6-GHz sig gens boast top specs

In applications from radar to consumer wireless, you need signal generators to provide the purest, most precise signals so that you can see the true characteristics of a device under test. The latest members of the X-Series — the 9-Khz-to-6-GHz MXG N5181B and EXG N5171B analog signal generators and the MXG N5182B and EXG N5172B vector signal generators — lay claim to offering the industry’s best performance, with top specs for phase noise, output power, adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR), and error vector magnitutde (EVM). The MXG units are designed for R&D, while the EXG models are streamlined for production.

For those seeking to enhance range, mitigate interference, and boost component performance, all the generators deliver LTE EVM less than 0.4% at +15 dBm with or without equalization on DUT Rx, output power up to +27 dBm, and ACPR of up to -73 dBc (W-CDMA test model 1, 64 DPCH). The MXG uses a triple-loop synthesizer to deliver phase noise performance of −146 dBc/Hz at 1 GHz, 20-kHz offset. For developers of radar components such as mixers and analog-to-digital converters, the MXG also features industry-leading spurious performance of -96 dBc at 1 GHz. And for those developing faster data streaming in 802.11ac devices, the MXG has factory-equalized 160-MHz RF bandwidth and ±0.2 dB flatness.

Both the MXG and EXG can provide real-time simulation of complex real-world signals to support cellular communications, wireless connectivity, video, and navigation. To accelerate creation of unique signals, user can turn to the Signal Studio, a flexible suite of licensable software tools that can support rapidly changing standards and highly complex signals, such as real-time simulation of GPS or GLONASS constellations. The generator’s recommended three-year calibration cycle and self-maintenance strategy are intended to help reduce support costs and increase instrument uptime. (Starting at $6,900 to $19,320 depending on model — available now.)

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