Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1437753
7 A single engineer can no longer solve the entire signal chain engineering challenges. Today's RF designs require a team with many specialists who also have system-level perspective and understanding. Johannes Horvath Field Application Engineer, Analog Devices Barriers to RF Engineering This leaves engineering organizations experiencing growing pains and leaves RF engineers taking on new roles and responsibilities. Engineers are being required to learn new intricate skills, including MATLAB, hardware description languages (HDLs), and complex system modeling and simulation—all of which require significant programming effort. They are also learning and integrating new methods and techniques, such as using massive multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO), densification and interference mitigation techniques, and adaptable waveforms. Often, half the challenge is simply finding support for these and other new responsibilities. Even with the needed talent, the RF design process has become longer and more costly. 5G adds yet another layer of complexity, learning curve, and engineering challenges. Indeed, 5G promises to support extreme data rates, provide lower latency communications, and create new user experiences; however, the 5G New Radio (5G NR) standard adds new sub-6GHz operating bands and millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies that add design complexities as well. And for the next decade, until 6G arrives around 2030, it is expected that 5G will piggyback off 4G networks, meaning that 5G topologies and products must be backward compatible. The design complexities are extraordinary. '' The age of my colleagues in the RF industry is increasing, and it's now less common to find fully competent RF engineers in their 20s. Just finding people who have a knowledge of propagation, matching, and all the basics is a challenge." Ed Long RF Design Engineer, Cambium Networks