Lab 1: Introduction to the VSA 89600 Software

In this introductory lab you will get an opportunity to investigate some common operating
features of the Agilent 89600 VSA software. This software program is a comprehensive set of
tools used for signal demodulation and vector signal analysis.

Start the program: Double-Click on program: Keysight 89600 VSA Software 2018 -> Keysight
89600 VSA 2018 Update

NOTE: To save your setup, images, etc. at any time use the

File > Save > choose one of the options.

Step 1: Preset the analyzer to the factory-shipped state, that is, the default conditions:

File > Preset > All

Load a recorded signal.

File > Recall > Recall Recording  Help  Signals  AM FM PM  50PCAM.sdf

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To activate the signal, press the run icon ( ) on the left corner on the Toolbar, or on the
Toolbar: Control > Restart

Before investigating the signal, let’s take a closer look at some of the toolbar icons.

Run, Pause, and Continuous Sweep

Trace Layout (number of windows) Select Area (used to expand a selected area of
interest.

Marker (used to add markers to the signal – a very useful tool)

Bandpower – used to measure the bandpower in a signal

Spectrogram – another method to display a signal

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 MeasSetup – use to change/investigate: Frequency,
ResBW, Time, Average

This is a very useful tool that will be used extensively in our

experiments

Couple Markers: Used to couple markers located in different windows. When one is changed,
the other will be coupled and move accordingly to the respective area represented on their
display.

OBW: Occupied Band Width

ACP: Adjacent Channel Power

A final overview of the layout of the tools is shown below. Refer to it when you are in doubt
about the function of any icon or menu.

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Let’s Return to the Experiment.

Pause the signal: Control > Pause / Single, or if you prefer, use the pause on the toolbar ( )

Remove the Ch 1 Main Time: Trace > Traces > uncheck Ch 1 Main Timee

Copy and paste the signal observed in the space provided.

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Note: Values and other information are displayed in the bottom left corner of the window.

Frequency Range and Span

Investigate how to change the frequency range and span of the recorded signal: MeasSetup>
Frequency

Under the Frequency Tab record:

Center Frequency _____________ Span ____________

Under the ResBW (Resolution Bandwidth (RB)) Tab:

ResBW ___________ Window Type ______________

Change the ResBW to a larger value. Record your observations. Return the ResBW to 1kHz.

(Note: A large ResBW cannot resolve two closely spaced tones in a spectrum. Why?

Record the Frequency Points _____________. Change it to a lower value _____________.

Record your observation.

Change it to a higher value than 801 _____________. Record your observation.

Briefly state (no equations), what is the relationship Resolution Bandwidth (ResBW) and the
Frequency points? ______________________________________

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What is the meaning/function of Window Type?:

Sketch the Window type that is used in this recored signal:

Reference: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Window_function_(flat_top).png

MeasSetup and Marker

The MeasSetup menu is used for: setting the resolution bandwidth, time paramaters,
averaging, and turning on and setting up the Analog and Digital Demodulator.

Select the marker ( ) on the main peak of the signal.

Record the frequency: ___________________

Move the marker to each of the other peaks and record their frequencies:

______ _________ __________ _________ _________ _________

Place the marker on the first peak to the left.

On the toolbar under Markers, add another marker (+).

Move Marker 2 to the last peak. Using the two peak values, what is the approximate frequency
range of the signals?

(Marker 2_____ - Marker 1 ________) = Frequency Range ____________

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Occupied Bandwidth (OW), Adjacent Channel Power (ACP), and Reference Level
Right-Click on the Ch1 Spectrum window: From the drop-down menu, select Show OBW.

What is the OBW? _____________. What is the OBW, and why is it important?
_______________

Copy and paste the signal display showing the OBW.

Right-Click on Ch1 Spectrum window. Uncheck OBW, and check ACP (Adjacent Channel Power).

What is the ACP measured? ______________

What is the ACP, and why is this measurement important?

Right-Click on Ch1 window, and check Peak. What is the peak value: ____________ dBm

Use the band-power tool (icon ) to determine the approximate width of the center peak.

What is the approximate bandwidth of the central peak? ________________ Hz

Right-click on the window, and Check Hide all markers (to remove the markers).

List some of the measurements you made in this part of the experiment.

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Part 2: Triggering
File > Preset > All

File > Recall Recording > Help > Signals > QPSK > GATE2BUR.DAT

Note that time-variant signals like RF bursts are hard to stabilize. We will use triggering to stabilize it.

Input > Playback Trigger Tab > change the Trigger Type from FreeRun to Magnitude.

Set the Delay to -0.5ms, then -1s. Did the signals ‘lock’? If not, try changing the Delay.

See the signals below.

Pause the signals. Copy and paste the signals below.

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Determine the OBW of the Spectrum: OBW = __________________

Determine the width of the gated triggering pulse using two markers (Main Time):

___________________________

Measure the peak power of the Spectrum signal. How? Recall, right-click on the Spectrum and
chose Peak.

Measure the peak of the gated pulse. ___________________

Questions

List the steps required to:

1. Add a marker to the signal

2. Couple the markers

3. Determining the center frequency.

4. Determine the span of the plot.

5. Your choice of one additional procedure you used in this experiment.

References
http://aholab.ehu.es/~inma/labpsc/tutorialVSA.pdf
http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-6405EN.pdf

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