A conducted receiver sensitivity test varies a known signal at the DUT input and evaluates a defined reception criterion.
Why this matters in the industry
Radio manufacturers need repeatable low-level stimulation without confusing generator settings with actual receiver input power.
The technical reasoning
Production sensitivity testing trades test duration against statistical confidence and coverage. A short error-rate trial near threshold can produce different outcomes even when the receiver is unchanged. The station needs a clear success metric, verified input level and a trial length appropriate to the operational decision.
Defining a communication outcome before counting it
Packet success depends on more than RF power. Payload length, timing, retries, receiver state and the application's arrival deadline influence the outcome. A packet-delivery fraction is an estimate from a specified sample; its confidence depends on sample size and whether observations can reasonably be treated as independent. Correlated fades or shared interference can make a long sequence less informative than the same number of independent trials.
How to structure the investigation
Characterize attenuation and cable loss, control unwanted leakage, and define the packet or error criterion. Sweep levels around the expected threshold using sufficient observations. Confirm the setup can deliver signals below that threshold reproducibly.
Define a transmitted attempt, an acceptable arrival and treatment of duplicates or retries. Record the complete configuration and the number of observations at each condition. Compare repeated runs and preserve timestamps when timing matters. Under an independent Bernoulli approximation, the standard error of an estimated success fraction is approximately the square root of p times one minus p divided by n, but extreme values and correlated data need more careful treatment.
Worked example or engineering scenario
With 1,000 independent packets and a true 1 percent error probability, the expected count is 10 errors and the count varies between trials. A single short run is not an exact characterization of that probability.
Evidence to collect
| Record | Purpose |
|---|---|
| DUT input plane | Defines the tested state and scope of the comparison. |
| Leakage control | Makes the stimulus or route condition reproducible. |
| Error criterion | Supports interpretation of variation and possible confounding effects. |
| Observation count | Connects the observation with the stated engineering decision. |
Trade-offs and common interpretation errors
A displayed 100% from a small sample is not a reliability guarantee. Pooling unlike configurations can also hide weak conditions. Report sample counts and the chosen criterion, and connect the measured outcome to the application's requirement rather than assuming every successful reception is timely or useful.
What the result can support
Choose sample size and acceptance logic together, and recognize statistical variation near the sensitivity boundary.
A short production screen is not a substitute for a complete receiver characterization.
Further technical reading
Related industry knowledge
- Why RF Leakage Causes Receiver Test Errors in Factories
- How to Manage RF Test Limits Across Product Revisions
Numerical scenarios are illustrative assumptions, not reported measurements of a supplied product or installation.