A Measurement System to Replace the 8580

The Radio Spectrum Measurement System (RSMS) has been used by the U.S. Department of Commerce since 1973 for gathering frequency usage data for purposes of frequency management. The HP 8580 automatic spectrum analyzer used in this mobile system is now being replaced with a more modern system. The new system will provide measurements over the 0.01-18 GHz range with bandwidths of 10 HZ to 30 MHZ. A wide-auto-ranging, and an 8568 spectrum analyzer is used in a swept-IF mode to provide high measurement efficiency with bandwidths below 1 MHZ. A separate receiver system is used for land mobile channel occupancy, which uses several rectangular bandpass filters and measurement speeds of 250 channels/second. The system will be controlled by an A600 computer with 10 M-byte disc, magnetic tape, and graphics terminal.