In electronic systems, we encounter many measurement and testing devices, such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, clamp meters, and relay testing devices. One of these devices is the spectrum analyzer, frequently used in applications requiring RF testing. The spectrum analyzer is an important testing equipment that measures and tests circuits and systems containing radio frequency or RF signals.
The spectrum analyzer connects to the system you want to analyze and displays the signals passing through this system on the device’s screen without interfering with them. These devices can be called “passive receivers.” Spectrum analyzers can be used in applications such as sound analysis and similar fields.
The spectrum analyzer is primarily used to measure the power spectrum of known and unknown signals. The spectrum is represented on a graph showing the amplitude of the spectrum on the y-axis and frequency on the x-axis.
The most commonly used testing instrument for visualizing waveforms is the oscilloscope. The oscilloscope displays signals in the time domain. Especially when testing radio frequency circuits and systems, it is more useful to use a spectrum analyzer to visualize signals in the frequency domain. Additionally, using the spectrum analyzer, you can measure the amplitudes of signals at different frequencies and determine which signals are present.
Fields of Application
The special screen of the spectrum analyzer is divided into squares. Depending on the option selected by the user, the squares can indicate the following:
- Frequency range
- Voltage value
- Span
- Time
Spectrum analyzers are not only used in satellite communication systems. Depending on the device used, you need to know the signal characteristics of the relevant equipment.
What is the purpose of the spectrum analyzer?
The main purpose of the spectrum analyzer is to analyze the frequency spectrum and examine signals. The reasons for using spectrum analyzers are as follows:
With the help of the spectrum analyzer testing device, you can obtain information about the system’s performance by examining electrical signals.
It is used to check whether the overall spectrum of a modulated signal is wide enough or too narrow.
It is used to detect unwanted or false signals. These signals may interfere with users of other frequencies.
It is used to check whether a signal is at the correct frequency or if it is in another band.
