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Homepage Archive - February 2025 (page 1)

See Page 1 | 2 | of the February 2025 homepage archives.

Friday the 14th

Thursday the 13th

D2D Satellite Push Takes Off

D2D Satellite Push Takes Off - RF Cafe"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week announced a Special Temporary Authority (STA) for AST SpaceMobile to enable its operator partners - AT&T and Verizon - to test its Bluebird direct-to-device (D2D) satellite constellation over the United States. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Vodafone has used the nascent Bluebird constellation to enable a video call between Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group chief executive in Newbury, England, and Vodafone engineer Rowan Chesmer..."

San Andreas Fault: High Tech Corridor in Peril

San Andreas Fault: High Tech Corridor in Peril - RF CafeThe San Andreas Fault has been in the news again lately, with hundreds of small tremors being detected along its 750 mile extent. Given its proximity to many of the world's most important and valuable high technology companies, government facilities, and universities, a delve into some of the issues is relevant to RF Cafe visitors. According to some sources, the probability of a major rupture along the San Andreas Fault varies depending on the specific segment and the time frame considered. According to the Third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3), developed by the USGS and other institutions, there is an estimated 7% chance of a magnitude 8.0 or greater earthquake occurring...

Many Thanks to Transcat | Axiom Rental Equipment for Continued Support!

Transcat | Axiom Rental Equipment - RF CafeTranscat | Axiom Rental Equipment allows you to rent or buy test equipment, repair test equipment, or sell or trade test equipment. They are committed to providing superior customer service and high quality electronic test equipment. Transcat | Axiom offers customers several practical, efficient, and cost effective solutions for their projects' TE needs and is committed to providing superior customer service and high quality electronic test equipment. For anyone seeking a way to offload surplus or obsolete equipment, they offer a trade-in program or they will buy the equipment from you. Some vintage items are available fully calibrated. Please check out Transcat | Axiom Rental Equipment today - and don't miss the blog articles!

Wednesday the 12th

What's Your EQ?

What's Your EQ?, February 1964 Radio-Electronics - RF CafePut on your thinking cap again and take a shot at these trio of new circuit analysis problems that appeared in the "What's Your EQ?" feature in the February 1964 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine. These days, I'm guessing not too many people are familiar with the characteristics of neon bulbs, and even way fewer with vacuum tube circuits. Neon bulbs were one of the earlier forms of voltage references since once ignited, the voltage drop across them is fairly constant, sort of like a gaseous Zener diode - except there was zero current flow prior to ignition. Although I didn't know for sure, I figured that even with its high input impedance...

A Baffling Quiz

A Baffling Quiz, January 1968 Popular Electronics - RF CafeIt is doubtful that as many people today build their own stereo speaker enclosures as was the case back in the 1950s through about the 1970s. During those decades stereo equipment was a really big deal, as evidenced by the large number of articles in technical and hobby magazines. I have posted a couple dozen articles on the subject here on RF Cafe. Topics included equipment reviews and feature comparisons, troubleshooting and alignment, modifications to commercial units, build-it-yourself projects, optimized room layout and construction, and even advice on how to best enjoy your stereo system. Lots of comics appeared in the magazines as well poking fun at how a stereo enthusiast's family members and neighbor might not appreciate the ear drum-busting power capability of your system. There were also quizzes like this one on speaker enclosure baffle design ...

ParkerVision vs. Qualcomm Legal Battle

ParkerVision vs. Qualcomm: A Legal Battle over Wireless Technologies - RF CafeThe long-running patent litigation between ParkerVision and Qualcomm is in the news again. It has been a significant case in the wireless technology industry, focusing on radio-frequency (RF) receivers and signal down-conversion methods. Given the importance of RF technology in Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, and even wireless charging, the outcome of this case has broader implications for wireless communication markets. ParkerVision's patents center on RF down-conversion technology, a key process in wireless communications. RF down-conversion involves converting high-frequency signals into lower frequencies...

Ofcom Grants Amazon Satellite Broadband Licence

Ofcom Grants Amazon Satellite Broadband Licence - RF Cafe"Ofcom has given Amazon the go-ahead to launch satellite broadband services in the UK and simultaneously announced it is releasing more high-band spectrum that could be used by the satellite industry. Meanwhile, the UK government is also getting in on the act, allocating funding to a pair of projects in the satellite space. The UK telecoms regulator has granted an earth station network licence to Amazon's Kuiper. That essentially means that the company has the green light to provide satellite connectivity services, including high-speed..."

For Safety's Sake

For Safety's Sake, December 1966 QST - RFCafeThis is a story with a lesson learned by the author and thousands of others ever since electric power appliances and tools first became available. Fortunately, his Ham buddy was not permanently harmed, but even today with all the effort put into educating the public, people continue to use ungrounded (2-wire type, or with the ground prong removed) extension cords in conjunction with 3-wire power cords on tools and end up electrocuting themselves (or somebody else). I've told the story before about a friend of mine from high school who shortly after graduation was making a piece of furniture in a garage that had a damp dirt floor, and was electrocuted to death by the metal-framed circular saw that had no ground connected. Nowadays we often have power provided by a GFCI receptacle...

Thanks to Crane Aerospace & Electronics for Their Support!

Crane Aerospace & Electronics - RF CafeCrane Aerospace & Electronics' products and services are organized into six integrated solutions: Cabin Systems, Electrical Power Solutions, Fluid Management Solutions, Landing Systems, Microwave Solutions, and Sensing Components & Systems. Our Microwave Solution designs and manufactures high-performance RF, IF and millimeter-wave components, subsystems and systems for commercial aviation, defense, and space including linear & log amplifiers, fixed & variable attenuators, circulators & isolators, power combiners & dividers, couplers, mixers, switches & matrices, oscillators & synthesizers.

Tuesday the 11th

Bell Telephone Lab - Wire Wrapping

Bell Telephone Lab - Wire Wrapping, October 1953 Radio & Television News - RF CafeIf you believe this 1953 advertisement in Radio & Television News magazine, engineering at Bell Telephone Laboratories invented the wire-wrapping process. A little additional research shows that indeed it was a Bell Telephone engineering team led by Arthur Keller who developed the method and a wire-wrap tool to do the job. Field technician needed a fast, durable, and reliable electrical connection when making hundreds or thousands of splices at relay stations and while up on telephone poles. The key to making a good wire-wrap connection is sharp corners on the wrapping post so that the corner pushes through any oxidation or contaminant on the bare wire. NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD) have exacting workmanship standards to guarantee a rugged, durable electrical connection...

Autonomous Tools for Satellite Swarms

NASA Pioneers Autonomous Tools for Satellite Swarms - RF Cafe"Coordinate your actions, unify your approach, and collaborate to fulfill a shared objective. This 'pep talk' succinctly captures how NASA's latest swarm-based breakthrough operates. Known as Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy (DSA), it allows each satellite to make decisions independently while uniting with fellow spacecraft to pursue collective goals, all free from human oversight. Within NASA's DSA project, researchers achieved multiple unprecedented feats when testing technologies for satellite swarms. Managed at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, the project..."

Anti-Collision Systems for Autos

Anti-Collision Systems for Autos, October 1972 Popular Electronics - RF CafeThis article reporting ongoing research for auto anti-collision systems and backup warning systems appeared in a 1972 issue of Popular Electronics has only come to practical fruition within the last decade and a half. High-end cars were offering such equipment options in the early 2000s, but it has only been commonplace since around 2010. 1972 components were still pretty large and power hungry, and digital processing capacity and speed was significantly less advanced as well. Bendix, one of the early developers of anti-collision systems, estimated that the option on a new car might add about $200 to the price, which was a really ambitious estimate, even considering that is the equivalent of $1,492 in 2024 money per BLS Inflation Calculator. The total add-on cost of both anti-collision and backup warning systems...

The Penny: Is It Worth the Cost of Minting?

The Penny: Is It Worth the Cost of Minting? - RF CafeThe debate over whether to stop minting new pennies is rooted in economic efficiency, public convenience, and the broader impact on commerce. President Trump's directive to the Treasury Department to halt penny production is driven by the fact that each penny costs nearly three cents to produce, leading to a financial loss for the U.S. government. However, this decision raises concerns about potential shortages, changes in pricing strategies, and consumer sentiment regarding the smallest unit of U.S. currency. One major argument in favor of stopping penny production is the high cost...

Please Thank RF & Connector Technology for Their Support

RF & Connector Technology - RF CafeProviding full solution service is our motto, not just selling goods. RF & Connector Technology has persistently pursued a management policy stressing quality assurance system and technological advancement. From your very first contact, you will be supported by competent RF specialists; all of them have several years of field experience in this industry allowing them to suggest a fundamental solution and troubleshooting approach. Coaxial RF connectors, cable assemblies, antennas, terminations, attenuators, couplers, dividers, and more. Practically, we put priority on process inspection at each step of workflow as well as during final inspection in order to actualize "Zero Defects."

Monday the 10th

Electronics-Themed Comics

Electronics-Themed Comics, October 1963 & September 1966 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeHere are four more electronics-themed comics to help get your work week started on a happy note. They all appeared in Radio-Electronics magazine in the 1960s. The page 107 comic conjures up a bit of a nostalgic memory in me, remembering earlier days sitting at a workbench and troubleshooting a piece of electronics gear. I never heated a coffee pot on a chassis, but definitely remember cases with vacuum tubes operating inside that were hot enough to do so. Some of those buggers could melt flesh. I've told the tale before how whilst in the USAF tuning up our air traffic control radar system, I (and fellow techs) would open an access door on the front (not intended to admit passage of a human hand) and blindly "walking" tuning wand-carrying my fingers across the tops of piping hot tubes to get to a potentiometer...

Webinar: AI's Impact on Engineering

Webinar: AI's Impact on Engineering - RF Cafe"Join The Engineer, Dassault Systèmes, BAE Systems, Monolith AI, AMRC and others experts from across industry on Tuesday Feb 25th for this online panel session exploring what the rise of AI means for engineers. AI is currently dominating industry discussion, is at the heart of industry's accelerating digital transformation and is widely anticipated to be one of the most transformative trends in manufacturing and engineering as more and more engineering and manufacturing organizations look at how they can integrate AI capabilities within..."

Jefferson's Decimal System vs. The Metric System

Jefferson's Decimal System vs. The Metric System - RF CafeThe late 18th century was a period of intense effort to standardize measurement systems in both France and the United States. Thomas Jefferson and the French Academy of Sciences independently developed proposals for a rational system of weights and measures based on decimal principles. While Jefferson's system was designed for national use, the French metric system aimed for universal application. Despite their similarities, the two systems differed in fundamental ways, particularly in their definition of base units...

Exodus AMP20100, 2-8 GHz, 200 W, TWT Replacement

Exodus Advanced Communications AMP20100, 2.0-8.0 GHz, 200 W, TWT Replacement - RF CafeExodus Advanced Communications, is a multinational RF communication equipment and engineering service company serving both commercial and government entities and their affiliates worldwide. Exodus' model AMP20100 is an elegant, quiet, broadband class A/AB solid state amplifier (SSPA) and excellent TWT replacement. Ideal for EMC/EMI testing applications including automotive pulse/radar & commercial applications. Frequency ranges from 2.0 to 8.0 GHz, 200 W minimum, 250 W typical, 53 dB minimum gain, and -20 dBc harmonics. Monitoring...

Inside Britain's Newest Jet: Gloster E.1/44

Inside Britain's Newest Jet: Gloster E.1/44, October 1948 Popular Science - Airplanes and RocketsThe Gloster E.1/44, presented in this 1948 issue of Popular Science magazine, was a British experimental jet fighter developed in the 1940s as a potential single-engine counterpart to the twin-engine Gloster Meteor. Designed by the Gloster Aircraft Company to meet Air Ministry Specification E.1/44, it was powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet and featured a sleek, straight-wing design with a tricycle landing gear. Initially conceived as a simpler and more economical jet fighter for the Royal Air Force, the project faced numerous delays due to shifting priorities...

Thanks to Temwell for Their Support!

Temwell (filters) - RF CafeTemwell is a manufacturer of 5G wireless communications filters for aerospace, satellite communication, AIoT, 5G networking, IoV, drone, mining transmission, IoT, medical, military, laboratory, transportation, energy, broadcasting (CATV), and etc. An RF helical bandpass specialist since 1994, we have posted >5,000 completed spec sheets online for all kinds of RF filters including helical, cavity, LC, and SMD. Standard highpass, lowpass, bandpass, and bandstop, as well as duplexer/diplexer, multiplexer. Also RF combiners, splitters, power dividers, attenuators, circulators, couplers, PA, LNA, and obsolete coil & inductor solutions.

Friday the 7th

Sylvania High-Voltage Rectifiers

Sylvania High-Voltage Rectifiers, June 1968 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeIn much the same way as the solution to a word problem seems obvious when you look it up in the back of a textbook, Sylvania's answer to manufacturing a vacuum tube heater element that is more robust and less subject to vibration failure is illustrated in this advertisement which appeared in a 1968 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine. Eliminating the suspended element and wrapping it securely on a supporting post facilitated an "instant on" requirement for up-and-coming transistorized televisions and radios by reducing heat-up time to about a second. The heater's symmetrical shape also assured even emission of electrons from the cathode. Its captured winding around the support post also eliminated the annoying failure mode where a broken-off heater...

Many Thanks to Amplifier Solutions Corporation for Continued Support!

Amplifier Solutions Corporation (ASC) - RF CafeAmplifier Solutions Corporation (ASC) is a manufacturer of amplifiers for commercial & military markets. ASC designs and manufactures hybrid, surface mount flange, open carrier and connectorized amplifiers for low, medium and high power applications using Gallium Nitride (GaN), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Silicon (Si) transistor technologies. ASC's thick film designs operate in the frequency range of 300 kHz to 6 GHz. ASC offers thin film designs that operate up to 20 GHz. ASC is located in an 8,000 sq.ft. facility in the town of Telford, PA. We offer excellent customer support and take pride in the ability to quickly react to evolving system design requirements.

Capacitors: A Brief History

Capacitors: A Brief History - RF CafeThe development of capacitors dates back to the 18th century when scientists were exploring the principles of static electricity. The first practical capacitor was the Leyden jar, invented in 1745 by Pieter van Musschenbroek of the University of Leiden and independently by Ewald Georg von Kleist in 1746. The Leyden jar consisted of a glass container coated with metal foil on both its inner and outer surfaces, with a conducting rod protruding from the top to connect to an external charge source. This device demonstrated the principle of storing electrical charge, laying the foundation for future capacitor technologies. Capacitors function based on the principle of electrostatic...

Engineering & Tech Headlines <Archives>

• EVs Stall, Hybrids Gain

• ARRL Launches Dream Station Sweepstakes

• FCC Spectrum Auction Pays for Huawei Rip-and-Replace

• 4G & 5G to Take off in 35 USAF Bases in 2025

• Magazine Highlights Achievements in 6G Research

After Class Feature: Crystals

After Class Feature: Crystals, April 1960 Popular Electronics - RF CafePopular Electronics magazine for years ran a monthly electronics tutorial column entitled, "After Class." Various guest authors wrote the articles. All you need to do is substitute transistors and associated biasing and interstage coupling for the tubes used in these fundamental crystal oscillator circuits to bring this article's content up to date. Or, maybe you are the owner of a vintage vacuum tube radio and would like to learn a little about how things were done in the olden days. Either way, as with so many aspects of electronic circuits, the basics haven't changed much in the last 100 years. It's all still good...

Please Welcome dB Control as a Supporter!

dB Control - RF CafeEstablished in 1990, dB Control supplies mission-critical, often sole-source, products worldwide to military organizations, as well as to major defense contractors and commercial manufacturers. dB Control designs and manufactures high-power TWT amplifiers, microwave power modules, transmitters, high- and low-voltage power supplies, and modulators for radar, ECM, and data link applications. Modularity enables rapid configuration of custom products for a variety of platforms, including ground-based and high-altitude military manned and unmanned aircraft. Custom RF sources and receivers, components and integrated microwave subsystems as well as precision electromechanical switches. dB Control also offers specialized contract manufacturing and repair depot services...

Thursday the 6th

News Briefs

News Briefs, February 1964 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeLots of happenings in the tech world were reported in the February 1964 "News Briefs" section of Radio-Electronics magazine. The winner for best item has to be where a little girl bit into a TV power cord and got launched a couple feet into the air. The aftermath was gruesome. UNIVAC 1 was retired from service at the Bureau of the Census where it crunched numbers since March 1951. Awarding of engineering PhD and Master of Science degrees were on the rise, while Bachelor of science degrees were in decline. No explanation was offered. Maybe the relatively new hippie movement was causing...

Unlocking the Speed of Light

Unlocking the Speed of Light"Researchers have created a new type of optical memory called a programmable photonic latch, which is both fast and scalable. This memory unit provides a high-speed solution for temporary data storage in optical processing systems, utilizing silicon photonics to enhance performance. The programmable photonic latch is inspired by the set-reset latch, a fundamental electronic memory device that stores a single bit of data. It works by switching between two states: set (1) and reset (0), based on input signals. 'While optical communications and computing..."

Anatech Intros 3 Filters for February

Anatech Electronics Intros 3 New Filter Models for February 2025 - RF CafeAnatech 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. Three new filter models have been added to the product line in February, including a 5470-5725 MHz cavity bandpass filter, a 4960 MHz cavity bandpass filter, and a 5530 MHz cavity bandpass filter, all with low insertion loss and outstanding return loss. Custom RF power filter...

Acoustic Surface-Wave Devices

Acoustic Surface-Wave Devices, March 1971 Popular Electronics - RF Cafe"Praetersonic" - now that's a word you don't run up against very often. It is a combination of praeter (beyond) and sonic (related to sounds), or what more familiarly is called ultrasonic. If fact, praetersonics was the early term given to surface acoustic wave (SAW) piezoelectric devices. Amazingly, even as far back as the early 1970s, SAW filters were being fabricated that worked in the 40 MHz realm. This 1971 Popular Electronics article does a really nice job of introducing the basics of SAW and BAW (bulk acoustic wave) technology...

Wednesday the 5th

What's Your EQ?

What's Your EQ?, July 1967 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeOnly two circuit challenges were presented in the July 1969 "What's Your EQ?" feature in Radio-Electronics magazine. "EQ," or Electronics Quotient, is a play on "IQ," Intelligence Quotient. EQs are submitted by readers, although occasionally one of the magazine editors contributes. "Lamp Switching" is a classical puzzle where a mechanical switch and a handful of steering diodes are connected, and your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to figure out what is inherently wrong with the way the author constructed his circuit. He admits it didn't work as planned, and invites you to come...

Ultra-Thin Absorbers Revolutionize Energy and Stealth

Ultra-Thin Absorbers Revolutionize Energy and Stealth - RF CafeElectromagnetic absorbers are essential in energy, stealth, and communication technologies, yet current designs underperform. A research team has introduced ultra-thin absorbers nearing theoretical efficiency limits, promising transformative industrial applications. Absorbing layers are essential to advancements in technologies like energy harvesting, stealth systems, and communication networks. These layers efficiently capture electromagnetic waves across wide frequency ranges, enabling the creation of sustainable, self-powered...

Teledyne HiRel Semiconductors Releases Wideband 50 GHz RF Switch

Teledyne HiRel Semiconductors Releases Wideband 50 GHz RF Switch - RF CafeTeledyne HiRel Semiconductors announces the availability of its latest rad-tolerant wideband 50 GHz RF switch, model TDSW050A2T. This switch operates from true DC to 50 GHz, delivering excellent RF performance down to zero Hertz, making this device ideal for many of today's complex space and defense applications. It has been developed in a 150 nm pseudo orphic High Electron Mobility Transistor (pHEMT) Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) process and is available in a 1.15 mm x 1.47 mm x 0.1 mm die ideal for hybrid...

Radio Amateur Course - How the Vacuum Tube Works

Radio Amateur Course - How the Vacuum Tube Works, October 1935 Short Wave Craft - RF CafeA while back I was using the familiar analogy that relates water pressure, hose diameter, and flow rate to electrical voltage, resistance, and current, respectively, in an explanation to my daughter regarding why the water characteristics in her house changed after the well supply pipe and indoor plumbing changed. The cause, I proposed, was due to an increased distance between well and house, and the use of the plastic PEX tubing with a smaller inside diameter than the old copper pipe, respectively. The submersible pump and holding tank still supply the same 50 psi as before, but since that pressure now has to force...

everything RF Publishes Electronic Warfare eBook

everything RF Publishes Electronic Warfare eBook - RF CafeWarfare has evolved far beyond the conventional image of tanks, troops, and artillery. In today's battles, control over invisible forces often determines victory or defeat. One of the most critical of these forces is the electromagnetic spectrum - a domain where Electronic Warfare (EW) plays a pivotal role. EW involves the strategic use of electromagnetic energy to sense, disrupt, or deny an enemy's capabilities, often without a single shot being fired. Electronic Warfare has become an indispensable tool, shaping the outcome of conflicts by dominating the unseen forces that power today’s military technology. everything RF has created the "Electronic Warfare" eBook to act as a comprehensive...

More Problems - More Questions and Answers

More Problems - More Questions and Answers, February 1967 QST - RFCafeHere is a good old fashion Q&A session on Ham radio topics, with the emphasis on "old." QST magazine published a couple of these columns in the 1960s, and this is the second in the series. It is the half-century-ago equivalent of the contemporary "The Doctor Is In" column by the ARRL's Joel Hallas, W1ZR. I didn't read anything that wouldn't be applicable today, especially if you have some vintage gear. As with most such articles, there is something to be learned by just about anyone who deals with electronics, especially in the RF realm. One particularly interesting part is where the author, in response to a question about building and tuning your own radio...

Tuesday the 4th

Electronics-Themed Comics

Electronics-Themed Comics, February 1964 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeThe February 1964 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine contained these three electronics-themed comics. The one on page 48 reminds me of the time about a decade ago when I was moving an old freezer out of someone's garage, and found underneath it a huge skeleton of some sort of rodent or ruminant. I'm not sure what it was, but given the ferocious teeth if had I was glad it was long dead. The page 100 comic is my favorite. I didn't notice at first what was displayed on the oscilloscope. "Getting" the page 109 comic took a moment, but the gag eventually hit me. I colorized them to bring them into the 21st Century...

Rohde & Schwarz RadEst Automotive Radar Testing Seminar

Rohde & Schwarz RadEst Automotive Radar Testing Seminar - RF CafeJoin this Automotive Radar Testing Seminar on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. The introduction of the R&S RadEst revolutionizes automotive radar testing. It sets a new price-performance point and provides radar developers and production managers with benefits such as cost, space and time efficiency as well as assurance from accurate and reliable results. In this webinar we will talk about the latest automotive radar technology and market developments. We will dive deep into the radar lifecycle and test challenges as well as the applications of the RadEsT compact target generator...

Diamond Transistors for High-Power

Diamond Transistors for High-Power Applications - RF Cafe"Glasgow University researchers have led work that could lead to a new generation of diamond-based transistors for use in high-power electronics. Their new diamond transistor is claimed to overcome the limitations of previous developments in the technology to create a device much closer to being of practical use across a range of industries that rely on high power systems. The team has found a new way to use diamond as the basis of a transistor..."

The Iconoscope

The Iconoscope, July 1944 QST - RF CafeAn iconoscope was an early form of television image capturing tube. Some amateur radio operators were experimenting with slow scan TV even back when the technology was relatively new to the world. When this article was appeared in a 1944 of QST magazine, there were still large portions of the United States that did not have television broadcast coverage. Of course I would argue that at the time of my growing up in the 1960s and early 1970s a lot of areas - even suburbs - were still not covered by TV signals, based on how cruddy the reception...

Monday the 3rd

What's Your EQ?

What's Your EQ?, December 1962 Radio-Electronics - RF CafeContinuing its long-time monthly "What's Your EQ?" feature where readers submit electronics-related challenges, Radio-Electronics magazine published these three in the December 1962 issue. I have to admit to not getting the "120-240 Switchover" problem due to thinking only "inside the box." I didn't consider that adding another component to the circuit was permissible. I thought only the presented wires and component were available for use. Don't you make the same mistake. "Voltage Quandary" was not as difficult, but took some head scratching...

Ivanpah Solar-Thermal Plant Shutting Down

Ivanpah Solar-Thermal Plant Shutting Down - RF Cafe$1.6B in government loans gone up in steam. "Maybe you've seen the unsightly, blindingly bright towers while traveling from L.A. to Las Vegas, in the Mojave Desert near the California-Nevada state line. Maybe you've read about birds getting fried to death as they fly through the sunlight directed to the tops of the towers by fields of mirrors. When state officials agreed to let Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison buy power from Ivanpah roughly 15 years ago, they saw this type of technology - known as 'concentrated solar power' - as the future of renewable energy. It was expensive...

DIY Airplane Detector

DIY Airplane Detector, May 1942 Popular Science - RF CafeDuring World War II, Americans, Britains, Frenchmen, and other civilians were seriously engaged in helping to defend their homeland. Those who were not in the military gathered bottles, tin cans, tires, and clothing to use in the war effort. Others volunteered at the Red Cross, veterans' hospitals, and USO offices. Some stood guard at their nation's seashores and land borders, both as armed sentries and as troop and aircraft spotters. As part of the civil defense effort, listening devices were built to help detect the sound of approaching airplanes. In patriotic tradition, magazines like Popular Science published many articles to assist the population contribute. Here is a plan for a "Homemade Plane Detector." It used a horn "antenna" that...

*Combinational Logic: History and Applications

Combinational Logic: History and Applications - RF Cafe

Combinational logic is a fundamental category of digital circuit design in which the output depends solely on the present input values, without any memory or feedback elements. Unlike sequential logic, which retains state across clock cycles, combinational logic circuits process input signals in real-time and produce immediate output. The relationship between input and output in these circuits can be described using Boolean algebra and truth tables. The history of combinational logic dates back to the early 20th century when Boolean algebra, introduced by George Boole in the mid-19th century, was first applied to electrical circuits. In the 1930s and 1940s, engineers like Claude Shannon and George Stibitz...

*Sequential Logic: History and Applications

Sequential Logic: History and Applications - RF Cafe

Sequential logic is a fundamental concept in digital circuit design, referring to logic circuits whose output depends not only on the current input but also on past inputs. This distinguishes it from combinational logic, which produces outputs solely based on present inputs without any memory of previous states. Sequential logic circuits incorporate storage elements such as flip-flops, latches, or registers to retain information, enabling them to perform functions that require memory and timing coordination. The history of sequential logic traces back to the early development of digital electronics and computer science. The theoretical foundations were laid in the 1930s by pioneers like Claude Shannon, who applied Boolean algebra to electrical ...

 

 

 

 

everything RF Press Releases

• Upcoming Satellite Launches - https://www.satnow.com/satellite-launches

 

 

 

 

DNA the Future of Quantum Computing

DNA the Future of Quantum Computing - RF Cafe"Researchers have uncovered a way to manipulate DNA at the atomic level using electric field gradients to control nitrogen nuclear spins. Their findings suggest that DNA could be used as both a storage and computation mechanism in future quantum computing devices. A recent study by researchers from Peking University highlights the potential of nuclear electric resonance to control the nuclear spins of nitrogen atoms in DNA using electric field gradients. This breakthrough suggests that DNA could one day be manipulated for computational purposes..."

Chance of Space Debris Entering Airspace Calculated

Chances of Space Debris Entering Busy Airspace Calculated - RF Cafe"A study from Canada has found a 26% annual chance that space debris will re-enter the atmosphere and pass through a busy flight area. The chance of space debris hitting an aircraft is very low, but the research from a team at the University of British Columbia highlights that the potential for uncontrolled space debris to disrupt flights and create additional costs for airlines and passengers is not. The research is published in Scientific Reports. In 2022, a re-entering 20-tonne piece of rocket prompted Spanish and French aviation authorities to close parts of their airspace. With rocket launches and flights increasing, UBC researchers said policymakers need..."

Mini Nuclear Power for UK Data Centres

Note: This conceptual image was created by my instructions to ChatGPT. "Advanced small modular reactors could be co-located with energy intensive data centres following a government pledge to approve more nuclear power plants in England and Wales. The mini nuclear power plants will now be included in planning rules as part of the government's so-called Plan for Change. Other measures to speed up deployment of nuclear power stations include scrapping the eight-site list, thereby widening the areas for nuclear new build; removing..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Articles

1/20/2025 Radio-Electronics November 1964 "What's Your EQ?"

1/20/2025 Radio-Electronics February 1964 "What's Your EQ?"

1/16/2025 Radio-Electronics September 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

1/15/2025 Radio-Electronics November 1962 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/15/2025 Radio-Electronics November 1962 "What's Your EQ?"

1/15/2025 Radio-Electronics September 1964 "What's Your EQ?"

1/15/2025 Radio-Electronics September 1964 "News Briefs"

1/15/2025 Radio-Electronics September 1964 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/13/2025 Radio-Electronics November 1962 "News Briefs"

1/10/2025 Radio-Electronics August 1966 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/10/2025 Radio-Electronics August 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

1/10/2025 Radio-Electronics August 1966 "News Briefs"

9/4/2024 Popular Science 1966 "Popular Science Book Club 20-in-1 Shop Guide"

8/10/2024 Mechanix Illustrated March 1965 "A Guide to Hand Saws"

1/9/2025 Radio-Electronics July 1964 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/9/2025 Radio-Electronics June 1969 "Technical News"

1/9/2025 Radio-Electronics July 1966 "What's Your EQ"

1/8/2025 Radio-Electronics December 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

1/8/2025 Radio-Electronics February 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics April 1969 "Technical News" (Note Repair License Bills had to be gotten online, no pics though.)

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics October 1964 "What's Your EQ?"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics October 1964 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics June 1963 "What's Your EQ?"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics June 1963 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics June 1963 "News Briefs"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics August 1968 "News Briefs"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics May & August 1968 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/6/2025 Radio-Electronics May 1968 "News Briefs"

1/3/2025 Radio-Electronics May 1969 "New & Timely?"

1/3/2025 Radio-Electronics October 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

12/27/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1968 "News Briefs"

12/27/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1963 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

12/27/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1963 "What's Your EQ?"

12/27/2024 Radio-Electronics December 1969 "New & Timely"

12/20/2024 Radio-Electronics November 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

12/18/2024 Radio-Electronics November 1966 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

12/18/2024 Radio-Electronics November 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

12/18/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

12/15/2024 Radio-Electronics March & May 1966 "Comics"

12/15/2024 Radio-Electronics May 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

12/15/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1966 "News Briefs"

11/29/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1962 "News Briefs"

11/29/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1962 "What's Your EQ?"

11/29/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1962 and January 1963 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

11/27/2024 Radio-Electronics January 1969 "Technical News"

11/22/2024 Radio-Electronics January 1966 "How We See Color"

11/22/2024 Radio-Electronics January 1966 "What's Your EQ?"

11/22/2024 Radio-Electronics January 1966 "News Briefs"

Get all June 1960 pics from https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Electronics/60s/1960/Radio-Electronics-1960-06.pdf 11/15/2024 Radio-Electronics June 1960 "Bell Telephone Laboratories Ad"

11/15/2024 Radio-Electronics June 1960 "Recording the Invisible"

11/14/2024 Radio-Electronics April 1966 "Potentiometer Facts & Trickery"

11/14/2024 Radio-Electronics April 1966 "Inventors of Radio: Boris Rosing"

11/14/2024 Radio-Electronics February 1963 "Not-Worthy Circuits"

11/11/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1967 "R-E Puzzler"

11/11/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1968 "Non-Linear Systems, Inc. NLS X-3 Multifunction Instrument"

11/11/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1968 "In the Shop ... With Jack"

11/11/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1968 "How to Build a Crossover Network"

11/11/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1968 "Horseflies, Tractors and Mr. Kirchhoff"

11/7/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1967 "Man's World? Not to These Women!"

11/6/2024 Radio-Electronics August 1968 "Shortwave - Your Ear on the World"

11/6/2024 Radio-Electronics August 1968 "Antennas for Mobile Radio"

11/4/2024 Radio-Electronics December 1962 "Senseless Orbiting"

11/1/2024 Radio-Electronics May 1966 "Color TV Has a Problem"

11/1/2024 Radio-Electronics May 1966 "Your Future in Microwave"

10/31/2024 Radio-Electronics September 1966 "The Universe of Communications"

10/31/2024 Radio-Electronics September 1966 " "And/Or ... Nand/Nor" ... Computer Talk"

10/31/2024 Radio-Electronics September 1966 "Making Modulation Easy to Understand"

10/30/2024 Radio-Electronics November 1964 "Meters for Beginners" measurement-meters-radio-electronics-november-1964.htm

10/29/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1969 "New & Timely" gravity-phenomena-magnetic-bubbles-radio-electronics-bursts-october-1969.htm

10/28/2024 Radio-Electronics August 1966 "ABC's of Color TV"

10/28/2024 Radio-Electronics September 1964 "Capitol Radio Engineering Institute Ad"

10/28/2024 Radio-Electronics September 1964 "The Picturephone in Your Future"

10/28/2024 Radio-Electronics September 1964 "Radio-Electronics Goes to the World's Fair" In this is mentioned "...Picturephones so visitors can talk to - and see-each other. (See July Radio-Electronics, page 6.)" This is under News Briefs and the page is ready.

10/28/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1964 "News Briefs" This is referenced in September 1964 "Radio-Electronics Goes to the World's Fair"

10/23/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1963 "Weather Radar Makes Flying Safer"

10/23/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1963 "Major Improvements for Short-Wave Reception"

10/21/2024 Radio-Electronics March 1966 "RCA Home Training Technicians"

10/21/2024 Radio-Electronics April 1964 " Electronic Failures in Space"

10/21/2024 Radio-Electronics April 1964 " Printed Circuits for Everyone"

10/17/2024 Radio-Electronics December 1966 "Tech Notes: New Storage Battery Could Bring Back Electric Autos"

10/17/2024 Radio-Electronics January 1963 "Here Comes the Laser"

10/17/2024 Radio-Electronics January 1963 "Television and Sound"

10/17/2024 Radio-Electronics February 1966 " Electromagnetic Interference"

10/14/2024 Radio-Electronics November 1963 "General Electric Christmas Ad"

10/14/2024 Radio-Electronics November 1963 "Do You Know the Law?"

10/11/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1964 "Reverberation and Ambiophony"

10/11/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1964 "Mallory - Tips for Technicians"

10/10/2024 Radio-Electronics February 1964 "The G-Line Transmission Line"

10/10/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1964 "Televising the Moon"

10/8/2024 Radio-Electronics February 1964 "The Biggest Telescope on Earth is IN the Earth"

10/4/2024 Radio-Electronics February 1964 "Space Handicaps"

10/3/2024 Radio-Electronics December 1969 "Careers in Electronics"

10/2/2024 Radio-Electronics June 1963 "Winegard Colorton Antenna"

10/2/2024 Radio-Electronics June 1963 "Mallory - Tips for Technicians: Replacing Selenium with Silicon Rectifiers"

10/1/2024 Radio-Electronics June 1963 "G-Line" Single-Wire, Low Loss Transmission Line"

9/30/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1964 "Log Periodic V"

9/25/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1964 "Multiple-Beam Klystron Pushes Back Microwave Frontiers"

9/25/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1964 "Decibels Debugged"

9/23/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1964 "Electronics' Future"

9/23/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1964 "Private Brands - Who Makes 'em?"  

9/19/2024 Radio-Electronics May 1968 "Operational Amplifier Basics"

9/16/2024 Radio-Electronics October 1966 "A Shortage of Service Technicians"

9/16/2024 Radio-Electronics November 1966 "Guitar Amplification in the Atkins Style"

9/12/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1966 "What's Next for Television?"

9/12/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1966 "World's Most Expensive FM Tuner"

9/12/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1966 "Marantz - Music at its Very Best"

9/11/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1966 "Color Television Systems: Which Way Will Europe Go?"

9/10/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1966 "The Military Electronic Specialist Gap"

9/10/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1966 "Vectors Show How Circuits Work"

5/3/2024 Radio-Electronics July 1962 "Electronics-Themed Comics"

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronics April 1964 "Comics" comics-radio-electronics-april-1964.htm

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronic April 1964 "News Briefs"

news-briefs-radio-electronics-april-1964.htm

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronics April 1964 "What's Your EQ?" electronics-quotient-radio-electronics-april-1964.htm

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronic April 1964 "News Briefs" & "What's New" electronics-quotient-radio-electronics-april-1964.htm

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronics February 1963 "What's Your EQ?" electronics-quotient-radio-electronics-february-1963.htm

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronic February 1963 "News Briefs" news-briefs-radio-electronics-february-1963.htm

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronics February 1963 "Comics" comics-radio-electronics-february-1963.htm

1/23/2025 Radio-Electronics January 1963 "What's Your EQ?" electronics-quotient-radio-electronics-january-1963.htm

1/22/2025 Radio-Electronics November 1963 "What's Your EQ?" p56 of this was not scanned, get from https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Electronics/60s/1963/Radio-Electronics-1963-11.pdf

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. About RF Cafe.

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