Agilent Antenna Test Seminar
Contents
1. Typical near field configuration using a PNA with option 014 TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 11 In near field applications the probe is located very close to the antenna under test AUT so sensitivity and dynamic range are not as important a performance consideration as in a far field antenna range The user selectable bandwidth feature can be used to optimize the measurement speed vs sensitivity tradeoff By selecting a bandwidth of 40 kHz the widest bandwidth available the measurement speed is maximized The PNA analyzer is mixer based with fundamental mixing to 20 GHz providing a 24 dB increase in sensitivity and dynamic range over sampler based analyzers This more than makes up for the sensitivity reduction realized when the IF bandwidth of the PNA is opened up to its maximum to measurement speed Therefore the PNA can achieve faster data acquisition speeds with increased sensitivity in near field applications over legacy configurations For further measurement speed improvement the PNA L may be used The PNA L allows wider IF BW up to 250 kHz providing speed improvements but sensitivity is reduced up to 24 dB less sensitivity at the highest frequencies but only a few dB at the lowest frequencies 11 Far field measurements with external transmit source PSG High sensitivity required for far field measurements e Use Option H11 IF Access a e Reduce IF BW E 85320B2. Response Start Frequency Response Frequencies i Response Stop Frequenc Stimulus Control Ba Cw Override Cw 1 000000000 GHz EA Cancel Help a Gl Example Tx frequency 21 30GHz LO MHz 7 00666 10 00666GHz i Antenna Measurements with PNA 2 Agilent Technologies Slide 54 To set the LO frequency of the 85309 simply set the RF output on the PNA to the frequency indicated 54 85309A amp PNA configurations 85309A amp PNA with Opt TE 014 080 081 UNL amp H11 85320A e 8 33 MHz signal required by Test mixer the 85309A and PNA e Test amp Reference signals E Reference mixer inserted through rear panel IF inputs bypassing the first PNA down converter stage e Best sensitivity v ZHN ees d ZHN 8 Using PNA opt H11 LO output port as system LO source This example does not show Tx source or Ant TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 40 Agilent Technologies Slide 55 The 85309 LO IF distribution unit interfaces with the PNA in two different ways providing either a 20 MHz signal or an 8 33 MHz signal It is important to understand the differences in each configuration before setting up your measurement For the setup with the PNA configured with Options 014 080 081 UNL and H11 the 85309A must create an 8 33 MHz signal The RF and LO sources must be offset by 8 33 MHz Normal operation of the PNA automatically offsets the internal
3. a amp PNA trigger out a wii E 0 O E ilg Test mixer 85320B Reference mixer in S LO in yilo m 8 33 MHz attenuators EN o 88038 Age Amplifier Router Hub T E LAN a PNA trigger out O E Fiber opor PNA trigger in ie jet HR j i lt e b RF out PNA with option 014 amp H11 Antenna Measurements with PNA E Agilent Technologies Slide 73 This configuration utilize the PNA as transmit source which takes advantage of PNA sweep speed 73 PNA Large Scale Remote Mixing Near Field Probe TF Antenna Measurements with PNA e Agilent Technologies Slide 74 14 Pulsed Antenna Configuration Source antenna q Optional amplifier N 85320A x Test mixer 85320B Reference mixer Measurement automation 85309A software pus Positioner controller Measurements Frequency coverage 50 GHz Average point in pulse and Pulse profiling nia Antenna Measurements with PNA 22 Agilent Technologies Slide 75 The configuration for a PNA in a far field antenna configuration is as shown here The configuration is very similar to the existing 85301B systems with some slight differences The far field PNA configuration utilizes the same 85320A B external mixers and the 85309A LO IF distribution unit to provide the first down conversion However the fi
4. PNA Feature Pulsed Measurements e High sensitivity e Increased Speed x Multipliers 2 4 8 e Flexibility and accuracy gt Pulsed measurements gt Internal receiver gate gt Point in pulse testing e Security Test port 1 Test port 2 IF gate at 8 33 MHz 1 IF Minimum gate width 20 ns e Agilent Technologies Option H11 also adds internal receiver gates for use in pulsed RF and pulsed antenna test applications Combined with Option H08 these gates augment the PNA s pulse measurement capability by enabling point in pulse testing with pulse widths smaller than 100 ns PNA Feature Security e High sensitivity e Increased Speed e Flexibility and accuracy e Pulsed measurements gt Removable hard drive gt Memory clearing amp sanitization Easily removable hard drive i Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 32 Agilent Technologies Slide 10 For secure environments the PNA family features a removable hard drive to completely ensure the security of the data that is acquired by the PNA Agilent maintains a security page for all instruments at www agilent com find security Visit this site for current information on security issues including memory clearing and sanitization procedures 10 Near field antenna measurements Measurement speed vs sensitivity is the key for near field measurements e Maximize speed by selecting widest IF bandwidth Use PNA L for further speed improvements
5. This configuration is using HPUX worstation to drive 8530A Customer provided software in HPBASIC to control 8530A and positionner 8360 series as RF sources driven by 8530 system GPIB Concept here is that signal comming from Antenna DUT and ref are downconverted to 20 MHz 2 types of measurements Swept in frequency and fixed position CW measurement but antenna is moving 68 PNA RCS migration example TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 69 In this RCS migration example you can see that the 8530 Microwave Receiver 83631B Synthesized Source and 8511 Test Set are replaced by the PNA series network analyzer Note that the HP IB extenders are replaced by LAN 69 Typical 8530A 85301B Far Field Configuration Positioner controller aie uit i E Source antenna Ref antenn gx 85320B GPIB E Le 85309A 8360 series Microwave Software 8360 series Microwave Extender Extenders TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA a Agilent Technologies Slide 70 This configuration is using HPUX worstation to drive 8530A Customer provided software in HPBASIC to control 8530A and positionner 8360 series as LO and RF sources driven by 8530 system GPIB Concept here is that signal comming from Antenna DUT and ref are downconverted to 20 MHz 2 types of measurements Swept in frequency and fixed position CW measurement b
6. 253204 Test mixer Pin 8 to 16 dBm Ly Pout 19 dBm Option H11 8 33 MHz external input RF out Ps Pha with Option O14 amp HII Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 31 The reference mixer provides a phase reference for the measurement and a reference signal for a ratioed measurement test reference to ratio out any variations in signal levels from the system If you use the internal source of the PNA then phase locking the receiver is not required The only requirement for the reference channel is that the signal level be high enough to achieve the desired accuracy for the measurement The magnitude and phase errors chart shown earlier shows the errors as a function of signal to noise ratio this also applies to errors contributed by the reference channel For most applications it is desirable to maintain a 50 to 60 dB signal to noise ratio 31 Determine Cable Length from 85309A to Mixers 253204 Test mixer Cable length must be calculated to assure adequate power to the 85309A Cable length meters P 85309A P mixer cable loss meter frequency Pin 0to6 dBm ef v High quality low loss phase stable Me Option H11 83 MHz external input cables are recommended RF out Ps pra with Option O14 amp H1 ee Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 32 Mixers require a certain LO drive power level the output power of the 85309A LO IF distribution unit and
7. Eee Agilent Technologies Antenna Measurements with the PNA Network Analyzer Presented by e Jim Puri Applications Specialist TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 40 Agilent Technologies Purpose During this presentation you will v Learn how Agilent instruments can be integrated into your configuration v Learn about interface requirements between components v Learn about issues related to selecting the equipment required to make antenna measurements v Learn how to migrate from the 8510 or 8530A system to the PNA series network analyzer TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 2 Agenda Overview of antenna applications 15min Antenna Measurement Design Considerations 60min Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA 30min Agilent s Solutions 25min Channel Partners 5min Summary 5min 22 Agilent Technologies Agenda gt Overview of antenna applications gt Key features in the PNA gt Near field measurements gt Far field measurements gt RCS measurements gt Banded millimeter wave measurements LJ Antenna Measurement Design Considerations LI Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA Q Agilent s Solutions Channel Partners LY Summary TF Antenna Measurements with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 4 PNA key features for Antenna Measurements e High sensitivity e Increased Speed e Flexibility and accuracy e Pulsed measurements e Security TF An
8. Reference mixer TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 12 The PNA based system shown here uses 85320A B broadband external mixers and a 85309A distributed frequency converter The internal microwave synthesized source of the PNA is used as the LO source for the 85309A saving the cost of an external LO source Far field antenna measurements require high sensitivity Excellent sensitivity can be achieved by adding Option H11 IF Access System noise figure improves from approximately 36 dB to less than 20 dB resulting in excellent measurement sensitivity 114 dBm with a 10 kHz IFBW setting By reducing IF BW on the PNA even greater sensitivity can be achieved The PNA s fast data acquisition time makes it an ideal choice for a far field antenna range With the PNA bandwidth set to 10 kHz the data acquisition time is 119 uS per point This is useful in applications where the data acquisition is quite intensive such as in ranges with active array antennas but may not be useful where there are antennas with limited positioner rotation speeds Still with faster data acquisition speeds the IF bandwidth can be narrowed significantly improving measurement sensitivity without increasing total measurement times For long distance applications the use of two global positioning system receivers to supply the 10 MHz reference may
9. The IF input must be set to External as shown in this slide for H11 to function 08 PNA Triggering e Required to synchronize the PNA s data collecting with other hardware sources amp positioners e Used to associate measurements with a given position or angle of an antenna e Typically done via edge triggering TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 59 Typically in an antenna measurement system the PNA is externally triggered External triggering is required to synchronize the PNA s data collecting with other hardware such as signal sources and antenna positioners It is also used to associate measurements with a given position or angle of an antenna Most triggering is done via edge triggering 59 Triggering Set up Trigger x Select Sweep gt Trigger gt Trigger C Intemal os Cancel Set the Trigger Scope to Channel Hep Click External Trigger and set parameters Trigger Scope shown in Fi ure aaa i 1 g Channel Gadi Channel oo State Chane gt 1 IV Point Sweep External Trigger x m Input Channel Continuous C Groups 4 H Number of Groups Source Level Edge C Aux 1 019 High Level C Single Hendler i o 18 C Low Level TRIGIN BNC C Positive Edge C Hold Negative Edge M Accept Trigger Before Armed iow Delay 0 usec Channel Y Output IV Enable Output Polarity Position f Positive Pulse Be
10. This figure shows a PNA banded millimeter wave solution applied to an outdoor antenna measurement The transmit side left uses an OML Transmit Receive T R module and the receive side right uses the OML Dual T module Dual T modules are ideal for measuring both vertical and horizontal polarities of the antenna Use of the T R module also allows voltage standing wave ratio VSWR testing of the AUT An important note for millimeter wave heads from Oleson Microwave Laboratory OML that operate above 110GHz for S parameter measurements ratio is that IF bandwidths of 10 or 100 Hz should be used to optimize performance In addition two external synthesizers PSG series can be used to enhance system dynamic range especially at 220 GHz and above For additional information about millimeter measurements refer to Application Note 1408 15 Using the PNA in Banded Millimeter wave Measurements All literature numbers are referenced at the end of the presentation 15 Agenda v Overview of antenna applications gt Antenna Measurement Design Considerations gt Transmit Site Configuration gt Receive Site Configuration gt Measurement Speed gt PNA Interface Requirements gt H11 gt Triggering Q Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA Q Agilent s Solutions LI Channel Partners Q Summary TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 16 16 Design Considerations Designing an antenna system is an iterativ
11. It is the power out of the source minus cable losses plus the gain of an amplifier if used and gain of the transmit antenna 20 Calculate the free space loss power dissipation Free space loss power dissipation Pp difference in power levels between the output of the transmit antenna and the output of an isotropic OdBi antenna located at the receive site Pp 32 45 20 log R 20 log F Where R Range length meters F Test frequency GHz This equation does not account for atmospheric attenuation which can be a significant factor in certain milimeter wave frequency ranges A calculator which will derive this number for you can be found at http na tm agilent com pna antenna TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 21 The free space loss or power dissipation PD of an antenna range determines the difference in power levels between the output of the transmit antenna and the output of an isotropic OdBi antenna located at the receive site This free space loss is due to the dispersive nature of a transmitting antenna A transmitting antenna radiates a spherical wavefront only a portion of this spherical wavefront is captured by the receiving antenna For a free space far field range this range transfer function is easily determined by the equation given This equation does not account for atmospheric attenuation which can be a significant factor in certain millimeter wave freque
12. b Sweep Frequency c Sweep Type Step d Sweep repeat Continuous e Sweep trigger Free run f Point trigger Ext Neg g Manual mode On h Sweep direction to up i Trigger out polarity Negative k Set RF output power 0dBm 1 Set RF output power ON 2 Setting up the PNA a Set up the input ratio 1 Select Trace gt Measure gt S21 b Set IF Bandwidth to 10 KHz 1 Select Sweep gt IF Bandwidth 2 Type in 10 kHz 3 Click OK c Open the Sweep Setup dialogue box 1 Select Sweep gt Sweep Setup 2 Select Channel 1 2 Check Stepped Sweep 3 Set dwell time to match dwell time in external source Usually gt 2msec 4 Click OK The dialogue box will close ra sess FF a en cies else Fam Gree Coun W Ees ALG i erie persed pore Cae tr Ty a0 Agilent Technologies Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 96 96 d Open the Sweep Type dialog box 1 Select Sweep gt Sweep Type 2 Select sweep type Linear Frequency 3 Set Sweep Properties start 8 5GHz stop 12 0GHz and number of points 101 to match external source settings 4 Click Apply then OK e Open Trigger Dialog box 1 Next select Sweep gt Trigger gt Trigger 2 Set Trigger source to External 3 Set Trigger scope to Channel 4 Set Channel Trigger state to Channel 1 one 5 Check Point sweep 6 Select Continuous c Agilent Technologies Antenna Measurements with PNA S
13. 90 90 Summary e Designing Antenna Measurement Systems requires attention to many details e Agilent has the components to meet your Antenna measurement needs e Agilent s channel partners can provide a complete antenna test solution TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 91 91 Reference Literature Title Antenna Test Selection Guide Application Note 1408 15 Using the PNA in Banded Millimeter wave Measurements literature number 83000A Series Microwave System Amplifiers 87415A Technical Overview 87405A Data Sheet Go to www agilent com find antenna for more information lt Agilent Technologies Lit 5968 6759E 5989 4089EN 5963 5110E 5091 1358E 5091 3661E Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 92 92 Visit Our Booth to Learn More Today i 2 a Measurements with PNA i Agilent Technologies Slide 93 Demo Guide Demo PNA synchronization with PGS cia D a Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 30 Agilent Technologies Slide 94 AMTA 2006 Europe Demo Setup Hardware Setup for Synchronization of PSG amp PNA Connect the PNA and PSG ESG as shown without PC jeje tof PET 42 4 3 name LO kgut fJ x wa A Enhi A 2nd Converter 10 Mitz Aet in LO Agilent Technologies Evert Trigger to Positioner Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 95 95 1 Setting up PSG a Start 8 5GHz Stop 12 GHZ Number of Point 101
14. Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 7 Extremely fast data transfer rates out of the network analyzers are accomplished using the COM DCOM features LAN connectivity through a built in 10 100 Mb s LAN interface enables the PC to be distanced from the test equipment Together these features provide remote testing and reduced test time PNA Feature Flexibility and Accuracy e High sensitivity e Increased Speed gt Flexibility and accuracy gt Four simultaneous test receivers gt Option 080 frequency offset e Pulsed measurements e Security 4 independents Receivers TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 8 Up to four simultaneous test receivers A B R1 R2 are available in the standard PNA with 16 001 data points available for each trace Option 080 enables the PNA series to set the source frequency independently from where the receivers are tuned The user may enter multiplier and offset values to describe how the instrument s receivers track the source frequency With Option 080 reference receiver power levels can be below the phase lock level since phase locking is performed separately You can attain exceptionally accurate antenna measurements by combining Option H11 IF access with Option 080 frequency offset capability and advanced triggering This combination supports synchronization with external signal generators greatly improving the accuracy of measurements
15. be used in place of the cable 12 Far field measurement without external source Replace the external transmit source PSG with an amplifier and use the internal source of the PNA e Excellent frequency agility e Speed improvement Typical far field configuration using a PNA no external source and external mixing TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 13 lf the far field range allows the use of amplifiers instead of a remote source you can take advantage of the excellent frequency agility of the PNA which minimizes the frequency switching time for far field measurements configurations This figure shows a far field configuration using the internal source of the PNA instead of a PSG 13 RCS measurements Excellent measurement sensitivity fast frequency agility and data acquisition soeeds required for RCS 81110A measurements oad a e Sensitivity achieved though mixer based architecture e Frequency agility and fast data acquisition achieved through source and receiver being located in same instrument l Typical RCS configuration using a PNA with e Receiver gating used to avoid overloading Option 014 and pulse hardware gating receiver during transmission of pulsed RF signals TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 14 The PNA family provides the excellent measurement sensitivity fast frequency agility and data acquisition speeds necess
16. e Reduce IF BW improves dynamic range reduces speed e Example Changing IFBW from 1kHz to 100Hz 10dB Improvement of dynamic range 10 times reduction in speed ta Agilent Technologies Some applications require the fastest speed a system can provide others are concerned with the best dynamic range available With the PNA series network analyzer users can adjust their setup according to their specific needs Options available to improve sensitivity Opt 014 Direct Receiver access Sensitivity Improvements Opt H11 IF MUX access Best Dynamic Range when using external mixers Other tradeoffs Reducing the IF BW improves the dynamic range but reduces the speed Users must determine the optimum settings for their applications For example changing from a 1 kHz IF BW to a 100 Hz IF BW gives a 10 dB improvement in dynamic range but a 10 times reduction in speed 42 Agenda v Overview of antenna applications v Antenna Measurement Design Considerations v Transmit Site Configuration v Receive Site Configuration v Measurement Speed gt PNA Interface Requirements gt H11 gt Triggering Q Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA Q Agilent s Solutions Q Channel Partners Q Summary TF Antenna Measurements with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 43 43 PNA interface Front Panel 0 1 dB compression level 14 dBm typical 50 GHz EF Antenna Measurements with PNA 2 Agilent Technologies Slide 44 PNA
17. interface requirements When configuring the PNA it is critical that power levels are considered to avoid damaging the PNA Ideally power should not exceed the 0 1 dB compression levels indicated in the figure Damage levels are printed on the analyzer 44 PNA Interface Rear Panel Option H11 Connecto PNA RF source and LO output for external mixin Pulsed measure with Option H08 Direct access to the TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 45 The rear panel provides access to the BNC triggering connectors and option H11 connectors Be sure the power and voltage levels remain below the 0 1 dB compression point for the IF inputs and the DC damage level for the pulse inputs 45 H11 IF Access e20eH2 20 Gre e Available only on PNA e Direct access to first IF stage Offset receiver e Increases sensitivity by about 20 dB e Also provides access to RF amp LO signals on rear panel e If PNA LO is used as the LO for mixers must also have Option 080 on the PNA Test port 1 Test port 2 TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 46 Option H11 is only available on the PNA Network Analyzers H11 provides direct access to the first IF down conversion stage The external IF input allows 8 33 MHz IF signals from remote mixers to input directly to the PNA digitizer bypassing the PNA s RF conversion stage The test system becomes a distribu
18. off We will be discussing a little later how to set up the PNA LO for an 8 33 MHz IF The PNA s internal LO can be accessed through a rear panel output port if Option H11 is installed Its frequency range is limited to 1 7 GHz to 20 GHz The signal on the rear panel is very low power and always requires an amplifier to achieve the required power level at the 85309A The front panel RF can only be used as the LO for the 85309A if it is not used as the system RF 29 Calculate the Required Power of the LO Source P Cable length meters X cable loss dB meter P Where P Power out of the LO source Pi Required power into 85309A 0 to 6 dBm Sources Available e PSG ESG e Internal Source of PNA with amplifier Test mixer 85320B Pin 8 to 16 dBm RF in Reference mixer Pin lt 26 dBm Ly Pout 19 Em Option H11 _ 8 33 MHz external input Bout Ps PNA with Option O14 amp H11 Antenna Measurements with PNA e Agilent Technologies Slide 30 select a source that meets your individual preferences and needs Higher output power sources or an amplifier must be used if Pin is insufficient 30 Reference Signal Level Requirement e Signal must be high enough to achieve the desire accuracy Reference mixer provides e A phase reference amp a reference signal for a ratioed measurement test reference Ratios out any variations in signal levels from system ea Agilent Technologies
19. test system is not straightforward Two methods can be used to determine the speed of the PNA either measure it directly or use the equation on the following slides to calculate the approximate speed 38 Measuring the Speed e Use a program to time when the measurement is complete OR e Use an oscilloscope to monitor the Trigger Out on the rear panel BNC Put the PNA in external trigger mode Set it to the default of hi level trigger e Total measurement time is the spacing between trig in and trig out ea Agilent Technologies To measure the speed either use a program to time when the PNA completes the measurement or use an oscilloscope and monitor the ready for Trigger line out the rear panel BNC labeled I O 2 Trig Out Put the PNA in external trigger mode set it to the default of hi level trigger If there is no trigger in you do not have to enable Trigger Out A pull up on the trig in line will cause the PNA to run at max speed The total measurement time is the spacing between trig outs 39 Calculating Approximate Speed The approximate speed of the PNA can be calculated Total Measurement time data taking pre sweep time band crossing retrace Data taking 1 BW Pre sweep 222 uS PNA 56 uS PNA L Swept mode Band crossings 4 8 mS crossing PNA 2 mS crossing PNA L Retrace 10 15 mS display on 5 8 mS display off TF Antenna Measuremen ts
20. the RF loss of the cables will determine the maximum allowable cable lengths To assure you have enough power at your mixers use the equation shown to calculate the maximum cable length allowed for your setup Cable length meters Pout 85309A Pin mixer cable loss meter frequency High quality low loss phase stable cables are recommended Note The same LO cable type and length is required for both the reference and test mixer modules This ts to ensure that the insertion losses through the reference and test mixer module LO paths are the same Using the same LO cable type also optimizes cable phase tracking versus temperature and therefore system phase measurement stability and accuracy When a rotary joint is used the equivalent cable length must be added to the reference mixer LO cable due to the rotary joint insertion loss To determine the equivalent cable length first determine the insertion loss from the input to the output of the rotary joint at the maximum LO frequency Then using insertion loss curves for the LO cables between the 85309A and the mixer module calculate the equivalent length in meters at the maximum LO frequency The reference LO cable length must be increased by this amount 32 Power at Reference Mixer Where P Power level at the reference mixer dBm Epp Effective radiated power dBm Pp Free space loss power dissipation dB e pis G REF Gain of reference spi Option
21. with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 40 The equation shown here allows you to calculate the approximate speed Typical values for each part are shown Data taking Measurement time per point is determined by the larger of 1 BW or the maximum sweep rate For wide spans with fewer points sweep rate is more likely to dominate Sweep rate is approximately 600 GHz ms for the PNA and approximately 900 GHz ms for the PNA L Pre sweep time In swept mode pre sweep time is 222 uS for the PNA and 56 uS for the PNA L In step mode calculate the sweep time from the following information PNA fastest step speed at 1 Hz pt max IF BW is 170 us and at 10 MHz pt max IF BW is 278 us PNA L fastest step speed at 1 Hz pt max IF BW is 80 us and at 10 MHz pt max IF BW is 160 us Band crossings take on the order of 4 8 ms per crossing for the PNA and 2 ms for the PNA L However the number of band crosses increases when in frequency offset mode In that mode band crossings of source and receiver may not coincide Exact band crossing locations can be found in the Microwave PNA Service Manual on Table 5 2 Retrace takes 10 15 mSec with the display on or 5 8 mSec with the display off Retrace will take the system back to the start frequency of the previous sweep 40 Measurement Speed Example Configuration PNA with 201 points 1 GHz span 10 kHz BW sweep Determine if step or swept IF BW lt 1kHz or time point gt 1 mS then steppe
22. 10 MHz to 50 GHz lt 94 dBm lt 103 dBm 10 dBm E8361A 10 MHz to 67 GHz lt 79 dBm lt 88 dBm TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 26 Agilent offers three families of network analyzers The PNA series the PNA L series and the ENA series Agilent has developed options for the PNA series specifically for antenna measurements Because of these options the PNA series is often the preferred analyzer for antenna solutions However there are applications which do not require these options so the lower cost PNA L series or ENA series analyzers may be the right solution For secure environments a PNA or PNA L series analyzer must be used because the ENA does not have security features 26 Calculate the Sensitivity for a Receive Site with External mixing When do you need external mixing When the AUT is located far from the analyzer which requires long cables The long cables reduce accuracy and dynamic range often to unacceptable levels D Benefit of remote mixers 85320A Test mixer e Down converts signal to an IF signal Oe 8 5320B Referenc e mixer e Reduces RF cable losses e Maximizes accuracy and dynamic range TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 27 lf the AUT is located far from the analyzer requiring long cables then the loss caused by the cables could be significant reducing accuracy and dynamic range You may also be unable to find an anal
23. 18 GHz Thus an LO source that operates over the frequency range of 0 3 to 18 GHz will be adequate for all frequencies of operation A large selection of sources is available for the LO source In many situations the PNA can supply the LO signal since the LO sources only need to operate over the frequency range of 0 3 to 18 GHz The LO source must be able to supply 0 to 6 dBm power at the 85309A LO input To determine whether the source has enough power cable losses must first be considered Loss of LO cables is dependent on frequency lower frequencies have lower loss per unit length and higher frequencies have higher loss Therefore the maximum LO frequency utilized will result in the maximum cable loss The maximum LO frequency is dependent on the frequency specified for the antenna range and whether fundamental or harmonic mixing is used There is a trade off between LO frequency and system sensitivity Fundamental mixing provides the lowest conversion loss in the mixer and the best system sensitivity Harmonic mixing allows lower LO frequencies to be used with longer cable lengths but has higher conversion loss in the mixer and less system sensitivity Before calculating cable loss you must first determine the LO frequency If using PNA Option H11 the LO frequency must be set such that an 8 33MHz IF is produced The PNA s LO is offset from its RF by 8 33 MHz automatically if the PNA is operated below 20 GHz and frequency offset is turned
24. H11 8 33 MHz antenna d Bi i f external input L1 cable loss between ref antenna and ref mixer dB ly ou J RF out Ps pris with Option 014 amp oa TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 33 Calculation of the power level at the reference mixer depends on the method used to obtain the reference signal Almost all ranges obtain the reference channel signal using a stationary reference antenna to receive a portion of the radiated transmit signal When using a radiated reference the power at the reference mixer can be determined from the equation listed on the slide Note f the calculated power level at the mixer is insufficient to achieve the desired accuracy from the reference channel the transmit power or the reference antenna gain must be increased Caution PRM must not exceed the maximum power level of the mixer PRM Mixer conversion loss must be less than 5 dBm so as to not exceed the 1 dB compression level for the LO IF input for the 85309A When using a coupled reference the reference channel power level can be determined by subtracting the cable insertion losses and the coupling factor of the directional coupler and adding amplifier gain if any to the output power of the transmit source 33 Calculating the Power at the Test Mixer Where P Power level at the test mixer dBm Epp Effective radiated power dBm Pp Free space loss power dissipation
25. LO 8 33 MHz from the internal RF This configuration allows the 85309A IF output to be connected to the PNA H11 rear panel IF inputs bypassing the first PNA mixer This configuration provides the best sensitivity 99 Setting up PNA opt H11 LO output as System LO source amp Receiver 8 33 MHz e PNA opt H11 e LO output is always offset RF by 8 33MHz e Receiver inputs expected to receive 8 33MHz e By pass first converter e Since PNA Opt 080 Response Offset Multiplier Divisor x RF So Response OMHZz 1 1 x RF File View Channel Sweep Calibration Trace Scale Marker System Window Help Stimulus 1 of 2 Stop 26 0000001 oce coe SRS E SERA Frequency Offset a I Frequency Offset on off m Offset Settings Response Offset Multiplier Divisor x Stimulus Offset OHz E Expect Response freq for Multiplier 1000000 H front panel inputs only 1000000 E ncies 1 0000000 GHz enc 26 000000 GHz Cw 1 000000000 GHz EA m Stimulus Control T CW Override Example Tx frequency 21 30GHz LO MHz 7 00666 10 00666GHz Cancel Help Equivalent of RF Transmit Frequency ia Antenna Measurements with PNA i Agilent Technologies Slide 56 Using the PNA option H11 LO output Port as the LO input for the 85309 the equations are given on this slide To set the LO frequency of the 85309 simply set the RF output on the PNA to the frequency indicated 56 Se
26. NA configuration utilizes the same 85320A B external mixers and the 85309A LO IF distribution unit to provide the first down conversion However the first down conversion is to an IF frequency of 8 333 MHz which is the second IF frequency of the PNA Utilizing option H11 on the PNA allows direct access to the second down conversion stage in the PNA via rear panel connectors By utilizing this second IF down conversion technique in the PNA the noise figure is reduced which allows achieving the excellent measurement sensitivity As is the case for all far field antenna ranges controlling a remote microwave source across a significant distance is always a concern This configuration utilizes a PSG microwave source utilizing TTL handshake triggers between the PNA and the PSG source With the advent of relatively low cost fiber optic transducers this is a technology that could should be investigated to provide long distance TTL transmission signals across a far field antenna range The frequency stepping speed of a far field antenna range will be source dependent There are many different sources which could be utilized With the PSG source we measured frequency stepping speeds of between 4 6 mS depending on step sizes 12 Another Antenna Test Configuration Dual PNA Speed advantage over PNA amp PSG solution __ Source antenna Optional S j N W GPS 8503B Receiver 10 MHz reference in OE San an EEIE PNA trigger in
27. Option H11 the damage level of the PNA is much lower than the 8510 8530 You must assure that the power going into the analyzer does not exceed 27 dBm by placing attenuators between the 85309A and the H11 inputs as discussed earlier The internal source of the PNA improves the measurement speed over an external source however the internal source is not always feasible to use The IF BW setting on the PNA amp PNA L is adjustable while it was fixed on the 8510 8530 so sensitivity can be changed by adjusting the IF BW setting software will not port directly from 8510 8530 code to PNA code For fastest remote control of the PNA the use of COM programming is recommended Contact your Agilent Applications Engineer for additional assistance with programming The following examples show conceptually how to migrate from an 8510 8530 to a PNA based antenna system Since every system is unique it is not feasible to show every modification necessary for the conversion 76 PNA Features and Benefits for Antenna Test PNA Replaces 8530A for Antenna Measurements Antenna Test Features Benefits Requirements Sensitivity i Option H11 Best sensitivity when using external mixers Far field application Fast data transfers with COM DCOM Up to 10 times faster than using GPBI interface 8530A LAN connectivity Built in 10 100 Mbs LAN interface Flexibility amp Four simultaneous test receivers 4 Independent receivers path peculacy simultan
28. analyzer test plan development service makes use of the new high performance PNA Series features TF Antenna Measurements with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 78 For current users of the 8510 Series of network analyzers who plan to migrate their applications to realize the innovative performance of the PNA Series Agilent also offers a spectrum of engineering services that provide training code conversion and or test plan design 78 Agenda v Overview of antenna applications v Antenna Measurement Design Considerations v Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA gt Agilent s Solutions LJ Channel Partners LI Summary i Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 2 Agilent Technologies Slide 79 79 Antenna Components Existing Orderable system components compatible with PNA a Antenna Measurements with PNA z Agilent Technologies Slide 80 80 Antenna Components Network Analyzers e PNA network analyzers Fast data acquisition excellent sensitivity wide dynamic range Multiple test channels Accurate 10 MHz to 67 GHz expandable to 325 GHz Options designed with antenna measurements in mind e PNA L network analyzers 300 kHz to 50 GHz Speed advantages over PNA but give up sensitivity e ENA network analyzers 300 kHz to 8 5 GHz Lowest cost solution TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 81 The microwave PNA series instruments are integrated vector
29. ary for RCS measurements Excellent measurement sensitivity is provided by mixer based down conversion technology very fast frequency agility is achieved through the source and receiver being located in the same instrument The PNA s user selectable IF bandwidths ranging from 1 Hz to 40 kHz let you optimize the bandwidth and measurement speed tradeoff to meet a particular test requirement High power pulses are often used in RCS measurements to overcome the high losses due to low device reflection and two way transmission path loss For this reason receiver gating is often required in RCS measurements to avoid overloading the receiver during the transmission of the pulsed RF signal This figure shows pulse hardware gating which could easily be added to a PNA RCS configuration for those applications requiring pulse hardware gating Several additional features of the PNA are particularly useful in RCS configurations Having the source and receiver integrated into the same instrument with a choice of frequency ranges is very cost effective in RCS applications 16 001 data points are available per measurement trace This provides extremely long alias free down range resolution for RCS measurements Customers needing a much larger number of data points can use the PNA s 32 channels and effectively stitch each 16 001 trace together to create a trace with up to 512 032 data points The PNA has a removable hard drive to comply with da
30. between forward and reverse data scan directions This introduces an error into the measured near field data set which results in a far field pattern One way to eliminate this error is to always collect data measurements in the same scan direction but this would double the data scan acquisition time Another approach is to scan frequencies in reverse order on reverse scans Using this reverse sweep in conjunction with correct triggering between forward and reverse passes insures that each frequency set is spatially aligned on the rectangular near field grid This technique requires an RF source that supports reverse frequency list mode of operation 62 Near Field Data Collection with the PNA PNA includes reverse sweep and edge triggering specifically designed for antenna measurements Fi F2 F3 F1 F2 F3 F1 F2 F3 F1 F2 F3 Forward Reverse Sa F3 F2 Fi F3 F2 Fi F3 F2 Fi F3 F2 Fi Bi directional scanning can introduce errors in measured positions Forward gt F1 F2 F3 Fi F2 F3 Fi F2 F3 Fi F2 F3 Reverse m Fi F2 F3 Fi F F3 F1 F2 F3 Fi F2 F3 Solution Reverse frequency sweep and synchronous triggers TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 63 The PNA network analyzer includes reverse sweep and edge triggering capability specifically designed for antenna measurements Using reverse frequency sweep and synchronous triggers alignment error are eliminated 63 Agenda v Overview of an
31. chnologies Slide 47 This table shows the typical power levels available at the outputs NOTE Test port power has to be at a high enough level such that the Drop Cal does not occur If Drop Cal occurs then the power out of the rear panel RF connector will drop by about 15 dB 47 PNA Option H11 and Option 014 Connection Requirements Pout 19 dBm Te Front 014 A B R1 R2 Antenna Measurements with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 48 This diagram shows the power levels required for options H11 and 014 The power levels are critical to be sure your configuration will function properly 48 85309A amp PNA configurations 85309A amp PNA with Opt 014 amp 080 lt e Operates in frequency offset mode Seni e 20 MHz signal required by the 85309A d 85320B e Test amp Reference signals inserted oe through front panel links bypassing it PNA s internal coupler 85309A xer E E e Improved sensitivity Using PNA RF output port as system LO source This example does not show Tx Ant or Source TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 49 The 85309 LO IF distribution unit interfaces with the PNA in two different ways providing either a 20 MHz signal or an 8 33 MHz signal It is important to understand the differences in each configuration before setting up your measurement For the setup with the PNA configures with Options 014 and 080 the PNA operates in frequen
32. cy offset mode and the 85309A must create a 20 MHz IF signal The receiver is set to 20 MHz and the RF and LO sources must be offset by 20 MHz The test and reference signals are inserted through the front panel links bypassing the PNA s internal coupler This configuration improves the PNA noise floor by approximately 10 to 38 dB depending on frequency However operation in frequency offset mode results in a decrease of frequency stepping speed 49 Calculate LO Freq for IF 20 0 MHz e Transmit Frequency BELOW 20GHz 85309A Mixers amp PNA operate in fundamental mode Harmonic multiple N is 1 Typically for a mixer IF N LO RF LO IF RF N where N ext mixer harmonic number e Since Offset must equal to IF or 20 MHz then Offset 2OMHz N LO RF LO MHz RF 20 00MHz 1 Example Tx frequency 8 12GHz LO MHz 8 020 12 020GHz TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 50 Using the PNA front panel Port 1 Source Out as the LO input for the 85309 the equations are given on this slide To set the LO frequency of the 85309 simply set the RF output on the PNA to the frequency indicated 50 Setting up PNA Front port RF output as System LO source amp Receiver to IF 20 0 MHz e Since PNA Opt 080 Response Offset Multiplier Divisor x RF Where Divisor Harmonic Multiplier 1 e Response freq MUST be Receiver or IF frequency 20MHz Where Multiplier O t
33. d otherwise swept Data taking 1 BW 1 10 kHz 100 uS Swept mode gt gt 201 points 100 uS point 20 1 mS Pre sweep time 222 uS Band crossings None Retrace time 10 to 15 mS Total measurement time 20 1 mS 222 uS 10 to 15 mS 30 to 35 mS NOMINAL TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 41 From the prior equation you can calculate the measurement time for a PNA with 201 points 1 GHz span and 10 kHz BW sweep First determine if most PNA points are in step or swept mode If BW lt 1kHz or time point gt 1mS all points will be stepped otherwise it will be swept In addition source power cal power sweep and frequency offset mode all force step mode Data taking time point 1 BW 1 10 kHz 100 uSec since this is faster than 1 mS the PNA is probably in swept mode So 201 points 100 uS point is 20 1 mS Next check the sweep rate limit A 1 GHz span at 600 MHZ mSec 1 7 mS So the sweep speed is dominated by time point not sweep rate Therefore data taking 20 1 mS Pre sweep time 222 uS Band crossings None Retrace time 10 to 15 mS Total measurement time 20 1 mS 222 uS 10 to 15 mS 30 to 35 mS NOMINAL 41 Optimizing speed and dynamic range Improve sensitivity e Option 014 Direct Receiver Access Sensitivity Improvements e Option H11 IF MUX access Best Dynamic Range when using external mixers Other Tradeoffs
34. dB G AUT Gain of the test antenna dBi pi Option H11 833 Miz L Cable loss between AUT and test mixer dB i RF out P PNA with Option 014 amp HII e Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 34 Calculate the power level at the test mixer The power at the test mixer is equivalent to the power at the output of the AUT calculated earlier if the mixer is attached directly to the AUT Caution PTM must not exceed the maximum power level of the mixer PTM Mixer Conversion Loss must be less than 5 dBm so as to not exceed the 1 dB compression level for the IF input to the 85309A 34 Power at the Analyzer Inputs IF power level at the receiver can be calculated by the following gt Pacer Pay conversion loss of mixers conversion gain of 85309A L L gt Prest Pry conversion loss of mixers conversion gain of 85309A L L Where L Cable losses as shown in the figure Conversion gain of 85309A 23 dB typical 8 RF in Reference mixer Pin lt 26 dBm Pout 19 dBm Pin 0to6 dBm 7 33 MHz LO ifi Option H11 333 M Antenna Measurements with PNA e Agilent Technologies Slide 35 Next calculate the IF power level at the receiver inputs Use extreme caution These values must not exceed the maximum input power level 0 1 dB compression level of the receiver 27 dBm for Option H11 or 14 dBm for Option 014 Reduc
35. e antenna test solution This includes positioner software chamber and installation Agilent instruments such as PNA s ENA s PSG s and accessories are sold either directly to the end user or through the channel partners 86 Agilent amp Channel Partners Agilent Provides e RF Instrumentation e World Wide Service and Support e Applications Experience Channel Partners provide e Scanner Positioning System e System Engineering and Integration e Measurement and Analysis Software e Applications Experience EF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA a Agilent Technologies Slide 87 Agilent works with its channel partners to provide a complete antenna test solution This includes positioner software chamber and installation Agilent instruments such as PNA s ENA s PSG s and accessories are sold either directly to the end user or through the channel partners 8 7 Amplifier Farfield Antenna Measurements Typical Agilent Based System ORBIT FR Antenna Measurement Workstation Agilent Performance Network Analyzer PNA ee I aa ORBIT FR 88 Converter LOF DFC OFC Agilent Technologies Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 89 89 Agenda v Overview of antenna applications v Antenna Measurement Design Considerations v Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA v Agilent s Solutions v Channel Partners gt Summary Antenna Measurements with PNA e Agilent Technologies Slide
36. e process e First design the transmit site e Next design the receive site e Then return to the transmit site to make equipment adjustments required by the receive site e Finally confirm power levels are adequate for entire system TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 17 When designing an antenna measurement system there are many parameters that must be considered in order to select the optimum equipment Typically you ll begin by considering the components for the transmit site then move to the receive site Designing a complete antenna system often requires you to configure the transmit site then the receive site and then make adjustments to the transmit site and recalculate the values for optimum performance 17 Transmit Site Configuration This figure shows a typical transmit site configuration The following slides show how to calculate the various levels indicated Synthesized source OR Internal PNA source t Agilent Technologies 18 Select the Transmit Source amp Amplifiers Considerations in selecting a transmit source e Frequency range of AUT e Distance to transmit antenna e Source power e PNA s internal source typically used for near field and compact ranges e External sources typically required for large outdoor ranges e Speed requirements TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 19 In selecting the transmit source cons
37. e the power level of the RF source if necessary or add attenuators prior to the mixers or the analyzer inputs 35 Sensitivity for Receiver Sites with External Mixers Sensitivity required of the PNA can be calculated by the following Where e DR Required dynamic range e S N Signal to noise ratio determined earlier as required of measurement uncertainty v Now with this sensitivity number select an analyzer e Agilent Technologies Calculate the sensitivity of a system with external mixers from the prior table that meets your measurement needs Q9 85320B Reference Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 36 Then select an analyzer 36 Agenda v Overview of antenna applications v Antenna Measurement Design Considerations v Transmit Site Configuration v Receive Site Configuration gt Measurement Speed gt PNA Interface Requirements gt H11 gt Triggering Q Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA Q Agilent s Solutions LI Channel Partners Q Summary TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 37 37 Measurement Speed Measurement speed is made up of many components e The speed displayed on the analyzer is only one part of the actual speed e Total measurement speed you can either measure it directly or get an estimate from an equation TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 38 Calculating the measurement speed of your antenna
38. eous Co Pol Cross Pol Option 080 frequency offset Eliminate Phase Lost Pulsed Option H08 Spectrum Nulling Internal hardware gates Measurements Technique Average Point in pulse and Pulsed profile testing Removable hard drive No security compromise when taking PNA of out secured Security Memory clearing amp sanitization environmen Frequency blanking TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 77 The PNA analyzer has a mixer based architecture providing excellent sensitivity With the PNA series you have the ability to select from a minimum of 29 different IF bandwidths This allows you to optimize the sensitivity versus measurement speed tradeoff to fit particular measurement and application requirements You can maximize sensitivity with remote mixing by adding Option H11 IF Access This option allows you to use an externally generated 8 33 MHz IF and bypass the PNA s internal first down converter Option 014 can also improve sensitivity by about 15 dB by adding reference links that allow you to bypass the coupler 1 1 Engineering services for 8510 8530 to PNA series migration Transition Scenario Recommended Service Description to new PNA Series solutions course 8510 network analyzer systems to PNA service Series solutions H7215B 204 PNA programming using SCPI training course H7215B 205 PNA programming using COM training course Test Engineers creating a test plan that R1361A 112 Network
39. evel the required dynamic range and the required measurement accuracy The maximum test channel received power level will occur when the AUT is bore sighted relative to the transmit antenna Please note that this value must not exceed the specified compression input levels of the next components typically either the PNA or in more complex systems a mixer Refer to the individual component specifications for detailed information 23 Dynamic Range Accuracy amp Signal to Noise Ratio Required dynamic range is the difference between maximum bore site level and minimum AUT level that must be measured Examples of measurements made are Side lobe levels null depth and cross polarization levels Measurement Error Dus to Nosa Worst Case Errors DU eee Measurement accuracy is directly affected by the signal to noise ratio as i shown in this figure Signal ta Ea Ratio iB ia Antenna Measurements with PNA i Agilent Technologies Slide 24 Dynamic Range The measurement dynamic range required to test the AUT is the difference in decibels between maximum bore site level and minimum AUT level that must be measured This number is provided by the customer Examples of these include side lobe level null depth and cross polarization levels Measurement Accuracy Signal to Noise Ratio Measurement accuracy is affected by the measurement sensitivity of the system The signal to noise ratio will directly impact
40. fiers e 0 01 to 26 5 GHz 83006A e 0 045 to 50 GHz 83051A e 0 5 to 26 5 GHz 83017A e 2 to 8 GHz 87415A e 2 to 26 5 GHz 83018A and 83020A e 2 to 50 GHz 83050A TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 83 Agilent has a variety of amplifiers that find applications on antenna and RCS ranges These amplifiers are small and compact with high gain and output power An external power supply is required for these amplifiers 83 Demo PNA synchronization with PGS Fined L a 63a MH A Fi w me Dred Cae f Input BF Che Tio aT na Ar ara 5 eet TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 84 Agilent has a variety of amplifiers that find applications on antenna and RCS ranges These amplifiers are small and compact with high gain and output power An external power supply is required for these amplifiers 84 Agenda v Overview of antenna applications v Antenna Measurement Design Considerations v Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA v Agilent s Solutions Q Channel Partners gt Summary Antenna Measurements with PNA e Agilent Technologies Slide 85 85 Complete Antenna Test Solutions he Agilent Technologies Agilent with Partners provide a complete solution http www orbitfr com http www sysplan com http www nearfield com ea Agilent Technologies Agilent works with its channel partners to provide a complet
41. fore C After oo Cancel Help TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 60 The trigger menus are shown here Set the trigger parameters to meet your specific needs In the External trigger menu when Accept Trigger Before Armed is checked as the PNA becomes armed ready to be triggered the PNA will immediately trigger if any triggers were received since the last data collection The PNA remembers only one trigger signal All others are ignored When this checkbox is cleared any trigger signal received before the PNA is armed is ignored When Enable Output is checked the PNA is enabled to send trigger signals out the rear panel I O TRIG OUT BNC connector Position Before or After determines if the trigger pulse output is sent either BEFORE or AFTER a receiver measurement 60 Triggering Set up Trigger x Select Sweep gt Trigger gt Trigger C Intemal a T Cance Set the Trigger Scope to Channel Hep Click External Trigger and set parameters Trigger Scope shown in Fi ure Global 9 Channel Gow Chane gt 1 I Point Sweep me Channel Continuous 1 igger Delay elay 0 usec Channel 1 Y C Groups 4 Ee Number of Groups Source Level Edge C Aux 1 019 High Level C Single Hendler i o 18 C Low Level TRIGIN BNC C Positive Edge C Hold Negative Edge M Accept Trigger Before Armed Output IV E
42. his will cause the external source to output a trigger pulse on the rear panel BNC in addition that pulse will cause the PNA to increment one point in the frequency list You should now have a trace sweeping relatively flat across the display of the PNA TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 2 Agilent Technologies Slide 99 99
43. ider the frequency range of the antenna under test the distance to the transmit antenna the available power of the source and the speed requirements for the measurements For compact ranges and near field ranges the internal PNA source will typically be the best source to meet your measurement needs The internal source is faster than an external source and may lower the cost of the complete system by eliminating a source Large outdoor ranges may require an external source that can be placed at a remote transmit site Begin by making your power calculations without an amplifier If after doing the power calculations the transmit power is not high enough then add an amplifier and run the calculations again 19 Calculate the effective radiated power Effective Radiated Power Epp power level at the output of the transmit antenna Epp E F Saulee 7 L Lo Ganp G Where Pouco Power out of the source dBm L amp L Loss from cable s between source and antenna dB G ai n of th e am pl ifi er if us ed d B i PSG Synthesized source OR Internal PNA source Gain of transmit antenna dBi e Make power calculations first without an amplifier add one only if required to achieve the desired transmit power TF Antenna Measurements with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 20 The effective radiated power ERP is the power level at the output of the transmit antenna It can be calculated using the equation shown
44. lide 97 97 7 Next click External Trigger external trigger dialogue box opens i Set channel trigger delay to Ousec ii Select Channel 1 one iii Set source to TRIG IN BNC iv Set Level Edge to Negative Edge v Check Accept Trigger Before Armed vi Check Enable Output vii Polarity select Negative Pulse viii Position select After x Click OK OK External Trigger TRIGIN BNC Negative Edge IV Accept Trigger Before Armed Output IV Enable Output Polarity Position Positive Pulse Before Negative Pulse After _corect_ Hee f On the PNA open Frequency Offset Fie vew Channel Sweep Colbra Trigger Flan atop Oy Frequengy m K ava a a Fists Cae jia d Diiis e Died oe fois a ee oo Ee eae eae Ase Dien leary E SS Gita Hacgeawen big Fiemme 12 Gon He D ie oa T a By EF Antenna Measurements with PNA 2 Agilent Technologies Slide 98 98 h On the PNA open IF Switching Configuration Set IF Input to External File View hare Seep Calbvation Trane Gose Wiii I Sanich Unni pai 3 Make measurement a External source set Manual Sweep Mode to ON This will set the source to the first frequency in the list b PNA select Sweep gt Trigger gt Hold and then Sweep gt Trigger gt Continuous This places the PNA at the first point in its frequency list c External source change Manual Sweep Mode from ON to OFF T
45. nable Output Demo Trigger dialog Box Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 61 ea Agilent Technologies The trigger menus are shown here Set the trigger parameters to meet your specific needs In the External trigger menu when Accept Trigger Before Armed is checked as the PNA becomes armed ready to be triggered the PNA will immediately trigger if any triggers were received since the last data collection The PNA remembers only one trigger signal All others are ignored When this checkbox is cleared any trigger signal received before the PNA is armed is ignored When Enable Output is checked the PNA is enabled to send trigger signals out the rear panel I O TRIG OUT BNC connector Position Before or After determines if the trigger pulse output is sent either BEFORE or AFTER a receiver measurement 61 Near field Data Set Trigger Errors Frequency multiplexing causes misalignment of rectangular near field grid between forward amp reverse data scans Solutions e Always scan in same direction Doubles the data scan acquisition time e Scan frequencies in reverse order on reverse scan Requires RF source that supports reverse frequency list mode PNA s Arbitrary Segment sweep TF Antenna Measurements with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 62 Frequency multiplexing during a data scan acquisition can result in a misalignment of the rectangular near field grid
46. ncy ranges Compact antenna test ranges CATRs achieve greater transfer efficiency by collimating or focusing the transmitted power using one or more shaped reflectors Transfer functions for most CATRs are available from the manufacturer s data sheet or on request If the transfer function is unavailable use the free space loss as a worst case estimate You should calculate your range transfer function for the minimum and maximum test frequencies 21 Agenda v Overview of antenna applications v Antenna Measurement Design Considerations v Transmit Site Configuration gt Receive Site Configuration gt Measurement Speed gt PNA Interface Requirements gt H11 gt Triggering Q Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA Q Agilent s Solutions Q Channel Partners Q Summary TF Antenna Measurements with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 22 22 Calculate the maximum power level at the output of the AUT P AUT power level present at the output of the antenna under test AUT P AUT Epp Pp G AUT Where Epp Effective Radiated Power dBm Pp Free space loss dB at the maximum test frequency G AUT Expected maximum gain of AUT dBi ea Agilent Technologies The test channel received power level must be calculated to determine the approximate maximum power level present at the output of the antenna under test AUT The required measurement sensitivity is determined from the test channel received power l
47. network analyzers equipped with a built in S parameter test set synthesized sources hard and floppy disk drives and an LCD display They offer fast data acquisition speeds excellent sensitivity wide dynamic range multiple test channels and frequency agility without compromising measurement accuracy Frequency coverage is available from 10 MHz to 110 GHz with extensions to 325 GHz Options were designed with antenna measurements in mind such as Option H11 IF Access and Option 080 Frequency Offset The PNA L offers frequency ranges down to 300 kHz allows wider IF bandwidth settings than the PNA and has speed advantages over the PNA but has slightly less sensitivity The PNA L does not have any of the antenna specific options The ENA is a low cost solution without the antenna specific options but may be the right solution for your measurement 81 Antenna Components Sources e Source built into PNA ENA often sufficient e For external sources PSG family 250 kHz to 67 GHz e Millimeter wave source modules Extend frequency to 325 GHz TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 82 The sources built into the PNA are typically sufficient for many antenna measurement systems External sources may also be used and may be necessary with certain setups Agilent offers a variety of signal generators with different frequency ranges and output power 82 Antenna Components Additional Ampli
48. nologies To set the LO frequency of the 85309 simply set the RF output on the PNA to the frequency indicated 52 Calculate LO Freq for IF 20 0 MHz e Transmit Frequency ABOVE 20GHz 85309A and Mixers operate in the third harmonic mode Harmonic multiple N is 3 Typically for a mixer IF N LO RF LO IF RF N where N ext mixer harmonic number e Since Offset must equal to IF or 20 MHz then Offset 2OMHz N LO RF LO MHz RF 20 00MHz 3 Example Tx frequency 21 30GHz LO MHz 7 00666 10 00666GHz te Agilent Technologies Using the PNA front panel Port 1 Source Out as the LO input for the 85309 the equations are given on this slide Above 20 GHz the PNA switches to 3rd harmonic mode so that RF 3 XLO 8 33MHz To set the LO frequency of the 85309 simply set the RF output on the PNA to the frequency indicated 03 Setting up PNA Front port RF output as System LO source amp Receiver to IF 20 0 MHz e Since PNA Opt 080 Response Offset Multiplier Divisor x RF Where Divisor Harmonic Multiplier 3 e Response freq MUST be Receiver or IF frequency 20MHz Where Multiplier 0 to keep Receive freq constant So Response 20MHz 0 3 x RF 20MHz Frequency Offset Offset 10 00dBs 0 00dB LogM I Frequency Offset on off Offset Settings Response Offset Multiplier Z Divisor x Stimulus Offset 20 000000MHz HA Multiplier 0 000000 Kg 1 000000 m
49. o keep Receive freq constant So Response 20MHz 0 1 x RF 20MHz File View Channel Sweep Cali Stimulus 1 of 2 ale Marker System Window Help ibration Trace Scal stan E 20000000P fe stor S center Sean IV Frequency Offset on off Offset Settings Response Offset Multiplier Z Divisor x Stimulus Offset 20 000000 MHz Multiplier 0 000000 1 000000 E Response Frequencies Response Start Frequeng 20 000000 MHz Response Stop Frequeno 20 000000 MHz Stimulus Control Cw Override Cw 1 000000000 GHz E Example Tx frequency 8 12GHz LO MHz 8 020 12 02GHz ia Antenna Measurements with PNA 2 Agilent Technologies Slide 51 To set the LO frequency of the 85309 simply set the RF output on the PNA to the frequency indicated Setting up PNA Front port RF output as System LO source amp Receiver to IF 20 0 MHz Demo FOM dialog Box File View Channel Sweep Calibration Trace Scale Marker System Window Help Sind 1 o2 ston eccooccoco c E Slot SE cee NNSSsH Frequency Offset xl IV Frequency Offset on off Offset Settings Response Offset Multiplier Divisor x Stimulus Offset 20 000000MHz ef Multiplier 0 000000 S Divisor 1 000000 E Stimulus Control E Cw Override Cw 1 000000000 GHz E Help Example Tx frequency 8 12GHz LO MHz 8 020 12 02GHz Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 52 n Agilent Tech
50. rst down conversion is to an IF frequency of 8 333 MHz which is the second IF frequency of the PNA Utilizing option H11 on the PNA allows direct access to the second down conversion stage in the PNA via rear panel connectors By utilizing this second IF down conversion technique in the PNA the noise figure is reduced which allows achieving the excellent measurement sensitivity As is the case for all far field antenna ranges controlling a remote microwave source across a significant distance is always a concern This configuration utilizes a PSG microwave source utilizing TTL handshake triggers between the PNA and the PSG source With the advent of relatively low cost fiber optic transducers this is a technology that could should be investigated to provide long distance TTL transmission signals across a far field antenna range The frequency stepping speed of a far field antenna range will be source dependent There are many different sources which could be utilized With the PSG source we measured frequency stepping speeds of between 4 6 mS depending on step sizes 79 Migration Considerations with D N A _9 2m VILU T NA VE ADIT J EEN eae enue di easurement speed TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 76 When migrating from an 8510 8530 to a PNA it is important to recognize the differences in power speed and sensitivity between the analyzers In remote mixing configurations using
51. rter mmWave Test set controller 33 50 GHz Test set module 40 60 GHz Test set module Determined by test set E8363B with Opt 014 E8364B with Opt 014 N5260A E8364B or OML head E8361A or OML head 10 MHz 40 GHz with configurable test set 10 MHz 50 GHz with configurable test set mmWave test set and external hardware 10 MHz 50 GHz 10 MHz 67 GHz V85104A W85104A 8360 Series 50 75 GHz Test set module 75 110 GHz Test set module RF Sources N5250A or OML head N5250A or OML head None required Agilent Technologies 10 MHz 110 GHz 10 MHz 110 GHz Antenna Measurements with PNA Slide 66 This table shows Agilent s legacy antenna system components and the recommended PNA replacement solutions Many of these replacements require power level adjustments and software changes to your configuration 66 Typical 8530A RCS Configuration CAE WAV AV AV AVIAN AV ANY AV ANV INV NV NEMEN ML lt LT aN MAAN pon eee tt Agilent Technologies 67 Typical 8530A 85301C Far Field Configuration Figure 4 Tunical HP 85304 8511A B nina measurement system HP 8360 Series Pnthasized Sweeper HP 85304 AF Rat Mic wave System Bus HP IB Re__iver Extender HP 85114 B Frequency Inverter ee Personal Computer Positioner Controller TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 0 Agilent Technologies Slide 68
52. ta security requirements 14 Banded millimeter wave measurements Make banded measurements up to 325 GHz e Use Millimeter Wave Frequency Extension Modules N5260AS15 WR 15 50 75GHz T R amp T 2 heads N5260AS11 WR10 75 110GHZz T R amp T 2 heads N5260AW15 WR 15 50 75 GHz 2 T R heads N5260AW12 WR 12 60 90 GHz 2 T R heads N5260AW10 WR 10 75 110 GHz 2 T R heads N5260AW08 WR 8 90 140 GHz 2 T R heads N5260AW06 WR 6 110 170 GHz 2 T R heads N5260AW05 WR 5 140 220 GHz 2 T R heads N5260AW04 WR 4 170 260 GHz 2 T R heads z T HEZEDA Tas fat Careremee p N5260AW03 WR 3 220 325 GHz 2 T R heads Typical Millimeter wave configuration using Oleson Microwave Modules TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 15 With firmware version A 04 00 or later the PNA microwave E836x network analyzers are capable of supporting banded millimeter wave modules extending the frequency range of your network analyzer up to 325 GHz Additionally you can customize the most cost effective solution specific for your application by purchasing just the module and frequency range you need In order to obtain the solution shown here several pieces of equipment are required Microwave PNA series network analyzer with Options H11 UNL 014 080 and 081 N5260A millimeter wave controller Millimeter wave VNA frequency extension modules from Agilent or Oleson Microwave Labs
53. ted network analyzer with a tracking source and a tuned receiver This shifts the dynamic range curves and increases sensitivity by approximately 20 dB Option H11 also provides access to the RF and LO signal sources from 1 7 to 20 GHz of the PNA on the rear panel This dual hybrid source eliminates the need for a separate stand alone synthesizer when remote mixing is used There is no power control over the rear panel RF and LO signals Power output ranges vary and external amplifiers may be needed to achieve the power level required by the mixers Note that by using the PNA LO as LO to the external mixers requires the frequency offset option 080 of the PNA in order to achieve the necessary 8 33 MHz IF signal for the PNA By removing the necessity for an external RF source the test time is reduced dramatically since the frequency stepping speed is solely a function of the PNA where the settling time is in the uS range compared to sources in the mS range 46 Rear panel test port power levels Rear Panel LO Power Typical 1 7 GHz to 20 GHz 16 to 7 dBm Rear Panel RF Power for E8362B Typical 16 to 5 dBm at 5 dBm test port power Rear Panel RF Power for E8363B E8364B Typical 12 to 2 dBm at 5 dBm test port power 8 to 0 dBm at 5 dBm test port power 1 to 5 dBm at 5 dBm test port power 1 Assumes RF power level high enough so a Drop Cal does not occur TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Te
54. tenna Measuremen ts with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 5 The Agilent PNA series network analyzers incorporate new technologies and features to provide better performance and capabilities for antenna and radar cross section RCS test applications PNA Feature High Sensitivity Aux RF out Aux LO out 2 20 GHz 2 20 GHz gt High sensitivity gt Mixer based architecture gt Selectable IFBW gt Options H11 amp 014 Increased speed Flexibility and accuracy Pulsed measurements Security Test port 2 TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 6 The PNA analyzer has a mixer based architecture providing excellent sensitivity With the PNA series you have the ability to select from a minimum of 29 different IF bandwidths This allows you to optimize the sensitivity versus measurement speed tradeoff to fit particular measurement and application requirements You can maximize sensitivity with remote mixing by adding Option H11 IF Access This option allows you to use an externally generated 8 33 MHz IF and bypass the PNA s internal first downconverter Option 014 can also improve sensitivity by about 15 dB by adding reference links that allow you to bypass the coupler PNA Feature Increased Speed e High sensitivity gt Increased Speed gt Fast data transfers with COM DCOM gt LAN connectivity e Flexibility and accuracy e Pulsed measurements e Security TF Antenna
55. tenna applications v Antenna Measurement Design Considerations gt Migrating from 8510 8530 to PNA QAgilent s Solutions LY Channel Partners USummary TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 64 64 PNA Based Antenna Systems Example of New and Upgraded PNA BASED Users Q SOEING BAE SYSTEMS p o france telecom DE LPHI Raytheon ndia e DEA nones Over 100 PNA Based system worldwide 54 Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA 2 Agilent Technologies Slide 65 65 85301B Antenna Systems to PNA System Components Description Recommended PNA Solution Description 8510C 8510C 008 8514B Network Analyzer Network Analyzer with pulse capability 45 MHz 20 GHz Test set Determined by test set Determined by test set E8362B 10 MHz 20 GHz 8515A 45 MHz 26 5 GHz Test set E8363B 10 MHz 40 GHz 8517B 85110A 85110L 45 MHz 50 GHz Test set Pulsed 2 20 GHz Test set Pulsed 45 MHz 2 GHz Test set E8364B E8362B with Options H11 H08 014 080 081 UNL E8362B with Option H11 HO08 014 080 081 UNL 10 MHz 50 GHz 10 MHz 20 GHz with IF access and pulsed RF measurement capability 10 MHz 20 GHz with IF access and pulsed RF measurement capability 8530A 8511A 8511B 85105A Q85104A U85104A Microwave receiver 45 MHz 26 5 GHz Frequency converter 45 MHz 50 GHz Frequency conve
56. the measurement accuracy of the system for both amplitude and phase measurements This figure illustrates the relationship between signal to noise ratio and magnitude and phase errors 24 Calculate the Sensitivity for a Receive Site without External mixing Sensitivity P AUT DR S N L Where P AUT Power at the output of the AUT dBm DR Required dynamic range dB S N Signal to noise ratio dB L Cable loss dB from AUT to PNA input TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA lt Agilent Technologies Slide 25 The PNA should be located as closely as possible to the test antenna to minimize the RF cable lengths The measurement sensitivity of the PNA must be degraded by the insertion loss of the RF cable s to determine system measurement sensitivity To determine the sensitivity required of the PNA use the equation shown here Note that this equation assumes the simplest antenna system with no remote mixing 25 Choosing an analyzer Agilent has developed options for the PNA series specifically for antenna measurements However the PNA L and ENA analyzers can also be used in less complex applications Frequency stepping Sensitivity at test Sensitivity at direct speed 10 MHz pt at port with 1 kHz IFBWreceiver input with 1 Family Model Option Frequency range max IEBW with no Fmax kHz IFBW with Opt Power out Fmax band crossings 014 Fmax E8363B 10 MHz to 40 GHz lt 94 dBm lt 105 dBm E8364B
57. tting up PNA opt H11 LO output as System LO source amp Receiver 8 33 MHz Demo FOM dialog Box File View Channel Sweep Calibration Trace Scale Marker System Window Help Stimulus 1 of 2 Stop 26 000000000 GHz f Stat NETSB o Spn Frequency Offset xl recta LogM IV Frequency Offset on off m Offset Settings Response Offset Multiplier Divisor x Stimulus Offset Jon yf Multiplier 1 000000 1000000 E e Frequencies art Frequenc 1 0000000 GHz quenc 26 000000 GHz m Stimulus Control I CWOvenide Cw 1 000000000 GHz E Expect Response freq for front panel inputs only Example Tx frequency 21 30GHz LO MHz 7 00666 10 00666GHz Equivalent of RF Transmit Frequency ia Antenna Measurements with PNA Agilent Technologies Slide 57 Using the PNA option H11 LO output Port as the LO input for the 85309 the equations are given on this slide To set the LO frequency of the 85309 simply set the RF output on the PNA to the frequency indicated Turning on Option H11 Although Option H11 is installed you must assure that the IF switch is set correctly for it to function properly B and R Select Channel gt Advanced gt IF oo Boe Cancel Switch Configuration Eemal External EEEN Help Then Select External for both IF Inputs et Agilent Technologies One of the most common mistakes in configuring Option H11 is failing to turn it on
58. ut antenna is moving 70 PNA Far Field configuration with old 8360 Series source Positioner controller _ Source antenna 8360 series Microwave Extenders TF Antenna Measuremen ts with PNA e Agilent Technologies Slide 71 Now this is the new configuration the only dif is that 8530 is replaced by PNA all other elements of the system are identical the hardware but also the software Notice that sources are connected by means of USB GPIB converter 82357A So the idea was disconnect GPIB cable and RF connection remove 8530 from rack and replace by PNA and everything works as before In reality both are still in the rack easy compare Of coures 8530 used from computer but also from PC for manaul meas Meas and ref connected to detectors input A and B might use R1 but source lock problem 71 PNA option H11 Outdoor Configuration with PSG Source antenna Optional amplifier 85320A Test mixer PSG Synthesized source HX AEE 8 4 85320B cd Reference ESE i mixer aut Measurement LAN automation A software z ya gq OQ PNA and PSG nee Antenna Measurements with PNA 22 Agilent Technologies Slide 72 The configuration for a PNA in a far field antenna configuration is as shown here The configuration is very similar to the existing 85301B systems with some slight differences The far field P
59. yzer that meets your sensitivity requirements In this situation down converting the signal to an IF signal by using the 85309 LO IF distribution unit with 85320A B remote mixers brings the measurement closer to the AUT This reduces RF cable loss and maximizes accuracy and dynamic range Options H11 and 014 on the PNA network analyzers both support remote mixing configurations 2 Receive Site Configuration This figure shows a typical receive site configuration The following slides show A 4 Pin lt 28 om how to calculate the various levels indicated Option H11 9 33 MHz Max input Damage oe 1 0B lev el _ Front Opt 014 20 MHz 10 dBm 15 dBm a2 A B RIR2 Ha Rear Opt H11 8 33 MHz 27 dBm 20 dBm A B R1 R2 ee AF out Ps pra with Option O14 amp H11 TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 28 28 Select the LO Source 253208 Frequency Range Required 7 Test mixer gt 0 3 to 18 GHz Power Required at 85309A LO Input AV Ein am Reenmenear EE gt 0 6 dBm iz i Sources Available a gt PSG ESG LO in Pin 0to6 dem gt Internal Source of PNA with amplifier J Amplifier Pout 19 dm Option H11 7 8 33 MHz external input AeuttPs PHA with Option 014 amp HI TF Antenna Measurements with PNA 42 Agilent Technologies Slide 29 The recommended microwave mixers use fundamental mixing from 300 MHz to 18 GHz and harmonic mixing for frequencies above
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