8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer

Transcription

1 8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer OPERATION MANUAL Table of Contents Table of Contents Section I: The Basics Section I: The Basics Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes Section IV: Appendix Section IV: Appendix

2 Trilithic Company Profile Trilithic is a privately held manufacturer founded in 1986 as an engineering and assembly company that built and designed customer-directed products for telecommunications, military and industrial customers. From its modest beginnings as a two-man engineering team, Trilithic grew over the years and broadened its offerings of RF and microwave components by adding broadband solutions to its product line. This was accomplished with the acquisition of components manufacturer Cir-Q-Tel and instruments manufacturer Texscan. Today, Trilithic is an industry leader providing telecommunications solutions for major broadband, RF and microwave markets around the world. As an ISO 9000:2001 certified company with over 40 years of collective expertise in engineering and custom assembly, Trilithic is dedicated to providing quality products, services and communications solutions that exceed customer expectations. Trilithic is comprised of three major divisions: Broadband Instruments & Systems Offers test, analysis and quality management solutions for the major cable television systems worldwide. RF Microwave Components Provides components and custom subsystems for companies specializing in cellular, military and other wireless applications. Emergency Alert Systems Leading supplier of government-mandated emergency alert systems used by broadcast TV, cable TV, IPTV, DBS, and radio stations. XFTP Offers a specialty line of field technical products for cable operators and technicians, as well as a line of products for installing electronics in the home of the future.providers. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual

3 Table of Contents Section I: The Basics General Information Helpful Website Where to Get Technical Support How this Manual is Organized Conventions Used in This Manual Precautions ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) Getting Started Overview Shipping Inspection Supplied Equipment Replacement Parts Getting to Know Your 8821Q-R Front Panel Overview User Interface Rear Panel System Configuration Overview About Menu Communications Settings Baud Rate (NOT AVAILABLE) IP Address System Preset Settings Time & Date Settings Date Format Date Entry Time Entry Language Select (NOT AVAILABLE) Q-R - Operation Manual, Table of Contents i

4 Screen Images Capturing Screen Images Managing Screen Images Selecting the Type of Screen Capture Selecting Screen Capture Images Transmitting Images Using the RS-232 COM Port (NOT AVAILABLE) Saving Images to a USB Drive Deleting Screen Image Capture Files Previewing Screen Image Captures Display Palette Display Screen Title System Calibration Overview Calibration Procedure Software & Firmware Updates Overview Software & Firmware Update Procedure Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode Overview Introduction Single Window Display Mode Double Window Display Mode Zone Selection Window Switch Zoom Selection Basic Measurement Settings Overview Frequency Settings Center Frequency Start Frequency Stop Frequency Frequency Step Span Settings Span Span Zoom Full Span Zero Span Last Span Q-R - Operation Manual, Table of Contents ii

5 Amplitude Settings Reference Level Attenuation Log/Linear Scale Vertical Resolution Scale/Div Reference Offset Preamplifier Basic Control Settings Overview Bandwidth Settings Resolution BW Video BW Video Average Signal Sweep Settings Single Signal Sweep Mode Signal Hold Automatic/Manual Settings Trigger Settings Free Run Video Rise / Fall Edge TV-H Basic Measurement Tools Overview Marker Tools Normal Marker Delta Mark Fixed Mark Multi-Marker and Marker Table Count Mark Noise Noise/Hz Peak Signal Search Tools Peak Search Next Peak, Next Right Peak and Next Left Peak Marker to Center and Marker to Ref Lvl Peak Table and Peak Sort Peak Track Q-R - Operation Manual, Table of Contents iii

6 Multi-Trace Tools Write View Blank Max Hold Min Hold Detector Modes Measurement Tools N db PTS Display Line and Display Delta Internal Temperature and Battery Voltage Auxiliary Measurement Tools Overview Channel Measurements Channel Power Occupied Bandwidth Adjacent Channel Power Demodulation Measurements Listen On FM Gain Limit Line Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes Overview Introduction Mode Settings Channel Table Settings Frequency Setup CATV Analyzer Overview Information Window Base Noise Calibration CATV Mode Settings Amplitude Units Amplifier Channel / Frequency Select Q-R - Operation Manual, Table of Contents iv

7 Channel Measurement Channel Select Listen On FM Deviation Depth of Modulation Carrier Level & Frequency Carrier-to-Composite Noise HUM Cross Modulation CTB/CSO Leakage Chrominance-to-Luminance Delay Inequality (CLDI) Differential Phase/Gain In-Channel Response Channel Scan Level Limit Standard Channel User Channel Favorite Channel FCC Report Test Sets View Report DTV Analyzer Overview Channel & Frequency Selection QAM Analyzer Display Screen General DTV Settings Saving Settings Attenuation Amplifier Constellation Display Mode QAM Analyzer Settings Restore Default Settings Symbol Rate Standard Modulation Mode Polarity Threshold Levels Q-R - Operation Manual, Table of Contents v

8 Measurement Initialization Constellation Diagram Refresh Grid Template Zoom In / Zoom Out Statistic Graph Set Time Measure View Last Equalizer Display Set Equalizer Equalizer Coefficient Display Frequency Response Display Group Delay Display Tracking Generator (Optional) Overview Tracking Generator Level Range Power Calibration Normalize Function Using the Tracking Generator to Measure a Filter Section IV: Appendix Specifications Frequency Specifications Amplitude Specifications Inputs/Outputs Front Panel Rear Panel TG OUT Power Specifications Other Specifications CATV Measurement Specifications Digital Measurement Specifications CATV Standards & Systems Menu Navigation Tree Q-R - Operation Manual, Table of Contents vi

9 Menu Navigation Tree Amplitude Settings Automatic/Manual Settings Auxiliary Measurements Bandwidth Settings Double Window Display Mode Frequency Settings Marker Tools Measurement Tools Mode Selection Multi-Trace Tools Peak Signal Search Tools Signal Sweep Mode Signal Sweep Settings Span Settings System Calibration System Configuration Trigger Settings Information Window Messages Index Warranty Information Q-R - Operation Manual, Table of Contents vii

10 8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer Section I: The Basics

11 1. General Information 1 Helpful Website The following website contains general information which may be of interest to you: Trilithic s website contains product specifications and information, tips, release information, marketing information, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), bulletins and other technical information. You can also check this website for product updates. Where to Get Technical Support Trilithic technical support is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST. Callers in North America can dial or (toll free). International callers should dial or fax questions to You can also technical support at techsupport@trilithic.com. For quicker support response when calling or sending , please provide the following information: Your name and your company name The technical point of contact (name, phone number, ) The 8821Q-R serial number, firmware and hardware version numbers A detailed description of the problem you are having, including any error or information messages 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.2

12 How this Manual is Organized Thank you for choosing the 8821Q-R. This manual is provided with the 8821Q-R to help the user become better acquainted with the device and to become productive faster. This manual is divided into the following sections: Section I: The Basics - Provides Trilithic contact information, describes how this Operation Manual is structured, gives an overview of the 8821Q-R and its basic features. Before using the 8821Q-R, it is recommended that the user read this section for an overview of features, setup, basic commands and other important details. There are also sections on how to calibrate the instrument and perform software & firmware updates. Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode - Provides instructions on how to use the basic features shown available in the spectrum analyzer measurement mode of the 8821Q-R. This section is written as though the user is familiar with the basic operation of the instrument and is broken into chapters for each function. Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes - Provides instructions on how to use the CATV, DTV, and Tracking Generator measurement modes of the 8821Q-R. This section is written as though the user is familiar with the basic operation of the instrument and is broken into chapters for each function. Section IV: Appendix - Provides a set of system specifications as well as any information window messages you may receive during normal operation of the 8821Q-R. Conventions Used in This Manual This manual has several standard conventions for presenting information. Connections, menus, menu options, and user entered text and commands appear in bold. Section names, web and addresses appear in italics. Note: A note is information that will be of assistance to you related to the current step or procedure. CAUTION: A caution alerts you to any condition that could cause a mechanical failure or potential loss of data. WARNING: A warning alerts you to any condition that could cause personal injury. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.3

13 Precautions CAUTION: Use a power cable rated for the correct voltage. However, be sure to use a power cable conforming to safety standards of your nation when using a product overseas. WARNING: Do not open the instrument s case, there are no user serviceable parts inside. WARNING: Be sure to plug the power cable into an electrical outlet that has a safety ground terminal. Grounding will be defeated if you use an extension cord that does not include a safety ground terminal. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.4

14 ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) Electrostatic discharge can damage or destroy electronic components; therefore, all work on electronic assemblies should be performed at an antistatic workstation. The following suggestions may help to reduce ESD damage that may occur during testing and servicing operations. Before connecting any coaxial cable to the instrument, momentarily ground the center and outer conductors of the cable. Personnel should be grounded with a resistor-isolated wrist strap before touching the center pin of any connector and before removing any assembly from the unit. Be sure that all instruments are properly earth-grounded to prevent a buildup of static charge. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.5

15 2. Getting Started 2 Overview This portable analyzer can be used anywhere in the cable network for analyzing RF signals with a comprehensive scope of measurements. From analysis of digitally modulated signals to test of distortion and noise parameters in the field, this spectrum analyzer is an industry workhorse. The analyzer is specifically focused on the cable TV industry with application specific test features. Cable operators typically use spectrum analyzers in the headend and as a tool for elite (high tier) technicians to use for in-depth testing and troubleshooting. They are also used for FCC proof of performance tests. The 8821Q-R meets the precision testing needs of the customer with an easy to use interface. Part Number Model Description Q-R Spectrum Analyzer Q-R Spectrum Analyzer with Tracking Generator Shipping Inspection After removing the instrument from its packaging, perform the following steps: 1. Take the instrument out of the case to ensure that no damage occurred during shipment. Unload the case carefully and check the package. If the package is in good condition, save it for later use. A damaged package indicates that the instrument has endured significant impact during transportation. If the package is in such a condition, keep it in its original state and contact the freight company to perform an inspection (in your presence) of the instrument. You can claim damages to the freight company according to the degree of damage to the instrument; contact us to arrange any repairs. 2. Check that all of the supplied equipment listed in the table on the following page is present. If any of the equipment is not present, contact Trilithic. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.6

16 Supplied Equipment The following equipment is included with the 8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer: Supplied Equipment Suitcase on Wheels - Includes Zippered Storage Bag for Accessories AC to DC Adapter/Charger F-F Measurement Adapter F-BNC Calibration Adapter 75 Ω BNC-BNC Calibration Cable RJ-45 Network Cable RJ-45 Network Cross-Over Cable USB Storage Device - Includes the Q-Lab Software and the Operation Manuals for the Spectrum Analyzer and Q-Lab Software 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.7

17 Replacement Parts The following replacement parts are available for the 8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer: Part Number Description Suitcase on Wheels - Includes Zippered Storage Bag for Accessories AC to DC Adapter/Charger F-F Measurement Adapter F-BNC Calibration Adapter Ω BNC-BNC Calibration Cable XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX RJ-45 Network Cable RJ-45 Network Cross-Over Cable USB Storage Device To place an order, please call Trilithic at (800) or (317) Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.8

18 3. Getting to Know Your 8821Q-R 3 Front Panel Overview Main Power Switch: Turns the instrument ON or OFF. If the spectrum analyzer is turned OFF while charging, the red light will illuminate; when charging is complete, the orange light will illuminate. If the spectrum analyzer is turned ON while charging, the green light will illuminate, and when charging is complete, the orange light will illuminate. 2. TFT Color LCD: Displays the signal graph, measurement information, and setup parameters. 3. USB Port: This port is used to connect to a USB flash drive or USB keyboard. 4. Softbuttons: Activates the corresponding function displayed on the screen. 5. Calibration Signal Output Port (CAL OUT): This port is used to output a standard RF signal at 150 MHz with an amplitude of 28.7 dbmv. This is a standard 75Ω BNC type connector. 6. Tracking Generator Output Port (TG OUT): This port is used to output a tracking signal between 1 MHz and 1 GHz with an amplitude range between -5 and +43 dbmv. This is a standard 75Ω BNC type connector. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.9

19 7. Radio Frequency Input Port (RF IN) This port is used to input RF signals with frequency ranges between 1 MHz and 1 GHz. This is a standard 75Ω male type F connector. Two adapters, a female type F barrel connector and a female type F to female BNC type connector are provided with the instrument. CAUTION: If the input signal is overloaded, the attenuator and the input mixer of the instrument may be damaged. Be cautious when testing high-power RF sources and transmission systems. The maximum input power is +68 dbmv. CAUTION: If the voltage of the DC signal is too high, the input attenuator may be damaged. Make sure that input DC voltage is lower than 100V. 8. User Interface See the following section for specific details of the function of each button of the user interface. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.10

20 User Interface The user interface includes the following buttons to access various setup and measurement functions. FUNC Buttons FREQUENCY: This button is used to set the center frequency, start frequency, stop frequency, and frequency step of the displayed signal. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 2: Basic Measurement Settings, Frequency Settings or Section III: Advanced Measurement Functions, Chapter 3: DTV Analyzer, Channel & Frequency Settings. SPAN : This button is used to set the frequency span. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 2: Basic Measurement Settings, Span Settings. AMPLITUDE : This button is used to set the reference level, log/linear scale, amplitude units, and vertical resolution. You can also manually or automatically set the attenuation and turn the reference offset and amplifier on and off. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 2: Basic Measurement Settings, Amplitude Settings. WINDOW : This button is used to turn the double window display mode on and off. You can also set the center, span, left, and right limits of the window zone as well as switch control between each window. The double window display mode can only be used while in the Spectrum Analyzer Mode. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Double Window Display Mode. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.11

21 MARKER Buttons NORMAL : This button is used to place up to 8 markers on the signal and display the frequency and amplitude information of this marker. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Marker Tools. PEAK : This button is used to search for the peak signal in the span, and then set a marker on this peak of the wave. The instrument will display the frequency and amplitude information for this marker. You can also search 8 peaks and sort them by frequency or amplitude using the peak table and peak sort functions. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Peak Signal Search Tools. CONTROL Buttons SWEEP : This button is used to set an automatic or manual signal sweep time and a continuous or single signal sweep mode. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 3: Basic Parameter Settings, Signal Sweep Settings. BW : This button is used to set the an automatic or manual resolution BW and video BW. You can also turn video averaging on and off, and set the number of averages. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 3: Basic Parameter Settings, Bandwidth Settings. TRIG : This button is used to set the trigger mode to free run, video or TV-H. When in video trigger mode you can change the level and slope of the start trigger. When in TV- H trigger mode you can change the line and field of the TV Line trigger and set the television standard. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 3: Basic Parameter Settings, Trigger Settings. HOLD : This button is used to freeze the display of the current wave and the corresponding measurements until this button is pressed again. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 3: Basic Parameter Settings, Signal Hold. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.12

22 AUTO : This button is used to set the auto/manual state of RBW, VBW, attenuation, sweep time, and center frequency step. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 3: Basic Parameter Settings, Automatic/Manual Settings. TRACE : This button is used to view three different traces for the same input in different time and parameter settings. You can also select from six available detector modes. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Multi-Trace Tools. SGL : This button is used to activate the single signal sweep mode. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 3: Basic Parameter Settings, Single Signal Sweep Mode. AUX : This button is used to perform measurements of channel power, occupied bandwidth, adjacent channel power, demodulation, and input impedance. You can also use the limit line function to monitor the level of signal parameter. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 5: Auxiliary Measurement Tools. SYSTEM Buttons CONFIG : This button is used to perform system configuration tasks including; obtaining the instrument serial number and software/firmware version, printing and saving screen captures, setting the communication baud rate, setting the system clock and date format, language selection, setting the display palette, firmware/software updates, and selecting the USB driver for your USB flash drive. For more information on how to use this button, see Section I: The Basics, Chapter 4: System Configuration. MODE : This button is used to activate the Spectrum Analyzer, CATV Analyzer, QAM Analyzer, or Tracking Generator measurement mode. For more information on how to use this button, see Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes. PRINT SAVE : This button is used to print or save the currently displayed information. For more information on how to use this button, see Section I: The Basics, Chapter 4: System Configuration, Screen Images. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.13

23 MEAS : This button is used to obtain N db PTS measurements and display delta measurements as well as to view the internal temperature and current battery voltage if the instrument. You can also add a title to the currently displayed graphic to provide an easy way of identifying any screen captures that you may need make. For more information on how to use this button, see Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode, Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Measurement Tools. CAL : This button is used to calibrate the frequency and amplitude of the instrument. You can also turn ON/OFF calibration and response data. For more information on how to use this button, see Section I: The Basics, Chapter 5: System Calibration. RESET : This button is used to perform a system reset. The instrument will reboot and you will lose any unsaved data if this button is pressed. ENTRY Buttons 0 ~ 9 : These buttons are used to enter the corresponding numerical values.. : This button is used to enter the decimal point in numerical values. : This button is used to enter a negative sign when entering numerical values or to backspace when entering text or numerical values. ENTER : This button is used to accept changes and confirm numerical value entries. ESC : This button is used to escape from the current function or view. : This button is used to increase the value or a value or move up through a list. You can also use the knob to perform the same function. : This button is used to decrease the value or a value or move down through a list. You can also use the knob to perform the same function. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.14

24 Rear Panel 1. Tag Model information and serial number 2. LAN - RJ-45 Ethernet port for PC communication 3. VIDEO Not Used 4. S-VIDEO Not Used 5. VGA Not Used 6. COM Not Used 7. PARALLEL Not Used KEYBOARD Standard PS2 keyboard input CAUTION: Turn the power OFF before connecting a keyboard to the analyzer; failure to do so may cause damage to the instrument. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.15

25 9. Power Supply ON/OFF Switch - This switch is used to turn the power on/off to the power supply without disconnecting the AC to DC Adapter from the instrument. WARNING: Use the charger provided for this instrument. Failure to do so may cause operator injury or damage to the instrument. 10. CHARGER Connect the included AC to DC Adapter to this input in order to charge the internal battery. 11. Fan If the internal temperature of the instrument is too high, the fan will automatically start to cool the instrument. 12. Ground Chassis ground connection 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.16

26 4. System Configuration 4 Overview The basic system configuration settings of the spectrum analyzer are used to set the Date, Time, Communications Settings, Display Screen Title, and Display Palette of the device. The CONFIG Button is located in the lower right corner of the user interface, as shown in the following figure: PRINT You will also learn how to capture and manage screen images using the Button as SAVE highlighted above. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.17

27 Pressing the CONFIG Button on the front panel enables you to perform the system configuration. The System Configuration sub-menu will appear as follows; (a) System Configuration Sub-Menu Page 1 of 2 (b) System Configuration Sub-Menu Page 2 of 2 The System Configuration sub-menu will allow you to; View general system Information including; Serial Number, Software Version, Firmware Version, etc. Adjust communications settings. View, Save, and Load preset system settings. Adjust time and date settings. Choose your default language settings. View and delete files stored on internal memory and save files to a USB drive. Change the display palette between the XP, Classic, and Outdoor views. Change the title that is displayed at the top of the measurement screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.18

28 About Menu Press the About Softbutton as shown in Figure (a) on the previous page; this will enable you to view the following information about the 8821Q-R; Serial Number Software Version DSP Firmware Version Available Memory Information Calibration information Option information 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.19

29 Communications Settings After pressing the Comm Settings Softbutton, the sub-menu which is in the following figure will appear. Baud Rate (NOT AVAILABLE) Although this menu allows you to adjust the Baud Rate of the RS-232 COM port, this port is not functional on the 8821Q-R. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.20

30 IP Address After pressing the IP Address Softbutton, the sub-menu, which is shown in the following figure, will appear and you can set the IP address of the 8821Q-R by using the keypad to enter the IP Address in the format ###.###.###.###. After you have entered the IP Address, you can press the ENTER Button to accept the new IP Address. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.21

31 System Preset Settings Press the Preset Settings Softbutton to view the sub-menu that is shown in the following figure. In this menu, you can choose to Save the current System Settings, Load or Del an existing System Settings, or View all existing System Settings that have ever been saved. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.22

32 Time & Date Settings After pressing the Time Settings Softbutton; you can set the time display to On or Off. If you select On, you can enter the local date and time. Date Format Press the Date Format Softbutton to choose your desired date format, select the corresponding softbutton as shown in the figure below. Available date formats include; YY-MM-DD, MM-DD-YY, or DD-MM-YY. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.23

33 Date Entry To enter the current date, press the Set Date Softbutton and enter the date in the format YYYYMMDD as shown in the figure below. Time Entry To enter the current time, press the Set Time Softbutton and enter the date in the format HHMMSS as shown in the figure below. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.24

34 Language Select (NOT AVAILABLE) Although the this menu allows you to adjust the Language of the 8821Q-R, this feature is not functional on the 8821Q-R. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.25

35 Screen Images Capturing Screen Images While in any measurement screen you are able to capture the currently displayed image by PRINT pressing the Button. You will be prompted to enter a file name. Use the keypad to type SAVE the name of the image file. When you have finished entering the name of the file, press the ENTER Button to confirm the name of the file. Use the following figure as a reference to the characters that are available when entering the file name using the keypad. The red text below represents the alphabetical characters that can be entered by repeatedly pressing the corresponding numerical button pqrs ghi tuv jkl wxyz mno ESC ENTER # abc. Not Used def Back Space Note: To change between color or black and white screen images, see Selecting the Type of Screen Capture in this chapter. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.26

36 Managing Screen Images Press the Print/Save Softbutton and the sub-menu shown Figure (a) will appear. From the Print/Save sub-menu, press the Save Softbutton to view the sub-menu shown in figure (b). (a) Print/Save Sub-Menu (b) Save Sub-Menu Selecting the Type of Screen Capture To choose the type of screen capture that is taken, press the Type Softbutton to select between Col (Color) or B&W (Black & White). Selecting Screen Capture Images To choose the images to delete or transfer to a USB drive, you can turn the knob or press the or Button to move the arrow that is located to the left of the image files. Once the arrow is next to the image file you want to delete or transfer, press the ENTER Softbutton. Then the corresponding image file will be selected. If you would like to select all of the image files in memory to delete or transfer to a USB Drive, simply press the Select All Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.27

37 Transmitting Images Using the RS-232 COM Port (NOT AVAILABLE) Although this menu allows you to select the Trans To RS-232 Softbutton, this feature is not functional on the 8821Q-R. Saving Images to a USB Drive To save selected image files to a USB Drive select the Trans to USB Disk Softbutton. The image files will then be copied to the USB Drive while retaining the original image files in the internal memory of the 8821Q-R until they are manually deleted. Note: To transfer images to the USB Drive, the USB Drive should be inserted into the USB Port before starting the instrument. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.28

38 Deleting Screen Image Capture Files To delete selected image files, select the Delete Softbutton. You will be prompted with the question Really Del The File(s). To confirm the deleting the selected files, select the ENTER Button to delete or select the ESC button to cancel the deletion of the image files. Previewing Screen Image Captures Press the Preview Softbutton to preview the screen image captures that are stored in the internal memory of the 8821Q-R. You can turn the knob or press the or Button to move between the image files in alphabetical order by file name. Once the arrow is next to the image file you want to preview, press the Preview Softbutton. To return to the Save Sub-Menu, select the ESC Button. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.29

39 Display Palette To provide a more comfortable user environment, you can change the color of display screen to better suit your personal preference or user environment. You can choose between the three different styles shown in the figures below. (a) XP Screen Palette (b) Classic Screen Palette (c) Outdoor Screen Palette 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.30

40 Display Screen Title After pressing the Title Softbutton, the following sub-menu will appear: When rotating the knob, the cursor under the character will move with it. Set the cursor on the character you want to choose, then press the ENTER Button. The selected character will appear in the title position. Pressing the Button will erase any unwanted characters. Press the Save Sofbutton to save the title. Otherwise, the input will be lost after pressing the Return Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.31

41 5. System Calibration 5 Overview For the analyzer to meet its specifications and characteristics, the self-calibration routines should be performed periodically or whenever the ambient temperature changes more than 5 C. System calibration includes amplitude calibration. This amplitude calibration is used to adjust for any amplitude errors that can be caused by window functions of different RBW or attenuators. Calibration Procedure Allow the analyzer to warm up for 30 minutes before performing the following calibration steps: 1. Connect the CAL OUT and RF IN Port on the front panel of the 8821Q-R using the included BNC-BNC calibration cable. CAUTION: Make sure that the BNC-BNC cable used for calibration is the cable delivered with the instrument. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.32

42 2. Press the CAL Button on the front-panel; the following sub-menu will appear. Press the Amplitude Softbutton to calibrate the amplitude of the 8821Q-R. When the calibration is complete, the text Calibrate Success appears in the upper left portion of the screen as shown below. (a) Calibration Sub-Menu (a) Calibrate Success Cal Data: Adds the calibration data to the spectrum display. Resp Data: Adds the frequency response data to the spectrum display. The response data is set at the factory and is unable to be changed by the user. Note: During the process of calibration, the instrument is unable to respond to any keyboard commands except the RESET Button. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.33

43 6. Software & Firmware Updates 6 Overview If you need to update the 8821Q-R software & firmware, please download the update file from or contact Trilithic Application Engineering to obtain the newest version. Software & Firmware Update Procedure Perform the following steps in order to update the software & firmware of the 8821Q-R; 1. Verify and record the current software & firmware version numbers from the About Sub- Menu as shown in Chapter 4: System Configuration, About Menu. 2. Copy the firmware update file you obtained from Trilithic to the root directory of the USB Drive. 3. While the 8821Q-R is turned off, insert the USB Drive into the USB port of the 8821Q-R. CAUTION: Make sure that the charger is connected to the 8821Q-R and a power source before continuing with the update process. If you do not connect a power source, the instrument s battery power may be exhausted and the software & firmware on the instrument may be destroyed and cannot be recovered unless the instrument is sent back to Trilithic. 4. Start the 8821Q-R by pressing the power button. 5. The firmware update will automatically start when the 8821Q-R is turned on and the progress of the update will be displayed on the screen. Note: The update file will be removed from the USB Disk once the software & firmware update is complete. 6. After the firmware update is complete, the 8821Q-R will reboot. 7. Verify the new software & firmware version numbers from the About Sub-Menu as shown in Chapter 4: System Configuration, About Menu. Note: If the version number of the new software & firmware has not changed or does not match the version number of the update file you obtained from Trilithic, retry the update or contact Trilithic for support. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section I: The Basics 1.34

44 8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode

45 1. Overview 1 Introduction The spectrum analyzer is accessed using the MODE Button that is located on the user interface, as shown in the following figure: After pressing the MODE Button the Mode Menu will appear, and you can access the Spectrum Analyzer Mode by pressing the Spectrum Analyzer Softbutton: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.2

46 Single Window Display Mode Once the instrument has been turned on, the single window spectrum analyzer screen will be the default view of the instrument as shown below or you can press the MODE Button and select the Spectrum Analyzer Softbutton Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.3

47 The following table describes the measurement information that is displayed in the Single Window Mode of the Spectrum Analyzer Screen. Item Annotation Description 1 Date 2 Log/Line Mode 3 Time 4 Amplitude Scale 5 Detector Mode 6 Detector Type 7 Display Screen Title 8 Marker Frequency Displays the current date. To adjust the date see: Section I: The Basics, Chapter 4: System Configuration, Time & Date Settings. Displays whether the amplitude is currently shown in either Logarithmic or Linear Mode. To adjust this setting see: Chapter 2: Basic Measurement Settings, Amplitude Settings, Log/Linear Scale. Displays the current time. To adjust the time see Section I: The Basics, Chapter 4: System Configuration, Time & Date Settings. Displays the current amplitude scale graduation. To adjust the amplitude scale see: Chapter 2: Basic Measurement Settings, Amplitude Settings, Scale/Div. Displays whether the detector mode is currently enabled. To enable/disable the detector mode setting see: Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Marker Tools. Displays the type of detector that is currently enabled. To adjust this setting see: Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Peak Signal Search Tools. Displays the current user-entered title of the display screen. To adjust this setting see: Section I: The Basics, Chapter 4: System Configuration, Display Screen Title. Displays the frequency of the selected marker. To adjust the frequency of the selected marker see: Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Marker Tools. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.4

48 Item Annotation Description 9 Marker Amplitude Displays the amplitude of the selected marker. 10 UNCAL Message Displays that the measurement is in an uncalibrated configuration. 11 Soft-Menu 12 Reference Level 13 Active Function Area Displays the menu items within the current menu that can be selected by pressing the corresponding softkey to the right of the display screen. Displays the current reference level. To adjust the reference level see: Chapter 2: Basic Measurement Settings, Amplitude Settings, Reference Level. Used to display the currently active function as well as user-entered values. 14 Waveforms Displays the waveform that is currently being measuered. 15 Display Line Delta 16 Position of Display Line 17 Center Frequency 18 RBW Shows change at the display line between the current waveform to the waveform that is memorized when the display line delta function is turned on. To enable the display line delta function see: Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Miscellaneous Measurement Tools, Display Line Measurement. Shows the current value of the display line. To adjust the position of the display line see: Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Miscellaneous Measurement Tools, Display Line Measurement. Displays the currently selected center frequency of the display. To adjust the center frequency see: Chapter 2: Basic Measurement Settings, Frequency Settings, Center Frequency. Displays the current resolution bandwidth frequency (RBW is preceded by an asterisk (*) when set in Manual Mode) To adjust the resolution bandwidth see: Chapter 2: Basic Parameter Settings, Bandwidth Settings. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.5

49 Item Annotation Description 19 VBW 20 Span 21 Sweep Time 22 Tracking Generator 23 Attenuator Level 24 Battery/Charging Status 25 Preamplifier Status Displays the current video bandwidth filter frequency (VBW is preceded by an asterisk (*) when set in Manual Mode). To adjust the video bandwidth filter frequency see: Chapter 1: Basic Parameter Settings, Bandwidth Settings. Displays the currently selected frequency span of the display. To adjust the center frequency see: Chapter 1: Basic Measurement Settings, Span Settings. Displays the currently selected time required to make a sweep of the display (SWEEP is preceded by an asterisk (*) when set in Manual Mode) To adjust the sweep time see: Chapter 1: Basic Parameter Settings, Signal Sweep Settings. Displays whether the tracking generator (if installed) is currently enabled. To enable/disable the tracking generator see: Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes, Chapter 3: Tracking Generator. Displays the current attenuator level (ATT is preceded by an asterisk (*) when set in the Manual Mode) To adjust the attenuator level see: Chapter 1: Basic Measurement Settings, Amplitude Settings, Attenuation. Displays the voltage status of the battery including whether the battery is charging. Displays whether the amplifier is currently enabled. To enable/disable the preamplifier see: Chapter 1: Basic Measurement Settings, Amplitude Settings, Preamplifier. 26 Fan Status Displays whether the internal fan is currently running. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.6

50 Double Window Display Mode This function allows you to view the integral information of the signal in one window while observing the details in the other window. After pressing the WINDOW Button, two windows of the same size, which are shown in the following figure will appear: The upper window shows the wide BW signal information; the parameter settings of this window are the same as the single window. The lower window shows the information of the zone plotted by two blue lines. The two windows can use different settings. Therefore, the lower window can be the stretched version of the upper window (when the two blue lines are set in the sweep span of the upper window). The two windows can work separately as well. The start and stop frequency of the lower window can be set outside the sweep span of the upper window. At that time, the two blue lines will lay at the leftmost or rightmost side of the upper window. The spectrums can be changed to be viewed in different settings, but only one of the window settings can be changed at a time. This window is called the active window, and is designated by the Win Select Softbutton highlighting Up or Down. Parameters of the two windows can be set separately including reference level, sweep span, RBW, VBW, sweep time, center frequency, etc. Note: Window function will be available only when the instrument is in Spectrum Analyzer mode. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.7

51 Zone Selection Zone selected operations include Zone Center, Zone Span, Zone PK Right and Zone PK Left. The span and frequency of the lower window will change with the change of the zone. ZONE CENTER The center frequency of the lower window will change with the change of Zone Center, while the span of it will be unchanged. There are two ways to change the Zone Center: 1. Press the or Button: the step is 1/10 of the span. 2. Rotating the knob: the step is 1/500 of the span. You can use the same method to change Zone Span, Zone PK Right and Zone PK Left. ZONE SPAN The span of the lower window will change with the change of Zone Span. In some cases, changing Zone Span will cause the RBW, VBW and sweep time changes of the lower window. ZONE PK RIGHT/LEFT Pressing the Zone PK Right/Zone PK Left Softbutton will change the right/left limit of the zone. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.8

52 Window Switch Pressing Win Select will activate the window you need. Zoom Selection After setting the Zoom Sel to On, you can zoom the active window to full screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.9

53 2. Basic Measurement Settings 2 Overview The basic measurement settings of the spectrum analyzer are used to set the frequency, span, and amplitude of the input signal. The FREQUENCY, SPAN and AMPLITUDE Buttons are located on the upper left corner of the user interface, as shown in the following figure: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.10

54 Frequency Settings After pressing the FREQUENCY Button, the following sub-menu will appear: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.11

55 Center Frequency Press the Centr Freq Softbutton to change the current center frequency. There are three methods to enter the frequency value: 1. To directly enter the number, press the numeric buttons; the Unit Menu will appear, which is shown in the following figure. Select the unit from this menu to complete the center frequency change. To set the center frequency to 20 MHz, press the 2 and 0 numeric buttons; then choose MHz. The center frequency change is now complete. Note: The frequency range is limited to the range of 0 to 1000 MHz; if a value is entered outside of this range, it will be set to the nearest limit. Note: In most parameter input cases, the information about the item and the input value will display on the screen, see the figure above. 2. Press the or Button: change by the step that is defined by Freq Step. 3. Rotate the knob: change by a step of 1/500 of the span. You can use the same method to enter the value of the Start Frequency, Stop Frequency and Frequency Step as described in the following sections. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.12

56 Start Frequency Pressing the Start Freq Softbutton allows you to change the start frequency. Stop Frequency Pressing the Stop Freq Softbutton allows you to change the stop frequency. Frequency Step The default value of Freq Step is 1/10 of the span. Pressing the Freq Step Softbutton and setting it to Manu allows you to enter the frequency step. Span Settings After pressing the SPAN Button, the following sub-menu will appear: Span Span equals the stop frequency minus the start frequency. The span setting determines the horizontal-axis scale of the analyzer display. The span range of the instrument is from 0 Hz to 1000 MHz. The larger the span is set, the more signals can be viewed, but the lower precision the measurement will become. On the contrary, the narrower the span is set, the fewer signals can be viewed, and the higher precision the measurement will become. Therefore, choosing the appropriate span is important. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.13

57 There are three methods to change the span: The first is to perform a manual entry. The second is to press the or Button; change steps are 1, 2, 5, and the change sequence is 200 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 khz, 2 khz.1000 MHz. The last method is to rotate the knob; the change step is 1/100 of the span. Note: When the RBW and the sweep time are set to Manu, large spans will cause inaccurate measurement results. In such cases, the system will give the prompt UNCAL. For more information, see Chapter 3: Basic Parameter Settings, Bandwidth Settings in this Section. Note: Pressing the or Button cannot change the span to 0 Hz. Note: When using the or Button to change the sequence, if the current span isn t listed on the change sequence, it will be treated as the nearest lower number in the sequence. That is, 199 Hz will be treated as 0 Hz. Pressing the Button, however, will change the span to 200 Hz. The following figure is an example of a 50 MHz span. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.14

58 The following figure is an example of a wide bandwidth. Span Zoom After pressing the Span Zoom Softbutton, the system will search through all signals to find the peak signal. When the peak signal is located, this frequency will be centered on the screen, and the span will be adjusted appropriately for optimal display. Full Span Changes the span to 1000 MHz. Zero Span Changes the span to 0 Hz. This shows the time domain information of selected frequency. Zero span is very useful for observing the AM and FM signals and the signal of time domain. For more information, see Chapter 5: Auxiliary Measurement Tools, Demodulation Measurements. Last Span Changes the current span back to last span. You can directly switch between current span and the last span by pressing this softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.15

59 Amplitude Settings After pressing the AMPLITUDE Button, the following sub-menu will appear: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.16

60 Reference Level The reference level is displayed as Ref in the upper left corner of the screen as shown in the following figure: Note: The smallest reference value changes in accord with a changed attenuator setting. The details are described in the next section. The instrument s unit of reference can be set to dbm, dbmv, dbμv, and mv. The exchange formula between the different units is shown in the table below. Formula Source Value New Value dbm = dbµv dbµv -40 dbm dbm = dbmv dbmv -40 dbm dbm = 20*log(mV) mv -40 dbm 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.17

61 There are three methods to change the reference level: 1. To enter by using the numeric buttons: After entering the number, the Unit Menu will appear. Choose the unit you need to finish the reference level entry. 2. To enter by using the or Button: The increment of change for this method corresponds to the amplitude of one grid spacing. 3. To enter by using the knob: The increment of change for this method corresponds to the amplitude of 1/10 of one grid spacing. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.18

62 Attenuation The attenuator is an important part of the instrument. It can reduce the signal distortion by attenuating the power level at the first mixer input. The attenuator values range from 0 to 55 db with 5 db increments; the default value is 10 db. Increasing the value of the attenuator can diminish the mixer distortion, but the system s base noise will increase too, which will reduce the range of measurable signal. In Auto mode, the system can automatically provide a suitable attenuator value. If you want to set the attenuator manually, you should first set the Atten Softbutton (shown in the Reference Level figure) to Manu and then enter the value using the numeric buttons, or Button or the knob. By using the or Button or the knob, the change increment is 5 db, and the attenuator cannot be set to 0 db. CAUTION: The amplitude of the signal at the input of the first mixer should be less than +28 dbmv; otherwise the signal may be distorted. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.19

63 Log/Linear Scale In Log state, the difference of Y-coordinates has the direct ratio to ΔdB, while in the Linear state it has the direct ratio to voltage difference ΔV. In most cases, the instrument is in Log state, but in some special cases (for example, when measuring the modulation degree of AM), the Linear state is the better choice. The commonly used units in the Log state are dbm, dbµv or dbmv. The wave will not change with the change of unit. The commonly used units in Linear state are mv, V, µv or nv. The wave will not change with the change of unit. The figure below shows the different measurement results of the same signal; (a) is in Log state, and (b) is in Linear state. (a) Log State: Ref is 26.8 dbmv (b) Linear State: Ref is 21.9 mv 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.20

64 Vertical Resolution After pressing the Amp Units Softbutton, the following sub-menu will appear: Choose the resolution unit you want and then press the Return Softbutton to finish the setting. Note: Changing the resolution will not change the Log/Linear state. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.21

65 Scale/Div The Scale/Div is displayed on the upper portion of the screen. In Log state: the default is 10 db/div (grid line). After pressing the Scale/Div Softbutton, you can enter the numeric value from 1 to 40 or decimal number from 0.1 to 0.9 to change the scale to the state wanted. The Scale/Div can be changed by using the or Buttons or the knob. In Linear state: Scale/Div is shown as x n. After pressing the Scale/Div Softbutton, the submenu will appear. You can choose x1, x2, x5, or x10 in this sub-menu. 1/n is the ratio of voltage difference between the lowest level displayed on the screen and the reference level. For example, when the reference level is 1 mv, if the Scale/Div is x1, the lowest voltage displayed on the screen is 0 mv, but if the Scale/Div is x2, the lowest voltage displayed on the screen will be 0.5 mv. Whether in Log or Linear state, the change of Scale/Div will not change the measured value. (a) 10 db/div in Log State (b) 5 db/div in Log State (c) X1 Scale/Div in Linear State (d) X2 Scale/Div in Linear State 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.22

66 Reference Offset This option is used to enter an offset value that will be added to all amplitude measurements. Preamplifier There is a preamplifier in the 8821Q-R. By pressing the Amplifier Softbutton, you can set the On/Off state of this amplifier according to the signal intensity. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.23

67 3. Basic Control Settings 3 Overview The basic parameter settings of the spectrum analyzer are used to set the Bandwidth, Signal Sweep, Automatic/Manual Settings, and Trigger Settings of the input signal. The SWEEP, BW HOLD, AUTO the following figure:, TRIG,, and SGL Buttons are located on the bottom middle of the user interface, as shown in 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.24

68 Bandwidth Settings After pressing the BW Button, the following sub-menu will appear: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.25

69 Resolution BW Resolution bandwidth (RBW) refers to the IF filter bandwidth of spectrum analyzer. RBW defines the smallest frequency difference of two adjacent signals that can be distinguished by the spectrum analyzer. Therefore, the narrower the RBW is set, the better the frequency resolution of the analyzer. Narrower RBWs require more measurement time (see also Sweep Mode, Sweep Time and Hold section in this chapter). If the sweep time is too fast or the RBW too narrow, the system will give the prompt UNCAL. See the following figure for the largest RBW that can distinguish the signals. If RBW is set to Manu and the frequency span exceeds the range listed in the following table (RBW Auto Settings), the system will give the prompt UNCAL. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.26

70 Span Span <= 5 khz Span <= 10 khz Span <= 20 khz Span <= 50 khz Span <= 100 khz Span <= 1 MHz Span <= 5 MHz Span <= 10 MHz Span <= 50 MHz Span <= 500 MHz Span > 500 MHz RBW 30 Hz 100 Hz 300 Hz 1 khz 3 khz 10 khz 30 khz 100 khz 300 khz 1 MHz 3 MHz The RBW can be changed from 30 Hz to 3 MHz in a 1,3,10 sequence. After setting the Res BW to Manu, change the RBW by entering the number, pressing the or Button, or rotating the knob. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.27

71 Video BW Video bandwidth (VBW) controls the lowpass filter after the IF detector, which can reduce the magnitude of noise in the detected trace. It is very useful for detecting signals near the noise floor. To improve the filter s effect, manually set the VBW to smaller than 1/10 of the RBW. When VBW is set to Auto, the VBW will change with RBW. A lower VBW requires a longer sweep time. (a) VBW = 300 khz (b) VBW = 300 Hz In figure (b) above, there is a *VBW on the screen, in which * indicates that VBW is in Manual state. The same * is used to indicate the Manual state of RBW, sweep time and the attenuation level. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.28

72 Video Average After setting the Video Avg to On, the spectrum will calculate the average value of current trace and previous traces values. The default state of Video Avg is Off. Video Avg will also reduce the displayed noise on the trace but without an increase in sweep time. When Video Avg is set On, the Detector mode will be changed to Sample mode automatically. For more information, see Chapter 4: Basic Measurement Tools, Multi-Trace Tools, Detector Mode in this Section. The default number averages is 100. Pressing the numeric button after setting the Video Avg to On will change the number of averages. (a) Video Average if Off (b) Video Average is On 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.29

73 Signal Sweep Settings After pressing the SWEEP Button, the following sub-menu will appear: Sweep time is dependent upon span, RBW and VBW. If the sweep time is too fast for the current settings of span, RBW and VBW, the system will give the prompt UNCAL. Set the Sweep Time to Manu and enter the desired time. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.30

74 Single Signal Sweep Mode To directly access the Single Signal Sweep Mode, press the SGL Button, as shown in the following figure: There are two sweep modes; one is Continuous, and the other is Single. The default mode is Continuous. If you want to set the type of Sweep mode to Single, you can set the Sweep Softbutton to Sigl or press the SGL Button to activate a single sweep. Pressing the SGL Button again will activate another single sweep. To access the Continuous Signal Sweep Mode, select the Sweep Softbutton to set it to Cont. Signal Hold To freeze the current signal display on the screen, press the HOLD Button. To reactivate the signal sweep, press the HOLD Button again. Note: When the signal display is frozen, neither of the sweep modes can be activated despite being in Continuous Signal Sweep Mode or Single Signal Sweep Mode. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.31

75 Automatic/Manual Settings After pressing the AUTO Button, the following sub-menu will appear: You can select the Auto/Manu state of the Resolution Bandwidth, Video Bandwidth, Attenuation, Sweep Time, or CF Step. By pressing the Auto All Softbutton, you can set the state of all of these parameters to Auto. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.32

76 Trigger Settings After pressing the TRIG Button, the following sub-menu will appear: Free Run This is the default mode of the system. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.33

77 Video Rise / Fall Edge In this mode, you can change the level of Start Trigger by rotating the knob after selecting the Video Rise Edge or Video Fall Edge Softbutton. TV-H In this mode, the TV Line Trigger is selected. You can change the line and set the field to Odd/ Even. Also, you can set the standard to B/D/G/I/H/K/K1/L or M/N. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.34

78 4. Basic Measurement Tools 4 Overview The basic measurement tools of the spectrum analyzer are used to set parameters for the marker, peak signal search, multi-trace, and measurement tools. Also, this section describes the operation of the Double Window Display Mode. The NORMAL, PEAK located on the user interface, as shown in the following figure:, TRACE, and MEAS Buttons are 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.35

79 Marker Tools After pressing the NORMAL Button, the following sub-menu will appear: After pressing the Mkr Normal Softbutton, if no marker is set to On, the system will automatically set the Mkr Normal to On. If other markers are On, the state of these markers will remain unchanged. To turn off all markers, press the All Off Softbutton. Normal Marker After pressing the Mkr Normal Softbutton or pressing the NORMAL Button while no marker is set to On, the normal marker will appear on the screen. At the same time, the amplitude and frequency/time information of this marker will be displayed on the upper right side of the screen. When the span is set to zero, the trace displayed on the screen is a time domain wave; therefore, the horizontal axis is changed from frequency to time. The start time is zero, and the stop time is equal to the sweep time. The displayed marker information is also changed to display time. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.36

80 The location of the marker can be changed by three methods: 1. Press the or Button. The step change of this method is 1/10 of span. 2. Rotate the knob. The step change is 1/500 of the span. 3. Manually input the number desired. When the Mkr Normal is On, press Marker To Center/Marker to Ref Lvl to set the frequency/amplitude of the marked point to center frequency/reference level. (a) Before Pressing Marker To Ref Lvl (b) After Pressing Marker to Ref Lvl (c) Before Pressing Marker To Center (d) After Pressing Marker To Center 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.37

81 Delta Mark After pressing this softbutton, two markers will appear on the screen. The start positions of these two markers are the same. Rotating the knob, pressing the or Button or manually entering the frequency value will change the position of the second marker. The amplitude and frequency/time difference between the two markers will be displayed on the upper right portion of the screen. The main function of Delta Mark is to compare two signals as shown in the following figure: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.38

82 Fixed Mark Fixed Mark is similar to Delta Mark. The main function of Fixed Mark is to view the difference between two markers. The method to change the position of the second marker is the same as Delta Mark. The difference is that the first marker will be frozen after setting the Fixed Mark Softbutton to On, and its position will not change with the signal again, except when the reference level or the frequency is changed (the absolute amplitude and frequency value of this marker is unchanged). 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.39

83 Multi-Marker and Marker Table After pressing the 1/2,More> Softbutton, the second menu will appear, as shown in the following figure: The instrument can display 8 markers simultaneously. After pressing the Select Mkr Softbutton, you can switch between these markers. Once you have switched to the marker you desire, press the Marker Softbutton to set the ON/OFF state. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.40

84 After selecting the marker and setting its state to ON, you can change the marker s position in the same way as changing Mkr Normal. The marker table displays values of all active markers, as shown in the following figure: Note: When switching between Mkr Normal, Delta Mark, Fixed Mark and Multi-Markers, the previous marker is automatically set to OFF. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.41

85 Count Frequency Count will give the accurate frequency of the strongest signal near the marker. The bandwidth of the counter is +/- 100 khz, and the resolution is 1 Hz. Note: If the Count Softbutton is set to On, the displayed frequency will change from the frequency of marker to the frequency of the strongest signal around the marker. (a) Count Off (b) Count On 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.42

86 Mark Noise After setting Mark Noise to On, you can obtain the average power of the noise relative to a 1 Hz noise bandwidth. It will take the place of the amplitude displayed on the upper right portion of the screen. Noise/Hz After setting Noise/Hz to On, the difference between current amplitude and the average noise power will display on the screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.43

87 Peak Signal Search Tools After pressing the PEAK Button, the following sub-menu will appear: Peak Search If there is no marker set to On, the system will search for the peak signal in the span and set the marker on it when the PEAK Button is pressed. Next Peak, Next Right Peak and Next Left Peak Next Peak: Searches for the peak value that is lower than the one that is marked. Next Right Peak: Searches for the next peak value on the right side of the current marker. Next Left Peak: Searches for the next peak value on the left side of the current marker. Marker to Center and Marker to Ref Lvl Pressing Marker To Center/Marker To Ref Lvl can set the frequency/amplitude of current active marker to the center frequency/reference level. If there is more than one marker in the On state, the marker that the Select Mkr is pointed to is treated as the active marker. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.44

88 Peak Table and Peak Sort Peak table has a format similar to marker table. See figure below. Pressing the PK Sort Softbutton can sort the found peaks by Freq or Amp. When setting the PK Table to On, the system will search 8 peaks and sort them by frequency or amplitude. The default state is by amplitude. The frequency/time and amplitude information for these peaks will display on the bottom of the screen. The peaks will change with the wave change. Peak Track When setting the state of Peak Track to On, the system will search the peak and change the center frequency automatically. Otherwise, the peak marker will stay on the initially searched frequency/time. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.45

89 Multi-Trace Tools After pressing the TRACE Button, the following sub-menu will appear. There are three traces that you can choose: A, B or C. You can switch between these traces by pressing the Trace Softbutton. The three traces are different waves for the same input that can be viewed in different time and parameter settings. Write Trace A defaults to Write Mode. In this mode, the wave is continuously refreshed. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.46

90 View After pressing the View Softbutton, the trace will be held. When changing to other traces, you can see the changes of the wave with the different parameter settings. The following figure gives an example of the View Softbutton. Trace A is in the View state, and the reference level is 26.3 dbµv. When changing the reference to 11.3 dbµv, only the trace in Write mode changed, while Trace A remains unchanged. Blank Erases the display of the selected trace. Max Hold Max Hold mode is similar to Write mode, but the wave shown on the screen will keep the largest value after comparing the history when the Max Hold mode is selected. Min Hold Min Hold mode is similar to Write mode, but the wave shown on the screen will keep the smallest value after comparing the history when the Min Hold mode is selected. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.47

91 Detector Modes The instrument has 5 detector modes, which are shown in the figures below. (a) Sample (b) Posi-Peak (c) Neg-Peak (d) Normal (e) Average 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.48

92 Sample The detector samples the data point during the middle of the VBW filter output of each sweep point, and then displays it. It is more suitable for viewing the noise. Positive-Peak The detector samples the positive value of VBW filter output of each sweep point, and displays it. If the sweep time is long enough, this detector can put out the maximum envelop of the modulated signal. Negative-Peak This detector is the opposite of the positive-peak detector. The output of it is the minimum envelop of the signal. Normal This detector continuously samples the positive-peak value of the signal, while alternately sampling the positive and the negative peak value of the noise and displays it. Average The output of this detector is the average value of all detected values for each sweep point. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.49

93 Measurement Tools After pressing the MEAS Button, the following sub-menu will appear: N db PTS Press the N db PTS Softbutton to set it to On. The analyzer will measure the selected (N) bandwidth of the displayed signal relative to the peak of the signal. The result is displayed in upper right portion of the screen. The default value is -3 db, and the output is the frequency difference of two points, which have an amplitude of 3 db lower than the peak value. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.50

94 Display Line and Display Delta After setting the Disp Line to On, a red line will appear in the middle of the screen, and the amplitude of it will appear on the upper right portion of the screen. After setting Disp Line to On, set DL Delta to On. At that moment, the wave will be memorized and the amplitude difference of current wave and the memorized will be displayed around the Disp Line. (a) Display Line In Default Position (b) After Display Line Shift The default position of Disp Line is in the middle of the screen. You can change the position by rotating the knob or pressing the or Button. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.51

95 Internal Temperature and Battery Voltage After pressing the Temperature or Voltage Softbutton, you can obtain the internal temperature or current battery voltage of the spectrum analyzer. When temperature exceeds a preset value, the fan will run, and a fan icon will appear on the lower right portion of the screen. When the battery voltage falls below the preset value, the system will give an alarm. If the battery voltage continues to decline, the system will automatically power OFF. The system detects temperature and voltage changes of the analyzer every 5 minutes. (a) Internal Temperature (b) Battery Voltage 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.52

96 5. Auxiliary Measurement Tools 5 Overview The auxiliary measurement tools of the spectrum analyzer are used to set parameters for the power measurement, demodulation, impedance, and limit line tools. The AUX Buttons is located on the user interface, as shown in the following figure: After pressing the AUX Button, the following sub-menu will appear: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.53

97 Channel Measurements After pressing the Power Mea Softbutton, the following sub-menu will appear: From this menu, you can choose to measure the channel power, occupied bandwidth, adjacent channel power and modify other parameters. The DTV Analyzer Softbutton will appear in the menu and lead you directly to the DTV Analysis function from the Chan Meas Menu. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.54

98 Channel Power Channel Power refers to the average power of the signal in certain span. After modifying the center frequency, you can modify the channel bandwidth in the Settings Menu. After you press the Settings Softbutton, the Chan Meas Menu, which is shown in the following figure, will appear. From this menu, you can modify the channel spacing, channel bandwidth and occupied bandwidth % power. In the Channel Measurements function, you can modify the channel bandwidth manually. Otherwise, it will use the default value 8 MHz (for PAL) or 6 MHz (for NTSC). In order to measure accurately, the measurement span is set to two times the channel bandwidth. After finishing these settings, pressing the Return Softbutton, will return you to the Chan Meas Menu. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.55

99 In the following figure, the area between the two lines is the channel bandwidth. In the measurement results window at the bottom, CHANNEL POWER represents the average power of the channel under test, CSP represents the channel spacing, and CBW represents the channel bandwidth. You can also use the Single Scan or Continuous Scan function by selecting the Single Softbutton or Continuous Softbutton. (a) Continuous Scan (b) Single Scan 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.56

100 Occupied Bandwidth Occupied bandwidth is the frequency range that represents a certain percent of the whole power. In Chan Meas Menu, you can press the Settings Softbutton to modify the Channel Spacing and Occupied BW % Power manually. The default of Channel Spacing is 4 MHz, and for Occupied BW % Power, the default is 99.9%. When you press the Occupy BW Softbutton in the Chan Meas Menu, the Occupied Bandwidth state, which is shown in the following figure, will appear. In order to measure accurately, the scan span is set to three times the channel bandwidth. Similar to the Channel Power measurement, you can use the single scan and continuous scan function by selecting the Single and Continuous Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.57

101 Adjacent Channel Power The bandwidth of adjacent channel is the same as the bandwidth of the currently tested channel. In the Chan Meas Menu, when you press the Adj Chan Power Softbutton, the adjacent channel power measurement will measure and display the relative power of the upper and lower adjacent channels. Measurement results will appear as they are in the following figure. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.58

102 Demodulation Measurements In the Aux Ctrl sub-menu, you can press the Demod Softbutton to enter the Demod Menu. Then you can press the related softbutton to select Demod AM or Demod FM, the default is Demod AM. Listen On Once you press the Listen On Softbutton, the main window will display the time domain response of the demodulated signal and the current volume setting in the measurement information window at the bottom display. You can rotate the knob to change the volume; meanwhile, you can change the center frequency as well. The figure below shows the Listen On state. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.59

103 FM Gain FM Gain is the gain applied to the baseband signal after demodulation. Once you press the FM Gain Softbutton, you can change the value using the or Button or the knob. You can choose an FM Gain of 100K, 50K, 25K or 12.5K. Limit Line After pressing the Limit Line Softbutton, the following sub-menu will appear: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.60

104 You can use the limit line function to monitor the signals. Selecting Beep On will cause the analyzer to give an alarm, and selecting Beep Off will turn the analyzer alarm OFF. You should edit the Limit Line table first according to the actual requirements. After pressing the Settings Softbutton, the following sub-menu will appear: The figure above shows that you can edit eight items to set the Limit Line. You can use the knob to select one of them to edit. There are three types of Limit Line: MAX, MIN and OFF; use the or Button to change the type. MAX means the value that you set is the maximum value. If the value measured is higher than this set value, then it is unqualified; the same applies to MIN. If you select OFF, the limit line will be ignored. You can modify the value of Start Freq, Stop Freq, Start Amp and Stop Amp by using the digital buttons. Press the Save Softbutton to save the settings. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section II: Spectrum Analyzer Mode 2.61

105 8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes

106 1. Overview 1 Introduction The advanced measurement functions of the spectrum analyzer, including the CATV and DTV Analyzers as well as the Tracking Generator, are accessed using the MODE Button that is located on the user interface, as shown in the following figure: After pressing the MODE Button, the Mode Menu will appear: 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.2

107 Mode Settings From the Mode Menu you can change your channel plan and frequency setup by pressing the Mode Settings Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: Channel Table Settings To display all of the channel plans loaded into the instrument, press the Channel Table Softbutton from the Mode Menu. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.3

108 Activating a Channel Plan To select the channel plan to activate, you can turn the knob or press the or Button to move the arrow that is located to the left of the channel plan table. Once the arrow is next to the channel plan you want to activate, press the Activate Softbutton. Then the corresponding channel plan will be activated, and its state displayed on the screen will change to In Use. Editing a Channel Plan Press the Edit Softbutton to edit the selected channel plan. The channel plan title, total number of channels, total number of analog, digital, and enabled channels of the selected channel plan will be displayed in the information window. From the Editor Menu, you can choose to create a new channel as well as edit or delete the currently selected channel. You can also sort the channel plan either by channel number or frequency by pressing the Sort By Frequency Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.4

109 Edit an Existing Channel To edit the channel settings of a selected channel, press the Edit Softbutton. The Editor sub-menu will appear as shown below. (a) Channel Editor Menu Page 1 (b) Channel Editor Menu Page 2 (c) Channel Editor Menu Page 3 (d) Channel Editor Menu Page 4 There are 55 settings you can edit for any selected channel. To change the default value of these settings, you can turn the knob or press the or Button to move the arrow that is located to the left of the desired setting. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.5

110 Use the following steps to modify the selected setting. 1. To adjust numeric settings enter a numeric value using the numerical buttons and confirm the entry by pressing the ENTER Button or press the ESC Button to discard the changes. 2. To adjust the alphanumeric settings first press the ENTER Button, a green cursor will appear below the first character of the caption. Next, use the or Button to select the corresponding alphabetical or numeric character, and then use the knob to move to the next character space. When you have finished entering characters, confirm the entry by pressing the ENTER Button or press the ESC Button to discard the changes. 3. To adjust settings based on permitted values as listed in the following table, press the or Button to change between the permitted values. Use the Last Chan or Next Chan Softbutton to enter the last or next channel in the channel plan. The arrow will stay on the currently selected setting of the last or next channel. Setting Analog Digital Channel No. Numeric: 1 through 1000 Numeric: 1 through 1000 Channel Caption Alphanumeric: Max 8 Characters Alphanumeric: Max 8 Characters Channel Enable Enable, Disable N/A Analog/Digital Analog Digital Standard Suppress/Modulate Type NTSC-M PAL-B, D, G, H, I, K, M, N SECAM-B, D, G, H, K1, K, L Normal, Supressed, Drop Field, Drop Vertical, No Suppress J83.A, B, C Reverse No Fec QPSK 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 QAM Carrier/Center Frequency Numeric: 1 through 1000 MHz Numeric: 1 through 1000 MHz 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.6

111 Setting Analog Digital Audio 1 Offset Audio 2 Offset Channel Bandwidth Note: This setting cannot be changed manually, the value changes based on the selection of the Standard, see the following Analog Settings Table. N/A N/A Note: This setting can be changed manually, however, this value also changes based on selection of Standard and Suppress/Modulate Type, see the following Digital Settings Table. Symbol Rate N/A Numeric: 1 through 7 MS/sec Depth Modulation Gate ON, OFF N/A Depth Modulation Field Odd, Even N/A Depth Modulation Line Numeric: 1 through 263 N/A Power Frequency 50, 60 Hz N/A CLDI Field Odd, Even N/A CLDI Line Numeric: 1 through 263 N/A CLDI Signal CCIR LINE17, UKITS, GB LINE19 N/A DG/DP Field Odd, Even N/A DG/DP Line Numeric: 1 through 263 N/A DG/DP Signal CCIR LINE330, UKITS, GB LINE19 N/A In-Channel Response Gate ON, OFF N/A In-Channel Response Field Odd, Even N/A In-Channel Resp Line Numeric: 1 through 263 N/A In-Channel Response RBW 100 KHz, 300 KHz N/A In-Channel Response Mark 1 Numeric: through 4.75 MHz N/A In-Channel Response Mark 2 Numeric: through 4.75 MHz N/A In-Channel Response Signal GCR, Multiburst N/A CTB/CSO Gate ON, OFF N/A CTB/CSO Field Odd, Even N/A 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.7

112 Setting Analog Digital CTB/CSO Line Numeric: 1 through 263 N/A CSO Frequency Offset 1 Numeric: through 6.00 MHz N/A CSO Frequency Offset 2 Numeric: through 6.00 MHz N/A CSO Frequency Offset 3 Numeric: through 6.00 MHz N/A CSO Frequency Offset 4 Numeric: through 6.00 MHz N/A CTB Frequency Offest Numeric: through 6.00 MHz N/A Equivalent Noise BW Numeric: through 4.50 MHz N/A CCN Gate ON, OFF N/A CCN Field Odd, Even N/A CCN Line Numeric: 1 through 263 N/A Tilt Enable Enable, Disable N/A FM Deviation Enable Enable, Disable N/A Depth Modulation Enable Enable, Disable N/A Carrier Level Enable Enable, Disable N/A CCN Enable Enable, Disable N/A Hum Enable Enable, Disable N/A Cross Modulation Enable Enable, Disable N/A CTB/CSO Enable Enable, Disable N/A CLDI Enable Enable, Disable N/A DG/DP Enable Enable, Disable N/A In-Channel Response Enable Enable, Disable N/A BER Enable N/A Enable, Disable EVM Enable N/A Enable, Disable Channel Power Enable N/A Enable, Disable MER Enable N/A Enable, Disable 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.8

113 Digital Standard Suppress/Modulate Type Channel Bandwidth Symbol Rate J83.A QPSK 16 QAM 32 QAM 64 QAM 128 QAM 256 QAM 8.0 MHz MS/sec J83.B 64 QAM MS/sec 6.0 MHz 256 QAM MS/sec QPSK 16 QAM J83.C 32 QAM 64 QAM 6.0 MHz MS/sec 128 QAM 256 QAM MS/sec QPSK 16 QAM Reverse 32 QAM 64 QAM 8.0 MHz MS/sec 128 QAM 256 QAM MS/sec QPSK 16 QAM No Fec 32 QAM 64 QAM 8.0 MHz MS/sec 128 QAM 256 QAM MS/sec 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.9

114 Analog Standard Audio 1 Offset Audio 2 Offset Channel Bandwidth NTSC-M 4.50 MHz 4.50 MHz 6.00 MHz PAL-B 5.50 MHz 5.85 MHz 7.00 MHz PAL-D 6.50 MHz 6.85 MHz 8.00 MHz PAL-G 5.50 MHz 5.85 MHz 8.00 MHz PAL-H 5.50 MHz 5.85 MHz 8.00 MHz PAL-I 6.00 MHz 6.50 MHz 8.00 MHz PAL-K 6.50 MHz 6.85 MHz 8.00 MHz PAL-M 4.50 MHz 4.50 MHz 6.00 MHz PAL-N 4.50 MHz 4.50 MHz 6.00 MHz SECAM-B 5.50 MHz 5.85 MHz 7.00 MHz SECAM-D 6.50 MHz 6.85 MHz 8.00 MHz SECAM-G 5.50 MHz 5.85 MHz 8.00 MHz SECAM-H 5.50 MHz 5.85 MHz 8.00 MHz SECAM-K MHz 6.85 MHz 8.00 MHz SECAM-K 6.50 MHz 6.85 MHz 8.00 MHz SECAM-L 6.50 MHz 6.85 MHz 8.00 MHz 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.10

115 Creating a New Channel To create a new channel, you can turn the knob or press the or Button to move the arrow that is located to the left of the channel that you wish to base your new channel upon, and then press the New Softbutton. Now use the methods described earlier in this section for changing a channel s settings. If the new channel number is the same as an existing channel number, the system will give a warning message and keep the previous channel number unchanged. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.11

116 Delete an Existing Channel To delete an existing channel, you can turn the knob or press the or Button to move the arrow that is located to the left of the channel that you wish to delete, and then press the Delete Softbutton. The instrument will display the text Delete Channel Anyway. Press the ENTER Button to confirm the channel delete or press the ESC Button to exit without deleting the channel. Saving a Channel Plan After you have finished making changes to the selected channel plan, press the Save Softbutton or press the Return Softbutton to exit without saving the changes to the channel plan. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.12

117 Deleting a Channel Plan To delete an existing channel plan, you can turn the knob or press the or Button to move the arrow that is located to the left of the channel plan that you wish to delete, and then press the Delete Softbutton. The instrument will display the text Really Del the file(s). Press the ENTER Button to confirm the channel plan delete or press the ESC Button to exit without deleting the channel plan. The active plan cannot be deleted. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.13

118 Downloading a Channel Plan To download a channel plan from the Q-Lab software to the 8821Q-R via the RJ-45 Ethernet Port or USB Drive, see the Q-Lab Software Operation Manual, Chapter 4: Configuration, Managing Channel Plans, Downloading Channel Plans. To download a channel plan from a USB Drive select the USB Disk Softbutton. The channel plan files will then be copied to the internal memory of the 8821Q-R while retaining the original channel plan files on the USB Drive. Note: To transfer channel plans to the USB Drive, the USB Drive should be inserted into the USB Port before starting the instrument. Note: Although this menu allows you to select the RS-232 Softbutton, this feature is not functional on the 8821Q-R. Note: You must use the Q-Lab Software to save channel plans to a USB Drive. Manually copying/pasting files to a USB Drive using the file manager of your PC (i.e. Windows Explorer) does not properly format the channel plan files for use with the 8821Q-R and they will not be able to be identified by the 8821Q-R when uploading. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.14

119 Uploading a Channel Plan To upload a channel plan from the 8821Q-R to the Q-Lab software via the RJ-45 Ethernet Port, see the Q-Lab Software Operation Manual, Chapter 4: Configuration, Managing Channel Plans, Uploading Channel Plans. To save selected channel plan to a USB Drive select the USB Disk Softbutton. The channel plan files will then be copied to the USB Drive while retaining the original channel plan files in the internal memory of the 8821Q-R. Note: To transfer channel plans to the USB Drive, the USB Drive should be inserted into the USB Port before starting the instrument. Note: Although this menu allows you to select the RS-232 Softbutton, this feature is not functional on the 8821Q-R. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.15

120 Frequency Setup To change the frequency settings, press the Frequency Setup Softbutton from the Mode Menu. This function is very similar to the channel settings described in Channel Table Settings. These settings will be used when you tune channels by the channel frequency. (a) Frequency Editor Page 1 (b) Frequency Editor Page 2 (c) Frequency Editor Page 3 (d) Frequency Editor Page 4 There are 31 frequency settings you can edit. To change the default value of these settings, you can turn the knob or press the or Button to move the arrow that is located to the left of the desired setting. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.16

121 Use the following steps to modify the selected setting. 1. To adjust numeric settings enter a numeric value using the numerical buttons and confirm the entry by pressing the ENTER Button or press the ESC Button to discard the changes. 2. To adjust the alphanumeric settings first press the ENTER Button, a green cursor will appear below the first character of the caption. Next, use the or Button to select the corresponding alphabetical or numeric character, and then use the knob to move to the next character space. When you have finished entering characters, confirm the entry by pressing the ENTER Button or press the ESC Button to discard the changes. 3. To adjust settings based on permitted values as listed in the following table, press the or Button to change between the permitted values. Setting Frequency Setup Channel No. Channel Caption Channel Enable Analog/Digital Standard Suppress/Modulate Type Carrier/Center Frequency N/A N/A N/A N/A NTSC-M PAL-B, D, G, H, I, K, M, N SECAM-B, D, G, H, K1, K, L Normal, Supressed, Drop Field, Drop Vertical, No Suppress N/A 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.17

122 Setting Frequency Setup Audio 1 Offset Audio 2 Offset Channel Bandwidth Symbol Rate Depth Modulation Gate Depth Modulation Field N/A N/A N/A N/A ON, OFF Odd, Even Depth Modulation Line Numeric: 1 through 263 Power Frequency CLDI Field 50, 60 Hz Odd, Even CLDI Line Numeric: 1 through 263 CLDI Signal DG/DP Field CCIR LINE17, UKITS, GB LINE19 Odd, Even DG/DP Line Numeric: 1 through 263 DG/DP Signal In-Channel Response Gate In-Channel Response Field CCIR LINE330, UKITS, GB LINE19 ON, OFF Odd, Even In-Channel Resp Line Numeric: 1 through 263 In-Channel Response RBW In-Channel Response Mark 1 In-Channel Response Mark 2 In-Channel Response Signal CTB/CSO Gate CTB/CSO Field 100 KHz, 300 KHz Numeric: through 4.75 MHz Numeric: through 4.75 MHz GCR, Multiburst ON, OFF Odd, Even 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.18

123 Setting Digital CTB/CSO Line Numeric: 1 through 263 CSO Frequency Offset 1 CSO Frequency Offset 2 CSO Frequency Offset 3 CSO Frequency Offset 4 CTB Frequency Offest Equivalent Noise BW CCN Gate CCN Field Numeric: through 6.00 MHz Numeric: through 6.00 MHz Numeric: through 6.00 MHz Numeric: through 6.00 MHz Numeric: through 6.00 MHz Numeric: through 4.50 MHz ON, OFF Odd, Even CCN Line Numeric: 1 through 263 Tilt Enable FM Deviation Enable Depth Modulation Enable Carrier Level Enable CCN Enable Hum Enable Cross Modulation Enable CTB/CSO Enable CLDI Enable DG/DP Enable In-Channel Response Enable BER Enable EVM Enable Channel Power Enable MER Enable N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.19

124 2. CATV Analyzer 2 Overview From the Mode Menu to access the CATV Measurement Function, press the CATV Analyzer Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: Information Window The information window only appears during special conditions, such as in CATV, FM Demodulation, or Channel Power Measurement as shown below. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.20

125 Base Noise Calibration From the CATV Meas sub-menu you can calibrate the analyzer s base noise floor by pressing the Cal Base Noise Softbutton. The base noise calibration measures the analyzer s noise floor across the entire usable bandwidth of the analyzer and uses this result to calculate the Analyzer Noise Correction factor which is used during special measurements, e.g. CCN and CSO/CTB. So during this process you should disconnect all input signals (and terminate the input with a 75Ω load if possible). The base noise calibration requires about 10 minutes to complete and should not be interrupted while in progress. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.21

126 CATV Mode Settings From the CATV Meas sub-menu you can adjust the analyzer s CATV measurement settings by pressing the Settings Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.22

127 Amplitude Units To change the amplitude units that will be used in all of the CATV tests, press the Amp Units Softbutton. Select from the following units by pressing the corresponding softbutton; dbm, dbmv, dbμv, and then press the Return Softbutton to return to the Settings sub-menu. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.23

128 Amplifier To change the state of the internal amplifier, press the Amplifier Softbutton. Select from the following states by pressing the corresponding softbutton; Auto, On, Off, and then press the Return Softbutton to return to the Settings sub-menu. When the state of the internal amplifier is set to Auto, the analyzer will automatically turn the amplifier to on or off according to the total channel power. If the state is set to On or Off, the analyzer will only change the attenuator to adapt to the channel power and keep the amplifier state unchanged. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.24

129 Channel / Frequency Select From the Settings sub-menu, you can change whether you tune channels by the channel number defined in the active channel plan or by the channel frequency setup, by pressing the Select Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.25

130 Channel Measurement The Channel Measurement Function provides 12 different measurements used for quantifying the performance of analog CATV channels. To access the Channel Measurement Function from the CATV Meas Sub-Menu, press the Channel Meas Softbutton and the following sub-menu(s) will appear: (a) Channel Measurement Menu Page 1 of 3 (b) Channel Measurement Menu Page 2 of 3 (c) Channel Measurement Menu Page 3 of Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.26

131 Channel Select To select a channel to view, press the Channel Select Softbutton and enter the channel number or frequency by using the numeric buttons, turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons. Then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button. Before a channel measurement, you must select a channel by entering a channel number or frequency first, or an error message will display on the screen indicating to enter a channel first. After having specified the channel, you can proceed with channel measurement. Listen On To listen to the sound of the selected channel, press the Listen ON Softbutton. Volume Adjustment To increase or decrease the volume, press the Volume Softbutton and then turn the knob or press the or Button to change the volume. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.27

132 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.28

133 FM Deviation The FM Deviation Test enables you to measure the FM Deviation of aural carrier of the select channel. To measure the FM Deviation of the selected channel, press the FM DEV Softbutton. While measuring the FM Deviation, you can also listen to the sound by turning the knob or pressing the or Button to change the volume. Cycles Per Measurement The information window shows the current deviation value and the maximum deviation. To change the cycles per measurement, press the Cycle/Meas Softbutton, then enter the value by using the numeric buttons, turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons. The default cycles per measurement is 25 times. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.29

134 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Up Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.30

135 Depth of Modulation The Depth of Modulation Test measures the percentage of amplitude modulation (AM) on the video carrier. To measure the Depth of Modulation of the selected channel, press the Depth MOD Softbutton. Normal Measurement The Depth of Modulation Test defaults to the normal test. The channel number or channel frequency and depth of modulation are displayed in the Information Window at the bottom of the screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.31

136 TV-Line Measurement The Depth of Modulation Test defaults to the normal test. So, you must press the Return Softbutton to return to the Depth of Modulation Main Menu in order to perform the TV-Line Test. You can press the TV-Line Softbutton to perform the TV-Line Test. Line Selection To select a horizontal line with a white reference pulse to perform a video gated measurement, press the Line Softbutton and then enter the value by turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons or use the numeric buttons and then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button. Measuring at the white reference pulse will provide the most accurate measurement results. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.32

137 Even & Odd Field Selection To select the even or odd field, press the Field Softbutton to toggle the value between Even and Odd. (a) Field = Odd (b) Field = Even 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.33

138 Carrier Level & Frequency The Video Carrier Level Test measures the amplitude and frequency of the current visual carrier and the amplitude and frequency difference between the visual and aural carrier. To measure the Video Carrier Level of the selected channel, press the Carrier Lvl/Freq Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.34

139 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.35

140 Counter By default, only the amplitude information displays on the screen. But, if you press the Counter Softbutton to toggle the value to On, the frequency information will also be displayed on the screen. The frequency now is calculated by the counter with a resolution of 1 Hz. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.36

141 Max Hold If the carrier waveform is not stable enough, press the Max Hold Softbutton to toggle the value to On. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.37

142 Carrier-to-Composite Noise The result of the Carrier-to-Composite Noise (CCN) measurement is the ratio of the peak video carrier level (modulated or unmodulated) to the noise measured in one of the manners described below. To measure the CCN of the selected channel, press the Carrier/Noise Softbutton. (a) CCN Sub-Menu Page 1 of 2 (b) CCN Sub-Menu Page 2 of 2 Modulation OFF This first method is for use on channels where the video modulation can be turned OFF or for channels with a CW visual carrier with no video modulation. If the video modulation cannot be turned OFF, the noise measurement will normally occur in the vestigial sideband just above the lower adjacent aural carrier and the measurement dynamic range will be limited. After initialization, the system will display the message Press Continue To Go On and Please Remove Mod. If possible, turn OFF the modulation and then press the Continue Softbutton to complete the measurement. The information window displays the measurement result and correction value. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.38

143 CCN Measurement The CCN measurement result is displayed in the measurement information window. The result is calculated using the following method: CCN = Carrier Amplitude N; N = Nc + (Correct to measurement BW + LOG detect Noise - IF Noise Equivalent Power BW - Analyzer Noise Correction) Nc: Noise amplitude. It is the average value of the points around the minimum value which frequency is close by 1.25 MHz down to the carrier. Correct to measurement BW = 10*Log (Noise BW / RBW). Noise BW is determined by the CATV standard as shown by the Analog and Digital Settings Tables in Chapter 1: CATV Analyzer, Settings. RBW is the resolution bandwidth when the CCN test is performed (30 khz). LOG detect Noise: includes the Gaussian envelope demodulation correction of 1.05 db and the error due to the voltage to logarithm correction of 1.45 db. The total correction value is 2.5 db. IF Noise Equivalent Power BW: It is the correction of analyzer IF detector shape. For the 8821Q-R, this value is 0.38 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.39

144 Analyzer Noise Correction When the noise measured is close to the analyzer noise floor, the result needs to be corrected according to the difference of testing result and analyzer noise floor. To measure the analyzer noise correction, press the Measure Softbutton. After initialization, the system will display the message Press Continue To Go On and Please Remove Mod. If possible, turn OFF the modulation and then press the Continue Softbutton to complete the measurement. The information window displays the measurement result and correction value. Analyzer Noise Correction = 10 * log (1 10 ^ ( - D / 10 )) For example, when D = 1 db, the Analyzer Noise Correction is 6.87 db. It can be ignored when D > 10 db. The difference (D) is calculated as 0.7 db when it is 0.7 db. (a) Continue to go on Prompt (b) Continue Measurement 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.40

145 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.41

146 Gate Measure If your video modulation can not be turned off, it is preferred to press the Gate Softbutton to turn on the gate measurement to measure channel s CCN non-interfering without turning off the modulation. You can select one line without modulation information to measure the CCN without an interfering signal as shown in the following figures. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.42

147 Line Selection To select a horizontal line with a white reference pulse to perform a video gated measurement, press the Line Softbutton and then enter the value by turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons or use the numeric buttons and then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button. Measuring at the white reference pulse will provide the most accurate measurement results. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.43

148 Even & Odd Field Selection To select the even or odd field, press the Field Softbutton to toggle the value between Even and Odd. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.44

149 Average On/Off To average the results of the CCN measurement, press the Average Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. The number of average cycles is shown to the left of the spectrum analyzer window. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.45

150 Noise Bandwidth The noise bandwidth can be set automatically and manually. The attenuation is indicated in the upper left portion of the analyzer screen. The noise bandwidth is limited to a range of 1.0 MHz to 4.5 MHz. To manually increase or decrease the noise bandwidth, press the Noise BW Softbutton until Manu is highlighted, and then perform one of the following methods to change the value: Use the knob or or Button to change the value in 0.1 MHz increments. Use the numerical buttons to change the value and then select the appropriate units by selecting the corresponding softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.46

151 Viewing Time Domain of Test Line Press the View Softbutton, and set it to Vid status. Then you can see the video time domain display of the line selected to do the CCN testing. Change it to Meas status again to go on the CCN testing. (a) View Frequency Domain (b) View Time Domain of Test Line Exiting CCN Measurement If you want to exit CCN test, press Return and you will get a message to turn on the modulation. Pressing Return again will exit the CCN test. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.47

152 HUM The hum test measures the peak-to-peak variation of amplitude modulation on the visual carrier caused by low frequency disturbances such as power line noise. The result is calculated as a percentage of 100% modulation. To measure the hum of the selected channel, press the HUM Softbutton. Using a CW carrier or turning OFF the modulation will provide the most accurate result, although the analyzer will sample the peaks of the horizontal sync pulse when modulation is present. A hum value of > 3%, will be visible on an analog picture. (a) Measure Time (b) Measure FFT To perform a single sweep of 250 ms and perform a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the baseband signal to separate power line related components, press the Measure Softbutton until FFT is highlighted. The marker will go to the highest component of the power line frequency defined by the video standard (NTSC 60 Hz or PAL 50 Hz). This is intended to be used as a troubleshooting aid. A relatively high 50 Hz (in PAL, 60 Hz in NTSC) level implies inadequate grounding or stray power utility neutral currents. A relatively high 100 Hz (in PAL, 120 Hz in NTSC) level implies poor filtering of a full-wave rectifier in a power supply. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.48

153 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.49

154 Cross Modulation The cross modulation test measures the first 15.7 khz cross modulation sideband relative to the visual carrier of the channel. Modulation must be turned OFF in order to perform this test. The analyzer is tuned to the carrier frequency and put in zero span. An FFT is performed on the signal and the magnitude of the 15.7 khz modulation is measured relative to the carrier. To measure the cross modulation of the selected channel, press the Crossmod Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.50

155 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.51

156 Average On/Off To average the results of the cross modulation measurement, press the Average Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. The number of average cycles is shown to the left of the spectrum analyzer window. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.52

157 CTB/CSO The instrument will provide both the CSO and CTB measurement results in the same test view. There are two methods of measuring CSO/CTB which are described below. Modulation OFF The CTB normally falls on the visual frequency. If you want to measure CTB, the system will suggest you to turn OFF the carrier first. Ideally, CTB can be measured in a vacant channel, either an unused channel or in the channel slot above the highest channel on the cable system. CTB can also be measured on Channels 5 and 6 in an NTSC cable system since these two channels are offset from the normal 6 MHz spacing. To measure the CTB/CSO of the selected channel, press the CSO/CTB Softbutton. (a) CTB/CSO Sub-Menu Page 1 of 3 (b) CTB/CSO Sub-Menu Page 2 of 3 (c) CTB/CSO Sub-Menu Page 3 of Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.53

158 After initialization, the system will display the message Press Continue To Go On and Please Remove Mod. If possible, turn OFF the modulation and then press the Continue Softbutton to complete the measurement. The information window displays the measurement results. (a) View Frequency Domain (b) View Time Domain of Test Line (b) Measurement with Modulation OFF CSO components are normally offset ±1.25 MHz or ±0.75 MHz from the visual carrier in the NTSC standard and ±1.25 MHz or ±0.25 MHz in the PAL standard. Pressing the Next Beat Softbutton, the marker will switch among these distortion products. The marker can be set manually by pressing the or Button or turning the knob. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.54

159 The Next Chan and Last Chan Softbuttons enable you to measure the CTB and CSO of the adjacent channel. By this method you can find a vacant channel, and first measure the carrier amplitude of the adjacent channel that contains a signal, and then measure the CSO/CTB in the vacant channel. Then you can get an estimation of the system CSO/CTB without turning OFF the carrier. To exit the CTB/CSO test, you should press the Return Softbutton twice. Gate Measure If your video modulation can not be turned off, it is preferred to press the Gate Softbutton to turn on the gate measurement to measure channel s CSO (and CTB on an offset channel) without an interfering signal. You can select one line without modulation information to measure the CSO/CTB without an interfering signal as shown in the following figures. Press the View Softbutton, and set it to Vid status. Then you can see the video time domain display of the line selected to do the CSO/CTB testing. Change it to Meas status again to go on the CSO/CTB testing. If you want to exit the CSO/CTB test, press Return and you will get a message to turn on the modulation. Pressing Return again will exit the CSO/CTB test. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.55

160 Line Selection To select a horizontal line with a white reference pulse to perform a video gated measurement, press the Line Softbutton and then enter the value by turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons or use the numeric buttons and then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button. Measuring at the white reference pulse will provide the most accurate measurement results. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.56

161 Even & Odd Field Selection To select the even or odd field, press the Field Softbutton to toggle the value between Even and Odd. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.57

162 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.58

163 Average On/Off To average the results of the CSO/CTB measurement, press the Average Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. The number of average cycles is shown to the left of the spectrum analyzer window. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.59

164 Leakage Leakage is a radiant signal from the cable to the air that is caused by discontinuities in the shielding of the distribute system. To measure the leakage, press the Leakage Softbutton. When testing leakage, you should set the antenna close to the possible leak point of the cable. The distance should be less than 3 m and the antenna should be parallel to the cable. Then tune the antenna to get a maximum value of the leakage. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.60

165 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.61

166 Chrominance-to-Luminance Delay Inequality (CLDI) The chrominance-to-luminance delay inequality measures the time delay between the low frequency luminance component and high frequency chrominance component of a modulated pulse in the composite test signal. To measure the CLDI, press the CLDI Softbutton. There are four Vertical Interval Test Signals (VITS) that can be used to test CLDI. In NTSC standard, the FCC or NTC-7 Composite Test Signals are required. In PAL standard, CCIR Line 17 and UK ITS 1 are recommended. Because there is a pre-distortion in the testing signal, an offset of 170 ns is added to the result. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.62

167 Line Selection To select a horizontal line with a white reference pulse to perform a video gated measurement, press the Line Softbutton and then enter the value by turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons or use the numeric buttons and then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button. Measuring at the white reference pulse will provide the most accurate measurement results. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.63

168 Even & Odd Field Selection To select the even or odd field, press the Field Softbutton to toggle the value between Even and Odd. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.64

169 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.65

170 Average On/Off To average the results of the CLDI measurement, press the Average Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. The number of average cycles is shown in the information window. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.66

171 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.67

172 Differential Phase/Gain The differential gain test measures the change in amplitude of the chrominance subcarrier as the luminance changes from a white level to a black level. The five-step riser portion of the composite test signal is used to perform this measurement. To measure the Differential Phase/Gain, press the DIF Gain / DIF Phase Softbutton. The differential phase test measures the change in phase of the chrominance subcarrier as the luminance changes from a white level to a black level. The Differential Gain and Phase tests use the same test signal. In NTSC standard, the FCC or NTC-7 Composite Test Signals are required. In PAL standard, CCIR Line 17 and UK ITS 1 are recommended. To change the type of signal, press the Signal Softbutton, and then select the appropriate test signal by pressing the corresponding softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.68

173 Line Selection To select a horizontal line with a white reference pulse to perform a video gated measurement, press the Line Softbutton and then enter the value by turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons or use the numeric buttons and then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button. Measuring at the white reference pulse will provide the most accurate measurement results. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.69

174 Even & Odd Field Selection To select the even or odd field, press the Field Softbutton to toggle the value between Even and Odd. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.70

175 RF Input Attenuation To increase or decrease the RF Input attenuation, press the Atten Step Up or Atten Step Down Softbutton repeatedly. The attenuation is indicated in the lower right portion of the analyzer screen. The RF Input attenuation is limited to a range of 0 to 55 db. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.71

176 Average On/Off To average the results of the Differential Phase/Gain measurement, press the Average Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. The number of average cycles is shown in the information window. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.72

177 In-Channel Response In-channel frequency response measures the baseband frequency response of the channel under test. There are two ways to measure the in-channel response: use a sweep signal or insert a test signal. To measure the In-Channel Response, press the In-Channel Response Softbutton. The measurement defaults to the sweep measurement. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.73

178 Sweep Measurement The In-Channel Response Test defaults to the sweep test. The channel number or channel frequency and in-channel response are displayed in the Information Window at the bottom of the screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.74

179 Max Hold On/Off To hold the maximum sweep signal, press the Max Hold Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.75

180 VITS Measurement The In-Channel Response Test defaults to the sweep test. So, you must press the Return Softbutton to return to the In-Channel Response Main Menu in order to perform the VITS Test. You can press the VITS Test Softbutton to perform the VITS Test. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.76

181 Line Selection To select a horizontal line with a white reference pulse to perform a video gated measurement, press the Line Softbutton and then enter the value by turning the knob, or pressing the or Buttons or use the numeric buttons and then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button. Measuring at the white reference pulse will provide the most accurate measurement results. (a) Line Selection of Ghost Cancelling Reference (GCR) Line (b) Line Selection of Multiburst Line. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.77

182 Even & Odd Field Selection To select the even or odd field, press the Field Softbutton to toggle the value between Even and Odd. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.78

183 View Press the View Softbutton, and set it to Vid status. Then you can see the video time domain display of the line selected to do the VITS testing. Change it to Meas status again to go to the frequency domain display of the line selected to do the VITS testing. (a) View Time Domain of GCR Line (b) View Time Domain of Multiburst Line Signal Type In-Channel Response Testing requires one of the following test signals in the vertical blanking interval. To change the type of signal, press the Signal Softbutton, and then select the appropriate test signal by pressing the corresponding softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.79

184 GCR The ghost canceling reference signal is the preferred test signal since it has the most signal level and provides a swept frequency reference over the range of interest for measurement. The sin(x)/x is also a continuous signal in the frequency domain when using 100 khz resolution bandwidth for detection. Its lower energy content requires higher signal levels or averaging to be used to get equivalent results to the GCR. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.80

185 Multiburst The FCC Multiburst Test Signal is more common but only provides frequency response data at discrete frequencies. Note that the 0.5 MHz burst packet cannot be resolved in a resolution bandwidth of 300 khz. However, 300 khz is the minimum bandwidth required for the analyzer to accurately measure burst packets greater than 4.25 μs. If all the burst packets were the same time duration, a resolution bandwidth of 100 khz could be used. The burst height would not be accurate but they all have the same relative amplitude. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.81

186 Markers The In-Channel Response test result displayed at the bottom of the screen is the difference in level of Marker 1 and Marker 2, therefore, the positions of Marker 1 and Marker 2 must be adjusted manually to the minimum and maximum In-Channel Response. To manually adjust the position of the markers, press the Marker 1 or Marker 2 Softbutton, and then use the or Button or the knob. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.82

187 Resolution Bandwidth To select the resolution bandwidth, press the RBW Softbutton to toggle the value between 300K and 100K. (a) RBW = 300 K (b) RBW = 100 K 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.83

188 Channel Scan Besides measuring a single channel, you can also get the information of multiple CATV channels. You can perform three types of channel scans; Standard Channel, User Channel or Favorite Channel. To access the Channel Scan Function from the CATV Meas Sub-Menu, press the Scan Channel Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: Level Limit You can set the limit level by pressing the Lvl Limit Softbutton and then use the numerical buttons to change the value and then select the appropriate units by selecting the corresponding softbutton. Channels with a visual carrier level less than the limit level will be omitted during the channel scan. Input attenuation is limited to a range of 8.8 dbμv to dbμv. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.84

189 Standard Channel Standard channel scan will scan all channels in the channel table, including analog and digital channels. The amplitude of the visual and first aural carrier is measured for all analog channels Only the channel power is measured for the digital channels. To perform a standard channel scan, press the Standard Channel Softbutton, and then press the Measure Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.85

190 The test results will be shown on the screen as a histogram. A vertical white marker line will be displayed on screen while scanning the channels. The position of this marker can be adjusted with the front panel knob. The channel number, visual frequency, visual carrier amplitude and the amplitude difference between visual and aural carrier will be displayed on screen for the channel at the location of the marker. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.86

191 Reference Line On/Off To display the minimum visual carrier amplitude, the difference of maximum and minimum amplitude of visual carrier, the maximum and the minimum visual-to-aural ratio in the information window, press the Ref Line Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.87

192 Count On/Off To display the center frequency measurement, press the Count Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.88

193 User Channel In the User Channel Scan mode, you can select either analog or digital channels. To perform a user channel scan, press the User Channel Softbutton, and then press the Analog or Digital Softbutton to measure the corresponding channel type. (a) User Channel Sub-Menu (b) Analog Channel Scan (c) Digital Channel Scan 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.89

194 Count On/Off To display the center frequency measurement, press the Count Softbutton to toggle the value between On and Off. The frequency count can only be enabled for the analog channel scan. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.90

195 Favorite Channel In the Favorite Channel Scan mode, you can measure 8 channels at a time. To perform a favorite channel scan, press the Favorite Channel Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.91

196 You must first enter your favorite channels by pressing the Channel Select Softbutton to select a channel pointer from 1 to 8, and then enter the channel number/frequency using the numeric buttons. After entering this value, press the ENTER Button to store the channel. Next, press the Measure Softbutton to measure the favorite channel(s). (a) Favorite Channel Select (b) Favorite Channel Scan Note: The favorite channel can be selected by entering the frequency, but the frequency must be included in the standard table. Otherwise it will be automatically changed to the nearest frequency that is included in the standard table. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.92

197 FCC Report The FCC Report Function provides information about the FCC report will display measurement results on the screen. To access the FCC Report Function from the CATV Meas Sub-Menu, press the Sys Meas Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: (a) FCC Measurement Sub-Menu (b) FCC Measurement Finished To start the FCC Test of the system according to the settings defined in the Channel Plan, Press the Measure Softbutton. Every measurement of all enabled channels will be measured. Note: This test will take a long time if most channels and items are set to Enable, and the testing process cannot be interrupted. So before pressing this softbutton, please check the active Channel Plan first to make sure that only the channels desired are enabled. When the measurement is complete, the FCC report will be stored internally with the following name format: YYMMDD## where YY is the last two digits of the year, MM represents the month, DD represents the day, and ## is sequential from 00 to 99. File would be the 4th FCC report stored on November 20, In one 24 hour period, the 8821Q-R can save up to 100 FCC reports. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.93

198 Test Sets To enter the name of the test, operator, individual performing the test, and location of the test, press the Test Set Softbutton. This information will be included in any FCC reports you create. View Report To view details of an existing FCC report, press the View Softbutton. The FCC View Sub- Menu will be displayed as shown in the following figure. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.94

199 To select the report to view, turn the knob or use the or Button to highlight the desired report, and then press the View Softbutton. The basic information of the FCC report is displayed on the first page of the display, as shown in the following figure. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.95

200 Press the Page Up or Page Down Softbuttons to view the subsequent pages. The following pages display the analog and digital channel testing results. The test results of up to five analog channels or 15 digital channels can be displayed on the screen. In the report, when is displayed, this means that the Gate is set to On, but the analyzer cannot successfully trigger the line. In the report, when a blank field is displayed, this means that these testing items have been disabled. (a) FCC Measurement Results Page 1 of 4 (b) FCC Measurement Results Page 2 of 4 (c) FCC Measurement Results Page 3 of 4 (d) FCC Measurement Results Page 4 of Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.96

201 Deleting an FCC Report To delete an FCC Report, turn the knob or use the or Button to highlight the desired report, and then press the Delete Softbutton. The text Really del the file(s) will be displayed, press the ENTER Button to delte the file or press the ESC Button to cancel the deletion of the file. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.97

202 Uploading an FCC Report To upload an FCC Report from the 8821Q-R to the Q-Lab software, see the Q-Lab Software Operation Manual, Chapter 4: Configuration, Managing FCC Reports, Uploading FCC Reports. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.98

203 3. DTV Analyzer 3 Overview The instrument can measure most performance criteria of a QAM signal such as MER/EVM, BER, etc. in addition to displaying the constellation diagram for troubleshooting. From the Mode Menu to access the QAM Analyzer Function, press the DTV Analyzer Softbutton and the DTV Menu will appear as shown below: (a) DTV Analyzer Menu (b) QAM Analyzer Sub-Menu Channel & Frequency Selection Before performing a QAM measurement, you must select a channel by entering a channel number or frequency first. Otherwise, an error message will display on the screen indicating that you need to enter a channel first. After having specified the channel or frequency, you can proceed with the QAM measurement. To select a channel or frequency to view, press the FREQUENCY Button and enter the channel number or frequency by using the numeric buttons, turning the knob, or pressing the Button. Then press the Enter Softbutton or the ENTER Button to select the channel or frequency. or 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.99

204 QAM Analyzer Display Screen The QAM Analyzer screen appears as shown below The table on the following page describes the measurement information that is displayed on the QAM Analyzer Screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.100

205 Item Annotation Description 1 Date 2 Time 3 Channel Number 4 Symbol Rate 5 Soft-Menu 6 Modulation Mode 7 BER-Pre RS Decoder 8 BER-Post RS Decoder Displays the current date. To adjust the date see: Section I: The Basics, Chapter 4: System Configuration, Time & Date Settings. Displays the current time. To adjust the time see Section I: The Basics, Chapter 4: System Configuration, Time & Date Settings. Displays the current channel number. To adjust the channel number see: Chapter 3: DTV Analyzer Settings, Channel & Frequency Selection. Displays the current symbol rate. To adjust the symbol rate see: Chapter 2: DTV Analyzer, QAM Analyzer Settings, Symbol Rate. Displays the menu items within the current menu that can be selected by pressing the corresponding softkey to the right of the display screen. Displays the current modulation mode. To adjust the symbol rate see: Chapter 2: DTV Analyzer, QAM Analyzer Settings, Modulation Mode. Displays the ratio of the erroneous bits before the RS decoder and the total number of transmitted bits. Displays the ratio of the erroneous bits after the RS decoder and the total number of transmitted bits. 9 Modulation Error Ratio Displays a single figure of merit analysis of the received signal. 10 Estimated Noise Margin Displays an indication of the reliability of the transmission channel without switching off the service. 11 Error Vector Magnitude Displays another figure of merit analysis of the received signal. 12 Phase Jitter Displays the fluctuations of signal phase or frequency. 13 Quadrature Error 14 Amplitude Imbalance Displays the quadrature error of the two carriers feeding the I and Q modulators. Displays the QAM distortions that are seperated from all other kinds of distortion resulting from the amplitude imbalance of the I and Q signals. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.101

206 Item Annotation Description 15 Signal-to-Noise Ratio Displays the ratio of the QAM signal power to the noise power. 16 Carrier Supression Displays the ratio of the QAM signal to an unwanted coherent CW signal. 17 Coherent Interferer Displays the ratio of the QAM signal to the interference signal. 18 Frequency Offset Displays the frequency offset relative to the current frequency setting. 19 Real Symbol Rate Displays the current real symbol rat as calculated by the system. 20 Channel Power Displays the current channel power. 21 Measurement Time Displays the amount of time that has passed since initialization of the QAM measurement for the current channel. 22 Symbol Lock Displays the symbol lock flag. 23 Center Frequency Displays the currently selected center frequency fo the display. To adjust the center frequency see: Chapter 1: DTV Analyzer, Channel & Frequency Selection. 24 FEC Lock Displays the forward error correction lock flag. 25 Attenuator Level Displays the current attenuator level (ATT is preceded by an asterisk (*) when set int he Manual Mode). To adjust the attenuator level see: Chapter 2: DTV Analyzer, General DTV Settings. 26 Stream Lock Displays the code stream lock flag. 27 Preamplifier Status 28 Battery/Charging Status Displays whether the amplifier is currently enabled. To adjust the attenuator level see: Chapter 2: DTV Analyzer, General DTV Settings. Displays the voltage status of the battery including whether the battery is charging. 29 Fan Status Displays whether the internal fan is currently running. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.102

207 General DTV Settings From the DTV Menu to access the General DTV Settings, press the General Settings Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: Saving Settings Press the Save Settings Softbutton at any time to save your settings. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.103

208 Attenuation The attenuator is an important part of the instrument. It can reduce the signal distortion by attenuating the power level at the first mixer input. The attenuator values range from 0 to 55 db with 5 db increments; the default value is 10 db. Increasing the value of the attenuator can diminish the mixer distortion, but the system s base noise will increase too, which will reduce the range of measurable signal. In Auto mode, the system can automatically provide a suitable attenuator value. If you want to set the attenuator manually, you should first set the Atten Softbutton (shown in the Reference Level figure) to Manu and then enter the value using the numeric buttons, or Button or the knob. By using the or Button or the knob, the change increment is 5 db, and the attenuator cannot be set to 0 db. Note: The amplitude of the signal at the input of the first mixer should be less than +28 dbmv; otherwise the signal may be distorted. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.104

209 The easiest way to find the optimum attenuator setting is to change the screen to the channel power measurement by pressing the Power Mea Softbutton from the DTV Sub-Menu. In that screen, adjust attenuator to access the best SNR in conditions of no signal distortion and write down the corresponding attenuator value. Turn back to the DTV Analyzer Mode and adjust the attenuator to the recorded value, then you can get the best constellation output. Note: In some special conditions (For example: in CATV measurement when the carrier level difference of different channels is more than 15 db), the auto-adjusted attenuator may not fulfill the measurement. In such conditions you need to adjust the attenuator manually. Add or subtract the attenuator value and view the constellation whether it is improved or not, until you get a satisfactory result. Amplifier To change the state of the internal amplifier, press the Amplifier Softbutton. Select from the following states by pressing the corresponding softbutton; Auto, On, Off, and then press the Return Softbutton to return to the Settings sub-menu. When the state of the internal amplifier is set to Auto, the analyzer will automatically turn the amplifier to on or off according to the total channel power. If the state is set to On or Off, the analyzer will only change the attenuator to adapt to the channel power and keep the amplifier state unchanged. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.105

210 Constellation Display Mode After pressing this softbutton, the sub-menu below will be shown. There are three modes you can choose in this sub-menu: Continuous In this mode, the instrument continuously plots new symbols on the screen and does not clear old symbols until the Refresh Softbutton in the Const Mode sub-menu is pressed or Display mode is set again. There is no limit to the number of symbols that are displayed in this mode. Cyclic In this mode, the instrument plots the number of symbols specified in the sample length on the screen and then clears them all and starts again. Time Filter In this mode, the instrument plots the number of symbols specified in the sample length and then uses a first in/first out (FIFO) function to clear the oldest symbols and plot new symbols. The number of symbols displayed on screen is always the same. If you choose the Cyclic or Time Filter, you can enter the sample length, for example 8000 (the default value). 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.106

211 QAM Analyzer Settings From the DTV Sub-Menu press the Settings Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: (a) QAM Analyzer Sub-Menu (b) QAM Analyzer Settings Sub-Menu In this menu, you can set all adjustable parameters such as the; symbol rate, standard, modulation mode, polarity, and measurement thresholds. Restore Default Settings Pressing the Default Softbutton will reset all of the manual settings in QAM Analyzer mode to their default values. The default conditions are: J83.ANNEX-A - symbol rate of QPSK, 16QAM, 32QAM, 64QAM and 128QAM is 6.875MS/S, and it is 6.952MS/S while 256QAM J83.ANNEX-B - symbol rate of QPSK, 16QAM, 32QAM, 64QAM and 128QAM is 5.057MS/S, and it is 5.361MS/S while 256QAM J83.ANNEX-C - symbol rate of QPSK, 16QAM, 32QAM, 64QAM and 128QAM is 5.274MS/S, and it is 5.361MS/S while 256QAM 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.107

212 Symbol Rate In Auto mode, the system will use the symbol rate designated by the channel table. From the Settings Sub-Menu, press the Symb Rate Softbutton if you want to manually set the symbol rate. You should first set the Symb Rate Softbutton to Manu and then enter the value using the numeric buttons, or Button or the knob. By using the or Button or the knob. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.108

213 Standard The instrument supports J83.ANNEX A, J83.ANNEX B, J83.ANNEX C, Reverse and NO FEC Decoding. From the Settings Sub-Menu, press the Standard Softbutton to choose your standard. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.109

214 Modulation Mode The instrument supports QPSK, 16QAM, 32 QAM, 64 QAM, 128 QAM, and 256 QAM Modulation Modes. From the Settings Sub-Menu, press the Modulation Mode Softbutton to choose your modulation mode. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.110

215 Polarity The instrument supports signals with a polarity of Auto, Normal, or Reverse. From the Settings Sub-Menu, press the Polarity Softbutton to choose your input signal polarity. If your manual setting of the polarity is not in accordance with the real state of the input signal, the analyzer may be unable to decode the signal. The default polarity is Auto. See the following figure. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.111

216 Threshold Levels The instrument provides you with the ability to set threshold levels for MER Th, BER-PRE Th, and BER-POST Th. From the Settings Sub-Menu, press the Threshold Softbutton to choose from the following threshold levels. Note: You can change these thresholds according to user requirements. When the measurement result becomes lower than the corresponding threshold, the color of the result will be changed. MER Th Press the MER Th Softbutton to set the threshold of MER, which range is from 10 to 40 db. The default value is 23.5 db. BER-PRE Th Press the BER-PRE Th Softbutton to set the threshold of BER (Pre-FEC), which range is from 1e-2 to 1e-9. The default value is 1e-5. BER-POST Th Press the BERPOST Th Softbutton to set the threshold of BER (Post-FEC), which range is from 1e-2 to 1e-9. The default value is 1e Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.112

217 Measurement Initialization The Initialize Softbutton is used to reset all auto-adjusted parameters and then adjust them again. In the initialization period, the demodulation system will diagnose the signal automatically to access the symbol and frequency offset. According to this information the system will adjust the demodulation process and system coefficient to match the signal. So if the change of signal causes the system to demodulate incorrectly, you can press the Initialize Softbutton to re-initialize the demodulation. Normally, if the symbol rate offset is less than 50 KS/S and frequency offset is less than 100 khz, the demodulation system can successfully adjust itself to match the signal. Constellation Diagram The QAM Constellation Sub-menu allows you to control the way the constellation is displayed. To change the view of the constellation display, from the QAM Sub-Menu, press the Constell Softbutton and the QAM Constellation Sub-menu will appear as follows: (a) QAM Sub-Menu (b) QAM Constellation Sub-Menu Refresh Press the Refresh Softbutton to clear the constellation display and reset the point counter. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.113

218 Grid To control the ON/OFF state of the grid that is displayed on the constellation diagram, press the Grid Softbutton. Template To control the ON/OFF state of the template that is displayed on the constellation diagram, press the Template Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.114

219 Zoom In / Zoom Out To zoom In or zoom out on the area outlined in the blue frame, press the Zoom In or Zoom Out Softbutton. To select the area that is outlined in the blue frame, you can turn the knob or press the or Button. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.115

220 Statistic Graph To view the statistic graph, from the QAM Sub-Menu, press the Statistic Softbutton and the Statistic Sub-menu will appear as follows: The statistic graph records the history of Errored Seconds (ES), Severely Errored Seconds (SES), BER (Pre-FEC) and BER (Post-FEC) over a specified period of time. The instrument displays the average values of these statistic graphs below the graph. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.116

221 Set Time To enter a period of time to measure, press the Set Time Softbutton and enter the number directly, by turning the knob or pressing the or Button. The statistic period can be set from 1 to 4320 minutes. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.117

222 Measure After setting the statistic time period, press the Measure Softbutton and select Start/Stop, to control the measurement. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.118

223 View Last After at least one entire measurement, you can choose the View Last Softbutton to view the last measure result. If the instrument has never completed a measurement, the instrument will display an error. Otherwise you will enter the sub-menu, which is shown below. In this menu you can choose the View All Softbutton no matter how long the statistic period is. But the other 4 softbuttons can only be activated when the statistical period is greater than 400 minutes. You can zoom into the stored statistical data to see the details of the graph, or you can review the graph page by page. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.119

224 Equalizer Display To view the equalizer display, from the QAM Sub-Menu, press the Equalizer Softbutton and the QAM Equ Sub-menu will appear as follows: When the All Softbutton is selected, there are three different sets of data displayed in the equalizer screen. Top: Middle: The output of the equalizer coefficients. This feature can be used to diagnose channel distortion (gain tilt, reflections, etc.). The bar graph showing the 32 coefficients: 8 Feed-Forward Equalizers (FFE) and 24 Decision Feedback Equalizers (DFE). The eighth coefficient is the main signal path, so it is normally very close to 0 db (unity gain). Frequency response of the tested channel. The amplitude is from -5 db to 5 db. Bottom: Group delay shows the delay in nsec (from -120 to 120 nsec) across the channel bandwidth. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.120

225 Set Equalizer To change your equalizer settings, from the QAM Equ Sub-Menu, press the Set Equ Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: Equalizer Mode To choose from turning off, freezing, unfreezing, or cycling the equalizer mode, press the Equ Mode Softbutton. Distance To choose between the distance units of meters or feet, press the Distance Softbutton. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.121

226 Equalizer Coefficient Display To display the equalizer coefficient independently on the screen, from the QAM Equ Sub- Menu, press the Equalizer Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: The level, distance and time values corresponding to the vertical white marker will display on the lower portion of the screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.122

227 Frequency Response Display To display the frequency response independently on the screen, from the QAM Equ Sub- Menu, press the Frequency Response Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: In this mode, vertical and horizontal markers are available to perform specific measurements. Also, the maximum, minimum, delta (max min) and the current values are displayed on the lower portion of the screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.123

228 Group Delay Display To display the frequency response independently on the screen, from the QAM Equ Sub- Menu, press the Frequency Response Softbutton and the following sub-menu will appear: The maximum, minimum, delta (max min) and current values are displayed on the lower portion of the screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.124

229 4. Tracking Generator (Optional) 4 Overview Press the Tracking Generator Softbutton from the Mode Menu and the sub-menu shown below will appear on the screen. Note: For the 50Ω or 75Ω 8821Q-R Spectrum Analyzer, the Tracking Generator Option will require a software and hardware upgrade. This option must be factory installed at Trilithic. To place an order, please call Trilithic at (800) or (317) Note: If using the tracking generator for the first time or the testing environment has been changed, it is recommended to perform a system calibration before using the tracking generator to test devices. Tracking Generator Level Range The level range of the tracking generator is from dbmv to dbmv. The default output level is dbmv when the tracking generator is first turned ON. Press the TG Level Softbutton and then turn the knob, press the or Button or directly enter the amplitude level of the tracking generator. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.125

230 Power Calibration To use the perform a power calibration on the tracking generator, you should perform the following steps; 1. Connect the TG OUT and RF IN Ports on the front panel of the 8821Q-R using the BNC-BNC calibration cable. 2. Press the TG Softbutton to set the tracking generator status to ON, then the screen that is shown in the figure on the right will be displayed on the screen. 3. Press the Power Cal Softbutton to automatically calibrate the tracking generator from dbmv to dbmv. 4. The instrument will display Calibrate Success if the calibration was performed correctly. Otherwise, If the tracking generator cannot fulfill the requirement that the level flatness in all frequency range is less than 1 db, the system will give the prompt Calibrate Failed. CAUTION: This calibration will take several minutes. Please do not power OFF the analyzer when it shows Calibrating on the screen. Note: When the instrument is powered off, the calibration data will stored in the internal memory of the 8821Q-R. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.126

231 Normalize Function Performing the Normalize operation, you should connect the TG OUT to the RF IN Port. The actual output of the tracking generator will not be changed. After pressing the Normalize Softbutton, the output line is corrected to a straight line. The difference between this straight line and its pre-curve is memorized. This correction data will be used in the future testing, but when frequency, reference level, attenuator or output level is changed, the correction data will be lost and you should normalize again. This correction data will also be lost when the analyzer is powered OFF. The units of reference level are dbm, dbmv or dbµv. The test result of the marker(s) displayed in the information window can be the absolute value or the relative value to the TG ideal output level. This can be changed by pressing the Mark Softbutton and changing its status. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.127

232 Using the Tracking Generator to Measure a Filter The following example show you how to use the tracking generator to measure a filter. 1. Press CAL on the front-panel and select the Calibrate Amplitude Softbutton to perform an analyzer calibration. 2. Turn the TG to ON, and connect the TG OUT to RF IN. 3. Calibrate the TG power; then press the Normalize Softbutton. 4. Connect the TG OUT, tested component and RF IN well, as shown in the figure below. 5. The testing result will be displayed on the screen. 8821Q-R - Operation Manual, Section III: Advanced Measurement Modes 3.128