Engineering Sciences 151

Electromagnetic Communication
Laboratory Assignment 3
Fall Term 1998-99

WAVE P ROPAGATION II: HIGH F REQUENCY SLOTTED L INE AND

REFLECTOMETER MEASUREMENTS

OBJECTIVES:
To build greater familiarity with transmission line concepts; to observe, measure
and analyze the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) and reflection coefficient
associated with various transmission line terminations; to measure directly the
attenuation of electromagnetic waves propagating in lossy media.

EQUIPMENT:
Hewlett-Packard, Model 8648C, Signal Generator (9 kHz-3.2 GHz)
Tektronix, Model 2213A, 60 MHz Dual-channel oscilloscope
2-Hewlett-Packard, Model 805C, Slotted Lines (one modified to contain fluids)
Hewlett-Packard, Model 766D, Dual Directional Coupler
Hewlett-Packard, Model 536A, Frequency Meter
2-Stanford Research Systems, Model SR560, Low-noise Preamplifiers
General Radio, Type 874-VQ, Voltmeter Detector
Bird, Model 74, Coaxial Switch
Mounts for 1N21B and 1N23B microwave crystal diodes
Miscellaneous coaxial components viz. UHF Rigid (RG-44/U), GR Type 847 and
Type N coaxial components, connectors, terminations and adapters

1. SLOTTED LINE VSWR MEASUREMENTS:

E XPERIMENTAL SETUP

Measurements and observations:

Slotted line measurements are of critical importance in the design and testing
of high frequency (sub-optical) communication systems. Here a HP
(Hewlett-Packard) section of slotted line is used as a means to determine
impedances values at frequencies in the 0.5 to 4 GHz range. Before starting
your experiments, inspect one of these devices and you will note that there
WAVE PROPAGATION II PAGE-2

is a wire probe which penetrates into the region adjacent to the center
conductor of the "slotted" coaxial line. This probe is essentially a receiving
antenna which picks up the transverse component of the propagating electric
field at that particular position. The field parallel to the probe induces a
voltage along the wire which is impressed across an internal crystal
diode/low-pass filter network (see sketch below). Thus, if a modulated
signal is propagating along the slotted line section, a small fraction of that
signal is picked up by the probe and demodulated by the rectifying network
(Remember the demodulation setup in Computer Laboratory 1?). The
modulation envelope is available for measurement as a voltage output from
the device's BNC output connector. By tracing the spatial dependence of
the modulation, one may directly determine the wavelength and the VSWR.

TUNING STUB
1N21B OUTPUT
12
• • •

550
• •
PROBE

To start your measurements, excite the coaxial circuit, illustrated above,

with a modulated signal from the HP Signal Generator (e.g. a 1.4 GHz
carrier modulated at 1 KHz). Observe the modulation of the propagating
signal by displaying the amplified output of the HP Slotted Line device on
the dual trace scope. Measure the VSWR as well as the locations of maxima
and minima for the following loads† (See comments below on the use of the
"substitution" method):
a. A short-circuit (GR Termination 874-WN). This measurement
establishes the all important reference length to be used in all the
measurements that follow.
b. An offset short-circuit (GR Termination 874-WN3). Compare result
with that found for GR Termination 874-WN.
c. An offset open-circuit (GR Termination 874-WO3)
d. A 50Ω termination (BNC 50Ω Termination).

† From the operating manual of the slotted line: "A general rule in slotted line work is that the
penetration of the sampling probe into the line should be held to a minimum. Since the sampling
probe must extract power from the line in order to supply the detector and indicating device, it is to be
expected that the probe can have an effect on the fields within the line" and "…that this effect is usually
greater as the penetration is increased." You may find it helpful to look through the operating manual
which has other hints on good measurement techniques.
R. Victor Jones, October 22, 2002
WAVE PROPAGATION II PAGE-3

e. An unknown termination (???Ω is a secret homemade element: don’t

peek inside !).
f. A shorted coupling capacitor (GR Coupling element 874-K plus GR
Termination 874-WN).
g. An adjustable stub (GR Adjustable line/stub 874-D20l) as a function of
length.
h. A resonator: (GR Adjustable line/stub 874-D20l in parallel with shorted
GR Coupling capacitor 874-K) observe resonance and measure VSWR
at resonance.

Report:
a. A complete graph of modulation amplitude vs. position for one
particular load value .
b. The VSWR and the reflection coefficient (magnitude and phase)
associated with each of the terminating loads.
c. Using a Smith Chart, find the impedance associated with each of the
terminating loads.
d. Compare the frequency setting of the HP Signal Generator and values
measured by means of the slotted line and the HP Frequency Meter.

2. REFLECTOMETER MEASUREMENTS:

E XPERIMENTAL SETUP

Measurements and observations:

Reflectometer measurements are also of critical importance in the design of
communication systems and, particularly, in the evaluation of optical
communication links. In our observations, we make use of a HP Dual
Directional Coupler as the key element of a coaxial reflectometer. In a
directional coupler, a small fraction (-20dB in this case) of a signal
propagating through the device in a particular direction is coupled into a
separate output channel. In the HP Dual Directional Coupler a fraction of
R. Victor Jones, October 22, 2002
WAVE PROPAGATION II PAGE-4

the "right moving" component of the signal is coupled to one of the output
channels of the device and the same fraction of the "left moving" component
of the signal is coupled to the other channel. Thus, by measuring the ratio
of the two outputs, one has a direct measure of the magnitude of the
reflection coefficient of waves traveling through the device. When a crystal
mount (viz. an integrated crystal diode/low-pass filter network) is
sequentially connected to the output channels of the coupler, the ratio of
modulated signals can be measured directly by comparing the attenuator
settings required to observe equal signals on the oscilloscope (see comment
below on "substitution" method).

Again to start your measurements, excite the coaxial circuit, illustrated

above, with a 1.4 GHz modulated signal from HP Signal Generator. Using
the coaxial switch, alternatively observe the directional coupler output
signals by means of a single crystal mount. Preamplify the demodulated
signal from the crystal mount and display it on the dual trace scope. By this
means measure the reflection coefficients of the set of terminating loads
studied with the slotted line. (Again, see comments below on the use of the
"substitution" method.)

Report:
a. The magnitude of the reflection coefficient for each of the terminating
loads considered above in the slotted line section.
b. Compare these results with the slotted line results above.

3. DIRECT OBSERVATION OF PROPAGATION IN A LOSSY MEDIUM:

E XPERIMENTAL SETUP

Measurements and observations:

Here we use slotted line measurements as a direct means for studying
electromagnetic propagation in a lossy medium. One of the HP Slotted Line
devices has been modified so that fluids may be retained in the region where
electromagnetic fields propagate. Thus, the probe may be used to sense the

R. Victor Jones, October 22, 2002

WAVE PROPAGATION II PAGE-5

transverse electric field within the fluid at positions along the slotted
coaxial section.

To start your measurements, excite the coaxial circuit, illustrated above,

with an AM output from the HP Signal Generator (set to a carrier frequency
of, say, 800 MHz). Directly observe the modulated signal propagating
through the fluid by displaying the preamplified output of the modified HP
Slotted Line device on the dual trace scope (you may want to sync the scope
display from the modulation source). To obtain a sharp standing wave
pattern in the slotted line terminate it in a short circuit (GR Termination 874-
WN). Also, observe the reflection of the signal by the fluid with VSWR
measurements in the unmodified HP Slotted Line.

Measure the reflection coefficient of the water filled slotted line, the
penetration or skin depth, and the wavelength of the field propagating in the
water. Repeat these measurements at 100 MHz intervals from 100 MHz to
around 1400 MHz (or to frequency at which propagation becomes
minuscule).

Report:
a. Plot your measured values of the skin depth in water vs. frequency.
b. Plot the ratio of your measured values of the wavelength in water to the
corresponding value of free space wave length as a function of
frequency.†
c. Comment on whether or not the frequency dependence of the results in
(a) and (b) are consistent with the theory of propagation in a "good
conductor."

Comment on the "substitution" method

In general, it is very difficult to make an absolute power measurement in the high

frequency realm. To accomplish such a measurement the detecting device (a diode, in
our case) must have an accurately known response law -- e.g. voltage output as
function of power input. The most difficult requirement is that the response law must
be know at all power levels over the dynamic range of interest. In most cases, we are
interested in relative power measurements; the so called "substitution" method is widely
used in such measurements. The substitution method takes advantage of the fact that it
is much less difficult to build precision variable attenuators with appreciable dynamic
ranges than it is to precisely characterize the response of detectors.

In using the substitution method, a precision variable attenuator is connected at some

convenient point between the generator and an indicating detector (The HP Signal
Generator has a precise built-in attenuator that is particularly convenient to use.) At one
power level of interest, the attenuator is adjusted to some convenient reference level and
the detector output observed and noted. At a second power level of interest, the
attenuator level is adjusted to restore the detected signal to it original value and the
reading difference of the attenuator's calibrated scale yields directly the power ratio of
the two levels independent of the characteristics of the detector.

† Note that the ratio of the wavelength in free space to the wavelength in the medium is the index of
refraction of the medium.
R. Victor Jones, October 22, 2002