80 Chapter 2 
Front-Panel Key Reference
BW/Avg
Average 
On Off
Initiates a digital averaging routine that averages the trace points in a 
number of successive sweeps resulting in trace “smoothing”. The 
number of sweeps (average number) can be selected. Increasing the 
average number will further smooth the trace. The type of averaging 
used is selected by pressing 
BW/Avg, Avg Type.
The average is restarted when any of the following occurs:
• a new average number is entered.
• any measurement related parameter (e.g., Center Frequency) is 
changed.
•
Restart is pressed.
•
Single Sweep is pressed.
When in Single Sweep, the specified number of averages is taken, then 
the sweep stops. When in continuous sweep, the specified number of 
averages is taken, then the averaging continues with each new sweep 
averaged in with a weight of   and the old average reduced 
by multiplying it by  . 
To turn off averaging, press 
Average (Off). The number of sweeps can 
only be entered using the numeric keypad, not the knob or step keys.
Key Access: 
BW/Avg
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).
Averages signal amplitudes on a trace-to-trace basis. (Press Video or 
Power (RMS) when 
Avg Type (Man) is selected.) 
• Average detector (see 
Detector, Average).
Averages signal amplitudes during the time or frequency interval 
represented by a particular measurement point.
• Noise Marker (see 
Marker, Noise)
1
Average Number
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Average Number
1
Average Number
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