Introduction to the use of network analyzer

　　Network Analyzer User Manual

　　1. Purpose

　　This instruction manual is to standardize the operation of the vector network analyzer to avoid damage to the instrument caused by improper operation; it is also a training document to help the company's technical personnel understand the use of this instrument.

　　2 Scope of application

　　This instruction manual is applicable to the use of all Anglent E50 series vector network analyzers within the company (other models have certain practical value, but the biggest difference lies in the slight differences in button positions and functions).

　　3 Main Responsibilities

　　3.1 Equipment users in each department are responsible for implementing primary maintenance of the equipment.

　　3.2 Each department shall assign a dedicated person to be responsible for implementing regular maintenance management of equipment and supervising the implementation of daily maintenance work.

　　3.3 Provide training to new employees when it is necessary to learn this document.

　　4 Instrument Operation Precautions

　　4.1 When testing the product, do not directly power on the product for testing.

　　4.2 Before testing the power amplifier, it must be checked on a spectrum analyzer to see if there is any self-excitation before other indicators can be measured with a network analyzer.

　　4.3 Prevent large DC current from being added. The network instrument can withstand a maximum DC current of 10V.

　　4.4 Prevent over-signal input.

　　4.4.1 The maximum allowable input signal of the network analyzer is 20dBm.

　　4.4.2 When the input signal is greater than 10dBm, a corresponding attenuator should be added.

　　4.5 Make sure the instrument is grounded before use.

　　Network Analyzer Overview

　　A network analyzer is a powerful test and measurement instrument. As long as it is used and operated correctly according to the flow, it can achieve extremely high accuracy. It uses its own signal source to compare and measure whether the electrical characteristics and performance parameters of other electronic equipment, electronic components, electronic parts, network connectors, cables, etc. meet the standards and requirements. It can accurately measure the amplitude and phase information of the incident wave, reflected wave, and transmitted wave, and quantitatively describe the reflection and transmission characteristics of the device under test through the ratio measurement method. It has a wide range of applications and is indispensable in many industries, especially in measuring the linear characteristics of wireless radio frequency (RF) components and equipment.

　　This article mainly focuses on the characteristics of the network analyzer itself, introducing the usage steps, usage requirements, basic calibration methods, and how to use it to perform test tasks.

　　Network analyzers, when used properly, are some of the most accurate RF instruments available, with typical accuracies of ± 0.1 dB and ± 0.1 degrees. They make precise, repeatable RF measurements, and offer configurations and measurement capabilities as broad as their applications. Choosing the right instrument, calibration, features, and employing reliable RF measurement methods can optimize your test results (Network Analyzer Application Cases).

　　The basic structure of commonly used network analyzers

　　The network analyzer is mainly composed of a signal source, a signal separation device, a receiver and a processing and display unit. We will give a detailed explanation below.

　　(1) Signal source: A synthetic signal source consisting of a 3-6 GHz YIG oscillator, a 3.8 GHz dielectric oscillator, a source module component, a clock reference and a decimal loop, which can provide a variety of signal outputs.

　　(2) Test device: It is generally composed of a directional coupler and a switch. Its function is to separate the reflected signal and the incident signal, thereby performing initial signal separation and preprocessing.

　　(3) Signal receiver: The signal pre-processed by the test device is processed again after being processed. Its function is to down-convert the signal and process the intermediate frequency digital signal for output or display comparison. The receiver is mainly composed of sampling/mixing, intermediate frequency processing and digital signal processing.

　　(4) Display: Its function is to intuitively display the display output or signal comparison, etc. It is used for high-brightness, high-speed display of characters and graphics. It is mainly composed of a graphics processor, a high-brightness LCD display, an inverter, etc.