Agilent / Keysight M9421A VXT PXIe Vector Transceiver

The Keysight M9421A VXT is a modular PXIe vector transceiver that combines signal generation and analysis in a single 4-slot instrument. It delivers integrated RF testing for wireless standards validation across R&D and manufacturing workflows. Two frequency variants and three bandwidth options enable flexible configurations to match application requirements and test density goals.

– Technical Specifications

Frequency and Bandwidth
• Frequency range: 60 MHz to 3.8 GHz (M9421A-504) or 60 MHz to 6 GHz (M9421A-506)
• Modulation and analysis bandwidth: 40 MHz (base), 80 MHz, or 160 MHz options
• Memory: 256 MSa (base) or 512 MSa configurations

Signal Conditioning
• RF connections: SMA female connectors (input, output, RFHD)
• Reference clock input: 100 MHz SMB male port
• Trigger I/O: Two SMB trigger inputs (10 kΩ nominal, ±3.5 V level range) and two SMB trigger outputs (50 Ω nominal, 3.3 V LVTTL)

Physical and Power
• Module footprint: 82 mm × 209.5 mm, occupying 4 contiguous PXIe slots
• Power consumption: ≤120 W per chassis

– Key Features

• FPGA-accelerated measurements enable faster throughput and real-time signal processing
• High output power option available (M9421A-1EA)
• Half-duplex port configuration supported (M9421A-HDX)
• Multi-instrument stacking: Up to four M9421A VXTs operate in a single 18-slot PXI chassis with one M9300A frequency reference

– System Integration

Controller and Chassis Options
• Compatible with M9035A or M9038A embedded controllers; standalone PC operation also supported
• Installation in third-party PXI chassis requires peer-to-peer express switch topology and ≥4 consecutive PXIe or PXI-H slots
• M9300A frequency reference required per chassis; single reference supports up to four M9421A modules

Host Requirements
• OS: Windows 7 (32 & 64-bit) or Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor: 1.86 GHz minimum; 2.4 GHz recommended
• RAM: 8 GB minimum; 16 GB recommended

– Typical Applications

Wireless communication testing, standards validation, signal generation and analysis, and high-density RF test systems.