Among the markets facing a critical need for affordable VNAs are Internet of Things (IoT) design and education. In IoT, VNAs are necessary to connect Bluetooth, WLAN, RFID, and other radios to antennas. In many cases, designers must rent or borrow a VNA, adding time and expense to projects. In education, the high cost of VNAs means students receive little to no hands-on experience with this important tool. The TTR500 series dramatically lowers the barrier to entry and features an easy-to-use interface for common tasks. Furthermore, the TTR500 series' small size makes it easier to share a single VNA within a team.
“Thanks to its innovative architecture and disaggregated design, the TTR500 Series achieves the same level of performance as a benchtop VNA, but at 40 percent less cost and one-seventh the size and weight of comparable instruments,” said Jim McGillivary, general manager of RF Solutions and Components at Tektronix. “This new architecture also greatly reduces the number of components in the instrument, which in turn reduces complexity and ultimately provides greater reliability compared to traditional benchtop VNAs. The RSA306 revolutionized the vector spectrum analyzer market, and I’m confident the TTR500 Series will have the same impact on VNAs.”
The TTR500 series offers a 2-port/2-way VNA for S-parameter analysis and is dedicated to applications such as measuring passive/active components, antennas and matching networks, RF modules, test leads, adapters, and more. It boasts a robust set of specifications, including a frequency range of 100 kHz to 6 GHz, a dynamic range of 122 dB, trace noise of less than 0.008 dB, and an output power of -50 to +7 dBm, all within a compact chassis weighing less than 2.5 kg.A key feature of the TTR500 is its built-in bias tee. This integrated bias tee, accessible on both ports, allows active devices, such as amplifiers, to be easily powered with DC voltage. Users no longer need to search for an external bias tee or pay extra for an instrument with an optional internal bias tee. The TTR500 integrates an internal bias tee that provides active devices with a voltage between 0V and ±24V and a current of 0 to 200mA on both ports.
The TTR500 is designed to work with any PC or laptop running Windows and the VectorVu-PC software, which provides a traditional interface for controlling and calibrating the instrument. It offers point-and-click functionality along with the ease of saving and sharing files provided by PC-based networks. For automated test systems in design or manufacturing, VectorVu-PC offers programming support for SCPI commands, including compatibility with legacy commands from traditional VNAs, enabling easy integration into existing test systems. Furthermore, the software offers an offline mode for data analysis, thanks to an output file format compatible with common EDA simulation tools.To complete the solution, the TTR500 series has a wide range of accessories, including a robust carrying case, rack mounting kits, robust phase-stable cables, attenuators, adapters, and calibration kits.
