[rhave]

Going into the RF field myself, I've been troubled with the license costs of tools like HFSS and CST. After a brief test of the open source tool OpenEMS I've landed firmly on the newer open source tool EMerge (https://github.com/FennisRobert/EMerge). It's a little rough around the edges still as it was released in the fall. But I've already gotten good results from it designing my own RF hardware.

Apart from that I wonder how much of the resurgence can be traced back to more active conflicts around the world? There is a booming Drone and EW development within the military sector which could be what drives it?

[esseph]

Mil is driving a lot of small and large radar development, electronic warfare weapons, RF communications, etc.

Then you have a lot of work being done on new WiFi standards, satellie antennas, cell network development, and so on.

Also companies like Tarana are building a lot of unique things.

[sleepycat801]

On the military front, the US has pressured allies to spend more GDP on weapons. Most countries have realised that as domestic industrial policy, rather than shell out foreign exchange for (cost ineffective) US made equipment.

[Scene_Cast2]

Oh interesting, I've heard of EMerge but haven't given it a try yet. Sounds like it's solid enough to be useful?

[rhave]

Definitely solid enough to be useful. I'm about to print my second set of RF PCB's based on the simulations with it. There are still some quirks where you have to read the manual a couple of times until the right order of commands "clicks". But there are good examples that can be followed and they seem to be expanded all the time.

[sitzkrieg]

not to mention the price of a remotely usable vector network analyzer will make any software look affordable

[gbgarbeb]

A $50 TinyVNA is too expensive? Please.

[sitzkrieg]

im talking about good, professional multigigahertz vnas. tinyvna are toys in comparison

[gbgarbeb]

Blatant misinformation.

[ted_dunning]

Tidy3d works very well (not free).

I gave up on OpenEMS.

[jacquesm]

Wow. Thank you.