Unit of study_

ELEC5403: Radio Frequency Engineering

2026 unit information

This unit of study builds upon earlier work and provides an introduction to radio frequency components and systems used in wireless and satellite communications as well as in other high frequency applications. It assumes some knowledge of: basic circuit analysis; semiconductor device models and behaviour; transistor operation as switches and amplifiers; transistor operation as current sources and current mirrors; differential amplifiers. The following topics are covered: RF circuit element models, high-frequency effects and biasing in active devices, transmission lines and the Smith Chart, RF system characteristics, RF amplifiers, oscillators, mixers, power amplifiers, microwave measurements.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Engineering

Study level Postgraduate
Academic unit School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
? 
None
Corequisites:
? 
None
Prohibitions:
? 
None
Assumed knowledge:
? 
Students will be expected to be familiar with ELEC3404 - Electronic Circuit Design and ELEC3104 - Engineering Electromagnetics.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Analyse and design solutions for radio-frequency specified systems up to microwave frequencies using principles and techniques presented
  • LO2. Demonstrate an understanding of transmission line operation at radio frequencies using concepts and principles presented throughout the course
  • LO3. Apply impedance matching techniques using clearly defined approaches
  • LO4. Formulate the application of scattering parameters for common microwave devices using principles and techniques developed throughout the course
  • LO5. Design transistor amplifiers and oscillators using stability criteria of active circuits to the extent of material presented
  • LO6. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental theories which apply over broad radio frequency area
  • LO7. Undertake inquiry and knowledge development by firstly identifying the limitations of the current knowledge and then drawing on varied sources and media formats, selecting and synthesising the information most pertinent to the specific subject of radio frequency systems
  • LO8. Write and present technical reports to communicate technical engineering activities such as design, measurements, and analysis in a clear, coherent, and chronological order, maintain a professional record of work carried out
  • LO9. Work in a team sharing the load through clearly defined roles, drawing on the knowledge and skill of others through receptiveness to their opinions, while contributing constructively towards tackling design and testing challenges in a laboratory environment

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2026
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
There are no availabilities for previous years.

Find your current year census dates

Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.