Many of these scenarios take place far from the field team. Only the best, most rugged, most reliable, and most flexible equipment will be suitable for the field. The best measurement and winning the game is the driving force behind Keysight's FieldFox handheld analyzers. Increasingly, high-performance handheld analyzers are needed to test the power and bandwidth of interference systems, check the antenna alignment of point-to-point microwave links, and validate antenna and cable systems on commercial and military aircraft.
Inside and out, the FieldFox family was designed for these applications, and with these end users in mind (Figure 1). To provide accuracy virtually everywhere, FieldFox offers precise microwave and millimeter-wave measurement up to 50 GHz in a compact 3.2 kg unit: cable and antenna testing, network vector analysis, spectrum analysis, power metering, interference analysis, and voltage vector measurement.
Designing from the Ground Up:
It’s one thing to manufacture a portable analyzer that includes multiple functions. It’s quite another to create a portable instrument designed for the day-to-day workflows of field technicians and engineers. And it’s yet another to provide on-the-go microwave and millimeter-wave measurements that match those made using Keysight benchtop analyzers.
Instead of trying to change the purpose of an existing benchtop instrument, FieldFox’s industrial design and electronics started with a blank sheet of paper. That meant getting out of the office and working alongside field technicians and engineers. Since they perform routine maintenance, in-depth troubleshooting, and everything in between, we were there observing, interviewing, and listening.
Creating a Truly Field-Worthy Industrial Design:
We traveled to a variety of locations in vans, pickups, and trucks. The "good" instruments were often mounted up front with the crew; other equipment was often tossed into the cargo area of a van or the bed of a pickup truck. In every case, the people, vehicles, and instruments had to be equipped for a wide range of above-ground and underground conditions, day or night, rain or shine.
At FieldFox, these experiences translate into attributes that make it ready for the harshest conditions. To ensure durability in harsh environments, the fully enclosed housing meets US MIL-PRF-28800F Class 2 requirements. With no vents or fans in the housing, FieldFox is tested to meet IEC/EN 60529 IP53 requirements for protection against dust and water. It is also capable of operating in explosive environments, passing tests and meeting the requirements of MIL-STD-810G and Method 511.5, Procedure I.
The chassis, keyboard, and waterproof case can withstand humid and salty environments and a temperature range of -10 to +55°C. Sealed gaskets protect the
interfaces from moisture, and the dust-free design helps improve the instrument's reliability. The equipment can also withstand shocks and vibrations, and a specially designed connector bay protects the RF connectors from damage due to drops or other external impacts.
Defining Field Ergonomics:
First-hand observations from staff "on the go" provided deeper insights into significant practical ergonomic decisions. For example, the integrated non-slip rubber grip not only fits firmly in the user's hands but also prevents the analyzer from sliding off a vehicle's hood. The front panel buttons are large enough for easy operation while wearing gloves (Figure 2).
The vertical or "portrait" orientation and 188 mm width make FieldFox easy to hold. Along with a carefully designed keypad layout, this makes it easy for a user to operate FieldFox with their thumbs. Also, a weight of up to 3.2 kg makes FieldFox easier to carry than similar analyzers.
Because FieldFox can be used day or night, indoors or outdoors, we've included a low-reflection display and five display modes that optimize viewing in a wide range of lighting conditions. The keys are also backlit for operation in the dark.
Applying Keysight Measurement Science:
The FieldFox electronic design is a classic example of what Keysight can do. Before FieldFox, our technology portfolio included a number of high-performance chips that offered the best measurement performance. For FieldFox, our top measurement scientists extended those technologies to deliver high performance with low power consumption. The result: FieldFox consumes around 16 W and typically lasts 3.5 hours on a single charge. And because it consumes only 16 W of power, the equipment can be completely sealed.
Filling the Gaps:
There are other handheld analyzers on the market. Beyond our own technology assessments, we also asked end users for their opinions and experiences. They identified four key issues with handheld devices they had tried or were using:
- Most are not designed to operate in real-world environments with humidity, rain, dust, or temperature fluctuations.
- Most have excessively short battery life.
- Field measurements rarely agree with laboratory or production line results.
- It is difficult, if not impossible, to make accurate signal strength measurements when the ambient temperature fluctuates.
FieldFox fills all these gaps.
Leveraging our microwave expertise,
a FieldFox analyzer incorporates capabilities acquired from Keysight benchtop analyzers, many of which are among the finest microwave and millimeter-wave instruments available today (Figure 3). By delivering levels of accuracy unavailable in any other handheld instrument, FieldFox ensures greater confidence in the results.
In network analysis, integrated calibration engines power the highly accurate algorithms of high-end vector network analyzers (VNAs), enabling precise and repeatable measurements in the field. Our approach to calibration hardware is borrowed from benchtop VNAs: building CalReady standards into the instrument enables accurate field measurements and eliminates the need to carry Open Short Load (OSL) kits (Figure 4). To further enhance instrument accuracy, our QuickCal capability extends the measurement plane to the end of the cable.<sup>1</sup>
To improve spectrum analysis, we've ported PowerSuite measurements from Keysight spectrum and signal analyzers to FieldFox handheld spectrum analyzers. This allows users to easily and confidently perform quick, one-button power measurements of channeled communication systems. To enhance amplitude accuracy, FieldFox utilizes our InstAlign signal replacement process to apply internal calibration signals at any frequency in the band.
Conclusion:
Every piece of equipment in a field instrument has to prove its worth. The best measurement and winning the game is the driving force behind our FieldFox microwave and millimeter-wave analyzers. They are equipped to handle routine maintenance, in-depth troubleshooting, and everything in between. Even better, FieldFox provides accurate microwave and millimeter-wave measurements virtually anywhere technicians and engineers need to go. When they add FieldFox to their equipment, they literally take accuracy with them.
1 Note: QuickCal is not available on models N9950A, N9951A and N9952A.
