RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

B

brian maddox

Senior
Jan 13, 2011
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frederick, md
www.fcfchurch.com
okay, i've got a fixed church install with a kludged together pile of various RF IEM and Mics. it's been freq coordinated and it's functioning, but i'd love to get a better handle on what is actually happening in my RF space so i know better how to proceed as i replace items and add more RF. I have NO budget to purchase a Spectrum Analyzer, but since my situation is stable i think there would be some value in renting one and doing some sweeps with all my stuff on just to get a handle on what's happening.

two questions.

1. is that stupid? i'm in a cornfield fairly far removed from serious civilization so i'm fairly sure that 95 percent of what i'll find will be either TV stations that are already a known quantity and my stuff. it seems to me there would at least be some value to a weekend test fest. but i'm no RF tech, so i could be wrong.

2. anyone know where i can rent one? i'm thinking one of the portable, self-contained units that will output something i can put into a computer for later reference. i could probably spare a couple hundred bucks to rent one. but there's no way i could pony up the several thousand to buy... Bexel? somewhere else?

thoughts?
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Advanced Test Equipment rents them. http://www.atecorp.com/Categories/more/SpectrumAnalyzers.asp

That said, a true spectrum analyzer may be overkill for what you need. Something like a Winradio might be a better option, and whatever built-in functionality in the RF you currently have (if there is any - I'm thinking along the lines of Shure's Wireless Workbench) may be sufficient.
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

thanks gents. yeah, i'd kinda like to just buy a Winradio, but i just can't justify the cost right now. and unfortunately, while i have some shure's i don't have them covering all the bands i need to look at with all the IEM transmitters i've got running...

FWIW, i'm running 10 wireless IEMs and some of them are old and i suspect very sloppy in their specs. plus i've got RF Comm, 8 channels of RF mics, and 3-4 Wireless instruments. add to that the 10-12 other transmitters in various other rooms in the building and i've got just enough stuff to make things interesting... :)
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Greg Bellotte said:
Check out Home of RF-Explorer and other Microcontroller projects

Its not the greatest thing in the world, but for$129 it certainly found a place in my toolbox. Takes almost a month to deliver from china. I'm surprised at how much I actually use this thing...
Click to expand...

and sold....

yep, this should suit me nicely. it might not be the greatest, but it sure beats flying blind...

thanks for the recommend....
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Philip LaDue said:
I almost bought one, but they're sold out of the 240-960 unit.
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i saw that. i went ahead and bought the 2.4 gHz unit and the 240-960 expander card. figured i could always use a 2.4 gHz scanner too, especially since i've got some line6 2.4 gHz wireless in my rig as well... knowledge is power after all...

still set me back less than 200. if it does what it says it does, it'll suit me nicely...
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Make sure to get back with how it works out for you.
I see these being really useful for festival situations and multiple venues in close proximity.
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Does this work in the 500 and 600 MHz range that we deal with for wireless mics and coms etc...?

Also, are these type approved for use in the U.S.? They don't have any U.S. based distributors.

That 240-960MHz unit with the 2.4GHz expander card would be killer if it actually works and presents usable information.
 
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Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Justice C. Bigler said:
Does this work in the 500 and 600 MHz range that we deal with for wireless mics and coms etc...?

Also, are these type approved for use in the U.S.? They don't have any U.S. based distributors.

That 240-960MHz unit with the 2.4GHz expander card would be killer if it actually works and presents usable information.
Click to expand...

i don't know about the 'approved for use in the U.S.' but they certainly do seem to cover the 500 and 600 bands for checking RF mics. i read the pertinent info and it seems the unit i bought does NOT have the RF transmit function, which i could see might be a FCC violation. i don't know enough to know if there are other criteria that need to be met to be sold through official U.S. channels. this seems like it's designed to be used by hobbyists and the like so it's by no means a replacement for a 'real' spectrum analyzer. but if it works it would certainly help me with my basic needs...
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

brian maddox said:
i read the pertinent info and it seems the unit i bought does NOT have the RF transmit function, which i could see might be a FCC violation.
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I think the RF transmit function is limited to the versions that work on a single ISM band. It's kind of confusing, because they have three different models that work on individual ISM bands, as well as a 2.4GHz version, and a version that appears to work on the full range between 240MHz and 960MHz, which does not include the RF transmit function. And then they have expansion cards for the 2.4GHz and the 240-960MHz bands. When you get yours in, can you confirm how it work while using the expander card with the analyzer functions of the base unit? I.e. can you dial it up continuously? Do you have to swap the expander card for the card that is normally in the unit, etc... I would buy one of these in a heart beat if it does what it says it can. (Though it appears that you can't monitor the audio on the respective frequencies like you can with the TTi unit.)
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Well, I've spent the better part of two Opera rehearsals today reading about this little unit. Seems that most of the people buying these are using them for remote controlled planes (I think?) and some sort of wireless video link. I'm not sure what most of the devices are that they are talking using with this RF spectrum analyzer. It's a long read (24 pages), but there's some good info and videos about these units on this forum, including talk of an upcoming wide band unit that will cover 15MHz to 2700MHz, and which is due to be released in April, called the WSUB3G. No word on pricing yet.

Also a case for the unit here, and a paper on the care and handling here.

I think I'm going to wait for one of the WSub3G models, seems like it could be a lot of fun with Ham radio projects as well as RF mic coordination and troubleshooting.
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Justice C. Bigler said:
Does this work in the 500 and 600 MHz range that we deal with for wireless mics and coms etc...?

Also, are these type approved for use in the U.S.? They don't have any U.S. based distributors.

That 240-960MHz unit with the 2.4GHz expander card would be killer if it actually works and presents usable information.
Click to expand...
Type approvals or certifications are only needed for intentional radiators (purpose built transmitters) that exceed Part 15 limits or otherwise not classified as test & measurement. Then there is "verified" which is basically a self-verification by the manufacturer for non intentional radiators that have spurious electromagnetic emissions within Part 15 limits (e.g. televisions, the non wireless networking parts of a computer, DSPs, etc).

The wide band RF Explorer is slated to be in the range of US$250.00, according to a client of mine seeking US distributorship.
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Henry Cohen said:
The wide band RF Explorer is slated to be in the range of US$250.00, according to a client of mine seeking US distributorship.
Click to expand...

Henry, please send me a PM on this as soon as you hear something, as I absolutely want to purchase one of these as soon as they are available.

Have you used any of their other models? And opinions on them otherwise?
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

i did a quick speed read of the forum as well. impressive customer service it seems at this point. and yeah, he's obviously doing this to solve issues with RC planes/aircraft that use onboard wireless video. i have a feeling that the designer/marketer of this box has no idea what a goldmine he'll be sitting on if/when all us audio geeks found out what he's got...

i saw your post asking about an audio out. that would be very cool. although i'm not sure what kind of circuitry that would actually require. or what it would sound like given that there are so many different companding schemes. still, it'd be nice as a reference...
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

brian maddox said:
i have a feeling that the designer/marketer of this box has no idea what a goldmine he'll be sitting on if/when all us audio geeks found out what he's got...
Click to expand...

My advice: buy in soon before he realizes that he can charge $1,500 for the thing and still undercut the next least expensive option out there.

If I can get my hands on a unit, I'll test it against the TTi that the building owns and post a full write up.
 
Re: RF Spectrum Analyzer to rent?

Justice C. Bigler said:
My advice: buy in soon before he realizes that he can charge $1,500 for the thing and still undercut the next least expensive option out there.

If I can get my hands on a unit, I'll test it against the TTi that the building owns and post a full write up.
Click to expand...

agreed. which is why i snagged the last 240-960 mHz board they had... the next run could be 'new and improved'. and cost 2k... :)

i'd love it if you got ahold of a unit and did some A/B with something 'real'. i'll be just using it to give me a general idea what's going on in my space, so it need not be amazing. but i'd love to know how good it actually is...
 
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