Innovative, low-cost, stable RF signal generator is software-tunable

Saelig has announced the SynthHD PRO - a temperature-compensated, dual-channel, software-tunable RF signal generator and frequency sweeper, controlled and powered via a USB port on a device running Windows or Android software. The device’s dual, independent 54MHz to 13.6GHz channels can be configured to run at two different frequencies, or at the same frequency with different phases. This allows its use in antenna beam steering applications or quadrature signal generation commonly used in image-reject frequency conversion. It also has nonvolatile on board memory so it can be programmed to start up by itself on any frequency, power, sweep or modulation setting (or combinations thereof) to run stand-alone in field use. This makes it a highly mobile, low power, and light weight signal source for many RF signal generation needs The typical channel output power is 20dBm maximum and -40dBm minimum, with the variable gain set via a 16-bit D/A. Each RF channel's power and frequency is independent, with dBm power levels settable in 0.01dB increments and frequency resolution of 0.1Hz or less with 2.5ppm frequency accuracy. For more complex applications the SynthHD PRO also has an internal 100 point Frequency and Amplitude Hop Table, with a 0.01 degree phase control on each channel and a fast 4mS RF lock time. On-board calibration is attained through a user-programmable look up table, plus two overall bias constants. Full unique device calibration can be performed at the factory and stored in onboard EEPROM. All parts of the signal chain have high quality voltage regulation, and the D/A's driving the VGAs have a 1% voltage reference controlling their outputs. The device can measure its own temperature, allowing for excellent power and frequency control over a wide temperature range. Open source Labview GUI software, which features an Absolute Power display, is provided for setup and control of the unit via a USB port. Compact in size (2.8" X 2.2"), the device will find application in wireless communications systems design, antenna beam steering, quadrature oscillators for image-reject mixers, RF and microwave radios, software-defined radio (SDR), radar systems including FMCW, automated test equipment (ATE), radiated immunity pre-compliance EMC testing, etc.