7/27/2019 5991-1300EN

1/7

Agilent FieldFox Microwave Analyzers

4/6/6.5/9/14/18/26.5 GHz

White Paper

Precision. Readiness. FieldFox.

In handheld analyzers, measuring up requires accuracy, lexibility and durability

7/27/2019 5991-1300EN

2/7

IntroToday, accurate RF and microwave measurements are becoming increasingly necessary in harsh and

hard-to-reach environments. These scenarios span a wide range o conditions: day or night, rain or

shine, hot or cold; aboard a ship, in an aircrat, or in a vehicle.

In these situations, a handheld instrument must be capable o making the required measurements

with sucient levels o perormance and accuracy. Those attributes are important; however, given the

expected operating conditions, physical and environmental specications are equally important to the

instrument and the user (Figure 1). This white paper presents general suggestions and specic ex-

amples regarding the essential attributes o handheld analyzers that will be used in harsh conditions.

Figure 1: The ideal RF or microwave handheld analyzer must be capable o making accurate measurements in

tough working conditions.

- 2 -

7/27/2019 5991-1300EN

3/7

Establishing a reerence or ruggednessUnited States military specication US MIL-PRF-28800F provides a set o benchmarks or test equip-

ment that will be used in the testing and calibrating o electrical and electronic equipment. The spec

includes our classes that range rom the extremes o world climatic variation (Class 1) to con-

trolled, protected operational environments (Class 4).

The 88-page specication is quite detailed, and section 3.8 uses 13 major categories to dene the

environmental requirements. Six o these are especially important in handheld analyzers:

Environmentalconditions(3.8.1)

Temperatureandhumidity(3.8.2)

Altitude(3.8.3)

Vibration(3.8.4)

Mechanicalshock(3.8.5)

Waterresistance(3.8.6)

Withintheboundsofthesespecications,aninstrumentthatsatisesClass2requirementswillbeca-pable o operating in rugged operational environments that include unprotected, uncontrolled climatic

conditions. These are high hurdles or handheld RF and microwave instruments.

Anotherimportantconsiderationforhandheldanalyzersisoperationinpotentiallyexplosivecondi-

tions. One o the key benchmarks is MIL-STD-810G, which covers the environmental considerations

adevicemayexperienceinitsservicelifeandprovidesrelevantlaboratorytests.Withinthestandard,

TestMethod511.5dealswithoperationinanexplosiveatmosphere.Testingtypicallyincludesopera-

tion o the unit-under-test (UUT) in a chamber lled with explosive gases that may ignite i the UUT

produces a spark. Passing this test is especially important or handheld instruments that may be used

near the fammable uels or gases present around aircrat, vehicles, mining operations, and so on.

AsdemonstratedbycurrentlyavailableRFandmicrowaveinstruments,therearetwowaystocreate

a handheld unit: one is to repackage a conventional benchtop analyzer, and the other is to create an

all-new instrument designed with eld use rmly in mind.

Using MIL-PRF-28800F as a yardstick, many o todays repackaged instruments all short in several

key areas: temperature and humidity, vibration, mechanical shock, water resistance and dust expo-

sure. Most stumble due to poor choices in areas such as component selection and package design.

Forexample,componentsdesignedtoworkinanAC-powereddevicetendtobepower-hungry,

which has two undesirable consequences. One is shorter battery li e, which is a signicant shortcom-

ingintheabsenceofACoutletsorsparebatteries.Theotherisheat:thesecomponentsoftenneed

an-based cooling, and this requires vents to provide airfow through the instrument enclosure.

Withtheseattributes,atypicalrepackageddesignwillhaveahardtimeoperatingintoughbuttypi-

calconditions:rain,dust,humidity,uctuatingtemperatures,andsoon.Asaworst-caseexample,

imagine a day in the desert, working on satellite ground stations with a an-cooled handheld. Sand-

storms are common and the instrument is likely to ingest signicant amounts o oreign matter, which

can lead to overheating more quickly than when operating in ideal conditions.

Drawing a line in the sand

- 3 -

7/27/2019 5991-1300EN

4/7

Designing rom the ground upThe alternative to a repurposed instrument is a purpose-built device. In the ideal case, industrial and

electronic designers would have the reedom to start with a clean slate. Design choices would be

shaped by the need to provide high quality RF and microwave measurements in dicult conditions.

To reduce the amount o equipment to be carried into the eld, the overall design would be fexible

enough to provide a wealth o capabilities in a compact package: cable and antenna analysis, vectornetwork analysis, spectrum analysis, power measurement, intererence analysis, and vector voltage

measurement (Figure 2).

Creating a eld-worthy industrial designTogetarsthandperspective,anAgilentdesignteamlefttheofcebehindandtaggedalongwith

techniciansandengineersintheeld.Astheeldpersonnelperformedroutinemaintenance,in-

depthtroubleshooting,andeverythinginbetween,membersoftheAgilentdesignteamwerethere

observing, asking questions and listening.

The team traveled to a variety o worksites in vans, pickups and trucks. The good instruments

usuallyrodeupfrontwiththecrew;theothergearwasoftentossedsometimesliterallyintothe

cargo area o a van or the bed o a pickup. In all cases, the people, vehicles and instruments had to

be equipped or a wide range o conditions, day or night, rain or shine.

Those experiences translated into attributes that make a handheld analyzer ready or the toughest

conditions. For example, a completely sealed enclosure that is compliant with US MIL-PRF-28800F

Class 2 requirements will ensure durability in harsh environments. Consistent with the spec, a water-

resistant chassis, keypad and case let the instrument withstand salty, humid environments. Gasket-

sealeddoorswillprotectinstrumentinterfacesfrommoisture,andadust-freedesignwithnoventsorfansinthecasewillhelpextendinstrumentavailabilityandreliability.

The package should also withstand shock and vibration, and the connector bay should be designed

to protect the RF connectors rom damage due to drops or other external impacts. Two additional

attributes will help a unit survive drops onto all six aces. One is a case with a curved bottom and

rounded corners: These disperse impact and increase structural resistance to shock and impact rom

allangles.Anotherusefulattributeisthepolymerblendusedinthecase:Inadditiontoitsinnate

durability, the polymer can be ormulated to resist shattering at the lowest temperature o the desired

operating range.

Figure 2. This handheld analyzer was purpose-built to meet the needs o personnel who need to make a variety

o precise, on-the-go measurements.

- 4 -

7/27/2019 5991-1300EN

5/7

Designing rom the ground up continuedDening eld-ready ergonomicsTime spent in the eld made indelible impressions that led to practical, meaningul decisions about

ergonomics.Forexample,anonsliprubbergripbuiltintothecasethattssecurelyintotheusers

hands can also be designed to prevent the analyzer rom sliding o the hood o a vehicle.

Averticalorportraitorientationwouldmakeaninstrumenteasytohold.Couplingthatwithacare-

ully designed keypad layout will make it easy or a user to operate the instrument with their thumbs

(Figure3).Also,aweightofabout3.0kg(about6.6lbs)isrelativelyeasytocarryforextended

periods in the eld.

Because the instrument may be used day or night, inside or outside, the user will benet rom a

bright, low-refective display and multiple display modes that optimize viewing under a wide range o

lighting conditions. In addition, backlit keys will enable operation in darkness.

Reducing power consumptionTheelectronicdesignofahandheldanalyzerrequiresadelicateandcomplexbalancebetween

perormance, power consumption, heat, and battery lie. For FieldFox, in-house scientists modi-

ed existing high-perormance chips and technologies to retain perormance while reducing power

consumption.Theresult:ananalyzerthatdrawsabout14Wandlasts3.5hoursonasinglecharge.

Becausetheelectronicsconsumejust14Wofpower,theenclosurecanbecompletelysealed.The

power-ecient design has another benet: the instrument provides ully specied perormance overanoperatingtemperaturerangeof14to131F(-10to+55C).

Figure 3. A portrait orientation coupled with sufciently large ront-panel buttons enables easy operation, even

when wearing gloves.

- 5 -

7/27/2019 5991-1300EN

6/7

Leveraging benchtop capabilitiesFortheAgilentteam,thenextstepwastopacktherequiredlevelsofperformanceandcapabilityinto

arugged,ergonomicdesignthatmetthecriteriadescribedabove.Asastartingpoint,theyborrowed

capabilitiesfromAgilentsbenchtopanalyzers,manyofwhicharetodaysbestmicrowaveinstruments.

For network analysis, the designers leveraged built-in calibration hardware and highly accuratecalibrationalgorithmsfromhigh-endvectornetworkanalyzers(VNAs)toenableprecise,repeatable

measurements.Withanemphasisonportability,thedesignerssimpliedcalibrationbyaddingbuilt-in

standards,achoicethatenablesmeasurementsintheeldwithoutadditionalaccessories.Withmost

other instruments, the addition o devices such as jumper cables to the test port requires recalibration

using an external calibration kit that must be carried into the eld.

Toenhancespectrumanalysis,thedesignteamleveragedthepowermeasurementsusedinAgilent

benchtop signal analyzers. This enables ast, accurate one-button power measurements o channel-

ized communication systems. For improved accuracy, the designers created an internal amplitude

alignment unction that operates automatically as environmental conditions change. This provides

amplitudeaccuracyof0.5dBwithnowarmuprequiredacrossanoperatingtemperaturerangeof

14 to 131 F.

TheresultsofthedesignprocessareembodiedintheAgilentFieldFoxhandheldanalyzers.Inside

andout,theFieldFoxfamilywasdesignedwithon-the-goapplicationsandendusersrmlyin

mind(Figure4).Withinitscompactpackage,aFieldFoxanalyzercanbeconguredasacableand

antennatester(CAT),spectrumanalyzerorvectornetworkanalyzer.Additionalcapabilitiesinclude

a power meter, a vector voltmeter, an independent signal source, a variable DC supply, a requency

counter,aninterferenceanalyzer,andbuilt-inGPS.TheFieldFoxfamilyconsistsof16models,withtop-endfrequenciesof4,6and6.5GHzintheRFmodelsand9,14,18and26.5GHzinthemicro-

wave models.

This level o fexibility can replace a variety o instruments. It also enables a user to dene a just

right initial conguration and, later on, easily amend it with additional capabilities as needs change

andbudgetsallow.Becausethosecapabilitiesareinclusive,aCATversioncanbeenhancedwithany

oftheothercapabilitiesspectrumanalysis,networkanalysis,etc.bysimplyacquiringandapply-

ingalicensekey.Noadditionalhardwareisrequired,norisareturntothefactory.

Asanalpoint,theproductwarrantyisanimportantconsiderationforanyinstrumentthatwillbe

usedintheeld.Whilemostinstrumentshaveaone-yearwarranty,FieldFoxhandheldanalyzers

carry the added condence o a three-year warranty.

Covering more ground

Figure 4. The versatile FieldFox handheld analyzers

help reduce equipment costs while enhancing conve-

nience and efciency.

- 6 -

7/27/2019 5991-1300EN

7/7

www.agilent.com/ind/myagilent

A personalized view into the information

most relevant to you.

Agilent Channel Partners

www.agilent.com/fnd/channelpartners

Get the best o both worlds: Agilents

measurement expertise and product

breadth, combined with channel

partner convenience.

www.agilent.com

www.agilent.com/fnd/FieldFox

For more inormation on Agilent

technologies products, applications or

services, please contact your local Agilent

ofce. The complete list is available at:

www.agilent.com/fnd/contactus

Americas

Canada (877) 894 4414

Brazil (11) 4197 3600

Mexico 01800 5064 800

United States (800) 829 4444

Asia Paciic

Australia 1 800 629 485

China 800 810 0189

Hong Kong 800 938 693

India 1 800 112 929

Japan 0120 (421) 345

Korea 080 769 0800

Malaysia 1 800 888 848

Singapore 1 800 375 8100

Taiwan 0800 047 866

Other AP Countries (65) 375 8100

Europe & Middle East

Belgium 32 (0) 2 404 93 40

Denmark 45 45 80 12 15Finland 358 (0) 10 855 2100

France 0825 010 700*

*0.125 /minute

Germany 49 (0) 7031 464 6333

Ireland 1890 924 204

Israel 972-3-9288-504/544

Italy 39 02 92 60 8484

Netherlands 31 (0) 20 547 2111

Spain 34 (91) 631 3300

Sweden 0200-88 22 55

United Kingdom 44 (0) 118 927 6201

For other unlisted countries:

www.agilent.com/ind/contactus

Revised: October 11, 2012

Product speciications and descriptions in thisdocument subject to change without notice.

Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2012Published in USA, November 1, 20125991-1300EN

Measuring up in the ieldIts one thing to provide handheld microwave measurements that agree with those

made using a benchtop analyzer. Its quite another to put those capabilities into an

analyzer that measures up against US MIL-PRF-28800F Class 2 requirements and

has been type-tested to meet the MIL-STD-810G test or operation in explosive

environments. With a unique combination o advanced measurement capabilities anda durable package, the FieldFox handheld analyzers are equipped to handle routine

maintenance, in-depth troubleshooting, and morevirtually anywhere technicians

and engineers need to go.

Agilent Advantage Services is committed

to your success throughout your equip-

ments lietime. To keep you competitive,

we continually invest in tools and

processes that speed up calibration and

repair and reduce your cost o ownership.

You can also use Inoline Web Services

to manage equipment and services more

eectively. By sharing our measurement

and service expertise, we help you createthe products that change our world.

www.agilent.com/quality

www.agilent.com/ind/advantageservices

myAgilentmyAgilent

Related literature Number

FieldFox Handheld Analyzers, Brochure 5990-9779EN

FieldFox Combination Analyzers, Technical Overview 5990-9780EN

FieldFox Microwave Spectrum Analyzers, Technical Overview 5990-9782EN

FieldFox Microwave Vector Network Analyzers, Technical Overview 5990-9781EN

FieldFox Handheld Analyzers, Data Sheet 5990-9783EN

FieldFox Handheld Analyzer, Confguration Guide 5990-9836EN

FieldFox N9912A RF Analyzer, Technical Overview 5989-8618EN

FieldFox N9912A RF Analyzer, Data Sheet N9912-90006

FieldFox N9923A RF Vector Network Analyzer, Technical Overview 5990-5087EN

FieldFox N9923A RF Vector Network Analyzer, Data Sheet 5990-5363EN

Download application notes, watch videos, and learn more:www.agilent.com/fnd/FieldFox

http://www.agilent.com/http://www.agilent.com/find/contactushttp://www.agilent.com/qualityhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9779EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9780EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9782EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9781EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9783EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9836EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5989-8618EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/N9912-90006.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-5087EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-5363EN.pdfhttp://www.agilent.com/find/FieldFoxhttp://www.agilent.com/find/FieldFoxhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-5363EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-5087EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/N9912-90006.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5989-8618EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9836EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9783EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9781EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9782EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9780EN.pdfhttp://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-9779EN.pdfhttp://www.agilent.com/qualityhttp://www.agilent.com/find/contactushttp://www.agilent.com/