This chapter gives a brief overview of the real-time spectrum analyzer. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a starting point for making basic measurement setups. This chapter describes general instrument setup, including selecting the analyzer and setting up frequency, bandwidth, amplitude, span, limit lines, and markers. After measurements are taken, refer to “File Management” section of Instrument Overview chapter of the user guide, and Saving and Recalling Measurements for a description of saving, recalling, and managing measurement files. For detailed information about other specific measurements, refer to the appropriate chapter in this guide.

This chapter includes sections that describe resolution bandwidth and attenuator functions. For example, in the resolution bandwidth (RBW) is determined by the intermediate frequency (IF) filter bandwidth. The spectrum analyzer traces the shape of the IF filter as it tunes past a signal. If more than one IF filter is used in a spectrum analyzer, then the narrowest one dominates and is considered the resolution bandwidth.