Turn Your
INTERCONNECT SOLUTIONS FOR HIGH-FREQUENCY RF
Radio On
RF (Radio Frequency) refers to generated electromagnetic radiation (AKA radio signals) propagated through free air or space via a transmit antenna for collection and use by a receive antenna and its associated electronics. More simply, RF refers to the use of emitted electromagnetic radiation to (wirelessly) transfer information between two circuits that have no direct electrical connection. Common day-to-day systems such as over-the-air TV and cell phones employ digital RF due to the massive data rates afforded by Very and Ultra high-frequency electromagnetic wavelengths. Analog RF is found in less data-intensive systems: • Radio station RF signals captured by the antenna of your car • Police speed-gun RF signals sent and received by the officer’s hand-held unit • Television remote control units sending RF signals from the couch to the box History buffs may appreciate a brief homage to Heinrich Hertz, the gifted German physicist who
successfully demonstrated the existence of electromagnetic waves. In recognition of his achievement, Heinrich’s peers eponymously attached his name to the unit of measure used for frequency (the rate one wavelength travels in one second) forever enshrining it as one “Hertz.” Radio Wave frequencies (RF,
Heinrich Hertz
Microwave, and Millimeter Wave) occupy the low-end of the electromagnetic spectrum. The RF segments, or frequency bands. span from ELF (Extremely Low Frequency, 30 to 300 Hz) to VHF (Very High Frequency, 30 MHz to 300 MHz). Frequency bands ranging from UHF (Ultra High Frequency, 300 MHz – 3 GHz) to Ka (30 GHz) are conventionally referred to as the Microwave spectrum. Millimeter wave form frequencies fall between 40GHz and 300GHz. Interestingly, as electromagnetic frequency increases
30 Hz
300 Hz
3 kHz
30 kHz
300 kHz
3 MHz
30 MHz
300 MHz
1 GHz
2 GHz
3 GHz
4 GHz
8 GHz
12.5 GHz
18 GHz
26.5 GHz
30 GHz
40 GHz
300 GHz
>300 GHz
ELF
VF
Microwaves
VLF
LF
MF
HF
VHF
UHF L-Band
S-Band
SHF
C-Band
X-Band
Ku
K
Ka
EHF
Millimeter
Relative positions of the most common frequency bands (not to scale). ELF = Extremely Low Frequency VF = Voice Frequency VLF = Very Low Frequency LF = Low Frequency MF = Medium Frequency
HF = High Frequency VHF = Very High Frequency UHF = Ultra High Frequency SHF = Super High Frequency EHF = Extremely High Frequency
QwikConnect • January 2023
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