Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1541351
| 54 Alliance, require RF technologies to be tested and certified for their respective technologies. Other types of testing include development and design verification (e.g., system prototyping and optimization, hardware modeling in software) and manufacturing and quality control (e.g., tuning, verification, maintenance). RF testing and measurement are needed during RF hardware and software development. System developers often perform confirmation testing of new RF components or device specifications before selecting a component or device for a given design. RF component and device development usually involves an iterative process, with testing and measurement at each stage. This confirmation testing might include probing individual circuit elements on wafers or producing complete runs of chips or boards to evaluate new designs or modifications. Engineers routinely test RF hardware during and after manufacturing to ensure that the parts operate to specifications. This can include benchtop testing as well as larger-scale evaluations (Figure 1). Some RF hardware designs include tunable or programmable features that allow engineers to adjust key hardware elements or software parameters that can modify the performance of the part to work within specifications. Examples include real-time testing of an RF filter while adjusting a resistor, capacitor, or inductor ratio of a resonator, or even adjusting tuning screws in a waveguide resonator. When assembling an RF system, engineers often test sections as well as the entire system during and after assembly. This helps confirm Figure 1: The 212 East Range outdoor antenna range at the NASA JPL MESA facility. This facility is used for large-scale free-space RF testing, such as antenna characterization, system calibration, and performance validation under real-world conditions. (Source: NASA)