Radio frequency (RF) signal generators have been around for over 100 years. In 1901, Guglielmo Marconi performed the first radio transmission via Morse code from Cornwall, England to St. John's, Canada.
In the 1940s, Hewlett-Packard created the first mass-produced generator, the model 200A audio oscillator. The first customer for this product was none other than Walt Disney, who purchased eight of them to calibrate the revolutionary sound system developed specifically for the movie Fantasia.
Radio conductor use and development can be traced back to its roots in the electronic test-and-measurement industry.
Most Common Uses of Radio Frequency Generators
Though RF signal alternators pre-date modern digital technology, they are still used in a variety of tech and science industries in several different ways. Radio frequency signal producers are needed to operate, service and set up analog radio receivers. But it's more than that. When it comes down to it, any equipment that is radio operated required this kind of generator to fully test and ensure proper operation.
Some of the most common uses include testing components, test systems, and receivers for WiFi, WiMAX, cellular communication, GPS, audio and video broadcasting, radar, satellite communication and electronic warfare.
The ones that are used today can be found in the electronics industry, including aerospace/defense electronics and wireless communications. Radar, GPS and avionics signal simulation are other common applications within the aerospace and defense electronics field.
What is Radio Frequency Signal Generation?
Many times, radio frequency generation and microwave generation are used interchangeably. They are different, however, because they operate at different pitches.
RF and microwave generators have similar features and capabilities, but are differentiated by modulation range. RF generators typically range from a few kHz to 1 GHz, though some argue it can reach 6 GHz. The signal generation can be observed with AM radio frequencies between 535 KHz and 1605 KHz and computer LAN rates up to 2.5 GHz.
Microwave frequencies, on the other hand, have a higher rate that typically ranges from 1 MHz to 20 GHz, with some generators reaching nearly 70 GHz.
There are three types of RF signal generators: analog signal, vector signal and logical signal. Analog generators were used before the advent of modern, digital electronics.
RF conductors are one of 5 types of generators. The other types are: functional signal, arbitrary waveform, audio signal and video signal. Each of them have their own, unique use and functionality.
How Radio Frequency Generators Work
Radio frequency generators operate via a harmonic locked loop that provides adequate, accurate and stable output required for a device to operate correctly. They produce continuous wave tones within a certain range.
These sound detecting devices have become very sophisticated since their creation 100 years ago. As they have gotten more advanced, their uses have become more widespread. They are one of five types of generators that are used in a variety of industries today.
