JOINT WEST MICHIGAN SECTION IEEE and GRAND RAPIDS AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION LIVE/ZOOM MEETING, FRIDAY MAY 3rd

ALL WMS IEEE and GRARA MEMBERS INVITED

The coming EMC Chapter of the West MI Section IEEE meeting presentation is entitled “Understanding Phase Noise -- Fundamentals”.  It will be joint with GRARA, the Grand Rapids Amateur Radio Association and start at 8 PM right after GRARA’s normal May business meeting.  The topic was recently covered in a Rohde and Schwarz Co. webinar held in late fall 2023. It was narrated by Mr. Paul Denisowski, KO4LZ, an R&S production manager.

Ron Fredricks, K8DMR, GRARA member and IEEE West MI Section IEEE Vice Chair and the Secretary of the Section’s Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) chapter will give the presentation. Ron has KO4LZ’s slide deck and will take us through it adding his own comments.  Helping Ron will be GRARA Treasurer and Chair of the local IEEE EMC chapter, Dave DeVos, KF8QL, and Richard Cory, W8IMA, secretary of the local West MI IEEE Section.  It will be a combination ZOOM and live meeting.  The exact location is in one of the large basement classrooms at the Life EMS building, 1050 Leonard St NE in Grand Rapids.

Interested West MI Section IEEE members are invited to attend the radio club’s May business meeting beforehand starting at 7:00 PM (eyeball QSO social starts at 6:30) or ZOOM-in anytime using the codes provided below.  The actual Understanding Phase Noise-- Fundamentals presentation will start around 8 PM, so whether attending virtually or live please ZOOM-in or arrive at the classroom before then. Call Ron at 616-443-8576 if you have any further questions.

The aim of this presentation is to provide GRARA and IEEE members with a basic technical introduction to phase noise (primarily arising within receiver local oscillators), the effects of phase noise on receiving signals on nearby frequencies to a desired signal, and the different methods that can be used to analyze and measure phase noise. The level will be as non-mathematical as possible so all may get a basic understanding of the phenomena.

The presentation is divided into three parts.  In the first section we’ll discuss what phase noise is, why it is important, the effects of phase noise, and how phase noise is displayed.  The second section will go into more detail about how phase noise is measured using spectrum analyzers and the advantages and disadvantages of this approach.  And in the third section we’ll discuss the more modern cross-correlation measurement method and why it is often used for more challenging phase noise measurements. These include separating the measurement instrument’s oscillators own phase noise from the phase noise of the Device Under Test.

Here are the joint GRARA/IEEE meeting details:

Topic: Understanding Phase Noise—Fundamentals

Date:  Friday May 3, 2024

Location: Basement level of the Life EMS building 1050 Fuller Ave NE, Grand Rapids MI (former Red Cross location).  Park behind the building and enter through the rear door.  You may have to ring the doorbell & be buzzed in.  In case of a problem getting in call Ron on his cell at 616-443-8576 as there is also an “unofficial” way to enter.

Time:   GRARA Business meeting 7 to ~ 8 PM (6:30-7 social with coffee and donuts) with

Understanding Phase Noise Fundamentals presentation by K8DMR with help from KF8QL and W8IMA at 8 PM or a few minutes afterwards. Presentation and Q&A over by 9 PM

ZOOM Codes for virtual attendees (use any time after 6:30 PM): Save them.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88674164695?pwd=VSBEOYiR2jSbRzVruuze4NXh1ayOGn.1

Meeting ID: 886 7416 4695

Passcode: 483106

 If you plan to attend in-person and are not a GRARA member, we would appreciate you texting Ron at 616-443-8576 saying ‘I’m coming’.  Also please list how many people are coming with you if in person (so we don’t run short of coffee and donuts).

Thanks, and hope to see some of you there or on ZOOM.

Ron Fredricks, SM IEEE

K8DMR