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The downloads, the user manual, answers to the common questions, and how to reach us.
Downloads
LW RF Studio
The program, with the antenna simulation and SmithMatch. 30 days of the full version, then a licence. The setup can also install the KiCad plugin.
Download LW RF StudioKiCad plugin (folder)
LW Antenna Check to copy by hand: unzip it into KiCad's plugin folder (how).
lw_antenna_check.zipKiCad plugin (package)
The same plugin for KiCad's Plugin and Content Manager: Install from File..., do not unzip it.
lw_antenna_check-pcm.zipUser manual
The manual describes every tab of LW RF Studio and SmithMatch: the parameters and shapes, the stackup, the feeds and vias, the board import, the simulation settings, the results and the matching. It is also in the program, under Help.
Download the user manual (PDF)Frequently asked questions
What is LW RF Studio?
LW RF Studio is Windows software for RF engineers. It designs and simulates printed antennas (IFA, MIFA and others) with the open-source openEMS FDTD solver, and its SmithMatch builds the matching network on an interactive Smith chart with parts from the Würth Elektronik design kits.
Which board files can I import?
KiCad .kicad_pcb, Eagle .brd, Autodesk Fusion Electronics .fbrd (and a .f3z archive with a board), Altium .PcbDoc, Gerber and Excellon files (also whole panels) and MATLAB pcbStack scripts. Copper, vias, outline and stackup are imported. Footprints can be exported to KiCad, Eagle and Altium.
What results does it give?
S11, input impedance, VSWR and a Smith chart with the resonance and the −10 dB bandwidth; the radiation pattern in the XY, XZ and YZ planes and in 3D, with directivity and efficiency; and the surface current on the copper. A simulation can be compared with a VNA measurement in an .s1p file.
Do I need MATLAB or another solver?
No. The simulation uses the open-source openEMS solver, which the installer downloads if it is not on the PC. LW RF Studio can import the pcbStack scripts of MATLAB's PCB Antenna Designer, but MATLAB is not needed.
Is there a free trial, and how does the licence work?
Yes. The full version is free for 30 days on each PC. After that a licence for one PC is needed: copy the PC ID from Help > Licence in the program, order the licence, and paste the licence you receive by e-mail in the same window.
Which Windows versions are supported?
Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit. The program is self-contained: no .NET needs to be installed.
Can I simulate a casing or metal parts near the antenna?
Yes. The Volumes tab adds boxes around the board: metal ones (a shield can, a connector, a battery) and a plastic casing, hollow with a wall thickness and its own permittivity and loss. They are part of the openEMS simulation, so the antenna detunes as it would in the product, and they appear in the 2D, 3D, pattern and current views. The antenna itself is still a planar copper structure on the board.
Is there a KiCad plugin?
Yes. LW Antenna Check is a free KiCad plugin that simulates the VSWR of the antenna on the open board from inside the PCB editor.
Still a question?
Write to us with the contact form. For a licence question, add the PC ID from Help > Licence in the program.