At this month's IEEE International Microwave Symposium (www.ims2004.org) in Dallas, Texas, attendees witnessed the latest in digital-frequency synthesizers (DFSs): the Low-Cost DFS Series Synthesizer from Elcom Technologies, Inc. (www.elcom-tech.com). This low-cost option bodes well for engineers. It also offers another bonus: The series guarantees zero phase hits.

The LCDFS series is designed for high-capacity microwave and millimeter-wave radios up to 38 GHz. It offers low phase noise, which satisfies 16, 32, 128, and 256 quadrature-amplitude-modulation (QAM) requirements. As a result, these synthesizers are well suited for high-speed data transmissions. In addition, the LCDFS series has a tuning bandwidth of up to 1350 MHz and step sizes ranging from 25 kHz to 10 MHz. DC power consumption for the synthesizers is under 4 W. Their operating temperature is between −35° to +70°C.

Additional specifications for the LCDFS series include a frequency range of 0.5 to 23 GHz in bands, a switching speed of <25 ms, and an output power range of 12 to 18 dBm. Although the synthesizers come in 3.95-×-3.75-×-1.2-in. housing, other packages are available. Applications for the LCDFS family include wireless ATM networks, SATCOM converters, digital radios, and instrumentation.