Berkeley analyzers tuned for daily use

Score:  3.75 out of 5.0

BVS has been building mobile spectrum analyzers of many forms for quite some time, and today offers a broad product line covering both WLAN and WWAN technologies. The WLAN products are various editions of the Bumblebee (based on an HP iPaq hx2790c running Windows Mobile 5 with attached custom electronics), and the Yellowjacket-Tablet, which is based on the Samsung Q1 UMPC.

In both cases, the computer is connected to an external radio sensor via a custom bracket and cables. The result is somewhat bulky, and the Yellowjacket even comes with a pole to support the unit during extended use. Hand and shoulder straps are also provided, but we're not sure that casual enterprise users will be happy with the form factor of these products - they are not really comfortable to carry around. To be fair, though, notebook computers aren't really an improvement here. The BVS products come in rugged (and large) flight cases with a wide array of accessories and available options, including directional antennas for improved sensitivity.

The included documentation isn't great - it's not well-organized and somewhat cursory, perhaps reflecting the intended more-sophisticated audience. But a few instructional DVDs are included, correcting for this inadequacy to some degree.

Bumblebee is certainly a highly portable package, but the small screen (and compact user interface) and relatively slow scan rate limit the benefits of the form factor. Still, once one becomes familiar with the user interface, there's a lot of function here. Arbitrary swaths of spectrum or individual channels can be scanned. Cumulative spectrograms and histograms of energy can be displayed. And it's possible to export captured data to a separate application on a PC for more detailed analysis.

The Yellowjacket application has a decidedly DOS feel to it, and is not terribly intuitive to use. Zooming in on specific channels and detailed device information are both available; recording and playback are supported, but many features are difficult to find. Once they are, though, there's an amazing amount of information available when examining a single media access control address including RSSI over time, delay spread, multipath analysis, traffic analysis, and more - but, again, getting to all of this isn't obvious.

The interference analysis capability is similar to that in Metageek's Chanalyzer, but nowhere as convenient to use. In short, there's a lot here, but with a relatively steep learning curve. On the plus side, this is the only product with built-in GPS, making it a good choice for outdoor applications.

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