(Editor's note: Originally published on EDN.com) It may seem
intuitive that field service engineers needing a handheld
spectrum analyzer require one that is designed for field use,
yet surprisingly few handhelds are designed to address all of
the rigors the outdoors has to offer. Understanding what field
engineers want from a handheld spectrum analyzer requires a
scrutiny of the environmental realities faced in the field.
Military standards are often referenced by manufacturers as a
means of illustrating the durability of a device. For electrical
test equipment, such as handheld spectrum analyzers, MIL PRF
28800T defines the “performance characteristics required for an
intended location of use and the most severe prevailing
environmental conditions of such locations.” Handheld equipment
falls under Class 2 of the standard. To meet Class 2
requirements, the device “is designed for rugged operational
environments where the environmental conditions are routinely
encountered in an unprotected, uncontrolled climat