Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1496727
8 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2023 I've been fascinated with antennas since I was 5 years old. I remember my parents direct- ing me to bend our rabbit ears hither and yon until we got a clearer picture of "Laugh-In." I remember thinking, "How does this thing push a signal into space?" Now, many PCB designers are finding them- selves pondering the same question while designing for radio frequency (RF) boards for wireless applications. Once a small but steady percentage of all PCB designs, RF is becoming more commonplace in this segment. e last few decades have brought on a proliferation of wireless handheld devices, and almost all fea- ture some type of RF circuitry. RF is increasingly cited in Design007 Maga- zine surveys as an area of concern. ere's no room for error at these speeds, and RF design- ers must make constant tradeoffs throughout the design process. Antennas are an entire discipline within RF. When should you design your own antenna, and when should you use a commercial off-the- shelf antenna instead? Just as importantly, how do you avoid creating accidental antennas? DFM is more critical than ever. Certain com- ponents must be placed in a way that isolates their noise from the other potential "victim" components. Speaking of "victims," wire- less devices oen include multiple RF points, The Shaughnessy Report by Andy Shaughnessy, I-CONNECT007 What's the Frequency, Kenneth?