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The Keysight N5186A MXG is a vector signal generator that delivers calibrated RF stimulus across a frequency range that, depending on the installed frequency option, extends from 9 kHz to as high as 8.5 GHz. It pairs a wideband internal I/Q baseband architecture with analog and vector modulation capability in a single instrument, and is offered in both one-channel and four-channel configurations through a precision Type-N 50 Ω output.
A vector signal generator produces modulated RF signals with precisely controlled amplitude, phase, and digital modulation, providing the known stimulus an engineer needs to characterize a receiver, amplifier, or wireless subsystem. The N5186A's published performance spans a broad set of communication formats — including GSM, W-CDMA, LTE FDD, 5G NR FR1, and 802.11a/g/ac/be — with documented error vector magnitude (EVM) and adjacent-channel power ratio (ACPR) results characterized for each.
ValueTronics stocks and holds its own inventory in a 20,000 square-foot secure warehouse at 1675 Cambridge Drive in Elgin, Illinois. Every pre-owned instrument is inspected and functionally verified in-house before it ships, while new units ship factory-sealed exactly as received from the manufacturer.
Keysight Technologies traces its instrument heritage to Hewlett-Packard, whose test-and-measurement business was spun out as Agilent Technologies in 1999. That measurement business was then established as Keysight Technologies in 2014.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Frequency | |
| CW frequency range (Option 503) | 9 kHz to 3 GHz |
| CW frequency range (Option 506) | 9 kHz to 6 GHz |
| CW frequency range (Option 508) | 9 kHz to 8.5 GHz |
| Frequency resolution (CW) | 0.00001 Hz |
| Phase adjustments | Adjustable in nominal 0.1° increments |
| Frequency switching speed, CW mode (SCPI) | ≤ 9 ms (meas) |
| Frequency switching speed, digital modulation (SCPI) | ≤ 15 ms (meas) |
| Frequency Reference | |
| Internal time base reference oscillator aging rate | < ± 3 × 10⁻⁸/year or ± 30 ppb/year after 30 days; < ± 5 × 10⁻¹⁰/year or ± 0.5 ppb/day after 30 days |
| Initial achievable calibration accuracy | ± 4 × 10⁻⁸ or ± 40 ppb |
| Adjustment resolution | < 1.3 × 10⁻¹¹ |
| Temperature effects | < ± 1 × 10⁻⁸, nominal |
| Line voltage effects | < ± 1 × 10⁻⁹ for ± 5% change, nominal |
| Reference output frequency | 10 MHz or 100 MHz, user selectable |
| Reference output amplitude | ≥ +6 dBm, nominal into 50 Ω load at 10 MHz; ≥ +8 dBm, nominal into 50 Ω load at 100 MHz |
| External reference input frequency (standard) | 10 MHz |
| External reference lock range | ± 1 ppm |
| External reference amplitude | –3 dBm to +20 dBm, nominal |
| External reference impedance | 50 Ω, nominal |
| External reference waveform | Sine or square |
| Output Power | |
| Settable range | +20 to -135 dBm (std); +30 to -135 dBm (option 1EA) |
| Resolution | 0.01 dB |
| Connector | Type N 50 Ω, nominal (3.5 mm with options 1EM, 001, 002, 003, 004) |
| Maximum reverse power | 20 W, 50 VDC (nom) |
| Attenuator type | Electronic |
| Max output power, 9 kHz to < 20 kHz | +1 dBm (std); +1 dBm (+4 dBm typ) (option 1EA) |
| Max output power, 20 kHz to < 50 kHz | +7 dBm (std); +7 dBm (+10 dBm typ) (option 1EA) |
| Max output power, 50 kHz to < 200 kHz | +12 dBm (std); +12 dBm (+14 dBm typ) (option 1EA) |
| Max output power, 200 kHz to < 10 MHz | +15 dBm (std); +15 dBm (+19 dBm typ) (option 1EA) |
| Max output power, 10 MHz to < 5 GHz | +18 dBm (std); +25 dBm (+26 dBm typ) (option 1EA) |
| Max output power, 5 GHz to < 8 GHz | +18 dBm (std); +23 dBm (+25 dBm typ) (option 1EA) |
| Max output power, 8 GHz to < 8.5 GHz | +18 dBm (std); +22 dBm (+24 dBm typ) (option 1EA) |
| Absolute level accuracy (CW), 1 GHz to < 5 GHz, +20 to +15 dBm (option 1EA) | ± 1 dB (± 0.4 dB typ) |
| Absolute level accuracy (CW), 5 GHz to < 7 GHz, +20 to +15 dBm (option 1EA) | ± 0.9 dB (± 0.3 dB typ) |
| Absolute level accuracy (CW), 7 to 8.5 GHz, +20 to +15 dBm (option 1EA) | ± 1 dB (± 0.4 dB typ) |
| Absolute level accuracy (CW), 1 GHz to < 5 GHz, < +5 dBm to -60 dBm | ± 1.4 dB (± 0.5 dB typ) |
| Absolute level accuracy (CW), 5 GHz to < 7 GHz, < +5 dBm to -60 dBm | ± 1.4 dB (± 0.5 dB typ) |
| Absolute level accuracy (CW), 7 to 8.5 GHz, < +5 dBm to -60 dBm | ± 1.4 dB (± 0.5 dB typ) |
| Amplitude switching speed, CW mode (SCPI) | ≤ 9 ms (meas) |
| Amplitude switching speed, digital modulation on (SCPI) | ≤ 15 ms (meas) |
| Phase Noise (Absolute SSB, CW enhanced SNR mode at +10 dBm, Standard, 20 to 30 °C; offsets 1 Hz / 10 Hz / 100 Hz / 1 kHz / 10 kHz / 100 kHz / 1 MHz / 10 MHz / 100 MHz; () = typical, dBc/Hz) | |
| 100 MHz carrier | (-89) / -103 (-110) / -120 (-126) / -140 (-146) / -143 (-148) / -143 (-148) / -141 (-149) / -141 (-148) / - |
| 500 MHz carrier | (-76) / -89 (-96) / -106 (-113) / -130 (-135) / -136 (-140) / -136 (-140) / -151 (-157) / -151 (-157) / (-157) |
| 1 GHz carrier | (-70) / -84 (-90) / -99 (-106) / -124 (-129) / -129 (-134) / -129 (-134) / -151 (-157) / -152 (-158) / (-158) |
| 2 GHz carrier | (-64) / -77 (-84) / -93 (-100) / -117 (-123) / -123 (-128) / -123 (-127) / -146 (-154) / -151 (-158) / (-158) |
| 3 GHz carrier | (-60) / -74 (-80) / -89 (-96) / -114 (-120) / -119 (-124) / -119 (-124) / -144 (-152) / -152 (-158) / (-158) |
| 4 GHz carrier | (-59) / -71 (-77) / -87 (-94) / -112 (-117) / -116 (-122) / -116 (-121) / -141 (-150) / -151 (-157) / (-158) |
| 5 GHz carrier | (-57) / -69 (-76) / -86 (-92) / -109 (-115) / -115 (-120) / -115 (-119) / -139 (-148) / -150 (-156) / (-157) |
| 6 GHz carrier | (-55) / -68 (-74) / -84 (-90) / -108 (-114) / -113 (-118) / -113 (-118) / -137 (-146) / -149 (-155) / (-155) |
| 7 GHz carrier | (-54) / -67 (-73) / -83 (-89) / -107 (-112) / -112 (-117) / -112 (-116) / -137 (-146) / -148 (-155) / (-154) |
| 8 GHz carrier | (-53) / -66 (-72) / -82 (-88) / -105 (-111) / -111 (-116) / -110 (-115) / -134 (-144) / -146 (-153) / (-153) |
| Spectral Purity | |
| Harmonics (CW), 9 kHz to 100 kHz, < +10 dBm | (<-30 dBc typ) |
| Harmonics (CW), > 100 kHz to 3 GHz | <-35 dBc (-41 dBc) at < +10 dBm; <-33 dBc (-39 dBc) at < +12 dBm |
| Harmonics (CW), > 3 GHz to 4.25 GHz | <-30 dBc (-34 dBc) at < +10 dBm; (<-32 dBc) at < +12 dBm |
| Harmonics (CW), > 4.25 GHz to 8.5 GHz | (<-34 dBc) at < +10 dBm; (<-32 dBc) at < +12 dBm |
| Non-harmonics (CW, > 10 kHz offset, +10 dBm), 9 kHz to < 15 MHz | -52 dBc (std); -52 dBc (-59 dBc) (option EP3/EP4) |
| Non-harmonics, 15 MHz to < 30 MHz | -60 dBc (std); -60 dBc (-68 dBc) (option EP3/EP4) |
| Non-harmonics, 30 MHz to < 8.5 GHz | -75 dBc (std); -80 dBc (option EP3/EP4) |
| Fixed spurs (+10 dBm), 300 MHz | -77 dBc |
| Fixed spurs, DAC spur (19.2 GHz – 2fout) | -67 dBc |
| Fixed spurs, DAC spur (3fout - 19.2 GHz) | -69 dBc |
| Analog Modulation (I/Q based, E7642APPC) | |
| AM waveform | Sine, dual-sine, triangle, ramp up, ramp down, square |
| AM rate (sine) | 1 Hz to (maximum baseband bandwidth / 2) |
| AM rate (all other waveforms) | 1 Hz to (maximum baseband bandwidth / 16) |
| AM depth | 0 to 100% |
| FM waveform | Sine, dual-sine, triangle, ramp up, ramp down, square |
| FM rate (sine) | 1 Hz to (maximum baseband bandwidth / 4) |
| FM rate (all other waveforms) | 1 Hz to (maximum baseband bandwidth / 16) |
| FM depth | 0 Hz to 50 MHz |
| PM waveform | Sine, dual-sine, triangle, ramp up, ramp down, square |
| PM rate (sine) | 1 Hz to (maximum baseband bandwidth / 4) |
| PM rate (all other waveforms) | 1 Hz to (maximum baseband bandwidth / 16) |
| PM depth | 0 to 10 radians |
| Vector Modulation | |
| Internal I/Q offset | Separate I and Q offsets, ± 20% |
| Internal I/Q quadrature angle | ± 20° |
| Internal I/Q gain balance | ± 10 dB |
| Internal I/Q time skew | ± 83.3333 ns |
| I/Q common delay range | 0 to 41.6667 ns |
| I/Q common delay resolution | 250 fs |
| Frequency response over modulation bandwidth (400 MHz to 8.5 GHz), measured | Amplitude ± 0.6 dB; Phase ± 2° |
| Channel response correction (E7653APPC), scatter parameter file format | .s2p, .csv |
| Number of cascadable calibration sets | 4 |
| Automated channel response correction | 256 taps |
Important: Maximum reverse power: 20 W, 50 VDC (nominal).
Important: AC line voltage dropouts (IEC 61000-4-11) of duration greater than 5 ms will cause the RF output to turn off until it is re-enabled by the operator, in order to protect internal hardware.
Important: Lower edge of the modulated signal is not recommended to extend below 10 MHz, and the upper edge of the modulated signal is not recommended to extend above 8.5 GHz.
Important: Output power performance operating below 20 kHz frequency is not warranted if the power level is set below -85 dBm.
Important: For indoor use only.
This pre-owned unit is inspected and functionally verified in-house before it ships and is backed by our pre-owned warranty. To confirm its exact condition, firmware revision, installed options, or included accessories for your application before ordering, contact our Test Architects.
ValueTronics supplies both new and used test and measurement equipment. New units ship factory-sealed, exactly as received from the manufacturer; every used unit is inspected and functionally verified in-house at our 20,000 sq ft secure facility in Elgin, Illinois before it ships. Our Test Architects can help you select the condition, calibration, and configuration that fit your application.
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
Keysight
Condition
Pre-Owned
Manufacturer
Keysight Technologies
Rf_gen_freq
9 kHz to 8.5 GHz
30+ Years in Business
Secure Payments
Sell Test Equipments
Knowledgeable Staff
On-site Lab
30+ Years in Business
Secure Payments
Sell Test Equipments
Knowledgeable Staff
On-site Lab
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