RF and microwave semiconductors for the wireless.

A pan-European franchise agreement with BeRex Corp., a leading Korean producer of analog RF and microwave semiconductors has been agreed by Anglia Components. BeRex’s product range includes high quality and cost effective solutions for wireless applications, many of which are drop in alternative to industry standard devices from global semiconductor manufacturers.

John Bowman, Anglia’s Marketing Director remarked, “Anglia is rapidly building a strong and wide portfolio of high quality, cost-effective analog parts from suppliers based around the world. BeRex fits nicely into this programme with devices for radar and wireless communications systems in industrial markets, as well as RFIC front-end modules for IoT devices based on popular protocols and standards.”

Jae Won Kim, Senior Manager at BeRex added: “We are excited to be represented in the UK and EU countries by Anglia, which is renowned for technical support and customer service. Anglia has been trading for over 50 years so its market knowledge and understanding of what the customer needs is second to none.”

Founded in 2004, BeRex leverages over two decades of experience and expertise in developing the most reliable RF and microwave components in the industry that enable the efficient transmission of voice, video, and data traffic over leading communications networks worldwide.

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@angliaLive @BWW_Comms #BeRex #Electronics #PAuto #Europe

Angled launch connectors.

Full production quantity availability of Samtec's new 1.85 mm 30-degree angled launch board connector (185-AL Series) has been announced. This series delivers precision RF performance through 67 GHz while solving common mechanical and routing challenges found in dense, millimeter wave lab test and evaluation environments.

Modern RF and high-speed digital test boards often face tight mechanical constraints that make cable routing difficult or unreliable. The 30-degree angled launch geometry of the Samtec 185-AL Series allows coaxial cables to exit the PCB in a natural direction, significantly reducing sharp bends that can degrade electrical stability.

The solderless, compression mount design enables field replaceable functionality. Eliminating the need for solder reflow enables rapid connect/disconnect to the printed circuit board, significantly reducing downtime and allowing connector reuse. It also removes performance variability that can occur with solder, enabling repeatable precision millimeter wave performance.

Threaded coupling provides high mechanical reliability. Mating interconnects include Samtec’s high-performance microwave cable assemblies, such as .047” diameter RF047-A Series cable, .086” diameter RF086 Series cable, and stable during flexure Nitrowave® LL071 Series cable. Mechanical stress when bending or twisting can change the dielectric’s properties and alter performance, with effects more pronounced at higher frequencies. Nitrowave cable’s optimised cable construction, which includes a Dynamic Performance Layer, protects from measurement errors that can occur due to flexure.

At millimeter wave frequencies, connector launches become increasingly complex. Samtec offers signal integrity support such as board launch optimisation, e-field simulation, and 3D modeling to help ensure maximum performance through a system. Contact RFgroup@samtec.com for RF launch optimisation and design support.

1.85 mm 30-degree angled launch connectors are available direct from Samtec.

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@SamtecInc @TechWireIntl #Electronics #PAuto #TandM

Adopted for SAR.

Base station simulators from Anritsu have been adopted in a high-speed Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) measurement solution developed by Microwave Factory Co., Ltd. (MWF) in collaboration with Schmid & Partner Engineering AG (SPEAG). This solution automates RF exposure assessments for 5G standalone (SA), 5G non-standalone (NSA), and 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) devices, supporting the development of safer mobile devices.

The system seamlessly integrates the following products:

• Microwave Factory: MATEOS Antenna Measurement Software
• SPEAG: cSAR3D Vector Array System
• Anritsu: MT8000A / MT8821C Base Station Simulators

In conventional SAR measurements, engineers manually configured the MT8000A/MT8821C. This solution automates the entire SAR measurement process, drastically reducing setup time. It also supports a wide range of standards, from LTE (4G) to 5G NR (SA/NSA), enabling faster and fully automated measurement operations.

SAR testing is essential to ensure that mobile devices, such as smartphones, comply with safety standards for human RF exposure. This collaboration enables manufacturers to perform critical measurements more quickly and reliably, helping bring safer products to market faster.

Each of the three project collaborators remains dedicated to advancing the safety and usefulness of mobile communications.

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@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @OiForum @NapierPR #Communications #5G

Field portable instruments range expanded.

A Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and Vector Voltmeter (VVM) measurements have been added to Anritsu's Site Master instruments. The latest iteration of the Site Master MS2085A and MS2089A are the most capable ever field portable instruments used by the world’s RF communications engineers. Already featuring a cable and antenna analyser and spectrum analyser, the new VNA and VVM options expand the applications supported to include filter and amplifier testing in the field as well as maintenance of radar and antenna arrays including airfield VOR and ILS navigation systems.

The VNA offers a ReadyCal option that enables testing immediately on arrival on site plus exceptional calibration stability reducing the requirement for repeated recalibrations in the field. A measurement dynamic range in excess of 100 dB facilitates the testing of filters and diplexers commonly found in communication base stations, and the source power ranges from -45 dBm to +9 dBm adding amplifier test capability. The new Site Master VNA sweep speed is faster than any previous generation to simplify alignment and tuning of devices.

The VVM is an essential instrument for cable phase matching in complex phased array antenna systems such as the VOR/ILS systems located at all major airports. Phase matching of multiple cables is simplified with a table display of individual results on a single screen. With the addition of a VNA and VVM instrument the new MS2085A and MS2089A Site Master builds on its status as the instrument of choice for technicians installing and maintaining the world’s communication networks.

The VNA and VVM options are available immediately. Existing instruments can be updated to include the new measurements

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@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @NapierPR #TandM  #Communications

OTA measurements for Wi-Fi 7.

Anritsu and Bluetest have combined their recent product upgrades to create an Over-the-Air (OTA) measurement^*1 solution for verifying RF performance in tri-frequency bands of the latest WLAN standard (IEEE 802.11be). This collaboration provides customers with a WLAN test solution capable of transmit power (TRP) and receive sensitivity (TIS) measurements on IEEE 802.11be supported devices. Measuring the OTA performance in life-like, but repeatable conditions, enables manufacturers of high-speed data transmission devices, including high-end smartphones, AR/VR devices and cloud gaming consoles, to optimize the radio performance and end-user satisfaction.

IEEE 802.11be is being standardized as the successor to IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6/6E) and is targeted to realize high-speed communications that significantly exceed IEEE 802.11ax. The standard is expected to be a fundamental technology supporting the latest applications and services, such as ultra-high resolution video streaming beyond 4K and AR/VR.

Although the official release of the standard is scheduled for 2024, product development based on the draft standard is underway, and leading companies have already begun to bring their products to market. IEEE 802.11be adopts innovative technologies such as 320 MHz bandwidth, 4096 QAM modulation and Multiple RU, and a comprehensive evaluation of RF performance is required.

The Anritsu Wireless Connectivity Test Set MT8862A is dedicated to the WLAN standard, hence optimized for stable and reliable connections with wider dynamic range, even in a faded environment such as in the Bluetest reverberation chamber. It is now updated with a new radio module adding support for 320 MHz bandwidth, in addition to the supported 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands. The test setup is easily expanded to support 2x2 MIMO measurements using two MT8862A units.

“The combination of Bluetest reverberation chamber test system and Anritsu MT8862A offers a compact and fast solution for evaluating WLAN device performance." says Bluetest Product Manager Klas Arvidsson. "Various sizes of chambers, from the very compact, “fits-through-an-office-door”, RTS25 up to the walk-in RTS95 chamber, caters for measurements on small, as well as very large WLAN devices such as television screens or other home appliances. It is even possible to measure wearables while used by a real person.”

"IEEE 802.11be is not only an extension of the physical layer technology, but also adopts innovative technologies such as Multi-link Operation^*2, which enables easier comfortable high-speed communication than ever before by efficiently using three frequency bands simultaneously," adds Keita Masuhara, Product Manager, IoT Test Solutions Div.with Anritsu. "However, specific performance evaluation is necessary to prevent problems and realize its full potential. Anritsu has worked with Bluetest to provide a valuable solution for OTA RF performance evaluation. We are confident that the new measurement system will contribute to efficient performance testing."

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The Anritsu MT8862A and all Bluetest chambers are available for order, and upgrade packages are offered for already installed systems.

*1 Over-The-Air (OTA) measurement Measurement for accurately evaluating wireless device reliability, efficiency, and performance by sending/receiving over-the-air radio waves. This is especially useful for comprehensively evaluating the wireless communications performance of equipment including antennas.
^*2 Multi-link Operation Technology enabling one device to simultaneously send and receive data across different frequency bands and channels.

@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @NapierPR #Bluetest #Communications #TandM

Capturing and playing back RF signals.

Anritsu Company, has partnered with AnaPico AG*, in response to the growing demand from customers need for instruments to capture RF signals of interest over the air and then play them back from vector signal generators.

The Anritsu IQ Signal Master™ MX280005A PC application has been enhanced to integrate the capture of RF IQ signals using the Field Master Pro™ MS2090A spectrum analyzer and then to load the IQ data file into the AnaPico VSG for playback at any frequency up to 40 GHz. The seamless process of IQ data capture and playback is ideal for in depth testing of the response of receivers to a wide range of signals.

The ability to record and analyze a broad range of radio signals including radars, telemetry links, secure communications and jammers are increasingly important to the security and defense agencies. The IQ Signal Master MX280005A integrates all the required functionality into a single package that manages the capture configuration, provides a built-in spectrum analyzer replay with microsecond resolution, and playback of the captured signal at any frequency to 40 GHz.

Built in intelligent algorithms include tools to quickly find and extract signals of interest from large data files, extraction of low-level signals from the noise and scenario testing to validate the performance of receivers to real world threats.

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*AnaPico is a Swiss certified technology leader developing, manufacturing and supplying RF and MW test & measurement instruments.

@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @_AnaPico_ @NapierPR #Communications #TandM

Microwaves & RF display.

Intelliconnect (Europe), is scheduled to exhibit at the 26th edition of the European Microwave Week (EuMW 2023). Located in Berlin (D) and featuring three co-located conferences it continues the annual series of highly successful microwave events that began in 1998.

Steve Groves, Sales and Marketing Director at Intelliconnect, says, “We are pleased to be back at the European Microwave week and able to show our Rf and Cryogenic capabilities to visitors. Our CryoCoax division leads the way in cryogenic connectivity not only for quantum computing but also for research, test and measurement and medical applications.”

Products of special note on display will  include:

• Q-CON high density cryogenic connector.
• Cryogenic cable and cable assemblies
• Cryogenic connectors and adaptors

as well as the core Intelliconnect product range including:

• RF connectors and adaptors
• Low loss coaxial cables
• Semi rigid cables

The market leading Pisces range of waterproof RF connectors, coaxial adaptors to facilitate inter-series connection and gender change etc. dust-caps will also be on Intelliconnect’s stand.

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@Intelli_Connect @proactivefleet @eumweek #PAuto #Connectors #Microwave

Twenty years connecting.

Continued growth in core markets and innovation in Quantum Research and Computing

April 2023 marked the 20th year of trading for Intelliconnect (Europe), a specialist manufacturer of RF, Microwave, Waterproof and Cryogenic connectors and cable harnesses. The last few months have seen many changes to the way the company operates and is engaging with the future.

Now a part of Trexon Global, a worldwide group of specialist companies providing unique connectivity solutions that withstand the toughest environments and the most exacting applications, Intelliconnect has access to even greater opportunities in a global marketplace.

With the retirement of the previous and founding management, the new team are busy innovating, improving process and seeking new recipients for its multitude of technical solutions in both Cryogenic and traditional products. The company are already collaborating closely with several Trexon partners and investment and growth plans are in place to ensure a bright future.

As Managing Director, Gareth Phillips says, “We have built an amazing business, staffed with amazing people, that do an amazing job and work with amazing customer and supplier partners.”

Intelliconnect has always punched above its weight and was the little business that could, but now they are a bigger business that can and are pushing hard to be the big business that meets its aspirations.

Phillips continues, “I am fortunate enough to now be helming a business that has a formidable reputation for quality and agility and we have our work cut out to maintain both these things as we grow. Have there been growing pains? Yes. Will there be more? Of course, but I have a great team that rises to the occasion every time and we will continue to work to delight our partners and maintain our hard-earned reputation.”

Intelliconnect timeline 2003: The beginning. Intelliconnect was formed in 2003 as a direct result of the offshoring that occurred in the British connector industry following the telecoms crash in the late 90s/early 2000’s. It was conceived from a passion to revive the British connector manufacturing sector and was founded and funded by four individuals in partnership with Labcraft Ltd, a leading British low voltage lighting specialist.  The business was set-up in a corner of Labcraft’s facility in Chelmsford (GB), predominantly manufacturing lighting on a sub-contract basis for Labcraft. The first employee other than MD, Roy Phillips was Maria DeVries. Phill Skingsley soon followed as Production Director and the manufacture of connectors commenced with orders from Rhophase Microwave in Corby, a company which would have a big impact on the history and success of Intelliconnect.  In the early days, the business had no direct sales team and relied on word of mouth, existing contacts, Google Advertising and various outlets such as Interface Components Ltd. to spread the word. It soon became clear that administration assistance was needed and Maria Wright, a former Labcraft employee, was hired. Maria is still with the business today.  Sales in the first year reached the heady heights of £120,000. 2005: A Pivotal Year. 2005 was a pivotal year as for 3 reasons. Labcraft took the decision to restore its  manufacturing capability, it was decided to close the original Intelliconnect company and reform as Intelliconnect (Europe) Ltd, this time with 50% each ownership by Labcraft and Roy Phillips and Intelliconnect acquired the assets of a failing US connector manufacturer, Select Connect. Consequently, in only its third year of trading, Intelliconnect had completely re-organised, lost a significant proportion of its manufacturing output and acquired a US subsidiary, now called Intelliconnect USA. In addition, Labcraft announced that they were de-leasing their Warehouse and a new home for Intelliconnect was needed.  It was decided that all manufacturing would be sub-contracted to Phill and Carol Skingsley and the 2-person admin team were relocated to an office in Chelmsford (GB). Manufacturing was then carried out in Phill’s garage in Harrow (GB). This continued successfully until 2013. 2006-2009: Growth. The business grew, albeit relatively slowly, there was still no direct salesforce, and the banking crisis of 2008/09 was a major brake on growth. Despite this, in 2007 the company won its first major defence contract with Signature Industries and in 2009 a Sales Manager was finally employed. 2010 -2012: Consolidation. In 2010 sales dropped by 50% (the only time in Intelliconnect’s 20-year history that sales had fallen) before recovering in 2011 to £640k in 2011 and further growing to £825k in 2012.  The primary driver for this growth was the company’s entry into the medical market in the USA, most particularly in the cochlear implant space. Sales in their home market however remained static.   2013 – 2014 Another Pivotal Period. Two significant things happened in 2013. Firstly, the business acquired the services of David Hazell a veteran of Greenpar, Macom and Midwest Microwave to head up the sales function. This had a huge impact on the credibility and ability of the business to start playing in a higher league. Secondly, following the sale of Rhophase Microwave (then Intelliconnect’s biggest customer in Britain), the new owners decided to re-locate the business to Blackburn (GB). Intelliconnect saw this as an opportunity to seriously get involved in the RF cable assembly market, so it immediately employed Arden Lawson, Rhophase’ Production Manager to set up an Intelliconnect cable assembly operation in Chelmsford. 2014 – 2018 A Period of Rapid Growth.  In this period sales grew from just over £1m to £3.2m. The most significant driver of this growth was the company’s entry into the Cryogenics/Quantum computing arena as well as acquiring significant business from the country's largest shipborne radar company.  In 2014, Intelliconnect was also lucky enough to be able to acquire the services of Martin Spooner, one of the top RF engineers in Britain, an investment which was essential as the business moved into new markets and was working with blue-chip customers. Also, in 2014 the cable assembly team was further enhanced and the operation was moved to a small unit in Corby Enterprise Centre and in 2016 to a new larger unit in Cavendish Courtyard in 2017. This was followed by a move to the Corby Innovation hub in 2018 all driven by rapid growth. 2018 saw the first orders from one of the world’s largest companies engaged in Quantum research.  This coincided with the birth of Intelliconnect’s cryogenics/quantum brand, CryoCoax.  In 2017 a 5-year plan was put in place with the goal of replacing the senior management of the business and a potential sale in 2022. 2019 – 2021 Building for the Future. This period saw slower growth, mostly due to the effects of the pandemic but still saw a 14% increase in sales over the 2-year period.  In 2019 Steve Groves, Sales Director and Gareth Phillips, Operations Director were employed with a plan to replace the existing SD and MD completely by 2022. The teams were enhanced by a further 11 new engineers between Britain and the USA. 2022 Stunning Growth and Acquisition. 2022 was the year when so much hard work, foresight, knowledge and experience came to fruition with sales topping £10m, a growth of 60% over 2021. A further 9 hires were added including a new GM for Intelliconnect USA, Josh Copeland.  Most importantly, in September 2022 the company was acquired in its entirety by Trexon Global, a US group focused on building interconnect brands through Innovation, Expertise and Collaboration.    "Everyone at Intelliconnect has to say thank you to all of our customers, suppliers, colleagues and consultants past and present that have allowed us to build a business that we can all be proud of. " Intelliconnect has been listed in the top 25% of respondents in a recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) Management and Expectations Survey (MES) 2020. The largest ever survey of British business management capabilities, executed on a population of 25,000 companies across industries, regions, firm sizes and ages, documenting the variable quality of management practices. The survey notes that, in the Britain and internationally, firms with higher management practice scores on average tend to have higher productivity and profits.  With a policy of continuous improvement Intelliconnect have achieved accreditation to ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, adding to their existing ISO 9001:2015 quality standard and SC21 Silver performance standard for the Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space Industry Supply Chain Programme. Intelliconnect are also members of the Living Wage Foundation.  Intelliconnect (Europe) Ltd is the largest British based manufacturer of RF, microwave, waterproof and cryogenic connectors and cable harnesses suitable for applications including wearable technology, medical, telecoms, satcoms, military, aerospace, space, general microwave communications, rail traction, oil and gas and marine. Intelliconnect also manufacture the market leading Pisces range of waterproof RF connectors, coaxial adaptors to facilitate inter-series connection and gender change etc. dust-caps and offer value added services.  Their recently launched and fast-growing cryogenic cable assembly business CryoCoax supplies the growing market for quantum computing, medical, research, test and measurement and the emerging low temperature computing markets.  Intelliconnect’s cable division are specialist manufacturers of affordable, high quality, high frequency microwave cables including triaxial assemblies, semi-rigid, semi-flexible and cryogenic cables as well as standard RG/LMR type products. Cables can be waterproofed to IP68 and include special features including phase matching and ruggedised assemblies for use in harsh environments.

@Intelli_Connect @proactivefleet #TrexonGlobal #PAuto #Communications

Chip verified for WiFi.

Anritsu Corporation and MediaTek have successfully verified the performance and functions of MediaTek’s Filogic chip for IEEE802.11be wireless LAN (WLAN) by testing RF characteristics with the network mode.

Takeshi Shima, Director, Senior Vice President, Test & Measurement Company President at Anritsu stated, “The synergy between Anritsu’s leading-edge test solutions and MediaTek’s leading wireless technology creates a new user experience leading to developments in a wide range of businesses, including IoT, automotive, smartphones, etc., supporting a secure, safe and rich global society.”

The IEEE802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) wireless communication standard being developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is the successor to the IEEE802.11ax¹ (Wi-Fi 6/6E) WLAN standard. The new standard is proposed to achieve a transmission speed of 30 Gbps or more, which is much faster than Wi-Fi 6/6E. In addition to extending conventional technologies, including 4096 QAM, 320 MHz channel bandwidth, and Multi-RU, it also adopts new technologies such as Multi-Link Operation² (MLO) enabling a device to simultaneously send and receive data across different frequency bands and channels.

Development of IEEE802.11be is expected to be completed in 2024 and devices using chips based on the draft standard are already appearing to support the latest applications and services, such as ultra-high-definition video streaming and AR/VR.

The network mode emulates real operation to evaluate RF characteristics. Its uses the data link layer communication protocol implemented in both the chip and tester to establish communication. In addition to evaluating RF characteristics using conducted tests, the network mode is especially useful for Over-The-Air³ (OTA) wireless performance tests – including antenna characteristics – of finished products.

MediaTek has released its Filogic 880 and Filogic 380 with world-leading high performance, low power, and high reliability for Wi-Fi 7 platforms. Due to the seamless, stable, high connectivity of MediaTek’s chips, their RF characteristics were evaluated jointly under actual operating conditions by using Anritsu’s network mode technology to establish and maintain the wireless communications. This evaluation of IEEE 802.11be RF characteristics with the network mode marks a world-first in wireless testing.

With support for both conducted and OTA network-mode connectivity tests, Anritsu’s WLAN tester will help assure the success of products using MediaTek’s IEEE802.11be chip. Alan Hsu, corporate vice president and general manager of the Intelligent Connectivity business at MediaTek, stated, “Our collaboration with Anritsu helps further our mission of bringing the most advanced wireless connectivity technologies to market, and represents MediaTek’s commitment to meet the industry’s growing demands for fast, reliable, and always-on connected experiences with MediaTek’s Filogic solution inside.”

Anritsu continues to develop advanced test solutions assuring successful deployment of future WLAN products.

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Technical Terms
¹ IEEE 802.11ax Wireless LAN standard defined by IEEE supporting theoretical maximum speeds up to 9.61 Gbps.
² Multi-link Operation (MLO) Technology enabling one device to simultaneously send and receive data across different frequency bands and channels.
³ Over-The-Air (OTA) Tests Tests for accurately evaluating wireless device reliability, efficiency, and performance by sending/receiving over-the-air radio waves. This is especially useful for comprehensively evaluating the wireless communications performance of equipment including antennas.

@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @NapierPR @MediaTek #Standards #WiFi #WLan

RF and Cryogenic product offering enhanced by acquisition.

Trexon, a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity, announces that it has completed the acquisition of Intelliconnect, the supplier of RF connectors, adapters, and cable assemblies.

Founded in 2003 and based in Chelmsford (GB), Intelliconnect has grown rapidly since its inception, becoming a market leader in design-led RF (radio frequency) components.

Trexon Founded in 1979, Trexon (formerly TPC Wire & Cable Company) is a leading designer and provider of high-performance wire, cable, connectors, assemblies, and accessories used in harsh, high cost-of-failure environments. Trexon’s products are designed to exceed customer performance specifications and withstand abuse from impact, abrasion, flexing, chemicals, extreme temperatures, miniaturization, and other demanding design requirements. Trexon’s products are specially constructed for a wide range of design challenges across high-reliability applications in diversified industrial end markets, defense, aerospace, medical and other industries.

Regarding the addition of Intelliconnect to the Trexon team, Mark Twaalfhoven, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Trexon stated, “The addition of Intelliconnect brings a customer-centric organization with a level of expertise and experience that aligns with the Trexon strategic vision of delivering application specific solutions. Their innovation enables the development of critical technologies that support key megatrend drivers such as AI and the application for quantum computing. We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Intelliconnect.”

Dr. Nildeep Patel, President of Trexon Engineered Products Division added, “Adding Intelliconnect to the Engineered Products portfolio builds on our current expertise in RF products designed for highly engineered systems for a range of applications. Their unique capability of combining high precision RF products performing at cryogenic temperatures adds yet another dimension to our already proven RF technology range.”

The founder of Intelliconnect, Roy Phillips, said: “After nearly 20 years of success and growth, we recognised that to reach the next level of excellence, Intelliconnect needed to be part of a bigger, financially strong group which has the same aspirations, goals, and vision that we do. We are confident that Trexon is the perfect partner. Their strong track record in acquiring good businesses and making them better whilst investing and supporting their existing teams is one of the key reasons that we chose them as our acquirer.”

Gareth Phillips MD at Intelliconnect said, "Trexon is highly aligned with Intelliconnect’s philosophy and desire to grow our world class RF and Cryogenic product offering. We have worked hard to build a solid platform of best-in-class services and products and we are thrilled to be partnering with the wider Trexon family to take us to the next level and beyond. I am very much looking forward to working with Trexon to maximize our potential and that of our fantastic employees.”

@Intelli_Connect @proactivefleet #TrexonGlobal #PAuto #Communications

Fast turnaround bespoke connectivity solutions and special purpose products.

Unique in the world of RF components, Intelliconnect has a highly experienced in-house team of expert engineers and designers that can design bespoke RF products for global markets.

Intelliconnect has provided technology companies with solutions to issues relating to electrical performance, physicality, interface, water resistance materials, finish and obsolescence since 2003. Champions of innovation Intelliconnect have created an IP67/68 system for internally and externally sealing connectors through to their new cryogenic range for quantum computing and research.

Constantly seeking new solutions they offer the fastest turnaround in the industry for drawings, typically 24 hours, samples from three weeks and fast production delivery within a matter of weeks from acceptance.

Their design teams work closely with customers to ensure that the help, advice and, ultimately, the product exactly meets the requirement and is delivered, providing optimum performance at the lowest possible acquisition cost.

The Intelliconnect Covert Product Range is comprised of non-reflective black zinc finished connectors, adapters, duct caps and cable assemblies intended for use in many security applications. The company also offers a wide range of high specification stainless steel connectors as well as in-series and between-series adaptors.

Standard products include low-cost, high quality coaxial connectors and adapters from the Taurus range. These are suitable for al RF and microwave applications including medical, telecoms, satcoms, instrumentation, aerospace, space, traction, oil and gas, and marine. Taurus connectors are available in widely used industry standard formats including BNC, SMA, MCX and N type.

Steve Groves, Global Sales Director of Intelliconnect, comments, “Our complete focus on RF and Cryogenic connectors means that we have no distractions and can use all our expertise to support our customers and provide them with connectors and cable assemblies that exactly meet their requirements with no compromises.”

@Intelli_Connect @proactivefleet #PAuto #Security

Power design, ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi, and 5G resources.

A new series of content streams in collaboration with Qorvo® have been announced by Mouser Electronics. These provide comprehensive resources for power design, ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi, and 5G applications. Each content stream offers a collection of eBooks, instructional videos, infographics, and product information, providing design engineers with resources to develop connected solutions for a wide range of innovative applications.

The new power content stream from Qorvo and Mouser features Powering Up Your Design, an in-depth eBook with rich insights on power management, brushless DC (BLDC) motor control, and Qorvo’s Power Application Controller® (PAC) ecosystem. The content stream also highlights the ACT41000 DC-DC buck converter, a synchronous step-down voltage regulator with programmable voltage and current outputs.

The ultra-wideband (UWB) content stream explores the potential applications for UWB technology, including low-latency data communication and precise distance/location measurements. An informational video, The Future is Ultra-Wideband, examines how UWB technology can transform automotive and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The content stream connects users to Qorvo’s UWB products microsite, which includes transceiver modules and related development tools.

In the new Wi-Fi content stream, subject matter experts from Qorvo and Mouser explain how engineers can take advantage of the benefits of Wi-Fi 6. From smart home designs to high-bandwidth video, next-generation Wi-Fi delivers the speed, capacity, and performance needed for the future of connected devices. Wi-Fi 6 solutions from Qorvo include front-end modules (FEMs) and filters for a multitude of IoT devices and customer premises equipment.

Qorvo’s 5G content stream analyses the many facets of 5G infrastructure and the roles that Qorvo technologies can play in them. Product highlights include the QPA9940 high-efficiency 4 W amplifier and the QDP1028 750 W gallium-nitride-on-silicon-carbide (GaN on SiC) transistors.

Mouser stocks a broad range of Qorvo products, including RF power amplifiers, filters, and application controllers, suitable for a wide variety of cellular infrastructure, satellite, and cable TV (CATV) applications.

@MouserElecEU @MouserElec @QorvoInc @Publitek #PAuto #Communications

BNC connector developed.

A BNC connector version has been added to Cliff Electronics popular SLIMS FeedThrough Connector range. Widely used for RF, Test and Measurement equipment and security systems the BNC version is available in both 50Ω and 75Ω impedances.

John Hall, Managing Director of Cliff Electronics, says "The new BNC version of our SLIMS FeedThrough connector opens a wide new marker for us in RF, wireless and security systems. Our FeedThrough connectors allow systems designers to integrate many different types of connector on to a standard 19” rack panel with just one type of cut out and use off the shelf connecting cables, greatly simplifying assembly."

The narrow form factor of their SLIMS range is widely used by audio, broadcast, data and communications systems manufacturers in the USA and becoming more popular in Europe for increasing panel density and for products being exported to North America. Other applications for the new SLIMS BNC FeedThrough connector include education and laboratory devices.

This connector rage offers a more compact alternative to their very popular 26mm wide XLR form factor product range, the new SLIMS connectors are just 19mm wide allowing up to 20 to be mounted in a 1U, 19” rack panel, rather than just 16 of the existing XLR design.

Other SLIMS versions available are the widely used data connector types RJ45, HDMI and USB 2 and 3. Supplied in either a black plastic shell or nickel silver metal, SLIMS connectors may be mounted to the front or rear of control panels, have assembly options of 3.2mm plain holes, countersunk holes or 2.5mm plain self-tap holes. The mounting holes are on the central vertical axis of the connector.

Cliff’s FeedThrough connectors allow standard, off the shelf, connecting cables to be used for internal connectivity, simplifying and speeding up system assembly and facilitating easy repurposing of equipment.

#CliffElectronics #PAuto #TandM

Ultrawide band RF amplifier.

The new R&S BBA300 family from Rohde & Schwarz*, provides a single amplifier solution that eliminates the need to switch instruments or bands during a test. This facilitates testing on automotive and ultrawide band wireless communication radios for example.

The unique features of the new R&S BBA300 family include its continuous ultrawide frequency range from 380 MHz to 6 GHz in a single amplifier. This is believed to be an industry first. It comprehensively addresses the requirements of EMC test centres, RF component designers and product design & validation. The new broadband amplifiers are a major advance on existing Rohde & Schwarz amplifiers for development and product validation tests in quality assurance, and in the development and production of RF components.

The new broadband amplifiers offer outstanding RF performance over this wide bandwidth ensuring dependable test results over the entire frequency range. Initially, two models are available. The BBA300-DE operates from 1 GHz to 6 GHz and the BBA300-CDE offers 380 MHz to 6 GHz capability.

The all-new design extends through its mechanical aspects, software, and RF design, delivering flexible and robust RF performance. The R&S BBA300 family’s design and manufacture ensure excellent linearity and outstanding noise power density (as low as -110 dBm/Hz). It also ensures excellent harmonic performance (down to -25 dBc). Intelligent protection features ensure high availability, even in the event of component failure. Rohde & Schwarz’s high-quality design and manufacturing provide resilience against all forms of mismatch. With self-protection built-in, the instruments are robust against RF mismatch up to VSWR of 6:1.

The R&S BBA300 models benefit from numerous smart settings and activation functions, which readily adapt instruments’ settings and behaviour according to the application. The amplifier design offers the ability to realise a broad array of customer system setups, offering high flexibility and scalability, with upgradable frequency and power. This makes it easy for customers to expand their systems, building upon their initial investment.

*The new R&S BBA300-DE and R&S BBA300-CDE models are available now from Rohde & Schwarz and selected distribution partners.

@RohdeSchwarz @NeeshamPR #Wireless #RF

Portfolios of external and embedded antennas added to component range.

A new partnership with Taoglas, a leading provider of next-generation IoT solutions has been announced by Anglia Components. The partnership broadens Anglia’s range of existing IoT components including RF, antenna, cables and connectors. Using the latest in high-performance RF antenna design, Taoglas has one of the most comprehensive portfolios of external and embedded antennas covering Cellular, GPS/GNSS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB, NFC/RFID, LPWA, ISM band and Satcom applications. This is complemented with a range of filters, cables and connectors which can be customized to the customer’s requirement.

 

Commenting on the partnership, David Pearson, Technical Director at Anglia, said, “We’re delighted to offer an expanded range of antenna components that meet real design challenges with Taoglas. Anglia have invested in an inventory profile covering the most popular standard antenna and cable assembly products. Taoglas also has an innovative configuration tool that allows creation of custom cable assemblies and antenna solutions to meet exact application requirements. These bespoke products can typically be shipped in as little as 48 hours depending on the quantity and complexity. In addition, Anglia’s engineering teams have been fully trained on the Taoglas portfolio and are available to assist customers with their IoT design needs.”

Taylor Kimmerle, VP of Global Distribution Sales for Taoglas, said, “Anglia’s design-in service and exceptional customer relationships single them out as a supplier determined to go above and beyond to meet customers' engineering needs. Our extensive portfolio and customization options also allow Anglia’s customers to order highly customized antenna and cable assembly via our Antenna and Cable Builder. This web-based tool enables clients to configure the cable and connectors exactly as needed, as well as providing best-in-class technical drawings and documentation.”

@angliaComponent @Taoglas @NeeshamPR #IoT #Components

Passive and electromechanical timing and synchronisation.

An expanded range of products for passive and electromechanical timing and synchronisation are now available from Anglia Components through a new Britain and Ireland distribution agreement with Abracon. An industry leader in passive components, Abracon will expand Anglia’s range of timing components with a range that includes Quartz oscillators, OCXOs, TCXOs, VCXOs, real time clocks, MEMS oscillators and ceramic resonators. The Abracon product range also includes RF Filters, Antenna, Inductors and Connectivity components.  

Commenting on the agreement, David Pearson, Technical Director at Anglia, said, “We are excited to be stocking Abracon’s products, which bring a new range of timing products to our portfolio and will complement many of the semiconductor lines we carry. The Anglia FAE team has received detailed training on the products and is ready to assist customers with their designs. We have already made Abracon’s inventory available via Anglia Live with no MOQ and competitive pricing.”

Keith Chapman, European Director of Sales at Abracon, said, “We’re pleased to be supplying our products through Anglia, an outstanding UK distributor that builds thriving relationships with its customers. Several recent acquisitions have expanded the Abracon offering in timing components and we are delighted to share this extended portfolio with Anglia customers. These include Ecliptek, ILSI, MMD, Oscilent and, most recently, Fox Electronics.”

@angliaComponent @Abracon @NeeshamPR #PAuto 

Precision RF and Microwave Adaptors.

Intelliconnect (Europe) is expanding its RF and Microwave precision connector and adaptor range. The company now offers a wider range than ever of high specification stainless steel connectors as well as in-series and between-series adaptors.

Their attenuators and adaptors are used where signal integrity and quality are important, and a high level of reliability is required. Connector interfaces available include: N, SMA, TNC, 2.9mm, 2.4mm, BMA and SSMA types operating at high frequencies including 18, 40 or 50GHz.
A recently introduced and innovative solderless interconnect for semi rigid cables is now features in the Intelliconnect precision range and waterproof designs are available.

Roy Phillips, Managing Director of Intelliconnect, comments, "We supply a large range of very competitively priced RF, microwave and coaxial components and all of our products are designed and manufactured in our own UK and US factories. We supply both standard and custom products on competitive lead times and our recently awarded SC21 Silver accreditation offers designers and buyers additional confidence in our products."

 @Intelli_Connect  #PAuto

Precision RF connectors.

A new precision connector series to meet the increasing demand for proper RF-connections up to 90 GHz has been introduced by Rosenberger. The newly developed RPC-1.35 connector series – the “E connector” – is characterized by a highly robust mechanical design, minimum 3000 mating cycles, high connector repeatability, maximum return loss values and is designed for high-performance RF measurements in the E-Band.

The product range covers semi-rigid and flexible cable assemblies, PCB connectors, test PCBs, cable connectors, in-series and inter-series adaptors, test port, floating and waveguide-to-coaxial adaptors as well as gauge and calibration kits.

A working group, consisting of PTB (Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt), Rosenberger, Rohde & Schwarz and Spinner, has designed the new 1.35 mm connector to close the gap between 1.85 mm and 1.00 mm connectors. The interface standardization is in progress.

 #Rosenberger #TandM

SAR Testing.

PCTEST Engineering Laboratory will conduct SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) testing of 5G devices using Anritsu’s Communication Test System MT8000A. The MT8000A will be used in PCTEST’s Columbia, (MD USA), and San Jose, (CA USA) laboratories to emulate a 5G New Radio (NR) radio access network, providing mobile operators and device makers with an efficient means to conduct SAR testing, which is critical due to the imminent rollout of 5G NR technology by operators worldwide.

SAR testing measures the electromagnetic energy absorbed by a body when a wireless device is transmitting in proximity to an end user. SAR testing with the MT8000A will accurately measure the device to evaluate that it is operating within the established maximum RF exposure limits mandated by regulatory bodies.

5G NR devices will be designed in a variety of form factors and power classes that will have different maximum transmitting power limits. The Anritsu MT8000A test system provides reliable 5G NR call connection with the transmitting device over a wide range of frequencies, including FR1 (Sub-6 GHz) and FR2 (mmWave), to enable accurate, reliable, and stable near-field Power Density and SAR measurements.

“PCTEST is proud to partner with Anritsu for 5G NR in regulatory compliance testing,” said Randy Ortanez, President of PCTEST Engineering Laboratory, Inc. “We are very pleased to utilise Anritsu test equipment and look forward to working with Anritsu in 5G NR testing.”

“Anritsu is pleased to work with PCTEST to support the industry’s 5G NR regulatory compliance test needs,” said Paul Innis, Vice President and General Manager of Anritsu Company. “PCTEST recognizes that Anritsu is a leader in developing test solutions with leading-edge features to address the verification requirements associated with new wireless technology deployment. Anritsu will continue to introduce a wide range of test solutions as part of our commitment to meet the needs of the wireless device and infrastructure ecosystems.”

@Anritsu #Radiation #PCTEST #Safety

Direct RFSoC Processing System.

Abaco Systems has announced that, not only have they begun full production of its newly-announced VP430 Direct RF Processing System – first customer shipments occurred in September - but that it is actively creating inventory for those customers needing short-turn delivery before the end of the year.

“We’re seeing enormous demand for the VP430 - beyond even our expectations – with numerous enquiries as to whether we can deliver by the end of December,” said Peter Thompson, Vice President, Product Management at Abaco. “I’m delighted to say that our answer to that question is that we can indeed. We’re getting excellent service from Xilinx, providing all the production parts we need in order to manufacture boards and provide our customers with the fast-turn shipment they say they need.”

As well as having comprehensively characterized the performance of the VP430 (the data is available upon request), Abaco has published a white paper designed to help developers understand the capabilities of the system. ‘Technologies for responding to rapid developments in cognitive RF and EW’ describes strategies to address emerging EW threats by leveraging reconfigurable hardware in a multi-processor system architecture, employing a low latency processing powerhouse with FPGAs and RFSoCs, and how to select the right processor architecture for the job.

The VP430 is capable of enabling the most advanced electronic warfare applications, as well as many others. Examples of the applications either under development, or planned for development, include a real time passive optical network, a next generation direction finding system for battlefield communications and a new electronic attack system. 

Designed for advanced electronic warfare applications requiring MIMO (multiple input/output), beamforming, sensor processing and radar signal processing capabilities, the VP430 is a major step forward in performance and density, enabling the use of fewer boards and much less power while delivering increased processing throughput. In fact, for comparable capability, it occupies one fourth of the slots that earlier generation solutions would require.

The VP430 includes the option to be built with a FireFly™ 8-channel VITA 66.4 fiber optic interface for transfers of greater than 12 GBps for applications in which the throughput of the native VPX PCI Express® Gen3 data plane is inadequate or when a remote client requires streaming data.

Responding to the cost- and complexity challenge of RF systems with multiple channels - more channels means more expensive and large RF signal up/down conversion and signal conditioning - the VP430 enables direct RF sampling which can be implemented in the digital domain, bringing greater flexibility to the signal processing chain. Additionally, simplified integration with RF sampling devices removes the complexity of JESD204B high speed serial interfaces

The new Xilinx RFSoC is a revolutionary step in integration technology bringing a combination of Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processing capability, a multi-processor embedded ARM® Cortex-A53 Application processing unit (APU), an ARM real time processing unit (RPU) and eight input analog-to-digital converter and eight digital-to-analog converter channels. Additionally, the Zynq® Ultrascale+™ architecture integrates all this with features to enable high security IP protection. The RFSoC brings extreme analog bandwidth with a sustained throughput of 6 GSPS per channel and greater than 12 GBps per channel digital offload capability.

• Acronyms? See our Acronyms Page. 

@AbacoSys #FPGA