New Agilent PXI VSA seeks out RF interference


As spectrum becomes more crowded, tracking down interference becomes more important. Agilent this week announced a product that gives spectrum users another weapon in the battle against interference. The PXI Vector Signal Analyzer (VSA) is a new configuration of Agilent's M9392A analyzer. Agilent says it is the first dual channel PXI vector signal analyzer with high-bandwidth, independently tuned, two-channel, continuous data capture.

The instrument offers 250 MHz of analysis bandwidth, 26.5 GHz frequency coverage on two channels, and continuous streaming up to 100 MHz bandwidth. It uses Agilent's 89600 VSA software for measurements.

"As modern radios often operate in urban areas in a complex RF environment with many sources of interference, Agilent's new wideband, two-channel solution with 100-MHz continuous data capture provides designers with unique capabilities for environment recording applications," said Mark Pierpoint, vice president and general manager of Agilent's software and modular solutions division.

This power does not come cheap. A single channel PXI VSA costs $66,235 and the dual-channel unit goes for $132,470. Expect to spend more for chassis, controller and 89600 VSA software. The good news is existing M9392A customers and upgrade their hardware and software to enable multichannel control.


Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.