AdvancedA-003-003-009
Which two instruments are needed to measure FM receiver sensitivity for a 12 dB SINAD ratio (signal + noise + distortion over noise + distortion)?
C
Answer
Transmitters and receivers
Type
A
Receiver noise bridge and total harmonic distortion analyser
B
RF signal generator with FM tone modulation and a deviation meter
C
Calibrated RF signal generator with FM tone modulation and total harmonic distortion (THD) analyzer
D
Oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer
Answer Notes
SINAD stands for Signal-to-Noise and Distortion ratio, a standard metric used to evaluate FM receiver sensitivity. To measure it, you must inject a precise, known signal into the receiver and then analyze the audio output.
A calibrated RF signal generator with FM tone modulation provides the exact RF input signal (usually modulated with a 1 kHz audio tone). A total harmonic distortion (THD) analyzer is then connected to the receiver's audio output to measure how much noise and distortion is present compared to the pure tone.
Distractors involving deviation meters or spectrum analyzers are incorrect because they measure RF characteristics or modulation depth, whereas a SINAD measurement specifically requires analyzing the degradation of the demodulated audio signal.
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