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Homepage Archive - November 2019 (page 1)
See Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 of the November 2019 homepage archives.

Friday 8

Carl and Jerry: The Bell Bull Session

Carl and Jerry: The Bell Bull Session, December 1961 Popular Electronics - RF CafeYou wouldn't know it from the title, "The Bell Bull Session," but this Carl and Jerry technodrama features a very interesting subject - the Shive Wave Machine. The "Bull Session" part of the title is self-explanatory; it's the "Bell" part that is a reference to Bell Telephone Laboratories, and specifically to a gentleman named Dr. John N. Shive, who was Director of Education and Training there. Being avid amateur radio operators and electronics experimenters, Carl and Jerry were very familiar with the concept of traveling waves and impedance matching. The Shive Wave Machine is an ingenious device that provides a visual physical representation of a traveling wave and how an impedance mismatch generates...

Airwave Advisors Added to Tech Services Listings

Airwave Advisors - RF CafeAirwave Advisors president and founder Nick Foster wrote asking to have his cell tower consulting company added to a few RF Cafe vendor pages (Antennas, Technical Services, Wireless). According to his website, "We are the nation's leading cell tower lease experts and the only accredited cell tower lease consulting company in the United States to hold an A+ rating with the BBB. We assist private landowners, commercial real estate owners, municipalities, and anyone else who either has a cell tower lease, or has been contacted for a new cell tower lease." This might be a good resource for cell planners. Airwave Advisors is located in Carlsbad, CA, and can be reached at 858-216-2649.

IEEE WIE Forum USA East 2019

IEEE Women in Engineering East 2019 - RF CafeIEEE WIE Forum USA East 2019, being held in Arlington, VA, from November 21st to 23rd, "focuses on developing and improving leadership skills for individuals at all stages of their careers. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear inspirational and empowering talks presented by successful leaders from IEEE Northeast. Emerging technologies will also be demonstrated, engaging attendees to facilitate discussion and potential advancement of STEM outreach class ideas." Programs motivate positive progress in career and life, help advance career, life, leadership, team and career management. Workshops on skills and concepts for STEM pre-university outreach, and a career fair will be held for students and professionals ...

Custom MMIC Intros 3 New Wideband Double Balanced Mixers

Custom MMIC Expands Its High Performance GaAs Portfolio - RF CafeCustom MMIC continues the rapid expansion of its standard product portfolio with three new additions to its GaAs MMIC mixer portfolio. The CMD312, CMD313 and CMD253 are wideband GaAs double balanced mixers, operating from 4 to 28, 6 to 45 and 6 to 14 GHz respectively. These new MMICs are intended to support emerging wide bandwidth applications in Test Equipment, Instrumentation, Aerospace and Defense. All three mixers feature low conversion gain and high isolation performance. They are offered in die form, with a packaged version already available in the CMD253 and planned for the CMD312 and CMD313...

Electroadhesive Stamp to Maneuver Microscopic Structures

Electroadhesive Stamp to Maneuver Microscopic Structures - RF Cafe"A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has devised a way to pick up and manipulate extremely small electronic components found in cutting-edge technology. Using a tiny 'electroadhesive' stamp, researchers can now pick up and put down objects that are as minute as 20 nanometers wide. That's roughly 1,000 times finer than a strand of human hair; this technology could prove extremely useful as the components in our devices get smaller and smaller in size. The high-tech stamp is made from an assortment of ceramic-coated carbon nanotubes. The tubes are placed so they stick up, like the bristles found in a toothbrush. A small voltage is sent through the stamp ..."

QuinStar Technology: mm-Wave Active & Passive Components

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.

Thursday 7

Transistor Terminology Puzzle

Transistor Terminology Puzzle, November 1958 Radio News - RF CafeThe opening line of this Transistor Terminology Puzzle states it is the tenth anniversary of the invention of the transistor, but that is because the crossword appeared in a 1958 issue of Radio & TV News magazine. It was just before Christmas of 1947 that Drs. John Bardeen, Walter H. Brattain and William Shockley announced their discovery from Bell Laboratories. Note that 1947 is eleven years earlier, not ten. However, the theme of this crossword seems to reference the bipolar junction transistor (BJT), which was developed in 1948 - hence the 10th anniversary claim. The first transistor was a point contact type. Print out the page and have a go at it...

Timex T80 Retro Watch

Timex T-80 Retro Watch - RF CafeI haven't owned a digital watch in decades. My Timex Expedition WR100M analog watch has taken a lick'n and keeps on tick'n for about a decade (paid ~$25), but upon seeing this article about the Retro Timex T80 on Interesting Engineering website, I thought maybe a digital watch might be a nice change. Not really remembering the original T80, I did a Google and eBay search for it and could not locate a good image of the 1980s version. Some claim to be originals, but the "www.timex.com" stamped into the back cover is a dead giveaway. $75 is a bit out of my price range for a watch, so I'll keep a lookout on eBay. You, however, might prefer a new retro version. If nothing else the battery probably lasts longer than on the original. They don't seem to be available quite yet.

The Man Before Marconi: Joseph Loomis

The Man Before Marconi: Joseph Loomis, August 1948 QST - RF CafeBlack Friday is known to most modern-day people as the frenzied first day of Christmas shopping season on the day after Thanksgiving . It is named so because supposedly on that day many retailers finally turn the ink in their accounting books from red to black. However, there was an infamous Black Friday that occurred in the Fall of 1869, when the U.S. stock market experienced a severe crash. Many know of the 1929 crash that precipitated The Great Depression, but the other Black Friday, per this historical article from a 1948 edition of QST magazine, caused its own "great depression" in wireless communications pioneer Dr. Mahlon Loomis. His reaction is understandable after reading this piece...

Berkeley Nucleonics Looking for a Junior Sales Account Manager

Berkeley Nucleonics Looking for a Junior Sales Account Manager - RF CafeBerkeley Nucleonics Corporation (BNC) is an established test equipment company having served the industry for 55 years. With headquarters in San Rafael, CA, Berkeley Nucleonics is looking for a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and energetic Junior Sales Account Manager to help increase the company's U.S. market presence and support sales growth in the U.S. and internationally. Job duties include but are not limited to: Support sales and marketing activities, such as quotes, prospecting, data mining, and event follow up. Support and grow the company's house accounts in test & measurement equipment sales, as well as a network of independent sales representatives. Understand customer needs and develop solutions...

Emitter Detection and Geolocation for Electronic Warfare

Emitter Detection and Geolocation for Electronic Warfare (Artech House) - RF CafeArtech House today announced the publication Emitter Detection and Geolocation for Electronic Warfare, by Nicholas O'Donoughue. This comprehensive resource provides theoretical formulation for detecting and geolocating non-cooperative emitters. Implementation of geolocation algorithms are discussed, as well as performance prediction of a hypothetical passive location system for systems analysis or vulnerability calculation. Comparison of novel direction finding and geolocation algorithms to classical forms are also included. Rooted in statistical signal processing and array processing theory, this book also provides an overview of the application of novel detection and estimation algorithms to real world problems in EW...

Army's 1,000-Mile Long-Range Cannon

Army's 1,000-Mile Long-Range Cannon - RF Cafe"The U.S. Army is pushing ahead with plans to field a cannon with an astounding 1,000-mile+ range. The cannon, along with hypersonic weapons, will allow the service to attack long range, strategic-level targets far beyond the reach of existing Army systems. According to Defense News, the Army's program manager for long range fires, Col. John Rafferty, the service expects the gun to have a range of 1,000 nautical miles - or 1,150 statute miles. The technology behind the cannon is described as 'cutting edge' that's so advanced that the service is not sure if the gun would be affordable. The Army is set to conduct an early test of a key tech component at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren in Virginia 'very soon ..."

KR Electronics: RF & Microwave Filters

KR ElectronicsKR Electronics designs and manufactures high quality filters for both the commercial and military markets. KR Electronics' line of filters includes lowpass, highpass, bandpass, bandstop and individually synthesized 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. All common connector types and package form factors are available. Please visit their website today to see how they might be of assistance.

Wednesday 6

Putting the Helix Antenna to Work

Putting the Helix Antenna to Work, November 1958 Radio News - RF CafeAuthor William Blair lamented in a 1958 issue of Radio & TV News magazine that helix (aka helical) antennas had not yet been widely adopted by amateur radio operators despite the advantages they can provide. Helix antennas are used for transmitting and receiving circularly polarized electromagnetic waves. An advantage of using a circularly polarized antenna for receiving is that it is able to make use of wavefronts arriving at any polarization angle along the propagation axis, thereby accommodating transmissions at any polarization angle. Theoretically, an ideal antenna with a particular polarization would not receive a signal arriving at an angle perpendicular to it, and the strength of any signal would be proportional to the cosine of the angle of impingement...

CMT Lizard Lessons: VNA Calibration

Copper Mountain Technologies Lizard Lessons: VNA Calibration - RF CafeCopper Mountain Technologies has produced a series of on-demand seminars covering topics useful to users of their vector network analyzer (VNA) product line. This one entitled, "Calibrating VNAs," is an important step in making accurate measurements with vector network analyzers. "We find many people have good questions on the proper calibration of USB VNAs. We felt this topic was so important that CMT Senior RF Design Engineer Brian Walker conducted a webinar about the different types of calibration for network analyzers. The types of calibration that were covered were: SOLT/SOLR Calibration TRL Calibration Waveguide Calibration He also reviewed in the webinar how the standards for calibration ...

Space Tech Expo 2019 | Europe

Space Tech Expo 2019 | Europe - RF CafeNow in its third year, Space Tech Expo 2019 | Europe is the EU's major dedicated supply-chain and engineering event for manufacturing, design, test and engineering services for spacecraft, subsystems and space-qualified components. Running from November 19 through 21 in Bremen, Germany, the exhibition and conference draw attendance from thousands of industry leaders, decision makers, engineers, specifiers and buyers to meet manufacturers across the supply chain for civil, military and commercial space. If you are involved in the design, production, manufacture, or launch of Smallsats applications, this event is designed specifically for you ...

Engineering the Integrated Communications System

Engineering the Integrated Communications System, December 1950 Radio & Television News - RF CafeAs a follow-on to the "Planning Integrated Signal Communications" story, this article is the next step in the U.S. Army Signal Corps' implementation of ubiquitous communications systems. Along with powerful transmitters and super-sensitive receivers at command communications hubs are the many hand-held, back-pack, and vehicular radios needed to complete strategic and tactical operations across the face of the Earth. It wasn't just wireless systems that Signal Corps engineers and technicians were responsible for, but also all the wired equipment and interconnecting cabling. The possibility of software configuration for network switches, radios, modems, telephones, antennas, and ancillary components had never been thought of in 1950 (by very few, anyway). Everything was set up with patch panels...

Teledyne Paradise Intros 4 kW X-Band Pulsed SSPA

Teledyne Paradise 4 kW X-band Pulsed SSPA at AOC 2019 - RF CafeTeledyne Paradise Datacom (Paradise), part of the Teledyne Defense Electronics Group, is unveiling a new Pulsed Radar SSPA that is designed for Operators of defense-related tactical radar systems. The solid state technology provides an ideal pathway for customers seeking to upgrade or replace their existing legacy radar platforms with a newer generation of technology, one that delivers superior SWaP, power density, scalability, and performance over a longer life cycle. Additionally, it reduces the risk of complete loss of service for the Operator. Importantly, the new 4kW X-band SSPA is configurable to meet diverse radar platform requirements, and scalable either up or down to effectively address other power levels as desired. It provides operators of legacy TWT, magnetron, or klystron...

Highview Power to Build Europe's Largest Energy Storage Plant

Highview Power to Build Europe's Largest Energy Storage Plant - RF CafeWhen I first saw this image I thought is was a CAD drawing of a vacuum tube amplifier, but, alas, it was merely plans for a 250 MWh energy storage facility in the EU. "Cryogenic energy storage pioneer Highview Power, a past winner in The Engineer Innovation Award, has announced plans to build its first full-scale plant - which will also be the largest energy storage plant in Europe - at a decommissioned thermal power station site in the North of England. Known as a Cryobattery, the site will have a capacity of 50 MW / 250 MWh, Highview says. Announced at the BloombergNEF summit in London yesterday by Highview CEO Javier Cavarda, the plant will use technology demonstrated ..."

San Francisco Circuits: PCB Fabrications & Assembly Service

San Francisco CircuitsSF 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

Tuesday 5

Constructing PC Boards

Constructing PC Boards, September 1972 Popular Electronics - RF CafeToday if you need a printed circuit board (PCB) for prototyping, there is a good chance you will look up a quick-turn company like those found on the PCB Directory website like Bittelle, San Francisco Circuits, or a host of other providers. Costs can be a little as $40 to $50 for three, 3" x 3", 2-layer PCBs and can be delivered in a week or less. A 4-layer PCB of the same size would cost somewhere around $100. Considering how much circuitry can be squeezed into a 9 inch2 board these days, board with surface mounted components on both sides, that's a lot of board for a little money. If you are really in a hurry for your boards, the fabrication companies offer various levels of expedited service for more $$$. There are some people who for one reason or another still prefer to make their own PCBs. For them, this article from Popular Electronics magazine might be a good resource for how to go about it. All the necessary materials like ferric chloride and copper clad substrate material...

RF Cascade Workbook 2018

RF Cascade Workbook 2018 Is Available Now! - RF CafeRF Cascade Workbook 2018 is the next phase in the evolution of RF Cafe's long-running series, RF Cascade Workbook. It is a full-featured RF system cascade parameter and frequency planner that includes filters and mixers for a mere $45. Built in MS Excel, using RF Cascade Workbook 2018 is a cinch and the format is entirely customizable. It is significantly easier and faster than using a multi-thousand dollar simulator when a high level system analysis is all that is needed. An intro video takes you through the main features...

Crystal Diodes in Modern Electronics

Crystal Diodes in Modern Electronics, January 1952 Radio & Television News - RF CafeDiode characteristics and their applications have not changed fundamentally since this article was published in 1952. Sure, the die are smaller, power handling and frequency range has increased, package styles are greatly expanded, and the cost per unit is way down, but if you are looking for some basic diode information, you will find it here in this 4th installment of a multi-part series in Radio & Television News magazine. Don't let the vacuum tubes in schematics scare you off and think that it makes the story irrelevant for today's circuits. For purposes of illustration substitute a transistor's collector (or drain) for the tube's plate, a transistor's base (or gate) for the tube's screen grid, and a transistor's emitter (or source) for the tube's cathode...

RF & μWave Measurements: For Design, Verification and Quality Control

RF & μWave Measurements: For Design, Verification and Quality Control by Shiv Prasad Tripathy - RF CafeShiv Prasad Tripathy - RF CafeRF Cafe visitor Shiv Prasad Tripathy, "hands-on engineering practitioner who provides consulting & knowledge services to people in the academics and industry," has authored a new book (September 2019) entitled, "RF & μWave Measurements: For Design, Verification and Quality Control." The old adage about not being able to judge a book by its cover might be true, but if the book's content is a cool as the cover, it will be very well done. The book "covers concepts, applications, and measurement techniques for widely used RF measurement parameters." Included are "signal properties & modulation, linear & non-linear device models, measurement techniques, plus instrument families - all with a balanced mix of theory and practical information, ample illustrations, mathematical treatment and practical examples."

Many Thanks to MECA Electronics for Their Long-Time Support!

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. 

What's Next for Spectrum Sharing?

What's Next for Spectrum Sharing? - RF Cafe"DARPA's Spectrum Collaboration Challenge may have proved the idea is feasible, but there's a long way to go for AI-managed spectrum sharing. 'You've graduated from the school of spectral hard knocks,' Paul Tilghman, a U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program manager, told the teams competing in the agency's Spectrum Collaboration Challenge (SC2) finale on 23 October. The three-year competition had just concluded, and the top three teams were being called on stage as a song that sounded vaguely like 'Pomp and Circumstance' played overhead ..."

Please Thank IPP for Their Long-Time Support!

Innovative Power ProductsInnovative 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.

Monday 4

Simple Solid-State Circuits for the Experimenter

Simple Solid-State Circuits for the Experimenter, September 1972 Popular Electronics - RF CafePeople are entering the field of electronics all the time and many want to learn not only circuit theory and troubleshooting, but design as well. With all the pre-packaged integrated circuits available that perform just about every function imaginable, there are still times when you either want or need to set about designing your own circuit. Interfaces between two circuits, or to displays and sensors are examples of the kinds of applications that might need a custom design. That applies not only for RF type circuits that require impedance matching, but also to low frequency analog and digital circuits. This article by Mr. Jim Huffman, which appeared in a 1972 issue of Popular Electronics, provides an introduction on how to methodically determine all necessary requirements and then actually design your circuit - in this case an audio amplifier. A technician I worked with in the early-to-mid 1980s who was an inspector at Westinghouse Oceanic Division...

Intro to Radar with Python and MATLAB

Intro to Radar with Python and MATLAB (Artech House) - RF CafeArtech House today announced the publication Introduction to Radar with Python and MATLAB®, by Andy Harrison. This comprehensive resource provides readers with the tools necessary to perform analysis of various waveforms for use in radar systems. It provides information about how to produce synthetic aperture (SAR) images by giving a tomographic formulation and implementation for SAR imaging. Tracking filter fundamentals, and each parameter associated with the filter and how each affects tracking performance are also presented. Various radar cross section measurement techniques are covered, along with waveform selection analysis through the study of the ambiguity function...

How to Design Cost-Effective PCBs

Bittele: How to Design Cost-Effective PCBs - RF CafeBittele, a turn-key PCB assembly services provider for prototype and low volume electronic contract manufacturing, has posted a tutorial entitled, "How to Design Cost-Effective PCBs." It begins, "A design engineer should consider all the things that affect the total cost of manufacturing of PCB. Frequently, new PCB design engineers often do not consider the cost of PCB fabrication. The things that affect the cost per PCB that many young design engineers don't plan for include the cost of tooling, the size of a PCB and the spacing of board components. To ensure that your production costs are as low as possible, including the costs of tooling, here are some guidelines to follow: 1. Select the smallest size of the PCB that is practical. 2. Standard rectangular and square PCB shapes always cost less than non-standard shapes. Furthermore, do not incorporate slots or cutouts unless they are completely necessary ..."

Thanks Again for Windfreak Technologies' Continued Support!

Windfreak TechnologiesWindfreak 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.

MECA Electronics Intros Low PIM 30 W Load

MECA Electronics Intros Low PIM 30 W Load - RF CafeMECA Electronics, Inc., a leading supplier of passive RF, microwave, and mm-wave products for public safety, wireless, 5G cellular, military, and VSAT/SATCOM, has introduced a 380 MHz to 2.700 GHz, 30 watt average power (5 kW peak) 50 Ω termination with very low passive intermodulation (PIM) specifications. The model LPT30-4310M is rated for -161 dBc PIM (typical) at 30 watts. It is verified at 1900 MHz at -155 dBc minimum. Thermally compensated to handle full rated power to 85°C. N-type connector standard...

IEEE COMCAS 2019

IEEE COMCAS 2019 - RF CafeIEEE COMCAS 2019 is being held in Tel Aviv, Israel, from November 4th through 6th. COMCAS 2019 continues the tradition of providing a multidisciplinary forum for the exchange of ideas, research results, and industry experience in areas such as communications, antennas, Radar, RF and Microwave Circuits and Systems, and Bio-medical Engineering. "Following the previous COMCAS conferences, we expect more than 1600 participants from about 40 countries around the world." IEEE COMCAS 2019 will deal with issues including: Innovations in Technology, Digital AESA Radar, MW Circuits modeling and Simulation, Space Oriented technology ...

64-Antenna DRA for 5G mm-Wave Applications

64-Antenna DRA for 5G mm-Wave Applications - RF Cafe"5G promises to deliver massive improvements in network capacity by utilizing new 5G frequency spectrum in both sub-6 GHz and 24-40 GHz millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequency bands. Antenna Company's 5G solutions include antenna systems for 5G small cell, gNodeB and fixed wireless applications. Our mm-wave designs combine Antenna Company's patented SuperShape™ and DRA technology to achieve wide-band operation over the 24-30 GHz frequency bands. Our designs are scalable to support 37-40 GHz frequency bands for global band support across the mm-wave spectrum ..."

Bittele Electronics: PCB Fabrication & Assembly

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.

Sunday 3

Radar & Radio Engineering Crossword Puzzle for November 3

Radar & Radio Engineering Crossword Puzzle for November 3, 2019 - RF CafeEach 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. This one is for November 3, 2019. 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 Lamarr or the Bikini Atoll, respectively. Enjoy...

Friday 1

Noise of Thermal Agitation

Noise of Thermal Agitation, November 1944 Radio News - RF CafeAdmittedly, I did not do any follow-up research on this, but there is reason to believe that prior to this Radio News magazine article, there was not a general agreement on what formula to use for thermal noise in an electrical system. Here is a statement made by author S.J. Mallory, "At first, however, there was no general agreement concerning the magnitude of this basic Johnson noise power level. Some engineers used the quantity KTB, others used 2KTB and still others used 4KTB." We of course all use KTB nowadays for thermal noise power - aka Johnson noise. It's a good read on the subject of sources that determine the noise floor of a system. There's also this kind of Johnson noise...

Global MilSatCom 2019 Conference and Exhibition

Global MilSatCom 2019 Conference and Exhibition - RF CafeGlobal MilSatCom 2019 Conference and Exhibition will be held from November 5th through 7th, in London, UK. Global MilSatCom is Europe's leading military communications event for satellite professionals. Hosted by SMi Group over 3 days, Global MilSatCom is once again set against sweeping developments for numerous national sovereign SATCOM programmes; in particular, the development of the host nations SKYNET constellation - but also across key allied programmes such as WGS, SATCOMbw, MUOS, SICRAL and SYRACUSE. How this sovereign bandwidth can be pooled and augmented with COMSATCOM also remains essential as NATO is set to sign a memorandum of understanding ...

Notable Quote by Les Rayburn, N1LF

Notable Quote by Les Rayburn, N1LF - RF CafeThe November 2019 issue of QST (login required) is chock full of great articles. The one entitled, "Indoor Antennas for VHF Weak-Signal Work," written by Mr. Les Rayburn (N1LF) discusses ways to stealthily mount an antenna in your attic in order to work around HOA restrictions and/or to protect your installation from weather abuse. Considering the close proximity to living quarters, he offers caveats and mitigation suggestions regarding RF exposure during transmission and subjection to high noise levels from his own home and from nearby neighbors. The notable line pulled from the article is, "Neighbors equal noise." The situation gets worse every day. Here's my own attic-based TV/Radio antenna installation.

After Class: Power Transformers & Electrostatic Speakers

After Class: Power Transformers & Electrostatic Speakers, August 1955 Popular Electronics - RF CafeBasic transformer circuits have not changed in the more than sixty years since this article was published in Popular Electronics magazine. The applications have definitely changed, though, since active circuits of the day required a relatively low voltage (step-down) for vacuum tube cathode heaters, and at least one relatively high voltage (step-up) for biasing the tube plate. Most transformers for today's consumer applications perform a single step-down operation for 3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V, etc. In many applications, transformers are done away with altogether in favor of solid state rectifiers and regulators. A 5-question quiz is provided at the end. There is also a short tutorial on electrostatic speakers and some analog and digital signal info. Digital circuits were still a relatively new (and scary) concept to most people at the time...

Obsolete and Hard-to-Find Electronic Parts

Obsolete and Hard-to-Find Electronic Parts - RF CafeSince 1999, Win Source has been assisting customers with an ability to quickly and accurately find obsolete, end-of-life, hard-to-find parts, and acquire authentic common-used parts at competitive prices. A consistently optimized in-stock inventory of more than 500,000 parts and a global network of suppliers to reduces your procurement cycles, lower transaction costs and provides quality electronic components at competitive prices. Distribution centers are maintained in Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, China, Japan. Win Source has been added to the RF Cafe Obsolete Components Vendors page.

60 GHz Wireless Data Interconnect Targets Slip-Rings

60-GHz Wireless Data Interconnect Targets Slip-Ring Applications - RF Cafe"To handle the demands of Industry 4.0, high speed, ultra-low latency, and maintenance-free operation are important parameters. Here's a mmWave-based solution for slip-ring assemblies that meets those needs. The fourth industrial revolution drives digital manufacturing forward by implementing new scenarios into the production process. These scenarios rely on fundamental design principles that include device interconnection, information transparency, technical assistance, and decentralized decisions. The realization of all these principles in modern smart factories would not be possible without advanced wireless ..."

Windfreak Technologies: USB-Powered RF Synthesizers, Mixers

Windfreak TechnologiesWindfreak 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.

These archive pages are provided in order to make it easier for you to find items that you remember seeing on the RF Cafe homepage. Of course probably the easiest way to find anything on the website is to use the "Search RF Cafe" box at the top of every page. About RF Cafe. I also have an extensive list of Recently Added topics.

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