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OSCILLATOR MAKE THINGS WORSE.  VERY LOW NOISE POWER SUPPLIES AND VOLTAGE
REGULATORS ARE IMPORTANT FOR SYNTHESIZERS. MDS AND PHASE NOISE.  THE PROBLEM
WITH PHASE NOISE IS THAT IT CAN RAISE THE NOISE FLOOR IN YOUR RECEIVER,
MASKING WEAK SIGNALS, AND THE MINIMUM DISCERNABLE SIGNAL, MDS, BECOMES
LARGER.  THIS IS AN INSIDIOUS EFFECT BECAUSE IT SOUNDS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER
NOISE.  THE NORTH EAST WEAK SIGNAL, N.E.W.S., GROUP DOES AN MDS COMPARISON
ON SEVERAL MICROWAVE BANDS AT THEIR ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC. PARTICIPANTS AIM
THEIR ANTENNAS AT A DISTANT SIGNAL SOURCE, AND THE SIGNAL LEVEL IS REDUCED
IN SMALL STEPS.  AT SOME LEVEL, THE SIGNAL DISAPPEARS INTO THE NOISE, SO WE
CAN SEE HOW EACH SYSTEM COMPARES.  THIS EITHER ASSURES THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS
WELL OR HIGHLIGHTS A PROBLEM TO FIX BEFORE THE NEXT CONTEST OR OPERATING
EVENT.  SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I WANTED TO SEE IF THE PHASE NOISE OF A
SYNTHESIZER BASED LO WOULD AFFECT MDS.  STEVE KOSTRO, N2CEI, AT DOWN EAST
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