This is a Spectrum Analyser based on the RF-Explorer 3G+ Shield from Seeedstudio. The Software was written by Mr. Mirco Dill. This was his final thesis aka "IPA" which is the Individual Personal Work an apprentice does at the end of his education. Some small adjustements were suggested by me. The device is very welcome by our students/labs.

UNIT	RANGES • REMARKS
Frequency	15 - 2700 MHz
Input	Normal, LNA, 30dB Attenuator
Amplitude Resolution	0.5 dB
Dynamic Range	-130 dBm to +10 dBm
Resolution Bandwidth	automatic 3 kHz to 600 kHz
Maximum Input Power	+ 30 dBm (Damage Level)
Average Noise Floor Level	-120 dBm (LNA enabled)
Frequency Stability and accuracy	10 ppm (typ)
Amplitude Stability and accuracy	+/-3 dB (typ)
Frequency Resolution	1 kHz

The specifications are mainly those of the shield "RF-Explorer 3G+" from Seeedstudio or, to be more precise from the shield designed by Mr. Ariel Rocholl.

In our labs, a lot of exclusive testgear (e.g. spectrum analysers) is just used to see if a carrier is there or not. Those devices very likely may endure that emotionally, but freeing them for a more sophisticated task was the self given challenge. We therefore created a project, based on the Arduino/Genuino Due, a shield "SPECTRE" as well as the RF Explorer 3G+ IoT Shield for Arduino. Together with a 5.0" 40-pin TFT Display - 800x480 with Touchscreen (from Adafruit) this should make a nice DIY Spectrum Analyser.

The project consists of an Arduino/Genuino Due, a shield "SPECTRE" as well as the RF Explorer 3G+ IoT Shield for Arduino. The display is a 5.0" 40-pin TFT Display - 800 x 480 px with Touchscreen (from Adafruit, PID: 1596) with a driver (RA8875 Driver Board for 40-pin TFT Touch Displays PID: 1590).

The Shield "SPECTRE" also offers the possibility to add an eeprom (as the due has no such thing). It also has a connector for a rotary encoder as well as a small oled (128 x 64px).

Two bnc outputs are connected to DAC0 and DAC1. It shall be used to output the rssi level, when in zero span mode. This can be used to lock something on the amplitude of a carrier. (This may be useful, if you beam atoms from one vacuum chamber to another :-)

A buffer, NC7SZ125M5X, connected to TX2 allows this shield to be used as a PRBS generator. Shieldname yet unknown, but our youngest phd is working on that.

The webmaster does not read these comments regularely. Urgent questions should be send via email. Ads or links to completely uncorrelated things will be removed.