Inside Frequency Control

So much of what defines our modern lives is made possible through radio wave technology, which has changed the world in ways the first researchers could never have anticipated. But where did anyone get the idea that radio waves existed in the first place, and that they could be harnessed for wireless communication? It’s a fascinating story that continues to unfold to this day. Let’s go back to the beginning to understand how this technology has evolved.

The evolution of electronic warfare has been driven by the competition between Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) and Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM). Electronic warfare involves not only harnessing the electromagnetic spectrum, but defending against enemy use of the spectrum, and, if possible, denying their ability to use it in the first place. Since the earliest attempts at jamming radio communications, techniques have been developed to counteract enemy ECM.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a broad term which encompasses the multitude to wirelessly connected devices that surround us. It applies not only to smartphones and tablets, but to millions of machines, devices, and new twists on traditional products which were previously not connected to the internet. But what makes it all possible? How do these devices connect to the internet and communicate with each other?

Hurricane season 2017 has been one for the books. This year, North America has experienced some of the biggest and strongest hurricanes EVER in recorded history. Harvey, Irma, and Maria struck back, to back, to back, causing some of the worst destruction the world has ever seen. One thing many of us probably look over during a hurricane is its impact on satellite communications. Environmental factors, such as precipitation from hurricanes, can lead to a challenging phenomenon known as rain fade. 

Intelligence-driven decision-making is at the heart of daily operations and strategic planning for modern militaries and intelligence agencies, and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) is a big part of what makes it possible. Today we’ll discuss how SIGINT works and why it is so important, especially as it applies to Electronic Warfare applications.

Unmanned vehicles have changed our world over the past 15 years, and continue to do so one battlefield, one site inspection, and one independent film at a time. Science fiction writers, engineers and military thinkers alike had envisioned robotic and autonomous warfighting machines for years, and in the early 21^st century, they became a viable and widely used option in warfare. But as they continue to advance and become less expensive, what does future hold for unmanned vehicles?

One of the most important decisions an RF engineer will make when designing a new system is choosing the right type of oscillator, and determining what signal output will be the best fit for the application. Each come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. In this article, wer're talking about temperature controlled crystal oscillatos (TCXO) and the clipped sinewaves they produce. We'll cover the pros and cons of the TCXO and its signal type, as well as some common applications that these oscillators are used with.