Receiver and LNB characterization

Your task

There are several special aspects that make high-gain converter testing challenging:

• Intermodulation test with dual local oscillator (LO) devices (with LO access) requires several sources
• IF frequency offset from an internal oscillating LO
• Mixer group delay test without LO access
• Noise figure test on frequency converting devices
• High accuracy, low trace noise and short test time despite very low stimulation power

Rohde & Schwarz solution

With dedicated functions such as LO tracking and twotone based group delay measurement, the R&S®ZNA enables reliable and comprehensive characterization of frequency converting devices without access to the internal LO.

Features and benefits

• A two-port R&S®ZNA with two sources and an internal combiner is sufficient for comprehensive characterization of an embedded LO LNB (conversion gain, matching, delay, intermodulation, noise figure, etc.)
• For converters with LO access, a four-port R&S®ZNA with up to four RF sources even supports intermodulation testing of double frequency-converting receivers (with two-tone signal and LO1, LO2 from a single unit)
• Unique solution for embedded LO converter group delay test (R&S®ZNA-K9 option) plus LO tracking function to measure the converter group delay (GD) reliably despite significant DUT LO drift and without access to the internal LO
• Flexible frequency conversion test capability and mixer phase measurement option to support phase measurements on converters, LO crosstalk, etc.
• Selectable reference signal access for the stimulation source signal to get a sufficiently strong reference signal despite extremely low stimulation power for low trace noise Wide power sweep range of 100 dB with automatic level control (ALC) and extremely high receiver linearity to ensure accurate low stimulus power testing and compression tests
• Port 1 isolation amplifier to get an extremely low spurfree stimulation signal
• Noise figure test options combined with mixer test setup for comprising characterization without reconnection, including a noise figure test without a
• noise source
• Two-port R&S®ZNA with two sources and internal combiner to obtain intermodulation, group delay and noise figure (NF) from embedded LO converters

Summary

The R&S®ZNA provides a wide range of hardware and software features for comprehensive characterization of satellite and radar receivers. The highlights include outstanding receiver sensitivity, the unique wide power sweep range, four internal sources (plus LO out) and LO tracking. With all these features, the R&S®ZNA can handle even the most challenging tests for A&D and SATCOM applications.