Agilent E5515C aka 8960 Series 10 - any users out there? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2014, 07:03:54 pm
content: Hi All,It seems I'll be getting an Agilent E5515C aka 8960 Series 10 Wireless Communications Analyzer in January. Bought without thinking it over too much as it was very cheap. Hwever, I am not familiar with this device, and wonder if anyone here owns such a beast and can give me some information.What I found out so far is that this thing was sold as a cell phone tester (GSM/CDMA), that it has an integrated RF synthesizer which goes up to 2.7GHz, and that it can be used as a simple spectrum analyzer.It also seems to have some kind of hard drive (IDE?), and the test software seems to rely on license files which apparently are located on the hard drive.I already found the relevant Keysight product page which is here:http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-1000000847%3Aepsg%3Apro-pn-E5515C/8960-series-10-wireless-communications-test-set?cc=US&lc=engThe documentation in the support section seems to be focussed on cell phone testing and doesn't seem to talk much about the hardware or if it can be used for other, non-cell phone testing. I also couldn't find any firmware files, only some downloads for PC software which again requires separate licenses.What I'd like to know is if someone here has such a device, and can give a bit more information as to how useful it is for other things than cell phone testing. I'm also interested in a copy of the firmware/software on the hard drive, as it doesn't seem to be available from Keysight (any more?).

author: eyesofthunder
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 19, 2015, 03:53:57 pm
content: I have 4 at work, been working with them for a while now.I'd love to have one at home.Run this for a self test:http://rfmw.em.keysight.com/rfcomms/8960toolbox/selftest.aspAnd this is more good info on it for calibration and maint:http://rfmw.em.keysight.com/rfcomms/8960toolbox/

author: dvdput
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 01, 2016, 06:03:26 pm
content: I can get an Agilent E5515C rather cheap at an auction. Can you share if it is actually worthwhile to get for use as Spectrum Analyzer, RF generator and power meter? It is quite a big beast of an instrument so want to be sure it is worthwhile.Or anybody else that have one that has any input on this?

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2016, 07:18:52 pm
content: Quote from: dvdput on March 01, 2016, 06:03:26 pmWell, I had one, and got rid of it pretty quickly. The reason was that the device is useless as anything else than a production cellphone tester, which is what it was designed for.For a start, there's no non-cell phone UI like on some other testers that makes it easy to use the device for something else than cell testing, with the E5515 you're pretty much fighting with the cell testing UI all the time. The frequency band is divided in bands and has gaps, the RF generator can do little else besides CW and cell phone signalling, and the Spectrum Monitor is indeed just a monitor, i.e. it gives you a simple overview over the spectrum. For use as a Spectrum Analyzer its capabilities and performance is way too limited.Hardware and software are another topic. Because the E5515 aka 8960 Series 10 was produced over a very long time (it started under the HP label, continued under Agilent and is still sold as Keysight) there are various hardware/board revisions out there which only work with specific revisions of other boards/chassis. Even worse, software licensing can be a mix of permanent, floating and temporary licenses, and there's a strong interdependency of hardware revision and software version.If you work with cell phone stuff then the 8960 Series 10 is great, and there's still some market demand for these units (although it's declining pretty fast). However, as a general purpose test instrument it's almost as useless as a brick.If you are after an all-in-one tester that is useful for generic stuff then have a look at the Rohde & Schwarz CMU200 or CRTU-RU. Like the 8960 Series 10, these are cell phone testers, but aside from much better RF frontend they also offer normal operating modes where each function can be used individually like a separate general purpose test instrument. They also have a true Spectrum Analyzer which offers roughly the same performance to a standalone entry level SA.

author: dvdput
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 01, 2016, 08:43:00 pm
content: Thanks for that reply, Wuerstchenhund.Well that rules the E5515C out. I guess I will be looking around for the R&S CMU200 or the CRTU-RU.