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Click for
Page 1 of the August
2015 homepage archives.
 Here is a batch of
electronics-themed comics that appeared in the July 1948 edition
of Radio News. The comic on page 122 would probably elicit cries of
racism or hate speech these days, even though there is nothing racist about it.
My favorite is the one that appeared on page 175. There is a growing list of other
comics at the bottom of the page
...
 Maxwell's inception of the theory of electromagnetic
radiation is compared here to if Christopher Columbus had conceptualized the existence
of America and mapped its features based solely on observations of how the known
oceans and land masses interacted. I have always been amazed at the ability of people
who formulate entirely new theories of science, finance, medicine, etc., and manage
to detail and support their ideas with hard data and mathematics. Einstein did so
with relativity, Dalton did so with atomic structure, Darwin did so with evolution,
Pasteur did so with germ theory; the list is long. There are lots of geniuses out
there, but a relative few change the world
...
 Coilcraft
recently announced a new version of their 'Filter Designer' software, which is a customized
version of the Nuhertz Technologies' 'FilterSolutions' filter synthesis and analysis
program. Filter Designer will generate schematics and response curves for 3rd-,
5th-, and 7th-order lowpass Elliptic filters that incorporate Coilcraft inductors.
The functionality is therefore somewhat limited and, honestly, is probably more
of an advertisement for the full-blown commercial version of the software, but I
did find one aspect very instructive. If you have built a filter using real-world
components, then you know how sensitive inductors are to package configuration,
wire winding characteristics, and placement on the circuit board. A simulation can
be utterly worthless in predicting the performance of a prototype filter if the
modeling is ...
 This might be one of the earliest printed
instances of Harold A. Wheeler's simplified formulas for the three basic inductor
forms. We all use them on a regular basis, but for most the origin was never known
or has long since been forgotten (I fall into the latter
category). I did some research on Wheeler's
inductance
formulas a few months ago when writing an app, so it was sort of déjà vu when
this blurb appeared in a 1932 edition of Radio-Craft
...
 Noisecom is part of the Wireless Telecom Group.
Abstract: The
Implementation Margin of a Satellite Communication
System is defined as the degradation of the signal after travelling through
the up and downlink equipment. In order to find this, an EbNo generator such as
the Noisecom CNG-EbNo Series can first be used to carry out an IF loopback test
of the modem in order to find bit error rate (BER) values at different Eb/No ratios.
A plot of these values can then be compared with the theoretical curve for the digital
modulation scheme being used. The resultant difference is termed the implementation
loss of the modem, and this value is used as a reference level for the second part
of the test, in which the implementation margin of the complete up and downlink
is
...
Keysight-Technologies-Webcast-Power-Module-Design-Power-Electronics-8-28-2015.htm" >
 Power electronics engineers designing power modules
face a number of challenges; namely, size, weight, efficiency, cost, and robustness.
This free,
1-hour webcast will explore these challenges
and lay out a new workflow for overcoming them. Topics include modeling and characterization
of components and devices, such as GaN transistors, electrothermal co-simulation,
and integration of GaN into power electronic circuits. Presented by Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Ingmar Kallfass, chair for Robust Power Semiconductor Systems at the University
of Stuttgart, and sponsored by Keysight, the webcast Keysight-Technologies-Webcast-Power-Module-Design-Power-Electronics-8-28-2015.htm"
...
 This week's
Wireless Engineering crossword puzzle contains the usual collection
of science, math, and engineering terms, and also includes a couple topics that
have been in the technical news headlines lately (clues labeled
with asterisk *). Enjoy
...
Linx-Technologies-Pre-Certified-RF-Modules-7-16-2015.htm" >
 Linx Technologies, a Merlin, OR based developer
and manufacturer of Internet of Things (IoT) Products and Solutions, is pleased
to introduce its new pre-certified, low cost RF data modules. The HumPRO™ Series
transceiver is built on the popular Hummingbird platform, and is a frequency
hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) transceiver designed for the reliable transfer of
digital data. Available today in 900 MHz, the
HumPRO™ 900 MHz version outputs up to 10 dBm.
This results in a line-of-sight range of up to 1600 m (1.0 mile). The HumPRO™
Series module is a completely integrated RF transceiver and processor designed to
transmit digital data across a wireless link. It employs a fast-locking FHSS system
for noise immunity and higher transmitter output power as allowed by government
regulations Linx-Technologies-Pre-Certified-RF-Modules-7-16-2015.htm" ...
 Don't let the title fool you. This 'Ultrafax' system developed by RCA in the late 1940s was essentially
the first attempt at video on demand, or streaming video. Rather than piping the
signal over cable or local broadcast frequency towers, a microwave link was used.
While initial system equipment space and financial requirements meant only corporations,
universities, and governments could procure an Ultrafax, engineers who developed
the system envisioned an eventual culmination of equivalent systems in every home.
Even at the end of the last century it was still not possible for program providers
to personalize broadcasts to individuals. It wasn't until broadband Internet came
on the scene in the 2000s that such services were possible. Now, a decade later,
people watch any video they want on cellphones while riding in a car
...
 Mechanically generated
electrical
noise has been the bane of wireless communications since the days of Marconi.
I recently posted a 1930 article from Radio-Craft titled "More About 'Man-Made'
Static" that addressed the plague. Electrical noise adversely affects electronics
in a manner ranging from relatively harmless but annoying interference to destructive
discharging. We are very familiar with ESD and the hazard it presents to electronic
devices. Triboelectric charging and a subsequent rapid discharge is the
culprit. Much research has led to ingenuous mitigation and prevention techniques
that have practically eliminated the problem. Still, electrical noise crops up in
some of the most unexpected places and must be dealt with. An article dealing with
triboelectric charging and static discharge in radio controlled
(R/C) helicopters, with the resultant radio interference
...
Fairview-Microwave-Family-Waveguide-Directional-Couplers-8-27-2015.htm" >
 Fairview Microwave, a supplier of on-demand microwave
and RF components, introduces their new family of precision
waveguide directional couplers. This release
consists of 28 models covering a frequency range from 18 GHz to 110 GHz in seven
popular frequency bands including K, Ka, Q, U, V, E and W bands. Fairview Microwave's
waveguide couplers are available in waveguide sizes from WR-42 up to 18 GHz all
the way to WR-10 up to 110 GHz. These directional couplers are offered with 10 dB
or 20 dB coupling values and have high directivity of 30 dB typical with insertion
loss is as low as 0.6 dB in certain models. Fairview's new waveguide couplers are
available in both standard and split block configurations and are also available
in both E-Bend and H-Bend designs. They utilize a multi-hole Fairview-Microwave-Family-Waveguide-Directional-Couplers-8-27-2015.htm"
...
 At least for now, I am going to only scan
and post schematics & parts lists like the ones listed below, rather than use
OCR (optical character recognition) software on them
to separate the textual content. 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.
-
RCA Victor Portable Table Electrola
Model R-95 -
Atwater Kent Model 305Z 5-Tube
32 V. D.C. Superhet -
Kadette Jewel Model 40 Chassis
3-Tube Ultra-Midget Receivers
Models 41, 43, 44 and 48 -
General Electric Model N-60 6-Tube
Auto Superheterodyne
Carl & Jerry: Gold Is Where You Find It
 You can buy a pretty good metal detector today
for a hundred dollars that will find coins buried many inches deep and larger metallic
items even deeper, and you even get discriminator functions to filter out unwanted
objects like tin cans. They weigh just a couple pounds and can be used with one
arm. Compare that to early
metal detectors that had huge induction coils on a frame so heavy
that shoulder straps were needed just to lug them around. Some models came on wheels
for pushing or pulling like a cart. You could plan to spend a few hundred dollars
(a thousand or more in today's dollars) for one. Even
then, they were not as sophisticated as the $50 models sold in Walmart now. In classic
fashion, teen electronics hobbyists Carl and Jerry use their technical prowess to
design and build their own metal detector and then unintentionally using it to convince
...
 A lot of people like to demean engineers and
scientists for their propensity to want to
conduct experiments and obtain measured, empirical data rather
than 'winging it' and being satisfied with 'intuitive' knowledge or the contemporarily
popular term 'gut.' If mankind had not adopted scientific methods and ventured beyond
the 'cradle of civilization' on the African continent, we would all still be living
in grass huts, hurling rocks at prey, and foraging for berries. Quantifying and
categorizing all things in nature helps inventors create new and improved implements
that help make life better. Early on it was mostly individuals like Archimedes,
Euler, Newton, and Edison who built the pool of knowledge that fed and evolved into
corporations, governments, and universities doing the vast majority of the work.
Bell Laboratories is probably one of
...
Empower-RF-Systems-Patent-Approval-Combiner-Power-Amp-8-27-2015.htm" >
 United States Patent 9,093,731 B2, recently awarded
to Empower RF Systems, validates the uniqueness of the hardware architecture in
use on Empower's high power,
next generation amplifiers. The embodiments of
this patent protection are related to the design, associated materials, and integration
of the high power combiner that is integral to delivering multi-kW broadband power
(CW) and narrow band pulse in an air cooled, 5U chassis
(and other combinations of power and chassis sizes utilizing
this architecture). "We are pleased to receive this additional recognition
and patent protection for our next generation amplifiers," said Jon Jacocks, CEO.
"This is a second award this year that is specific to our next Empower-RF-Systems-Patent-Approval-Combiner-Power-Amp-8-27-2015.htm"
...
 I receive very little feedback overall on
RF Cafe content. Surprisingly, though, the 'Day in History'
feature on the homepage generates the most e-mails either due to a typo by me or
someone commenting on a particular item. It's nice to know they're read. Website
visitor Steve Gilbert just wrote regarding Oldsmobile founder Ransom E. Olds'
entry from August 26. Says Steve, "Ransom Olds was born just a few blocks away from
where your friends at Tegam have their business located in Geneva, Ohio. Fittingly
the site of Ransom Olds' birthplace is today an auto parts store." A quick Google
search turned up a historical marker located on Old's property, and it gave the
GPS coordinates. Plugging those into Google Maps placed me right at the spot, and
then a Street View ...
 Manmade electrical noise
(QRM) and natural
electrical noise (QRN) has been
the nemesis of communications - both wired and wireless - since the first signals
were sent. While it is true that over the last century the amount of 'background'
noise has increased significantly, the ability of modern circuits to deal with
(reject) it and/or accommodate
(error correction) it has pretty much kept up with
the advancement. You might be tempted to think that 'back in the good old days'
such problems did not exist, but operators were plagued by poorly designed and inadequately
filtered transmitters as well as really deficient electrical service installation
that spewed noise from transformers, inadequately grounded transmission lines, lousy
connections,
...
WiSilica-Smart-Environment-More-Intelligent-IoT-8-26-2015.htm" >
 WiSilica, the smart environment enabler creating
a more intelligent IoT, has launched an end-to-end solution for connecting millions
of devices that can understand their environment and use predictive intelligence
to improve the user experience, reduce cost and improve efficiency. Taking advantage
of the existing smartphone ecosystem and WiSilica's proprietary mesh networking
technology, the WiSe platform enables customers to easily configure smart homes,
buildings, lighting, sensors and wearables into intelligent devices that they can
manage via mobile apps and in the cloud. "WiSilica provides customers with the building
blocks and framework to create complete smart IoT environments," WiSilica-Smart-Environment-More-Intelligent-IoT-8-26-2015.htm"
...
2 New Titles Available to RF Cafe Book Drawing
Winners! Watch Your E-Mail !
 Each month I randomly select one or two people
from my e-mail inbox who are entered for the
FREE book drawing
(I pay the shipping cost from my ever-thinning
 wallet). To date I have shipped over
120 books that are typically valued at over $100 each; all are recently released
volumes by top engineering publishers like
Artech
House and Cambridge University Press. These two titles have been added
for the September drawing: -
RF Positioning: Fundamentals,
Applications, and Tools (GNSS Technology
and Applications) -
The Art and Science of
Ultrawideband Antennas
 Just as the
test and measurement equipment manufactures scrambled to produce
lines of spectrum, network and communications analyzers, oscilloscopes, power meters,
electromagnetic field sensors, and many other types of products specifically for
the cellphone and Wi-Fi industries, companies were scrambling to provide for the
needs of FM radio and television development labs and production lines. This 1947
advertisement from Radio Corporation of America (RCA)
is an example that appeared in Radio News magazine. In fact, TV was so
new that just a few months later, in September of 1948, editor Hugo Gernsback changed
the publication's name to Radio and Television News.
BTW, did you even know RCA made
...
Featured Book: Essentials of RF and
Microwave Grounding
 Essentials of RF and Microwave Grounding,
by Eric Holzman, Grounding is a widespread and serious problem in microwave and
RF engineering and, up until now, there hasn't been a practical, authoritative resource
dedicated to the topic. This first-of-its-kind volume offers professionals a comprehensive
understanding of the proper
grounding techniques to use when working on varied
microwave circuit and antenna design projects. Practitioners learn what problems
can occur when grounding design is inadequate, and how to avoid them. The book covers
a wide range of critical topics, from the fundamentals of low frequency circuit
theory and the differences between DC and RF short circuits...to grounding in active
microwave component design and
...
MECA-Intros-6-GHz-RF-Attenuators-8-25-2015.htm" >
 MECA
is pleased to announce the addition to our
662 series, 2 watt SMA attenuators operating now up to 6 GHz!
The 662-dB-1F6 series attenuators cover all wireless applications from Hz – 6.0 GHz
and available in standard values of 3, 6, 10, 20 & 30 dB. And as always
made is USA carrying MECA's 36 month warranty MECA-Intros-6-GHz-RF-Attenuators-8-25-2015.htm"
...
NI-AWR-ADF-China-Agendas-Registration-8-24-2015.htm" >
 NI (formerly AWR Corporation)
announces that the agenda has been set and registration opened for the
AWR Design Forum
2015 (ADF) in
Chengdu, China on Wednesday, Sept. 16 and in
Nanjing, China on Friday, Sept. 18. Celebrating its fifth year,
ADF is an open forum that brings together NI AWR software customers, partners and
microwave/RF engineering professionals to learn, network and collaborate on the
design of today's microwave and RF circuits and systems. Highlights of ADF include
technical presentations featuring NI AWR Design Environment™, select customer and
keynote presentations and live demonstrations/exhibition area. The presentations
slated for ADF 2015 Chengdu and Nanjing NI-AWR-ADF-China-Agendas-Registration-8-24-2015.htm"
...
 This
reactance measuring bridge circuit employs a very unique element
for generating an alternating current: an electromechanical buzzer which doubles
as an audio source. Sure, it doesn't produce a pure sinewave, but for the method
used here to determine inductance and capacitance it does not matter. Rather than
attempting to measure an absolute value of inductance or capacitance, a known reactance
is used as part of a balanced bridge. This is by no means a precision instrument
since accuracy depends on the user's interpretation of the presence or absence of
an audible 'buzz' in a pair of headphones, but in an era when 'real' test equipment
was beyond the budgets of many (maybe most) hobbyists, the scheme was better
...
 I am constantly amazed when reading stories
about how easily Adolph Hitler rose to power in Germany by encouraging and exploiting
resentment of his countrymen over being forced, among other concessions outlined
in the Treaty of Versailles, to disarm militarily and make reparations for atrocities
committed in World War I. Part of the Nazi (National
Socialist) party success was extensive use of propaganda via print, radio,
and the relatively new technology of television. Government exercised complete control
over the mainstream media (i.e., not 'underground')
by dictating content that promoted the proclaimed virtues of Nazism and the Aryan
race and the vices of just about every other form of government and race
(particularly Jewish). At the height of Hitler's reign
of terror during the Third Reich era,
radio and television sets were only permitted to use crystals
tuned to state-sponsored
...
Notable Quote: Benjamin Peirce
 "Gentlemen,
ei*π
+ 1 = 0 is surely true, it is absolutely paradoxical; we cannot understand
it, and we don't know what it means. But we have proved it, and therefore we know
it must be truth." - Benjamin Peirce (not to be confused with
Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce ), 19th century Harvard
mathematician. ei*π
+ 1 = 0 i, BTW, is known as
Euler's identity - engineers live by it.
Keysight-Technologies-IMS2015-MicroApps-CD-8-21-2015.htm" >
 The MicroApps program at the annual International
Microwave Symposium (IMS2015) contained nearly 80
presentations covering the hottest topics in RF/uW. If you missed this important
event, the presentation slides are now available compliments of Keysight Technologies.
Order your official
IMS2015 MicroApps CD while supplies last. Here's
the catalog of titles/abstracts, download this to "See What's Inside".
 Triad
RF Systems comprises three partners with over 40 years of accumulated knowledge
of what is required to design, manufacture, market, sell and service RF/Microwave
amplifiers and amplifier systems. "Our market knowledge has enabled partnerships
with some of the leading radio manufacturers to build state-of-the-art solutions
that give them an advantage in transmission distance and signal purity. We also
understand the market pressures for increasing data transmission while simultaneously
requiring less DC power." Triad RF Systems' offerings include
power,
bi-directional,
frequency-translating,
tower-mount,
and low-noise amplifiers, rack systems, and custom
amplifier systems. Please visit them today to see whether you can benefit from their
products and services.
 Air & Space magazine has an article
in the September 2015 issue that discusses medical issues for consideration during
extended stays in space - whether it be in orbit around Earth or during a journey
to or from the moon or a planet. Believe it or not, to this day there is no practical
method of performing invasive
surgery in
zero gravity conditions. The problem is controlling escaping blood. Even inside
a glove box type contraption ('hermetic surgery')
the free-floating blood interferes with an operation enough to jeopardize procedures.
Even orthoscopic methods are difficult because at some point blood tends to escape
the body. As part of planning for every conceivable emergency, NASA, ESA, RFSA,
and CNSA have agreed that the only reasonable
...
Saelig-Line-Impedance-Stabilization-Network-8-21-2015.htm" >
 Saelig Company, Inc. announces the availability
of the TBLC08 Line Impedance Stabilization Network (LISN) which enables
measurements of line-conducted interference within the range of 9kHz to 30MHz, according
to the CISPR16 or other standards, before any formal testing commences. The TBLC08
is designed especially for pre-compliance testing of single phase, AC-powered equipment
with supply voltages up to maximum 260V. Noise transmitted on the line and neutral
conductors coming from equipment under test can now easily be measured. The TBLC08
is also equipped with a switchable limiter/attenuator and an artificial hand connection
for simulating handheld equipment Saelig-Line-Impedance-Stabilization-Network-8-21-2015.htm"
...
 This being a family-friendly website prevents
me from showcasing the actual merchandise that is the topic of this feature. A regular
RF Cafe visitor and contributor sent me a hyperlink to a company called
Wireless
Armour which manufactures a line of clothing that addresses and solves the problem
of a fairly recently identified and verified issue facing the future of the human
race. Indeed, I have posted a large number of news stories on the subject in the
past decade. Per the company's website, "Wireless Armour is a new line of 'smart,
wearable tech' Wi-Fi shielding men's underwear that aims to protect male fertility
against 99.9% of harmful electromagnetic radiation emitted by Wi-Fi devices including
smartphones and laptops." I have yet to see a Surgeon General's warning label on
laptop computers to admonish people against placing them on their laps
...
 Considering that not much more than a year
before this article was written that the transistor had been invented, it is impressive
that already Raytheon was producing a commercially available
CK703 'crystal triode.' That nomenclature was a natural extension
of the preceding crystal diode already being widely adapted in circuit design. If
you have wondered how the transistor schematic symbol came to be as it is, you will
learn why here where the emitter and collector symbols actually both have arrows
on the ends that contact the base, indicating the 'point contact' physical arrangement
of the semiconductor junctions. Shortly thereafter the arrow on the collector port
was eliminated, primarily, I suppose to avoid confusion when the E, B, and C labels
are not present
...
anatech-august-2015-newsletter.htm" >
Anatech
Electronics, a manufacturer of RF and microwave filters, has published its August
2015 newsletter. As always, it includes both company news and some tidbits about
relevant industry happenings. This month, along with presenting some relevant industry
news tidbits, Sam Benzacar discusses the importance of assuring high integrity RF
cable and connector installation. Being a major manufacturer of anatech-august-2015-newsletter.htm" >connectorized
filters, Anatech Electronics' products rely on proper interconnections to help
guarantee specified performance. Filter responses are dependent upon the impedances
of the input and output ports being very close to design-for values - typically
50+j0 Ω or 75+j0 Ω. Anything else will result in a curve that
deviates from the shape obtained when tuning into a calibrated network analyze;
the greater the impedance, the greater anatech-august-2015-newsletter.htm" ...
Peregrine-Semiconductor-Intelligent-Integration-8-20-2015.htm" >
 Peregrine Semiconductor, founder of RF SOI
and pioneer of advanced RF solutions, announces the next chapter in
intelligent integration - integrated phase and
amplitude control at microwave frequencies. In the fall of 2014, Peregrine introduced
intelligent integration, a unique design capability of UltraCMOS® technology that
enables the integration of RF, digital and analog components onto a single die.
Peregrine uses this design capability to offer benefits such as configurability,
flexibility, enhanced performance, reliability, repeatability, ease-of-use and a
reduced form factor. By enabling phase and amplitude control at higher frequencies,
Peregrine can provide clear benefits to markets and Peregrine-Semiconductor-Intelligent-Integration-8-20-2015.htm"
...
 Nationwide commercial
television broadcasting companies wasted no time stringing coaxial
cable and microwave towers from sea to shining sea once the NTSC format standard
was adopted and manufacturers had spooled up production after World War II.
Adoption of cable services was slow because a fee was involved, but once purely
cable channels started being added the perceived value increase convinced consumers
to open their wallets. Eventually cable eclipsed over-the-air broadcasts for all
but extremely rural areas that were not serviced by cable. Along came satellite
TV to take care of filling that void. Once a small, inexpensive, unobtrusive Ka-band
antenna replaced the huge S-band backyard parabolic dishes and subscription prices
dropped significantly, suburbanites and city dwellers picked it up. Soon, cable
companies were feeling the pinch as their customer bases shrunk. Not ones to sit
...
Keysight-Technologies-University-Educational-Support-200-Universities-8-20-2015.htm" >
 The Keysight EDA University Programs offer
full versions of Keysight
EDA software to qualified academic institutions for instructional use. This
software is used in industry and creates a full wireless communication EDA experience
that helps students develop skills that will serve them well throughout their careers.
"Students love being able to access a student license download," said Kathleen Melde,
professor at the University of Arizona. "The process is so easy and there's 24/7
access, so I often joke about how students can use the Keysight EDA tools to fix
problems that bug them in the middle of the night. More importantly though, the
student license is allowing our students to master the use of industry-standard
tools and that's Keysight-Technologies-University-Educational-Support-200-Universities-8-20-2015.htm"
...
RFMW-Qorvo-SPDT-Switch-Ku-Band-Radar-8-20-2015.htm" >
 RFMW announces design and sales support for
the Qorvo
TGS4310-SM single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) reflective switch.
The TGS4310-SM is specified for operation from 13 to 19 GHz and features low
insertion loss of <1.7 dB with isolation >20 dB. Switching speed
is 20 ns and the switch control voltages are 5V/0V. Capable of handling 2 W
of input power, the TGS4310-SM is ideal for Ku-band Radar applications as well as
communication systems and instrumentation operating in these frequencies RFMW-Qorvo-SPDT-Switch-Ku-Band-Radar-8-20-2015.htm"
...
 KVG Quartz Crystal Technology GmbH has been
added to the Oscillator, VCO, PLL, Frequency Source & Synthesizer Manufacturers
and the Filter,
Diplexer & Duplexer Manufacturer pages on RF Cafe. They have been making
ceramic & crystal oscillators and filters since the 1930s. Both surface mount
and connectorized packages are available.
 Life for the blind has always been fraught
with obstacles that we who can see will never be able to fully appreciate. Society
has come a long way in accommodating the special needs of those with no or severely
reduced eyesight. Recent news stories report of experiments with electronic implants
that use implants set into the eye and couple somehow with the retina to send image
information to the person's brain. While in no way close to being able to be called
sight, it has at least allowed the guy or girl with training to detect and avoid
obstacles based on changes in scenery shading. We are probably a century away from
true
bionic vision, incremental improvements will thankfully improve
the lives of our thusly challenged brethren. This article from a 1947 edition of
Radio News reports on efforts made by the New York Institute for the Educations
of the Blind to make amateur radio
...
 Pasternack Enterprises,
a global supplier of RF and Microwave components and assemblies, is looking for
a Technical Writer to join the team as soon as possible! Job Summary: Make everything
we do better by being the voice of Pasternack, developing impactful technical marketing
content that would include, but not be limited to, product descriptions, white papers,
newsletters, email, direct mail, print advertising, press releases, blogging, and
social media. Skills and/or Experience: Bachelor's degree Experience working with
engineers and within a marketing organization, 5+ years of experience ...
Copper-Mountain-Technologies-Expands-Team-Support-Growth-8-20-2015.htm" >
 As demand for vector network analyzers
(VNAs) increases,
Copper Mountain Technologies
(CMT) has hired two new employees to support the company's growth. Masud Al Aziz
and Rick Hollowell will both play strong roles when it comes to helping customers
improve their RF and microwave testing processes via the company's affordable, lab-grade
equipment. As the new senior applications engineer and RF specialist for CMT, Al
Aziz brings extensive experience in microwave engineering, RF circuit design, antenna
design and digital signal processing to the company. Hollowell is the new national
business development manager for CMT and will focus on expanding the company's market
position by implementing new strategic goals Copper-Mountain-Technologies-Expands-Team-Support-Growth-8-20-2015.htm"
...
 Have you ever heard of a
'globar' resistor? They have been around since the early days
of radio and were used, among other things, to protect vacuum tube heater elements
from burning up due to high inrush current when first turned on. Globars have a
negative temperature coefficient (NTC) of resistance
so that, opposite of standard carbon and metal film type resistors, they exhibit
a higher resistance when cold than when hot. Mac and Barney discuss their use in
this episode of "Mac's Radio Service Shop." You might be more familiar with the
name 'thermistor' for such devices, but globars are unique elements in that their
construction from non-inductive ceramic material makes them useful at high power
levels and high frequencies. Globar appears to now be owned by Kanthal
(aka Kanthal Globar). Interestingly, Keysight Technologies
(formerly
...
 Here are three more Radio Service Data Sheets
added to the online archive. As mentioned many times in the past, I post these for
the benefit of hobbyists looking for information to assist in repairing or restoring
vintage communication equipment. These particular radio models -
Emerson Model 20A and 25A,
Pilot Model B-2,
General Electric Model K-40-A - were featured in a 1933 edition
of
Radio-Craft magazine
...
NI-AWR-RF-Components-Aerospace-Defense-Webinar-8-19-2015.htm" >
 NI (formerly AWR Corporation)
announces that it is sponsoring a Microwave Journal training webinar entitled
RF Components for Aerospace and Defense. This
webinar covers defense versus commercial philosophy, standards and standards organizations,
quality assurance in defense, military microelectronics, and microwave areas of
radar systems and electronic warfare systems in defense. Outline: Defense vs. Commercial
philosophy, Standards and standards organization, Quality assurance in defense,
Military microelectronics, The difference in space, Microwave areas in defense radar
systems NI-AWR-RF-Components-Aerospace-Defense-Webinar-8-19-2015.htm" ...
 TekBox Digital Solutions has a presentation
in PDF format which discusses product
EMC certification testing and the reality that greater than
50% of items fail the first go-round. Since the formal, on-the-record testing is
usually an expensive proposition, it behooves companies to perform pre-compliance
testing that will provide a high level of confidence that the product will have
success on the first pass. Most consumer type devices can be tested in a tabletop-size
TEM cell (transverse electromagnetic wave) with proper
instrumentation that includes calibrated antennas / RF probes and measurement test
equipment. About 15 years ago I was involved in a lot of RF emissions testing that
involved using TEM cells, and can remember
...
The Satellite Communication Ground Segment and Earth Station
Handbook
 The Satellite Communication Ground Segment and
Earth Station Handbook, by Bruce Elbert. This updated and expanded second edition
reflects the state of earth station design and ground segment architecture. From
international telephone network gateways to direct broadcast home receivers, today's
broad range of ground systems and devices require satellite communication engineers
and business managers to have a broad and sound understanding of the design and
operating principles of earth stations and ground control facilities. This book
explores the delivery end of the satellite link and its relationship to delivery
of services. Authored by a leading authority in the field, the book provides engineers
and managers with the knowledge
...
MegaPhase-Power-Dividers-Wideband-Directional-Couplers-8-18-2015.htm" >
 MegaPhase is pleased to announce the release
of its New Component Line that contains both the 0.5-6.0 GHz Band
Power Dividers
and the Wide Band
Directional Couplers. While the MegaPhase 0.5-6.0 GHz Band Power Dividers and
Wide Band Directional Couplers are offered with a standard design, MegaPhase can
provide customized solutions to meet any electrical, mechanical or environmental
application with a turnaround time atypical of the industry standard. MegaPhase
now designs, manufactures and markets a complete line of high performance RF coaxial
cables, connectors and components. MegaPhase-Power-Dividers-Wideband-Directional-Couplers-8-18-2015.htm"
...
Decades before there were highly sensitive
CMOS-based light sensors and charge-coupled devices (CCDs),
light detection for image capturing was performed by vacuum tubes called
photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). They
amplify light by releasing electrons in response to a detector surface that answers
to photon impingement. PMTs are still more sensitive and of lower noise level than
the silicon devices. In fact, super-sensitive elements for many atom smashers and
subterranean neutrino detectors still use photomultiplier tubes for that reason.
My first encounter with a PMT was as part of a video map rendering system used on
the airport surveillance radar (ASR) display that
I worked on in the USAF. Air traffic controllers etched an overlay map of the airport
area on a plate of coated glass. It was placed in a box that swept a light beam
in synchronization with the ATC
...
Microwave and mm-Wave
Limiters
Fairview-Microwave-RF-Microwave-mm-Wave-Limiters-8-18-2015.htm" >
Fairview Microwave, a supplier of on-demand
microwave and RF components, introduces a new family of
broadband, high power limiters that aid
in protecting sensitive RF receivers and components such as LNAs that are in close
proximity to high power signals. The new high power
limiters from Fairview Microwave operate over broad frequencies
ranging from 0.5 GHz to 40 GHz depending on the model. This release contains seven
limiter designs featuring limiting thresholds between 3 to 10 dBm and low leakage
power of 10 to 15 dBm. Fairview's new selection of coaxial limiters exhibits high
CW power handling up to 200 Watts peak Fairview-Microwave-RF-Microwave-mm-Wave-Limiters-8-18-2015.htm"...
Cavity BPF for In/Outdoor
Apps
Anatech-910-920-MHz-GSM-900-Cavity-BPF-8-18-2015.htm" >
Anatech Electronics today introduced the
AB915B656 rugged indoor/outdoor GSM-band cavity
bandpass filter designed for both commercial and defense wireless applications that
combines high rejection, low return loss and the ability to remove nearby interference.
The AB915B656 has a passband of 910 to 920 MHz, insertion loss of 1.5 dB, return
loss greater than 16 dB, and out-of-band rejection of 75 dB from 850 to 894 MHz
and 929 to 950 MHz. It can handle 20 W CW and uses Type-N female connectors
(others available). The filter measures 140 x 80 x
53 mm, has an operating temperature range of -45 to +85 °C, and is designed
to be weatherproof Anatech-910-920-MHz-GSM-900-Cavity-BPF-8-18-2015.htm" ...
 More than a month has passed since I last
posted links to RF & microwave engineering articles. You don't need me to
suggest reading material, but this can at least serve as a reminder that there are
many great new articles available. Some magazines have been printing an abbreviated
version of an article and then posting the entire article online. Often, even if
the entire text is printed, there are additional sketches and photographs posted
online. Enjoy ...
-
Impact of Antenna Design, Tune
and Match on Wireless Range -
Fast, Low-Noise JFET Amp is
Stable Over Temperature -
Reflectionless Filters Improve
Linearity and Dynamic Range -
History of Jitter Part 5: PLLs and
Jitter Analysis <more>
 "If you're keeping score, in the past month
Trump has b*tch-slapped the entire Republican Party, redefined our expectations
of politics, focused the national discussion on immigration, proposed the only new
idea for handling ISIS, and taken functional control of FOX News. And I don't think
he put much effort into it. Imagine what he could do if he gave up golf." - Scott
Adams,
Dilbert comic strip creator, in his August 13, 2015
Scott Adams' Blog entry titled "Clown Genius."
 "If you have dark eyes and blonde hair. and
are under 30, you're due for some easy squeezing. Milligan's Appliance Center, 84
Main Street, is giving every girl between 16 and 30 who has these striking features
a newly patented orange squeezer, to introduce the new item ... Note: Any traces
of recent peroxide rinse will disqualify applicants." That is advertising copy offered
as an example effective promotional material in a 1947 edition of
Radio News. My first reaction was to think how something
like that would never fly today, but then I wasn't so sure. It seems there must
be anti-discrimination laws in this 'offend nobody' climate today that prohibit
singling out a certain demographic for inclusion or exclusion; however, there are
many such promotions run
...
R&S T&M Expert for Challenging MMicrowave
Applications at EuMW 2015
Rohde-Schwarz-EuMW-2015-8-17-2015.htm" >
 This year's
European Microwave Week in Paris is transforming
the city of love into the city of microwaves. Rohde & Schwarz will take advantage
of the occasion to present its T&M highlights for the highest frequencies. The
company will showcase its new R&S FSWP phase noise analyzer and VCO tester for
the first time in Europe. The company will present its solutions as well as many
minor and major innovations at booth 113. This year, the Rohde & Schwarz specialists
will again share their expert knowledge in twelve workshops and seven seminars Rohde-Schwarz-EuMW-2015-8-17-2015.htm"
...
 An incredibly glaring example of the famous
admonishment* that those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it, Radio-Craft
editor Hugo Gernsback wrote in May of 1941, a full half year before the United States
of America officially entered World War II, about how current conditions regarding
domestic commercial radio broadcast stations were likely being used by German agents
to send
coded messages to offshore vessels (ships,
submarines, and aircraft). In example, he cited, amazingly, an article he
himself published in 1915 in The Electrical Experimenter accusing Dr. K.
G. Frank, of the German Telefunken company, of conducting spy operations from the
Sayville, NY, station on Long Island. A copy of the letters that were exchanged
between Mr. Gernsback and Dr. Frank were reprinted in this edition
(see "Sayville Once More"). Spoiler alert in
...
 TThese letters represent an unfriendly exchange
between The Electrical Experimenter editor Hugo Gernsback and Dr. K.G. Frank,
of the Telefunken System of Wireless Technology, of Germany. Gernsback correctly
accused Dr. Frank of engaging in espionage for Germany and against the United
States of America, during World War I at a time we were not officially at war
with the Axis powers. He was arrested and interred for the duration of the war for
sending out "unneutral messages" from the broadcast station at Sayville, Long Island,
New York. See "Radiobotage" in this month's (September
1941) editorial
...
of America Advertisement
 Imagine having a serviceman of any sort arrive
at your house, fix your problem, and present you with a bill of $6 - parts included.
He would walk away satisfied that he had done a good job and was well compensated
for the work considering the effort invested in training and qualification. $6 in
1932, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics'
Inflation Calculator is worth $104.51 in 2015
money - that's a cheap service call even in today's economy. Further, the $14 stated
as a day's earnings is $243.86 in 2015, which equates to 50
(work weeks/year) x 5 (days/week)
x $243.86 (/day) = $60,965.00
(/year) - not too shabby. Just between you and me,
that's more than I'm currently making per year
...
Resonances and
SPICE MLCC Models
AFM-Microelectronics-Ap-Note-MLCC-Resonances-SPICE-8-15-2015.htm" >
 AFM Microelectronics
has just published an application note titled "MLCC (Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitor) Resonances and SPICE MLCC Models"
that advises how to develop a simulation model that will accurately represent the
component's behavior under real-life conditions. The process involves making measurements
on a carefully calibrated vector network analyzer (VNA),
with a caveat about the instrument's ability to adequately
((or inadequately) determine some parameters, such
as Rs (series resistance) because the VNA's value
often is on the same order as the DUT (device under test)
AFM-Microelectronics-Ap-Note-MLCC-Resonances-SPICE-8-15-2015.htm" ...
 Many of the words in this week's
crossword puzzle pertain to radar engineering. All the rest of
the words are related to technology, engineering, science, mathematics, aeronautics,
ham radio, chemistry, etc. There are no names of Hollywierd actors, shoe designers,
or romance novel titles. I will be glad to create a special edition crossword for
your newspaper, newsletter, etc. Enjoy
...
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