Narda Safety IDA-3106 interference and direction analyser with loop antenna

Narda Safety Test Solutions has extended the range of application for its interference and direction analyser (IDA) down to very low frequencies with a loop antenna.

The antenna is particularly suitable for detecting interference caused by switching power supplies or data transmission over electricity supply lines.

The loop antenna for the IDA-3106 covers a frequency range from 9 kHz up to 30 MHz. Its typical antenna factor of 47.5 dB(1/m) at 1 MHz gives it high sensitivity. This makes it particularly suitable for tracing defective or poorly screened switched mode power supplies or electrical controls that generate interference fields, for identifying interference due to data transmissions made using the power line carrier technique, or for demonstrating interference with other signals in the very low frequency range (VLF), eg, using the time signal of the DCF77 transmitter.

Along with the antenna, the company also provides an improved antenna handle with a built-in, switchable preamplifier that covers the extended frequency range and increases sensitivity by an additional 20 dB if required.

Together with the antennas already available, the analyser can now cover the frequency range from 9 kHz to 6 GHz without any breaks.

The analyser was developed for identifying and localising electromagnetic signal sources. Its applications cover the areas of telecommunications and security. Intrinsic as well as external interference needs to be traced and eliminated in communications.

When it comes to security, the device can trace unknown sources and identify potential dangers. On its own, the IDA can determine the direction of the source on the basis of a horizontal scan and shows the bearing on a polar diagram.

The IDA calculates the position of the interference source from several bearing results and displays it automatically. It can optionally display freely available electronic maps so that the source can be traced right down to its location in a particular street, similar to a navigation system. The IDA provides a room plan that can be edited to enable localisation within a building, eg, in a conference room.

The basis for finding the location of an interference source is provided by a GPS receiver in the measuring set and the electronic compass in the antenna handle, which determine the direction, elevation and polarisation. Antennas optimised for different frequency ranges are available; these can be attached horizontally or vertically to an ergonomically designed handle.

The IDA-3106 Basic Unit is a handheld device for on-site use that weighs less than 3 kg, including battery. The battery can be hot-swapped without interrupting operation.