PXIe-5860 VST RF Output Amplitude Specifications

RF Output Amplitude Range

Table 22. RF Output Maximum Power (dBm)
Center Frequency Specification Maximum Level, Typical Specification Maximum Level, Warranted Maximum Attainable Power, Nominal
50 MHz to 2 GHz 20 19 23
>2 GHz to 5 GHz 18 17 22
>5 GHz to 7 GHz 17 15 23
>7 GHz to 8.5 GHz 15 13 23
Conditions: measured with a CW signal at the center frequency.
Note Specification Maximum Level defines the maximum requested power level where compression is minimal, and the RF output amplitude accuracy and RF output magnitude response specifications are valid.
Note Maximum Attainable Power defines the maximum realizable output power of the PXIe-5860 when the requested output power is maximized. Maximum attainable power is typically compressed from the requested power and its level accuracy is not specified by the RF output amplitude accuracy specification.
Minimum output power Noise floor, nominal
Analog gain range 67 dB
Analog attenuation resolution 1 dB, nominal
Digital attenuation resolution[1]1 Average output power ≥ -100 dBm. <0.1 dB
Figure 8. RF Output Maximum Power, Measured


Conditions: measured with a CW signal at the configured center frequency.

Note Compression is calculated for each power level by comparing the expected full scale linear power from a 20 dB digital backoff against the actual full scale power without any digital backoff. Each compression metric trace in the figure represents the lowest output power where the stated compression is achieved. If the compression metric trace is equal to the maximum attainable power, then the compression metric was not achieved and the compression is less than the stated value.

RF Output Amplitude Settling Time

Table 23. RF Output Amplitude Settling Time (µs), Measured
<0.5 dB of final value 11
<0.1 dB of final value 27
Note Amplitude Settling Time refers to the time it takes to switch between two analog gain states with frequency unchanged once the hardware receives the amplitude change. The additional time due to software-initiated amplitude changes is not included and varies by computer. When changing frequencies, reconfiguration time is dominated by the frequency settling. Refer to Frequency Settling Time for more information.

RF Output Amplitude Accuracy

Table 24. RF Output Absolute Amplitude Accuracy (dB)
Center Frequency Warranted 23 °C ± 5 °C Warranted Typical-95 Typical
50 MHz to 2 GHz ±0.80 ±0.90 ±0.70 ±0.25
>2 GHz to 5 GHz ±0.95 ±1.05 ±0.75 ±0.25
>5 GHz to 7 GHz ±1.05 ±1.15 ±0.80 ±0.25
>7 GHz to 8.5 GHz ±1.35 ±1.45 ±1.00 ±0.25
Conditions: Peak power level -30 dBm to specification maximum level for RF Output Amplitude Range. Measured with a CW signal at the center frequency.
Figure 9. RF Output Absolute Amplitude Accuracy vs. Center Frequency, Measured


Conditions: measured in 1 dB steps between -30 dBm and specification maximum level in RF Output Maximum Power.

Table 25. RF Output Relative Amplitude Accuracy (dB)
Center Frequency RF Output Relative Amplitude Accuracy
50 MHz to 8.5 GHz ± 0.2
Conditions: peak power level -30 dBm to specification maximum level in RF output amplitude range. Normalized to absolute accuracy at the 0 dBm power level setting while all other settings and conditions remain identical. Measured with a CW signal at the center frequency.

Relative Accuracy describes the residual absolute error when compared to the absolute accuracy error at the 0 dBm peak power level setting while all other settings and conditions remain identical.

Figure 10. RF Output Relative Accuracy vs. Center Frequency, Measured


Conditions: Measured in 1 dB steps between -30 dBm and Specification Maximum Level. Normalized to absolute accuracy at the 0 dBm power level setting.

RF Output Frequency Response

Table 26. RF Output Magnitude Response (dB)
Center Frequency Warranted 23 °C ± 5 °C Warranted Typical-95 Typical
50 Mhz to 550 MHz ± 1.00 ± 1.05 ± 0.70 ± 0.45
>550 MHz to 2 GHz ± 0.95 ± 1.00 ± 0.60 ± 0.25
>2 GHz to 5 GHz ± 1.10 ± 1.10 ± 0.65 ± 0.25
>5 GHz to 7 GHz ± 1.20 ± 1.25 ± 0.75 ± 0.25
>7 GHz to 8.5 GHz ± 1.65 ± 1.70 ± 1.15 ± 0.25
Conditions: Peak power level -30 dBm to the specification maximum level in RF Output Maximum Power.

Magnitude Response is defined as the maximum relative amplitude deviation from the amplitude observed at the Reference Frequency, the frequency where absolute amplitude accuracy is defined. For the absolute amplitude accuracy at the reference frequency, refer to the table in RF Output Amplitude Accuracy. For the PXIe-5860, the reference frequency is the center frequency.

Figure 11. RF Output Magnitude Response, Measured


Conditions: 0 dBm power level, normalized to 0 Hz.

Figure 12. RF Output Magnitude Response (Low Frequency), Measured


Conditions: 0 dBm power level, normalized to center frequency.

RF Output Return Loss

Figure 13. RF Output Return Loss, Measured


Conditions: Return loss measured at RF output center frequency.

1 Average output power ≥ -100 dBm.