Advice for a newly graduated EE who loves RF - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: YoungRF555
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 02:04:54 pm
content: Hi everyone my name is Rob, I am a newly graduated EE who currently works for a lower freq (1-200MHz) RF power supply company. I like the work I currently do but I want to expand my knowledge a bit into higher frequency stuff as I feel that's where the industry (and hopefully my further career) is headed. I have a fair bit of general RF knowledge but know next to nothing about properly implementing microwave systems. Any recommendations for texts, articles, youtube videos etc? Currently working through the microwave chapters in Ludwig/Bogdanov RF Circuit design. Thanks in advance!

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 04:14:53 pm
content: For a book, many will recommend "Planar Microwave Engineering - Thomas H. Lee"For a YT channel (not textbook theory, but hands on experience, with detailed explanations coming from a PhD microwave engineer), seehttps://www.youtube.com/c/Thesignalpath

author: Georgy.Moshkin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 05:10:36 pm
content: Edit: haha! the same book! Maybe you can ask me some questions by email or here. I still have some calculations for exercises/examples from that book, made in freeware Speqmath app.I learned from these booksReinhold Ludwig, Gene Bogdanov "RF Circuit Design Theory and Applications, Second Edition"Stephen A. Maas "The RF and Microwave Circuit Design Cookbook"and many papers and handouts available for free online. Found a lot just by browsing images from papers on semanticscholar.org. My advice is to learn from images, and n my case it was: 1. found image of some structure that intrigued me, 2. I googled more on the topic, 3. prototyping. I ordered 3d printed aluminum "bulls eye" antenna reflector for less than 50 USD. Most stuff below 20GHz can be tested on cheap 1.0mm FR4 substrate, and sometimes higher if using wideband structure. I deduced dielectric constant by using shorted GCPW line with reflective mixer, there is no solder mask and I pushed small foil on top of GCPW line to make "moving short" and drawed dots along this line in positions where amplitude drops to zero (repeated each 180 degree of phase length). So no equipment either. Only Qucs(freeware) grounded coplanar line calculator to find out length.There are many good old books, but I think that it is not very optimal to start from the "beginning,". Recent hot topics are metamaterials, EBG, RGW, AFSIW, etc. You can easily get idea of most popular structures and make your own design (simulator and/or prototyping).Your current book is good on matching, stability circles, Smith chart. Oscillator chapter are not very practical, but nice start to understand basic calculations, and why amplifier can become an oscillator. I tried to make oscillator using ne3210s01 and calculations, but discovered that there is more to learn. Nothing on patch antenna arrays, but they are easy. My favorite book!

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 02:09:21 am
content: Besides books, get hold of a decent vector network analyser and spectrum analyser and learn how to use them. The VNA is particularly useful. Experiment with transmission lines and impedances.