2
Contents
Introduction 2
Demonstration Preparation
• Average Power Measurement
• Average Pulse Power
Measurement
3
4
6
Conclusion 8
Ordering Information 8
Related Keysight Literature 8
Related Web Resources 8
Keysight’s First Handheld RF Power Meter
for Average Power Measurement
Conventional power measurements were performed using bench-top power
meters with power sensors and USB power sensors. These require external
power supply (115 V/230 V) and powered-up USB respectively. When
working in the outdoors or in the field, external power supplies or PCs are not
available, so power measurement could not be carried out. Today, Keysight
Technologies, Inc. introduces its first handheld RF power meter—V3500A,
which can be used in both outdoor and field and research-and-development
(R&D) laboratory environments. The Keysight V3500A handheld RF power
meter is a low-cost solution for measuring average power with a frequency
range up to 6 GHz and a dynamic range up to 83 dB (+20 to -63 dBm), which
comes with a built-in LCD display.
This guide explains how to measure average power and average pulse power
using the V3500A. It also covers the key features of the V3500A that enable
you to optimize your measurement speed and accuracy.
Introduction
The Keysight V3500A handheld RF power meter is a compact handheld
instrument designed for making RF power measurements in both the field
and in R&D laboratory environments. Its built-in power sensor eliminates the
need for users to carry both an instrument and a separate sensor module,
and the same sensor is used when duplicating tests or measurements for
better repeatability. To optimize flexibility, the V3500A is capable of drawing
operating power from batteries, an AC-DC converter module, or a computer
via the USB interface. The Keysight 3500A handheld RF power meter is
suitable for a wide variety of RF measurement applications.
In the laboratory, the V3500A handheld RF power meter can be used as an RF
power data logger by transferring data through its built-in USB interface to a
computer, allowing for trend or drift analysis. It is ideal for production testing,
R&D or design-verification applications.
For use in the field, the compact size of the V3500A handheld RF power
meter allows it to be placed in a toolkit. Users do not have to carry both an
instrument and a separate sensor module (the V3500A has a built-in sensor).
The V3500A is ideal for installation and maintenance (I&M) or outdoor field
(satellite or base station) applications.
Key Features
– Wideband frequency, 10 MHz to 6 GHz
for average RF power measurements.
– Large dynamic range of +20 dBm to
–63 dBm.
– Both sensor and display housed in the
same compact handheld package.
– Built-in LCD display allowing measure-
ment in a single-function unit.
– Universal Serial Bus (USB) control
interface.
– Flexibility of drawing operating power
from an on-board battery, an optional
external power supply, or a computer
via the USB interface.
– Internal power reference, enabling
self-calibration and eliminating the need
for the user to perform an independent
calibration before the instrument can
be used.
– Ability to compensate for cable losses
with the Relative Offset function that
can add an offset to the display ranging
between –99.99 dB and +99.99 dB.
