Electronics > RF, Microwave, Ham Radio

RF 2.4GHZ through Via

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24602:
Have done a board design with a 2.4ghz module on the bottom of a PCB (placed due to size restrictions of board). The RF receive of the board has been fine but when transmitting the signal strength is basically non existent.

The RF TRX of the board is a castellated edge terminal then sent through a via to the other side of the board goes to a RF switch to either a SMD antenna or SMA connector (Schematic attached)

PCB Top and bottom attached also, I have deleted other components around the area for clarity.


Running RF through a via isn't ideal but because I have to, what is the best way of going about this? What would improve the TX Rf performance of the design?

szoftveres:
Are you sure the TX problem is due to the via?

In general you'll need to absorb the parasitic reactances of the via and pad into a pi-network; i.e. the via would be the series inductor and the pads would be the shunt capacitors; tune everything to 2.4GHz and 50 ohms. This needs to be simulated or modeled for any good results.

24602:
What would the best next step, any recommendations for RF simulators?

uer166:
At 2.4GHz the via is likely not the problem. That antenna layout is crap-tastic. When you say you have low Tx, did you measure it at the SMA connector conducted using a spectrum analyzer? What dBm do you expect and what did you get?

24602:
Haven't measured it but if TX RX antennas are right next to each other there's basically no reception.

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