Analog RF Fundamentals

Signal Chain Essentials

Understand how each block behaves before you combine them.

• Filters & Matching Networks

  ARRL Handbook chapters plus vendor app notes on low-loss inductors and capacitors.
• Amplifier Linearity

  ARRL technical resources summarize IMD mitigation, bias strategies, and drive-level testing.
• Passive Components Cheat Sheet

  Club-created table covering Q, SRF, tolerance, and temperature coefficient for common RF parts.

Measurement Workflow

Consistency matters more than expensive gear.

• Calibrate VNAs, spectrum analyzers, and power meters every time you change frequency range or cable length.
• Record ambient temperature, test frequency, and connector types in your notebook so future measurements are comparable.
• Use fixture de-embedding (SOLT / TRL) when characterizing filters or PCB traces above 100 MHz.
• Photograph test setups—including attenuators and adapters—and store them with the measurement data file.

Instrumentation & Shared Gear

Take advantage of club equipment before buying your own.

• Vector Network Analyzers

  NanoVNA V2 (portable) and Siglent SVA series (lab). Includes calibration kits and fixture boards.
• Spectrum / Signal Sources

  Rigol DSA, tracking generators, and step attenuators for harmonic checks.
• Power Handling Bench

  1 kW dry dummy load, thermocouples, airflow monitoring, and current shunts rated for 12 V and 48 V systems.

Compliance & Documentation

Prove that your project meets Part 97 and local RF-exposure requirements.

• Use the FCC RF exposure calculator plus the ARRL worksheets for every permanent antenna site.
• Archive schematics, Gerber files, and firmware in the club Git repository or your personal backup with version numbers.
• Tag measurement files with revision numbers so other members can reproduce or peer-review your work.
• Store before/after plots showing how mitigation efforts (ferrites, chokes, shielding) changed performance.