Outline
Day One
Course Objectives and Course Outline
• Review of RF principles • Wave parameters
- frequency, amplitude, phase • basics of propagation •
dB and dBm • Mismatches •
Conversion between mismatch expressions
- Reflection coefficient, return loss, mismatch loss, SWR •
The Smith Chart - an overview •
S-parametersRF Test Equipment - Principles of Operation
•
Cable and connector types/proper care • Signal generators • Power meters and power sensors • Frequency counter • Vector network analyzer • Demonstration: how to setup and calibrate a basic VNA measurement • Vector network analyzer measurements on non-packaged devices
Day Two
• Spectrum analyzer • Demonstration: how to operate a spectrum analyzer
- Resolution Bandwidth, Video Bandwidth, Attenuation, Scaling • Noise figure meter • Vector signal analyzer
Measurement Uncertainties
• Mismatch uncertainty • VNA - motivation for measurement calibration
RF Communication system block diagram
• Specifications of components to be tested
Transmitter components
Phase locked oscillator
• principles of operation • measurement of phase noise
- log/video vs. rms averaging on Spectrum Analyzer
- Marker noise function
Upconverter
• Modulation basics • principles of operation • demonstration: measurement of conversion gain using a spectrum analyzer
- output spectrum of upconverter
Day Three
Power Amplifier
• principles of operation • demonstration measurement
- swept gain
- power sweep/1 dB compression point
- AM to PM distortion
- phase on the Vector Network Analyzer •
Harmonic power using Spectrum Analyzer • checking for distortion products in the test equipment
Receiver Components
Noise and Noise Figure
• Noise figure measurement • demonstration measurement using Y-factor technique
Filters
• Principles of operation • Demonstration measurement
- passband
- inband loss
- match
- group delay on the Vector Network Analyzer
Day Four
Low Noise Amplifiers
• principles of operation •
Noise figure •
intermodulation products • demonstration measurement
- gain/1dB compression point
- output power
- phase using power sweep on Vector Network Analyzer • demonstration measurement
- S-parameters vs. frequency on the Vector Network Analyzer
Mixer
• principles of operation
- conversion gain
- output power
Intermodulation Products
• description of intermodulation products •
Demonstration: IP3/TOI using a spectrum analyzer •
definition of IP2Overall Receiver Performance
• Typical overall receiver performance • Calculating system performance
Day Five
Multiple Access Techniques
• FDMA • TDMA •
CDMA • OFDMA
Performance of RF components with digital signals
•
Block diagram •
Digital modulation fundamentals • demonstration measurement
- Adjacent Channel Power (ACP) performance vs. power amplifier nonlinearity with different modulation techniques • zero span function on Spectrum Analyzer
Vector Signal Analyzer Modulation Quality Measurements
• Principles of operation •
EVM/Distortion of digital signal due to power amplifier nonlinearity •
EVM/Distortion of digital signal due to IF filter group delay •
EVM/Distortion due to LO phase noise with mixer • Troubleshooting digital modulation with a Vector Signal Analyzer
Description of Bit Error Rate (BER)
Review
• RF Communication System Operation