varicaps going obsolete

[sophiante]

For years I have been designing with NXP variable capacitance diodes, BB184 and BB179.
These are suddenly no more to find and similar diodes from Renesas or Hitachi is also obsolete.

How on earth is one supposed to design UHF radio circuits and VCO's anymore?

Am I the only one facing this problem?

 

[thylacine1975]

I've also noticed the "traditional" manufacturers of RF parts [my gripe is transistors] seem to have given the game away. Fortunately though, I've discovered a few new (to me) players in the field!

Skyworks (https://www.skyworksinc.com) is one of them - marketed through Richardson (https://www.richardsonrfpd.com). I've used the Skyworks varactors in reconfigurable antennas in the past - the SMV1247 I used still seems to be readily available. Long live the discrete VCO

 

[sophiante]

Yeah, I know Skyworks, but nothing beats the BB184.

 

[z3phyr]

Yeah, I know Skyworks, but nothing beats the BB184.

Could you elaborate on the BB184? I've used the Skyworks and Aeroflex/Metalics varactors with great results. Are the BB184 significantly better?

 

[biff44]

ma-comm, ztex, nxp, aeroflex...all good.
who actually uses large quantities of varactor diodes anymore....the semiconductor guys are in this business to make money!

 

[jiripolivka]

The problem you might not having noticed is that many new better varicaps have been introduced. New ones improve phase noise, frequency stability and allow lower control voltages than your "classics"