Page 2 - Table of Contents
2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Specifications for...
Page 3 - Introduction; Definitions
3 Agilent Technologies E4438C ESG vector signal generator incorporates a broad array ofcapabilities for testing both analog and digital communications systems. Flexible optionsprovide test solutions that will evaluate the performance of nearly all current and proposedair interface standards. Many te...
Page 4 - Key Features; Key standard features
4 • Expandable architecture• Broad frequency coverage• Choice of electronic or mechanical attenuator• Superior level accuracy• Wideband FM and F M • Step and list sweep, both frequency and power• Built-in function generator• Lightweight, rack-mountable• 1-year standard warranty• 2-year calibration c...
Page 5 - Specifications for Frequency and Power Characteristics; Frequency
5 Frequency range Option 1 501 250 kHz to 1 GHz 502 250 kHz to 2 GHz 503 250 kHz to 3 GHz 504 250 kHz to 4 GHz 506 250 kHz to 6 GHz [requires Option UNJ] Frequency minimum 100 kHz 2 Frequency resolution 0.01 Hz Frequency switching speed 3 Option 501-504 With Option UNJ Option 506 Freq. 4 Freq./Amp. ...
Page 6 - Power; > 3 to 4 GHz +7 to –136 dBm; Typical maximum available power; Level resolution; Attenuator Hold; active; Output power
6 Power Option 501-504 With Option UNB Option 506 250 kHz to 250 MHz +11 to –136 dBm +15 to –136 dBm +12 to –136 dBm > 250 MHz to 1 GHz +13 to –136 dBm +17 to –136 dBm +14 to –136 dBm > 1 to 3 GHz +10 to –136 dBm +16 to –136 dBm +13 to –136 dBm > 3 to 4 GHz +7 to –136 dBm +13 to –136 dBm +1...
Page 7 - Level accuracy with digital modulation turned on; Level accuracy with ALC on; With Option UNB
7 Level accuracy with digital modulation turned on [relative to CW] Conditions: [with PRBS modulated data; if using I/Q inputs, √ I 2 + Q 2 = 0.5 V r m s , nominal] 1 Level accuracy with ALC on π /4 DQPSK or QPSK formats Conditions: With raised cosine or root-raised cosine filter and a ≥ 0.35; with ...
Page 8 - Repeatability and linearity
8 Repeatability and linearity Relative level accuracy measures the accuracy of a step change from any power level to anyother power level. This is useful for large changes (i.e. 5 dB steps). 1 Specifications for Frequency and Power Characteristics 1. Repeatability and relative level accuracy are typ...
Page 10 - Spectral purity
10 SSB Phase noise [at 20 kHz offset] 1 Standard With Option UNJ at 500 MHz (< –124 dBc/Hz) < –135 dBc/Hz, (< –138 dBc/Hz) at 1 GHz (< –118 dBc/Hz) < –130 dBc/Hz, (< –134 dBc/Hz) at 2 GHz (< –112 dBc/Hz) < –124 dBc/Hz, (< –128 dBc/Hz) at 3 GHz (< –106 dBc/Hz) < –121 ...
Page 11 - Characteristic SSB phase noise; With Option 1E5; Phase noise modes 1 and 2 at fc = 900 MHz
11 Characteristic SSB phase noise With Option 1E5 With Option UNJ fc = 850 MHz fc = 850 MHz fc = 1900 MHz fc = 1900 MHz fc = 2200 MHz fc = 2200 MHz Phase noise modes 1 and 2 at fc = 900 MHz fc = 5.7 GHz [Option 506] Specifications for Frequency and Power Characteristics I/Q on CW mode CW mode CW mod...
Page 12 - for indicated deviation; Specifications for Analog Modulation; Frequency bands
12 Band Frequency range N number 1 250 kHz to ≤ 250 MHz 1 2 > 250 MHz to ≤ 500 MHz 0.5 3 > 500 MHz to ≤ 1GHz 1 4 > 1 to ≤ 2 GHz 2 5 > 2 to ≤ 4 GHz 4 6 > 4 to ≤ 6 GHz 8 Maximum deviation 3 Standard With Option UNJ N x 8 MHz N x 1 MHz Resolution 0.1% of deviation or 1 Hz, whichever is g...
Page 13 - Specifications for Analog Modulations; Phase modulation
13 Resolution 0.1% of set deviation Modulation frequency response 3, 4 Standard Maximum Allowable rates [3 dB BW] Mode deviation F M path 1 F M path 2 Normal BW N x 80 rad DC to 100 kHz DC to 100 kHz High BW 6 N x 8 rad (DC to 1 MHz) (DC to 0.9 MHz) N x 1.6 rad (DC to 10 MHz) (DC to 0.9 MHz) With Op...
Page 14 - Wideband AM
14 Rates [1 dB bandwidth] 1 ALC on (400 Hz to 40 MHz) ALC off (DC to 40 MHz) Wideband AM using external I input only Sensitivity 0.5 V = 100% Input impedance 50 Ω , nominal On/off ratio 1 ≤ 4 GHz > 80 dB > 4 GHz (> 64 dB) Rise/fall times 1 (150 ns) Minimum width 1 ALC on (2 µs) ALC off (0.4...
Page 15 - Internal modulation source
Specifications for Analog Modulation Waveforms Sine, square, ramp, triangle, pulse, noise Rate range Sine 0.1 Hz to 100 kHz Square, ramp, triangle 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz Resolution 0.1 Hz Frequency accuracy Same as RF reference source Swept sine mode [frequency, phase continuous] Operating modes Triggered...
Page 16 - Input voltage; Minimum burst repetition frequency; External burst envelope
16 Input voltage RF On 0 V RF Off –1.0 V Linear control range 0 to –1 V On/off ratio 1 Condition: V in below –1.05 V ≤ 4 GHz > 75 dB > 4 GHz (> 64 dB) Rise/fall time 1 Condition: With rectangular input (< 2 µs) Minimum burst repetition frequency 1 ALC on (10 Hz) ALC off DC Input port Ext...
Page 17 - Specifications for I/Q Characteristics; I/Q modulation bandwidth
17 I/Q inputs Input impedance 50 Ω or 600 Ω Full scale input 1 √ I 2 + Q 2 = 0.5 V r m s I/Q bandwidth using external I/Q source (ALC off) 2 I/Q bandwidth using internal I/Q source (Options 001, 002, 601, 602) Specifications for I/Q Characteristics 1. The optimum I/Q input level is √ I2+Q2 = 0.5 V r...
Page 18 - Channels; Baseband generator
18 Source Parameter Range I/Q baseband inputs Impedance 50 or 600 Ω I offset [600 Ω only] ± 5 V Q offset [600 Ω only] ± 5 V I/Q baseband outputs I/Q offset adjustment ± 3 VI/Q offset resolution 1 mV I/Q gain balance ± 4 dB I/Q attenuation 0 to 40 dB I/Q low pass filter 40 MHz, through RF output I/Q ...
Page 20 - Basic modulation types; Symbol rate; FIR filter
20 Basic modulation types [custom format] PSK BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK, π /4DQPSK, 8PSK, 16PSK, D8PSK MSK User-defined phase offset from 0 to 100° ASK User-defined depth from 0.001 to 100% QAM 4, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 FSK Selectable: 2, 4, 8, 16 level symmetric, C4FM User defined: Custom map of up to 16 dev...
Page 21 - Internally generated data
21 Specifications for I/Q Characteristics 1. Parentheses denote typical performance.2. Valid for 23° ±5° C. Specifications for Signal Personality Characteristics 3GPP W-CDMA [arbitrary waveform mode 2 ] [Option 400] Data types Internally generated data Pseudo-random patterns PN9, PN11, PN15, PN20, P...
Page 22 - Specifications for Signal Personality Characteristics; Spurious emissions; Reverse; Rho; Offsets from center of carrier; Error vector magnitude
22 Specifications for Signal Personality Characteristics 1. Valid for 23° ±5° C.2. Parentheses denote typical performance.3. Measurements performed with 30 kHz BW, relative to power in one carrier.4. Measurements performed with 30 kHz BW, relative to total power. IS-95 CDMA [arbitrary waveform mode ...
Page 23 - Enhanced multitone signal with correction applied; Enhanced multitone
23 Number of tones 2 to 1024 Tone spacing 1 kHz to 50 MHz, limited by 80 MHz I/Q bandwidth Tone power (relative) 0 to –50 dB Phase distribution Fixed, random or parabolic Suppression level –50 to –90 dBc, depending on number of tones and available calibration time.Expected suppression = 80 dBc –10 l...
Page 25 - Custom modulation
25 Modulation QPSK π /4DQPSK 16QAM 2FSK GMSK Filter Root Nyquist Gaussian Filter factor [ a or BbT] 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.5 0.5 Modulation index N/A N/A N/A 0.5 N/A Symbol rate [Msym/s] 4 4 4 1 1 Error vector magnitude 3, 4 Shift error 3, 4 Global phase error 3, 4 [% rms] [% rms] [degrees rms] fc = 1 GHz...
Page 26 - Multiframe output data generation; Data; Multiframe measurements; Static sensitivity; Alternate time slot power level control
26 Multiframe output data generation Coding scheme Full-rate speech [TCH/FS]CS-1, CS-4 Data PN9 or PN15 The selected data sequence is coded continuously across the RLC data block as per ETSI TS 100 909, 3GPP TS 05.03, V8.9.0, 2000-11 [release 1999]An independent version of the selected data sequence...
Page 30 - General Characteristics; Operating characteristics
30 Power requirements 90 to 254 V; 50, or 60 Hz; 300 W maximum, power factor corrected. Not for 400 Hz use. 1 Operating temperature range 2 0 to 55 °C Storage temperature range –40 to 71 °C Shock and vibration Meets MIL-STD-28800E Type III, Class 3. Leakage Conducted and radiated interference meets ...
Page 31 - Transit case; Accessories; Inputs and outputs
31 Transit case Part number 9211-1296 10 MHz input Accepts a 1, 2, 5, or 10 MHz ±10 ppm [standard timebase] or ±1 ppm [high-stability timebase] reference signal for operation with an external timebase. Nominal input level –3.5 to +20 dBm, impedance 50 ohms. [BNC, rear panel] 10 MHz output Outputs th...
Page 35 - Getting Started
35 With Option UN7 BER data, BER clock Accepts CMOS 1 or 75 Ω input. Polarity is selected. BER gate Clock duty and inputs cycle is 30% to 70%. [SMB, rear panel] BER sync loss output Outputs a CMOS 1 signal that is low when sync is lost. Valid only when measure end signal is high. [Auxiliary I/O conn...
Page 36 - Auxiliary I/O connector; View looking into rear panel connector; Mating connector
36 RS-232 connector This male DB-9 connector is an RS-232 serial port that can be used for controlling the signalgenerator remotely. It is functionally equivalent to the GPIB connector. The following tableshows the description of the pinouts. The pin configuration is shown below. Pin number Signal d...
Page 37 - Bluetooth; Ordering Information; Frequency options
37 • 501 1 GHz frequency range • 502 2 GHz frequency range • 503 3 GHz frequency range • 504 4 GHz frequency range • 506 6 GHz frequency range [requires option UNJ, includes mechanical attenuator] • UNB High output power with mechanical attenuator [included with 506] • UNJ Enhanced phase noise perfo...
Page 38 - Configuration Guide,; E4438C ESG signal generation firmware personalities; Related Literature; Application literature
38 • RF Source Basics, a self-paced tutorial (CD-ROM), literature number 5980-2060E. • Digital Modulation in Communications Systems—An Introduction , Application Note 1298, literature number 5965-7160E. • Using Vector Modulation Analysis in the Integration, Troubleshooting and Design of Digital Comm...
Page 40 - Agilent Email Updates; Agilent Direct
See the ESG Web page for the latestinformation Get the latest news, product andsupport information, application literature, firmware upgrades andmore. Agilent’s Internet address for the ESG is: www.agilent.com/find/esg www.agilent.com/find/emailupdates Get the latest information on the products anda...
