Tektronix, SenarioTek introduce wideband microwave frequency up/downconversion
Jun 18, 2010 5:00 PM
The new SenarioTek solution enables calibrated wideband radar and satellite signal generation and analysis for testing requirements greater than 1GHz bandwidth and for carrier frequencies up to 50GHz using standard Tektronix instruments, such as the MSO72004 shown here.
Tektronix and SenarioTek have introduced a customizable standard solution for wideband microwave frequency up/downconversion. This solution enables calibrated wideband radar and satellite signal generation and analysis for testing requirements greater than 1GHz bandwidth and for carrier frequencies up to 50GHz using standard Tektronix instruments.
Wideband radar and satellite communications signals use carrier frequencies that are beyond the direct synthesis and direct analysis capabilities of wideband RF instruments. To test radar and satellite devices using these instruments, engineers often build their own test fixtures and signal conditioning capabilities. By using the new SenarioTek solution, engineers can instead take advantage of a calibrated and optimized solution for doing this testing using industry leading Tektronix RF test instruments such at the AWG7000 Series signal generators and the DPO/DSA/MSO70000 Series high-performance oscilloscopes.
The approach used by the SenarioTek solution improves microwave test performance by matching microwave up/downconversion from and to an intermediate frequency. This optimizes the performance of the Tektronix instruments and eliminates instabilities, cost and periodic calibration of in-phase quadrature modulator conversion techniques. It also provides the widest bandwidth signal generation and analysis and can be used for both multiband radar and satellite communication frequencies.
Because the solution uses intermediate frequency, it offers improved performance compared to direct analysis at microwave frequencies. Furthermore, the overall solution cost can be reduced by acquiring just the baseband performance required to support the IF frequency as opposed to the microwave frequency.
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