Bessernet Suggested Resources
Alphabetical listing of all recommended Articles/Application Notes:
-Balun Design
Short tutorial on various balun designs.
-Phase Locked Loop Tutorial
Adrio Communications
Good overview of PLL design and phase noise sources
-Measuring Noise Figure with a Spectrum Analyzer
Agilent Technologies
Application note about spectrum analyzer-based noise figure measurements. The note focuses on software personalities that can be added to the spectrum analyzer as well as sources of measurement uncertainty.
-RF Testing of Wireless LAN Products AN 1380-1
Agilent Technologies
Application note on wireless LAN testing from Agilent Technologies
-Characterizing Digitally Modulated Signals with CCDF Curves
Agilent Technologies
Application note on Complimentary Cumulative Distribution Function measurements for modern digital communications systems.
-Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Noise Figure Measurements AN 57-1
Agilent Technologies
Application note about noise figure measurement techniques. Good summary of traditional techniques and formulas for measuring noise figure.
-10 Hints for Getting More from Your Function Generator
Agilent
Advances in software, microprocessors and display technology have expanded the capabilities of modern function generators. The latest models can produce a variety of signals, including common waveforms, arbitrary waveforms and sophisticated modulated waveforms. Many use direct digital synthesis (DDS), which creates a stable, accurate output for clean, low-distortion sine waves. DDS also enables square waves with fast rise and fall times. The added capability gives you more fl exibility for testing your devices. The hints in this application note will help you take advantage of the features of your function/arbitrary waveform generator so you can get your job done more easily.(Includes hint on why the measured voltage will be double that of the generator display when measured on an oscilloscope.) 59890-1456EN.pdf
-10 Steps to a Perfect Digital Demodulation Measurement
Agilent
App note for setting up a measurement on a Vector Signal Analyzer, as well as troubleshooting tree for devices/systems.
-Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Noise Figure Measurements
Agilent
Description of y factor and cold source noise figure techniques.
-Testing and Troubleshooting Digital RF Communications Receiver Designs
Agilent
-Testing Digital Communications Transmitters and Receivers
Agilent
Digital modulation and BER
-Using Error Verctor Magnitude Measurements to Analyze and Troubleshoot Vector-Modulated Signals
Agilent
Using the VSA to troubleshoot modulation.
-8 Hints for Making Better Spectrum Analyzer Measurements
Agilent
Tips for using the spectrum analyzer.
-Comparing Power Measurements on Digitally Modulated Signals
Aglient
Tips for avoiding common pitfalls when measuring modulated signals
-Spectrum Analyzer Measurements and Noise
Agilent
Extensive app note on statistics of noise and techniques for improving/understanding uncertainty with noise measurements.
-Testing and Troubleshooting Digital RF Communications Transmitter Designs
Agilent
Transmitter tests with digital modulation.
-Swept and FFT Analysis
Agilent
Comparison of swept vs. FFT analysis on spectrum analyzers. 5980-3081EN
-12 Hints for Making Better Network Analyzer Measurements
Agilent
Tips and techniques for vector network analyzer measurements. 5965-8166E
-Applying Error Correction to Network Analyzer Measurements
Agilent
Description of error models for the VNA. 5965-7709E
-In-Fixture Measurements Using Vector Network Analyzers
Agilent
De-embedding techniques on the VNA.5968-5329E
-De-embedding and Embedding S-Parameter Networks Using a Vector Network Analzyer
Agilent
App note on De-embedding. 5980-2784EN
-Specifying Calibration Standards and Kits for Agilent Vector Network Analyzers
Agilent
How to specify cal standards for TRL, etc. 5989-4840EN
-Applying the 8510 TRL Calibration for Non-Coaxial Measurements
Agilent
TRL Calibration technique. 5091-3645E
-Time Domain Reflectometry Theory
Agilent
TDR theory of operation on VNA. 5966-4855E
-Make Better RMS Measurements with Your DMM
Agilent
5988-6916EN
-Choosing the Right Power Meter and Sensor
Agilent
Describes differences primarily between thermocouple and diode based power sensors.
-Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Power Measurements (Part 1)
Agilent
5988-9213EN
-Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Power Measurements (Part 2)
Agilent
5988-9214EN
-Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Power Measurements (Part 3)
Agilent
5988-9215EN
-Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Power Measurements (Part 4)
Agilent
5988-9216EN
-Generating and Downloading Data to the Agilent ESG-D RF Signal Generator for Digital Modulation
Agilent
5966-1010E
-Generating Digital Modulation with the Agilent ESG-D Series Dual Arbitrary Waveform Generator
Agilent
5966-4097E
-How do I measure phase noise of a source with the 8590 Series Spectrum Analyzer?
Agilent
From the Agilent website
-Can I measure noise figure with a spectrum analyzer, a preamp and a signal generator?
Agilent
From the Agilent website
-Do I have to zero the power meter before making every RF power measurement with the Agilent 8922?
Agilent
From the Agilent website
-4 Steps for Making Better Power Measurements
Agilent
Basic steps to improve power meter measurements and repeatability.5965-8167E
-Power Measurement Basics
Agilent
Seminar slides from presentation on power meter basics.
-Intermodulation Distortion IMD
Anritsu
11410-00213
-Embedding/De-embedding
Anritsu
11410-00278
-Noise Figure
Anritsu
Noise figure measurement techniques explained.
-Butterworth Filter Design - Lowpass
BesserNet
Interactive article describes Butterworth lowpass filter design using tables. You can enter your own parameters for the design example, so that by the time you are finished reading the article you will have designed your first filter. Includes a basic simulation of the filter's performance. Requires Java and Javascript.
-Butterworth Filter Design - Highpass
BesserNet
Interactive article describes Butterworth highpass filter design using tables. You can enter your own parameters for the design example, so that by the time you are finished reading the article you will have designed your first filter. Includes a basic simulation of the filter's performance. Requires Java and Javascript.
-How to Convert FROM dBm to Milliwatts in Your Head
BesserNet
A short tutorial on how to convert from dBm in your head by memorizing just a few key numbers. Interactive examples and practice at the end of the tutorial. It's fun and easy!
-Peering Into the WiMAX Spec: Part 1
David Johnston and Hassan Yaghoobi, Intel Corp.
This article provides good technical detail about the physical layer attributes of WiMAX.
-Warfare in the Third Millenium
Fred Levien
Discussion of new threats to national security.
-Time Domain Interpolation by Frequency Domain Zero Padding
Rick Lyons
Performing interpolation on a sequence of time-domain samples is an important (often used) process in DSP, and there are many descriptions of time-domain interpolation (a kind of curve fitting) in the literature and on the Internet. However, there’s a lesser-known scheme used for interpolation that employs the inverse discrete Fourier transform (DFT). This little tutorial attempts to describe that technique.
-Quadrature Signals: Complex but not Complicated
Rick Lyons
Quadrature signals are based on the notion of complex numbers and perhaps no other topic causes more heartache for newcomers to DSP than these numbers and their strange terminology of j-operator, complex, imaginary, real, and orthogonal. If you're a little unsure of the physical meaning of complex numbers and the j = sqrt(-1) operator, don't feel bad because you're in good company. Why even Karl Gauss, one the world's greatest mathematicians, called the j-operator the "shadow of shadows". Here we'll shine some light on that shadow so you'll never have to call the Quadrature Psychic Hotline for help.
-A Filter Primer
Maxim
Background theory on filter design with poles and zeroes. Demonstrative 3D plots of poles, zeroes, and frequency response.
-Modern Wireless Signals
Earl McCune
With the evolution of wireless systems and services, the on-air signals themselves are also undergoing very significant transformations. This paper provides a survey of the active and coming-soon signal types adopted for wireless systems around the world. Focus is on modulation schemes, along with various measures used to characterize the signals before and after power amplification. Cost-benefit tradeoff information is introduced to provide perspective on this signal evolution.
-RF and Microwave Power Amplifier and Transmitter Technologies I
Raab, Asbeck, Cripps, Kenington, Popovic, Pethcary, Sevic, Sokal
Tutorial on power amplifiers from High Frequency Electronics Magazine
Instructor Bio of Steve Cripps
-RF and Microwave Power Amplifier and Transmitter Technologies II
Raab, Asbeck, Cripps, Kenington, Popovic, Pethcary, Sevic, Sokal
Tutorial on power amplifiers from High Frequency Electronics Magazine
-RF and Microwave Power Amplifier and Transmitter Technologies III
Raab, Asbeck, Cripps, Kenington, Popovic, Pethcary, Sevic, Sokal
Tutorial on power amplifiers from High Frequency Electronics Magazine
-RF and Microwave Power Amplifier and Transmitter Technologies IV
Raab, Asbeck, Cripps, Kenington, Popovic, Pethcary, Sevic, Sokal
Tutorial on power amplifiers from High Frequency Electronics Magazine
-RF and Microwave Power Amplifier and Transmitter Technologies V
Raab, Asbeck, Cripps, Kenington, Popovic, Pethcary, Sevic, Sokal
Tutorial on power amplifiers from High Frequency Electronics Magazine
-Network Analyzer Error Models and Calibration Methods
Rytting, Doug
Explanation and derivation of the VNA calibration error models.
-RF Connectors Tutorial
wa1mba
This tutorial provides a good overview of different RF connector types and their history.
-WiMAX White Paper
WiMAX Forum
This white paper is a good starting point for understanding the services that WiMAX will provide as well as key differences between WiMAX and WiFi networks.
-Chopper Stablized Amplifiers
Ying, Yiqian
Paper describing the chopper circuit used in power diode sensors to reduce noise and detect small signals.
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