SYSTEM NOISE AND

LINK BUDGET
Updates: 9/24/13; 10/6/14

Introduction
Any system (wired or wireless) receives and generates

unwanted signals
Natural phenomena or man-made (Noise)
Unwanted signals from other systems (Interferences)

Man-made Noise: due to other subsystems (e.g.; power

supply)
Natural Noise: due to random movements and agitation of
electrons in resistive components (e.g., due to
temperature)
We focus on system thermal noise!

Thermal Noise Characteristics

Thermal noise due to agitation of electrons
Except at absolute zero temperature, the electrons in
every conductor (resistor) are always in thermal motion
Function of temperature
Present in all electronic devices and transmission

media
Cannot be eliminated
Particularly significant for satellite communication
The Sun contributes to the thermal noise at the receiver

http://homes.esat.kuleuven.be/~cuypers/satellite_noise.pdf

Spectral Power Density of (white)

Noise
Amount of thermal noise to be found in a

bandwidth of 1Hz in any device or conductor

is:

N 0 = kT ( W/Hz)
N0 = noise power density (in watts) per 1 Hz of

bandwidth
k = Boltzmann's constant = 1.3803 10-23 J/K (or W/
(K.Hz))
T = temperature, in kelvin (absolute temperature)
Note Watt = J/sec = J.Hz

Thermal Noise Noise Power

Noise is assumed to be independent of frequency
Thermal noise present in a bandwidth of B Hertz (in

watts):

N 0 = kT (W/Hz )

N = kTB

or, in decibel-watts

N = 10 log k + 10 log T + 10 log B

Thermal or White Noise

From the plot of the spectral density of thermal noise over

frequency, can see that the noise is flat frequency

spectrum till around 100GHz or so and starts to fall off at
around 1TeraHz

Thermal Noise Model

At any temperature, thermal motion of electrons result in

thermal noise
This is due to difference between the resistors terminals

The thermal noise source in the resistor delivers a

power to the load (watt)

N = kTB

Or in Watt/Hz: We call this noise power density :

N 0 = kT (W/Hz )

Noise random
process has
Gaussian
Distribution with
zero mean and
some SD

Modeling the Thermal

Noise (Open Circuit No Load)

R
Vrms

True RMS
Multimeter

Equivalent Thermal Noise Model

The noise generated due to temperature T by a resistive

component has normalized power spectrum (also called

mean-square voltage spectrum): 2RkT(V^2/Hz)
k = Boltzmann's constant = 1.3803 10-23 J/K
T = temperature, in kelvin (absolute temperature)

Therefore the average power that a voltage or current

source can deliver (available) is: 2RkT.2B=4RkTB (V^2)

The RMS voltage equivalent of the thermal noise will be

Vrms = AveragenoisePower = 4kTRB (V )

Example A: Calculate the open-circuit Vrms reading when we connect a true RMS
voltmeter to a 100Kohm resistor at room temperature (20 deg. C) with BW=1MHz to
measure the generated thermal noise. Draw the equivalent circuit.

Noise Power Delivered to the Load

The voltage delivered to the load is maximum when

Rs=RL=R
Thus, VL(t) = Vs(t)/2

PLoad

2
VL (t)2 [Vs (t) / 2]2 Vs (t)2 Vrms
=
=
=
=
2
R
4R
4R

Spectral Noise Density at the load will be:

kT/2=No/2 (W/Hz)
VL(t)
Rs
Vs(t)
Equivalent Thermal Noise Model

Sub
system

RL

Thermal Noise Power

Impact of temperature in generating thermal noise in dB

2.15

-10

2.16

-10
Thermal Noise in dB

%MATLAB CODE:
T= 10:1:1000;
k= 1.3803*10^-23;
B=10^6;
No=k*T;
N=k*T*B;
N_in_dB=10*log10(N);
semilogy(T,N_in_dB)
title(Impact of temperature in
generating thermal noise in dB)
xlabel(Temperature in Kelvin)
ylabel(Thermal Noise in dB)

2.17

-10

2.18

-10

2.19

-10

2.2

-10

100

200

300

400
500
600
Temperature in Kelvin

700

800

900

1000

Two-Ports Sub-System Noise Characterization

A subsystems noise behavior can be characterized by

several parameters:
VL(t)

Available Gain (G)

Noise Bandwidth (B)
Noise Figure or Factor (F)

Rs
Sub
system

Vs(t)
Equivalent Thermal Noise Model

Input signal &

noise

output signal &

noise
G, B,
F

RL

Two-Ports Sub-System Noise Characterization

A subsystems noise behavior can be characterized by

several parameters:
Available Gain (G)

Input signal &

noise

Noise Bandwidth (B)

output signal &

noise
G, B,
F

Noise Figure or Factor (F)

No /2

Sao & Pao

Available Gain:
The available output noise spectral density due to input white noise
will be:

Sao = G N 0 / 2 ( W/Hz)
The available output noise power due to input white noise will be:

Pao = G 2B N 0 / 2 ( W)

System Noise Bandwidth (B)

Two-Ports System
So ( f ) = G( f )Si ( f ) = G( f )
Assuming the system is

driven by white noise!

So is the available
output power spectral
density (W/Hz)
Pao is the available
output power (W)
G=Go is the mid-band
available gain (DC gain)

No
2

No
Pao = So ( f )df =
G( f )df

Pao = G 2B N 0 / 2 ( W)
1
B=
G( f )df

2G

The available
output noise
power due to
input white noise

Output Power
Spectrum Density
So(f)

Input Power
Spectrum Density
Si(f)
G(f)

Example A
(1) Find the BW for a first-order low-pass Butterworth filter

whose gain is given as follow (assume DC gain Go=1):

1
G( f ) =
1+ ( f / f3dB )2
(2) Assuming the input of the system above is driven by

white noise, find the output available power.

Output Power
Spectrum Density
So(f)

Input Power
Spectrum Density
Si(f)
G(f)

f3dB

Remember:
Two-Ports Sub-System Noise Characterization
A subsystems noise behavior can be characterized by

several parameters:
VL(t)

Available Gain (G)

Noise Bandwidth (B)
Noise Figure or Factor (F)

Lets talk about

this!

Rs
Sub
system

Vs(t)
Equivalent Thermal Noise Model

Input signal &

noise

output signal &

noise
G, B,
F

RL

System Noise Figure (F)

The most basic definition of noise figure came into

popular use in the 1940s when Harold Friis defined the

noise figure F of a network to be the ratio of the signal-tonoise power ratio at the input to the signal-to-noise power
ratio at the output.

F = SNRi / SNRo
Te
= 1+
To
http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5952-8255E.pdf

System Noise Figure (F)

We define the Noise Figure (Noise Factor) as:
We often express F in dB
Note that F>1
Nr is the available output noise power due to the two-port

sub-system
Te is effective (internal) temperature of the subsystem
To is output equivalent temperature into the subsystem

Input Signal Power

=Psi
Input Noise Power
Spectrum Density
Sni=kT

Sub
System
G, B,
F, Te

Psi.G

Available Noise Power

Due to input thermal noise:
kTGB
Available Noise Power
Due to internal noise:
kToGB(F-1) = Nr

F = SNRi / SNRo
= 1+

Te
To

Pao(noise) =
kTGB + kToGB(F 1) =
kGB(T + To(F 1))) =
k(T + Te) G B
Note: T=To
Find the expression for
SNRi? SNRi = Psi/kToB

Example B
Assume the antenna contributes to the input thermal noise of the system by

T=10K
Find the available input noise spectral density (Sai)
Find the available output noise spectral density (Sao)
Find the available output noise power (Pao)
Find the noise figure for the system (F)
Draw the thermal noise circuit model for the antenna

Antenna

Gain = 100dB
B=150 KHz
Te = 140 K

output signal &

noise

Cascaded System
Antenna
(G, To, R)
Or
(G, T)

Unit 1
(F1, G1, B1)

Unit 2
(F2, G2, B2)

Unit 3
(F3, G3, B3)

Pao

R is the equivalent antenna resistance

T is effective temperature resulting in noise

Cascaded sub-systems can be simplies by combining available

gains and noise proper7es (B=B1=B2=B3.)

G_total = Go = G1.G2.G3..
F_total = F1 + (F2-1)/G1 + (F3-1)/(G1.G2) + .

Te_total = (F_total 1).To F_total = 1+[Te_total /To]

Note that:

Total Gain

Example C

Antenna
(G, T)

Cascaded System
Received
Power
Antenna
Noise

Mixer
(F2, G2, B2)

Low Noise Amp

(F1, G1, B1)

RX Model
(F_total, G_total, Te, B)

To IF Amp
Pnd

Psd
Pnd=Pao

T_ant=20K
For LNA: G1=10 dB, F1 = 3 dB
For Mixer: G2 = 9 dB, F2 = 6.5 dB
Find G_total, F_total, Te, Noise Power, Pnd
Simplied Model:
G_total = G1.G2
F_total = F1 + (F2-1)/G1
Te = (F_total 1).To

See notes!

Example D
Wireless Transmi`er
Digital
Data

Freq. Converter

Power Amplifier
(PA)

Pt

RF
Transmitter

Matched
Network

Feedline

Assume PA=40dBm, for the antenna Gt = 10dBd,

Feedline loss = 3dB, Loss through the matched

network is 0.5dB.
Find EIRP and ERP for a dipole antenna.
Is this RF transmi`er more likely to be a handset or a
base sta7on?
Do it on your
own!

Expression Eb/N0
Ratio of signal energy per bit (J/b) to noise power density

per Hertz (W/Hz)

Eb S / R
S
=
=
N0
N0
kTR

R = 1/Tb; R = bit rate; Tb = time required to send one

bit; S = Signal Power

Given a value for Eb/N0 to achieve a desired error rate,

parameters of this formula can be selected

As bit rate R increases, transmitted signal power must

increase to maintain required Eb/N0

Eb = S . Tb = W x Sec / bit = Energy (J) / bit

Probability of Bit Error Rate

(PBER)

Question: Assume we require

Eb/No = 8.4 dB for bit error of
10^-4. Assume temperature is
290 Kelvin and data rate is set
to 2.4 Kbps. Calculate the
required level of the received
signal.

10^-4

8.4 dB

Link Budget Analysis

Reverse link
(upload)
Forward link
(download)

Link characteristics (in terms of power, capacity, and frequency of

operation)
Noise Analysis is generally significant to characterize the received signal
by the receiver
System is generally balanced in term of dynamic range (in TX and RX
directions)
Design Objective:

Offer good quality of service (QoS)

Provide high signal level (SNR and SNIR)
Guarantee intelligibility and fidelity (PBER)
High accuracy (BER)

Conflicting Parameters (next slide)

Link Budget
Detailed View
Pt
Digital
Data

Freq. Converter

Power Amplifier

RF Transmitter

Pr

Feedline

RF Unit
Receiver
(F, Go, B)

Pn

Decoder

Digital
Data

Feedline

Budget Link Analysis Conflicting Parameters

BW & QoS & Thermal Noise
SNR & QoS/Fidelity & Pt & Cost
BER & QoS & SNR & Pt & Cost
Freq. & Fidelity & Dynamic Range
System Loss & Dynamic Range & QoS & Material & Cost
Quiescent Power Dissipa7on & Life Time & Cost & Complexity
Bit rate & Noise
Temperature & SNR

Let us see how through an example!

Pr

Example E

Antenna
(Go, To,R)
Feedline
(F1, G1)

Assume the frequency of

operation is 1900 MHz. The

following parameters are given
Antenna gain is 0dBd
Feedline loss is 0.5 dB
Noise figure of the RF unit is 8 dB
RF Unit gain is 40 dB
Antenna noise temp is 60 Kelvin
Detector BW is 100 kHz
Detectors SNR is 12dB
Use a design margin of 3 dB

(above the required sensitivity)

Transmit power is 43 dBm

RF Unit
Receiver
(F2, G2, B2)

Psd
Pnd

Decoder

Digital
Data

Part I: Find the following

Total system noise figure
Total system gain
Noise power at the detector (Pn)
Part II: Find the signal power

required into the detector in

dBm
Part III: Find the RX power into
the receiver (Pr) such that the
detector operates properly
(Psen of the receiver)
Part IV: The maximum dynamic
range

Pr

Example E

Antenna
(Go, T)

Part I Solu7on
No = KT

F1= Feedline Loss

Feedline
(F1, G1)

RF Unit
Receiver
(F2, G2, B2)

Received
Power
Antenna
Noise

Go=0 dB; G_total=Go.G1.G2

Pnd = k.To.G_total.B.F_total
Te = (F_total 1).To

Pnd

Decoder

RX Model
(F_total, G_total, Te, B)

G1 = 1/F1 = for Transmission Line

F_total = F1 + (F2-1)/G1

Psd

Digital
Data

Psd
Pnd

Part II Solu+on:
Signal Power Required for the

Detector Noise Power = Psd Pnd

= SNR dB

Part III Solu+on:

Pr (min) + G_total = Psd

Psens = Psd G_total

Part IV Solu+on:
L_path + Pt P_marg = Psens (dB)

Budget Link Analysis - Review

Conflicting Parameters
BW & QoS & Thermal Noise
SNR & QoS/Fidelity & Pt & Cost
BER & QoS & SNR & Pt & Cost
Freq. & Fidelity & Dynamic Range
System Loss & Dynamic Range & QoS & Material & Cost
Quiescent Power Dissipa7on & Life Time & Cost & Complexity
Bit rate & Noise
Temperature & SNR

Other Types of Noise

Intermodulation noise occurs if signals with different

frequencies share the same medium

Interference caused by a signal produced at a frequency that

is the sum or difference of original frequencies

Crosstalk unwanted coupling between signal paths

Impulse noise irregular pulses or noise spikes
Short duration and of relatively high amplitude
Caused by external electromagnetic disturbances, or faults

and flaws in the communications system

Question: Assume the impulse noise is 10 msec. How many

bits of DATA are corrupted if we are using a Modem operating
at 64 Kbps with 1 Stop bit?
64000 x 7/8 = 56000 bit / sec
56000 x .01 = 560 data bits effected

Other Types of Noise - Example

Intermodulation noise
(Diff. signals sharing the
Same medium)

Impulse noise

Crosstalk
(coupling)

What Next?
Other types of impairments..
Channel characteristics

Other Impairments
Atmospheric absorption water vapor and oxygen

contribute to attenuation
Multipath obstacles reflect signals so that
multiple copies with varying delays are received
Refraction bending of radio waves as they
propagate through the atmosphere

Impairments
Why are they important?

References
Black, Bruce A., et al. Introduction to wireless systems.

Prentice Hall PTR, 2008, Chapter 2

Stallings, William. Wireless Communications & Networks, 2/E.
Pearson Education India, 2009; Section 5.3
M F Mesiya, Contemporary Communication Systems, First edition
Chapter 6.