tinySA ULTRA 100k-5.3GHz Handheld Spectrum Analyzer | 4″ TFT Display 3000mAH Battery

The tinySA Ultra is a small spectrum analyzer and signal generator with some nice capabilities. It has a 4″ TFT display showing 450 scan points providing gapless covering up to the full specified frequency range. It also has a Signal Generator with sine wave output between 0.1-800MHz or square wave or dual tone output up to 4.4GHz when not used as spectrum analyzer. The built-in signal generator in tinySA Ultra is able to output 0.1-800MHz in Sine Wave. For the Square Wave or Dual Tone signals, it could output up to 5.3GHz when not used as a Spectrum Analyzer. The tinySA Ultra has a set of switchable resolution bandpass filters from 200Hz to 850kHz, and it is equipped with a 20dB optional LNA. Meanwhile, it also has an input Step Attenuator from 0dB to 31dB (cannot be used in combination with LNA). The tiny Spectrum Analyzer has a built-in calibration signal generator that is used for automatic self test and (low) input calibration. The built-in 3000mAh rechargeable battery make it very suitable for portable measurements. The device measures about 120 x 75 x 20 mm and weighs about 150g, which makes it be an ideal and handy measurement instruments of your radio shack.

There are PC software available, when connected to a PC via USB, it becomes a PC controlled Spectrum Analyzer or Signal Generator.

Here are a list of works that you could use the tinySA Ultra for:

• Measuring the frequency and power of a transmitter.
• Checking the bandwidth and shape of a filter.
• Generating test signals for tuning or testing.

Some useful links:

• (1) tinySA | Main / HomePage. https://www.tinysa.org/wiki/
• (2) Notes: tinySA – NK7Z.NET. https://www.nk7z.net/tinysa/
• (3) The TinySA for Ham Radio – What is this thing? – YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po2SIQ5GGpw
• (4) tinySA | TinySA4 / tinySA model comparison table. https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=TinySA4.Comparison
• (5) tinySA Ultra Reviews: A 0.1 MHz – 6 GHz Spectrum Analyzer. https://www.rtl-sdr.com/tinysa-ultra-reviews-a-0-1-mhz-6-ghz-spectrum-analyzer-for-120/

Some useful videos:

Specifications:

• Display: 3.95″ TFT LCD (480×320)
• Max Freq to LOW INPUT: 800MHz, 6GHz in Ultra Mode
• Resolution BPF: 200Hz to 850kHz
• Max Output Frequency: 800MHz(Sine Wave), 4.4GHz(Square Wave)
• Output Level: -104dBm to -16dBm
• LNA Gain: 20dB up to 4GHz
• Points/Scan: 450 (MAX)
• Scan Time: 165ms for 0-350MHz
• Shortest Zero Span Time: 17ms
• DANL@100MHz: -153dBm/Hz(LNA OFF) / -169dBm/Hz(LNA ON)
• DANL in Ultra Mode: 10dB above 2.5GHz, 25dB above 5.3GHz
• Phase Noise(10kHz Offset): -92dBc/Hz
• Phase Noise(100kHz Offset): -110dBc/Hz
• 1db Compression Level: +0.5dBm(LNA OFF) / -26.5dBm(LNA ON)
• IIP3 without LNA: +18dBm(at least 2MHz Apart) / 0dBm(500Hz Apart)
• IIP3 with LNA: -8dBm(at least 2MHz Apart)
• Frequency Stability: <1ppm(-10 Celsius degree, +55 Celsius degree)
• Current Consumption: 330mA
• Charging Current: 1300mA
• Battery: 3000mAH @ 3.7V
• RF Port: SMA Female
• Data Connection: USB-CDC(Type-C), UART-TTL(2.54mm Connector)
• Size: 117x72x23 mm
• Weight: 150g

Features:

1. 4″ TFT Display
2. Spectrum Analyzer for 0.1-800MHz or, with Ultra mode enabled, level calibrated up to 6GHz. Can observe signals up to 12GHz
3. Signal Generator with sine wave output between 0.1-800MHz or square wave up to 4.4GHz or RF test signal output up to 5.3GHz when not used as a Spectrum Analyzer.
4. Switchable resolution bandpass filters from 200Hz to 850kHz
5. Built-in 20dB optional LNA
6. Color display showing max 450 points providing gapless covering up to the full frequency range.
7. MicroSD card slot for storing measurements, settings and screen captures.
8. Input Step attenuator from 0dB to 31dB (can not be used in combination with LNA).
9. A built-in calibration signal generator that is used for automatic self test and (low) input calibration.
10. Connected to a PC via USB it becomes a PC controlled Spectrum Analyzer or Signal Generator
11. Rechargeable battery allowing a minimum of 2 hours of portable use
12. Max input level +10dBm.
13. The generator function can not be used as a tracking generator as you can not use the spectrum analyzer and generator functions at the same time.
14. Due to the low cost and very small form factor there are certain relevant tinySA limitations and tinySA Ultra limitations

Limitations:

1. The internal phase noise sets a clear lower limit for phase noise measurements.
2. The minimum resolution bandwidth of 200Hz makes it impossible to see more spectral detail
3. At lower resolution bandwidths (below 30kHz) the measurement time per point starts to increase due to the resolution filter implementation. Careful use of the FAST sweeping mode may reduce this time increase
4. The performance limitations of the shielding and the filters may lead to certain images and spurs being visible but certain functions like spur suppression and switching to below IF may help detect and/or reduce these spurs and images
5. Below 0.1MHz the sensitivity starts to reduce.
6. In ultra mode the measurement of wide band signals (above 600kHz wide) can fail. These wide signal may appear at wrong frequencies.
7. With LNA enabled the internal attenuator is disabled so stronger signals will easily overload the LNA.
8. When using the supplied telescopic antenna or a low RBW one should be aware of the radiation from the tinySA MCU on 48MHz and its harmonics.

Packing List:

• TinySA Ultra x 1 (with 3000mAh battery, 4″TFT)
• USB Type-C Cable x 1
• 30cm SMA ALSR100 coax cable x 2
• SMA-F to SMA-F adapter x 1
• Telescopic Antenna with SMA x 1
• 32GB TF card (plugged in tinySA Ultra) x 1