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homepage archives.
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 - 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 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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