Chapter 2 75
Front-Panel Key Reference
Auto Couple
Negative Peak  Negative peak detection functions the same as peak 
detection, but selects the minimum video signal value. 
This detection should not be used to make the most 
accurate amplitude measurements of signals. When 
Negative Peak is selected, NPeak appears in the 
upper-left corner of the screen.
Key Access: 
Auto Couple, Detector Auto Man
Avg Type 
Auto Man
Accesses the functions to automatically or manually choose from one of 
the following averaging scales: Video or Power (RMS).
NOTE If video averaging is selected, the measurement results are the average 
of the signal level in the y-axis scale. If the power average (RMS) is 
selected, all measured results are converted into power units before 
averaging and filtering operations, and converted back to decibels for 
displaying. The main point to remember is that there can be significant 
differences between the average of the log of power and the log of the 
average power.
There are actually four types of averaging processes within a spectrum 
analyzer. All, except VBW filtering, are affected by this setting. They 
are:
• Trace averaging (see 
BW/Avg, Average (On)).
Averages signal amplitudes on a trace-to-trace basis. (The type of 
averaging (Video or Power (RMS)) is selected by pressing 
BW/Avg, 
Avg Type.)
• Average detector (see 
Det/Demod, Detector, Average (Video/RMS)).
Averages signal amplitudes during the time or frequency interval 
represented by a particular measurement point. The method is 
determined by selection of either Video or RMS.
• Noise Marker (see 
Marker, Noise)
Averages signal amplitudes across measurement points to reduce 
variations for noisy signals. 
• VBW filtering.
Filtering the video is a form of averaging the video signal.
When trace average is on (
BW/Avg, Average (On), the Average Type is 
shown on the left side of the display. When 
Avg Type (Auto) is selected, 
the analyzer chooses the type of averaging to be used as shown in 
Figure 2-2. When one of the average types is selected manually, the 
analyzer uses that type without regard to the other analyzer settings 
and sets 
Avg Type to Man.