The Keysight / Agilent / HP 8350 is a powerful general-purpose for swept microwave measurements, wideband CW signal generation and automatic testing. It incorporates the efficiency of microprocessor control with state-of-the-art YIG-tuned oscillators and GaAs FET amplifiers to produce a high performance sweep oscillator system ideally suited for either manual or automatic measurements.

You can easily configure a source to meet your application's frequency coverage and power requirements. Just combine the versatile HP 8350 mainframe with any of the 32 standard RF plug-ins and you are ready to make measurements. Both the advanced HP 83500 series plug-ins and the existing HP 86200 series plug-ins (via the HP 11869A adapter) are accepted by the HP 8350 mainframe.

HP 8350 has been designed to include many features that not only speed up and simplify measurements but also improve accuracy. In addition, it is compatible with HP network analyzers, counters, noise figure meters, power meters, and microwave link analyzers to provide complete solutions.

All function values (sweep limit frequencies, marker frequencies, etc.) are indicated on high resolution digital displays. Function values are easily modified using the appropriate knob, step keys, or data entry keyboard.

Five independent, continuously variable markers are available to note your measurement frequencies. The active marker frequency or the difference frequency between any two markers is read easily from high resolution digital display. You can also use marker sweep to zoom in on a particular frequency span while retaining your original sweep limits.

Another particularly useful feature in making repetitive measurements is the HP 8350's Save/Recall Mode. Once the sweeper has been set for a particular measurement, all front panel settings (HP 8350 and HP 83500 series plug-in) can be Saved and later Recalled to repeat the measurement by accessing one of nine internal storage registers.

In the past, HP-IB programming of sweepers was limited to a series of CW frequencies. With the HP 8350 all front panel functions, e.g. sweeps, markers, sweep time, even output power (HP 83500 series plug-ins) can be programmed. This means there are no limitations in designing your own customized test systems. Utilizing the Learn Mode function, the HP 8350 becomes a "talker" as well as "listener" on the bus, transferring all manually entered front panel controls to the computer.

Full compatibility with both the HP 8510 and the HP 8410C Network Analyzers, the HP 8756A and the HP 8757A Scalar Network Analyzers are provided for convenient vector and scalar measurements with the HP 8350. The HP 5343A Counter can be combined with the HP 8350 to measure Start, Stop, or marker frequencies with up to 100 kHz accuracy while sweeping. Microwave noise figure measurements may be made using the HP 8350 with the HP 8970 Noise Figure Meter. In addition, the HP 8350B, with an appropriate plug-in driving the HP 8349B microwave amplifier, provides up to +20 dBm of output power across a 2 to 18.6 GHz range.

Sweep Oscillator applications are greatly enhanced by the features of the HP 8350B. Along with the traditional swept and CW frequency functions, the HP 8350B adds extensive marker capabilities, versatile data entry and complete HP-IB programmability. Besides the popular HP 83500-series RF plug-ins, the HP 8350B also accepts the HP 86200-series plug-ins via the HP 11869A adapter. And the HP 8350B is directly compatible with such measurement systems as the 8757A scalar network analyzers. Frequency accuracy is easily enhanced by using the HP 5343A counter to count the START, STOP, or ACTIVE MARKER frequencies.

The HP 8350B has three methods of changing function values: control knobs, keyboard entry, or step key entry.

Five markers are available with the HP 8350B. These markers, combined with the high resolution digital readout, make the accurate location of important frequency responses easy. A key marker feature, marker D, computes the difference between any two markers. The markers can also modify the center frequency (markerCF) or the START/STOP frequency (Marker Sweep).

A necessity in making repetitive measurements or automatic tests is the SAVE/RECALL feature. This feature supplies nine memory locations, each storing a complete front panel set-up. Nonvolatile memory is included so that all memories are retained even when line power is removed.

The HP 8350B makes "simultaneous" comparison of two separate frequency ranges or power levels easy via the alternate sweep mode. When the alternate sweep mode is activated, the HP 8350B alternates between the current front panel setting and any stored memory setting on successive sweeps. The output from this function may be processed through a network analyzer such as the HP 8756A or the HP 8757A and viewed on a two channel display.

All front panel controls (except the ac line switch) may be programmed or controlled via the HP-IB. The HP 8350B may interact as a listener or as a talker on the HP-IB.

A self test is performed at turn on or whenever the instrument preset function is activated. This function verifies that the HP 8350B is functioning properly. If there is a problem, error codes are displayed on the front panel to help locate the problem quickly to the board and component level.