[time-nuts] Close in phase noise of microwave VCOs

Richard (Rick) Karlquist richard at karlquist.com
Sun Jun 21 01:12:24 UTC 2015


On 6/20/2015 1:16 PM, Alex Pummer wrote:
> Actually a YIG, even "standalone" has very good phase noise performance,
> as long as the tuning current is quite, once upon the time HP made some
> cheaper version of the 856x-es spectrum analyzers [ perhaps that was the
> 95xx ] they had the first LO just "standing alone" no PLL,  and drifted
> away, but the phase-noise performance was not so bad. These YIGs are to
> find on e-bay sometimes,
> 73
> KJ6UHN
> Alex

According to R&D Engineers who worked in the division that
made spectrum analyzers, the division manager issued an order
that he didn't want any new products to cannibalize the sales
of the flagship 8566.  The 8590 series especially was dumbed down
and crippled, such as you say, with a drifty unlocked LO.

This sort of nonsense actually happened quite frequently, such that
when someone wanted to get funding to develop a new product,
they had to have a story as to why it wouldn't cannibalize
other products.  Many meritorious ideas were killed due to
this issue.

Of course, as we know, if you don't cannibalize your own products,
your competitors will.

Rick



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