At European Microwave Week 2025, Electronic Specifier’s Editor, Mick Elliott speaks to Stuart Murlis, Applications Engineer at Pico Technology about its two new products, the Sampler Extended Sampling Real-Time Oscilloscope (SXRTO) from its 9400 series, and the Victor Vector Network Analyser (VNA).
Murlis highlighted the SXRTOs four variants with bandwidths of 6, 16, 25, and the recently introduced 33GHz model. He explained that it uses a track-and-hold circuitry, allowing direct channel triggering rather than relying on an external trigger as traditional sampling oscilloscopes do. This feature makes it particularly effective for high-speed digital signals and photonics applications.
Murlis demonstrated the scope capturing a 10 Gigabit Ethernet signal at 5GHz, showing its ability to measure fast edges and jitter with ease. He noted that the instrument’s compact footprint and pricing make it an accessible option for engineers designing PCI Express systems, high-speed digital circuits, or photonics pulses.
Next, they discussed the Victor Vector Network Analyser (VNA) which covers a frequency range from 300kHz to 8.5GHz. The Victor VNA works with the recently updated VNA Five software, which supports standard S-parameter measurements, API integration via Skippy, and multiple workspace management. Murlis demonstrated its versatility, including the ability to convert frequency domain data into time domain visualisations such as eye diagrams for filters.
The software receives ongoing updates at no extra cost, including features like logarithmic scale time domain functionality. Murlis highlighted that the Victor VNA is suitable for testing antennas, filters, amplifiers, and other RF components, and is available globally through Pico Technology’s distribution network.
Watch the video below to learn more about these products.
