum-analyzer models with frequency coverage from DC to 50 GHz, and users can configure combo models to include spectrum analyzer, VNA, CAT, RTSA, and more. All models offer benchtop precision and are MIL-Class 2 rugged.

FieldFox 89600 VSA software link, I/Q Analyzer, and RTSA modes are available on FieldFox combo and spectrum-analyzer models. I/Q Analyzer and RTSA software options are priced at $5,000; 89600 VSA software link requires spectrum analyzer mode only to enable connection. Users can upgrade the analyzer with the use of a software license key.