An instrument for the precision measurement of attenuation in a waveguide network

Author

Archer, J.W.

Author_Institution

Nat. Radio Astron. Obs., Charlottesville, VA, USA

Issue

1

fYear

1986

fDate

3/1/1986 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

52

Lastpage

55

Abstract

A precision instrument for the continuous monitoring of the unidirectional loss in an overmoded circular waveguide communication system is described. The unit is capable of measuring an attenuation in the range 36-56 dB with an absolute accuracy of ±0.4 dB at any frequency in the range 51.85-52.05 GHz. The instrument is implemented as a switched heterodyne radiometer, which continually compares the power level received from a remote CW source via the waveguide network against power generated by a local reference source at the same frequency. The received power reference is an accurate, stable, thermocouple power meter.

Keywords

attenuation measurement; circular waveguides; microwave measurement; monitoring; power measurement; radiometers; telecommunication networks; thermocouples; 35 to 56 dB; continuous monitoring; measurement of attenuation; microwave measurement; overmoded circular waveguide; power; reference source; switched heterodyne radiometer; telecommunication network; thermocouple power meter; unidirectional loss; waveguide network;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TIM.1986.6499056

Filename

6499056