TTA Troubleshoot

_Jim
TTA – Mechanical Assembly

=
=
TTA – Debug/Troubleshoot
Tower Top Amplifier ATE
Test Equipment (top to bottom):

ARB RF Signal Generator

RF Power Meter, DMM
Spectrum Analyzer
RF I/F Drawer (relays, couplers,
Noise Diode, Bias Tee, etc)
UUT Test Shelf
RF (10.7 MHz) Signal Generator*
PC* with
GPIB card and
Data Acquisition Card, etc
FAN Power Supply
UUT Power Supply

(* Located under shelf/not visible)

 TTA Manufacturing Tests

• Q23 DC Bias Tuning

o Voltage measured across a .025 Ohm Resistor
o Good practice to verify Gate voltage of Driver stage
while cover is off!
• Parametric ‘testing’:
o Check/Adjust TX Gain, freq response,
o Measure dynamic performance (ACP and/or Mask)
o Check TX time domain (Ton/Toff)
o Check RX frequency response
o Measure RX NF (Noise Figure)
o Check RX time domain (Ton/Toff)
Sample Test
Data Sheet
Sample Test
Data Sheet,
Zoomed
 Troubleshooting
• DC Current Consumption on +24V Input
o For RX mode and TX mode respectively
• Power Supply voltages
o +24V input voltage; present through to
switchers?
o +8V, Switcher – also provides Vdd for driver
o +5V, Linear
o -5V, Charge Pump – FET bias voltages
o +28V, Switcher - Vdd for PA
 Troubleshooting
• RF Switch control lines
o Make sure right switches (including PIN
diodes) are on and off for proper TX/RX state
o Make sure 10.7 MHz detector and amps
operating correctly
• Measure voltages on active devices
o Some devices’ current consumption can be
measured via a series resistor to Vdd pin
 Troubleshooting
• RF Matching and Filter networks (low
pass, high pass filters) must have correct
components or parameters like RX NF
and Reflection Power Trip will show
anomalous, unexplained fails
– RX NF value increases of any losses in front
of LNA FETs
– TX Reflection Power Trip trips ‘lower’ due to
any ‘mismatches’ in output circuit past
circulator
TTA - Troubleshoot
TTA - Troubleshoot
 TTA Troubleshooting - RF Probing

• Stage-by-Stage measurement of RF Gain

• Usually the step of ‘last resort’ when the
problem has not yet been found

• Example of RF probing the RX chain

follows using a simple Signal Generator
and Spectrum Analyzer
RX – RF signal at Input
RX – Input Signal Strength (-49.33 dBm)
RX – Output of LNA Stage
RX – SS after LNA (-46.35 dBm)
RX – After Filter/AMP
RX – Signal Strength (-16.14 dBm)
RX – After Step Attenuator
RX – SS Aft Step Atten (-15.99 dBm)
RX – Output
RX – SS at Output (+0.38 dBm)
 RX – Gain Stack up example
SS Level Gain
-------------- -------------
• Input -49.3 dBm n/a
• After LNA -45.3 dBm 4 dB indicated*
• After Filt -16.1 dBm 33.2 dB
• After Step Att -15.99 dBm 33.3 dB
• Output 0.38 dBm 49.7 dB

*Note: Probe loading can and does affect SS reading.

Fin