RSP-1A INPUT IMPEDANCE IN THE RANGE 0-60 MHZ & SPECTRUM ANALYSER OPERATION

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glovisol
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RSP-1A INPUT IMPEDANCE IN THE RANGE 0-60 MHZ & SPECTRUM ANALYSER OPERATION

Post by glovisol » Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:14 am

RSP-1A INPUT IMPEDANCE IN THE RANGE 0 - 60 MHz

I would like to focus the attention on the structure of the input circuitry of the RSP class receivers as compared to that of "conventional" receivers and/or "modern design transceivers". Most of the latter have (and rightly so) bandpass tuned circuitry at the input, to obtain as much selectivity as possible at the reciver's input, in order to attenuate, as much as possible, interference of strong nearby unwanted signals. This is the reason why the input impedance of all these units can be defined as "nominal", because it depends on the variable characteristics of the input tuneable circuitry.

By virtue of necessity, the RSP class Receiver are different and very much so, even if there is some resemblance to the very old RACAL RA17 receiver. Referring to the uploaded original blocks diagram, here the protection of the wideband front end cicuitry is obtained by an attenuator "Gain Control", followed by a set of four switched band-pass passive filters. Nothing is being tuned here, it is all fixed, save for the variable gain control circuit.

Considering the receiver's input with MW, FM and DAB filters not switched in, the antenna input has to go throuh the "gain control" variable attenuator. If the attenuator is in, the input impedance will be mostly determined by the attenuator resistive impedance. In position 0 the input is connected directly to one of the bandpas filters, more of this later.

From position 1 to position 6 attenuation moves from 6 dB to 61 dB: this means that the input impedance is not only resistive, but becomes more and more independent from what follows. It is easy to calculate the relationship between attenuation and the value of the input impedance assuming an open circuit after the attenuator and I shall not do it here, but still the presence of the attenuator makes the input impedance very near 50 Ohm, with the resistive and reactive components getting nearer and nearer to 50 Ohm resistive as attenuation increases.

If we now look at attenuator position 0, we see that the receiver's input impedance is totally determined by the impedance of the bandpass filter actually switched in. The response of these filters is fully described and pictured in several pages of the detailed specification. It is quite reasonable to suppose these filters have been designed to work between 50 Ohm terminations, so even at maximum gain (no attenuator in between) THE INPUT IMPEDANCE SHOULD BE VERY NEAR 50 Ohm.

I did a test with a Network Analyser in the frequency range 3-10 MHz (e.g. sweeping the input impedance of filter 2-12 MHz) with maximum gain (no attenuator in) and obtained a result fairly corresponding to 50 Ohm.

https://www.sdrplay.com/community/viewt ... 4&start=10

In conclusion the Spectrunm Analyser software works with some input attenuation most of times, so we can be fairly sure there will be no detrimental effects on measurements due to a non-defined and/or variable Analyser input impedance.
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ScreenHunter 388.jpg
ScreenHunter 388.jpg (61.03 KiB) Viewed 15087 times

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glovisol
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Re: RSP-1A INPUT IMPEDANCE IN THE RANGE 0-60 MHZ & SPECTRUM ANALYSER OPERATION

Post by glovisol » Tue Apr 23, 2019 1:56 pm

RSP-1A INPUT NETWORK ANALYSER MEASUREMENTS IN THE RANGE 0 - 29MHz - 1


Network Analyser measurements of the RSP-1A have been done to verify the analysis of the previous post in the frequency range 3 to 10 MHz. Return loss and VSWR have been measured at maximum gain (e.g. 2-12 MHz bandpass filter directly connected to the antenna input socket) and at lower gains corresponding to different levels of attenuator values.

Return loss @ maximum gain is always above 8 dB and SWR is always below 2.6 across the measured frequency range. As soon as attenuation is applied, the attenuator takes control of the impedance and there is practically no impedance variation from position 2 (-12 db) to position 6 (-61 db). With attenuation inserted return loss improves and stays at 10 dB or more across the frequency range, or, in another words, SWR stays at 2 or better.

The values found confirm the good terminating capability of the RSP-1A used as the hardware section of the Spectrum Analyser software. More screens in next post.
Attachments
Return loss Max G & pos. 2.png
Return loss Max G & pos. 2.png (90.99 KiB) Viewed 15059 times
Return loss G pos. 3 to max.png
Return loss G pos. 3 to max.png (56.57 KiB) Viewed 15059 times

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glovisol
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Re: RSP-1A INPUT IMPEDANCE IN THE RANGE 0-60 MHZ & SPECTRUM ANALYSER OPERATION

Post by glovisol » Tue Apr 23, 2019 2:25 pm

Here below are the screens for SWR.
Attachments
SWR Max G & pos. 2.png
SWR Max G & pos. 2.png (71.66 KiB) Viewed 15051 times
SWR G. Pos. 3 to max.png
SWR G. Pos. 3 to max.png (55.73 KiB) Viewed 15051 times

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glovisol
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Re: RSP-1A INPUT IMPEDANCE IN THE RANGE 0-60 MHZ & SPECTRUM ANALYSER OPERATION

Post by glovisol » Wed Apr 24, 2019 11:17 am

RSP-1A INPUT NETWORK ANALYSER MEASUREMENTS IN THE RANGE 0 - 29MHz - 2

The SWR mapping of the input 50 Ohm antenna socket for the entire range 0 - 29 MHz has now been completed and results for the RSP-1A input at 50 Ohm are extremely good, I would say quite exceptional, as anyone can check by examining the enclosed Network Analyser screens.

To conclude the antenna input socket impedance of the RSP-1A deviates very little by 50 Ohm resistive over the entire frequency range 0 to 29 MHz, regardless of the attenuator (gain) position of the input circuitry. In fact I would say it is almost like a 50 Ohm resistor.....
Attachments
RSP-1A SWR 0-2 MHz.jpg
RSP-1A SWR 0-2 MHz.jpg (138.74 KiB) Viewed 14989 times
RSP-1A VSWR 12-21 MHz.jpg
RSP-1A VSWR 12-21 MHz.jpg (140.62 KiB) Viewed 14989 times
RSP-1A VSWR 20 -29 MHz.jpg
RSP-1A VSWR 20 -29 MHz.jpg (145.63 KiB) Viewed 14989 times

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