What is Signal to Noise Ratio?

Here is a great video explaining the concept of signal-to-noise ratio.

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

The video “Signal to Noise Explained in plain English. | Ham Radio For Dummies K6UDA Radio – YouTube” explains the concept of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the context of ham radio. The video is presented by K6UDA Radio, which simplifies the technical jargon of SNR for a layperson. SNR refers to the ratio of the desired radio signal to the background noise in the receiving equipment, measured in decibels.

Having a good receiver is important to overcome SNR, especially on certain bands. The noise floor, which is the level of atmospheric noise picked up by the receiver, is an important factor in SNR. Pixie dust is a term used to describe atmospheric noise, which can create heavy noise floors, particularly on 80 meters.

The video provides an example of how digital signal processing can improve SNR by filtering out noise. The video also contains information about a meter giveaway for subscribers. [1]

Signal to Noise Explained in Plain English

  • The video is about explaining the concept of signal-to-noise ratio in ham radio.
  • The speaker emphasizes that he is not an expert or a scientist but aims to explain the topic in a simple way for non-technical individuals.
  • The noise floor is described as the background atmospheric noise present during radio transmission.
  • The speaker demonstrates how adjusting preamps and using digital signal processing (DSP) can improve the reception of weak signals amidst the noise.
  • The importance of overcoming the signal-to-noise ratio is highlighted as it allows for better communication with weaker signals, which is considered valuable in ham radio.
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