Increasing women's roles
and interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
careers has been a major effort by schools in the last couple decades in an attempt
to 'remove barriers,' both real and perceived, inhibiting entrance into the fields.
There are still many realms of STEM that women have avoided, but computer programming
and mathematics are examples their representation having seen steady increases.
Dr. Frances Bauer can be seen in this 1955 Popular Science story
on Project Cyclone, which reports on her role programming what was at the time one
of the largest computers in the world. Her work ran the gamut between civil engineering
on bridge projects to predicting missile flight paths for the military. You might
recall the U.S. Navy's Grace
Hopper, who is credited with coining the term "bug" for computers.
COMCAS and IME 2013
AWR Corporation, the innovation leader in high-frequency
EDA software, exhibits at
COMCAS
2013 and IME 2013 in Israel and China the week of October 21, 2013. At
each show, the latest release of Microwave Office, Visual System Simulator, Analyst,
AXIEM, and Analog Office for the design of MMICs, RF PCBs, RFICs, microwave modules,
communication systems, radar systems, antennas and more will be showcased. Specific
software demonstrations and lecture presentation include: MWO design environment,
design Analyst 3D FEM EM simulation featuring a preview of V11, VSS featuring an
enhanced radar library and novel radio frequency planning wizard, RFP AWR Connected
to National Instruments.
Digital Signal Spectra
Here
is a short primer by Daniel Chow on the basics of
digital signal spectra (EDN website). It begins with the Fourier
transform of a single rectangular pulse and progresses through the spectrum of a
series of data pulses and of non-rectangular pulses.
Sarnoff Collection: IEEE
RCA
and the name David Sarnoff seem to be showing up a lot lately, at least in the venues
I travel for technical reading. I don't see particular dates mentioned that make
this the anniversary of anything related. Ironically, this mention of the two names
together adds to the phenomenon. The October 2013 edition of IEEE's Spectrum
magazine has a nice spread titled, "Electronic Treasures
of the David Sarnoff Collection." RCA, the Radio Corporation of America, was
founded in 1919 in Princeton, New Jersey (home base of Mr. Einstein, amongst
other notables). David Sarnoff, chairman of RCA, was the son of a Jewish
immigrant. Although neither a scientist nor an inventor himself, Sarnoff established
a record of ambition and business savvy from a young age - although he was an accomplished
telegraph operator (participated in the rescue efforts of the Titanic)...
in Appreciation of Support
For over 40 years
KR Electronics (an RF Cafe supporter since 2009) has designed and
manufactured high quality filters for the commercial
and military markets. KR Electronics manufactures all filter types and individually
synthesizes filters for special applications. State of the art computer synthesis,
analysis and test methods are used to meet the most challenging specifications.
All the standard topologies are supplied along with diplexers, linear phase, group
delay equalizers, and many custom designs.
Here is another
exciting episode of the sleuthing adventures starring Popular Electronics' tech
savvy teenagers,
Carl and Jerry. The Hardy Boys of electronics are the creation
of author John T. Frye, who created short story adventures for many years - long
enough to at one point require a major modification in their appearances to reflect
more modern attire and eyewear. This particular adventure begins with Carl considering
whether his ham radio hobby is more useful from its technical aspects or its social
aspects.
Microwave Products
at EuMW
The
European Microwave Week is the largest Event for the RF & Microwave Industry
in Europe. This year it is being held in Nuremberg, Germany from the 6th to the
11th of October. There are over 200 Companies that are taking part in the exhibition
here. Today's newsletter lists some new products that have been announced this week
at the EuMW 2013.
Cooling devices
based on the Peltier effect were first demonstrated by French physicist
Jean Charles Athanase Peltier when he noted the presence of heating
or cooling at an electrified junction of two different conductors types (opposite
of a thermocouple). Widespread commercial use depended on finding efficient
materials that could be produced inexpensively. Music synthesizers, to be practical,
needed to await the availability of miniaturized electronics like transistors and
memory elements. Light amplification similarly depended on affordable sources to
be anything more than a laboratory curiosity. Fortunately, by the mid 1950s such
entities were becoming reality. This article reports on a few of those items.
RF Cafe Featured Book
Excel 2013 Bible, by John Walkenbach. Engineers
still rely pretty heavily on spreadsheets for day-to-day work. The full-featured
simulators are invaluable for detailed simulations, but often are severe overkill
for a quick calculation. Known as "Mr. Spreadsheet," Walkenbach shows you how to
maximize the power of Excel 2013 while bringing you up to speed on the latest features.
This perennial bestseller is fully updated to cover all the new features of Excel
2013, including how to navigate the user interface, take advantage of various file
formats, master formulas, analyze data with PivotTables, and more.
X-ray inspection capability
is a vital tool not just in medicine busigat in industry. During my tenure with
a major cellphone power amplifier company as an RF Applications Engineer, I relied
heavily on x-ray imaging for many of the teardown reports that I wrote on competitors'
products. It included everything from determining metal layers in integrated circuits
to deducing multi-layer ceramic PCB routing lines and distributed components to
just getting a quick look inside a shielded enclosure without needing to disassemble
it. A skilled x-ray technician can make a huge difference in the quality of information
that can be gleaned from the images since angle, power level, and focusing takes
a deft touch. My first experience with using x-rays for inspection was while doing
automated test system design for production base station equipment companies. Very
stringent PIM...
"If
something cant be explained off the back of an envelope, its rubbish." -
Richard Branson, Virgin CEO
for Continued Support!
SigaTek microwave specializes in
high quality, high frequency microwave communication
components up to 60 GHz. As a pioneer supplier of microwave RF components,
the main products include directional couplers, bias tees networks, power dividers/combiners,
3 dB hybrids 90° and 180°, microwave mixers, frequency doublers, load terminations,
and coaxial connectors and adapters.
Crossword for October 13
Every
Sunday I create a
crossword puzzle using a word list that I personally created and
added to during over a decade of making puzzles. All of the words are related to
engineering, science, mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, etc. There are no numbnut
clues about movie stars or clothing designers.
Proper soldering is almost
as much of an art form as it is a technical skill. Having been through numerous
soldering classes in my career, starting with electrical vocational courses in high
school, then again in USAF technical school, and other times while working as a
technician and engineer, I always exercise care in making solder joints. Proper
preparation - including both tinning of mating surfaces and a means to prevent the
joint members from moving during cool-down - is of utmost importance for assuring
a nice, smooth, shiny joint with just the right amount of solder. Lead-free solders
do not tend to produce the level of shininess as do the good old 60-40 type tin-lead
solders, but you can still make a nice looking joint. This might be more information
than you want to know about me, but I even strive for perfection in solder joints
in copper pipes and fittings used in plumbing work. Call me a masochist, eco-villain,
or worse, but...
DCH Systems Join Forces
On May 1st, 2013, DCH Systems, EIN 20-4638136
and Triad RF Systems, Inc., EIN 27-3907731, merged into one entity with the
Triad RF Systems, Inc. name surviving. Triad
RF Systems is fully owned by three (3) partners: Dean Handrinos, Steve Barthelmes,
and David Campbell. Triad RF Systems, was formed with the objective to solve the
problem of high power amplifiers (HPAs) being the Achille's heel in most RF radios.
We have solutions for integrating high performance HPAs into sophisticated RF subsystems
and systems without sacrificing efficiency and linearity. Triad RF Systems serves
all areas of the RF and Microwave industries including military, satellite and commercial
communications.
from Popular Electronics
There are a lot of
audiophiles in the RF Cafe audience, so this 10-question quiz
about audio topics from Popular Electronics should prove useful. It covers not just
the physical aspects but also some simple electronics concepts, like decibels of
gain, crossover networks, push-pull amplifiers, etc. Enjoy.
Wideband Low Noise Amplifier
PMI Model No. PEC-42-1G40G-20-12-292FF is a 1.0
to 40 GHz,
ultra-wideband low noise amplifier that provides 42 dB of gain typically
with a typical noise figure of 5.5 dB. The OP1dB is typically +22 dBm
(1.0 to 18.0 GHz) and +19 dBm (18.0 to 40.0 GHz).
The maximum input power rating is +17 dBm CW and the operating DC supply is
550 mA at +12 to +15 VDC. This unit is supplied in a package measuring
1.37" x 1.0" x 0.6" with 2.92 mm female connectors.
Equipment for Support!
Alliance Test is
a trusted source providing sales, rentals and leasing of
refurbished electronic test and measurement
equipment to the R&D, manufacturing and quality assurance industries. We
carry a full range of used test equipment from manufacturers such as Agilent, Ando,
Anritsu, Fluke, HP, Keithley, Lecroy, Rohde & Schwarz, and Tektronix. Recover
30%-40% more on your idle test equipment rather than selling to a dealer.
Doherty Amp Reference Design
AWR Corporation,
the innovation leader in high-frequency electronic design automation (EDA),
announces that NXP Semiconductor's ultra-wideband (UWB) Doherty
reference design is now AWR Microwave Office design environment ready. The
updated release features NXP's BLF884P and BLF884PS transistors for ultra-wideband
Doherty power amplifiers operating from 470 to 806 MHz and a 70 W DVB-T UWB LDMOS
reference design using NXP's patent-pending architecture capable of operating over
an ultra-wideband spectrum in the UHF broadcast spectrum.
Slighted Newbie Engineer
Sherlock
Ohms is a regular feature of the Design News website where readers submit
anecdotes from their on-the-job experiences. There has been a tendency lately in
this column and, to a lesser degree, in the similar Tales from the Cube
column for situations involving newer, less experienced engineers being frustrated
by the domineering attitudes of some senior engineers. In contrast, I cannot recall
an instance of a story where the senior engineer dumps on stupid actions of a newbie.
Maybe doing so is considered bullying or akin to a guy hitting a girl. Regardless,
all the stories in both columns are good for instruction...
Load Cells
Coil tubing load cells are used for measuring the insertion force of small diameter
(typically 0.5 to 4.5 inch) stainless steel tubing that is inserted
into the borehole / wellbore at the wellhead. A borehole is any hole drilled for
the purpose of exploration or extraction of natural resources such as water, gas
or oil where a well is being produced. The coil tubing (CT) is usually
installed when the well, which has been drilled, is deemed ‘viable' and will produce
the natural resource in a productive and economic manner. Coil tubing provides intervention
allowance of vertical, horizontal, highly deviated, and live wells(1). Adding
an Antenna Data Sheet
A
white paper has been published by Linx Technologies titled, "How to Understand an Antenna Data Sheet." Author, Shawn Hogan,
VP of Engineering, writes, "The information on an antenna data sheet is nothing
short of overwhelming. It can be difficult to maneuver through to select the best
antenna for your design. There are several factors to take into account when looking
at an antenna data sheet including: monopole vs. dipole antennas, the electrical
parameters, counterpoise, gain and radiation pattern. Our goal is to break down
these features so you can use that knowledge to discover advantages and disadvantages
of different antennas as they relate to your specific application..."
Have you
seen the new national advertising campaign where Freescale (formerly Motorola)
is using big name celebrities to sell their cellular base station power transistors?
Scarlett Johansson and Ashton Kutcher are up on a tower along
with man-and-woman-on-the-tower smartphone users discussing how much better their
phones work now that the service provider switched to base transceiver stations
that use Freescale LDMOS RF power transistors. Of course you haven't seen the ad
because it would never be produced and marketed. The very concept is ridiculous,
you might say... unless you happened to see advertisements like this one for RCA's
Radiotron vacuum tubes from the 1930s. In it, none other than Bing Crosby...
Rentals October Newsletter
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals just issued
their Tech Talk newsletter for October 2013. It includes hot topics in the tech
news world and highlights of new or special function test equipment they have available.
Please click on the thumbnail to access the original versions.
for Continued Support
Hittite Microwave is an innovative designer and manufacturer of high performance
integrated circuits,
modules, subsystems &
instruments
for technically demanding digital, RF, microwave and millimeter wave applications
covering DC to 110 GHz. The Company's standard and custom products apply
analog, digital & mixed-signal semiconductor technologies used in a wide variety
of wireless / wired communication and sensor applications for automotive, broadband,
cellular infrastructure, fiber optics, microwave & mm-wave comms, military,
test & measurement, and space markets.
by Empower HPAs
Leveraging next generation hardware and software
innovations that are part of Empower's "size matters" architecture, several unique
configurations of these HPAs are being shipped to key customers. This particular
set of HPAs build on the size, weight and power advantages already demonstrated
with commercial product releases in the broad market, "size matters" product family.
This recent and unique SATCOM solution delivers
2 kW P1dB (CW, digital modulated signal) in L-Band and a companion
product delivers 800 W P1dB (CW, digital modulated signal)
in S-Band. The 2 kW L-Band HPA is a GaN based design and housed in an amazingly
small 5U chassis.
Abandoning De Novo Review
Being
involved as an
Expert Witness for a court case involving product liability and/or
IP ownership or infringement is a unique experience according to those who have
been through it. Having competent and renowned legal representation is paramount
to success, particularly if your opponent is
well equipped.
IMS ExpertServices is a
law firm specializing in expert witness cases. Every month or so they send me an
article about specific court cases that could be of interest to RF Cafe visitors.
This particular article is titled "Federal Circuit Ponders Abandoning De Novo Review."
Overturning precedence is notoriously difficult since doing can have ramifications
that reach way back in time and can trigger appeals to long-settled court cases.
This potential for the overturning of a patent infringement case from 1998 based
on how it was constructed is predicted to trigger significant consequences for past
and future litigation...
for Continued Support
The goal at Vida RF is to design and manufacture a reliable and cost-effective
RF / Microwave Component that fits each customer's
individual application. Vida RF has the capability to produce large volume
as well as quick turnaround for your custom designs, and they will provide the highest
standards of quality products, competitive prices, quick turnaround and exceptional
customer service. RF connectors, cable assemblies, power dividers, RF adapters &
terminations, fixed attenuators, dust caps, directional couplers, and i isolators &
circulators are among their offerings.
of an Engineer
We
technically oriented types often think of those with an artsy-fartsy bent
as ones who run for the tall grass when topics of science and/or mathematics arise.
Other than engineers, scientists, financiers, etc., I would say in most cases it
is justified - but not always. In the September 2013 edition of Strings magazine,
an article titled, "How the Violin Altered Our View of the Universe" appeared where
author Paul Stein, a violinist, educator, and member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic,
evidenced a very good grasp of science and math principles. The very decision to
pen such an article had to have been born of a knowledge and comfort with the aforementioned.
A subtitle of, "Physicist & violinist Albert Einstein's cosmic orchestra resonates
with the music of the spheres," proves familiarity of Isaac Newton's "Music of the
Spheres," (Musica Universalis)...
The Electric Vehicle
Conversion Handbook, by Mark Warner, is a guide on how to convert any gas- or
diesel-powered vehicle to electric power. Includes ownership advantages, basic EV
operation, subsystems, components, basic EV operation, project vehicles, and conversion
kits. Motor and battery technology is advancing at amazing rates, so if you don't
like the weenie look of today's production electrical vehicles and would rather
try your hand at an electric conversion on a classic 1965 Mustang, then this type
of resource can be invaluable.
Measurements - RF Cafe
Joe Cahak, owner
of Sunshine Design Engineering Services, has submitted another fine article for
posting here. Joe has many years of automated RF testing experience to leverage
when writing this paper on the basics of power measurement. A
power measurement is a scalar quantity and is a measure of power
detected. These measurements can be made a variety of ways. Most of us are familiar
with the notion that voltage (volts) multiplied by current (amps) is power (watts)
and power multiplied by time is energy. At DC or low frequencies these power measurements
from the current or voltage is relatively easy and not very complicated...
Microwave Mixer Technology
This quiz
is based on the information presented in
Microwave Mixer Technology and Applications, by Bert Henderson and Edmar Camargo. Some of these books are available as prizes in the
monthly RF Cafe
Giveaway. Based on a review of over one thousand patents on mixers and
frequency conversion, the authors have written a comprehensive book for mixer designers
who want solid ideas for solving their own design challenges. Many of the important
and most interesting patents and related circuits are discussed in the several application
oriented chapters.
"...I
have always maintained that, excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect,
only in zeal and hard work; and I still think there is an eminently important difference."
-
Charles Darwin, letter citing R. Pearson (1914-1930)
in The Life, Letters and Labours of Francis Galton,
TodayInScience
Traps "Pirate" Listeners
When
you think of radio pirate, most likely what comes to mind is a rogue, unlicensed
transmitter that is re-broadcasting copyrighted material, syndicated shows, etc.,
on radio or television. Nowadays that would also include the Internet as a medium.
Did you know that, at least decades ago, the British government (and maybe
others) charged citizens a
fee for listening to broadcasts on their household radios? That's
right, if you wanted to listen to the BBC, you would kindly remit a fee of 10 shillings
per year. Otherwise, you were apt to have government inspectors descend upon you
and padlock your radio set - or collect the requisite 10 shillings on the spot.
After a growing number of suspected dishonest British subjects finally exceeded
the reasonable level of tolerance of the government, a clever scheme was devised
to trick evil citizens into divulging their nefarious crimes...
for Their Continued
Support!
Rohde & Schwarz is
one of the world's leading manufacturers of test & measurement, communications
and broadcasting equipment.
Network analyzers,
signal analyzers,
spectrum analyzers, and signal generators for analog, RF, microwave,
and mm-wave signals with a standards, modulations, and functions available at up
to 43.5 GHz.
Digital Oscilloscopes for RF, analog, mixed signal & digital
integration, and software development & production up to 4 GHz BW.
RF Power Meters up to 110 GHz.
of Entrepreneurs
Most people, according
to surveys, consider starting their own businesses at some time during their working
years. The risk of failure and the cost of startup are what prevent most elsewise
entrepreneurs from taking the leap of faith in their own abilities. Not everyone
is cut out for running a business whether it be a one-person venture or a conglomerate
with a payrolls of hundreds. Knowing and heeding your own limitation in deciding
to remain under the employ of another company is as virtuous and sound a reason
for dismissing thoughts for self-employment as is having the knowledge and will
to strike out on your own. A lot of business are started on the sideline while being
employed fulltime in a regular job. Indeed, that was RF Cafe's origin. It wasn't
until I had confidence that I could subsist on RF Cafe's revenue level that I left
the security of the best engineering job I ever had to tend to the website full-time
(at a substantial reduction in pay, I will add).
Every year or so, Inc magazine does a major poll of successful
entrepreneurs to find out what motivates them (2013 Inc 5000)...
Crossword for 10-6-2013
Every Sunday I create a
crossword puzzle using a word list that I personally created and
added to during over a decade of making puzzles. All of the words are related to
engineering, science, mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, etc. There are no numbnut
clues about movie stars or clothing designers. Enjoy.
for Continued Support!
Nortec RF has more than 22 years of experience
designing power combiners and dividers, directional couplers, hybrid couplers, filters,
and power amplifiers. Their research and development group and engineering team
constantly introduces new, top of the line products into our
RF and microwave components product line.
Schottky Diode Detectors
Fairview Microwave announces a new line of in-stock
Zero Bias Schottky Diode
Detectors. Diode Detectors are used to rectify an RF input signal to a proportional
DC output voltage. Applications for Zero Bias Schottky Diode Detectors include
precision and lab testing equipment, as well as transmitter, power and signal monitoring
systems. Fairview's new line of Zero Bias Schottky Diode Detectors comes in several
different connector configurations and frequencies in the 0.01 to 26.5 GHz range.
That is the phone number
for signing up for America's new Affordable Care Act. Do you believe it is just
a coincidence that it spells out "1-800-F1U-CKYO?"
I kid you not. From what information I could find, the lowest cost plan for Melanie
and me is the Bronze plan, which will cost $9,481 with a $12,700 deductible
(only 60% coverage after deductible is met). My current private plan
through BCBS with a $7,000 deductible (90% coverage after deductible is met)
is only $4,971. So, beginning in January 2014 that represents a 91% increase in
cost and a $5,700 higher deductible, plus only 60% coverage after the deductible
is met. I do not qualify for any subsidy. To all my fellow Americans that voted
for this crap - thanks a lot!
Using Graphs and Charts
Using
charts and
nomographs to solve calculations is not as common in today's world
of portable high-powered computers as it was when computers used vacuum tubes or
even mechanical gears. One exception might be the Smith chart, especially in the
lab or field. You can plug numbers into a programmable calculator or tablet app,
but having the solution presented in the form of a number gives you only that -
a number. That's usually good enough, but if you are doing troubleshooting or tweaking
a design, being able to see how the value got to be what it is by seeing what's
around it can be very helpful. The Smith chart is a particularly good example when
watching the complex impedance point move around. The more experience you have,
the less you need such devices, but newbies...
Reality Job Search App
Are you in the market for a new job as an
intern, part-time, temporary, or full-time worker and are not quite sure how to
go about finding out where the kind of employment you are seeking is located? Wouldn't
it be nice if you could simply drive or walk around town and any place that fit
the bill would be highlighted for you automatically? Nokia has an app for that,
and it's called JobLens™.
Using what is termed "Augmented Reality," JobLens assimilates a multitude of social
networking services like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Indeed, Here Maps, Windows
Live, Salary.com, Zillow, CareerOneStop, Data.uk.gov, Payscale, and other best-in-class
content partners along with other location-dependent resources to pinpoint targets
for investigation. It might be a little underpowered when looking for an engineering
type position...
Fields in Modern Medicine
"My God, man!
Drilling holes in his head isn't the answer! Now put away your butcher knives and
let me save this patient before it's too late!" Those classic words were uttered
by Dr. McCoy in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, after Lt. Chekov (promoted
from Ensign after the TV series) sustained brain damage as a result of falling
from a 'nuclear wessel' when 20th century naval surgeons were about to open his
skull to relieve pressure from swelling. Looking at these images from a 1932 article
on using radio waves "to produce protective fever in killing germs of a
number of diseases." Update: I have been informed
that shortwave diathermy is still used in modern medicine! 10 to 30
meters was a popular wavelength band at a power of about 500 watts. The patient's
body part to be treated is placed between the plates to act "as a dielectric" while
the liquids are heated via induced oscillations similar to how a microwave oven...
To succeed in automotive racing, a commitment
is required... a commitment to always ask for more and to never settle for less.
Continual improvement is necessary to stay ahead of your competition and win. This
drive to be the best is part of Interface's DNA, from our product and service offering
to the dedication of our employees. Accurate
force measurement is a
vital requirement of the automotive industry and in the competition arena, performance
demands are pushed even higher. Interface takes great pride in being a leading solutions
provider in these applications. Whether it's for NASCAR, IndyCar, or even the amateur
level, engineers rely on Interface.
"Radio apparatus
of today, including television, uses practically all of the physical phenomena capable
of being controlled by science." That is the opening line of a 1932 article discussing
the relatively new technology dealing with the
generation AND controlling of electrical charges. Investigators
were beginning to develop formulas and physical rules for the behavior of electrons
- at least in accordance with the accepted Rutherford-Bohr atomic model. It wasn't
until 1929 that Robert Van de Graaff invented his eponymous generator, before which
scientists like Volta used an electrophorus (Latin for "electricity bearer")
to generate static electrical charges for experimentation by beating a metal disc
with an animal skin...
and AS9100 QMS Certifications
NuWaves Engineering, an international
RF and embedded systems solutions provider,
announces it has achieved both ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100:2009 Rev C certifications
for its Quality Management System by EAGLE Registrations Inc. "NuWaves is excited
to join the top tier suppliers in our industry with these highly respected quality
certifications," said Jeff Wells, President and CEO of NuWaves Engineering. "It's
a testament to our employees and their dedication to delivering quality products
and services to our customers each and every day."
Book Winner Greg F. !!!
Greg
F., of Ft. Collins, CO, is the September 2013 book drawing winner. Greg selected
Introduction to Antenna Analysis Using EM Simulators. This book was graciously
provided by Artech House.
by Compliance Engineering
Compliance Engineering is an
EMC testing and certification facility located
in Knoxfield, Australia. They have a few nice online RF calculators that might be
useful to you.
-
RF
Calculator: Wavelength,
dBm, dBuV, W, dBuV/m,
mW/cm2, pJ/cm2, V & VSWR
-
Radiated Power Calculator:
ERP,
EIRP, dBuV/m, dBm & mW
-
Field Strength Calculator:
V/m, dBuV/m, dBuA/m, pT,
dBpT, Tesla, Gauss, A/m,
mW/cm2 & W/m2
Accuracy GNSS Receiver
Linx Technologies is pleased to announce its launch
of the
TM Series Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver modules.
At a very small size of 10mm x 10mm, the TM Series GNSS receiver module is a self-contained,
high-performance Global Satellite Navigation System receiver designed for navigation,
asset tracking and positioning applications of all kinds. Based on the MediaTek
chipset, it can simultaneously acquire and track several satellite constellations.
These include the United States GPS system, Europe's GALILEO, Russia's GLONASS and
Japan's QZSS.
Using an NTC Thermistor
Thermistor
manufacturer Ametherm has three application
notes that address the problem of limiting inrush current.
-
How to Stop Inrush Current: Design considerations for inrush current protection
of the AC current applicable to switching power supplies.
-
Transformer Inrush Current Protection: A convenient solution to deal with the
problem of inrush current exceeding saturation current in transformers.
-
Thermistor Protection for a Precharge Circuit on Lithium Ion Batteries: When
a battery is connected to a load with capacitive input, there is an inrush current
surge as the capacitance is charging to the battery voltage.
for Their Continuing Support
Planar Monolithics Industries (PMI)
has been set up to manufacture and market various MIC/MMIC components, supercomponents,
and subsystems for applications in telecommunications, terrestrial, satellite, and
mobile-radio communications, defense (ECM, ECCM, ESM, radars, and EW),
cable-TV, navigation and marine electronics, FAA/DOT-avionics, ground based systems,
and microwave landing systems.
A Personalized Phone
As
of this writing, at least 863,790 people believe the concept of a modular, upgradable,
personalized smartphone is a good enough idea to invest their support in it. With
28 days left to go, the Phonebloks developers
are already at 95% of their crowdfunded revenue goal. As I reported a ways back,
while Kickstarter was the first crowdfunding venue to receive wide publicity, there
are now many such options for soliciting project startup cash. The Phonebloks team
chose Thunderclap. Thunderclap is not actually a crowdfunding source but a 'crowdspeaking'
scheme for gathering enthusiasts for your idea. If enough people support your project,
Thunderclap will blast out a timed Facebook Post or Tweet from all your supporters,
creating a wave of attention... for what it's worth. Phoneblok's concept is based
on the belief that the current throw-away philosophy for electronics devices - cellphones
in particular - is wasteful not just in terms of money but in terms of...
for LTE and WCDMA Apps
Skyworks Solutions introduces four linear power
amplifiers for LTE and WCDMA applications. The fully matched surface mount SKY66001-11
(2110-2170 MHz), SKY66002-11 (1900-2025 MHz),
SKY66005-11 (850-920 MHz) and SKY66008-11 (900-990 MHz)
modules meet the stringent spectral linearity requirements of femtocell applications
with high power-added efficiency. An integrated directional coupler eliminates
the need for any external coupler.
3 New Filters & an
Isolator
Anatech Electronics has released new designs for
a 710-716 MHz / 740-746 MHz bandpass combiner, a 4.4 to 5 GHz surface
mount isolator, a 769 to 775 MHz bandpass filter for Public Safety, and a 2500
to 2570/2620 to 2690 MHz cavity diplexer. All can be ordered directly through
our AMCrf web store.
from Marvelous Microwave!
Marvelous Microwave is a professional supplier of
Microwave/RF components, for WiFi, Cellular,
Bluetooth, GPS, DVB-T/S/C, Satellite Communication and related fields. A strong
global channel and design group devoted to development and innovation to meet various
changeable market needs. We strive for low cost, fast service, best prices, highest
quality and "marvelous" service. Attenuators, connectors and cables, amplifiers,
filters, and RF switches are among their many offerings.
Electronic
Warfare in the Information Age, by D. Curtis Schleher. This is an advanced practitioner's
guide to current concepts and threats associated with modern electronic warfare
(EW). It identifies and explains the newest radar communications threats,
and provides practical, "how-to" information on designing and implementing ECM and
ECCM systems. The aim of the text is to help the reader develop ESM systems designed
specifically to exploit the vulnerabilities of modern radar. It also identifies
and evaluates ESM receiving equipment, and outlines advanced ECM methods, including
monopulse deception, coherent radar jamming, and high-ERP generation.
Building Blocks for Wireless
The Internet
of Things is a term that is appearing with much frequency these days (e.g.,
in this article). Akin to 3G and 4G, the definition does not seem to be very
well defined; that is to say more subjective than objective. Per Wikipedia's entry:
"The Internet of Things
refers to uniquely identifiable objects and their virtual representations in an
Internet-like structure. The term "Internet of Things" was proposed by Kevin Ashton
in 1999. The concept of the Internet of Things first became popular through the
Auto-ID Center at MIT and related market analysts publications. Radio-frequency
identification (RFID) is often seen as a prerequisite for the Internet
of Things. If all objects and people in daily life were equipped with identifiers,
they could be managed and inventoried by computers. Besides using RFID...
