METUCHEN, New Jersey.—Berkeley Varitronics Systems, Inc, the leader in handheld wireless test tools, releases a new BumbleBee spectrum analyzer featuring a powerful tablet PC interface.

BumbleBee-TABLET is a Windows XP tablet UMPC spectrum analyzer all-in-one system. The calibrated receiver measures a combo of popular wireless bands including Wi-Fi, Wi-MAX, ISM, Bluetooth (additional models support more other frequencies). BumbleBee-TABLET's interface offers a large 7" WVGA LCD touch-screen featuring Intel Pentium processor. In addition, the tablet UMPC has an internal 40GB HDD for instant storage and playback of all captured RF spectral network installation, coverage and interference analysis data in the field. Advanced spectrum analysis features include user selectable power triggers, 3 pairs of markers, spectrogram, histogram, video smoothing, waveform averaging, 1 live trace and up to 4 peak hold waveform traces with peak hold & peak search. Optional interference mapping software is also supported. BumbleBee-TABLET takes the power of sophisticated laboratory spectrum analyzers and delivers it to installers in the field and engineers in the lab. Available now.

BumbleBee is a precision spectrum analyzer series that allows installers, engineers and technicians to measure a variety of bands for network installation, coverage and RF interference analysis. The touch screen allows field engineers to tap on points of interest in the waveform and drill down for further analysis. Advanced spectrum analysis features include unique waveform traces, peak hold/search, and user selectable interference triggers. Optional Direction Finding antenna kits are available for locating and pinpointing specific sources of RF energy interference. BumbleBee allows for on-the-fly switching of bands for realtime spectral analysis of many wireless standards including VoIP, 802.11(b/a/g & Bluetooth), Wi-MAX, cordless phones/video and broadband public safety data networks.

This product marks a departure for Berkeley Varitronics Systems (BVS). In the past, its BumbleBee RF instrumentation line was based on a piggyback PDA configuration, usually using a Windows CE-based Compaq iPAQ PocketPC personal digital assistant.

In contrast, this BumbleBee-TABLET spectrum analyzer is a Samsung product running an Intel Pentium M ULV 723 clocking at 1-GHz and packing a WVGA-resolution LCD. Its operating system is Windows XP, as the press release (on the left) notes, but it's the UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) Tablet Edition.

Beyond iPAQ

Moving beyond the iPAQ, the UMPC platform confers lots of memory, providing a whopping Gbyte of DDR (dual data rate) VRAM, to say nothing of the tablet's 40-Gbyye hard drive. The user interface is a touchscreen; there are no keyboards or pointing devices. The on-screen cursor is controlled using a stylus.

Ultra Mobile PCs are also gaining quite a developer's following, with user-groups developing, modifying, and publishing software. What's more, Apple and several Linux vendors are working with Intel on developing products on the UMPC.

In any case, you should be able to run a lot of different types of applications on this platform, including some nifty Windows-based interference mapping software from BVS.

Hardware Features

Not mentioned in BVS's press statement is the fact that the BumbleBee-TABLET also gives you the hooks to a 100-Mbit/s LAN connection, as well as IEEE-802.11g+BT RF connectivity. It will also run for three hours, from its internal Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) battery pack, and quickly recharge in less than an hour.

In operation, the BVS BumbleBee-TABLET delivers a live trace with four peak-holds. That lets you freeze up to four instances of peak and live traces. The system's trace settings also let you make peak hold, screen average, and freeze trace (live/peak/average) settings. You also get up to three pairs of delta markers. Topping it off, the system even confers a PIP function (picture-in-picture) to simultaneously view live and average readings.

Electrically, the BumbleBee-TABLET spans 1-MHz to either 750-MHz (for Model 1) or 1-GHz (Model 2), and can safely handle RF inputs as high as 1-mW (0 dBm).

Resolution bandwidth is 50-kHz to 1-MHz. The unit provides pre-set channels for 802.11A/B/G, ZigBee, and UNII bands. Sweep time is 800-ms (20-MHz span and 50-kHz resolution bandwidth).

Low Noise

In terms of amplitude, this instrument exhibits a low noise floor, too. With no input, it's less than -100-dBm (2.25-µV). Moreover, dynamic range is better than 40-dB, and its level accuracy is specified to be within 1.5 dB.

The RF module/tablet pricing starts at about $4500. Options include software applications and direction-finding packages.

Click here for a datasheet (in Adobe Acrobat .PDF format).

For more details contact Craig Schober at Berkeley Varitronics Systems, 255 Liberty St., Metuchen, New Jersey 08840-1217. Phone: 732-548-3737. Fax: 732-548-3404

Berkeley Varitronics Systems, 732-548-3737, www.bvsystems.com