Microwave Frequency Counters Recent research in communications and broadcast systems using microwaves in applications such as broadcast satellites, telephone circuits and the new field of submillimeter microwave and millimeter-wave communications systems have resulted in dramatic development in components and practical product designs. This research and development work requires highly accurate frequency measurements. Previous approaches to measure frequencies in these bands involved the use of frequency converters or converting oscillators. These methods, however, were difficult to use as it required troublesome tuning and calculations to determine the actual frequency. To solve these problems, ADVANTEST has employed a digital TRAHET technique to achieve 1 Hz resolution with a gate time of just one second. It enables not only frequency measurement but the application of offset to frequency results and calculation of standard deviation, ppm, maximum values, minimum values and other useful parameters. In addition, a digital comparator has been provided and totalizing and measurements of the carrier frequency of pulse-modulated signals are also possible.
Measurements up to the Microwave and Millimeterwave Bands Measurement ranges extend from 10 mHz to 18 GHz for the R5372 and 10 mHz to 27 GHz for the R5373. It enables a single counter to be used for broadcast satellite, satellite communications, pilot-signal measurements for radio equipment and many more diverse applications.
Reciprocal Counting Technique for High-Resolution Measurements The 10 mHz to 10 MHz mode for the A input uses a reciprocal technique that calculates the frequency from the period of the input signal, thereby achieving high resolution in a short counting time. This enables high-resolution measurements of the pulse width of pulse-modulated signals and of pulse repetition frequencies. Making a measurement is as simple as setting the required measurement resolution; the rest is automatic with extremely easy selection of number of displayed digits, counting time and frequency.