BroadBand Signal Analyzers (BSA)

The CS9000 and low-cost BSAs monitor, record, and analyze RF signals and signal environments. The RF signal is down converted to baseband and digitized into very deep RAM of up to 32 GB. The data in RAM can be stored to disk or RAID for later analysis or playback with an Aeroflex BroadBand Signal Generator.

BSAs cover frequencies from 2 MHz-18 GHz, with up to 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth option. Digital tuners, included on the 40 MHz and 70 MHz models, reduce the bandwidth to isolate signals of interest and to reduce the amount of memory required to store the recording.

The Aeroflex low-cost product line consists of:

• Scout — 40 MHz selectable bandwidth, used in portable and in mobile over the air applications
• Hunter — 70 MHz bandwidth
• Explorer — 70 and 400 MHz operator-selectable bandwidth, for applications that require both narrow and wide bands

These systems have been used for design, validation, debug, and field testing over a wide range of applications, including: communications, signal characterization, radar, EW/ECM, electro magnetic environment (eme) characterization, satellite, test range support, and wireless.

The BSA data capture software allows the operator to monitor the data live and record signals using digital tuners.The recording time can range from a few microseconds to tens of seconds at full bandwidth to hours at reduced bandwidth.

The monitoring and record process can be set to internal or external trigger. A pretrigger can be used to record signals before the trigger occurs to allow the full event be captured and analyzed. Once the signal has been recorded to RAM, any portion of the recording can be stored to disk or RAID.

BroadBand Signal Analysis Software

Since complex signal interactions can easily be understood, BSA software excels at debugging unexpected signal problems for communications, radar, and EW applications. The analysis software can be installed on any Windows™ PC for offline data analysis.

The BSA analysis software allows the operator a multi-dimensional view of the data, including:

• Time domain
• Spectrum/spectrogram
• Modulation domain

Benefits of using Aeroflex BroadBand Signal Analyzer and Recorder

Visualization tools — Includes spectrum, spectrogram, strip charts, time plot, constellation
Modulation analysis — Simultaneously plot coherent AM, FM, and PM demodulated waveforms
High resolution graphics — Multiple user configurable windows on large monitor
Pulse analysis — Measure radar pulse stream parameter, demodulate and plot the pulses in AM, FM, and PM domains

Included with all BroadBand Systems

• System controller running Linux operating system
• Removable OS drive, removable data drive, 1000 baseT, keyboard, mouse and monitor
• BroadBand Signal Analyzer (BSA) control and analysis software
• Precision synthesized time base