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4 of the December 2018 homepage archives. Friday 14
 Triad RF Systems, a top-tier designer and
manufacturer of RF and microwave amplifiers, announces the introduction of their
TTRM1123 high power bi-directional amplifier (BDA) that utilizes
the latest LDMOS technology to provide over 60 W of linear power in S-Band.
The unit is designed to be integrated in any system that requires high power, high
efficiency and high linearity in the entire 2200 - 2500 MHz band. In transmit
mode, the amplifier provides 28 dB of small signal gain and can produce over
10 W of 64 QAM OFDM power across the band! In receive mode, the unit has 11 dB
of small signal gain with a noise figure of 2 dB. The unit can be configured to
auto switch to transmit when RF is present...
 "The boy and his father had just witnessed
a demonstration of one of the most promising and fastest developing technological
devices ever conceived by man - the laser. In only three whirlwind years, the laser
- which gets its name from the initials of Light
Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation - has moved
out of the theory stage, out of the laboratory curiosity category, and into a whole
new, exciting world of applications." That's the opening of an article in the July
1963 edition of Popular Electronics. I remember when ruby lasers were the
the rule rather than the exception for lasers. Power levels were measured in units
of 'Gillettes' in reference in the number of razor blades they could cut through.
Next came chemical lasers with power levels in the megawatts and now even gigawatts
that can take out ICBM warheads as they reenter the atmosphere and can fry orbiting
satellites...
 For some inexplicable reason, inquires have
been coming in regarding whatever happened to the RF Cafe Forums, which I discontinued
in 2012 due to high maintenance. Spam got so bad, even with Captcha and other filtering
schemes, that I got tired of spending time every day cleaning out the posts. Maybe
people are getting weary of Facebook and Twitter. I stopped using both of them,
and only do LinkedIn
now. Anyway, I dug out the old posts and republished them as an archive. There's
lots of good information there. At some point I'll look into the phpBB software
to see if it has gotten any better at thwarting spammers, and re-start the RF Cafe
Forums if so...
 Fairview Microwave, a leading provider of
on-demand RF and microwave components, has unveiled a new line of
seamless and twistable flexible waveguides covering 10 frequency
bands from WR-137 to WR-22 and operating in the 5.85 GHz to 50 GHz range.
Typical applications include base stations, DAS systems, antennas and test instrumentation.
Fairview Microwave's new line of flexible waveguides consists of 78 models - 39
seamless and 39 twistable, all operating in the same wide range of frequencies.
All models are offered with UG-style square/round cover and CPR-style flanges, and
are available in lengths of 6 to 36-inches...
 Anatech Electronics (AEI) manufactures and
supplies RF and microwave
filters for military and commercial communication systems, providing
standard LP, HP, BP, BS, notch, diplexer, and custom RF filters, and RF
products. Standard RF filter and cable assembly products are published in our
website database for ease of procurement. Custom RF filters designs are used
when a standard cannot be found, or the requirements dictate a custom approach.
Please visit Anatech today to see how they can help your project succeed...
 "The gyroscope is smaller than a grain of
rice - about 500 times smaller than the current state-of-the-art device.
Gyroscopes are devices that help vehicles, drones, and wearable
and handheld electronic devices know their orientation in three-dimensional space.
Originally, gyroscopes were sets of nested wheels, each spinning on a different
axis. But in a cellphone, a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor measures
changes in the forces acting on two identical masses that are oscillating and moving
in opposite directions. These MEMS gyroscopes are limited in their sensitivity,
so optical gyroscopes have been developed to perform the same function but with
no moving parts and a greater degree of accuracy using a phenomenon called the Sagnac
effect..."
Thursday 13
 Popular Electronics editor Milton
Snitzer announced to readers in the final issue of 1971 that the first issue of
1972 will represent a merging with its sister magazine, Electronics World.
It also adopted the larger physical format of Electronics World. Although
both magazines provided a mix of product reviews, experimental and DIY circuit articles,
Ham radio, tutorials on components (transistors, speakers, printed circuit boards,
etc.), and industry news,
Popular Electronics tended to be directed more toward hobbyists
while Electronics World catered more to the professional reader. The new
format began incorporating troubleshooting tips, business tips on customer relations
and finance, and defense / commercial applications. Fortunately, it also inherited
the "Mac's Service Shop" stories, which was really nice since the Carl & Jerry
episodes ended in 1964.. BTW, Electronics World was a re-branding of the previous
Radio & TV News magazine that occurred in March of 1959...
 Skyworks Solutions, an innovator of high
performance analog semiconductors connecting people, has unveiled its latest cellular
infrastructure innovation, the
SKY66313-11, a wide instantaneous bandwidth power amplifier with
industry-leading efficiency for FDD/TDD 4G LTE and 5G applications. This breakthrough
solution is utilized in small cell and massive MIMO base stations to deliver higher
data rates and enhanced network efficiency that result in improved carrier capacity
and greater coverage for data-intensive, multimedia and Internet of Things devices.
The amplifier's highly efficient design boasts fully-matched input/output and high
gain for best-in-class operation. With an integrated on-chip active bias circuit,
the device provides excellent performance over temperature...
 Arrow Electronics has a deal worked out with
OrCAD that provides free access to an online version of the schematic drawing tool.
"OrCAD® Capture Cloud
is a cloud-based design capture tool that provides the design capabilities of OrCAD
Capture on Web. This web interface provides you a collaborative, quick, intuitive,
and easy method of capturing your designs, without having to worry about downloading
and installing the tool, or configuring the licenses. OrCAD Capture Cloud integration
with Arrow allows you to access a huge repository of parts and reference designs,
thereby accelerating your design capture cycle."
OrCAD PCB Designer does not appear to be part of the package,
nor is their
PSpice Designer simulator. Keep in mind that anything you create
there is accessible to others, so no proprietary work should be done with it...
 There are still a lot of people who wind
their own coils, whether it be for an amateur radio rig or for work in the lab.
I know I've wound many a coil around a drill bit or wooden dowel - a somewhat awkward
task. This simple
coil winding machine that appeared in a 1931 edition of the ARRL's
QST magazine would be a handy addition to anyone's bag of tricks, especially
if you find yourself winding single-layer coils that have a precise, fixed space
between the windings. The home stores like Lowes and Home Depot sell small pieces
of oak and maple that would be perfect for this kind of project. Soft woods like
pine and poplar would not hold up as well under the strain of winding wire. Use
your soldering iron to burn your name onto the base. A little stain and a coat of
varnish would give it a real vintage look...
 Res-Net Microwave has a complete line of precision
RF &
microwave components including attenuators, terminations, resistors, and diode
detectors for commercial, military, and space applications. Products range from
the small flange type to large 2,000 watt connectorized power attenuators and/or
terminations at frequencies up to 26.5 GHz. In-house photo etch and laser trim
capability. Please check out Res-Net Microwave's website to see how they can
help with your current project...
 "Mutliferroics are promising candidates for new type of memory
and logic circuits. Scientists in industry and academia are looking for new materials
to succeed highly successful semiconductor transistors. Scientists have hit on a
very promising post-transistor technology: multiferroics, which use magnetic spin
states instead of electron charge to store binary data. They have shown that these
MESO (magneto-electric spin-orbit) devices can greatly improve energy efficiency
and pack more logic devices onto a chip. Researchers from Intel Corp. and UC Berkeley,
are looking beyond current transistor technology and preparing the way for a new
type of memory and logic circuit that could someday be in every computer on the
planet..."
Wednesday 12
 When I originally tagged this Electronics
magazine article for posting, it was before Golden State Warriors guard Stephen
Curry tapped into his immense cerebral power to inform us all that NASA has been
faking its accomplishments in space - notably all the moon landings. Now, based
on such unimpeachable authority, I'm not so sure this story should even be posted,
lest it potentially perpetuate a long-running ruse. In the manner of contemporary
news pieces reporting on criminal activity while avoiding legal claims of libel
or character assassination, please mentally preface all of the claims here with
"alleged" or "allegedly." The world's first successful spacecraft rendezvous, accomplished
by
Gemini 6 and Gemini 7, happened on December 15, 1965.
Both astronaut crews participated in many communications experiments that included
radio, visual, and laser media...
 Stop
me if you've heard this one before. It starts out: "Five bald guys walk up to a
bar and say, 'We work for a company called Koaxis that makes premium small diameter coaxial RF and microwave
cable assemblies...'" Now, lest you think me rude to refer to the follicle-challenged
gents on the Koaxis website in this manner, know that they proudly own their condition.
In fact Koaxis offers you as its contact means: Call a Bald Guy +1 (610) 222-0154,
Email a Bald Guy sales@koaxis.com,
and Find a Bald Rep click
here. Be it known also that Koaxis is a woman-owned small business. The
5 Bald Guys have anticipated
your logically-asked question and answer preemptively, "Yes, she has hair and No,
she does not like the spotlight." They deserve a call from you, don't you think
so?...
 This is the first of a three-part series
on
radio detector circuits by Mr. Robert Scott. He begins in this
article with describing diode action and progresses to uses in various types of
signal detectors in radio receivers. A discussion of modulation and distortion sources
is included as well. The strange-looking schematic symbols are vacuum tubes, which
used metallic elements separated by space as functional elements rather than fused
sand containing traces of impurities. Don't be intimidated, though; just think of
them as field effect transistors (FETs) where the plate is the drain, the grid is
the gate, and the cathode is the source. The next article in the series discusses
hi-fidelity triode detectors; the plate rectifier, infinite-impedance detectors,
grid rectification, and regenerative circuits...
 QuinStar Technology designs and manufactures
mm-wave products for communication,
scientific, and test applications along with providing microelectronic assembly,
rapid prototyping, and mass customization. Amplifiers, Oscillators, Switches, Attenuators,
Circulators, Isolators, Filters, Waveguide, Antennas, Phase Shifters, Transceivers,
Mixers, Detectors. QuinStar specializes in cryogenic amplifiers,
circulators, and isolators. Please visit QuinStar today to see how they can help
your project...
 With more than 780 custom-built
symbols, this has got to be the most comprehensive set of
Visio Stencils available for RF, analog, and digital system and
schematic drawings! Every object has been built from scratch to fit proportionally
on the provided A- and B-size drawing page templates (you
can use your own page if preferred). Components are provided for equipment
racks (EIA and ETSI) and test equipment, system block
diagrams and conceptual drawings, and for schematics...
 Advanced Test Equipment Corporation (ATEC)
today announced the launch of a new line of RF and microwave power amplifiers.
Advanced Amplifiers is a provider of next generation solid state
RF power amplifiers and microwave amplifiers, offering continuous wave and pulse
amplifiers with a variety of frequencies and power. Launched by Advanced Test Equipment
Corp., a rental and sales industry leader in test and measurement equipment technology,
Advanced Amplifiers offers "state-of-the-art" technology to a variety of industries.
The Advanced Amplifiers line of ultra-high linearity amplifiers revolutionizes RF
power amplifier design with their unique high-power density and small size form
factor, high energy efficiency and simple front panel...
 Axiom Test Equipment
allows you to rent or
buy test
equipment, repair
test equipment, or sell
or trade test equipment. They are committed to providing superior customer service
and high quality electronic test equipment. Axiom offers customers several practical,
efficient, and cost effective solutions for their projects' TE needs and is committed
to providing superior customer service and high quality electronic test equipment.
Please check out Axiom Test Equipment today!...
 "NASA spacecraft typically rely on human-controlled
radio systems to communicate with Earth. As collection of space data increases,
NASA looks to alternative radio technologies to meet demand and increase efficiency.
The growth of Software Defined Radios (SDRs), such as
cognitive radio, offers NASA the opportunity to improve the way
space missions develop and operate space transceivers for communications, networking,
and navigation. Reconfigurable SDRs provide the capability to change the functionality
of the radio during a mission and optimize the data capabilities. The ability to
change the operating characteristics of a radio through software once deployed to
space..."
Tuesday 11
 Steerable phased array antenna systems used
to be the exclusive domain of military and aerospace radar and electronics warfare
systems. The expense involved in both the hardware and the electronics required
for controlling the beam was expensive and complicated. Larger
phased array antennas for lower frequency bands are still relatively
expensive. However, small cell wireless phone and WiFi applications in the 2.4 GHz
and higher bands are seeing the development and deployment of phased arrays that
will search for and track individual users in order to allocate antenna gain and
signal power where it is needed, rather than using an omnidirectional radiation
pattern. Physically steered directional antennas are not capable of the speeds needed
to do the job. In the last couple years, MMIC phased antenna arrays have begun appearing
in the news for millimeter-wave systems...
 Axiom Test Equipment, a premier provider
of electronic test and measurement equipment rentals and sales, has posted a white
paper titled, "Analyzers Open Eyes to Optical Measurements." Optical communications
systems are highly regarded for their generous bandwidths and capabilities of transferring
massive amounts of data during extremely short transmission times. Of course, those
systems rely on durable, high-performance components connected by single-mode (SM)
and multi-mode (MM) cables, which must be checked and maintained at regular intervals.
That can be done using fiber-optic test equipment designed specifically for the
task...
 When you read a lot of tutorials about
introductory electronics on the Internet, most are the same format
where stoic, scholarly presentations of the facts are given. Those of you who don't
have enough fingers and toes to count all of the college textbooks like that which
you have read know of what I speak. When hobby articles are written in a similar
fashion, it can quickly discourage the neophyte tinkerer or maybe even a future
Bob Pease. QST has printed a plethora of articles over the years that are
more of a story than just a presentation of the facts. My guess is the reason is
because often the authors are not university professors who have forgotten how to
speak to beginners. This article on basic calculations for AC series and parallel
circuits is a prime example...
 RF Cafe typically receives
810,000-15,000
website visits each weekday and about half that on
weekends. RF Cafe is a favorite of engineers, technicians, hobbyists, and students
all over the world. With more than 7,000 pages in the Google search index, RF Cafe
returns in favorable positions on many types of key searches, both for text and
images. New content is added on a daily basis, which keeps the major search engines
interested enough to spider it multiple times each day. Items added on the homepage
often can be found in a Google search within a few hours of being posted. I also
re-broadcast homepage items on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. If you need your
company news to be seen, RF Cafe is the place to be. Banner advertising begins
at $150/month...
 Centric RF is a company offering from stock
various RF and Microwave coaxial
components, including attenuators, adapters, cable assemblies, terminations,
power dividers, and more. We believe in offering high performance parts from stock
at a reasonable cost. Frequency ranges of 0-110 GHz at power levels from 0.5-500
watts are available off the shield. Order today, ship today! Centric RF is currently
looking for vendors to partner with them. Please visit Centric RF today...
 New predictions of Moore's Law ending in
10 years occur about as often as new AGW predictions of costal flooding in 10 years.
"A novel field emission transistor that uses air gaps could breathe life into
Moore's Law. It is widely predicted that the doubling of silicon
transistors per unit area every two years will come to an end around 2025 as the
technology reaches its physical limits. But researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne,
Australia, believe a metal-based field emission air channel transistor (ACT) they
have developed could maintain transistor doubling for another two decades..."
Monday 10
 Popular Electronics magazine ran
a monthly series titled, "Opportunity Awareness" that addressed issues on continuing education,
networking, and job performance as a means of advancing one's career. Fundamentally,
nothing has changed in that aspect; however, the specialty areas for various levels
of education and experience has shifted from where they were in 1971 when this chart
was created. Host David Heiserman often fielded questions submitted by readers.
As one who spent many evenings sitting in evening college classes while working
on an Associate's degree, a Bachelor's degree, and a few credits toward a Master's
degree, I can relate to the guy who wrote about taking night courses in an effort
to get into the electronics field. I was already working...
 Yesterday,
December 9th,
I had Admiral Grace Hopper featured on the RF Cafe logo, it being her birthday.
This piece about her appears on the Interesting Engineering website: "Grace Hopper's pioneering work gave us the Information Age. The
number of women in computer science fields has been in the news a lot lately as
companies like Google and Facebook face repeated criticism for their relative lack
of diversity when it comes to women and other under-represented groups. For many,
this might give the impression that women haven't been at the cutting edge of innovation
in science and technology, but this is the exact opposite of the truth. Without
the incredible work of Grace Hopper, the world would be a radically different place
than it is today..."
 Triad RF Systems, a top-tier designer and
manufacturer of RF and microwave amplifiers, announces the introduction of their
TA4002R RF power amplifier, designed for the 4,000 to 5,000 MHz
frequency band with an output power of 10 watts. The TA4002R utilizes the latest
GaN technology to provide 10 W of power in the C-1 and C-2 bands. The unit
is designed to be integrated in any system that requires high power, high efficiency
and high linearity in the entire 4,400 MHz to 5,000 MHz band. The amplifier
provides 23 dB of small signal gain and can produce over 2 W of 64 QAM
OFDM power. The compact unit measures only 2.73 x 2.53 x 1.31" and maintains a low
operating temperature due to its built-in heat sink...
 I
am in the process of building a Douglas DC-3 control line model that uses a pair
of ElectriFly Rimfire .10 motors, and wanted to know whether it would be possible
to use a single electronic speed controller (ESC) for them. Unlike brushed DC motors
with which you can - and I have in the past - gotten away with
powering two motors from a single ESC, the brushless motors use
a three-phase signal that is both amplitude and pulse width modulated. Such a waveform
is not likely to be able to drive more than one motor properly, particularly given
the motor's interaction with the ESC due to its time-variable complex impedance.
I did a fairly extensive Internet search trying to find a definitive answer as to
whether it can be done, but they were all just guesses. Many people
seemed very knowledgeable on brushless motors and their controllers...
 Since 1961, MECA
Electronics has designed and manufactured an extensive line of
RF & microwave
components for in-building, satellite, radar, radio, telemetry, mobile radio,
aviation & ATC. Attenuators, directional & hybrid couplers, isolators &
circulators, power dividers & combiners, loads, DC blocks, bias-Ts and adapters &
cables. MECA has long been the 'backbone' of high performance wired and air-interfaced
networks such as in-building applications, satellite communications, radar, radio
communications, telemetry applications, mobile radio, aviation & air traffic
communications...
New IEEE Standard for Network-Based
Coexistence of Lightly Licensed Devices
 "IEEE and IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA)
have published the IEEE 802.19.1-2018 standard, Part 19:
Wireless Network Coexistence Methods. The new standard enables
the IEEE 802 family of wireless standards to effectively utilize license-exempt
or lightly licensed devices by providing standardized coexistence methods among
dissimilar or independently operated wireless networks under general authorization.
It will help ensure fair and efficient spectrum sharing. Finalized in June 2018,
IEEE 802.19.1 specifies radio technology independent methods for network-based coexistence
among dissimilar or independently operated networks. The standard is defined for
geolocation-capable devices operating under general authorization such as TV band
White Spaces (TVWS)..."
Sunday 9
 Each week, for the sake of all avid cruciverbalists
amongst us, I create a new
technology-themed crossword puzzle using only words from my custom-created
lexicon related to engineering, science, mathematics, chemistry, physics, astronomy,
etc. You will never find among the words names of politicians, mountain ranges,
exotic foods or plants, movie stars, or anything of the sort. You might, however,
see someone or something in the exclusion list who or that is directly related to
this puzzle's theme, such as Hedy Lamar or the Bikini Atoll, respectively. Enjoy...
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