Definition of Spectral splatter
In radio electronics or acoustics, spectral splatter (also called switch noise) refers to spurious emissions that result from an abrupt change in the transmitted signal, usually when transmission is started or stopped.
For example, a device transmitting a sine wave produces a single peak in the frequency spectrum; however, if the device abruptly starts or stops transmitting this sine wave, it will emit noise at frequencies other than the frequency of the sine wave. This noise is known as spectral splatter.
When the signal is represented in the time domain, an abrupt change may not be visually apparent; in the frequency domain, however, the abrupt change causes the appearance of spikes at various frequencies.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Spectral splatter?
In radio electronics or acoustics, spectral splatter (also called switch noise) refers to spurious emissions that result from an abrupt change in the transmitted signal, usually when transmission is started or stopped.
Sources & credits
- Wikipedia: Spectral splatter – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Phil Karn – CC BY-SA 4.0