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Re: Topband: noise

To: Topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: noise
From: John Kaufmann <john.kaufmann@verizon.net>
Reply-to: jkaufmann@alum.mit.edu
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 09:25:58 -0600 (CST)
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Tom Rauch wrote:

>3.) The system can't subtract random "white" noise from 
>random "white" noise. It can only eliminate it by adding 
>selectivity or adding the coherent signal. 

Absolutely correct.  The engineering definition of white noise is that the 
noise is statistically uncorrelated at any two different frequencies.  Ambient 
background noise is generally white.  In practical terms this means that you 
cannot sample white noise in your receiver at one frequency and subtract it 
from signal plus noise at another frequency to cancel the noise and leave only 
signal.  In fact it will increase the noise.

If you took a dual-trace oscilloscope and looked at high resolution waveforms 
of white noise at two different frequencies simultaneously, you would see the 
noise waveforms are never the same.  For this reason you cannot subtract one 
from the other to cancel them.

73, John W1FV
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