Question
Which of the following parameters does a spectrum analyzer display on the vertical and horizontal axes?
Answer Options
- A) Signal amplitude and time
- B) Signal amplitude and frequency
- C) SWR and frequency
- D) SWR and time
Correct Answer: B
Explanation
A spectrum analyzer is an essential tool for radio amateurs who work with transmitters and complex signals. Unlike an oscilloscope, which displays a signal’s amplitude over time (the time domain), the spectrum analyzer is designed to analyze the signal’s frequency components (the frequency domain).
The display is fundamentally a graph of energy versus frequency. Specifically, a spectrum analyzer displays signal amplitude (or power) on the vertical axis and frequency on the horizontal axis. This allows an operator to visually inspect the bandwidth of a signal, measure power levels, and easily identify spurious emissions and harmonics, which are crucial for transmitter compliance and performance verification.
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