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5 of the October 2018 homepage archives. 
Friday 5
 The decade of the 1960's was an exciting and fast-moving
time for electronics, being that it was the beginning of a major paradigm change from
vacuum tubes to transistors, from discrete circuit components to integrated circuits,
and from point-to-point wiring to printed circuit boards. Computers were on the verge
of moving out of university labs and corporate research and development centers to small
businesses and retail headquarters. Electronic calculators were replacing mechanical
calculators. Digital systems were replacing analog systems.
Electronics training schools were in their collective heyday. Training
prospects lined up in droves and competed to gain acceptance into the
institutes. Home-study courses provided theory and hands-on building and
troubleshooting...
 This is the electronics market prediction for
Belgium, circa 1966. It was part of a comprehensive assessment by the editors of
Electronics magazine of the state of commercial, military, and consumer
electronics at the end of 1965. Military systems for NATO and television sets
were a big part of the picture. Unless you can find a news story on the state of
the industry, detailed reports must be purchased from research companies. Their
websites have a lot of charts on Belgium's current electronics market showing
revenue in the consumer electronics segment amounts of US$1,295M in 2018...
 Martin Rowe has a brief note titled, "VNAs Measure More Than Components,"
discussing applications for the vector network analyzer (VNA) posted on the EDN
website. He mentions the availability of low-cost USB-type VNA's that have
brought such instruments within the budgets of more designers. "RF engineers use
(VNAs to characterize components such as connectors, cables, filters,
amplifiers, PCB traces. VNAs have also become important tools for signal
integrity engineers. But, the high-end bench VNAs that these engineers often use
are expensive, running hundreds of thousands of dollars. Lower-cost handheld and
USB VNAs have made scattering parameters (S-parameters) measurements..."
 This is the electronics market prediction for
Denmark, circa 1966. It was part of a comprehensive assessment by the editors of
Electronics magazine of the state of commercial, military, and consumer
electronics at the end of 1965. Unless you can find a news story on the state of
the industry, detailed reports must be purchased from research companies. Their
websites have a lot of charts on Denmark's current electronics market showing
revenue in the consumer electronics segment amounts of US$1,020M in 2018...
 KR Electronics designs and manufactures high quality
filters for both the commercial and military markets. KR Electronics manufactures all
filter types: lowpass, highpass,
bandpass, bandstop and individually synthesizes filters for special applications - both
commercial and military. State of the art computer synthesis, analysis and test methods
are used to meet the most challenging specifications. Please visit their website today
to see how they might be of assistance...
 "Over the past few months, the spacecraft manufacturing
company SSL put the finishing touches on 3
massive communications satellites. It built two of them for Canadian
operator Telesat. Then it initiated its plan to have them launched, one after the other,
into distinct geosynchronous orbits 36,000 km above Earth - perches that will keep
each satellite hovering over a particular spot, even as the planet turns. From their
respective vantage points, the pair built for Telesat will deliver high-speed
communications services, including broadband Internet, to Asia and the Americas
for the next 15 years. At more than 7,000 kg, Telstar 19 Vantage..."
Thursday 4
 Pasternack, a leading provider of RF, microwave
and millimeter wave products, has introduced a new line of twistable and seamless
flexible waveguides operating in the 5.85 GHz to 50 GHz
range and covering 10 frequency bands from WR-137 to WR-22. Typical applications include
DAS systems, base stations, antennas and test instrumentation. Pasternack's
newly released line of flexible waveguides is made-up of 78 total models – 39
seamless and 39 twistable. All models operate in the same wide range of
frequencies, are available in lengths of 6 to 36-inches and with UG-style
square/round cover and CPR-style flanges. The twistable models are able to twist
in different directions...
 This is the electronics market prediction for
Austria, circa 1966. It was part of a comprehensive assessment by
the editors of Electronics magazine of the state of commercial,
military, and consumer electronics at the end of 1965. Interesting is the
comment about Austria importing of computers to be leased to Communist countries
in Eastern Europe. It is not clear whether Austria was importing or producing
televisions. "Invest in Austria" is a contemporary website set up to promote
business in the country. Separate reports are included for West Germany, the
United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland...
 RF
Cafe's continued existence depends on companies like ERZIA providing support. ERZIA produces
microwave and mm-wave modular amplifiers
and integrated assemblies operating from low frequencies up to 100 GHz. Their
catalogue of standard amplifier modules comprises more than 100 different
models, having also a high capacity of customization for amplifiers and
integrated assemblies. Some of products have space heritage and are used in
aerospace, commercial, military and scientific systems, having a wide range of
final applications...
 This is why we should not be buying military or
national security hardware and computer equipment from China. We knew they were doing
this and that some politicians were getting graft money. "The attack by
Chinese spies
reached almost 30 U.S. companies, including Amazon and Apple, by compromising
America's technology supply chain, according to extensive interviews with
government and corporate sources. Nested on the servers' motherboards, the
testers found a tiny microchip, not much bigger than a grain of rice, that
wasn't part of the boards' original design. In 2015, Amazon.com Inc. began
quietly evaluating a startup called Elemental Technologies, a potential
acquisition to help with a major expansion of its streaming video service, known
today as Amazon Prime Video..."
 These
electronics-themed comics from vintage issues of electronics magazines were usually
funny even without being privy to the particulars of the topic to which it alludes. A
couple guys shipwrecked on a floating hunk of wooden hull is usually the basis for a
laughable comic. However, in this case the zip code mention was particularly significant
in 1965 since the U.S. Post Office had only recently, in 1963, implemented the nationwide
5-digit zip code system, so it was in the news and in the forefront of people's minds.
High fidelity stereo systems were also all the rage in the mid 1960's, as evidenced by
all the print space allocated to it in Popular Electronics and other
magazines...
 Innovative Power Products (IPP) has over 30 years
of experience designing & manufacturing RF & microwave passive components. Their
high power, broadband couplers,
combiners, resistors, baluns, terminations and attenuators are fabricated
using the latest materials and design tools available, resulting in unrivaled
product performance. Applications in military, medical, industrial and
commercial markets. Take a couple minutes to visit their website and see how IPP
can help you today...
 "Researchers based in Sweden have developed thinner
III-nitride structures on silicon carbide (SiC) with a view to high-power
and high-frequency thin high-electron-mobility transistors (T-HEMTs) and other devices.
Rather than having a ~1-2 μm-thick gallium nitride (GaN) buffer layer, the new structure
uses a high-quality 60 nm grain-boundary-free aluminium nitride (AlN)
nucleation layer to avoid extended defects over large areas. The nucleation
layer allows high-quality GaN to be grown within 0.2 μm. The normally thick
buffer layers are used to transition and reduce defects arising from the 3.5%
lattice mismatch..."
Wednesday 3
Notable Quote: Filtering in the
Time Domain
 The unofficial
RF Cafe grammar checker is a retired electrical engineer / ham radio operator. While
discussing filters
lately, he wrote this: "Sometimes filters just aren't worth the hassle, for
instance many moons ago I acquired a 1,000 foot reel of wire that I used to make
a 1,000 foot long wire antenna for a crystal radio, but unfortunately there was
a 50 kW 'blowtorch' of a station nearby and I couldn't realistically filter it
out and any filtering I did try would just add loss, but I knew the station went
off the air for 'regularly scheduled maintenance' so I just waited until they
were off the air and the band was wide open! If you want to pick nits, I guess
you could say that I filtered that station in the time domain instead of the
frequency domain." Brilliant...
 ConductRF
offers a diverse range of solutions for common applications including
Low PIM cables.
Flexible and hand-formable, corrugated, multiple connector and cable
combinations. ConductRF has a wide range of "Performance" related solutions
built and 100% tested up to 70 GHz at our own facility. If your solution
requires Low Loss or VSWR or if you have ruggedization or waterproofing needs,
we see this as a performance solution which requires our expertise to turn in to
finished product solution for you. Built in the USA...
 This is the electronics market prediction for
France, circa 1966. It was part of a comprehensive assessment by the editors of
Electronics magazine of the state of commercial, military, and consumer electronics
at the end of 1965. President Charles de Gaulle wanted more money spent on the military
- their "force de frappe" (strike force). Compagnie Générale de Télégraphie Sans Fil
(later Thomson CSF) was building ground and airborne radars, IC productions was ramping
up; computers were coming online, and basic R&D funding was increasing. Unless you
can find a news story on the state of the industry, detailed reports must be purchased
from research companies like Statista. Their website has a lot of charts on
France's current electronics market showing revenue in the consumer...
 If you were not able to attend
EuMW2018 - or even if you were there - you will want to review the
extensive coverage of the event as provided by everythingRF. "The European Microwave
Exhibition is the largest trade show dedicated to Microwaves and RF in Europe, with over
8,000 sq.m. of gross exhibition space for around 4,000 key visitors and 1,500 -
1,700 conference delegates. More than 300 international exhibitors come here to
showcase products, technological developments and form relationships with
relevant and interested spectators including academics, professionals and
industry figureheads. It also offers a forum for discussing trends and
exchanging scientific and technical information in the domain of microwave, RF,
wireless and radar technologies..."
 Wavecontrol manufactures
instruments for EMI / RFI measurement,
monitoring and evaluation of human exposure to electromagnetic fields (field strength
meters, EM exposure, EM maps). Our calibration laboratory (LabCal Wavecontrol) is ENAC
accredited and recognized in most countries around the world through the ILAC network.
All devices manufactured by Wavecontrol are delivered standard with ISO 17025
accredited individual calibration at no extra cost, as a further indication of
our commitment to quality and reliable measurement...
 Since
2003, Bittele Electronics has consistently provided low-volume, electronic contract manufacturing
(ECM) and turnkey PCB assembly services. It specializes in board level turnkey
PCB assembly
for design engineers needing low volume or prototype multi-layer printed circuit boards.
Free Passive Components: Bittele Electronics is taking
one further step in its commitment of offering the best service to clients of its PCB
assembly business. Bittele is now offering common passive components to its clients FREE
of Charge...
 "According to a report by Research And Markets,
the global RF cable market is set to grow at a CAGR of 8.65% during the period 2018-2022.
The Global Radio Frequency
(RF) Cable Market
2018-2022 report, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with
inputs from industry experts. The report also includes a discussion of the key
vendors operating in this market. To calculate the market size, the report
considers the revenue generated from the use of RF signals through coaxial
cables and other cables. One of the major drivers for this market is the
increasing development of smart cities. Countries across the globe are focusing
on the development of smart cities to manage assets and resources efficiently.
Furthermore, the government..."
Tuesday 2
 The final 1965 edition of Electronics
magazine produced reports on the status of electronics markets in
Western Europe and Russia. This is the opening statement proclaiming "The
boom continues." Separate reports are included for West Germany (the Berlin Wall
was still up then), the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Austria, Sweden,
Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Italy are covered in separate
sections. Russia, although obviously not part of Europe, is also covered. All
will be posted within the next couple weeks for the benefit of historians...
 Steven Pong, Product Manager, at Pasternack, has
a nice meat-and-potatoes type article titled, "Power Dividers: Basic Tools Designers Can't Live Without,"
in the September 2018 issue of Microwaves & RF magazine. "Upon first inspection,
power dividers appear to be simple devices that require little knowledge on the
part of designers. Nothing could be further from the truth. When input power
must be split among multiple transistors in an amplifier, the amplifiers
themselves, antennas, or in an enormous number of other scenarios, power
dividers are the answer. Not surprisingly, they are manufactured by dozens of
companies throughout the world and represent a significant portion of the RF and
microwave passive-component market. At first glance, RF and microwave power
dividers appear simple..."
 Here is an advertisement by
Emerson Radio and Television from the November 6, 1948, edition of the The Saturday
Evening Post. By 1948, America and the free world was well into the
conversion of wartime production back into commercial and consumer products.
After many long years of allocating factory space, personnel, and resources to
beating back the forces of Communism, Marxism, Socialism, and other evil forms
of 'isms," the good times were returning. FM radio broadcasting stations were
increasing rapidly in number, providing static-free listening even in areas of
weak reception. Television was still a relatively new phenomenon for most
households. The tabletop Model 571 "Image Perfection" television carried a price
of $299.50 in 1948, which is the equivalent of a whopping $3,186* in 2018...
 Anatech Electronics, Inc. offers the industry's
largest portfolio of high-performance standard and customized
RF and microwave filters
and filter-related products for military, commercial, aerospace and defense, and
industrial applications up to 40 GHz. Anatech has introduced three new filter
designs: a 2,020-2,080 MHz / 2,200-2,260 MHz cavity duplexer with SMA
connectors; a 10,700 MHz cavity bandpass filter with SMA connectors; and a
surface-mount 1,000 MHz ceramic bandpass filter. Custom RF filters designs are
used when a standard cannot be found, or the requirements are such that a custom
approach is necessary...
 Windfreak Technologies designs, manufactures, tests
and sells high value USB powered and controlled radio frequency products such as RF signal
generators, RF synthesizers, RF power detectors, mixers, up / downconverters. Since the
conception of WFT, we have introduced products that have been purchased by a wide range
of customers, from hobbyists to education facilities to government agencies. Worldwide
customers include Europe, Australia, and Asia. Please contact Windfreak today to learn
how they might help you with your current project...
 "While the advent of next gen electronics and
IoT does seems closer that ever before, one of the prime reasons of their delayed launch,
according to researchers at Drexel, is seamlessly integrating antennas in to flexible
'things.' A recent breakthrough by researchers at Drexel's College of Engineering, has
led to the development of spray on antennas. This new technology could make installing
an antenna as easy as applying some bug spray. In a research paper published in Science
Advances, the Drexel Engineering group talked about a method for
spraying invisibly thin antennas, made from a type of two-dimensional,
metallic material called MXene. The antennas perform as well as those being used
in mobile devices..."
Monday 1
 As was the case for many of America's electronics
manufacturing giants of the 20th century - General Electric, Westinghouse, Crosley, etc.
- Philco also had extensive lines of household appliances (Crosley might have outdone
them all by producing automobiles as well). Here is an advertisement for a
Philco refrigerator-freezer which appeared in the November 6, 1948, edition of
The Saturday Evening Post. Interestingly, the Alice in Wonderland theme
occurred a few years before the 1951 Disney movie, so its popularity would have been
based on the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, book published
by Lewis Carroll in 1865. Note that the huge "freezer locker" is not claimed to
be frost-free (aka frostless)...
 TotalTemp Technologies has more than 40 years
of combined experience providing thermal platforms.
Thermal Platforms are
available to provide temperatures between -100°C and +200°C for cryogenic
cooling, recirculating circulating coolers, temperature chambers and temperature
controllers, thermal range safety controllers, space simulation chambers, hybrid
benchtop chambers, custom systems and platforms. Manual and automated
configurations for laboratory and production environments...
 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...
 Jack Browne, who has been writing and being an
editor at Microwave & RF magazine for longer than most of us have been
in this business, has an article titled, "Block EMI/RFI with Shields and Filters," in the September 2018 issue.
It provides a good synopsis of the options available for keeping unwanted RF energy out
of your circuit and/or keeping your own RF energy inside your product. The silver / polyamide
RF screening fabric shown is made by Aaronia provides up to 50 dB attenuation at
1 GHz and 43 dB at 10 GHz.
Aaronia-Shield
is only 0.1 mm thick, weighs 15 g/m2, is washable, foldable, anti-static,
anti-septic, frost-proof, rot-proof, washable, and is semitransparent. Don't
settle for a mere tinfoil hat when your entire wardrobe can be lined with this
stuff to totally shield you from those nefarious intrusive government rays...
 TotalTemp Technologies provides complete
thermal testing systems featuring extremely accurate temperature
control and minimal thermal gradients at set-point. TotalTemp has truly created the next
generation in performance at a competitive price. Cryogenic thermal platforms for cost
efficient, fast and accurate temperature cycling. TotalTemp's proprietary Watlow
EZ Zone PM Temperature Controller is ideally suited for those applications where
precise control and accuracy is still needed, but a simpler more cost effective
solution is sufficient for the task. Heavy Duty Clamp (HDC) systems provide the
ultimate in thermal transfer efficiency with half a ton of transfer force.
Contact TotalTemp today for your project's needs...
 SF Circuits' specialty is in the complex, advanced
technology of
PCB fabrication and assembly,
producing high quality multi-layered PCBs from elaborate layouts. With them, you
receive unparalleled technical expertise at competitive prices as well as the
most progressive solutions available. Their customers request PCB production
that is outside the capabilities of normal circuit board providers. Please take
a moment to visit San Francisco Circuits today...
 "A field 400 times as strong as an MRI should
reveal new physics of nanoscale materials. During 40 microseconds last April, Shojiro
Takeyama and his team at the University of Tokyo dumped 3.2 MJ of energy into a
newly built scientific instrument and blew part of it to smithereens. The smithereens
part was expected; the force of the explosion, not quite. The instrument was designed
to generate super-strong magnetic fields for examining semiconductors and other materials
at the nanometer scale. Takeyama was expecting about
700 Tesla.
He got 1,200 T instead - a world record for indoor fields and about 400 times as
strong as a typical medical MRI. Bigger magnetic fields have been made before..."
 TGIF once again. I keep looking back through issues
of Popular Electronics magazine for Robert Balin quizzes that I might have missed,
and fortunately this one was found. Unlike quizzes back in school, nobody but you will
ever know how you score on it - that's what makes it fun. Your challenge is to determine
the total resistance value between points A and B both before and after inserting the
plug into the jack. Mercifully, Mr. Balin specifies that all the resistors are
the same value. The Before part is a piece of cake even for someone in a first semester
electronics course - just be sure to pay attention to whether or not the contacts short
out any of the paths. The phono plug is on the left and the corresponding jack is on
the right. Interpret the dual resistors plug circuits in figures 5 through 8 as having
one resistor connected...
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