EMI Testing Using Spectrum Analyzers vs.

Test Receivers

Vic Hudson Rohde&Schwarz

IEEE-LI Presentation

Topic of the Meeting Description Spectrum Analyzers (SA) Test Receivers (TR) Uses and descriptions of each Reasons for using either or both units Advantages and disadvantages Making accurate measurements

Q&A
Who uses what ? Spectrum Analyzers (SA) Test Receivers (TR) Commercial, MIL-STD or Automotive? Software or front panel ? Novice, Capable, Fluent or Expert ?

Overview
EMI Equipment in general Spectrum Analyzers (SA) Test Receivers (TR) Two Most common tools are SA / TR

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Level [dBV] 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 30M 50M 70M 100M 200M 300M 500M 700M 1G

SA Settings for EMI measurements

- Span, Reference Level, RBW, VBW and detector - Span is the Stop Start Frequency - Ref Level is typically the Highest point SA can measure - Coupling with VBW usually some multiple of the RBW - RBW usually selected per required standard

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Reasons for Using SA for EMI Measurements Versatility: Wide range of uses Familiarity Speed real or imagined Price real or imagined

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Level [dBV] 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 30M 50M 70M 100M 200M 300M 500M 700M 1G

SA setup for EMI Example

- Set Span, RBW and detector - Span of 970 MHz / 500 points = 2 MHz resolution ! - x samples within RBW are stored - samples are weighted by some detector - Common EMI detectors are QP, Ave, Pk, RMS

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Question
- What was wrong with the previous setup?

Answer
- Frequency and amplitude accuracy depend on many samples falling within each RBW filter width. - set this parameter with frequency span

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Level [dBV] 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 30M 50M 70M 100M 200M 300M 500M 700M 1G

Issue # 1 Subranging Required

- Span of 970 MHz / 500 = 2 MHz resolution - If using 120 KHz RBW, CISPR recommends 60 KHz sample points (17 x finer than 1 MHz) - Solution: subrange in the span

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Level [dBV] 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 30M 50M 70M 100M 200M 300M 500M 700M 1G

Subrange Issue Revisited

- Per CISPR RBW recommendation - For unit with 500 point unit = 30 MHz Spans - Solution: 970 MHz Span = 32 Spans required!

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Frequency Accuracy of SA
- SA resolution is far too course for EMI without subranging the CISPR span - SA frequency accuracy when exploring peaks influenced by Span, RBW, VBW, marker accuracy

Amplitude Accuracy of SA
6 dB (EMI) filters vs. 3 dB QP and AVE detector times are observed Data correction for system transducers EUT specific timing issues are considered Subranges set properly for sample # RF and IF stages are not overloaded

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Issue # 2 Proper QP and Average Detectors Is QP / AVE Detector CISPR-16-1 Compliant? Issue # 3 Correct CISPR RBW Filters - Typical SA have 1-3-5 Steps RBW Typical SA have 1-3-5 Steps RBW
- EMI Filters ..200 Hz, 9 kHz, 120 kHz - EMI Filters ..200 Hz, 9 kHz, 120 kHz

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Issue # 4 Dwell Time

- Sweep Time vs. Span - Max Hold

Issue # 5 Lack of Preselection/ Overload Protection

-EMI Can be very high wide -Real Signal or not? -How to protect your measurement/ SA -Verify RF and IF stages are not overloaded

Spectrum Analyzers for EMI

Has to be a better way!

Test Receivers for EMI

Test Receivers for EMI

What exactly is a EMI Test Receiver?
- Fixed Tuned receiver versus Swept Tuned - Built-in Firmware for doing only EMI

Test Receivers for EMI

Controls for Recievers
- Frequency Span (start / stop) - RBW Filter and detector - DWELL TIME at each measurement point - FREQUENCY INCRIMENT (step size) - TR adjusts sample x depending on span - x is often 16,000 100,000+ - Span / x = frequency resolution

Test Receivers for EMI

120 100 80 60 40 20 0 30M 50M 70M 100M 200M 300M 500M 700M 1G

57.00 50.00 40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00

Level [dBV]

0.00 79.94M 85M 90M 95M Frequency [Hz] 100M 109.63M

Test Receivers for EMI

EMI TR Advantages
- Measurement Points - Tune and Dwell Time method - DWELL TIME at each measurement point - FREQUENCY INCRIMENT (step size) - TR adjusts sample x depending on span - EMI Specificity - Automatic Control ATT, Preselection, Filters

Test Receivers for EMI

Conclusion TR incorporates EMI control parameters
- STEP SIZE between measurement points - DWELL TIME at each measurement point - # of sample points as necessary for accuracy

Time Penalty ?
- Time dependant on detector and EUT, not measurement speed of instruments

Best Instrument for EMI?

Pros and Cons of Each

- SA is faster for initial preview - SA can also be used for RX and TX measurements - TR has little use outside EMI, expensive little use outside EMI, expensive unit for one use - SA subranging negates any speed advantage over TR for EMI - SA amplitude accuracy easily skewed by improper settings and interpretation

Which one to use?

Use SA or TR for hit list Use SA or TR for maximization
Att 30 dB AUTO RBW 120 kHz MT 1 s PREAMP ON

FREQUENCY LEVEL QPK

931.9200000 MHz dBV

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

dBV

100 MHz 60 50

200 MHz

300 MHz

400 MHz

500 MHz

600 MHz

700 MHz

800 MHz

900 MHz

FCC15RB
1 PK CLRWR 40 30 20 10

SGL

TR is optimum for final (dwell time & auto attenuator)

0 -10 -20 30 MHz 1 GHz

Date:

8.SEP.2003

14:13:12

Making accurate measurements

Overload protection Detectors for EMI RBW Filters for EMI Preamps

Accurate Measurement
Background Dynamic Range of SA / TR is ~ 160 dB EMC engineers dont know what signals they are looking for initially Accuracy killers
- Overloads - Incorrect detector settings - PRF & directivity of EUT emissions - Transducer correction factors

Samples and pixels

Ref Level samples

0dB

detector
peak
amplitude amplitude

detector
peak QP Ave Min Peak

QP Ave Min Peak

Display Pixel n

Display Pixel n + 1

Sample Points Example

120 100 80 60 40 20 0 30M 50M 70M 100M 200M 300M 500M 700M 1G

57.00 50.00 40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00

Level [dBV]

0.00 79.94M 85M 90M 95M Frequency [Hz] 100M 109.63M

Example: TR vs. SA sample points

RF Overload Example
MARKER 1 496 MHz Ref 0 dBm
0 -10 1 SA AVG

* Att

10 dB

RBW 3 MHz VBW 10 MHz SWT 10 ms

Marker 1 [T1 ] 3.03 dBm 496.000000000 MHz Marker 2 [T1 ] -48.80 996.000000000 Marker 3 [T1 ] -48.60 1.500000000 dBm MHz dBm GHz

-20

-30

-40

2
-50

-60

-70

-80

-90 -100

Center 1 GHz

200 MHz/

Span 2 GHz

Date:

Example: amplified signal at 500 MHz

23.JUN.2004

20:33:37

IF Overload Example
RF ATTENUATION 10 dB Ref 0 dBm
0 -10 A * Att

10 dB

RBW 3 MHz VBW 10 MHz SWT 5 ms

Marker 1 [T1 ] 6.13 dBm 502.053410569 MHz

OVLD 1 AP CLRWR

-20

-30

-40

-50

-60

-70

-80

-90 -100

Center 502.0534106 MHz

99.02160153 MHz/

Span 990.2160153 MHz

Date:

23.JUN.2004

20:55:20

Example: +6 dBm Pulse

Preselection Filtering
Preselector is a tracking RF filter
- ALL RF power (noise & signals) go into mixer - high amplitude signals outside span can influence amplitude and may be aliased

Cure: Suppress signals before RF or IF

- SA may not warn of RF or IF overdrive - IF overload wont show on display - Signals outside display ruin amplitude reading

Overdrive and Preselection

START MARKERFREQUENCY 1 600 MHz 1.000272533 Ref 0 dBm
0 -10 1 PK * CLRWR

GHz
* Att

20

dB

RBW VBW SWT

3 MHz 10 MHz 10 ms

Marker

[T1 ] -62.14 -43.41 1.000272533 [T1 ] -63.57 -54.58 -54.36 1.501204189 2

dBm GHz dBm GHz

Marker

-20

-30

-40

PS

-50

2 1 2

-60

-70

-80

-90 -100

Start

600 400

MHz

121.6135906 141.6135906

MHz/

Stop

1.816135906

GHz

Date:

8.SEP.2003

13:04:47 13:04:13 13:03:46

Example: +10 dBm signal at 500 MHz

PRF and Detectors

EUT / Detector dwell time requirements

- Must capture worst case emissions of EUT - Cycle time and pulse repetition frequency may require extended dwell in each subrange - Some detectors require extended dwell settings (ave, QP)

Detector Settings
QuasiPeak ???? QP is an attempt to quantify a signals
Impact on a radio receiver (annoyance) - Factors: amplitude, frequency, width, PRF

Quasipeak restrictions
- Dwell time (per step or subrange) > 600 mS - PRF issues increase dwell time requirements

Detector Settings
Peak Detector
- Peak gives worst case - Safest detector; Fast enough to see signals even with incorrect RBW or dwell settings

Average Detector
- Above 1 GHz for FCC - dwell for ~ 100 mS - Watch RBW (1MHz or 120 KHz)

Detector Settings Example

Ref
-20 -20 -30 -30 1 AV * 1 QP * RM CLRWR CLRWR A A

-20

dBm

Att

10

dB

RBW VBW SWT

120 kHz 1 MHz 175 ms

Marker

[T1 ] -76.57 -56.89 -49.64 280.000000000

dBm MHz

-40 -40

-50 -50

1
1

-60 -60

-70 -70 -80 -80 -90 -90 -100 -100 -110 -110 -120 -120

Start Start Date: Date:

0 0

Hz Hz 21:45:04 21:44:41 21:44:15

50 50

MHz/ MHz/

Stop Stop

500 500

MHz MHz

23.JUN.2004 23.JUN.2004

Example: -40 dBm signal at 280 MHz

Transducers and PRF

Transducer correction
- CISPR needed a way to eliminate effects of chambers, antennas and cable losses - Standards require normalization of these effects to compare results to limit line

EUT dwell time requirements

- Must capture worst case emissions of EUT - Cycle time and pulse repetition frequency may require extended dwell in each subrange

Conclusion
Span Subranges step size resolution dwell time overloading preselection

TR vs. SA

RF -> Harmonics Attenuator

RF & IF Overloads

IF -> If overload flag Ref Level

amplify at antenna know linear region system check (attenuator) static

Preamps

below 1gz

Conclusion
Go Yankees Enjoy the Game! Vic Hudson Rohde&Schwarz EMC Systems Ph 847 612-0618 Vic.Hudson@rohde-schwarz.com