"Spread spectrum techniques" article has been uploaded to the RF Design Guide page
It's been a while since Circuit Design published a new article.
People have heard of spread spectrum and there are plenty of resources on the internet that explains it, particularly DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) and FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum). As the radio spectrum becomes more and more utilised, such methods must exist to minimise conflict between devices in the same area.
However while there are many online articles explaining the concepts, the explanations are mostly vague and insufficient. While not incorrect, sometimes the wrong aspects are brought into focus that the main reasons of using spread spectrum are not emphasised enough.
There also needs to be a distinction between FHSS and DSSS, since neither one is a perfect fit for all applications. Each has its own strengths and its entirely possible that spread spectrum may not even be needed in some cases.