AM Analysis: Measures modulation depth (5% to 95%), modulation frequency, carrier power, and carrier frequency offset. For broadcast engineers verifying transmitter compliance, the AMA provides direct readout of modulation depth without manual calculation from sideband levels. For aviation radio testing, accurate AM depth measurement is critical—over-modulation causes distortion and splatter into adjacent channels, while under-modulation reduces intelligibility.
FM Analysis: Measures frequency deviation (1 kHz to 400 kHz), modulation rate, carrier power, and carrier frequency offset. FM deviation measurement is essential for land mobile radio (LMR) compliance testing—Part 90 systems must maintain deviation within specified limits. The AMA also supports FMCW chirp analysis: measuring the linearity and deviation of frequency-modulated chirps used in radar and industrial distance measurement systems.
PM Analysis: Measures phase deviation (0.2 to 6.28 radians), modulation rate, and carrier characteristics. Phase modulation analysis is used in satellite communications, some radar systems, and precision measurement applications where phase stability is critical.
THD and SINAD: Total Harmonic Distortion and Signal-to-Noise-and-Distortion ratio are the key metrics for receiver sensitivity testing. SINAD measurement (12 dB SINAD defines the sensitivity spec for most analog radio standards) requires demodulating the recovered audio and measuring its quality. The AMA automates this entire chain—demodulate the FM signal, analyze the recovered audio, and report SINAD directly. Without this option, you'd need a separate audio analyzer after demodulation.
Audio Output: The analyzer's 3.5mm headphone jack provides real-time demodulated audio, allowing you to listen to the signal while measuring it. This is surprisingly useful for interference identification—you can hear the character of an interfering signal (hum, buzz, voice, data) while quantifying its modulation parameters.