RF bench planner
See every level before you connect the bench.
Build a source-to-instrument path, check gain and loss at every node, and catch overload or compression before hardware is connected.
| Stage | Type | Gain / loss | Input | Output | Max input | Output P1dB | Status | Remove stage |
|---|
Absolute RF levels
Power, voltage, and level conversion.
Convert one physical quantity across common RF power and voltage units using an explicit reference impedance.
- dBm
- —
- dBW
- —
- Watts
- —
- mW
- —
- µW
- —
- Vrms
- —
- Vpeak
- —
- Vpp
- —
- dBµV
- —
Bias and sensing networks
Voltage divider under real load.
Solve for voltage or resistance, then check how the connected load changes output voltage, current, and resistor dissipation.
- Vin
- —
- Vout
- —
- R1
- —
- R2
- —
- Effective lower R
- —
- Source current
- —
- Load current
- —
- Unloaded Rout
- —
- R1 power
- —
- R2 power
- —
Mismatch check
VSWR, return loss, and reflected power.
Enter the reflection quantity you know. The related mismatch quantities update from the same reflection coefficient.
- VSWR
- —
- |Γ|
- —
- Return loss
- —
- Reflected power
- —
- Mismatch loss
- —
- Delivered power
- —
Frequency to distance
Wavelength and electrical length.
Calculate free-space and guided wavelength, common fractions, propagation delay, and phase for a physical line length.
- Free-space λ
- —
- Guided λ
- —
- Guided λ (imperial)
- —
- 3λ / 4
- —
- 5λ / 8
- —
- λ / 2
- —
- λ / 4
- —
- λ / 8
- —
- Delay per metre
- —
- Length delay
- —
- Electrical phase
- —
Complex conversion
S11 and complex impedance.
Move between R + jX and S11 magnitude/phase against a defined reference impedance.
- Impedance
- —
- Γ real
- —
- Γ imaginary
- —
- |Γ|
- —
- S11 magnitude
- —
- S11 phase
- —
- VSWR
- —
Resistive pad design
Attenuator design and reverse check.
Design T, Pi, or bridged-T pads for the required loss, or enter resistor values to recover actual attenuation, match, and power stress.
Ideal values appear after design.
- R1
- —
- R2
- —
- R3
- —
- R4 bridge
- —
- Achieved attenuation
- —
- Input impedance
- —
- Output impedance
- —
- Input VSWR
- —
- Output VSWR
- —
- Load power
- —
Point-to-point path geometry
Fresnel clearance with the assumptions exposed.
Check first-zone clearance at a known obstruction using endpoint heights, the obstruction location, and an explicit effective-Earth-radius factor.
- First Fresnel radius
- —
- Protected radius
- —
- Earth bulge
- —
- LOS height at obstruction
- —
- Available clearance
- —
- Required LOS height
- —
- Clearance margin
- —
- Wavelength
- —
Free-space radio path
Account for every dB in the wireless link.
Calculate free-space path loss, EIRP, received power, and fade margin from explicit antenna gains, feeder losses, and receiver sensitivity.
- Free-space path loss
- —
- EIRP
- —
- Received power
- —
- Receiver sensitivity
- —
- Fade margin
- —
- Total system loss
- —
- Wavelength
- —
RF performance reference
Connect the metric to the physical failure mode.
Estimate a receiver baseline, then use the guide to distinguish sensitivity, noise, linearity, emissions, interference, and control metrics.
- Thermal density
- —
- Integrated kTB
- —
- Receiver noise floor
- —
- Estimated sensitivity
- —
- Estimated dynamic range
- —
Engineering reference
Common RF metrics without false equivalence.
The guide is an original technical summary of the supplied article. It separates definitions, interactions, and cautions rather than reproducing the article text.
RF PCB pre-release review
Turn layout guidance into a traceable design review.
Work through placement, routing, grounding, shielding, power, and module-specific risks. Decisions stay in this browser and can be exported for a design review.
This checklist paraphrases stable engineering themes instead of reproducing either article. Project rules, current datasheets, simulation, measurement, and fabrication constraints remain authoritative.
Official external calculator
JLCPCB controlled-impedance calculator.
Use JLCPCB's mature board stack-up calculator inside this workspace. Results, stack-ups, and production rules are provided by JLCPCB.
If the embedded tool is blank or too narrow on mobile, use Open at JLCPCB.