[time-nuts] Keysight N5511A - phase noise measurements down to theoretical-177 dBm/Hz

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 8/15/2019 11:30 PM, John Miles wrote:
>> My guess is well into 6 figure$.
> 
> It's a modular system like its 3048A and E5500-series forebears, so the only limits are your imagination and your bank account. :)  Very cool hardware, noting that it has some competition from all-in-one instruments like the FSWP that the earlier 'doomsday machines' didn't have to face.

It may be helpful to explain to the group how the Keysight
phase noise business model operates.  First of all, it is the same
business model as when they were Agilent, and before that,
HP, all the way back to the 3047.  I worked there through all
those eras.  Second, it is a unique business model vs the models
used for the underlying instruments.

Basically, phase noise as a market has never been worth enough
money to justify a conventional product line paradigm.  It
was always an orphan that no division manager wanted.  OTOH,
having nothing in that space detracted from HP as the complete
solution provider.  The solution was to have Spokane division
donate Bob Temple to champion a product composed of existing
instruments plus one purpose built "miscellaneous" box (eg,
the 11848A, etc) that contained everything else.  The divisions
got some incremental sales with no R&D effort.  There were
probably negotiations in the proverbial smoke filled room about
how to divide up the pie.  I remember on the 3048 they created
a "3048 system reference number" with a price of $ZERO that
was necessary to give the salesman the right commission and
perhaps collect an honorarium from each division to support
Bob.  The software had to run on a separate computer rather
than residing in any instrument.  Even the miscellaneous box
is totally dumb.  Bob, of course, has been retired for some
time, but can be hired as a freelance consultant.  I never
found out who stepped into Bob's very large shoes for this
latest product.  In any event, this business model predictably
results in high end prices.  Another part of the business model
is that the well-heeled customers will spend generously to
buy the time of Keysight customer engineers.  When I worked
there, I could simply walk down stairs and get free advice
from these guys.  Since the customers paid for these guys,
there was no issue about where to get the money for them.

For whatever reason, off shoring to Malaysia didn't seem to
result in lower factory costs than Santa Rosa.  Or maybe
it did and the price would be 0.5 million otherwise.

I wish my former colleagues at Keysight the best of success.

Rick