This is a processor board designed using a version of the popular substrate material FR4 (typical greenish color). It includes a range of densely packed surface mount components: resistors, capacitors, inductors, ICs, at least one crystal resonator and some leaded components. Tracks are surface and 'buried' types (not visible) including high speed (high frequency) differential and single ended types.
Profile
Skills, experience and knowledge available now
FCL may already have many of the skills and much of the experience and knowledge that the client is looking for.
This is a classic digital cellular cell-tower supporting several directional sector antennas beamed into the adjacent 3 cell areas it serves. Also visible are 2 microwave point to point directional (reflector dish) antennas, probably part of a backhaul link into the telecommunications infrastructure.
Original Thinking
You want 'outside of the box' thinking?
FCL may suggest novel solutions. Some of these may exceed expectations and save the client money and time.
The part spherical structure on top of this building is a radome, made from a low loss dielectric material that protects the antenna(s) inside from damage and deterioration due to weather and makes corrective and preventative maintenance much easier. We cannot see the antenna(s) but from the size and shape they may be for satellite or radar services.
Recent Challenges
What can you do about this phase noise?
FCL has many RF and microwave design skills and can apply these to solve common problems such as noise and EMC issues.
I believe this lighthouse is known as the 'Longships', a couple of miles off Lands End. It has been un-manned and remotely controlled for many years and there is a helicopter pad on the top which is not visible here due to the beam glare.
New Ideas
Can you find a quicker way of doing this?
From its previous experience, FCL can often identify routes towards cost saving and improved productivity.
Success Highlights
New design proving measurement methods using FCL's experience with transmission line theory, vector network analyzers and S-parameters.
Defence Client 1
About USD 6000 saving on a successive detection logarithmic video amplifier (SDLVA).
Radar Systems Client
Solving a cold instability problem of a frequency synthesizer by sourcing and replacing VCO resonator inductors with high Q factor versions.
Defence Client 2
Improving a synthesizer spurious, phase noise and reducing production cost after an RF/EMC product review by a client's customer.
Digital Cellular Client
Accurately quantifying solar heating effects for sensitive exterior equipment using the Stefan-Boltzmann fourth power radiation law.
Transportation Infrastructure Vendor
Constructing and demonstrating an RF over optical fiber (ROF) communications system to short timescales.
Defence Client 3
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