2. Power measurement

The output power level of a system or component is often the critical factor in the design of virtually all RF and microwave equipment. For example, in satellite communication systems, doubling the transmitter output power doubles the geographical coverage, which is a very important economic factor. Power measurements, from the lowest to the highest, must therefore be particularly accurate and reproducible.

For frequencies below a few hundred kilohertz, power is commonly calculated from voltage measurements, provided the load impedance is known precisely (load impedance of 50 Ω or 75 Ω, for example). Conversely, when the frequency is higher than a few tens of megahertz, it's easier to measure power directly and deduce voltage and current by calculation. From centimetric waves onwards (a few gigahertz), the notion of power becomes...

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Power measurement