Using laser-sourced light beams rather than wireless RF to link spacecraft with Earth offers the possibility of a significant increase in data rates. Still, there are significant technical challenges to the concept. Scientists, engineers, and researchers communicating with spacecraft have a problem: there’s so much data coming from these spacecraft – and to send to […]
Telecommunications
Dual-band WiFi antennas optimized for 2.4GHz and 5GHz applications
AVX Corporation released a new series of IP67-rated, external, dual-band Wi-Fi antennas optimized for 2.4GHz and 5GHz applications. The new X9001748 Series external, dual-band Wi-Fi antennas have a standardized, ready-to-use, RoHS-compliant design with IP67 sealing for reliable outdoor operation and provide high-gain, high-efficiency, and high-reliability performance in low- and high-band applications with a variety of device configurations and […]
Automotive-grade polymer chip caps exhibit low DCL, benign failure mode
AVX Corporation released the new TCO Series high-temperature, automotive-grade polymer chip capacitors, which are rated for operating temperatures up to 150°C at category voltage and meet AEC-Q200 Stress Test Qualification for Passive Components requirements, which ensure stable performance at 85°C, 85% relative humidity, and rated voltage for up to 1,000 hours. Based on AVX’s field-proven TCQ Series automotive […]
Small nichrome chip resistors handle 0.05 W
As design engineers continue to push the miniaturization of electronic devices while maintaining or increasing functionality, there is a corresponding need for smaller and more precise electronic components, such as chip resistors. If a precision application requires both small size and high-power handling, finding suitable precision resistors may be challenging. Stackpole recently increased the power […]
A look at intrinsic broadband noise spectral density
You can think of noise as an unwanted signal. This signal creates an error by combining with the desired signal in your circuit. Exterior sources can couple into your circuits, such as your 50 or 60 Hz DC mains signal or your cell phone. The starting point in your circuit’s noise evaluation is to reach […]
Free-space optical links, Part 1: Principles
Free-space optical links provide a reliable, cost-effective, and quick way to link two fixed communication nodes located a few kilometers apart. When engineers think of “optical data links” or “optical communications” they almost invariably think of light (visible or not) in an optical fiber carrying data at high rates for tens or even thousands of […]
What is passive intermodulation?
Passive intermodulation (PIM) is a pernicious and destructive phenomenon for cellular network operators. PIM shows up as a set of unwanted signals created by mixing two or more strong RF signals. Mixing generally produces the sum and difference frequencies of the two transmit signals F1 and F2. These signals are F1 + F2 and F1 […]
VSWR and impedance, Part 6: Microstrip and stripline
Understanding the role and implications of impedance in RF transmission lines and antennas is vital to successful system performance. The traditional matching approaches are still in wide use, but new application requirements and advances in components, modeling and simulation, and manufacturing precision have also provided new ways to address the matching problem. Q: What is […]
VSWR and impedance, Part 4: Measurements
Understanding the role and implications of impedance in RF transmission lines and antennas is vital to successful system performance. The previous section looked at the basics of VSWR. This section looks at two approaches to measuring impedance and VSWR. Q: What do engineers and users need to know? A: For some applications, such as connecting […]
VSWR and impedance, Part 2: Reflected power
Understanding the role and implications of impedance in RF transmission lines and antennas is vital to successful system performance. Part 1 of this article looked at the basics of impedance matching and power transfer. This part looks at the closely related topic of nominal impedance and VSWR. Q: Why all this worry? Aren’t RF systems […]
