CML Micro Blog

Our blog

Our blog posts are written by CML’s expert team of application engineers and provide you with the latest trends, new technology, myth-busters and information on topics of importance in the electronics industry.
We have categorised our blog posts using our key product markets to allow you to quickly find posts that you have an interest in. Make sure to check back regularly to read our latest posts!

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CML Microcircuits at BES Expo 2023

2 March 2023

CML recently participated in BES Expo 2023, India’s biggest broadcast and media technology show in New Delhi. This was the first time we have been represented at BES and our presence there was a significant opportunity for CML to gain first-hand exposure to this vast

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CML at the RFMW Sales Conference

30 November 2022

On November 15-17 the CML Microcircuits USA sales team participated at the RFMW Sales Conference at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas…

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Work Experience at CML…

2 August 2022

My name is Georgia, and I am a 17 year old student currently studying Media, Law and Sociology for my A levels. I went to CML to complete my work experience and this is how it went…

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Team photo at the IMS 2022 exhibition

Looking back on IMS 2022…

29 June 2022

The IMS2022 show came to an end last Thursday, but you can still feel the high energy and intense participation. Thousands of people gathered in Denver to display products, share ideas and discuss the future of communications…

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IMS Denver Logo

Meet with CML at IMS 2022

8 June 2022

CML Microcircuits is pleased to be back exhibiting for a fifth year at the IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS) exhibition in Denver, Colorado USA. Visit CML at booth #11005 21st – 23rd June, where the team will be showcasing new products from the CML SµRF

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CMLs VDES1000 Module

VDES passes a key milestone – ITU formally publishes ITU-R M.2092

1 April 2022

After years of development by many parties, including significant input from CML and S3C, the ITU has officially released the standard ITU-R M.2092-1 ‘Technical Characteristics for a VHF Data Exchange System in the VHF Maritime Mobile Band’…

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Graph showing frequency hopping

CMX940 Hops to a Faster Beat

17 February 2022

A good integrated synthesizer design is a balance of competing requirements depending on the target application. The CMX940 High Performance RF Synthesizer balances exceptional low noise performance, low power and now, following the publication of a new Application Note, demonstrates extremely fast switching times…

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Digital Voice Communication in Marine Band

9 December 2021

Under the internationally-agreed arrangements for use of the maritime radio frequencies (the ITU Radio Regulations, appendix 18) there are approximately 65 radio channels…

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CMX90A003/CMX90A004 chip pic

SµRF 900MHz Power Amplifiers for AMI Applications

21 October 2021

As North American electric, water and gas utility companies work on modernizing their grids, they often choose the unlicensed 900MHz ISM frequency band to deploy their wireless advanced meter Infrastructure (AMI) networks…

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CMLs VDES1000 Module

TÜV SÜD Unveils VDES Test Certification Platform Centred on CML VDES1000

24 August 2021

VDES, the VHF Data Exchange System, is the next generation of the well-established and popular AIS system used in millions of vessels globally. VDES encapsulates the current AIS system together with high-rate Application Specific Messages and…

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Looking back on IMS 2021…

23 July 2021

CML was extremely keen to exhibit at IMS 2021, it being the first opportunity to engage with its customers and partners at a live event after more than 15 months of virtual meetings. Whilst the number of attendants was expectedly lower than previous years…

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CMX940 Chip Pic

Spurs, spurs go away!

23 June 2021

For those familiar with designing RF frequency generation circuits spurs are an unwelcome fact of life.  The designer wants to generate a nice clean low noise signal but because of the way PLL’s work and other physical effects, the signal often also has other imperfections…

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IMS logo image

Meet with CML at IMS 2021!

28 May 2021

CML Microcircuits will be exhibiting at the 2021 IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS) show in Atlanta, Georgia USA in booth 1341 from 7-10th June.  CML will be showcasing the new SµRF (Semiconductors Microwave RF) product line, introducing 5 new products…

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CMX940 chip with phase noise plot

Communication for the cellular generation

22 April 2021

Cellular telephony has defined the early part of the 21st century and there is now an entire generation that has never known life without the constant companionship of a smart phone. Anticipation for 5G continues to grow…

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ESA Program Demonstrates Low-cost Marine IoT via Satellite with the Potential for Rapid Commercialisation

4 February 2021

CML Microcircuits has been participating in an international consortium of Marine companies which have just successfully completed trials for a new low cost marine IoT solution. The companies, representing all aspects of the solution ecosystem…

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exactSeNS_system_overview_small

Latest Developments Expanding Marine IoT via Satellite

7 October 2020

IoT applications are appearing everywhere and one of the most challenging environments is that of maritime applications.  Not only do solutions need to work in physically harsh surroundings, the majority of operation takes place out of the range of conventional low cost communications…

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CMX655DQ6

The CMX655D – an Open-Source Solution to the Voice Codec Challenge

11 August 2020

Micro Electrical Mechanical System (MEMS) technology is having a huge impact on the IoT, as traditional mechanical sensors are being replaced by microscopic, electro-mechanical versions in a wide spectrum of devices, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors and tilt sensors. This trend is…

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DE6550DHAT

A Google Smart Speaker and Soft Synths? – This CML Solution can do both!

8 July 2020

Earlier this year CML released the EV6550DHAT, a HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) based CODEC and PA solution for the Raspberry Pi2, 3 or 4 single-board computers. This board was made available with a GUI interface that runs natively on the Raspberry Pi enabling quick and easy demonstration of the CMX655D…

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CMX998 LNC block diagram

New Tool for calculating noise when using a Cartesian Feedback Loop

9 June 2020

Many transmitters using non-constant envelope modulation schemes benefit from the improved efficiency and linearity associated with using a Cartesian feedback around the power amplifier. Though the concept of using feedback to linearize an amplifier is straightforward, there are many system elements and parameters that can influence the resulting transmitter noise performance in a real system…

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CreditCardSizePCB

Simplifying the Development of Industrial IoT Modems

13 May 2020

Industrial IIoT has unique requirements which make selection of suitable communications technologies more of a challenge than in applications such as Smart Cities where IoT is used to monitor free parking spaces or the control and monitoring of street lamps. In industries such as Utilities wireless systems have been used for many years…

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embeddedworld_2020_Logo

Visit CML at Embedded World 2020!

4 February 2020

CML Microcircuits is pleased to announce it will be present at the Embedded World Trade Fair, Nuremburg, Germany, 25th-27th February 2020. Embedded World is the leading international trade fair for embedded systems and welcomes over 32,000 trade visitors from 77 countries…

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AIS_InterceptionOf_IllegalFishing

AIS, a growing opportunity

28 November 2019

When introduced in the mid-nineties by the International Maritime Organisation, (IMO), the Automatic Identification System, (AIS), was aimed at maritime collision avoidance and monitoring of shipping. By continuously broadcasting information over public airwaves using unencrypted VHF radio signals…

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Emitel-logo

Emitel successfully conducts VDES field trials in Poland

15 November 2019

The main activity of Emitel is to provide broadcast infrastructure for terrestrial radio and television, but they also provide GMDSS radio-communication services for Polish maritime administration. Therefore Emitel decided to build a VDES test installation that would allow them to learn the basics of the VDES system and gather some practical skills.

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CMX7146_satellite_pic

Direct Satellite Communications; a New Era for the IoT

12 November 2019

The falling costs of space access have stimulated a recent surge in the numbers of small satellites and CubeSats being launched into Low Earth Orbit, (LEO). These satellites offer new opportunities to developers of remote IoT applications, making satellite communication economically as well as technically feasible.

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MEMS microphones, why is digital best?

29 October 2019

The first MEMS microphone was introduced in 1983 and in the following 36 years microphone technologies have evolved significantly giving designer’s a wider range of choices than ever. Technology wise, since 2014 MEMs microphones have surpassed condenser microphones as being the most popular choice for developers.

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RFMW’s Annual NA and European Sales Conference

4 October 2019

Last month CML participated in RFMW’s Annual NA and European Sales Conference. This was a great opportunity to spend a lot of time with the inside and outside sales teams as well as RFMW’s executive management.

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CMX7158Q3

CML Enables Greater Robustness against Security Breaches with Full-Duplex Audio Scrambler

25 June 2019

Recognising the growing need to protect communication systems from the threat of being compromised by unauthorised parties, CML Microcircuits has introduced the CMXCMX7158Q37158. Based on the company’s proprietary FirmASIC® technology…

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IMS_booth

Looking back on IMS 2019

20 June 2019

CML has been exhibiting at IMS2019 in Boston, showcasing the latest developments in our high frequency and RF devices. The exhibition was well attended and in a great location.

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IMS_logo

Come and meet CML at IMS 2019!

22 May 2019

From the 4-6 June, CML will be participating at the International Microwave Symposium (IMS) exhibition in Boston, MA. You can find us at booth 128, where we will be displaying a selection of our RF products.

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VDES1000_Two_Boxes_Cropped

Quick Start Enclosure for VDES Evaluation or Base Station Installation

18 April 2019

We are now in a position to provide a very quick start evaluation enclosure for VDES testing and even base station installation for field trials.

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embeddedworld_2019_Logo

Looking back on Embedded World 2019

22 March 2019

CML Microcircuits is happy to announce another successful year at the Embedded World exhibition in Nuremburg, Germany. The show celebrated its 17th year, welcoming 31,000 trade visitors and 1,117 companies from countries all over the world. Live demonstrations of the recently-launched CMX655D Ultra-low Power Voice

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World’s First VDES Base Station Installed

4 March 2019

The institute of Maritime Technology (IMT) in South Africa has installed the world’s first commercial VDES base station. This will provide services to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) broader maritime community and industry interested in using VDES new data applications.

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Canadian Coast Guard VDES Trials

11 February 2019

The Canadian Coast Gard has forecast that VDES is to become a key medium for ship-shore communication. It was therefore very important for Canada to do its own verification of VDES performance in a real-world situation, gauge performance and investigate any potential adverse effects on AIS.

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Armscor

First VDES Base Station Installed

31 January 2019

The Institute for Maritime Technology (IMT), a division of Armscor SOC Ltd., continued South Africa’s strong maritime legacy by installing and operating the first VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) base station in the world. This effort forms part of the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) technology

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embeddedworld_2019_Logo

Come and see us at Embedded World 2019!

28 January 2019

CML Microcircuits is excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at this year’s Embedded World trade fair in Nuremburg, Germany, from 26th-28th February 2019. Embedded World is one of the most important exhibitions in the embedded electronics industry, welcoming over 32,000 attendees last year.

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Electronica_edited

Looking back on Electronica 2018

7 January 2019

“Connecting everything – smart, safe and secure” CML Microcircuits is pleased to announce another successful year at the 2018 Electronica exhibition. CML participated as a Co-Exhibitor with our German Distributor, SE Spezial Electronic AG, ensuring that we were listed in the Official Show Guide. The

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CMX655DQ6

Now the world works in HD, it’s time for the voice codec to catch up

7 December 2018

Not too long ago, popular fiction still treated the voice interface as something that belonged in the future, but it is now a reality. When we use the phone to talk to a service provider, often we are talking to technology first and a person

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Direct Conversion: After nearly 200 years of radio, we’re still finding ways to improve it

29 August 2018

While the Internet of Things is a worldwide wonder that promises to connect everything, it’s probably worth remembering that the study of electromagnetism started nearly 200 years ago and was, in a very real way, the birth of radio.

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CML’s VDES1000: A flexible platform supporting VDES Solution Development

29 August 2018

Introduced in 2002, the maritime Automatic Identification System, (AIS), has been so successful that its use has expanded well beyond its original scope, leading to more and more traffic using the system.

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Use a Building-Block Strategy for RF Designs if You Want to Get to Market Quickly

29 August 2018

We live in a world that is increasingly connected and where the need for wireless communications is omnipresent. The range of RF applications is growing rapidly with everything from wearables to smart home appliances requiring reliable, wireless connectivity.

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