The Keysight / Agilent / HP 8505A is a high performance RF network analyzer operating over the 500 kHz to 1.3 GHz frequency range. It accurately and easily measures complex impedance, transfer functions and group delay of coaxial components and semiconductors. Because both magnitude and phase are measured, it is possible to completely characterize the linear behavior of either active or passive networks.

Since magnitude and phase can be measured and displayed over 100 dB of dynamic range (-10 to -110 dBm), it is a simple process for the 8505A to measure transmission loss of high rejection devices such as filters or gain and return loss of small signal devices like amplifiers. Distortion parameters like group delay, deviation from linear phase, and deviation from constant amplitude are measured in an equally straightforward manner. Group delay is measured and displayed directly to resolutions of 1 ns per major division using a new linear FM measurement technique. A unique new electrical line stretcher compensates for the linear phase shift of the device under test so that phase non-linearities may be examined at high resolution (1° per major division). Amplitude deviations with frequency can be similarly observed to resolutions 0.1 dB per major division with clear, crisp trace stability. In addition, it is possible to read out swept amplitude, phase and delay digitally at any one of the five continuously variable markers with resolutions of 0.01 dB, 0.1°, and 0.1 ns respectively.

Many of the 8505A's high performance features and operating conveniences are derived from the fact that it is a completely integrated system including both the sweep oscillator and receiver, polar and rectangular displays on the same CRT, the new electronic line stretcher, group delay measurement, and frequency selective digital readings of swept amplitude, phase and delay. The frequency counter with resolutions up to 100 Hz adds further precision to the measurements by allowing frequency as well as amplitude, phase and delay to be read out at any of the five markers. The 8505A is fully programmable in a straightforward fashion using the Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus (HP-IB operation standard). The user can configure a customized systems, the 8507B and 8507C.

Companion instruments include the 11850A Three Way Power Splitter for high resolution transmission comparison measurements, the 8502A Transmission/Reflection Bridge for simultaneous transmission and reflection measurements, and the 8503A S-parameter Test Set for complete characterization of two port devices in a single test set-up. The 8501A Storage-Normalize adds digital storage, normalization, signal averaging, increased resolution, and graphics for 8505A measurements.