About the Siglent SSA5085A
In summary, the Siglent SSA5085A is a benchtop spectrum analyzer covering 9 kHz to 26.5 GHz with a -165 dBm/Hz typical displayed average noise level, -105 dBc/Hz typical SSB phase noise at 1 GHz / 10 kHz offset, and 25 MHz of standard analysis bandwidth (40 MHz optional). It supports real-time spectrum analysis with a 7.20 µs 100% probability-of-intercept minimum signal duration, analog modulation analysis (AM, FM, PM), vector digital modulation analysis (ASK, FSK, MSK, PSK, QAM), and CISPR 16-1-1 EMI pre-compliance, on a 12.1 inch multi-touch screen with HDMI output and web-browser remote control.
What is the Siglent SSA5085A used for?
The SSA5085A is used for RF spectrum and signal analysis including channel power, ACPR, occupied bandwidth, harmonic, and third-order intercept measurements, plus real-time captures of hopping signals, transient interference, and intermittent emissions that a strictly swept analyzer cannot reliably catch. Per the datasheet, applications include broadcast monitoring, cellular site work, IoT device characterization, WLAN and Bluetooth surveying, education, production test, and field maintenance.
How does the SSA5085A compare to a swept-only analyzer?
A swept analyzer measures one narrow segment at a time and steps through the span sequentially, so short events between sweeps are missed. The SSA5085A with the SSA5000A-RTA1 option performs up to 150,000 FFTs per second over a 40 MHz analysis bandwidth and guarantees 100% probability of intercept for signals as short as 7.20 µs — suitable for frequency-hopping radios, radar pulses, and intermittent interference. Per the datasheet, the SSA5085A delivers -165 dBm/Hz typical DANL with preamp on, +15 dBm typical TOI from 50 MHz to 7.22 GHz, residual response under -90 dBm, RBW from 1 Hz to 10 MHz in 1-3-10 sequence, and CISPR 16-1-1 EMI filters at 200 Hz, 9 kHz, 120 kHz, and 1 MHz. The 10 MHz reference can be locked externally, and SCPI / IVI / LabVIEW remote control is supported over USB-TMC, VXI-11, socket, and Telnet, with an optional USB-GPIB adapter.
Where does the SSA5085A fit in an RF lab?
- Transmitter verification, spurious checks, harmonic and TOI characterization on RF designs up to 26.5 GHz.
- Real-time monitoring of hopping radios, radar pulses, and intermittent interference.
- EMI pre-compliance with CISPR 16-1-1 quasi-peak detection and pre-loaded EN 55022, GB 9254, and FCC Part 15 limit standards (SSA5000-EMI).
- Modulation quality analysis (EVM, magnitude error, phase error, IQ offset, SNR) for digital wireless designs.
- Education and research benches that benefit from a 12.1 inch multi-touch screen and web-browser remote control.
Accessories Supplied
Per the manufacturer datasheet, the standard ship kit includes: printed Quick Start documentation; USB Type-B device cable; region-appropriate AC power cord; wireless USB mouse; and a 2.92 mm female-to-female through adapter (2.92F-2.92F-40A, DC to 40 GHz).
Core Specifications
Frequency, Bandwidths, Sweep, Trigger
| Frequency range / resolution |
9 kHz to 26.5 GHz / 1 Hz |
| Internal reference |
10.000000 MHz, < 1 ppm initial, < 0.5 ppm/yr aging |
| OCXO option 10M_OCXO_L |
< 0.1 ppm initial, < 50 ppb/yr aging |
| RBW / VBW (-3 dB) |
1 Hz to 10 MHz, 1-3-10 sequence |
| EMI filter (-6 dB) |
200 Hz, 9 kHz, 120 kHz, 1 MHz (CISPR 16) |
| Analysis bandwidth |
25 MHz std., 40 MHz opt. (SSA5000-B40) |
| Sweep time, Span = 0 Hz / ≥ 100 Hz |
1 µs to 6000 s / 1 ms to 4000 s |
| Sweep mode |
Swept (RBW 3 kHz-10 MHz); FFT (1 Hz-10 kHz) |
| Trigger sources / external |
Free, Video, External, Period / 5 V TTL |
| Gate methods |
Gated LO, Gated Video, Gated FFT |
Amplitude, Level, Phase Noise
| Measurement range (preamp off, 1 MHz to 26.5 GHz) |
DANL to +23 dBm |
| Reference level |
-170 dBm to +23 dBm, 1 dB steps |
| Preamplifier |
20 dB nominal, 100 kHz to 26.5 GHz |
| Input attenuation |
0 to 50 dB, 2 dB steps |
| Maximum input DC voltage |
± 50 VDC |
| Maximum average power |
27 dBm, 3 min, fc ≥ 10 MHz, att > 20 dB |
| Traces / detectors |
6 / Pos-peak, Neg-peak, Sample, Normal, Average (V/RMS/Video) |
| SSB phase noise (fc = 1 GHz), 10 kHz offset |
-103 dBc/Hz, -105 typ. |
| SSB phase noise, 100 kHz / 1 MHz offset |
-103, -105 typ. / -116, -119 typ. dBc/Hz |
Displayed Average Noise Level (DANL, dBm)
Conditions: 20-30 °C, att = 0 dB, RBW = 1 Hz, sample detector, trace average > 50.
| Range |
Preamp Off |
Preamp On |
| 100 kHz to 1 MHz |
-130, -143 |
-135, -148 |
| 1 MHz to 10 MHz |
-143, -148 |
-153, -165 |
| 10 MHz to 1.22 GHz |
-144, -148 |
-159, -163 |
| 1.22 to 3.15 GHz |
-140, -144 |
-158, -162 |
| 3.15 to 7.22 GHz |
-137, -141 |
-154, -158 |
| 7.22 to 13.6 GHz |
-136, -140 |
-154, -158 |
| 13.6 to 18.9 GHz |
-134, -140 |
-151, -155 |
| 18.9 to 24.2 GHz |
-132, -137 |
-148, -152 |
| 24.2 to 26.5 GHz |
-124, -134 |
-142, -149 |
Values shown as guaranteed, typical.
Accuracy, Frequency Response, Distortion
| Frequency response, 10 MHz to 7.5 GHz |
± 1.5 dB |
| Frequency response, 7.5 to 13.6 GHz |
± 2.0 dB |
| Frequency response, 13.6 to 26.5 GHz |
± 2.5 dB |
| Absolute amplitude accuracy at 50 MHz |
± 0.4 dB |
| RBW switching uncertainty |
± 0.2 dB nominal |
| RF input VSWR, 10 MHz to 13.6 GHz |
1.6 nominal |
| RF input VSWR, 13.6 to 24.2 GHz |
1.9 nominal |
| RF input VSWR, 24.2 to 26.5 GHz |
2.1 nominal |
| Second harmonic distortion (SHI), 10 MHz to 7.22 GHz |
42 dBm nominal |
| Third-order intercept (TOI), 50 MHz to 7.22 GHz |
11 dBm, 15 dBm nominal |
| Third-order intercept (TOI), 7.22 GHz to 26.5 GHz |
10 dBm, 14 dBm nominal |
| Residual response / spurious |
< -90 dBm / < -65 dBc (mixer -30 dBm) |
| 1 dB gain compression |
> 5 dBm nominal |
Real-Time, EMI, and Modulation Analysis (options)
| Real-time bandwidth (SSA5000A-RTA1) |
25 MHz default, 40 MHz with SSA5000A-B40 |
| 100% POI minimum signal duration |
7.20 µs, Kaiser window, FMT |
| FFT per second (40 MHz BW) / max stored frames |
150,000 / 50,000 (loop) |
| Spectrogram dynamic range |
200 dB |
| FMT types |
Greater Than, Less Than, Outside Mask, Inside Mask |
| Advanced Measurement Kit (SSA5000-AMK) |
CHP, ACPR, OBW, T-Power, CNR, Harmonic (up to 10), TOI, Spectrogram |
| EMI (SSA5000-EMI) detectors / limit standards |
Peak, Voltage Average, Quasi-Peak / EN 550xx, GB 9254, FCC Part 15, user |
| Analog Mod. Analysis (SSA5000-AMA) |
AM, FM, PM, ± 4% accuracy; carrier 2 MHz to 26.5 GHz |
| AM / FM / PM range |
20 Hz-100 kHz, 5-95% / 20 Hz-200 kHz, 1-400 kHz / 50 Hz-50 kHz, 0.2-100 rad |
| Digital Mod. Analysis (SSA5000-DMA) |
ASK, 2/4/8/16 FSK, GMSK MSK, BPSK/QPSK/OQPSK/8PSK, DBPSK/DQPSK/D8PSK/π-4-DQPSK/π-8-D8PSK, 16/32/64/128/256 QAM |
| Symbol rate |
1 ksps to 32 Msps; Rate × Pts/Sym ≤ 150 Msps |
| Error metrics |
EVM (rms, peak), magnitude error, phase error, IQ offset, carrier offset, SNR, quadrature error, gain imbalance |
Inputs, Outputs, Remote Control
| RF input |
2.92 mm male, 50 Ω nominal (front) |
| USB / LAN |
4 USB-A + 1 USB-B 2.0 / 10/100 Base, RJ-45 |
| Video / Audio |
HDMI / 3.5 mm jack |
| 10 MHz reference I/O |
Out: > 0 dBm; In: -5 to +10 dBm; BNC-F, 50 Ω |
| External trigger I/O |
Out: 3.3 V TTL; In: 5 V TTL, 1 kΩ |
| Remote protocols |
SCPI / LabVIEW / IVI over USB-TMC, VXI-11, Socket, Telnet; NI-MAX; HTML5 web browser; GPIB via USB-GPIB adapter |
Display, Storage, General
| Display |
TFT LCD, 1200 × 800, 12.1 inch multi-touch |
| Storage |
eMMC 4 GB internal, 32 GB USB external |
| Dimensions (W×H×D) / weight |
378 × 284 × 126 mm / 7.40 kg (16.3 lb) |
| AC source |
100-240 V, 50/60 Hz or 100-120 V, 400 Hz; 80 W max |
| Operating temperature / humidity |
0 to 50 °C; ≤ 95% RH (0-30 °C), ≤ 75% RH (30-50 °C) |
| Altitude / safety |
< 3000 m / IEC, EN, UL, CSA 61010-1 and 61010-2-30 |
| EMC / RoHS |
EN 61326-1:2013, EN 61000-3-2/3 / 2011/65/EU |
Note on Probes and Options
The SRF5030T near-field probe kit (3 H-probes at 20/10/5 mm, 1 E-probe at 5 mm, 300 kHz to 3 GHz) is an optional accessory for EMI source-location work and is ordered separately. The SSA5000-AMK / SSA5000A-RTA1 / SSA5000-B40 / SSA5000-EMI / SSA5000-AMA / SSA5000-DMA / 10M_OCXO_L are software / factory-installed options. Confirm required options at the time of order.
This webpage was written by a human with an A.I. "Intern", which may contain errors. 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.