DPD failure modes in wideband power amplifiers
Wideband multi-carrier transmitters promise spectral efficiency and flexible channelisation, but the unpleasant truth is that DPD failure modes multiply faster than bandwidth. The wider you go—carrier aggregation, mixed numerologies, high PAPR waveforms—the more your predistorter is asked to be a physics engine, a calibration system, and a real-time optimiser all at once. When it misses, […]
Spurious emissions budgeting for multi band radio platforms
Multi-band radios rarely fail compliance because one block is outright broken; they fail because small, individually ‘acceptable’ leakages stack up. Spurious emissions budgeting is the discipline of deciding, early and quantitatively, how much unwanted energy each subsystem is allowed to contribute at the antenna port (and sometimes at conducted test points) so the assembled platform […]
Novocomms & Synergy announce a Collaborative “Metarray-to-Modem” Module Line with NXP to Accelerate 5G/NTN Development
Metarray™ and SmarTenna™ hybrid antenna technology integrated with NXP Layerscape® Access LA12xx baseband & digital beamforming processor and Synergy 3GPP-standards complied software packages; early customer evaluation planned from Q3’2026 At MWC Barcelona 2026, Novocomms Limited and Synergy Design Technology Limited announced plans for a family of plug-and-play Metarray-to-Modem modules utilising NXP® Semiconductors LA12xx technology. This […]
How to Budget OTA Measurement Uncertainty Properly
In a busy multi-site lab, OTA uncertainty is rarely the thing that breaks first—until you try to correlate two chambers, across two shifts, with three fixtures, and the same device suddenly “moves” by 1–2 dB. At that point the debate isn’t about radiated performance; it’s about whether your measurement system is telling the truth consistently […]
Phase Noise Budgeting for Multi-Carrier RF Links
Multi-carrier microwave backhaul looks deceptively straightforward: add carriers, aggregate throughput, and let ACM keep the link honest. In practice, the phase noise budget is what quietly sets the ceiling on modulation order, XPIC performance, and how much capacity you can really bond before the radio starts “breathing” EVM. If you are architecting 2+0, 4+0, or […]
Optimising Wireless Solutions for Tactical Environments
Tactical communications rarely fail because the waveform is wrong on paper; they fail because the environment is hostile, the RF plan changes by the hour, and the platform cannot afford to be “RF precious”. Designing wireless tactical solutions that survive electronic warfare (EW), mobility, low probability of intercept/detection constraints, and coalition interoperability requires a discipline […]
EVM ACLR trade-offs in high power radios
In high power radios, EVM ACLR trade-offs are critical for achieving optimal performance in broadband transmitters. These concepts are not just acronyms; they’re fundamental parameters defining the efficiency and reliability of wireless communication systems. EVM, or Error Vector Magnitude, measures the in-band distortion in a transmitted signal and indicates the potential for bit error rates […]
EVM ACLR trade-offs in high power radios
Abstract: High-power broadband transmitters live or die on two numbers that pull in opposite directions: EVM and ACLR. This post explains why the EVM ACLR trade-off tightens as you chase efficiency, how PA nonlinearity, memory effects, phase noise and filtering interact, and what to prioritise in architecture and test. We close with practical design tactics […]
EVM ACLR trade-offs in high power radios
Abstract: High power radios rarely fail because they can’t make watts; they fail because they can’t make clean watts. This article unpacks the EVM ACLR trade-off, why it tightens as bandwidths and modulation orders increase, and which design levers (back-off, DPD, CFR, filtering, and calibration) actually move the needle in real transmitters. It closes with […]
Maximising RF System Performance for Mass Production
In the demanding landscape of mass production, ensuring optimal RF system performance is critical for maintaining competitive advantage and meeting quality standards. As production-test managers engage in this complex process, understanding the nuances of RF designs and collaborating with seasoned professionals can significantly streamline operations. For mass production of RF systems, various factors—including component selection, […]