 The Case for Supporting RF Cafe:
Preserving
a Legacy of Engineering Excellence
For over a quarter of a century, RF Cafe
has stood as a beacon of free, high-quality engineering knowledge - serving professionals,
students, and hobbyists without paywalls, data harvesting, or corporate influence.
Founded and single-handedly maintained by Kirt Blattenberger, this one-man passion
project has grown into an indispensable repository of RF/microwave engineering resources,
vintage technical literature, and practical tools.
Now, RF Cafe needs your help to ensure its survival in an era of rising costs,
intrusive ads, and corporate-controlled information.
Rather than donating - which will also be greatly appreciated - why not get something
for your money and order some of my custom-made software items? Order as many as
would be equal to what you might donate with GoFundMe. A dollar doesn't buy much
these days, so your generosity means a lot!
Thank you. ---- Kirt Blattenberger
Why RF Cafe Deserves Your Support
1. A Free, Uncompromised Resource in a Paywalled World
Unlike modern platforms that lock knowledge behind subscriptions or sell user
data, RF Cafe has always been free and private. Kirt has never monetized user information
- a rare stance in today's surveillance-driven web.
- 16,000+ pages of original and curated content.
- No paywalls, no forced logins - pure, open access.
- Vintage magazine scans preserving historical engineering wisdom that would otherwise
be lost.
2. A One-Man Labor of Love
Kirt, now 67 (born 1958), has dedicated his life to maintaining RF Cafe without
corporate backing. Unlike commercial tech sites, there's no team, no investors,
no boardroom dictating content - just one engineer's commitment to the community.
- No retirement plan - RF Cafe is his livelihood.
- No home ownership - Rising costs have made it harder to sustain.
- Medical expenses - Aging brings unavoidable health challenges.
3. Fighting Against Bloat and Corporate Ads
Google's intrusive, slow-loading ads degrade the user experience. Your donations
will:
- ✔ Replace ad revenue so Kirt can reduce or eliminate disruptive ads.
- ✔ Keep sponsor banners minimal - no flashing pop-ups or autoplay videos.
- ✔ Ensure pages load fast - critical for engineers referencing formulas and calculators.
4. Keeping RF Cafe Independent
Corporate-backed tech sites push agendas, bury old knowledge, and censor unpopular
truths. RF Cafe remains a pure, untainted resource - but that requires financial
independence.
- No venture capital means no pressure to "monetize" users.
- No editorial bias - just raw, unfiltered engineering knowledge.
The Funding Goal: $6,500/Month
This covers:
- Hosting and maintenance (bandwidth isn't free).
- Kirt's full-time work (updating content, fixing bugs, adding new tools).
- Medical and living expenses (allowing him to keep RF Cafe alive).
No perks, no gimmicks - just direct support to keep this 25-year legacy alive.
Why Engineers and Tech Enthusiasts Should Act Now
RF Cafe is one of the last truly independent engineering resources. If it disappears:
- Decades of curated knowledge could vanish.
- Future engineers lose free access to critical references.
- The web becomes more corporate-controlled.
Learn
More and Support RF Cafe
Let's ensure RF Cafe thrives for another 25 years. Every dollar keeps the legacy
alive.
|
