MikroElektronika's RF meter click is a radio frequency power measurement device covering a frequency span from 1 MHz to 8 GHz over a 60 dB range (approximately). It enables monitoring and measuring frequency levels to ensure proper functioning and leak detection. An external antenna acquires the signal, which is then processed by the AD8318 logarithmic detector. The resulting voltage is fed into an MCP3201 ADC. For communicating with the target board MCU, the mikroBUS serial peripheral interface (SPI) is used (CS, SCK, MISO pins) with additional TEMP OUT pin. The RF meter click board has made signal strength measurement easy like never before. This compact board carries the Analog Devices AD8318 demodulating logarithmic amplifier.

The AD8318 demodulating logarithmic amplifier is capable of accurately converting an RF input signal to a corresponding decibel-scaled output voltage. It employs the progressive compression technique over a cascaded amplifier chain, each stage of which is equipped with a detector cell. The device is used in measurement or controller mode. The AD8318 maintains accurate log conformance for signals of 1 MHz to 6 GHz and provides useful operation to 8 GHz. The input range is typically 60 dB (re: 50 Ω) with error less than ±1 dB. The AD8318 has a 10 ns response time that enables RF burst detection to beyond 45 MHz. The device provides unprecedented logarithmic intercept stability vs. ambient temperature conditions.