RF spectrum analyser
Resolves a reading into its constituent services and frequencies — the only way to attribute an RF level to a specific band, operator or device.
instrument dependent
Last verified 12 August 2026.
Also searched as: spectrum analyzer, SDR analyser
- Band covered
- instrument dependent
- Quantities measured
- power density, electric field strength, frequency
- Typical price
- $500–$20000
Detects
- Which band and service a reading comes from
- Pulse structure and duty cycle of a source
- Whether an elevated reading is one dominant emitter or many small ones
Cannot detect
- Absolute exposure, unless used with a calibrated antenna and the correct antenna factor
- Low-frequency magnetic and electric fields
What to insist on
- A calibrated antenna with a published antenna factor, which matters more than the analyser itself
- Max-hold and trace averaging
- Sufficient upper frequency for the bands in use locally, including C-band 5G
Related records
- RF room survey
How to measure radiofrequency exposure in a room so the result is reproducible: peak and average, at body positions, with the dominant direction identified.
Measurement protocols
- Macro cell tower (LTE / 5G sector antenna)
Sector antennas radiate on the order of 1000 W EIRP per sector on the main beam, which is aimed above and away from the tower base — ground-level exposure directly beneath a tower is usually lower than at a few hundred metres away.
Sources & emitters
Sources
- fcc-oet65 OET Bulletin 65: Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields — Federal Communications Commission, Office of Engineering and Technology, 1997. government, link checked 2026-08-12.
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