Master the Radio Arts
In this next series of posts, we’re going to dive into the heart of the radio arts: modulation. Modulation is what make wireless communications possible. Over the years, many different ways to modulate signals have been created. The advent of digital electronics has brought along with it a slew of new digital modulation techniques as … Read more
When studying amplifiers it’s impossible to leave out the differential amplifier. It is a very common and well known building block in electronics, and is also the basis for one of the most popular RF mixers: the Gilbert Cell mixers. Learning about the differential amplifier won’t just give you a useful tool in your electronic … Read more
Our first post on mixers focused on essential mixer theory and passive mixers. Understanding the diode double-balanced mixer is a great start, but that still leaves many mixer architectures unexplored. Some of the most popular mixers used in to today’s commercial and amateur gear are active mixers, and it makes sense to dissect the more … Read more
Mixers are a fundamental component in all RF communications equipment. They are required for nearly all modulation schemes, and have been present in radio in some or another since the beginning. Radio would not be possible without the existence of mixers. Despite their importance in radio equipment, many hams and experimenters are intimidated by them … Read more