About the HP 8754A Network Analyzer:

When the decision was made to get back into homebrewing duplexers, a service monitor with a tracking generator and spectrum analyzer was strongly considered, especially since the communications service monitor would also be very useful for working on radios as well.

As I began to explore the art of duplexer building, the network analyzer really emerged as the instrument of choice for RF filter work. As I looked at the prices on Ebay, realization hit home that I could hardly afford a service monitor, let alone a monitor with a tracking generator, and a network analyzer looked more like a new vehicle than a piece of test equipment.

Watching Ebay, I saw that there was a huge seperation in price between the "Boat Anchor" equipment and the newer stuff. Wanting to work on duplexers, and not spend endless hours repairing my test equipment, I wanted to find a happy medium, and finally did in the HP 8754A. Good working units in calibration can be had for the price of an IC706MIIG, and they had a host of features in the form of add-on equipment. So, I decided that an inexpensive basic service monitor, such as a Cushman CE-31 and the Network Analyzer would cost less than a Service Monitor with a Tracking Generator and Spectrum Analyzer and work almost as well.

Scalar and Vector Measurements

The 8754A does both scalar and vector measurements, has two receiver channels, and a built in sweep generator. The polar measument feature is something that I have yet to master... a Smith Chart isn't my strong point in terms of technical skills.

Bringing the HP 8754A into the Digital Age

There are basically two option units for the 8754A, the 8750A or 8051A Storage Normalizer and a Transmission Reflection Test Set. The Storage normalizer does two very great things for the older network analyzers - first it will take your test setup and remove all the bumps from the connectors, cables, splitter/combiners, directional couplers, and db pads - and second, it provides an HPIB interface to a package such as National Instruments LabView.