Articles by Dan Massé, Associate Technical Editor

According to a report recently released by Engalco, multi-billion dollar global markets for ground-based broadband satellite communications transceivers are expected within this decade. A series of spacecraft are being launched with highly broadband throughput capabilities. Hylas1 and Ka-SAT are already in orbit and Ka-SAT’s total throughput is 70 Gbps....

Although spending on RF power semiconductors in wireless infrastructure markets has continued to stagnate, other markets—notably the military—are seeing increased activity. Also, according to a new study from ABI Research, Gallium Nitride—long seen as a promising new “material of choice” for RF power semiconductors—is continuing to gain some market...

LTE equipment expenditure is expected to ramp up quickly in 2011. ABI Research estimates that LTE equipment spending will grow 120 percent in 2011 to reach almost $1 B. This increase is supported by more than 185 deployments and trials around the world. But despite the hype and rhetoric...

The US Department of Defense is awarding Raytheon a $52.25 M contract modification for 19 APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars to be retrofitted into F/A-18E/F aircraft, Lots 26-29. The APG-79 AESA radar, which will replace the APG-73 radar, will provide increased air-to-air detection and track range, increased...

The US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded ITT Corp. a contract to produce 425 Band C systems and their related spares and equipment for $16.7 M. Band C is an upgrade for the US military's installed base of vehicle-mounted systems that prevent the detonation of radio-controlled improvised explosive...

Lockheed Martin has successfully completed a capability demonstration in the latest phase of the US Air Force's development of the next-generation mobile, long-range surveillance and ballistic missile defense radar. The demonstration of December 16 and 17, 2010, for the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) was the second and final...

Harris Corp., an international communications and information technology company, has been awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a potential total value of $475 M to supply military and land mobile radio systems to international partners of the US State Department and US Department of Defense. The...

When it comes to mobile network infrastructure discussions, LTE is the name on everyone's lips. Yet the very meaning of the acronym—"Long-Term Evolution"—is a hint that it is not going to happen overnight. LTE's deployment as the mainstay 4G technology will take place gradually, and will not even begin...

Innovative Micro Technology announced the addition of a new geometry point in its technology roadmap for Through Silicon Vias (TSV). Joining the copper-filled 15 by 60 micron depth TSV configuration that has been in production for nearly two years, IMT has been sampling its 50 by 250 micron copper-filled...

Rapid Chinese TD-SCDMA rollouts and the often-maligned GSM/GPRS/EDGE equipment markets have benefited the base station RF power amplifier and RF power device markets. GSM/GPRS/EDGE RFPAs and devices are still shipping in the millions. The Asia-Pacific region is presently accounting for more than 50 percent of the RF power semiconductor...