Created on 2009-02-24 12:30:00

Question:

How can I measure the crest factor of a waveform on a 2722 analyzer?

Answer:

Crest factor is the difference between the Peak and RMS values of a signal. To measure it, we will need to put the same signal into both Channel A and Channel B analyzer inputs. If we are measuring an internally generated signal, we can set the inputs to GenMon. If we are measuring an external signal, we’ll need two identical signals or else a Y adapter.

Now, set the Function Meter to 2-Ch. Ratio with dB units, and set the Detector (Det) to Peak. The meter can be set to measure either channel A or B—it doesn’t matter. Now, the Function Meter will be reading the peak value on the selected channel and comparing it to the RMS value measured by the Level Meter on the other. The resulting display is the Crest Factor.

RELATED DOWNLOADS

AP2700 Crest Factor Test (67.00 KB)

File configured to measure crest factor. See knowledge base article for complete explanation.