Re: measure 20e3 degrees
There is an appropriate measurement technique. It's based to an instruments that can read accurately 100ppm . That instrument is the counter. The high end frequency meter may by used as counter. Two input connectors are necessary.
Quickly:
1) modulate the signal with a convenient square wave, low freq. signal.
2) feed the counter with both the detected waves (before and after the delay).
The modulating freq. should be choosen low enough to avoid aliasing, but high enough to give sufficient resolution.
I've shown the measurement principle, but practically the scheme is more complicated, sometime coherent conversion and/or PLL are used.
Look at Agilent AN's about frequency meters and related applications.