December 7, 2006

Dec. 7, 2006
============================== Microwaves & RF UPDATE MWRF - www.mwrf.com/ December 7, 2006 ============================== Greetings and welcome to your personal copy of PlanetEE's Microwaves and RF UPDATE e-newsletter. Please see below for ...
==============================
Microwaves & RF UPDATE
MWRF - www.mwrf.com/
December 7, 2006
==============================

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. Because They Said It Couldn't Be Done 
2. Laird Technologies Pulls Off Double Acquisition 
3. Tampa Microwave Adds RF Assets of Morrow Technologies 
4. Vector Fields Launches Latest Version of EM Simulator 
5. Software Emulates Logic Analyzer 
6. Handbook Covers LXI Version 1.1
7. Report Forecasts Rapid Telematics Growth 
8. Happenings - Conferences 


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


***************
1.  Viewpoint 
***************
Because They Said It Couldn't Be Done

Some years back, more than a few instrument makers became interested 
in card-type products based on the use of a personal computer as 
controller and display. Many card formats have emerged from this 
interest, including PCI and VXI, along with a wide variety of 
instruments. Early instruments that leveraged the power of a personal 
computer (PC) included digitizers and signal sources. But many critics 
of the form factor offered that there would never be a spectrum 
analyzer in card form, because of the difficulty in achieving the 
required sensitivity and dynamic range in a card format.

A great deal of credit is due to John Morrow, who never listened to 
those critics. He achieved much in the way of compact RF instrument 
designs at his company, Morrow Technology (St. Petersburg, FL), 
including some of the first microwave spectrum analyzers on a card. 
His analyzers and satellite carrier monitoring systems have been 
reviewed in Microwaves & RF over the years, and the performance levels 
of his designs have always been found most impressive. 

Morrow Technology's recent divestiture of its RF instruments to Tampa 
Microwave (see story below) allows the company to focus on its 
profitable display business, and begins a new chapter in 
high-performance RF/microwave instrumentation for Tampa Microwave. 
Fortunately, the industry has not seen the last of John Morrow's 
engineering excellence, as he will remain involved as a senior 
consultant to Tampa Microwave for the acquired product lines. All the 
best to both companies in their changing endeavors. 

JACK BROWNE
Technical Director


*************
2. News
*************
Laird Technologies Pulls Off Double Acquisition

Antenna and shielding-materials specialist Laird Technologies has 
added a pair of companies that build upon its already strong 
capabilities. The firm acquired Stewart, Inc. and its subsidiaries for 
%52.5 million. Stewart provides ferrite-based 
electromagnetic-interference (EMI) suppressors and filters. Laird also 
acquired the Swedish (Gothenburg) firm Coollab AB ("Supercool"), a 
leading provider of custom designed thermoelectric-based assemblies 
used in thermal management applications. Their products, which are 
used in a diverse range of applications in the telecommunications, 
medical, food and beverage, electronics, and automotive industries, 
integrate thermoelectric modules, temperature control systems, heat 
exchangers, external packaging and, in some cases, fans or pumps to 
provide a complete thermal management system. 
Laird Technologies ---> http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B14:49027F


*********
3. News
*********
Tampa Microwave Adds RF Assets of Morrow Technologies

Late last month, Tampa Microwave (Tampa, FL) completed its acquisition 
of the spectrum analyzer, carrier monitoring, and signal intelligence 
(SIGINT) receiver assets of Morrow Technologies Corp. (St. Petersburg, 
FL). Morrow will remain in business with its digital displays product 
lines under the direction of company president Sharon Morrow. The 
intellectual property, trademarks, and capital equipment associated 
with the SIGINT and spectrum analysis/monitoring products have become 
the property of Tampa Microwave, and the former Morrow engineering 
personnel involved with these product lines have relocated to Tampa. 
John Morrow, co-founder of Morrow Technologies, will continue to 
provide his expertise to the acquired business as a senior engineering 
consultant.
Morrow Technologies ---> http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B13:49027F
Tampa Microwave ---> http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B0E:49027F


*********
4. News
*********
Vector Fields Launches Latest Version of EM Simulator

Computer-aided-engineering (CAE) software developer Vector Fields has 
announced the latest version of its high-frequency electromagnetic 
(EM) simulation tool, Concerto (series 6). The latest package features 
new solves, advanced model parameterization, and an enhanced scripting 
capability to rapidly create and optimize the most complex radio and 
microwave designs. Concerto series 6 offers a comprehensive suite of 
EM design capabilities, using powerful geometric modeling to provide 
two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) simulation and design 
optimization. Component or system models can be imported from CAE 
programs, or created using a powerful, built-in, 3D geometric 
modeller. Concerto offers adaptive meshing, a 3D finite-difference 
time-domain (FDTD) simulator, and a 2D FDTD simulator for axisymmetric 
geometry is available with this release, allowing fast simulation of 
rotationally symmetric structures such as some horn antennas or 
coaxial components. Series 6 adds a new finite-element method (FEM) 
tool which provides an elegant means of performing eigenvalue analysis 
for problems such as characterizing microwave resonator and cavity 
designs. As an option, a method of moments (MoM) simulator is ideal 
for large problems, such as modeling installed antennas. The latest 
software release also operates with system-level EDA. Users of 
Microwave Office from Applied Wave Research can seamlessly call 
Concerto simulation to characterize critical components in the system 
model, all from a single user interface. For more on Concerto series 
6, visit the company's website. 
Vector Fields ---> http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B11:49027F


**********
5. News
**********
Software Emulates Logic Analyzer

Test equipment supplier LeCroy Corp. has developed BitTracer software 
for its PETracer Gen2 Summit PCI Express Protocol Analyzer. The 
optional tool provides a physical layer view of PCI Express traffic, 
much like what might be seen on a logic analyzer, but using the 
protocol analyzer. This software capability allows developers to view 
bit stream traffic before it is decoded to high-level packets, to 
better understand where signal integrity issues may be causing data 
corruption. The software displays all bits in the bit stream for each 
individual lane. These bits are delineated to the user as they appear 
in the multi-striped bit stream. A separate window shows the 
high-level packet created from the delineated bits.  Both windows 
correlate together as a user moves through the bit stream. According 
to LeCroy product marketing managzer John Wiedemeier, "BitTracer 
bridges the gap between logic analyzer and protocol analyzer 
functionality."
LeCroy Corp. ---> http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B18:49027F


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

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a 70-kHz IF bandwidth, and dynamic range of better than 123 dB.  
To learn more or download application notes, click on the link below:

http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B1A:49027F

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


*********
6. News
*********
Handbook Covers LXI Version 1.1

VXI Technology, Inc. has announced a handy LXI Capabilities Handbook 
in support of the releasde of Version 1.1 of the LXI standard for 
local-area-network (LAN) remote control and interoperability of test 
instruments. The handbook details key attributes of the Ethernet-based 
standard. The literature also includes information on LXI accessories, 
such as portable tablet personal computers (PCs), high-performance 
Gigabit Ethernet switches, wireless bridges, TriggerBus distribution 
interfaces, and Ethernet cabling. For more information on obtaining a 
copy of the handbook, or for details about the firm's pair of new LXI 
instruments, visit their website.
VXI Technology, Inc. ---> http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B17:49027F


*********
7. News
*********
Report Forecasts Rapid Telematics Growth

Aggregate Japanese commercial telematics markets will reach $267 
million in 2011 according to a new ABI Research study. With a 2006 
level of $120 million, this amounts to a compound annual growth rate 
(CAGR) of 17 percent. During the same period, the South Korean market 
will show a CAGR of 30 to 41 percent in telematics subscribers, 
hardware shipments, and market values. Along with fleet management 
systems for freight trucks and construction vehicles, applications for 
commercial telematics include emergency medical service (EMS), public 
transportation, rental cars and taxis, and fleet management systems 
(FMS). The new ABI Research study, "Fleet Management Systems in Japan 
and South Korea," outlines the leading commercial vehicle telematics 
services, profiles FMS hardware solution providers and operators, and 
analyzes relevant government initiatives that will drive FMS 
development. As Seoul-based ABI Research senior analyst Andy Bae 
notes: "Market drivers in the region are lowered integration and 
implementation costs. With the advent of GPS-enabled mobile phones, 
even small and medium enterprises in Japan and South Korea have 
comfortably adopted commercial vehicle telematics services including 
fleet management."
ABI Research ---> http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B12:49027F


*******************************
8.  Happenings - Conferences
*******************************
International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM)
December 11-13, 2006
Hilton San Francisco and Towers
San Francisco, CA
http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B0A:49027F

2007 IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium (RWS)
January 7-12, 2007
Long Beach Convention Center
Long Beach, CA
http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B10:49027F

2007 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC)
February 11-15, 2007
San Francisco Marriot Hotel
San Francisco, CA
http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B19:49027F

IEEE Sarnoff Symposium 2007
April 30-May 2, 2007
Sarnoff Labs
Princeton, NJ
http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B0C:49027F

2007 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium
June 3-8, 2007
Hawaii Convention Center
Honolulu, HI
http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B16:49027F


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Visit Microwaves & RF's RF Test Blog to learn about the latest 
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techniques. Sponsored by Keithley Instruments, this blog highlights 
hot new products, white papers, and application notes. And while 
you're there, take a look at the new RF Components Blog, sponsored by 
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http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B15:49027F 
 
******************************************************************

======================================================
MICROWAVES AND RF (MWRF) UPDATE e-NEWSLETTER CONTACTS
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Technical Director: Jack Browne
mailto:[email protected]

Managing Editor: John Curley
mailto:[email protected]

Advertising/Sponsorship Opportunities:
Paul Barkman at 1-908-704-2460 or
mailto:[email protected]

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Microwaves & RF
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About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.

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