Question
What is meant by the blocking dynamic range of a receiver?
Answer Options
- A) The difference in dB between the noise floor and the level of an incoming signal that will cause 1 dB of gain compression
- B) The minimum difference in dB between the levels of two FM signals that will cause one signal to block the other
- C) The difference in dB between the noise floor and the third-order intercept point
- D) The minimum difference in dB between two signals which produce third-order intermodulation products greater than the noise floor
Correct Answer: A
Explanation
Dynamic range is a measure of a receiver’s performance from its floor (weakest signals) to its ceiling (strongest signals). Blocking Dynamic Range (BDR) is a specific metric that measures the receiver’s tolerance for an adjacent, very strong signal without the front end saturating and suppressing the desired weak signal.
BDR is defined as the difference in dB between the noise floor and the level of an incoming signal that will cause 1 \text{ dB} of gain compression (or desensitization) in the receiver’s front end. This is a crucial number because it quantifies the ability of the receiver to successfully process a weak desired signal in the presence of a powerful nearby interference source without the front end collapsing.
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