ICX-FieldHawk Handheld Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer

1Overview

The ICX-FieldHawk Handheld is a high-performance real-time spectrum analyzer that delivers strong RF performance in a field-portable package. It holds spectral purity under demanding conditions and cuts both deployment and operating cost, which makes it well suited to space- and cost-constrained applications where a full benchtop instrument would be impractical.

Connectivity and control

The instrument pairs the FPGA acquisition core with the SpecICX-gen3 application. Beyond the measurement engine, every model shares one consistent interface, so a measurement set up on one unit transfers directly to another.

Unified API

Every model shares one consistent API. You can migrate from one unit to another without changing application code. Development is supported in C/C++, C#, Python, MATLAB, Qt, and LabVIEW, on both Windows and Linux. The instruments also speak the standard SCPI protocol.

Measurement functions

A rich set of advanced measurements ships as standard, including channel power, occupied bandwidth, X dB bandwidth, harmonic measurement, spectrum emission mask (SEM), AM and FM demodulation, and automatic phase noise analysis.

Key features

• Frequency: 9 kHz to 9.5 GHz (ICX-090), 9 kHz to 20 GHz (ICX-200), or 9 kHz to 40 GHz (ICX-400)
• 1 GHz DANL: -166 dBm/Hz
• 1 GHz phase noise: better than -100 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset
• Analysis bandwidth: 100 MHz
• Real-time engine: gapless, overlap-free FPGA FFT across the full bandwidth
• Unified API: highly compatible, hardware-portable API interface
• Windows support: 11 / 10 / 8 / 7 (x86, x64, AArch64)
• Debian support: 12 / 11 / 10 (x64, AArch64)
• Ubuntu support: 24.04 / 22.04 / 20.04 / 18.04 (x64, AArch64)
• Standard SCPI protocol support

2Operating Modes

SpecICX-gen3, Berkeley Nucleonics' spectrum analysis firmware, offers seven main operating modes: Standard Spectrum Analysis, IQ Streaming, Power Detection Analysis, Real-Time Spectrum Analysis, Phase Noise Measurement, Digital Demodulation (option), and Harmonics Analysis. Each mode reuses the same acquisition hardware, so switching between them takes no rewiring.

Standard Spectrum Analysis

This mode provides a wide range of measurement functions, including full-span spectrum sweep, channel power, OBW, ACPR, IM3, and SEM. It also supports spectrum recording and playback. Combined with auxiliary tools such as signal tracking, the peak table, and amplitude correction, it gives you a one-stop platform for thorough spectrum inspection.

IQ Streaming

This mode supports up to 100 MHz of analysis bandwidth and acquires IQ data through multiple trigger methods. It provides IQ time-domain waveform display, spectrum and spectrogram views, AM and FM demodulation, and digital down conversion (DDC).

Power Detection Analysis

This mode detects and analyzes time-domain signals within the analysis bandwidth. It suits applications focused on in-band power versus time, such as pulse signal measurement.

Real-Time Spectrum Analysis

This mode is powered by a high-speed, FPGA-based FFT engine. The FFT is strictly gapless and overlap-free, so the instrument achieves true real-time monitoring across the full bandwidth with no samples lost between frames.

Digital Demodulation (option)

This optional mode supports 2ASK, 2FSK, 4FSK, GMSK, BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 128QAM, and 256QAM signals.

Harmonics Analysis

This mode detects and measures up to 10 harmonic components, reporting harmonic peaks, harmonic channel power, and total harmonic distortion.

Phase Noise Measurement

This mode covers offset ranges from 1 Hz to 10 MHz for evaluating carrier phase stability. A built-in automatic carrier search quickly locates the target carrier, so no manual tuning is needed.

3Measurement Functions

The following functions are available within SpecICX-gen3. Each is illustrated with a representative measurement screenshot from the source material.

Power and channel measurements

Mask and modulation analysis

Correction and tooling

4Frequency Specifications

Parameter	ICX-090	ICX-200	ICX-400
Frequency range	9 kHz to 9.5 GHz	9 kHz to 20 GHz	9 kHz to 40 GHz
Reference clock	Internal or external
Frequency accuracy, TCXO (std.)	<1 ppm, manual correction available
Frequency accuracy, OCXO (opt 01)	<1 ppm, manual correction available
Frequency accuracy, GNSS-disciplined OCXO (opt 23/06)	<0.05 ppm when locked to GNSS
Aging & temp. stability, TCXO (std.)	<1 ppm/year, <1 ppm
Aging & temp. stability, OCXO (opt 01)	<1 ppm/year, <0.15 ppm
Aging & temp. stability, GNSS-disciplined OCXO (opt 23/06)	<1 ppm/year, <0.05 ppm

5Spectrum Purity

SSB phase noise (dBc/Hz)

Residual response (dBm)

Conditions: spur reject = bypass, RBW = 1 kHz, PosPeak detector.

Image rejection (dBc), typical

IF rejection and spurious (dBc), typical

IIP3 / IIP2 (dBm)

6Amplitude

7Display Average Noise Level (DANL)

Units: dBm/Hz. Condition: RBW = 1 kHz.

8Standard Spectrum Analysis

Sweep speed

9IQ Recording

10Power Detection Analysis

11Real-Time Spectrum Analysis

The FFT engine is implemented in the FPGA. Frame compression and trace detection are supported, and there are no missing samples between FFT frames. The frame update rate and probability of intercept (POI) follow these relations:

FFT frame update rate = 10^9 ns / (N × D × 8 ns)
POI = 2 × N × D × 8 ns

where N is the FFT point count (2048, 1024, 512, 256, 128, 64, 32) and D is the decimate factor (1, 2, 4, 8, ...).

12General and Physical

Input and output

Parameter	ICX-090	ICX-200	ICX-400
RF input	SMA (F)	2.92 mm (F)	2.4 mm (M)
Impedance	50 Ω
External trigger input	MMCX (F), 3.3 V CMOS, high impedance
Trigger output	MMCX (F), 3.3 V CMOS
Analog IF output	MMCX (F), maximum output power -25 dBm, impedance 50 Ω, 307.2 MHz ± 50 MHz
External reference clock input	MMCX (F), amplitude ≥ 1.5 Vpp, impedance 330 Ω
Reference clock output	Integrated in AUXIO, 3.3 V CMOS, programmable on/off

Physical and environmental

Parameter	ICX-090	ICX-200	ICX-400
Weight (module)	383 g	408 g	(verify)
Size, D × W × H (module)	131 × 70 × 30 mm	139 × 68 × 31 mm	(verify)
Power consumption	10 to 14 W
GNSS type	External
GNSS 1PPS sync accuracy	Opt21 ±100 ns; Opt22 ±75 ns; opt23 ±50 ns
Packaging and accessories	Flash disk × 1, USB 3.0 cable × 2, power adapter × 1
System requirements	Windows 11/10/8/7 (x86, x64, AArch64). Debian 12/11/10 (x64, AArch64). Ubuntu 24.04/22.04/20.04/18.04 (x64, AArch64).
Operating / storage temperature (ambient), T0 class (std.)	0 to 50 °C / -20 to +70 °C
Operating / storage temperature, T1 class (opt40)	-20 to +65 °C / -40 to +85 °C
Operating / storage temperature, T2 class (opt41)	-40 to +65 °C / -40 to +85 °C
Operating relative humidity	5 to 75% at ambient 0 to 40 °C; 5 to 45% at ambient above 40 °C

13Options

The following option codes are reproduced from the source documentation. Each is a built-in hardware option, an accessory, or a software license. The option-numbering scheme and antenna part numbers are inherited from the source and should be reconciled to the Berkeley Nucleonics catalog before quoting. verify.

14Model and Software Reference

Model mapping

The numeric part of each model number is the maximum frequency in GHz multiplied by 10. The line covers three frequency variants (9.5, 20, and 40 GHz). The 40 GHz ICX-400, including its 2.4 mm (M) RF input, is specified from the 40 GHz product documentation.

Software

All measurement modes and functions described in this manual run in SpecICX-gen3, Berkeley Nucleonics' spectrum analysis firmware. SpecICX-gen3 runs on Windows and Linux and pairs with the unified API for automated control. The figures in sections 2 and 3 are SpecICX-gen3 screenshots.

Contact and ordering

To request a quote, arrange a demonstration, or confirm configuration and options for your application, reach the Berkeley Nucleonics team at info@berkeleynucleonics.com or 800-234-7858. Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation, 2955 Kerner Blvd, San Rafael, CA 94901.