How to Measure Peak and Average RF Power

+ Peak Power Meter

Capture Peak and Average RF Power

Peak and average radio frequency (RF) power measurement requires a power meter, an appropriate power sensor, and a connection to the signal under test. The sensor converts the applied RF power into a measurable response, while the meter acquires and processes that response to determine average power and variations in the signal envelope.

For modulated or pulsed signals, digital sampling captures changes in the power envelope over time rather than reducing the measurement to a single average value. The sampled measurement data can then be processed to determine peak and average power and to evaluate statistical characteristics of signals that combine pulsed carriers with complex digital modulation.

Peak And Average RF Power Measurement Solution

Peak and average radio frequency (RF) power measurement requires sampling the signal envelope with an appropriate power sensor and processing the resulting measurement data. Keysight PM2-class peak power meters architecture use digital sampling to acquire data from modulated RF signals and calculate power parameters. With an appropriate sensor, the measurement setup captures changes in the power envelope while digital processing supports peak, average, and statistical power analysis. Sampling is particularly applicable to complex signals containing pulsed carriers and digital modulation because the acquired data can be processed to characterize power behavior that cannot be represented by a single average-power measurement.

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