Compact Analog Signal Generators for Fast RF Testing
by Electro Rent from IEEE Spectrum on (#792JB)
This White Paper shows RF and microwave engineers and technicians how compact analog signal generators support core amplifier and receiver test tasks, from gain and distortion measurements to blocker rejection, power calibration, and local oscillator substitution.
What you will learn about:
- How to measure amplifier gain and gain compression, including the P1dB point that marks the transition from linear operation into saturation.
- How two-tone intermodulation distortion testing reveals unwanted signal products created by amplifier nonlinearities, and why third-order intercept (IP3) is used to compare amplifier linearity.
- How to test receiver performance under blocker and interferer conditions, using high output power and fast switching speed to simulate real-world interference.
- How power calibration and RSSI testing depend on accurate, repeatable signal sources across multiple frequency channels and bands.
- How signal generators can substitute for local oscillator and clock subsystems during early-stage receiver development, before final circuit prototypes exist.