Rack mount remote spectrum monitors support satellite downlink bands
Claimed to include the industry’s first remote spectrum monitor to cover 43.5GHz to support new satellite downlink bands, the MS27201A series is available from Anritsu. The monitors combine high RF performance with supporting PC software for long-term monitoring in a variety of commercial and regulatory environments, said the company.
The MS27201A series includes 9.0, 20GHz and 43.5GHz remote spectrum monitors. The 43.5GHz model is complemented with a wide 110MHz measurement bandwidth to support common satellite downlink. All the remote spectrum monitors have a displayed average noise level (DANL) of -164dBm and a third-order intercept point (TOI) of typically +20dBm for signal detection and measurement integrity.
A standard PC graphical user interface (GUI) featuring Anritsu’s spectrum analyser interface allows users to control multiple instruments and view current spectrum from a single location. Alternatively, Anritsu can provide the remote spectrum monitors interface with the MX280001A Vision software. Common trace capture and data storage applications are included in Vision software, eliminating the need for users to develop custom software.
Anritsu also supplies an IQ capture feature that allows users to conduct detailed off-line post-processing on signals of interest. Optional LTE and 5G demodulation software further expand monitoring capability, while VSA software allows modulation quality measurements to be made on narrowband signals in accordance with industry standards.
The MS27201A series provides 24/7 continuous spectrum monitoring over a wide geographic area. A built-in watchdog timer resets the instrument in the event of a software interruption. Should a power disruption occur, the instrument will resume immediate operation with no user intervention required, said Anritsu.
The MS27201A spectrum monitors are standard 19-inch rack wide and 2U tall, so they can slot directly into test system racks using minimal space. The instruments are powered from a supplied 15W power block that minimises rack temperature gain.
The MS27201A series is targeted at the increasingly demanding requirements of spectrum owners and spectrum regulators, delivering spectrum clearing, shared spectrum monitoring, satellite ground station monitoring, critical site security, interference monitoring, and regulatory enforcement.
