SAN RAFAEL, Calif., August 20, 2026. Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation (BNC) today announced the Model RFS-4220T, a benchtop RF and microwave signal generator with calibrated output to 20 GHz, settable to 22 GHz, priced under $10,000.
Microwave-class signal generation has long asked engineers to make a trade. Full-size bench instruments carry price tags that strain small-lab and production budgets, while compact PC-tethered modules give up the front panel entirely. The RFS-4220T removes that trade. It packs microwave-class RF performance into a self-contained benchtop chassis: an integrated touchscreen, physical buttons, and a rotary knob put the full instrument at the operator’s fingertips, no external computer required.
For automated and networked test, the RFS-4220T is equally at home under remote control. A matching graphical application controls the instrument over LAN or USB, with automatic device discovery and toggleable multi-session operation so multiple computers can coordinate on one unit. SCPI command support drops the RFS-4220T straight into existing test executive environments, and every control surface stays synchronized: a change made from the touchscreen, the front panel, or the software is reflected across all three.
Key specifications
- Calibrated output to 20 GHz, settable to 22 GHz
- Output power to +15 dBm: -45 to +15 dBm below 13.5 GHz, -26 to +15 dBm from 13.5 to 22 GHz, with ±2.0 dB typical accuracy
- Low phase noise and clean spectral purity, with harmonic content below -25 dBc typical
- Internal 10.0 MHz OCXO reference (±10.0 ppb stability) or external 10 MHz reference input, plus an external trigger input for synchronized test
- On-instrument sweep-list storage: create, save, recall, and run list sweeps as CSV files, or upload them from a computer
- Compact 8.6 × 4 × 12.25 in (21.84 × 10.16 × 31.12 cm) chassis
“Twenty gigahertz used to mean a large instrument and a larger purchase order,” said John Lauder, Chief Technical Officer at Berkeley Nucleonics. “The RFS-4220T changes that math. We put calibrated 20 GHz performance into a benchtop package you can walk up to and use. At under ten thousand dollars, it earns a place on the microwave bench everywhere from the production floor to the university lab.”
Applications include RF component characterization, local oscillator sourcing, radar and receiver testing, antenna development, EMC pre-compliance work, automated production verification, wireless infrastructure development, aerospace and defense research, and educational laboratories.
Availability
The RFS-4220T is available now, direct from BNC or through local representatives in over 60 countries. An optional three-year service agreement (SA-8000-3) is offered at time of order. Full specifications and quote requests are on the RFS-4220T datasheet page. A product introduction video is available on YouTube.
About Berkeley Nucleonics
Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation (BNC) has been a trusted name in precision electronic instrumentation since 1963, serving defense, research, academic, and industrial customers with digital delay generators, arbitrary waveform generators, RF/microwave signal generators, pulsed power systems, and nuclear radiation detection equipment. With 60+ years of reliability and responsive technical support, BNC is flexible and listens to your application.
Media contact
Ian Parnes
Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation
ian.parnes@berkeleynucleonics.com
800-234-7858
Technical contact: Amira Sekkouty, amira.sekkouty@berkeleynucleonics.com