SPECTRUM 
ANALYSERS
INTRODUCTION 
SIGNAL ANALYSERS 
- instrument to analyze a signal. 
- most of the electric signals are complex 
waveforms, made up of fundamental and its 
harmonics. 
- to measure the amplitude, phase or frequency of 
each harmonic or fundamental individually, signal 
analyzers are used. 
- all signal analysis instruments measure the basic 
frequency properties of a signal, but use different 
techniques to do so. 
- USES : spectral purity of carrier wave, spectral 
power distribution of AM & FM wave, signal 
distortion and SNR.
INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL 
ANALYSIS 
WAVE ANALYSER 
- is a voltmeter which can be accurately 
tuned to measure the amplitude of a 
single frequency in a complex waveform, 
within a band of 10 Hz- 40 MHz. 
- Types: 
# Frequency selective: m/m of AF range 
(20 Hz- 20 kHz). 
# Heterodyne: m/m in megahertz range. 
- Uses : electrical, sound, vibration 
measurement.
INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL 
ANALYSIS 
DISTORTION ANALYSER 
- measures the total harmonic power 
present in the test wave rather than 
the distortion caused by each wave. 
- operating range: 5 Hz – 1 MHz. 
- types 
1). Fundamental suppression type 
2). Intermodulation Distortion type.
INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL 
ANALYSIS 
AUDIO ANALYSER 
-similar to Distortion Analyser, but can 
measure additional functions, such as 
NOISE too. 
MODULATION ANALYSER 
- tune to the required signal and recover the 
whole amplitude modulated (AM), 
frequency modulated (FM) or phase 
modulated (PM) envelope for display or 
analysis.
INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL 
ANALYSIS 
SPECTRUM ANALYSERS 
- instrument to analyze the frequency spectrum of RF 
and audio signals. 
- SPECTRUM ANALYSIS : study of energy distribution 
across the frequency spectrum of the given signal. 
- signal is shown in frequency domain 
frequency v/s amplitude plot 
vertical axis- amplitude (in db) 
horizontal axis- frequency (Hz) 
- as the scan moves along horizontal axis, the display 
shows the level of any signals at that particular 
frequency. 
- information about BW, effects of modulation and 
frequency components, which are useful in designing 
and testing of RF and pulse circuitary.
SPECTRUM ANALYSERS
SPECTRUM 
ANALYSERS 
Types 
- RF – 10 Mhz-40 Ghz 
used in communication, navigation, radar 
and industrial instrumentation frequency 
bands. 
- Audio frequency – 20 Hz-20kHz. 
Swept or superheterodyne SA 
- RF spectrum analyzer. 
- Uses superheterodyne principle as used in 
radio receivers. 
- Sweeps the frequency that is analyzed 
across the required band to produce a view 
of the signals with their relative strengths.
SPECTRUM ANALYSERS
SPECTRUM ANALYSERS
SPECTRUM ANALYSERS 
ADVANTAGES 
- Able to operate over wide frequency 
range. 
- Wide bandwidth. 
- Inexpensive compared to others. 
DISADVANTAGES 
- Cannot measure phase. 
- Cannot measure transient events.
SPECTRUM ANALYSERS 
Fast Fourier Transform SA 
- uses digital signal processing 
techniques to provide in depth 
waveform analysis with greater 
flexibility. 
- Fast capture of waveform. 
- Able to capture non repetitive events. 
- Can give phase. 
- Waveforms can be stored.
SPECTRUM 
ANALYSERS
SPECTRUM ANALYSERS 
Applications: 
- Study of RF spectrum produced in microwave 
instruments. 
In microwave instruments, horizontal axis 
displays from 30 kHz up to a range of 2-3 
GHz. 
- Bio medical fields. 
- Industrial instrumentation. 
- Radar, oceanography. 
- RF spectrum analyser 
range- 500khz – 1 Ghz
RF SPECTRUM 
ANALYSER
TEKTRONIX 2712
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Spectrum analysers

  • 1.
  • 2.
    INTRODUCTION SIGNAL ANALYSERS - instrument to analyze a signal. - most of the electric signals are complex waveforms, made up of fundamental and its harmonics. - to measure the amplitude, phase or frequency of each harmonic or fundamental individually, signal analyzers are used. - all signal analysis instruments measure the basic frequency properties of a signal, but use different techniques to do so. - USES : spectral purity of carrier wave, spectral power distribution of AM & FM wave, signal distortion and SNR.
  • 3.
    INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL ANALYSIS WAVE ANALYSER - is a voltmeter which can be accurately tuned to measure the amplitude of a single frequency in a complex waveform, within a band of 10 Hz- 40 MHz. - Types: # Frequency selective: m/m of AF range (20 Hz- 20 kHz). # Heterodyne: m/m in megahertz range. - Uses : electrical, sound, vibration measurement.
  • 4.
    INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL ANALYSIS DISTORTION ANALYSER - measures the total harmonic power present in the test wave rather than the distortion caused by each wave. - operating range: 5 Hz – 1 MHz. - types 1). Fundamental suppression type 2). Intermodulation Distortion type.
  • 5.
    INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL ANALYSIS AUDIO ANALYSER -similar to Distortion Analyser, but can measure additional functions, such as NOISE too. MODULATION ANALYSER - tune to the required signal and recover the whole amplitude modulated (AM), frequency modulated (FM) or phase modulated (PM) envelope for display or analysis.
  • 6.
    INSTRUMENTS FOR SIGNAL ANALYSIS SPECTRUM ANALYSERS - instrument to analyze the frequency spectrum of RF and audio signals. - SPECTRUM ANALYSIS : study of energy distribution across the frequency spectrum of the given signal. - signal is shown in frequency domain frequency v/s amplitude plot vertical axis- amplitude (in db) horizontal axis- frequency (Hz) - as the scan moves along horizontal axis, the display shows the level of any signals at that particular frequency. - information about BW, effects of modulation and frequency components, which are useful in designing and testing of RF and pulse circuitary.
  • 7.
  • 8.
    SPECTRUM ANALYSERS Types - RF – 10 Mhz-40 Ghz used in communication, navigation, radar and industrial instrumentation frequency bands. - Audio frequency – 20 Hz-20kHz. Swept or superheterodyne SA - RF spectrum analyzer. - Uses superheterodyne principle as used in radio receivers. - Sweeps the frequency that is analyzed across the required band to produce a view of the signals with their relative strengths.
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    SPECTRUM ANALYSERS ADVANTAGES - Able to operate over wide frequency range. - Wide bandwidth. - Inexpensive compared to others. DISADVANTAGES - Cannot measure phase. - Cannot measure transient events.
  • 12.
    SPECTRUM ANALYSERS FastFourier Transform SA - uses digital signal processing techniques to provide in depth waveform analysis with greater flexibility. - Fast capture of waveform. - Able to capture non repetitive events. - Can give phase. - Waveforms can be stored.
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  • 14.
    SPECTRUM ANALYSERS Applications: - Study of RF spectrum produced in microwave instruments. In microwave instruments, horizontal axis displays from 30 kHz up to a range of 2-3 GHz. - Bio medical fields. - Industrial instrumentation. - Radar, oceanography. - RF spectrum analyser range- 500khz – 1 Ghz
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