TEST & MEASUREMENT APPLICATION NOTES AND WHITE PAPERS

  • Basic Bulk Current Injection Testing

    Bulk current injection (BCI) testing is a conducted susceptibility procedure that uses an injection current probe. This paper provides an example of BCI testing, covering all steps, including gathering the required equipment, pre-calibration procedures, injection testing procedures, and safety precautions.

  • Directivity And VSWR Measurements: Understanding Return Loss Measurements

    The characterization of microwave networks requires discriminating between forward and backward traveling waves. Unfortunately no directional device is perfect, leading to potentially dramatic measurement errors. In this note we show that return loss and VSWR measurements are greatly complicated by the finite performance of the directional device used to measure the reflected power.

  • Field Probe Correction Factors

    To better achieve accurate field level measurements, it is helpful to have an understanding of field probe calibrations, the factors generated, and what’s presented as data during testing. This application note presents how to utilize the factors presented for inclusion into test data, how to generate composite measurements, and why calibrations are performed at selected frequencies.

  • Linearity Of The JFET And MOSFET When In Saturation Over The Entire Cycle

    Performing RF amplification in a way that is simultaneously linear and efficient has been a challenge in power amplifier (PA) design. Single transistor PAs can either be operated in a linear, but inefficient, current source mode of operation or as efficient, but nonlinear, switches. These techniques use two FETs, but this paper demonstrates that linear amplification can be achieved at high power with an efficiency greater than 60%, using a single FET.

  • Telecommunications Testing Using AR Amplifiers

    This application note explores a number of testing requirements for telecommunication devices and how to benefit from AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation’s products. The paper will cover two broad categories of device testing – characterization and reliability – within mid to high power systems.

TEST & MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS

The dB-9003 and dB-9005 from dB Control are custom-mounted Integrated Stabilized RF Sources (ISRFS) designed to operate in the I and Ka-band frequency range. Both products feature high accuracy and a wide temperature operating range. They can be controlled and set up with a digital port. The units are packaged in a custom configuration with conduction cooling.

The Si894x is a galvanically isolated delta-sigma modulator which outputs a digital signal proportional to the voltage level at the input. 

XF leverages the EM principle of superposition to quickly analyze port phase combinations with a single simulation.

D-TA Systems offers the MFEL 1000 portable ELINT data collection solution designed to provide automatic spectrum scanning for signal activity (pulse or CW), PDW extraction and de-interleaving to tracks where signal characterization is performed automatically. The system includes a built-in 6 TB (expandable to 18 TB) SSD data storage for I/Q data collection in both on-site and off-site analysis.

The dB-3906 TWT Amplifier (TWTA) is designed to use two wideband, periodic permanent magnet (PPM)-focused TWTs to amplify CW, AM, FM or pulse-modulated signals. The dB-3906 offers higher saturated output power and improved harmonic performance when compared to a single TWT approach.

The EVO-RSA-6070A is part of the EVO Series of extended frequency spectrum analyzers from Avcom designed for higher performance and agility in applications with continuously changing requirements. The included SDR-style technology analyzer includes a wide bandwidth receiver and employs FPGA, DSP, and high-performance processors.

The dB-9004 is a custom-mounted Integrated Antenna Digital Control Unit (IADCU). It operates in the C, X and Ku-band frequency range and provides highly accurate RF output (FM, AM and pulse-shape modulated)

Holzworth’s multi-channel RF synthesizer architecture is a complete success story. These compact, 1U high, 19in rack mountable chassis can be configured with up to 8 independently tunable channels. All integrated channels are 100% phase coherent. Holzworth has designed the multi-channel platform for integration of our HSM Series Single Channel Synthesizers to maximize channel-to-channel stability via a conductively cooled, fan-less enclosure.