Keysight Technologies, Inc. announced new enhancements for its FieldFox handheld RF and microwave analyzers. FieldFox analyzers now connect to Keysight’s 89600 vector signal analysis (VSA) software, an industry-leading tool for signal demodulation and vector signal analysis. The FieldFox to 89600 VSA link provides a powerful combination of hardware and software for design and troubleshooting of devices using various signal formats, including:

  • APCO-25 and TETRA for public safety radio
  • IEEE 802.11p for wireless vehicular communications
  • Low power wide-area networks and other formats for the internet of things (IoT)
  • Cellular communications, including LTE, WCDMA and GSM.

The FieldFox I/Q analyzer provides frequency and time domain measurements and customizable multi-domain display views. Users can capture and analyze I/Q data directly on the instrument or capture and save the data for analysis using Keysight’s 89600 VSA software, MATLAB, Python Toolkit or other third-party demodulation software.

FieldFox’s I/Q analyzer mode also enables verification of baseband subsystems and final signal chain integration, as well as troubleshooting of signal quality degradation due to hardware and software issues. Users can gain further insight into RF signal environments by regenerating and playing back I/Q capture data using a vector signal generator (VSG). Furthermore, engineers can apply environmental fading profiles to I/Q data using a VSG to determine the performance of a receiver.

The I/Q analyzer allows users to capture up to 10 MHz of flatness- and phase-corrected I/Q data and measure magnitude spectra (frequency domain) and RF envelope and I/Q waveforms (time domain). With FieldFox, users can customize up to four simultaneous and multi-domain measurement views, and enhance performance with features such as amplitude and IF alignment before capture. FieldFox saves I/Q capture data file types including comma separated values (CSV), text (TXT), SDF (compatible with 89600 VSA software) and MATLAB (MAT).

Dan Dunn, vice president and general manager of Keysight's aerospace, defense and government segment, said,

With increased spectral density and complex signal waveforms, engineers can find it challenging to identify and understand unique signal characteristics. Option 351 provides a new I/Q analyzer mode for FieldFox, a portable I/Q capture and analysis solution ideal for field-based communication systems applications; interference identification and analysis; and signal demodulation. Combining the new 89600 VSA software and I/Q recording capabilities with real-time spectrum analysis makes FieldFox an ideal portable solution for engineers and technicians to analyze, understand and detect signals in any environment

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The FieldFox family provides a choice of 22 combination (combo) and spectrum analyzer models with frequency coverage from DC to 50 GHz. Users can configure combo models, including spectrum analyzer, VNA, CAT and RTSA . All models offer benchtop precision and are ruggedized to MIL-Class 2.

The FieldFox 89600 VSA software link, I/Q Analyzer and RTSA modes are available on FieldFox combo and spectrum analyzer models. I/Q Analyzer and RTSA software options are priced at $5,000; the 89600 VSA software link requires spectrum analyzer mode only to enable connection. Users can upgrade the analyzer with the use of a software license key.