Calculation of the Minimum Detectable Signal for Practical Spectrum Analyzers

Abstract

Spectrum analyzers are commonly used in random signal analysis to locate discrete sine wave components in a broadband noise background. The report describes a procedure for determining the sensitivity of practical spectrum analyzers for this task. The minimum detectable signal level for an idealized system is first computed and then adjusted to account for deviations from ideal behavior in a practical system. It is felt that the result allows prediction of sensitivity within about 0.5 decibels.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 02, 1971
Accession Number
AD0734379

Entities

People

  • C. N. Pryor

Organizations

  • Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Analyzers
  • Bandpass Filters
  • Bandwidth
  • Broadband
  • Correlators
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • False Alarms
  • Filtration
  • Frequency
  • Integrals
  • Mathematical Filters
  • Ordnance Laboratories
  • Probability
  • Sine Waves
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • Spectrum Analyzers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Approximation Theory.
  • Radar Systems Engineering.