Isolation with a switch mode regulator - RF Cafe Forums

The original RF Cafe Forums were shut down in late 2012 due to maintenance issues - primarily having to spend time purging garbage posts from the board. At some point I might start the RF Cafe Forums again if the phpBB software gets better at filtering spam.

Below are the old forum threads, including responses to the original posts.
-- Amateur Radio
-- Anecdotes, Gripes & Humor
-- Antennas
-- CAE, CAD, & Software
-- Circuits & Components
-- Employment & Interviews
 -- Miscellany
-- Swap Shop
-- Systems
-- Test & Measurement
-- Webmaster

darcyrandall2004
Post subject: Isolation with a switch mode regulator Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:11 am

Colonel


Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:16 am
Posts: 46
Hello.

It is true that the switch mode regulator produces alot of RF noise due to the switching action

Does the switching action of the regulator isolate its output from noise on the supply input? If at no time the output is directly connected to the input, then surely this is the case.


My latest transmitter project is suffering from noise creaping in through the supply. I thought perhaps I could remove the noise creeping in by use of a switch mode regulator and then deal with the switch mode regs noise.

What do you think?

Cheers
Darcy Randall, Perth Western Australia


Top

IR
Post subject: Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:56 pm

Site Admin


Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:02 pm
Posts: 373
Location: Germany
Hello,

I think that this is a bad idea to provide the direct power supply to almost any RF circuit from a SMPS.

The best practice is to use an SMPS followed by an LDO. By this you provide both efficiency and long battery life and a clean, noise-free power supply to your RF circuitry.

Quote:
Does the switching action of the regulator isolate its output from noise on the supply input?


As far as I know, the answer to that is no.


Top

darcyrandall2004
Post subject: Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:18 am

Colonel


Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:16 am
Posts: 46
Hello IR.
A 12V switch mode reg supplies a number of linear regulators that supply my RF circuits.

I will replace the Linear regs with LDO's and hopefullly this will solve my problems.

Cheers, you information has been of great value.


Darcy Randall, Perth, Western Australia


Top

IR
Post subject: Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:28 am

Site Admin


Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:02 pm
Posts: 373
Location: Germany
You are welcome.

If:
Quote:
A 12V switch mode reg supplies a number of linear regulators that supply my RF circuits.


Then I think you should add some more decoupling capacitors and/or beads to the supply rails and also check the PCB layout.


Top

darcyrandall2004
Post subject: Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:44 am

Colonel


Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:16 am
Posts: 46
Hello IR.

Do LDO's typically have superior noise performance compared to the standard typical linear voltage regulators?


Top

IR
Post subject: Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:27 am

Site Admin


Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:02 pm
Posts: 373
Location: Germany
From my experience they do have better noise performance. There are also many LDO's available (e.g. from Micrel: www.micrel.com) that have a dedicated pin used for extendedl noise suppression by connecting an external capacitor.

Please check Micrel's website for more information.

Good luck!! If you need more help, please let me know.



Posted  11/12/2012