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Tracking Generator Alternative: 1GHz Wideband Noise Source

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alterbaron:

--- Quote from: TheSteve on August 13, 2015, 10:25:49 pm ---Both of my spectrum analyzers have tracking gens but this still looks like a fun project to build, please update us if you get a board made.

--- End quote ---

Sure thing! I do plan on getting a small batch of boards made soon, and I think this would make a pretty good kit.
I'll keep you posted.

TheSteve:

--- Quote from: alterbaron on August 14, 2015, 01:09:08 am ---
--- Quote from: TheSteve on August 13, 2015, 10:25:49 pm ---Both of my spectrum analyzers have tracking gens but this still looks like a fun project to build, please update us if you get a board made.

--- End quote ---

Sure thing! I do plan on getting a small batch of boards made soon, and I think this would make a pretty good kit.
I'll keep you posted.

--- End quote ---

Thanks! I'd much prefer a proper board then to do all the via stitching by hand that you did. I also make projects using hammond boxes quite often so the project just seems like a good fit.

tggzzz:

--- Quote from: TheSteve on August 14, 2015, 07:03:11 am ---
--- Quote from: alterbaron on August 14, 2015, 01:09:08 am ---
--- Quote from: TheSteve on August 13, 2015, 10:25:49 pm ---Both of my spectrum analyzers have tracking gens but this still looks like a fun project to build, please update us if you get a board made.

--- End quote ---

Sure thing! I do plan on getting a small batch of boards made soon, and I think this would make a pretty good kit.
I'll keep you posted.

--- End quote ---

Thanks! I'd much prefer a proper board then to do all the via stitching by hand that you did. I also make projects using hammond boxes quite often so the project just seems like a good fit.

--- End quote ---

I just used off-the-shelf (ahem, off the EBay) SMA connectors. I wouldn't call that "stitching". Such simplicity makes it easy to change the attenuators to make maximum use of the limited dynamic range, which is especially important for my dongle-based TDR.

G0HZU:
It's worth trying to find a real noise diode to use in something like this because you can get a much flatter noise source. I think it's worth the extra expense for the diode and you can sometimes buy these diodes quite cheaply anyway :)

I have a couple of homebrew noise sources here that use such diodes. One is a precision high level noise source I made in the 1990s that puts out about -85dBm/Hz up to 180MHz and is flat to about +/- 0.2dB across this full range and really flat across most of the range.

I also made a noise source for receiver testing that is flat to about +/- 0.3dB to just over 1GHz. I used a packaged noise source diode rate to 500MHz but I actually depackaged it to get it to give it the (above) flat response up to 1GHz.

LaserSteve:
I ordered one of the EBAY units for 20$.  I'll take it to a friend's RF lab and see if I can get some real numbers.  My AVCOM PSA-37 is by no means flat enough for a meaningful measurement.  However I can measure total noise power very accurately.

Will let you guys know what I find..

Steve

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