[time-nuts] How do time-nuts measure phase noise?

J. L. Trantham jltran at worldnet.att.net
Mon Aug 17 14:22:18 UTC 2009


Can anyone provide any information on the usefulness of the Phase Noise
Utility program (85671A) for the HP 8560 series Spectrum Analyzers?

Thanks in advance,

Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
Behalf Of Bruce Griffiths
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 7:13 AM
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] How do time-nuts measure phase noise?


Some have commercial phase noise measurement systems like Symmetricoms
5115A, 5120A. 5125A. Some have older HP phase noise measurement systems like
the 3048A etc. The rest of us have to build our own systems based around
sound cards or surplus spectrum analysers together with the necessary
mixers, low noise amplifiers etc.

Unless your sources are very noisy you wont be able to measure their phase
noise with just a selective voltmeter or even an RF spectrum analyser. If
you cant build it, then you need to acquire something like the HP3048 or the
NIST phase noise measurement box currently on ebay.(Item:
260423038423)

Bruce


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