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5 of the July 2019 homepage archives. Friday 26
 Nationwide survey shows a
decline in opportunities for engineers. Although jobs are fewer and requirements
tougher, certain specialists are still in demand. An employment-agency official
on Long Island says, "If it weren't for Grumman (Aircraft Corp.), you could just
cut Long Island off and let it float into the Atlantic." A Chicago agency that specializes
in jobs for engineers advises applicants to relocate and be prepared to drop out
of the five-figure salary range. These are typical findings in a coast-to-coast
employment survey. Don't panic; these statements are from a 1964 issue of Electronics
magazine. Prior to our current Era of Wireless, which, unbeknownst to most people,
is a nomenclature that harkens back to a century earlier ...
 With more than 780 custom-built
symbols, 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 from scratch to fit proportionally
on the provided A- and B-size drawing page templates (you can use your own page
if preferred). Components are provided for equipment racks (EIA and ETSI) and test
equipment, system block diagrams and conceptual drawings, and for schematics
...
/2019/Eeonyx-EMI-Development-Manufacturing-Engineer-7-25-2019.htm" target="_top"
 Here is a very unique opportunity for an
RFI/EMI engineer. Eeonyx is a leading research development and manufacturing company
of electrically conducting materials including piezoresistive sensing textile, resistive
heating textile, ESD textile, ESD fibers, EMI shielding textile and felt, capacitive
sensing textile, electrically conductive additives, and conductive inks. The Company's
partners include industry leaders in the aerospace, apparel, defense, smart fabric
pressure sensors, medical device and electronics. Eeonyx is seeking a creative
/2019/Eeonyx-EMI-Development-Manufacturing-Engineer-7-25-2019.htm" target="_top"
EMI shielding material development and manufacturing engineer. The engineer
will plan and conduct development of new electromagnetic materials technology towards
commercial applications ...
 Lee de Forest, inventor of the Audion vacuum
tube, created a business called De Forest Radio Company (although I hear he didn't
build that). This advertisement for his company's electron tubes appeared in the
December 1931 edition of the ARRL's QST magazine. If you research Lee de Forest,
you will find his name spelled incorrectly in many different forms: de Forest, De
Forest, de Forest, de Forest, to give a few. When in doubt, go straight to the source,
which in this case is the signature that de Forest placed on his patent applications
- he used "de Forest." Note that the official company name, according to the advertisement
address at the bottom, is "De Forest Radio Company," (space used) yet the text of
the copy uses the form ...
 Keysight Technologies is offering these two
Engineering Rulers for free for a limited time. One is a digital electronics
ruler and the other is a microwave substrate ruler. No detailed information is available
at this time. I searched fairly extensively for details but could not find anything
at all. It appears that you will have to order one or both for yourself to discover
exactly what they are. I gave Keysight my contact information - which they have
had for a long time anyway - in exchange for having them sent to me. High resolution
images will be posted when/if they arrive. Stay tuned... or get your own ...
 "Like many amateur radio fans his age, Ron
Kolarik, 71, still recalls the 'pure magic' of his first ham experience nearly 60
years ago. Lately, though, encrypted messages have begun to infiltrate the
amateur bands in ways that he says are antithetical
to the spirit of this beloved hobby. So Kolarik filed a petition, RM-11831 [PDF],
to the U.S. FCC proposing a rule change to 'Reduce Interference and Add Transparency
to Digital Data Communications.' And as the proposal makes its way through the FCC's
process, it has stirred up heated debate that goes straight to the heart of what
ham radio is, and ought to be. The core questions: Should amateur radio - and its
precious spectrum - be protected purely as a hobby, or is it a utility that delivers
data traffic ..."
 Nova
Microwave is a leader in technically differentiated electronic and radio frequency
Ferrite Circulators
and Isolators that connect, protect and control critical commercial and military
wireless telecommunications systems. Our staff is dedicated to research and development
of standard and custom design quality Ferrite Circulators and Isolators from 380 MHz
to 26.5 GHz. Available in single or multi-junction topographies, the Nova Microwave
product line of is specifically designed for use in varied environmental and temperature
extremes.
Thursday 25
 As always, the reading of this
Mac's Radio Service Shop techno-saga leaves you a little bit smarter about an
aspect of electronics as well as how to approach business from both the serviceman's
and the customer's perspective, with a bit of humor and personality thrown in for
good measure. Author John T. Frye, who also wrote the long-running and much-loved
Carl & Jerry series, uses service shop proprietor "Mac" McGregor as a sort of
alter ego for passing on his own extensive knowledge of radio and television servicing.
Customer satisfaction is the main theme of this installment, which entails going
beyond just repairing the problem the items is brought in for. Mac instructs his
young wingman technician Barney to run a series of standard tests on every set in
hopes of ferreting out ...
 Windfreak Technologies, LLC, announces the
availability of the new
SynthHD PRO Dual Channel RF Signal Generator. The SynthHD PRO is designed for
higher amplitude accuracy and operation in a more rugged environment than its earlier
sibling, the SynthHD. The entire first manufacturing run has already been shipped.
These devices have set the bar on microwave radio frequency generators for quality,
size and price. As always, our products are designed and manufactured in the USA!
Tune any frequency between 10 MHz and 24 GHz in 0.1 Hz resolution.
Adjust calibrated amplitude in 0.1 dB resolution up to +20 dBm and across
more than 55 dB of range. Each channels has independent frequency ...
 Test your
diode switch analysis skills here with six circuits designed by Mr. Robert P.
Balin in the July 1961 issue of Popular Electronics. When evaluating the
equivalent circuits with the diodes biased on or off, don't make the job more difficult
for yourself by considering whether there is enough voltage or current to turn a
particular diode on or not, just whether the diode is forward or reverse biased.
Doing so reduces everything to simple series and parallel combinations. Redrawing
each circuit either with a short for a forward biased diode and an open for a reverse
biased diode makes the task easier ...
 "Reliance on satellite navigation and timing
systems has become a single point of failure for much of America and is our largest,
unaddressed critical infrastructure problem." -
Dr. Brad Parkinson, aka "The Father of GPS."
According to the Wikipedia entry, "Bradford Parkinson is an American engineer and
inventor, retired United States Air Force colonel and recalled emeritus professor
at Stanford University. He is best known as the lead architect, advocate and developer,
with early contributions from Ivan Getting and Roger Easton, of the Air Force NAVSTAR
program, better known as Global Positioning System (GPS)."
 RF 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 ...
 Linx Technologies, a Merlin, OR based developer
and manufacturer of antennas, is pleased to introduce their line of
Single-Band Monopole Whip Antennas for cellular IoT and LPWA applications. When
rugged simplicity coupled with targeted performance is required, CW Series and PW
Series antennas are a great solution. Linx single-band monopole antennas provide
better performance in the targeted frequency band than do most multiband antennas
while typically costing less. CW Series antennas mount with an SMA or reverse polarity
SMA connector while the PW Series antenna are cabled panel-mount solutions with
either a U.FL/MHF connector or plain wire ...
 "The team of Toma Susi at the University
of Vienna uses a state-of-the-art electron microscope, the UltraSTEM, to manipulate
strongly bound materials with atomic precision. Since the instruments are fully
computerized, it is possible to show in a simulation how researchers actually use
them. This allows for compelling and largely realistic presentations of the most
recent research in materials science. A
simulation game on display at the Vienna Technical
Museum in a special exhibition is now available online, together with the latest
research advance of silicon impurity manipulation ..."
 PCB Directory is the largest directory
of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Manufacturers, Assembly houses, and Design Services
on the Internet. We have listed the leading printed circuit board manufacturers
around the world and made them searchable by their capabilities - Number of laminates
used, Board thicknesses supported, Number of layers supported, Types of substrates
(e.g., material, flexible, rigid), Geographical location, and more.
Wednesday 24
 After discussing the technical benefits of
single-sideband (SSB) amplitude modulated (AM) commercial transmission versus
double-sideband + carrier standard AM, author Jack Brown concludes with a chart
plotting the relative cost of each method versus output power. The result: Transmitters
with less than 100 watts output the initial equipment cost of a single-sideband
transmitter is greater than its standard AM counterpart. My guess is that with today's
equipment the chart would look a lot different, and there may be no dollar cost
benefit either way from a hardware perspective. The benefit of SSB of course is
in spectrum efficiency and, especially for very high powers, operational cost savings
on electricity bills. Even so, commercial AM broadcast radio stations in the U.S.
still transmit using ...
 Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS),
a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments
accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, has published a whitepaper
entitled "The
Essential Signal Generator Guide Building a Solid Foundation in RF - Part 1."
With all the functions now integrated into wireless devices, verification and production
tests are taking up more and more of your time. But the race to get to market hasn't
slowed down a bit. Enter, the reliable signal generator. A signal generator with
the right capabilities, like fast switching, can help you improve test throughput
and reduce cost ...
/2019/copper-mountain-technologies-job-sales-manager-7-24-2019.htm" target="_top"
 Copper Mountain Technologies'
/2019/copper-mountain-technologies-job-sales-manager-7-24-2019.htm" target="_top"
Technical Sales Territory Manager will be a part of our growing global sales
team. Our USB VNAs are next generation analyzers designed to meet the needs of 21st
Century engineers. Our VNAs include an RF measurement module and a processing module,
a software application which runs on a Windows PC, laptop or tablet, connecting
to the measurement hardware via USB interface. CMT was awarded innovation and product
leadership awards by Frost & Sullivan in 2015 and 2017. The successful candidate
will have the technical background, sales experience, and personal drive to solve
customers' technical and business problems ...
 From
keeping your son off the streets and out of pool rooms to learning the use of
his hands and mind for designing, building, and operating radio, John T. Frye,
later of "Carl & Jerry" authorship fame in Popular Electronics magazine,
offers no less than eight good reasons why a man should encourage his son
(and/or daughter) to take up amateur radio as a hobby
- preferably one that will last a lifetime. As is true with any activity that requires
a person to exercise hand-eye coordination and think logically about the order and
method for best accomplishing a task, Ham radio offers the complete gambit of life
skills that should be nurtured at an early age. In the same manner a musician benefits
mightily from learning to read and play music while the brain is still in the process
of wiring ...
 "The ability to control
infrared and terahertz waves using magnetic or
electric fields is one of the great challenges in physics that could revolutionize
optoelectronics, telecommunications and medical diagnostics. A theory from 2006
predicts that it should be possible to use graphene - a monoatomic layer of carbon
atoms - in a magnetic field not only to absorb terahertz and infrared light on demand
but also to control the direction of circular polarization. Researchers from the
University of Geneva, Switzerland, and the University of Manchester have succeeded
in testing this theory ..."
 Empower RF Systems is a global leader in
power amplifier solutions. Empower RF Systems is an established and technologically
superior supplier of high power solid state RF & microwave amplifiers. Our offerings
include modules, intelligent rack-mount amplifiers, and multi-function RF Power
Amplifier solutions to 6 GHz in broadband and band specific designs. Output
power combinations range from tens of watts to multi-kilowatts. Unprecedented size,
weight and power reduction of our amplifiers is superior to anything in the market
at similar frequencies and power levels.
Tuesday 23
 Hmmmm... I never really thought about the
transistor as a crystal amplifier (a la the 'crystal detector'), but in fact it
was fabricated from a crystal of germanium with two 'cat
whisker' wires pressing on its surface. Before the transistor was the simple
rectifier made of a crystal of selenium or even carborundum with a point contact.
Those were used for turning AC into DC and for detecting radio wave modulation envelopes.
For a really good synopsis of the early development path of semiconductors, read
this story from a 1968 edition of Popular Electronics that commemorated
the 20th anniversary of Bardeen, Shockley, and Brattain announcing their transistor.
Having been written much closer to the days of discovery, the story has not been
filtered ...
 Altum RF, a supplier of high-performance millimeter-wave
to digital semiconductor solutions for next generation markets and applications,
announces the expansion of its Eindhoven, Netherlands office with an
RF Test Lab. Altum RF's Eindhoven office is located on the campus of Eindhoven
University of Technology and now includes full RF test and characterization infrastructure
up to 40 GHz. The RF lab also ensures ESD-safe measurements. "Expanding our Eindhoven
office with full RF measurement capabilities demonstrates our commitment to growing
our European customer base," stated Greg Baker, Altum RF CEO. "This investment also
highlights our dedication to research and development to ensure our products ...
 If it has been a while since you read a story
with terms and phrases like "splinters
of galena," "the day of the tuning coil that stretched from the front bedroom
to the back library; or from the attic to the cellar," and "Ether God," then this
article from the December 1931 edition of QST is for you. Galena, by the
way, is a semiconductor with a bandgap of about 0.4 eV that was used as the
crystal in crystal radio sets. It was used as a point-contact diode along with a
safety pin or similar sharp wire, commonly known as a "cat's whisker." In fact,
the very first transistor developed by Drs. Bardeen, Shockley, and Brattain
used two cat's whisker type contacts on their crystals of germanium ...
 Electro-Photonics LLC, a market leader in
RF and Microwave components, has released a new high frequency surface mount (SMT)
hybrid coupler: Q3HF-16500. The Q3HF-16500, 90° hybrid coupler operates from
16-17 GHz, dissipates 50 W, and offers excellent coupling flatness and
isolation for the most critical applications. This coupler has a very small size
of 0.175 x 0.175 inches (4.44 mm x 4.44 mm). The Q3HF-16500 is a RoHS
compliant product. The couplers have SMT launches that are fully optimized for the
recommended board layout. Our 3 dB 90° hybrid couplers have low insertion loss
and high power capability in a small package ...
 RF
Cafe's raison d'être is and always has been to provide useful, quality content for
engineers, technicians, engineering managers, students, and hobbyists. Part of that
mission is offering to post applicable job openings. HR department employees and/or managers of hiring
companies are welcome to submit opportunities for posting at no charge (of course
a gratuity will be graciously accepted). 3rd party recruiters and temp agencies
are not included so as to assure a high quality of listings. Please read through
the easy procedure to benefit from RF Cafe's high quality visitors ...
 "Nearly 70% of the energy produced in the
U.S. each year is wasted as heat. Much of that heat is less than 100°C and emanates
from things like computers, cars or large industrial processes. Engineers at the
University of California, Berkeley, have developed a
thin-film system that can be applied to sources
of waste heat like these to produce energy at levels unprecedented for this kind
of technology. The thin-film system uses a process called pyroelectric energy conversion,
which the engineers' new study demonstrates is well suited for tapping into waste-heat
energy supplies below ..."
 Anatech Electronics (AEI) manufactures and
supplies RF and microwave filters for military and commercial communication
systems, providing standard LP, HP, BP, BS, notch, diplexer, and custom RF filters,
and RF products. Standard RF filter and cable assembly products are published in
our website database for ease of procurement. Custom RF filters designs are used
when a standard cannot be found, or the requirements dictate a custom approach.
Sam Benzacar's monthly newsletters address contemporary wireless subjects. Please
visit Anatech today to see how they can help your project succeed.
Monday 22
 This article from a 1955 issue of Popular
Electronics discusses the state of the art of
ultrasonic transducers and equipment that uses them. Amazingly, of all the applications
that are mentioned, one is glaringly missing. Author Louis Garner, Jr., mentions
using ultrasonic transducers for measuring material thickness, detecting flaws on
and within materials and assemblies, cleaning by ultrasonic scrubbing, soldering*,
and motion detection for security systems. The missing items of course is sonar
(sound navigation and ranging). The U.S. Navy was using sonar during World War II,
although it had been in development a couple decade earlier - similar to radar's
evolution. 15 - 20 kc (kHz) frequencies were typical in the day. Modern ultrasonic
cleaners use up to 40 kHz, and high resolution sonars run into the low MHz.
Oh, also missing is ultrasound imaging like what is used for prenatal and other
internal ...
 Copper Mountain Technologies is pleased to
announce their strategic relationship with National Instruments. This exclusive
collaboration will bring world-class VNA performance and speed to National Instruments'
PXI solution. National Instruments is set to release the Copper Mountain Technologies
PXIe-S5090 9 GHz 2-Port VNA in August of 2019. National Instruments will be the
exclusive channel for purchasing Copper Mountain Technologies' PXI compatible VNAs.
This solution brings National Instruments' users access to a metrology-grade VNA
and allows Copper Mountain Technologies to expand the solutions it provides for
manufacturing and production ...
 We've gathered our latest content and opportunities
to connect for you. We hope you'll enjoy the information and join us at a face-to-face
event soon! Topics in this month's
Test & Measurement Newsletter include: Comparison of Time Domain & Stepped
Frequency Scans in EMI Test Receivers, Phase Noise of Clock and LO Components in
5G Base Stations, The Importance of Accurate S-Parameters for PAM-4 Applications.
and Product Highlight: R&S FSVA3000 Signal and Spectrum Analyzer ...
 If you are just entering the field of electronics,
the concepts presented in this half-century-old article for basic
field effect transistors are still relevant. Significant improvements have been
made since then, but the fundamentals stand. One of the most useful items in this
article is Table 1, which compares and contrasts vacuum tubes, bipolar junction
transistors, and field effect transistors. Topics covered include general properties
of FETs, source followers (a la emitter followers in BJTs), common source amplifiers
(a la common emitter amplifiers in BJTs), the Miller oscillator, combinations of
FETs and BJTs, and a gated amplitude modulator ...
 "Scientists from the Air Force Research Laboratory
at Kirtland Air Force Base have created a new type of microwave weapon that can
take down drones. Using an inaudible and invisible magnetic wave, the high-powered
device could prove a powerful weapon against drones and other unmanned devices.
Known as the
Tactical High Power Microwave Operational Responder
- or THOR for short - the device cost around $15M to make and is capable of taking
out multiple drones at a time. THOR was created over a period of 18 months as the
need to protect the American military from drones has rapidly increased over time ..."
 Res-Net Microwave has a complete line of
precision RF & microwave components including attenuators, terminations,
resistors, and diode detectors for commercial, military, and space applications.
Products range from the small flange type to large 2,000 watt connectorized power
attenuators and/or terminations at frequencies up to 26.5 GHz. In-house photo
etch and laser trim capability. Please check out Res-Net Microwave's website to
see how they can help with your current project.
Sunday 21
 Unlike all of the other
engineering and science-themed crossword puzzles I have ever seen, every word
and clue - without exception - in these RF Cafe puzzles has been personally entered
into a very large database of relevant terms. The list has been built over nearly
two decades of creating these crossword puzzles. Let me know if you would like a
custom crossword puzzle built for your company, school, club, etc. (no charge).
These custom-made engineering and science-themed crossword puzzles are done weekly
for the brain-exercising benefit and pleasure of RF Cafe visitors who are fellow
cruciverbalists. The jury is out on whether or not this type of mental challenge
helps keep your gray matter from atrophying in old age, but it certainly helps maintain
your vocabulary and cognitive skills at all ages. A database of thousands of words
has been built up ...
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.
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