RF/Microwave Circuit Design for Wireless Applications

Reviewer: R Conrad from Connecticut, USA

RF/Microwave Circuit Design for Wireless Applications is a veritable encyclopedia for those new to the field of circuit design for wireless applications. The text introduces the reader to the impact of real world operating conditions on wireless system performance as a prelude to thorough reviews of active and passive devices and applications.

The book includes many illustrations of circuits typically found in wireless systems. The text provides proven design techniques and practical circuit-design examples based on a family of linear and nonlinear computer-aided-design (CAD) tools from Ansoft Cop. (Pittsburgh, PA).

One of the many highlights of the book is a software simulation example that accurately predicts the "real world" performance of a QPSK power amplifier (on pages 424 and 425). In addition, the treatment of push-pull power amplifier design and the analysis and application of 3-dB hybrids and Wilkinson dividers and combiners couplers are presented thoroughly and professionally.

In light of the quality of this book, I found the review titled "form without content" troubling. The author appears to resent the success of Dr. Rohde's fine career and many well-written books. It is also difficult to understand how 18 of 20 individuals found such a negative and unconstructive review helpful. More likely, the author of that negative review was his/her own best reader, and was simply responding to his or her own review in an attempt to asperse the author. Finally, one of the on-line purchasers of the book was one of the original founders of Sciteq Electronics (San Diego, CA), a firm associated with the development of the direct digital synthesizer (DDS). This alone is a strong testimony to the value of the book.