RF & Microwave Community

Mahendra Tailor, Technology Leader

Laird Connectivity

Bluetooth is widely used on wireless devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to provide connectivity to Internet of Things (IoT) devices through a wireless personal area network. Enhancements in V5.0 increase the data rate, range and payload of the Bluetooth Low Energy connections resulting in higher speed and better coverage. Recently, V5.1 was launched with significant upgrades to positioning ...read more

What is Better - Wi-Fi 6 or 5G?

5G Technologies Wi-Fi

Every time a new cellular phone standard comes out, we see new claims about the “end of Wi-Fi.” When 3G was announced, the promise was that it would make Wi-Fi (802.11b) redundant, which clearly turned out to be incorrect. With 4G (LTE), this story repeated itself and claimed it would put Wi-Fi (802.11ac) in the shredder. And now the 5G message is that it will cover both the inside and...read more

What are 1.0 mm Connectors?

Connectors

Editorial Team - everything RF

Jan 12, 2019

1.0 mm connectors are 50 ohm precision connectors that operate mode free up to 110 GHz. They have an outer conductor that measures 1.0 mm and an air dielectric with the contact supported by a short dielectric bead. During connections, the robust wall of the connector body is designed to engage before the center conductor, assuring a rugged, repeatable mating interface.There are two grades of 1 mm ...read more

What are 4.3/10 Connectors?

Connectors

Editorial Team - everything RF

Jan 12, 2019

The 4.3-10 connector system came into existence to replace 7-16 DIN connectors in wireless radio equipment and antennas. These connectors were developed to meet the needs of telecom companies who needed a smaller, lighter, easier to install and more reliable connector with low PIM. The 4.3-10 connectors operate up to 6 GHz as per the IEC 60169-54 interface standard but some companies offer product...read more

What is the Difference between a 3-Port Coupler and 4-Port Coupler?

Couplers

Editorial Team - everything RF

Jan 10, 2019

A directional coupler is usually a 4-port device with an Input Power, Coupled Port, Output Port and Isolated Port. In a 3-Port Coupler, the isolated port is terminated internally. The performance (directivity) of a 4-port directional coupler can be impacted by the quality of impedance match (termination) at the isolated port. As a result of this, 3-Port couplers where the isolated port is internal...read more

What is Noise Temperature?

RF Basics

Editorial Team - everything RF

Jan 3, 2019

Noise Temperature (Te) is a way to express noise of a system in terms of an equivalent temperature. It is not the physical temperature of a system but is a theoretical value that defines an equivalent temperature required to produce a specific amount of noise power in that system.The relation between Noise temperature and Noise Factor can be given by the following equation (To=290 K):The Relation ...read more

What is RF Over Fiber?

Fiber Optics

Editorial Team - everything RF

Jan 3, 2019

RF over fiber (RFoF) or Radio over fibre (RoF) is a way of transmitting radio waves over a fiber optic cable by converting the RF signal into light by modulating the intensity of a light source (Laser or LED) with the RF signal. At the other end, the RF signal is recovered using an Optical-Electrical modulator (O/E).RF over Fiber transmission is an analog process that provides high bandwidth, low-...read more

What are Reverse Polarity Connectors?

Connectors

Editorial Team - everything RF

Jan 3, 2019

As depicted in the figure above, a traditional Male connector (Standard Polarity) consists of an outer body, a ferrule and a center pin. The threaded portion is inside the connector.On the other hand, a traditional female connector (Standard Polarity) consists of an outer body, a ferrule and a receptacle instead of a center pin. The threaded portion is outside the connector.In Reverse Polarity Mal...read more

It’s a Wonderful Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi

Brent Dietz

Qorvo

It’s that magical time of year when family and friends gather ‘round a crackling fireplace, the smell of homemade cookies fills the air, and an annual tradition is renewed when Frank Capra’s classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” finds its spot at the top of the holiday movie playlist. We’re reminded by the movie’s lead character George Bailey of simpler ...read more

What is Carrier Aggregation?

LTE RF Basics Technologies

Editorial Team - everything RF

Dec 11, 2018

Carrier Aggregation (CA) is a feature of LTE-Advanced that allows mobile operators to combine two or more LTE carriers into single data channel to increase the capacity of the network and the data rates by exploiting fragmented spectrum allocations.This technology can be applied to either the FDD or TDD variants of LTE with a maximum of five component carriers, each with a bandwidth of up to 20 MH...read more

What is a Test Socket?

Test & Measurement

Editorial Team - everything RF

Dec 11, 2018

RF Test Sockets are used to test high frequency IC's without soldering them on to a PCB. The IC is placed in a test socket which is soldered on to a PCB board which is placed within a test setup. It is easy to add and remove an IC from a test socket.An ideal test socket should be electrically “transparent;” that is, its presence should have no effect on the test results. This chara...read more

Bias T, Band Splitter and Other RF Diplexers

Bias Tees Filters

Bree Engineering

A Simple Bias T allows for a DC voltage to be injected into a circuit without directly altering with the RF signal that is being sent through the same circuit.A good benefit to this is the ability to provide power from the injected source location to the desired component that would need power. (Antennas, Amplifier, diodes, transistors and more RF components)The reason why being able to inject a D...read more

What is Frequency Stability?

Crystal Oscillators

Editorial Team - everything RF

Oct 10, 2018

Frequency stability represents the variation of output frequency of a crystal oscillator due to external conditions like temperature variation, voltage variation, output load variation, and frequency aging. Frequency stability is typically expressed in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb) which can be represented in the form of frequency (usually in Hz).Parts per Million (ppm): 1 ppm...read more

What is IEEE 802.11aq?

802.11

Editorial Team - everything RF

Sep 20, 2018

IEEE 802.11aq is an amendment to IEEE 802.11, approved in June 2018, that allows discovery of available services in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs).At the moment, you can not identify the services offered by a wireless network without connecting to it. There is also no way to figure out if your wireless device is compatible with a specific network. The IEEE 802.11aq standard resolves this pro...read more

CMOS RF/mmWave Technologies Enable the Transformation of IoT Satellite Communications

SATCOM

Cormac O'Sullivan

S3semi

The ongoing and predicted explosive growth in IoT is placing ever increasing demands on connectivity – a recent report by Ericsson predicts that there will be over 20 billion connected things in use globally by 2020. IoT networks rely primarily on Wi-Fi, LTE and, soon, 5G technologies, but satellite communications play an increasingly vital role in “filling in” gaps in coverage, complementing wire...read more

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