Measurement Errors and Pitfalls¶
This page summarizes real-world SDR mistakes.
Receiver overload¶
Symptom: - flat-topped waveform - distorted FFT
Fix: - reduce gain - add attenuation
DC offset¶
Symptom: - spike at zero frequency
Fix: - enable DC removal
Aliasing¶
Symptom: - mirrored spectrum
Fix: - correct sampling rate
CFO (Carrier Frequency Offset)¶
Symptom: - rotating constellation
Fix: - frequency correction
Clipping¶
Symptom: - distorted constellation
Fix: - gain control
Engineering takeaway¶
Every SDR measurement must be treated critically.