With the widespread increase of wireless technologies now used in commercial, aerospace and defence applications, interference issues are becoming more common and more severe. To mitigate these issues, use of millimetre wave band is increasing. Related enhancements include the use of narrow radar pulses and modern communication signals.
While these approaches can overcome externally generated interference, they make field troubleshooting more difficult. Handheld spectrum analysers which operate at high frequency with new measurement tools and technologies are needed to effectively maintain deployed systems. One such tool is real-time spectrum analysis (RTSA). With high-speed, gap-free RTSA measurements on a handheld spectrum analyser connected to a directional antenna, field personnel can use one instrument to detect, locate and fix interference problems. Another tool is channel scanning. The ability to drive around taking signal power measurements on a set of channels is another tool to locate the interference, and also gives baseline signal powers for anomaly detection. In the portable handheld form factor, such measurement tools are indispensable for maintaining the integrity of these communications systems.