The HP 8970B Noise Figure Meter is a dedicated noise figure measurement instrument that tunes its input from 10 to 1600 MHz (extendable to 2047 MHz with Option 020) and automates the complete noise figure measurement sequence. The instrument tunes the input frequency, controls an external local oscillator for receiver or microwave measurements, drives the noise source on and off, makes the noise power measurements, calculates the noise figure, removes the effects of the measurement system's own noise, compensates for losses before or after the device under test, and displays the result in noise figure, effective noise temperature, or Y factor.

Applications listed in the product literature include amplifier characterization with simultaneous noise figure and gain measurement, transistor measurements using tuners with single-sideband accuracy, receiver testing with tunable IF and external LO control, and mixer characterization showing simultaneous noise figure and conversion loss. The instrument supports real-time, swept, corrected oscilloscope output for tuning work and produces permanent hard-copy plots of noise figure and gain versus frequency through a digital plotter connected over the System Interface Bus.

ValueTronics International, LLC stocks, inspects, and ships legacy and current test equipment from our 20,000 square foot secure warehouse at 1675 Cambridge Drive, Elgin, Illinois. For an instrument like the HP 8970B — where the test and measurement community has decades of installed base, where specific model compatibility (HP 8971C test sets, HP 346A/B/C noise sources, the recommended synthesized LO list) matters more than catalog newness, and where a unit that arrives uncalibrated or with incorrect IF cal data is unusable — sourcing through a stocking dealer that physically holds and verifies inventory removes the variables that pure pass-through brokers cannot resolve. We can confirm what is in the box, what the input SWR looks like at power-on, and whether the noise source drive and IF output behave as the operating manual describes before the unit ships.

Brand Heritage

Hewlett-Packard's test and measurement business was spun off as Agilent Technologies in 1999. The electronic measurement portion of Agilent was subsequently separated into Keysight Technologies in 2014. HP-branded noise figure instruments such as the 8970B therefore trace through Agilent to today's Keysight test and measurement portfolio.

Compare Other Models in This Series

The HP 8970 series is a noise figure measurement family built around the HP 8970B Noise Figure Meter as the controller and display instrument. By itself the HP 8970B handles 10 to 1600 MHz (or 10 to 2047 MHz with Option 020). The HP 8971C Noise Figure Test Set adds microwave downconversion with a YIG-tuned filter and an optional built-in low-noise preamplifier, allowing the HP 8970B to measure noise figure from 10 MHz to 26.5 GHz when combined with a suitable local oscillator.

Two pre-defined system configurations are offered: the HP 8970S, which is a user-configurable combination of the HP 8970B, an HP 8971C (with the customer's chosen options), and a synthesized LO selected from the recommended source list; and the HP 8970V, which is a pre-configured 10 MHz to 20 GHz system consisting of the HP 8970B, HP 8971C, and HP 83711B Synthesized CW Generator.

Each model on this datasheet is listed on its own product page with pre-owned-matched pricing. Buyers who need only the 10 to 1600 MHz (or 2047 MHz with Option 020) measurement capability typically choose the HP 8970B alone; buyers who need microwave coverage add the HP 8971C and an LO, either by configuring an HP 8970S or by ordering the pre-defined HP 8970V.

Within the family the HP 8970B is the controller — it is the instrument that displays results, runs the GPIB and System Interface Bus, stores the ENR tables, and drives the noise source. Whether the application is RF-only or extends to 26.5 GHz, the HP 8970B is the common element; the HP 8971C and LO selection determine the upper frequency limit and the test port configuration.

The principal differences between configurations are frequency coverage and system completeness. The HP 8970B standalone covers 10 to 1600 MHz (2047 MHz with Option 020). The HP 8970S extends specified operation to 10 MHz to 26.5 GHz with the HP 8971C and a recommended synthesized LO; the upper frequency in any given HP 8970S build is set by the LO selected. The HP 8970V is fixed at 10 MHz to 20 GHz because it ships with the HP 83711B.

The HP 8971C itself is offered in three variants per the datasheet: standard, Option 001 (adds internal LO power amp, reducing required LO input from +7 dBm to +1 dBm — typically required above 20 GHz or where there is LO cabling loss), and Option 002 (deletes the built-in low-noise RF preamp, intended for measuring high-gain devices or when the user supplies their own preamplifier). The comparison table that follows summarizes how these choices map to frequency range, noise figure, input SWR, and LO drive requirements.

Additional differences in specifications beyond the few shown above are not listed here — see each model's full specifications below.

Accessories Supplied

• 1 LO-to-HP 8971C cable, SMA (f) connectors, 300 mm
• 1 HP 8971C-to-HP 8970B cable, N (m) connectors, 190 mm
• 1 N(m)-to-SMA (m) adaptor
• 2 GPIB cables, 0.5 m

Product Core & Specifications

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.