 Friday 11
 According to this 1964 article in Electronics
magazine, the U.S. Air Force's decision to build radar systems that would enable low
altitude,
terrain-following flight paths for strategic and tactical aircraft was in response
to the shooting down of Gary Powers' U-2 spy craft in 1960. The event made clear that
simply flying high over enemy territory and dropping bombs would not be a reliable strategy
since surface-to-air missiles could reach and destroy aircraft before they got to their
targets. Terrain-following capability on the part of bombers and fighters would add a
major element of surprise since approach paths could be masked until it was too late
to take offensive action. That approach was not without its risks and faults, as made
apparent by the Dr. Strangelove movie satire that poked fun at the very concept ...
 Every month Rohde & Schwarz USA puts together
a few resources intended to help you tackle your latest EMC test challenge. This month,
we focus on two very different topics. "The value of pre-selection in EMC Measurements"
which is an often misunderstood or underestimated concept, and "Going Beyond the Basics
to Ensure Successful Immunity Tests" which covers the ins and outs of what to look for
when working with and selecting an EMC amplifier. The "EMC Amplifiers – Going Beyond
the Basics to Ensure Successful Immunity Tests" webinar focuses on the basics and intricacies
of immunity testing, a technical overview of EMC amplifiers ...
 Saelig Company announces the availability of Triarchy Technologies'
VSG6G1C RF Vector Signal Generator - a cost-effective pocketable USB-connected RF
signal source with capabilities that provide standalone and PC-controlled functions comparable
to full-size analog RF signal generators. Offering frequencies from 1 MHz to 6.1 GHz
with frequency sweep, frequency hopping using I&Q modulation, and arbitrary signal
generation, this compact signal source can generate most of the modulated signals that
RF engineers might need. The VSG6G1C's many test functions can be customized to meet
the needs of proprietary and other nonstandard wireless protocols. This compact design
is ideal for field test situations since it can be conveniently added to a field service
kit, and configured to operate standalone ...
 Amateur radio station operators seemed to always
be amongst the first to lose their rights in time of war. Governmental power brokers
- from unelected local bureaucrats on up to presidents - love to demonstrate their influence
over citizens when the opportunity arises. The
Radio Act of 1912 revoked the rights of amateur radio stations to operate, and in
some cases authorized the confiscation of radio equipment for use by the government.
Permission was not restored until 1919, after World War I. Amateurs took it on the
chin again in World War II with revocation of licenses. In this 1917 article in
The Electrical Experimenter publisher Hugo Gernsback makes the case for permitting
"our red-blooded boys be trusted to assist our officials in running down spies." "...we
realize how absurd it is to close all privately owned radio stations during the war ..."
 "There are real signs of a renaissance in
electronic warfare. Now comes the hard part: translating new strategies
and concepts into doctrine, requirements, and systems in the field. After a quarter-century
of post-Cold War neglect, the Department of Defense has once again become serious about
electronic warfare: the art of detecting, disrupting, and deceiving enemy radio and radar.
But battles between electrons are invisible, literally and often politically as well,
and EW must fight for attention and resources with higher-profile efforts from hypersonic
missiles and missile defense to combat readiness for everything from fighter jets to
nuclear submarines ..."
 Rohde & Schwarz develops, produces and markets
test & measurement, information and communications technology.
Focus is on test and measurement, broadcast and media, cybersecurity, secure communications,
monitoring and network testing. Markets serviced are wireless, the automotive industry,
aerospace and defense, industrial electronics, research and education, broadcast and
media network operations, consumer electronics, cybersecurity for business and governments,
communications and security solutions for critical infrastructures and the armed forces,
reconnaissance equipment for homeland and external security, and much more ...
Thursday 10
 Although published in a 1972 issue of Popular
Electronics magazine, the topic of dealing with
radio interference is timeless. Some of the sources of radio interference change
over the years, but there is always a need to discover and resolve such problems, and
more importantly, use the lessons learned to attempt to prevent it in the first place.
The January setting in the Great Lake Midwest region of the U.S. is right on time for
when this is being posted. It's snowing here in Erie, Pennsylvania, as I write this,
the temperature is about 24°F, and the wind is howling at 15-20 miles per hour as
is has been all night. "Someone must have sprayed circuit-cooler around out there," Barney
(Mac's able young assistant) complained. "Man, it's cold!" That about sums up today's
weather. Unfortunately for Barney, he would be called upon to leave the warmth of the
shop to make a service call to figure out why CB radio transmissions ...
 Nokomis, the preeminent company in the world in
the detection, identification, and geolocation of electronics, currently has an opening
for an Electrical
Engineer / RF and Digital Hardware Designer. Nokomis is actively seeking candidates
for a number of positions including PhD and MS level electrical engineers, physicists,
computer scientists as well as administrative, management and sales positions. Responsibilities
include: Design hardware to suit given requirements and document the design, Electromagnetic
or SPICE circuit simulation a plus, Circuit design of RF, Digital, mixed-signal and analog
circuits, Test, debug and evaluation of PCB assemblies, Embedded software or FPGA experience
a plus ...
 Triad RF Systems, a top-tier designer and manufacturer
of RF and microwave amplifiers, has received confirmation of the successful field operation
of the
TA1109, which is currently aboard a
CubeSat chassis flying in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The TA1109 operates from 2000 to
2500 MHz and provides 4 watts of output power, ensuring proper and consistent
communication at distances in excess of 2000 km or 1200 miles. Weighing less
than an ounce and smaller than a credit card, the TA1109 is ideal for even the smallest
CubeSat systems. This amplifier uses a circuit card form factor, making it integrate
easily into a wide array of custom CubeSat communication systems ...
 Axiom Test Equipment, a premier provider of electronic
test and measurement equipment rentals and sales, has a new blog post you might find
useful titled, "Put a Charge into Your Battery Testing." Batteries provide power
for portable electronic devices. They come in many shapes and sizes, from tiny cells
that power pocket-sized personal electronic devices to large, fixed systems. They are
also available in different chemistries, such as alkaline, lead-acid, and lithium-ion
cells. Each battery chemistry results in battery cells with different voltages, such
as 1.5 V for alkaline cells, 2.0 V for lead-acid cells, and 3.0 V for lithium cells.
Commercial batteries are typically comprised of multiple connected cells to achieve higher
voltages, such as 12 or 24 V. Batteries are obviously essential components in any portable
electronic product ...
 It seemed like a reasonable idea, but the absence
of "One
Hander" soldering tools on the market today - or any time in the last half century
for that matter - is empirical proof that the concept is not feasible. In principle,
being able to feed the solder into the joint area with a squeezable pistol grip setup
is not so different than modern wire welding machines that basically do the same thing
(I have one). It was probably the lack of stiffness of the solder wire that caused the
problem since keeping it on the joint would be difficult. Preventing the flux from jamming
the solder feed tube was no doubt an issue as well. Oh well, it was worth a try. Today's
surface mounted components could never be soldered with such a device, even if modernized
to accommodate the smaller sizes ...
 "NEC Corporation has successfully demonstrated
real-time digital wireless
Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) mode multiplexing transmission over
40 meters in the 80 GHz-band. This technology can help solve the ever-increasing demand
for high-capacity wireless connections for 5G networks. NEC aims to use this technology
for its iPASOLINK series of ultra-compact microwave and mmWave communication products,
which are capable of extremely reliable, high-capacity mobile backhaul solutions for
5G networks. In recent years, more and more base stations are required for proper transmission
coverage, especially in hot spots and ultra-dense urban areas, where the cell grid becomes
very dense. Additionally, datacenters will be moving to the edge ..."
 Please
take a few moments to visit the
everythingRF website to see how they can assist you with your project.
everythingRF is a product discovery platform for RF and microwave products and services.
They currently have 227,460 products from more than 1210 companies across 285 categories
in their database and enable engineers to search for them using their customized parametric
search tool. Amplifiers, test equipment, power couplers and dividers, coaxial connectors,
waveguide, antennas, filters, mixers, power supplies, and everything else. Please visit
everythingRF today to see how they can help you ...
Wednesday 9
 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 filter designs: connectorized 763−768 MHz / 793−798 MHz single in/out
duplexer, a connectorized 1090 MHz cavity bandpass filter, and a surface mount 836.5 MHz
/ 881.5 MHz SAW duplexer. Custom RF filters designs are used when a standard cannot
be found, or the requirements are such that a custom approach is necessary ...
 Those of us who have been working for a long time
around electricity with exposed circuit components are well aware that as little as one-tenth
of an ampere (1/10 A) can produce a lethal reaction, particularly if the current
path runs through the heart (i.e., hand-to-hand). Some of us (moi) have even experienced
a pretty significant jolt from a high voltage vacuum tube power supply and/or from a
480 volt, three-phase supply to an industrial motor. Fortunately, the worst damage
done was to my ego and a feeling of utter stupidity for allowing the occurrence to happen.
If you are new to the concept of
electrocution, you might be inclined to wonder why, when the chart below shows certain
current levels with corresponding effects, would I mention exposure to high voltages?
The answer is that various current paths through your body ...
 Keysight Technologies, a leading technology company
that helps enterprises, service providers, and governments accelerate innovation to connect
and secure the world, today announced the 200 MHz, 4-channel models of the
InfiniiVision 1000 X-Series oscilloscopes, providing professional-level measurements
and capabilities at an affordable price, including 4-wire Serial Peripheral Interface
(SPI) decode and remote connection via local area networks (LANs). The new InfiniiVision
1000 X-Series oscilloscopes use the same user interface and measurement technology found
in the higher performance Keysight InfiniiVision oscilloscopes. The intuitive front panel ...
 "AVX Corporation has introduced a new line of ultraminiature,
thin-film transmission line capacitors for high-frequency links,
DC blocking in the UHF range (300 MHz – 3 GHz), and other high-performance
microwave and RF applications. The new capacitors have a novel metal-insulator-metal
(MIM) structure, copper traces for optimal circuit conductivity, a transmission line
wire-bond pad, and a gold-metallized backside ground, and can be supplied on a variety
of low-loss substrates, including quartz, alumina, glass, and silicon. The new transmission
line capacitors are also available in a wide range of capacitance values: 0.3-50 pF
with a ±20% tolerance, and each is made using a high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS)
to proactively address any electromagnetic ..."
 An RF Cafe
visitor and who wishes to remain anonymous (Engineer−X) sent me this "Energy Frequency Chart" that purports to have identified "average
frequencies of some of the therapeutic grade essential oils that have been measured."
That's right, you probably didn't know that your body parts have specific frequencies
at which when resonance is achieved, healing powers are realized. This claim must be
true because it is on the Internet. The purveyor of these magical, essential oils has
had results verified by Eastern Washington University by using a Calibrated Frequency
Monitor (CFM). Surely you have a CFM in your test lab. Engineer−X dutifully notes
that many of the essential oils resonates in the FM radio and aviation communications
bands as well as at Part 15 key fob frequencies, which must explain why you feel
good in their presence. Count me amongst the skeptics and "Essential Oils Deniers." The
sad fact is many people buy into (literally) this malarkey.
 "A day after being whacked with a US $900,000 FCC
fine for launching four tiny
CubeSats without permission, Silicon Valley startup Swarm Technologies
sought permission for dozens more of its controversial small satellites, according to documents
obtained by IEEE Spectrum. Swarm wants to create an orbital network of miniature
satellites that will offer a global Internet of Things communication service at a fraction
of the price of existing systems. 'Swarm will offer two-way communications services to
allow end users to send and receive data anywhere in the world,' reads its latest FCC
application. 'The Swarm constellation will be deployed rapidly, and begin to offer commercial
services even prior to full deployment of the constellation ..."
 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 ...
Tuesday 8
 Antenova Ltd, manufacturer of antennas and RF
antenna modules for M2M and the Internet of Things, has developed a new
SMD
positioning antenna that achieves an extraordinary level of accuracy in the GNSS
bands – it can pinpoint a location to within centimetres. The Raptor antenna utilises
the L2, 1200 MHz satellite bands which recently became available for civilian use.
It is the latest addition to Antenova's lamiiANT range of rigid FR4 antennas which are
designed for easy insertion onto a PCB. The antenna itself is very small - it is a GPS
single feed antenna in SMD form, measuring just 16.0 x 8.0 x 1.6 mm, which makes
it suitable for small PCBs within all kinds of small electronic devices. "This is an
outstanding antenna, because it achieves the same precision ..."
 At QuinStar, we're about more than millimeter-wave
technology. The people comprising QuinStar Technology pursue diverse and exciting outside
interests. Our Chief Engineer, Jim Schellenberg, is a highly skilled amateur astronomical
photographer. He captured this beautiful image of the
Orion nebula using a specially modified Canon 6D. The camera responds to the H-alpha
spectral line at 656 nm (from hydrogen gas), which is seen as red in the photo. The camera
is mounted on an 11-inch telescope that tracks the object as the earth rotates. This
image consists of nine one-minute exposures that are "stacked" to form the image you
see. This is an excellent time of the year to view the Orion nebula. It can be seen with
the naked eye ...
 Walt Miller drew a lot of
comics for electronics magazines like Popular Electronics, and he did the
cover art for Astounding Science Fiction magazine. No doubt there were others.
I could not find any detailed information about Mr. Miller's personal background,
such as whether he was a Ham radio operator, but clearly he enjoyed electronics and science
topics. This group of comics, which appeared in the May 1967 issue of Popular Electronics,
touches on many scenarios that would have been familiar to hobbyists of the day. I like
the one where the guy sneezes and scatters carefully counted and sorted resistors all
over the floor. Another refers to installment plans for purchasing equipment. That was
from a time when credit cards were not handed out like candy and only people with provable
credit-worthiness could get them ...
 Engineers at TotalTemp Technologies have published
a white paper titled, "Thermal Testing with Convection and Conduction… Together at Last!"
It begins: "A heartfelt Congratulation is in order for the happy and successful union
of two distinct thermal testing methods that are finally sharing the same dance floor
together – as the first true Hybrid. To better understand the specific benefits from
both sides of this collaboration of two testing methods, please review of the following
white paper. Thermal testing by conduction is most commonly done on a Thermal Platform.
Platforms control temperature by conductive heat ..."
 San Francisco Components (SFC) has introduced
a new educational component of its website to address Printed Circuit Board (PCB) component
sourcing and overages. The information is geared to help customers source the right amount
of critical components without creating costly shortages during PCB assembly. The
component overages worksheet gives target quantities for projects based on the number
of finished pieces required. The sheet is broken down by component size for common resistors
and capacitors. SFC also offers a formula for more expensive parts for more accurate
budgeting. "One of the most frequent questions we get from customers is how to know what
is the right quantity of components that are needed for any given project ...
 "A team of experimentalists at the U.S. Department
of Energy's Ames Laboratory and theoreticians at University of Alabama Birmingham discovered
a remarkably long-lived new state of matter in an
iron pnictide superconductor, which reveals a laser-induced formation
of collective behaviors that compete with superconductivity. 'Superconductivity is a
strange state of matter, in which the pairing of electrons makes them move faster,' said
Jigang Wang, Ames Laboratory physicist and Iowa State University professor. 'One of the
big problems we are trying to solve is how different states in a material compete ..."
Monday 7
 Whether you are new to working in the cellular
communications realm or are just interested in learning more about the system about which
the world turns today, this free "Radio Fundamentals for Cellular Networks" white paper by Rohde &
Schwarz will be useful to you. "Cellular technologies have advanced from first generation
(1G) analog technologies to advanced high- performance fourth generation (4G) and fifth
generation (5G) systems in just four decades. Despite the increase in complexity of wireless
standards and devices, cellular technologies maintain a set of common principles that
form the basis behind the design of cellular systems. In this white paper, we explore
these basic principles and examine the underlying technologies that lay the foundation
for today and future cellular systems ..."
 Chapter 5 of the U.S. Navy's basic electronics
course of study, titled "EMF:
What It Is," introduces the concept of electromotive force. It follows lessons on
electric current and static electricity where students learned that potential difference
causes electrons to flow through a conductor. But - you'll have to know about another
"electron-mover." Because it is an "electron-moving-force," scientists have named it
Electromotive Force (emf). Mechanical force is usually measured in pounds, but emf is
measured in volts. Just as pounds of force make water flow through a pipe, so emf makes
current flow through a conductor. The three terms - potential difference, electromotive
force, and voltage - are often used interchangeably. You will hear electricians say,
"Voltage of the generator"; or "EMF of the generator" and "Voltage of the circuit" or
"Potential of the circuit ...
Please
take a few moments to visit the
everythingRF website to see how they can assist you with your project.
everythingRF is a product discovery platform for RF and microwave products and services.
They currently have 228,567 products from more than 1222 companies across 291 categories
in their database and enable engineers to search for them using their customized parametric
search tool. Amplifiers, test equipment, power couplers and dividers, coaxial connectors,
waveguide, antennas, filters, mixers, power supplies, and everything else. Please visit
everythingRF today to see how they can help you ...
 Free for your downloading pleasure is Rohde &
Schwarz's white paper titled, "An Introduction to EMC Amplifiers." "In order to perform immunity
testing on an electronic device, we must subject that device to defined levels of radio
frequency energy over a wide range of frequencies and verify that the device continues
to function properly. This radio frequency energy may be conducted into a device via
its attached cables or be directly picked up 'over - the - air,' i.e. from radiated signals.
As we will see, radiated emissions represent the greater challenge in immunity testing.
The first reason for this is that radiated immunity (or susceptibility) testing often
requires the creation of very high electric field strengths , with typical values ranging
from 3-200 V/m. Depending on frequency, distance ..."
 "U-blox and University of Bristol have developed
a tunable frequency-division duplexing RF front-end that combines passive and active
self-interference cancellation. With the proof-of-concept demonstrator,
an electrical-balance duplexer is used to passively cancel transmitter noise in the receive
band, and an active canceller is employed to suppress self-interference in the transmit
band. It has been characterized in duplex configurations working between 700 MHz and
950 MHz, as well as LTE bands 3 (1.9 GHz) and 7 (2.6 GHz). Noise figure is 6.0-7.4 dB
in the presence of a +27 dBm LTE uplink Tx blocker for duplex separations of 47.5 MHz
and above ..."
 Lotus
Communication Systems is a supplier of high performance connectorized
RF modular system components,
shielded project cases, and special purpose solutions up through 40 GHz. Lotus is
a privately owned company with mechanical and electronic design, manufacture, test controlled
from its Middlesex, MA, facility. They have multiple 4 axis CNC machines and LPKF circuit
plotters. Lotus can provide custom extension of our standard products, custom designs
for specific applications and prototyping for your new products ...
Sunday 6
 Each 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. 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 ...
|
