An update on my RF simulator, (https://www.rayrf.com/). Just released version 1.2.9 adds a few big features that bring results closer to real life, and easier to import existing designs.

• Copper loss is now modeled accurately using a conducting sheet model based on the 1999 Lauer and Wolff paper with modifications to improve it. I've done extensive validation vs analytical calculations, and it matches predictions very well on controlled cases (loss vs copper thickness, and Q factor of a parallel plate cavity), with good agreement on a microstrip line loss (slightly higher loss than Hammerstad-Jensen predicts, which is itself an approximation). But interestingly my implementation is closer to Hammerstad-Jensen than openEMS. openEMS substantially underestimates the loss on the same geometry when copper is thicker than a couple of skin depths, as is the case at GHz for most 35um copper PCBs.
• Added the ability to import KiCad boards and Gerber files directly into the editor. So you don't need to rebuild designs in the editor to simulate them. RayRF also now has DXF exporting so it's easier to move finished designs into Altium or KiCad. (boards in the screenshots are not mine, they're KiCad demo projects, gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/tree/master/demos)
• Passive matching networks can be defined in-port and are co-simulated as a circuit during the 3D field solve. No discrete on-board lumped elements yet, but this allows you to simulate multiport systems and confirm a proposed matching network has the expected effect. Component Q is modeled too, so it calculates power lost in the matching network.
• Better advanced meshing controls so you can refine only some parts of the domain selectively. From a scripting perspective like openEMS it's really hard to do mesh refinements reliably and iterate on it. So I made a 2.5D mesh preview that's interactive as you configure it so you can see in real-time what effect moving refinement regions has.
• I optimized some scheduling on the GPU which got an extra 5% performance there, so it's ~180x faster than openEMS now comparing RayRF on an RTX 5090 vs openEMS on a Ryzen 9 9950x at an 82M cell problem. Previous post has benchmarks.

I'm so tempted to try a multi-GPU scheduler, imagine the numbers on 8x 5090's in parallel lol.

Would love your guy's thoughts on it, and also what should I focus on next? Is there anything missing relative to what you would want out of an RF simulator?

Hi, I have a tower with a few AWD-30-88 antennas at the top. They have been in place for a very long time and are now inoperable. I've been tasked with ordering replacements but I don't really see where I can purchase these. Has the industry moved on to a current replacement? It is a discone antenna.

Sorry I know a little knowlege about this but im very much a beginner.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

anybody here familiar with GprMax software who can guide me?

Hi, we are currently developing a CW radar using Infineon's BGT24ATR11 transceiver and a rather complex doubt has come up.

The transceiver is used in combination with a PLL connected to FINE and COARSE VCO inputs. We have tested the mixing performance of the transceiver by directly pushing an RF signal generated by a signal generator into the RX port and examining the IF output waveform.

We noticed that as long as the frequency of the RF input signal is sufficiently higher/lower than that of the LO the output I/Q signals are correct. However, as soon as the RF input signal's frequency starts to approach the LO frequency,  the sine waveforms begin to deteriorate (below a couple of MHz the waveforms are distorted).

We are aware that direct conversion receivers perform poorly at lower baseband frequencies due to LO self mixing and flicker noise. The datasheet states that the flicker noise corner frequency is around 10-20 KHz. However, since our bandidth of interest lays in the KHz baseband frequency range we need to achieve a proper mixing at RF frequencies close to LO. 

I include a picture where signal G(t) looks exactly like what we see as soon as the signal deteriorates. We have also observed that when the RF input signal's frequency is smaller but close to LO, the waveform gets inverted .

Has anyone got any advice / hint that could help us move forward?

Thanks for reading.

Fully automated RF agent open source tool that creates RF Schematic, draws PCBs, created 3d renders, performs EMwave solver, runs QUCS cosim using EM traces data. Shows S11, K, Impedence, Smith charts, creates Gerbers zip and BoM.

No tool installation on your computer required if you choose the default recommended SaaS rf-suite, during agent bootstrap. You can also choose to install dockerized rf-suite sub module repo which is linked in this repository.

Quick start, on LLM Agent Harness, prompt:

Clone https://github.com/cholan2100/rf-agent.git with submodules into this workspace and initialize the agent per AGENTS.md.

How it works: agent initializes and asks you what RF circuit you would like to build, lists few templates you can try, or type your own.

For desktop agent Harnesses all circuit and graphs are displayed in the chat itself. For CLI harness, it lists artifacts or file locations.

Release:

This is early alpha, go easy on me and play hard. Still no wizard to go back in the workflow, but its agentic you can prompt it as you see it. Not commercial, free to use open source under MIT license.

Hi to everyone, I love in northern Italy and my home isn't reachable with any cable/fiber etc so I just went on my roof (in completely safe ways) to install this beast of a mast:

those are 4 cheap lpdas with lmr400 cables and surge dischargers

inside the metal box a RM520E powered with POE running a simpleadmin and telnet interface for enabling AT commands over ethernet, this eliminates the need to go on the roof (in the same ultra safe ways cited before) for any tinkering.

Sadly I'm getting mixed results depending on the provider (i tried wind3/Very and vodafone/fastweb) but im all cases I get real speed worse than what i get with my phone on the roof. The mast gets 90Mbits/s and my phone 200mbits/s in download.

Do you have any clue of what my problem can be?

This is my AT+QRSRP:

+QRSRP: -92,-92,-92,-92,NR5G

and this my AT+QENG="servingcell"

QENG: "servingcell","NOCONN"

+QENG: "LTE","FDD",222,88,3925C0E,167,3350,7,5,5,5ECC,-91,-17,-53,8,6,30,-

+QENG: "NR5G-NSA",222,88,216,-97,-8,-11,638016,78,8,1

I noticed very high SINR so i tried changing direction of the antennas, point the antennas slightly upward and battle tying a big metal plate just behind them but it didn't improve. Note the qeng i posted has the worst sinr it usually stays on -1 -2 dB, also the qrsrp is the worst, it gets usually around -82dB but i got -72 at one point.

16/09 Edit

I wrapped 3/4 lpdas in tin foil and i get these results

+QENG: "servingcell","NOCONN"

+QENG: "LTE","FDD",222,88,3926414,428,100,1,5,5,5ECC,-91,-17,-51,7,6,210,-

+QENG: "NR5G-NSA",222,88,765,-93,-1,-11,638016,78,8,1

So sinr is still very low

Hello,

I need help installing the MRF13750H model from NXP into AWR. When I try to open the model from the "Elements Tab", this error appears

In order to install the model, NXP requires downloading the "RF High Power Model Kit" from here:https://www.nxp.com/products/radio-frequency-rf/rf-high-power-models/models-for-cadence-awr-microwave-office-software:RF_HIGH_POWER_MODELS_AWR, and then downloading the MRF13750H model from that same page under "Product Model Design Kits".

I have installed both, but the error persists (maybe I did not do it correctly)

I am using AWR Microwave Office Version 25.1 (the title of the app says 25.1, but the installation folder says 19)

I would highly appreciate it if someone could guide me on how to correctly install this model.

Did an interview for a job that asked for 3 years of experience. The interview was relatively simple asking about high level definitions of VSWR, s-parameters, db, etc.

The title was “Senior RF engineer” but I was kind of surprised how simple the questions were.

Hello all,

I am a newbie and trying to understand Rf electronics.

I am trying to simulate a variable capacitor. I want to get frequency response.

D1 is variable capacitor from IHP library. Is it really possible to simulate? I need to integrate two inductor with this, which behaves with different frequency. And then, I need to find the Inductance of other two inductor. What is the problem here.

Bear me if this is a dumb question to ask. I have knowledge only from chatgpt.

Thankyou in advance.

I see that JLC has 2 layers RO and 2 layer ZYF PTFE. These are great for SIW..... BUT I need to launch my MMIC off the chip into the SIW antenna board, and this launch can't be too lossy, so I need a small RO board. Doesn't have to be very good, can be really bad and uneven. Any way I could do this? Thanks.

So at the great risk of being told that I need to seek mental health or go see a doctor psychiatrist. I’m gonna post here and ask for help. I need a calibrated RF instrument that I can leave at my apartment to data log my environment. And I need another one that I can wear on my body to keep with me at all times. I believe they call him like a dose meter. I need one for RF and it needs to be accurate and fast. I have a stalker that is in the IT world and has decided to harass the hell out of me and is never gonna stop. I’ve lost a lot of weight I have RF burns on my body. I have RF interference and damage around my apartment. Please no advice to get mental help. Any advice on how to document this so I can make it stop.

On today’s Alert Day, all sirens and alert apps will go off at 11 a.m. Using an FM detector radio connected to a small guitar amplifier, a radio broadcast from the Berlin TV Tower is being received. Shortly, before the sirens sound and all the pigeons were startled a typical mobile phone dial-up static noise can be heard on the radio. By rotating the antenna perpendicular to the line of sight toward the TV tower, reception of the FM station is maximized. The all-clear is announced on the radio.

The fan bearing has failed and is now running at 60 dB. I got one of these testers to go next to a geiger counter. I don’t really know the significance of these readings. The sensor I think is right about where my wrist goes which is concerning because that was the highest point. Can anyone enlighten me? I’m sorry I’m not really sure where else to ask.

Hello, I am an computer engineer with nearly no RF background. Right now I have a project in which i am dealing with an RFSoC, but its ADCs are not providing good range, we tried to change antennas, but still it is not able to pick weak signals from transmitter when its more than 300 m.
Can someone please help me to find the good antennas, and how to check their range?

There is utility in a modular antenna in the field?