Tektronix products are covered by U.S. and foreign patents, issued and pending. Information in this publication supercedes
that in all previously published material. Specifications and price change privileges reserved.
TEKTRONIX and TEK are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc.
Contacting Tektronix
Tektronix, Inc.
14200 SW Karl Braun Drive
P.O. Box 500
Beaverton, OR 97077
USA
For product information, sales, service, and technical support:
HIn North Americ a, call 1-800-833-9200.
HWorldwide, visit www.tektronix.com to find contacts in your area .
Warranty 2
Tektronix warrants that this product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one (1) year
from the date of shipment. If any such product proves defective during this warranty period, Tektronix, at its option, either
will repair the defective product without charge for parts and l abor, or will provide a replacement in exchange for the
defective product. Parts, modules and replacement products used by Tektronix for warranty work may be new or
reconditioned to like new performance. All replaced parts, modules and products become the property of Tektronix.
In order to obtai n servic e unde r thi s warranty, Customer must not ify Tektronix of the defect before the expiration of the
warranty period and make suitable arrangements for the performance of servic e. Customer shall be responsible for
packaging and shipping the defective product to the service center designated by Tektronix, with shipping charges prepaid.
Tektronix shall pay for the return of the product t o Custome r if the shipment is to a location within the country in which the
Tektronix service center is located. Customer shall be responsible for paying all shipping charges, duties, taxes, and any
other charges for products returned to any other locations.
This warranty shall not apply to any defect, failure or damage caused by improper use or improper or inadequate
maintenance and care. Tektronix shall not be obligated to furnish service under this warranty a) to repair damage resulting
from attempts by personnel other than Tektronix representatives to install, repair or service the product; b) to repair
damage resulting from improper use or connection to incompatible equipment; c) to repair any damage or malfunction
caused by t he use of non-Tektronix supplies; or d) to service a product that has been modified or integrated with other
products when the effect of such modification or integration increases the time or difficulty of servicing the product.
THIS WARRANTY IS GIVEN BY TEKTRONIX WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TEKTRONIX AND ITS VENDORS DISCLAIM ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A P ARTICULAR PURPOSE. TEKTRONIX’
RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS IS THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY
PROVIDED TO THE CUSTOMER FOR BREACH OF THIS W ARRANTY. TEKTRONIX AND ITS VENDORS WILL
NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER TEKTRONIX OR THE VENDOR HAS ADV ANCE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Table of Contents
General Safety Summaryv...................................
Review the following safety precautions to avoid injury and prevent damage to
this product or any products connected to it. To avoid potential hazards, use this
product only as specified.
Only qualified personnel should perform service procedures.
To Avoid Fire or
Personal Injury
Use Proper Power Cord. Use only the power cord specified for this product and
certified for the country of use.
Connect and Disconnect Properly. Do not connect or disconnect probes or test
leads while they are connected to a voltage source.
Ground the Product. This product is grounded through the grounding conductor
of the power cord. To avoid electric shock, the grounding conductor must be
connected to earth ground. Before making connections to the input or output
terminals of the product, ensure that the product is properly grounded.
Observe All Terminal Ratings. To avoid fire or shock hazard, observe all ratings
and markings on the product. Consult the product manual for further ratings
information before making connections to the product.
Power Disconnect. The power switch disconnects the product from the power
source. See instructions for the location. Do not block the power switch; it must
remain accessible to the user at all times.
Do Not Operate Without Covers. Do not operate this product with covers or panels
removed.
Avoid Exposed Circuitry. Do not touch exposed connections and components
when power is present.
Do Not Operate With Suspected Failures. If you suspect there is damage to this
product, have it inspected by qualified service personnel.
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Do Not Operate in Wet/Damp Conditions.
Do Not Operate in an Explosive Atmosphere.
Keep Product Surfaces Clean and Dry.
Provide Proper Ventilation. Refer to the manual’s installation instructions for
details on installing the product so it has proper ventilation.
v
General Safety Summary
Symbols and Terms
Terms in this Manual. These terms may appear in this manual:
WARNING. Warning statements identify conditions or practices that could result
in injury or loss of life.
CAUTION. Caution statements identify conditions or practices that could result in
damage to this product or other property.
Terms on the Product. These terms may appear on the product:
DANGER indicates an injury hazard immediately accessible as you read the
marking.
WARNING indicates an injury hazard not immediately accessible as you read the
marking.
CAUTION indicates a hazard to property including the product.
Symbols on the Product. The following symbols may appear on the product:
Protective Ground
(Earth) Terminal
CAUTION
Refer to Manual
Mains Disconnected
OFF (Power)
Mains Connected
ON (Power)
vi
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Preface
Related Manuals
This is the Performance Verification for the R SA3408B 8 GHz Real-Time
Spectrum Analyzer. It contains procedures suitable for determining that the
analyzer functions, is adjusted properly, and meets the performance characteristicsaswarranted.
This document also contains the specifications for the RSA3408B analyzer.
The following documents relate to the use or service of the analyzer:
HThe RSA3408B User Manual describes how to operate your analyzer.
HThe RSA3000B Series Programmer Manual describes how to use a computer
to control the analyzer through the GPIB interface.
HThe RSA3408B Service Manual provides information for maintaining and
servicing your analyzer to the module level.
RSA3408B Technical Reference
vii
Preface
viii
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Performance Verification
Performance Verification Procedures
Two types of Performance Verification procedures can be performed on this
product; Brief Procedures and Performance Tests. You may not need to perform
all of these procedures, depending on what you want to accomplish.
HTo rapidly confirm that the analyzer functions properly and was adjusted
properly, do the brief procedures under Functional Tests and Diagnostics,
which begin on page 1--3.
Advantages: These procedures are quick to do, require no external
equipment or signal sources, and perform functional and accuracy testing to
provide high confidence that the analyzer will perform properly. They can be
used as a quick check before making a series of important measurements.
HIf more extensive confirmation of performance is desired, do the Perfor-
mance Tests, beginning on page 1--9, after doing the Functional Tests and
Diagnostics.
Advantages: These procedures add direct checking of warranted specifications.
Disadvantages: They require more time to perform and suitable test
equipment is required. (Refer to Required Equipment on page 1--11.)
RSA3408B Technical Reference
1- 1
Performance Verification
Conventions
Throughout these procedures, the following conventions apply:
HEach test procedure uses the following general format:
Title of Test
Equipment Required
Prerequisites
Procedure
HEach procedure consists of as many steps, substeps, and subparts as required
to do the test. Steps, substeps, and subparts are sequenced as follows:
1. First Step
a. First Substep
HFirst Subpart
HSecond Subpart
b. Second Substep
2. Second Step
HInstructions for menu selection follow this format:
Front Panel Key → Side Menu Key → Submenu Key.
For example, “Press Mode: Demod → Digital Demod → Constellation”.
“Mode: Demod” indicates the Demod key in the Mode menu area on the
front panel.
HIn steps and substeps, the lead-in statement in italics tells you what to do,
and t he instructions that follow tell you how to do it.
The example step below is telling you to set the analyzer controls by
pressing the specified key sequence.
Set the RSA3408B analyzer controls:
Press Mode: Demod → Digital Demod → Constellation.
STOP. The symbol at the left is accompanied by information you must read to do
the procedure properly.
1- 2
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Brief Procedures
The Functional Tests use the internal calibration signal as a test-signal source for
further verifying that the analyzer functions properly.
The Diagnostics use internal routines to verify that the instrument functions
properly and passes the internal circuit t ests.
The following section provides the details.
RSA3408B Technical Reference
1- 3
Brief Procedures
Functional Tests
The analyzer has a built-in calibration signal source with an amplitude of
approximately --20 dBm and frequency of 100 MHz. Using this source, perform
this quick functional check to verify that your instrument is operating correctly.
Equipment
Required
PrerequisitesPower on the analyzer and allow a 20 minute warm-up before doing
1. Initialize the analyzer:
a. Press the System key on the front panel.
b. Press the Reset All to Factory Defaults side key.
2. Check the system version and options:
a. Press the System key on the front panel.
b. Press the Versions and Installed Options... side key.
c.Check the version in the “Main System” field and the options in the
option table.
3. Check the display brightness:
a. Press the Cancel-Back (top) side key.
b. Press the Display Brightness side key.
None
this procedure.
1- 4
c.Change the value from 0 to 100% using the general purpose knob to
check that the brightness changes normally.
4. Display spectrum of the calibration signal:
a. Press S/A → Spectrum Analyzer.
b. Press the Preset key on the front panel to reset the analyzer.
c.Press Input → Signal Input Port...→ Cal100M.
The spectrum of the calibration signal appears.
d. Check that “INPUT : CAL” and “FREE RUN” are displayed in the status
indicator at the upper right of the screen (see Figure 1--1).
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Status indicator
Brief Procedures
Marker readout
Marker
Figure 1- 1: Spectrum of the calibration signal (100 MHz, - 20 dBm)
5. Check the center frequency and peak amplitude using the marker:
a. Press the Peak key on the front panel to place the marker on the signal
peak (see Figure 1--1).
RSA3408B Technical Reference
b. Check the marker readouts on screen. The frequency should be 100 MHz
and t he amplitude should be approximately --20 dBm.
c.Press Marker Setup → Markers → Off.
Check that the marker disappears.
6. Check the RBW (Resolution Bandwidth) while changing the span setting.
a. Press the Span key on the front panel.
b. Confirm that the span is 36 MHz and the RBW is 100 kHz in the setup
display on the upper part of the screen (see Figure 1--2).
1- 5
Brief Procedures
Setup display
SpanRBW
Span setting
Figure 1- 2: Setup display
c.Using the general purpose knob, change the span setting as listed in
Table 1 --1 and check that the RBW is displayed correctly.
Table 1- 1: Span and RBW
SpanRBW
36 MHz100 kHz
15 MHz80 kHz
5MHz20 kHz
100 kHz500 Hz
1kHz20 Hz
d. Using the numeric keypad, set the span back to 36 MHz.
(Press 3 → 6 → MHz, in that order, on the keypad.)
7. Check the reference level:
a. Press the Amplitude key on the front panel.
b. Make sure that the reference level is set to 0 dBm with the Ref Level
side key. Check that 0 dBm is displayed on the upper left side of the
graticule (see Figure 1--3).
c.Use the general purpose knob to set the reference level to --30 dBm.
d. Confirm that Overrange -- increase RefLev or Atten is indicated in the
red box at the top center of the screen. Make sure that --30 dBm is
displayed on the upper left side of the graticule and that the spectrum
waveform is distorted as shown in Figure 1--3.
e.Using the numeric keypad, set the reference l evel back to 0 dBm .
(Press 0 → Enter, in that order, on the keypad.)
1- 6
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Reference level
Brief Procedures
A/D overrange indicatorReference level setting
Figure 1- 3: Reference level setting and A/D overrange indicator
8. Check the spectrogram display:
a. Press S/A → S/A with Spectrogram. Check that the spectrogram is
displayed on the lower side of the screen (see Figure 1--4).
Spectrogram
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Figure 1- 4: Spectrogram display
b. Press the Run/Stop key on the front panel to stop data acquisition.
Confirm that the trace display freezes and PAUSE is displayed in the
status indicator at the top right of the screen.
1- 7
Brief Procedures
Diagnostics
You can run the internal diagnostic program to check hardware states.
Table 1--2 shows the test items and their descriptions.
Table 1- 2: Internal diagnostic program
Menu itemDescriptionPossible failure
Temp SensorChecks that the temperature sensor works correctly. RF5 module
Data MemoryChecks that the acquisition memory works correctly. A42 board
DPX SRAMChecks that the DPX SRAM works correctly.A42 board
The process is
graphically displayed
on the upper views.
Equipment
Required
PrerequisitesPower on the analyzer and allow a 20 minute warm-up before doing
None
this procedure.
1. Press Cal → Service...→ Password.
2. Enter 270833 andthenpresstheEnter key using the numeric keypad.
3. Press the DIAG side key.
4. Select the diagnostic menu item to be executed.You can press the All side key to run all the tests.
5. Check the result shown in the lower left view (“Pass” or “Fail”).
1- 8
Figure 1- 5: Diagnostic screen
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Performance Tests
This section contains procedures for checking that the RSA3408B 8 GHz
Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer performs as warranted.
The procedures are arranged in four logical groupings:
HFrequency Checks
HNoise Sideband Checks
HAmplitude C hecks
HSpurious Response Checks
They check all the characteristics that are designated as checked in Chapter 2,
Specification. (The characteristics that are checked appear with the n symbol in
the Characteristics column in Chapter 2.) You can use the form at the end of this
section as a test record.
Read Performance Verification Procedures on pages 1-1 and 1-2. Also, if you are
not familiar with operating this analyzer, read the RSA3408B User Manual
before doing any of these procedures.
STOP. These procedures extend the confidence level provided by the basic
procedures described on page 1--3. Perform the basic procedures first and then
perform the follow ing procedures if desired.
RSA3408B Technical Reference
1- 9
Performance Tests
Prerequisites
The tests in this section make up an extensive, valid confirmation of performance
and functionality when the following requirements are met:
HThe cabinet must be installed on the analyzer.
HThe i nstrument must have passed the procedures under Brief Procedures
found on page 1--3.
HA signal-path compensation must have been done within the recommended
calibration interval and at a temperature within ±3 _C of the present
operating temperature. (If at the time you did the prerequisite
Brief Procedures, the temperature was within the limits just stated, consider
this prerequisite met.)
HThe analyzer must have been last adjusted at an ambient temperature
between +20 _C and +30 _C, must have been operating for a warm-up
period of at least 20 minutes, and must be operating at an ambient temperature of between +10 _C and +40 _C.
1- 10
RSA3408B Technical Reference
Required Equipment
Table 1- 3: Test equipment
Item number and
description
Performance Tests
These procedures use external, traceable signal sources to directly check
warranted characteristics. Table 1--3 shows the required equipment.
Minimum requirementsExamplePurpose
1.Signal generatorFrequency range : 10 kHz to 3.5 GHz;
V ariable amplitude from --70 dBm to
+13 dBm into 50 Ω;
Accuracy: <±1 dB; Function: FM
2.Signal generatorFrequency range: 10 MHz to 8 GHz;
Output level: --30 dBm to +10 dBm;
Accuracy: <±1dB
3.Signal generatorFrequency: 2 GHz; Output: ≥--10dBm;
Digital modulation: QPSK;
Symbol rate: 4.096 M/s
4.Spectrum analyzerFrequency: >8 GHz;
Display scale fidelity: <±0.13 dB