Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced a pulse measurement
option for its FieldFox
handheld analyzers that is designed to further simplify radar field
testing.
Radar is the most important element in any aerospace/defense
communication system. However, testing radar in the field can be
challenging due to the multitude of instruments engineers and
technicians are required to carry. Additionally, handheld products
traditionally lack the performance necessary to measure pulsed signals,
and field measurements typically do not correlate with those taken using
laboratory instruments.
With the new pulse-measurement option, Agilent’s FieldFox analyzers
allow users to carry a single instrument into the field to verify and
measure radar pulse characteristics, S-parameters, spectrum analysis and
transmitter power. Moreover, all measurements made with FieldFox are
consistent with those of benchtop analyzers.
The FieldFox pulse measurement option efficiently characterizes radar
signal quality by leveraging Agilent U202x peak-power sensors (available
in 18- and 40-GHz models). Working together, the pulse measurement mode
and U202x enable maintenance crews to check radar signal quality without
having to carry a heavy benchtop instrument into the field. With a
single push of a button, users can perform pulse characterization in the
field and obtain all key performance indicators.
“Carrying precision into the field is the key driver behind Agilent’s
FieldFox analyzers,” said Dan Dunn, handheld general manager for
Agilent’s Component Test Division. “Our new pulse measurement further
builds on this idea by enabling customers to use FieldFox to simplify
their radar testing in the field, while continuing to deliver
Agilent-quality measurements.”
Improved Calibration Engine
The FieldFox calibration engine now features ECal module support. ECal
support reduces calibration time and the need to make multiple
connections during testing, while also providing for greater consistency
between measurements. For FieldFox users, that translates into fewer
human errors and increased accuracy.
Efficient Radar Field Test
FieldFox analyzers boast a number of features that help simplify radar
field testing. They include InstAlign, a built-in spectrum analyzer with
time gating (Option 238), burst trigger and pre-trigger, and
verification of most RF pulse transmitters in the field.
InstaAlign is a spectrum analysis technique to accurately measure radar
spectrum and power without time-consuming amplitude alignment and
instrument warmup. The time-gating function, specifically geared toward
engineers testing the pulse characteristics of their radar systems,
allows users to view both frequency and time domain at the same time.
With time gating and burst trigger/pre-trigger capabilities, Agilent’s
FieldFox analyzers can measure very narrow RF pulses (less than 1µs
wide) with sweep time as small as 8 µs.
Agilent also offers a suite of economical microwave waveguide
calibration kits to support C, X, Ku and K band radar, satellite and
microwave backhaul communication measurements. The kits, which are ideal
for field maintenance and troubleshooting, provide users excellent
measurement results at lower costs.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
Agilent’s new pulse measurement capability (Option 330) is now available
for all FieldFox RF and microwave analyzer models at a price of $1,200.
More information on the new FieldFox option is available at www.agilent.com/find/FieldFox.
Images are available at www.agilent.com/find/FieldFox_Enhancements_images.
A related backgrounder can be viewed at www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/tmnews/background/fieldfox.
Visit the Agilent YouTube network at www.youtube.com/AgilentTM
to see the latest products and applications videos in electronic design
and measurement.
Agilent’s FieldFox handheld analyzers received Frost and Sullivan’s 2013
New Product Innovation Leadership Award for Handheld General Purpose
Test Equipment. FieldFox was selected for its leading-edge product
technology, increased customer ROI, and superior value-added features
and benefits.
Agilent will demonstrate the FieldFox pulse measurement capability,
along with its newest test solutions in microwave, millimeter-wave and
submillimeter-wave systems, antennas and propagation and wireless
technologies at European Microwave Week (Booth 105), Oct. 6-11 at the
Nürnberg Convention Center in Nuremberg, Germany. A 10-year Platinum
Sponsor, Agilent will also present a number of workshops, including a
hands-on 3-D
electromagnetic workshop using EMPro and another on correlating
microwave measurements between handheld and benchtop analyzers using
FieldFox. Registration is required to attend either workshop.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement
company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences,
diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company’s 20,500
employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had
revenues of $6.9 billion in fiscal 2012. Information about Agilent is
available at www.agilent.com.
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Copyright Business Wire 2013