ABSTRACT
Microwave and radio frequency (RF) measurements can be classified in two distinct but sometimes overlapping categories: signal measurements and network measurements. Signal measurements include observation and determination of the absolute characteristics of waves and waveforms. This includes frequency and time characteristics that are intentionally imparted to a signal such as modulation by information or unintentional signal perturbations such as phase and amplitude noise. Network measurement determines the relative terminal and signal transfer characteristics of devices and systems with any number of ports. Networks such as modulators and communication paths are sometimes characterized as linear time variant paths requiring both signal and network measurements for characterization. Useful parameters for both signals and networks can be obtained in the time, frequency, and modulation domains.
