High-Precision Localization of Passive Intermodulation Source in Radio Frequency Transmission Lines Based on Dual-Frequency Signals

Abstract

With the development of communication technology, the interference from passive intermodulation to the communication system has become increasingly severe. Locating the source of passive intermodulation and then repairing or replacing the device experiencing passive intermodulation is a reliable method. Therefore, this paper proposes a dual-frequency signal localization method based on the principle of phase ranging to accurately locate the passive intermodulation sources in RF cables. This method switches the test signal frequency to obtain the phase of passive intermodulation signals at different frequencies to localize the passive intermodulation source. This paper analyzes the principle of the passive intermodulation localization method based on dual-frequency signals, establishes a localization system for experiments, and finally, analyzes the experimental error to propose an optimization strategy. Through experimental verification, this method can stabilize the positioning error of a passive intermodulation source in a transmission line less than 0.06 m. Meanwhile, this method has high positioning accuracy and the advantages of slight computational complexity, fast positioning speed, and only a small number of requirements on hardware resources. It can work in communication scenarios like satellite and base stations, providing a new technical solution for localizing passive intermodulation interference sources in 5G and 6G communication systems.