Choosing the Best Bit Depth for IQ Captures or Streams White Paper

This paper explains the relationship between noise, sampling rates, and bit depth in a system designed for IQ capture. With an understanding of these interdependencies, it is possible to optimize the configuration of a receiver, such as the Anritsu Field Master Pro MS2090A, when capturing IQ data to minimize the memory size of the resulting data file. Smaller files are typically easier to analyze in post processing tools making the identification of all signals faster and easier. P/N: 11410-02837

Basics of Radar and Transmitter Measurements

This White Paper outlines measuring instruments for testing the basic radio performance of pulse-radar transmissions used mainly for meteorological observations and air traffic-control systems.

New VNA Technologies Enable Millimeter-Wave Broadband Testing to 220 GHz White Paper

This white paper discusses the market and technology trends that are driving demand for higher frequency solutions. Moreover, it provides details of the challenges faced by design engineers as they attempt to perform wafer-level testing over broadband millimeter-wave frequencies. Lastly, illumination is provided on how Anritsu engineers were able to innovate with broadband vector network analyzer (VNA) and mmWave connector technology to enable broadband testing to 220 GHz with a single test unit and setup. P/N: 11410-01149

Anti-Virus Measures for Instruments with Windows Operating System

We take measures to protect Anritsu instruments that run Windows operating systems from computer viruses. This white paper provides ways of protecting your instrument from computer viruses.

1914.3 (RoE) eCPRI Transport

This White Paper discusses the network architecture changes, new frame formats, expected timing, and latency requirements, and why they are required. Understanding the combination of these key areas will provide the background to understanding how these networks will look as this industry moves rapidly to 5G.

Understanding Key Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer Specifications White Paper

Spectrum analyzers are the fundamental instrument used by RF engineers to measure individual signals across a defined frequency band. They capture and display wanted and unwanted signals, enabling a range of measurements including power, frequency, modulation and distortion. There are several different types of spectrum analyzer system architectures. This paper reviews the architecture of real-time spectrum analyzers (RTSA), swept-tuned spectrum analyzers, and vector signal analyzers, and highlight their relative merits and compromises. P/N: 11410-01138

Evaluation of RF Network Testing

This document is an industry review of techniques and procedures for evaluation of RF network testing. P/N: 11410-00700

A New Technique for Measuring Passive Intermodulation Over Fiber Optic Cables White Paper

This white paper outlines how PIM over CPRI works and how to get the most of out of this measurement technique. PIM over CPRI is your first step in determining if a site has PIM issues before calling in a PIM mitigation team. P/N: 11410-01135

Accuracy of DTF Measurements on New Spools of Transmission Line White Paper

With proper consideration and technique, DTF measurements of raw spools of cable can be made accurately enough in the field to identify handling damage with a reasonable uncertainty bound. P/N: 11410-00899

Millimeter-wave Partial Information De-embedding: Errors and Sensitivities White Paper

De-embedding methods making significant structural assumptions have become popular in recent years, particularly in PC board and cable assembly spaces, because of the relative immunity to repeatability and standards availability problems at the DUT plane. Some of the same issues occur in mm- wave fixtures where repeatability can be even more of a challenge. This white paper goes through the methods and behaviors of these challenges. P/N: 11410-01080

Superposition vs. True-Balanced: What's Required for your Signal Integrity Application White Paper

The superposition technique relies on the inherent linear nature of a transmission line, and mathematically derives the differential and common-mode transmission line characteristics through superposition while stimulating just one side of the balanced transmission line at a time. The true-balanced/differential technique, also known as True-Mode Stimulus, uses two sources to create actual differential and common-mode stimuli. This white paper offers guidance to signal integrity designers on the differences between these approaches and which one may best fit their need. P/N: 11410-00659

The Impact of Return Loss on Base Station Coverage in Mobile Networks

In this paper we will focus on losses due to reflections. These reflections are measured using a cable and antenna analyzer such as the Anritsu Site Master. Operators often specify that the worst case reflections (return loss) over the operating frequency range of the system must be 18 dB. But, what exactly does that mean? It means the reflected signal must be 18 dB lower than the signal that is transmitted into the system. Or, another way of looking of this is that the reflected signal must be less than 1/64th the magnitude of the signal transmitted into the system. Where did this limit come from? In many cases, it has been based on what an operator knows is possible when high quality components are installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications using good workmanship. As feed systems become shorter and antenna systems are required to operate over broader frequency ranges, achieving an 18 dB return loss may not be practical.

RF and Microwave Material Measurements: Techniques and Applications White Paper

Continual demand to accurately measure dielectric and magnetic properties of materials is a common need and is apparent in our every day lives. There is a need to quantitatively characterize material properties at RF and microwave frequencies. Learn more about the use of vector network analyzers (VNAs) as a flexible and versatile tool to accurately and quantitatively characterize material properties and showcase the broad applicability of the VNA as a tool to accurately do this at high frequencies.

Wideband Optical Modulator and Detector Characterization

Uncertainties and the Impact on Eye Diagrams/Time Domain Modeling

The characterization and measurement of E/O and O/E components at higher microwave frequencies has a different uncertainty distribution than at lower frequencies. A careful process can help minimize many of those categories. The individual uncertainty components have very different effects on final subsystem modeled time domain results, such as eye diagrams. Understanding that error propagation can be useful. In a practical example, optimizing the critical uncertainty components can lead to noticeably better eye behavior in the final model.

Understanding Cable & Antenna Analysis

The cable and antenna system plays a crucial role of the overall performance of a Base Station system. Degradations and failures in the antenna system may cause poor voice quality or dropped calls. From a carrier standpoint, this could eventually result in loss of revenue. P/N: 11410-00427

Burst Detect

Burst detect is a sweep method that makes it easy to see short-duration, bursty signals, such as those emanating from an improperly installed cell phone booster. It can also show the envelope of a Wi-Fi signal – which is basically anything that occurs infrequently. A 1% duty cycle is enough to detect a bursty signal. As many as 20,000 measurements per second – thousands of times faster than a normal FFT – can be made with the Burst Detect method. The result is that users can see a 200 microsecond pulse every time, making it much easier to find burst signals.

Sequential Peeling: a Model-Based Approach to Structure Identification and De-embedding

Sequential peeling is a model/measurement-based method at network extraction for de-embedding. It uses isolatable phase responses of defects to create a lumped-element description of a structure (shunt, series, or cross-bar) that can be physically meaningful and useful in sequential de-embedding. The method works best when the significant reflections are electrically small and isolated and the overall loss of the fixture is not too great but there are corrections available to help with the loss element.

Scaling the Test Equipment Size to Match Millimeter Wave Test Needs

This white paper will discuss issues of transferring millimeter wave signals through coax cable within a test system and the benefits of improved measurement accuracy by reducing the size of the test equipment and using fewer interconnections.

Wireless Backhaul Challenging Large-Capacity and High-Speed Transfers

This white paper describes an overview of the wireless backhaul, its technology trend, and its measurement. It explains that the use of higher dimensional modulation, higher frequency and wider bandwidth in wireless backhaul might need new technical requirements and challenge for its transmitter and receiver.

Identifying Sources of External PIM

Identifying the location of external PIM sources has been an extremely difficult problem for mobile operators worldwide. With Anritsu’s PIM Hunter™, PIM Master™ and Spectrum Master™ products, operators finally have the tool set required to precisely identify external PIM sources. Once identified, a variety of PIM mitigation techniques can be deployed to reduce PIM levels and improve system performance.