User`s guide

Getting Started 1
Agilent E5505A User’s Guide 29
System Overview
The E5505A Phase Noise Measurement System provides flexible sets of
measurements on one-port devices such as voltage controlled oscillators
(VCOs), dielectric resonator oscillators (DROs), crystal oscillators, and
synthesizers, and on two-port devices such as amplifiers and converters. The
E5505A system measures absolute and residual phase noise, AM noise, and
low-level spurious signals, as well as CW and pulsed signals. It operates in the
frequency range of 50 KHz to 26.5 GHz.
The E5505A phase noise measurement system combines standard
instruments, phase noise components, and PC software for maximum
flexibility and re-use of assets. The system PC operates under Windows® XP
Professional® and controls the system through the E5500 measurement
software. The E5500 software enables many stand-alone instruments to work
in the system. This standalone-instrument architecture easily configures for
various measurement techniques, including the phase-lock-loop
(PLL)/reference-source technique, and delay-line and FM-discriminator
methods.
The E5505A system is available as a one-bay wide, System II rack and as a
benchtop model. Due to the system’s flexibility, the hardware in the system
varies greatly with the options selected. You may be installing instruments you
already own in the system as well. A typical system includes these
components:
• Advantech or Kontron custom PC with digitizer card assembly
• 15-inch display (flat-panel or standard), keyboard, and mouse
• Windows® XP Professional® operating system
• Agilent E5500 Phase Noise Measurement software
• Phase noise test set
• Downconverter
• RF source
Additional instruments may include a spectrum analyzer, oscilloscope,
RF counter, power meter, and power splitter.
NOTE
For detailed information on the instruments in your E5505A phase noise measurement
system, refer to the individual instrument user guides (provided on DVD-R).