Coinciding with IMS 2015 in Phoenix, Ariz., Signal Hound has updated its free Spike Spectrum Analysis software. Version 3.0.8 provides a variety of digital modulation analysis tools for Spike’s BB60C and BB60A USB-powered real-time spectrum analyzers.
Specifically, the new version offers constellation diagrams, symbol tables, error-vector magnitude (EVM) measurements, and bit pattern matching analysis tools for a wide range of modulation types. When coupled with either of the aforementioned spectrum analyzers, it can analyze digitally modulated signals with bandwidths to 27 MHz and frequencies from 9 kHz to 6 GHz.
Prior to version 3.0.8, the Spike software was already capable of signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SINAD), total harmonic distortion (THD), and percentage of modulation measurements. The update unleashes more sophisticated signal analysis of common digital modulations present in cellular telecommunications, Internet-of-things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M), and other radio applications.
Along with Spike’s application programming interface (API) and graphical user interface (GUI), there is significant third-party customization potential. Future versions of Spike will include sub-1 GHz wireless standard modulation tools, as well as higher order modulation analysis tools for QAM64.