U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E B B 6 0 A H A R D W A R E
The “channel power” utility, which integrates the power across any channel bandwidth you specify, also
eliminates this scalloping loss.
Dynamic Range 9.5
The BB60A has four internal freqency bands. With large spans the shape of the noise floor will often
show the start and end of these bands. Often times the noise floor of these bands do not line up, and
this is because each band displayed is optimized independently for the best dynamic range.
The BB60A software will automatically select internal gain settings for best dynamic range when the
input signal is equal to reference level, given your selected attenuator setting. You may notice, as you
increase reference level, the noise floor suddenly jump up. This is from a step in the internal gain setting.
These gain steps may be 20 dB or more in some cases. Because of this, increasing or decreasing your
attenuator setting by 10 dB may allow the software to select a more optimal gain setting, significantly
improving your dynamic range.
For large spans crossing multiple bands, you may notice a step in the noise floor. This is due to different
sensitivities and gain settings for each band. Changing your reference level or attenuator setting by 10 dB
may reduce this step if desired.
Advanced API users gathering uncorrected data with the BB60A have an additional tool for optimizing
dynamic range, as the uncorrected data is referenced to full scale ADC readings. In most gain settings,
the best compromise between dynamic range and spurious is achieved when the signal is reading -10 to -
20 dB Full Scale (dBFS). Simply choose an appropriate gain and fine tune your attenuator setting to
optimize for your needs.
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