Pasternack Blog

A radio frequency (RF) microwave detector, also known as RF power detector or RF responding detector, is a two-terminal device used to detect, and in some way, measure or convert an RF signal. As the receiving element, an RF detector is used in converting amplitude-modulated microwave signals to baseband (or video) signals in either a ..

A Gunn diode, though very unlike other common semiconductor diodes, is a transferred electron device (TED) that presents a negative resistance after its threshold voltage is adequately exceeded. The controllable negative resistance properties of a Gunn Diode allows it to be used as a microwave oscillator, and these devices are often used in microwave communications, ..

The most recent handheld RF analyzers and cable testers for telecommunications are multi-functional instruments rich with features, and offer near-laboratory grade performance. This is extremely impressive considering many of these testers, which operate as network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, fault testers, signal generators, power meters, modulation analyzers, amongst other features, can be slung over a shoulder ..

The Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) frequency bands are designated radio frequency bands as defined by the ITU Radio Regulations. These frequency bands were set aside for RF use for purposes other than telecommunications. Hence, using the ISM bands for telecommunications is possible, but telecommunications devices using these frequencies must be able to withstand the ..

Small Cells are essentially a mobile wireless installation that is smaller in scope and size than a traditional macro base station. So, why are Small Cells, which provide less coverage and necessarily are composed of equipment that may not have the full capability of macro-cells, on the rise? An important note is that the term ..

The 5th Generation of Mobile Wireless (5G) has been a hot topic of discussion for the past several years, and is likely about to be a hot economic topic and 5G trials and rollouts begin this year and next year. Most people are familiar with the upgrade from 3G to 4G, and appreciate the ability ..

The skin effect and skin depth is a rarely discussed topic, considering as it is an essential phenomenon to be aware of when working with any conductor, or semiconductor, at RF frequencies, or really anything other than DC. Essentially, the skin effect is the term to describe the way current is distributed in a conductor ..

A Magic-Tee is a 4-port waveguide structure similar to a rat-race coupler fabricated with striplines or microstrip waveguides. The Magic-Tee, or EH plane Tee, is able to perform an apparently “magical” function, which is to allow for energy going into the E and H plane ports to be divided between the two colinear ports while ..

A quick google search of “frequency bands” will often provide links to radio spectrum, cellular frequencies, spectrum bands, etc. If the searcher is so bold as to click on Wikipedia’s “Radio Spectrum” page, they will likely encounter tables with swaths of the electromagnetic spectrum designated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), IEEE, EU/NATO/US ECM, and ..

RF Diplexers and Duplexers are very common RF components in transmitters, receiver, and transceiver circuits for communications, radar, and other sensing applications. As the terms are similar, they are sometimes mistakenly used interchangeably, which isn’t appropriate. Diplexers and Duplexers perform very different functions, though they are located in similar areas in a circuit block diagram. ..