UNIT 1

INTRODUCTION TO RF &
MICROWAVE
Lec: Suhana bt Rashid

Introduce the concept of electromagnetic wave in free

space and the block diagram of RF front end
Understand the physical quantities and state the units in
the accepted SI format and with appropriate prefixes.
Understand the relationship between velocity, frequency,
wavelength and bandwidth.
Understand the RF and microwave front end system
Understand the mathematical relation for dB, dBm and
etc. and to calculate the measurement quantities.

Describe and give examples of frequency band for RF and

Microwave.
Describe and differentiate between dB, dBm, dBm, dBW
and dBk.
Calculate the relationship between frequency, wavelength
and velocity
Describe the bandwidth and calculate the percentage of
the bandwidth.
Draw the block diagram of RF front end

RF refers to Radio Frequency

Mode of communication for wireless technologies

including cellular system, satellite communication,
cordless phones, radar, GPS, Wireless broadband,
radio and television broadcasts.

RF waves -electromagnetic waves which propagate at

the speed of light (300,000 km/s)

In Malaysia the frequency assignment and management is

determined by Malaysian Commission Multimedia
Communication (MCMC).
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-frequencies
from 9 KHz 275 GHz have been allocated
Radio wave frequency starts from 30 Hz until 3 GHz
Microwaves frequency is between 3 GHz and 300 GHz.

Noise

Transmitter

Modulated
signal

Channel

Medium
transmission
Figure 1.2

Receiver

Demodulated
signal

TRANSMITTER

CHANNEL

RECEIVER

modulator
Filter
amplifier

transmission
line
antenna
RF propagation

amplifier filter
demodulator

Figure 1.3

RANGE Propagation

APPLICATION

ELF

Below
3 kHz

Used to communicate with submarine

VLF

3 kHz
to 30
kHz

LF

Earth surface
and
ionosphere at
long distance
with low
degree of
attenuation

30 kHz Along ground

up to 3 surface
surface wave
MHz

used for communications to large numbers

of satellites
worldwide transmission of standard
frequency and time signals.
Because VLF can penetrate water to a
depth of 20 metres (66 feet), they are
used to communicate with submarines
near the surface
1950s and 1960s - radio communication
with ships and aircraft (aeronautical
navigation)
Then commercial AM radio broadcasting

RANGE

Propagation APPLICATION

High
frequencies

3 MHz up to
30 MHz.

reflections
caused by
Ionospheric
layers

Very high
frequencies
(VHF)

30 MHz up
to 300 MHz.

Referred to as short waves.

communication with aircraft
and satellites
For long distance and
communication using
broadcasting stations Voice
of America, Radio Free
Europe.
Most 2 ways radio used this
freq.
Also used in Amateur radio
and citizens band radio.
Mobile radio, marine &
aeronautical
commmunications, FM
broadcasting, TV
communication, in long
range radar system and
radio navigation systems.

RANGE

Propagation

APPLICATION

Ultra high
frequencies
(UHF)

300 MHz up
to 3 GHz

for wireless microwave

links, construction of
cellular systems (fixed
and mobile), mobile
satellite communication
channels, medium range
radars,

Super High
frequencies
(SHF)

from 3 GHz
up to 30
GHz.

microwave link and

satellite communication

Extremely
High
Frequency
(EHF)

30 GHz 300
GHz.

short range
communication, radar
and microwave
communication system.

Prefix

Symbol

Value

Tera

trillion

1012

=1 000 000 000 000

Giga

billion

109

=1 000 000 000

Mega

million

106

=1 000 000

Kilo

thousand

103

=1 000

one

100

=1 1

Centi

hundredth

10-2

Milli

thousandth

10-3

Micro

millionth

10-6

Nano

billionth

10-9

Pico

trillionth

10-12 =

Femto

Quadrillionth

10-15 =

100
1
1000
1
1000000
1
1000000000
1
1000000000000
1
1000000000000000

Constant

Value

Symbol

Botlzmans constant

1.38 x 10-23 J/K

Electric charge (e-)

1.6 x 10-19 C

Electron (Volt)

1.6 x 10-19 C

eV

Electron (mass)

9.12 x 10-31 kg

Permeability of free space

4p x 10-7 H/m

Permittivity of free space

8.854

10-12

eo

Planks constant

6.626 x 10-34 J.s

Velocity of light

3.0 x 108 m/s

Pi

3.14

F/m

The velocity of electromagnetic wave in vacuum or free

space is , c = 3 x 108 m/s.

e
o

3 10 m / s
8

Where mo = 4pi x 10-7 H/m = L

and eo = 8.85 x 10-12 F/m = C

If the new medium is always nonmagnetic (mr =1)

vc

er

T 1 f

The wavelength (lamda) of an electromagnetic wave is the

physical distance the wave travel in one cycle.

c f

If the frequency of a wave is 300 MHz, find

respective wavelength?
Solution
Since

c f

3 108 300 106 = 1m

Similarly for 3 GHz, l = 0.1 or 10 cm. The wavelength is
shorter at higher frequency

the

Calculate the wavelength for an electromagnetic wave

where the dielectric medium has = 3 for a frequency
50 GHz.
Solution:
Given =
=

and =
3

since in different medium

= 3.5 0.035

BW = f3dBH f3dBL
The percentage of the bandwidth is

% BW

f 3dBH f 3dBL
100%
f 3dBH f 3dBL

The relationship between bandwidth, frequency and

quality factor of the circuit can be shown as below

fo=resonance

freq, Q= quality factor

Q higher = BW narrower
Q lower = BW higher

fo
BW
Q

If the upper frequency is 2.48 GHz and the lower

frequency is 2.4 GHz, find the percentage of the
bandwidth.
Solution:

% BW

f
f f

3 dBH

3 dBH

3 dBL

3 dBL

100% 3.3%

A logarithmic unit that can be used to measure ratios

Ex: Communication = magnitude of power, voltage or
current.
P1
dB 10 log10
P2

V1
dB 20 log10
V2

Power ratio in dBm 10 log (P/1 mW)

Voltage power ratio in dbm
= 20 log( V/1mV)

Formula
dB Watt

P(watt) = 10

Watt dB

P (dB) = 10 log10 (Watt)

dBm - mW

P (mW) = 10

mW dBm

P (dBm) = 10 log10 (mWatt/1mW)

Watt dBm

P (dBm) = 10 log10 (Watt/1mW)

Watt dBw

P (dBW) = 10 log10 (Watt)

(dB/10)

(dBm/10)

/ 1000

1) Determine the power ratios (Pout/Pin) in dB for the

following input and output powers
Pin = 0.001 W, Pout = 0.01 W
2) Convert the absolute power ratio of 200 to a power gain
in dB
3) Convert a power gain Ap=23dB to an absolute power
ratio.
4) Convert a power level of 200 mW to dBm

 Find

the Output power, Pout.

a)
b)

c)
d)

Given a three stage system comprised of two amplifiers

and one filter. The input power Pin=0.1mW. The absolute
power gains are Ap1=100, Ap2=40 and AP3 = 0.25.
Determine
The input power in dBm
Output power (Pout) in watts and dBm
The dB gain of each of the three stages
The overall gain in dB.

1.

2.

3.

Define what is UHF and VHF stand for? Give an

application for this band of frequency.
Define wavelength and describe the characteristics of a
wave at each half wavelength and quarter wavelength.
The frequency of operation is 6 GHz and the medium has
a dielectric constant of 2.5 What is the long of a quarter
wavelength in this environment

4.

We have a system that uses a material with a dielectric

constant of 3. If our wavelength is to be no larger than 2
cm, what frequency should we operate?

5.

Convert the following absolute power ratios to dB

15
125
2000
0.0008
0.000005

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

6.

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

Convert the following decibel values to absolute value

-30 dB
-10 dBm
45 dBm
20 dB

7.

Table 1.5 below gives the power measurements of the

microwave devices Several measurements are made and
shown in table 1.1. Fill in Table 1.1 below.

Measurement

Pin

Pout

number

Ratio (Pout/Pin)

(dB)

0.001 W

0.01 W

0.25 W

0.5 W

13 W

15 W

10 dBm

5 dBm

1 dBW

4 dBm

1 W

10 W

8.

Given a three stage system comprised of two amplifiers and

one filters with an input power of 0.01 mW and absolute
gains of 200, 1000 and loss of 0.1, determine

i.

The input power in dBm

ii.

Output power in dBm and watts

9.

What is the ITU designation for the following frequency

ranges

i.

3-30 kHz

ii.

0.3 -3 MHz

iii.

3- 30 GHz

10.

Draw the front end of RF microwave system. The front

end consist of antenna with a gain of 2.5 dBi, the RF
amplifier with a gain of 20 dB, The mixer with a
conversion loss of -5 dB and a bandpass filter with an
insertion loss of -3 dB.
If the input power received at the antenna is -60 dBm,
what is the output power, Pout?

Answer to Q10