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VIT
AVCOM PSA-
2400A Spectrum
REVIEW
AVCOM of Virginia. well known for
their affordable, high -quality spec-
trum analyzers, has announced the
release of a product specifically designed for
field measurements of the rapidly -growing
2.4-2.5 GHz wireless LAN spectrum.
With the rapid release of wireless LANs.
Wireless video cameras. 1SP wireless net-
works, broadcast links, and other unlicensed
users, the frequency range 2400-2483.5 MHz
has become flooded with users, resulting in
predictable chaotic interference. (See our
August Closing Comments.) Only a spectrum
analyzer can reveal in detail the co -channel
interference.
The new AVCOM PSA-2400A is ex-
tremely lightweight at only 8 pounds as com-
pared to competitors (including other prod-
ucts of its own!), and comfortably compact
as well, measuring a mere 9.5"W x 4.5"H x
9.5"D. Viewable in bright sunlight and even
backlit for nighttime use, the high -contrast
LCD screen (5.7" diagonal. 1/4 VGA) offers
sharp resolution of the swept image. Its
three-way power supply (85-264 VAC @ 47-
440 Hz; 9-15 VDC: internal 6V gel cell bat-
tery) makes this versatile test instrument a
natural for the field technician.
An on -screen menu offers seven differ-
ent functions which can be modified for cus-
tom display characteristics.
0 Specifications
Switch -selectable reference levels of 0. -
20, and -40 dBm allow the operator to choose
the sensitivity baseline for the environment.
A BNC connector accepts any conventional
interconnection of user -provided antennas
(whips, stubs, flat plates, etc.).
The span can be adjusted from better
than 100 MHz full -sweep coverage (from
below 2.4 to above 2.5 GHz), to narrow,
single -signal sweep for visual analysis. iden-
tification, and adjacent -signal separation. The
screen automatically tracks and displays the
upper and lower frequency limits for the con-
tinuously -adjustable sweep width, as well as
the center tuned frequency.
Our field test
A frantic phone call from a major univer-
sity gave me an excellent opportunity to test
the new 2400. They had recently installed an
expensive and elaborate wireless LAN sys-
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tem for their business computer array, and
erratic breaks between the access point and
the individual terminals were really fouling
up the works.
I brought several pieces of equipment to
the site just in case: A frequency counter, an
RF detector, and the AVCOM PSA-2400A.
Starting at the access point. I attempted to
get a reading with the frequency counter, but
the digital. packet nature of the signals didn't
allow enough capture time for a frequency
display to lock. While the RF detector buzzed
encouragingly. it didn't really provide any
useful information.
Turning on the AVCOM, however.
showed everything we needed: The high-level
pulses of the access point LAN as it talked
to the terminals, the weaker return pulses from
the network computers, and, sure enough -
an unknown. wideband signal right on top of
the other signals!
Were there any PCS devices operating in
the area? No. Any other obvious in -band
transmitters? No. It was time for a walk
through the building.
With the spectrum analyzer in hand, we
walked into any engineering lab facility; the
phantom signal grew stronger. As we passed
one particular office, the signal rose enor-
mously: we were close. No such signal was
seen on the engineer's $4000, specially -
equipped PDA designed for monitoring the
Analyzer
By Bob Grove
AVCO lumSEy
REP LEVEL
74 am
MGM
gtio P ISO
311112
system.
I looked up toward the top of the wall,
and there it was -a wireless security camera!
We pulled out the plug and the signal disap-
peared. Full operation of the LAN was re-
stored with no further disruptions from the
wayward video cam.
Impressed that the new AVCOM PSA-
2400A revealed so much information in such
a short time. I decided that this is one instru-
ment that needed to be put into the Grove
on-line catalog.
(AVCOM PSA-2400A spectrum ana-
lyzer. $2749.95 plus shipping from Grove
Enterprises.)
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Kiwa Electronics
612 South 14th Ave., Yakima WA 98902
509-453-5492 or 1-800-398-1146 (orders)
kiwa@wolfenet.com
sk www.kiwa.com (full catalog)
September 2002
MONITORING TIMES
87
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