Instrument puts RF field lab in the palm of user’s hand

Instrument puts RF field lab in the palm of user’s hand

Wireless base station tester integrates spectrum analyzer, antenna tester, and power meter to speed accurate measurement

Said to be the world’s most integrated handheld instrument for wireless network field work, the N9912A FieldFox handheld RF tester aims to improves RF engineers’ and technicians’ productivity, allowing them to install and maintain base stations more efficiently and accurately. The first such instrument to provide immediate calibration to the test port at power-up, the unit, which works from a 4-hour built-in rechargeable battery, combines multiple RF measurement capabilities with test times at least 50% faster than traditional testers.

So that users don’t have to constantly switch instruments or carry multiple units in the field, the rugged, 6.2-lb unit performs cable and antenna test from 2 MHz to 4 or 6 GHz (depending on options), spectrum analysis from 100 kHz to 4 or 6 GHz, vector network analysis, and true-average-power measurement. It is the only handheld analyzer able to simultaneously measure return loss and distance to fault, and do so with 1,001-point resolution and 96-dB dynamic range.

The unit’s QuickCal and CalReady features are designed to rapidly ensure measurement accuracy and repeatability. Integrated QuickCal eliminates the need to carry a calibration kit into the field, while CalReady makes sure the unit is calibrated at the cable and antenna test port immediately following power-up. To further speed operation, the instrument’s user interface — derived directly from standard field-test procedures guides user performance of tasks. (From $7,600 available now.)

Agilent Technologies , Santa Clara , CA
Sales 800-829-4444
http://www.agilent.com