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USB RF power meter in a sensor head

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Many of today’s Test & Measurement instruments have a similar generic architecture: some form of sensor specific to the measurement problem, an analogueto- digital converter, plus digital processing to analyse the data, interpret and present results. The low-cost instrument division at Agilent has taken the concept one stage further with its U2000 series of RF power meters: in the physical format of what would normally be only the sensor measurement head, the company has built the sensor, A/D conversion and signal processing, and equipped it with a USB interface. With accompanying software—N1918A Power Analysis Manager—that runs on a PC or notebook computer, you can carry out power measurements without the need for any conventional bench-top instrument. The sensors are USB-powered—taking around 200 mA—and provide built-in triggering, requiring no external power adapters or triggering modules for synchronisation with external instruments or events. The U2000 Series comprises four models that deliver up to 250 readings/sec, cover 9 kHz to 24 GHz and span 60 dBm to 20 dBm power range. Each sensor includes a high-speed USB 2.0 interface, plus internal zeroing capability, allowing calibration without disconnecting the sensor from the device under test and reducing test time and sensor wear-andtear. No external calibration is needed: typical measurement uncertainty is under 2% over the entire frequency range. As well as waveform monitoring, the software carries out functions such as limit and alert settings, record and playback, multiple- list view, overlay, and channel mathematics. The unit sellsfor under $6000.

• Agilent Technologies, www.agilent.com.