RF Shorts for June 6, 2013

By Doug Lung
published

Open Source RF Initiative
ElectronicsWeekly.com reports the U.K. government supports the open-source RF initiative. Universities and companies will have the opportunity to use the MyraidRF and configurable transceiver technology developed by Lime Microsystems as a result of its work with Europractice, a government-funding project of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council.

“Many European universities are leaders in the field of wireless technology, and I believe that the products will find numerous teaching and research applications,” said Dr. John McLean, division head at the Microelectronics Support Centre at Microelectronics Support Centre at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. “The field-programmable feature is especially attractive as it allows the reuse of the device in a teaching environment.”

The RF transceivers cover spectrum from 300 MHz to 3.8 GHz. The MyriadRF board is available starting at $299 from RichardsonRFPD. While designed primarily for wireless broadband applications it appears the device has enough bandwidth to potentially allow it to be used to demonstrate and test different digital TV transmission and reception technology.

Tracking Down Interference in Australia, Catching a Beer Fridge
The title of Ry Crozier's article on itnews.com.au, Rogue beer fridge caught by Telstra 'robot' might lead you to dismiss it as non-technical fluff, but if you take the time to read it you'll find it is actually an introduction to a description of a new system Telstra has rolled out to track down interference to its wireless network.

The “robot” is actually software that analyzes logs from Telstra's sites to look for outliers in the uplink noise reported at the sites. It looks for the unique noise signatures generated by particular pieces of electronic equipment: oscillating TV preamplifiers, cell phone repeaters, welding equipment, etc. It is also able to distinguish between noise generated by PIM (passive intermodulation) at the site and external issues.

Read Crozier's article for more on how Telstra's software robot works and how it tracked down that rogue beer fridge!

Comments and RF related news items are welcome. Email me at dlung@transmitter.com

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.