HP / Agilent 5361B 40 GHz Pulse/CW Microwave Counter

The HP/Agilent 5361B is a 40 GHz microwave counter engineered for precision frequency measurements across pulsed and continuous wave signals in radar, electronic warfare, and communications applications. Operating from 10 Hz to 40 GHz overall, with pulse measurement capability from 500 MHz to 40 GHz, the instrument delivers automatic acquisition and tracking up to 800 MHz/s. Microprocessor control enables streamlined characterization of agile signals, frequency modulation profiling, radar pulse analysis, and oscillator testing - including STALO, VCO, and DTO measurement of step response, settling time, and post-tuning drift.

Technical Specifications Frequency Coverage

Overall measurement range: 10 Hz to 40 GHz

Pulse measurement range: 500 MHz to 40 GHz

Automatic acquisition: 500 MHz to 40 GHz

Manual acquisition: 500 MHz to 20 GHz (extendable to 26.5 GHz with Option 026, 40 GHz with Option 040) Pulse Measurement

Minimum pulse width: 60 ns (manual), 100 ns (automatic)

Pulse width: 1 ns minimum for PW < 1 ms in LSD mode

PRF range: 1 Hz to 2 MHz

Minimum off-time: 500 ns Sensitivity (Input 1, 50 Ω)

0.5–12.4 GHz: −28 dBm

12.4–20 GHz: −23 dBm

0.5–26.5 GHz (Option 026): −20 dBm

26.5–40 GHz (Option 040): −29.8 dBm Input 2: 25 mV rms (1 MΩ or 50 Ω) Frequency Modulation

FM tolerance (Input 1): 55 MHz peak-to-peak

FM chirp tolerance: 50 MHz peak-to-peak maximum span Acquisition Performance

Tracking speed: 800 MHz/s

Acquisition time: < 40 ms (manual), < 100 ms (automatic fast acquisition) Timebase: Oven-controlled crystal oscillator

Key Features

Frequency, period, pulse width, rise/fall time, and frequency ratio measurement

PRF and PRI determination with off-time analysis

Profile measurements spanning 500 MHz to 40 GHz on Y-axis

Fast automatic and manual acquisition modes

Built-in FM profiling for chirp and transient characterization

Typical Applications

Radar signal verification and pulse analysis

Electronic warfare signal characterization

Oscillator performance evaluation (settling time, drift, step response)

Communications system frequency validation

Agile signal and frequency-hopping measurements

Compatibility & Integration Options 026 and 040 extend measurement range and sensitivity at higher frequencies. Dual inputs accommodate both microwave (50 Ω) and low-frequency (1 MΩ/50 Ω) signal sources.