I need to specify RF hardware to work in my system, but am unsure about whether I have specified every detail I need. Can you help?
In any system design, there can be considerable complexity and uncertainty in ensuring that individual subsystems, such as RF components, seamlessly satisfy the overall system specifications. EM Solutions understands the importance of reducing the uncertainty for our customers in this regard. Because we have been involved over many years in system-level projects with other customers and feel confident in our track record, in many cases we can offer system-level design checking and validation, to guarantee that our RF components will work in your system as needed – whether you have accounted for a particular RF specification or not. This reduces your risk by sharing with us responsibility for overall system-level performance.
We can enhance our contribution beyond that of just an RF equipment provider to encompass professional engineering services associated with design reviews, complex design and modelling, and engineering troubleshooting of a range of issues. Your success is our success.
Do your components work in other systems besides satellite communications?
Yes! Although the nominal specifications for many of the products we offer – such as block up converters (BUCs) and low noise block downconverters (LNBs) are derived from the demand for satellite communications, particularly in the emerging Ka-frequency band, these subsystems can be tailored to work in other systems, such as fixed wireless, radar, or radio astronomy. In fact, the heritage of many of EM Solutions current products comes from other industries, such as microwave landing systems and point to point radio links. Because EM Solutions is a vertically integrated company, our Engineering Services team is able to develop products specific to your needs, based on our standard product range.
What can EM Solutions provide that others can’t?
EM Solutions provides
Technical superiority – we are home to one of the most talented teams of microwave engineers in the world. As described in our white papers, our expertise in both electromagnetics and microwave circuits means that our Ka-band BUCs are the lightest and most powerful in the world. We have specific expertise in power combining, low phase-noise and phase-hit oscillators, and linearization, at frequencies up to Ka-band.
Superior customer service – delivering hardware that meets specification is only the beginning. EM Solutions offers a committed project manager to oversee all major orders, to anticipate your needs, communicate throughout, and ensure that we provide what we promised. We offer you more than a product, we will work with you to deliver a service.
Extended support – our systems guarantee relieves you of the worry that our component may not work in your system. By sharing responsibility for specification, we share the risk to help ensure your system delivers as intended. We remove the worry that your deadline will be missed because our hardware does not operate as planned. What’s more, we can reduce your total through-life cost with our through-life support offering [Insert Link to page at: Root/Support].
Peace of mind – EM Solutions is a vertically integrated company that understands RF and system design, engineering and manufacturing, and customer service. We don’t out-source core responsibility or critical functions (although we do work closely with partners in lower cost countries to ensure we can manufacture high volumes at globally competitive prices). Innovation puts our hardware at the leading edge of the envelope; but peace of mind comes from knowing that we fully understand our job, and stand behind it with a strong guarantee, so you can guarantee yours.
I can’t find the exact product I want on your website, should I still ask you?
Absolutely! Although we advertise a range of our most commonly requested products, chances are that we will be able to tailor an existing RF or microwave design in the 1 – 40 GHz frequency range to meet your specific requirements. If your specifications require us to implement design changes, we might need to include a non-recurring engineering fee into the quoted price, depending on initial order quantities. You can make an enquiry using the request form [Insert Link to page at: Root/Contact].
In the event we can’t quote you a cost-effective price on a particular product you are seeking, we will probably be able to direct your request to a trusted partner who can.
What do you mean by “linear power” when you specify your BUCs?
Block up convertors include a solid state power amplifier that at small input power levels will linearly amplify and upconvert the input signal, but at high input powers will produce a constant, saturated output power independent of the input signal amplitude. In a well-designed BUC, the saturated output power is determined by the output load impedance and bias point of the power amplifier. At some power level lower than the saturation point, it will cease to linearly amplify and upconvert the input signal, creating distortion components at unwanted frequencies.
The 1dB compression point, the power level at which the gain of a single sinusoidal tone is 1db less than its small-signal gain, is one measure of linearity, since at lower power levels any compression and nonlinear distortion can be considered negligible. In a system with a non-sinusoidal or modulated input signal, distortion will occur at lower power levels than that, so a more realistic measure of linearity is needed.
One measure is the total output power in two closely spaced sinusoidal tones, at which the power level in either third-order distortion product just reaches 22dBc below either fundamental tone at the output. A related measure is the total power level at which the peak power in the spectral regrowth of a QPSK modulated signal, measured one symbol rate offset from the centre of the band, does not exceed -30 dBc below the main signal. EM Solutions uses a mil-spec definition of linearity, which is formally defined as the smaller of the two measures described above.
