RF & Microwave

The attraction of software-defined radio (SDR) is that it allows a single hardware design to support communications across a variety of formats, protocols, and frequencies, including GSM and LTE basestations, and supporting MIMO (multiple input/multiple output) designs. A basic SDR architecture can look relatively simple, at least “on paper”, just digitise the amplified RF signal directly, without the need for down ...

Gain equalisers from Knowles Capacitors are designed to compensate for module gain slope at microwave frequencies. The thin film devices provides slope correction from DC to 18GHz of greater than 3dB. They are designed for superior, repeatable microwave performance to compensate for gain roll-off and VSWR mismatch losses and are a good match to a 50ῼ line width for optimal ...

The stainless steel chamber holds a 1GW laser amplifier. The UK’s Centre for Advanced Laser Technology and Applications (CALTA) has supplied a £2.2m gigawatt laser amplifier to the Czech Republic’s Institute of Physics (IoP) for the European Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) ‘Beamlines’ facility. Oxfordshire-based CALTA is part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and exploits technology developed in ...

Freescale Semiconductor has introduced a low power RF power amplifier in its Airfast RF range adding mobile radio power levels to the 4W – 75W range. This is a small form-factor rugged devcie with a greater than 65:1 VSWR survivability rating for continuous reliable operation in extreme environments. Designated the AFT05MS004N, the device is characterised at frequencies from 136 to 941MHz and can operate as low as ...

Lantronix is shipping its xPico Arduino Wi-Fi shield which supports a simultaneous wireless LAN interface and access point, and can be used to connect to an Arduino computer using web-based tools and applications. According to the supplier, a wireless LAN driver is not required on the Arduino microcontroller to configure wireless connectivity. The shield features connection management software and a ...

ConnectBlue has a wireless Linux platform based on a multi-radio module supporting Classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy and WLAN with full dual-band support for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands. According to the supplier, customer developed applications can be embedded directly on to the Linux software stack. “With our new Multiradio System-on-Module it will be possible to easily develop new and innovative wireless ...

LPRS is aiming at the internet of things and other battery sensors with a wireless controller module that can use as little as 32µA. “easyRadio Integrated Controller [eRIC] transceiver power-saving modes provide control of the duty cycle of the receiver so that the ‘on’ time can be set to 12.5, 6.25, 3.1 , 1.56, 0.78, 0.39 and 0.2% with corresponding ...

Alps Electric has developed a satellite positioning module for automotive designs requiring a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) supporting multiple positioning systems. The positioning systems already in use include GPS, the Russian GLONASS and Chinese BDS. Europe will soon deploy of its Galileo system. According to Alps, because the positioning accuracy of satellite positioning systems can be improved by receiving ...

Freescale Semiconductor has designed a 5V power amplifier which covers GSM, 3G, 4G and LTE frequency bands between 1500MHz and 2700MHz. It achieves this with an output power of 2W and gain of more than 40dB. Designated the MMZ25333B, it is a multi-stage power amplifier (PA) based on InGaP GaAs HBT technology. The power amplifier is likely to be used for driver and pre-driver circuits in macrocell ...

CommAgility has designed a double-width advanced mezzanine card module with processing performance to implement “a complete RF to Layer 3 wireless basestation functionality on a single card”. It has enough on board processing performance for use in test and development of LTE Advanced and 5G systems, with MIMO capabilities. “From RF through to Ethernet, this new module provides everything wireless ...