RF/Microwave Instruments Evolution

Abstract

This chapter describes the evolution of RF/microwave instruments within two decades. The described RF/microwave instruments focus more on low-cost amateur RF signal sources, power detectors, spectrum analyzers (SA), vector network analyzers (VNA), and software-defined radios (SDR). Each instrument is introduced, and its uses are compared. This chapter reviews in detail the development history and development factors of amateur RF/microwave instruments in the past 20 years. Through this chapter, fresh RF/microwave amateurs and hobbyists will better understand the development of low-cost instruments in the present and also in the future, as well as provide guidelines for RF/microwave amateurs and hobbyists in the selection and purchase of such instruments. In fact, some amateur instruments are also used in 5G researches and IoT applications when considering their instrument size, research budget, and the need to use a large number of instruments in the application.