TABLE OF CONTENTS The analysis bandwidth of a receiver is usually the instantaneous predetection bandwidth available for analysis of the signal spectrum structure. In a superheterodyne receiver, it refers to the bandwidth at the intermediate frequency (IF). In some cases, if the signal envelope is to be analyzed, the term analysis bandwidth may refer to the postdetection bandwidth particularly, in a direct detection receiver. It will be clear from the context of the analysis problem exactly how the analysis bandwidth is defined: it is the bandwidth which restricts the signal processing or measurement at hand.
The analysis bandwidth of an intercept receiver is usually not matched to the bandwidth of a particular radar signal (which would improve the SNR), but is wider for two reasons:
The intercept receiver must be capable of analyzing many different radar signals having a variety of bandwidths. Hence, it usually is as wide as needed for the widest bandwidth signal expected. Modern signal processing approaches may apply multiple bandwidths to the same data.
The analysis may be concerned with features of the radar signal incidental to the radar s performance and contained in portions of the signal spectrum beyond the region used by the radar receiver (e.g., pulse top ripples whose period is a fraction of the pulse duration).
Conventional pulsed radars do not normally pose difficult problems for the intercept receiver designer. Once again, since both the radar and interceptor use similar components, the interceptor can maintain an analysis bandwidth at least...
