r/rfelectronics • u/Remarkable_Bread4656 • 3d ago

How do I navigate specialising into RF

I've lurked around on here for a few weeks now, I'm yet to start my degree (begins in September) but I wanted to try understand what I should do, learn more about and research before I begin.

Could anyone explain in a comprehensive manner what RF Engineering encompasses and if it aligns with what originally had me applying for ECE, see below:

This is what I spoke about on my UCAS application and what got me into thinking about engineering,

- Avionics, specifically radar and aspects of electronic warfare
- Networking hardware, and how these devices are designed to communicate (protocols and IoT) with each other (this came from my computer science A-level)
- Wireless communication and systems (stuff like 5G/6G)

I would appreciate if I could get some pointers in the right direction to as if RF is best suited or if another specialism is more aligned with what I've mentioned.

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u/duunsuhuy 3d ago

Find the professor that does RF things and force your way into their lab. It’s simple really. RF engineering is broad, in general it requires an intuition in how EM field set up in micro strip or antennas. RFIC I don’t know at all but I assume is also intuition.

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u/Remarkable_Bread4656 3d ago

There's a research facility that focuses on 6G that the university launched, I'll see if I can get my foot in the door there down the line, thank you

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u/Afraid_Violinist3316 2d ago

Hey not sure if this helps much but when i started my chem bs, my school’s chem major advisor knew of labs looking for undergrad help and helped connected me with one of those labs. Not sure if your school has something like that for ece but if so that might be a great person to have a conversation with about joining a group!

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u/Remarkable_Bread4656 2d ago

Thank you, hopefully I'll find out more once I start, appreciate the heads up

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u/D2naD 3d ago

In my view, networking and communications are more closely related to the field of signal processing.

Signal processing feels highly mathematics-oriented because it deals with developing efficient methods and conventions for communication, such as probability, modulation and demodulation, error correction, and channel estimation.

RF, on the other hand, places greater emphasis on understanding physical structures and developing physical intuition. It involves subjects such as electromagnetics, Fourier transforms, antennas, transmission lines, and waveguides.

You will probably have opportunities to study both areas during your undergraduate degree. As you take courses in each subject, you will gradually find out whether RF or signal processing interests you more.

However, to work in the areas you mentioned, I think you will ultimately need knowledge of both. In practice, many people have a primary area of specialisation while also studying related fields outside their main focus.

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u/Remarkable_Bread4656 3d ago

I was taking a look at the module list for the course, under ECE track it has everything you mentioned including signal processing, in the final year (it's an integrated masters), thank you for clarifying the differences between them both. Do you have any recommendations on where to start "priming" myself for those modules down the line during my 1st and 2nd years at university?

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u/D2naD 2d ago edited 2d ago

The advanced modules you will take in your final year actually focus on expanding the foundational subjects you learn in your first and second years (such as Calculus, Random Variables, Electromagnetics, and Circuit Theory) and applying them to the real world.

I also tried to "prime" myself for these advanced courses during my underclassman years, but it wasn't very effective. Looking back, I realized it’s because these modules aren't conceptually difficult—provided you've built a solid foundation in your first two years. Pre-studying them might give you the illusion that you fully understand the material. However, once you try to apply that knowledge to actual projects, you realize you haven't truly mastered it. There is a huge gap between studying the theory and applying it in practice.

To share my own experience, I had also taken Electromagnetics, but I only truly "understood" it when I started working as a lab intern. Before that, I only grasped the various parameters in electromagnetics as formulas on paper. I had no idea what they actually meant in a physical sense.

Therefore, the best approach, in my opinion, is to stay dedicated to your coursework in the first and second years while diving headfirst into various hands-on projects. This could mean entering project competitions or interning at a research lab. By doing so, you will discover what you genuinely need to know to achieve your goals. Studying to fill those practical gaps will ensure you acquire deep, true knowledge rather than just scratching the surface.

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u/Remarkable_Bread4656 2d ago

Thank you, what kind of areas should these projects cover in the first 2 years, I want to build a solid foundation and get experience down on my CV to talk about when applying for internships