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Re: [TenTec] ARRL Phase Noise Data Plotted to 1 MHz

To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] ARRL Phase Noise Data Plotted to 1 MHz
From: Jim Brown <k9yc@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Reply-to: k9yc@arrl.net, Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 22:27:36 -0700
List-post: <tentec@contesting.com">mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Off list.

I've been thinking about this.

First, I think it's non-correlated noise, so the wideband noise would add by 10 log BW, where BW is the RX bandwidth that would need a correction factor for filter shape. A WAG for that correction factor might be 2-3 dB. So for a 400 Hz (nominal) filter, 10 log 400 = 26 - 3. So we would add 23 dB to the phase noise. The corresponding computation for a 2.8 kHz SSB RX would be 34.5 dB - 2 dB (another WAG) for the skirts, so add 32.5 dB.

Now, we want to add these random noise voltages from clicks to the random phase noise voltage, so we must convert both to volts and compute an RSS (root of the sum of the squares) sum. Many years ago, I did that when designing sound systems before there were computer programs to do it. My systems had multiple loudspeakers at different locations contributing to many seats, so I computed field strength for each speaker and then did the RSS sum. My "computer" was an HP41 -- PCs weren't around yet. :)

And then we get to add the IMD.

Another question, of course, is, what are the units of the keying display? Is that also dBC/Hz? If so, the numbers for clicks really get scary!

What I do know is that P3 spectrum displays correlate quite well with what I hear. Many of the top (and most active) contesters have gone to K3s, mostly because of RX performance, which has been widely publisized, but these data show them to be quite good on TX as well.

On the air, I can almost always identify a K3 on CW by its very narrow keying signature, simply because none of the other rigs are even close. And this -- K6XX is three miles from me with K3s and tube amps. I also run K3s and Titans. Both legal limit, we're both running (calling CQ) most of the time, but also "search and pounce" on a second radio. His sidebands are 60 dB down at 350 Hz from his carrier, and we can work 500 Hz apart and often not know the other is there.

73, Jim K9YC

On 7/27/2014 2:32 PM, Kim Elmore wrote:
How might we look at a total noise figure? Phase noise is in dBC/Hz, so we can't simply sum it with things like IMD. Should we integrate the phase noise power as a function of bandwidth, so that we can look at the phase noise power for CW and SSB (pick a defining bandwidths)? How, then, do we handle the other noise sources that don't integrate as nicely across the pass band?

Perhaps there's no single number that we can generate -- each represents a different "dimension" of the total problem.

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