Case Study: Major Naval Department Lab achieves 50% faster automated radio testing with Keysight M8920A and PathWave

Software Enables New-Age, Flexible Test Solution for Analog and Digital Radios

Major Naval Department Lab needed to validate and repair a mix of legacy analog VHF/UHF radios and newer digital radios, but its industry-standard HP8920A tester became obsolete and multibox benches required complex, manual setup that wasn’t practical for field use or semitechnical operators. The customer engaged Keysight and evaluated the PXIe-based M8920A radio test set together with the Keysight PathWave Test Automation Platform (including N9093A radio test software) to provide a flexible, software-driven alternative.

Keysight delivered the M8920A hardware plus PathWave plug-ins (KS83120A analog, KS83122A digital, KS83123A tracking generator) to automate measurements and control multiple instruments from a single GUI, removing the need for SCPI-level programming. The Keysight solution cut radio test times by about 50%, extended automated measurement capability, minimized manual adjustments, and provided modular upgradeability to support evolving digital standards in both lab and field environments.