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The HP 8560A is a portable RF spectrum analyzer covering 50 Hz to 2.9 GHz (DC-coupled) or 100 kHz to 2.9 GHz (AC-coupled). It belongs to the HP 8560 series of high-performance portable spectrum analyzers, a family that also includes the HP 8561B (extending coverage to 6.5 GHz) and the microwave members HP 8562A and HP 8563A. The 8560A combines synthesized tuning, -130 dBm sensitivity, and digital resolution bandwidths down to 10 Hz in a portable instrument engineered for both bench and field use.
A spectrum analyzer displays signal energy across a range of frequencies — a frequency-domain view that complements the time-domain view an oscilloscope provides. Where an oscilloscope shows voltage versus time, a spectrum analyzer shows power versus frequency, making it the right instrument for identifying which signals are present, at what frequencies, and at what amplitude levels. The 8560A is positioned for RF design and service applications where portability and synthesized accuracy both matter.
ValueTronics has stocked, tested, and supported the HP 8560 series since these instruments were in active production, and the platform remains a recurring presence in our inventory today. Each {{CONDITION}} HP 8560A is processed through our 20,000 sq ft secure warehouse at 1675 Cambridge Drive in Elgin, Illinois, where our technicians have direct experience with HP synthesized RF spectrum analyzer architecture — including the calibrator output verification, synthesizer lock confirmation, and front-end attenuator characterization that distinguishes a verified unit from an unverified one. That hands-on continuity with a specific instrument family is the difference between buying from a catalog and buying from a source that has worked on the platform.
Hewlett-Packard's test and measurement division was spun out as Agilent Technologies in 1999, and Agilent's electronic measurement business was then transferred to Keysight Technologies in 2014. Instruments originally branded HP, including the 8560 series, trace their support and successor product lineage through Agilent to current-day Keysight.
The HP 8560 series is a family of four portable spectrum analyzers built on a common platform and differentiated primarily by frequency range and feature set. The HP 8560A and HP 8561B are the RF members; the HP 8562A and HP 8563A are the microwave members. All four share the same synthesized tuning architecture, the same hardkey/softkey user interface, and the same MIL-T-28800C Type III, Class 3, Style C ruggedness specification.
The series is engineered for portable use across RF design, service, and microwave applications. Each model in the family extends a specific dimension of the platform — additional frequency coverage on the 8561B, microwave coverage with internal preselection on the 8562A and 8563A, or extended dynamic range and battery-backed memory on the 8563A — while maintaining cross-family consistency in operation, interfaces, and environmental specifications.
Each pre-owned model below is its own dedicated product page with condition-matched pricing, condition documentation, and warranty terms specific to that listing. The comparison here covers the family architecture and the differences between members so the right model can be selected for the application; the specific pre-owned unit details live on each model's individual product page.
Within the family, the HP 8560A is the entry RF member: 50 Hz to 2.9 GHz DC-coupled frequency range, 125 dB maximum dynamic range, -130 dBm displayed average noise level at 1 MHz - 2.9 GHz, and the only model in the series that accepts the Option 002 built-in tracking generator covering 300 kHz to 2.9 GHz. For applications that fit inside the 2.9 GHz ceiling and benefit from the optional integrated tracking generator, the 8560A is the model the datasheet positions for the requirement.
Frequency coverage is the primary differentiator. The 8560A covers 50 Hz to 2.9 GHz (DC-coupled). The 8561B extends the range to 6.5 GHz (DC-coupled) while sharing the 8560A's general architecture. The 8562A and 8563A extend further into the microwave region — 9 kHz to 22 GHz standard, with Option 026 extending coverage to 26.5 GHz.
Performance specifications also differ across the family. The 8561B and 8563A reach -131 dBm DANL at 2.75-6.46 GHz; the 8562A's maximum dynamic range is 118 dB versus 125 dB on the 8560A and 128 dB on the 8561B and 8563A. The 8563A adds 128 Kbytes of battery-backed RAM that stores up to 100 traces and states, limit-line capability for defining test criteria, and a built-in clock/calendar for stamping traces and other output data. These features can also be added to the 8562A with the HP 85620A mass memory module accessory.
| Model | Frequency Range | Sensitivity (DANL) | Max Dynamic Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8560A | 50 Hz to 2.9 GHz | -130 dBm | 125 dB |
| 8561B | 50 Hz to 6.5 GHz | -131 dBm | 128 dB |
| 8562A | 9 kHz to 22 GHz (26.5 GHz with Opt 026) | -110 dBm | 118 dB |
| 8563A | 9 kHz to 22 GHz (26.5 GHz with Opt 026) | -120 dBm | 128 dB |
Additional differences in specifications beyond the few shown above are not listed here — see each model's full specifications below.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency | |
| Frequency Range — HP 8560A | 50 Hz to 2.9 GHz (dc-coupled); 100 kHz to 2.9 GHz (ac-coupled) |
| Frequency Range — HP 8561B | 50 Hz to 6.5 GHz (dc-coupled); 100 kHz to 6.5 GHz (ac-coupled) |
| Frequency Range — HP 8562A | 9 kHz to 22 GHz; 9 kHz to 26.5 GHz (option 026) |
| Frequency Range — HP 8563A | 9 kHz to 22 GHz; 9 kHz to 26.5 GHz (option 026) |
| Frequency Readout Accuracy (start, stop, center, or marker) | ±(freq readout x freq ref acc'y + 5% x span + 15% x RBW + 10 Hz) |
| Counter Resolution | 10 Hz - 1 MHz (HP 8562A, selectable); 1 Hz - 1 MHz (HP 8560A, 8561B, 8563A selectable) |
| Marker Counter Accuracy (S/N ≥ 25 dB) | ±(marker freq x freq ref acc'y + 50 Hz x n + 1 LSD) |
| Delta Counter Accuracy (S/N ≥ 25 dB) | ±(delta freq x freq ref acc'y + 100 Hz x n + 2 LSD) |
| Frequency Reference Accuracy (after 5-min warmup) — HP 8560A, 61B, 62A Standard | < 4 x 10⁻⁶/yr (includes aging, temp drift, settability) |
| Option 003 Precision Frequency Reference (standard on HP 8563A) | < 0.13 x 10⁻⁶/yr (includes aging, temp drift, settability, 15-min warmup) |
| Residual FM (zero span) — HP 8560A and 8561B | < 10 Hz p-p in 20 ms (< 2 Hz p-p w/opt 003) |
| Residual FM — HP 8562A | < 50 Hz x n p-p in 100 ms (< 2 Hz x N p-p w/opt 003) |
| Residual FM — HP 8563A | < 2 Hz x N p-p |
| Noise Sidebands | < (-100 + 20 log n) dBc/Hz at 30 kHz offset |
| Frequency Span | |
| Range — HP 8560A | 0 Hz, 100 Hz to 2.9 GHz |
| Range — HP 8561B | 0 Hz, 100 Hz to 6.5 GHz |
| Range — HP 8562A | 0 Hz, 2.5 kHz x n to 19.25/23.75 GHz (opt 026) |
| Range — HP 8563A | 0 Hz, 100 Hz x N to 19.25/23.75 GHz (opt 026) |
| Accuracy | < ±5% |
| Resolution Bandwidth (-3 dB) | |
| Range — HP 8560A, 8561B and 8563A | 10 Hz - 1 MHz in a 1,3,10 sequence, and 2 MHz |
| Range — HP 8562A | 100 Hz - 1 MHz in a 1,3,10 sequence, and 2 MHz |
| Accuracy — HP 8560A, 8561B and 8563A | ±10% (10 Hz to 300 kHz); ±25% (1 MHz, 2 MHz) |
| Accuracy — HP 8562A | ±30% (100 Hz); ±10% (300 Hz to 300 kHz); ±25% (1 MHz, 2 MHz) |
| Selectivity (-60 dB/-3 dB) — HP 8560A, 8561B and 8563A | < 5:1 (RBW ≤ 100 Hz); < 15:1 (RBW > 100 Hz) |
| Selectivity — HP 8562A | < 15:1 |
| Video Bandwidth | |
| Range | 1 Hz - 3 MHz in a 1,3,10 sequence |
| Amplitude Range | |
| Amplitude Range | +30 dBm to displayed average noise level |
| Maximum Safe Input — Average Continuous Power | +30 dBm (1 W) with input atten > 10 dB |
| Maximum Safe Input — Peak Pulse Power | +50 dBm (100 W) with input atten ≥ 30 dB for < 10 µsec pulse width and < 1% duty cycle |
| Maximum Safe Input — DC | 0 Volts |
| Display Range | |
| Display | 10 x 10 division graticule |
| Calibration | log = 10,5,2, and 1 dB per division; linear = 10% of reference level/division |
| Reference Level Range | log = -120 to +30 dBm in 0.1 dB steps; linear = 2.2 µVolts to 7.07 Volts in 1% steps |
| Input Attenuation Range | 0 to 70 dB in 10 dB steps |
| Dynamic Range | |
| Compression to Noise — HP 8560A | 125 dB |
| Compression to Noise — HP 8561B and 8563A | 128 dB |
| Compression to Noise — HP 8562A | 118 dB |
| Signal to Distortion, Harmonic — HP 8560A | 81 dB |
| Signal to Distortion, Harmonic — HP 8561B and 8563A | 81 dB (< 2.9 GHz), 110 dB (≥ 2.9 GHz) |
| Signal to Distortion, Harmonic — HP 8562A | 76 dB (< 2.9 GHz), 105.5 dB (≥ 2.9 GHz) |
| Signal to Distortion, Intermodulation — HP 8560A | 90 dB |
| Signal to Distortion, Intermodulation — HP 8561B and 8563A | 90 dB (< 2.9 GHz), 92 dB (≥ 2.9 GHz) |
| Signal to Distortion, Intermodulation — HP 8562A | 83 dB (< 2.9 GHz), 86 dB (≥ 2.9 GHz) |
| 1 dB Gain Compression | -5 dBm at input mixer (10 MHz - 2.9 GHz); -3 dBm at input mixer (> 2.75 GHz) |
| Spurious Responses | For input level < -40 dBm, > 60 dB below input signal for frequencies < 6.46 GHz |
| Third-Order Intermodulation (two -30 dBm signals at mixer) | -64 dBc, 50 Hz - 10 MHz (HP 8560A and 8561B); -70 dBc, 10 MHz - 2.9 GHz; -75 dBc, > 2.75 GHz (HP 8561B, 8562A, 8563A) |
| Image, Multiple, and Out-of-Band Responses | < -70 dBc, 10 MHz - 22 GHz; < -60 dBc, 10 MHz - 22 GHz |
| Residual Responses (no signal at input, 0 dB input atten) | < -90 dBm, > 200 kHz |
| Displayed Average Noise Level (minimum RBW, 0 dB input attenuation, 1 Hz video BW, no signal at input) | |
| 10 kHz — HP 8560A / 8561B / 8562A / 8563A | -103 / -103 / -90 / -103 dBm |
| 100 kHz | -110 / -110 / -100 / -110 dBm |
| 1 MHz - 2.9 GHz | -130 / -130 / -120 / -130 dBm |
| 2.75 GHz - 6.46 GHz (HP 8561B) | -131 dBm |
| 2.75 GHz - 6.46 GHz (HP 8562A / 8563A) | -121 / -131 dBm |
| 5.86 GHz - 13.0 GHz (HP 8562A / 8563A) | -110 / -120 dBm |
| 12.4 GHz - 19.7 GHz (HP 8562A / 8563A) | -105 / -115 dBm |
| 19.1 GHz - 22.0 GHz (HP 8562A / 8563A) | -100 / -110 dBm |
| Amplitude Accuracy | |
| Frequency Response (relative) — HP 8560A | ±1.0 dB (dc-coupled) |
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.
Model No
HP
Condition
Used
Manufacturer
Agilent
Frequency
2.9 GHz
2
Built-in Tracking Generator
3
Precision Frequency Reference
H51
Adds external mixing capability
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