Europe : Tektronix announced an enhancement to its market-leading handheld NetTek Base Analyzer with the addition of testing capabilities for Electromagnetic Field (EMF) emissions.

The NetTek Base Analyzer is now capable of testing radio-wave propagation characteristics of a W-CDMA base station for installation and maintenance applications. The addition of W-CDMA field strength testing to the portfolio of daily maintenance measurement tools enables W-CDMA operators to easily measure conformance with EMF requirements for deployed UMTS networks. Tektronix is the first manufacturer to offer this capability in a handheld toolbox form factor.

The NetTek Base Analyzer is now also equipped to test tower mounted amplifiers (TMA), and to perform antenna-to-antenna isolation measurements, which is important as more antennas are located on one tower. The addition of the Insertion Gain/Loss measurement to the NetTek Analyzer addresses this need by verifying if the TMA is working properly and meeting TMA-supplier specifications.

Additionally, the introduction of an E1 Interface Test Module enables operators to troubleshoot E1 connections to the base station, providing the most common measurements needed to uncover E1 problems affecting a live mobile network.

"With the addition of W-CDMA Field Strength, Insertion Gain/Loss capabilities and E1 testing, Tektronix continues to offer the most comprehensive set of tests for wireless maintenance activities," said Arif Kareem, General Manager, Wireless Field Test, Tektronix, Inc. "The toolbox characteristics of Tektronix' NetTek Analyzer enable operators to react faster and more effectively to challenges presented in the deployment of new technologies, without the constant need for heavy investments in new test tools."

EMF Measurements Critical for W-CDMA Networks

As the number of wireless users continues to climb, there is growing interest regarding the long-term health effects of cell tower emissions. Regulators are increasingly requiring wireless carriers to operate within specific guidelines for Radio-Frequency (RF) emissions, making EMF measurements vital to compliance assurance. Tektronix' NetTek Base Analyzer now has the capability to measure RF Field Strength, translating dBm into Watts/M2 or an equivalent by use of an antenna table. Additionally, it measures W-CDMA Pilot Field Strength. The key attribute of this measurement is that it can measure emissions from a specific 100W-CDMA Node B even though multiple Node B's are transmitting on the same frequency.

About The NetTek BTS Field Tool

The NetTek Analyzer is a rugged portable platform with multi-standard measurement capability. The NetTek fills the gap between expensive, full-compliance testing tools and low-cost instruments designed to perform only one measurement. The instrument's modular architecture supports a range of BTS transmitter measurements for standards including UMTS/WCDMA, EDGE, GSM, CDMA2000 1x EV-DO, CDMA2000, cdmaOne (IS-95), and IS-136. The instrument's Windows-based user interface simplifies operation and minimizes training needs. The compact battery-powered tool, which weighs just over 12 lbs (4 kg), is lightweight and rugged for transport to remote sites.