RF Output Dynamic Range Specifications

RF Output Average Noise Density

Table 27. RF Output Average Noise Density (dBm/Hz), Nominal

Configuration A
Center Frequency Power Level Setting Specification Configuration
A
50 MHz to <200 MHz -30 dBm -170
200 MHz to 18 GHz -170
>18 GHz to 23 GHz -167
50 MHz to 150 MHz 0 dBm -150
>150 MHz to <200 MHz -147
200 MHz to 4 GHz -147
>4 GHz to 6 GHz -149
>6 GHz to 8 GHz -146
>8 GHz to 12 GHz -149
>12 GHz to 18 GHz -146
>18 GHz to 22 GHz -145
>22 GHz to 23 GHz -143

Conditions:

  • Measurement configuration: measured 20 MHz offset from the center frequency; normalized to 1 Hz bandwidth; 10 averages
  • Generation configuration: -40 dBr CW signal 20 MHz offset from the measurement frequency

Power level setting of -30 dBm below 18 GHz is limited by the measurement instrument.

RF Output Third-Order Intermodulation

Table 28. RF Output Third-Order Intermodulation (IMD3, dBc), Nominal

Configuration A, Configuration B.1
Center Frequency Power Level Setting Specification Configuration
A B.1
50 MHz to <200 MHz 0 dBm -56 —
200 MHz to 1.75 GHz -56 -55
>1.75 GHz to 4 GHz -50 -47
>4 GHz to 6 GHz -51 -50
>6 GHz to 12 GHz -52 -52
>12 GHz to 18 GHz -53 -52
>18 GHz to 23 GHz -49 -49
50 MHz to <200 MHz 15 dBm -53 —
200 MHz to 1.75 GHz -53 -53
>1.75 GHz to 4 GHz -48 -44
>4 GHz to 6 GHz -49 -47
>6 GHz to 7.5 GHz -48 -48
>7.5 GHz to 12 GHz -48 —
>12 GHz to 18 GHz -42 —
18 GHz to 22 GHz 10 dBm -48 -48
>22 GHz to 23 GHz -46 -46

Conditions: Measured by generating two -7 dBr tones at the following offsets from the center frequency:

  • Center Frequency < 1 GHz: +10 MHz and +10.7 MHz
  • Center Frequency ≥ 1 GHz: +95 MHz and +105 MHz

The nominal peak envelope power is 1 dB below the output power level setting.

RF Output Phase Noise

Figure 41. RF Output Phase Noise, Measured

Configuration A



Measured data post-processed using Savitzky-Golay filter.

Condition: 0 dBm Power Level Setting.

RF Output Non-Harmonic Spurs

Table 29. RF Output Non-Harmonic Spurs (dBc), Nominal

Configuration A, Configuration B.1
Center Frequency Specification Configuration
A B.1
10 kHz ≤ Offset < 100 kHz 100 kHz ≤ Offset < 1 MHz Offset ≥ 1 MHz 10 kHz ≤ Offset < 100 kHz 100 kHz ≤ Offset < 1 MHz Offset ≥ 1 MHz
50 MHz to <200 MHz -82 -82 -62 — — —
200 MHz to 1.75 GHz -82 -82 -62 -82 -81 -60
>1.75 GHz to 3 GHz -83 -81 -66 -83 -80 -64
>3 GHz to 6 GHz -81 -80 -61 -81 -80 -56
>6 GHz to 8 GHz -75 -78 -65 -75 -78 -64
>8 GHz to 12 GHz -75 -76 -59 -75 -75 -57
>12 GHz to 18 GHz -67 -72 -60 -67 -71 -60
>18 GHz to 22 GHz -70 -71 -60 -70 -71 -60
>22 GHz to 23 GHz -72 -70 -59 -70 -70 -59

Conditions: Generation CW signal level 0 dBm; measured relative to the CW output signal.

Measured with a CW signal at the center frequency unless both Signal Bandwidth > Maximum Offset Bandwidth and Center Frequency > 1.75 GHz, in which case measured at 20 MHz offset from the center frequency.

For Offset ≥ 1 MHz, the maximum offset is limited to within the equalized bandwidth of the referenced center frequency.

Offset refers to ± desired signal offset (Hz) around the tone frequency.

Non-harmonic spurs exclude RF harmonic spurs, baseband harmonic mixing spurs, residual LO, and residual sideband image.

RF Output Harmonic Spurs

Table 30. RF Output Harmonic Spurs (dBc), Nominal

Configuration A
Center Frequency Specification Configuration
A
50 MHz to <200 MHz -46
200 MHz to 2 GHz -46
>2 GHz to 3 GHz -38
>3 GHz to 6 GHz -41
>6 GHz to 10 GHz -38
>10 GHz to 12 GHz -33
Conditions: Power level setting 0 dBm; measured with CW signal at 20 MHz offset from the center frequency. Includes CW and LO harmonic content up to 26.5 GHz.

RF Output LO Residual Power

Table 31. RF Output LO Residual Power (dBr), Nominal

Configuration A
Center Frequency Digital Gain Backoff Specification Configuration
A
50 MHz to <200 MHz — —
200 MHz to 1.75 GHz —
>1.75 GHz to 3 GHz 0 dB -57
>3 GHz to 6 GHz -52
>6 GHz to 8 GHz -55
>8 GHz to 10 GHz -53
>10 GHz to 12 GHz -50
>12 GHz to 23 GHz -46
>1.75 GHz to 3 GHz 12 dB -71
>3 GHz to 6 GHz -68
>6 GHz to 8 GHz -65
>8 GHz to 10 GHz -68
>10 GHz to 12 GHz -55
>12 GHz to 23 GHz -47

Conditions: Peak power level -30 dBm to leveled RF Output Maximum Power specification in RF Output Amplitude Range; maximum LO residual power when generating a CW signal anywhere within the full instrument bandwidth. Measurement performed immediately after instrument self-calibration. A digital backoff of 12 dB is representative of the residual LO power performance for many wideband communications signals with a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of approximately 12 dB.

The PXIe-5842 uses the low frequency subsystem to directly generate the RF output signal for Center Frequency ≤ 1.75 GHz.
Figure 42. RF Output LO Residual Power (0 dB Digital Gain Backoff), Measured

Configuration A



Conditions: Measured by sweeping a 0 dBr CW signal across the bandwidth and calculating the maximum residual LO power.

Note Measurements below 1.75 GHz are not applicable because the PXIe-5842 uses the low frequency subsystem to directly generate the RF output signal for Center Frequency < 1.75 GHz.
Figure 43. RF Output LO Residual Power (12 dB Digital Gain Backoff), Measured

Configuration A



Conditions: Measured by sweeping a -12 dBr CW signal across the bandwidth and calculating the maximum residual LO bandwidth. A digital backoff of 12 dB is representative of the residual LO power performance for many wideband communications signals with a PAPR around 12 dB.

Note Measurements below 1.75 GHz are not applicable because the PXIe-5842 uses the low frequency subsystem to directly generate the RF output signal for Center Frequency < 1.75 GHz.

RF Output Residual Sideband Image

Table 32. RF Output Residual Sideband Image (dBc), Nominal

Configuration A
Center Frequency Digital Gain Backoff Specification Configuration
A
50 MHz to <200 MHz — —
200 MHz to 1.75 GHz —
>1.75 GHz to 3 GHz 0 dB -60
>3 GHz to 6 GHz -41
>6 GHz to 8 GHz -48
>8 GHz to 23 GHz -41
>1.75 GHz to 3 GHz 12 dB -61
>3 GHz to 6 GHz -54
>6 GHz to 8 GHz -52
>8 GHz to 23 GHz -53

Conditions: Peak power level -30 dBm to leveled RF Output Maximum Power specification in RF Output Amplitude Range; maximum residual sideband image when generating a CW signal anywhere within the full instrument bandwidth. Measurement performed immediately after instrument self-calibration. A digital backoff of 12 dB is representative of the sideband image performance for many wideband communications signals with a PAPR of approximately 12 dB.

The PXIe-5842 uses the low frequency subsystem to directly generate the RF output signal for Center Frequency < 1.75 GHz.
Figure 44. RF Output Residual Sideband Image, (0 dB Digital Gain Backoff), Measured

Configuration A



Measured data post-processed using Savizky-Golay filter.

Condition: 0 dBm Reference Level.

Figure 45. RF Output Residual Sideband Image, (12 dB Digital Gain Backoff)

Configuration A



Measured data post-processed using Savitzky-Golay filter.

Condition: 0 dBm Reference Level.