Practical Radio Frequency Test And Measurement

RF circuits; transmitters; receivers; antennas; troubleshooting.

Originally published as Newnes practical RF handbook.

Modern wireless communications hardware is underpinned by RF and microwave design techniques. This insightful book contains a wealth of circuit layouts, design tips, and practical measurement techniques for building and testing practical gigahertz systems. The book covers everything you need to know to design, build, and test a high-frequency circuit. Microstrip components are discussed, including tricks for extracting good performance from cheap materials. Connectors and cables are also described, as are discrete passive components, antennas, low-noise amplifiers, oscillators, and frequency synthesizers. Practical measurement techniques are presented in detail, including the use of network analyzers, sampling oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and noise figure meters. Throughout the focus is practical, and many worked examples and design projects are included. There is also a CD-ROM that contains a variety of design and analysis programs. The book is packed with indispensable information for students taking courses on RF or microwave circuits and for practising engineers.

The Keep It Simple (KISS) philosophy is the primary focus of this book. It is written in very simple language with minimal math, as a compilation of helpful EMI troubleshooting hints. Its light-hearted tone is at odds with the extreme seriousness of most engineering reference works that become boring after a few pages. This text tells engineers what to do and how to do it. Only a basic knowledge of math, electronics, and a basic understanding of EMI/EMC are necessary to understand the concepts and circuits described. Once EMC troubleshooting is demystified, readers learn there are quick and simple techniques to solve complicated problems a key aspect of this book. Simple and inexpensive methods to resolve EMI issues are discussed to help generate unique ideas and methods for developing additional diagnostic tools and measurement procedures. An appendix on how to build probes is included. It can be a fun activity, even humorous at times with bizarre techniques (i.e., the sticky finger probe).

Optimizing and Testing WLANs explores proven techniques for maximizing the coverage area and performance of wireless networks. The author's insider position on the IEEE committee developing standards for WLAN testing ensures timeliness and technical integrity of the material. The book includes coverage of newer multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) wireless networks. The techniques provided will allow engineers to help maintain continuous wireless connectivity to laptops and other mobile devices. Optimizing and Testing WLANs is the first book to address the need to test WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks) for proper performance and to optimize their operation as they become increasingly common. It covers test equipment and methods for the RF (wireless) and physical layers of WLAN, protocols, the application layer, and manufacturing testing. The emphasis throughout is on underlying engineering principles along with modern metrics and methodologies, ensuring this book gives both a solid theoretical background along with field-proven techniques and applications. A particularly engaging chapter deals with manufacturing test that describes some of the different manufacturing test setups and equipment. A concise introduction to deployment testing of "hotspots" and WLANs in enterprises is also provided. This text will be of interest to RF wireless engineers and designers, networking engineers, IT professionals and managers, and graduate students. *Gives proven techniques for maximizing the coverage area and performance of wireless networks *Author's insider position on the IEEE committee developing standards for WLAN testing ensures timeliness and technical integrity of the material *Includes coverage of newer multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) wireless networks

The only source for practical, real-world information on RF measurements for cellular phones and wireless data systems It is predicted that by the year 2010, all digital wireless communications equipment—including cellular, PCS, and 3G phones; wireless LANs; GPS navigation systems; and DBS TV—will have data transfer capabilities of over 1 Mbps. Now, as this significant turning point quickly approaches, this book presents everything industry professionals need to know about the Radio Frequency (RF) measurements and tests that must be made on this new generation of digital wireless communications equipment. Presenting just enough theory as is absolutely required for comprehension, RF Measurements for Cellular Phones and Wireless Data Systems: Provides a review of basic RF principles and terminology Describes RF measurement equipment, including signal generators, power meters, frequency meters, vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, and vector signal analyzers Explains the RF devices that are used in cellular phones and wireless data transmission equipment—how they work, what their critical performance parameters are, how they're tested, and typical test results Illustrates the testing of RF devices and systems with digitally modulated signals that represent the voice, video, or data that the RF wave is carrying RF Measurements for Cellular Phones and Wireless Data Systems has been written to serve as the industry standard for RF measurements and testing. It is an indispensable resource for engineers, technicians, and managers involved in the construction, installation, or maintenance of cell phones and wireless data equipment.

Cognitive radio technologies are forms of wireless communication with many and varied applications. The contributions in this book will benefit researchers and engineers as they offer cutting-edge knowledge in the field. Subjects include uses of wideband voltage controlled oscillators, control planes for spectrum access and mobility in networks with heterogeneous frequency devices. Other chapters cover cognitive media access control and measurement methods for spectrum occupancy. In addition, there are contributions on delay analysis and channel selection in single-hop networks for delay-sensitive applications, the application of transmission security (TRANSEC) protocols to cognitive radio communication and the use of blind detection, parameters, estimation and the despreading of DS-CDMA signals in multirate, multiuser cognitive radio systems.