Radio frequency accelerometer

A method of using an accelerometer sensor comprising:

• Providing a first quartz crystal resonator with maximum acceleration sensitivity vectors of the highest sensitivity values and operating at the highest practical resonant frequencies (F1);
• Providing a second quartz crystal resonator with maximum acceleration sensitivity vectors of the highest sensitivity values and operating at the highest practical resonant frequencies (F2);
• Producing a down converted output signal (F1−F2) and an up converted output signal (F1+F2) using a radio frequency mixer;
• Filtering out the up converted output using a bandpass filter centered on the down converted output signal so that a change in the down converted output signal (F1−F2) effectively provides a doubling of the sensitivity to a measured acceleration event;
• Adjusting power of the down converted output signal using an attenuator and amplifier circuitry following the bandpass filter;
• Analyzing the filtered and adjusted down converted output signal using an oscilloscope, a spectrum analyzer or a microcontroller to determine the magnitude of acceleration from the change in frequency of the down converted output signal (F1−F2);
• and
• Wherein the maximum acceleration sensitivity vectors of the first and second quartz crystal resonators are aligned in parallel but opposite directions;
• Wherein the highest practical resonant frequencies (F1 and F2) of the first and second quartz crystal resonators are of close but not equal values.