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4 of the September 2021 homepage
archives. Tuesday the 14th
 Modelithics, the leader in providing simulation
models for RF, microwave, and mmWave devices is pleased to welcome
Dr. Ali Boudiaf to the company as Director of Lab Operations. Dr. Boudiaf
comes to Modelithics with 30 years of experience in the RF, microwave, and mmWave
engineering arena. In his new role at Modelithics, his responsibilities include
managing all aspects of lab operations as well as advancing Modelithics microwave
and millimeter-wave test system capabilities. Prior to joining Modelithics, Dr.
Boudiaf was the CEO and co-founder of Smart MedTech. He also previously worked at
ERZIA Technologies as Director of Amplifier Systems. Dr. Boudiaf's prior experience
also includes positions with Maury Microwave, Focus Microwaves, Agilent Technologies,
and ATN Microwave...
 "In a move that could one day free the world's
countertops from their snarl of charging cords, researchers at the University of
Michigan and the University of Tokyo have developed a system to safely deliver electricity
over the air, potentially turning entire buildings into
wireless charging zones. Detailed in a new study published in Nature Electronics,
the technology can deliver 50 watts of power using magnetic fields. Study author
Alanson Sample, U-M professor of computer science and engineering, says that in
addition to untethering phones and laptops, the technology could also power implanted
medical devices and open new possibilities for mobile robotics in homes and manufacturing
facilities. The team is also working on implementing the system in spaces that are
smaller than room-size, for example, a toolbox that charges tools placed inside
it."
 Television and radio facsimile machine electronics
technology was credited for aiding in the development of a new type of
scanning electron microscope (SEM) that could image the surface of opaque object
to a resolution of 100 angstroms (Å). The television contribution part of the technology
was precisely controlling a raster path for the electron beam. The facsimile part
was the knowledge of how to assemble a printed image from streaming data. It is
interesting to note that in order for an object to be imaged via SEM, its surface
must be electrically conductive. Accordingly, non-metallic objects like bugs, plants,
plastic, wood, etc., must receive a coating of metal by a process such as sputtering.
Doing so can leave a few atoms thick later without losing too much resolution due
to softening of features...
 New Scheme rotates
all Banners in all locations on the page! RF Cafe typically receives 8,000-15,000
website visits each weekday.
RF Cafe is a favorite
of engineers, technicians, hobbyists, and students all over the world. With more
than 16,000 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. If you need your company news to be seen, RF Cafe is the
place to be.
 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.
Monday the 13th
 Hiram Percy Maxim is well-known by amateur
radio operators as the founder of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). He died
in 1936 and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Hagerstown, Maryland. A few years
ago while visiting relatives in Hagerstown, I went to the cemetery, took some photos,
got the exact GPS coordinates, and posted a short article on it (see Hiram Percy
Maxim's Gravesite in Hagerstown, Maryland). If not for my documentation, there would
be no way to know that the large grave marker shown in this 1940 QST article
does not belong to the esteemed Mr. Maxim, but to the matron of his wife's family,
Maryland Governor William T. Hamilton. Hiram Percy Maxim's gravesite is marked by
a non-descript flush marker. I found it to be a great disappointment. Maybe his
in-laws never really took kindly to him...
 "The ability to trap charged particles and
cool them down to a
fraction of a degree above absolute zero is key to many tests of fundamental
physics, including probes of any asymmetry between matter and antimatter. To reach
lower temperatures more quickly, physicists in Germany and Japan have now shown
how to extract heat from a single proton via a superconducting circuit connected
to a cloud of laser-cooled ions several centimeters away - a technique, they say,
that could easily be applied to antiprotons. The Standard Model of particle physics
tells us that all physical processes must obey CPT symmetry..."
 Here is a little electronics hobbyist humor
in the form of a comic series titled "Hobnobbing
with Harbaugh," compliments of Dave Harbaugh in the March 1970 issue of Popular
Electronics. Citizens Band radio and dirty hippies were the topic of the day in
the 1970, so that's what you see in a couple of these comics. The marriage proposal
comic can be considered as "amateur" in more ways than one! You don't need to be
an amateur radio operator to appreciate these comic strips...
/2021/Firmware-Engineer-Power-Electronics-Digital-Control-Aegis-Power-Systems-9-9-2021.htm">
 Aegis Power Systems, a designer and manufacturer
of power electronics, is seeking a
/2021/Firmware-Engineer-Power-Electronics-Digital-Control-Aegis-Power-Systems-9-9-2021.htm">
Firmware Engineer to join our growing team for an on-site position in the beautiful
mountains of North Carolina! Aegis Power Systems, Inc., is seeking to design, develop,
and maintain digital control for power electronics hardware. Come join our growing
team for an on-site position in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina! The Firmware
Engineer is responsible for ensuring firmware programming meets customer demands
and internal development projects. This position works closely with our electrical
engineers who design AC/DC, DC/DC, and DC/AC converters and inverters using a variety
of power topologies. Candidate must have a programming background using microcontrollers
for use in real time analog and digital controls with serial interfaces...
 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. "Printed
Circuit Fabrication & Assembly with No Limit on Technology or Quantity."
Sunday the 12th
 This week's crossword puzzle has an
RF
Directional Coupler theme in that many of the words are related to the devices.
All of the other words are, as usual, pulled from a custom-built dictionary containing
only terms pertaining to engineering, mechanics, astronomy, mathematics, chemistry,
and names of companies that make components for the aforementioned fields. Even
Dilbert characters appear sometimes. You will not, however, find names of numbnut
Hollywierd celebs or TV shows here...
Friday the 10th
 Sams Photofact, by the Howard W. Sams
Company, was undeniably the big name in electronics equipment service manuals in
the 1947 timeframe, but they were not the only game in town. Rider Perpetual Troubleshooters
Manuals were probably the next biggest when this promotion appeared in Radio News
magazine. Rider had a very different approach to page layout and content compared
to Sams Photofact publications. No instances of any of the manuals showed up on
eBay when just checked, but the World Radio website has many of them posted for
viewing...
 The discovery of the first transistor in
1948 by a team of physicists at the
Bell Telephone Laboratories sparked an interest in solid-state research that
spread rapidly. The transistor, which began as a simple laboratory oddity, was rapidly
developed into a semiconductor device of major importance. The transistor demonstrated
for the first time in history that amplification in solids was possible. Before
the transistor, amplification was achieved only with electron tubes. Transistors
now perform numerous electronic tasks with new and improved transistor designs being
continually put on the market. In many cases, transistors are more desirable than
tubes because they are small, rugged, require no filament power, and operate at
low voltages with comparatively high efficiency. The development of a family of
transistors has even made possible the miniaturization of electronic circuits...
 "Most integrated circuits (ICs) and electronic
components developed to date are based on silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)
technology. As silicon (Si) is known to have a narrow bandgap, however, in recent
years engineers have been trying to develop ICs using other materials with a wider
bandgap, such as
gallium nitrite (GaN). ICs made of GaN could have notable advantages over conventional
ICs based on silicon, particularly for the development of power electronics, radiofrequency
power amplifiers and devices designed to operate in harsh environments. However,
so far developing GaN CMOS logic circuits has proved to be highly challenging, due
to the intrinsically low mobility of holes in the material and the lack of a suitable
strategy for integrating n-channel and p-channel..."
/2021/Lead-Electronics-Technician-Aegis-Power-Systems-9-9-2021.htm">
Aegis Power Systems, a designer and manufacturer
of power electronics, is seeking a
/2021/Lead-Electronics-Technician-Aegis-Power-Systems-9-9-2021.htm">
Lead Electronics Technician to join our growing team for an on-site position
in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina! The Lead Electronics Technician supports
the development and implementation of tests to evaluate, verify, troubleshoot, and
repair our power supply products. This includes designing test fixtures to support
test events, setup of test equipment, collecting data during test events, troubleshooting
and root cause analysis during failures, and advising on repairs or alternate design
paths. This position works closely with design engineers and production staff to
test and resolve challenges in our power supply products. The Lead Electronics Technician
must have a thorough knowledge of AC and DC circuitry, schematics interpretation...
 "Use it up... Wear it out... Make it do...
Or do without" - what a great slogan! It was coined by the
War Advertising Council during World War II to promote the dual need to
conserve scarce resources and to help keep prices down by not generating excess
demand. Most of us have seen videos or read articles about neighborhood materials
collection efforts to round up old tires, scrap metal, glass, tools, electronics
equipment, cloth and clothing, and many other items that could be recycled for used
directly in the war effort. There was also an undertone of not abetting attempts
by opportunists to profiteer off the war. Government policy did what it could to
control the economy by instituting severely progressive income taxes and price controls
(that way only the ultimate insiders could get rich). After 11.3% and 7.6% inflation
rates...
 Alliance Test Equipment sells
used / refurbished
test equipment and offers short- and long-term rentals. They also offer repair,
maintenance and calibration. Prices discounted up to 80% off list price. Agilent/HP,
Tektronix, Anritsu, Fluke, R&S and other major brands. A global organization
with ability to source hard to find equipment through our network of suppliers.
Alliance Test will purchase your excess test equipment in large or small lots. Blog
posts offer advice on application and use of a wide range of test equipment. Please
visit Allied Test Equipment today to see how they can help your project.
Thursday the 9th
 Chances are when you think about
high power RF frequency sources, it pertains to transmitters for analog or digital
data, or maybe for imaging applications like x-ray machines. There is, however,
another very large industry that uses high frequency electromagnetic energy for
heating of materials in product processing. Frequencies range from tens of kilohertz
to tens of megahertz, with power levels into the megawatt realm. This article from
a 1945 edition of Radio-Craft points out a few applications used in the day, and
now there are many more areas where high power RF is used. Adhesive curing is a
major area, especially for laminated materials like plywood and composite structures.
Decontamination of medical and food products is another. Both inductive and capacitative
heating methods are used in metals processing...
 "A paradox that puzzled a generation of solar
and atomic physicists - and occasionally pitted theories from one field against
the other - has been resolved. The paradox concerns the
polarization of light at a specific point in the solar spectrum, and previous
attempts to explain it required either an extreme reduction in the Sun's magnetic
field (which solar physicists deemed unlikely) or changes to the physics of atom-photon
interactions (which atomic physicists did not observe). The latest research, however,
indicates that no such adjustments are needed. Instead, careful numerical modeling
showed that the discrepancy between solar observations and atomic theory vanishes
after complex, previously neglected interactions are taken into account. Most sunlight
is at least partly linearly polarized..."
 In this adventure from a 1962 issue of
Popular Electronics magazine,
Carl and Jerry use a pair of General Electric pnpn junction photoelectric switches
to exact revenge on an engineering student 'friend' at Parvoo U. It involves embarrassing
the guy in the presence of his YL (Hamese for young lady) date. The switches, per
Jerry's tutelage, work like a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), except light is
used to trigger the conduction path rather than an electrical gate signal. The devices
are "solid-state kissing cousins of vacuum tube thyratrons." That's not necessarily
the way I would have put it, but OK. You are also treated to a discussion of how
and why to tame a chattering relay with a diode rather than a big capacitor. Author
and creator John T. Frye ceased writing the stories before the two boys graduated
from college, so we'll never know what became of them.
 With more than 1000
custom-built stencils, 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 to fit proportionally on the provided
A-, B- and C-size drawing page templates (or can use your own). Stencils are provided
for equipment racks and test equipment, system block diagrams, conceptual drawings,
and schematics. Unlike previous versions, these are NOT Stencils, but instead are
all contained on tabbed pages within a single Visio document. That puts everything
in front of you in its full glory. Just copy and paste what you need on your drawing.
The file format is XML so everything plays nicely with Visio 2013 and later...
 RF Superstore launched in 2017, marking
the return of Murray Pasternack, founder of Pasternack Enterprises, to the RF and
microwave Industry. Pasternack fundamentally changed the way RF components were
sold. Partner Jason Wright manages day-to-day operations, while working closely
with Mr. Pasternack to develop RF Superstore into a world class RF and
microwave
component supplier. RF coaxial connectors & adapters, coaxial cable &
cable assemblies, surge protectors, attenuators. Items added daily. Free shipping
on orders over $25. We're leading the way again!
Wednesday the 8th
 "Using computers to study polymers has always
been a major challenge for scientific computation, especially for long and densely
packed biomolecules, like DNA. New perspectives are now opening up through
quantum computing. Scientists have now recast the basic models of polymer models
as optimization problems that can be efficiently solved with quantum computers.
This novel approach has made it possible to harness the considerable potential of
these machines in a hitherto unexplored context. Many of the paradigms of scientific
computing, from Monte Carlo techniques to simulated annealing - the authors explain
- were developed, at least in part, to study the properties of polymers, including
biological ones such as protein and DNA..."
 ConductRF
LSA series of Low Loss, Performance flexible RF cable assemblies, provide microwave
system designers with a versatile solution for most applications. Here we offer
customers a solution for 0.086" dia. cable that facilitates greater flexibility
and handling or, 0.141" dia. that exploits the same great performance but with
almost half the loss. Connector options include SMA, Type-N, TNC & SMP that
provide excellent VSWR between DC and 18 GHz, also solutions for MCX &
SMB are available in a wide array of configurations. These assemblies are built
using our own double shielded, FEP jacketed cable, that was developed specifically
for performance solutions. With shielding effectiveness exceeding 90 dB through
18 GHz, these cables minimize the threat of cross-talk effect...
 In 1960, Paul Rockwell wrote a 4-part series
for the ARRL's QST magazine on station design for
long distance
communications (DX) that covered antenna selection and siting (Part I), economics
and construction (Part II), station configuration and receiver topics (Part III),
and propagation quirks and operating tips (Part IV). This is part III, which discusses
topics such as receiver preamplification, preselectivity and matching, audio and
intermediate frequencies. A detailed example block diagram illustrates the
various components comprising a typical DX station.
 RF Cascade Workbook 2018 is the next phase in the evolution
of RF Cafe's long-running series, RF Cascade Workbook. Chances are you
have never used a spreadsheet quite like this (click here for screen capture). 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
Reactel has become one of the industry leaders in the design and manufacture
of RF and microwave
filters, diplexers, and sub-assemblies. They offer the generally known tubular,
LC, cavity, and waveguide designs, as well as state of the art high performance
suspended substrate models. Through a continuous process of research and development,
they have established a full line of filters of filters of all types - lowpass,
highpass, bandpass, bandstop, diplexer, and more. Established in 1979. Please contact
Reactel today to see how they might help your project.
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RF Cafe" box at the top of every page.
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