RF & Satellite Engineering Tools

I use mathematical worksheets to bring calculations, explanatory notes and plots together in one engineering model. MATHsim makes the reasoning visible alongside the numerical results, so I can explore a problem and retain a readable record of the analysis.

What I use it to examine

• Build and revise numerical engineering models
• Compare results using plots, tables and mathematical expressions
• Keep the calculation and its explanation together

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use DSPsim to build and explore digital signal-processing models. It brings signal sources, coding, modulation and analysis into a block-based workbench, so I can examine a signal-processing chain and see how design choices affect the resulting signals.

What I use it to examine

• Build and inspect transmitter and receiver models
• Review sample rates and simulation settings
• Examine spectra and IQ constellations

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this workbench to examine a satellite link as a complete system. It helps me connect the radio, antenna and propagation assumptions to the resulting link margin, and see which assumptions drive the design.

What I use it to examine

• Review uplink and downlink assumptions
• Explore the effect of antenna and propagation parameters
• Identify the contributors to link margin

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use Monte-Carlo analysis when component variation matters to an RF line-up. Rather than assuming every component reaches its worst case at the same time, I explore how variation propagates through the cascade and affects the spread of system performance.

What I use it to examine

• Follow gain, noise figure, OIP3 and compression through the cascade
• Examine component spread and temperature effects
• Compare statistical performance with design margins

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this when trading modulation and coding against bandwidth, signal-to-noise ratio and the required error performance. It helps me compare candidate operating points before committing to a modem or link design.

What I use it to examine

• Compare modulation and coding choices
• Relate spectral efficiency to required Eb/N0
• Review throughput and error-performance assumptions

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this workbench when deciding how an ADC or DAC fits into an RF architecture. I examine the sampling plan, noise, clock jitter and distortion together, rather than treating the converter as an isolated component.

What I use it to examine

• Inspect Nyquist zones, aliases and DAC images
• Relate ENOB and jitter to noise and dynamic range
• Review signal headroom and harmonic contributions

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this when the sky contribution to antenna noise temperature matters to a receiving system. It lets me examine the observing direction and frequency alongside the antenna assumptions, rather than relying on a single fixed noise-temperature estimate.

What I use it to examine

• Explore sky brightness and observing direction
• Examine antenna-noise-temperature assumptions
• Put external noise into the receiver noise budget

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use atmospheric propagation models to explore the losses that a satellite or high-frequency radio path must accommodate. This workbench brings the relevant inputs and results together so I can review the assumptions behind the attenuation estimate.

What I use it to examine

• Examine frequency and elevation dependence
• Review rain, gaseous attenuation and scintillation estimates
• Relate propagation assumptions to link availability

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use 3D propagation modelling to see how geometry changes a radio path. A spatial view helps me reason about coverage and multipath, and inspect paths that a single path-loss number would conceal.

What I use it to examine

• Explore building geometry and radio placement
• Inspect propagation paths and multipath behaviour
• Compare modelling assumptions with the physical environment

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use spatial channel modelling when an RF system needs more than a single path-loss estimate. This workbench lets me inspect the relationship between scenario geometry, channel statistics and MIMO behaviour using the 3GPP modelling framework.

What I use it to examine

• Configure a scenario and inspect the 3D geometry
• Explore clusters, rays and channel statistics
• Review channel and MIMO behaviour

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use measured or simulated S-parameter data to inspect RF component behaviour over frequency. Plotting the relevant responses together helps me spot matching, transmission and phase behaviour that matters to the wider design.

What I use it to examine

• Inspect Touchstone measurement or simulation data
• Review transmission and reflection over frequency
• Examine phase and impedance behaviour

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this when I need to compare or combine S-parameter datasets during RF design. Keeping the source data and calculated responses in the same view makes it easier to understand what has changed and why.

What I use it to examine

• Compare multiple Touchstone datasets
• Inspect combined or calculated responses
• Keep source selection and results together

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this when clock or oscillator phase noise must be translated into a system-level consequence. The integration limits and carrier frequency matter, so I review them explicitly when estimating phase error and timing jitter.

What I use it to examine

• Integrate a phase-noise profile over a chosen offset range
• Review RMS phase error and timing jitter
• Relate oscillator performance to system requirements

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use spur analysis when choosing frequency plans for IQ transmitter and receiver architectures. It helps me identify unwanted mixing products and examine whether they fall within a wanted band or an important rejection region.

What I use it to examine

• Explore transmit and receive frequency plans
• Identify mixing products and unwanted responses
• Review the filtering and frequency-plan implications

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this workbench to trade loop bandwidth, phase margin and oscillator noise when designing a frequency synthesiser. It brings loop-filter synthesis and frequency- and time-domain analysis together so I can examine stability and noise performance in the same design.

What I use it to examine

• Synthesize and refine the loop filter
• Review loop stability and transient behaviour
• Examine phase-noise contributions and integrated jitter

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use this workbench to explore how digital predistortion can improve a nonlinear power amplifier. Modelling the transmitter and observation loop together helps me examine the interaction between the PA, converter impairments and the adaptive predistorter.

What I use it to examine

• Compare amplifier behaviour before and after predistortion
• Examine nonlinear behaviour and memory effects
• Review spectra, adjacent-channel performance and training diagnostics

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use RFsim to design and analyse RF and microwave circuits, bringing circuit schematics, planar electromagnetic models and results together in one workbench. It lets me examine component and layout behaviour before carrying the resulting network response into a wider system model.

What I use it to examine

• Design RF and microwave circuits and planar structures
• Examine matching, gain, noise, stability and nonlinear performance
• Compare circuit and EM results and exchange Touchstone S-parameter data

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use SYSsim to examine complete transmitter and receiver architectures from DAC to ADC. It connects modulation and I/Q waveforms with system-level RF models, so I can investigate how converters, oscillators, mixers, amplifiers and filters affect signal quality and receiver performance.

What I use it to examine

• Build hierarchical transmitter and receiver system models
• Examine LO and PLL behaviour, mixer products, amplifier harmonics and RF impairments
• Assess noise, sensitivity, isolation, EVM and adjacent-channel performance

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

I use Fplan to define frequency plans and assess cascaded performance in payload, gateway and terminal transceivers. It tracks wanted tones, blockers, spurs and noise through RF stages, mixers and data converters, so I can examine filtering, unwanted responses and headroom throughout the chain.

What I use it to examine

• Plan frequency conversion and inspect mixer spurs, harmonics, intermodulation and DAC/ADC images and aliases
• Review cascaded gain, noise figure, SNR, linearity and headroom, with spectra and tone origins at each stage
• Compare parallel paths, splitters, combiners, switches and multiplexers, and explore frequency sweeps

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.

Mission: Receive and decode everything from land, sea, air and space.

For lawful reception and authorised experimentation.

I use SDRsim to bring live radio reception, signal analysis and decoding into one workbench. It connects live SDR hardware, recorded I/Q and generated signals with spectrum, waterfall and audio views, so I can explore receiver behaviour and compare live signals with repeatable simulations.

What I use it to examine

• Receive AM, FM, SSB, CW and DAB/DAB+; inspect spectra, waterfalls, channel power and SNR, and record or replay I/Q
• Decode HF signals including FT8, WSPR, CW, PSK31 and RTTY, alongside NAVTEX, DSC, weather fax, SSTV and MSF/DCF77 time signals
• Predict satellite passes and track receiver Doppler shifts; map aircraft, vessels and land stations from received ADS-B, AIS and APRS
• Explore independent dual-tuner reception and coherent combining, with manual complex weights or automatic MRC tracking

This is one of my private engineering workbenches used during consultancy projects. It is shown here to illustrate my approach and is not distributed as a public application.