📡 Siglent SSA3032X Spectrum Analyzer Review & Experiments

Afroman reviews Siglent's SSA3000X series spectrum analyzer and all the options. There is some RF information for beginners and usage experiments are also performed. Firmware version 1.2.8.2.
==========TABLE OF CONTENTS========
0:00 Intro
0:33 Unboxing and discussion of inputs
1:24 Screen
1:59 Build quality, fan noise, user interface
5:35 AM and FM demodulation
6:18 Average noise measurements
9:11 Phase noise
9:46 Spurious readings and possible shielding issue
12:25 Amplitude accuracy
12:40 Tracking generator evaluation and experiments
15:35 Advanced measurement kit option
16:13 EasySpectrum software and EMI measurement option
17:47 Introduction to measuring antenna performance
19:30 Reflection measurement software and hardware experiment
21:35 Reflection bridge hardware directivity discussion
22:36 Limitations of directivity experiment
24:18 Final judgement and conclusion

[Afrotechmods]

This is my longest video ever and it is extremely information dense. Please use the table of contents to navigate and watch in multiple sessions as needed.
0:00 Intro
0:33 Unboxing and discussion of inputs
1:24 Screen
1:59 Build quality, fan noise, user interface
5:35 AM and FM demodulation
6:18 Average noise measurements
9:11 Phase noise
9:46 Spurious readings and possible shielding issue
12:25 Amplitude accuracy
12:40 Tracking generator evaluation and experiments
15:35 Advanced measurement kit option
16:13 EasySpectrum software and EMI measurement option
17:47 Introduction to measuring antenna performance
19:30 Reflection measurement software and hardware experiment
21:35 Reflection bridge hardware directivity discussion
22:36 Limitations of directivity experiment
24:18 Final judgement and conclusion

[maurosobreira]

Afrotechmods, a big thank you from a hobbyist for posting such a detailed review - I learned a lot! No apologies on the technical aspects, on the contrary, way to go!

[DefekCs]

This is best RF beginner's tutorial I have found up to this point!!
... ironically, it is a review! :D

If You get to keep this spectrum analyzer, could You make a tutorial series in RF measuring/testing... please? :)
Like, every detail You described here but in bit more depth and every little thing in it's own video.

[VovinAtreides]

Just started working on my first rf controlled project and I'm contemplating buying a spectrum analyzer. As I have no experience with them it's hard to know what to look for but you've remedied that quite a bit! The VSWR part especially was very practical and useful! Thanks a lot for the great video!

[sasines]

Thank you for the excellent video! The quality of the video and audio was outstanding and the information presented was relevant and easy to understand. I have had my SSA3021X for just a week and did all the same tests that you did to help familiarize myself with my new "toy". I hope you will do more videos for this SA. Thanks again!

[stephan]

I thought I'd only watch a few minutes of it but kept watching til the end. Great video, really informative with good explanations! I'd love to see some separate RF tutorials like somebody else suggested!

Edit: This actually makes me reconsider studying RF electronics for my masters degree!

[Nerdthagoras]

This video is amazing. Yes there was a lot of detail but that is a good thing.. You want to know the issues and why they are issues. I wish more reviews of anything were like how you did this one..

[mrkattm]

Thanks for the review you did a very nice job, as a EE who is now in management but still enjoys electronics as a home hobby I was considering the Signal hound, Rigol and the Siglent SA.... I have been leaning towards the Siglent and this review really helped. Thanks again and keep up the great work.

[StaszekAlcatraz]

Please please please keep doing more vids like this. It servers as a good tutorial as well!

[DrTune]

20:40 "We get this wonky line onscreen that's completely meaningless because of all the losses associated with the connectors and stuff". Cracked me up! Great vid, thankyou.

[NGinuity]

I got one of these and a new benchtop power supply about a month ago and love it so far. The wheel on mine seems decidedly more solid than you show, however there still isn't any progressive speed enhancement. My needs for an analyzer are drastically more primitive than you covered so it fits the bill really well. Thanks for doing a good walkthrough on it, I learned a thing or two.

[adolfojp]

I don't know why I watched this. I'm not the target audience. It was extremely soothing.

[NotSleepy]

excellent presentation.  Not too long.  Just right.  Learned a lot. thanks.

[legionaire]

Nice detailed look at this instrument. Thanks!

[AboubakrA]

loved your video, and I just subscribed to your channel, also I'm commenting to vote up for the (RF tutorials) I'd absolutely watch every single one of them

[kungfumaster]

Great video. Really enjoyed it and most importantly I've learned some really useful information. Thank you.

[sethlavinder]

Would love to see a series of tutorials using this instrument to teach how to quantify our RF world. I am pretty much clueless how to operate my SSA-3021x, I have noted theres all the help in the world for an oscilloscope but when you want to measure the RF world and really look at the building blocks of radio and antennas, you find yourself with a beautiful new spectrum analyzer and not a book one to help you understand how to use it! I want to learn proper ways to couple the device to the various stages of a radio, like doing an alignment on a rig, or tuning a filter network to pass a certain frequency. Or even tuning duplexer cavity on a repeater system. I took the very rare opportunity to fund the purchase this last May and the device has less than 2hrs powered on time. Now I spend a lot of time Googling and Youtubing looking for fragments of help. Thank You for this video and any others on this subject! 73 de Seth - W8FG

[theburningdescentofficial]

thanks a lot for the detailled review !

[JRabba]

8:57 the noisiest end of the spectrum at exactly Pi GHz

[harry]

excellent video, thanks for sharing your experience with this analyser !