* Radio-Electronic Transmission Fundamentals

B. Whitfield Griffith, Jr.

Noble Publishing Corp.

648 pages; $75
ISBN: 1-884932-13-4

This is a reprint of a textbook originally published in 1962. It is intended to bridge the gap between the elementary and advanced technical works pertaining to the generation and transmission of electrical energy at radio frequencies. It was written for radio operators, electronic technicians and engineers specialized in another field, wishing to expand their knowledge into that of radio frequency power.

The book has three primary objectives: to develop a logical feeling for the natural behavior of radio frequency energy, so that the student may attain an intuitive approach which can lead to creative thinking; to furnish the student with readily understood and easily adaptable mathematical methods particularly suited for computational work in this field and providing an insight into the basic theory underlying the work at hand; and to introduce the student to engineering practices customary in this field of work, so that he or she may take advantage of the accumulated experience of the many years through which this field has developed.

The book starts with a brief but fairly detailed description of the history of the knowledge of electricity from Thales of Miletus to Maxwell, followed by descriptions and explanations of the different basic concepts and quantities used in electrical engineering. The next chapters are dedicated to transmission lines, radio antennas and radio transmitters. The author assumes that the reader is familiar with algebra and has a working knowledge of basic electronics. Higher mathematics such as complex algebra and calculus are used sparingly and always with clear explanations. Problems are given at the end of each chapter to test the newly acquired knowledge and the correct solutions are shown in an appendix.

The subjects covered by this book are timeless and still valid after the thirty-nine years that have passed since it was written. Only in a couple of instances will the reader observe a difference with the present methods: the use of slide rules and the vacuum tubes shown in the active circuits.

To order this book, contact: Noble Publishing Corp., 630 Pinnacle Court, Norcross, GA (770) 449-6774.

* CRISP: Software and User's Manual

August W. Rihazek, Stephen J. Hershkowitz, Richard L. Mitchell and Robert H. Mitchell

Artech House Inc.

176 pages plus CD ROM; $245, £169
ISBN: 1-58053-054-0

This Complex Radar Image and Signal Processing (CRISP) software allows the user to form a well focused image of a target observed by radar, and then to measure the locations and characteristics of scatterers on the target, regardless of whether the target, the radar or both are moving. The program can also be used to make these measurements on one-dimensional range or Doppler profiles.

The software is designed to help learn the technology of complex image analysis and apply it to real data. The software package contains executable versions of CRISP and its auxiliary data conversion program for Windows 95, 98 and NT, plus several sample data files, as well as electronic and printed copies of the user's manual.

The technology of complex image analysis is so radically different from conventional processing methods that its practical application is not readily useful once one is familiar with the basics. The new technology is difficult to apply because it replaces mathematically-based processing methods with an expert system approach that uses pattern recognition and interpretation. To develop the insight necessary for applying complex image analysis to modern radar problems, one requires extensive interactive software, which is provided in this package.

In order to install and run CRISP, the computer system must have Windows 95, 98 or NT operating systems, a processor no slower than 200 MHz, at least 32 MB of RAM, a CD-ROM drive for installation and at least 70 MB of hard disk space.

The manual contains a brief overview of CRISP followed by detailed descriptions of the functions used in the program. Each chapter gives a step-by-step procedure to familiarize the reader with all the program capabilities. A comprehensive glossary of the terms employed is given.

To complement this software package, the reader should also consult the companion text Radar Resolution and Complex Image Analysis and Theory and Practice of Radar Target Identification, available through Artech House, for the theory and more complete explanations.

To order this book, contact: Artech House Inc., 685 Canton St., Norwood, MA 02062 (781) 769-9750, ext. 4002; or 46 Gillingham St., London SW1V 1HH, UK +44 (0)20 7596-8750.