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Friday 19
 ConductRF presents a wide selection of standard
D38999
RF coaxial cable configurations. Off the shelf examples include: BMA to 20 GHz,
SMPM to 60 GHz, Size #8 to 18 GHz, Size #12 Mil-Spec. Size #16 Mil-Spec. Cable
choice include Low Loss Flexible and standard RG styles. Custom marking and also ruggedization
coverings including Nomex weave available. Contact ConductRF today. Available for direct
purchase through Newark Electronics ...
 "Researchers have developed the world's first
complementary electrochemical logic circuits that can function stably for long periods
in water. This is a highly significant breakthrough in the development of
bioelectronics. The first printable organic electrochemical transistors
were presented by researchers at LiU as early as 2002, and research since then has progressed
rapidly. Several organic electronic components, such as light-emitting diodes and electrochromic
displays, are already commercially available. The dominating material used until now
has been PEDOT:PSS, which is a p-type material, in which ..."
 EIRP - effective isotropic radiated power - is
an important parameter when calculating both intentional and unintentional electromagnetic
emissions. EIRP is a vector quantity that accounts for both power (magnitude) and 3-dimensional
coordinates (direction). It includes antenna directivity that concentrates power in a
particular direction rather than distributing it equally in all directions (e.g., isotropically).
Effective radiated power factors in modulation type and power envelope shape as well.
Knowing how to measure that quantities can make the difference between ...
 It
is with immense pride and excitement that I write to inform you of the next chapter for
Peregrine Semiconductor and Murata. Effective today, 17 January 2018, Peregrine will
operate under a new name, pSemi Corporation.
pSemi will have the same experienced leadership team, but we will have a broader scope
and an expanded product portfolio. When Murata acquired Peregrine in Deceember 2014,
they kept the Peregrine brand name untouched. In the last few years, Murata has asked
our team to extend our reach, increase our intellectual property ...
 Analog Devices announces the
LTC5562, a low power,
high performance active double-balanced mixer, capable of 50 Ω matching over a very
wide frequency range of 30 MHz to 7 GHz. This versatile mixer can be used in
either frequency upconversion or downconversion applications, with outstanding conversion
gain of 2 dB. The device runs on a single 3.3 V supply rail, drawing 40mA nominal
operating current. If lower power consumption is needed, the mixer can be configured
to operate as low as 15 mA, supporting a wide ...
 "You don't have to be perfectly organized to pull
off a wave, according to scientists. Using a set of gyroscopes linked together, physicists
explored the behavior of a material whose structure is arranged randomly, instead of
an orderly lattice. They found they could set off one-way ripples around the edges, much
like spectators in a sports arena - a 'topological wave,' characteristic of a particularly
unusual state of matter. Using a set of
gyroscopes linked together, physicists explored the behavior of a
material whose structure is arranged randomly, instead of an orderly lattice. They found
they could set off one-way ..."
Thursday 18
 Radiocrafts AS, a leading provider of RF modules
and wireless connectivity solutions, announced today two new
Sigfox modules,
both with integrated sensor interfaces. The new modules are ideal for making a Low Power
Wide Area Network (LPWAN) with wireless sensors. The proven Sigfox modem is complemented
by a dedicated interface for a number of industrial and environmental sensors. The sensors
are carefully selected to enable customers to build complete sensor nodes by just adding
the sensor, an antenna ...
 As with most technologies that have been around
for decades, the fundamentals of
crystal filters have not changed with time. Materials and methods have changed, of
course, but the equivalent lumped element model (using resistors, capacitors and inductors)
of a crystal filter is essentially the same today as it was in 1969 when this article
appeared in Electronics World magazine. Open a first semester electronics circuits
textbook and the chapter on crystals will look much like this piece by Mr. Robert Kent,
of Damon Engineering. The use of crystal had a profound impact on filter design because
their extremely high "Q" factors ...
 Lotus Systems is a supplier of high performance
RF modular system components
operating up to 20 GHz. Design, manufacture, and test is controlled from from their Middlesex,
MA, facility. Lotus offers connectorized modules for amplifiers, attenuators, bias-Ts,
filters, prescalers, multipliers, oscillators, limiters, and RF cases for your custom
designs. A rugged lab-quality baseplate for mounting is available. Lotus can provide
custom extension of standard products, custom designs for specific applications and prototyping
for your new products. Please visit Lotus Systems today to see how they might help you ...
 Live Streaming Starts: 1:30 pm EST. "The
2018 IEEE Summit on Communications Futures will be streamed live
throughout the day on January 19, 2018 from Honolulu, Hawaii. You'll be able to view
presentations from our impressive list of speakers as they occur for absolutely free--
from the convenience of your home or office! The program will feature this impressive
group of top leaders and innovators as they share their insights on the future of communications
technologies related to 5G, Advanced Optical ..."
 Anatech Electronics 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 filters for your convenience: a 1.5 MHz highpass filter with BNC-type connectors,
a 2700 MHz / 5400 MHz / 8100 MHz triplexer filter with N-type connectors,
and a 112.5 MHz cavity bandpass filter with F-type connectors ...
 "Scientists from Duke University and Oak Ridge
National Laboratory have collaborated on a project that seeks to determine the atomic
mechanisms of a very rare type of
electric field. Everlasting electric fields have not been well-researched
at this point, but the findings in this new project are an impressive step forward. Researchers
hope to develop new materials that have similar properties, which could be used in a
variety of applications. Scientists uncovered the atomic properties by ricocheting neutrons
off the atoms of yttrium manganite. The material was heated to 3,000° Fahrenheit ..."
Wednesday 17
 Skyworks Solutions has introduced the
SKY66114-11, its latest 2.4 GHz fully-integrated
RF front-end module (FEM) supporting Bluetooth® Low Energy / Bluetooth® Smart, 802.15.4,
Thread and ZigBee® applications. This high performance device is the world's most efficient
and longest range solution for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, especially within
the connected home, wearables and industrial markets. The FEM is ideal for voice assistants,
sensors, beacons, smart watches, thermostats, wireless cameras/headphones, medical pendants,
hearing aids ...
 These
Arduino experimenter sets are big boy (and girl) versions of those
basic electronics kits with the spring terminals and an assortment of Rs, Ls, Cs, a switch,
and light bulb or two. This particular kit includes more than 200 pieces, including the
Arduino processor board for $60 - an amazingly good deal (lesser kits start at around
$35). A huge variety of add-on sensors and functional modules are available at dirt cheap
prices. Here is a set of
37 modules such for $29. You can also get application-specific Arduino
kits like this one for
RFID development or for a
smart robotic car. There's no time like the present to get started.
 Did you know that Mallory, the well-known capacitor
maker, at one time was at the forefront of solid state rectifier diodes? Not me, at least
before seeing this infomercial from a 1969 Electronics World magazine. I
know that they made selenium rectifiers that replaced many application which formerly
required vacuum tubes. This installation of Mallory's "Tips
for Technicians" is one of many run for the benefit of service shop guys who needed
to keep abreast of changes in technology. Note the admonition at the end: "Don't forget
to ask 'em - 'What else needs fixing?'" ...
 Mini-Circuits announces in its January 2018 product lineup the availability
of four new devices in its lineup of
RF and microwave components. Included are a MMIC 2-way 90° hybrid covers 5 to 11 GHz,
a broadband 75 Ω surface-mount transformer covers 10 to 1400 MHz, a wideband
MMIC balun covers 5500 to 13500 MHz in 3 x 3 mm QFN package, and an ultra-wideband
coaxial LNA matched from 0.5 to 15 GHz ...
 "Residents of southeast Michigan were left a bit
shaken Tuesday night after a big bright flash lit up the sky and the ground beneath them
shook. A flying saucer? No. A shooting star? Not quite. The National Weather Service
eventually solved the mystery, tweeting 'USGS confirms
meteor occurred around 8:10 pm, causing a magnitude 2.0 earthquake.'"
The science-challenged reporter (as are most) got the part about it not being a shooting
star wrong, though. A 'shooting
star' is a meteor, although it is not a star ...
 "A year-long operating event, 'Science Milestones in the History of Radio,' is under way, sponsored
by the Italian Amateur Radio Association (ARI) Fidenza Radio Club. Each month will highlight
individuals who laid the foundations - theoretical and practical - for radio science.
Awards are available for participating stations. Each month, a commemorative station
with a distinctive call sign will be on the air featuring an individual with a
role in the history of wireless communication. During January, II4MXW is active, honoring
the contributions of James Maxwell ..."
Tuesday 16
 Anatech Electronics manufactures and supplies RF
and microwave filters for military and commercial communication systems, providing standard
and custom RF  filters, and RF products. StandardRF filter and cable assembly
products are published in their website database. Custom RF filters designs are used
when a standard cannot be found, or the requirements dictate a custom approach. Please
take a moment to visit Anatech's website to see how they might be able to assist with
your current project ...
 "Intel has passed a key milestone while running
alongside Google and IBM in the marathon to build quantum computing systems. The tech
giant has unveiled a superconducting quantum test chip with
49 qubits: enough qubits to possibly enable quantum computing that
begins to exceed the practical limits of modern classical computers. Intel's announcement
about the design and fabrication of its new 49-qubit superconducting quantum chip, code-named
Tangle Lake, came during a keynote speech by Brian Krzanich, Intel's CEO, during ..."
 Prior to the big push for leadless solder in the
1990s, probably 99% or more of the solder used by industry, tradesmen, and hobbyists
contained lead. The
60/40 Sn-Pb (and 63/47) alloy, both with and without a rosin or acid core, was used
for electrical work, electronics, plumbing, copper guttering, radiators, and many mechanical
assemblies made of steel, brass, copper, tin, etc. Between World War I, "The War
to [Not] End All Wars," and World War II, the electronics industry exploded in growth.
All realms of society and government became utterly dependent on products assembled using
solder. Both tin and lead were abundantly available ...
 "In a paper titled 'Deterministic Line-Shape Programming
of Silicon Nanowires for Extremely Stretchable Springs and Electronics' published in
the Nano Letters, an international team of researchers from Nanjing University, Peking
University, and CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique has demonstrated a new route to designing silicon-based
flexible electronics in a scalable way. Rather than starting from Si wafers cut-out from
drawn silicon ingots, they describe in their paper a nanoscale-version of the crystal-pulling
methods used to grow silicon ..."
 Saelig Company announces the availability of the
Triarchy Technologies VSA6G2A Vector Spectrum Analyzer - an economical
USB RF tool that plugs into the USB port of a PC and is controlled with the provided
PC application software. It offers almost all of the functionality of a benchtop spectrum
analyzer. Its frequency range of operation is from 100 Hz to 6.2 GHz, with
an amplitude measurement range of -140 dBm to 24 dBm. The RBW (resolution bandwidth)
range is from 0.2 Hz to 10 MHz and the noise level (DANL) is as low as -140 dBm.
The VSA6G2A is very compact (4" x 1" x 1") and easy to use. The software user ...
 "Researchers at the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated that
quantum physics might enable communication and mapping in locations
where GPS, cell phones, and radio is not reliable or don't work at all, such as indoors,
in urban canyons, underwater, and underground. NIST announced the technology advance
on January 2. The technology may have marine, military, and surveying applications. The
NIST team is experimenting with very low frequency (VLF) digitally modulated magnetic
signals ..."
Monday 15
 "China has been leading the world in construction
of solar energy plants, building dozens of new solar farms over the past few years. In
addition to building standard solar farms, the country has also been experimenting with
more innovative ways to draw energy from the sun. Recently, the city of Jinan built China's
very first
solar road, which lasted about a week until someone stole it. The
road opened on December 28, and on January 2 an inspection team noticed a piece of the
road was missing. The piece was small, measuring only 6 inches wide ..."
 According to author R.R. Freeland, manufacturing
processes for radio-quality manmade crystals saw major improvements toward the end of
World War II. At the time, the process was highly manual-intensive, as can be seen
in this really nicely done 1940s video titled "Crystals Go to War." Prior to the use
of crystals as frequency-determining devices, inductor-capacitor (LC) tank circuits were
the dominant configuration. There were actually other frequency-determining schemes like
spark gaps and even vibrating mechanical reeds. As you might guess, anything less than ...
Are You Ready for 5G? Unlocking 6 Key Measurement Challenges for
5G Radio Validation. Date: January
24, 2018 Time: 1pm ET.
Abstract: "The 5G New Radio era officially
begins with the publication of 3GPP Release 15 in December 2017, which defines a 5G overlay
onto the existing 4G networks. As 5G and emerging wireless standards continue to evolve,
wireless designers need flexibility to troubleshoot leading-edge issues in a variety
of spectrum bands as well as high performance for more rigorous R&D validation. Join
Daren McClearnon, 5G ...
 Antenova Ltd, manufacturer of antennas and RF antenna
modules, is showing a brand new pair of high performing
4G/LTE antennas which are suitable for PCBs as small as 60mm, at
the consumer electronics show CES. The two antennas can also be used in 3G and MIMO applications.
The two antennas are similar - the difference being that Inversa is built for the USA
market while Integra is for European and Asian markets. Both antennas are available in
left and right versions to provide more options for placement on the PCB, and can be
used ...
 "Unique thermoelectric properties in cesium tin
iodide could reduce heat buildup in electronic devices. A collective rattling effect
in a type of crystalline semiconductor was discovered to block most
heat transfer while preserving high electrical conductivity - a rare
pairing that could reduce heat buildup in electronic devices and turbine engines. The
traits were discovered in a class of materials known as halide perovskites, which are
also considered promising candidates for next-generation solar panels ..."
Sunday 14
 At least 10 clues with an asterisk (*)
in this technology-themed crossword puzzle are pulled from this past week's (1/8 - 1/14)
"Tech Industry Headlines" column on the RF Cafe homepage (see
the Headline Archives page for help). For the sake of all the avid cruciverbalists
amongst us, each week I create a new technology-themed crossword puzzle using only words
from my custom-created related to engineering, science, mathematics, chemistry, physics,
astronomy ...
Friday 12
 For the benefit of RF Cafe visitors, I have posted
at no charge to companies many employment announcements for engineers, technicians, managers,
and other technical positions. This electronics technician job was located at COMSAT
Laboratories' (Communications Satellite Corporation) Washington,
D.C., facilities since 1969 was prior to when the then-futuristic-looking Clarksburg,
Maryland, campus was established. In the early 1990s, I worked as an RF design engineer
for a few years at COMSAT Laboratories in Clarksburg. About a decade earlier, before
earning my BSEE degree, I was working as an electronics technician at ...
 "Many engineers possess unique traits such as initiative
and eagerness to learn that help make them more successful in their careers.
Effective engineers use their resourcefulness and initiative to find
solutions. They identify problems, but they aren't limited to finding, fixing, and troubleshooting.
They assess their current situations and continually seek to improve upon the status
quo. They listen and learn. They ask for ideas, consider possible solutions, and then
synthesize opinions and facts to create appropriate responses. Here are some essential
qualities found in the most successful engineers ..."
 ConductRF's
SiteFlex Range of ruggedized
Field RF Test Cables are designed specially for Field Test Engineers working in applications
that require on site RF Testing. These cables are directly compatible with handheld network
and spectrum analyzers. Options include DC-7 GHz through DC-50 GHz. The ruggedized
construction includes anti-torque connectors that are firmly attached to the cables external
armor. Crush resistant SF cable can withstand 1,200 lbs./sq.in. Methuen, MA, is
ConductRF's principle U.S. manufacturing location ...
 TGIF. If this past week has had you on edge, cheer
up -the weekend's almost here. Once the final fire has been put out - or is at least
contained - give yourself a break and enjoy these
tech-themed comics from a vintage issue of Electronics World magazine. My
favorite is the one on page 83 which is a takeoff on the well-worn comedy meme of the
husband trying to sneak back into the house after a night out with the boys. This poor
guy has been outwitted by his wife, who evidently has a bit of tech savvy working for
her ...
 QuinStar Technology, a major supplier of millimeter-wave
products for communication, announces that their R&D team has recently achieved a
new milestone for GaN power amplifiers operating above 100 GHz. Using multiple
GaN MMIC chips in a combiner network, we have achieved an output power of 3 W at
114 GHz. These GaN-based power amplifiers will soon be available for commercial
applications ...
 "It is often said that 'two heads are better than
one;' for the Air Force, leveraging the expertise and insights of academia has led to
advances in materials development and processing destined to be a game changer for the
future fight. A collaboration between scientists at the Air Force Research Laboratory
and Harvard University's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering has resulted
in a new method for digital design and printing of stretchable, flexible electronics.
The process, called
Hybrid 3-D printing, uses additive ..."
Thursday 11
 everythingRF is providing up-to-the-minute coverage
of events at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018. CES has been the launch pad
for new innovation and technology for the last 50 years. The event is held in Las Vegas
every year and is the world's gathering place for everyone in the business of consumer
technologies. It is where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.
check in with everythingRF for news important to RF Cafe visitors ...
 "A Korean tech giant on Thursday announced new
robots that take aim squarely at the jobs of many services industry
workers around the globe. There have long been predictions that advances in artificial
intelligence and automation could end up eliminating millions of jobs over time, and
tech companies have been testing robots to carry out a variety of tasks - from working
in a pizza parlor to making deliveries that could greatly affect the services industry
in the future. For its part, South Korean giant LG Electronics is the latest company
that is ..."
 Why rent test equipment from Axiom? Get
test equipment without a capital budget. Tax benefits - the expense of a rental can
be deducted immediately. Protects you against product obsolescence. Save time and money
with quick delivery. Try equipment out before committing a lot of money to a purchase.
Save time and money on maintenance costs (which are the responsibility of the rental
company). Please contact Axiom today for your rental needs ...
 "There's more to creating a PCB prototype than
meets the eye. Do you have any PCB prototype successes or disasters that you would care
to share with the rest of us? Many of my friends are involved in designing silicon chips
in the form of ASICs, ASSPs, and SoCs, so if you say 'prototyping' to them, it means
something very different to someone who wishes to create a prototype of a design that
will be realized on a printed circuit board (PCB). In this column, we will consider four
of the things that you really should consider before prototyping PCB ..."
 Nuclear energy was a big topic in the 1960s and
1970s as it was believed to be the future of electrical power generation for the world
(at least up until the 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl incidents occurred). Ships and submarines
were being powered by reactors that allowed them to run for months at a time without
refueling, atmospheric emissions were practically zero, and the fuel source was abundant
(albeit not simple to obtain). Medical and space applications were increasingly dependent
on a greater knowledge of radiation and its effects on humans, plants, animals, and electronics.
Many people by that ...
 Antenova Ltd, manufacturer of antennas and RF antenna
modules, is launching a brand new compact, all-in-one active GNSS antenna, part number
M20047-1, at the CES show in Las Vegas this month. It adds another
option to the company's existing range of positioning antennas and modules. The M20047-1
operates in the 1559-1609 MHz bands, and offers designers a useful, space-saving option
for small tracking devices. Its key features are the active components, the built-in
LNA and filter, which act to boost ...
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