Data Sheet

RF Explorer User Manual page 37
Protecting your instrument from damage
RF Explorer is a very sensitive device. It can detect signals as low as -120dBm, which is 10E-12mW or 9nA
over a 50ohm load.
This extreme sensitivity comes at the price of some fragility; your device needs care handling and protection
in order to run for many years without problems.
Most RF technicians know the RF instruments have to be protected in order to survive the high Electro
Magnetic (EM) fields that may be in the environment.
Expensive instruments like $50,000 full sized Spectrum Analyzers and Signal Analyzers comes with a long list
of handling procedures the operator must observe in order to limit any chance of damage.
The first and most obvious precaution is to make sure the input RF power is not beyond the acceptable
levels of the instrument. Below are listed max tolerable input power levels, beyond these values the
instrument may get permanent damage or decreased sensitivity.
RF Explorer model
Max power input (left SMA)
Max power input (right SMA)
3G Combo
+5dBm
+30dBm
6G Combo
+25dBm
+30dBm
ISM Combo
+5dBm
+5dBm
WiFi Combo
+25dBm
+5dBm
6G
+25dBm
n/a
2.4G
+5dBm
n/a
WSUB1G
+5dBm
n/a
WSUB1G PLUS
+30dBm using internal attenuator
+10dBm direct mode
-20dBm LNA mode
n/a
433M/868M/915M
+10dBm
n/a
You can easily extend these input power ranges by using external attenuators (see section Attenuators in
page 48), and/or Power Limiter (see section RF Explorer Power Limiter in page 39).
RF Explorer 3G Combo, 6G Combo and RFEMWSUB3G models are well protected up to +30dBm (1Watt)
input power, which is plenty to play safe in pretty much any environment. No extra protection is needed for
this model.
However, other RF Explorer models such as 2.4G or WSUB1G have a maximum safe input power of +5dBm,
which is 3mW in the RF SMA port. As a reference, that is the power captured by the RF antenna from a cell
phone a distance of 10cm, or from a Microwave oven at about 1 meter distance. Not all the ovens or cell
phones work the same, so take this as an indication only.
What may not be obvious to all users is this is a limit in any RF frequency band, even if the RF Explorer is
powered off.