The Deep Space Network Stability Analyzer

Julian C. Breidenthal, Charles A. Greenhall, Robert L. Hamell, Paul F. Kuhnle

Abstract: A stability analyzer for testing NASA Deep Space Network installations during flight radio science experiments is described. The stability analyzer provides realtime measurements of signal properties of general experimental interest: power, phase, and amplitude spectra; Allan deviation; and time series of amplitude, phase shift, and differential phase shift. Input ports are provided for up to four 100 MHz frequency standards and eight baseband analog (>100 kHz bandwidth) signals. Test results indicate the following upper bounds to noise floors when operating on 100 MHz signals: -145 dBc/Hz for phase noise spectrum further than 200 Hz from carrier, 2.5 x 10^-4 (r =1 second) and 1.5 x 10^-17 (r =1000 seconds) for Allan deviation, and 1 x degrees for I-second averages of phase deviation. Four copies of the stability analyzer hove been produced, plus one transportable unit for use at non-NASA observatories.
Published in: Proceedings of the 26th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting
December 6 - 8, 1994
Hyatt Regency Reston Town Center
Reston, Virginia
Pages: 221 - 234
Cite this article: Breidenthal, Julian C., Greenhall, Charles A., Hamell, Robert L., Kuhnle, Paul F., "The Deep Space Network Stability Analyzer," Proceedings of the 26th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting, Reston, Virginia, December 1994, pp. 221-234.
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