Trending RF & Microwave News Stories of the Week (22 - 26 June, 2020)

Anritsu Introduces 110 GHz Coaxial Components for mm-Wave and Optical Designs

Anritsu has expanded its RF/Microwave W1 (1.0 mm) component line with the introduction of bias tees, DC blocks, and semi-rigid cables that operate up to 110 GHz and provide broadband frequency scalability in high-frequency device characterization and optical networking applications. The addition of the new W1 components provides Anritsu with one of the broadest millimeter wave (mmWave) coaxial component portfolios in the market, that can be integrated into test systems so engineers have greater confidence in their emerging high-speed designs. 

With an operable frequency from DC to 110 GHz, the new W1 components generate metrology-grade quality results with high repeatability. Further ensuring flexibility for customer testing, these new components provide a component solution where conventional devices, including waveguides, do not exist. The W1 coaxial interface allows for a direct connection to the instrument test port, which saves time and simplifies system setup. Click here to read more.

Keysight Enhances Performance of their PNA Vector Network Analyzer Family

Keysight Technologies has enhanced their high performance network analyzers (PNA and PNA-X) to deliver greater flexibility and accuracy while speeding up and simplifying required measurements. The new PNA family of VNAs delivers the right mix of speed and performance to reduce these test times, enabling faster insight with simplified measurement setups and the accuracy they need to improve their designs.

Network analyzers are indispensable test instruments in the radio frequency and microwave industry. They provide measurement capabilities to characterize a wide range of devices, components, and systems. However, measurements for active devices, including noise figure, gain compression, and IMD, can be complex, especially on modern high-frequency devices. Click here to read more.

BAE Systems Working with AFRL to Develop Next Gen Radar, Electronic Warfare & Communications

FAST Labs, the R&D arm of BAE Systems is continuing to advance millimeter wave gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology to support critical next-generation radar, electronic warfare, and communications. Currently in Phase 3 of a multi-year, cooperative agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), it is developing defense-critical GaN technologies and providing Department of Defense (DoD) suppliers with access to support US warfighters.

GaN technology provides a broad frequency bandwidth, high efficiency, and high transmit power in a small footprint, enabling greater system capabilities for critical DoD applications. The technology fills a unique DoD need for low-cost, high-performance amplifier technology. Click here to read more.

China Aims to Complete its Own Navigation System to Decrease Reliance on GPS

China is gearing up to send the last satellite of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to space, a move that will complete a global navigation network and wean the country off U.S. technology (GPS) in this area. BeiDou consists of 30 satellites which are key for navigation or even messaging. It’s a rival to the U.S. government-owned Global Positioning System (GPS).

This is a significant development because it will ensure China’s military systems will remain online in the event of a conflict with the U.S., but it’s also part of Beijing’s push to increase its technological influence overseas. The Chinese Military now has a system it can use independent of the U.S. GPS System. Click here to read more.

VIAVI Enables Operators to View 3D 5G Coverage Maps to Help Optimize Networks

Viavi Solutions announced that it has expanded its NITRO Mobile Assurance portfolio with two new solutions –GEOperformance 5G and Coverage Assurance 5G. The two solutions give operators a view of 5G coverage and subscriber experience, allowing them to transform 5G RAN planning and performance engineering. Combined, they allow the mobile operator to move from a position of managing and assuring without visibility to one where comprehensive visibility allows them to attract new vertical markets and drive new revenue streams.

GEOperformance 5G gives a view of 5G NR (New Radio) measurements, as well as 2G, 3G and 4G measurements, allowing mobile operators to plan, assure and optimize multi-technology networks as they build out their 5G networks. The user interface allows engineers to view tables and maps showing radio frequency KPIs such as signal strength and interference, based on actual geolocated measurements. These maps and tables can be analyzed and filtered to identify problem areas such as areas of high drop call rates. An automated problem detection functionality also rapidly guides engineers to areas of the network that do not meet defined KPI thresholds. Click here to read more.

ST Introduces Bluetooth 5.0 Development Kit for Industrial and Smart-Building Markets

STMicroelectronics has introduced the STEVAL-IDB008V1M Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 (BLE) evaluation platform which can accelerate application development with modules featuring BlueNRG-2, the Company’s second-generation BLE System-on-Chip (SoC). BlueNRG-2 supports the Bluetooth 5.0 certification, which allows enhanced security with LE Secure Connections, power-efficient privacy with Link Layer Privacy 1.2, and up to 2.6-times higher throughput with LE Data Length Extension. 

The SoC contains an Arm® Cortex®-M0 core operating at up to 32MHz to handle the Bluetooth stack and application processing and integrates new features including a 32kHz ring oscillator, 24KB RAM and 256KB Flash program memory. Reduced standby power is a further advantage, drawing just 0.9µA in sleep mode with active Bluetooth stack and full RAM retention. Click here to read more.

ON Semiconductor Introduces Bluetooth Mesh Platform for Smart Building and IIoT Applications

ON Semiconductor has introduced a new Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networking solution based on the ultra-low-power RSL10 System-in-Package (RSL10 SIP) Solution. Using the RSL10 Mesh Platform, engineers can easily implement ultra-low-power mesh networking, using Bluetooth Low Energy technology, and move quickly towards full deployment. Optimized for smart home, building automation, industrial IoT, remote environment monitoring, and asset tracking and monitoring applications, this multi-faceted solution has all the essential elements needed for developing and deploying a mesh network. It consists of two RSL10 Mesh Nodes and a Strata Gateway for connectivity to the Strata Developer Studio.

Complementing the RSL10 SIP, an array of sensing and indicator devices have been incorporated into the node hardware, including an ambient light sensor (LV0104CS), temperature sensor (N34TS108), magnetic sensors, LED indicators and a triple-output NCP5623B LED driver (for color mixing purposes). Alongside this is a built-in battery charger suitable for batteries with either Li-Ion or Li-Poly chemistries. Click here to read more.

GSA Outlines the Global Status of 5G Deployment Using mm-Wave Spectrum

The GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) has released its latest report underlining the global usage of spectrum above 24 GHz for 5G services. According to the report, 97 operators in 17 countries/territories hold public licenses (many of the regional) enabling operation of 5G networks using mm-Wave spectrum. 22 operators are known to have already deployed 5G networks using mmWave spectrum. The report also stated that 13 countries/territories have already announced formal plans for assigning frequencies above 24 GHz between now and end-2021.

And while countries and operators have been busy in bringing the 5G to the masses, there already are 84 5G devices announced that support one or more of the 5G spectrum bands above 24 GHz (though note that details of spectrum support are patchy for pre-commercial devices), up from 59 at the end of November 2019. Twenty-seven of those devices are commercially available. Click here to read more.

FCC Wants to Use of 70/80/90 GHz Spectrum Bands for 5G Deployment

The Federal Communications Commission has announced to initiate a proceeding to make more efficient use of additional millimeter-band spectrum resources, including for the provision of wireless backhaul for 5G and the deployment of broadband services to aircraft and ships.

In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission is exploring new and innovative commercial uses of the 71–76 GHz, 81–86 GHz, 92–94 GHz, and 94.1–95 GHz bands, collectively known as the 70/80/90 GHz bands. These 70/80/90 GHz bands are unused or underused in large parts of the country (United States) with current use of the spectrum primarily concentrated along a few high-traffic routes. Click here to read more.

Nokia 5G Liquid Cooling System for Base Stations Reduces Energy Expenses by 30%

Nokia announced that its liquid cooled 5G AirScale Base Station solution has helped Finnish mobile operator, Elisa, reduce energy expenses by 30 percent and CO2 emissions by approximately 80 percent. This is the first time a commercial 5G liquid cooling solution has been deployed anywhere in the world and highlights Nokia’s strong commitment to sustainability and combating climate change. Click here to read more.

Samsung Develops Drone Based Antenna Measurement Solution for 4G and 5G Networks

Samsung Electronics announced the successful testing of its new drone-based antenna configuration measurement solution for 4G and 5G networks at the company’s South Korea campus. The automated solution will offer operators a simplified way to manage cell sites with increased efficiency, improve employee safety and ultimately optimize network performance.

In the demonstration, an engineer on the ground used a smartphone with a remote-control application to fly a camera-equipped drone that captured photos of the antennas installed on a building’s rooftop. The visual data was viewable via the engineer’s smartphone and then was transmitted to a cloud server within seconds. The deep learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) solution instantly verified the rotation and tilt of the antennas, so that the engineers could determine if the antennas were installed correctly at predefined optimal angles. Click here to read more.

World’s Largest Constellation of 48 SAR Satellites for Government and Commercial Applications

PredaSAR Corporation has announced that it will launch a constellation of 48 commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites across multiple orbits. This groundbreaking constellation will be the world's largest and most advanced commercial SAR satellite constellation and provide PredaSAR's government and commercial clients with unprecedented image quality, unmatched global persistence, and rapid data delivery.  Click here to read more.

World's Smallest SATCOM System for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Honeywell, has announced the release of its smallest and lightest satellite communications (SATCOM) system, specially designed for unmanned aerial vehicles. Weighing in at only one kilogram (2.2 pounds), the new system is 90% lighter than Honeywell’s smallest connectivity system and will bring some of the same connectivity capabilities enjoyed by larger aircraft to smaller unmanned vehicles in the air or on land.

Satellite communications, or SATCOM, is a broad category of critical technologies that helps connect aircrafts to each other and to operators or air traffic control on the ground. Also within this category are technologies that make in-flight Wi-Fi or fleet tracking possible. Click here to read more.