Novel, lower cost, noise measurement method

The common techniques used to measure traveling amplifier noise are typically difficult to implement and maintain. Specifically, these common techniques have several deficiencies that include: (1) requiring a large set of expensive test equipment; (2) reporting noise results that are sensitive to operator error; and (3) complications in maintaining measurement stability and configuration control that originate from the manufacturers evolution of equipment models. This paper reports on new reduced-equipment noise measurement techniques that have been developed to overcome these deficiencies.