February 3, 2005 Newsletter

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Microwaves & RF UPDATE
PlanetEE - http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD7:FFCBF
MWRF - http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DE1:FFCBF
February 3, 2005
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Greetings and welcome to your personal copy of PlanetEE's Microwaves and 
RF UPDATE e-newsletter. Please see below for address-change or 
subscribe/unsubscribe instructions.

Today's Table of Contents:
1.  Making the Most of Your Web Site
2.  Agilent Sets Jitter Measurement Mark 
3.  Lucent and FCI Demonstrate 25 Gb/s Data Over Backplane 
4.  Racal Instruments Is Now Aeroflex
5.  Radstone Processors Power Polish F-16s 
6.  Full-Wave Simulation Supports Spiral Inductors 
7.  NEC Sells 200,000th Microwave Link
8.  Analyzer Users Benefit From Free Software
9.  Note Explores Verification of Load-Pull Systems 
10. Happenings - Conferences 

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http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DE4:FFCBF


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1.  Viewpoint 
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Making the Most of Your Website

Few editorial pieces have stirred readers' interest more than the recent 
article reviewing ( "Tracking the Top 25 Microwave Websites," Microwaves 
& RF, December 2004, p. 33 and online at http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DE1:FFCBF ). As has 
become apparent from the many calls, letters, and e-mail responses, 
high-frequency engineers are passionate about their own web sites and 
willing to discuss their graphical and information approaches at great 
length in the hopes of finding ways to improve their sites. The article 
included a sidebar story, "Top Engineering Website Turnoffs," that also 
listed more than 10 steps not to follow when implementing a successful 
engineering website.

Unfortunately, that December issue story only covered 25 companies, 
although many more were deserving of mention. Because of the sharp 
cutoff, this newsletter will explore additional sites through a new 
feature section called simply WebWatch. Each issue will highlight 
another website of interest, complete with comments on why the site is 
noteworthy or outstanding. And, of course, if there is a website you 
would like us to view, please let us know.


JACK BROWNE
Publisher/Editor

Please share your thoughts by contacting me at: mailto:[email protected]
For the story on the Top 25 Microwave Web Sites, 
visit Microwaves & RF ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DE1:FFCBF


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2. News
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Agilent Sets Jitter Measurement Mark

Introduction of the 83496A multirate optical/electrical clock-recovery 
module for the Agilent 86100C Infiniium digital communications analyzer 
(oscilloscope) sets new standards for measurement jitter. With less than 
300 fs root-mean-square (RMS) jitter, low-level measurements of clock 
and data signals are possible over a continuous bandwidth of 50 Mb/s to 
13.5 Gb/s. Developed in close collaboration with Agilent Labs, the 
module features a continuously adjustable loop bandwidth from 30 kHz to 
6 MHz for jitter testing across a wide range of industry 
telecommunications and data communications standards. Pricing for the 
module starts at $18,000 and for the oscilloscope mainframe starts at 
$17,500.
Agilent Technologies ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD3:FFCBF

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3. News
*********
Lucent and FCI Demonstrate 25 Gb/s Data Over Backplane

By combining the AirMax VS connector system from FCI and a new signaling 
architecture from the Bell Labs Division of Lucent Technologies, the 
companies were able to demonstrate a 25-Gb/s data transmission over a 
conventional electrical backplane connection. By operating at more than 
twice the data rate yet achieved over electrical backplanes, the new 
approach holds the promise of achieving true 100-Gb/s Ethernet (4 
channels at 25 Gb/s) performance over electrical backplanes. The 
signaling technology involves duobinary signaling in which three 
electrical signal levels are used to represent binary code in a data 
transmission. According to Jeffrey Sinsky, lead researcher on the 
duobinary effort at Bell Labs, "we are always looking one step beyond. 
In order to demonstrate 25 Gb/s, we needed a connector with carefully 
controlled impedance characteristics, which prevents signals from 
bouncing back and forth, plus low crosstalk." The connector employs an 
air dielectric for low-loss operation past 15 GHz. 
Bell Labs ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD6:FFCBF
FCI ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD5:FFCBF
Lucent Technologies ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DDD:FFCBF


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4. News
*********
Racal Instruments Is Now Aeroflex

Aeroflex announced that it has changed the name of Racal Instruments 
Wireless Solutions (RIWS) to Aeroflex. Aeroflex had acquired RIWS, based 
in Burnham, England, from Racal Instruments Group Holding on July 31, 
2003. According to Len Borow, CEO and Vice Chairman of Aeroflex, "Our 
goal is to grow through product sales and acquisitions to become one of 
the top test and microelectronics companies in the world. To help 
achieve this goal, it is important to have a single Aeroflex brand 
recognized worldwide."
Aeroflex, Inc. ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD9:FFCBF


**********
5. News
**********
Radstone Processors Power Polish F-16s 

Radstone Embedded Computing announced that its PowerXtreme PPC7D 
single-board computer, PMCGA3 graphics accelerator, and PMCF2 
CompactFlash PMC had been selected by Goodrich Corp.'s Surveillance & 
Reconnaissance Systems team for inclusion in the Poland Peace Sky F-16 
Reconnaissance program. As part of the Foreign Military Sale (FMS), 
Goodrich will provide a reconnaissance pod to the Polish Air and Air 
Defense Forces. The pod's sensors are capable of imaging targets at 
30,000 feet at a standoff distance of 50 nautical miles. The system will 
help support NATO forces in Europe. 
Radstone Embedded Computing ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD8:FFCBF
Goodrich Corp. ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DDA:FFCBF


************************ ADVERTISEMENT ****************************    

Maury Microwave Automated Load Pull Measurement For PA Designers

In January 2005, Maury Microwave Corporation is releasing the latest 
software for our Automated Tuner System, MT993 Version 4.0.  Key 
features of Version 4.0 include an improved GUI, signficiant functional 
enhancements, complete migration and support for ATN systems, and a 
comprehensive DLL kit.  With this release, Maury continues to provide 
leading-edge solutions for device characterization measurements.  For 
additional details, please contact our Sales Department at 
mailto:[email protected] or phone (909) 987-4715.

Find out what's new at Maury by visiting our website:
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DDB:FFCBF


*******************************************************************


*********
6. News
*********
Full-Wave Simulation Supports Spiral Inductors

Semiconductor foundry United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) and software 
supplier Ansoft have teamed on a parameterized spiral-inductor design 
kit based on full-wave three-dimensional simulation. The close linking 
of simulation software with foundry allows designers the flexibility to 
create new inductor geometries simply by editing parameters, such as 
diameter, width, and number of turns, from a dialog box in Ansoft's HFSS 
software. According to Dr. Albert Yen, manager of UMC's Mixed-Mode and 
Radio Frequency Technology Program, "Our collaboration with Ansoft 
allows our customers to design, simulate, and optimize spiral inductors 
on silicon substrates, relieving a major bottleneck of the RF CMOS 
design flow." The spiral inductor design kit is current available at no 
charge to UMC customers.
Ansoft Corp. ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DDC:FFCBF
UMC ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DE2:FFCBF


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7. News
*********
NEC Sells 200,000th Microwave Link

Since selling its first PASOLINK 18-GHz microwave link system in the 
mid-1980's, NEC Corporation has grown steadily, reaching a total number 
of sales of 200,000 systems in December 2004. Designed mainly for 
telecommunications systems backhaul networks, the systems are now 
shipped at operating frequencies from4 to 52 GHz with as much as 155 
Mb/s traffic capacity on each of two channels. Used as backups for 
optical networks, for WLAN interconnections, and for business and 
private networks, the systems have enjoyed recent demand in China, 
Russia, and India for expanding network applications.
NEC Corporation ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DE3:FFCBF


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8. News
*********
Analyzer Users Benefit From Free Software

Anritsu Company and The MathWorks are offering a free trial version of 
the powerful MATLAB mathematical processing software for customers of 
Anritsu's MS2781A Signature High Performance Signal Analyzer. The 
Signature analyzer, which allows wideband modulation measurements from 
100 Hz to 8 GHz, features an open Windows XP environment that supports 
the exchange of simulated and measured data for analysis in the MATLAB 
simulator. Signature customers can download the MATLAB trial key for 
free and begin their evaluation.
The MathWorks ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD1:FFCBF
Anritsu Company ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD0:FFCBF


*********
9. News
*********
Note Explores Verification of Load-Pull Systems

Load-pull systems are based on mechanical or solid-state tuners that 
provide variable source and load impedances to a device under test 
(DUT). Such systems are invaluable when designing an amplifier for 
maximum output power or efficiency, for example. But verification of 
measurement data can be difficult, and requires repeatable calibration 
procedures. Fortunately, a free 11-page application note from Maury 
Microwave Corp., "Basic Verifcation of Power Load-Pull Systems," reviews 
common sources of errors and how to control them. Copies of the note are 
available for free download from the company's website.
Maury Microwave Corp. ---> http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DDB:FFCBF


*******************************
10.  Happenings - Conferences
*******************************
ARMMS RF & Microwave Society Conference
April 18-19, 2005
Milton Hill House Hotel, Milton Hill, Oxfordshire, UK
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DDF:FFCBF

RF & Hyper Europe 2005
March 22-24, 2005
CNIT, La Defense, Paris, France
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DD4:FFCBF

2005 International Reliability Physics Symposium
April 17-21, 2005
San Jose Marriott Hotel, San Jose, CA
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DE0:FFCBF

IEEE Compound Semiconductor IC Symposium (formerly the GaAs IC 
Symposium)
October 30 - November 2, 2005
Palm Springs, CA
http://nls.planetee.com/t?ctl=DDE:FFCBF


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MICROWAVES AND RF (MWRF) UPDATE e-NEWSLETTER CONTACTS
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