Day 1

• RF Terminology (part I)

• Complex numbers
• Complex calculation method
• Basic concepts of circuit characterization
• Noise
• Transmission line theory
  
  

• Antennas (part I)

• Impedance
• Directivity
• Gain
• Polarization
• Wire antennas
• Patch antennas
• Arrays, antenna measurement techniques
  
  
• Antenna practical:
• Measurement of antenna impedance
• Measurement of antenna gain in an anechoic chamber
• Design of a patch antenna for the 2.4 GHz Wifi band

Day 2

• RF Terminology (part II)

• Continuation of transmission line theory
• Reflection coefficient
• Return loss
• VSWR
• Smith diagram
• Impedance adjustment
• Mismatch Loss
• Port description
• Scattering parameters, network analyzer
  
  
• hands-on: measurements of reflections using network analyzers

Day 3

• RF Systems

• Receiver architecture
• Basic circuits (PPL • Oscillators • Modulators • Demodulators • Mixers • Amplifiers • Filters)
• Linearity (IP2, IP3)
• Noise figure
• Dynamic range
• Sensitivity
• Selectivity
• Power
  
  
• hands-on: noise and intermodulation measurements on amplifiers using spectrum analyzers

Day 4

• Communication systems

• Introduction to modern communication systems and modulation techniques::
  (‘air-interface’ of) GSM • UMTS • WLAN • AM • FM • QAM
• Frequency hopping
• Spread spectrum
• BER
  
  

• Antennas (part II)

• Summary theory
• Antenna design simulations
  
  

E-mail: rfcourse@astrotec.nl