Homepage Archive - February 2022 (page 3)

See Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 of the February 2022 homepage archives.
 

Monday the 21st

Nitrogen Makes High Explosives for Modern War

Nitrogen Makes High Explosives for Modern War, March 23, 1942 Life - RF CafeIn the early days of America's official involvement in World War II (we were unofficially involved in supplying equipment and strategy much earlier), much effort was expended in educating the public on the implements and tactics of war. Doing so help engaged citizens and give them a sense of involvement. Motivating young men (primarily) to volunteer to go far from home to fight an enemy in places most had never heard of before was a tall order. Sure, a forced conscription was implemented (the country's first peacetime draft beginning September 16, 1940), but patriotic volunteers are generally preferred for leadership and long-term commitment to achieving victory. That's not to say draftees were not likely to turn out being leaders and career men. Interestingly, so many American men were volunteering for duty that a presidential order was issued in December of 1942 banning volunteer service; the government would be the sole determiner of who would be in the service. ...but I digress. This "Nitrogen Makes High Explosives for Modern War" article...

Carl & Jerry: "All's Fair --"

Carl & Jerry: "All's Fair --", September 1963 Popular Electronics - RF CafeAs is frequently the case, John T. Frye's intrepid teenage technophile experimenters, Carl Anderson and Jerry Bishop, find themselves in an unplanned adventure. Often times they end up applying their electronics knowledge to bail themselves out of trouble, but this time the pair - and a friend - ended up helping the police catch some bad guys (an oft-occurring theme). As you will see after reading "All's Fair --," the device used would some day (today) be used by automobile manufacturers, at the behest of law enforcement agencies, to enable remote control of somebody else's vehicle. This technodrama appeared in the September 1963 issue of Popular Electronics magazine...

U.S. Earmarks $5B to Create EV Charging Network

Electrify America EV Charging Station Walmart Greensboro, NC - RF CafeThis news item appears on the Electronic Design website: "U.S. Earmarks $5 Billion to Create National EV Charging Network." Fully electric cars (EVs) have been around for more than a decade now and do not really appear to be growing in popularity. Hybrid vehicles with both fuel and batteries can be found since the cars will recharge their batteries without the need for waiting long times at a charging station. The thumbnail image above is from my local Walmart store, which partnered with Electrify America to install charging stations all over the place. I have never seen a single car or truck charging there, and I always look to see. The ED story begins, "The U.S. Departments of Transportation and Energy announced that nearly $5 billion will be made available to build out a national electric-vehicle (EV) charging network, an important step toward making EV charging accessible to all Americans. This is the largest-ever U.S. investment in EV charging...

Jodrell Bank to Mitigate Satellite Constellation Impacts on Astronomy

Jodrell Bank to Mitigate Satellite Constellation Impacts on Astronomy - Airplanes and Rockets"The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has announced details of its new IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference. As the name suggests, it will be concerned with coordinating action to help mitigate the impact of satellite constellations on ground-based optical and radio astronomy observations. Specifically, it will coordinate 'collaborative multidisciplinary international efforts with institutions and individuals and works across multiple geographic areas.' The IAU has selected the SKA Observatory (SKAO) and the U.S.'s NSF's (National Science Foundation) NOIRLab as co-hosts of the new IAU Centre..."

Bell System Opens Transcontinental Radio-Relay

Bell System Opens Transcontinental Radio-Relay, October 1951 Radio & Television News - RF CafeBilled at the time as the longest microwave relay system in the world, this report on Bell Telephone Systems' transcontinental installation came just a month after being put into commercial service. At a cost of $40 million ($442 million in 2021 dollars per BLS Inflation Calculator) when this article was published in Radio & Television News magazine, the system relays telephone calls and radio and video program material along a chain of 107 microwave towers, spaced approximately 30 miles apart. It was a big deal to be able to watch a TV show from New York City in Los Angeles, and vice versa; we take worldwide broadcasts for granted nowadays...

RF & Electronics Stencils for Visio

RF & Electronics stencils for Visio r4 - RF CafeWith more than 1000 custom-built stencils, this has got to be the most comprehensive set of Visio Stencils available for RF, analog, and digital system and schematic drawings! Every stencil symbol has been built to fit proportionally on the included A-, B-, and C-size drawing page templates (or use your own page if preferred). Components are provided for system block diagrams, conceptual drawings, schematics, test equipment, racks (EIA 19", ETSI 21"), and more. Test equipment and racks are built at a 1:1 scale so that measurements can be made directly using Visio built-in dimensioning objects. Page templates are provided with a preset scale (changeable) for a good presentation that can incorporate all provided symbols...

Many Thanks to Aegis Power Systems for Their Continued Support!

Aegis Power Systems - RF CafeAegis Power Systems is a leading supplier of AC-DC and DC-DC power supplies for custom and special applications. Aegis has been designing and building highly reliable custom power supplies since 1995. They offer a complete line of switch mode power supplies and power converters for a variety of markets including defense, industrial, aircraft, VME, and telecom. Supports military, aircraft, EV, telecom, and embedded computing applications. Design and manufacture of custom power supply solutions to meet each customer's exacting specifications. Please visit Aegis Power Systems today.

Sunday the 20th

Science & Scientists Crossword Puzzle for February 20th

Science & Scientists Theme Crossword Puzzle for February 20th, 2022 - RF CafeThis custom made Science & Scientists theme crossword puzzle for February 20th is provided compliments of RF Cafe. All RF Cafe crossword puzzles are custom made by me, Kirt Blattenberger, and have only words and clues related to RF, microwave, and mm-wave engineering, optics, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and other technical subjects. As always, this crossword puzzle contains no names of politicians, mountain ranges, exotic foods or plants, movie stars, or anything of the sort unless it/he/she is related to this puzzle's technology theme (e.g., Reginald Denny or the Tunguska event in Siberia). The technically inclined cruciverbalists amongst us will appreciate the effort. Enjoy!

AN/MPN-13 & AN/MPN-14 Mobile ATC Radar Systems

AN/MPN-13 & AN/MPN-14 Mobile ATC Radar Systems - RF Cafe Cool ProductAs you might know if you have been visiting the RF Cafe website for a while, my specialty while in the U.S. Air Force was an Air Traffic Control Radar Repairman (AFSC 303x1). Technical school at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, included training on the USAF's primary fixed and mobile radar systems at the time (late 1970s). After graduation, I was assigned to the 5th Combat Communications Group at Robins AFB, Georgia. There, I worked on AN/MPN−14 mobile radar system (2 to 3, depending on how many we happened to have at the time). The AN/MPN−14 was essentially a modified AN/MPN−13 (utility and operations trailers) with the addition of a large mobile RAPCON trailer. I have attempted over the years to get hold of the schematics and troubleshooting and alignment technical orders (TOs), but with no luck. If you happen to have copies of any of them, please let me know and I will pay to have them mailed to me for scanning, then returned to you...

Promote Your Company on RF Cafe for as Little as $40/Month

Sponsor RF Cafe for as Little as $40 per Month - RF CafeNew Scheme rotates all Banners in all locations on the page! RF Cafe typically receives 8,000-15,000 website visits each weekday. RF Cafe is a favorite of engineers, technicians, hobbyists, and students all over the world. With more than 12,000 pages in the Google search index, RF Cafe returns in favorable positions on many types of key searches, both for text and images. New content is added on a daily basis, which keeps the major search engines interested enough to spider it multiple times each day. Items added on the homepage often can be found in a Google search within a few hours of being posted. I also re-broadcast homepage items on LinkedIn. If you need your company news to be seen, RF Cafe is the place to be.

Many Thanks to Berkeley Nucleonics for Continued Support!

Berkeley Nucleonics Corp - RF CafeBerkeley Nucleonics Corporation (BNC) is a leading manufacturer of precision electronic instrumentation for test, measurement, and nuclear research. Founded in 1963, BNC initially developed custom pulse generators. We became known for meeting the most stringent requirements for high precision and stability, and for producing instruments of unsurpassed reliability and performance. We continue to maintain a leadership position as a developer of custom pulse, signal, light, and function generators. Our designs incorporate the latest innovations in software and hardware engineering, surface mount production, and automated testing procedures.

Friday the 18th

Omnirange = Air-Safety

Omnirange = Air-Safety, February 1951 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeIf you are familiar with aircraft electronic navigation systems, reading in this 1951 Radio−Electronics article's opening paragraph about how "Omnirange aircraft navigation will make air travel safe, dependable, and predictable regardless of visibility, and volume of air traffic," really makes you realize how far we have come in the last seven decades. The network VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) station revolutionized aviation by enabling precision navigation using relatively simple, reliable, and inexpensive equipment in the cockpit which enables pilots to fly from waypoint to waypoint across the country. Eventually, five variations of VOR evolved with ranges going from 25 nautical miles (~29 statute miles) up to 130 nm. The addition of TACAN (TActiCal Air Navigation) provided slant distance information to or from the VORTAC station. Since the introduction of full precision GPS, when the U.S. government unclassified the "P-code"...

Magnetic Whirlpools Could Unlock True Random Numbers

Magnetic Whirlpools Could Unlock True Random Numbers - RF CafeMeet the "skyrmion" - a breakthrough tech for cryptography and secure communications? It's been almost a decade since news items began to appear about something in data storage called skyrmions - tiny, swirling magnetic spin patterns in thin films. These spinning magnetic swirls had been proposed over 60 years ago by British physicist Tony Skyrme - from whom the name derives - but suddenly they seemed a potential game changer for magnetic data-storage systems. Now a team of researchers at Brown University have found a novel way to use skyrmions for an entirely new application: generating true random numbers...

ConductRF Semi-"FlexiForm" 50 Ω RF Cable Assemblies

ConductRF Semi-"FlexiForm" 50 Ω RF Cable Assemblies - RF CafeConductRF FPA Cable Assemblies use a unique, Low Loss, high performance Semi-"FlexiForm" Cable that is formable, but flexible, providing system designers with a versatile solution for High Frequency applications. The product also allows for very tight phase matching to ±0.2º. Available in 3 common cable diameters, with the benefits of higher operating frequencies, shielding effectiveness and stability performance over traditional standard Hand Formable cables, these solutions enhance any application requiring higher performance. ConductRF's FPA Cable Assemblies are manufactured using the latest induction soldering techniques to best ensure the highest quality and performance because, Results Count!

National Union Radio Corporation Promotion

National Union Radio Corporation Ad, April 1945, Radio-Craft - RF CafeNational Union Radio Corporation was ahead of its time in terms of hiring women engineers. Admittedly, they and all other manufacturers were dealing with a shortage of male engineers due to the ongoing need by the military for fending off the scourges of fascism, Nazism, communism, socialism, and all the other "isms" of the day that threatened to overtake the world. However, they should receive due credit for going out of the way to promote the sciences as careers for the fairer gender. The advertised positions required the successful applicant to have earned a bona fide degree in physics, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics or chemistry. According to a page on the Harvard Business School website, "The National Union Radio Corporation was incorporated in September 1929 to acquire...

RF Cascade Workbook

RF Cascade Workbook - RF Cafe RF Cascade Workbook 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 (click here for screen capture). 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 through the main features...

Many Thanks to Amplifier Solutions Corporation (ASC) for Continuing Support!

Amplifier Solutions Corporation (ASC) - RF Cafe ASC designs and manufactures hybrid, surface mount flange, open carrier and connectorized amplifiers for low, medium and high power applications using gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and silicon (Si) transistor technologies. ASC's thick film designs operate in the frequency range of 300 kHz to 6 GHz. ASC offers thin film designs that operate up to 20 GHz.

Thursday the 17th

Radio Servicemen Can Help Win the War!

Radio Servicemen Can Help Win the War!, February 1942 Radio News - RF CafeSamuel Milbourne, of Greenwood, Mississippi, was a regular contributing author for Radio News magazine. His title was "Expert Serviceman" and his columns' themes were - you guessed it - servicing electronics products like radios, phonographs, tape recorders, and even some televisions. Being the February 1942 issue, the United Stated had just been drawing into World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan's naval air force. Prior to the attack, which quickly made headlines across the nation and across the world, many people did not know much about happenings "over there" in Europe and the South Pacific. Most people were too busy minding their own business, working hard, and raising families to be concerned with other peoples' problems - until those problems became their problems too. The 24-hour news cycle had not been invented and a lack of Internet ubiquitous and continuous information meant even when you got news it was likely quite old...

5 Charts Help Demystify the Global Chip Shortage

5 Charts Help Demystify the Global Chip Shortage - RF CafeOf the 5 charts presented to "Help Demystify the Global Chip Shortage," probably the most telling is the fourth (shown here). It illustrates how whereas the U.S. significantly leads the way in design and application realms, China utterly dominates the assembly, packaging, and testing of ICs. As with just about every other critical resource that make the economy run, we are totally dependent on China for our supply of chips. What isn't sitting offshore in container ships waiting to be allowed into port for unloading is being prevented from entering the supply chain by China - using the spike protein plandemic as a excuse for buggering the world's progress. Other countries are making plans to decrease dependence on China for ICs by building domestic capability. Another course of action would be to dial back the ever-increasing amount of electronics being integrated into new products. Refrigerators and coffee pots really do not need to be controlled from your cellphone, and couldn't the world continue to turn if every car and truck wheel didn't have a Bluetooth-connected TPMS device in it (further increasing cost)?

Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service

Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service, January 1945 Radio News - RF CafeYou will not find the name Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) mentioned anywhere in this WWII era (1945 Radio News magazine) story reporting on the activities of the Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service (FBIS), since the CIA was not formally established until 1947. FBIS became a branch of branch the CIA, however.  Per the CIA website "For nearly 70 years, the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) monitored the world's airwaves and other news outlets, transcribing and translating selected contents into English and in the process creating a multi-million page historical archive of the global news media." Equally surprising is that the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) has a similar activity known as the Summary of World Broadcasts (SWB). Together, their operators attempted to monitor every radio transmission made worldwide in order to provide intelligence for the war effort. As with so many forms of technology during the war years, intelligence gathering capability grew rapidly and significantly. Listening to "chatter" amongst military personnel...

Thanks to KR Electronics for Long-Time Support!

KR ElectronicsKR Electronics designs and manufactures high quality filters for both the commercial and military markets. KR Electronics' line of filters includes lowpass, highpass, bandpass, bandstop and individually synthesized filters for special applications - both commercial and military. State of the art computer synthesis, analysis and test methods are used to meet the most challenging specifications. All common connector types and package form factors are available. Please visit their website today to see how they might be of assistance. Products are designed and manufactured in the USA.

Hints on Design and Installation of Automobile Radio

Hints on Design and Installation of Automobile Radio, September 1932 Radio News - RF CafeHaving never owned a diesel-powered car or truck, I can't say whether not having a high tension (voltage) ignition system eliminates any possible interference with AM radio reception. Although not many people listen to AM radio these days, there was a time when it was still a popular option along with FM, and a time before that when it was the only option. Diesels have long been much more prevalent in Europe, so those of you who were around in the era might recall whether you were contently listening to the BBC in static-free bliss while your petrol-powered friends were fighting the ignition noise battle with chokes, capacitors, and resistor wires. Ignition noise did not come only from the car you were driving; often in high density city environments the interference from nearby cars, trucks, and buses could render acceptable radio reception impossible no matter how great the noise mitigation in your own vehicle was...

Computing PCB Manufacturing & Assembly

San Francisco Circuits Computing PCB Manufacturing & Assembly - RF CafeTechnology shows no signs of stopping - from laptops and smartphones to crypto-mining and deep learning servers - and San Francisco Circuits (SFC) is thrilled to contribute advanced PCB manufacturing and assembly services to this rapidly growing industry. San Francisco Circuits has launched the second industry focus page, centered on PCB fabrication for high-performance computing. Printed circuit technology has seen similar advancements to help propel this industry forward, with high density SMD components, micro and buried vias, adhering to ever-evolving IPC standards. Your PCB fabrication and assembly partner needs to stay on top of board technology trends and meet industry standards for the highest level of computing possible. SFC not only understands IPC standards for the computing industry, but we meet them, stay ahead of the curve with trends, use best practices...

How to Use a Grid Dipper

How to Use a Grid Dipper, September 1956 Popular Electronics - RF CafeGrid dip meters, aka grid dip oscillators (GDO in this 1956 Popular Electronics magazine article), are extremely useful for determining when a circuit is functioning at resonance. In the words of Sherlock Holmes, "It is simplicity in itself" the way a GDO operates. The grid dip oscillator emits power at a calibrated frequency which is absorbed (or not) to a degree depending on how close to resonance the external circuit under test is to that frequency. The nice thing about this type of instrument is that it does not need a wired or other type of physical connection to the circuit. Of course modern day GDOs do not use vacuum tubes with grids that register relative current levels as an indication of resonance, but the nomenclature has persisted. Besides, there are still many classic grid dip meters both in use and available for purchase at Ham swap meets and on venues like eBay. In fact, the exact Heathkit model GD-1A featured here is currently listed...

Post Your Engineer & Technician Job Openings on RF Cafe for Free

/jobs.htm" target="_top"> Engineering Job Board - RF CafeRF 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 /jobs.htm" target="_top">job openings. HR department employees and/or managers of hiring companies are welcome to submit opportunities for posting at no charge. 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...

Many Thanks to LadyBug Technologies for Their Continued Support!

LadyBug Technologies RF Power Sensors - RF CafeLadyBug Technologies was founded in 2004 by two microwave engineers with a passion for quality microwave test instrumentation. Our employees offer many years experience in the design and manufacture of the worlds best vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, power meters and associated components. The management team has additional experience in optical power testing, military radar and a variety of programming environments including LabVIEW, VEE and other languages often used in programmatic systems. Extensive experience in a broad spectrum of demanding measurement applications. You can be assured that our Power Sensors are designed, built, tested and calibrated without compromise.

Wednesday the 16th

Algebra in Electronic Design

Algebra in Electronic Design, February 1952 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeAlthough this "Algebra in Electronic Design" article in the February 1952 issue of Radio−Electronics magazine does not claim to be the second part of author Edmund Berkeley's "Light Sensitive Electronic Beast" article from the previous December's issue, it does help to know that the "Squee" mentioned here came from there. Squee is a Robot Squirrel which has four sensing organs, three acting organs, and a small electronic and relay brain. "Although Squee is not a very clever robot, he does have a small amount of memory and of reasoning ability." Boolean logic (aka Boolean algrbra), a common part of modern electronic circuits and systems, was a relatively new concept only recently adopted from the field of theoretical mathematics for use in digital computers. Applications were basic AND, OR, and NOT "gates" comprised of discrete diodes (and vacuum tubes at that) since transistors and solid state diodes had only been commercially available for a couple years. In fact, solid state diode schematic symbol appears in the article along with vacuum tube diode symbols...

Garod Model 5A1 "Ensign" Tabletop Radio Schematic

Garod Model 5A1 "Ensign" Tabletop Radio Schematic & Parts List, September 1947 Radio News - RF CafeAt least for now, I am going to only scan and post schematics & parts lists like this one featuring the Garod model 5A1 "Ensign" tabletop radio in graphical format. It appeared in the September 1947 issue of Radio News magazine. There are still many people who restore and service these vintage radios, and often it can be difficult or impossible to find schematics and/or tuning information. I will keep a running list of all data sheets to facilitate a search...

Thanks for RIGOL Technologies' Continued Support!

RIGOL Technologies (electronics test equipment)RIGOL Technologies is transforming the Test and Measurement Industry. Our premium line of products includes digital and mixed signal oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, function / arbitrary waveform generators, programmable power supplies and loads, digital multimeters, data acquisition systems, and application software. Our test solutions combine uncompromised product performance, quality, and advanced product features; all delivered at extremely attractive price points. This combination provides our customers with unprecedented value for their investment, reduces their overall cost of test, and helps speed time to completion of their designs or projects.

Electrical Resistance Standard Could Get Quantum Definition

Electrical Resistance Standard Could Get Quantum Definition - RF Cafe"Researchers in Japan have proposed a new way of defining the standard unit of electrical resistance that would do away with the need for strong magnetic fields. The new proposal, which would create a standard based on the quantum anomalous Hall effect instead of the ordinary quantum Hall effect, would considerably simplify the experimental apparatus required to measure a single quantum of resistance. Electrical resistance is a physical quantity that represents how much a material opposes the flow of electrical current. It is measured in ohms (Ω), and since 2019, when the base units of the International System of Units (SI) underwent their most recent revision, the ohm has been defined in terms of the von Klitzing constant h/e2, where h and e are the Planck constant and the charge on an electron, respectively. To measure this resistance with high precision, scientists use the fact that the von Klitzing constant is related to the quantized change in the Hall resistance of a two-dimensional electron system..."

Wi-Fi HaLow Takes Aim at Long-Range IoT

Anatech Electronics February 2022 Newsletter - RF CafeSam Benzacar of Anatech Electronics, an RF and microwave filter company, has published his February 2022 newsletter that features his short op−ed entitled "Wi-Fi HaLow Takes Aim at Long-Range IoT," where he points out a serious limitation to the evolving mm-wave craze that is synonymous with 5G and 6G (a major component of IoT). The super wide bandwidths available with mm-wave are great, but the familiar Friis equation governing free space path loss shows that power at the receiver (PRx) decreases at a rate of 20 dB per decade as frequency increases. Wi-Fi HaLow operates in the sub-1 GHz realm, so it naturally (literally) has a longer range than even the 2.4 and 5 GHz ISM band WiFi systems. Also included in this newsletter are a few stories on industry happenings like the FCC mandating specific specification labels for WiFi products and mm-wave shoe screening at airports (underwear screening comes next)...

Emerson Model AZ-196 Radio Service Data Sheet

Emerson Model AZ-196 (Chassis AZ) Radio Service Data Sheet, August 1938 Radio-Craft - RF CafeFor a long time, I have been scanning and posting Radio Service Data Sheets like this one featuring the Emerson Model AZ−196 (Chassis AZ) tabletop radio. It appeared in the August 1938 issue of Radio−Craft magazine. There are still many people who restore and service these vintage radios, and often it can be difficult or impossible to find schematics and/or tuning information. Back in the day, both service shops and do-it-yourselfers relied on these documents for making repairs and tweaking the performance since manufacturers would not make the information available to anyone other than an authorized dealer. A nicely restored example of the Emerson Model AZ−196 can be seen at the left. A running list of all data sheets is at the bottom of the page to facilitate a search.

RF & Electronics Symbols for Office™

RF & Electronics Schematic & Block Diagram Symbols for Office™ r2 - RF Cafe It was a lot of work, but I finally finished a version of the "RF & Electronics Schematic & Block Diagram Symbols" that works well with Microsoft Office™ programs Word™, Excel™, and Power Point™. This is an equivalent of the extensive set of amplifier, mixer, filter, switch, connector, waveguide, digital, analog, antenna, and other commonly used symbols for system block diagrams and schematics created for Visio™. Each of the 1,000 or so symbols was exported individually from Visio in the EMF file format, then imported into Word on a Drawing Canvas. The EMF format allows an image to be scaled up or down without becoming pixelated, so all the shapes can be resized in a document and still look good. The imported symbols can also be UnGrouped into their original constituent parts for editing. Check them out!

Many Thanks to Exodus Advanced Communications for Their Support

Exodus Advanced Communications - RF CafeExodus 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 the 15th

Sylvania Electric Products

Sylvania Electric Products, February 1951 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeSylvania Electric Products was born out of Hygrade Sylvania Corporation in 1942, and continued until 1959 when it merged with General Telephone to form General Telephone and Electronics (GTE). That puts this 1951 promotion in Radio−Electronics magazine smack dab in the middle of their existence. Sylvania, like most major electronics products companies of the era, made vacuum tubes, CRTs, incandescent lamps, radios, even proximity fuses for warheads during World War II. In the 1960s and 70s, Sylvania produced semiconductor components and computers. Brick-and-mortar stores, whose primary competitors were mail-order businesses back then, were typically replete with sales promotions like this one featured in Radio−Electronics. Sylvania is now part of the LEDVANCE brand, owned by Chinese lighting company MLS. Is there any real American anything left anymore? Here is the Archive.org page on Sylvania's history, and here is an interesting piece on founder Frank Poor (who wasn't so poor following the company's immense success)...

The Mystery Set

The Mystery Set, December 1934 Radio-Craft - RF CafeIn the 1930s, electricity and electronics were mysteries to most of the population. The concepts were relatively new and few had a firm grasp on the technology. That reality was exploited by Hugo Gernsback during the 1934 Electrical Exposition to challenge attendees to discover how the radio receiver sitting on the top of an empty, clear glass case was being powered. It was a clever ruse that reportedly stumped most people. The secret is revealed here in this 1934 issue of his Radio−Craft magazine. BTW, my guess is that an even smaller proportion of our current citizens would be able to figure it out, or for that matter even realize that maybe there should be a power source of some sort...

pSemi 5G mmWave RF Front-End

pSemi 5G mmWave RF Front-End - RF CafeCovering 24 to 40 GHz, the versatile portfolio showcases an integrated module and discrete beamforming and up-down converter RFICs. pSemi Corporation, a Murata company focused on semiconductor integration, announces the expansion of its millimeter wave (mmWave) RF front-end portfolio for 5G wireless infrastructure applications. The new pin-to-pin compatible products, including three beamforming ICs and two up-down converters, offer flexibility to interchange ICs for full IF-to-RF coverage across the n257, n258 and n260 bands. This modular approach, combined with on-chip calibration and digital correction, allows system teams to simplify their design cycles and quickly adapt to different active antenna design configurations. Available as discrete RFICs or as part of the Murata 28 GHz antenna-integrated module...

San Francisco Circuits Medical PCB Manufacturing & Assembly

San Francisco Circuits Medical PCB Manufacturing & Assembly for Devices, Instrumentation, & Equipment - RF CafeSan Francisco Circuits (SFC) has launched a new industry focus practice, highlighting PCB fabrication and assembly for high-tech industries. The first details PCB production for the medical and device/instrumentation industry. The new industry focus page on medical PCB fabrication and assembly covers common use cases, best practices, capabilities, testing/inspection guidelines, and industry standards. Medical device standards are important to consider when working with a PCB supplier. The largest governing bodies of medical device standards includes the IEC, ISO, the FDA, and the FCC. Typically, all medical devices will be compliant with ISO 13485 (used by organizations involved in the design, production, installation and servicing of medical devices. ISO 13485 is the FDA's mandatory quality management system for medical devices)...

Vintage Mallory Capacitors Advertisement

Vintage Mallory Capacitors Advertisement, December 1947 Radio-Craft - RF CafeHere is a perfect example of setting up a "straw man" in order to knock it down. Per Merriam Webster, a "straw man" is, "A weak or imaginary argument or opponent that is set up to be easily defeated." The advertising team didn't even do a very good job of it since nowhere in the copy is there a reference to why the Indian Rope Trick in particular is alluded to regarding Mallory capacitors. It mentions a "trick," but that's all. Ah, I just figured it out - they hanged themselves professionally with the rope! BTW, type "FP" supposedly stands for "Formed Plate," a special method Mallory used to increase the surface area of metal layers to get higher capacitance densities...

RF Cascade Workbook

RF Cascade Workbook - RF Cafe RF Cascade Workbook 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 (click here for screen capture). 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 through the main features...

Many Thanks to Withwave for Long−Time Support!

Withwave RF & Microwave Components - RF CafeWithwave manufactures an extensive line of metrology quality coaxial test cable assemblies, connectors (wave-, end-, vertical-launch, board edge, panel mount), calibration kits (SOLT), a fully automated 4-port vector network analyzer (VNA) calibrator, between- and in-series connector adaptors, attenuators, terminations, DC blocks, torque wrenches, test probes & probe positioner. Special test fixtures for calibration and multicoax cable assemblies. Frequency ranges from DC through 110 GHz. Please contact Withwave today to see how they can help your project succeed.

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