Agilent Technologies Announces Industry's First 160-MHz Signal Analyzer for Wide Bandwidth Signal Analysis

The PXA's 160-MHz bandwidth enables the wider bandwidth signal analysis that today's engineers demand, said Guy Sn, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Microwave and Communications Division. Technologies such as the emerging 802.11ac WLAN standard present new design and test challenges for both device developers and manufacturers. We address those challenges with our new solutions for signal analysis using the PXA and signal generation software for 802.11ac. They provide industry-leading performance and features that enable engineers to quickly verify and troubleshoot their next-generation WLAN devices and improve their time-to-market.

Enabling Wide Bandwidth Signal Analysis

Wider bandwidth signal analysis, up to 160 MHz, is necessary to cover all of the bandwidths supported by 802.11ac. Agilent's PXA signal analyzer with 160-MHz bandwidth addresses this need, as well as any other application that requires engineers to analyze wider bandwidth signals. Its advanced performance provides valuable insight that helps speed the design, verification and troubleshooting of current and future 802.11ac devices. Moreover, when combined with the 89600 VSA software's 802.11ac modulation analysis, the PXA enables high-performance, comprehensive analysis of 802.11ac signals.

Enabling 802.11ac Signal Generation

A critical step in testing any 802.11 device is to generate standard-compliant 802.11ac test signals. Agilent's Signal Studio for WLAN software aids this task by enabling the creation of 802.11ac waveforms with BCC or LDPC channel coding, all MCS codes, and single- or multi-user MIMO up to four streams. Generation of up to 80-MHz bandwidth signals are supported with Agilent's ESG, MXG or PSG vector signal generators and the PXB baseband generator and channel emulator; 160-MHz bandwidth signal generation is possible with support from two Agilent vector signal generators.

Agilent will demonstrate the PXA's new wider bandwidth and Signal Studio, along with other products and services for wireless communication, at European Microwave Week (Stand G301), Oct. 11-13 at Manchester Central in Manchester, England.