The Agilent/Keysight 8560EC is a portable spectrum analyzer delivering high-sensitivity signal analysis from 30 Hz to 2.9 GHz with internal mixing, extending to 325 GHz via external mixing. Purpose-built for field operations and laboratory RF/microwave measurements, it combines synthesized tuning, digital display, and time-domain sweep capability with absolute amplitude accuracy of ±1.0 dB.
– Technical Specifications
Frequency Coverage
• Internal mixing: 30 Hz to 2.9 GHz (DC and AC coupled)
• External mixing: 18 GHz to 325 GHz
• Harmonic mixing mode: 30 Hz to 2.9 GHz
Amplitude & Noise Performance
• Absolute amplitude accuracy: ±1.0 dB
• Displayed average noise level: -151 dBm/Hz
• Phase noise: <-113 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset
Resolution Bandwidth
• Fast digital RBW: 1 Hz to 3 MHz
• 3 dB bandwidth options: 1 Hz to 1 MHz (1, 3, 10 sequence), 2 MHz, 3 MHz at -6 dB
Sweep Characteristics
• Continuous sweep: 30 Hz to 2.9 GHz
• Fast sweep times: 50 µs to 30 ms with digitized time-domain capture
Input Power Ratings
• Average continuous power: +30 dBm (1 W, attenuation ≥10 dB)
• Peak pulse power: +50 dBm (100 W, attenuation ≥30 dB)
Frequency Reference (Option 856xEC-103)
• Temperature stability: ±1 × 10⁻⁸
• Annual aging: ±1 × 10⁻⁷
• Short-term warmup: 5 min ±1 × 10⁻⁷, 15 min ±1 × 10⁻⁸
• Daily aging (7-day average): <±5 × 10⁻¹⁰
Power Supply
• 115 VAC: 90–140 V rms, 3.2 A max, 47–440 Hz
• 230 VAC: 180–250 V rms, 1.8 A max, 47–66 Hz
• Maximum dissipation: 180 W
– Key Features
• Adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) testing for burst-modulated signals (NADC-TDMA, GSM, DECT, W-CDMA with ≥70 dB dynamic range)
• Time-gated measurement for pulsed, TDMA, and burst signals
• Occupied bandwidth measurement (0.10% to 99.99%)
• Harmonic distortion and spurious emissions analysis
• Digital radio and phase noise measurement personalities
– Typical Applications
Field-based RF compliance testing, burst signal characterization, adjacent channel interference assessment, phase noise evaluation, and time-varying signal analysis across commercial and defense frequency bands.
– Compatibility & Integration
GPIB (IEEE-488) interface for remote control and data logging.


















