RF/Microwave switches highlighted at EuMW 2018

6th September 2018

Mick Elliott

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RF & Microwave switching products that increase test system effectiveness and productivity will be demonstrated by Pickering Interfaces at European Microwave Week (September 25-27). A show debutant will be the 13-model family of PXI 8GHz solid-state RF switches, including SPDT, SP4T, SP6T, SP8T, SP16T and 4x4 Matrix devices.

The series 40-88xA high-performance switch family now covers10MHz to 8GHz in the modular PXI format for easy system integration. All units feature automatic termination of unused switch channels, up to +36dBm input power handling and excellent RF performance characteristics.

Also new from Pickering Interfaces is theseries 60-801 and 60-802 four and six channelLXI Ethernet microwave multiplexers.

Packaged in compact 1U and 2U rack-mount form factors, these high-performance microwave switches are available with up to 16 relays in 6GHz, 18GHz, 26.5GHz or 40GHz bandwidths.

Theyfeature excellent RF and repeatability characteristics and are simply-controlled via the 1000Base-T Ethernet interface.

Pickering will also be showing its USB/LXI chassis, the 60-104 2-slot chassis and 60-105 4-slot chassis. These chassis offer a small, lightweight form/factor for portable, benchtop and space restrictive applications.

Both chassis are controlled remotely via USB3 or 1000-BaseT Ethernet, allowing switching to be sited close to the Device Under Test (DUT), thereby minimising cable lengths and preserving RF performance.

The 60-105 chassis will be shown containing 3 x SP4T and 3 x SP6T 26.5GHz switches, demonstrating the flexibility of this modular chassis when used in conjunction with Pickering’s range of around 250 PXI RF/microwave switch modules.

Pickering’s larger 60-103B LXI 18-slot rack-mount chassis will showcase a variety of the company’s high performance PXI RF and microwave switch modules, from 300MHz to 65GHz, including several terminated switches, where unused channels are automatically terminated in 50Ω for more consistent RF performance.

Most of the microwave switches shown have LEDs on the front panels to show the energised switch paths – a very useful feature when debugging test programs.

Also shown will be Pickering's PXI remote microwave multiplexer controller module. The single PXI slot 40-785B occupies less chassis space than a standard microwave switch module, and allows up to three microwave relays to be placed close to the DUT and other RF test equipment.

In some applications this can shorten the length of RF cable runs and improve system performance. The remote relays are supplied complete with a 1.5m interface cable.

eBIRST Switching System Test Tools and Switch Path Manager Signal Routing Software will also be on parade at the exhibition.