Choosing the Right Coaxial Test Cables

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22: Feature Article Choosing the Right Coaxial Test Cables By Peter McNeil There are many different metrics related to the performance of coaxial cables. Generally, coaxial cables come with either a 50Ω impedance or a 75Ω impedance. From a testing perspective, most test facilities come equipped with 50Ω equipment and, more often than not, it is not feasible to include 75Ω equipment into a lab. This is especially true for pricey Vector Network Analyzers (VNAs). When testing 75 Ω devices with a 50Ω VNA it is necessary to therefore attach Minimum Loss Pads (MLPs) or 50-to-75Ω adapters, 75Ω coaxial cables, and calibrate up to the 75Ω plane using either the often more accurate Thru, Reflect, Line/Match (TRL/M) standard or Short, Open, Load, Thru (SOLT) calibration with a 75Ω calibration kit. More often than not, a 50Ω coaxial line is utilized beyond 1 GHz, as 75Ω coaxial cables are typically leveraged to relay audio/video signals in residential TV applications. Measuring a 75Ω device with 50Ω instruments is most often accomplished with Minimum Loss Pads (MLPs, aka Impedance Matching Attenuators) which present a 50Ω impedance on one side and a 75Ω impedance on the other. These pads often serve a dual purpose by adapting between the connector type used on the 75Ω side and that of the 50Ω side. The pad can be used at the end of a 50Ω test cable, or between the instrument and a 75Ω test cable. The loss of the pad must be taken into account when making the measurement.

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Vol. 18 No. 9 September 2019 Publisher Scott Spencer Military Lasers: [email protected] Tel: 603-759-1840 The Latest Associate Publisher/Managing Editor Tim Burkhard [email protected] Tel: 707-544-9977

Senior Technical Editor Tom Perkins Tom Perkins [email protected] HFE Senior Tech Editor Tel: 603-759-1840

Vice President, Sales First there was the ray gun described in H.G. Gary Rhodes Wells’ The War of the Worlds, in 1898. Arthur C. [email protected] Clark described particle beam weapons in his 1955 Tel: 631-274-9530 novel, Earthlight, where energy would be delivered Editorial Advisors: by high-velocity beams of matter. After the invention Ali Abedi, Ph.D. of the laser in 1960, it became the death ray of choice Candice Brittain Paul Carr, Ph.D. for science fiction writers, appearing in shows like Alen Fezjuli “Lost in Space” a few years later. Incidentally, the Roland Gilbert, Ph.D. first laser was built by Theodore H. Maiman at Sherry Hess Thomas Lambalot Hughes Research Laboratories. It was based on theo- John Morelli retical work by Charles H. Townes at Columbia Karen Panetta, Ph.D. University and Arthur L. Schawlow at Bell Labs. There were other signifi- Jeffrey Pawlan, Ph.D. cant contributors also such as Gordon Gould at TRG. I once spent a week- Business Office end in June circa 1979 operating ARRL Field Day, with prior permission Summit Technical Media, LLC from Dr. Townes, at his large hilltop property in New Boston, NH. One Hardy Road, Ste. 203 PO Box 10621 Unfortunately, I never met him. Bedford, NH 03110 Laser weapons are unique in that they do not expend ammunition material. Although it is obvious that disablement of radio links with Also Published Online at www.highfrequencyelectronics.com drones can put them out of commission, there may not be sufficient time to acquire and jam such functions. A laser seems ideal to disable devices Subscription Services such as remotely controlled quadcopters. They also could quickly disable a Sue Ackerman Tel: 651-292-0160 “swarm” of drones. [email protected] Two interesting announcements were made on the U.S. military front last month. Both involve lasers. First, the Army is developing a 50,000- Send subscription inquiries and address changes to the above contact person. You watt laser weapon for Stryker vehicles to protect soldiers from Unmanned can send them by mail to the Business Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), artillery shells, armed helicopters, rockets and Office address above. mortars. The weapon is called the Multi-Mission High Energy Laser (MMHEL). The Army has been testing the low-energy Stricker-mounted directed energy system for several years. Not to be confused with the medical equipment company by the same name, Interim Armored Vehicle (IAV) Stryker is a family of eight wheeled armored fighting medium tactical vehicles produced by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada for the Our Environmental Commitment High Frequency Electronics is printed United States Army. It is based on the LAV III. Interestingly it has 4-wheel on paper produced using sustain- drive (8x4) and can be switched to have drive to all 8 wheels (8x8) using a able forestry practices, certified by the Program for the Endorsement large Caterpillar C7 engine. About 5,000 have been built at a cost of of Forest Certification (PEFC™), approximately $5 million each. It’s named for two unrelated soldiers who www.pefc.org posthumously received the Medal of Honor. The Army is planning to field a laser equipped four-vehicle battery by late fiscal 2022. A prototype 100-kilowatt laser weapon for Stryker vehicles is also being pursued called High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator (HEL-TVD) that could complement larger platforms with directed energy. The Army is also working on hypersonic weapon systems that would be deployed in a similar Copyright © 2019, Summit Technical Media, LLC manner. 6 High Frequency Electronics grams include an air-to-air program heat. The ability to engage multiple called the Self-Protect High Energy targets simultaneously would be The Army is Laser Demonstrator (SHIELD) and a greatly enhanced. These systems are ground-fired Demonstrator Laser scalable. Several beams can be planning to Weapon System. AFRL is working merged and military assets can be field a laser with Lockheed Martin on SHIELD disabled with minimal loss of life. with a goal of operational lasers in a The dual role of sensor and weapon equipped four- few years. Solid-state laser weapons for lasers also is very appealing. rely purely on electricity and do not vehicle battery need chemicals. They disable or HFE by late fiscal incinerate a target with tremendous 2022. Powerful Payload & The United States Air Force has funded Raytheon Company, Space and Airborne Systems (SAS), RF Link Emulator McKinney, TX, a $24 million con- tract to develop a system to detect, identify, track, and take down drones. They are deploying ground- based laser weapons in initial field tests of directed-energy weapons. It was announced that two ground- based laser weapons are being deployed to an undisclosed location. 600 MHz Tests will be conducted to see how bandwidth they perform against small UAVs.  Link emulation: Delay, Doppler, AWGN, Phase shift This apparently is the USAF’s first  disclosed field test of an experimen- Real time control for Arial Vehicle (UAV) testing tal directed-energy weapon.  Payload: MUX, Compression, Phase noise, Group delay This one is a 10,000-watt High  Multipath: 12 paths per channel Energy Laser Weapon System  Up to sixteen synchronous channels with correlation (HELWS). It is paired with Raytheon’s Multi-spectral Targeting System. They can be mounted on small ground vehicles and aimed using an interface similar to a video game controller. The prototype system uses commercial electronic components, e.g. lithium-ion batteries for power. It uses invisible beams of light to detect hostile UAVs. HELWS is designed to mount on the Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicle. This 4-wheel vehicle carrying 4 to 6 personnel is considerably smaller than the 9 personnel Stryker. It looks like a modern-day WWII Jeep. The Air Force is also developing dBmCorp, Inc laser weapons for deployment on the 32A Spruce Street  Oakland, NJ 07436 C-17, C-130, F-15, F-16 and the F-35 Tel (201) 677-0008  Fax (201) 677-9444 aircraft. Two major Air Force RF Test Equipment for Wireless Communications Research Laboratory (AFRL) pro- email: [email protected] www.dbmcorp.com Get info at www.HFeLink.com Meetings and Events

2019 14th European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference (EuMIC) 2019 IEEE WIE Leadership 29 September - 2 October 2019, Paris, France Summits Sponsors: European Microwave Association - EuMA; Gallium Arsenide Application Symposium Association – IEEE Women in Engineering International Lead- GAAS; IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society ership Summits (WIE ILS) provide regional op- Field of Interest: Components, Circuits, Devices and portunities to foster networking, mentorship, and Systems; Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics collaboration. IEEE WIE will continue the WIE ILS program in 2019 as part of the portfolio of global ini- 2019 49th European Microwave Conference (EuMC) tiatives that focus on Empowerment, Entrepreneur- 1 - 3 October 2019, Paris, France ship, Leadership, and Emerging/Future Technology. Sponsors: European Microwave Association - EuMA; https://wie.ieee.org/leadership-summits2019 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society; IEEE Micro- wave Theory and Techniques Society Field of Interest: Components, Circuits, Devices and 2019 IEEE BiCMOS and Compound semiconduc- Systems; Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics tor Integrated Circuits and Technology Symposium 2019 16th European Radar Conference (EuRAD) (BCICTS) 2 - 4 October 2019, Paris, France 3 - 6 November 2019, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Sponsors: European Microwave Association - EuMA; Sponsors: IEEE Electron Devices Society; IEEE Micro- IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society; IEEE wave Theory and Techniques Society; IEEE Solid-State Antennas and Propagation Society; IEEE Microwave Circuits Society Theory and Techniques Society Field of Interest: Components, Circuits, Devices and Field of Interest: Aerospace; Fields, Waves and Electro- Systems; Photonics and Electrooptics magnetics; Signal Processing and Analysis 2019 CLASTECH 2019 IEEE International Symposium on Phased Array 1 November 2019, Proud Bird Events Center, Los Ange- System & Technology (PAST) les, California, USA 15 - 18 October 2019, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA CLASTECH is an annual technical symposium high- Sponsors: Boston Section; IEEE Aerospace and Elec- lighting recent developments in RF and microwave tronic Systems Society; IEEE Antennas and Propagation technologies as a joint effort by the local chapters of the Society; IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT- Field of Interest: Aerospace; Communication, Network- S) and the Antennas and Propagation Society (APS). ing and Broadcast Technologies; Components, Circuits, Exhibit floor open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; technical Devices and Systems; Fields, Waves and Electromagnet- talks from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. http://www.clastech.org/ ics; Geoscience

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3G and 4G - Not LPWA and 5G Technologies nectivity technology and establish dedicated M2M teams, - Will Drive M2M Service Revenues on partner with vertical specialists along the value chain, Cellular Public Networks to $228 Billion in and deploy solution-based business models. By moving 2024 beyond simple connectivity, network operators can maxi- mize the value of their networks and fully leverage solu- The global cellular M2M market will nearly quintuple tion opportunities that will eventually transition to from over 620 million connections in 2019 to 3 billion con- LPWA and 5G technologies.” nections in 2024 according to a new report by ABI Research. While connection revenues will double to —ABI Research US$32 billion over the forecast period, these revenues abiresearch.com will account for just 14% of all cellular M2M value-added services revenues in 2024. To capture greater share of the Huawei and Kathrein Ranked Top Two Base M2M revenue opportunity, global operators must expand Station Antenna Vendors their horizontal capabilities, partner with vertical special- The base station antenna is an increasingly complex ists, and move up the value stack. and essential part of the mobile network, and that com- “While many operators are hedging their bets plexity is growing as networks evolve to 5G. Considering on the emergence of new 5G and LPWA networks to there will potentially be 850 million 5G subscribers expand their M2M endeavors, the reality is that in by 2025, competition in the mobile cellular antenna 2024 3G and 4G connections will account for 72% of arena is intense. While the top antenna vendors total M2M value-added services revenues,” says battle it out, Huawei and Kathrein remain the top Dan Shey, Vice President at ABI Research. “This two base station antenna vendors worldwide, result is partly due to the influence of connected according to the latest 5G Antenna Innovations vehicle markets which will heavily rely on 3G and competitive assessment by ABI Research. 4G technologies; but it also reflects supplier focus The competitive assessment ranked the ten most on bringing full stack solutions to well serve very dominant and innovative mobile cellular antenna manu- specific vertical markets. Regardless of network facturers in the world - ACE Technologies, Amphenol, technology, operators can gain greater share of Comba, CommScope, Huawei, Kathrein, MOBI, value-added services revenues by formulating the RFS, Rosenberger, and Tongyu – using ABI Research’s right set of services and partnerships to create proven, unbiased innovation/ implementation criteria high-value end-to-end M2M solutions.” framework. Each vendor was analyzed based on its multi- Additionally, network operators need to realize how band, ultra-wideband, active, and advanced MIMO capa- M2M revenue growth will change by type of M2M service bilities, essential intellectual property and R&D, overall and how fierce the competition is among network opera- market share, antenna geographical penetration, finan- tors. Only a handful of operators have been able to gener- cial and organizational health, and antenna portfolio. ate annual revenues close to US$1 billion from their M2M “Huawei, the largest antenna vendor in the market, activities, and they have done so by focusing beyond the once again got the number one spot in innovation and device and its connectivity to the value that these connec- implementation; Kathrein and CommScope retained their tions generate through analytics and other platform ser- second and third place rank respectively. All top three vices. Within this competitive and growing market, vendors each account for double-digit market share. dominant players such as Vodafone, AT&T, and Rosenberger has rapidly gained in market share since China Mobile have already emerged and estab- 2016 and now occupies the number four position with lished dominant footholds in their respective ACE Technologies rounding out the top five,” says Nick regional markets which will continue to expand Marshall, Research Director at ABI Research. throughout the forecast period. In 2019, the top 10 “Competition and innovation in the mobile cellular operators will account for about 3 out of 5 cellular antenna market are fierce. Today’s base station antennas M2M connections; in 2024, these operators will now offer a complex portfolio of features such as account for more than 2 out every 3 cellular M2M multi-band, multi-port, multi-beam, and MIMO connections. (Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) and massive “In order for cellular network operators to fully lever- MIMO, and antennas need to incorporate these technolo- age M2M opportunities, they must undertake a critical gies in the increasingly space-constrained cell tower as assessment of their own internal capabilities and imple- well as resist enormous stresses from the weather and the ment strategies that enable them to meet the demands of environment in general,” notes Marshall. M2M end-users,” Shey advises. “To move up the value- —ABI Research chain, operators need to move past the underlying con- abiresearch.com

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of the program, researchers are already demonstrating engineering successes including reduced SWaP, lab-proven atomic clock technologies, as well as early prototypes of future clock architectures.”

Through the exploration of alternative physics architectures and novel component technologies, three sets of researchers have demonstrated early progress towards creating CSACs with 1000x improvement in temperature control, aging, and retrace.

A paper recently published in Optica highlights recent progress made by a team of researchers from the National Progress on Miniaturized Atomic Clocks for Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with Future PNT Applications support from researchers at the California Institute of Many of today’s communications, navigation, financial Technology, Stanford University, and Charles Stark Draper transaction, distributed cloud, and defense applications Laboratories. The team has demonstrated an experimental rely on the precision timing of atomic clocks – or clocks that optical atomic clock that is comprised of only three small track time based on the oscillation of atoms with the high- chips and supporting electronics and optics. Unlike stan- est degrees of accuracy. Harnessing the power of atoms for dard atom clocks that operate at microwave frequencies precise timing requires a host of sophisticated and bulky and track the vibrations of cesium atoms, optical atomic technologies that are costly to develop and consume large clocks run at higher frequencies, offering greater precision amounts of energy. New applications and technologies like because they divide time into smaller units. The NIST 5G networks and GPS alternatives will require precise team’s clock uses a laser to track the oscillations of rubidi- timekeeping on portable platforms, driving a demand for um atoms confined in a vapor cell – or tiny glass container miniaturized atomic clocks with a high degree of perfor- – that is 3 millimeters across sitting on top of a silicon mance. chip. Within the clock’s chip-based “heart,” two frequency combs act like gears to convert the rubidium atoms’ high- Over the past few decades, DARPA has invested frequency optical “ticks” to the lower microwave frequency, heavily in the advancement and miniaturization which is used by most PNT applications to track time. In of atomic clock technology, generating chip-scale addition to providing a higher-degree of accuracy (roughly atomic clocks (CSACs) that are now commercially 50 times better than the current cesium-based CSACs), available and offer unprecedented timing stability the experimental clock uses very little power – just 275 for their size, weight, and power (SWaP). However, milliwatts. the performance of these first-generation CSACs are fundamentally limited due to the physics associ- In addition to successfully demonstrating a chip-scale opti- ated with their designs. Calibration requirements cal clock, the NIST team was able to microfabricate all of and frequency drift can generate timing errors, the key components, much in the same way that computer making it difficult to achieve the highest degrees chips are fabricated. This enables further integration of of accuracy and reliability in a portable package. the electronics and optics while creating a potential path DARPA’s Atomic Clock with Enhanced Stability towards mass production and commercialization. (ACES) program is exploring the development of —DARPA next-generation, battery-powered CSACs with 1000x improvement in key performance parameters over Teams Test Swarm Autonomy in Second existing options. Major OFFSET Field Experiment During the second field experiment for DARPA’s OFFensive “Shrinking atomic clocks from large cesium beam Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET) program, teams of tubes to chip-scale devices without eroding perfor- autonomous air and ground robots tested tactics on a mis- mance requires a rethinking of a number of critical sion to isolate an urban objective. Similar to the way a components, including vacuum pumps and optical firefighting crew establishes a boundary around a burning isolators as well as new approaches to component building, they first identified locations of interest and then integration,” said Dr. John Burke, the program man- created a perimeter around the focal point. ager leading ACES in DARPA’s Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). “The target metrics we outlined for the OFFSET envisions large swarms of collaborative ACES program are lofty, but as we enter the third phase autonomous systems providing critical insights to

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“The pace of our scheduled exper- iments requires our performers to take risks” said Timothy Chung, the OFFSET program manager small ground military units in in DARPA’s Tactical Technology urban areas where vertical struc- Office. “Rapid integration tures, tight spaces, and limited demands that our swarm teams, sight lines constrain communica- both integrators and sprinters, tions and mobility. develop smarter ways to improve their current processes.” The program includes multiple “sprint” efforts, which focus on The experiment at Fort Benning different elements of the com- highlighted the benefits of con- mand, control, and collaboration tinuous agile development and among large numbers of vehicles . Maximum Input Power W CW, integration and deployment, W Peak and humans. . Options for Leakage Levels the principle at the heart of the --- dBm OFFSET program. The Swarm For the experiment, which - dBm System Integrators showed matu- took place in June at the Selby dBm ration in field operations while + dBm Combined Arms Collective the Swarm Sprinters contributed . Removable connectors for Training Facility in Fort Benning, circuit board assembly technologies to enhance system Georgia, teams undertook a com- . Ideal for LNA Protection performance. The platform exper- plex scenario spanning two city imentation provided insights into blocks. Tasks included locating the role of commercial-off-the- and isolating a mock city hall shelf technologies in a research building, locating and securing and development program. an objective inside, and then —DARPA securing the building – all while maintaining situational aware- ness of the surrounding area. Runs lasted up to 30 minutes each.

OFFSET includes two main performer Notes: types: Swarm System Integrators and . DC Supply required: ++V, mA Typ. .. Typical and nominal leakage levels Swarm Sprinters. The Swarm System for input up to W CW. Integrators, Northrop Grumman and . Threshold level is the input power Raytheon BBN, create OFFSET archi- 2019 CLASTECH level when output power is dB compressed. tectures, interfaces, and their respective Swarm Tactics Exchanges, which 1 November 2019, Proud Bird Other Products: Detectors, Limiters, Events Center, Los Angeles, Amplifiers, Switches, Comb Generators, houses tools to help performers design Impulse Generators, Multipliers, swarm tactics by composing collec- California, USA Integrated Subassemblies tive behaviors, swarm algorithms, and CLASTECH is an annual techni- Please call for Detailed Brochures existing swarm tactics. The Swarm cal symposium highlighting recent Sprinters perform focused tasks and developments in RF and microwave deliver additional technologies to technologies as a joint effort by the merge with system integrators. local chapters of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT- 155 Baytech Drive, San Jose, CA 95134 S) and the Antennas and Propagation Tel: (408) 941-8399 . Fax: (408) 941-8388 The June event brought together the Email: [email protected] integrators and second set of Swarm Society (APS). Exhibit floor open from Website: www.herotek.com Sprinters, including Heron; Michigan 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; technical talks Visa/Mastercard Accepted Tech Research Institute; University from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. http://www. of North Carolina, Charlotte; and clastech.org/ 14 High Frequency Electronics Reliable RF Surge Protection

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Power Sensor: Statistical Measurements Precision Compression-Mount Microwave Test Con- LadyBug Technologies’ LB479A Peak and Pulse nectors Sensor utilizes patented No-Zero Technology to deliver Until now, traditional test methods have required high accuracy statistical pulse information along with timely soldering and a limited number of test ports per average power. No user zeroing is required. The USB sen- board. Molex Precision Compression-Mount Microwave sor offers frequency coverage from 10 MHz to 8 GHz with Test Connectors offer a more streamlined solution with a 80 dB of dynamic range. The product’s broad frequency vertical mount design for placement anywhere on the range combined with excellent sensitivity make it ideal PCB, enabling more test connectors to be placed around for IoT, satellite, radar, Bluetooth, and defense applica- parts being tested. tions. The sensor can be ordered with a variety of connec- The compression-mount design also reduces installa- tors, reducing adaptor use and resulting in a better match tion time and costs by eliminating soldering from the to achieve greater accuracy. process while achieving up to 65 GHz analog performance The LB480A sensor is similar and includes trace (supports data rates of 120 Gbps minimum). based measurement features. These triggered measure- The product is available in mating interfaces includ- ments provide a visual time domain trace of the pulse ing 1.85mm, 2.4mm, 2.92mm and SMA. power profile. Both sensors are provided with a package Molex of software that includes programmatic support for ATE molex.com builders. Triggering, Recorder Output and Optional connectors are available. LadyBug Technologies LLC ladybug-tech.com

rapidly support your program. The core-competencies include designs through V-band, advanced non-linear modeling, compact power combining, state-of-the-art GaN amplifiers, and digital control hardware. Mercury Systems mrcy.com RF, Microwave Amps 30% lower profile than competitive We have developed a broad portfo- Wirewound Chip Inductors products. Offered in 23 inductance lio of cutting-edge RF and microwave Coilcraft has introduced two new values from 1.2 to 56 nH (with, 5%, amplifiers; from compact GaN SSPAs series of low-profile wirewound chip 3% or 2% tolerance), the 0402CT pro- to low noise amplifiers. For custom inductors: the 0402CT Series and the vides excellent Q Factor performance designs, we have engineering teams 0402FL Series. The 0402CT Series – up to 84 at 2.4 GHz. It also offers ready with modular building blocks to features a ceramic core and has a self-resonant frequencies as high as maximum height of just 0.45 mm — a

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27.5 GHz and current ratings up to 2.3 Amps (Irms). The ferrite-core 0402FL Series has a maximum height of 0.55 mm and is offered in 16 inductance values from 20 to 560 nH. It is ideal for use as a one-pole filter or RF choke in cellular connector. The coaxial cables are bands, and can be used in both mobile especially designed and manufac- and infrastructure equipment. The tured for VNA applications with 0402FL’s ferrite construction provides greater than 10,000 connections. The high current handling — up to 1.3 cable utilizes the highest quality test Amps (Irms) — with extremely low instrumentation grade cable and a DCR. precision manufacturing process to Both the 0402CT and 0402FL fea- guarantee superior microwave per- ture RoHS compliant, matte tin over formance and mechanical durability. nickel over silver-platinum-glass frit Impedance: 50 ohms. The models terminations and withstand a maxi- offered can form a VNA test cable mum reflow temperature of 260°C. pair for custom test set applications. Coilcraft coilcraft.com SAGE Millimeter sagemillimeter.com

Pocket Signal Source Saelig Company, Inc. announces the availability of Triarchy Measuring System Technologies’ VSG2G5C RF Vector The Measuring Division of Kaman Signal Generator - a cost-effective Precision Products announced avail- pocketable USB-connected RF signal ability of its KD-5100 differential source with capabilities that provide measurement system, which provides standalone and PC-controlled func- resolution to a nanometer of posi- tions comparable to full-size analog tional change. With its proven stable RF signal generators. Offering fre- design, extremely small size, and low quencies from 100Hz to 1MHz (low- power consumption, the KD-5100 is band) and 100MHz to 2.5GHz (RF ideal for night vision systems, preci- Band) with a frequency resolution of sion telescope positioning, fast steer- 1Hz, this handy unit’s features ing mirrors (FSM) for space-based include frequency sweep, frequency and airborne applications, and image hopping using I&Q modulation, and stabilization systems. Kaman engi- arbitrary signal generation. neers work closely with customers to understand their specific application Saelig and optimize the KD-5100 to meet saelig.com custom requirements. Featuring a small package size – VNA Test Cables only 2 x 2.12 x 0.75 inches thick – the SAGE Millimeter released a new KD-5100 is a good choice for applica- line of cost effective, instrumentation tions where space is a limiting factor. grade, flexible, armored VNA test It is manufactured to MIL-H-38534, cables in either 1.85 mm, 2.4 mm, with MIL-SPEC components used Get info at www.HFeLink.com 2.92 mm, or 3.5 mm with an NMD throughout the electronics module female and a female or NMD male 18 High Frequency Electronics wherever possible. The KD-5100 fea- Features: Advantages: Applications: • Capacitance Range: • Proprietary NPO Dielectric for • HF / RF Power Amplifiers 0.1 to 5100 pF Superior High Voltage Handling and Transmitters • Case Sizes • Advanced Engineered Silver • Antenna Tuning Case A (0.055’’ x 0.055’’) Electrode System for Lowest ESR • High Power Matching Case B (0.110’’ x0.110’’) • Rugged Ceramic Design for Networks Case R (0.070’’ x 0.090’’) Reliable Trouble-Free Operation Case C (0.250’’ x 0.250’’) • Plasma Chambers Case E (0.380’’ x 0.380’’) • Improved Image Quality in MRI • Industrial Lasers Scanners • NPO Low Loss Rugged Dielectric • Inductive Heating • Superior Thermal Management • Voltage Ratings up to 7200 WVDC in High RF Power Applications • High Power Inductive Charging • RoHS Compliant • Proprietary Dielectric Material • High Tesla MRI Imaging Coils

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tures rugged construction, with a Kaman Precision Products mean time between failures of better kamansensors.com than 238,000 hours in a space flight environment and 55,000 hours in a 5G: Connector Selection Guide tactical environment. Kaman also Amphenol RF released its offers the DIT-5200, a commercial Wireless Infrastructure Solutions version of the KD-5100 for applica- Guide, a digital short-form catalog tions where mil-spec requirements, designed to streamline the intercon- size, weight and power consumption nect selection process within the are not critical. wireless vertical. This comprehensive guide provides customers with an overview of the next generation of mobile networks, 5G, and a break- down of the core applications, along- side valuable product information required for developing the necessary infrastructure to support the increased data rates. RF technology is crucial for mobile and fixed wireless networks. It plays a key role in the next generation of mobile network standards established by 5G technology in order to enable low-latency applications including safe autonomous driving and 4K video streaming to smart- phones. Amphenol RF connectors, cable assemblies and adapters provide high density, low cost solutions to support wireless connectivity. Amphenol RF amphenolrf.com Frequency Coupling I.L. Loss Coupling Directivity Input Power Model Range (MHz) (dB) (dB) max. Flatness max. (dB) min. (watts) max. Number 2.0-32.0 50 ± 1 0.06 0.25 25 2500 C50-101 0.5-50 50 ± 1 0.10 0.50 20 2000 C50-100 0.5-100 30 ± 1 0.30 0.50 25 200 C30-102 0.5-100 40 ± 1 0.20 0.30 20 200 C40-103 1.0-100 50 ± 1 0.20 1.00 20 500 C50-109 20.0-200 50 ± 1 0.20 0.75 20 500 C50-108 0.1-250 40 ± 1 0.40 0.50 20 250 C40-111 50-500 40 ± 1 0.20 1.00 20 500 C40-21 50-500 50 ± 1 0.20 1.00 20 500 C50-21 100-1000 40 ± 1 0.40 1.00 20 500 C40-20 500-1000 50 ± 1 0.20 0.50 20 500 C50-106 Custom Capacitor Assemblies 80-1000 40 ± 1 0.30 1.00 20 1000 C40-27 Passive Plus, Inc. (PPI) offers 80-1000 50 ± 1 0.30 1.00 20 1000 C50-27 80-1000 40 ± 1 0.30 1.00 20 1500 C40-31 Custom Capacitor Assemblies for 80-1000 50 ± 1 0.30 1.00 20 1500 C50-31 high power requirements. Typical

IN-OUT ports: Type N connectors standard, SMA connectors optional. assemblies are configured in series Coupled ports: SMA connectors standard. See website for details. and/or parallel combinations, produc- ing higher voltage/current handling capabilities, extended capacitance range and tighter tolerances. PPI works with requesting engineers to determine best assembly for their applications. Passive Plus passiveplus.com Get info at www.HFeLink.com

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Choosing the Right Coaxial Test Cables

By Peter McNeil

Of all the often-used components in an RF or millimeter-wave test facility, coaxial cables may be the most frequently overlooked. Coaxial cables can fail in many circumstances: when flexed to the point of shield degradation, when bent too tightly, when connectors are torqued too tightly (or not tightly enough) -- the list goes on. Many of these pain points are due to human error, but this can be somewhat mitigated when a lab is supplied with an adequate selection of test cables. This article attempts to provide an overview of the specifica- Of all the often-used tions and certifications to look for in a coaxial transmission line for a range components in an RF of applicable test scenarios. or millimeter-wave test facility, coaxial cables Critical Parameters may be the most Impedance frequently overlooked. There are many different metrics related to the performance of coaxial cables. Generally, coaxial cables come with either a 50Ω impedance or a 75Ω impedance. From a testing perspective, most test facilities come equipped with 50Ω equipment and, more often than not, it is not feasible to include 75Ω equipment into a lab. This is especially true for pricey Vector Network Analyzers (VNAs). When testing 75 Ω devices with a 50Ω VNA it is necessary to therefore attach Minimum Loss Pads (MLPs) or 50-to-75Ω adapters, 75Ω coaxial cables, and calibrate up to the 75Ω plane using either the often more accurate Thru, Reflect, Line/Match (TRL/M) standard or Short, Open, Load, Thru (SOLT) calibration with a 75Ω calibration kit. More often than not, a 50Ω coaxial line is utilized beyond 1 GHz, as 75Ω coaxial cables are typically leveraged to relay audio/video signals in residential TV applications. Measuring a 75Ω device with 50Ω instruments is most often accomplished with Minimum Loss Pads (MLPs, aka Impedance Matching Attenuators) which present a 50Ω impedance on one side and a 75Ω impedance on the other. These pads often serve a dual purpose by adapting between the connector type used on the 75Ω side and that of the 50Ω side. The pad can be used at the end of a 50Ω test cable, or between the instrument and a 75Ω test cable. The loss of the pad must be taken into account when making the measurement. Attenuation & Insertion Loss

The insertion loss (S21) of a coaxial cable is a measure of the power lost from the input to the output of a coaxial assembly, while attenuation is a per-unit-length metric of loss that is fre-

quency dependent. In terms of S-parameters, S21 should measure the same as S12 as a coax cable is a 2-port passive device. Attenuation is typically measured in decibels per unit length (per meter, feet, or 100 feet). On a benchtop test setup it is unusual to have cables longer than 24 or 36 inches. However, this changes in some outdoor testing scenarios where massive runs of cable may be leveraged. This could occur, for instance, from a control room to a transceiver mounted at a distant location or from the ground-based test equipment to the top of an antenna tower/ base station. In cases where long cable runs are utilized, selecting low loss cables can become increasingly important [1]. These cables are generally thicker and more durable with a solid center conductor as opposed to a stranded center conductor. The highly conductive, conformal

22 High Frequency Electronics surface reduces any high frequency resistive losses as the power handling is a pertinent figure especially when doing bulk of the signal propagates closer to the surface of the power tests. For instance, when testing a high power ampli- conductor. Moreover, jacketing materials that are particu- fier, a waveguide may be used on the output as well as larly resistant to UV, humidity, temperature extremes, or couplers and attenuators to reduce power. Calculating the even salt fog can be necessary for long term testing appa- level of padding needed is critical in order to protect sensi- ratus. tive lab equipment. VSWR Shielding Effectiveness Standing waves will occur in imperfect real systems. A common parameter that is often used to gauge the Standing waves will inevitably be caused by the mismatch integrity of the shield is shielding effectiveness (SE). This that occurs between the test cables and subsequently connected components (such as antennas). In a coaxial transmission line there can be struc- tural irregularities that affect the geometry of the transmission line, and therefore its impedance. Solid center conductors are often covered with highly conductive metals such as silver to have the combined benefit of lessening attenuation and smoothing out the inner surface with a conformal coating. Many coax imperfections can be a product of the cable manufacturing or handling. No transition from the coaxial line to a connector head is seamless. Swelling, cracking, or melt- ing of the jacketing material can occur FREQUENCY CONVERTERS from undesired ingress into the coaxial line or connector head. Excessive flex- Norden Millimeter engineers military grade ing or vibrational strain can also cause frequency converters and custom assemblies changes in the electrical length of the cable, causing phase instabilities. used in airborne (ﬁxed and rotary wing), Power Handling shipboard, and ground mobile platforms. Unlike a waveguide, a coaxial cable has much smaller dimensions and Down Converters (0.5 to 110 GHz) metallic surface area to dissipate heat and is therefore able to handle far less power. Moreover, waveguides tend to exhibit less attenuation than coaxial cables. This is why waveguides are typically used for antenna feeds in radar applications while coaxial cables Up Converters (0.5 to 110 GHz) suffice for cellular communications systems. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that power dissipation is a function of frequency, so a cable that can handle 1800W at 1 GHz can only handle 400W at 18 GHz. The center Custom Frequency Converters Available conductor, with the smallest surface area, will get the hottest which can www.NordenGroup.com rapidly degrade cable performance. Even though coaxial cables are known (530) 642-9123 Ext. 1# not to pass large amounts of power,

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In Stock                   

0201 0402 0603 0805 0708 • Low ESR/ESL • TC = NPO • Modeling Data Available     

• Case Sizes: 0505, 1111 • Q > 10,000 • Low ESR/ESL High-reliability coaxial test cable under test. • TC = NPO / P90 • RoHS or Tin/Lead Termination • Modeling Data Available Available in Non-Magnetic Terminations parameter is a good measure to understand the electromagnetic compatibility  (EMC) of the cable, or resistance to electromagnetic interference (EMI). The SE    gauges the ability of the shield to prevent EMI and, in theory, can be expressed as the sum of the losses of a signal due to reflection, absorption, and re-reflection through the shielding barrier [2]. The SE is also proportional to the materials surface resistivity (which increases with frequency), permeability, and the thickness of the material. 2225 3838 6040 7676 1313 Coaxial cables will often use only one layer of braided shielding. Any lack • High Power Capacitors Case Sizes: of coverage in the shielding can allow for interference or just general signal • Up to 25kV 2225 • High Current 3838 loss from radiating electromagnetic fields. Moreover, the shielding can slowly • TC = NPO 6040 unravel with constant flexure over time, worsening the situation. The thick- • Values: 1pF - 120,000pF 7676 ness of the shield should generally be several skin depths deep. The higher the • RoHS or Tin/Lead Termination 1313 frequency of operation, the thinner the shielding can be. Foil-based shields • Custom Assemblies with materials such as aluminum often suffice, although they can subsequent- Available in Non-Magnetic Terminations ly limit the amount of flexure a cable can withstand. Several layers of shielding        can be utilized for overall higher shielding effectiveness.      Mating/Unmating Cycles • Unmatched customer service Connector heads in test environments will be more frequently mated and • Modeling Available unmated than coaxial cables in permanent fixtures. Most of the connector deg- • Design kits in stock radation from mating/unmating is from improper handling (e.g.: torquing con- • Inventory programs nector too hard, unaligned threading causing scraping, etc.). Still, leveraging Call us today stronger materials such as passivated stainless steel can extend the lifetime of 631-425-0938 the connector head and therefore the entire cable assembly. [email protected] Flex Cycles www.PassivePlus.com Along the same line of reasoning, test cables are typically handled far more than most coaxial assemblies. Flexibility is therefore key where strain relief is Get info at www.HFeLink.com 24 High Frequency Electronics 65 GHz

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Pasternack often utilized to mitigate the strain that occurs at the point between the connector head and cable. Thinner cables seem to be more flexible during handling but that can be tricky as their smaller dimensions make them more sensitive to damage due to excessive bending. The “bend radius” parameter can include a “once only” bend radius defined as the point at which the cable can be bent without any adverse consequences (e.g.: a kink in the shielding, inner conductor fatigue, etc). This bend radius is more pertinent for more long-term or Pasternack.com permanent installations, and it is notably smaller than the “repeat-flex” bend radius that can be defined as the radius that a coax can endure repeatedly without seeing signal degradation. The parameter of flex cycles can provide insight to the general lifetime of a cable assembly as well. Some datasheets will specify the number of flex cycles a cable can endure at various bend radii. Phase and amplitude stability over flexure is a particularly important for test scenarios, as it allows for longer amounts of time between calibrations and more accurate measurements. Test cables that do not exhibit high stability/repeatability during flexure can cause significant measurement errors when the cables are flexed during a test.

Additional Features Phase Stability Available to Ship From the benchtop evaluation of components like switches, amplifiers, couplers, and so on, to antenna characterizations, all the way to production level Within 24 Hours! testing with automated test equipment (ATE), phase related measurements, including phase stability and phase repeatability, are common and essential measurements. Phase stable cables can be necessary in a wide range of applications. Phase stability becomes increasingly relevant up into the millimeter- waves, as a phase offset at a lower frequency will produce a proportionally larger error at higher frequencies. Phase stable cables are also particularly critical in systems that distribute multiple coaxial lines from a single source or Get info at www.HFeLink.com gather multiple coaxial lines into a single signal. In the systems that align 26 High Frequency Electronics signals from multiple antenna elements (switched beam inherent salt or chemical resistance. Otherwise, the cable arrays, phased array), the bit error rate (BER) can jacketing will break down in some way causing contami- degrade with phase inaccuracies. In cases with long cable nants to ingress further into the cable as stated earlier. In runs, phase instabilities can occur from the temperature environments with harsh chemicals, jacketing material is cycling, causing changes in permittivity of the dielectric likely the most critical part of the coaxial cable as it pro- and ultimately altering the electrical length of the coax. vides a shield from these contaminants. Thermoplastics In the millimeter-wave portion of the spectrum, cables with special plasticizers can be used to give inherent UV are dimensionally much smaller which makes them far or chemical resistance. Thermosets such as neoprene can more susceptible to bending and flexing. Minor amplitude also be leveraged especially for mechanical stability as and phase changes in the RF range are therefore exacer- these materials can handle far more tensile and impact bated for some millimeter-wave cable constructions. One strain than the average thermoplastic. Combinational potential solution for this is the armoring of millimeter- materials such as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are wave test cables to prevent overextension while bending also employed to combine the simplicity of stripping a the cabling for test. This way, semi-rigid cables are not thermoplastic with the inherent strength of a thermoset. entirely necessary as the flexible alternative will also not Materials with fire resistance might also be necessary in be over-flexed. In general, phase instabilities can destroy some test environments where fire retardant properties the integrity of these test systems by degrading the accu- can be added to thermoplastics such as Teflon (FR-PTFE), racy and precision of test measurements. Naturally, Polyvinyl Chloride (FR-PVC) or Polyethylene (FR-PE). cables that experience phase instability will require more Dielectrics with inherent fire resistance can also be lever- frequent recalibrations. Phase stable cables undergo aged such as Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP). extensive temperature cycling to ensure phase stability over temperature. Part of this procedure will often Conclusion involve the use of a specialized dielectric such as micropo- Coaxial cables provide a common backbone to trans- rous, foamed, or air-spaced materials that experience less mit RF and millimeter-wave signals. There are, however, dielectric losses and more mechanical stability over tem- a number of considerations involved in choosing the right perature. Similarly, skew matched cable assemblies cable for a specific test. This depends on parameters such involve two or more phase stable cables that are matched as electromagnetic and chemical stressors in the environ- in time delay, allowing for signals to propagate within ment as well as basic parameters such as impedance, picoseconds of each other. attenuation, and VSWR. The selection of test cables can Severe Test Environments (Mechanical, mitigate much of the stress of testing. Electrical, and Chemical Testing) References High reliability test cables may be necessary in harsh 1. http://www.highfrequencyelectronics.com/index. test environments. Typically these types of test cables are php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2202:underst more often leveraged for military, industrial, or various anding-low-loss-coaxial-cables-and-their- outdoor applications where cables are subject to harsh applications&catid=183:2019-04-april- environments. Many military cables for instance require articles&Itemid=189 a life test or a burn-in test where a coax is subject to 2. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa. stress-acceleration with temperature, humidity cycling in gov/19970036055.pdf an oven chamber over a predetermined period of time. Many industrial microelectronic circuits and interconnect About the Author must meet Mechanical, Ingress, Climatic/Chemical, and Peter McNeil serves as Technical Content Manager Electromagnetic compatibility (MICE) parameters before for Infinite Electronics. being leveraged in harsh industrial environments. This is not dissimilar to military standards for circuits and cabling where a cable is subject to mechanical tests such as shock, vibration, crushing, and bending as well as HOW TO SUBMIT chemical tests and non-standard electrical tests such as Product Releases to HFE insulation resistance, and dielectric withstanding voltage. These are all pertinent parameters depending upon To be considered for publication, the applicational usage of the coaxial cable. A cable that please submit text in Word along with may be run over will necessarily need some shock, impact, a 300 dpi min. color JPG image of and crushing resistance. This could be accomplished your product. Submit to: through the use of armoring over the cable. A cable subject to chemicals such as hydraulic fluid or [email protected] even something as simple as sea water will need an

27 Product Highlights

Benchtop YIG Synthesizer Micro Lambda Wireless announced increased produc- Offering up to -125 dBc/Hz @ 10 kHz offset phase noise tion of its high-performance, low phase noise benchtop at a carrier frequency of 10 GHz, these frequency synthe- frequency synthesizers. In sync with its evolving catalog sizers set the standard for phase noise performance. They of YIG synthesizer components, the custom-tuned bench- are also capable of tuning speeds up to 50 uS over wide top YIG synthesizer line now offers RF and microwave bands, and offer output power levels of +15 dBm, with designers working at frequencies up to 20 GHz the chance power leveling in frequency bands up to 10 GHz. to upgrade their test benches with the best technology at Micro Lambda Wireless their specific bands. microlambdawireless.com

RF and Microwave Components Herotek has been a quality supplier of RF and Limiters, Switches, GaAsFet Amplifiers (Broadband, Low Microwave components since 1982. Herotek is a broad- Noise, and Power) and integrated subsystems of many based, high technology company supplying parts for the types, including up and down converters, multipliers, har- Military, Industrial and Commercial markets with designs monic mixers, and transceivers. from DC to 75 GHz. It offers standard products as well as Herotek thousands of custom designs, and is happy to match exist- herotek.com ing products. Herotek offers Detectors, Comb Generators,

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Test Equipment and Subsystems dBm develops and manufactures test equipment and The founders of the company joined together with decades subsystems for the RF marketplace, including wireless of experience in the creation of RF test equipment and in telecommunications, satellite systems, and military appli- providing outstanding customer support. We are a small cations. We specialize in RF link impairment emulation business that takes pride in every product we deliver. for terrestrial and satellite wireless systems. Our link dBm emulation products have been used in virtually every dbmcorp.com major satellite system developed since the early 1990s.

30 High Frequency Electronics

Product Highlights

Cable Assemblies Founded in 1970, IW developed a unique PTFE lami- ers in low loss microwave transmission lines, utilizing nation process and applied it to manufacturing wire and both solid and expanded PTFE dielectrics. In 1988, IW cable. This process allowed IW to manufacture products of expanded its operations and created a Microwave Products unprecedented reliability along with smaller diameters. Division. Combining the new lamination process along with a pat- IW Microwave ented shield design allowed IW to become one of the lead- iw-microwave.com

Up and Down Converters: ELINT, COMINT, RADAR Norden Millimeter’s line of broader band block up and attenuators are controlled by parallel attenuation bits on down converters are used for extending the frequency a rear power/control multi-pin connector. Both converters range of existing ELINT, COMINT, RADAR, and Testing offer best in class spur free dynamic range. The units use systems. These converters cover the 17-26.5 GHz and a single frequency external LO signal of 14.4 GHz. 25.5-40 GHz bands with a full 1 GHz overlap with exist- Norden Millimeter ing 18GHz systems and at the transition between bands. nordengroup.com The Upconverter has independent input IF and output RF attenuation for over 60 dB of gain control. These

32 High Frequency Electronics Education Update

Continuing Education: Your Key to Success

Studies reveal that within each 3-5 year period, one- important, our trainers communicate effectively; they half of an engineer’s technical knowledge becomes obso- know how to reach both novice and veteran professionals. lete. New graduates soon discover that university educa- Besser Associates tion provides only the foundation of knowledge that is besserassociates.com realistically needed to perform well in the industry. Continued education is a must for survival in today’s competitive market. Application of modern computer-aided engineering to RF and microwave circuit and system design is vital to manufacturing products with high qual- Get Up to Speed ity and yield. Modernization of the BESSER design laboratory and production ASSOCIATES® The Worldwide Leader in RF and Wireless Training floor is critical to maintaining a — Fast! competitive edge. A well-planned continuing edu- RF Technology Certification cation program will enable your Next Session Starts Soon! - Online Register Now! company to meet these goals. As a Applied RF Engineering I recognized international leader in Next Session Starts Soon! - Online continuing education, Besser RF Power Amplifier Design Techniques Associates is dedicated to serving September 23 to 26, 2019, San Diego, CA the needs of RF and wireless professionals. Cognitive Radios, Networks, & Systems for Digital Communication September 26 to 27, 2019, San Diego, CA 5G Radio Systems and Wireless Networks September 23 to 25, 2019, San Diego, CA Radio Systems: RF Transceiver Design from Antenna to Bits & Back The Latest Tools and November 4 to 8, 2019, San Jose, CA Techniques are Featured Our instruction combines theo- mmWave RFIC and MMIC Design Techniques ry and practice into one complete February 24 to 26, 2020, San Diego, CA and “user-friendly” package that 5G, mmWave Antennas: Propagation and Phased Arrays attendees may apply on the job check our website for the latest schedule immediately. Whether it’s review- Phased Array Radar ing basics for the inexperienced, or check our website for the latest schedule the latest CAD techniques for more seasoned designers, Besser www.BesserAssociates.com Associates’ courses offer meaning- ful education for every participant. Corporate Training Services Our Instructors Besser Associates can provide our online and traditional classroom Besser Associates instructors courses exclusively for your team. Our instructors can present are recognized experts in their almost any course from our full catalog at your domestic or field. They are top-notch design international location. Contact us for more details! engineers, skilled in both technology and the art of instructing. With Besser Associates an average of more than 20 years of RF Technology education and practical first-hand CertificationTM experience, our instructors bring a wealth of training and information www.besserassociates.com [email protected] to the courses they present. Equally Get info at www.HFeLink.com

Get info at www.HFeLink.com 33 Product Highlights

Modular Hardware and Software For more than 40 years, NI has developed high-performance automated test and automated measurement systems to help you solve your engineering challenges now and into the future. Our open, software-defined platform uses modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem to help you turn powerful possibilities into real solutions. Today’s greatest engineering accomplishments are just a preview of the future. NI thinks beyond today’s challenges, so you can develop tomorrow’s solutions. National Instruments ni.com

FASTER, QUIETER, SMALLER SIGNAL SOURCES QUICKSYN SYNTHESIZERS

Design smaller and more efﬁciently Stocking Distributor Microwave Components, Inc., was with National Instruments QuickSyn established in 1980 as a specialized synthesizers. The revolutionary phase- RF/Microwave and more recently, millimeter wave stocking distributor. reﬁning technology used in QuickSyn We specialize in interconnect prod- synthesizers enables blazing fast ucts and low loss cable/cable assemblies and several other RF components switching speeds, very low spurious from antennas to board level compo- and phase noise performance, wide nents. More recently, we offer customers frequency range, and small footprint. an avenue to integrated microwave assemblies for a custom designed solution for evolving market needs for min- ni-microwavecomponents.com/quicksyn iaturized multi-function devices. The markets we serve include aerospace/defense, telecommunications, test & instrumentation and others. Microwave Components mwc-llc.com

HOW TO SUBMIT Product Releases to HFE To be considered for publication, QuickSyn Lite Synthesizer please submit text in Word along with a 300 dpi min. color JPG image of your product. Submit to: © 2016 National Instruments. All rights reserved. [email protected]

Get info at www.HFeLink.com 34 High Frequency Electronics

Product Highlights

Wide Range of Components Since 1972, Pasternack has steadily grown by aligning ported by a growing list of 19 International Distributors its offerings to match the needs of our Customers. We who service customers in more than 35 countries world- maintain an inventory of more than 40,000 products that wide and partner with us in pursuit of our vision to be the are always available which gives you access to products world’s most recognized and trusted provider of urgently ranging from the rare, hard-to-find specials to the broad- needed RF/Microwave components and assemblies. est array of industry standards. Today, Pasternack is a Pasternack global supplier of RF and Microwave components sup- pasternack.com

Oscillators, Filters, Synthesizers For the RF and microwave designer, choices in compo- phase noise and superior multi-octave tuning capability. nents and instruments range from ordinary performance With this technology in-hand, they’re creating the next- to the absolute best. And when it comes to oscillators, fil- generation of test instruments, signal generators, spec- ters, and synthesizers, nothing beats Micro Lambda’s troscopy equipment, receivers, jammers, communication YIG-tuned technology. systems, and more. Our YIG devices and equipment offer the biggest Micro Lambda Wireless names in the EW, ISM, and aerospace industry the lowest microlambdawireless.com

36 High Frequency Electronics Product Highlights

White Paper: Be Ready for 5G Fronthaul Challenges 5G communications networks are being rolled out to (eCPRI) and IEEE 1914.3 Radio over Ethernet (RoE), as support high demand of various advanced requirements well as high-accuracy delay measurement functions. With such as ultra-fast speeds, high reliability and low latency the new firmware installed, the MT1000A can efficiently as well as multiple simultaneous connections. install and maintain 5G networks carrying eCPRI/RoE As you implement 5G networks, you need reliable, traffic. multi-functional test equipment to support both today’s Download our white paper today at: https://info.goan- and future measurement requirements for 5G and beyond. ritsu.com/l/492921/2019-03-08/95zk9. The Network Master™ Pro MT1000A now supports Anritsu 100 Gbps with Ethernet Common Public Radio Interface anritsu.com

Get info at www.HFeLink.com 37 Product Highlights

Robust Inductors Gowanda is a leader in the design and production of Qualified Product List status as a result of Gowanda’s robust inductors for the military/aerospace and defense commitment to the process controls, testing, and invest- industries. The company’s success is derived from decades ment required. Gowanda’s capabilities include ruggedized of magnetics expertise combined with focused attention designs, high temperature interconnects, high current, on the requirements in such demanding applications and shielded, and more. a collaborative relationship with customers’ design engi- Gowanda neering teams. Numerous inductor series have achieved gowanda.com

Adapters, Connectors, and More Fairview Microwave is a leading provider of high- passed quality, but our true strength lies on our customer quality RF and microwave components including adapt- service. We go to great lengths to get you the component ers, connectors, attenuators, coaxial cables, terminations, you need as rapidly as possible and we do it all with a and much more. Specializing in immediate product needs, passion. we offer same-day shipping on thousands of in-stock Fairview Microwave items with no minimum purchasing requirements. Since fairviewmicrowave.com 1992, Fairview has been recognized for delivering unsur-

38 High Frequency Electronics Product Highlights

Discrete Power GaN HEMTs and More

AMCOM RF Transistors include Discrete Power GaN HEMTs, GaAs FET (good linearity at back-off) and GaAs pHEMT (good power density and efficiency). AMCOM has all the expertise, manpower, space, and equipment for manufacturing state-of-the-art products. Some of our capabilities are: active device design, MMIC design, and

power amplifier module design. In Phone: 301-353-8400 addition, we are experts in device/ Fax: 301-353-8401 MMIC packaging, module assem- Email: [email protected] bly and RF/DC testing. For active Address: 401 Professional Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20879 devices, we either procure parts such as silicon LDMOS, or GaN HEMT, or we use a semiconductor AMCOM offers a variety of discrete GaN transistors with different power levels and foundry to fabricate our own pro- operating frequencies. Our GaN transistors are offered in both bare die and packaged prietary device/MMIC. forms. We have designed many EVBs (evaluation boards) at different frequencies to provide customers with the best support.

One of our specialty V Model Freq dq EVB #1 EVB #2 EVB #3 Idq products is high- AM005WN-BI-R

power, broadband, ƒ=1.5-2 GHz ƒ=2.9-3.4 GHz ƒ=5.6-6.2 GHz 28V DC- Psat=33.5 dBm Psat=33.5 dBm Psat=33.5 dBm

high-efficiency power 8 GHz SSG=15 dB SSG=15 dB SSG=15 dB 0.08A amplifiers. PAE=55% PAE=50% PAE=45%

AMCOM was established in AM012WN-BI-R

ƒ=1-1.3 GHz ƒ=2.4-3.4 GHz ƒ=4.6-5.6 GHz December 1996 by a group of 28V DC- Psat=37.5 dBm Psat=37 dBm Psat=37 dBm

microwave designers experienced 8 GHz SSG=20 dB SSG=17 dB SSG=13.5 dB 0.18A in both microwave circuit design PAE=56% PAE=51% PAE=47% and microwave device fabrication \

technology. It is located in AM025WN-BI-R

Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, ƒ=0.75-3 GHz ƒ=1.8-3.8 GHz ƒ=4.6-5.3 GHz 28V DC- Psat=40 dBm Psat= 40dBm Psat=40 dBm about 20 miles northwest of 6 GHz SSG=15 dB SSG=15 dB SSG=13.5 dB 0.35A Washington, DC. PAE=55% PAE=55% PAE=50% The company has earned a rep-

utation as a leading edge micro- AM050WN-CU-R

wave design organization that ƒ=1.7-2.1 GHz ƒ=2.3-3.5 GHz ƒ=4.4-5 GHz 28V DC- Psat=43 dBm Psat=43 dBm Psat=43 dBm includes power FETs, MMIC power 5 GHz SSG=16 dB SSG=15 dB SSG=14 dB 0.75A amplifiers, as well as high-power PAE=55% PAE=50% PAE=45% amplifier modules with RF and DC

connectors that are ready to be AM100WN-CU-R

used in microwave systems. One of ƒ=0.5-1.5 GHz ƒ=1.8-2.4 GHz ƒ=2.4-3.6 GHz 28V DC- Psat=46 dBm Psat=46 dBm Psat=46 dBm our specialty products is high-pow- 4 GHz SSG=18 dB SSG=14 dB SSG=13 dB 1.5A er, broadband, high-efficiency PAE=50% PAE=50% PAE=45% power amplifiers.

AMCOM For S-parameters, load pull data and more information please visit: amcomusa.com www.amcomusa.com

Get info at www.HFeLink.com 39 Product Highlights

VNA Extension Modules mmWave Solution OML offers three configurations of the VNA Frequency Analog Devices introduced a solution for millimeter Extension Module to expand your existing Keysight or wave (mmWave) 5G with the highest available level of Anritsu vector network analyzer to millimeter frequen- integration to reduce design requirements and complexity cies: T/R, T, and S. Depending on your S-parameter needs, in the next generation of cellular network infrastructure. refer to the following block diagrams to configure our The new mmWave 5G chipset includes the 16-channel module(s) with your existing VNA test port(s). With flexi- ADMV4821 dual/single polarization beamformer IC, ble ordering configurations, we can satisfy your prefer- 16-channel ADMV4801 single-polarization beamformer IC ences for economical and high performance needs. and the ADMV1017 mmWave UDC. OML Analog Devices omlinc.com analog.com

Get info at www.HFeLink.com

40 High Frequency Electronics Planar Monolithics Industries, Inc. State of the Art High Power, Solid State Switches PMI offers a full line of High Power Solid-State Switches that range from 10 MHz up to 18.0 GHz with power handling up to 130 Watts CW, 5 kW peak. A wide range of standard models with various options are available. Amplifiers – Solid State http://www.pmi-rf.com/Products/Switches/highpower.htm Attenuators – Variable/ Programmable Couplers (Quadrature, 180° & Directional) Detectors – RF/Microwave DLVAs, ERDLVAs P2T-10M6G-45-R-5V-SFF-HIP20W P2T-10M8G-45-R-50W-AL P2T-0R5G8G-45-R-SFF-50W-SM P2T-500M10G-60-R-515-SFF-10WCW P2T-1G1R1G-25-R-SFF-100W-SM

& SDLVAs Frequency Insertion Switching Operating DC Voltage Size Isolation PMI Model No. Range Loss Speed Input & Current Configuiration (dB) DTOs, VCOs, PLO, DROs, (GHz) (dB Max) (Typ) Power (Max) Connector & Frequency Synthesizers P2T-10M6G-45-R-5V-SFF-HIP20W 10 MHz - 6 2.8 25 Typ 100 ns 25 W CW +5 VDC @ 1.20” x1.0” x 0.5” Filters & Switched https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ Max Max 30 mA SP2T Reflective Filter Banks p2t-10m6g-45-r-5v-sff-hip20w SMA Female P2T-10M8G-45-R-50W-AL 10 MHz - 8 2.6 36 Min 100 ns 50 W CW +5 VDC @ 1.20” x1.0” x 0.5” Form, Fit, Functional https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ 100 mA SP2T Reflective Products & Services p2t-10m8g-45-r-50w-al SMA Female P2T-0R5G8G-45-R-SFF-50W-SM 0.5 - 8 3.0 30 Min 100 ns 50 W CW +5 VDC @ 1.20” x1.0” x 0.5” Frequency Discriminators https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ 32 mA SP2T Reflective & IFMs p2t-0r5g8g-45-r-sff-50w-sm SMA Female Integrated MIC/MMIC P2T-500M10G-60-R-515-SFF-10WCW 0.5 - 10 2.5 60 Min 100 ns 10 W CW + 5 VDC @ 1.20” x 1.00” x 0.5” https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ Max 38 mA SP2T Reflective Assemblies (IMAs) p2t-500m10g-60-r-515-sff-10wcw -15 VDC @ SMA Female 43 mA IQ Vector Modulators P2T-1G1R1G-25-R-SFF-100W-SM 1 - 1.1 0.8 25 Min 250 ns 100 W CW, +50 VDC @ 3.25” x 2.75” x 0.7” Limiters – RF/Microwave https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ 5 kW Peak 10 mA SP2T Reflective p2t-1g1r1g-25-r-sff-100w-sm +5 VDC @ TNC Female Log Amplifiers 128 mA P2T-1G18G-10-R-528-SFF-HIP10W 1 - 18 4.0 10 Min 100 ns 10 W CW +5 VDC @ 1.2” x 1.0” x 0.5” Millimeter Wave https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ 2.19 mA, SP2T Reflective Components p2t-1g18g-10-r-528-sff-hip10w -28 VDC @ SMA Female (Up to 50 GHz) 2.5 mA P2T-1R2G1R4G-25-R-SFF-250W 1.2 -1.4 0.8 25 Min 250 ns 250 W Peak +30 V @ 4.22” x 2.98” x 0.7” Miscellaneous Products https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ 50 mA, SP2T Reflective p2t-1r2g1r4g-25-r-sff-250w +5 V @ SMA Female Monopulse Comparators 200 mA

Multifunction Integrated P2T-6G18G-40-R-570-TFF-1D6KW 6 - 18 2.2 40 1.1 µs 1.6 kW Peak + 5 VDC @ 2.0” x 2.0” x 0.75” Assemblies (MIAs) https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ - Tested to 300 mA SP2T Reflective p2t-6g18g-40-r-570-tff-1d6kw 125.89 W -70 VDC @ TNC Female Phase Shifters & Bi-Phase CW 60 mA Modulators PDT-8G12G-40-515-SFF 8 - 12 2.0 40 Min 200 ns 40 dBm CW, +5 VDC @ 1.25” x 1.25” x 0.3” https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ Max 57 dBm, 100 mA SP2T Reflective Power Dividers/Combiners pdt-8g12g-40-515-sff 1 µs, 1% DC -15 VDC @ SMA Female (Passive & Active) 60 mA P2T-8G18G-50-R-SFFF 8 - 18 3.0 50 Min 200 ns 40 W Max, +5 VDC @ 1.55” x 2.3” x 0.5” Pulse Modulators (SPST) https://www.pmi-rf.com/product-details/ 300 W Peak 150 mA, SP2T Reflective p2t-8g18g-50-r-sfff -28 VDC @ SMA Female Rack & Chassis Mount 80 mA Products Receiver Front Ends & Transceivers SDLVAs, ERDLVAs & DLVAs Single Side Band Modulators P2T-1G18G-10-R-528-SFF-HIP10W P2T-1R2G1R4G-25-R-SFF-250W P2T-6G18G-40-R-570-TFF-1D6KW PDT-8G12G-40-515-SFF P2T-8G18G-50-R-SFFF SMT & QFN Products Switch Matrices Switched Filter Banks Switches – Solid State Visit us @ Booth #515 Systems - Radar Sense & West Coast Operation: East Coast Operation: Avoid 4921 Robert J. Mathews Pkwy, Suite 1 7311-F Grove Road Systems – Fly Eye Radars El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 USA Frederick, MD 21704 USA Tel: 916-542-1401, Fax: 916-265-2597 Tel: 301-662-5019, Fax: 301-662-1731 Threshold Detectors USB Products [email protected] • www.pmi-rf.com ISO 9001-2015 REGISTERED Product Highlights

How to BOOSTBOOSTBOOST SALES SALESSALES Via a Cost-Effective Microwave Transceiver PR Campaign The NUDC2-18/1.3-2.3 is a dual conversion Transceiver providing 2-18 GHz operation in a versatile OpenVPX ■ platform The NUDC2-18/1.3-2.3 includes internal LOs Press Releases which provide an instantaneous IF bandwidth of 1 GHz and exceptional Noise Figure: Down Converter NF= 6dB ■ Articles max, Up Converter NF=15dB max. Both the RF and IF paths include variable attenua- ■ White Papers tion. The NUDC2-18/1.3-2.3 is digitally controlled by RS-485. ■ Online and in Print Norden Millimeter nordengroup.com Tim Burkhard has 30 years of proven experience promoting companies, technology, and products in the RF and Microwave space. Multiple studies show that increasing PR increases your bottom line, in good times and bad.

Cost-effective and targeted PR, promotion, and advertising experience.

Exposure equals leads equals Solutions for Military, Space Applications Skyworks Solutions unveiled its latest high reliabil- sales opportunities. Call or email ity solutions for demanding military and space applica- today for a free quote from a proven tions with stringent operating requirements. Skyworks’ hermetically sealed, broadband low-noise and imped- professional. ance-matched amplifiers function in harsh environments and can be leveraged in a multitude of communication platforms. With all peripheral components integrated into an optimized ceramic QFN package, these devices simplify the design process and reduce board Tim Burkhard space while delivering robust performance for next gen- [email protected] ■ 707-696-2162 eration aerospace and defense applications such as satellites and avionics systems. Skyworks Solutions skyworksinc.com 42 High Frequency Electronics Product Product Showcase Highlights

Frequency SYNTHESIZERS • Frequencies to 34 GHz • Excellent performance • Miniature package • Custom configurations PhaseLocked OSCILLATORS • Frequencies to 34 GHz • Dielectric Resonator • Ceramic Resonator • Voltage Controlled • Crystal Custom Source Assemblies We commit to high quality at a great value!

www.luffresearch.com Tel: 5163582880 USA luff research

Bluetooth Module Laird Connectivity announced the BL654 PA (Power Amplified) series which delivers more power and range performance in a single Bluetooth solution than ever before. Building on the success of the BL654 Series, the BL654 PA provides OEMs with maximum design flexibility and performance. The BL654 PA is a complete multi-protocol embedded wireless offering with exceptional processing capability and extended PA/ LNA support ideal for long- range applications or extremely challenging RF environments. 30 Laird Connectivity Years lairdconnect.com

www.highfrequencyelectronics.com

Broadband Resistors PPI Broadband Resistors are spe- Applications: Optical Transceiver cifically designed to operate at fre- Modules, Broadband Receiver, TOSA/ quencies up to 67 GHz. With special ROSA, Broadband Test Equipment, microwave laser-trimming used to Low Noise Amplifiers, MMIC ensure a tight tolerance at high fre- Amplifiers, quencies, these Broadband Resistors Markets: Opto-Electronics, are wire bondable, solderable, and Telecom, Broadband, Military, can be used in a flip-chip configura- Satellite Communications. tion. Passive Plus passiveplus.com

43 Corporate Focus RF and Microwave Components

KRYTAR, founded by Thomas J. Russell in 1975, is a detectors, 3 dB hybrids, MLDD power dividers/combin- privately owned California corporation specializing in ers, detectors, terminations, coaxial adapters and a the manufacture of Ultra Broadband mmWave, power meter. Our products cover the DC to 110.0 GHz Microwave, and RF components and test equipment for frequency range. The broadband design expertise at both commercial and military applications. The KRYTAR KRYTAR has created unique new designs, several of product line includes directional couplers, directional which are patented. KRYTAR has applied these designs to consistently introduce techno- logically advanced products with superior electrical performance and ruggedness. Breakthrough with Our modern facility houses a completely equipped machine Ultra-Wideband Performance shop, including CNC lathes and

mills. The corporation also pos- sesses all the electronic test equipment necessary for testing its products from DC to 110 GHz. Included in the test equipment is a Hewlett Packard 8510B Automatic Network Analyzer with 8515A (45 MHz – 26.5 GHz) and 10 to 110 GHz Coverage 8517A (45 MHz – 50.0 GHz) with 10 dB Coupling S-Parameter Test Sets and Agilent Technologies E8361A PNA Series Network Analyzer (10 MHz – 67 KRYTAR’s all new directional coupler, Model 1100110010 GHz) along with equipment to Model 1100110010, delivers breakthrough Flat 10 dB coupling across 100-GHz cover 110 GHz.The KRYTAR frequency coverage and performance. This Quality Assurance Program is in new directional coupler maintains flat 10 dB accordance with MIL-I-45208 coupling across a wide 100-GHz bandwidth. The new directional coupler lends itself to including a calibration system per many wireless designs and test and MIL-STD-45662. To ensure reli- measurement applications for emerging ability and performance, the qual- mmWave and 5G markets. equipment for both commercial and military ity assurance system controls all Breakthrough performance includes: applications. KRYTAR has a commitment to phases of manufacturing: purchas- technical excellence and customer ❏ 10 – 110 GHz Frequency Operation ing, machining, processes, assem- satisfaction. ❏ 10 dB Coupling bling, testing and shipping. ❏ Frequency Sensitivity: ±1.25 dB Contact KRYTAR today KRYTAR has a commitment to ❏ Compact Size for more information. technical excellence and customer ❏ 1.0 mm Female Connectors satisfaction. These principles form ❏ Custom Designs Available the basis for the steady growth that has earned KRYTAR an envi- KRYTAR, Inc., founded in 1975, specializes www.krytar.com in the design and manufacturing of ultra- 1288 Anvilwood Avenue • Sunnyvale, CA 94089 able reputation in the microwave Toll FREE: +1.877.734.5999 • FAX: +1.408.734.3017 community. broadband microwave components and test E-mail: [email protected] KRYTAR krytar.com Get info at www.HFeLink.com 44 High Frequency Electronics Corporate Focus

Aerospace, Defense, and More Ducommun offers a diverse array of design, engineer- and test equipment markets with millimeter wave prod- ing and manufacturing capabilities that service the aero- ucts. We design and manufacture products including space and defense market, oil & gas exploration, test and amplifiers, antennas (horn and patch), mixers, oscillators, measurement, telecommunications, space and medical multipliers, radar sensors, industrial grade phase shift- markets. With over 50 years of heritage in custom product ers, lab components, up/down-converters, along with sub- solutions, the Ducommun team can support your Human systems and integrated assemblies. Machine Interface, Motion Control Device, RF and custom Ducommun electronics manufacturing needs. ducommun.com Ducommun serves the avionics, communications, defense, industrial, intelligent traffic systems, medical,

RF Switching Solutions from DC-110 GHz

PIN diodes from 30MHz to 110 GHz Coax Switches from DC to 46 GHz • SPST, SPDT • SPDT, Transfer • SP4T, SP6T, SP8T • SP3T-SP10T • Broadband, Narrowband • Non-terminated & Terminated • High-Power • 50Ω and 75Ω impedances

Visit us at Ducommun offers Switch Matrix Solutions! EuMW 2019 B1065/B1010 www.ducommun.com/engineeredsolutions/rfproducts For additional information contact our sales team at: 310-513-7233 or [email protected]

Get info at www.HFeLink.com

45 iniCiruit OC O

Low-Noise Amplifier Gains 5 to 11 GHz Mini-Circuits model ZX60-05113LN+ is a rugged low-noise amplifier (LNA) with high gain and low noise figure from 5 to 11 GHz. It provides 22-dB typical gain with +/-0.7-dB gain flatness across the full bandwidth with typical noise figure of 2.3 dB from 5 to 7 GHz, 1.8 dB from 7 to 9 GHz, and 1.7 dB from 9 to 11 GHz. The input return loss is typically 6.7 dB from 5 to 7 GHz, 12.1 dB from 7 to 9 GHz, and 9.0 dB from 9 to 11 GHz. The output return loss is typically 12.4 dB from 5 to 7 GHz, 17.0 dB from 7 to 9 GHz, and 11.5 dB from 9 to 11 GHz. The typical output power at 1-dB compression is +12.4 dBm from 5 to 7 GHz, +13.0 dBm from 7 to 9 GHz, and +13.0 dBm from 9 to 11 GHz.

Surface-Mount Coupler Handles 100 W to 3 GHz Mini-Circuits model BDCH-15-33+ is a bidirectional surface-mount bidirectional coupler designed for high input power from 0.5 to 3.0 GHz. With worst-case insertion loss of 0.45 dB (typically 0.25 dB) and thermal resistance of typically 0.65 °C/W across the full frequency range, the compact coupler handles as much as 100 W input power at +85°C case temperature and as much as 70 W input power at +105°C case temperature. Return loss is typically 30 dB at all ports. The RoHS-compliant coupler provides DC-pass capability from input to output ports. With typical directivity of 25 dB and typical coupling of 15.5 ±1 dB, the bidirectional coupler is a good fit for connecting power amplifiers with distributed antenna networks.

10-dB LTCC Coupler Channels 2.4 to 2.5 GHz Mini-Circuits model CPJC-10-252R+ is a low-temperature-cofired-ceramic (LTCC) directional coupler for applications from 2.4 to 2.5 GHz. It delivers typical directivity of 19 dB (and minimum of 11 dB) while maintaining 10-dB coupling flat within ±1 dB across the frequency range. The mainline insertion loss is typically 0.65 dB and no more than 1.00 dB while typical input and output return loss is 17 dB. The RoHS-compliant 10-dB coupler is ideal for applications at industrial-scientific-medical (ISM) band frequencies, including in Bluetooth, WLAN, and Zigbee systems. It is supplied in a miniature 0603 type case measuring 0.063 × 0.031 × 0.024 in. (1.60 × 0.79 × 0.61 mm). The 50-Ω LTCC coupler is designed for operating temperatures from -40 to +85°C.

SP6T Ethernet/USB Switch Controls DC to 26.5 GHz Mini-Circuits model RC-1SP6T-26 is a single-pole, six-throw (SP6T) electromechanical failsafe, make-before-break switch assembly with wide frequency range of DC to 26.5 GHz. Ideal for automated test equipment (ATE) and device testing applications, it offers Ethernet and USB control ports and includes downloadable software. It achieves low insertion loss of typically 0.10 dB to 8 GHz, 0.25 dB to 18 GHz, and 0.40 dB to 26.5 GHz. Isolation between port is typically 70 dB to 6 GHz, 60 dB to 18 GHz, and 55 dB to 26.5 GHz. The reliable 50-Ω switch unit has typical switching time of 25 ms. It is rated for 2 million switch cycles when tested with 100 mW cold switching input power. It can handle maximum cold switching power levels of 20 W to 8 GHz, 10 W to 18 GHz, and 5 W to 26.5 GHz.

Tiny Splitter/CombinerDie Tackles 2 to 3 GHz Mini-Circuits model WP4R-D+ is a broadband four-way, 0-deg. power splitter/combiner in die form for space-saving applications from 2 to 3 GHz. It provides 20-dB typical isolation between ports despite being only 0.805 × 1.032 mm in size. Manufactured with silicon MMIC integrated-passive-device (IPD) technology, the miniature four-way 0-deg. power splitter/combiner achieves impressive amplitude unbalance between signal paths of typically 0.1 dB, with typical phase unbalance of 2 deg. The full- band insertion loss is typically only 0.7 dB above the nominal 3-dB power split. The typical VSWR at all signal ports is 1.35:1. Well suited for ISM-band applications, the RoHS-compliant, 50-Ω four-way power splitter/combiner die is designed for operating temperatures from -40 to +85°C. It handles as much as 1.5 W input power as a power splitter. Mini-Circuits®

www.minicircuits.com P.O. Box 350166, Brooklyn, NY 11235-0003 (718) 934-4500 [email protected] Guest Editorial

Innovative Competitions Inspire Next Generation of RF/Microwave Leaders

Sherry Hess, VP of Marketing, AWR Group, NI

I often describe myself as an “extro- As MC of the event, I was given the opportunity to verted geek” because I am both outgo- issue my own award. I chose one entitled, “Shaping Our ing and technical. This combination of Electronic Future With Liquid Metal (Th3B),” given by skills has propelled my own career by Valentina Palazzi of the University of Perugia. She pre- being able to communicate clearly and sented her topic in a personal manner that tied art to succinctly the value of my employer’s electronic design. In a matter of minutes, she conveyed product to anyone and everyone—from not only the technical details of her research but also why the C suite to the everyday engineer. she has passion for it. Two excellent competitions were held at the recent Similarly, in the new IMS Startup Pitch program, IMS2019 -- the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) co-organized competitors pitched their ideas to judges and an audience by Erin Riley and John Bandler, and the Startup Pitch -- who are active, influential members in venture capital that helped to inspire the next generation of technical and (VC), mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and RF technolo- executive leaders to excel at this same unique combina- gy. Having helped recruit the judges, I knew that they tion of skills. were looking for the same things as in the 3MT competi- The 3MT competition requires students and young tion – the ability of the presenters to convey both the professionals to make a presentation of three minutes or technical merits of their idea as well as the business ben- less, supported only by one static slide, in a language efits to a non-specialist audience. appropriate to a non-specialist audience. The standing- While the combination of soft skills and solid technical room-only crowd experienced 21 outstanding speakers in foundation should not sound new, its importance to future just over an hour. Tom Perkins of High Frequency employers just might. Recently I wrote a guest editorial Electronics described the competition as “absolutely fabu- about the World Economic Forum (WEF) report that high- lous. …Dr. John Bandler, McMaster University, did a lighted a shift in skill sets employers will be looking for in great job in organizing, and Sherry Hess, NI AWR, was an the next decade, emphasizing that negotiation skills, emo- excellent moderator.” tional intelligence, and people management will be incred- There was a diversity of topics and speakers, who ibly important to have mastery over in addition to techni- hailed from prestigious schools throughout the world cal ones. Competitions like 3MT and the Startup Pitch, such as the Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts sponsored by our most prestigious industry conferences, Institute of Technology, Michigan State, UCLA, Princeton, are a great way to encourage our future industry leaders IMEC The Netherlands, National Chiao Tung University and provide them with opportunities to hone their skills (Taiwan), University of Perugia (Italy), and King Abdullah and master the art of combining technical knowledge University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia), to with people skills. name a few. Topics included the future for electronic The latest statistics from the Society of Women devices, space radar, rock in the future of 5G, quantum Engineers (SWE) reflect that only about 13% of those in computers, Honey I Shrunk the Antenna!, Etch-a-Sketch engineering are women; and only about 10% of the electri- electronics, liquid metal, and 3D printing 5G electronics. cal engineering population are women; that over 32% of As moderator for the 3MT program, I was looking for women switch out of STEM degree programs in college; people with a strong technical grasp of their research but and only 30% of women who earn a bachelor’s degree in who also possess the communication skills to present engineering are still working in engineering 20 years their work in a way that connects. It was exciting to see later. It was a good trend to see that the 3MT competition how successfully the next generation of technology lead- had a greater percentage of women participating than the ers navigated the tricky balance of articulating their overall EE population. And I think it lends credence to my application to a high-level audience while at the same hypothesis that the movement towards blending soft time being technically savvy. skills with tech ability might be the thing to attract more women to the profession. 47 Advertiser Index

Company Page AMCOM...... 39 American Technical Ceramics...... 19 PUBLISHER Anritsu...... 37 Scott Spencer API Technologies...... 1 Tel: 603-759-1840 Besser Associates...... 33 [email protected] Coilcraft...... 11 C. W. Swift & Associates...... C2 ADVERTISING SALES—NEW ENGLAND dBm...... 7 Stuart Dale Delta Electronics...... 31 508-655-6902 Ducommun...... 45 [email protected] Fairview Microwave...... 17 Herotek...... 14 ADVERTISING SALES — EAST IW Microwave...... 5 Gary Rhodes KRYTAR...... 44 Vice President, Sales Luff Research...... 43 Tel: 631-274-9530 Micro Lambda Wireless...... 9 [email protected] Microwave Components...... 3 Mini-Circuits...... 13 ADVERTISING SALES — CENTRAL Mini-Circuits...... 21 Gary Rhodes Mini-Circuits...... 25 Vice President, Sales Mini-Circuits...... 29 Tel: 631-274-9530 National Instruments...... 34 [email protected] Norden Millimeter...... 23 OML...... 40 ADVERTISING SALES — WEST Passive Plus...... 24 Tim Burkhard Pasternack...... 26 Associate Publisher Pasternack...... C4 Tel: 707-696-2162 Planar Monolithics Industries...... 41 [email protected] PolyPhaser...... 15 Pulsar Microwave...... 20 ADVERTISING SALES—SOUTHWEST RelComm Technologies...... 35 Jeff Victor Satellink...... 43 Tel: 224-436-8044 Sector Microwave...... 43 [email protected] SGMC Microwave...... C3 Temwell...... 18 ADVERTISING SALES — NEW Wenteq Microwave...... 43 ACCOUNTS & PRODUCT SHOWCASE The ad index is provided as an additional service by the publisher, Joanne Frangides who assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Tel: 201-666-6698 n Find Our Advertisers’ Web Sites using HFeLink™ [email protected] 1. Go to our company information Web site: www.HFeLink.com, or 2. From www.highfrequencyelectronics.com, click on the HFeLink U.K. AND EUROPE reminder on the home page Sam Baird 3. Companies in our current issue are listed, or you can choose one of our recent issues Tel: +44 1883 715 697 4. Find the company you want ... and just click! [email protected] 5. Or ... view our Online Edition and simply click on any ad!

High Frequency Electronics (USPS 024-316) is published monthly by Summit Technical Media, LLC, 3 Hawk Dr., Bedford, NH 03110. Vol. 18 No. 9 September 2019. Periodicals Postage Paid at Manchester, NH and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to High Frequency Electronics, PO Box 10621, Bedford, NH 03110-0621. Subscriptions are free to qualified technical and management personnel involved in the design, manufacture and distribution of electronic equipment and systems at high frequencies. Copyright © 2019 Summit Technical Media, LLC

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