The Automatic Radio Frequency Techniques Group (ARFTG) is a technical organization interested in all aspects of RF and microwave test and measurement. ARFTG was created in 1972 to help end users get the most from the latest generation of test and measurement equipment. In the early years, the primary focus was on instrumentation automation and calibration. In the meantime, measurement techniques have evolved greatly, and now include such diverse topics as: nonlinear measurements, production testing, temporal measurements, high frequency fixturing and probing, multi-port network analysis, mixed-signal measurements, mmWave and THz measurements. The broad range of ARFTG interests is reflected in the nature of the conferences.
ARFTG sponsors two conferences each year. The Spring Conference this year will be a single-day conference on Friday, June 15, and is co-sponsored by MTT-S and co-located with IMS. The theme for this 91st ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference is “Wideband Modulated Test Signals for Network Analysis of Wireless Infrastructure Building Blocks.”
The topical themes of the conference are:
- 5G Communications and Beyond
- IoT
- MIMO Measurements
- SATCOM
- RF/Digital Mixed-Signal Measurement and Calibration
- Nonlinear/Large-Signal Measurement and Modeling Techniques
- THz Measurement Techniques
- Adaptive Communications, such as Cognitive Radio
- Other topical areas of RF, Microwave, mmWave Measurements
The arrival of 5G is a huge move in the electronic communication industry. 5G technologies need more than state-of-the-art specs in all directions. ARFTG is focused on RF measurements, the carrier frequencies and the modulation bandwidth for 5G require advanced or breakthrough RF measurement approaches to meet the needs. This Spring ARFTG Conference will focus on these techniques.
Figure 1 ARFTG single track technical sessions (Courtesy of Lyle Photos, Atlanta, Ga.).
Figure 2 ARFTG Interactive Forum sessions (Courtesy of Lyle Photos, Atlanta, Ga.).
Oral technical sessions are single track (see Figure 1) and extended breakout sessions, combining exhibition and interactive forum, aid networking with vendors and among colleagues, whether researcher or practitioner (see Figure 2). The conference is preceded by the “NVNA Users’ Forum” and the “On-Wafer Users’ Forum,” held on Thursday afternoon, June 14.
If you have interest in measurements from 1 kHz to 1 THz and beyond, be sure to add ARFTG 2018 to your conference plans
in Philadelphia in June. You will find the conference atmosphere informal and friendly, which enhances interactions and opportunities for you to learn new ideas and to discuss with colleagues. Details about the 2018 Spring ARFTG Conference program can be found at www.arftg.org. Also check out www.twitter.com/arftgconference for regular updates.