signal level Archives |

Signal Level: The Powers That Be

By Ron Hranac – When we measure the level of an analog TV signal’s visual carrier, we are measuring its peak envelope power. For a legacy SC-QAM signal, we measure the entire haystack’s average power. And for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals, we also measure average power.

Signal Leakage Field Strength

By Ron Hranac — Cable operators for decades have dealt with the monitoring and measurement of signal leakage field strength. But just what is field strength?

Two-way Splitters: A Peek Under the Hood

By Ron Hranac — In this second installment of a three-part article, the discussion about measurement of downstream RF signal levels continues.

Did You Know?

By Ron Hranac — Earlier this year SCTE·ISBE’s Rocky Mountain Chapter instituted a new program called Last Thursday, a monthly meet-up on the last Thursday of every month. The meetings are open to all chapter members, guests, and those interested in SCTE·ISBE, and provide a fun and social way to participate with the chapter.

Measuring Cable TV Network Downstream RF Signal Levels (PART THREE)

By Ron Hranac — Making accurate signal level measurements is not quite as simple as it might seem at first glance. This installment concludes the discussion about various factors that can affect those measurements, and includes tips to ensure more accurate and reliable results.

Measuring Cable TV Network RF Signal Levels (PART TWO)

By Ron Hranac – In this second installment of a three-part article, the discussion about measurement of downstream RF signal levels continues. Signal Source Output Signal Level Accuracy — The purpose of measuring a signal source’s output RF signal level or power is to confirm that it meets a desired value or perhaps some other specified value such as the manufacturer’s published spec.

Downstream RF Signal Levels (PART ONE)

By Ron Hranac – Optimum cable network downstream performance requires that radio frequency (RF) signal levels be measured and set correctly. RF signal levels affect nearly every part of a cable network’s operation: headend/hub site, optical fiber links, coax distribution, subscriber drops, and customer premises equipment (CPE).

The Wise and Mighty Decibel

By Ron Hranac – The decibel plays a major role in the world of test and measurement. Simply put, the decibel — abbreviated dB — is used to express the ratio of two power levels. That’s it. The following is a more formal definition, included in two of SCTE’s operational practices