We offer consulting and measurement services in the field of radio-frequency technology as well as training courses on the topics of regulatory approval and EMC/radio technology. Furthermore, interference hunting services that may not or cannot be offered by the large accredited test houses.
  • Do you need technical support in the field of radio-frequency technology to obtain a CE mark?
  • Did your product fail the market approval test in an accredited test house and you need help with EMC/radio troubleshooting?
  • Are you preparing your product for series production and would you like advice on the creation of printed circuit boards and professional support throughout the entire development period?

You need the best consulting advice?

Then you are exactly right with us. We are also happy to help with the assessment of exposure situations caused by electromagnetic fields.

Case Studies

Council event of the city of Walldorf

City of Walldorf – In the early 2000s, as part of a council resolution, the city decreed that there should be no mobile base stations on public buildings in the inner city area. Private individuals …

5G exposure measurement

The first 5G mobile base station in the city of Essen was measured for the mobile network operator (MNO) Telefónica in 2020/2021. The use of a hand-held code-selective spectrum analyzer …

News

Regulatory approval of (SRD) radio devices – do’s and dont’s More than 40 registered participants have visited the workshop about the regulatory …

waveLAB Ruhr GmbH will be part of the EMV 2024. From March 12th to 14th, 2024, the EMV, the trade fair with …

Our Services

This support is provided either during development (layout review or preliminary investigations) or after a “fail” result from …

Pre-compliance measurements always make sense when a device needs to be improved in terms of its EMC or wireless performance …

These on-site measurement campaigns are mostly network coverage measurements. They should show, for example, whether an antenna inclination (tilt) with a …

waveLAB Ruhr GmbH can simulate various EMF scenarios. The basic idea of a simulation is the free space wave propagation of radio waves …

This service is about protecting people who are occupationally exposed from electromagnetic fields. The now most common regulation here is the EMFV …

Exposure assessments can be carried out either simulatively or by means of on-site measurements. Essentially, mobile radio systems are …

waveLAB Ruhr GmbH can access a wide range of training topics in the field of radio-frequency technology and regulatory approval …

Radio network planning can be either simulative or practical. Customers willing to set up a 5G campus network, for example …

Measurements of Total Radiated Power (TRP) and Total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS) in WTS-80: With the Wireless Test System 80 (WTS-80), waveLAB Ruhr GmbH has the option of measuring the radiated power and also sensitivity …

Markus Ridder

CEO
Markus Ridder studied electrical engineering with a focus on communications engineering. The career start was in 2003 in the semiconductor technology. After an excursion into the digital design of semiconductors, the path to measurement technology was quickly found.
From 2006, after circuit board design, EMC also came into focus. In addition to the development of standards, ww responsibility for the practical semiconductor EMC measurements of the Japanese manufacturer followed. From 2011 he dealt with failure and damage analysis mainly in the field of electronics, often caused by physical effects such as electromagnetic fields. From 2015, the regulatory approval process was deepened. Markus Ridder was responsible for the accredited laboratory areas of an engineering office active in the research and development of radio-frequency circuits. Between 2019 and 2022, Markus Ridder was CTO of a globally acting test house with a focus on automotive and regulatory tests, before founding waveLAB Ruhr GmbH in 2023, which he runs as managing partner.

waveLAB in figures

Established november
2000
Employees
1
Services
0 +

Council event of the city of Walldorf

City of Walldorf – In the early 2000s, as part of a council resolution, the city decreed that there should be no mobile base stations on public buildings in the inner city area. Private individuals also joined in, so that downtown Walldorf had to run without cellular coverage. Mobile communications were only provided from outside the city ring. This Council Decision should be revised. The officials were looking for an expert who could mediate and present facts independently of the mobile phone operators and the counter-movement that had formed in the meantime against the mobile phone expansion. Markus Ridder took on this task. First, the Council itself was advised on the current status of mobile communications. The topics of exposure and network coverage were also examined. A public event was held next. Due to further topics, the expansion was initially not considered further. It was only when Markus Ridders was called upon again in spring 2022 (real data from the mobile network operators (MNO) could be shown here) that the city council was able to make a decision in favor of mobile communications in the city of Walldorf.

5G exposure measurement

The first 5G mobile base station in the city of Essen was measured for the mobile network operator (MNO) Telefónica in 2020/2021. The use of a hand-held code-selective spectrum analyzer allowed the various beams of the system to be displayed and gave both the MNO and the expert Markus Ridder the opportunity to fully characterize an 8×8 MiMo system.

Troubleshooting at PCB and device level

This support is provided either during development (layout review or preliminary investigations) or after a “fail” result from a regulatory test. Test reports or test results help to find “troublemakers”. Special near-field probes combined with augmented reality can very precisely pinpoint where faults need to be countered at circuit board level. Additional pre-compliance measurements show whether the measures introduced are having the desired effect.

Pre-compliance measurements for radio and EMC

Pre-compliance measurements always make sense when a device needs to be improved in terms of its EMC or wireless performance. waveLAB Ruhr GmbH can offer both domains radiated and has a wireless test system (WTS-80) for radio integration tests (radiated power (TRP) and sensitivity (TIS), out-of-band emissions (RSE)) and a GTEM 1500 (interference emission (EME) and interference immunity (EMS).

RF measurement campaigns (cellular, SRD, radio, others)

These on-site measurement campaigns are mostly network coverage measurements. They should show, for example, whether an antenna inclination (tilt) with a distinctive power factor leads to the desired coverage. Practical measurements (with a portable spectrum analyzer) are usually necessary when there are attenuating elements such as building materials between the transmitter and receiver and simulations are only of very limited value.

Simulation of EMF situations

waveLAB Ruhr GmbH can simulate various EMF scenarios. The basic idea of a simulation is the free space wave propagation of radio waves, such as those generated by mobile base stations (also 5G) or radar systems. This allows local exposure situations to be presented and a potential percental limit value for exposure caused by electromagnetic fields to be determined.

Exposure assessment of workplaces

This service is about protecting people who are occupationally exposed from electromagnetic fields. The now most common regulation here is the EMFV, regulation for the protection of employees from hazards from electromagnetic fields. Other, for example in-house regulations, can be tested and evaluated just like older measurement regulations between 1 Hz and 6 GHz.

Exposure assessment of mobile base stations

Exposure assessments can be carried out either simulatively or by means of on-site measurements. Essentially, mobile radio systems are tested, but also BOS, TETRA or (broadcast) radio units. In addition to measurement and extrapolation (maximum system utilization), this also includes panel discussion events for the public. waveLAB Ruhr often acts as an intermediary between the general public and the network operators.

Training courses / seminars / webinars

waveLAB Ruhr GmbH can access a wide range of training topics in the field of radio-frequency technology and regulatory approval. Examples: EMF, basics and measurements, approval according to the requirements of the RED (2014/53/EU) for products with a radio interface, cellular standard 5G, protocol theory, antennas and radiation, antennas in theory and practice, design guide and measurement practice, EMC-compliant circuit board layout, Basics of EMC and EMC testing, basics of radio and radio testing, SRD devices, “worldwide” approval for IoT devices.

Radio network planing

Radio network planning can be either simulative or practical. Customers willing to set up a 5G campus network, for example, need support with regard to radio coverage during operation or advice on the general operation of such systems. waveLAB Ruhr supports this with measurement technology and simulation.

Other

Measurements of Total Radiated Power (TRP) and Total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS) in WTS-80: With the Wireless Test System 80 (WTS-80), waveLAB Ruhr GmbH has the option of measuring the radiated power and also sensitivity. The focus is on cellular technologies, but also other radio systems are covered. With the data obtained, the customer can classify his radio product in terms of radio performance.

Preparation of expert reports for towns and communities: Markus Ridder has been working as an EMF exposure expert for exposure situations caused by electromagnetic fields for several years. As part of this function, expert opinions or reports can be created for cities and communities that consider dedicated exposure situations. These can be areas that are particularly especially worthy of protection, such as kindergartens, schools or homes for the elderly, but can also affect the general expansion of transmission antennas.

Advice on the approval of products (radio, EMC and antennas): Within waveLAB Ruhr GmbH there is a wide range of experience with the market approval of products with and without a radio interface. Initially, the focus is on approval for Europe, but other approval regimes can also be covered. The advantage of the holistic approach is the saving of costs and time in the approval process. waveLAB Ruhr GmbH has a wide network of partners who also can support the topic.