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FLEX-6000 Signature Series – Maestro User Guide

that access to two receivers with the same top performance may be used interchangeably without

concern for differing performance characteristics of each receiver often found in superheterodyne

receivers.

10.2.3 Panadapter

The Panadapter uses the data available from the SCU and turns it into a visual representation of the

radio frequency spectrum. The Panadapter display, pictured below, shows the level of signals

present across a specific region of the spectrum just as a spectrum analyzer would. The higher the

white line appears in the display, the stronger the signal is in that part of the band. A scale for the

absolute signal level in dBm (decibels above or below one milliwatt) is provided on the right-hand

side of the display. This allows the operator to quickly identify signals of interest where the

operator can focus his/her efforts.

Each Panadapter is derived from the data from a single SCU so it is possible in multiple-SCU radios

to show two different Panadapters tuned to the same region of the spectrum, each with data from

a different SCU and ultimately a different antenna. The Panadapter shows the current state of the

spectrum and can be adjusted to show various widths of the spectrum. A Panadapter can be seen

below:

10.2.4 Waterfall

The Waterfall uses the same data from the SCU as the Panadapter and turns it into a time-based

visual representation of the spectrum. In the Waterfall, the intensity of the signal is represented by

a change in color in a similar way as water density is shown in weather radar. The vertical position

in the Waterfall represents the time that the information on the spectrum was obtained. The

Waterfall owes its name to the way that it continually moves downward like a Waterfall as time

passes. The Waterfall can be useful for understanding how signals are distributed in the spectrum

over time, locating where stations have recently transmitted and even locating “holes” where

operation will not interfere with other stations. A Waterfall can be seen below:

FlexRadio Signature FLEX-6000 Series User Manual

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