Managing noise and spurious within complex microwave assemblies
Jul 1, 2003
By William Graves Jr. RF engineers designing complex converter and frequency synthesizer subsystems must analyze each noise and spurious contributor separately to gain confidence in proposed designs. goal of this article is to systematically address some of the subtle effects that engineers spend so much time chasing....
products
Jul 1, 2003
AMPLIFIERS A 4 Watt, 30 GHz packaged amplifier TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. introduced the TGA4905, a 4 W packaged transmit amplifier for satellite ground...
Let's face it, it's time for a face lift
Jul 1, 2003
Todd Judd Erickson Editor terickson@primediabusiness.com Change is inevitable. People change, product designs change, even entire markets change. The wireless device markets are in the midst of changing from...
Digitally controlled, variable-gain amplifier
Jul 1, 2003
Maxim Integrated Products Inc. introduced the MAX2055, which the company says is the industry's first high-performance, digitally controlled, variable-gain,...
product focus Tx/Rx
Jul 1, 2003
Ceramic 2 way power splitter Mini-Circuits Inc. introduced its new SCN series of ceramic 2 way-degree power splitters. The devices operate in the 800...
Products
Jun 1, 2003
Commercial prescalers for advanced synthesizer apps Inphi Corp. announced six pre-scalers for advanced synthesizer applications requiring low and stable...
Correlating High-Speed ADC Performance to Multicarrier 3G Requirements
Jun 1, 2003
By Brad Brannon The sensitivity analysis of multicarrier 3G receivers depends on various aspects of the system design goals. While linear devices have well known system contributions, data converters contribution to system performance is less well understood. This article will provide guidelines for analog-to-digital converter (ADC) selection based on receiver performance requirements....
RF Module Design: Requirements and Issues
Jun 1, 2003
By William Dunham, Rich Kirkham, Doug Stolarz and Juergen Hartung At the hub of a top-down design flow for an RF-system-design-to-product implementation is the RF module design for RF integrated circuits (RFICs), boards and a final RF system prototype. A lack of EDA tool integration and/or standard data-interfaces for the various design disciplines — such as the RF system, printed circuit boards (PCBs), IC packages and IC designs, and prototype testing — have contributed to the difficulty of achieving more accurate models. This article will highlig...
RF Fundamentals
Jun 1, 2003
By Keith Vick As I am sure some of you have noticed, there have been a few changes on the editorial staff of RF Design in the last few months. I am the latest addition...
Reflections on Transistor Stability
Jun 1, 2003
By Stan Alechno When designing amplifiers, one goal is to get rid of any oscillations. The standard approach is to examine the so-called K-factor, or stability circles on the Smith chart. However, there are limitations to this approach. This paper examines those limitations and presents a new methodology to reduce oscillations by employing a complex sphere....
The 4G soldier new developments in military mobile communications
Jun 1, 2003
By Dr. Larry Williams and Allen Kupetz The key to empowering the military with tactical broadband voice, video and data is 4G communications technology that requires a minimal amount of fixed infrastructure, is small and highly portable, and inexpensive enough to be standard issue for every soldier....
Introduction to GSM and GSM Mobile RF Transceiver Derivation
Jun 1, 2003
By Paul Kimuli The GSM system works properly
only when its component parts
operate within precise limits.
Learn the key measurements
required for testing
GSM transceivers....
products
Jun 1, 2003
Low-noise amplifier ICs for broadband millimeter wave communications TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. announced the introduction of three new low-noise amplifier...
product focus test and measurement
Jun 1, 2003
Anritsu Co. Measurement Solution for Handset Power Amplifiers Anritsu Co. Corp. introduced the ME7840/4 handset power amplifier test system (PATS), a...
Designing Signals for Arbitrary Waveform Generators
Jun 1, 2003
By Andy Street Many modern RF signal generators are equipped with a baseband signal processing board that includes a dual arbitrary waveform generator, which is used to drive an IQ modulator. These signal generators typically support a wide variety of modulation schemes implemented either as part of their firmware personalities or via dedicated external software packages. An alternative to instrument specific multitone, modulated pulsed signals is to design the waveform in customized software....
PSCPS Family of Coplaner Analog Phase Shifters
Jun 1, 2003
Agile Materials & Technologies Inc. announced its PSCPS family of coplanar analog phase shifters. These products are the first in a series that enable...
Serving the new DoD cheaper, faster, stronger
Jun 1, 2003
By Mason Carter As the telecommunications industry comes to grips with standards issues, debt loads larger than some countries' GNP, and dozens of unanswered technical questions, the microwave industry is looking for ways to replace its lost wireless revenue. Ironically, this new business may well come from the same source that was lost in 1990 when microwave companies rode off into the wireless revolution: the defense industry. The microwave manufacturers that plan to prosper in this new military environment m...
Ultrawideband: New promises, new problems
Jun 1, 2003
By William Stumpf Ultrawideband (UWB) uses low-power transmission of a high-speed pulsed radio signal to send information through the air over short distances. The pulses are very short or narrow, resulting in a wide transmission bandwidth. UWB technology may lead to advances in safety and rescue operations, military applications, medical imaging, and enable broadband communications to devices in homes and offices....
Quad-band, direct conversion transceiver
May 1, 2003
RF Micro Devices Inc. unveiled an enhanced Polaris Total Radio transceiver with quad-band and direct conversion capabilities. The solution is a highly...
Multi-Channel SDR Architectures for C4ISR Applications
May 1, 2003
By Reese S. Bovard and Adam C. Bush The fusion of Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) requires flexible and adaptable cutting...
product focus passive components
May 1, 2003
Mil Spec SMPS Stacked Capacitors AVX Corp. is offering encapsulated stacked capacitors for very high-performance applications in both T- and B-levels...
An Innovative Shortwave Coupler Design
May 1, 2003
By Michael P. Gaynor The wireless industry is demanding modules with more functionality and smaller size1. The designer must achieve this combined functionality at a lower...
Does Next-Gen Phone's Success Hang on the Cool Factor?
May 1, 2003
by Ernest Worthman Technology Editor eworthman@primediabusiness.com I received an e-mail I recently with an article that eluded to the fact that the next generation of cell phones will succeed based on the factor. What...
MMDS, Wireless Broadband Access and the Last Mile
May 1, 2003
By Mike Rude Two-way multichannel, multipoint distribution service (MMDS) is a cost-effective, wireless alternative to digital subscriber lines (DSL) and cable modem...
Techniques for Determining Small Antenna Gain
May 1, 2003
By Riad Ghabra and Argy Petros In miniature receiver design, such as keyless entry and security devices, one challenging task is optimizing all circuits affecting radiated sensitivity....
