Signal Hound is well known for its compact and affordable RF testing instruments. Among them, the VSG25A and VSG60A vector signal generators stand out, offering high performance at an affordable price.

Features and Applications

The VSG25A and VSG60A vector signal generators are designed to create complex high-frequency signals used in radio communication, antenna testing, wireless device development, and other telecommunications tasks.

Main Applications:

  • Receiver testing in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, and 5G systems.

  • RF module calibration.

  • Educational and laboratory research in wireless communication.

  • Analysis and research of modulated signals.

  • Testing and tuning of antenna systems.

Comparison of VSG Series Vector Signal Generators

Feature VSG25A VSG60A
Frequency Range 100 MHz – 2.5 GHz 50 MHz – 6 GHz
Output Power -55 dBm ... +10 dBm -50 dBm ... +10 dBm
Bandwidth Up to 100 MHz Up to 120 MHz
Phase Noise -110 dBc/Hz @ 1 GHz -105 dBc/Hz @ 1 GHz
Interface USB 3.0 USB 3.0
Power Supply 5V (USB) 5V (USB)
Dimensions 127 x 76 x 25 mm 127 x 76 x 25 mm
Weight 0.4 kg 0.4 kg
Price $1,008.00 $4,362.00

VSG25A is a vector signal generator with a frequency range from 100 MHz to 2.5 GHz, featuring a 12-bit I/Q arbitrary waveform generator that can operate with a clock rate from 54 kHz to 180 MHz and a buffer memory of 4096×16 bits for built-in or custom modulation.

However, VSG25A has some limitations: its pattern buffer is relatively small and non-upgradable, it lacks a baseband I/Q reconstruction filter, which can cause out-of-band spurious signals, and it has only one low-pass filter on the RF output with a bandwidth up to 2.7 GHz, meaning that 3rd harmonics below 3.6 GHz may require external filtering.

If these limitations are not critical for you, the VSG25A is an extremely cost-effective solution.

Software Features

The software automatically generates:

  • CW: 100 MHz – 2.5 GHz, -40 dBm to +10 dBm

  • AM/FM: Modulation frequencies from 30 Hz to 40 MHz (sine, triangle, square, sawtooth)

  • Pulse: Width from 6 ns to 25 ms, period from 12 ns to 1 sec

  • Multi-tone: Up to 1023 tones

  • PSK: BPSK, QPSK, 8-PSK, 16-PSK, etc.

  • QAM: QAM-16, QAM-64, QAM-256

  • ASK/FSK: From 4k to 45M symbols per second

  • Sweep: Arbitrary user modulation via CSV import

VSG60A Overview

VSG60A is a vector signal generator with a frequency range up to 6 GHz and a streaming bandwidth of 40 MHz. It offers the performance and flexibility of a serious vector signal generator at a significantly lower cost. The device is compact, easy to use, and capable of generating almost any type of signal.

VSG60A has low phase noise, a fast LO with a switching time of 200 µs, and a dual 14-bit DAC that oversamples I/Q signals for cleaner output. It includes a built-in VCTCXO for minimal frequency error or can be synchronized to an external 10 MHz reference input for zero frequency drift.

Supported modulations include LTE, 802.11a/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth LE, OFDM, QAM, PSK, FSK, ASK, GMSK, AWGN, ramp/chirp, stepped sweep, and more.

Competitor Comparison

  • Keysight N5171B – powerful but significantly more expensive.

  • Rohde & Schwarz SMBV100A – high-quality but in a premium price segment.

  • Tektronix TSG4100A – compact and efficient but larger than Signal Hound devices.

Conclusion

The VSG25A and VSG60A from Signal Hound are affordable, compact, and high-performance vector signal generators that are ideal for RF device testing. They are particularly useful for wireless technology developers, researchers, and educational institutions. Thanks to their price-to-performance ratio, they are an excellent choice for various applications.

For accurate and up-to-date information on specifications, accessories, and prices, it is recommended to contact the official distributor of Signal Hound – SEA Company.