Downhole drilling characteristic measurement systems for measuring a characteristic of drilling through the earth's subsurface and methods of the same are described. The systems include a downhole tool having an active measurement system, comprising a receiver, a first transmitter, and a second transmitter and a controller in communication with the first transmitter and the second transmitter, the controller configured to control the first transmitter and the second transmitter to transmit a first transmitted signal from the first transmitter and a second transmitted signal from the second transmitter. The receiver is arranged to receive a first received signal from the first transmitted signal and a second received signal from the second transmitted signal. A processor is configured to determine a characteristic of drilling from the first received signal and the second received signal.