Every year, we make a few design changes to the magazine, add new features to our online products and expand our event presence. This year is no exception. You’ll find a new look on several of our pages, including the “Mark Your Calendar” page and the inside back page, which features a new “Fabs and Labs” series that highlights companies with interesting design, fabrication, assembly and test facilities that our editors visit during their travels around the industry. This series will run intermittently during the year, rotating with the “STEM Works” feature that debuted in 2014. We have also added a fourth special supplement, focused on “Aerospace & Defense Electronics,” which will be mailed with our May issue. If you have not renewed your subscription lately, I hope you’ll do so soon. It’s free; all we ask is two minutes of your time to update your profile.
On our website, you’ll soon find a new, state-of-the-art video platform. This platform allows us to aggregate relevant RF/microwave videos into a well organized and easy to navigate format. As far as I know, this is the only video site that caters only to our industry. You’ll also find a slate of new and informative webinars scheduled for 2015, including the popular Besser Associates and Strategy Analytics series and presentations from industry leaders like Keysight Technologies, CST, Rohde & Schwarz and National Instruments. We’ve redesigned our weekly newsletters, Microwave FLASH and Microwave ADVISOR with a fresh look and easier read. I encourage you to sign up for your choice of newsletters on our website.
It’s an exciting year for events. In the first quarter alone, you’ll find MWJ editors at DesignCon (Santa Clara, Calif.), Mobile World Congress (Barcelona) and Satellite (Washington, DC). April brings us to Microwave & RF (Paris), WAMICON (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) and EDI CON China (Beijing). The IEEE MTT-S IMS takes place in May in Phoenix this year, so our show issue will be in April and not the usual May. The European Microwave Week event is also earlier this year, taking place in September in Paris. Our August issue will serve as the preview for EuMW. Paris is always a good venue for this annual event, so I expect an excellent turnout this year. I’m also looking forward to the return of the IEEE COMCAS event in Tel Aviv in November. Microwave Journal will be coordinating the Publicity for COMCAS, so look for updates as the year progresses.
EDI CON China has moved to the new China National Convention Center in Beijing this year. The event will take place on April 14–16 and features a larger exhibition and expanded conference, with a 5G track added to the schedule. Many of the leading test and measurement, semiconductor and component manufacturers will be showcasing their products and technologies on the show floor and in the conference through submitted papers and workshops. This event is unique in that it is industry-driven, with practical information for working engineers. The conference and exhibition are synergistic and focused on the needs of the audience.
Looking further ahead, I’m pleased to announce that the EDI CON event will make its debut in the U.S. next year. We’re taking the model that has proven so successful in China to Boston in September, 2016. We have the perfect venue, in the heart of the city, during the nicest time of the year in New England. That’s right – you can come to Boston, learn the latest design techniques and technologies while enjoying the local attractions of Boston and the spectacular fall foliage. Stay tuned for more details during the year.
This issue of Microwave Journal has an editorial focus on “Radar and Antennas,” featuring a very interesting cover story on “Wideband Omnidirectional Microwave Cloaking.” The Romulans would be proud of the work of author Nathan Cohen of Fractal Antenna Systems. Also featured is the third and last in the special report series from distinguished authors Ulrich Rohde and Ajay Poddar on their research on Möbius Metamaterial and Strip Resonators. This series of articles has generated a lot of attention and positive feedback from our readers. In the MVP, CST unveils its “Studio Suite 2015” and the lineup of technical features includes several theme-related topics. There’s something for everyone, including a recap of our recent visit to the “new” Keysight Technologies headquarters.
Thanks for reading and wishing all of you a successful year ahead!