Time Slot Mode

In time slot acquisition mode, the RF power sensor divides the power measurement into "time slots" that you define for the measurement, and it calculates the average power reading for each individual time slot. Similar to scope mode, an internal or external trigger initiates the operation. You can also configure exclusion time periods for the measurement if there are portions of the data that you do not want to record, such as the transition period from one time slot to the next.

Time slot mode is useful when performing measurements on Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) waveforms such as Global System for Mobile Communications/Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (GSM/EDGE).

The following figure shows the relationship of the time exclusion periods to the desired portion of the waveform (shown in dark gray).

The following restrictions and conditions apply when configuring the time slot mode parameters:

• Each exclusion can be from 0 ms to 10 ms.
• The sum of the exclusion periods must be less than the slot width.
• The maximum capture time is limited by the sensor, as shown by the formula Slot width * Number of slots = Total capture time