# Agilent 8901B Modulation Analyzer, 150 kHz to 1300 MHz (Pre-Owned) # Agilent 8901B Modulation Analyzer, 150 kHz to 1300 MHz (Pre-Owned) ## Key Features At A Glance - Four instruments in one: power meter, modulation analyzer, frequency counter, and audio analyzer in a single GPIB-programmable chassis - RF Power instrumentation accuracy of ±0.02 dB with the 11722A Sensor Module covering 100 kHz to 2.6 GHz, -20 dBm to +30 dBm - AM and FM measurement accuracy of 1% and φM accuracy of 3%, with residual AM <0.01% in a 50 Hz to 3 kHz bandwidth - RF frequency counting from 150 kHz to 1300 MHz with 10 Hz resolution on modulated signals - Six selectable detectors: positive peak, negative peak, ±peak/2, peak hold, average (rms sinewave calibrated), and true rms - Independently selectable high-pass and low-pass audio filters plus four FM de-emphasis networks (25, 50, 75, 750 µs) - Built-in 50 MHz / 1.00 mW power reference and AM/FM calibrator (33.33% AM depth, 34 kHz FM deviation) to ±0.1% accuracy - Full GPIB programmability with eight non-volatile store/recall locations and frequency-offset mode for measurements above 1300 MHz The Agilent 8901B Modulation Analyzer is a fully automatic, GPIB-programmable instrument that combines four precise measurement functions — power meter, modulation analyzer, frequency counter, and audio analyzer — into a single chassis covering 150 kHz to 1300 MHz. Paired with the 11722A Sensor Module, the system extends RF power measurement to 100 kHz–2.6 GHz, and the 8901B also accepts the full 8480 series power sensors for power measurements from -70 dBm to +44 dBm at frequencies up to 26.5 GHz. Operation is single-key automatic: select the measurement and the analyzer tunes to the largest input signal, autoranges, and displays the result in user-selectable units. The 8901B is built for three primary application areas the manufacturer documents on the datasheet: transmitter testing, RF signal characterization, and automatic test systems. For transmitter work, the analyzer measures output power, counts carrier frequency to 10 Hz resolution, characterizes modulation, and analyzes the demodulated audio for frequency, level, and distortion — with a Peak Hold detector for capturing transient modulation events and a Tone-Burst-Receiver mode that demodulates signaling tones in under 5 ms. For RF signal characterization, the built-in power meter, low-noise FM discriminator, and excellent AM/FM separation support residual AM and FM measurements on crystal oscillators as well as AM/φM and AM/AM conversion measurements on filters and multi-channel receivers. In automatic test systems, all four functions are programmable through one GPIB interface, consolidating hardware and reducing integration effort. ValueTronics International maintains a deep inventory of professional test and measurement equipment — including the 8901B and 11722A family — at our 20,000 square-foot secure warehouse at 1675 Cambridge Drive in Elgin, Illinois. Equipment is received, inspected, performance-verified, and tested in-house by our technicians before it ships, providing a level of accountability and documentation that pass-through brokers and drop-shippers cannot match. When you order the 8901B or the 11722A Sensor Module from ValueTronics, the instrument has been through our process, not just transferred from one address to another. ## Brand Heritage The 8901B carries the lineage of Hewlett-Packard's test and measurement business. HP spun out its T&M division as Agilent Technologies in 1999, and Agilent later transferred the electronic measurement business to Keysight Technologies in 2014. Instruments originally marketed under HP that continued through the Agilent era — including this analyzer — share design and calibration heritage with the current Keysight catalog, even though the 8901B itself is no longer in active production. ## Compare Other Models in This Series The 8901B is a single-model instrument rather than a tiered family. Its companion is the 11722A Sensor Module, which is also available as Option 021 bundled with the analyzer. The 8901B accepts the full 8480-series power sensors (8481A/1B/1H, 8482A/2B/2H, 8483A, 8484A, 8485A) for power measurement coverage that the 11722A alone does not provide — extending range to -70 dBm and frequency coverage to 26.5 GHz on selected sensors. Beyond the sensor pairing, the 8901B's configuration choices are option-driven rather than model-driven: rear-panel I/O (Option 001), high-stability 1×10⁻⁹/day reference oscillator (Option 002), external LO operation (Option 003), 48–400 Hz line operation (Option 004), and the high-selectivity carrier-noise option group (Options 030–037) that adds 12.5 kHz, 25 kHz, 30 kHz, and 2 kHz carrier-noise filters for cellular and adjacent-channel measurements. Each pre-owned 8901B and 11722A available through ValueTronics is offered on its own product page with condition-matched pricing. Option content (rear-panel I/O, high-stability reference, carrier-noise filters) varies unit by unit; confirm the option string on the specific instrument before ordering to ensure it matches your application. The 8901B's combination of four instruments in one chassis, ±0.02 dB power linearity, 1% AM/FM accuracy, 10 Hz frequency resolution, and the 11722A single-connector power-plus-modulation interface defines the unit's place in legacy RF metrology benches. Its frequency-offset mode is the feature that extends its useful life well past the 1300 MHz native ceiling and keeps it relevant in microwave production test systems built around it. The principal configuration distinction is between the base 8901B (front-panel I/O) and Option 001 (rear-panel I/O for rack and ATE integration). The high-stability Option 002 reference oscillator (1×10⁻⁹/day aging) is the upgrade path for customers whose frequency accuracy requirements exceed the standard 1×10⁻⁶/month reference. The Options 030–037 group converts the 8901B into a high-selectivity carrier-noise measurement platform, adding adjacent-channel and alternate-channel filters required for cellular and land-mobile carrier-noise measurements. Option 030 requires rear-panel external LO connections and is mutually exclusive with the 8902A Option 003 rear-panel LO configuration; see the option matrix above the comparison table for the specific filter selections (032, 033, 035, 037). Model Frequency Range Power Range Function **8901B** 150 kHz to 1300 MHz — Modulation Analyzer / Power Meter / Frequency Counter / Audio Analyzer 11722A 100 kHz to 2.6 GHz \-20 dBm to +30 dBm RF Sensor Module Additional differences in specifications beyond the few shown above are not listed here — see each model's full specifications below. ## Product Core & Specifications Specification Value RF Power (with 11722A Sensor Module) Power Measurement Range \-20 dBm (10 µW) to +30 dBm (1 W), 100 kHz to 2.6 GHz Power Measurement Range (with 8480 series sensors) \-70 dBm (100 pW) to +44 dBm (25 W), 100 kHz to 26.5 GHz RF Power Resolution 0.1% of full scale in watts/volts mode; 0.01 dB in dBm or dB relative mode RF Range Linearity ±0.02 dB (RF ranges 2–5); ±0.03 dB (RF range 1) RF Range-to-Range Change Error ±0.02 dB/RF Range Change from reference range Input SWR <1.15 (using 11722A Sensor Module) Zero Set ±0.07% of full scale of lowest range RF Power Ranges (with 11722A) Range 1: -20 to -10 dBm; Range 2: -10 to 0 dBm; Range 3: 0 to +10 dBm; Range 4: +10 to +20 dBm; Range 5: +20 to +30 dBm Response Time (0 to 99%) <10 s (range 1); <1 s (range 2); <100 ms (ranges 3–5) Displayed Units watts, dBm, dB relative, % relative, volts, mV, µV, dB V, dB mV, dB µV Power Reference Power Output 1.00 mW, factory set to ±0.7%, NBS traceable Accuracy ±1.2% worst case (±0.9% rss) for one year (0 °C to 55 °C) Frequency 50 MHz nominal SWR 1.05 nominal Front Panel Connector Type-N female Amplitude Modulation Rates 20 Hz to 10 kHz (150 kHz ≤ fc < 10 MHz); 20 Hz to 100 kHz (10 MHz ≤ fc ≤ 1300 MHz) Depth to 99% Accuracy ±1% of reading ±1 digit (10 MHz to 1300 MHz, 50 Hz to 50 kHz rates, 5% to 99% depths) Demodulated Output Distortion <0.3% THD for ≤50% depth; <0.6% THD for ≤95% depth FM Rejection (50 Hz to 3 kHz BW) <0.2% AM Residual AM (50 Hz to 3 kHz BW) <0.01% rms Frequency Modulation Rates 20 Hz to 10 kHz (150 kHz ≤ fc < 10 MHz); 20 Hz to 200 kHz (10 MHz ≤ fc ≤ 1300 MHz) Deviations 40 kHz peak max (150 kHz ≤ fc < 10 MHz); 400 kHz peak max (10 MHz ≤ fc ≤ 1300 MHz) Accuracy ±1% of reading ±1 digit (10 MHz to 1300 MHz, 50 Hz to 100 kHz rates, ≤400 kHz peak) AM Rejection (50 Hz to 3 kHz BW) <20 Hz peak deviation Residual FM (50 Hz to 3 kHz BW) <8 Hz rms at 1300 MHz, decreasing linearly to <1 Hz rms at 100 MHz and below Stereo Separation (50 Hz to 15 kHz) \>47 dB Phase Modulation (φM) Rates 200 Hz to 10 kHz (150 kHz ≤ fc < 10 MHz); 200 Hz to 20 kHz (10 MHz ≤ fc ≤ 1300 MHz) Accuracy ±4% of reading ±1 digit (150 kHz ≤ fc < 10 MHz); ±3% of reading ±1 digit (10 MHz ≤ fc ≤ 1300 MHz) Demodulated Output Distortion <0.1% THD AM Rejection (50% AM at 1 kHz rate) <0.03 radians peak (50 Hz to 3 kHz BW) Modulation Reference (Internal Calibrator) AM Calibrator 33.33% depth nominal, ±0.1% accuracy FM Calibrator 34 kHz peak deviation nominal, ±0.1% accuracy Carrier Frequency 10.1 MHz Modulation Rate 10 kHz Output Level \-25 dBm Frequency Counter Range 150 kHz to 1300 MHz Maximum Resolution 10 Hz Accuracy ±3 counts of least-significant digit ± Reference accuracy Sensitivity (Manual Tuning Mode) 0.22 mV rms (-60 dBm) Internal Reference Frequency 10 MHz Aging Rate (Standard) <1 × 10⁻⁶/month Aging Rate (Option 002) <1 × 10⁻⁹/day Audio Frequency Counter Frequency Range 20 Hz to 250 kHz (usable to 600 kHz) Maximum External Input Voltage 3 V rms Displayed Resolution 6 digits Measurement Rate 2 readings/s Audio Input Impedance 100 kΩ nominal Audio Distortion Fundamental Frequencies 400 Hz ±5% and 1 kHz ±5% Display Range 0.01% to 100.0% (-80.00 dB to 0.00 dB) Displayed Resolution 0.01% or 0.01 dB Accuracy ±1 dB of reading Residual Noise and Distortion 0.3% (-50 dB), temperature <40 °C Measurement 3 dB Bandwidth 20 Hz to 50 kHz Audio RMS Level Frequency Range 50 Hz to 40 kHz Voltage Range 100 mV to 3 V Accuracy ±4.0% of reading Measurement Rate 2 readings/s Audio Filters De-emphasis Filters 25 µs, 50 µs, 75 µs, 750 µs (single-pole low-pass) High-Pass Filters 50 Hz (2-pole), 300 Hz (2-pole) Low-Pass Filters 3 kHz (5-pole), 15 kHz (5-pole), >20 kHz (9-pole Bessel) **Important:** Maximum safe DC input level at the 8901B RF input is 5 V. When using the 8901B without the 11722A Sensor Module, the input circuitry is protected for RF signals up to 25 watts.**Important:** Option 030 (High Selectivity) requires selection of at least two filter options from Options 032 through 037, and includes rear-panel external local oscillator connections. Option 030 cannot be combined with Option 003 rear-panel external local oscillator connections.**Important:** When using the 8901B without the 11722A Sensor Module, the input circuitry is protected from damage for signals up to 25 watts. With the 11722A Sensor Module, the maximum operating level at the RF input is 7 V rms (1 W peak).**Important:** For RF power measurements above 1300 MHz (up to 26.5 GHz), an external local oscillator and 8480 series power sensor (8481A/1B/1H/2A/2B/2H/3A/4A/5A) are required for Frequency Offset Mode operation. These accessories are not included with the base instrument.Recommended pairing: the 11722A Sensor Module is the matched companion that delivers RF power, modulation, frequency, and audio measurements through a single Type-N connection (100 kHz–2.6 GHz, -20 dBm to +30 dBm, <1.15 input SWR when connected to the 8901B). ## About this used unit - Warranty included - Functional verification included - Standard Calibration Upgrade Options: No Calibration Required, NIST Traceable, Z540.1 or ISO 17025 with Data, Z540.3 Guardbanding with Data. - Note that unnecessary accessories may not be included (contact Test Architect to confirm). **Please review the Manufacturer's Data Sheet to verify published specifications. Feedback on this webpage is always welcome — please reach out to your Test Architect at any time for questions or concerns. Thank you, we truly appreciate you being our customer.** ## Details - **Price:** 0.0 USD - 840.0 USD - **Vendor:** Agilent - **Type:** Modulation Analyzer - **Tags:** Agilent, Agilent Keysight, Analyzers, Manufacturers, Other, product_manual_group_1, Product_used ## Variants | Variant | Price | Available | |---------|-------|-----------| | None | 0.00 USD | In stock | | NIST Traceable | 490.00 USD | In stock | | NIST Traceable with Full Data | 630.00 USD | In stock | | ISO IEC 17025 Accredited | 840.00 USD | In stock | ## Images - 8901B Agilent Analyzer --- > Source: [ValueTronics](https://valuetronics.com/products/8901b-agilent-analyzer-used) > Updated: 2026-05-30