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RF design guide

What are radio waves?

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Here we will look at the characteristics of radio waves as far as is required for the design of radio communication equipment. We will explain the methods of processing radio waves and the thinking behind it, and gain an perspective on the subject.

People and radio waves

Classification of radio waves

Electric field intensity at an arbitrary location

Electric field intensity and received power

What are the physical properties of radio waves? The generation of radio waves Longitudinal waves and transverse waves

Propagation loss

Fading

Why do communication errors occur?

The qualities of radio waves

Is there any impact on the human body or other equipment?

The speed and the wave length of radio waves

People and radio waves

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As of technology has developed, equipment that utilizes radio waves such as television, mobile phones and so on has been introduced, and now radio waves are present all around us. Radio waves themselves are not something that humans invented. They have existed since the moment when the universe came into being. Presently in the natural world radio waves are radiated onto the surface of the earth from the sun and the other stars, and electromagnetic waves (radio waves) also arise from movement of the earth's crust and from lightening and so on. However humans discovered radio waves, and have invented devices for generating them. Radio waves are currently used in all sorts of fields. Familiar items include mobile phones, televisions, radios, amateur radio equipment and the like. There has been an explosive spread of mobile phones, allowing people to contact each other wherever they go. Exchanging email is also a very popular function. Television images are sent from countries on the other side of the earth, and for people who are not really interested in technology and the like, the technology behind these communications is not important. What is important is the content of the communication. Although we will consider the design of equipment using radio modules, it is not necessary for us to inquire particularly deeply into the physical characteristics of radio waves. Just a little knowledge of the subject is sufficient for designing radio equipment. For detailed information on the physical properties of radio waves, please refer to the relevant literature. First we will cover the basic information.

RF design guide What is an antenna?

The antenna is a very important element of radio equipment. The antenna of the transmitter emits high frequency energy into space while the antenna of the receiver catches this and converts it into electricity. If the antenna is not precisely the right length for the frequency used, the radio waves cannot be emitted or captured efficiently. It should neither be too long, nor too short. A good transmitting antenna can be a good receiving antenna, and for ordinary uses, one antenna serves both functions. Radio modules with antennas attached come equipped with an efficient antenna, and in some cases you may not be able to replace it with another antenna due to regulations in the Wireless Telegraphy Act. However, if you are designing equipment that includes a design for an antenna, or you are using a reception-only module, it is possible to use an antenna with gain (a gain antenna), so it is necessary for you to investigate the situation regarding antennas in detail. Here we will explain about antennas in outline.

The antenna mechanism Types of antenna Directional pattern of antennas Gain of antennas Impedance matching

Horizontally polarized waves and vertically polarized waves Antenna materia How to use antennas Mobile phone antennas

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The antenna mechanism

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We introduced the formula for the wave length of radio waves in the previous section. An antenna which will be most efficient is an antenna with a length half the wave length of the frequency used. For example, if you are using a frequency of 433 MHz, the wave length is about 70 cm, therefore an antenna with a length of about 35 cm will be most efficient. The transmitter must emit radio waves using limited power, and the receiver must capture efficiently the radio waves that are emitted. With the antenna at this length, the antenna and transmitted radio waves achieve a resonant state and maximum power is emitted. At the receiver too, the received radio waves and antenna achieve a resonant state, and can capture the maximum power. The antenna should be kept as straight as possible and should not be bent into a circle. Today equipment tends to be compact, and antennas with a length (/4) that of the wave length are frequently used. The thinking behind /4 ground antennas is the same as for /2 dipole antennas. However as the function of one side is changed to earth, the antenna length is halved making a 1/4 antenna. For this reason, this earth is very important. The whip antennas of radio modules, mobile phones and so on use this mechanism, with the case serving the function of the ground.

Types of antenna

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The types of antenna include whip antennas, dipole antennas, Yagi-Uda arrays, parabola antennas, loop antennas and so on. Antennas used for mobile phones and the like. Non-directional antenna with equal Whip (rod) antennas sensitivity in any direction. Dipole antenna Used for amateur radio and so on. Used as television antennas and so on. They have strong directivity, and must be Yagi-Uda array aligned in the direction of the transmitting station. This is a dipole antenna with director and reflector elements attached to direct and reflect the radio wave. Used for receiving satellite broadcasts. These antennas have very strong directivity Parabola antenna and require fine directional adjustment, but they can use the power of the radio waves efficiently. Loop antennas capture the changes in the magnetic field of the radio waves. The

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RF design guide | Calculation tools | Technical literature

RF design guide Knowledge required for design

<< RF design guide Top Emission classes Emission units dB (decibels) Radio related units Voltage EMF and PD notation Impedance Reading specifications General characteristics Transmitting equipment characteristics Receiving equipment characteristics Modulation and demodulation Frequency shift modulation Phase shift keying Amplitude shift keying Waves Addition and multiplication of waves Frequency conversion of CPFSK Resolving the waves Is it OK to use any frequency? What is the range?

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Incorporating radio modules in other equipment

Emission classes

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If you look at the specification sheet for radio equipment or a radio module, if the document is in any way related to the Wireless Telegraphy Act, you will see the symbols F1D, F2D, A3E and so on. These indicate emission classes. The emission class indicates the type of modulation of the radio wave of the main carrier, the qualities of the signal that modulates the main carrier, and the type of transmission information. The following are examples related to radio modules. For example, F1D means 'frequency modulation', 'digital signal, single channel equipment, as well as 'equipment that does not use a sub-carrier for modulation', and 'data transmission, telemetry and remote control'.

1. Main carrier modulation types (1) Non-modulation (2) Amplitude modulation 1.Double sideband 2.Full carrier single sideband 3.Reduced carrier single sideband 4.Suppressed carrier single sideband

Symbol N A H R J

RF design guide Introduction

Introduction Everybody knows that the mobile phones, televisions and so on that we use without much thought are products that utilize radio waves, and that radio waves have been in use since long ago. However, very few people know that much about radio waves themselves. Even electrical engineers are probably not very confident when it comes to radio waves. This Design Guide is intended to provide background for those considering designing radio equipment using radio modules. In addition, we hope that it will be useful to people who read it for research or other purposes. The Design Guide is meant to be easy to understand, with figures and formulae kept to the minimum. Graphical calculations are possible using the Java applets. Please give this material due thought before starting the design work, and apply it to shorten time spent on design, and in order to develop attractive products. Java Runtime Environment version 5.0 or higher is required to use the calculator. Download:http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

The content of this Design Guide is current as of December 2005. While every effort has been made to ensure that the content is free of errors, it is not guaranteed in any way. Circuit Design will accept no responsibility whatsoever for any damages that may arise from use of this material. Any liability for use of this material rests with the user. Furthermore, the content of this Design Guide may be changed without notice. The copyright of this Design Guide belongs to Circuit Design. All rights are reserved. Revision history: First edition: September 2001, First revision: December 2005

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CIRCUIT DESIGN, INC.

Phone:++81-263-82-1024 FAX:++81-263-82-1016 Corporate | Site Policy | Contact | Link

ALL Right Reserved,Copyright 2009 Circuit Design,Inc.