Hands-On RF Engineering Workshop: Antennas, Filters, Amplifiers, and Troubleshooting by Tonex
Duration: 5 Days (Monday–Friday)
Audience:
Technicians, junior engineers, system integrators, and electronics hobbyists with a basic understanding of electronics who need practical RF skills for real-world applications.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Select and characterize various antennas for specific use cases.
- Design and implement simple RF filters with off-the-shelf components.
- Amplify RF signals using commercial amplifiers and understand gain, noise figure, and stability.
- Troubleshoot RF systems with signal generators, spectrum analyzers, and vector network analyzers (VNAs).
- Apply RF measurement techniques effectively in field and bench settings.
Course Agenda & Plan (with Labs)
Day 1: RF Fundamentals & Intro to Antennas
Morning:
- Quick intro to RF concepts (wavelength, impedance, VSWR, dB units)
- Antenna types: dipoles, monopoles, Yagi, patch, log-periodic, and helical
- How to match antenna to the application: frequency band, gain, directionality
Afternoon Hands-On Labs:
- Setup & test dipole, patch, and Yagi antennas
- Plot return loss, VSWR, and impedance
- Use of handheld spectrum analyzer to observe patterns and performance
Gear Needed:
- Antenna set (dipole, Yagi, patch)
- SMA adapters/cables, tripod mounts
Day 2: Antenna Measurements & Field Testing
Morning:
- Polar plots and radiation pattern basics
- Measuring gain and beamwidth
- Antenna placement, environmental effects
Afternoon Hands-On Labs:
- Outdoor range test: compare antenna types in real-world setup
- Use software (e.g., SDR# with RTL-SDR or HackRF) to capture and compare signals
- Simple signal mapping using GPS logger and RF mapping software
Gear Needed:
- Portable SDR (RTL-SDR, HackRF One)
- GPS logger, laptop
- Software: SDR#, GNURadio, or RF Explorer’s PC interface
Day 3: Filtering RF Signals
Morning:
- Why and when to filter: bandpass, high-pass, low-pass, notch
- Practical filter design (LC components, off-the-shelf filters)
- Testing filter response with spectrum analyzer/VNA
Afternoon Hands-On Labs:
- Build a low-pass and band-pass filter (kits or pre-built modules)
- Insert filters into antenna chains and compare performance
Gear Needed:
- Pre-built or kit-based RF filters (e.g., Mini-Circuits)
- VNA, spectrum analyzer
- Breadboards or SMA chassis mounts
Day 4: Amplifying RF Signals
Morning:
- Understanding gain, noise figure, linearity, P1dB, IP3
- When to use LNA vs. PA
- Cascading gain stages and power budgets
Afternoon Hands-On Labs:
- Use of RF preamps and power amps
- Characterize amplifier behavior (input/output, stability, noise)
- Chain amp + filter + antenna and measure total gain and performance
Gear Needed:
- RF amplifier modules (LNA and PA; e.g., Mini-Circuits, Qorvo)
- Dummy loads, attenuators
- Power supplies, heatsinks
Day 5: Troubleshooting & Field Scenarios
Morning:
- Common RF issues: interference, mismatch, overload, cabling faults
- Using TDR, spectrum analyzers, and VNAs for fault diagnosis
- System-level signal path analysis
Afternoon Hands-On Labs:
- Simulated field issues (e.g., damaged coax, interference)
- Teams perform troubleshooting workflows
- Final assessment: design, build, and test a basic RF receive/transmit chain with given components
Gear Needed:
- Spectrum analyzer, SDR, VNA, dummy antennas with faults
- Oscilloscope (optional), coax cables, SMA tools
- Lab worksheet for signal chain diagnosis
Suggested Equipment List:
- SDR (RTL-SDR, HackRF, Airspy)
- RF Antenna kit (dipole, patch, Yagi, etc.)
- RF amplifiers (LNA and PA modules)
- Spectrum analyzer
- Oscilloscope (100 MHz+ optional)
- Dummy loads, attenuators
- SMA tools and adapters
- RF cable set (RG-316, RG-58 with SMA/BNC connectors)
- Laptops SDR software and analysis tools