Hi All, I?m a Physics student, and long-time reader on the list looking to determine the best instruments for a given application (VNA or Spectrum Analyzer). I had some basic questions I was hoping some of you could help me with. Firstly, I?ve been tasked with characterizing a passive channel for a multi-Gbps SerDes and am wondering what are the trade-offs in using one instrument over the other? Secondly, from my limited understanding of VNAs, it provides a driving signal and can be observed at a given point. Is it at all possible to use a VNA passively like a Spectrum analyzer by not giving an input signal? Your time is much appreciated. - Baqar Rizvi ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List forum is accessible at: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu