Using the PCSV6 Digital Speech Voltmeter the engineer can establish the gain/loss across the transcoder precisely whilst monitoring live traffic even though that traffic is discontinuous. The dual channel PCSV6 will provide, directly, the long term difference between the input and the output.

Another application centres upon the requirement of one carrier to provide an appropriate signal level to another. Typically a carrier will be presenting an analogue signal to the end user on a fixed line whilst the originating signal could well be coming from another fixed line network or a mobile operator. The transparency requirement means that the signal levels should match. This requirement is likely to be defined in the operating agreement between the carriers. It is in both parties interests to ensure that the signals are compliant and the optimum method is to drop the signal to the analogue domain and measure it over a long period of time. The in-service maintenance of mission critical lines carrying mixed speech and data traffic can be easily accomplished using the PCSV6 to monitor the lines. A 2-3dB drop in level will be detected within moments and corrective action can then be taken. This application has been proven in the Air Traffic Control environment where fixed lines linking the controllers to the radio transmitters have been monitored cyclically using an IEEE-488 bus controller system.

Handover between base stations in cellular networks should be silent and not give rise to noticeable signal level variation. The PCSV6 records the amplitude of a peak and time of occurrence. Thus a spike on handover will be detected and any long term signal level change can be observed easily on the screen. The PCSV6 can record results direct to the host computer hard disk consequently monitoring on a long run can be performed automatically and the base station performances determined in the engineering laboratory. Doubletalk is defined as the period during which signals exist above a pre-determined level, on a duplex path. Doubletalk can be due to simultaneous speaking, or can be due to a severe echo or reflection problem. The PCSV6 provides a convenient technique for determining doubletalk.