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Kratos Delivers OpenSpace Products to Support the US Army’s TITAN Program

Kratos Delivers OpenSpace Products to Support the US Army’s TITAN Program Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, a leading National Security Solutions provider, has announced that they have successfully delivered the first set of products to support the U.S. Army Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) space-ground system prototype, which is being developed by Northrop Grumman. The purpose of the TITAN system will be to provide near-real-time data to commanders at all levels for timely targeting solutions. Northrop Grumman was selected by the Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Army Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) office to develop prototype Space to Ground TITAN systems.

As part of this effort, Kratos’ OpenSpace quantum and SpectralNet products will provide virtualized downlink processing for the TITAN space-ground prototypes. Kratos was selected by the Northrop Grumman TITAN team due to the OpenSpace products’ ability to virtualize uplink/downlink processing while meeting Space, Weight, and Power (SWAP) requirements. The Kratos products will enable the demodulation of downlinks from multiple commercial satellite systems.

Quantum and SpectralNet products are part of Kratos’ OpenSpace solutions family. quantum products are software replacements for traditional hardware components, such as modems, that operate at lower cost and with greater scalability to adapt more rapidly to changing missions and conditions. For example, where it can take weeks to deploy traditional ground system hardware, quantum products can be deployed and configured to support different missions in just hours. Kratos’ OpenSpace Platform, the most advanced line in the OpenSpace family, can go even further, enabling satellite operators to deploy, configure and adapt entire networks in just minutes using its orchestrated software-defined network (SDN) architecture. OpenSpace SpectralNet products digitize the satellite’s Radio Frequency (RF) signals, acting as the on-ramp to the digital transformation of ground systems.

“OpenSpace technology is leading efforts across the satellite industry, both among commercial and government operators, to capitalize on the ability of virtualization and modern networking techniques to realize digital transformation goals,” said Frank Backes, Kratos’ Senior Vice President of Federal Space Solutions. “TITAN is the newest application of OpenSpace in the DoD that can better support the timely tactical needs of the warfighter.”

In addition, Kratos will provide engineering and manufacturing of the modified tactical shelter and related subsystem hardware for the TITAN prototypes. Kratos’ FMTV-mounted ground station platform will house and protect mission-critical TITAN system components. One of Kratos’ core strengths is providing custom mobility platforms that feature power and thermal management systems, rack-ready C5ISR equipment integration, and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding up to High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) level requirements.

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Qorvo Introduces Band 42 Bandpass Filters to Support Global 5G Base Station Deployments

Qorvo Introduces Band 42 Bandpass Filters to Support Global 5G Base Station Deployments Qorvo, a leading provider of innovative RF solutions that connect the world introduced two Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) filters to support the ongoing global deployment of 5G base stations. The new QPQ3500 and QPQ3501 filters offer base station OEMs pin-compatible, 5G filter solutions that deliver lower insertion loss and superior out-of-band rejection than similar products. Pin compatibility allows the use of commonly printed circuit boards that support different frequency bands, eliminating costly board redesign and reducing time to market.

The Qorvo QPQ3500 and QPQ3501 BAW filters support the growing global demand for higher frequency and greater bandwidth. The QPQ3500 (Band 42) supports China and Europe while the QPQ3501 (Bands 42 and 52) addresses 5G base station requirements in China and India. These innovative filters enable higher data capacity with 5G in densely populated urban areas and expanded coverage in rural or suburban areas. These new products build on the success of Qorvo's QPQ1298 2.6 GHz BAW filter for Band 41 applications.

Joe Madden, a Lead Analyst at Mobile Experts, said, "Scaling up acoustic filters for the high power of the base station market has been a challenge. This breakthrough allows small acoustic filters to replace the larger, more expensive filters currently used."

Roger Hall, Qorvo's general manager of High-Performance Solutions said, "Our customers can count on us to deliver the highest quality solutions in state-of-the-art BAW band-pass filters. Qorvo's technology, manufacturing scale, and global footprint combine to deliver unique benefits for base station OEMs designing for 5G Bands 42/52. Our portfolio will soon be expanding to support additional 5G frequencies."

The global deployment of 5G networks is driving demand for Qorvo's high-performance RF solutions, including GaN high-power amplifiers and GaAs front-end modules (FEMs). Qorvo's 5G portfolio offers the efficiency, reliability, and compact size needed for base station manufacturers and network operators to increase capacity and expand coverage. It also provides complete solutions for new 5G smartphones, including low-band, mid-high and ultra-high-band FEMs; transmit-receive modules; and antenna control solutions that enable innovative new designs, enhanced performance, and faster time to market.

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Fibocom Introduces LTE-A Wireless Module to Accelerate CBRS Commercialization

Fibocom Introduces LTE-A Wireless Module to Accelerate CBRS Commercialization Fibocom has introduced an LTE Advanced wireless module that has been specifically designed to boost the commercial deployment of products operating in the US Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum. The FM101-CG supports 3GPP Release 12 capabilities and is powered by the Snapdragon X12+ LTE Modem from Qualcomm Technologies. The module supports LTE TDD Band 42/43/48 and delivers maximum data rates of up 260 Mbps downlink and 30 Mbps uplink. The module adopts M.2 form factor measuring 30.0 x 42.0 x 2.3 mm.

Along with abundant functionalities such as DFOTA, VoLTE and Audio, the Fibocom FM101-CG module supports multi-constellation GNSS receiver, including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, for high-performance positioning and navigation. Fibocom’s FM101-CG module supports multiple operating systems (Linux/ Android/ Windows), various Internet protocols as well as a rich set of digital interfaces (USIM, USB 3.0/2.0, PCIe 2.0 and PCM/I2S), allowing much flexibility and ease of integration for customer's application.

To relieve the difficulty and uncertainty people faced in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund Program, which aims to help students, school staff and library patrons improve internet connectivity using the CBRS band for remote learning. CBRS, shared spectrum from 3.55 to 3.70 GHz, is able to offer fast connectivity in the US with the reliability that sophisticated educational applications demand.

Fibocom is accelerating CBRS-based wireless network deployment with the new LTE-A Category 6 wireless communication module FM101-CG. It is able to address the requirements of CBRS-based network applications for multiple scenarios, including but not limited to remote education, industry IoT, smart cities, etc.

“Qualcomm Technologies is pleased to collaborate with Fibocom on the introduction of the FM101-CG module, featuring the Snapdragon X12+ LTE Modem. Qualcomm Technologies has been at the forefront of commercialization of CBRS with support since 2017 and this announcement further emphasizes our commitment to the wide scale deployment of CBRS and enabling reliable, cost-effective and scalable wireless connectivity that addresses the sophisticated needs of remote education, small businesses, hospitals, industry IoT, homes and more,” said Gautam Sheoran, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies.

Ron Friedman, VP of Americas Sales Dept at Fibocom, commented “Powered by the Snapdragon X12+ LTE Modem, the Fibocom FM101-CG module is tailored for CBRS network, providing seamless and reliable connectivity for various industries. With shared spectrum technology CBRS, organizations can make use of their own private networks, particularly for off-campus connectivity, ensuring fast, reliable and secure connectivity that’s available in limited, hard-to-reach areas.”

At present, the engineering samples of FM101-CG are available for product testing and development, which provides solution that help device OEMs and systems designers with their innovative new products, optimizing business operations and processes.

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Ericsson Develops Ultra Lightweight Antenna Integrated Radio for 5G Midband Applications

Ericsson Develops Ultra Lightweight Antenna Integrated Radio for 5G Midband Applications Ericsson has added the AIR 3268 – an ultra-lightweight antenna-integrated radio to its Massive MIMO portfolio for easier and efficient 5G mid-band deployments in dense urban and suburban areas. At 12 kg (26lb) and 23 liters, AIR 3268 is the lightest and smallest Massive MIMO radio in the industry. With 200 W output power, 32 transceivers, and passive cooling, the radio weighs about 40 percent less than the earlier generation, making installations easy not only on towers and rooftops but also on poles and walls.

The radio will help to accelerate 5G mid-band deployment for communications service providers seeking to boost capacity, coverage, speeds, and mobile experiences for their subscribers.

Ericsson’s latest radio is 10 percent more energy-efficient than the earlier generation, lowering the total added power consumption when introducing 5G on mid-band. It also supports Ericsson’s unique Massive MIMO architecture and Uplink Booster capabilities that deliver leading network performance.

Ericsson has developed AIR 3268 in partnership with BT to address 5G challenges. Through the development process, the ultra-lightweight radio has been designed for 5G mid-band Massive MIMO performance to deliver the benefits of deployment simplicity and improved energy efficiency.

Greg McCall, Managing Director of Service Platforms, BT Group, says: “The 3.5 GHz band and Massive MIMO technology are important to our 5G network strategy to deliver the best customer experience in urban areas. We continue to add capacity within our market-leading 5G coverage, but to maximize our ability to deploy this technology, we need to minimize the burden on our site infrastructure."

He adds: BT is pleased to be working with Ericsson on this product, which is less than half the size and weight of our current solution, reducing wind loading on existing sites and providing potential for adding 3.5 GHz Massive MIMO in new locations. The reduced power consumption will help BT deliver on our sustainability ambition.”

David Hammarwall, Head of Product Line Radio, Ericsson, says: “We continue to revolutionize Massive MIMO with ultra-lightweight radios that allow easier site upgrades and more seamless 5G mid-band deployments. AIR 3268 widens the options for the radio site, allowing service providers to boost their networks and deliver faster 5G speeds and response times. It is also energy-efficient, which is important to us and our customers.”

With its size and weight, AIR 3268 will simplify upgrades and new site acquisitions even in locations where footprint may prove challenging. The new radio also supports Ericsson’s mini bracket, providing lower total weight and easier installations.

AIR 3268 joins the family of ultra-lightweight radios launched in February this year. Like the rest of the company’s Massive MIMO radios, it is designed with Ericsson Silicon, providing real-time channel estimation and ultra-precise beamforming that improves coverage and user experience.

Ericsson also offers optimized site solutions with integrated transport for dense urban areas as part of its comprehensive transport and site solutions portfolio.

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Highly Integrated Wireless Microcontroller from ST Simplify Design of BLE/ZigBee/Thread Applications

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, is simplifying the design of competitively priced and power-efficient wireless equipment for applications like smart buildings, smart industry, and smart infrastructure by introducing new development tools and software for STM32WB wireless microcontrollers.

ST’s highly integrated STM32WB contains a 2.4GHz radio and Arm® Cortex®-M4 and Cortex-M0+ MCU on the same chip, which eliminates numerous RF-circuit design challenges that can add time and uncertainty to a project. Just a small number of external components are needed, such as an antenna chosen for the application, to complete the hardware design. The MCU includes numerous peripherals, including a 12-bit analog-digital converter (ADC), digital interfaces, and a crystal-less USB 2.0 Full Speed interface in selected models. Protocols supported are Bluetooth® LE 5.2, Zigbee®, OpenThread, and proprietary protocols, including combinations of such protocols with concurrent modes.

As a member of the STM32 family, the market-leading Arm Cortex-M MCUs, the STM32WB benefits from the extensive and market-proven STM32Cube ecosystem that provides a rich selection of development tools and software.

“The STM32Cube ecosystem is already widely used and is also broadly supported by third-party developer resources that help accelerate project completion,” said Hakim Jaafar, STM32 Wireless Marketing Director, STMicroelectronics. “Our latest wireless enhancements extend the STM32 family’s capabilities to handle new demands and use cases, further enhancing the most complete and robust solution on the market.”

Strengthening support for wireless design, the STM32WB ecosystem provides all the necessary embedded software bricks and tools to get users started easily with their applications. The STM32CubeWB MCU package is loaded with many examples and brings a full set of peripheral drivers (HAL and LL), all the necessary radio stacks including Bluetooth 5.2, Zigbee 3.0, OpenThread v1.1, and 802.15.4 MAC for proprietary protocols, as well as example implementations of several concurrency models (static and/or dynamic) for these stacks. Software tools like STM32CubeMX and STM32CubeIDE offer direct support of the radio stacks in their GUI for easy access and configuration. Users can easily select and configure profiles and clusters for popular standards and benefit from ready-to-use examples.

In addition, extra controls for the power estimation tool contained in the STM32CubeMX configurator help calculate the RF-subsystem contribution to the overall power consumption budget. Users can set up various scenarios for an accurate assessment of battery runtime.

Other new features include enhancement of the STM32Cube programmer for optimized programming of the STM32WB’s dual-core architecture, which ensures real-time application performance by utilizing a Cortex-M0+ processor to control the radio alongside the main Cortex-M4 core.

With the STM32CubeMonitor-RF evaluation tool, the ecosystem supports the development process through setting up the radio efficiently in the customer’s environment and testing its performance. Supporting Bluetooth® LE and generic 802.15.4 radio technologies, STM32CubeMonitor-RF performs transmission/reception tests and RF measurements and assists in writing test scripts and testing protocol and command sequences. The latest version introduces a sniffer capability for 802.15.4 protocols to ease the development of products for mesh networks.

All tools and radio protocol stacks within the STM32CubeWB wireless ecosystem are appropriately certified and provided free of charge, along with documentation detailing the accompanying Bluetooth 5.2 and 802.15.4 certification items, enabling customers to secure applicable radio-product approvals quickly and cost-effectively.

The STM32WB wireless microcontrollers ecosystem also contains a set of evaluation boards for STM32WB wireless microcontrollers to help jump-start wireless product development.

The P- NUCLEO-WB55 pack with Nucleo-64 board and USB dongle, NUCLEO-WB55RG and NUCLEO-WB15CC Nucleo-64 boards, and STM32WB5MM-DK Discovery kit offer various options to get started immediately targeting a wide range of wireless applications.

With the same series, various applications can share the same underlying implementation, leveraging the investment of product development and certification.

STM32WB products can address a broad spectrum of possibilities with the flexibility to target markets from high-end device types to cost-sensitive products. Prices for STM32WB MCUs start at $0.85 in high volume.

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Sinclair Introduces Power Monitoring System to Minimize Communications System Downtime

Sinclair Introduces Power Monitoring System to Minimize Communications System Downtime Sinclair Technologies, a division of Norsat International and a provider of customizable land mobile radio communication solutions, has announced the launch of its new power monitoring system - the IntelliSENSE Series.

Sinclair's newest solution in the family, the IntelliSENSE series of power monitoring system, helps minimize communications system downtime and avoids unnecessary maintenance and repairs by proactively tracking the overall health and performance of commercial or public safety land mobile radio systems. It continuously measures and monitors critical system performance indicators, including channelized Tx forward and reflected power, insertion loss, and antenna VSWR, for up to 8 channels per controller. Additionally, it provides a web-based GUI with role-based access control for status monitoring, system configuration, and user management functions. The advanced spectrum analysis feature is extremely useful in identifying RF interference across the 70 MHz - 4 GHz spectrum. The system also triggers SNMP alarms to the network management system when it detects failures and anomalies in readings.

Key features of the IntelliSENSE series

high accuracy RF system performance monitoring remote monitoring of the LMR RF system health minimizes system downtime be aware of a failure before customer complaints planning of maintenance in advance easy configuration with user-friendly GUI and SNMP support "RF network reliability is critical to public safety and business-critical LMR systems. While many radio network performance monitoring solutions exist today, they often neglect the antenna subsystem - a core part of an RF system. Sinclair's new IntelliSENSE power monitoring system fills this gap by enabling proactive monitoring of vital antenna subsystem performance indicators and RF interference detection, which is key to ensuring system reliability and optimizing performance," stated Wee Er, General Manager of Sinclair.

The product is available for order starting December 2021, with the first shipments scheduled for Q1 2022.

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Rohde & Schwarz Introduces Dedicated Phase Noise Analysis and VCO Testing Solution

Rohde & Schwarz Introduces Dedicated Phase Noise Analysis and VCO Testing Solution Rohde & Schwarz has developed the new R&S FSPN phase noise analyzer and VCO tester for production and design engineers who characterize sources such as synthesizers, VCOs, OCXOs, and DROs. Providing very high sensitivity and measurement speeds, the R&S FSPN is ideal for demanding phase noise and VCO analysis in development and production. All radio or RF-based devices, including radar, communications satellites, and mobile phones require the purest signal generation and reception electronics. Without them, the push for ever-higher radar resolution or data rate increases for 5G and beyond would be impossible.

The R&S FSPN from Rohde & Schwarz is available in two models: one covers the frequency range from 1 MHz to 8 GHz and the other from1 MHz to 26.5 GHz, addressing radar and satellite applications in the C band, X band, Ku band, and the complete K band. Catering to the unique measurement challenges in these fields, the R&S FSPN expands the Rohde & Schwarz phase noise product portfolio which already contains the successful, market-leading ultra-high-performance R&S FSWP phase noise, spectrum, and signal analyzer. The R&S FSPN shares tried-and-tested R&S FSWP features such as low noise internal local oscillators coupled with real-time cross-correlation engines for increased measurement sensitivity.

Cross-correlation sensitivity gains can be viewed in real-time in result traces, allowing users to adjust the trade-off between measurement speed and sensitivity to meet their application requirements. Users in production need just a few correlations to measure high-quality oscillators, synthesizers, or VCOs with high throughput. By increasing the number of correlations, users in R&D can characterize the most sensitive commercially available synthesizers and oscillators. Simultaneous device frequency and phase settling times can be measured with up to 8 GHz of real-time analysis bandwidth. To investigate oscillator long-term frequency stability, the R&S FSPN calculates the Allan variance in the time domain at fixed intervals and uses phase noise measurements to apply cross-correlations and suppress spurs.

The R&S FSPN is also equipped with three ultra-low-noise DC sources to supply and sweep VCOs. The built-in VCO characterization measurement mode analyzes VCO characteristics such as frequency, sensitivity, RF power, or current draw versus tuning voltage. For a more in-depth view of the device under test, the spot-noise versus tune measurement mode combines a sweep with ultra-low-noise DC sources plus fast and accurate phase noise measurements. VCO harmonics can also be measured versus tuning voltage without an additional spectrum analyzer.

Since Rohde & Schwarz designed the R&S FSPN as a pure phase noise analyzer, all relevant measurement modes and enhancements come standard. Users only need to choose the frequency range to order.

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Avnet Announces Availability of Otava Tunable Filters and mmWave Switches

Avnet Announces Availability of Otava Tunable Filters and mmWave Switches Avnet is now shipping three ultra linear tunable RF filters and two wideband RF switches from Otava, a fabless mmWave and mixed-signal IC design company best known for developing its OTBF103 millimeter wave beamformer IC. Both the filters and the switches are currently available as small form factor devices, which allows for maximum layout efficiency.

Avnet is also offering Otava’s switch evaluation boards, which enable engineers to quickly assess the device’s performance and simplify prototyping and verification. To showcase the tunable RF filters in frequency-agile sub 6 GHz applications, Avnet is also developing a tunable filters daughter-card that will plug into a ZCU208 or ZCU216 Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC development board.

“Otava’s new tunable filters and mmWave switches will provide designers with more high-performance solutions in the millimeter wave arena, where every component specification can make a difference in the overall system performance.” said Jim Beneke, Vice President of Engineering and Technology, Avnet. “Their compact form factor, low insertion loss, and the wide band coverage allows for adoption in a range of systems including 5G and low Earth orbit (LEO) SATCOM applications.”

“We are extremely excited to announce that Otava’s ultra-wideband switches and tunable filters are now available through Avnet. They will serve as key components that are compatible with many existing platforms, including those in the 5G market,” said Wen Zheng, Co-founder and Vice President of Engineering at Otava. “The superior performance and flexibility of our products simplify architecture and reduce cost in many systems that are in need of refinement, especially in millimeter wave where the slightest enhancements matter.”

“Modern RF applications ranging from SDR and 5G to SATCOM, EW and more demand components with low insertion loss and small form factors,” says Mike Dunne, Precision RF Product Manager at Samtec. “The combination of Otava’s new low insertion loss RF filters and switches and Samtec’s Precision RF interconnect offers RF engineers and system designers high-performance components that optimize the entire RF signal path. Otava’s family of OTSW10x and OTFLx01 evaluation boards feature the latest Samtec 2.4 mm edge-mount compression connectors and launch optimizations.”

Tunable Filters

Otava’s family of tunable filters covers multiple frequency bands for a range of different applications from 2.5 to 40 GHz. These highly integrated tunable designs eliminate the need for multiple fixed frequency filters, which frees up valuable real estate for system implementation. The OTFL101 covers 2.5-7.5 GHz, the OTFL201 covers 14-24 GHz and the OTFL301 covers 24-40 GHz. View details on Avnet.

Each filter evaluation board consists of the following:

one tunable filter two RF connectors a microcontroller an option for external control Switches

Otava’s single pole double throw (SPDT) switches offer exceptional insertion loss performance and linearity from DC to 40 GHz in a compact footprint. The OTSW100 is 2.546 x 2.161 mm, while the OTSW101 is 1.634 x 1.637 mm. The switch evaluation boards offer a simple way to assess the device's performance. View details on Avnet.

Each switch evaluation board consists of the following:

the switch IC three 2.4 mm connectors for the RFIO two ±2.5 V control lines through a header

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Broadcom Introduces Low Power L1/L5 GNSS Receiver for Mobile and Wearable Applications

Broadcom Inc. has announced the world’s lowest power L1/L5 GNSS receiver chip optimized for mobile and wearable applications. The BCM4778 is a third-generation chip that is 35% smaller and consumes 5 times less power than the previous generation.

Dual-frequency GNSS continues to be an important location feature for modern mobile and wearable devices as it provides greater positioning accuracy for location-based services (LBS) applications. The advanced L5 signal enables sidewalk-level accuracy for pedestrian navigation in urban environments, as well as lane-level accuracy for vehicle navigation.

Reduction in GNSS power consumption is crucial to extending the battery life of a mobile or wearable device. Compared to GNSS receivers used in integrated platforms, Broadcom’s single-chip BCM4778 delivers significantly lower power consumption and higher performance while offering more advanced GNSS features, such as the next-generation Grid Tracking™ urban multipath mitigation technology. Further, the BCM4778 increases the GNSS always-on battery lifetime on a smartwatch by 30 hours when compared to the previous generation chip operating on a 300mAh battery. The extended battery life benefit helps drive new experiences in smartwatches and phones. For example, smartwatches can keep the GNSS always-on for fitness applications for multiple days on a single battery charge.

In addition, the BCM4778 features fully integrated LNAs for L1 and L5 bands, which reduces RF front-end BOM costs and footprint requirements, ideal for space-constrained applications. The chip offers immense flexibility to smartwatch and phone designers with its small size. Having the ability to place the BCM4778 closer to the antenna helps improve signal reception and thereby enhances the overall GNSS performance.

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IQD Introduces Miniature Clock Oscillator for Multiple Applications

Due to the severe shortage of parts in the standard package size of 3.2 x 2.5 mm, customers are moving more towards smaller packaged frequency products. For this purpose, IQD has created a 2 x 1.6 mm clock oscillator: IQXO-54x.

The IQXO-54x is available in three supply voltages: 1.8 V, 2.5 V & 3.3 V. Housed in a miniature package of 2.0 x 1.6 x 0.7 mm, the IQXO-54x is a standard CMOS oscillator suitable for many different applications, such as Audio & Multimedia Devices, Communication Devices, IoT, Industrial Devices, Navigation & Locators, Real Time Clocks and Test & Measurement Equipment. The IQXO-54x can reach a stability of ±25 ppm over -40 to 85 °C, including tolerance.

In addition to the standard version ideally suited for industrial applications, IQD can also offer the oscillator as an automotive version: IQXO-54x AUTO. This is qualified to AEC-Q200 as well as IATF-16949 and comes with a wide temperature range of -40 to 125 °C which is typical for automotive applications.

The IQXO-54x is available either direct from IQD or via its extensive range of worldwide partners with many frequencies available ex-stock.

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Maury Microwave Acquires dBm Corp

Maury Microwave, a pioneering leader in RF calibration, measurement, and modeling solutions backed by Artemis Capital Partners, announced that it has completed the acquisition of dBm Corp. dBm expands Maury's test and measurement technology portfolio into the emulation market.

Founded in 1999, dBm is a leading designer and manufacturer of wireless link emulation equipment used for research & development, qualification and production verification testing in the satellite and wireless communication industries. dBm's best-in-class technology empowers its customers to accurately test the performance of their mission-critical space-based communication systems by emulating signal propagation through the atmosphere and non-linear distortion caused by electronic hardware. For over 20 years, dBm has been the trusted emulation partner on large-scale, no fail satellite programs of record for a range of top tier government, defense prime contractors and commercial customers.

dBm complements and strengthens Maury's heritage in mission-critical defense and commercial satellite communications programs of record. They will continue to operate from their existing headquarters in Oakland, NJ as a division of Maury and continue to be led by its founding team of Dale Sydnor (President), Bill Pastor (VP of Engineering) and Mike Cagney (VP of Sales & Marketing).

"dBm is widely recognized as a leader in SATCOM link emulation. This directly supports our vision of an interconnected world where wireless technologies are reliable and efficient," said Michael Howo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maury. "We look forward to leveraging both companies' technical competencies and resources to accelerate development and extend our market reach to help our customers build better products thereby ensuring reliable and efficient satellite communications."

Dale Sydnor, President of dBm, said that they are excited to work together to address the test needs of next generation satellite communications. With Maury's help, they will expand their footprint both within the United States and abroad, while focusing on ensuring customers feel supported and continue to put their faith in dBm as a trusted partner.

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L3Harris Completes the Sale of its Narda Microwave-West Business to a Private Equity Firm

L3Harris Completes the Sale of its Narda Microwave-West Business to a Private Equity Firm L3Harris Technologies has completed the sale of its Electron Devices and Narda Microwave-West businesses to Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington, DC-area private equity firm. The first we heard of this was in August 2021. Proceeds from the divestitures are expected to be used for share repurchases.

The businesses were part of L3Harris’ Aviation Systems segment and are leading providers of RF amplification products for the space, electronic warfare, radar, medical, and industrial end markets. The businesses have more than 800 employees across its three facilities in Torrance, CA, Williamsport, PA, and Folsom, CA.

L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 47,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries.

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Totum Achieves the World's First Indoor, Direct-to-Satellite IoT Connection

Totum, an innovator in satellite connectivity, has announced the successful indoor operation of their direct-to-satellite IoT connectivity solution. Based on Totum's groundbreaking wireless technology, which provides unprecedented reach from space, the demonstration showcased bidirectional communication between a fully integrated system-on-a-chip (SoC) and Totum's low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite.

The terrestrial endpoint was located in a San Diego office building, and in contrast to high-gain directional antennas typically required by satellite modems, the demonstration made use of a miniature omnidirectional antenna.

"In a word, we're thrilled," says Ted Myers, founder, and CEO at Totum. "In 3 years, we've gone from the back of a napkin to demonstrating the world's first direct-to-satellite communication system that works outdoors and indoors with a modem the size of a postage stamp."

"This accomplishment sits entirely on the shoulders of the innovative and passionate efforts of Team Totum, our silicon partner Orca Systems, and space partner Loft Orbital," adds Myers.

The Totum solution provides both connectivity and position fixes for low-powered IoT location tracking and monitoring systems which require a battery life of up to 10 years. Totum uniquely unlocks innovative, high-volume applications for supply chain, logistics, agriculture, transportation, energy, and industrial markets which require global coverage and indoor reach, in total a $20B+ connectivity opportunity.

"We've effectively created a whole new category for IoT connectivity," says Dave Gell, Chief Commercial Officer at Totum. "Combining the global coverage of satellite with an indoor reach comparable to cellular puts us in a unique position to solve some of the thorniest problems in IoT today."

"Critically, we're able to do this with a total cost of ownership (TCO) that beats cellular. Not surprisingly, the market is responding," adds Gell. "We've built strong partnerships with OEMs, solution providers and value-added resellers who combined have placed advance orders for 2 million devices with service."

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ST and Rosenberger Develop a Contactless Connector Based on 60 GHz Wireless Technology

STMicroelectronics and Rosenberger have collaborated to develop a contactless connector for ultra-reliable, short-range, point-to-point full-duplex data exchanges in industrial and medical applications.

Rosenberger’s innovative contactless connector, the RoProxCon, leverages ST’s 60 GHz RF transceiver, the ST60A2, to deliver high-speed data transmission while providing immunity to movement, vibration, rotation, and contaminants such as moisture and dust, which can disrupt conventional pin-and-receptacle interconnects. The ST60A2 combines high-data-rate transmission at Bluetooth-like power consumption and promises a new range of medical and industrial applications that are no longer constrained by physical connections.

“Pairing ST’s contactless connectivity technology with our interconnect expertise and antenna-design knowledge enabled us to create a first-of-its-kind module that transmits full duplex data at up to 6 Gbps with complete rotational freedom. Much less expensive than alternative optical connectors and using much less power than other RF technologies, the RoProxCon will let innovators loose to create new applications,” said Folke Michelmann, Executive Vice President Medical & Industries at Rosenberger. “In working with ST, we see limitless application possibilities for our connector, which provides high-reliability and high-throughput at low power.”

“We developed the ST60A2 contactless transceiver to allow customers to create reliable, high data-rate, extremely power-efficient wireless links. Rosenberger’s expertise in interconnects combined with our RF chip is an outstanding example of the value of the technology,” added Laurent Malier, General Manager at RF & Communications Division, STMicroelectronics. “Customers across the full range of electronics applications have expressed interest in this transceiver and several have shared their need for a module that includes the antenna. Our cooperation project with Rosenberger delivers on that need.”

The STMicroelectronics ST60A2 offers reliable, point-to-point, high-data-rate transmission of up to 6.25 Gbps over distances of a few centimeters – at exceptionally low power. Operating over an extended temperature range of -40 to 105 °C, the chip ST60A2 is well suited to industrial markets. With a 2.2 x 2.2 mm package footprint, the chip is the smallest device available on the market with ultra-low power consumption of 70 mW for a reliable, completely contactless link.

In the RoProxCon, ST’s transceiver is paired with an appropriate antenna, which offers excellent options for different areas of applications like smart factory, medical technology, connected devices, office equipment, conveyer technology, renewable energies, and other high-bandwidth applications.

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Guerrilla RF Partners with X-Microwave to Offer Modular Blocks that Reduce Prototyping Time

Guerrilla RF (GRF) is collaborating with X-Microwave LLC (a QuanticTM Company) to offer a series of new solutions that dramatically cut the development time associated with traditional component evaluation and signal chain prototyping. X-Microwave is a leading provider of RF and microwave modular blocks. The first phase of this joint effort will feature 34 of GRF’s products as drop-in X-MWblocks.

X-Microwave delivers a complete ecosystem of modular RF and microwave drop-in components, as well as a full suite of test and prototyping accessories. The initial offering of GRF-specific X-MWblocks will include RF low noise amplifiers (LNAs), gain blocks, drivers, amplifiers with bypass, mixers, and power detectors. More products will be added as they are released by GRF. Guerrilla RF’s utilization of a common product footprint will help accelerate this modular portfolio expansion.

“With catalog components representing a significant portion of Guerrilla’s business, it became increasingly obvious we needed a ‘force multiplier’ in assisting customers with their designs. X-Microwave’s modular approach is a great fit since it mirrors our strategy of providing core blocks that can be easily swapped in and out of designs as part of the optimization process,” said Ryan Pratt, founder, and CEO of Guerrilla RF. “Now that our cores are part of the X-Microwave ecosystem, customers can easily piece together our solutions into full lineups in hours vs. weeks. This agile approach to system design is game-changing for our customers; concepts can be optimized and proven out with real hardware at a fraction of the time it would normally take for traditional system designs.”

“GRF’s strong portfolio of amplifiers, mixers, power detectors, and switches includes ideal building blocks for X-Microwave’s prototyping and production system,” said John Richardson, founder, and GM of X-Microwave. “Virtually all of the targeted cores utilize a common footprint, making it exceptionally easy to proliferate our offering of customizable X-MWblocks. Guerrilla RF components are renowned for their excellent noise and linearity characteristics, making them ideal for systems requiring the very best RF/microwave performance.”

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II-VI Incorporated Receives Excellent Partner Awards from Sumitomo

II-VI Incorporated Receives Excellent Partner Awards from Sumitomo II-VI Incorporated, a global supplier of silicon carbide substrates and devices, announced that it received two Excellent Partner Awards, from Sumitomo Electric Industries (SEI), and its subsidiary, Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations (SEDI), for their fiscal year 2020.

SEI and SEDI each announced their award, respectively, on September 8 and 15, 2021, in recognition of II-VI’s responsiveness and scalability, which contributed significantly to the expansion of Sumitomo’s business.

“II-VI is proud to receive these two awards from Sumitomo and would like to thank our teams for their dedication to excellence that made it possible,” said Dr. Chuck Mattera, Chief Executive Officer, II-VI Incorporated. “The awards reflect our strong partnership with Sumitomo and our ability to expand production capacity in response to their needs.”

Osamu Inoue, President and COO of Sumitomo Electric Industries, said that they are pleased to express their gratitude to II-VI for their notable contributions. They will continue to strengthen the partnership between their valued suppliers and the Sumitomo Electric Industries Group and strive to further mutually expand their business.

II-VI and Sumitomo are also collaborating to establish a vertically integrated, 150 mm wafer fabrication platform to manufacture state-of-the-art gallium nitride (GaN) on SiC high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) devices that will enable next-generation wireless networks. II-VI’s leadership in 150 mm compound semiconductor manufacturing, combined with SEDI’s leadership in GaN RF device technology, will allow II-VI and SEDI to drive best-in-class performance, greater scale, and competitive costs for 5G RF solutions.

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Hexagon NovAtel's GNSS Receiver Becomes the Default Option for Fendt Guidance Systems

Hexagon NovAtel's GNSS Receiver Becomes the Default Option for Fendt Guidance Systems Hexagon | NovAtel has announced that Fendt machines in North America, Europe, and the Middle East equipped with the Fendt GuideTM guidance systems powered by Fuse Smart Farming now come with NovAtel's SMART7 GNSS receiver as the default configuration choice. Precision guidance systems are integral to advancing precision agriculture globally and the SMART7 from NovAtel is future-ready and offers the performance and reliability that farmers require.

High-quality, on-time delivery, and exceptional support are the defining factors of a reliable component supplier. NovAtel is proud of its performance in these areas with industry-leading quality and a robust support network for its OEM partners. "We have been working with NovAtel for years, and their support and willingness to adapt to meet our needs makes them the key GNSS receiver supplier for our Fendt Guide guidance system," said Dr. Bernhard Schmitz, Director, FendtONE Market Readiness and Agronomy EME. "They are easy to work with and have high-quality products that integrate seamlessly into our machines."

The SMART7 combines the most powerful GNSS receiver available today with a precision antenna in a durable, all-in-one enclosure specifically designed to stand up to the vibration, weather, and temperature demands of harsh agricultural environments. Delivering exceptional positioning, the SMART7 is optimized to succeed in demanding agriculture and off-road applications.

The SMART7 uses multi L-Band tracking to access TerraStar Correction Services globally – bringing repeatable centimeter-level accuracy to any application, anywhere in the world. Access to multi-frequency GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and QZSS signals provides better satellite availability, fuelling the positioning solution - even in challenging environments. Resiliency to radio frequency interference is engrained in NovAtel's hardware designs and the Interference Toolkit firmware suite provides detection and additional protection from any potential intentional or unintentional interference.

Powered by industry-leading NovAtel GNSS+INS technology, the SMART7 uses an optional integrated Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to provide continuous 3D positioning, velocity, and roll/pitch/azimuth for deeper integration with vehicle guidance and steering systems. Additional optional features on the SMART7 include Wi-Fi and Ethernet for remote connectivity and monitoring.

"We are dedicated to providing high-quality, industry-leading positioning and autonomy solutions to agriculture industry OEMs and integrators," said Eric Wuestefeld, Executive Vice President, Agriculture at Hexagon | NovAtel. "This means being THE partner of choice for precision guidance solutions and helping our customers meet their challenges and goals head-on."