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Thursday the 7th
 Those of you who have or have had a business
where you employed workers can relate to this article which appeared in a 1952 issue
of Radio & Television News magazine. Never having had that responsibility,
I cannot relate directly.
Small business owners I have known have told me about how their first responsibility
is to pay employees before paying themselves, and no one who has never been in that
position can truly relate to it. What I find interesting in these kinds of vintage
articles is the cost of goods and services back in the day, with the help of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator. For instance $100 per week ($5,200/year)
income back in 1952 is supposedly equivalent to $1,024 per week ($53,248/year),
which really is pretty good. I don't know how generous fringe benefits were in 1952
compared to today...
 RF Superstore launched in 2017, marking
the return of Murray Pasternack, founder of Pasternack Enterprises, to the RF and
microwave Industry. Pasternack fundamentally changed the way RF components were
sold. Partner Jason Wright manages day-to-day operations, while working closely
with Mr. Pasternack to develop RF Superstore into a world class RF and
microwave
component supplier. RF coaxial connectors & adapters, coaxial cable &
cable assemblies, surge protectors, attenuators. Items added daily. Free shipping
on orders over $25. We're leading the way again!
 "But nine times out of ten when you draw
a blank in analytic geometry or calculus, you'll find that your trouble is caused
by weakness in algebraic manipulation." That statement is not a major factor in
the plot, but it does ring true in a familiar way. I remember noting that the guys
who had trouble in calculus class usually did so because they were weak in basic
algebra and trigonometry. An engineering calculus class moves at such a rapid pace,
with many new concepts thrown at you every day, that you absolutely must not have
to learn algebra and trig concurrently. My high school algebra skills were pathetic,
so prior to taking my first calculus course I took not only an algebra course but
also a precalculus course that taught trig identities, complex numbers, and logarithms...
 "In this era of semiconductor technology,
reversible computing plays a vital role in diminishing power dissipation and the
increment of energy efficiency in building up processors or any kind of simple or
complex digital logic circuits. Several research areas have been going on in the
modern world which could improve in an existing or impressive manner energy efficiency.
Moore's law states that as transistors were made smaller, they would become
faster, cheaper, and more efficient. Because of this fact, the semiconductor industry
is busy building smaller, more densely packed transistors for fabrication. But nowadays,
some experts in industry and academia say that making the transistor size smaller
will no longer yield the improvements it used to. The reason behind building chips
with multiple cores is that smaller transistors..."
 Being able to pass a 5 words-per-minute (wpm)
Morse code test at one time was a primary requirement for obtaining the lowest level
amateur radio operator license - Novice Class - in addition to passing a written
test. Many more people failed the code test than failed the written test. In fact,
the code portion kept many aspiring amateur radio operators from ever even taking
the test. It was a barrier which anyone worthy of the brotherhood must overcome.
The intimidation factor was pretty significant. As time marched on and the ranks
of amateur license holders was dwindling quickly, the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) in 1990 dropped the code requirement and created the Technician Class license
that required only the passing of a 35-question true/false written test. Amateur
license holders began increasing immediately. This story from the pre-no-code days
describes the preparation...
 It was a lot of work, but I finally finished
a version of the "RF & Electronics Schematic & Block Diagram Symbols" that
works well with Microsoft Office™ programs Word™, Excel™, and Power Point™.
This is an equivalent of the extensive set of amplifier, mixer, filter, switch,
connector, waveguide, digital, analog, antenna, and other commonly used symbols
for system block diagrams and schematics created for Visio™. Each of the 1,000 or
so symbols was exported individually from Visio in the EMF file format, then imported
into Word on a Drawing Canvas. The EMF format allows an image to be scaled up or
down without becoming pixelated, so all the shapes can be resized in a document
and still look good. The imported symbols can also be UnGrouped into their original
constituent parts for editing. Check them out!
 Exodus Advanced Communications is a multinational
RF communication equipment and engineering service company serving both commercial
and government entities and their affiliates worldwide. Power amplifiers ranging
from 10 kHz to 51 GHz with various output power levels and noise figure
ranges, we fully support custom designs and manufacturing requirements for both
small and large volume levels. decades of combined experience in the RF field for
numerous applications including military jamming, communications, radar, EMI/EMC
and various commercial projects with all designing and manufacturing of our HPA,
MPA, and LNA products in-house.
Wednesday the 6th
 Oliver Read started as the editor of
Radio & Television News magazine, and then stayed with it during its transformation
in 1954 to Popular Electronics. He was an electronics industry veteran
and witnessed many changes to manufacturing and service sectors through times of
war and times of peace. The post Korean War era saw a huge increase in demand for
both televisions and radios, and accompanying it was a severe shortage of
qualified service technicians. Compounding the issue was the FCC's removal of
the freeze on construction of new broadcasting stations, which was peppering the
landscape with towers and broadening reception areas. Just about anyone could handle
the sales end of the business, but keeping customers happy took people willing to
suffer the initial and constant need to become familiar with a multitude of new
and old models, and that were also able to cope with often testy clients. Salesmen
just blamed...
 Like a fool, many years ago I donated a perfectly
fine
vacuum tube tester that had been given to me by an über-engineer/ham I worked
with during the time (nearly 35 years ago) I was restoring my first vintage tube
radio. Big mistake. It was a really nice tester: a B&K Model 650 Dyna-Quik Dynamic
Mutual Conductance Tube & Transistor Tester. It was sold shortly after I had
also given away as a wedding gift the Crosley floor console radio that I restored.
Another bad move. Now, many moons later, I am working to restore yet another Crosley
tube radio and I sure wish I had held on to it. Similar tube testers are routinely
selling on eBay for $100-$200. I finally found a really nice B&K Model 650 on
eBay and got it for a decent price. Mistake corrected...
 "An important step in an engineer's career
is obtaining a
professional engineering license. The license, and the PE after your name, sets
you apart from others and tells the public you have the education, experience and
qualifications to solve their engineering problems. To understand the value of a
PE license in relation to an individual career, here's a look at the history of
licensure in the U.S., the value of the PE and challenges to the current licensing
system. History It is common to see professions and occupations regulated through
a licensure system, but it wasn't always so. As late as the early 1900s, anyone
could practice engineering, and this put public safety at risk..."
 EMC Directory, the largest directory of EMC
/ EMI Testing companies, has introduced the largest online product database of equipment
for EMC Testing. Products have been added in more than 25 categories that include
EMC Power Amplifiers, EMC Antennas, Immunity Test Systems, E-Field Generators and
more. The addition of EMC Equipment categories to EMC Directory makes it easier
for engineers to find products across multiple manufacturers in a single place.
Users can search for products from multiple manufacturers using parametric search
tools – narrowing down products based on frequency band, features, form factor...
 China's largely coal-powered electric generation
system is being strained to the extent that
severe slowdowns in manufacturing are being reported - in extreme cases causing
1-day workweeks. "Output, orders and employment all fell in September, according
to official data, as Beijing turns to Russia to ease its electricity shortages,"
reports The Guardian. CNN's report claims, "Factories in China are struggling at
a time when the world's second largest economy has to contend with yet another concern:
a growing power supply crunch." Part of the cause is a
backup of cargo ships sitting off the U.S. coast awaiting docking and offloading.
Is this strategic planning or just poor logistics?
 In 1966, Paul Rockwell wrote a 4-part series
for the ARRL's QST magazine on station design for long distance communications
(DX) that covered antenna selection and siting (Part I), economics and construction
(Part II), Station Configuration and Receiver Topics (Part III), and
Propagation
Quirks and Operating Tips (Part IV). This the the forth and final installment.
One of the handy-dandy items shown is a Geochron Map-Clock which had a template
of the familiar day-night analemma-based curve superimposed on the projection map
of the earth. It was quite a deal in its day, and believe it or not, the company
is still in business offering software-based Map-Clocks and restoring models all
the way back to when they first came out in 1965 (only a year before it appeared
here). Of course if you have the $$$, you can buy vintage Geochrons on eBay...
  A couple years ago I wrote an article about
instances of Morse code in popular songs, featuring among others "Western Union," by
The Five Americans. The October 2021 issue of ARRL's QST magazine has an
article on blind jazz musician and amateur radio enthusiast
Raul Midón, AE3RM. He has worked Morse code messages into some of his works,
and even has an entire song, "Bottom Cycle Blues," devoted
to Ham radio. A Morse code message played on the guitar closes out the composition.
Reportedly, "Sittin' in the Middle," "Peace on Earth," and "I Can See for Miles"
also include Morse code. Raul takes his portable radio gear with him while touring
in order to keep touch with fellow operators.
/jobs.htm" target="_top">
 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 /jobs.htm"
target="_top">job openings. HR department employees and/or managers of hiring
companies are welcome to submit opportunities for posting at no charge. 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...
 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 (FR-4, Rogers,
flexible, rigid), Geographical location (U.S., China), kinds of services (manufacturing,
fabrication, assembly, prototype), and more. Fast turn-around on quotations for
PCB fabrication and assembly.
Tuesday the 5th
 America's interstate highway system and telephone
system are often named as two of the most important factors in building an economy
that reigned over the rest of the world. Together, they constituted a monumental
logistical synergy that enables planning and implementing coast-to-coast transportation
of goods and services that could exploit local concentrations of talent and resources
and have the capability of distributing it across the country and around the world
quickly and cheaply.
Bell Telephone Laboratories (Labs) ran many advertisements in print, on radio,
and on television pitching the major role it played in the big scheme of things.
One statement in this promo appearing in a 1949 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine
encourages telephone users to discover new ways to utilize the equipment. Facsimile
(fax) was already in a primarily experimental mode, but shortly thereafter it became
a fundamental way of exchanging data...
 When I read about Du Mont's
Iconumerator, the first thing that came to mind was the video of the Rockwell
Retro Encabulator and General Electric's Turboencabulator. As it turns out, the
Du Mont device is real. This article from a 1955 issue of Radio Electronics
discusses a new type of oscillator-amplifier that works on the principle of microwave
amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (maser). It used ammonia as a
masing medium. Masers were quickly applied to commercial broadcast systems, to military
communications systems, and in laboratories. The state of the art has of course
advanced far beyond the relatively crude apparatus shown here, but it is always
good to have a working knowledge of the technology's history...
 "Engineers
created a new type of battery that weaves two promising battery sub-fields into
a single battery. The battery uses both a solid state electrolyte and an all-silicon
anode, making it a silicon all-solid-state battery. The initial rounds of tests
show that the new battery is safe, long lasting, and energy dense. It holds promise
for a wide range of applications from grid storage to electric vehicles. The battery
technology is described in the 24 September, 2021 issue of the journal Science.
University of California San Diego nanoengineers led the research, in collaboration
with researchers at LG Energy Solution..."
 At long last
Captain
James Tiberius Kirk will boldly go to "the final frontier." On October 12th,
William Shatner rides
aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard NS−18 rocket ship for a suborbital flight. At 90
years old, he will be the world's oldest astronaut. "Fascinating," as Mr. Spock
might say. NS−18 is no starship Enterprise, but it will cross the "Kármán Line" which officially
marks the FAI's boundary between inner and outer space 100 km above the Earth.
It will be a 10 minute mission as opposed to 5 years. While never formally a Trekkie,
I did (and still do via DVD) like watching Star Trek and appreciate the good captain's
trademark character of bravery with a penchant for making humane and selfless decisions,
all the while retaining good humor and compassion. Live long and prosper, Capt.
Kirk.
"Engineering entails solving societies' real-world
problems using machines, systems, materials and processes. There are many different
engineering disciplines and diverse specializations, but all involve solving problems
for people and therefore they all inherently affect society. This means licensed
professional engineers are ethically obliged to hold paramount the health, safety
and welfare of the public. Although our country and the world looked different in
1946 when the
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) endorsed its first code of
ethics, engineers' obligation to the public has become more important than ever
as the infrastructure and technology around us become ever more complex. As the
world rapidly changes, the problem-solving skills that are foundational to engineering
are needed now more than ever. Here are just a few trends that may alter our profession..."
 Two spacecraft
built by Europe and Japan captured their first up-close look at the planet Mercury
in a weekend flyby, revealing a rocky world covered with craters. The two linked
probes, known together as
BepiColombo,
snapped their first image of Mercury late Friday (Oct. 1) during a flyby that sent
them zooming around the planet. The encounter marked the first of six Mercury flybys
for BepiColombo, a joint effort by the space agencies of Europe and Japan, to slow
itself enough to enter orbit around the planet in 2025. BepiColombo took its first
official photo of Mercury at 7:44 p.m. EDT (2344 GMT) with its Mercury Transfer
Module Monitoring Camera 2, a black-and-white navigation camera, as the probe was
about 1,502 miles (2,418 kilometers) away from the planet...
 With more than 1000
custom-built stencils, 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 to fit proportionally on the provided
A-, B- and C-size drawing page templates (or can use your own). Stencils are provided
for equipment racks and test equipment, system block diagrams, conceptual drawings,
and schematics. Unlike previous versions, these are NOT Stencils, but instead are
all contained on tabbed pages within a single Visio document. That puts everything
in front of you in its full glory. Just copy and paste what you need on your drawing.
The file format is XML so everything plays nicely with Visio 2013 and later...
 Withwave manufactures an extensive line of
metrology quality coaxial test cable assemblies, connectors (wave-, end-, vertical-launch,
board edge, panel mount), calibration kits (SOLT), a
fully automated
4-port vector network analyzer (VNA) calibrator, between- and in-series connector
adaptors, attenuators, terminations, DC blocks, torque wrenches, test probes &
probe positioner. Special test fixtures for calibration and multicoax cable assemblies.
Frequency ranges from DC through 110 GHz. Please contact Withwave today to
see how they can help your project succeed.
Monday the 4th
 A well-planned and installed
waveguide system is always impressive. With enough switches, couplers, transitions,
adapters, and various and sundry other accoutrements, the result can be downright
artistic in appearance. Although usually the most costly form of electromagnetic
wave transmission, it has the decided advantage of having by far the lowest path
loss and highest isolation of any of the other forms of transmission - over the
air, coaxial cable, twin lead, etc. This, Part IV of an VIII−part series on
microwaves by author C.W. Palmer, appeared in the August 1949 issue of Radio-Electronics
magazine. He discusses E− and H−planes, inductive and capacitive "windows," tuning
screws, proper joining of waveguide sections, and more...
 "A team of researchers from Peking University
in China has fabricated an optical analogue of 'magic-angle'
graphene bilayers in a photonic nanocrystal. They have used the structure to create
a completely new type of highly-efficient nanolaser. Graphene is a flat crystal
of carbon just one atom thick. When two such sheets are placed on top of each other
with a small angle misalignment, they form a Moiré superlattice. At a twist angle
of 1.08°, the material becomes highly correlated and begins to show properties such
as superconductivity at low temperatures. At this so-called magic angle, the way
in which electrons move in the two coupled sheets changes because they are now forced
to organize themselves at the same energy..."
 "Quantum
bits or qubits are a prerequisite for quantum computing. But why? John Blyler
| Sep 28, 2021 To use quantum computers on a large scale, the qubit technology the
drives them must be improved. Qubits are the quantum version of conventional computer
bits. Increasing the number of available qubits leads to more powerful and accessible
quantum computers. What Is a Qubit? A qubit (or quantum bit) is the quantum-mechanical
analog of a classical computer bit. In classical computing, information is encoded
in bits, where each bit can have the value zero or one. Similarly, in quantum computing,
the information is encoded in qubits, a two-level quantum system where the two qubit
states are written as |0> and |1>. However, qubits (unlike a classical bit)
can also occupy a linear combination of both states. This is known as superposition..."
 Antenova introduces its Allani high performing
antenna for compact 4G/5G designs with high speed data or video Antenova Ltd,
the UK−based manufacturer of antennas and RF antenna modules for M2M and the IoT,
is announcing "Allani," part no SR4L069 - a compact SMD antenna for the 4G and 5G
cellular bands. This new antenna measures just 45.0 mm x 10.0 mm x 3.3 mm.
It achieves good efficiency with a short ground plane, making it a good choice for
designs with relatively little space on the PCB for the antenna. The Allani antenna
only requires clearances of 3.25 mm beneath the antenna and 15 mm from
each side to perform well in the sub 1 GHz bands...
 Most amateur operators know that
"YL" is Hamese for "young lady," meaning a female operator. Less well known
these days is "XYL" which decades ago, referred to an ex-young lady, implying either
an older woman or the wife of a Ham. According to the FCC's Universal Licensing
System (ULS) online call sign lookup service, Popular Electronics' poet laureate
K8AOU call sign is no longer assigned to anyone, so it's up for grabs. If there
is a YL out there wanting a notable call sign, this might be worthy of your consideration.
When I first posted this article in 2014 (it has been colorized and updated), the
call sign had been assigned to an OM ("old man;" i.e., male operator)...
 New Scheme rotates
all Banners in all locations on the page! RF Cafe typically receives 8,000-15,000
website visits each weekday.
RF Cafe is a favorite
of engineers, technicians, hobbyists, and students all over the world. With more
than 16,000 pages in the Google search index, RF Cafe returns in favorable
positions on many types of key searches, both for text and images. New content is
added on a daily basis, which keeps the major search engines interested enough to
spider it multiple times each day. Items added on the homepage often can be found
in a Google search within a few hours of being posted. I also re-broadcast homepage
items on LinkedIn. If you need your company news to be seen, RF Cafe is the
place to be.
 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 for
your military and commercial communications needs. Sam Benzacar's monthly newsletters
address contemporary wireless subjects. Please visit Anatech today to see how they
can help your project succeed.
Sunday the 3rd
 This
Engineering-Theme Crossword Puzzle for October 3rd has many words and clues
related to... you guessed it... engineering - including RF, microwave, optics, mathematics,
chemistry, physics, and other technical subjects. As always, this crossword puzzle
contains no names of politicians, mountain ranges, exotic foods or plants, movie
stars, or anything of the sort unless it/he/she is related to this puzzle's technology
theme (e.g., Hedy Lamarr or the Bikini Atoll). The technically inclined cruciverbalists
amongst us will appreciate the effort. Enjoy!
 Copper Mountain Technologies develops innovative
and robust RF test and measurement solutions for engineers all over the world. Copper
Mountain's extensive line of unique form factor
Vector
Network Analyzers include an RF measurement module and a software application
which runs on any Windows PC, laptop or tablet, connecting to the measurement hardware
via USB interface. The result is a lower cost, faster, more effective test process
that fits into the modern workspace in lab, production, field and secure testing
environments.
Friday the 1st
 San Francisco Circuits' (SFC) specialty is
in the complex, advanced technology of PCB fabrication and assembly, producing high
quality multi-layered PCBs from elaborate layouts. Our "Seamless
PCB Manufacturing Checklist" will help minimize mistakes as much as possible
in all stages of bareboard PCB manufacturing and provide a good starting point for
some of the essentials needed in the majority of PCB manufacturing quotes. San Francisco
Circuits has put together a new PCB manufacturing checklist resource on their website.
When planning the fabrication of a printed circuit board (PCB), a lot of things
have to be planned carefully to minimize mistakes. If one step or consideration
is overlooked in the manufacturing process, it may have disastrous consequences
resulting in a malfunctioning board. The overall goal of the seamless PCB manufacturing
checklist is to help ensure every part of the circuit board is considered and potential
mistakes...
 "The latest data acquisition and signal processing
devices are critical for capturing and manipulating wideband sensor signals for
real-time radar, electronic countermeasures, EW, and SIGINT systems. These include
new data converter technology and advanced FPGA designs, including the RFSoC (radio
frequency system-on-chip). To maintain strategic superiority for military and
aerospace platforms, embedded systems must constantly evolve to embrace the latest
technologies, counter new threats, and deal with new constraints. To meet these
objectives, systems engineers must exploit new architectures that deliver effective
solutions..."
  There's a website for every topic nowadays.
Having a domain name that is the same as the primary content is a definite advantage
from a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) perspective. For anyone looking for information
on
Litz wire, the eponymously name website is a good first stop. BTW, my linking
to litzwire.com on the text "litz wire" is absolutely the best possible scenario
for SEO. New England Wire Technologies hosts the site. Per them, "In 1898, New England
Wire Technologies became the first company in the United States to manufacture litz
wire on a commercial basis." As you might expect, they are authorities on Litz wire.
What is
Litz wire and where is it used? Litz wire is a
twisted multi-strand set of insulated
conductors used in high frequency applications (coils, wound AM antennas, transformers,
baluns, etc.) because of its properties of mitigation of skin and proximity effect,
minimization of eddy current losses, lower operating temperatures, and other benefits
over solid single-conductor wires...
 Here is a rather unique type of
crossword puzzle that uses numbers rather than words. It appeared in the April
1959 edition of Popular Electronics magazine. The software that I use to
create the RF Cafe crossword puzzles each week has the ability to create such a
puzzle, but I have never made one because it would take a lot of time to build a
clue / answer file to be drawn upon for input. My custom word-based database has
been built up to thousands of technical, science, and engineering terms and clues.
Maybe some day I'll do it, though...
 Exodus Advanced Communications introduces
the AMP2085E−LC, a rugged quiet broadband class A/AB design for all industry applications.
Frequency 2.0-8.0 GHz, 400W minimum, 500 W typical, 57 dB gain, unprecedented
performance. The AMP2085E−LC makes an
outstanding TWT replacement high power amplifier. Excellent power/gain flatness
as compared to other amplifiers. Forward/Reflected power monitoring, VSWR, voltage
/ current / temperature sensing for superb reliability and ruggedness. The nominal
weight is 55 kg in a compact 7U chassis 12.25" H x 19" W x 27" D...
New Scheme rotates
all Banners in all locations on the page! RF Cafe typically receives 8,000-15,000
website visits each weekday.
RF Cafe is a favorite
of engineers, technicians, hobbyists, and students all over the world. With more
than 16,000 pages in the Google search index, RF Cafe returns in favorable
positions on many types of key searches, both for text and images. New content is
added on a daily basis, which keeps the major search engines interested enough to
spider it multiple times each day. Items added on the homepage often can be found
in a Google search within a few hours of being posted. I also re-broadcast homepage
items on LinkedIn. If you need your company news to be seen, RF Cafe is the
place to be.
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 (FR-4, Rogers,
flexible, rigid), Geographical location (U.S., China), kinds of services (manufacturing,
fabrication, assembly, prototype), and more. Fast turn-around on quotations for
PCB fabrication and assembly.
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