At EuMW 2026, everything RF met Jared McGladdery, Director of Business Development, EMEA, at Copper Mountain Technologies, who walked us through the company’s latest vector network analysis solutions. European Microwave Week (EuMW) 2026, held from 4-9 October at ExCeL London, is Europe’s premier event for the RF, microwave, mmWave, and radar industry, bringing together the companies and technologies shaping the future of high-frequency engineering.
At its booth, Copper Mountain Technologies showcased the new BFx-02 Frequency Extension Platform that enables measurements up to 1 THz, compact two-port VNAs covering frequencies up to 18 GHz, and integrated and embedded VNA solutions that bring RF measurements closer to the device under test.
BFx-02 Frequency Extension Platform
BFx-02 The BFx-02 Frequency Extension Base is a dedicated measurement platform designed to drive external frequency extenders and perform VNA measurements at frequencies up to 1 THz without requiring a conventional high-frequency VNA. The device serves as the core measurement instrument, working with external frequency extenders to generate, receive, and process signals at extremely high frequencies.
BFx-02 combines the functions of a high-frequency VNA and a frequency-extension system into a single platform. The device itself provides the RF and local oscillator (LO) signals required by external extenders and processes the returned measurement data, simplifying the overall test setup while reducing size, complexity, and cost for millimeter-wave and terahertz measurements.
The platform is compatible with frequency extenders from multiple manufacturers, including companies like Virginia Diodes, Inc. (VDI), giving engineers flexibility when building test systems for different frequency ranges and applications. Interestingly, we also spotted the BFx-02 at the MilliBox booth on the show floor, it was being used as part of an advanced over-the-air (OTA) antenna test system for mmWave and sub-THz antenna characterization and beamforming measurements, highlighting its role in developing next-generation wireless and sensing technologies.
The solution is available in versions supporting measurements up to 330 GHz, 500 GHz, 750 GHz, and 1 THz. It is aimed at applications including 5G and 6G research, automotive radar, satellite communications, aerospace and defense systems, and advanced semiconductor testing, where accurate measurements at very high frequencies are critical.
2-Port 18 GHz Vector Network Analyzer
Also on display was Copper Mountain Technologies’ 18 GHz two-port Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), designed for accurate RF and microwave measurements in a compact, portable form factor. During the demonstration, Jared highlighted the instrument’s capabilities and explained how it fits within the company’s broader VNA portfolio, which ranges from compact one-port instruments to multiport systems with up to 16 ports.
The company’s M5180 covers frequencies from 300 kHz to 18 GHz and offers a dynamic range of up to 130 dB. It supports full S-parameter measurements, enabling engineers to characterize amplifiers, filters, antennas, cables, connectors, and other RF and microwave components. Its combination of wide frequency coverage and high dynamic range makes it suitable for research, product development, manufacturing, and production testing.
Unlike conventional benchtop VNAs with integrated displays and processing hardware, Copper Mountain’s 18 GHz VNA uses a compact USB-based architecture and operates through an external PC running the company’s measurement software. This approach reduces instrument size and cost while maintaining high measurement performance, giving engineers a portable and flexible solution for RF and microwave testing in laboratory, production, and field environments.
Embedded VNA Solutions
Beyond standalone instruments, CMT highlighted a growing area of focus for the company: integrated and embedded VNA solutions. These solutions are based on Copper Mountain’s existing one-port and two-port VNA platforms and are designed to bring RF measurement capabilities closer to the device under test (DUT). Rather than bringing a device under test to a laboratory instrument, the concept is to bring RF measurement capability directly into the equipment, production system, or operational environment itself.
The company’s embedded solutions use the same measurement technology found in its commercial VNAs but can be adapted for OEM equipment, automated test systems, manufacturing platforms, and field-deployed products. Hardware, software, enclosure design, and integration options can all be tailored to specific application requirements.
Examples of where embedded VNAs can be used include:
- Automated production test systems that continuously verify RF performance during manufacturing.
- Aerospace and defense platforms that require built-in RF monitoring and diagnostic capabilities.
- Telecommunications infrastructure used for ongoing health monitoring of RF subsystems.
- Non-destructive testing systems where RF measurements help evaluate materials and structures without damaging them.
- OEM products that incorporate S-parameter measurement capability as part of their own operation or maintenance workflow.
This shift from test equipment as a standalone instrument to test equipment as an integrated subsystem reflects a broader industry trend toward smarter, more automated RF systems. By placing measurement capability closer to the device being monitored, engineers can obtain faster feedback and reduce the complexity of external test setups. Click here to learn more about integrated and embedded VNA solutions from CMT.
At EuMW 2026 exhibition floor, Copper Mountain Technologies showcased how vector network analysis is evolving to address both ends of the RF spectrum. While its 18 GHz VNAs continue to provide the measurement capabilities required for everyday RF and microwave development, the BFx-02 frequency extension platform opens the door to sub-THz and terahertz characterization. At the same time, the company’s embedded VNA initiatives highlight a future in which precision RF measurements are integrated directly into products, production systems, and operational environments.
European Microwave Week 2026 showcased the latest developments in wireless communications, aerospace and defense, radar, satellite technology, semiconductors, antennas, and test and measurement solutions. From cutting-edge mmWave and terahertz technologies to advanced RF design and testing tools, the event highlighted many of the innovations shaping the next generation of high-frequency systems. To discover more technologies, product launches, and demonstrations from across the exhibition floor, explore everything RF’s complete EuMW 2026 coverage.
Click here to learn more about Copper Mountain Technologies and its RF solutions.