
Application Notes: Forward Sweep and Balance
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• Disable all audio readings; only use single insertion points
(CONFIGURE; SWEEP TRANSCEIVER.)
• Place sweep points in the lower sideband of analog channels, especially
sync suppressed scrambled channels, and in the guardband of digital
channels. 1.1 MHz below the analog channels seems to be the "sweet
spot”. Dwell times are set at 4 ms for a standard channel, 2.8 ms for a
sweep point, and 158 ms for a scrambled or digital channel.
• This new plan doesn’t have to be loaded or enabled in the field unit for
sweep to be achieved.
Frequency Response Identification
• Low End Roll-Off
• Usually caused by loose seizure screws, bad EQs/CSs, or diplex filters.
• Standing Waves
• Created from reflections from impedance mismatches. This is seen
when viewing a sweep display from a resistive/bi-directional test point.
Directional test points have enough isolation to block the reflected wave
(depending on the severity) from adding in and out of phase with the
main wave, which creates the standing wave appearance. They can
even be created between the test point and test equipment. If you use
the formula 492*Vp/f, it will tell you the "ballpark" distance in feet to the
fault. Vp is the velocity of propagation of the cable and is typically .87 for
most foam dielectric, hardline cable. Using this formula, "f" is the
distance in MHz between two peaks on the sweep display; 492 is derived
by the speed of light, which is 984 Mft/s and the fact that the reflection is
180 degrees out of phase for 984/2 = 492.
• Suck-Outs
• Caused by grounding issues or multiple impedance mismatches at
perfect intervals. Sometime this also manifests itself as spikes because
of signals adding in-phase. Spikes are also caused by oscillations.
• High End Roll-Off
• Associated with bad accessories, water, or amplifier band edge roll-off.
Other Applications
Using the Portable Receiver Transmitter for Forward Activation.
Acterna’s portable transmitter and receiver can be utilized to perform the
following:
• Segmented sweeping; Moving the transmitter out in the field to sweep
certain spans or legs of a cable plant.
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