User's Manual

Table Of Contents
Technical Description & Configuration Guide Performance and Alarm Management
LigoWave Page 69
Constellation Diagram
A constellation diagram is a representation of a signal modulated by the digital modulation schemes
32APSK, 16APSK or QPSK. It displays the signal as a two-dimensional scatter diagram in the complex
plane at symbol sampling instants. Measured constellation diagram can be used to recognize the type
of interference and distortion in a signal.
For the purpose of analyzing the received signal quality, some types of corruption are evident in the
constellation diagram. For example:
1. Gaussian noise is displayed as fuzzy constellation points:
Figure 48 Gaussian noise (QPSK)
2. Non-coherent single frequency interference is displayed as circular constellation points:
Figure 49 Non-coherent single frequency interference (QPSK)
3. Phase noise is displayed as rotationally spreading constellation points:
Figure 50 Phase noise (QPSK)
4. Amplitude compression causes the corner points to move towards the centre: