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RF Measurement
RF Equipment
About
The trusted standard in high-power RF termination.
RF Loads
Bird’s RF Loads are trusted around the world to safely absorb RF energy and protect critical systems from reflected power. Built for durability, precision, and performance, our load family covers a wide range of power levels, frequencies, and connector types—supporting everything from lab or field testing, to high-power embedded applications.
Choosing the Right RF Load:
What to Use - and What to Avoid
Convection-Cooled Loads
Utilizes internal heat sinks and chassis cooling fins for passive air cooling.
- Best for: Low to mid-power (< 1500 W) applications where ambient airflow is available.
- Avoid if: Space is tight or airflow is restricted.
Conduction-Cooled Loads
Dissipates heat through direct contact with a heatsink or chassis.
- Best for: Embedded systems or rack installations with custom cooling.
- Avoid if: There's no solid mounting surface for heat transfer.
Water-Cooled Loads
Uses flowing water for high-efficiency cooling.
- Best for: High-power systems (> 1000W) or continuous-duty applications.
- Avoid if: Unsuitable when water quality is poor or when water supply or plumbing infrastructure are unavailable.
Self-contained, Water-Cooled Loads (Moduloads)
Bird’s Moduload integrates water cooling in a sealed, portable unit—no external plumbing needed.
- Best for: High-power testing environments that demand portability and fast setup.
- Avoid if: Your application requires a permanently installed, plumbed water-cooled system.
Oil-Cooled Loads
Uses oil for both dielectric properties and heat dissipation.
- Best for: High-power systems where stability and longevity are critical.
- Avoid if: Weight, size, or handling of oil-based equipment is a concern.
Forced Air-Cooled Loads
Actively cooled using high-velocity airflow (often fan-assisted) to cool internal resistors.
- Best for: High peak power or elevated temperature environments.
- Avoid if: Fan noise or maintenance is an issue, or if cooling air isn't available.
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Load Selection: What Really Matters
RF Performance
Choose a load with the right frequency range, a power rating that handles both average and peak power, and a low VSWR for efficient signal absorption. For pulsed or modulated signals, check the peak-to-average ratio to avoid overload.
Mechanical
Consider the connector or flange type to match your system interface, the cooling method—air, water, or oil—based on your power and environment, and any mounting or space constraints that could affect installation.
Environment
Make sure the load can handle your ambient temperature and has adequate coolant flow and quality if required. Also consider shock, vibration, altitude, and humidity tolerance—especially in field or mobile environments.
Key Considerations When Choosing a Load
To ensure performance and safety, match the load to your system’s specs and environment.
RF Performance
Frequency Range:
Power Rating
VSWR
Peak-to-Average Ratio
Mechanical
Connector or flange type
Cooling method (air, water, oil)
Mounting and space constraints
Enviromental
Ambient temperature, coolant flow/quality
Shock, vibration, altitude, and humidity tolerance
What's at Stake
When Loads Fail, Systems Falter
In RF systems, a load is more than just an endpoint—it’s a safeguard for performance and reliability. A poorly designed or fragile termination can introduce reflections, degrade signal quality, or break down under load, leading to unpredictable system behavior and costly downtime.
Whether in a lab, a network, or a high-power environment, your load must hold up—physically and electrically.
With Bird, you get proven durability and performance, so your signal stays clean and your system stays up.
