First Handheld Spectrum Analyzer up to 4 GHz on the market

Ismaning/Chessington, 18 November 2002 - Willtek Communications today launched a new series of spectrum analyzers in the 4 GHz class enabling detailed component-level repair of mobile phones using hand-held equipment. This is the first portable instrument in the market up to 4 GHz. It combines conventional spectrum measurements with leading-edge technology and size. With its small footprint and large display, the Willtek 9100 is an affordable test solution designed for various RF test applications, most significantly the repair of latest-technology mobile phones where the 9100 resolves constraints of similar-priced analyzers.

With the 9100 Series Handheld Spectrum Analyzers, Willtek takes its RF experience from dedicated mobile phone testers for the design and repair of mobile phones to more general-purpose RF test equipment for various measurement applications, such as wireless local loop (WLL), wireless LAN and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) measurements.

Willtek’s wide range of mobile service testers establish if there is a fault and where it is on mobile handsets and devices. The 9100 Handheld Spectrum Analyzer complements the current range and goes one step further by pinpointing the component needing alignment or exchange. Using the 9100, technicians and engineers can check the reference frequency and local oscillator, verify the spectrum shape of defined signals and locate faulty components. Multiple markers allow them easily measure the harmonics of a signal as well as spurious signals. The 9100 goes beyond the typical 3 GHz limit of spectrum analyzers in this price range, supporting measurements from 100 kHz up to 4 GHz. These are needed for the repair of modern mobile phones with the first local oscillator between 3.4 and 3.8 GHz.

Cyrille Damany, CEO at Willtek Communications says: “ Willtek’s 9100 series delivers additional value to users by combining our long–established RF experience with customer and application knowledge. This results in easy-to-use and affordable RF test solutions.”

The first analyzer of this series, the 9101, will be available in the first quarter of 2003.

Notes to editors

With the 9100 series of testers, not only can a measurement be stored and loaded to a PC but also displayed in the background, added to or subtracted from the actual measurement. A large, eye-friendly, non-flickering, full-VGA colour TFT screen with 140-degree viewing angle supports these measurement and display functions of the 9100.

The 9100 can be useful in a lot of different applications. The battery operation, its low weight of 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) and the smooth handle makes 9100 suitable for use in the field as well as on the workbench. With its 10 cm (four inch) depth and its small footprint, the 9100 still fits on a workbench already stuffed with other equipment. Following Willtek’s easy-to-use mobile phone testers, it is optimised for one-hand use and minimum key presses to ease the operator’s job.

One of the attractions of the 9100 is its remote control capability over both RS-232 and LAN, allowing its use in automated environments such as labs and service factories. In conjunction with the built-in loudspeaker, the AM and FM demodulators support audible pattern checks.

On power up, the last used settings are loaded so that the user can continue work after a break. Up to 100 settings can be stored and reloaded for different applications. Four markers ease reading of absolute and relative measurement results. An on-screen help function is available, offering context-sensitive support. Other functions that are almost standard in today’s spectrum analyzers are zero span and an external trigger input.