As an analog/RF engineer by training, I envied the precision available using digital calculations. In the 5% to 20% precision world of analog/RF design, one 8-bit byte has 0.5% precision and one 16-bit word has 15 ppm precision.

DRFS was formed in 1986 to apply the precision available from digital processing into the RF world. I focused on a high-value problem: modulated signal synthesis. The direct digital synthesis based Number Controlled Modulated Oscillator (NCMO) provided unheard of capability in tuning resolution, frequency step speed, and modulation linearity in frequency, phase, and amplitude. The NCMO won a Best Product award in 1987.

Digital RF Solutions merged with Proxim in April 1991 to lead the development of wireless local area networking (WLAN).  We participated in the original IEEE 802.11 standard development, particularly contributing to the frequency hopping physical layer (PHY) option.  This frequency hopping PHY is the basis for what is now BlueTooth™.