Inside Frequency Control

Unmanned vehicles have changed our world over the past 15 years, and continue to do so one battlefield, one site inspection, and one independent film at a time. Science fiction writers, engineers and military thinkers alike had envisioned robotic and autonomous warfighting machines for years, and in the early 21^st century, they became a viable and widely used option in warfare. But as they continue to advance and become less expensive, what does future hold for unmanned vehicles?

One of the most important decisions an RF engineer will make when designing a new system is choosing the right type of oscillator, and determining what signal output will be the best fit for the application. Each come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. In this article, wer're talking about temperature controlled crystal oscillatos (TCXO) and the clipped sinewaves they produce. We'll cover the pros and cons of the TCXO and its signal type, as well as some common applications that these oscillators are used with.

Here’s the scary thing…

Even if you sit for hours upon hours trying to set a precise initial frequency of an oscillator, it’s still going to drift and the oscillator will not be able maintain that frequency over the full course of its use. In this post, you’ll learn the MANY sources of frequency instability and why an Ultra-Stable OCXO may be the fix-all solution.

RF engineers are always trying to improve the performance of the systems they work on. A perfect, 100% stable signal which never deviates from the intended frequency will probably never be attainable in reality; the toll that the physical environment and time will take on a crystal remains a fact of life.

But that doesn’t stop us from always working towards getting as close to possible to that ideal. Both of these challenges can be mitigated by selecting a high-quality quartz crystal oscillator. Picking the right one for the job depends on the application for which it is being used, as well as other factors like the amount of power available.

In this article, we will make the case that for those who are trying to minimize the effects of aging and improve stability without using a lot of power, a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) might be the right solution.

CMOS Clocks are a key technology that enables everything from laptops and smartphones to satellites and spacecraft to function. But what exactly do these devices do, and how are they beneficial in extreme environments and demanding applications? In this article, we will give a quick overview of the benefits of CMOS clocks, and how RF engineers put them to work in some of the most challenging applications.

The #1 Most Critical Factor in High-End Radar & Communication Systems: Low Phase Noise

Phase noise, phase noise, phase noise.

If you’re involved with the design and implementation of communication systems, you most likely hear the term “phase noise” all the time (maybe more times than you’d like). 

There’s a good reason for all this phase noise chat. It’s one of the key factors that determines the overall success or failure of your radar or communications application. It’s even more important in intense environments where strong vibration or g-force is a concern.

Why is maintaining low phase noise such a concern in these applications and environments? And how can you solve the problems associated with the effects of phase noise? By the end of this article, you'll know why and how you should decrease phase noise in your applications.

Engineering firms across all industries often have to work with many different suppliers to build their products. In the field of radio frequency tech, one of the most critical components in any design is the oscillator which generates the frequency itself. If the wrong type of crystal oscillator is used or it is of poor quality, it can ruin a design which is superb in all other respects. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that you’re working with a reputable supplier. In this guide, we’ll cover some essential questions any RF engineer should ask their crystal oscillator supplier.

Spacecrafts must be designed to have very precise functionality when it comes to making the long journey to earth’s orbit and even beyond. Even simple vibrations can interfere with the spacecraft’s functionality during pre-launch transportation and powered flight.  In both cases, the spacecraft itself isn’t even being powered.