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5 of the October 2020 homepage archives. Wednesday 28
 Contrary to the scenario presented in this
light-hearted mockery of housewives attempting to assemble some electronics kits,
there were actually many women during the height of the radio and television age
who were quite adept at handling soldering irons and test equipment. In fact, the
case could be made that, given the 1947 appearance of this "Housewives
and Television" piece in Radio-Craft magazine, women of the post-wartime industrial
period were probably the most experienced and adept assemblers of electronics equipment.
After all, it was Rosie the Riveter who built airplanes, ships, and tanks while
Sally the Solderer built the bulk of the tens of thousands of radios, radars, sonars,
medical and test instruments, vacuum tubes, amplifiers, and other electronics while
the brothers...
 Reactel has become one of the industry leaders in the design and manufacture
of RF and microwave filters,
diplexers, and sub-assemblies. They offer the generally known tubular, LC, cavity,
and waveguide designs, as well as state of the art high performance suspended substrate
models. Through a continuous process of research and development, they have established
a full line of filters of filters of all types - lowpass, highpass, bandpass, bandstop,
diplexer, and more. Established in 1979. Please contact Reactel today to see how
they might help your project.
 "In 1999, the Egyptian chemist Ahmed Zewail
received the Nobel Prize for measuring the speed at which molecules change their
shape. He founded femtochemistry using ultrashort laser flashes: the formation and
breakup of chemical bonds occurs in the realm of femtoseconds. Now, atomic physicists
at Goethe University in Professor Reinhard Dörner's team have for the first time
studied a process that is shorter than femtoseconds by magnitudes. They measured
how long it takes for a photon to cross a hydrogen molecule: about 247
zeptoseconds
for the average bond length of the molecule. This is the shortest timespan..."
 It seems most of the articles we see on the
subject of
attenuator pads are based on signal reduction in terms of decibels for units
of power. Although it is a simple matter to convert power decibels to voltage decibels,
it would be more convenient if you are working with voltage to have formulas and
tables of values based on voltage ratios. This article does just that. As a reminder,
the decibel representation of a ratio is always 10 * log10 (x). If
you have a voltage ratio of V1/V2 = 0.5, then 10 * log10 (0.5) = -3.01 dB.
If you have a power ratio of P1/P2 = 0.5, then 10 * log10 (0.5) = -3.01 dB.
Does that mean that -3.01 dB of voltage attenuation is the same as 3.01 dB
of power attenuation? Confusingly, no. Let's say for the sake of simplicity that
you have 1 V across a 1 Ω resistor...
 Nokomis Inc., is a high technology research
and development company located just south of Pittsburgh, PA. Nokomis does cutting-edge
technology work for the Department of Defense (DoD) and other Government Agencies.
We rank in the top 3 for entities under 300 employees in the state of Pennsylvania
for the number of R&D contracts we typically win yearly. The candidate should
be comfortable executing on and potentially leading multiple projects. This position
requires a multi-disciplined
Senior
Electrical Engineer, capable of solving complex technical problems and providing
innovative solutions in the areas of Electrical Engineering and the part, board
and system level to develop the most sensitive Radio Frequency (RF) systems on the
planet. Though candidates with specialized experience in digital design, analog
design mixed signal design or RF design will be considered as each of these disciplines
is required. The ideal candidate will have an understanding of and experience with
digital, analog, mixed signal and RF systems...
 Exodus Advanced Communications is a multinational
RF communication equipment and engineering service company serving both commercial
and government entities and their affiliates worldwide. Power amplifiers ranging
from 10 kHz to 51 GHz with various output power levels and noise figure
ranges, we fully support custom designs and manufacturing requirements for both
small and large volume levels. decades of combined experience in the RF field for
numerous applications including military jamming, communications, radar, EMI/EMC
and various commercial projects with all designing and manufacturing of our HPA,
MPA, and LNA products in-house.
Tuesday 27
 It's about time for a little joviality so
here are the three
technology-themed comics which appeared in the November 1953 issue of Radio-Electronics
magazine. They cover a wide range of situations experienced by electronics types
back in the day, including the fickleness of customers, an exaggeration of an explorer's
unexpected discovery deep in a jungle, and the frustrated indignation of a parts
supplier by the selective memory of a serviceman in need of replacement components.
Enjoy!
 Withwave announces the introduction of
Vertical Launch Connectors which are specially designed for solderless vertical
PCB launch on test & measurement board. These connectors have excellent electrical
transition performance up to 26.5 GHz, 50 GHz, 67 GHz & 110 GHz
respectively as well as reduce installation time by eliminating soldering. Excellent
vertical transition (VSWR <1.3, 1.85 & 1.0 mm type: VSWR <1.6 ). ANSYS
HFSS models available (version 17.0 or newer) for 3D EM (electromagnetic) simulation...
 "An industry-leading military
radar receiver manufacturer needed to deliver radar receivers that met tough
new customer specifications. To ensure a quality product, the manufacturer reviewed
many aspects of its test strategy, focused on ensuring its radar receivers could
meet the new specifications. Radar receiver sensitivity is critical for electronic
warfare (EW) applications. A radar receiver that is outside specifications will
fail to decipher signals properly from long distances. This is not an option in
military applications. Risk of false passes. The aerospace and defense manufacturer
needed to improve receiver sensitivity and the accuracy of its power level measurements
in order to meet its design specifications and cost goals..."
 Nova Microwave is a leader in technically differentiated
electronic and radio frequency Ferrite Circulators and Isolators that connect, protect and control
critical commercial and military wireless telecommunications systems. Our staff
is dedicated to research and development of standard and custom design quality Ferrite
Circulators and Isolators from 380 MHz to 26.5 GHz. Available in single
or multi-junction topographies, the Nova Microwave product line of is specifically
designed for use in varied environmental and temperature extremes.
 This quiz is based on the information presented
in Introduction to Antenna Analysis Using
EM Simulation, by Hiroaki Kogure, Yoshie Kogure, and James C. Rautio, published
by Artech House. It is written for novice engineers and engineering students. This
easy-to-comprehend resource offers readers thorough introductory-level treatment
of antenna analysis using electromagnetic (EM) simulators. This richly-illustrated
book shows how to use EM software to analyze and tune wireless antennas to meet
specific requirements. Readers learn important wireless antenna design terminology
and gain a detailed understanding of how antennas work. Moreover, the book offers
guidance in troubleshooting problems with wireless antenna designs...
 Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation (BNC - like
the connector) is excited to announce that our upcoming live webinar, "Low
vs. High-Resolution Detectors," is less than one week away! Demystify high-resolution
Scintillation with Berkeley Nucleonics and special guest Paul Schotanus from Scionix
as we dive into the current landscape of high-resolution detectors in the 662 KeV
Gamma range: CeBr3, LaBr3, SrI2, CLYC, and GAGG. To accommodate for time differences,
we will be hosting two sessions with the same topics and agenda. Please register
for the time slot that works best for you. U.S. Event - Wednesday, October 28th,
2020 @ 10:00 AM PST...
 PCBONLINE supplies complex rigid and flex-rigid
printed circuit boards (PCBs)，and
one-stop production with maximum flexibility ranging from prototype sample to mass
production. Rigid-flex, HDI, multilayer, IC-loadboard, LCP 5G optical module, ceramic,
MCPCB. Materials include Rogers, Taconic, Arlon, Isola, Bergquist, Kapton, Panasonic,
and more. After more than 15 years of continuous efforts, PCBONLINE constantly updates
our equipment, improves our technology, and serves you with the highest quality.
Cost and delivery quotations online without the need for multiple phone call and/or
e-mails.
Monday 26
 It's a pretty good bet that most RF Cafe
visitors are not overly interested in
vacuum tube testers. Today they are collectors' items with some actually still
being used for maintaining vintage electronics gear; however, in the days before
semiconductor components they were the life blood of service men. Because tubes
(aka "valves" in other parts of the world) are by nature one of the most vulnerable
parts of any product in which they are used, often the first step in troubleshooting
a radio, television, record player, etc., was to test suspected tubes for sub par
performance. As mentioned often in Mac's Radio Service Shop stories, customers balked
at service centers charging for their expertise but didn't mind as much paying for
replaced components. That meant mark-ups on vacuum tubes comprised...
 Is there such as thing as too many articles
on
transmission lines? I think not, at least for most visitors to RF Cafe. Since
the fundamentals of transmission lines have not changed in the last century, it
really doesn't matter when an article was written. This one covers the basics of
impedance and wavelength, and then delves briefly into the subjects of antenna feeder
transmission lines and using transmission lines as impedance transformers. As with
most topics these days, there are many software programs available that will calculate
parameters for you, but successful setup and operation requires a solid understanding
of what is happening with your electronic gear, antennas, and the transmission lines
that provide the interfaces...
 Copper Mountain Technologies, a leading developer
of innovative RF test and measurement solutions for engineers all over the world,
has introduced a new
2-port 43.5 GHz vector network analyzer (VNA). Model S5243 is CMT's highest
frequency Compact VNA. It features excellent dynamic range and fast measurement
speed in a compact package with the maximum standard software feature set. S5243
VNA includes an RF measurement module and S2 Windows or Linux operating system on
a PC, laptop, tablet, or x86 board computer connecting to the measurement hardware
via USB interface. S2 software can be installed on multiple computers, making it
easy to share the use of the analyzer...
 Qorvo / Custom MMIC is a
fabless RF and microwave MMIC
designer entrusted by government and defense industry OEMs. Custom and off-the-shelf
products include switches, phase shifters, attenuators, mixers and multipliers,
and low noise, low phase noise, and distributed amplifiers. From next-generation
long range military radar systems, to advanced aerospace and space-qualified satellite
communications, microwave signal chains are being pushed to new limits - and no
one understands this more than Custom MMIC. Please contact Qorvo / Custom MMIC today
to see how they use their modern engineering, testing and packaging facility to
help your project.
Sunday 25
 October 25th's custom
Radio Engineering Technology themed crossword puzzle contains only only words
from my custom-created lexicon related to engineering, science, mathematics, chemistry,
physics, astronomy, etc. (1,000s of them). You will never find among the words names
of politicians, mountain ranges, exotic foods or plants, movie stars, or anything
of the sort. You might, however, find someone or something in the otherwise excluded
list directly related to this puzzle's technology theme, such as Hedy Lamarr or
the Bikini Atoll, respectively. The technically inclined cruciverbalists amongst
us will appreciate the effort...
 RF Cascade Workbook 2018 is the next phase in the evolution
of RF Cafe's long-running series, RF Cascade Workbook. Chances are you
have never used a spreadsheet quite like this. It is a full-featured RF system cascade
parameter and frequency planner that includes filters and mixers for a mere $45.
Built in MS Excel, using RF Cascade Workbook 2018 is a cinch and
the format is entirely customizable. It is significantly easier and faster than
using a multi-thousand dollar simulator when a high level system analysis is all
that is needed. An intro video takes you
Friday 23
 An ability to interpret the
display on an oscilloscope is absolutely essential to efficiently diagnose a
circuit when troubleshooting. In the days of an electronics repair shop in every
town when televisions, radios, phonographs, tape recorders, and other consumer gizmos
were actually meant to be repaired rather than thrown away and replaced, technicians
needed to be able to compare a measured signal to the one represented in the factory
service manual, or what was known from experience to be the expected signal. Especially
with TV where complex analog broadcast signals were decoded and routed to circuits
for stereo audio, red, green and blue color channels, scan synchronizations, and
other functions, phase shifts and signal distortion caused by any number of component
failures or parameter changes could be very difficult to troubleshoot. If you have
read some of the "Mac's Radio Service Shop" episodes...
 "Researchers at UC San Diego may have found
a solution that enables
lithium-ion batteries to be safely recharged within minutes for thousands of
cycles. Quick battery recharge is something scientists are constantly working on
as people get more and more dependent on their electronic devices. Now researchers
at UC San Diego may have found a solution in a new anode material that enables lithium-ion
batteries to be safely recharged within minutes for thousands of cycles. The material
is a disordered rock salt, which is comprised of earth-abundant lithium, vanadium,
and oxygen atoms..."
 Just in time for Halloween: "A Radioman's
Nightmare" - another sampling of electronics poetry, circa 1945... BTW, for
those unfamiliar with "Mairzy Doats," the song is a comical slurring of words that
make new, nonsensical words in the process. 'Mairzy Doats', for instance, is a slurring
of 'Mares Eat Oats,' 'And Liddle Lamzy Divey' is really 'And Little Lambs Eat Ivy."
"Mairzy Doats" was written in 1943...
 A
new AWR.TV video playlist features seven videos that enable users to take a
deep dive into the key features in the V15 release of Cadence® AWR Design Environment®
software. The V15 videos highlight: New and improved antenna measurements for peak
power, including direction, total power, and amount of power radiated in peak direction.
Driving circuitry in calculations can also be included. New electromagnetic (EM)
features in the AWR® AXIEM® and Analyst™ simulators. AXIEM software offers improved
meshing with fewer high-aspect ratio facets (HARFs), a true DC solver for biasing
that is 40X faster and sub nanometer meshing for metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors...
Nova Microwave is a leader in technically differentiated
electronic and radio frequency Ferrite Circulators and Isolators that connect, protect and control
critical commercial and military wireless telecommunications systems. Our staff
is dedicated to research and development of standard and custom design quality Ferrite
Circulators and Isolators from 380 MHz to 26.5 GHz. Available in single
or multi-junction topographies, the Nova Microwave product line of is specifically
designed for use in varied environmental and temperature extremes.
Thursday 22
 Radio-Electronics magazine ran a
regular industry news column entitled "The Radio Month." The headline item in the
December 1949 issue was the emergence of a new type of digital memory device using
nearly microscopic
magnetic toroidal coils with a matrix of even tinier wires threaded through
them in order to write and read 1's and 0's. RCA created this 10,000-bit magnetic
core memory assembly in order to overcome the size and speed limitations of alternate
methods available in the day - primarily mercury-based delay lines. UNIVAC II,
commissioned in 1958, was the first major digital electronic computer to use this
magnetic core memory, but given that transistor development was still in its infancy,
vacuum tubes were used to address...
 RF Cafe's raison d'être is and always has
been to provide useful, quality content for engineers, technicians, engineering
managers, students, and hobbyists. Part of that mission is offering to post applicable
job openings. HR department employees and/or managers of hiring companies are welcome
to submit opportunities for posting at no charge (of course a gratuity will be graciously
accepted). 3rd party recruiters and temp agencies are not included so as to assure
a high quality of listings. Please read through the easy procedure to benefit from
RF Cafe's high quality visitors ...
 "SDA announced October 5 two contract awards
for the first generation of the
Tracking Layer. These awards represent the next major and highly visible steps
toward developing the National Defense Space Architecture's inaugural tranche (called
Tranche 0). Once fully operational, the SDA Tracking Layer will consist of a proliferated
heterogeneous constellation of Wide Field of View (WFOV) space vehicles (SVs) that
provide persistent global coverage and custody capability combined with the Missile
Defense Agency (MDA) Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) Medium
Field of View (MFOV) SVs that provide precision global access capability. This set
of contract awards will initiate the development of the first eight low-cost proliferated
WFOV SVs..."
 There is an old adage that goes thusly: "If
you want to build an
oscillator, design an amplifier. If you want to build an amplifier, design an
oscillator." Its basis is the difficulty that can be experienced in obtaining the
right combination of feedback phase and amplitude. Of course experience, use of
simulators, and careful circuit construction minimize the opportunity for validating
that saying. The basic requirement for an oscillator is feedback from the output
to the input that is in-phase and great enough in amplitude to maintain, via the
amplifier's gain factor, a constant output level. Tuned L-C (inductor-capacitor)
tank circuits are often used as simple frequency-determining elements because of
their combined resonance characteristics. Phase shift oscillators are a type of
oscillator that can be built without inductors...
 Silicon Labs, a leading provider of silicon,
software and solutions, today announced a new high reliability (HiRel) isolation
partnership with Teledyne e2v HiRel, a leading provider of high-performance, high-reliability
semiconductors to the aerospace and defense market. Under the new agreement, Teledyne
will offer a new specialized line of high reliability products based on Silicon
Labs'
isolated gate driver technology optimized for space, aerospace, military and
oil and gas markets. Teledyne e2v HiRel will market custom high reliability solutions
based on Silicon Labs' Si827x isolated gate driver family that are optimized for
space, aerospace, military, oil and gas and other markets requiring advanced technology
and high reliability...
 Anatech Electronics (AEI) manufactures and
supplies RF and microwave
filters for military and commercial communication systems, providing standard
LP, HP, BP, BS, notch, diplexer, and custom RF filters, and RF products. Standard
RF filter and cable assembly products are published in our website database for
ease of procurement. Custom RF filters designs are used when a standard cannot be
found, or the requirements dictate a custom approach for your military and commercial
communications needs. Sam Benzacar's monthly newsletters address contemporary wireless
subjects. Please visit Anatech today to see how they can help your project succeed.
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