Space for Microwaves is the theme for European Microwave Week 2012 and on Tuesday evening space for around a 1,000 delegates and exhibitors was set aside in the Elicium, Amsterdam RAI to enjoy the Agilent Technologies sponsored Welcome Reception. However, there was definitely no space for microwaves in the kitchens as the buffet that offered a choice of Continental and Asian food, was of very high standard!

The proceedings began with the EuMW 2012 General Chair, Bertram Arbesser-Rastburg encouraging everyone present to: “Take the opportunity to network, exchange information and update each other on work that is going on.”

Of EuMW 2012 he said: “It has been a very rewarding experience to set up this event in Amsterdam with my team who have worked very hard, burning the midnight oil to produce the programme and the associated activities. I also need to thank Michel Zoghob and Horizon House not only for organising the whole exhibition, but his negotiations with the RAI even went so far as personally selecting the wine this evening.”

 Arbesser-Rastburg then handed the microphone to the representative of the EuMW 2013 team in Nuremburg, Lorenz-Peter Schmidt, saying, “I hope that your experience will be as rewarding as mine.”

Schmidt began: “First of all congratulations to this year’s team who did a great job in organising this week’s event. We look forward to seeing you in Nuremburg in the second week of October, and hope you will enjoy an ancient city that has good transport links. We are putting together the programme for the conference and would appreciate your participation. It just remains for me now to invite you all to Nuremburg next year.”

The formal proceedings were completed by Jim Armentrout, Agilent Technologies Marketing Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa, who encouraged delegates and exhibitors to relax and enjoy the reception. Throughout the evening Ghislain Tietcheu-Moukoué, Market Development Manager, Electronic Measurement Group, Agilent Technologies, acted as master of ceremonies, encouraging  participation in a prize draw.

Everyone who submitted an entry received an Agilent torch light; two lucky winners received copies of Joel Dunsmore’s Handbook of Microwave Component Measurements: with Advanced VNA Techniques from the author himself, while the final prizes were Agilent U1273AX handheld digital multimeters, together with the U1177A Bluetooth^® adapter. Let’s hope the winners all had space in their luggage!