The Model 4500 Digital Sampling Power Analyzer is a new generation RF power meter. This instrument, when operated with 56000 series power sensors, comprises the most versatile power measuring system available, with capability to make over 25 different measurements on captured signals. The instrument can measure the peak and average power of signals in the frequency range of 30 MHz to 40 GHz with a dynamic range of over 60 dB. The Digital Sampling Power Analyzer provides performance which previously required multiple instruments, and it provides that performance faster, with increased accuracy; while adding functionality not previously available. The speed is visible during the screen update process, waveform response rate and the IEEE-488 performance. The Model 4500 is the fastest power meter available with the ability to talk two marker measurements over eighty times a second. The instrument has three fundamental operating modes. These are pulse power, CW power and statistical processing. Each of these modes is targeted at a specific type of measurement. In the pulse power mode the instrument is similar to a peak power meter. It can be configured as a single or dual channel instrument. This mode provides the functionality of an random repetitive sampling oscilloscope for viewing the RF envelope of signals in the frequency range of 30 MHz to 40 GHz. Its accuracy approaches that of average power meters, but with the ability to capture power versus time data. With the requirement of an internal or external trigger event it can automatically measure up to 14 characteristics of the RF envelope. These are ,peak power, average power, pulse width, risetime, falltime, overshoot, pulse period, pulse repetition rate, duty cycle, top amplitude, bottom amplitude, offtime, and the delay between two RF pulses or an RF pulse with an external trigger signal. In addition to the automatic measurements, the Digital Sampling Power Meter offers a powerful set of marker measurements which includes the ability to make marker measurements at full accuracy, independent of vertical scale or offset. This is possible because of the use of logarithmic amplifiers, and a 12 bit analog to digital converter to provide rangeless operation. In addition, the markers can be used to define regions of the waveform for analysis. This analysis includes average power of a portion of the waveform, minimum power, and maximum power. In the CW mode the instrument’s low end performance is improved by 10 dB, which provides a signal measurement range of up to 70 dB (-50 to +20 dBm). This is accomplished by automatically limiting the input bandwidth of the instrument and using a second low bandwidth internal measurement channel. In the statistical mode the Digital Sampling Power Analyzer offers many new features. This mode does not require a trigger event to make measurements like the pulse power mode. The instrument continuously samples the RF signal at approximately half a million samples a second, without discarding or losing any data. All of this data can be processed statistically to determine peak power, average power, minimum power, peak to average power ratio, and dynamic range, while reporting the sampling time, total samples captured and the statistical tolerance of the data. In addition, this data can be displayed in three different graphical representations. These are probability density function plot, cumulative distribution function plot (CDF), and one minus cumulative distribution function plot (1-CDF). This mode is very useful in applications where the signal is random in nature; such as digital communication and multiple carrier systems.