Three Ways USB Noise Sources Help You Removing Uncertainty in Y-factor Measurements
White Papers
Noise figure is a key performance parameter in many RF systems. Noise figure represents the degradation in signal-to-noise ratio as the signal passes through a device. Since all devices add a finite amount of noise to the signal, the noise figure is always greater than 1. A low noise figure provides improved signal-to-noise ratio for analog receivers, and reduces bit error rate in digital receivers. As a parameter in a communications link budget, a lower receiver noise figure allows smaller antennas or lower transmitter power for the same system performance.