Most cable system operators and technicians have a variety of communication test equipment in order to do their jobs properly on a daily basis. Trilithic has recently come out with the 8853Q which is the “spectrum analyzer for all.”

Technicians in every cable and RF –related line of work will soon be rushing to get these since they are so versatile; they come with intuitive menus, one of the largest displays available, and the official FCC (News - Alert) settings preloaded so new techs can just take them and use them with minimal training and no calibration necessary.  

What’s more, this communication test equipment can run many kinds of standard analyses, including QAM, MER, PRE-FEC BER, POST FEC BER, EQUALIZER TAP GRAPH , GROUP DELAY, so even senior technicians will consider this their “all-in-one.” 

What is especially nice for larger groups of technicians is that the device can be controlled remotely over the Internet.  A tech might only have to drop off and install it at a problem location and pick it up later when a senior tech has evaluated the readings remotely. This saves a great deal on labor and transportation costs.

Some may be concerned that if you use this one piece of communication test equipment almost all day, won’t you run out of batteries? Thankfully, the 8853Q has a battery life of over 4 hours and can easily be recharged at lunch, making it a practical tool for the everyday technician. 

Options such as a variety of adapters and a custom carrying case help technicians and make it easier to bring to every jobsite and to use it productively.

Communication testing is a benefit to all parties involved in delivering end-to-end services. Each party can validate that they’re getting, or delivering, something as promised.

With the right communication test equipment, organizations looking to ensure the success of their communications and to optimize their overall operational excellence in the long term will benefit.