How do I perform WCDMA Power Control measurements on the E4406A or PSA Series Spectrum Analyzers?

Reverse link power control measurements can be made using the W-CDMA (Option BAF) power control measurement. Power control in the uplink is applied on the entire signal of the uplink, and therefore does not require Code Domain Power Analysis and Symbol Power-vs-Time. The Power Control Measurement allows the user to select "Waveform" or "Chip Power" for power measurement. "Waveform" means a raw measurement under specifies BW, filter type and Capture Interval. "Chip Power" means a re-sampled power measurement based on chip clock timing for W-CDMA

Power control analysis on the downlink, hower, can only be done in the Code Domain Power measurement using the Symbol Power vs. Time view. A marker in the code domain view must be put on the code channel of interest and a marker despread performed to view the Symbol Power vs. Time. (Note: You must first select Code Domain Quad view.) The symbol powers must then be averaged over each slot to give the averaged slot power.

Demonstration of Reverse link power control for SLOT and PRACH:
(Note: setting the measurement type to Slot or Prach automatically sets the Sync Type to DPCCH for Slot Power Measurement, and to PRACH Preamble for PRACH Power measurement.)