MRF Technologies, LLC

Microwave and RF Technology Solutions

Mixer Spurious Explorer ™

Mixers are required in nearly all RF systems to translate the high receive frequency to a low frequency for analog and digital signal processing. Unfortunately, there is no existing way to produce only one output frequency. A multitude of frequencies that are integer multiples of the input frequency and local oscillator are produced. These spurious frequencies introduce distortion and make receivers susceptable to interference from out-of-channel signals. The radio designer has to be aware of the existance and level of the spurious frequencies produced, select a suitable frequency plan, and design proper filters to meet system requirements. Mixer Spurious Explorer is a tool to investigate and simplify this part of the design process for up and down converters.

Key capabilities:

• Perform frequency planning for receivers and transmitters
• Frequency planning display and spur web display in one software tool
• Tuning and animation mode for tunable preselectors
• Addresses block converter and tuned LO converters
• Customized mixer spur table

Licensing & Purchasing

This software is licensed as shareware. You are free to download it and try it without purchasing a license. Large text "Demo Mode" will appear on the graphs. The program is fully functional.

A license can be purchased for USD $24.90 with a credit card through PayPal by clicking on the Buy Now button. Personal or company checks drawn on a U.S. bank are accepted. Please allow sufficient time for bank processing.

To order using a check, use our order form.

Frequency Planning View

This view shows the RF band, IF band, and computed LO frequency tuning range.

• Enter the IF center frequency, bandwidth and filter order. The center frequency is tunable with a scroll bar.
• Select the Mixer Conversion Mode. Options include RF-LO, RF+LO and LO-RF for block conversion and tuned LO.
• For the RF input, select a fixed or tunable RF preselector. Enter in RF frequency, bandwidth and filter order. The RF center frequency can be tuned using the scroll bar. It can also be animated by entering the Tune Mode start & stop frequencies and clicking the sweep button.

The program updates the chart dynamically

• The RF & IF bands and LO tuning range are graphed
• Spurs are calculated refereneced to the input RF frequency and plotted
• Spur extents are plotted which show the full range of the input spur as the LO is tuned
• In-band spurs are shown in red; near-band spurs are shown in purple
• The legend and text output detail the mRF x nLO spur order and level

Spur Web View

This view shows the output frequency as a function of the input frequency to the mixer. The lines are specific spurs that the mixer generates and are color coded according to their amplitude levels.

• Enter the input and output frequency extents of the graph
• The Band Start and Band End entries signify the operating RF and IF bands
• Select the mixer conversion mode: Input-LO, Input+LO, LO-Input
• The calculate button updates the graph

The graph shows:

• The desired mixer product in light blue
• All other spurious products are color coded according to their relative levels.
• Select a spur to see the mRF x nLO order and level

Copyright © 2008 MRF Technologies, LLC