ebook PDF Understanding Radio for the Practical Engineer
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A Practical Guide to the Principles of Radio Design. There are many books on the subject of radio design, but the majority of them are either too basic and do not really give enough information, or they immediately launch into advanced theory that, unless you are a math genius, is just confusing and unhelpful. How often have you searched for information in a reference book and found that the relevant section opens with something like: “It may be shown that…blah, blah {some huge and very complicated mathematical calculation}”? Do your eyes start to glaze over and you rapidly lose interest? Sometimes there are several pages of it. Undoubtedly it is technically correct, but if you have a problem to solve, you are not interested in the derivation of theory; all you want is the answer. Sometimes, a friend or colleague is able to explain in a few simple words what the reference book was unable to put across. If this sounds familiar, then I hope that this book will help. Of course some basic math is mandatory in engineering and, where this is appropriate, I shall quote the relevant formulae and expressions - but only in their final practical form as engineering tools. Let the academics concern themselves with theory. This is not intended to be a complete reference manual for RF design - the library shelves are, in any case, filled with reference books and these necessarily include all of the ‘theory’ that I am anxious to avoid. Rather, it is an attempt to fill in some of the ‘gray’ areas that cause difficulties for many young engineers today. It has been my privilege to work with some of the best engineers in the field of RF design, but I have also found many who showed a lamentable lack of knowledge. In my view, this is to a large extent because nobody is prepared to teach them, nor to give them time to learn for themselves. Modern commercial pressures dictate that only a limited time is allowed on each project and the important areas of design are carried out by those who already have experience in that field. Naturally, this makes sense to the project managers, but it means that the less skilled engineer will never get the chance to learn. It also means that there is a tendency for engineers to become ‘experts’ in a particular and often very specialized field, without ever being given the chance to develop their skills in other areas. It is most unfortunate for them if that expertise becomes obsolete. CAD is now considered to be an essential design tool in the electronics industry, but it is no substitute for basic understanding and knowledge. It may tell you if your design will work, but not if it was an appropriate choice in the first place, nor how to properly test and debug your finished design. Of course, a book cannot impart practical experience either. What I have attempted to do is to give a clear and concise description of the various circuit blocks, with an explanation of how to plan your design and select the most suitable devices. Each part will contain a section on test and measurement techniques and, where appropriate, I have included some frequently asked questions and a number of useful tips. |
