Homepage Archive - June 2017 (page 3)

These archive pages are provided in order to make it easier for you to find items that you remember seeing on the RF Cafe homepage. Of course probably the easiest way to find anything on the website is to use the "Search RF Cafe" box at the top of every page. About RF Cafe.

Homepage Archive Pages

2024:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2023:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2022:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2021:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2020:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2019:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2018:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2017:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2016:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2015:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2014:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2013:  Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

2012:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 (no archives before 2012)

See Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 of the June 2017 homepage archives.

Friday 30

GE Model C-62 Battery-Powered Superhet Service Data Sheet

General Electric Model C-62 6-Tube Battery Superheterodyne Radio Service Data Sheet, June 1935 Radio-Craft - RF CafeThe General Electric C-62 radio was (is) a battery-operated tabletop model. No photos of actual radios could be found online, but the thumbnail to the left of an advertisement appears on the RadioMuseum.org website. Two 67.5 V "B" batteries provided power. You would be forgiven for believing such batteries are no longer available today since nowadays the most familiar types are 1.2 V and 1.5 V "A," "C," and "D" cells, and the 9 V "transistor radio" battery - which should be renamed the "smoke detector battery" since few pocket-type transistor radios remain ...

NI AWR Design Environment Upgrades Now Available in V13.02

Upgrades and Enhancements to NI AWR Design Environment Now Available in V13.02 - RF CafeAn updated V13.02 of NI AWR Design Environment has been released that contains many useful upgrades and enhancements to Microwave Office and Analog Office circuit design software, Visual System Simulator™ (VSS) system design software and AXIEM and Analyst™ 3D electromagnetic (EM) simulators. This latest release continues to address design challenges associated with highly-integrated RF/microwave components commonly found in communications and radar systems. Select V13.02 enhancements include: Microwave Office Load Pull: A new script improves handling ...

WiFi-Equipped Drones Extract Through-Wall 3D-Maps

WiFi-Equipped Drones Extract Through-Wall 3D-Maps - RF Cafe"In a recent paper presented at last ACM/IEEE International Conference on Information Processing (IPSN), researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara demonstrated how using two drones flying in tandem, one carrying a WiFi transmitter and the other a WiFi receiver, fly paths could be optimized so as to efficiently reconstruct a 3D image of a walled-up or occluded area, based on WiFi's Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measurements alone. Such 3D through-wall imaging would be very useful in disaster scenarios for ..."

Researchers Blast Past Q Factor

Researchers Blast Past the Q Factor - RF Cafe"Researchers at EPFL in Zurich have been able to break past the Q factor to handle over a thousand times the combination of power and bandwidth in today's systems. The team designed resonant systems that can store electromagnetic waves over a long period of time while maintaining a broad bandwidth. The study, which has just been published in Science, creates asymmetric resonant or wave-guiding systems using magnetic fields and could boost the design of telecoms systems ..."

Canada's New Voice on Shortwave

Canada's New Voice on Shortwave, April 1972 Popular Electronics - RF CafeRadio Canada International (RCI) is (was) the worldwide version of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), operating on the 9,745 and 11,856 kHz shortwave bands. It carried broadcasts from 1942 through 2012, by which time the widespread access to Internet broadcasts rendered the service obsolete. What remains of RCI is a skeleton staff that generates podcasts in a few foreign languages. As with the USA's Voice of America (VOA), RBI's mission over the years was a combination of broadcasting for the sake of overseas armed forces members, anti-communist / socialist propaganda, and news ...

What Happens When the Army Puts a Laser on an Apache Helicopter

What Happens When the Army Puts a Laser on an Apache Helicopter - RF Cafe"The United States Special Operations Command just tested a high-energy laser on the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, marking the first time such a weapon has been deployed aboard a rotary-wing aircraft. According to a press release from defense company Raytheon, the test was a complete success, providing solid experimental evidence for the feasibility of high resolution, multi-band targeting sensor performance and beam propagation supportive of High Energy Laser capability for the rotary-wing attack mission ..."

Thursday 29

The Infamous Pearl Harbor Radar

The Infamous Pearl Harbor Radar - RF CafeThis year's International Microwave Symposium was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, which is only a couple miles from Pearl Harbor. Few red-blooded Americans - especially ones whose careers have been in the RF field - would pass up such an opportunity to visit the location of the surprise attack by Japanese bombers on December 7, 1941. Patrick Hindle (USA), Richard Mumford (UK) and Gary Lerude (USA), all editors at Microwave Journal magazine, carved out a bit of precious little free time amidst administrating and reporting on IMS2017 to write a very nice article on SCR-270 radar site at Opana Point (although 'Infamous" in the title is probably the wrong adjective). It was on that radar which Army operators actually detected the advancing Japanese air armada, but their warning was dismissed as a squadron of B-17 bombers ...

Could Small Satellite Usage Double by 2020?

Could Small Satellite Usage Double by 2020? - RF Cafe"The number of small satellite (SmallSat) launches is expected to skyrocket over the next two years, because of their ability to quickly integrate new technologies, according to Todd Harrison, Director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Smallsats could not only extend the lifespan of military-use satellites, but also enhance force readiness by potentially performing upgrades and delivering new payloads, reported Gordon Roeseler, Program ..."

RF & Microwave Magazine Articles for June 2017

A Few Great RF & Microwave Engineering Articles for June 2017 - RF CafeMany of this month's articles are written by engineers at the companies who either make the products being described, or make instruments that measure the products being described. Since it is the designers who have - at least initially - the greatest knowledge of the topic, they usually provide valuable insight into the details. Over time, if a particular product becomes popular, superior expertise often gravitates towards users ...

Accurate RF/Microwave Testing at Minimum Cost, by LadyBug

Preparing for 5G New Radio Networks and Devices, by Skyworks

National Company Advertisement: Noise Limiters

National Company Advertisement, September 1950 QST - RF CafeIn classic National Company style, this full-page advertisement took the form of a mini tutorial / anecdote about using equipment and devices they sold - both for Hams and for design engineers. September 1950's topic, which appeared in QST magazine, was the use of noise limiters in CW (Morse code) transmitter / receiver sets. The noise limiters functioned as squelch controls and were adjustable for both positive and negative excursions. According to John J. Nagle (K4KJ), writing on the QSL.net website, "HRO" stood for "Helluva Rush Order," which ...

Industrial Motor Power Added to RF Cafe Vendors Page

Industrial Motor Power logo - RF CafeIndustrial Motor Power (IMP) Corporation has been added to RF Cafe's Power Distribution Equipment vendor listing page. IMP Corp is a worldwide supplier of new, surplus, and used power generators and engines - serving several industries including oil & gas, mining, drilling, marine, and more. Specializing in Caterpillar (CAT), Cummins, Rolls-Royce et al.

Electrocaloric Refrigerator Offers Alternative Cooling

Electrocaloric Refrigerator Offers Alternative Cooling - RF Cafe" Researchers have built an electrocaloric refrigerator the size of a beverage coaster that can generate a temperature difference of about 2 K between the hot and cold ends of the device. The cooling mechanism, which is based on the electrocaloric effect, involves alternately applying and removing an electric field to a material to increase and decrease the material's temperature, respectively. The new cooling method can potentially achieve a higher efficiency than current methods, indicating that electrocaloric cooling devices ..."

Wednesday 28

What Does Your Smart Meter Know About You?

What Does Your Smart Meter Know About You? - RF Cafe"An ordinary smart meter gives your local utility useful information about how much energy you are using - every hour, or even as often as every minute. This helps utility planners efficiently adjust electricity generation to meet demand or encourage reductions in demand when necessary. But machine learning systems, looking at that data, can tell something else about your home besides its energy use - they can tell if you are home, or if you are not. That's what University of California at Berkeley researchers Ming Jin, Ruoxi Jia ..."

Electronics-Killing HPEM for Military Weapons

Electronics-Killing HPEM for Military Weapons - RF Cafe"High-power electromagnetics (HPEM) technology experts at Verus Research in Albuquerque, NM, are helping the U.S. Air Force find ways of integrating future electronics-killing HPEM technologies onto military weapons platforms. Officials of the Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., announced a $2.3M contract Wednesday to Verus Research (formerly XL Scientific LLC) for part of the High-Powered Electromagnetics (HPEM) Research Program. HPEM technology is directed RF ..."

Solid State, August 1970 Popular Electronics

Solid State, August 1970 Popular Electronics - RF CafeBeginning in the 1960s, Popular Electronics magazine had a long-running column titled "Solid State" that reported on the newfangled science. Even in 1970, there were still people who distrusted solid state electronic devices in terms of reliability and ruggedness. Their skepticisms were not totally without merit at the time. However, advances were occurring at a very rapid rate. This particular Solid State report describes how charge coupled devices (CCD) might someday serve as photographic imagers because of their efficiency at converting photon impingement ...

Texas Instruments' Biggest Blunder: The TMS9900 Microprocessor

Texas Instruments' Biggest Blunder: The TMS9900 Microprocessor - RF CafeHere is an interesting insider's tale of how TI missed its opportunity to be in the IBM PC. It's a trip down Memory Lane for those of us who were at the beginning of the PC era. "If you use a laptop or desktop computer, chances are it has a microprocessor from the Intel 808x line, regardless of whether it's a Windows machine or a Mac. The utter dominance of these Intel microprocessors goes back to 1978, when IBM chose the 8088 for its first personal computer. Yet that choice was far from obvious. Indeed, some who know the history assert that the Intel ..."

FCC Approves Satellite Based Service to Provide Internet Services in U.S.

FCC Approves Satellite Based Service to Provide Internet Services in U.S. - RF Cafe"OneWeb is a company that is launching a constellation of satellites to provide affordable high-speed Internet access across the world. During its monthly open meeting last week, the FCC unanimously voted in favor of granting OneWeb market access to the US. The FCC has approved OneWeb's request to deploy a global network of 720 low-Earth orbit satellites using the Ka (20/30 GHz) and Ku (11/14 GHz) frequency bands 'to provide global Internet connectivity.' OneWeb was the first of several entities to file a request seeking FCC approval ..."

Pentagon EW Strategy Calls for Increased Technology Investment

Pentagon EW Strategy Calls for Increased Technology Investment - RF Cafe"The Pentagon's soon-to-be published electronic warfare (EW) strategy calls for increased investment in advanced EW technology designed to defend U.S. assets and use the electromagnetic spectrum to attack enemies. Scout Warrior reports. The prospect for a 'first-of-its kind' DOD electronic warfare strategy gained new urgency following Russia's use of advanced EW technologies in Ukraine, and the pace of global technological progress in EW systems. Electronic weapons ..."

Tuesday 27

LG-TEK Looking for a Antenna Test Engineer III

LG-TEK Looking for a Antenna Test Engineer III - RF CafeThe Level III Antenna Test Engineer will be responsible for the testing of antennas and any other testing required to be performed. Shall create and document all test procedures, including but not limited to specific tests required to meet customer data requirements. Antenna Test Engineer shall • Assist with training Government personnel in the operation and maintenance of hardware, software, systems and subsystems that support the Anechoic Chambers • Assist with conducting equipment and antenna tests, maintenance, operation, design, fabrication, and other support functions • Conduct antenna ...

Plotting a Moore's Law for Flexible Electronics

Plotting a Moore's Law for Flexible Electronics - RF Cafe"At a meeting in midtown Manhattan, Kris Myny picks up what looks like an ordinary paper business card and, with little fanfare, holds it to his smartphone. The details of the card appear almost immediately on the screen inside a custom app. It's a simple demonstration, but Myny thinks it heralds an exciting future for flexible circuitry. In January, he began a five-year project at the nanoelectronics research institute Imec in Leuven, Belgium, to demonstrate that thin-film electronics has significant ..."

VidaRF Intros 7.5-16 GHz Directional Coupler

VidaRF Intros 7.5-16 GHz Directional Coupler - RF CafeVidaRF offers a new directional coupler Model: VDC-75160A6 operates from 7.5-16 GHz. The coupler has directivity of over 15 dB with low loss and with good VSWR. Available in 6, 10, 20 or 30 dB coupling value, 50 watts power handling with SMA connectors, operating temp -55 to +85 °C. Sealed and painted to meet IP65 standards ...

T-Mobile, CTIA Push FCC to Reform Rules for 3.5 GHz

T-Mobile, CTIA Push FCC to Reform Rules for 3.5 GHz - RF Cafe"T-Mobile urged the FCC to adopt changes for rules regarding 3.5 GHz, echoing sentiments made by CTIA just a few days earlier. The FCC in 2015 proposed a three-tier sharing framework for the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in the 3.5 GHz band in an effort to maximize the use of those airwaves. In a Monday filing with the agency, the nation's third-largest carrier pushed for the authorization of Priority Access Licenses (PALs) on 10-year terms 'with renewal expectancy,' urged the FCC to use Partial Economic ..."

The Triode Hexode - A New Tube

The Triode Hexode - A New Tube, February 1935 Short Wave Craft - RF CafeThese 1930s vintage multi-component vacuum tubes were actually the first examples of integrated circuits insofar as they incorporated two or more different types of amplifiers, or amplifiers and diodes. Just as with semiconductor integrated circuits, isolation between elements was a concern and necessitated additional screen grids for that purpose. The triode hexode was developed specifically to solve the issue of degenerative feedback squelching intended oscillations in the newfangled higher frequency shortwave radio sets that were all the rage back in the day ...

Super-Strong 'Glassy Carbon' is Elastic and Electric

Super-Strong 'Glassy Carbon' is Elastic and Electric - RF Cafe"Carbon's unique electron configuration - and ability to therefore bond in various states — allows the formation of a range of materials: from three-dimensional, super-hard diamonds to the two-dimensional opaque graphite used in pencils. The Carnegie creation features a network of bonds that are both diamond-like and graphite-like. The scientists, in collaboration with China's Yanshan University, began with a rod of structurally disordered carbon: a material that looks like black glass. After compressing the 'sp2-hybridized glassy carbon ..."

Monday 26

Entanglement Distributed over 1200 km by Quantum Satellite

Entanglement Distributed over 1200 km by Quantum Satellite - RF Cafe"Entangled photon pairs have been separated and sent to cities in China more than 1200 km apart. This is about 10 times further than had been achieved previously. The feat was performed using pairs produced on board a Chinese satellite and could lead to the development of long-distance quantum cryptography. In August 2016, China launched the world's first satellite dedicated to testing the fundamentals of quantum communication in space. On board the $100M Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) spacecraft ..."

Heathkit Introducing a Full-Featured RF Power Meter

Heathkit Introducing a Full-Featured  RF Power Meter - RF CafeAmateur radio operators take note: Heathkit, which in years past was a prime supplier of homebuilt ham radio gear, has just announced plans to manufacture its first piece of test equipment in three decades. "Now there's the Heathkit® HM-1002: Intuitive, intelligent, affordable, accurate measurement. The next-generation Heathkit® HM-1002 Precision RF Meter™ picks up where our venerable SWR / wattmeters of yesteryear -- and everyone else's -- stopped. Incredible new features, yet simple for beginners to assemble and understand. And you can build and maintain it yourself." ...

Compliance with New EU Radio Equipment Directive Has Begun

Compliance with New EU Radio Equipment Directive Has Begun - RF Cafe"On Tuesday, the Radio Equipment Directive became mandatory throughout the European Union. The R&TTE directive will no longer be used in the European market. The update was originally published back in May of 2014. The update was published by ETSI, which is responsible for globally-applicable standards in Information and Communications Technologies. It is officially recognized as a European Standards Organization. ETSI has more than 800 member companies and organizations from 68 companies, and is an independent, not-for-profit organization ..."

NuWaves Announces 20 Watt C-Band RF Bidirectional Amplifier

NuWaves Engineering Announces the Completion of a 20 Watt C-Band RF Bidirectional Amplifier Module - RF CafeNuWaves Engineering, an international Radio Frequency (RF) and Microwave solutions provider, announces the completion of the IRaD phase for their miniaturized C-band bidirectional amplifier (BDA), to be added to their line of NuPower XtenderTM bidirectional amplifier products. The NuPower Xtender™ C20RX01 BDA module, part number NW-BA-C-20-RX01, follows the recent releases of both the C-Band Low Noise Amplifier and the C-Band Power Amplifier (NuPowerTM C20R01) as NuWaves looks to push their presence and expertise to higher-frequency ...

Stanford Scientists Wirelessly Charge Moving Electric Vehicles

Stanford Scientists Develop a Way to Wirelessly Charge Moving Electric Vehicles - RF Cafe"If electric cars could recharge while driving down a highway, it would virtually eliminate concerns about their range and lower their cost, perhaps making electricity the standard fuel for vehicles. Scientists at Stanford University have overcome a major hurdle to such a future by wirelessly transmitting electricity to a nearby moving object. In addition to advancing the wireless charging of vehicles and personal devices like cellphones, this new technology may untether robotics in manufacturing, which are also on the move. Scientists still need to ..."

Sunday 25

Axiom Test Equipment Crossword Puzzle

Axiom Test Equipment Crossword Puzzle for June 25, 2017 - RF CafeThis week's engineering crossword puzzle features a theme based on the products and services offered by one of RF Cafe's supporting advertisers. Clues for words pertaining to the featured company are marked with an asterisk (*). As is the case every week, the puzzle contains only words pertaining to engineering, amateur radio, science, physics, mechanics, mathematics, etc. Contact me if you would like a custom crossword puzzle for ...

Friday 23

More Sensitivity from Your Transistor Radio

More Sensitivity from Your Transistor Radio, January 1969 Electronics World - RF CafeWhere else on the Internet other than RF Cafe can you go for a daily helping of electronics-related material that ranges from the very beginnings of our chosen vocation through to the latest leading edge developments? That Q is rhetorical of course - and self-serving to boot ;-)  This handy-dandy trick for enhancing the signal on your AM radio appeared in a 1969 issue of Electronics World. I remember doing this magnet 'tuning' technique on my small, el cheapo pocket transistor radio that I carried with me when wiring houses and buildings while working as an electrician many moons ...

The Puzzle of RF Cosite Interference

The Puzzle of RF Cosite Interference - RF CafeMilitary & Aerospace Electronics magazine recently published an interesting article titled The Puzzle of RF Cosite Interference. "The military relies increasingly on the RF spectrum for information throughput, sensors, and electronic warfare, yet growing demands on RF technology can cause systems in close proximity to degrade each other's signals. The modern military battlespace is overwhelmed with radio-frequency (RF) signals vying for spectrum. Even without overt RF interference from enemy jamming, radio stations nearby, or even from civilian cell ..."

EDI CON USA 2017 Announces Short Courses

EDI CON USA 2017 Announces Short Courses - RF Cafe

The Electronic Design Innovation Conference and Exhibition (EDI CON) USA, the first industry event to bring together RF/microwave and high-speed digital design engineers and system integrators, announced today the addition of a full day of training to its conference program at the Hynes Convention Center, September 11-13 in Boston, MA. Organizers of EDI CON have invited industry experts to teach 3-hour short courses on relevant topics necessary for success in today's high-speed and high-frequency designs. The day also includes sponsored 3-hour training ...

China to Standardize Use of English on Public Signs - 'Chinglish'

China to Standardize Use of English on Public Signs - RF CafeNope, this is not a racial slur or tasteless joke. "Chinese authorities on June 20 issued a national standard for the use of English in the public domain, eradicating poor translations that damage the country's image. The standard, jointly issued by China's Standardization Administration and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, aims to improve the quality of English translations in 13 public arenas, including transportation, entertainment, medicine and financial services. It will take effect on Dec. 1, 2017 ..."

Thursday 22

Notable Tech Quote:

Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, CEO of ARRL - RF Cafe"Its catalog was the Boys' Life of electronics." - Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, CEO of ARRL, regarding the second bankruptcy filing for Radio Shack (May 2017 QST, p81) ...

Anatech Electronics Newsletter for June 2017

Anatech Electronics Newsletter for June 2017 - RF CafeAnatech Electronics, a manufacturer of RF and microwave filters, has published its June newsletter. As always, it includes both company news and some tidbits about relevant industry happenings. In it, Sam Benzacar discusses, among other topics, the ever-increasing occurrence of RF interference in the IoT device population. Both long-occupied and new areas of the electromagnetic spectrum are experiencing a rise in noise floors, necessitating challenging filter designs. Anatech's business is to make certain that system and circuit designers have capable filters available to assure ...

Espey Manufacturing Company Advertisement

Espey Manufacturing Company Advertisement, February 1948 Radio News - RF CafeThere is not much chance you will see an advertisement from Espey Manufacturing & Electronics now like this one from a 1948 issue of Radio News magazine. Espey is still in the business of defense electronics, but their advertising / public relations group would be hauled into court if they produced copy like that today. In fact, I hope as a result of my bringing up the subject that some overly sensitive snowflake won't try to sue them for past offenses. Does this documented instance of former official company policy suffice as legal proof of a corporate history ...

Stretchy Silver Nanowires Key to Next Generation of Flexible Devices

Stretchy Silver Nanowires Key to Next Generation of Flexible Devices - RF CafeMy alma mater is in the news! "A new use of silver at the nanoscale could be the key to developing stretchable electronics such as smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices. Researchers at the University of Vermont have discovered that working with silver at the nanoscale allows them to create nanowires that have significant strength and the ability to stretch. Frederic Sansoz, a professor of mechanical engineering at the university, said he and his research team have been working with gold nanowires for several ..."

Triad RF Systems Intros 4.4 to 4.7 GHz, 10 W Bi-Directional Amplifier

Triad RF Systems Intros 4.4 to 4.7 GHz, 10 W Bi-Directional Amplifier - RF CafeTriad RF Systems announces the availability of their TTRM1109 - a Bi-Directional SSPA for domestic and foreign military and public safety wireless links. It can handle any modulation and outputs 10 W typical BPSK and 3 W typical 64QAM OFDM. This class A GaAs module is designed for both military and commercial applications. It is capable of supporting any signal type and modulation format, including but not limited to 3-4G telecom, WLAN, OFDM, DVB ...

The Rise of Disposable Drones

The Rise of Disposable Drones - RF Cafe"As air-launched munitions get smarter, the Air Force is creating a new class of weapon—a combination of drones and missiles. But can they be advanced enough to work, yet cheap enough that it's okay to lose a few in battle? It has advanced radar, forward-looking infrared cameras, and laser rangefinders—all used to help the 13-man crew direct a barrage of lethal fire to the ground from 12,000 feet. But for all of this advanced technology, the vision of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command gunships can be thwarted by the threatening adversary known as a cloudy sky. The USAF has a solution ..."

Wednesday 21

Life and Death in Apple's Forbidden City

Life and Death in Apple's Forbidden City - RF Cafe"In an extract from his new book, Brian Merchant reveals how he gained access to Longhua, the vast complex where iPhones are made and where, in 2010, unhappy workers started killing themselves. The sprawling factory compound, all grey dormitories and weather-beaten warehouses, blends seamlessly into the outskirts of the Shenzhen megalopolis. Foxconn's enormous Longhua plant is a major manufacturer of Apple products. It might be the best-known factory in the world; it might also might be among the most secretive ..."

ConductRF Intros VNA RF Test Cables for 18, 27, 40, 50 & 70 GHz

ConductRF Intros VNA RF Test Cables for 18, 27, 40, 50 & 70 GHz - RF CafeRugged VNA RF Test Cables to 18, 27 and 40 GHz. 18 GHz options include SMA, Type-N and TNC Higher Frequency solutions include; 3.5mm, 2.92mm and 2.4mm. Also offered is ConductRF's Hi-Flex VNA Series to 50 and 70 GHz phase stable & low loss professional series with light armor protection and NMD head options. In-stock at Newark. Visit ConductRF today for these and many other cabling options ...

Engineering Level Opportunities for You

Engineering Level Opportunities for You, February 1970 Popular Electronics - RF CafeThis article from a 1970 issue of Popular Electronics is a timely mate to the monthly list of career-related resources I posted today since it discusses jobs in electronics not necessarily at the degreed engineer level. Along with both diploma and certificate programs by local colleges, home study courses in electronics have been around since the early part of the last century. Cleveland Institute of Electronics began offering courses by mail in 1934, and has been running advertisements in trade and technology magazines for as long as I can remember. It is still in business today ...

Career Tips for June

Engineering Career and Job Hunting Advice for June 2017 - RF CafeVisitors to RF Cafe cover a very broad spectrum of engineers, technicians, students, managers, hobbyists, and researchers. That is why I included one particular career story titled "10 High-Paying Blue-Collar Jobs." Having begun my lifelong pursuit of all things involving controlled movement of electrons as an electrician, I know firsthand that you do not have to earn a college degree in order to work in a high paying, technically challenging job. Another article addresses a topic of growing interest - changing careers in your 50s (and beyond). Per the author: "...about 40% of Americans who were still working when they turned 62 had moved to a new ...

GaN's Share of RF High-Power Semi Revenues to Double by 2022

GaN's Share of RF High-Power Semiconductor Revenues to More than Double by 2022 - RF Cafe"Spending on RF high-power semiconductors for the wireless infrastructure markets continues to flatten out this year, despite the fact that the overall market hit well over $1.4B in 2016. While certain market and sub-market segments are showing moderate growth, Gallium Nitride (GaN) is capturing meaningful market share of RF high-power semiconductors, especially in wireless infrastructure. The technology will drive Gallium Nitride's share of RF Power semiconductor revenues to more than double between 2016 and 2022. According to a research ..."

Accubend Has Been Added to the Waveguide Vendor Page

Accubend Waveguide - RF CafeAccubend, of Plantsville, Connecticut, is a manufacturer of precision waveguide bends in sizes ranging from WR22 to WR137 and can form thin wall waveguide in sizes ranging from WR28 to WR75. Also double-ridged waveguide sizes WRD475, WRD750, WRD650, and WRD580. They stock many of these in aluminum and OFHC for quick turnaround. Please contact Accubend at 860 378-0303. They have been added to the Waveguide Vendors page on RF Cafe.

Tuesday 20

Sparton Models 566 '"Bluebird' Radio, et al

Sparton Models 566 ("Bluebird" Mirror), 506 and 594 A.C.-D.C. 5-Tube 2-Band Midget Super. Radio Service Data Sheet, June 1936 Radio-Craft - RF CafeThis 'Bluebird' radio from Sparton has to be one of the most unique models of its era. It is one of six vintage vacuum tube radios featured in a 1936 issue of Radio-Craft magazine. These schematics, tuning instructions, and other data are reproduced from my collection of vintage radio and electronics magazines. There are 199 Radio Service Data Sheets ...

RCA Victor Model M109 "De Luxe"

Crosley Model 6625

International Model 77 'Kadette'

Sparton Models 566 '"Bluebird'

Atwater Kent 776 Auto Radio

Stromberg-Carlson No. 61

Are Left-Handed People More Gifted Than Others?

Are Left-Handed People More Gifted Than Others? - RF CafeHmmm... I'm a southpaw and I never received more gifts than my four sisters at Christmas or for my birthday, so probably not ;-)  "The belief that there is a link between talent and left-handedness has a long history. Leonardo da Vinci was left-handed. So were Mark Twain, Mozart, Marie Curie, Nicola Tesla and Aristotle. It's no different today – former U.S. president Barack Obama is a left-hander, as is business leader Bill Gates and footballer Lionel Messi. But is it really true that left-handers are more likely to be geniuses? Let's take a look ..."

Electronics-Themed Comics, December 1958 Radio-Electronics

Electronics-Themed Comics December 1958 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeBeing a great appreciator of good humor, and especially technology-related humor, I made sure to scan these tech-themed comics from the pages of vintage Radio-Electronics magazines. Some of the same themes from half a century ago are still applicable today - like inventing a device that will block television commercials. There are a couple huge differences between then and now, though. For one thing, the percentage of each hour consumed by commercials has nearly doubled since 1958 ...

Webinar Today: Design for Substrates at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies

Design Considerations and Tradeoffs for Microstrip, Coplanar and Stripline Structures at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies - RF Cafe

Title: "Design Considerations and Tradeoffs for Microstrip, Coplanar and Stripline Structures at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies"

When: Tuesday, June 20, 2017 11:00 am EDT

Info: "RF technology using Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) typically has several common basic structures which are manipulated to accommodate the intent of the design. Some common structures used for RF PCB applications are microstrip, coplanar and stripline circuit configurations. These ..."

Saelig Intros Mercury™ T2C USB 2.0 & Power Delivery Protocol Analyzer

Saelig Introduces Mercury™ T2C USB 2.0 & Power Delivery Protocol Analyzer with Type-C Connection - RF CafeSaelig Company announces the availability of the Mercury™ T2C USB 2.0 & Power Delivery Protocol Analyzer that offers the newest USB Type-C connection. The Mercury T2C is a small and affordable hardware-based USB protocol analyzer. It is the industry's first ultra-portable, hardware-based, USB and Power Delivery protocol analyzer. It combines the de-facto standard CATC Trace™ display, comprehensive USB class decoding, and PD 2.0 protocol analysis. The pocket-sized, bus-powered Mercury T2C sits in-line between host ...

Salary Survey Points to Pay Increase for UK Engineers

Salary Survey Points to Pay Increase for UK Engineers - RF Cafe"Positivity over pay levels is tempered by concerns over skills, diversity and Brexit in The Engineer's 2017 salary survey. Salaries for UK engineers have increased by 6.6% on average over the last twelve months, according to The Engineer's 2017 salary survey, which is published today. Whilst the average salary for UK engineers stood at £45k in 2016, our 2017 report - which is based on responses from 2743 engineers working across a range of sectors - shows an increase to £48k. Despite general dissatisfaction amongst respondents with the levels of remuneration ..."