Unit 2

High Frequency Transmission Lines

Measurement of VSWR and
Wavelength
 Session Meta Data

Author Ramprabhu S
Version No. 1.1
Release Date 14-01-2020
Reviewer
 Revision History

Date of Revision Details Version Number

14 Jan 2020 1.1
 Session Objectives

 To introduce the concepts of VSWR and

wavelength measurements.
 Session Outcomes

At the end of the session, students will be able to

 Measure VSWR and wavelength of a

transmission line .
 Outline

 VSWR measurement

 Wavelength measurement
 VSWR Measurement
• Slotted lines are used for microwave measurements
and consist of a movable probe inserted into a slot in a
transmission line.
• They are used in conjunction with a microwave power
source and usually, in keeping with their low-cost
application, a low cost Schottky diode detector and
VSWR meter rather than an expensive microwave
power meter.
• Slotted lines can measure voltage standing wave ratio
(VSWR), wavelength, and a number of other
parameters including reflection coefficient and
electrical impedance.
• The slotted line is one of the basic instruments used
in radio frequency test and measurement at
microwave frequencies.
• It consists of a precision transmission line, usually
co-axial but waveguide implementations are also
used, with a movable insulated probe inserted into a
longitudinal slot cut into the line.
• In a co-axial slotted line, the slot is cut into the outer
conductor of the line. Here, the probe is inserted past
the outer conductor, but not so far that it touches the
inner conductor.
• In a rectangular waveguide, the slot is usually cut
along the centre of the broad wall of the waveguide.
Circular waveguide slotted lines are also possible
• Slotted lines are relatively cheap and can perform
many of the measurements done by more expensive
equipment such as network analysers.
• However, slotted line measurement techniques are
more labour-intensive and often do not directly
output the desired parameter; some calculation or
plotting is frequently required.
• This is to be compared to modern instruments like
network and spectrum analysers which are
intrinsically frequency swept and produce a plot
instantly.
• Slotted lines have now largely been superseded, but
are still found where capital costs are an issue.
 Operating principle
• The slotted line works by sampling the electric field
inside the transmission line with the probe. For
accuracy, it is important that the probe disturbs the
field as little as possible.
• For this reason, the probe diameter and slot width are
kept small (usually around 1 mm) and the probe is
inserted in no further than necessary.
• It is also necessary in waveguide slotted lines to place
the slot at a position where the current in the
waveguide walls is parallel to the slot.
• The current will then not be disturbed by the presence
of the slot as long as it is not too wide.
Figure 1 : Test setup using a waveguide slotted line
• Power from a test equipment source (not shown) enters
the apparatus through the co-axial cable on the left and is
converted to waveguide format by means of a launcher
(1).
• This is followed by a section of waveguide (2) providing
a transition to a smaller size of guide and
• an isolator (3) which prevents power being reflected
back into the source.
• The power entering the slotted line is controlled by a
rotary variable attenuator (4).
• This is followed by the slotted line itself (5) above which
is the probe mounted on a movable carriage.
• The carriage also carries the probe adjustments: (6) is
the probe depth adjustment, (7) is a length of co-axial
section with tuning adjustments, and (8) is a crystal
detector.
• The right-hand end of the slotted line is terminated in
a matched load (9) which absorbs all the power
exiting the end of the waveguide.
• The load can be replaced by the component or
system that it is desired to test. It can also be replaced
with a reference short-circuit (10) which is used to
calibrate the slotted line.
• The carriage can be moved along the slotted line by
means of a rotary knob (11) which simultaneously
moves a vernier gauge (12) for accurate measurement
of the probes position along the line.
• The probe is connected to a detector and a display meter
which may be a thermistor and power meter, or an
envelope detector and VSWR meter.
• In a coaxial slotted line shown in Figure 2, the detector
can be a crystal detector or a Schottky barrier diode.
The detector is mounted on the probe assembly, usually
a distance λ/4 from the probe tip.

Figure 2 : Co-axial slotted line

• This is because the detector looks almost like a short
circuit to the transmission line, and this distance will
convert it to an open circuit through the quarter-wave
impedance transformer effect.
• Thus, the detector has minimal effect on loading the
line.
• However, wave guide slotted line shown in Figure 1
has a slightly different arrangement; the main probe
into the waveguide leads to a vertical co-axial tuning
and adjustment section but the detector is on a
horizontal side-section with a secondary probe into
the upright co-axial section.
 Maxima and Minima Measurements
• When the slotted line is terminated with a precision
matching load, there is no variation in the detected power
along the line other than a very small decrease due to
losses in the line.
• However, when this is replaced by a device under test
(DUT) which is not perfectly matched to the line, there
will be a reflection back towards the source.
• This causes a standing wave to be set up on the line with
periodic maxima and minima due to alternating
constructive and destructive interference.
• These maxima and minima are found by moving the probe
back and forth along the line and the level at that point can
then be measured on the meter
• Either maxima or minima can equally be used, from a
mathematical point of view, but minima are preferred
because they are always much sharper than maxima,
especially for large reflections.
• Additionally, the probe causes less disturbance to the
field near a minimum than it does near a maximum.

Figure 3 Standing wave patterns on a line for various

reflection coefficients showing maxima and minima
 Standing wave ratio
• Standing wave ratio (SWR or VSWR) is a basic
parameter and the one most commonly measured on a
slotted line.
• This quantity is of particular importance for transmitter
antennae.
• A high SWR indicates a poor match between transmitter
and antenna, which in turn means wasted power and, in
extreme cases, damage to the transmitter.
• With the input power set so that the maxima are at 0
dBm, a measurement of a minimum in decibels will
directly give SWR (after discarding the minus sign).
 Reflection coefficient
• The reflection coefficient, ρ, is the ratio of the
reflected wave to the incident wave. In general it is a
complex number.
• The magnitude of the reflection coefficient can be
calculated from the VSWR measurement by,

where VSWR is the standing wave ratio expressed

as a voltage ratio (not in decibels).
• However, to completely characterise the reflection
coefficient, the phase of ρ must also be found.
• This is done on a slotted line by measuring the
distance of the first minimum from the DUT.
• Moving the probe right up to the DUT is not
practicable, so a different approach is usually adopted.
• The position of the first minimum when the reference
short is in place is noted.
• The distance back along the line from this reference
point to the next minimum when the DUT is in place
will be the same as the distance from the DUT to the
first minimum. This is so because the reference short
guarantees a minimum at the DUT position.
 Wavelength Measurement

• Wavelength is determined by measuring the

distance between two adjacent minima.
• This distance will be λ/2.
• There is no need for a DUT, better results are
obtained with the reference short in position.
 MICROWAVE
SOURCE

POWER METER VSWR METER

ISOLATOR

ATTENUATOR WAVEMETER DIRECTIONAL SLOTTED TUNER TERMINATOR

COUPLER LINE

Block Diagram of Instrument used in Microwave Testing

 Functions of each block
• MICROWAVE SOURCE
Generates microwave source in X-band (8 – 12 GHz);
e.g klystron, magnetron or TWT

• ISOLATOR /CIRCULATOR
Allows wave to travel through in one direction while
being attenuated in the other direction or it is use to
eliminate the unwanted generator frequency pulling
(changing the frequency of the generator) due to system
mismatch or discontinuity. (to prevent reflected energy
from reaching the source)
• ATTENUATOR - Control the amount of power level
in a fixed amount, variable amount or in a series of
fixed steps from the from the microwave source to the
wavemeter.
• WAVEMETER - Used to select / measure resonant
cavity frequencies by having a plunger move in and out
of the cavity thus causes the the cavity to resonate at
different frequencies.
• DIRECTIONAL COUPLER - Samples part of the
power travelling through the main waveguide and
allows part of its energy to feed to a secondary output
port. Ideally it is used to separate the incident and
reflected wave in a transmission line.
• SLOTTED LINE - Used to determine the field strength
through the use of a detector probe that slides along the
top of the waveguide.
• VSWR INDICATOR - Denotes the value of VSWR
measured by the slotted line.
• TUNER - Allows only the desired frequency to appear
at the output. Any harmonic frequencies that appear at
the output are reduced to an acceptable level.
• TERMINATOR - May range from a simple resistive
termination to some sort of deep-space antenna array,
active repeater or similar devices. 3 special cases of
transmission line i.e., short circuit, open circuit, match
impedance.
 Summary

• Slotted lines can measure voltage standing wave

ratio (VSWR), wavelength, and a number of
other parameters including reflection coefficient
and electrical impedance.
 Test Your Understanding
• Write short notes on VSWR and wavelength
measurements.
 References

1. John D Ryder, “Networks, lines and fields”, 2nd

Edition, Prentice Hall India, 2015.

2. Mathew M. Radmanesh, “Radio Frequency &

Microwave Electronics”, Pearson Education Asia,
Second Edition, 2002.