Thread: good rf simulation software to learn working of rf circuits

If anybody knows a good rf circuit simulation software (or ebooks) to learn rf circuits working and basics.
I'm really confused from where to start, I really want to learn rf basics.

Hi,

Good Rf Circuit Simulation program(It's general mixed-mode simualtion with RF model simulation)

http://www.electronicsworkbench.com/html/proprodg9.html

Bye

microwave office is a powerful and user friendly software for beginners and proffesionals.
simulation tools for rf design is only "tools" and do not replace your knowledge; reading and learning is a must for rf design to prevent re-inventing the wheel!

BEST!

hi i think that IE3D is one of most friendly version for beginner of rf simulation
regards

I use Ansoft Designer for oscilator design. For me was pretty good.

I want to learn ADS , but I don't know how to start ?

Originally Posted by Moof

I use Ansoft Designer for oscilator design. For me was pretty good.

i agree with u,ansoft hfss is very good and simple in simulation of 3D objects,but it take huge memory

Hi,

I would like to add my old-fashion opinion. I think you should learn theory from courses, studies, books etc., having a good mentor or senior coleague to train you. Once you get the knowledge (2-3 years of study or engineering practice) you will easily use any software as the tool to get you to practical stage of design and be able to read relevant books and articles.

Software can't think, it will not solve problems for you! You need a brush to paint on canvas but if you can not paint, then the result will be basically the same regardles if you are using original brush from Michelangelo or a cheapest one from the supermarket. Enginiereeng is the art of solving problems, from system design to reading boaring manuals. If you don't like it, try something else, e.g. painting!

A constant preasure from market results in employing new and unexperienced stuff or re-educated some close professions. They are expected to have results in no time. Striving for efficiency they spend a lot of time with simulator to re-envent some basic theoretical postulates they could have found in literature or come to this points by virtue of thinking and applying knowledge. One can found a lot of comments about simulators being hard to learn. I think it is becouse those people fail to understand what they should realy do with the simulator and what the simulator offers. Then they search for a perfect book that will tell them exactlly "the answer to your question is ...". Unfortunately such book doesn't exsist.

I am also a bit reluctant to notice that a large portion of discussions in this forum is running about which program is the best. The best simulator is the one you have. The worse one is the one you need badly and can't solve anything without it.

Simulators are something we should all discuss, but not in a manner of giving just our peference in one sentence (and scoring 2 points). I would like to read some arguments, just to have a feeling that a persson is really using particular software, not heard about it from the magazines or forum itself!

flyhigh

flyhigh is right on the mark!! too often engineers become gurus at using the software tools but truly do not understand how or why the tools do what they do. I can't tell how many times some of my junior engineers come to me with simulations results that show their passive components have an S21 >0 !!! you always must do sanity checks to see if your answers make sense-- that only comes from a fundamental understanding of what you are trying to engineer-- not whether you've pushed the right button for the simulator.

Yeah, Simulation software is just only a tool.
In fact, many problems faced to us can be solved with simple SW. I think the Useful and Simple is the most important.

Yeah, you guys are right. Unfortunately, I made the same mistake.
Having neither experience nor knowledge in RF, I spent 2 years learning ANSOFT HFSS and demo versions of some other software and in the end achieved nothing. I never knew if the results were correct or not.

Than I went back to the basic and started with Calculus and RF books. Time frame of 2-3 years is very appropriate, although it looks very long.
As for software, they are all simila one way on another, and reasonably accurate. For the beginning I would stick with Matlab for smaller things, as it will help you understand mathematical background.

Well, you cant't have a meat pie without meat.


:D

I suggest you to use Microwave office if you are a beginner of RF design. It is user friendly. You don't need to use long time to use it. However, if you are experienced RF designer. I suggest you to use ADS


Yakult

Hi all,

I have read a paper written quite sometime ago, titled: Software Tools for High Frequency Electronics Courses, Andrew Rusek, Barbara Oakley, Oakland University. (Do google search of title to find paper) This introduces some basic tools (I think some of these tools are still free) needed to address most general RF CAD problems. I agree pen and paper is still formidable but why not let technology help in improving understanding and make life easier.

Cheers,
Element7k

Software Tools for High Frequency Electronics Courses link :

www2.oakland.edu/users/oakley/ Papers/edu_softtools_2001.pdf

bye

Fire in the Wire :sm2:

i think the best RF simulation program
is @DS of @gilent

All those previously mentioned pieces of software are very much commercial ones.

Try http://perso.wanadoo.fr/f6crp/ba/rfsim.htm

It's free and does have a lot of value.

But I think that basics you ought to learn from courses/books.

Regards,

dx_radio

To learn RF at the beginning you need a piece of paper and a pencil...

And then a simulator , after that measure the result to see how results divergence from simulated set ...

It's a quite perpendicular road...

OK, I agree with all of you. But you have to agree that some RF books are better than others. So what are some of the best RF/microwave/EM books out there?

So far I have,

Advanced Electromagnetics; Balanis
Microwave Engineering; Pozar
Microwave and RF Design of Wireless Systems; Pozar
Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics; Ramo, Whinnery, etal.

Any other suggestions?

Originally Posted by kchida

OK, I agree with all of you. But you have to agree that some RF books are better than others. So what are some of the best RF/microwave/EM books out there?

So far I have,

Advanced Electromagnetics; Balanis
Microwave Engineering; Pozar
Microwave and RF Design of Wireless Systems; Pozar
Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics; Ramo, Whinnery, etal.

Any other suggestions?

To learn and work on a particular subject needed require different sources. It means that you should pay more attention on particular devices.

For instance, to learn RF amplifiers it's better to have "Microwave Transistor Amplifiers", G.Gonzales or to learn oscillators should be had " Oscillator design and Computer Simulation", R.Whea or to learn passive circuits and devices " Lumped Elements Rf and microwave Circuits", I.bahl.... and so on.

There is no book to get'em all about.

This is also true for the simulators. No simulator is excellent. But you may choose only one due to cost.

I have just payed 7-8.000 $ for my books in my shelf, but it's really worthy.

And finally, it depends on what kind of subjects that you'll work on. Integrated or discrete, higher or lower RF, etc...

Decision is not very easy.

I think Microwave Office is just the real think for simulating
various rf circuits