RF textbook recommendations wanted

[Mike Markowski]

Hi all,

I'm an EE but with little RF design background - I've spent most of my career so
far doing digital design & software development.  So while I remember how to
bias a transistor you probably don't want me to design a radio for you just yet!
 :-)

With that in mind, I'd love recommendations for texts on RF design that start
where your basic electrical engineering education leaves off.  One
recommendation so far is "Experimental Methods in RF Design" which I've been
told is not engineering level (perfectly fine by me) but a good starting point.
 Any classics out there you'd recommend?

Thanks!
Mike  ab3ap
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[Doug Person]

"Experimental Methods in RF Design" is an excellent starting place.  The book is very well done.

Doug -- KØDXV


Mike Markowski wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I'm an EE but with little RF design background - I've spent most of my career so
> far doing digital design & software development.  So while I remember how to
> bias a transistor you probably don't want me to design a radio for you just yet!
>  :-)
>
> With that in mind, I'd love recommendations for texts on RF design that start
> where your basic electrical engineering education leaves off.  One
> recommendation so far is "Experimental Methods in RF Design" which I've been
> told is not engineering level (perfectly fine by me) but a good starting point.
>  Any classics out there you'd recommend?
>
> Thanks!
> Mike  ab3ap
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
>  

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[wayne burdick]

Mike,

You might take a look at "The Electronics of Radio," written by Prof.
David Rutledge of Caltech. It's a 400-page lab coursebook for their
EE-20 class by the same name, available in hardcover from Amazon.

It uses the NorCal 40A transceiver (one of my earlier designs, still
available as a kit from Wilderness Radio) as a starting point for
in-depth analysis of everything from crystal filters to mixers to audio
amplifiers -- all with an emphasis on RF design. There's plenty of
college-level math and physics, since EE-20 is (I believe) a third-year
course. But many non-engineers have also enjoyed reading it. It's a
great introduction to all aspect of transceiver design, save DSP and
speech modulation/demodulation, both of which are well-represented in
EMRFD.

Another must-have for pragmatic design (which definitely applies to RF)
is "Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur," a classic by Hayward and
DeMaw. This is available from Elecraft (as is EMRFM, I believe).

73,
Wayne
N6KR


On Nov 13, 2006, at 9:33 AM, Mike Markowski wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I'm an EE but with little RF design background - I've spent most of my
> career so
> far doing digital design & software development.  So while I remember
> how to
> bias a transistor you probably don't want me to design a radio for you
> just yet!
>  :-)
>
> With that in mind, I'd love recommendations for texts on RF design...

> ---

http://www.elecraft.com

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[michael taylor-3]

On 11/13/06, wayne burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
> Another must-have for pragmatic design (which definitely applies to RF)
> is "Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur," a classic by Hayward and
> DeMaw. This is available from Elecraft (as is EMRFM, I believe).

Unfortunately _Sold State Design for the Radio Amateur_ is out of
print - look for it at hamfests, partly because it was getting fairly
dated in particulars, so _Experimental Methods_ grow out of being an
update I think. Maybe Wayne had  _Introduction to Radio Frequency
Design_  by Wes Hayward (red with wireframe plot on cover) in mind.

If Mike is not afraid of calculus then _The Electronics of Radio_ is
likely very useful. Both _The Electronics of Radio_ and _Introduction
to Radio Frequency Design_ have more math content than your typical
ARRL publication, so some hams find them not as accessible.

-Michael, VE3TIX
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[Doug Faunt N6TQS [phone]]

   Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 14:23:27 -0500
   From: "michael taylor" <[hidden email]>

   Unfortunately _Sold State Design for the Radio Amateur_ is out of
   print - look for it at hamfests, partly because it was getting fairly
   dated in particulars, so _Experimental Methods_ grow out of being an
   update I think.

Thanks for the thread-  I'm just embarking on a little project (which
will take a while, I'm sure), and you've all verified that at least my
library is sufficient.

And, in fact, I find I have two copies of _Solid State Design..._, one
of which is in very good shape, the only indication of its age is
slight browning of the edges.  It's labeled "$7.00", and the one I see
on ABE is listed at $211.07.

Somewhere between those two figures is a reasonable price, so make me
an offer, if you're interested.

73, doug
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[Fred (FL)]

Most EE Schools went way off the deepend, giving
and creating courses in Digital design.  I would think
a course in Fourier Transforms, S-plane, and all that
would be a good adjunct.  Most IC designers of late -
are just learning what R/L/C parasitics can do to a
IC design (physical silicon layout).  Many good EE
schools had some mix of "microwave electronics",
which dumps one solidly into RF, although at a
higher freq.  My SUNYAB EE school, always had
courses listed for "antenna design", and "RF design",
but in the 5 years I attended - they never offered
the courses.  I always thought that RF designers
were sort of seat of the pants guys & gals - who
learned all these RF design tricks, somehow on the
job.  I knew a designer, who was also versed in
"tube technology".  Sounds odd I know - but his
employer created and supported AWACS systems -
which have vacuum components.  He told me in the
early 90's - they only had 6 designers who could
design in that stuff.  He also worked in Galium
Arsenide - so he was immersed in both ends.  
If you find a great RF design book, which deals
with Transceivers and Radios - I too would be
interested in these texts.  I missed all of that
in my EE education too.

Fred
N3CSY


 
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