Sunset at a luau in our 50th state where the IEEE EMC Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary this July. (Photo by Gerry Blomgren).

Organizing the “Interference Engineers”

Fifty years ago Rexford Daniels, Warren Kesselman, Ralph Showers, and James McNaul were among the “interference engineers” who petitioned the Institute of Radio Engineers to form a Professional Group on Radio Frequency Interference. Since it had the required number of signatures, the petition was officially accepted by the IRE and in October 1957 what is now the IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society held its first administrative meeting.

Three years earlier Daniels had started a newsletter, “Quasies and Peaks,” which he circulated free to anyone requesting it. He thus became the first newsletter editor of the IRE Professional Group on RFI and continued that until 1969. By 1987, when he died at 88, he was called “Mr. EMC” for his contributions to the technical aspects of EMC and to the IRE and IEEE EMC Society.

To honor the founders and others for their contributions to the EMCS, the 50th Anniversary Committee and the History Committee, chaired by Dan Hoolihan, developed a plan for oral histories to be done by the IEEE History Center of Thomas, Kesselman, Showers, and McNaul plus Chet Smith, Thomas Dvorak, Gene Cory, and others. They are now on IEEE’s web page. The committee is also issuing a historical booklet commemorating Society achievements over the years, a power-point presentation on the first 50 years, a lapel pin and other memorabilia bearing the 50th logo, and a one-day event at the 2007 IEEE International Symposium on EMC where special awards will be given. All of this is being done, appropriately enough, in Hawaii, our 50th state, from July 8 to15. The headquarters hotel is the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu; the meetings and technical sessions will be at the Hawaii Convention Center. General chair of the 2007 EMC Symposium is Janet O’Neil.Retlif Builds Test Site

Retlif Testing Labor- atories has completed a new 3 and 10M Open Area Test Site at their New York location. The site provides for fully enclosed and weather protected 3M testing using a 16 x 24 x 20 foot high RF transparent enclosure. The new facility includes a 2.5M flush-mounted turntable capable of handling samples up to 4400 pounds. The turntable has fiber optic and pneumatic controls of the turntable, antenna height and polarization. The new site carries all applicable approvals to assure accept- ance of Retlif-supplied data worldwide.

Schaffner Appoints CFO

Garafalo

Frank Garafalo has been appointed the new vice president and chief financial officer of Schaffner EMC of Edison, New Jersey.

Garafalo has experience working with and reporting to shareholders, leading the annual static corporate budget process, managing the implementation of new payroll and financial systems, preparing critical financial statements, developing strategies for cost savings and in supporting internal audit functions. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from The Pennsylvania State University and his master of business administration in accounting from the University of Phoenix. Garafalo is a certified management accountant and a certified financial manager.

Spectrum Power Systems Relocates

Spectrum Power Management Systems is relocating their manufacturing, logistics and headquarters operations from Fairview, Pennsylvania, near Erie, to State College, The new facility features a 25,000 square-foot manu-facturing center, which will be dedicated to the design and integration of power distribution and circuit protection equipment. The move positions Spectrum to better serve the federal government sector and several key domestic accounts.

Spectrum Power Man- agement Systems provides power distribution solutions for systems requiring distribution of power or for those that require circuit protection and/or power cycling. Spectrum offers standard products and custom solutions for Federal IT and Defense and Homeland Security-related hardware and infrastructure equipment.

The increase in square footage and reconfiguration of engineering/manufacturing will allow Spectrum greater flexibility to enhance standard products with minor modifications to “OTS” modules.

Spectrum Control, an ISO 9001 and QS 9000 certified company, designs, manufactures and markets a broad line of EMI/RFI filters and power components, power management systems, microwave components, and position sensors and controls.

TÜV SÜD America Appoints Manager

TÜV SÜD America Inc., a global testing and certification services firm, has appointed James Mills as central region EMC/environmental laboratory manager. Mills oversees the planning and daily operations for all lab testing activities and engineers and technicians at three locations in Minnesota.

Mills has over 15 years experience in testing and has held various positions including lab manager, senior engineer and project manager. He has extensive experience working in environmental laboratories designing test fixtures and test methods for aerospace and automobile products. Mills began his career as an Avionics Navigation Systems Specialist in the United States Air Force.

“Jim’s understanding of the Aerospace and Automotive industries make him an ideal match for this position,” said Steve Dykstra, Vice President, TÜV SÜD America Testing Services. “

The TÜV laboratories in Minnesota include 7 EMC test chambers and an extensive Environmental testing facility in New Brighton; an open area test site in Taylors Falls; and an open area test site in Millville.

Delphi Technologies Inc. Forms Antenna Company

Delphi Technologies Inc. (DTI), a Delphi Corp. subsidiary, in conjunction with Michigan State University and Automation Alley, have formed a new antenna company called Monarch Antenna, Inc.

Monarch will commercialize innovative Self-Structuring Antenna (SSA) technology, developed by Delphi and Michigan State University. The business will be predominantly focused on high-growth wireless segments.

The company will be headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at SPARK, a Michigan SmartZone.

SSA uses a microprocessor-based feedback system to alter its electrical shape through RF relays, allowing it to dynamically respond to changes in the RF signal environment.

“Delphi and MSU have developed a premium level antenna technology that is elegantly sophisticated and can potentially provide enhanced and reliable two-way communication link while reducing the complexity of multiple antennas in devices,” said Tim Forbes, director for Delphi’s new markets, commercialization and licensing.

Leader Tech Acquires FerriShield

HEICO Corp.’s Electronic Technologies Group (ETG) and subsidiary Leader Tech Inc. have acquired FerriShield Inc. Terms and other financial information were not disclosed but the company expects the purchase to add to its earnings within the first year of ownership.

Founded in 1989, FerriShield is based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Like Leader Tech, it is a leading supplier of niche RFI-EMI suppressors, including its line of ferrite suppressors, RF absorber pads and RFID shielding.

Dario Negrini, president of the Tampa, Florida-based Leader Tech, says FerriShield’s Jim May is staying on as a consultant and they intend to offer his entire product line under the FerriShield name. Leader Tech also will continue to support existing FerriShield products and customers, as well as add to the product line.

Negrini, formerly with Instrument Specialties (now Laird Technologies) in Delaware Water Gap, PA, and BMI in Chicago, can be contacted at (813) 855-6921 or visit www.leadertechinc.com.

Apogee Uses RTP EMI Shielding Compounds

Apogee Labs, a leading provider of telemetry solutions, has selected RTP Company as the material supplier for the outer case of their new portable testing instrument. The AL6500, is used for testing bit error rates and data links on satellite displays and rocket launches.

Apogee designed the outer case using a thermoplastic. In order to ensure electromagnetic and radio frequency interference protection, this thermoplastic compound had to exhibit electromagnetic compatibility. It also had to be capable of providing high strength and impact resistance.

RTP Company engineered an RTP 300 Series polycarbonate compound containing stainless steel fibers that provide protection against EMI/RFI, as well as give strong electrostatic dissipation performance. In addition, this compound exceeds needed impact requirements and has a flammability rating of V-0, which meets the UL certification. Not only did the compound allow the AL6500 to be lightweight, the use of thermoplastic material gave the designers freedom to build in a much smaller footprint.

“This has been a flagship product for us,” said Shane Woolridge, vice president of marketing and sales at Apogee Labs. “Now, because of its lower cost and portability, we may be able to take it to the mainstream communication market.”

Flanigan Named EIA’s Interim President & CEO

The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) has named Matthew J. Flanigan as the organization’s new interim president and CEO.

Flanigan served as president of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), which represents the communications sector of EIA, for 12 years, retiring at the end of 2006. He was a member of EIA’s board of governors for six years, serving as chairman in 1994.

“No one is better-suited to guide EIA at this time than Matt Flanigan,” said Mike Kennedy, EIA’s chairman of the board and Motorola senior vice president.

Flanigan succeeds Charles L. Robinson, who served as chief operating officer since 2004 and interim president and CEO since January. Robinson will join the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in May as vice president for finance, operations and strategic planning.

Fingertip-Size GPS Module

Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. has developed a compact GPS receiver module that measureres 8.6 x 6.1 x 1.1

mm, the industry’s slimmest class thickness. The company aims to win its employment for small products such as mobile phones and portable navigation devices (PND).

The module is embedded with a 1.5GHz band RF receiver circuit required to receive GPS signals and a base band processing circuit. Boasting the minimum receiver sensitivity of -161dBm, the module can be used for high sensitivity GPS applications inside a building and between buildings, for example. Power is 150mW when receiving data and 85mW when tracking satellites, according to the company. A SAW filter is built in as the RF filter, while a TCXO is mounted externally.

Taiyo Yuden will ship a module embedded with components up to a CPU within 2007. The company hopes to prepare a module that further supports the “Galileo” satellite positioning system led and promoted by European countries in 2008.

Harris Awarded $3 Million in Contracts

Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Florida, has received new contracts valued at $3 million from the Irish Defense Forces for Falcon® II tactical communications systems.

Harris will provide its RF-5800H HF (high frequency) manpack radios and accessories. The RF-5800H uses software-defined radio technology to provide advanced waveforms and IP networking capabilities, allowing reliable, long-range voice and data communication under demanding conditions.

“Our forces operate under difficult conditions on three different continents. The Harris Falcon II systems have become a lifeline for our men and women serving abroad,” said Colonel Brian McQuaid, director of CIS for the Irish Defense Forces.

The Harris Falcon II tactical radios are designed for manpack, vehicular, base station and handheld use.