Rohde and Schwarz ZPH.12 - Two Port Cable Rider (.12 Model)

The R&S CableRider ZPH has all the essential basic measurement capabilities required for installing and maintaining antenna systems in the field. Its unique features ensure fast and efficient cable and antenna measurements and spectrum analysis. The easy-to-use analyzer features a touchscreen and large keypad designed for field use.

With its short boot and warm-up times and fast measurement speed, the R&S CableRider ZPH gets down to analyzing extremely fast. Measurement setups can be pre-drawn and settings preconfigured. Thanks to the wizard function, fast and accurate measurements are performed in a single step. Generating measurement reports is easy with the R&S InstrumentView software.

There is no need to calibrate the analyzer before use. It is reliably and accurately calibrated before leaving the factory. Should calibration be needed to eliminate the effects of additional cables or adapters used to connect the analyzer to the device under test (DUT), the R&S ZN-Z103 automatic calibration unit performs the calibration in just one step.

The battery lasts up to an entire work day on just one charge. The keypad is illuminated to facilitate working in dim environments. The leading-edge capacitive touchscreen of the R&S CableRider ZPH is changing the way users interact with an analyzer - simply touch the screen to add markers and change settings. These features and the ergonomic design make the R&S CableRider ZPH ideal for fast and efficient on-site measurements.

Two different R&S ZPH models are available to suit different needs, a pure one-port cable and antenna analyzer and a two-port model with additional spectrum analysis and tracking generator features.

Several packages available

Rohde and Schwarz offers the ZPH in several packages with bandwidth upgrades, software options and more. Available options include:

• ZPH-B4 - upgrade from 3 GHz to 4 GHz
• ZPH-B10 - GPS support
• ZPH-B22 - spectrum analyzer pre-amplifier
• ZPH-K1 - spectrum analysis measurement application
• ZPH-K7 - modulation analysis AM/FM/ASK/FSK
• ZPH-K9 - power sensor support
• ZPH-K15 - interference analysis
• ZPH-K16 - signal strength mapping
• ZPH-K19 - channel power meter
• ZPH-K29 - pulse measurements with power sensors
• Antenna - comes with additional accessories, including antenna alignment kit

The chart below provides a brief overview of available models.

Fast and efficient

Change settings quickly and easily

Thanks to its hybrid design, the analyzer can be operated as usual via the keys and rotary knob or alternatively via the touchscreen. The keys are large and widely spaced.

This makes the analyzer ideal for operation with gloves and also minimizes the big finger problem.

The R&S CableRider ZPH offers a new kind of user experience with its built-in sensitive capacitive touchscreen:

• Directly interact with the elements on the screen
• Access menus faster
• Change frequency and span
• Add/move/delete markers
• Change other settings, etc.

Fastest measurement speed

The R&S CableRider ZPH has extremely fast synthesizers that yield the shortest measurement time per data point (0.3 ms/point) for reflection measurements. The measurement speed is so fast that the measurement time is not compromised even when you set more data points to see details. With 2001 data points set, for example, the measurement time is only 0.6 s whereas other analyzers can take anywhere from 1.4 s to 30 s.

Fastest boot and warm-up times

Waiting a long time for an analyzer to boot and warm up can be frustrating. The R&S CableRider ZPH boots up in less than 15 s and only needs 1 minute to warm up. This helps alleviate the frustration of waiting for the analyzer in order to start the first measurement.

Fast measurements - no calibration required

Understanding the need to perform measurements quickly, the R&S CableRider ZPH is factory-pre-calibrated over the supported frequency and temperature ranges. The factory calibration removes the drift error, which can be a hassle when you have to keep calibrating because the measured frequency and operating temperature change.

No calibration reminder will pop up on the screen and interrupt measurements. The Rohde&Schwarz calibration lab performs stringent calibration during production to minimize measurement errors and provide reliable measurement results. A calibration certificate is included with the analyzer. When the calibration interval has lapsed, the analyzer can be sent back to Rohde&Schwarz for recalibration.

Fast deployment with the wizard function

For fast deployment, all settings and measurement steps can be preconfigured using the wizard function. The field technician only needs to execute the test sequences as shown on the display. The measurement instructions can be in pictorial form with short descriptions to provide clear step-by-step guidance for the field technician. The settings for each test sequence are preconfigured, eliminating the need to provide special dedicated operational training for the field technician. Since there is no need to change settings for different measurements, test time is reduced during installation and maintenance. For the same measurement at multiple sites, simply load the measurement set to all analyzers - fast deployment thanks to the wizard function.

Three simple steps to work with the measurement wizard

Typical development setup wit measurement preparation and postprocessing

Standard measurement functions

The Rohde and Schwarz ZPH offers several measurement types as a standard feature. These include:

• Distance to fault measurements
• Distance to fault and return loss: combined measurement
• Voltage standing wave ration (VSWR) measurement
• One port cable loss measurement
• Phase display
• Smith chart display

Optional measurement modes

Power measurements with power sensors

Some applications require very high accuracy to measure and align transmitting power. The R&S ZPH-K9 option allows the R&S CableRider ZPH to perform power measurements together with the R&S NRP-Zxx power sensor series, with a measurement range of -67 dBm to +45 dBm and covering frequencies up to 110 GHz.

Channel power meter

The R&S ZPH-K19 channel power meter option converts the analyzer into a portable power meter with a level measurement accuracy of typically 0.5 dB. This option makes it possible to achieve power measurement results quickly and easily without needing a power sensor or the spectrum analyzer mode. This can help in applications such as checking power levels along the signal path of a field transmitter or verifying the power level of a design in the lab.

Pulse measurements with power sensors

The R&S ZPH-K29 option enables precise pulse and peak power measurements using the R&S CableRider ZPH together with a Rohde&Schwarz wideband power sensor. The wideband power sensors measure pulses with a resolution of up to 50 ns and support frequencies up to 44 GHz. This option is useful when the R&S Cable Rider ZPH is used to install and maintain radar transmitter systems.

Model Specific Measurement Modes for Two Port Combi Model

In many cases, field engineers need multiple instruments to complete their tasks: a cable and antenna analyzer, a spectrum analyzer, a signal generator and a bias source. The two-port combi model R&S CableRider ZPH now combines all of these instruments into one powerful box.

The R&S CableRider ZPH can even utilize its unique independent signal source to operate as a continuous wave (CW) signal generator or as an independent tracking source for frequency conversion measurements.

Basic digital modulation formats are used in many applications, e.g. near-field communications. The R&S CableRider ZPH supports both ASK and FSK analysis. The digital modulation displays include trace, eye diagram, modulation error and symbol analysis. Specialized configuration presets for Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE) and tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are available, too. The R&S ZPH-K7 option lets users easily verify the quality of the basic modulated signals.

Interference analysis and signal strength mapping

The R&S ZPH-K15 interference analysis and R&S ZPH-K16 signal strength mapping options are great tools for analyzing and locating ambiguous signals or interferers.

Long-term spectrogram recording allows up to 999 hours of on-air activity to be captured; the recording duration depends on the recording interval setting. The recorded data can be analyzed on the R&S ZPH or with the R&S InstrumentView software.

Signal strength mapping displays a pictorial view of the signal power level on an indoor or outdoor map. The color indicator provides a good estimation of the signal coverage in a particular area or where the interferer or intended signal is most likely located.