Trace Settings  R&S FSH 
1145.5973.12 4.20  E-11 
If TRACE MODE AVERAGE is selected, the AVG COUNT entry field opens, which displays the set 
number of averagings.  
 
The following actions can be performed: 
 
 Confirm the displayed number of averagings with 
the TRACE softkey or the ENTER key. 
 Using the numeric keypad, enter a new figure 
between 2 and 999 for specifying the number of 
averagings and confirm your entry with the TRACE 
softkey or the ENTER key. 
 Change the number of averagings by using the 
rotary knob and confirm your entry with the TRACE 
softkey or the ENTER key. 
The R&S FSH averages the pixels of the trace across 
the set number of averagings.  
 
If the sweep is continuous, the R&S FSH then performs a sliding averaging. In the SINGLE SWEEP 
mode, it performs exactly those sweeps defined with AVG COUNT and averages the traces. It then 
stops the sweep and displays the averaged trace. 
 
In the trace mode VIEW, the settings used for measuring the trace are displayed. This ensures that the 
measurement conditions can be clearly specified in result documentation. In the status display 
(STATUS key) it is indicated in brackets that the view mode is currently selected, e.g. Trace Mode: 
Maximum Hold (View). 
 
Detector 
The detector processes a spectrum analyzer’s video voltage before it is displayed. The detector is pixel-
oriented, i.e. it determines how the level at each pixel will be displayed. The R&S FSH always 
measures the whole spectrum. However, the trace only has 301 pixels in the x direction for displaying 
results. If a large span is selected, all the spectrum information must somehow be represented using 
only 301 points. Each pixel represents a frequency range equal to span/301. Four different detectors 
are available: 
 
• AUTO PEAK  When the Auto Peak detector is selected, the R&S FSH displays 
the maximum and minimum level at each pixel for the frequency 
range in question. This means that when Auto Peak detection is 
selected no signals are lost. If the signal level fluctuates, as is the 
case with noise, the width of the trace is a measure of signal 
fluctuation. Auto-peak detection is the default setting. 
• MAX PEAK  Unlike the Auto Peak detector, the Max Peak detector only finds 
the maximum value within the frequency range associated with 
one trace pixel. Its use is recommended for measurements on 
pulse-like signals or FM signals. 
• MIN PEAK  The Min Peak detector yields the minimum value of the spectrum 
within a pixel of the trace. Sine signals are displayed with correct 
level but noise-like signals are suppressed. The Min Peak detector 
can be used to highlight sine signals in the noise spectrum. 
• SAMPLE  The Sample detector does not “summarize” any aspect of the 
spectrum which is available in its complete form in the R&S FSH, 
but instead shows only one arbitrary measurement point within a