This passive device lets you steer signal beams for over-the-air wireless test systems. Vaunix Technology, a manufacturer of modular RF/wireless test equipment, has introduced the LBM-7250-4 Lab Brick Butler Matrix, a beamforming tool that works with phased-array antennas to steer beams between transmitters and receivers. The Butler Matrix has four passive inputs and four outputs…
Long-wire dipole antennas: still viable after more than a century
The long-wire dipole antenna is effective for low-frequency systems. Adding LC traps makes a single-band dipole antenna into a multiband unit. The historically significant long-wire dipole antenna may seem like an anachronism in these days of compact, highly mobile wireless devices operating in the gigahertz spectrum, but that’s not the case at all. Due to…
Software simulates RF conditions from the Earth to the Moon
Wireless InSite 4.0 from Remcom lets you simulate wireless channel conditions and analyze them based on antenna movement. Remcom announced a new version of Wireless InSite 3D Wireless Prediction Software with advanced capabilities including time-based mobility, lunar propagation modeling, and wideband ray-tracing with S-parameter outputs. Release 4.0 expands support for simulating dynamic and complex RF…
FAQ on the Butler matrix for beamforming: part 2
This passive beamforming topology is not well known but is widely used – a common situation in the RF world. Part 1 was an introduction to the electronic steering of an antenna beam and the Butler matrix; this part continues the investigation. Q: The Butler passive arrangement seems simpler; why not use it in all…
10 GHz RF cables feature double shields
Fairview Microwave has launched a line of TCOM cable assemblies. They are designed to deliver outstanding RF performance with options tailored for either low-loss or low-PIM configurations, depending on the connector type. The TCOM cable assemblies feature a robust design with two shields, ensuring enhanced signal integrity and minimized interference. With performance guaranteed across a wide…
Test wireless signal to 110 GHz with this 1-mm cable
Pasternack has announced the launch of its new 1.0mm test cable assemblies. These cables deliver exceptional performance in high-frequency environments up to 110 GHz, addressing the critical needs of industries such as telecommunications, aerospace, and defense, where precision and durability are paramount. The new line is designed for rigorous testing applications, offering signal clarity and…
Wireless modules enhance IoT devices through theft-prevention tracking
Microcontrollers and wireless modules combine to add connectivity and theft-prevention features to IoT devices for automotive, industrial, medical, and smart-home use. Many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) integrate theft-prevention tracking capabilities into their IoT devices. This article reviews key trade-offs and considerations for selecting wireless tracking technologies and highlights the crucial role microcontroller units (MCUs) play…
Modelithics updates Cadence AWR RF models
Modelithics is pleased to announce the release of the latest version, v24.7, of the Modelithics COMPLETE Library for the Cadence AWR Design Environment Platform. This release of the Modelithics COMPLETE Library for Cadence AWR Design Environment includesover 50 new models, representing 2,110 additional components. With this addition, the library now represents over 28,000 components from 75+…
Simulation software supports 6G, GNSS, and on-body communications
Remcom announces the integration of XFdtd 3D Electromagnetic Simulation Software with Wireless InSite 3D Wireless Propagation Software through a new Huygens surface capability. The update also includes dynamic mobility, enabling the movement of RF systems, vehicles, and people through virtual wireless scenarios. These developments enable seamless interoperability between high-resolution near-field simulations and efficient 3D ray-tracing, supporting applications such as GNSS, 6G…
RF component libraries support Keysight ADS and RFpro simulation
Modelithics launches the NEW Modelithics COMPLETE+3D Library for Keysight Advanced Design System (ADS) and RFPro. The release of the new Modelithics COMPLETE+3D Library represents more than 28,000 passive & active components from 75+ vendors for use in Keysight ADS circuit simulation, and over 300 vendor 3D EM Encrypted Geometry models for use in RFPro full-wave electromagnetic…