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Every amateur radio station should be provided with the following minimal test equipment:
A frequency-measuring instrument accurate to within 10 Hz.
An RF power meter capable of measuring forward and reflected power, or power and VSWR.
An accurate digital multimeter (with a high-voltage probe for safe measurement of voltages above 500V).
Assorted RF jumper cables (PL-259, BNC, N, SMA in various combinations.)
A well-regulated bench power supply (13.8V/25A minimum).
For more sophisticated station adjustment (SSB audio, modulation envelope, tones in digital modes etc.), we should add:
An oscilloscope with a minimum 3 dB bandwidth of 50 - 100 MHz.
An audio signal generator (or tone-generator software) covering 50 Hz - 100 kHz.
A good-quality frequency counter with a minimum frequency range of 100 MHz.
A handheld antenna analyser.
A grid-dip oscillator.
Radio amateurs who are interested in aligning and repairing their own (or their friends') radio gear may wish to go a few steps further:
A good-quality RF signal generator covering 400 kHz to 500 MHz, with a built-in attenuator.
An FM communications service monitor.
An RF spectrum analyser with an upper frequency limit of at least 100 MHz (for HF) or 1 GHz (for HF/VHF/UHF and up), with a minimum resolution bandwidth of 100 Hz.
A tracking generator for use with the spectrum analyser, or alternatively a vector network analyser (VNA).
An RF millivoltmeter or microwattmeter (100 kHz - 1 GHz, -50 to +30 dBm).
A number of good-quality fixed RF attenuators.
A good RF step attenuator.
A variable-voltage bench power supply (0 - 20V, 25A).
A vector network analyser (free-standing or PC-based).
We have already accumulated a pretty good little RF lab here. For radio performance testing, we can add:
A second high-quality RF signal generator and a hybrid combiner, for 2-signal receiver testing.
An audio 2-tone generator, or equivalent tone-generator software.
An RF noise generator.
A pulse generator, for AGC and noise-blanker testing.
Baseband spectrum-analysis software, for filter response measurements etc.
An audio distortion analyser, distortion meter or SINAD meter.
Not necessarily! As the old saying goes. "it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good." Perhaps the greatest boon which the dot-com bust and the telecom implosion conferred on the amateur radio community (at least on those of us whose livelihood was not affected by these events) is the availability of top-quality test instruments on the second-hand and surplus market. At many hamfests, one will see such legendary makes as HP/Aglent, Tektronix, Fluke, Boonton, Systron-Donner and even Rohde & Schwarz, sometimes at pennies on the dollar.
Better Measurements Using RF Signal Generators
Agilent Spectrum Analyser Measurements & Noise
Agilent 8560E/8590E Spectrum Analysers: Comparing Power Measurements on Digitally Modulated Signals
Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Power Measurements
4 Steps for Making Better Power Measurements
Choosing the Right Power Meter and Sensor
Noise Figure
Measurement by KO4BB
Noise Power Ratio (NPR) Testing of HF
Receivers
Measuring the IMD of SSB Linear Amplifiers
My friend Walter, VE7WRS' website (including Testing)
A presentation on RF Test & Measurement by Walter VE7WRS and myself at NSARC
Jeff Smith, VE1ZAC's Website including test methods & equipment
A Brief Treatise on the Decibel by George T. Baker W5YR (SK)
Join the Radio Test Gear group!
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Copyright © 2002-2009 A. Farson VA7OJ/AB4OJ. Last updated: 09/08/2010
