Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society

Advanced Course (4) Receivers

Part-1 Receiver Parameters

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Receiver Parameters
Important performance measures for receivers Frequency stability Selectivity Bandwidth

Sensitivity
Dynamic range Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

Effect of RF amplifiers & pre-amps

Transverters
Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course Anthony Martin M1FDE Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Frequency Stability
Frequency stability is the same as for transmitters

Accuracy of tuning to an entered or displayed frequency

Ability to remain on frequency without drifting off Often given in ppm parts-per-million 1ppm error at 28MHz is 28Hz.

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Selectivity
Selectivity is the ability to separate the wanted signal from nearby unwanted signals (other stations)

Unwanted signal (strong)

Amplitude

Filter response

Wanted signal (weak)

Frequency
Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

MHz
Anthony Martin M1FDE Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Selectivity Measures
Measures of selectivity 60-dB bandwidth adjacent channel rejection ratio (VHF, UHF channelised) but how far away is the next channel (12.5kHz?) For SSB, may specify opposite sideband rejection 0dB Filter response
Amplitude

-60dB Frequency

60dB bandwidth
MHz
Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Bandwidth
Band of frequencies which the receiver should accept Eg. CW (A1A) morse typically 300Hz SSB uses 2.5 to 3kHz VHF FM typically 7.5 or 15kHz Usually 3dB BW specified, but not always! 0dB -3dB Amplitude

Filter response 3dB bandwidth

Frequency
Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

MHz
Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Sensitivity
Sensitivity defines the limit of detection of weak signals.

Receivers must have enough gain to bring weakest signals to comfortable level. the gain does not define sensitivity
Sensitivity is determined by 2 factors:

Bandwidth of the receiver the wider the bandwidth, the more noise power it lets in Noise figure of the receiver front-end a noisy receiver needs more signal to overcome the noise
Receivers bandwidth should match the transmitted bandwidth. so as not to exclude any signal or accept unnecessary noise.

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Sensitivity Definitions
Sensitivity is defined as the receiver input signal level for a given SINAD at the output eg. 0.2V for 12dB SINAD SNR is Signal-to-noise ratio SINAD is Signal + Noise + Distortion Intelligible speech needs about 12dB SINAD

SNR Signal Power Noise Power

Usually expressed in dB

SINAD Signal Noise Distortion Noise Distortion

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course Anthony Martin M1FDE Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Dynamic Range
Dynamic range is the range of signal levels between the smallest and greatest a receiver can handle Lower limit set by sensitivity Upper limit set by distortion or AGC control range

In practice, we are more concerned about dynamic range to handle unwanted out-of-band signals (AGC doesnt apply). How large an unwanted signal will it reject without affecting sensitivity to wanted signals Overload level may be specified for receiver front-end (RF amplifier, mixer) as the 1dB compression point

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Dynamic Range
1dB compression point Power level where amplifier gain drops by 1dB Output compression point 1dB

Output level

Amplifier linearity curve

Noise floor
Input level

Input compression point

Anthony Martin M1FDE Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

10

Noise Figures
NF SNR at input SNR at output
Expressed in dB

There is a limit of physics to receiver sensitivity Even for perfect receivers that add no noise (0dB NF) Real receivers can get within a few dB of the limit Typical noise figures HF receiver; 12 to 20dB - not as critical as atmospherics dominate VHF receiver; 6 dB Microwave receiver; 2dB Raw sensitivity is traded for dynamic range and selectivity in environments where these are more important Adjusting RF gain can optimise sensitivity vs. dynamic range
Anthony Martin M1FDE Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

11

RF Amplifiers
If the RF pre-amp has a similar noise figure to the receiver

Sensitivity not improved, dynamic range made worse

If the RF pre-amp has a better noise figure to the receiver Sensitivity improved, dynamic range still worse If there is a feeder loss before the receiver (masthead amp) Without preamp, receiver performance degraded by loss Amplifier can overcome feeder loss, performance improved

RF pre-amplifier

Receiver

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

12

Downconverters
Downconverters convert signals from one band to another.

This enables reception of signals out of the tuning range of the receiver.
Use of downconverters common for VLF, microwave, and weather satellite. Operator must mentally add the frequency offset to the frequency displayed by the receiver.

Downconverter
Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Receiver

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

13

Transverters
Transverters are bi-directional frequency converters

May be used for multimode (SSB J3E , CW A1A) operation by using a HF transceiver on VHF or UHF
Displayed frequency must be mentally adjusted Reliable high isolation switching is vital

Power amp

Upconverter Downconverter

Transceiver

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Advanced Licence Course

Anthony Martin M1FDE

Slide Set 9: v1.0, 24-Aug-2004 (4) Receivers-1 - Parameters

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