Wireless/RF Technical Articles - Electrical Engineering & Electronics Technical Articles

What is Bluetooth 5? Learn about the Bit Paths Behind the New BLE Standard

The latest Bluetooth Specification provides features that allow increased speed and increased transmission distance. This article provides information about the various bit data paths used in the latest specifications....

July 31, 2017 by Mark Hughes

High-Frequency Interconnections: A New Line of RF Cables from Pasternack

Connecting two parts of a system becomes complicated when your signals are up in the gigahertz range. Let’s take a look at some new cabling options....

May 05, 2017 by Robert Keim

Overview of the BLE Solar Beacon from Cypress Semiconductor

Transmit humidity and temperature data with a fully functional, off-the-shelf, battery-less wireless sensor node.

April 27, 2017 by Raymond Genovese

Organize, Track, Identify: A New RFID Tag IC from STMicro

RFID is an advanced technique for attaching information to objects of all kinds, and ICs such as the ST25DV series can help you to implement this technology....

April 27, 2017 by Robert Keim

Bridging the Gap Between Solid-State and Mechanical: The MEMS Switch

The ADGM1004 MEMS switch from Analog Devices is a high-performance solution for both low-frequency and high-frequency applications.

March 02, 2017 by Robert Keim

Understanding Spread Spectrum Modulation in RF Systems

This technical brief discusses the characteristics and benefits of spread-spectrum modulation.

February 03, 2017 by Robert Keim

Introduction to Software-Defined Radio

All about software-defined radio (SDR).

February 01, 2017 by Robert Keim

The Packet Concept: High-Level Synchronization for Data Links

Learn about (for lack of a better term) packetization, a technique that facilitates robust data transfer in optical, RF, and long-distance-digital communication systems....

December 30, 2016 by Robert Keim

Manchester Encoding: What Is It, and Why Use It?

Learn about Manchester encoding, a simple and effective way to improve high-speed or wireless digital communication.

December 23, 2016 by Robert Keim

The Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC): Finding—and Even Correcting—Errors in Digital Data

This technical brief explains what a CRC is and how you can use it to make your digital communication more robust.

December 22, 2016 by Robert Keim

Understanding Automatic Gain Control

How do designers cope with a system that has highly variable input amplitude yet requires fairly constant output amplitude? Let’s take a look....

November 22, 2016 by Robert Keim

Introduction to Wireless Power Transfer

Wireless Power Transfer holds the promise of freeing us from the tyranny of power cords. This technology is being incorporated into all kinds of devices and systems....

October 28, 2016 by Marie Christiano

How to Design a Bluetooth Low Energy Circuit with Sensor Technology

Tutorial on designing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) circuit with the ability to measure 9-axis motion, humidity, and temperature.

October 14, 2016 by John Teel

Antenna Basics: Radiation Patterns, Permittivity, Directivity, and Gain

Antennas allow information to be transferred to distant locations. In the second part of this Antenna Basics series, you will learn more about the physics of how antennas work....

October 12, 2016 by Mark Hughes

Max & Math: Maxwell’s Equations in Relativistic Times

Maxwell's equations, which summarize the interaction of electromagnetic fields, have always been described using the "math of the times." Using tensors, they can be given in two equations!...

October 11, 2016 by Marie Christiano

An Introduction to Antenna Basics

Antennas are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic energy. This article covers basic antenna theory.

August 24, 2016 by Mark Hughes

Learning About Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (DQPSK) Modulation

This technical brief explains what differential QPSK is and why it can be advantageous compared to ordinary QPSK.

August 22, 2016 by Robert Keim

Understanding Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) Modulation

This technical brief covers the basic characteristics of a digital modulation scheme known as quadrature phase shift keying.

August 17, 2016 by Robert Keim

The How and Why of Energy Harvesting for Low-Power Applications

Harvesting energy from non-conventional sources has received an increased interest as designers look for alternative power sources. Even though the power is usually harvested in small amounts,...

June 23, 2016 by Amos Kingatua

Classification of Signals used in Electrical Engineering

Classifying signals is a way to organize the signals that surround us. It focuses design, testing requirements, measurement tools, and expected results. There are many ways to classify...

April 27, 2016 by Marie Christiano