Capabilities | Timebase
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the I/Q sample rate, the VSG60A will maintain excellent flatness across the signal’s bandwidth.
Please note that for sample rates below 25 MSPS, the API will up-sample the I/Q data, and there is
no penalty for using a bandwidth up to 80% of the sample rate.
When using the API, the user is expected to keep the signal bandwidth confined to 80% of the sample
rate. Violating this will result in spurious responses.
3 Capabilities
As a vector signal generator, the VSG60A can generate virtually any signal that fits within its 40 MHz
bandwidth, limited only by the waveform generation software. The VSG60A ships with a powerful
suite of software tools for generating both analog and digital modulation, adding impairments for
receiver testing, or loading custom waveforms, all at no additional cost. A user-friendly application
programming interface (API) is available for communicating with the VSG60A directly from your
software application. See the VSG60A software and API manuals for more information.
4 Calibration
Our Field Calibration Software is available as a free download and may be used to calibrate the
VSG60A. Check the Field Calibration software manual for required equipment.
5 Adjustments
Adjustments to the VSG60A are done in an environmental chamber at the Signal Hound production
facility. Here, the timebase is initially adjusted, and the I/Q balance, DC offset, and output amplitude
are adjusted across frequency and temperature. Additionally, the user can adjust the internal
timebase as needed, and manually adjust the DC offset to null out the LO feedthrough, if the factory
adjustment is insufficient for a particular task, such as improving the on/off ratio for pulse modulation.
TIMEBASE
The 10 MHz internal timebase is a voltage-controlled, temperature-compensated crystal oscillator
(VCTCXO) with a 16-bit DAC, providing sub-part per billion resolution. It is factory adjusted before
shipping and may be software-adjusted in the field as needed. For a VSG60A operating at a stable
temperature, periodic adjustments will typically keep the internal timebase to better than 0.1 ppm.
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