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Friday 30
 The
General Electric C-62 radio was (is) a battery-operated tabletop model. No photos of actual
radios could be found online, but the thumbnail to the left of an advertisement appears on
the RadioMuseum.org website. Two 67.5 V "B" batteries provided power. You would be forgiven
for believing such batteries are no longer available today since nowadays the most familiar
types are 1.2 V and 1.5 V "A," "C," and "D" cells, and the 9 V "transistor
radio" battery - which should be renamed the "smoke detector battery" since few pocket-type
transistor radios remain ...
 An updated V13.02 of
NI AWR Design Environment has
been released that contains many useful upgrades and enhancements to Microwave Office and
Analog Office circuit design software, Visual System Simulator™ (VSS) system design software
and AXIEM and Analyst™ 3D electromagnetic (EM) simulators. This latest release continues to
address design challenges associated with highly-integrated RF/microwave components commonly found in communications and radar systems. Select
V13.02 enhancements include: Microwave Office Load Pull: A new script improves handling ...
 "In a recent paper presented at last ACM/IEEE International
Conference on Information Processing (IPSN), researchers from the University of California
Santa Barbara demonstrated how using two
drones flying in tandem, one carrying a WiFi transmitter and the other
a WiFi receiver, fly paths could be optimized so as to efficiently reconstruct a 3D image
of a walled-up or occluded area, based on WiFi's Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
measurements alone. Such 3D through-wall imaging would be very useful in disaster scenarios
for ..."
 "Researchers at EPFL in Zurich have been able to break
past the Q factor to handle over a thousand times the combination of power and
bandwidth in today's systems. The team designed resonant systems that can store electromagnetic
waves over a long period of time while maintaining a broad bandwidth. The study, which has
just been published in Science, creates asymmetric resonant or wave-guiding systems using
magnetic fields and could boost the design of telecoms systems ..."
 Radio Canada International (RCI) is (was) the worldwide
version of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), operating on the 9,745 and 11,856
kHz shortwave bands. It carried broadcasts from 1942 through 2012, by which time the widespread
access to Internet broadcasts rendered the service obsolete. What remains of RCI is a skeleton
staff that generates podcasts in a few foreign languages. As with the USA's Voice of America
(VOA), RBI's mission over the years was a combination of broadcasting for the sake of overseas
armed forces members, anti-communist / socialist propaganda, and news ...
 "The United States Special Operations Command just
tested a
high-energy laser on the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, marking the first
time such a weapon has been deployed aboard a rotary-wing aircraft. According to a press release
from defense company Raytheon, the test was a complete success, providing solid experimental
evidence for the feasibility of high resolution, multi-band targeting sensor performance and
beam propagation supportive of High Energy Laser capability for the rotary-wing attack mission ..."
Thursday 29
 This year's International Microwave Symposium was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, which
is only a couple miles from Pearl Harbor. Few red-blooded Americans - especially ones whose
careers have been in the RF field - would pass up such an opportunity to visit the location
of the surprise attack by Japanese bombers on December 7, 1941.
Patrick Hindle (USA),
Richard Mumford
(UK) and Gary Lerude
(USA), all editors at Microwave Journal magazine, carved out a bit of precious little free
time amidst administrating and reporting on IMS2017 to write a very nice article on
SCR-270 radar site at Opana Point (although 'Infamous" in
the title is probably the wrong adjective). It was on that radar which Army operators
actually detected the advancing Japanese air armada, but their warning was dismissed as a
squadron of B-17 bombers ...
 "The number of small satellite (SmallSat) launches is expected to skyrocket over the next two years, because
of their ability to quickly integrate new technologies, according to Todd Harrison, Director
of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Smallsats could not only extend the lifespan of military-use satellites, but also enhance
force readiness by potentially performing upgrades and delivering new payloads, reported Gordon
Roeseler, Program ..."
 Many of this month's articles are written by engineers
at the companies who either make the products being described, or make instruments that measure
the products being described. Since it is the designers who have - at least initially - the
greatest knowledge of the topic, they usually provide valuable insight into the details. Over
time, if a particular product becomes popular, superior expertise often gravitates towards
users ...
•
Accurate RF/Microwave Testing at Minimum Cost, by LadyBug •
Preparing for 5G New Radio Networks and Devices, by Skyworks
 In classic National Company style, this full-page advertisement
took the form of a mini tutorial / anecdote about using equipment and devices they sold -
both for Hams and for design engineers. September 1950's topic, which appeared in QST
magazine, was the use of noise limiters in CW (Morse code) transmitter / receiver sets. The
noise limiters functioned as squelch controls and were adjustable for both positive and negative
excursions. According to John J. Nagle (K4KJ), writing on the QSL.net website, "HRO" stood for "Helluva
Rush Order," which ...
 Industrial
Motor Power (IMP) Corporation has been added to RF Cafe's
Power Distribution
Equipment vendor listing page. IMP Corp is a worldwide supplier of new, surplus,
and used power generators and engines
- serving several industries including oil & gas, mining, drilling, marine, and more.
Specializing in Caterpillar (CAT), Cummins, Rolls-Royce et al.
 " Researchers have built an
electrocaloric refrigerator the size of a beverage coaster that can generate
a temperature difference of about 2 K between the hot and cold ends of the device. The cooling
mechanism, which is based on the electrocaloric effect, involves alternately applying and
removing an electric field to a material to increase and decrease the material's temperature,
respectively. The new cooling method can potentially achieve a higher efficiency than current
methods, indicating that electrocaloric cooling devices ..."
Wednesday 28
 "An
ordinary
smart meter gives your local utility useful information about how much
energy you are using - every hour, or even as often as every minute. This helps utility planners
efficiently adjust electricity generation to meet demand or encourage reductions in demand
when necessary. But machine learning systems, looking at that data, can tell something else
about your home besides its energy use - they can tell if you are home, or if you are not.
That's what University of California at Berkeley researchers Ming Jin, Ruoxi Jia ..."
 "High-power electromagnetics (HPEM) technology experts
at Verus Research in Albuquerque, NM, are helping the U.S. Air Force find ways of integrating
future electronics-killing HPEM technologies onto military weapons platforms. Officials of
the Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.,
announced a $2.3M contract Wednesday to Verus Research (formerly XL Scientific LLC) for part
of the
High-Powered Electromagnetics (HPEM) Research Program. HPEM technology
is directed RF ..."
 Beginning in the 1960s, Popular Electronics
magazine had a long-running column titled "Solid
State" that reported on the newfangled science. Even in 1970, there were still people
who distrusted solid state electronic devices in terms of reliability and ruggedness. Their
skepticisms were not totally without merit at the time. However, advances were occurring at
a very rapid rate. This particular Solid State report describes how charge coupled devices
(CCD) might someday serve as photographic imagers because of their efficiency at converting
photon impingement ...
 Here is an interesting insider's tale of how TI missed
its opportunity to be in the
IBM PC. It's a trip down Memory Lane for those of us who were at the beginning
of the PC era. "If you use a laptop or desktop computer, chances are it has a microprocessor
from the Intel 808x line, regardless of whether it's a Windows machine or a Mac. The utter
dominance of these Intel microprocessors goes back to 1978, when IBM chose the 8088 for its
first personal computer. Yet that choice was far from obvious. Indeed, some who know the history
assert that the Intel ..."
 "OneWeb is a company that is launching a constellation
of satellites to provide affordable high-speed Internet access across the world. During its
monthly open meeting last week, the FCC unanimously voted in favor of granting
OneWeb market access to the US. The FCC has approved OneWeb's request
to deploy a global network of 720 low-Earth orbit satellites using the Ka (20/30 GHz) and
Ku (11/14 GHz) frequency bands 'to provide global Internet connectivity.' OneWeb was the first
of several entities to file a request seeking FCC approval ..."
 "The Pentagon's soon-to-be published
electronic warfare (EW) strategy calls for increased investment in advanced
EW technology designed to defend U.S. assets and use the electromagnetic spectrum to attack
enemies. Scout Warrior reports. The prospect for a 'first-of-its kind' DOD electronic warfare
strategy gained new urgency following Russia's use of advanced EW technologies in Ukraine,
and the pace of global technological progress in EW systems. Electronic weapons ..."
Tuesday 27
 The
Level III Antenna Test Engineer will be responsible for the testing
of antennas and any other testing required to be performed. Shall create and document all
test procedures, including but not limited to specific tests required to meet customer data
requirements. Antenna Test Engineer shall • Assist with training Government personnel
in the operation and maintenance of hardware, software, systems and subsystems that support
the Anechoic Chambers • Assist with conducting equipment and antenna tests, maintenance,
operation, design, fabrication, and other support functions • Conduct antenna ...
 "At a meeting in midtown Manhattan, Kris Myny picks
up what looks like an ordinary paper business card and, with little fanfare, holds it to his
smartphone. The details of the card appear almost immediately on the screen inside a custom
app. It's a simple demonstration, but Myny thinks it heralds an exciting future for flexible
circuitry. In January, he began a five-year project at the nanoelectronics research institute
Imec in Leuven, Belgium, to demonstrate that thin-film electronics has significant ..."
 VidaRF offers a new directional coupler Model: VDC-75160A6
operates from 7.5-16 GHz. The coupler has directivity of over 15 dB with low loss
and with good VSWR. Available in 6, 10, 20 or 30 dB coupling value, 50 watts power handling
with SMA connectors, operating temp -55 to +85 °C. Sealed and painted to meet IP65 standards ...
 "T-Mobile urged the FCC to adopt changes for rules
regarding 3.5 GHz, echoing sentiments made by CTIA just a few days earlier. The FCC in 2015
proposed a three-tier sharing framework for the
Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in the 3.5 GHz band in an effort
to maximize the use of those airwaves. In a Monday filing with the agency, the nation's third-largest
carrier pushed for the authorization of Priority Access Licenses (PALs) on 10-year terms 'with
renewal expectancy,' urged the FCC to use Partial Economic ..."
 These 1930s vintage multi-component
vacuum tubes were actually the first examples of integrated circuits insofar as they incorporated
two or more different types of amplifiers, or amplifiers and diodes. Just as with semiconductor
integrated circuits, isolation between elements was a concern and necessitated additional
screen grids for that purpose. The triode hexode was developed specifically to solve the issue
of degenerative feedback squelching intended oscillations in the newfangled higher frequency
shortwave radio sets that were all the rage back in the day ...
 "Carbon's unique electron configuration - and ability
to therefore bond in various states — allows the formation of a range of materials: from three-dimensional,
super-hard diamonds to the two-dimensional
opaque graphite used in pencils. The Carnegie creation features a network
of bonds that are both diamond-like and graphite-like. The scientists, in collaboration with
China's Yanshan University, began with a rod of structurally disordered carbon: a material
that looks like black glass. After compressing the 'sp2-hybridized glassy carbon ..."
Monday 26
 "Entangled photon pairs have been separated and sent
to cities in China more than 1200 km apart. This is about 10 times further than had been achieved
previously. The feat was performed using pairs produced on board a Chinese satellite and could
lead to the development of long-distance
quantum cryptography. In August 2016, China launched the world's first
satellite dedicated to testing the fundamentals of quantum communication in space. On board
the $100M Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) spacecraft ..."
 Amateur radio operators take note: Heathkit, which
in years past was a prime supplier of homebuilt ham radio gear, has just announced plans to
manufacture its first piece of test equipment in three decades. "Now there's the Heathkit®
HM-1002: Intuitive, intelligent, affordable, accurate measurement. The next-generation
Heathkit® HM-1002 Precision RF Meter™ picks up where our venerable
SWR / wattmeters of yesteryear -- and everyone else's -- stopped. Incredible new features,
yet simple for beginners to assemble and understand. And you can build and maintain it yourself." ...
 "On Tuesday, the
Radio Equipment Directive became mandatory throughout the European Union.
The R&TTE directive will no longer be used in the European market. The update was originally
published back in May of 2014. The update was published by ETSI, which is responsible for
globally-applicable standards in Information and Communications Technologies. It is officially
recognized as a European Standards Organization. ETSI has more than 800 member companies and
organizations from 68 companies, and is an independent, not-for-profit organization ..."
 NuWaves Engineering, an international Radio Frequency
(RF) and Microwave solutions provider, announces the completion of the IRaD phase for their
miniaturized C-band bidirectional amplifier (BDA), to be added to their line of NuPower XtenderTM
bidirectional amplifier products. The NuPower Xtender™ C20RX01 BDA module, part number
NW-BA-C-20-RX01, follows the recent releases of both the C-Band Low Noise
Amplifier and the C-Band Power Amplifier (NuPowerTM C20R01) as NuWaves looks to push their
presence and expertise to higher-frequency ...
 "If electric cars could recharge while driving down
a highway, it would virtually eliminate concerns about their range and lower their cost, perhaps
making electricity the standard fuel for vehicles. Scientists at Stanford University have
overcome a major hurdle to such a future by
wirelessly transmitting electricity to a nearby moving object. In addition
to advancing the wireless charging of vehicles and personal devices like cellphones, this
new technology may untether robotics in manufacturing, which are also on the move. Scientists
still need to ..."
Sunday 25
 This week's
engineering
crossword puzzle features a theme based on the products and services offered by one of
RF Cafe's supporting advertisers. Clues for words pertaining to the featured company are marked
with an asterisk (*). As is the case every week, the puzzle contains only words pertaining
to engineering, amateur radio, science, physics, mechanics, mathematics, etc. Contact me if
you would like a custom crossword puzzle for ...
Friday 23
 Where else on the Internet other than RF Cafe can you
go for a daily helping of electronics-related material that ranges from the very beginnings
of our chosen vocation through to the latest leading edge developments? That Q is rhetorical
of course - and self-serving to boot ;-) This handy-dandy trick for enhancing the signal
on your AM radio appeared in a 1969 issue of Electronics World. I remember doing
this magnet 'tuning' technique on my small, el cheapo pocket transistor radio that I carried
with me when wiring houses and buildings while working as an electrician many moons ...
 Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine recently
published an interesting article titled
The Puzzle of RF Cosite Interference. "The military relies increasingly
on the RF spectrum for information throughput, sensors, and electronic warfare, yet growing
demands on RF technology can cause systems in close proximity to degrade each other's signals.
The modern military battlespace is overwhelmed with radio-frequency (RF) signals vying for
spectrum. Even without overt RF interference from enemy jamming, radio stations nearby, or
even from civilian cell ..."
 The Electronic
Design Innovation Conference and Exhibition (EDI CON) USA, the first industry event to bring
together RF/microwave and high-speed digital design engineers and system integrators, announced
today the addition of a full day of training to its conference program at the Hynes Convention
Center, September 11-13 in Boston, MA. Organizers of EDI CON have invited industry experts
to teach 3-hour short courses
on relevant topics necessary for success in today's high-speed and high-frequency designs.
The day also includes sponsored 3-hour training ...
 Nope,
this is not a racial slur or tasteless joke. "Chinese authorities on June 20 issued a national
standard for the use of English in the public domain, eradicating poor translations that damage
the country's image. The standard, jointly issued by China's Standardization Administration
and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, aims to improve
the quality of English translations in 13 public arenas, including transportation, entertainment,
medicine and financial services. It will take effect on Dec. 1, 2017 ..."
Thursday 22
 "Its catalog was the
Boys' Life of electronics." - Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, CEO of ARRL,
regarding the second bankruptcy filing for
Radio Shack
(May 2017 QST, p81) ...
 Anatech Electronics, a manufacturer of RF and microwave
filters, has published its June newsletter. As always, it includes both company news and some
tidbits about relevant industry happenings. In it, Sam Benzacar discusses, among other topics,
the ever-increasing occurrence of RF interference in the IoT device population. Both long-occupied
and new areas of the electromagnetic spectrum are experiencing a rise in noise floors, necessitating
challenging filter designs. Anatech's business is to make certain that system and circuit
designers have capable filters available to assure ...
 There is not much chance you will see an advertisement
from
Espey Manufacturing & Electronics now like this one from a 1948 issue of Radio
News magazine. Espey is still in the business of defense electronics, but their advertising
/ public relations group would be hauled into court if they produced copy like that today.
In fact, I hope as a result of my bringing up the subject that some overly sensitive snowflake
won't try to sue them for past offenses. Does this documented instance of former official
company policy suffice as legal proof of a corporate history ...
 My alma mater is in the news! "A new use of
silver at the nanoscale could be the key to developing stretchable electronics such as smartphones,
tablets, and other electronic devices. Researchers at the
University of Vermont have discovered that working with silver at the
nanoscale allows them to create nanowires that have significant strength and the ability to
stretch. Frederic Sansoz, a professor of mechanical engineering at the university, said he
and his research team have been working with gold nanowires for several ..."
 Triad RF Systems announces the availability of their
TTRM1109 - a Bi-Directional SSPA for domestic and foreign military and public safety wireless
links. It can handle any modulation and outputs 10 W typical BPSK and 3 W typical
64QAM OFDM. This class A GaAs module is designed for both military and commercial applications.
It is capable of supporting any signal type and modulation format, including but not limited
to 3-4G telecom, WLAN, OFDM, DVB ...
 "As air-launched munitions get smarter, the Air Force
is creating a new class of weapon—a combination of
drones and missiles. But can they be advanced enough to work, yet cheap
enough that it's okay to lose a few in battle? It has advanced radar, forward-looking infrared
cameras, and laser rangefinders—all used to help the 13-man crew direct a barrage of lethal
fire to the ground from 12,000 feet. But for all of this advanced technology, the vision of
the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command gunships can be thwarted by the threatening
adversary known as a cloudy sky. The USAF has a solution ..."
Wednesday 21
 "In an extract from his new book, Brian Merchant reveals
how he gained access to Longhua, the vast complex where iPhones are made and where, in 2010,
unhappy workers started killing themselves. The sprawling factory compound, all grey dormitories
and weather-beaten warehouses, blends seamlessly into the outskirts of the Shenzhen megalopolis.
Foxconn's enormous Longhua plant is a major manufacturer of Apple products.
It might be the best-known factory in the world; it might also might be among the most secretive ..."
 Rugged
VNA RF Test Cables
to 18, 27 and 40 GHz. 18 GHz options include SMA, Type-N and TNC Higher Frequency
solutions include; 3.5mm, 2.92mm and 2.4mm. Also offered is ConductRF's Hi-Flex VNA Series
to 50 and 70 GHz phase stable & low loss professional series with light armor protection
and NMD head options. In-stock at
Newark.
Visit ConductRF today for these and many other cabling options ...
 This article from a 1970 issue of Popular Electronics
is a timely mate to the monthly list of career-related resources I posted today since it discusses
jobs in electronics not necessarily at the degreed engineer level. Along with both diploma
and certificate programs by local colleges, home study courses in electronics have been around
since the early part of the last century.
Cleveland Institute of Electronics began offering courses by mail in 1934, and has been
running advertisements in trade and technology magazines for as long as I can remember. It
is still in business today ...
 Visitors to RF Cafe cover a very broad spectrum of engineers,
technicians, students, managers, hobbyists, and researchers. That is why I included one particular
career story titled "10 High-Paying Blue-Collar Jobs." Having begun my lifelong pursuit of
all things involving controlled movement of electrons as an electrician, I know firsthand
that you do not have to earn a college degree in order to work in a high paying, technically
challenging job. Another article addresses a topic of growing interest -
changing careers in your 50s (and beyond). Per the author: "...about 40%
of Americans who were still working when they turned 62 had moved to a new ...
 "Spending on RF high-power semiconductors for the wireless
infrastructure markets continues to flatten out this year, despite the fact that the overall
market hit well over $1.4B in 2016. While certain market and sub-market segments are showing
moderate growth, Gallium Nitride (GaN) is capturing meaningful market share of
RF high-power semiconductors, especially in wireless infrastructure. The
technology will drive Gallium Nitride's share of RF Power semiconductor revenues to more than
double between 2016 and 2022. According to a research ..."
 Accubend,
of Plantsville, Connecticut, is a manufacturer of precision waveguide bends in sizes ranging from WR22 to WR137 and
can form thin wall waveguide in sizes ranging from WR28 to WR75. Also double-ridged waveguide
sizes WRD475, WRD750, WRD650, and WRD580. They stock many of these in aluminum and OFHC for
quick turnaround. Please contact Accubend at 860 378-0303. They have been added to the
Waveguide Vendors page on RF Cafe.
Tuesday 20
 This 'Bluebird'
radio from Sparton has to be one of the most unique models of its era. It is one of six vintage
vacuum tube radios featured in a 1936 issue of Radio-Craft magazine. These schematics,
tuning instructions, and other data are reproduced from my collection of vintage radio and
electronics magazines. There are 199 Radio Service Data Sheets ...
•
RCA Victor Model M109 "De Luxe" •
Crosley
Model 6625 •
International Model 77 'Kadette' •
Sparton
Models 566 '"Bluebird' •
Atwater Kent 776 Auto Radio •
Stromberg-Carlson No. 61
Are Left-Handed People More Gifted Than Others?
 Hmmm... I'm a southpaw and I never received more gifts
than my four sisters at Christmas or for my birthday, so probably not ;-) "The belief
that there is a link between talent and
left-handedness has a long history. Leonardo da Vinci was left-handed.
So were Mark Twain, Mozart, Marie Curie, Nicola Tesla and Aristotle. It's no different today
– former U.S. president Barack Obama is a left-hander, as is business leader Bill Gates and
footballer Lionel Messi. But is it really true that left-handers are more likely to be geniuses?
Let's take a look ..."
 Being a great appreciator of good humor, and especially
technology-related humor, I made sure to scan these
tech-themed comics from the pages of vintage Radio-Electronics magazines. Some
of the same themes from half a century ago are still applicable today - like inventing a device
that will block television commercials. There are a couple huge differences between then and
now, though. For one thing, the percentage of each hour consumed by commercials has nearly
doubled since 1958 ...
 Title: "Design Considerations and Tradeoffs for Microstrip, Coplanar and Stripline
Structures at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies" When: Tuesday,
June 20, 2017 11:00 am EDT Info: "RF technology using Printed
Circuit Boards (PCBs) typically has several common basic structures which are manipulated
to accommodate the intent of the design. Some common structures used for RF PCB applications
are microstrip, coplanar and stripline circuit configurations. These ..."
 Saelig Company announces the availability of the
Mercury™ T2C USB 2.0 & Power Delivery Protocol Analyzer that offers the newest USB
Type-C connection. The Mercury T2C is a small and affordable hardware-based USB protocol analyzer.
It is the industry's first ultra-portable, hardware-based, USB and Power Delivery protocol
analyzer. It combines the de-facto standard CATC Trace™ display, comprehensive USB class decoding,
and PD 2.0 protocol analysis. The pocket-sized, bus-powered Mercury T2C sits in-line between
host ...
 "Positivity over pay levels is tempered by concerns
over skills, diversity and Brexit in The Engineer's 2017 salary survey.
Salaries for UK engineers have increased by 6.6% on average over the last
twelve months, according to The Engineer's 2017 salary survey, which is published today. Whilst
the average salary for UK engineers stood at £45k in 2016, our 2017 report - which is based
on responses from 2743 engineers working across a range of sectors - shows an increase to
£48k. Despite general dissatisfaction amongst respondents with the levels of remuneration ..."
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