RF Frequency Synthesizers
RF Frequency Synthesizers are highly versatile RF frequency sources that are used in laboratories as test instruments to radar and signal intelligence systems as frequency sources. The key differentiation between RF frequency synthesizers and local oscillators or other single frequency sources are that RF Frequency Synthesizers can generate frequencies within a relatively wide range based on a programmable input. Hence, an RF Frequency Synthesizer can typically be used alongside digital control schemes or automation software/hardware for performing automated or programed operation.
This flexibility makes RF frequency synthesizers extremely useful for laboratory testing where a range of input frequencies may be needed, or with modern electronic warfare (EW) system development or testing where modern agile frequency sources can rapidly change frequencies over wide bandwidths. RF Frequency Synthesizers are also used along with frequency conversion hardware (mixers) as variable local oscillator (LO) input, which can be used to upconvert/downconvert a band of frequencies over a variable range.
RF Frequency Synthesizer