Public responder DAS system testing

[Igor Fiksman]

Hi, 

we are a systems integrator recently certified in installation of Surecall Public Responder distributed antenna booster systems installation. We are looking for a spectrum analyzer to measure strength of signal on a very narrow band reserved for local first responder use in the 700MHZ range and need to be able to dial in a specific frequency (772.53125) in our case. Which RF explorer unit would be the best tool for this job? Thanks!

[Jay Thompson]

I don't see any receive level specs listed for the RF explorer, the plus model has better accuracy according to the specs.
I just noticed my standard 3G combo shows -99 dBm to -104 dBm on the right antenna but -105 dBm to -114 dBm on the left for an 800 MHz control channel. I'm assuming the 240-960 module is more accurate because of the narrower bandwidth

I keep a dummy load on the left SMA jack to reduce the chance of EM pulses from damaging the receiver so I'm surprised to see this 10 dB difference. At one time there were plans for a zero bandwidth option which might help give a more accurate signal level over the 112 kHz span we have now.

Does your AHJ have any specs on  calibration to NIST specs?

[RF Explorer]

Hi,

The RF Explorer 3G Combo or the WSUB1G PLUS are two good low cost options for your frequency range needs.

Regards,

RF Explorer Team

[RF Explorer]

Hi,

The noise floor of an spectrum analyzer is not related to accuracy, but to sensitivity. The lower the noise floor, the more sensitive the analyzer is (i.e. can detect lower power signals). In the presence of an actual signal, both modules will measure the same level limited by the accuracy as per specifications.

For the 3G Combo model, the left module is more sensitive in its specific range when compared to the right module. That is the main reason we offer two modules in the analyzer, so you can select the best suited for the job.

Regards,

RF Explorer Team