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Great Combination, Some Usability Issues

4.0

Great combination of a spectrum analyzer plus vector network analyzer. Although this is becoming a common combination of test equipment, Siglent provides it at a value price. Got the SVA1032X over the SAV1015X for its higher maximum frequency, but also because of its better amplitude accuracy (0.7dB vs. 1.2dB) and greater DANL (-161 dBm/Hz vs. -156 dBm/Hz). Although it costs approximately $3K more, I probably should have gotten the SVA1075X because it would be able to measure the 3rd and 5th harmonics of the mostly less than 1GHz frequencies that I work with. Beyond not realizing the benefit of measuring harmonics, at the time I didn't purchase the SVA1075X because the calibration kit I'd need for it costs about $2K. Have since found a high accuracy 13GHz calibration kit sold by another manufacturer for $650. Perhaps just the unit I received, but with no external frequency reference the 10MHz frequency of my unit is far better than expected. With no warmup it measured a 10MHz /-3ppb frequency source at 10MHz 0.9Hz. Off by at most 93ppb, which is really good for no warmup period. With a 1 hour warmup period the accuracy improved to at least 39ppb. With 2 hours warmup the accuracy improved to at least 16ppb and maintained that accuracy for at least the next 8 hours. One issue I've been having is the efficiency of specifying file names. Frequently I use a filename of the format: yyyymmdd~_~~~~ where yyyy, mm, dd are year, month, day. ~ is a letter starting from a and going to z, while ~~~~ is a suffix that describes the project. Although there is an on-screen keyboard for entering filenames, there appears to be no means to see what filenames already exist or to select such a name to use as a starting point for entering the next name. For example, if the USB drive already has a file named 20210921a_foo, it's likely that my next filename will be 20210921b_foo. Ideally could select the existing 20210921a_foo and modifying its single character difference to specify the next file name. Another usability issue, is that there does not appear to be any method to save all at once a screen shot, readings, and settings. Instead have to change the file type and save each individually. Fortunately, the trace file type actually has both the readings and settings, but not the screen shot. With some scripting I should be able to create a program that will from a trace file create the equivalent of a screen shot. That would then allow me in the field to just save the trace files and as needed and back in the office I'll be able to create the screen shots. For now, in the field I have to save both the trace and screen shot, which due to the inefficiency of specifying filenames is inefficient. Ideally the unit would have a file save type of .trc and .png. This unit has the ability to measure the bandwidth from a specified marker to a specified plus or minus dB level. For example, it can measure the -3dB bandwidth from the left and right of a specified marker. An issue is that it is only to measure one of these bandwidths at a time. A common need for me is to measure the -3dB pass band and -20dB reject points of a bandpass filter. This unit can easily make such measurements, but so far I've only been able to make the measurements one at a time. Would be great to obtain a screen shot that shows both the -3dB and -20dB bandwidths.

Louis Huemiller on Sep 21, 2021 I found this helpful (6)

Recommend to a Friend

Amazed

5.0

Rationalize it to your significant other any way you can and get this thing on your bench!

Verified Purchase Brandon on Feb 06, 2021 I found this helpful (0)