Radar and RF Technologies
Core Electronic Components
Semiconductors
- RF Transistors (BFR93, 2N3866, BF998, etc.)
- RF Diodes (PIN diodes, Schottky diodes, Varactor diodes)
- RF Amplifiers (MMIC amplifiers like MAR-6, ERA-3)
- Low-Noise Amplifiers (LNA modules)
- Mixers and Frequency Multipliers
Passive Components
- RF Capacitors (NP0/C0G dielectric)
- RF Inductors (air-core or ferrite)
- Precision resistors (low tolerance)
- Attenuators and Terminations
- Matching Networks (LC networks)
Power Distribution
- DC–DC converters (isolated & non-isolated)
- Voltage regulators (3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V rails)
- Fuses / circuit breakers / relays
- Current & voltage sensors
Radar System Components
Transmitter Section
- RF Signal Generator / Oscillator (VCO, crystal oscillator)
- Power Amplifier (PA) stage
- Pulse Modulator / Waveform Generator
- Frequency Synthesizer or DDS (Direct Digital Synthesizer)
- Circulator or Duplexer (for separating Tx/Rx signals)
Receiver Section
- Low Noise Amplifier (LNA)
- Mixer (for down conversion)
- Intermediate Frequency (IF) Amplifier
- Bandpass Filters (RF and IF stages)
- Detector / Demodulator
Antenna Systems
- Patch antennas (microstrip)
- Horn antennas
- Yagi-Uda antennas
- Parabolic dish antennas
- Phased array antennas
- Omni-directional whip antennas
Antenna Systems
- Patch antennas (microstrip)
- Horn antennas
- Yagi-Uda antennas
- Parabolic dish antennas
- Phased array antennas
- Omni-directional whip antennas
RF Modules & Boards
Radar Sensor Modules
- HB100 (10.525 GHz Doppler radar module)
- RCWL-0516 (microwave motion sensor)
- Doppler radar modules (24 GHz / 60 GHz)
- mmWave radar sensors (TI IWR6843, AWR1642)
RF Transceiver Modules
- NRF24L01 (2.4 GHz)
- SX1278 LoRa (433 MHz / 868 MHz)
- CC1101 (Sub-GHz)
- XBee / ZigBee / Wi-Fi modules
SDR (Software Defined Radio)
- RTL-SDR USB dongle (for signal analysis)
- HackRF One
- USRP
- LimeSDR (for custom RF development)
Measuring & Testing Equipment
Essential Instruments
- RF Signal Generator
- Spectrum Analyzer (up to 6 GHz or higher)
- Vector Network Analyzer (VNA)
- Oscilloscope (100 MHz or higher bandwidth)
- Frequency Counter
- Power Meter & Power Sensor
- Noise Figure Meter
Support Tools
- Multimeter
- SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) meter
- RF Power Attenuators
- Directional Couplers
- Dummy Loads (50 Ω)
Design & Prototyping Tools
PCB Design Tools
- Altium Designer / KiCad / Eagle
- ADS (Advanced Design System – Keysight)
- CST Microwave Studio / Ansys HFSS (for antenna & RF simulation)
Fabrication Materials
- FR4 PCB (standard up to 2 GHz)
- Rogers or Taconic substrate (for high-frequency RF boards)
- SMA connectors (male/female, edge mount, panel mount)
- Coaxial cables (RG316, RG174, RG58)
- Shielding enclosures (metal boxes for EMI protection)
Control & Processing Units
- Microcontrollers (Arduino, STM32, ESP32)
- SBCs (Raspberry Pi, Jetson Nano)
- DSP (Digital Signal Processor) modules
- FPGAs (Xilinx Spartan, Altera Cyclone) for real-time radar signal processing
Software & Programming Tools
- MATLAB / Simulink (for radar signal simulation)
- GNU Radio (for SDR-based experiments)
- Python (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib for signal analysis)
- LabVIEW (for hardware interfacing & automation)
- C / C++ / VHDL (for embedded DSP or FPGA-based radar)
RF & Radar Project Accessories
Electrical Testing
- Antenna rotators / mounts
- Heat sinks & RF shielding covers
- Waveguides / adapters / SMA connectors
- 3D printer (for custom radar enclosures or antenna mounts)
- Cooling fans & regulated power supplies (5 V / 12 V / 24 V)
Application-Specific Components
Application-Specific Components
- Doppler Radar: HB100, LNA, Mixer, Microcontroller
- FMCW Radar: VCO, PLL, ADC, DSP/FPGA
- Pulse Radar: Pulse generator, Power amplifier, Duplexer
- Phased Array Radar: Multiple antennas, Phase shifters, Beamforming ICs
- Automotive Radar: mmWave sensors (77 GHz), CAN bus interface
- RF Communication System: Transceiver modules, filters, amplifiers, antennas
Safety & Lab Setup
Application-Specific Components
- RF shielding box / chamber
- ESD protection mat and wristband
- Grounding system
- Heat gun, soldering tools
- Proper ventilation for high-power RF testing