7L18

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Tektronix 7L18
18 (60) GHz Spectrum Analyzer
Tektronix 7L18

Compatible with 7000-series scopes

Produced from 1978 to 1984

Manuals
Manuals – Specifications – Links – Pictures

The Tektronix 7L18 is a spectrum analyzer plug-in introduced in 1978 for 7000-series scopes. It occupies three plug-in bays in the oscilloscope.

Key Specifications

Frequency range 1.5 GHz to 18 GHz with the internal mixer, 12.5 GHz to 60 GHz using external mixers
Frequency span 0; 200 Hz/Div to 500 MHz/Div in 1−2−5 steps; Max (see note below)
Resolution bandwidth 30 Hz to 3 MHz in decade steps
Vertical scale 10 dB/Div, 2 dB/Div, or linear
Input attenuator 0 dB to 60 dB in 10 dB steps
Sweep 1 μs/Div to 20 s/Div, auto, ext, or manual
Digital functions two memory banks (A, B); Display A, B - A saved, peak hold

Please expand

Context

Linley Gumm says:

Another disappointment was the 7L18 microwave analyzer project, one of the earliest Tek products to have a microprocessor in it.

"We started work on developing this product in 1974, and finally shipped our first instrument in 1978. As I look back, it was a terribly crude microprocessor, and we made every error in the book. Of course, we didn't have any of the tools that are available today."

Although the 7L18 never did sell well, Linley and his crew developed components and technologies that later were used in the 492. (TekWeek March 27, 1987)

Internals

The LO is a YIG tuned oscillator covering the 2 GHz to 4 GHz range. Its output passes through a sampler assembly used to PLL the YIG on small resolution bandwidths. The output of the sampler goes to the LO input on the mixer. The mixer IF output is 510 MHz.

The 7L18's components are controlled by an Intel 4004 4-bit microprocessor.

The 7L18 will NOT do 1.5 GHz to 18 GHz in one span, it will only max span the range selected by the BAND/HARMONIC control. This range is determined by the heterodyne harmonic number and sign (sideband) and the range of the first LO, which is 2 GHz to 4 GHz.

The input attenuator is a standard Weinschel Engineering product driven by a belt. The range is encoded for the digital dBm reference level display. The signal then passes through a YIG preselector filter with a 50 MHz bandwidth. After the YIG filter, the signal enters the RF input of the mixer assembly.

Links

Pictures

Service views:

Boards within the digital card cage (from back to front):

The microcomputer board is built using three very old Intel chips: an Intel 4004 processor, an Intel 4002 320-bit RAM and 4-bit output port, and an Intel D4289 standard memory interface. The D4289 connects the 4004 to the two 2K8 ROMs. Note that in an earlier version of the 7L18 there were 6 ROMs.

Internal views of the analog parts:

Custom ICs used in the 7L18

Page Model Part nos Description Designers Used in
155-0028-00 M018 155-0028-00 155-0028-01 155-0042-00 155-0042-01 155-0042-02 155-0042-03 Miller integrator and delay pickoff Joe Burger 5030 R5030 5031 R5031 1401 1401A 1480 1481 1482 1485 26G1 26G2 26G3 314 335 432 434 4701 5B10N 5B12N 5B31 5B40 5B42 5S14N 7B52 7B53A 7B53N 7L12 7L13 7L14 7L18 7S14 AN/USM-281C RG501 Telequipment D63 Telequipment DM63
155-0035-00 M053B 155-0035-00 155-0116-00 quad op-amp Mike Metcalf 3110 3S7 3T7 492 492A 492AP 492P 494 494P 496 496P 4010 4011 4012 4013 7L5 7L12 7L13 7L14 7L18 7S11 7T11 7S12 S-6 1461 4602 P7001 613 653
155-0056-00 M042E 155-0056-00 155-0056-01 sweep control Val Garuts 26G1 26G2 26G3 314 4701 5B10N 5B12N 5S14N 7L5 7L12 7L13 7L14 7L18 7S14 5S14N RG501 Telequipment D63 Telequipment DM63
155-0157-00 M180 155-0157-00 digital storage vertical control Don Kirkpatrick 7L5 7L14 7L18 491 492 492A 492BP 492PGM 494 494A 495 496 497P
155-0158-00 M181 155-0158-00 digital storage horizontal control Don Kirkpatrick 7L5 7L14 7L18 491 492 492A 492BP 492PGM 494 494A 495 496 497P