A PC-based oscilloscope, or USB oscilloscope as it is also known, has a lot going for it. For one thing, it costs substantially less than a bench model with equivalent specifications, given that most users already own the major component. The PC or Mac provides the processing and display parts of the equation. (The computer, […]
Working with waveforms in mixed-domain oscilloscopes
Waveform generators generally contain a library of common waveforms, which can be individually accessed and displayed by running a BNC cable to an active analog channel input in an oscilloscope. Most oscilloscopes have, available as an option, an internal arbitrary function generator (AFG), which permits the user to create an endless variety of waveforms and […]
Digital phosphor oscilloscopes, persistence, and eye patterns
The digital phosphor oscilloscope takes its name from the old analog phosphor scope, but the resemblance is superficial. It was difficult to see the trace on the CRT screen in an analog scope because the electron beam dissipated instantly. To solve this problem, early engineers came up with the idea of coating the inner surface […]
The basics of simulating radar signals with AWGs
Radar is quite simple in concept, but it becomes highly complex in actual implementation. Many decades passed between the time it was first envisioned and when useful working models emerged, which happened just in time to save England from total defeat in the 1940s. When it comes to testing radar, the situation has become easier […]
A test setup that simulates automotive radar
Jungik Suh from Keysight recently took us through a simulation of an automotive radar system, a hot topic these days thanks to work being done in autonomous vehicles. The point of simulating a radar signal is to provide a test signal for downstream electronics that will act on what shows up in the radar return. […]
Test bed demo: Getting ready for emerging millimeter wave applications
We recently talked with Greg Jue from Keysight who took us through a demo of an R&D test bed for emerging millimeter wave applications. Specifically, as an application example, Jue set up an example 802.11ay system. The 802.11ay spec is designed as an improvement of the 802.11ad WLAN definition that will have a frequency of […]
Making noise figure measurements with handheld analyzers
We recently were able to get with Roland Zhang from Keysight who took us through a noise figure measurement system that really comes in handy if you’re doing 5G measurements in the field. Zhang explains that in the 5G arena there will be a lot of amplifiers or up and down converters to convert signals […]
Instrumentation that measures differential noise in real time
We were recently able to speak with Pat Murray from Anritsu who demonstrated instrumentation that computes differential noise figure. Though noise figure is a well-known parameter, differential noise figure isn’t as commonly used. But it is becoming important for the verification of low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) and other devices used in the front-end of 5G and […]
The instrumentation of nanotechnology
Nano- as a prefix refers to the order of magnitude involved in a specific discussion. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Comparing a nanometer to a meter is like comparing the size of a marble to the size of the earth. At 100 nanometers and less, quantum effects become pronounced, and this is […]
How to plan temporary wiring in test facilities
Temporary wiring is usually associated with construction sites and outdoor concerts. But it also comes into play when test regimes demand that several test instruments be set up outdoors, and when research work must commence in temporary quarters. Here are a few things to know about keeping safe when instrumentation gets plugged into wiring that […]
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