White Paper: Spectrum Analyzer Measurements Near the Noise Floor

This document discusses the challenge of making accurate measurements close to the noise floor.

The graphs in this paper show how well a signal can be seen above the noise floor using a spectrum analyzer. Due to the nonlinear nature of the relationships, the graphs have different vertical scales and uses. Uncorrelated signal powers add in a simple linear manner, so two uncorrelated noise source powers add, and a narrowband or CW signal power adds to a noise floor also.