RF Debugging & Optimization#

Finding and fixing the invisible problems.

RF problems don’t announce themselves — signals radiate, couple, and reflect in ways that can’t be seen or easily predicted. Debugging at RF requires techniques that account for the measurement affecting the circuit, limited visibility into what’s happening, and the reality that most benches don’t have $50,000 spectrum analyzers. The pages in this section cover practical approaches for diagnosing RF issues, making useful measurements with modest equipment, and fixing problems once they’re found.

Techniques#

• Probing Without Destroying the Circuit — Techniques for observing RF circuits without changing what’s being measured.

• Debugging Oscillations, Noise & Spurs — Identifying and fixing unwanted oscillations, spurious emissions, and elevated noise floors.

• Field-Expedient RF Measurement — Making useful RF measurements with modest equipment, SDR receivers, and improvised techniques.