Featured White Papers

This application note provides a short technical introduction to voltage controlled oscillators and explains the most common and the most important measurements made during the VCO characterization process.

Radiofrequency engineers and microwave/mmWave antenna designers are often limited by the strict constraints of traditional antenna manufacturing methods, leading to compromised performance, reduced innovation, or ballooning costs. Fortify’s innovative additive manufacturing technology has unlocked possibilities, design freedoms, and more powerful antenna systems across a wide range of antenna applications. This RF applications guide presents nine ways that 3D-printed dielectrics will transform and enhance your antenna design.

Operating within the 8.0–12.0 GHz frequency range, X-Band radar systems have proved vital across various industries, including meteorology, air traffic control, defense, and maritime services. Their exceptional resolution and accuracy make them indispensable in our technology-driven world.

Phased array, and more specifically Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology has been in use for several decades. This type of array uses active components to control the phase and amplitude weighting of individual elements or groups of elements to modify the array’s aperture distribution. 

Digital filters provide a meaningful way of controlling the input spectra of communication systems over a wide range of applications. They can filter harmonics or isolate frequency bands to prevent intersymbol interference while saving you from the hassle of part procurement, PCB layout, and variations that come with their analog counterpart.

As wireless applications grow, the needs for spectrum monitoring and interference hunting grow with them. In some applications, interference can be life-threatening. Portable spectrum analyzers are invaluable interference hunting tools.

Discover the evolving landscape of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and their wireless communication capabilities in our latest abstract. Explore the current status of UAVs and the emerging trends in UAV wireless communication, focusing on the utilization of the ISM frequency band and mobile networks for seamless connectivity.

Building for space is challenging. Program management requirements, parts availability and delivery, parts costs, and testing costs historically make space OCXOs expensive and longlead. Standardizing specifications based on MIL-PRF-55310, NASA EEE-INST-002, NASA Parts Selection List, and GSFC Preferred Parts Lists, and procuring parts to vendors standard drawings can significantly reduce costs and improve delivery of high-performance OCXOs.

In this paper we summarize measured receive antenna performance for a commercially available 32-element phased array demonstrator. The demonstrator is configured for hybrid beamforming with eight elements per subarray and four digital channels. The test setup and calibration steps are explained sequentially along with the measured calibration accuracy achieved. Three-dimensional radiation patterns of the antenna array are shown for various electronically steered beam positions including amplitude tapering.

Recent trends and developments, such as 5G deployment, massive MIMO and beamforming, automotive radar, and space applications, are shaping the field of RF communications of the 21st century, particularly in the context of millimeter waves. In this article, the concept of a conventional surface mount planar Wilkinson power splitter is revisited and examined at frequencies above 20 GHz.