We use this instrument, as do both of our compliance labs. The 8566 is a very nice piece of gear for EMI/EMC applications.
________________________________________ From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On Behalf Of Brooke Clarke [bro...@pacific.net] Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 11:07 AM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: [time-nuts] Spectrum Analyzers Hi: I've used the HP 8566B in a mixer test system where I wrote the software to control it and the two synthesized microwave signal generators. The performance was outstanding. Studied the 70000 series SA system and it would be faster if you were searching for a non harmonically related spur. Of course the modern digital SAs like the HP 4395A and the HP 4396B may be faster for some searches and have true 1 Hz RBW. http://www.prc68.com/I/4395A.shtml Have Fun, Brooke Clarke http://www.PRC68.com http://www.End2PartyGovernment.com/ ewkeh...@aol.com wrote: > As I said before it is even by today's standards an excellent analyzer and > I am sure there are people out there for that reason willing to pay the > money for a LCD display. > Bert Kehren > > > In a message dated 9/26/2011 10:56:30 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > n...@verizon.net writes: > > The kit costs more than the analyzer. > If someone finds a good LCD panel and does the mechanical design for > mounting I can begin work on an "open source" design for the > electronics part. > That would expand the market to far more of us. > > > On 09/26/11, shali...@gmail.com wrote: > There are aftermarket color LCD replacement available for the HP 8566 > and HP 8568 analyzers, either as a do-it-yourself kit, or as a turn-key > service. > Didier KO4BB > Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless thingy while I do other things... > -----Original Message----- > From: [1]ewkeh...@aol.com > Sender: [2]time-nuts-boun...@febo.com > Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:01:36 > To:<[3]time-nuts@febo.com> > Reply-To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > <[4]time-nuts@febo.com> > Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Any thoughts on best rubidium? > Roy, > for its time it was the best because of the spectral purity of its Osc. > The > big problem with the unit today is its CRT. Limited life and no > replacements. As rare as Cs tubes. If you can live with 1.3 GHz an > excellent choice, > the 22 GHz version because of source does not have as good > specifications.Also repairable, many parts are readily available. > Bert Kehren > In a message dated 9/26/2011 6:27:59 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > [5]phill...@btinternet.com writes: > Bert > What's your opinion of the "old" HP8568B with its max. frequency range > of > 1.3 Ghz and its weight of around 100 lbs. - are the more recent > instruments > that much better ? > Roy > -------------------------------------------------- > From:<[6]ewkeh...@aol.com> > Sent: Sunday, September 25, 2011 10:47 AM > To:<[7]time-nuts@febo.com> > Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Any thoughts on best rubidium? >> If you want low noise in a spectrum analyzer it all comes down to the >> signal quality into the first mixer. Every thing else with today's >> technology >> is down hill. >> Bert Kehren >> >> >> In a message dated 9/25/2011 5:32:31 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, >> [8]rob...@delien.nl writes: >> >>> One other thing is that some spectrum analyzers aren't really > designed >>> for low noise performance. Since the noise floor is often pretty > high, >>> the design of the whole RF chain (e.g. spur levels and such) might > have >>> assumed that lots of things would be hidden in the grass. >> True, it's one of the many selection criterions for selecting the >> instrument that meets your needs. >> I've been looking a the luggable HP series 859x and 856x, preferring > the >> latter because they have a PLL YIG whereas the fist uses a > free-running >> oscillator. But these machines are old, 80's and 90's, pricey, and > not >> really >> THAT good. Add decent range (up to 9GHz to see recent 5.8GHz devices) > and >> a >> tracking generator and before you know it, you'll be paying $6k or > more >> for >> a 20 year old instrument. >> >>> If the >>> analyzer is of the recent "bring a band of RF down to an IF, sample > and >>> FFT it for fine resolution" architecture, such things as the number > of >>> bits in the ADC and the "cleanliness" of the sampling clock might > have >>> been chosen based upon doing 1024 point transforms being displayed > with >>> 100dB dynamic range (10dB/div and 10 divisions). >> Most modern instruments do that, at least to some degree. My R&S goes >> down >> to a RBW of 10Hz by just mixing. Additionally RBWs of 5, 3, 2 and 1Hz > are >> achieve by additional FFT. This instrument dates from 2001, but I > don't >> think more recent instruments can achieve a mixing-only RBW of 5Hz or >> below. >> >>> (not to mention the spectrum analyzer actually generating spurious >>> signals. I ran across that one last year and thought I had an >>> interference source, but, no, went back and checked the spec sheet > and >>> it said spurious are<-80dBc, and sure enough, there it was at -82 > dBc. >>> And stories about the first LO coming back out through the input are >>> legion.) >> Gee, I wish I had consulted this group BEFORE buying my instrument. > I'm >> happy with it and I don't regret anything, but you could have added a > lot >> more arguments in favor or againstA-c-AEURA| >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- [9]time-nuts@febo.com >> To unsubscribe, go to >> [10]https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- [11]time-nuts@febo.com >> To unsubscribe, go to >> [12]https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- [13]time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to > [14]https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- [15]time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to > [16]https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- [17]time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to > [18]https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > > References > > 1. mailto:ewkeh...@aol.com > 2. mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com > 3. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 4. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 5. mailto:phill...@btinternet.com > 6. mailto:ewkeh...@aol.com > 7. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 8. mailto:rob...@delien.nl > 9. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 10. https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > 11. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 12. https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > 13. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 14. https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > 15. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 16. https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > 17. mailto:time-nuts@febo.com > 18. https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to > https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.