An audio-card based RF spectrum analyzer for educational purposes

In this paper, a simple RF spectrum analyzer based on a single frequency conversion is described. The analyzer is conceived to be employed as an educational tool for the electronic and measurement courses. The spectrum analyzer is composed of a board that actually performs the conversion and generates an analogue signal proportional to the spectrum and a virtual panel that takes advantage of the conversion capabilities of any PC audio-card. The complete system is a component of the Instrument Training Project (ITP), which is being developed at the Politecnico di Torino.