Software for Automated Spurious Signal Testing

Abstract

A program is described that performs automated testing of spurious signal emmissions from a satellite transponder. This program makes extensive use of the HP-8566 spectrum analyzer in acquiring spur data over a wide frequency range (typically 8 to 20 GHz). The data is compared to spur specification levels that vary both as a function of frequency and bandwidth resolution. All specification levels and spectrum analyzer settings are supplied to the software from ASCII files, thus the program's operation can be readily modified as test requirements are changed. In addition, this approach eliminates operator intervention, hence errors, during execution of the program.