RF Workbench™ -- RF Cascade Analysis


(download)	Click an icon to download RF Workbench only after you have read and agreed to the Shareware terms. See where RF Workbench (formerly TxRx Designer) is credited here in an article by Harold H. Kinley, C.E.T.	(download)
NOTE: If you have either Microsoft Excel or Sun OpenOffice, then you will be much better off using RF Cascade Workbook for the cascade calculations and the filter responses. The results are the same, but the convenient spreadsheet format allows you to use an infinite number or stages all in one file. It does not, however, have the Spur Web feature for calculating mixer spurious products - for that, use RF Workbench.

Now! Pay the Shareware registration fee and receive the 146-page user's manual in PDF format!
This manual details all the many features of RF Workbench and provides equations and graphs.

Shareware Price: $25 Click here to order RF Workbench manual.
Please be sure the program will run on your computer before ordering the User's Manual.

System Requirements: 80386, 2 MB RAM, 1 MB Hard Disk, VGA Color Monitor, Mouse
Note: RF Workbench WILL NOT run in any 64-bit version of Windows w/o an emulator!

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Update: DOSBox (free) will allow a DOS screen capture of any RF Workbench screen! It also fixes "The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction," errors.

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When unzipping "rfwb40b.zip", be sure to select the option to re-create the subdirectories.;
System Screen	Spur Web Screen
Planning Screen

Thanks to Mr. Ted Bruce for discovering this method!
Click Here

Note: Neither Windows XP nor Window Vista supports DOS screen captures for pasting into a document or graphics program. None of the 20 or more programs I have tried - not even PrintShop - will do the job. Everything works fine up through Win 98 and even Win ME. In XP, you can still run RF Workbench and save/open files. As always, you can download RF Workbench by clicking on one of the icons above, and see if it works for you. Note: Some Vista systems have not been able to run RF Workbench due to video driver issues. Most people have been able to make it work.

   Click here for FAQ about RF Workbench
   Click here if you are experiencing installation problems
   Click here for example files referenced in the Manual

If you are running Windows Vista and are having issues with running DOS programs, please take a look at this Windows Vista TechCenter page on the MS website. It appears to do a good job of answering questions and providing.

Component Models	Gain Blocks: Gain/Loss, NF, IP2, IP3, P1dB, TC. Mixers: Conv Loss/Gain, NF, IP2, IP3, P1dB, TC, LO Pwr, RF Pwr, Single-Tone 9x9 Spur Table (loadable from file). Filters: fC, BW, fU, fL, N, IL/Gain, Ripple, NF, IP2, IP3, P1dB, TC; {Ideal, Butter, Cheby, Bessel}. Calculates effective noise BW. Calculates 3dB BW for Cheby. Input: Linear sweep or data file. LO: Fund Pwr, 2nd Harm Pwr, fC, BW, fU, fL, Fixed/Tracking.
Graph Screen	Plots of amplitude and group delay versus frequency. Dynamic cursor readout. Absolute and relative cursor readout modes. Auto or manual scaling of axis limits. Scale zoom with mouse. Customize plot colors and which plots to view. View a table of calculated values in a window.
Spur Web Screen	Unique graphical search method for simple frequency plan determination. Tracking and fixed LO models accommodated. Specify harmonic range to search. Customize in-band and out-of-band colors. In-band spur products listed in table with labels placed on plot. Open spur level calculation window for exact frequency and amplitude.
Planning Screen	Up to five stages on one screen. 3-dimensional frequency plan graph with dynamic cursor readout. Two modes: (1) You enter stage parameters and let RF Workbench calculate input/output results or (2) You enter the stage inputs/outputs and let RF Workbench calculate the worst case requirements for each stage that will ensure meeting system specifications.
Auxiliary Windows	Cascade Parameter Graph: A 3-D view of how the gain, NF, etc., propagate through the system at each component output. TX/RX Path Budget: Enter transmitter, antenna, free space path, and receiver parameters to calculate power level, SNR, NF, etc. at receiver output. Dynamic Range: Calculate SNR, dynamic range, spurious-free DR, noise power, etc. I/O Conversion: Convert component parameters from input to output, and vice versa. Spur Calculation: Calculate amplitude and frequency values for spur products that include mixer suppression, system gains/losses, and filter responses.

As a token of my appreciation for your business, we will enter your name once for each item you purchase in the monthly drawing for either an RF Cafe T-shirt or an RF Cafe coffee mug (your choice)!

RF Workbench is included in many collections of engineering software, including the following:

Engineering 2000 CD

Webmaster: Kirt Blattenberger, BSEE, UVM 1989