============================== 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 ************************ ADVERTISEMENT**************************** New High Accuracy USB Power Meters Boonton's new 52000 series USB power sensors are complete miniature RF & Microwave power meters. They contain a CPU that controls the sensor, processes the measurement results, and operates the interface. All measurement data and settings can be transmitted via a USB interface to and from a personal computer (PC). This gives the concept of using a PC as the user interface in classic microwave power measurement. Visit our site for more information: http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B09:49027F ****************************************************************** *************** 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**************************** Agilent ENA - the Standard for RF Network Analysis The newest Agilent E5071C ENA features an extended frequency range down to 9 kHz with the highest performance and fastest speed in its class. No other analyzer can match its speed of 39 ms with 1601 points using a full two-port calibration, trace noise of 0.004 dB RMS at 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 ************************ ADVERTISEMENT**************************** For The Best In Test and Components Visit Microwaves & RF's RF Test Blog to learn about the latest developments in RF and microwave test equipment and measurement 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 M/A-COM for the latest component news, at: http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B15:49027F ****************************************************************** ====================================================== MICROWAVES AND RF (MWRF) UPDATE e-NEWSLETTER CONTACTS ====================================================== 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] ===================================================== SUBSCRIBER INFO ===================================================== To subscribe to our online newsletters click here: http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B0D:49027F To change your email address, email your old and new address to mailto:[email protected]/subject=Address_Change ==================================== To view Penton Media's privacy policy click here: http://news.mwrf.com/t?ctl=42B0B:49027F ==================================== Copyright 2006 Penton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Microwaves & RF Penton Media Inc. 45 Eisenhower Dr., 5th Floor Paramus, NJ 07652 USA
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