Tektronix Adds Support for Automated APCO P25 Transmitter Compliance Testing

BEAVERTON, Ore., July 30, 2014 – Tektronix, Inc., a leading worldwide provider of test, measurement and monitoring instrumentation, today announced a cost-effective compliance transmitter test solution for the Project 25 <http://www.tek.com/application/P25> (P25) Common Air Interface (CAI) Phase 1 and Phase 2 standard. The new software gives RF test engineers and safety agencies the convenience of push-button measurements with automated pass/fail reporting and runs on Tektronix spectrum analyzers , all Tektronix Windows-based oscilloscopes <http://www.tek.com/oscilloscope#all> , and on SignalVu-PC <http://www.tek.com/datasheet/signalvu-pc/signalvu-pc-datasheet-0> linked with the MDO4000B <http://www.tek.com/oscilloscope/mdo4000-mixed-domain-oscilloscope> Mixed Domain Oscilloscope Series.

P25 is a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) standard developed by the TIA-102 (Telecommunications Industry Association) and is used primarily by North American and Australian public safety and government organizations to provide interoperability among various agencies. With Phase 2 in the early phases of deployment, there is a growing need for cost-effective, easy to use test solutions to verify P25 standards compliance and perform troubleshooting as problems arise.

“With this introduction, Tektronix now provides the most automated solution for testing P25 transmitters available today,” said Jim McGillivary, general manager of the RF and Component Solutions Business, Tektronix. “What’s more, we also offer the least expensive solution capable of performing the full range of P25 transmitter spectral, timing and modulation measurements for, validation, analysis, compliance and characterization at the PHY layer.”

Beyond validation and verification, the solution also provides the ability to debug signal issues with multi-domain cross-correlation including Time Overview, Spectrum, Phase and Modulation. These measurements are integrated with Tektronix Vector Signal Analysis software and take advantage of such advanced features in the Tektronix RSA5000 Spectrum Analyzer as DPX Live RF spectrum display and DPX density trigger to pinpoint the source of intermittent problems.

The P25 solution is available on a variety of Tektronix RF test instruments ranging from bench to portable, allowing organizations to select the option that best fits their needs. For organizations looking for more comprehensive debug capability, the software also works with Tektronix MDO4000B series oscilloscopes that combine the full functionality of Tektronix mixed signal oscilloscopes with a dedicated spectrum analyzer channel. This means that for the price of a mid-range spectrum analyzer-based solution, engineers also gain the ability to analyze and debug complete digital, analog and RF systems.

New Noise Figure and Gain Measurements and Enhancements

Tektronix also released a series of new capabilities for its RSA5000B <http://www.tek.com/spectrum-analyzer/rsa5000> , RSA6000B <http://www.tek.com/spectrum-analyzer/rsa6000> and SPECMONB <http://www.tek.com/spectrum-analyzer/specmon> real time signal analyzers. These instruments are now available with optional Noise Figure and Gain measurement capability. In addition, a range of enhancements to improve usability and increase measurement functionality are now available as a free upgrade. Among the enhancements are improved measurement setup with Navigator View and “Go-Back, Go-Forward” keys for easy recovery of prior measurement settings. New marker functions to measure integrated power between markers and power density are also included. These enhancements will also be available in SignalVu-PC.

As the real time spectrum analysis leader, Tektronix incorporates real time technology into the industry’s broadest range of applications including Noise Figure and Gain measurements for the first time. Using the Tektronix DPX processing engine, Tektronix real time analyzers perform fast, repeatable calibrations and measurements of noise figure and gain.

For spectrum managers, Tektronix is making mapping and signal strength functionality available on RSA5000B and RSA6000B instruments and SignalVu-PC, in addition to being standard on the SPECMONB series. As radio noise and complexity continues to increase, bench instruments are increasingly being utilized for mobile van applications such as identifying weak coverage areas or addressing interference problems.

Pricing & Availability

The new options and enhancements are available now. US MSRP is as follows:

Option 26, P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2 measurements for RSA5000, RSA6000 and SPECMON is €4,580 / £3,810.
Option SV26, P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2 measurements for SignalVu-PC (MDO4000B) and Windows-based oscilloscopes is €2,290 / £1,900.
Option 14, Noise Figure and Gain measurement capability: €6,340 / £5,270.
Option MAP, Mapping and Signal Strength: €4,500 / £3,740.
Features enhancements including integrated power and density markers, forward/back function and enhanced Time Navigator view are provided via a free download on www.tek.com <http://www.tek.com> .

Wondering what else Tektronix is up to? Check out the Tektronix Bandwidth Banter blog <http://www.tek.com/blog> and stay up to date on the latest news from Tektronix on Twitter <https://twitter.com/tektronix> and Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/Tektronix> .

About Tektronix

For more than sixty-five years, engineers have turned to Tektronix <http://www.tek.com/> for test, measurement and monitoring solutions to solve design challenges, improve productivity and dramatically reduce time to market. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test equipment <http://www.tek.com/products> for engineers focused on electronic design, manufacturing, and advanced technology development. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix serves customers worldwide and offers award-winning service <http://www.tek.com/service/> and support <http://www.tek.com/support/> . Stay on the leading edge at www.tektronix.com <http://www.tektronix.com/> .