RCA Proceedings Fall 2025

RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

Proceedings VOLUME 97, NUMBER 2 | FALL 2025

Dr. Kinuko Masaki to Deliver 2025 Awards Banquet Keynote

Victor B. Lawrence to Receive RCA’S Lifetime Achievement Award 2025

Robert Woodrow Wilson to Receive RCA’S 2025 Armstrong Medal

IN THIS ISSUE: RCA’s 2025 Banquet and IN THIS ISSUE: Technical Symposium Details

RCA’s 2023 Banquet and Technical

Symposium SETI: We CanDetails Make The Cosmic Connection Paradigms, Cell Phones, and the

Contributions of RCA Members to The Road to 6G the World

The Cosmic Microwave RCA Interview with Dr. Marty Cooper Background NASA and HAARP Conclude

RCA Scholarship Activities Asteroid Experiment

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Proceedings

VOLUME 97, NUMBER 2 FALL 2025

2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT Alan Spindel*

From Your President ..................................................................................................... 4 RCA’S 2025 Special Tours Celebrate Our Nation’s Capital ............................................... 5 The Radio Club of America Announces Dr. Kinuko Masaki as Keynote Speaker for 2025 Banquet............................................................................ 7 A Profile of Victor B. Lawrence RCA’S 2025 Lifetime Achievement ................................... 9 Dr. Robert W. Wilson to Receive RCA’s 2025 Armstrong Award....................................... 14 2025 RCA Awards...................................................................................................... 19 2025 RCA Fellows ..................................................................................................... 29 2025 Technical Symposium Presenters......................................................................... 33 Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies................................................................... 34 Technical Symposium Poster Presentations................................................................... 41 Project 25 Today and for the Future .............................................................................44 See Something, Say Something ................................................................................... 61 Industry Updates Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame Inductees Named........................................ 65 Celebrating History with a New IEEE Milestone: Project Echo, Telstar, and the Discovery of Cosmic Background Radiation, 1959–1965............................. 66 FRACTAL Antenna Systems Unveils Breakthrough “Link-Invariant Antenna” Technology........................................................................................... 68 AT&T’s FirstNet Fusion Platform Focuses on MCX, Interop.......................................... 69 Hearing Examines FirstNet Authority Reauthorization................................................. 72 New IEEE History Website Launched........................................................................ 74 Vanishing Culture: Digital Library of Amateur Radio and Communications..................... 75 Introducing Radio Alpha, the ARRL Museum and Research Library.............................. 77 Nokia Bell Labs Unveils Seven IEEE Milestones ........................................................ 78 IEEE Global Museum Project Expansions ................................................................. 80 RCA News Welcoming 163 New Members to the Radio Club of America in 2025.......................... 82 RCA Programs at the 2025 Dayton Hamvention.........................................................83 RCA’s Video Interview Series Continues In 2025........................................................83 RCA Announces the Winners of the Young Ham Lends a Hand Contest.........................84 A New Strategic Relationship for RCA and SMPTE.....................................................84 RCA Scholarships: Supporting the Next Generation of Wireless Innovators in 2025....... 85 APCO Was Highly Successful for RCA....................................................................... 86 IWCE is Another Huge Success for Radio Club of America..........................................88 RCA’S Media Kits Are Available Online...................................................................... 90 Silent Keys.............................................................................................................91 Book Review: Conversations Over The Airwaves......................................................... 96 Travel Review: A Visit to Historic Speedwell.............................................................. 99 Special Section: SETI SETI: We Can Make The Cosmic Connection Part 2: Continuing the Connection.......... 104 Reprint: Aperture Engines for SETI......................................................................... 113 Special Section: Fast Fourier Transform The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) – A Primer/Reminder of What It Is.......................... 115 IEEE Commemorates The Fast Fourier Transform With A Milestone Plaque ................ 122 Reprint: Fast Radix-32 Approximate DFTs for 1024-Beam digital RF Beamforming...... 125 Business Directory ................................................................................................... 142 RCA Calendar & Events ............................................................................................ 144

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Nick Pennance* VICE PRESIDENT Richard P. Biby* VICE PRESIDENT/COUNSEL Chester “Barney” Scholl, Jr. VICE PRESIDENT/CO-COUNSEL Edward Ryan* TREASURER Ronald J. Jakubowski* VICE TREASURER Andy Maxymillian SECRETARY Margaret J. Lyons, PE, PMP* DIRECTORS JonPaul Beauchamp Dr. James Breakall Karen Clark Dr. Nathan Cohen Cheryl Giggetts Michael Kalter PRESIDENTS EMERITI Steven L. Aldinger David Bart Sandra Black Philip Casciano Mercy Contreras Timothy Duffy

Charles Kirmuss Robert LaRose Carole Perry Dr. Ajay Poddar Dr. Julio Urbina

John Facella P.E. Mal Gurian Carroll Hollingsworth Bruce McIntyre Stan Reubenstein Anthony Sabino, Jr.

STAFF Amy Beckham, Administrative Director

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Awards & Fellows: Charles Kirmuss Banquet: Margaret Lyons* Constitution & By-Laws: Chester B. Scholl, Jr./ Edward Ryan* Education: Rich Biby Executive: Alan Spindel* Finance: Ron Jakubowski* Historical/Museums & Archives: Jim and Felicia Kreuzer Interview Series: John Facella Marketing: David Bart Membership: Bob LaRose, Chester B. Scholl, Jr. Member Services, Women in Wireless: Cheryl Giggetts Member Services, Young Professionals: Edward Ryan Member Services, Mid-Career: Open Member Service, Senior Career & Retired: Bob LaRose Mentoring Program: Open Nominations & Elections: Jon Paul Beauchamp Operations Handbook: Bruce McIntyre, John Facella Publications: David Bart* RCA Radio Amateur Club License: Edward Ryan* Rocky Mountain CO Chapter: Karen Clark/Mercy Contreras Scholarships: Alan Spindel* Shows/Conferences: Alan Spindel* Sponsors/Fundraising: Karen Clark Strategic Planning (Includes Future Sites): Nick Pennance Technical Symposium: David Bart, Dr. Nathan Cohen Website: Alan Spindel Youth Activities: Carole Perry

RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

*Executive Committee Member

HEADQUARTERS OFFICE: 13570 Grove Drive #302 Maple Grove MN 55311 (612) 430-6995 amy@radioclubofamerica.org www.radioclubofamerica.org

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR David P. Bart 8512 Kedvale Ave., Skokie, IL 60076 (847) 542-9873 jbart1964@gmail.com

PROCEEDINGS SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR Nathan “Chip” Cohen, Ph.D. 2 Ledgewood Place, Belmont MA 02478 (781) 275-2300 w1yw@aol.com

ADVERTISING CONTACT Amy Beckham (612) 430-6995 Amy@radioclubofAmerica.org

PRODUCTION Sapphyre Group

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FROM YOUR PRESIDENT As we move toward the close of another remarkable year, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the continued growth and vitality of the Radio Club of America.

Our community of engineers, innovators, operators, and advocates continues to uphold the Club’s long tradition of excellence while embracing the technologies and challenges that define the future of wireless communication.

that define our members.

It was inspiring to see new faces join our ranks and to celebrate those whose lifelong contributions continue to shape the industry.

Our committees have been exceptionally active, modernizing our operations, enriching member services, and ensuring that RCA remains both relevant and forward-looking. The collaboration among our Board, Fellows, and volunteers has been extraordinary — proof that when we work together, we amplify the best of what the Club represents.

This year marked an exciting chapter in RCA’s history as we strengthened our reach through new collaborations with leading industry organizations. We are proud to have established partnerships with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and the Safer Buildings Coalition (SBC). These relationships expand RCA’s presence across adjacent sectors of the communications industry, creating new opportunities for shared educational initiatives, technical symposia, and professional engagement. Together, we are fostering a broader community dedicated to innovation, technical excellence, and the preservation of wireless heritage.

Looking ahead, RCA remains committed to fostering innovation, preserving the history of wireless, and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. Whether through educational outreach, publications, or new partnerships, our mission continues to bridge past achievements with future promise.

Thank you to every member and supporter who contributes time, expertise, and enthusiasm to sustain the Club’s legacy.

Together, we honor our shared heritage and ensure that the spirit of innovation that founded RCA continues to thrive.

With gratitude and anticipation,

At the same time, RCA advanced on multiple fronts — from growing our scholarship and mentoring programs to expanding opportunities for young professionals and students to engage with our field. The success of our annual Technical Symposium and Awards Banquet demonstrated the energy and creativity

ALAN SPINDEL President The Radio Club of America Inc.

Register Today!

2025 TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM & 116 TH AWARDS BANQUET SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2025 HYATT REGENCY CAPITOL HILL WASHINGTON D.C.

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RCA’S 2025 Special Tours Celebrate Our Nation’s Capital FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 (PRIVATE TOURS)

In recognition of our trip to the nation’s capital, the Radio Club of America has arranged a special set of tours.

Please register online. Space is limited!! Reservations will be on a first-come, first-served basis!!

Travel via motor coach for two exclusive tours: • •

We have arranged two days of tours with separate fees per day to cover transportation and admission. The full tour schedule is as follows:

(Lunch break between tours) Schedule: Depart from hotel in the morning, return by ~3:00 p.m. Registrants will receive final details Tuesday November 18 via email.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Evening Lighted Monument Tour ($50 per person)

Cost: $50 per person.

Join us for a private, lighted monument tour via motor coach. Stops include: • • • •

NSA Cryptologic Museum Spy Museum

Security Requirements: Additional documentation required; Real ID or US passport must be presented on the day of the tour.

Capitol, White House, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, WWII Memorial (details will be sent via email to those registered) Lincoln Memorial (30 minutes – nearby Vietnam and Korean War Memorials) FDR Memorial (30 minutes – nearby MLK Memorial) Iwo Jima Memorial (10 minutes)

Evening: Free time on your own.

RESERVATIONS Complete information about the banquet is available on the RCA website, or contact Amy Beckham at amy@radioclubofamerica.org.

Some exhibits at the NSA Cryptologic Museum.

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RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

The Radio Club of America Announces Dr. Kinuko Masaki as Keynote Speaker for 2025 Banquet The Radio Club of America (RCA) is thrilled to announce that Dr. Kinuko Masaki will deliver the Banquet Keynote at the 2025 RCA Banquet and Awards Ceremony, to be held on Saturday, November 22, at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Registration and event details are available on the RCA website.

A VISIONARY IN VOICE AI AND CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS Dr. Masaki is the Founder and CEO of VoiceBrain, a real-time agentic AI company transforming the critical communications industry. With more than twenty years of experience at the intersection of artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, and voice technology, She has become one of the most influential voices in advancing AI for public safety, homeland security, creating a safer, more responsive and productive workforce.

When asked what inspired her to create VoiceBrain, Dr. Masaki explained: “I wanted to solve one of the hardest challenges in critical communications—how to capture and analyze the human voice in real time, in environments where every second matters. The voice is still the fastest, most natural interface for humans, and I believed AI could finally unlock its full potential.”

Dr. Kinuko Masaki.

(DHS/TSA), where its platform is being deployed to enhance security and streamline air travel and just starting to work with the United States Coast Guard.

ACADEMIC FOUNDATIONS AND STANFORD INFLUENCE Dr. Masaki’s academic path reflects both depth and breadth: • Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science (joint program, MIT & Harvard) • Postdoctoral Research in Biomedical Engineering at Stanford University

“Since its implementation, we’ve been able to capture and analyze voice data in real time, enabling faster responses with greater insight,” said Federal Security Director James W. Adams. “It’s clear the VoiceBrain platform can help us assess operational events in real time, reduce costs for airlines, airports, and stakeholders, and strengthen TSA’s overall security posture.”

LEADERSHIP IN INNOVATION As CEO of VoiceBrain, Dr. Masaki leads a team that has redefined what is possible in real-time AI for communications. The company’s flagship platform integrates voice capture and intelligent analytics, enabling critical industries to operate with unprecedented speed and precision.

A GLOBAL VOICE IN AI Dr. Masaki’s influence extends worldwide. In January 2025, she was a featured speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she joined the Global Industrial AI panel.

Sharing the stage with leaders from Ericsson Enterprise Wireless and other global companies, she emphasized the role of AI at the edge in shaping safe, resilient communications infrastructure.

Under her leadership, VoiceBrain has secured major partnerships, including with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration

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RCA 2025 KEYNOTE

RCA 2025 BANQUET & TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM DETAILS

Dr. Masaki’s keynote, “Reimagining Radio in the Age of AI,” will explore how to modernize radio systems for the AI era and highlight the advantages of real-time voice AI platforms that analyze group communications as they happen. Her talk promises to inspire RCA members and guests with a forward-looking vision of how AI-driven communications can make societies safer, more connected, and more resilient.

• Banquet & Awards Ceremony o Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025 o Location: Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Washington DC o Celebrate this year’s award recipients and new class of RCA Fellows.

• Technical Symposium o Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025

RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

o Location: Hyatt Regency, Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. o A full day of sessions on topics such as AI for radios, public safety push-to-talk, emergency RF communications, wireless in Antarctica, HF marine and SAR, RF exposure, antennas and GPS, and THz curving beams. Many RCA award recipients will also present.

The Radio Club of America looks forward to welcoming members, honorees, and guests for this celebration of innovation, recognition, and community.

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RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

A Profile of Victor B. Lawrence RCA’S 2025 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT Victor B. Lawrence is a Ghanaian-American engineer recognized for seminal contributions in digital signal processing and multimedia communications. For over 30 years at Bell Laboratories, Dr. Lawrence advanced voice, data, audio, and video communications, leading projects that drove the evolution from low-speed to today’s highspeed networks. He is a Research Professor and Director of the Center for Intelligent Networked Systems (iNetS) at Stevens Institute of Technology, where he also served as Associate Dean. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (2016) and received the 2024 National Medal of Technology and Innovation. A Member of the National Academy of Engineering and Fellow of IEEE, AT&T Bell Labs, and the National Academy of Inventors, Lawrence is also a Fellow of AT&T Bell Labs.

BIOGRAPHY Dr. Lawrence attended Achimota School in Ghana and earned BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College London. After early engineering work in the U.K. and lecturing in Ghana, he joined Bell Labs in 1974, serving as Supervisor, Department Head, Director of Advanced Multimedia Communications, and Vice President of Advanced Communications Technology.

Victor B. Lawrence, 2025 RCA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient.

He has taught at the Eisenhower School for National Security and universities including Princeton, Columbia, and Berkeley. In 2005, he became Director of iNetS and Associate Dean at Stevens Institute of Technology. He co-authored five books, holds over 20 patents, and has published more than 45 papers on digital signal processing and data communications.

2. Early Internet Access and Data Communications As architect of AT&T’s 2400 bit/s full-duplex modem, Lawrence helped establish global data standards (V.22bis, V.32, V.33, V.34, V.90). His leadership advanced modem, fax, and secure-voice chipsets that enabled worldwide Internet access. For these achievements, he received the IEEE Medal for International Communication (2004) and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2003).

KEY AREAS OF IMPACT 1. Digital Signal Processing and the Transition to Digital Networks

3. Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) Broadband Lawrence pioneered high-speed DSL technologies for broadband Internet access. His team developed the first HDSL prototype, validating broadband feasibility over copper and leading to the HDSL standard. His modem/fax chipsets became industry benchmarks and powered secure U.S. government communications.

Lawrence’s innovations in DSP enabled the transition from analog to digital networks. His bias-less rounding arithmetic stabilized digital filters now used in most DSP chips. He built the first real-time 9600 bit/s modem and co-invented multidimensional signal constellations—contributions recognized by two U.S. patents and IEEE’s Best Paper Award, culminating in his 2016 Hall of Fame induction, Dominican University’s Honorary Doctorate 2023, and in 2024, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

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4. ATM and IP Networking Lawrence led Bell Labs’ development of the ATLANTA ATM switching chipset, widely adopted by major vendors. His

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research on routing, restoration, and resource management algorithms shaped global Internet and intranet architectures and influenced modern wireline and wireless networks.

5. Digital Video and HDTV

Lawrence led the development of the U.S. Government’s Future Secure Voice System (FSVS), used by top military leaders and the President, enabling secure communications for mobile and remote operations.

He directed Bell Labs’ HDTV video encoder project, which evolved into the FCC/ACATS HDTV Standard (1995) and earned a Primetime Emmy Award (1997). This technology powered over 150 TV stations and laid the groundwork for MPEG-2 and ATSC standards—today integral to digital broadcasting and mobile video streaming.

9. Education and STEM Advocacy A Trustee of the New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning, Lawrence has championed AI-based STEM education, improving performance in underserved schools.

Through the National Inventors Hall of Fame, he mentors minority students and faculty at HBCUs.

6. Digital Audio Broadcast

10. Global R&D Leadership

Lawrence’s team engineered systems for Sirius Satellite Radio, designing the first studio encoder and receiver chipset, and developing innovative FM digital broadcast techniques (IBOC/IBAC) still in use.

As Bell Labs Vice President, he supported international R&D in Malaysia, China, Brazil, and beyond. He advised South Africa’s government on ICT development and served on President Mbeki’s Broadband Advisory Committee.

7. Submarine Fiber Optics and African Connectivity

HONORS AND AWARDS

Beginning in 1993, Lawrence championed fiber-optic connectivity for Africa. His design for the 39,000-km “Africa One” cable ring inspired today’s SAT-3, ACE, and WACS systems and the current Google and Meta submarine networks. His vision transformed African communications, trade, and Internet access, earning him the IEEE Simon Ramo Medal (2007).

Among his many recognitions are: • • • • • • •

8. U.S. National Secure Voice Systems

IEEE Guillemin-Cauer Prize (1981) IEEE Fellow (1987) AT&T Bell Labs Fellow (1992) Emmy Award for HDTV Grand Alliance Standard (1997) IEEE Millennium Medal (2000) National Academy of Engineering (2003) IEEE Simon Ramo Medal (2007)

RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

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Make a one-time investment and enjoy RCA benefits for life—no more renewals, ever.

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• National Inventors Hall of Fame (2016) • Dominican University Honorary Doctorate (2023) • National Medal of Technology and Innovation (2024)

• “Professor Victor Lawrence from Ghana,” The HistoryMakers, Mar. 3, 2013, https://www. thehistorymakers.org/biography/victor-lawrence

SOURCES

• “Victor Lawrence – Stevens Institute of Technology,” https://faculty.stevens.edu/vlawrenc/

•

Victor B. Lawrence, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Victor_B._Lawrence

• “2016 NIHF Inductee – Victor Lawrence,” https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=vAga2z7jGWM

• Kwarteng, Francis. “A Great Ghanaian Scientist – Dr. Victor Lawrence,” GhanaWeb, Oct. 29, 2013, https:// www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/A-GreatGhanaian-Scientist-Dr-Victor-Lawrence-290199

• “President Biden Honors Nation’s Leading Scientists, Technologists, and Innovators,” The White House, Jan. 3, 2025, https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefingroom/statements-releases/2025/01/03/president-bidenhonors-nations-leading-scientists-technologists-andinnovators/

• Graden, Philip. “Victor Lawrence – The Global Telecom Pioneer,” USTelecom, Feb. 2, 2022, https://ustelecom. org/victor-lawrence-the-global-telecom-pioneer/

• “IEEE Fellows 1987,” IEEE Communications Society, https://www.comsoc.org/membership/ieee-fellows/1987

• Dominican University’s 69th Annual Commencement, https://www.duny.edu/dominican-universitys-69thannual-commencement-ceremony-on-may-17-honorsoutstanding-alumni-and-community-members/

• “Victor Lawrence’s Biography,” The HistoryMakers, https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/victorlawrence

• “Cablevision Features Prof. Lawrence on African Internet Expansion,” Stevens Institute of Technology, Apr. 17, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMCd1EGrHJ4

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RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

Dr. Robert W. Wilson to Receive RCA’s 2025 Armstrong Award The Radio Club of America is thrilled to announce that Dr. Robert Wilson will be receiving the Radio Club of America’s Armstrong Medal at its November 22, 2025, Awards Banquet. Dr. Wilson previously received RCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for significant achievements and a major body of work that has advanced the art and science of wireless technology.

the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe. Dr. Kapitsa conducted unrelated research into low-temperature physics.

Dr. Wilson has spent a lifetime working in millimeterwave astronomy, measuring the sun’s radiation in the Earth’s atmosphere, quantifying interstellar isotopes, and investigating the properties of molecules detected in open space. Today, he continues his association with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He lives with his wife, a practicing psychiatrist, in Holmdel, New Jersey.

Please see the November 2024 issue of the Proceedings of the Radio Club of America for extensive coverage of Dr. Wilson and his contributions. For additional information, see https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1978/wilson/ biographical. A copy of Dr. Wilson’s Nobel Lecture is available at https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/06/ wilson-lecture-1.pdf.

Dr. Wilson is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Astronomical Society, American Physical Society, American Philosophical Society, International Astronomical Union, IEEE, International Union of Radio Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, Phi Beta Kappa Society, and Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society.

In 2024, Dr. Wilson was named as an Eminent Member of IEEE Eta Kappa Nu; he is one of only 150 individuals who have been recognized for their contributions to society through leadership in the fields of electrical and computer engineering, which have resulted in significant benefits to humankind.

ARMSTRONG MEDAL The Radio Club of America’s first Armstrong Medal was presented to Major Edward H. Armstrong for his invention of circuits that made AM and FM radio possible and for his lifetime of work championing research and invention that helped establish foundations for modern radio technology.

RCA continues to recognize outstanding achievements in radio and wireless communications at its annual awards banquet. The Armstrong Medal is RCA’s oldest and most revered award. This year, the presentation will be made in Washington, D.C.

BIOGRAPHY Dr. Wilson graduated from Lamar High School in Houston, Texas, in 1953 and received a BA in Physics from Rice University in 1957. He received a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the California Institute of Technology in 1962.

Dr. Wilson was a scholar at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory, California Institute of Technology, from 1958–63, and a research fellow at the California Institute of Technology, from 1962–63. He has taught at the State University of New York since 1978. He joined the research staff of Bell Laboratories in 1963 and has been a director of radio physics research at Bell Laboratories since 1976.

He also provided work for Exxon in 1957.

Dr. Wilson received the Henry Draper Medal in 1977 with Dr. Arno Penzias, received the RAS Herschel Medal in 1977, and shared the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1978 with Dr. Penzias and Dr. Pyotr Kapitsa. Drs. Wilson and Penzias received the Nobel Prize for their discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB), evidence verifying

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Dr. Robert W. Wilson. (Courtesy Wikipedia, Victor R. Ruiz)

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OTHER SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS

• Leadership Roles: He held leadership positions at Bell Telephone Laboratories and later at the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Besides his Nobel Prize-winning discovery of CMB, Dr. Wilson’s other significant achievements encompass a lifetime of commitments and achievements in research and technological applications, including:

• Contributions to Satellite Communications: His work at Bell Labs included satellite communication research.

• Contributions to THz Radio: His work helped lay a foundation for Terahertz radio science and applications, exploring the submillimeter-wave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (300 GHz to 3 THz) as an underutilized frequency band with potential for highbandwidth wireless communications.

• Discovery of Interstellar Molecules: In 1970, Wilson’s team detected the first rotational spectral line of carbon monoxide (CO) in an astronomical object, the Orion Nebula, and other galactic sources.

• Advancements in Radio Astronomy: This discovery of interstellar molecules was crucial for tracing cool molecular interstellar gas and helped establish millimeter and submillimeter astronomy.

These contributions have significantly impacted our understanding of molecular clouds and star formation, the uses and applications of radio waves, and applications in instrumentation and communications technology.

• Research on Star Formation: He studied dark gas clouds in the Milky Way, which are regions where stars are formed.

SAVE THE DATE

• Instrumentation Design: Wilson designed instruments for the Sub-Millimeter Array, enhancing millimeter-wave observations.

The Radio Club of America looks forward to seeing everyone in Washington, D.C. on November 22 to meet Dr. Wilson and celebrate all of RCA members’ contributions to innovation in wireless.

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Register today!

2025 TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM AND 116TH BANQUET & AWARDS PRESENTATION SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 | WASHINGTON D.C. Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Kinuko Masaki

REASONS TO ATTEND THE RCA BANQUET AND TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM Innovative Learning in Wireless Technology

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Explore Iconic Facilities

Join us in Washington D.C. to meet RCA’s members and expand your professional network.

Join exclusive tours of the U.S. Capital, the White House, several memorials.

Celebrate Industry Leaders

Experience Washington D.C. We are thrilled to host this year’s events in Washinton D.C.— a perfect opportunity to explore the energy and excitement of this world-famous city.

Honor the innovators, creators, and visionaries who make this industry unique, and recognize those shaping its future.

Register for the 2025 Technical Symposium and Banquet at www.radioclubofamerica.org.

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THANK YOU 2025 SPONSORS The Radio Club of America Board of Directors and its members would like to thank the generous 2025 sponsors.

Be sure to tell them that you saw their company mentioned in the Radio Club of America Awards Program.

2025 AWARDS PROGRAM SPONSORS

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• JULIO RIPOLL • ROBERT WALSH

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2025 RCA Awards The Radio Club of America (RCA) proudly announces its 2025 annual award recipients and its incoming class of 2026 Fellows. Since 1935, RCA has recognized through its awards program major contributors to wireless communications.

THE ARMSTRONG MEDAL

DR. ROBERT WOODROW WILSON In 1935, the Radio Club of America established a tradition of publicly recognizing outstanding achievements in the arts and sciences of radio and wireless communications. RCA’s first award was presented to Major Edward H. Armstrong for his invention of circuits that make AM and FM radio possible, and for Major Armstrong’s lifetime of championing work that established the foundation for modern radio technology. The award, now known as the Armstrong Medal, is only awarded when an individual has demonstrated excellence and made lasting contributions.

After graduating with honors in physics from Rice University, Dr. Wilson attended the California Institute of Technology to earn a Ph.D. He became involved in radio astronomy through John Bolton, who was building the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. Working with him, Dr. Wilson helped map parts of the Milky Way, which eventually became the basis for his thesis. During this time, he married Elizabeth Rhoads Sawin; they went on to have two sons, a daughter, and four grandchildren.

Dr. Wilson’s thesis project initially focused on hydrogenline interferometry but pivoted to galactic surveys after some setbacks. John Bolton returned to Australia before he completed his

Ph.D., and Maarten Schmidt, who was studying quasars, guided him through the final stages. Dr. Wilson stayed at Caltech for another year as a postdoctoral fellow to finish various projects, working closely with colleagues such as V. Radhakrishnan and B.G. Clark.

In 1963, Dr. Wilson joined Bell Laboratories at Crawford Hill, working with Dr. Arno Penzias on radio astronomy subjects. They used equipment developed for Projects Echo and Telstar such as the Crawford Hill, Horn Antenna which they modified for precision radio astronomy measurements. In 1965, they announced the discovery of radiation which originated in the big Bang, the Cosmic Microwave Background. After the creation of Comsat led to reduced space research, he and Dr. Penzias took on other projects, including a propagation experiment using a carbon dioxide laser and designing a device called the Sun Tracker.

In 1969, they shifted to millimeterwave astronomy and made significant discoveries, including large amounts of carbon monoxide in a molecular cloud behind the Orion Nebula. This opened up the study of interstellar molecular clouds where new stars are formed. In 1976, they completed a millimeter-wave facility at Crawford Hill for both radio astronomy and satellite monitoring.

Dr. Wilson directed the project, overseeing the antenna’s design and construction.

In 1978, Drs. Wilson and Penzias received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of the CMB.

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Since he retired from Bell Laboratories in 1994, Dr. Wilson has been a Senior Scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics where he is helping develop new instrumentation for the Sub Millimeter Array on Maunakea, HI. Today, Dr. Wilson lives in Holmdel, New Jersey. He balances his professional pursuits with family life, finding joy in both work and leisure.

In 2024, he received the RCA Lifetime Achievement Award.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

DR. VICTOR B. LAWRENCE Established in 2015, RCA’s Board of Directors recognizes very significant achievements and a major body of work accomplished over a lifetime that has advanced the art and science of wireless technology.

Dr. Victor B. Lawrence is one of the world’s foremost telecommunications engineers and inventors, whose breakthroughs have defined the evolution of modern digital communication. Over a career spanning more than five decades, his pioneering work at Bell Laboratories helped drive the transition from analog to digital, from dial-up to broadband, and from terrestrial to satellite and space-based networks.

Rising to Vice President of Advanced Technologies at Bell Labs, Dr. Lawrence led teams that revolutionized data and multimedia communications—advancing modem

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2025 RCA Awards design, DSL, ATM, IP switching, and digital video systems. His demonstration of full-duplex data modems over international networks established key telecommunications standards and helped make highspeed Internet affordable and globally accessible.

He also played a central role in developing HDTV and digital video codecs now embedded in everyday devices, earning a Primetime Emmy Award. His modem and fax chipset designs provided secure communications for the U.S. government, including systems used by the President and senior defense officials. In parallel, his work with Sirius Satellite Radio laid the foundation for today’s digital satellite broadcasting and global audio networks.

Beyond technology, Dr. Lawrence has been a champion of digital equity, leading efforts since the 1990s to expand broadband access across Africa through advanced submarine fiber-optic networks—transforming education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.

Now a Senior Research Scientist at Stevens Institute of Technology, he continues mentoring future innovators while advancing intelligent networked systems research.

Dr. Lawrence’s many honors include the 2024 National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the 2023 New Jersey Science & Technology Medal, membership in the National Academy of Engineering, Fellowship in IEEE and Bell Labs, a Primetime Emmy Award, and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

His legacy is one of inspiring and visionary leadership, transformative innovation, and enduring global impact.

DR ARNO PENZIAS AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BASIC RESEARCH IN RADIO SCIENCES

DR. DONALD C. COX

Dr. Arno Penzias received the Nobel Prize for his discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation. He was an innovator and leader in radio astronomy related research at Bell Laboratories. Established in 2023, this award recognizes his significant contributions to basic research involving RF and related subjects to inspire future generations of scientific professionals.

Donald C. Cox earned a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering (EE) and an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Nebraska in 1959, 1960, and 1983. After the years working in communications system design at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he attended Stanford University, where he received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1968. He is currently a professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he heads the Wireless Communications Research Group.

His work on multipath and other propagation problems has been fundamental to the development of mobile phone technology.

Dr. Cox’s positions include: 1960-1963, Ku band wireless communications system design, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

1963-1968, Stanford University, research on tunnel diode amplifiers, microwave propagation, and electronically steerable arrays for multi-sensor signal processing in “smart” antennas. 1968-1973, research at Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, New Jersey, on mobile radio channels and high-capacity

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mobile radio systems provided important input to cellular mobile radio systems, and contributed to the evolution of digital cellular radio and other wireless systems.

1973-1983, supervised a group at Bell Laboratories doing innovative research for millimeter-wave satellite communications. 1978 pioneered radio system and propagation research for digital wireless communications systems. 1983 at Bell Laboratories, organized and Head of the Radio and Satellite Systems Research Department.

1984 Division Manager of that Division, Bell Communications Research (Bellcore). 1991 Executive Director of that wireless department.

At Bellcore, he championed, led, and contributed to research on all aspects of digital wireless communications and wireless loops, including Universal Digital Portable Communications (UDPC) and CDMA systems. This extensive research evolved into the U.S. Standard for Wireless or Personal Access Communications System (WACS or PACS). September 1993, became Professor of Electrical Engineering and Director of the Center for Telecommunications at Stanford University, and started and pursued research and teaching of wireless communications. 1994, appointed the Harald Trap Friis Chair Professor of Engineering, retired in September 2012 as Harald Trap Friis Professor Emeritus. August 2012, Visiting Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, teaching communications and electric vehicles until 2020.

Dr. Cox is member of the National Academy of Engineering, and a Fellow of IEEE, AAAS, and the Radio Club of America (RCA).

He received the 1993 IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal “For pioneering and leadership in personal portable communications”;

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2025 RCA Awards 1983 International Marconi Prize in Electromagnetic Wave Propagation (Italy); 2010 RCA Armstrong Medal “for substantial contribution to advancement and development of land mobile radio and communications”; 1991 Bellcore Fellow award; 1985 IEEE Morris E. Leeds Award; 2000 IEEE Third Millennium Medal; 2012 IEEE Communications Society Edwin Howard Armstrong Achievement Award; 1992 L. G. Abraham Prize Paper Award; 1990 Communications Magazine Prize Paper Award; 1983 IEEE Vehicular Technology Society paper of year. He received the 2002 Alumni Achievement Award and the 2010 EE Department Outstanding Alumnus award from the University of Nebraska. He is a member of Commissions B, C, and F of USNC/ URSI and was Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation (1983-86), member of the Administrative Committee of IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (1986-88), and a member of the URSI Group on Time Domain Waveform Measurements (1982-84).

He is the author or coauthor of 285 technical papers and conference presentations, including many

invited, several keynote addresses, and books. He has 19 patents.

Dr. Cox is a member of Sigma Xi, Sigma Tau, Eta Kappa Nu, and Phi Mu Epsilon. He was Registered Professional Engineer in Ohio and Nebraska. Since 1953, has been a radio amateur, W0REL. DR ULRICH L ROHDE AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN APPLIED SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

DR. PETER WOLNIANSKY

Dr. Ulrich L. Rohde is a German and American electrical engineer, entrepreneur, and university professor. Established in 2023, this award recognizes significant contributions to innovation in applied radio science and engineering in the wireless industry to inspire future generations of wireless professionals.

Dr. Peter Wolniansky is a Principal Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Labs in Middletown, New Jersey.He currently works on microwave and free-space optical communications,

previously leading research on Project AirGig. He enjoys mentoring STEM students through various AT&T outreach programs.

Dr. Wolniansky spent fifteen years at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Crawford Hill designing, building, and testing high-speed point-to-point microwave radios, adaptive antenna arrays, and MIMO radio systems. He designed the first four MIMO radios (née V-BLAST), using twelve transmitters and sixteen receivers to demonstrate the technique’s impressive data throughput on the streets of New York City in 1997.

Other professional experience includes designing and building software-defined radios for Rutgers University’s WINLAB. A small side project resulted in a low-power radio initiative (Pipsqueak), which pushed the limits of bits-per-second-perhertz-per-watt communications a full decade before the Apple AirTag. He is the son of immigrant parents from war-torn Europe and was raised on a farm in rural New Jersey.

Encouragement from his older sister led to a scholarship at Boston University. After completing his

Support RCA Youth Activities by Donating Your Frequent Flyer Miles Due to the efforts of Carole Perry, the Youth Activities Program has been very successful. During the year, Carole travels all over the country to meet with people and to speak on behalf of the program. Almost all of the travel is at Carole’s personal expense. You can help by donating your frequent flyer miles to the Radio Club. If you would like to participate, please contact Carole Perry at wb2mgp@gmail.com and she will assist you.

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2025 RCA Awards undergraduate studies, he worked on telemetry for the Patriot Missile System at Raytheon Corporation. He later earned a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Boston University, focusing on magneto-optical data storage, supported by an IBM scholarship.

An American Electronics Association scholarship in 1987 sent him to Sony Research in Tokyo, Japan.

A year immersed in Japanese research and dormitory life fostered friendships that continue to this day.

Peter is married to Olga Nikitina, and they recently welcomed a grandson, Lorenzo Nikitin.

They share a love of the beach, travel, and simple living enhanced by water sports, cycling, and aviation.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD

MARGARET J LYONS, PE, RF/COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEER In 1974, the Board of Directors directed the president to select an individual who has, in the opinion of the President, demonstrated unselfish dedication to the work of the Radio Club of America.

Margaret J. Lyons, PE, RF/ Communications Engineer, has more than 30 years of experience in wireless communications, including two-way radio, paging, and microwave radio systems engineering and consulting. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer and Electrical Engineering at Purdue University. She has been a member of the Society of Women Engineers

since 1984, including a term on the National Board of Directors. She has been a member of IEEE since 1986 and was a charter member of the New Jersey Coast Section Women in Engineering Affinity Group (2009). She joined the Radio Club of America in 1998, became a Fellow in 2006, and served as RCA Secretary from 2008 through 2025.

Margaret’s collegiate studies began in 1982 at the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania.

She transferred to Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, focusing on Computer and Electrical Engineering at a time before those two disciplines were typically linked at the University level.

In 1986, her career started at RAM Communications Consultants, Inc. in Avenel, New Jersey (later RCC Consultants, Inc., of Woodbridge, New Jersey). She supportedRF engineers and provided programming and IT support for the nascent computer systems in the engineering department. Over the course of 29 years at RAM/RCC, Margaret provided systems engineering design and implementation services for analog and digital paging, Itinerant Mobile Telephone Service, Cellular telephone/data systems (1G through 5G), conventional single-frequency repeater systems, and complex private multi-channel trunked radio systems across the continental U.S. and Hawaii. Her support to these industries continued through employment with V-COMM LLC and Jacobs until her retirement in 2021.

Margaret became a licensed Professional Engineer in New Jersey in 1998 and subsequently registered in six additional states: Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.

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EDGAR F JOHNSON PIONEER CITATION

TIMOTHY DUFFY – K3LR

Established in 1975, this award recognizes long-time RCA members who have either made noteworthy contributions to the success of RCA or to the radio industry. Originally known as the Pioneer Citation, this award was later named in honor of Edgar F. Johnson, the founder of radio manufacturer E.F. Johnson.

Timothy Duffy, K3LR, has been an active wireless operator for over 53 years, starting as WN3SZX in 1972.

We know him today as the CEO of DX Engineering and the owner of a massive amateur radio station.

He has hosted over 200 different ham radio operators from around the world as part of the K3LR Multi-operator Multi-transmitter radio-sport contest efforts since 1992. The station includes 14 towers and 11 operating positions.

He and his teams have gone on to win (and set records in) most of the major DX contests,all from Western Pennsylvania.

Tim allows youth teams to operate some of these contests. He has made a serious commitment to youth in amateur radio and contesting.

Tim organizes most of the radio sport contest-related activities at the yearly Dayton Hamvention, some for over 40 years.

He serves as Chairman of the World Wide Radio Operators Federation (WWROF), President of the Mercer County ARC and the North Coast Contesters, Advisor to both the World Radio Team Championships in 2026 (WRTC2026) and the

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2025 RCA Awards Electrical Engineering Department of Grove City College, and is President Emeritus of the Radio Club of America.

The Radio Club of America has awarded Tim the Barry Goldwater Amateur Radio Service Award in 2010. He has been an RCA Life Member for 26 years. He was elevated to Fellow of RCA and served as RCA President from 2016 to 2018.

His professional career began as chief engineer of the local AM/ FM station (in high school) and continued after graduating from Pennsylvania State University.

He moved into the cellular radio business and progressed to Chief Technology Officer of Cellular One and ultimately became Senior VP of Technology at AT&T Wireless. After leaving AT&T, he returned to Western Pennsylvania and now serves as CEO of DX Engineering.

SPECIAL SERVICE AWARD

CHESTER B. SCHOLL, JR. The Special Services Award was established in 1975 to recognize those RCA members who have performed significant work to advance the goals and objectives of the Radio Club of America.

helps other amateurs with zoning and other related legal issues in his role as Volunteer Counsel with the ARRL as well as clients in his legal practice. He is a Volunteer Examiner for amateur radio testing.

He teaches Amateur Radio and law classes and has presented at and moderated the Legal Forum at the Xenia, Ohio Hamvention.

He helped his local Emergency Services Council plan for a county radio system. He has been a solicitor, board member, and officer for several charitable organizations.

He has represented a local cellular carrier in land acquisition and general matters and landowners in tower transactions and leases. He is a member of the City of Hermitage Planning Commission and has been solicitor for the Township and Zoning Hearing Boards. He is a Trustee and past president of the Mercer County Bar Association.

He has been admitted to practice before Pennsylvania courts, the U.S. Supreme Court, and Federal District Courts. His private practice includes elder law, real estate, zoning, and bankruptcy.

Chester B. Scholl, Jr. (M 2016) graduated from the University of Miami (BSSA) and Dickinson School of Law (JD, 1974). He is a partner in the law firm of Fruit, Dill, Goodwin, and Scholl.

He has been involved in wireless most of his life and was aware of the Radio Club of America for years. When the opportunity arose to get involved, he felt that he could add expertise based on his legal profession, knowledge of wireless, and experience with charitable organizations. Since being a member, he has received the President’s Award and became a Life Member. In addition to being an officer, he has served on scholarship, bylaws, and membership committees.

He holds an Extra Class amateur radio license, and he held a First Class Radio Telephone license. He has been licensed since 1963.

He is a life member of ARRL. He

He also served on various boards that serve his community, including the United Way of Mercer County, the Community Food Warehouse of Mercer County, and the Mercer

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County Habitat for Humanity. He is a member of the Shenango Valley Kiwanis Club and has served as the Rotary Youth Protection Officer for Rotary District 7280 for several years.

The community has greatly benefited from Mr. Scholl’s involvement in helping form the Mercer County Trails Association, the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail Alliance, the Mercer County Juvenile Advisory Council, and his being a guiding force for the Mercer County Free-Net Association, which helped bring internet service to Mercer County.

He has also been involved with many other organizations, such as the Keystone Blind Association, the Shenango Conservancy, and the American Heart Association.

He received the local Volunteer of the Year Award from the Shoe Our Children campaign.

Mr. Scholl has served as Elder, Trustee and Deacon, and has traveled on more than 30 mission trips for the First Presbyterian Church of Sharon, including to the Sudan and Mexico.

VIVIAN CARR AWARD

DR. KINUKO MASAKI Vivian A. Carr was a senior executive at Bell Labs and is a Senior Lifetime Member of IEEE. She was the first female member of the Radio Club of America and president of the organization from 2011-2012.

The Vivian A. Carr Award, established in 2014, recognizes outstanding women for their achievements in the wireless industry.

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2025 RCA Awards Dr. Kinuko Masaki is the Founder and CEO of VoiceBrain, a real-time agentic AI company transforming the critical communications industry. With over two decades of experience at the intersection of advanced voice technology and artificial intelligence—and a Ph.D. from MIT and Harvard, as well as a postdoctoral degree from Stanford—she is leading the charge to revolutionize communication systems, with a vision to make transportation and public spaces safer.

stage with other leading voices in AI, including the CEO of Ericsson Enterprise Wireless, a VoiceBrain partner.

JAY KITCHEN LEADERSHIP AWARD

DAVID BART

VoiceBrain’s AI platform offers capabilities unmatched in the industry today. Under Dr. Masaki’s leadership, the company has partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (DHS/TSA) to enhance safety and efficiency across air travel. ”This technology is not just an upgrade—it has the potential to greatly enhance TSA’s ability to make real-time risk assessments that decrease response time and improve incident management, allowing quicker returns to normal checkpoint operations,” said Federal Security Director James W. Adams. ”Since its implementation, we have been able to capture and analyze voice data in real time, enabling faster responses with greater insight. It is clear the VoiceBrain platform can help us assess operational events in real time, reduce costs for airlines, airports, and stakeholders, and strengthen TSA’s overall security posture.”

In January 2025, Dr. Masaki joined global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she spoke on the Global Industrial AI panel, emphasizing the growing importance of AI at the edge for critical operations. She shared the

Established in 2019, this award recognizes an individual whose leadership embodies energetic advocacy, cooperation, avid interest and respect for all, and humor, and who has achieved a high level of success leading a wireless association, government agency, or commercial enterprise.

David Bart has spent more than 35 years leading organizations by fostering a spirit of service, participation, collaboration, positive outlook, and teamwork, encouraging open involvement of both members and the public.

David is the former President of the Radio Club of America, previously serving as Executive Vice President and Vice President.

He is a Life Member and Fellow of RCA and serves as Editor of the Proceedings of the Radio Club of America. He is a Vice President, Life Member, and Fellow of the Antique Wireless Association, and was a former Co-editor of the AWA Review. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and the longtime Treasurer of the IEEE History Committee.

David was a former Vice President of Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications and continues to serve on the Collections Committee of the Board of Directors for the Adler Planetarium. He is the former

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President of the Antique Radio Club of Illinois.

David was inducted into IEEE Eta Kappa Nu as a professional member. He has received RCA’s Ralph Batcher Memorial Award and its Service Award, as well as the AWA’s Harry Houck Award, Dr. Max Bodmer Award, and Curator’s Award for his work in publications, historic preservation, and museum exhibit development. He is a recipient of the District Award of Merit and the Guiding Light Award for volunteer leadership from the Boy Scouts of America. David holds an Extra Class amateur radio license and is a Life Member of ARRL. Professionally, David holds a BA and an MBA from the University of Chicago and has earned the following certifications: CIRA, CDBV, CFE, ASA, and ABV. He is the former National Director of Restructuring and Complex Litigation at Baker Tilly US LLP and the former Sr. Director of Litigation Consulting for the Great Lakes Region of RSM US LLP. He served as Chairman and President of the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors. He continues as Co-editor of the AIRA Journal and Chair of its Technical Issues and Standards Committee, where he is the lead author of the Standards for Distressed Business Valuation. At the American Bankruptcy Institute, David chaired a task force and was the lead author of A Practitioner’s Guide to Liquidation and Litigation Trusts. He also co-authored ABI’s Developing The Evidence: Using Prospective Financial Information in Bankruptcy and Other Litigation for Valuation, Damages, and Other Applications. David is a recipient of the Turnaround Management Association’s Pro Bono Award.

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2025 RCA Awards EXCELLENCE IN SALES AND MARKETING AWARD

LARRY WEBER

This award recognizes an individual who exhibits the “Esprit de Corps” of sales, marketing, and promotion in the wireless industry. It salutes their dedication to the industry, and their professional and ethical approach to business relationships and their integrity when representing the industry and working for the betterment of the Radio Club of America.

Larry Weber is a visionary sales and marketing leader with over

five decades of experience driving revenue growth, aligning go-tomarket teams, and delivering breakthrough results for B2B and B2G organizations. As President of The Sales Group, Larry leads a high-impact team dedicated to helping companies accelerate pipeline generation, optimize sales efficiency, and convert buyer intent into revenue.

Under Larry’s leadership, The Sales Group has become a trusted partner to fast-growth startups and enterprise brands alike. He has championed the integration of data intelligence, automation, and human-centric selling strategies, enabling clients to shorten sales cycles, improve conversion rates, and achieve consistent revenue

RCA Mentorship Program

performance in highly competitive markets.

Larry is known for his ability to translate strategy into execution.

His work is rooted in measurable outcomes. Since the Covid downturn, Larry and his team have helped clients generate over $200M in influenced pipeline and closed multiple record-high deals across diverse verticals. His leadership philosophy focuses on transparency, accountability, and empowering teams to own results.

What sets Larry apart is his relentless focus on aligning marketing and sales to operate as a unified revenue engine. He has introduced frameworks for demand creation, GTM planning, and pipeline acceleration, earning

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The new RCA Mentorship Program is designed to pair RCA members together, providing opportunities for young professionals to learn and emulate the experience of more seasoned RCA members. Several mentoring pairs have already been formed and more are being formed. Learn more on the RCA website.

radioclubofamerica.org/mentor-program

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2025 RCA Awards recognition from clients and industry peers alike.

Beyond his day-to-day role, Larry is a mentor to emerging sales leaders and a sought-after voice on topics such as revenue operations, intentbased selling, and performance management. He brings a rare blend of strategic vision, operational discipline, and deep empathy for both buyers and sellers.

Larry Weber’s impact on the sales and marketing landscape is clear, and his leadership continues to set the standard for what modern revenue growth should look like.

JACK POPPELE AWARD

ROBERT “BOB” ORBAN Jack Poppele launched radio broadcasting in New Jersey. He was a director of the Voice of America. He developed the first directional radio signal and the first portable radio and made stereo available on AM radio. In recognition of his long and varied career, this award, first given in 1989, recognizes individuals who have made important and long-term contributions to the field of radio broadcasting.

Robert “Bob” Orban is a pioneer in broadcast audio engineering and innovation. He is a worldrenowned engineer, inventor, and audio processing visionary whose breakthroughs have shaped modern broadcast audio standards and enriched listener experiences for decades. With a career spanning more than half a century, Bob has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible in broadcast, streaming, and transmission audio.

After earning degrees in electrical engineering from Princeton and Stanford, Bob founded Orban Associates in 1970. There, he introduced landmark innovations such as the Optimod-FM 8000, one of the first audio processors to deliver consistent, highquality sound across FM radio broadcasts. His pioneering work laid the foundation for what became industry-standard audio processing tools, widely adopted by broadcasters worldwide.

Bob holds over 25 U.S. patents and played a key role in developing national broadcast standards, including NRSC specifications that enhanced fidelity and consistency in AM and FM radio. He is also the author of the “Transmission Audio Processing” chapter in the NAB Engineering Handbook, a cornerstone reference in broadcast engineering.

A Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society since 1973, Bob has received numerous industry honors, including the NAB Radio Engineering Achievement Award, the AES President’s Award, and the Scientific and Engineering Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Beyond engineering, Bob brings a deep love of music to his work. Trained in piano and vocal performance, he has written, produced, and mixed records, blending technical mastery with artistic insight. This fusion of science and creativity is the hallmark of his career.

Today, Bob continues to innovate, developing next-generation audio processing technologies and shaping how listeners experience sound.

Through his enduring contributions, Robert Orban remains one of the most influential figures in broadcast audio history.

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BARRY GOLDWATER AMATEUR RADIO AWARD

JULIO RIPOLL WD4R

Barry Goldwater was not only a Presidential candidate in 1964 and a distinguished five-term U.S. Senator from the State of Arizona, he was also an avid amateur radio enthusiast.

Established in 1994, the Barry Goldwater Amateur Radio Award is given in recognition of unique contributions to the field of amateur radio.

Julio Ripoll, WD4R, is an AIA and NCARB. He graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Architecture in 1981. He became a licensed Architect in 1985, specializing in Healthcare Clinics and Medical Research Laboratory Design.

Julio has dedicated his Architectural Firm’s services to the University of Miami for 31 years and has designed over five hundred (500) projects for UM Medical.

Julio has been an Amateur Radio Operator since 1977, with an Extra Class License. He is an ARRL Life Member. He became proficient in CW (Morse Code), HF Contesting, and went on 13 island DXpeditions.

Julio volunteered in 30 March of Dimes Walk-a-thons and 15 MS Bike-a-thons, and in the Miami-Dade County EOC, ARES, and Red Cross.

In 1980, Julio became Co-Founder and First Amateur Radio Coordinator for the National Hurricane Center when Dr. Neal Frank, NHC Director, requested a Ham Radio station inside NHC to provide communications during hurricanes. Julio was President of the UM Amateur Radio Club and lived in the UM Dormitory two blocks from NHC. Julio carried his radio

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2025 RCA Awards equipment in a cardboard box to NHC. His 2-year appointment lasted 45 years, involving over 100 hurricanes and thousands of hours of service.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew severely damaged Julio’s house. After securing his family, he volunteered at the EOC as communications liaison between Police/Fire and Army/Navy/National Guard. Florida Governor Lawton Chiles presented Julio with a Letter of Honor for assisting with communications.

In 2010, a major earthquake killed over 250,000 people in Haiti. The University of Miami built the largest emergency International Field Hospital (240 beds, 120 Medical Staff).

However, the satellite phones did not work. Julio immediately coordinated with ARRL, FCC Counsel, the White House, U.S. State Department, and the Haitian Government, forming a specialized team of Hams, HH2/ WX4NHC, to build and operate HF/ VHF/WinLink stations in Haiti and

Miami. Julio coordinated equipment, operator schedules, and private flights for five weeks. The HH2/WX4NHC Team provided communications to the USNS Comfort Hospital ship, helicopter, and speed boat patient transfers, which helped save lives.

Julio is very grateful for this incredible team!

Julio has been a speaker at more than 20 National Hurricane Conferences.

Julio was awarded the 2025 Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award.

CAROLE PERRY YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD

DR. KRISTINA COLLINS KD8OXT Established in 2023, the Carole Perry Young Professional Award was established to honor a Young Professional who

was part of the RCA Youth Activities Program in their formative years and who has gone on to a career in wireless science.

Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXT, is the Chief Operations Scientist for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station Network. In this capacity, she coordinates with the citizen scientist maintainers of the network to identify events of interest, plan campaigns, and validate and curate PSWS data for scientific use. At the time of writing, her voice can be heard on WWV at 8 minutes past the hour and WWVH at 48 minutes past the hour, preceding the test signal for the WWV/H Scientific Modulation Working Group. Through HamSCI, she has served as an organizer for multiple workshops and mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students in radio science projects, including instrument deployments, eclipse campaigns and data analysis. Dr. Collins earned her

AWA CONGRATULATES THE 2025 RCA AWARD RECIPIENTS AND NEW FELLOWS! AWA is dedicated to preserving and sharing nearly 200 years of history in communication technologies

AWA cordially invites RCA members to join AWASave 5% with a Partner membership at www.antiquewireless.org/joinrenew Visit the world-famous AWA Communication Technologies Museum in Bloomfield, New York near Rochester

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2025 RCA Awards PhD in Electrical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2022. She currently serves on the HamSCI advisory board, leads the HamSCI Eclipse and Frequency Measurement Festivals project and WWV/H Scientific Modulation team, and served as chair of the local organizing committee for the 2019 HamSCI Workshop. She is a longtime member of the Case Amateur Radio Club, W8EDU, where she and her collaborators work to integrate amateur radio into university teaching and research.

CTRCS Roy S. Lamberton, USNR-R (Ret) was born in Queens, New York, in 1946, grew up in Carle Place, New York, a suburb of New York City, and graduated from Carle Place H.S. in 1964.

As a researcher at the Space Science Institute, she uses virtual reality and sonification to study geospace and other interdisciplinary science questions. Her research interests center on using opensource hardware and software to broaden participation and accelerate progress in science and engineering.

She is the 2025 recipient of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association’s Technical Achievement Award. She is also a member of the American Geophysical Union, the Order of the Engineer and the Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists. Outside of radio, her hobbies include sailing on Lake Erie and being largely ignored by her cats.

After a failed attempt to become an Electrical Engineer, he joined the U.S. Navy, attending Recruit Training, then Communication Technician “A” School in Florida.

He served at duty stations in Rota, Spain, USS Jamestown (AGTR-2), and Imperial Beach, California, where he advanced to Communication Technician (Collection) First Class.

Following four years of active service, he attended college, graduating from Nassau Community College in 1972, Associate of Arts in Communication, and then attended Northwestern University, graduating in 1974, Bachelor of Science in Speech. He worked for radio stations in Texas, Oklahoma, and Iowa, before returning to the Dallas Area as a National Advertising Representative. He left the broadcast business and started a computer accounting sales and support company in Seaford, Delaware, which finally closed in 2020.

Mr. Lamberton remained in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was promoted to Chief Cryptologic Technician in 1973 and then Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician, retiring in 1995 after a total of 29 years in Active and Reserve service.

After he retired from the Naval Reserves, Mr. Lamberton joined the Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association, serving two terms on their Board of Directors as Vice Executive Director in 2016. He served as NCVA’s Public Information Officer, helping the organization move into social media, creating Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages that reach over 6,000 former CTs. He has also served on four Reunion Committees. He is currently Treasurer for the Capital Region Naval Cryptologists.

Mr. Lamberton has been married for 52 years to the former Kathryn Cecil, has three sons, and five grandchildren. He is currently serving as President of the Stetson Kindred of America, is Choir Director for his church, and is the primary Public Address announcer for Seaford High School Football and Baseball, and the Little League Senior Softball World Series.

US NAVY CAPTAIN GEORGE MCGINNIS MEMORIAL AWARD

CTRCS ROY S. LAMBERTON The USN Award recognized service and dedication to the advancement and preservation of U.S. Naval Cryptology, as nominated by the U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association (NCVA).

Congratulations

to 2025 RCA Award Winners and Fellows!

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2025 RCA Fellows Elevation to the status of Fellow is by invitation only to those persons who have been a member in good standing for the previous five years and whose contributions to the art and science of Radio Communications or Broadcast or the Radio Club of America are deemed outstanding by the Club.

BRIAN DALY Brian K. Daly is an AT&T Fellow and an Assistant Vice President at AT&T, renowned for his visionary leadership in telecommunications. With three decades of experience, Brian is a trailblazer in forecasting and shaping technology trends in each generation of wireless technology since 3G. He is instrumental in advancing global connectivity, public safety, and national security through his work on mission-critical initiatives like FirstNet, wireless emergency alerts/ earthquake early warning systems, and groundbreaking IoT applications such as C-V2X and UAVs. A recognized thought leader, Brian collaborates with government, industry, and defense stakeholders; including the White House, Congress, Department of Defense, and FCC—to drive disruptive innovation and strategy in standards development. He holds key leadership roles with ATIS, the FCC’s TAC and CSRIC, the National Spectrum Consortium, O-RAN Alliance, Next G Alliance, and GSMA. His expertise shapes global technology standards, critical infrastructure protection, and the future of connectivity.

Brian holds B.S.E. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University, specializing in communication systems and electromagnetics. He is an FAA-licensed remote pilot and an FCC Extra Class amateur radio operator, active in public service and emergency communications.

Brian has served as Emergency Coordinator for Maricopa County, AZ, and the Western Washington Medical Services Team, is trained in advanced Skywarn storm spotting, and supports AUXCOMM as a Communications Unit Leader. As a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary/Civil Air Patrol, he serves as Aerospace Education Officer, Emergency Services Officer, and Communications Officer, and supports DHS and U.S. Army auxiliary emergency communications. He has been honored with the ATIS President’s Award, ANSI Meritorious Service Award, and NG911 Institute Award, and named on over 180 patents.

Brian’s distinguished career reflects his dedication to advancing technology and public safety for a safer, more connected world.

NATHANIEL FRISSELL Dr. Nathaniel Anthony Frissell, W2NAF, is an Associate Professor of Physics and Engineering at The University of Scranton. Dr. Frissell’s research interests include space weather and radio science, with a focus on traveling ionospheric disturbances and High Frequency (HF) radio propagation. His teaching interests include digital signal processing, electromagnetics, communications systems, and space physics/space weather. Dr. Frissell’s passion for radio and radio science began in middle school when he was introduced to the amateur (ham)

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radio hobby through scouting. He eventually went on to earn his B.S. in Music Education and Physics from Montclair State University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, working in the Virginia Tech Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) Laboratory. Dr. Frissell founded and now leads the NASA, NSF, and ARDCsupported Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI.org) citizen science community. Dr. Frissell is the advisor for the W3USR University of Scranton Amateur Club, an IEEE Senior Member, and a member of the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. He is a winner of the 2017 Yasme Foundation Excellence Award, the 2019 Dayton Amateur Radio Association Amateur of the Year Award, and the 2025 Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) Les Barclay Memorial Award for Radio Propagation.

ROMAN KALUTA Roman Kaluta is the Director of Business Development Public Safety Liaison and Customer Advocate for JPS Interoperability Solutions in Raleigh, North Carolina.

He came to JPS over twenty-two years ago, following his retirement from the Alexandria, Virginia, Police Department after 25 years of law enforcement service.

Lieutenant Kaluta (ret) serves as the public safety liaison and customer advocate for JPS where he coordinates numerous proposals,

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2025 RCA Fellows designs, and implementations of local, regional, and statewide interoperability systems throughout the U.S. and internationally.

In his Business Development role, he provides public safety practitioner guidance and assistance to customers and staff with a particular focus on policies and procedures, training, and technology implementation. His duties include involvement with most major project pursuits, technology presentations, demonstrations, and emergency assistance during natural disasters and special events. He also coordinates numerous partnerships with other technology companies, including system integrators, satellite equipment and service providers, major Push to Talk over Cellular providers, and the JPS Manufacturer Representatives and Dealer networks.

Throughout his career with the police in Alexandria, he was involved with numerous projects and initiatives applying various communications technologies in the public safety arena. He held numerous operational and administrative assignments and was instrumental in developing the department’s incident command system. He has received specialized training in weapons instruction, police tactical operations, electronic surveillance, multi-jurisdictional drug task force operations, IT systems, communications equipment, and infrastructure. He served full-time as the Project Manager for the NIJ Operational Test Bed in Alexandria for communications interoperability.

He assisted in the formulation of policies and procedures for the implementation of communications interoperability in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan region.

Lieutenant Kaluta is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the DEA

Drug Commander’s Academy, and is a member in good standing of the IACP, FBINAA, and the Radio Club of America.

FELICIA KREUZER Felicia Kreuzer has been involved in documenting and preserving history since the mid 1970’s. Felicia and her husband Jim began seriously collecting radios and related historical documents in 1973. Two years later, they learned about the Antique Wireless Association (AWA) and became members. That same year, they also helped establish the Niagara Frontier Wireless Association (NFWA), serving as president from 1985 to 1988. She has been an Amateur Radio Operator since 1979, KA2GXL, Technician Class.

At a 1979 NFWA meeting, Felicia presented a talk about Edwin H. Armstrong. Armstrong’s long-time collaborator, Harry Houck, was an unexpected attendee. He graciously visited their home, saw their radio collection, and introduced them to the Radio Club of America.

In 2016, Felicia earned her MBA at D’Youville College. She previously received a BS in Management at Houghton College in 2011, and an Associate Degree in Radiologic Technology from Trocaire College in 1995. Felicia earned her ACS and ALB from Toastmaster International, and served as President of Moog, Inc.’s Toastmasters from 2013-14.

Felicia retired from Moog, Inc. as a Military Contracts Administrator after 32 years in 2022.

In 1985, Felicia and Jim established New Wireless Pioneers, a rare book dealership specializing in technology

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and communications history. They co-authored 28 catalogs from 1986 to 2002. In 1986, they acquired a significant number of wireless and electrical books and trade catalogues from the Franklin Institute, adding the wireless-related items to their collection and eventually selling the remaining items to the Smithsonian Institution. In 1988, they purchased the Harlowe Hardinge collection.

Hardinge established a school for training Allied wireless operators, meeting at times with his fellow RCA members, Armstrong and Houck, during World War I. Felicia and Jim joined the Radio Club of America in 1991. Felicia and her husband co-authored several articles for the Proceedings of the Radio Club of America about their extensive Marconi radio collection, the Radio Club of America’s history, and early wireless archives. In 1999, they received the AWA’s Houck Award for Preservation of Marconi Radio Artifacts. In 1996, they created a replica of the Titanic Marconi Wireless Room for the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia, which led to the creation in 2006 of a similar and more extensive display for the Titanic Museum in Branson, Missouri, that remained on continuous exhibit until 2018.

Felicia served as AWA Secretary from 2008–2009 and has been an AWA Board member since 2007. She and Jim have served as AWA Assistant Museum Curators since 2009. In 2022, they were awarded the AWA’s Houck Documentation Award for assembling and sharing a world-class collection of ephemera and artifacts, and they received RCA’s Ralph Batcher award for significant work in preserving the history of radio and electronic communications.

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2025 RCA Fellows STEPHEN MARTINI Stephen Martini is a graduate of the University of Mississippi.

He worked as a newspaper journalist in Eastern North Carolina and Franklin, Tennessee before joining Dave Ramsey’s team in a public relations role. In 2004, he took a job in Chattanooga as a police and fire dispatcher that changed the trajectory of my life. Past 21 years, he worked in every operational role available across 5 emergency communications centers in Tennessee (City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, City of Brentwood, Williamson County, and Metro Nashville), where he currently serves as Director. He is also actively involved with the world’s largest public safety association - APCO Intl., where he serves as President.

He and his wife, Tina, are members of Station Hill Church. They have two sons - Zachary and Tyler.

When not serving the public safety communications field, he loves to travel, either on a local road trip or an overseas adventure, and when the weather’s warm, he can be found on a kayak in any of Tennessee’s beautiful rivers.

EDWARD RYAN Ed Ryan is a patent and trademark attorney with thirteen years of experience and a background in physics. He specializes in electronics, semiconductor design, machine learning systems, and wireless technologies (e.g., 5G wireless). Ed has been deeply

involved in patent and trademark litigation and appeals. He is registered to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Federal Circuits. Ed has been a member of the Radio Club of America Board of Directors since 2016, has been serving as its Vice President / Co-counsel for four years. Ed is based in Long Island, New York, and has a passion for radio. He speaks regularly on law and technology, including presenting talks this year on quantum computing, patent law, and export controls. Ed has a B.S. in Physics from Carnegie Mellon University (2005) and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law (2008).

He has been registered as a patent attorney since 2009. His experience with volunteer-run organizations spans two decades, including social organizations and a local civic organization.

MONTE SIMPSON Monte L. Simpson is a public safety communications leader with 47 years of dedicated service in emergency dispatch and communications management. Over his career, he steadily advanced through every level of public safety communications, earning a reputation for operational excellence and strategic vision.

Positions included: Dispatcher, Lead Communications Officer, Communications Supervisor, and Communications Manager.

Monte served 36 years in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Reserves, retiring as Communications

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Chief Warrant Officer 4. He also volunteered in the Washington State Guard, retiring as a Signal Corps Chief Warrant Officer 5.

His areas of expertise include: emergency call management and protocol development; team leadership, recruitment and professional development; interagency coordination and mutual aid agreements; and training program design and certification standards.

Monte is recognized for fostering a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and resilience. Monte champions diversity and inclusion, ensuring all voice and data communications personnel receive equitable opportunities for growth.

He partners with managers of local E9-1-1 centers and federal agencies to ensure the public’s needs are best met through interagency teamwork.

He served as the ARRL Western Washington Section Manager and is presently an Assistant Section Manager. He is the amateur radio representative to the Washington State Emergency Communications Committee.

Monte holds a Certificate in RadioTelevision Broadcast Technician and an Associate in Technical Arts Degree. He participated in leadership and management courses sponsored by the various government and educational organizations. He is an Extra Class amateur radio operator, W7FF. Throughout his distinguished career, Monte has exemplified the highest standards of public safety communications. In 2013, Monte was selected to be the National APCO Public Safety Telecommunications Manager of the Year.

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2025 RCA Fellows ANGEL VAZQUEZ Angel M. Vazquez, WP3R, was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, but grew up in Brooklyn, New York from age 2–22. He graduated from CUNY, Brooklyn campus. Angel worked at WNYC as a radio engineer before moving back to Arecibo and taking a job at the Arecibo Observatory in 1977.

He worked in telescope operations and then headed the IT support team. He eventually accepted the position as Head of Telescope Operations and Puerto Rico Coordination Zone Spectrum Manager. Angel worked with Dr. Joe Taylor, K1JT, on his Nobel Prize-

winning experiments and has an asteroid named after him, Asteroid 21500 Vazquez.

Has been a Volunteer Examiner (VE) for 25 years and started the first virtual/online bi-lingual testing program as part of GLAARG VEC (Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group), of which he is currently the Group Session Manager.

Angel headed Arecibo Observatory’s MoonBounce efforts in April 2010 (QST cover, August 2010) and multiple Special Event transmissions from the Arecibo Control Room, using the KP4AO club call, of which he is the president and trustee.

He has presented numerous talks on the Arecibo Observatory and his Amateur Radio experiences to the Dayton Hamvention Antenna Forums, RCA Speaker series, HamSci

Conventions, and multiple Amateur Radio Clubs around the world.

Angel provided emergency communications every day for eight weeks, serving hundreds of families and first responders between Puerto Rico and the mainland after Hurricane Maria leveled the island’s power and communications grids. He received the Puerto Rico Amateur of the Year for 2017, the Yasme Excellence Award in 2019, and one of Amateur radio’s most prestigious awards, the 2021 Dayton Hamvention Amateur of the Year, culminating with his induction into the Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame in May 2025.

Angel is currently the Puerto Rico Coordination Zone Administrator under the Administration of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (Charlottesville, Virginia).

Congratulations

to 2025 RCA Award Winners and Fellows!

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2025 Technical Symposium Presenters Jack L. Burbank.................................... GPS Security and Countermeasures: PNT in GPS-Degraded Environments Kristina Collins........................................................................................... The Lion In the (Propagation) Path Dr. Nathaniel Frissel and Diego Sanchez..........................................................Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances with the WSPR/PSKReporter/RBN data Jennifer Harder........................................................................ FirstNet Fusion: The Evolution of Interoperability Rachel Jones.........................................................Frozen Frequencies: Life and Radio Work at McMurdo Station Victor Lawrence......................................Evolution of Technology for Transformative Communication for Humanity Abigail Merchant.................................................... Eyes In the Sky: Advancing Disaster Relief Coordination with Convolutional Neural Networks and Real-Time CubeSat Data Mike Pappas........................................................................... War Stories from the Front Line of Broadcasting Julio Ripoll............................................................................. Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center Charles Schue............................................................................................ Loran, or “There and Back Again” Caroline Spindel....................................................... Curving Beams: A New Generation of Wireless Capabilities Peter Wolniansky............................................................................................................... BLAST aka MIMO PUBLIC SAFETY PANEL: Roman Kaluta (moderator), Thomas Kelly, Harlin McEwen, Josh Lober Current Developments and an Outlook for Public Safety and the Use of Push-to-talk Over Cellular Poster Presentations................................................................................................................. At Reception

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies The Evolution of Modern Communication: Inspiration and Vision for the Future

have driven progress in telecommunications — from high-definition television and secure communications to today’s interconnected digital world to the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Extended Reality (XR), and Quantum Communication.

Dr. Victor B. Lawrence, Ph.D.

ABSTRACT: Dr. Victor B. Lawrence, recipient of the Radio Club of America Lifetime Achievement Award, and recently the White House National Medal of Technology and Innovation, will share his reflections on the evolution of modern communication and his vision for a future where technology continues to unite and uplift humanity.

Drawing from his pioneering career at Bell Labs and Stevens Institute of Technology, Dr. Lawrence will discuss the remarkable innovations that transformed the field from analog to digital communication, the development of digital signal processing and modems that opened the path to the Internet era, and the advancement of global connectivity through submarine cable systems.

He will also explore his leadership in standards, innovation, and humanitarian initiatives connecting the unconnected that extended communication access to developing regions, particularly across Africa, and his work on transforming accessibility for everyone including advancing lifelong STEM education for the blind, those with hearing loss, and mobility challenged carrying on the traditions of Alexander Graham and Mabel Bell.

Through stories of research breakthroughs, collaboration, and mentorship, Dr. Lawrence will highlight how inspiration, persistence, and teamwork

With his characteristic humility and forward-looking perspective, Dr. Lawrence will close by reflecting on the next generation of innovators and the vital role of engineering in building a more inclusive, connected, and hopeful world.

BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Victor B. Lawrence is one of the world’s foremost telecommunications engineers and inventors, whose innovations have shaped the very foundations of modern digital communication.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, his pioneering work has transformed how people connect, ushering in the Internet era, advancing broadband and mobile networks, and extending communications across the globe and into space.

Dr. Lawrence began his distinguished career at Bell Laboratories, where he rose to Vice President of Advanced Technologies. There, he led groundbreaking advances in modem design, DSL, ATM, IP switching, and digital audio/video systems.

His demonstration of full-duplex data modems over international networks laid the groundwork for key telecommunications standards, enabling affordable, high-speed Internet access in the early 1990s.

These breakthroughs accelerated the spread of the Internet and broadband, making communication faster, more reliable, and more secure.

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He also spearheaded transformative developments in digital video and secure communications, including HDTV and video codecs now embedded in everyday consumer electronics. His leadership in modem and fax chipset design provided secure communications for the U.S. government, including the President and senior military officials. Importantly, Dr. Lawrence also made significant contributions to Sirius Satellite Radio, helping establish the advanced satellite communications infrastructure that brought digital-quality radio broadcasting to millions of listeners and demonstrated the power of global and space-based networks.

Since 1995, Dr. Lawrence has been a tireless advocate for digital equity, driving initiatives to expand high-speed Internet throughout Africa. His leadership in deploying submarine fiber-optic cables has strengthened digital infrastructure across the continent, advancing education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

Currently a Senior Research Scientist at Stevens Institute of Technology, he remains committed to mentoring future innovators. His honors include the 2024 National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the 2023 New Jersey Science & Technology Medal, membership in the National Academy of Engineering, Fellowship in IEEE and Bell Labs, a Primetime Emmy Award, and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Dr. Lawrence’s legacy is one of relentless innovation, global and space-reaching impact, and enduring inspiration.

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies War Stories from the Front Lines of Broadcasting - Practical Experience from the Battlefield Orban

Mike Pappas, Vice President of Sales,

ABSTRACT: Drawing from decades of hands-on experience as both a practicing broadcast engineer and audio processing specialist, this presentation delivers real-world insights from the most challenging installations and emergency situations in broadcasting. Mike Pappas shares compelling field experiences from Orban audio processing deployments across diverse and often demanding environments—from major market FM

stations racing against clock changes to remote AM sites accessible only by helicopter, and everything in between.

Attendees will gain practical knowledge from actual case studies including: critical lessons learned from equipment failures that occurred at the worst possible moments; innovative solutions developed under pressure when conventional approaches failed; the importance of proper grounding and RF management discovered through hard-won experience; and techniques for achieving optimal audio processing performance despite site limitations, budget constraints, and legacy infrastructure. These stories go beyond theory to reveal what really happens when pristine lab conditions meet the chaos of real-world broadcasting.

The presentation emphasizes troubleshooting methodologies that have proven successful across hundreds of installations, common pitfalls that can derail even wellplanned deployments, and the critical human factors often overlooked in technical documentation. Whether dealing with hostile RF environments, integrating modern digital processing with vintage analog plants, or managing remote sites with limited access, these battlefield experiences provide valuable lessons for both seasoned engineers and those newer to broadcast engineering.

This session offers not just technical insights but also the wisdom that comes from surviving—and thriving— in broadcasting’s most demanding situations, where failure is not an

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Check out our Interactive Digital Catalog!

2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies option and the show must always go on.

BIOGRAPHY: Mike Pappas is currently the Vice President of Business Development and a coowner of Orban Labs, Inc. Division of DaySequerra. Orban Labs is one of the broadcast industry’s bestknown names in audio processing.

Mike’s technical experience spans several decades, including roles in broadcast engineering, government communications, and railway communications. Mike joined DaySequerra in 2015 as the Vice President of Business Development,

and he has assisted this forwardthinking and progressive company in the development of new products, new markets, and new business opportunities.

In 2016, DaySequerra acquired Orban Labs. Mike has been heavily involved in Orban Labs since its acquisition, helping to steer the development and market opportunities for a dozen new products. He has installed all of Orban’s beta sites for the new XPN-AM audio processor and has developed specialized field-testing methodology for MDCL operations at different AMC levels. Mike is proud to be part of this

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revitalization of Orban as it again leads the way in audio processing for radio, TV, and Internet streaming.

BLAST aka MIMO Dr. Peter Wolniansky ABSTRACT: The BLAST (Bell Labs Layered Space-Time) communications architecture introduced the use of multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to dramatically increase data capacity over a single

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies wireless channel. This breakthrough fundamentally enabled the exponential growth in wireless communications seen today.

At the heart of BLAST—now known as Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)—was a radical idea proposed

by Dr. Gerard J. Foschini: rather than combating multipath fading (a major challenge in wireless communication), it could instead be exploited as a capacity-enhancing feature. By using a layered space-time architecture, BLAST enabled multiple independent data streams to be transmitted simultaneously over multiple antennas in the same frequency band.

The concept of spatially multiplexing data onto a single channel was initially met with skepticism, yet quickly became compelling once both theory and implementation were understood.

Its foundations were rigorously established in seminal papers by Foschini and M. J. Gans in 1996 and 1998.

To make this vision practical, the Bell Labs team developed novel algorithms capable of decoding these overlapping data streams in real time, even under noise and fading. Peter W. Wolniansky, a Member of the Technical Staff, created the V-BLAST (Vertical-BLAST) prototype, which successfully fieldtrialed this revolutionary architecture in New York City in 1998. The demonstration showed a ten-fold increase in data capacity compared with single-antenna systems.

BIOGRAPHY: Peter Wolniansky is a Principal Member of Technical Staff at AT&T Labs in Middletown, New Jersey.

He currently works on microwave and free-space optical communications, previously leading research on Project AirGig. He enjoys mentoring STEM students through various AT&T outreach programs.

Dr. Wolniansky spent fifteen years at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Crawford Hill designing, building, and testing high-speed point-to-point microwave radios, adaptive antenna arrays, and MIMO radio systems. He designed the first four MIMO radios (née V-BLAST), using twelve transmitters and sixteen receivers to demonstrate the technique’s impressive data throughput on the streets of New York City in 1997.

Other professional experience includes designing and building softwaredefined radios for Rutgers University’s WINLAB. A small side project resulted in a low-power radio initiative (Pipsqueak), which pushed the limits of bits-per-second-per-hertz-per-watt

communications a full decade before the Apple AirTag. He is the son of immigrant parents from war-torn Europe and was raised on a farm in rural New Jersey.

Encouragement from his older sister led to a scholarship at Boston University. After completing his undergraduate studies, he worked on telemetry for the Patriot Missile System at Raytheon Corporation. He later earned a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Boston University, focusing on magneto-optical data storage, supported by an IBM scholarship.

An American Electronics Association scholarship in 1987 sent him to Sony Research in Tokyo, Japan.

RCA SEEKS YOUR HISTORICAL MATERIALS The Radio Club of America (RCA) and The Antique Wireless Association (AWA) have installed a display in the AWA Museum about RCA. In addition, RCA’s historical documents, publications, papers, pictures and more have been cataloged and filed in the AWA Museum’s archives.

Many other displays at the AWA Museum feature RCA members and their innovations.

RCA’s archived historical material is available to the public. There is considerable additional RCA historical material in the possession of past RCA officers and members. We ask that you please donate these items to the RCA historical collection. This is your history, and we want to preserve it for future generations.

Please contact the co-chairs of the RCA Historical Committee, Felicia and Jim Kreuzer, to donate RCA historical items to the RCA archives at the AWA museum. Contact Felicia at feliciaa.kreuzer@gmail.com and Jim@wireless@pce.net.

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies A year immersed in Japanese research and dormitory life fostered friendships that continue to this day.

Peter is married to Olga Nikitina, and they recently welcomed a grandson, Lorenzo Nikitin.

They share a love of the beach, travel, and simple living enhanced by water sports, cycling, and aviation.

WX4NHC Hurricane Communications at the National Hurricane Center Julio Ripoll ABSTRACT: WX4NHC is the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.

This station and it’s volunteer Amateur Rio Operators have been providing Hurricane Communications using various modes for 45 years. The CoFounder and First Coordinator, Julio Ripoll WD4R, will present a brief history and operational details of WX4NHC; “Who we are, what we do and how we do it”.

WX4NHC is activated whenever a hurricane is within 200-300 miles of land fall, in the areas of the western Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of America and eastern Pacific. We also provide Emergency Backup Communications from NHC to NWS Offices and other agencies in case of local landfall and loss of satellite and conventional communications.

WX4NHC has been active for over 100 Hurricanes and thousands of hours manning the multi-mode HF/VHF/UHF radio station and digital modes. We communicate with stations that are being affected by a Hurricane, in realtime, collecting hundreds of Surface Reports each hurricane season for use by the NHC Hurricane Specialists.

These “Surface Reports” provide the Hurricane Specialists with supplemental weather and damage data that are not normally available to them and are frequently incorporated into their Hurricane advisories, as they provide a human perspective and Eye Witness accounts of what people are experiencing on the ground during a hurricane.

WX4NHC works in conjunction with the Hurricane Watch Net, VoIP WXTalk Hurricane Net, Caribbean Nets and other volunteer networks to collect real-time “Surface Reports” for the NHC Hurricane Specialists. WX4NHC also relays Hurricane Advisories via the Ham Radio Networks to the hurricane affected areas and governments when conventional communications have been interrupted.

NHC and the WX4NHC Team are very grateful for the participation of volunteer Ham Radio Operators before, during and after hurricanes. Without their efforts to communicate those Hurricane Surface Reports, WX4NHC would only be listening to static.

BIOGRAPHY: Julio Ripoll, WD4R, is an AIA and NCARB. He graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Architecture in 1981. He became a licensed Architect in 1985, specializing in Healthcare Clinics and Medical Research Laboratory Design.

Julio has dedicated his Architectural Firm’s services to the University of Miami for 31 years and has designed over five hundred (500) projects for UM Medical.

Julio has been an Amateur Radio Operator since 1977, with an Extra Class License. He is an ARRL Life Member. He became proficient in CW (Morse Code), HF Contesting, and went on 13 island DXpeditions.

Julio volunteered in 30 March of Dimes Walk-a-thons and 15 MS Bike-a-thons, and in the Miami-Dade County EOC, ARES, and Red Cross.

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In 1980, Julio became Co-Founder and First Amateur Radio Coordinator for the National Hurricane Center when Dr. Neal Frank, NHC Director, requested a Ham Radio station inside NHC to provide communications during hurricanes. Julio was President of the UM Amateur Radio Club and lived in the UM Dormitory two blocks from NHC. Julio carried his radio equipment in a cardboard box to NHC. His 2-year appointment lasted 45 years, involving over 100 hurricanes and thousands of hours of service.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew severely damaged Julio’s house. After securing his family, he volunteered at the EOC as communications liaison between Police/Fire and Army/Navy/National Guard. Florida Governor Lawton Chiles presented Julio with a Letter of Honor for assisting with communications.

In 2010, a major earthquake killed over 250,000 people in Haiti. The University of Miami built the largest emergency International Field Hospital (240 beds, 120 Medical Staff).

However, the satellite phones did not work. Julio immediately coordinated with ARRL, FCC Counsel, the White House, U.S. State Department, and the Haitian Government, forming a specialized team of Hams, HH2/ WX4NHC, to build and operate HF/ VHF/WinLink stations in Haiti and Miami. Julio coordinated equipment, operator schedules, and private flights for five weeks. The HH2/WX4NHC Team provided communications to the USNS Comfort Hospital ship, helicopter, and speed boat patient transfers, which helped save lives.

Julio is very grateful for this incredible team!

Julio has been a speaker at more than 20 National Hurricane Conferences.

Julio was awarded the 2025 Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award.

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies Frozen Frequencies: Life and Radio Work at McMurdo Station Rachel Jones, PhD Candidate ABSTRACT: Radio and wireless remain pivotal for safety and communication at McMurdo Station. This presentation will address working as a radio technician in Antarctica during the austral winter of 2025. It will lay out the backstory of life “on the Ice” and the various radio systems one might encounter here. Topics of conversation will involve the unique challenges brought on by the extreme and remote conditions. Finally, personal thoughts will be provided on the future needs of radio advancement and ways to apply lessons learned on the ice to other fields of study.

BIOGRAPHY: Rachel Jones is an educator, space and cybersecurity researcher, STEM mentor, and radio communications and aerospace specialist located in Puyallup, Washington.

She is an interdisciplinary researcher, educator, and practitioner specializing in cybersecurity, aerospace sciences, and radio communications, with a focus on space system security. She is experienced in teaching and mentoring students and junior scientists across cybersecurity, computer science, and engineering disciplines, with a strong commitment to inclusive education and hands-on learning. Her skills focus on curriculum development, STEM outreach, and fostering collaborative research initiatives that bridge academia and industry. She is passionate about developing the next generation of engineers and scientists while advancing applied research in cybersecurity and aerospace technologies.

Ms. Jones is working toward a Ph.D. in Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology at the University of North Dakota (2027).

She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity (2022) from the University of Maryland and a Master’s degree in Intelligence (2019) from the American Military University. She also earned a Master’s degree in Space Management (2012) from the International Space University and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science and Government · (2008) from LaGrange College.

This presentation explores the physical principles underlying this phenomenon and introduces experimental demonstrations of curving beams. Performance is compared with conventional beamforming approaches, showing that curving beams can maintain connectivity where standard techniques fail. The talk concludes with a discussion of open challenges and opportunities for advancing wavefront control and link robustness in future high-frequency wireless networks.”

Ms. Jones has certifications in Space Domain Cybersecurity, Mentors Helping Mentors, and Practical Antenna Basics. She has published in the Survey of Space Professionals’ Perception of Satellite Cybersecurity from 2012 to 2022: Decision-Makers’ Thoughts on Satellite Cybersecurity and SPARKI: the Educator’s Guide to Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (Ariss) Radio Experimenters Kit.

BIOGRAPHY: Caroline Spindel is a third-year Ph.D. student at Rice University studying under Professor Edward Knightly. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Lehigh University through the IDEAS program, concentrating in electrical engineering, psychology, and engineering ethics. In 2023, she received the James J. Duane III Student Life Leadership Award and the Bosey Reiter Leadership Cup in recognition of her contributions to Lehigh. Ms. Spindel’s doctoral research focuses on the design, prototyping, and demonstration of next-generation wireless communication, sensing, and security systems, spanning frequencies from sub-6 GHz to terahertz, with an emphasis on wavefront engineering.

Curving Beams: A New Generation of Wireless Capabilities Caroline Spindel, PhD Candidate

ABSTRACT: Emerging millimeter-wave and terahertz wireless systems promise order-of-magnitude improvements in bandwidth and sensing resolution.

One of the most significant challenges at these frequencies is signal blockage: because such links depend on highly directional beams, even small obstacles can disrupt the line of sight between transmitter and receiver. This work poses the question: what if a wireless beam could be engineered to curve around an obstacle?

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HamSCI and an Investigation of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Amateur Radio Data Dr. Nathaniel Frissel and Diego Sanchez

ABSTRACT: HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation is an international effort to bring the global amateur (ham) radio and professional ionospheric / radio science communities together for mutual benefit. In this

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies presentation, we give an overview of the HamSCI program and current projects, including the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS), analysis of ionospheric impacts of the 2023/2024 North American Solar Eclipses, and the new Meteor Scatter QSO Parties.

We also present detailed results of a HamSCI study of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs) using 14 MHz amateur radio data from the Weak Signal Propagation Reporting Network (WSPRNet), Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), and PSKReporter datasets. In this project, a fully automated, deterministic technique for detecting and characterizing LSTIDs using this data has been developed. The method isolates wave periods between 1–5 hours and applies sinusoidal curve fitting to the first-hop skip-distance edge of observed communication ranges, yielding quantitative estimates of LSTID amplitude and period.

We use these results to produce a multi-year climatology of LSTID activity over the continental United States (2016–2023). Results show clear seasonal patterns: enhanced LSTID occurrence during winter, weaker activity in spring and fall, and modest summer increases.

These results suggest modulation by neutral wind filtering, sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs), vertical coupling, and solar activity.

While LSTIDs are traditionally associated with space weather events such as geomagnetic storms and large auroral current surges, these results show LSTIDs are also significantly affected by the largescale dynamics of the lower and middle neutral atmosphere.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Dr. Nathaniel Anthony Frissell, W2NAF, is an Associate Professor of Physics and Engineering at The University of Scranton. Dr. Frissell’s research interests include space weather and radio science, with a focus on traveling ionospheric disturbances and High Frequency (HF) radio propagation. His teaching interests include digital signal processing, electromagnetics, communications systems, and space physics/space weather. Dr. Frissell’s passion for radio and radio science began in middle school when he was introduced to the amateur (ham) radio hobby through scouting. He eventually went on to earn his B.S. in Music Education and Physics from Montclair State University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, working in the Virginia Tech Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) Laboratory.

Dr. Frissell founded and now leads the NASA, NSF, and ARDCsupported Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI.org) citizen science community. Dr. Frissell is the advisor for the W3USR University of Scranton Amateur Club, an IEEE Senior Member, and a member of the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. He is a winner of the 2017 Yasme Foundation Excellence Award, the 2019 Dayton Amateur Radio Association Amateur of the Year Award, and the 2025 Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) Les Barclay Memorial Award for Radio Propagation.

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Diego Sanchez is a graduate student in Software Engineering at the University of Scranton. He earned his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), where he worked at the Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR) on HAMSCI-related ionospheric studies. His research interests include data science, HF propagation, and ionospheric modeling. Originally from New Jersey, he combines a background in applied mathematics with software engineering to study data-driven approaches to geospace and radio science.

CubeSat Data

Eyes In the Sky: Advancing Disaster Relief Coordination with Convolutional Neural Networks and Real-Time

Abigail Merchant ABSTRACT: Flooding remains one of the most destructive natural disasters worldwide, resulting in extensive loss of life, infrastructure damage, and economic disruption. Traditional satellite systems for flood monitoring are costly and often lack the realtime responsiveness required for effective disaster management. This project introduces a cost-efficient miniature satellite (CubeSat) mission that leverages convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for autonomous flood detection and rapid data transmission

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies to emergency responders. Designed to operate autonomously in low Earth orbit (LEO), the CubeSat transmits alerts and imagery to ground stations within minutes. A trained CNN model analyzes spatial patterns to distinguish flooded areas and vegetation loss with 90% accuracy, enabling realtime alert generation. Communication experiments, including 2.4 GHz Bluetooth and 433 MHz RF telemetry testing, validated transmission reliability and signal behavior for small-satellite environments. The project demonstrates how low-cost CubeSats, enhanced with AI-driven analytics, can transform disaster relief coordination by providing accessible, real-time environmental intelligence from orbit.

BIOGRAPHY: Abigail Merchant is a high school student and aerospace research intern at the MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), where she works on applying neural networks and space-based sensing to public safety and rocketry. A nationally recognized CubeSat researcher, Abigail is one of the youngest IEEE-published authors in her field and currently leads AI payload development for a student-led CubeSat set to launch with NASA and Accenture.

Her work has earned accolades from the Office of Naval Research, NASA, Lockheed Martin, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, and she has presented at various conferences and aerospace summits across the country.

Whether designing custom CNNs to detect floods from orbit or coordinating satellite data for emergency response, Abigail is fueled by a bold mission: to harness the power of space and AI to protect lives, revolutionize public safety, and shape the future of how humanity responds to global challenges.

GPS Security and Countermeasures: PNT in GPSDegraded Environments Jack L. Burbank ABSTRACT: Most modern systems rely heavily on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT). However, there are many environments in which GPS does not perform well. Furthermore, GPS is vulnerable to many types of attacks. This talk aims to provide attendees an understanding of PNT for environments in which GPS may not be available or may experience degraded performance. The talk will provide a brief overview of the GPS system and how it works. The talk will then discuss some of the security threats facing GPS, including various types of jamming and spoofing, as well as discuss methods to detect and mitigate GPS attacks. Lastly, the tutorial also will discuss in detail various methods of non-GNSS PNT, for

cases when GPS is completely denied, discussing strengths and weaknesses of these various approaches.

BIOGRAPHY: Jack L. Burbank is the Vice President of Advanced Communications at Sabre Systems, where he helps design, develop, and evaluate next-generation wireless capabilities. Mr. Burbank is an expert in the areas of wireless networking, modeling and simulation, wireless system development, and wireless network security. Mr. Burbank earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University in 1994 and 1998, respectively. Mr. Burbank has published over 50 technical papers on topics of wireless networking (both terrestrial-based and space-based) and contributed to multiple books related to wireless networking. Mr. Burbank has authored books about Wireless Networking and Modeling and Simulation. Mr. Burbank is active within the IEEE, acting as technical reviewer, organizer, and chair for numerous IEEE conferences and periodicals. Mr. Burbank is editor of the Wiley-IEEE Press book series on IEEE standards. Mr. Burbank was previously an Associate Technical Editor of the IEEE Communications Magazine. Mr. Burbank previously taught courses on networking and wireless networking at Johns Hopkins University. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and is the Vice Chair of the IEEE Susquehanna Section. Mr. Burbank

HAS YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGED? If you have recently changed your address, email, or phone number, please login to your membership page on our website to update your information, email amy@radioclubofamerica.org or call (612) 430-6995.

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies is designated as an IEEE Impact Creator and regularly assists IEEE in public relations activities, supporting technical requests for information and fact-check requests from media and trade periodicals. Mr. Burbank is currently working towards his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of North Dakota.

FirstNet Fusion: The Evolution of Interoperability Dr. Jennifer Harder ABSTRACT: Public safety agencies nationwide rely on traditional land mobile radio (LMR) networks for primary day-to-day voice communications and broadband networks for data sharing. As FirstNet continues to expand and evolve to support first responders, agencies are increasingly exploring and deploying mission critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) services over broadband to augment and enhance their LMR capabilities.

Come learn more about the newest flagship MCPTT product, FirstNet Fusion, and understand more about how it can compliment and integrate with LMR capabilities as we enter into a new world of interoperability. This session will explore the operational benefits of FirstNet Fusion and will highlight the policy, governance, and training considerations that come with deploying this innovative technology.

BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Jennifer Harder is the Director of Roadmap Domains with the First Responder Network Authority.

The First Responder Network Authority is the independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce chartered to help create, maintain, and evolve the nation’s public safety network, called FirstNet. In this

role, she leads a team focused on identifying and evaluating innovative opportunities to help enhance public safety communications on FirstNet across six different focus areas (Core, Coverage, Voice Communications, Situational Awareness, Secure Information Exchange, and User Experience). In addition, she works with public safety agencies and industry to foster innovation in the public safety communications and technology marketplace. Previously, Jennifer led the FirstNet Authority Products team and supported the State Plans Team, where she helped to coordinate the agency’s efforts to create 56 individualized FirstNet implementation plans for each U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia. Her work in this area provided the process and information needed for each Governor to make an informed decision about joining FirstNet. Before joining the State Plans Team, Jennifer served as a Senior Public Safety Technology Planner for the First Responder Network Authority’s Technology Planning and Development Team.

The Lion In the (Propagation) Path Dr. Kristina Collins

ABSTRACT: The Amateur Radio Science Citizen Initiative (HamSCI), a community of amateur radio operators, space scientists and radio engineers, now approaches the end of its first decade. HamSCI’s flagship project, the Personal Space Weather Station Network, comprises a growing portfolio of instruments supported by citizen scientist maintainers. This talk will cover the development of the PSWS Network, recent observations

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and future plans, with particular attention to the role of radio education in sustaining the HamSCI community. For more information about the PSWS and other HamSCI projects, visit www.hamsci.org.

BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXT, is the Chief Operations Scientist for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station Network. In this capacity, she coordinates with the citizen scientist maintainers of the network to identify events of interest, plan campaigns, and validate and curate PSWS data for scientific use. At the time of writing, her voice can be heard on WWV at 8 minutes past the hour and WWVH at 48 minutes past the hour, preceding the test signal for the WWV/H Scientific Modulation Working Group. Through HamSCI, she has served as an organizer for multiple workshops and mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students in radio science projects, including instrument deployments, eclipse campaigns and data analysis. Dr. Collins earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2022. She currently serves on the HamSCI advisory board, leads the HamSCI Eclipse and Frequency Measurement Festivals project and WWV/H Scientific Modulation team, and served as chair of the local organizing committee for the 2019 HamSCI Workshop. She is a longtime member of the Case Amateur Radio Club, W8EDU, where she and her collaborators work to integrate amateur radio into university teaching and research. As a researcher at the Space Science Institute, she uses virtual reality and sonification to study geospace and other interdisciplinary science questions.

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies Her research interests center on using open-source hardware and software to broaden participation and accelerate progress in science and engineering.

She is the 2025 recipient of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association’s Technical Achievement Award. She is also a member of the American Geophysical Union, the Order of the Engineer and the Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists. Outside of radio, her hobbies include sailing on Lake Erie and being largely ignored by her cats.

Loran, or “There and Back Again” Charles Schue ABSTRACT: The story of Long Range Navigation (“Loran”) is the story of radio navigation itself — a signal born in wartime necessity that has become the foundation for a resilient future. Developed during World War II, Loran-A and later Loran-C/D provided reliable long-range

navigation and timing across oceans and continents. Though supposedly eclipsed by satellite systems, Loran never lost its relevance. Today, amid increasing awareness of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) vulnerabilities, Enhanced Loran (“eLoran”) has re-emerged as a critical complement to space-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT).

This presentation traces the arc of Loran’s evolution — from its analog roots to its digital, networked rebirth. eLoran’s low-frequency signals, UTCsynchronized timing, and modern software-defined architecture make it the backbone of assured, resilient, and survivable PNT. The discussion explores eLoran as a key component of a “System of Systems” that includes GNSS, fiber, and other systems, and highlights international initiatives driving eLoran deployment across the Northern Hemisphere.

As dependence on GNSS deepens, the need for terrestrial resilience grows. eLoran offers more than redundancy — it restores trust in time and

position. This session will examine the technical, operational, and policy dimensions of bringing Loran “there and back again,” showcasing its role as the enduring heartbeat of global PNT. BIOGRAPHY: Charles “Chuck” Schue is the Founder and CEO of UrsaNav®, LLC. A recognized expert in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems, his contributions have led to major critical infrastructure and safety-of-life system improvements in the United States and abroad. Chuck is also a founder/owner of several other advanced engineering firms, with products as diverse as in-space electric propulsion and pre-shot sniper detection.

Chuck holds three master’s degrees and is a Senior Member of the American Society for Quality and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Navigation and the Royal Institute of Navigation. Through his companies or along with colleagues, he contributed to ten patents.

Support RCA Youth Activities by Donating Your Frequent Flyer Miles Due to the efforts of Carole Perry, the Youth Activities Program has been very successful. During the year, Carole travels all over the country to meet with people and to speak on behalf of the program. Almost all of the travel is at Carole’s personal expense. You can help by donating your frequent flyer miles to the Radio Club. If you would like to participate, please contact Carole Perry at wb2mgp@gmail.com and she will assist you.

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies Current Developments and an Outlook for Public Safety and the Use of Push-to-talk Over Cellular

major Push to Talk over Cellular providers, and the JPS Manufacturer Representatives and Dealer networks.

PANEL: Roman Kaluta – moderator, Thomas Kelly, Harlin McEwen, Josh Lober BIOGRAPHIES: Roman Kaluta is the Director of Business Development - Public Safety Liaison and Customer Advocate for JPS Interoperability Solutions in Raleigh, North Carolina. He came to JPS over twenty-two years ago, following his retirement from the Alexandria, Virginia Police Department after 25 years of law enforcement service.

Lieutenant Kaluta (ret) serves as the public safety liaison and customer advocate for JPS and coordinates numerous proposals, designs, and implementations of local, regional, and statewide interoperability systems throughout the United States and internationally. In his business development role, he provides public safety practitioner guidance and assistance to our customers and staff with a particular focus on policies and procedures, training, and technology implementation. His duties also include involvement with most major project pursuits, technology presentations, demonstrations, and emergency assistance during natural disasters and special events. He also coordinates numerous partnerships with other technology companies, including system integrators, satellite equipment and service providers,

Throughout his career with the police in Alexandria, Virginia, he was involved with numerous projects and initiatives applying various technologies in the public safety arena. He held numerous operational and administrative assignments and was instrumental in developing the department’s incident command system. He has received specialized training in weapons instruction, police tactical operations, electronic surveillance, multi-jurisdictional drug task force operations, IT systems, communications equipment, and infrastructure. He served full-time as the Project Manager for the NIJ Operational Test Bed in Alexandria, Virginia, for communications interoperability. He assisted in the formulation of policies and procedures for the implementation of communications interoperability protocols in the Washington, DC Metropolitan region.

Lieutenant Kaluta is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the DEA Drug Commander’s Academy, and is a member in good standing of the IACP, FBINAA, and the Radio Club of America.

Detective Thomas Kelley, Communication Technician with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.

He is a Co-Chair for the Regional Domestic Security Task Force (Region 3) Communication Focus Group. He is also the sub-region 3 chair for the FCC Regional Planning

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Council, Region 9. He has been involved in RF communication for over 25 years and is actively involved in public safety communication in the state. Member RCA. Harlin R. McEwen is a stalwart in the field of law enforcement and public-safety communications whose career spans more than five decades. His work bridges local policing, federal leadership, and national policy for emergency communications.

McEwen’s interest in public safety arose early, riding along with a volunteer fire chief, developing an affinity for radio and communications.

He entered policing in 1957 in Waverly, New York. By 1972, McEwen had been promoted to Chief of Police of the Village of Cayuga Heights, New York, where he pursued modernization of community policing and communications infrastructure.

In October 1988, he was appointed the 9th Chief of Police for the City of Ithaca, New York, where he oversaw the creation of new command structures, expansion of neighborhoodoriented policing, and the upgrade of police headquarters facilities.

In 1996, McEwen transitioned to the federal level, serving as Deputy Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

His most enduring legacy lies in public-safety communications.

For decades, he chaired the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Communications & Technology Committee, advocated for interoperable systems, and

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2025 RCA Technical Symposium Speaker Biographies participated in national policy development on incident-information sharing and broadband for first responders.

broadband networks, his journey reflects a consistent focus on service, communication, and adaptation to change.

In 2012, McEwen was appointed as the inaugural Chair of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC). Under his leadership, PSAC provided operational advice to the FirstNet Board as the nationwide public-safety broadband network was being developed. He has been widely credited as a “founding father” of the public-safety broadband ecosystem, helping to ensure that first-responder communications would evolve to meet modern technological and operational demands.

In total, Harlin R. McEwen stands out as a law-enforcement leader who did not stop at the precinct door.

Instead, he took his experience into the national sphere, shaping how police, fire, EMS, and other firstresponder services talk, collaborate, and respond. His legacy is both operational (modernizing departments) and structural (designing systems), creating frameworks for nationwide interoperability and broadband communications.

McEwen’s contributions have been recognized by many awards and honors, including: (i) the FirstNet Authority established the “Chief Harlin R. McEwen Public Safety Broadband Communications Award” in his name, recognizing individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership in this area; and, (ii) SAFECOM (the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s communications interoperability program) honored his sustained leadership in public-safety communications.

Throughout his career, McEwen has emphasized that leadership sets the tone for policing and for publicsafety communications. In his view, the advancement of technology should always support operational improvements and community trust—not just flashy gadgets. From installing radar enforcement in a small village to advising on national

Josh Lober is a co-founder of SLA Corporation (SLA), the developer of Enterprise Secure Chat (ESChat), a leading broadband Push-to-Talk service for government and enterprise business use. Since the company’s foundation in 2002, Mr. Lober has acted as the company’s President and CEO. SLA developed its first Push to Talk over Cellular (PTToC) solution in 2003, using the “IToC” and “PoC” standards.

SLA’s team opted to create a more efficient PTToC protocol, which it launched in January 2008 as ESChat.

Today, ESChat for Government is a FedRAMP® Authorized cybersecure broadband Mission Critical Pushto-Talk service, used by government and enterprise business entities.

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ESChat supports standards-based interoperability with LMR radio networks, including P25 via the native Inter RF Subsystem Interface (“ISSI”) protocol and DMR via the native Inter Application Interface Specification (“AIS”) protocol. ESChat also supports interoperability via DFSI, NXIP, SDK, and RoIP protocols to any LMR radio network, regardless of radio technology or operating frequency band.

On October 8, 2025, JVCKENWOOD announced its acquisition of SLA. Mr. Lober will continue as President and CEO of SLA, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of JVCKENWOOD. Prior to founding SLA, Mr. Lober held engineering and leadership positions at COMDEV International, 3dbm, Inc., and Gould Electronics, where he worked on military RADAR, satellite tracking, and RF Amplifier Control systems, as well as commercial cellular infrastructure systems (1G/2G/3G/4G). Mr. Lober also worked at Biocom, Inc., where he worked on the company’s orange “paramedic radio” made famous in the TV show Emergency.

A member of the Radio Club of America, Mr. Lober holds an Extra Class amateur radio license, as well as a Commercial Pilot’s License for single-engine and multi-engine airplanes, with an instrument rating.

His favorite airplane is the Piper Cub, and since 2006, he has been the proud owner of a 1947 Piper J-3 Cub. It seems appropriate his call is W6CUB. Mr. Lober holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

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SECURE YOUR ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP TODAY! Thanks to our sleek new RCA web site, opportunities to host innovative virtual programs and more new ways to connect with RCA members, being an RCA sponsor is a better-than-ever investment in the future.

Contact Karen Clark, Sponsor Committee Chair at kjclark33@comcast.net for more information!

Our organization grows and encourages innovation because of your support.

With your support, our organization continues to grow and encourage innovation.

Thank you!

ANNUAL SPONSORS

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PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

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Thank you sponsors!

The following Poster Presentations will be available for viewing and discussion during our reception on November 22, beginning at 5:30 pm.

Poster Presentations ANTI-BLACKNESS IN CYBER SPACES: APPLICATIONS OF MACHINE VISION IN STUDIES OF RACE AND RACISM Xuemeng Li, PhD (Hunter College) and Demetrios Lambropoulos (Rutgers University, New-Brunswick) MODELING CELLULAR NETWORKS: BASE STATION CLUSTERING FROM OPEN-SOURCE DATA Demetrios Lambropoulos (Rutgers University, New Brunswick) ELECTROMAGNETIC ABSORPTION AND CANCELLATION: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICAL LIMITS Yosuf Ozkan (New Jersey Institute of Technology) A MULTIMODAL COLLABORATIVE ROBOT SYSTEM FOR HUMAN-CENTERED TASKS Dr. Weitian Wang (School of Computing at Montclair State University and Director of Montclair Collaborative Robotics and Smart Systems Laboratory) AN EXTENDED REALITY-BASED DRIVING SIMULATOR FOR USER-CENTERED INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION Dr. Rui Li (School of Computing, Montclair State University) BEHIND EVOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY FOR TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNICATION FOR HUMANITY Chris Lawrence (Stevens Institute of Technology) MIMO COMMUNICATIONS Peter Wolniansky, et. al. (in addition to AT&T Labs, also Affiliated with Rutgers University for IEEE) TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNICATION FOR HUMANITY Nathan Lawrence, et. al. (Stevens Institute of Technology) HISTORY: DISCOVERY OF INTERSTELLAR CARBON MONOXIDE Shrikar Swami, et. al. (Stevens Institute of Technology) HISTORY KARL G JANSKY, AM SKELLETT, AND RADIO ASTRONOMY Katherine Grace August, PhD (Stevens Institute of Technology) SETTING THE STANDARD Eleanor Louise Heaton RCA: A CENTURY OF PARADIGMS David P. Bart, RCA President Emeritus

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FEATURE

PROJECT 25 TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE Stephen A. Nichols, Executive Director, Project 25 Technology Interest Group (PTIG) INTRODUCTION

PROJECT 25 BACKGROUND

When disaster strikes, help rushes in from many directions. It comes from different people, different agencies, and different levels of government. These are the people fighting the fires, chasing down criminals and digging through rubble to save lives. They know the danger of being isolated in an unpredictable situation. They also know what they can accomplish when they work together in one massive, well-coordinated effort rather than dozens of individual undertakings. It is this knowledge and user driven set of requirements that created the Project 25 (P25) radio standard for interoperability. The standard’s benefits are unique because the same people who use the radios created Project 25.

The P25 standard has a thirty-seven-year history within the public safety community. It was established in October 1989 when the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO), the National Association of State Technology Directors (NASTD), the National Communication System (NCS), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the National Security Agency (NSA) collaborated in the creation of the APCO-NASTD-Fed Project 25, which is now known as Project 25 or P25. This link to the people on the front lines of emergency response is still a fundamental aspect of the standard. Today, public safety and government professionals continue to play a critical role in the standards development process in cooperation with the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). The SAFECOM/NCSWIC Public Safety User Needs Working Group (PSUNWG) defines and prioritizes user needs for possible P25/TIA standardization.

They also participate in and contribute to technical working groups drafting the standard documents. Project 25 is unique because the people who use the radios contribute directly to the technical specifications in the suite of standards. This ensures P25 provides the benefits they need.

Public safety and government radio users around the world depend on P25 for their mission critical communications.

The P25 Standard is also adopted by many industries such as utilities, airports, transit, petroleum, and chemical companies that rely on mission-critical communications and interoperability with public safety agencies in an emergency.

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Conference: March 16-19, 2026 Exhibits: March 18-19, 2026 Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

Where radio’s legacy meets the wireless future RCA members helped build the foundation of wireless.

Now see where it’s headed. Explore interoperability, spectrum and next-gen wireless with industry leaders.

4,000+ Attendees

250+

Sponsors & Exhibitors

300+

Expert Speakers

Whether you’re looking to showcase a new product, generate buzz for your company, reach key decision-makers, or nurture existing relationships, IWCE provides the ideal venue to connect with a dynamic community dedicated to advancing critical communications excellence.

Learn more at iwceexpo.com

Get Hands-On with the Latest Technology

Hear from Industry Experts & Agencies

Plan for the LMR + LTE + 5G Future

Level Up Your Skills & Certifications

Network with Fellow Operators

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P25: ENABLING INTEROPERABILITY IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD The P25 standard enables interoperability among multiple manufacturers’ P25 products designed to the P25 standard. There are a total of 41 P25 equipment manufacturers and service providers in the marketplace offering a large portfolio of Project 25 solution choices.

This robust competition within the P25 market space continues to drive P25 product and service enhancements and innovation.

There are currently over 3600 Project 25 systems on the air supporting interoperable communications in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, and other global countries and regions. In the United States, Project 25 is widely adopted by local, county, tribal, state, and federal agencies. There are 43 statewide P25 networks with large diverse user groups like Michigan’s Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) supporting over 156,000 users from 2600 different agencies. Michigan’s MPSCS just celebrated their 30year anniversary of operation. The seven remaining states operate city, county, and large regional Project 25 systems. There are additional P25 systems operating in over 83 other nations worldwide.

LMR encryption capabilities to full P25 Advanced Encrypted Standard (AES) 256-bit for all LMR systems including encrypted interoperability where applicable.”

In addition, the Grant Guidance recommends “When purchasing interoperability equipment, services, and gateway devices to provide connectivity between LMR systems, those devices should, at a minimum, be implemented using P25 compliant wireline interfaces (e.g., ISSI, CSSI, DFSI)” Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines specific channels within the 700 MHz band allocation as “Narrowband Interoperability Channels” and requires P25 to maintain interoperability (FCC Rule 90.548(a).

The P25 Standard has the support of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Office of Emergency Communications. Fiscal Year 2024 SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants recommends that: “Public safety agencies continue to maintain and evolve LMR infrastructure for mission critical voice capabilities, including the pursuit of shared Project 25 (P25) radio systems and infrastructure.” “FY 2024 grant recipients should continue to invest in accredited technical standards-based infrastructure to enable interoperability between agencies and jurisdictions, regardless of provider.”

A PUBLIC SAFETY GRADE STANDARD The public safety community requires a wide variety of interoperable, standards-based communication services, configurations, and capabilities with well-defined performance, interoperability, and testing specifications.

This is the essence of the Project 25 suite of standards as it relates to “Public Safety Grade” communications systems.

“Grant recipients should target funding to: purchase and use P25-compliant LMR equipment (see P25 Compliance Assessment Program [CAP] approved equipment list) for mission critical voice communications” and “Transition

A “Public Safety Grade” communications standard first and foremost provides a set of capabilities and services

Andy Maxymillian, PMP Principal Consultant Blue Wing Services 235 Summer Hill Drive Gilbertsville, PA 19525 Telephone: (610) 473-2171 Mobile: (610) 316-2660 E-mail: andrew.maxymillian@bluewing.com

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RCA’S EXPANSIVE ONLINE RESOURCES R ADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

Radio Club of America brings together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of the wireless industry

Do you know about RCA’s numerous online resources?

For more than a century, the Radio Club of America (RCA) has fostered wireless innovation by providing premier networking and education opportunities. RCA’s members are a premier group who built and are building the world of wireless communication. Our members leadership in the field of wireless communications encompasses professional, academic, entrepreneurial, and amateur individuals who are interested in the art and science of wireless communication.

Regardless of membership in any other local or national organization, RCA fosters innovation by bringing together a unique and high value group of talented and enthusiastic members from every segment of the wireless industry.

RCA PROVIDES A WIDE ARRAY OF ONLINE RESOURCES TO OUR MEMBERS NETWORKING

RECOGNITION

• RCA Events – links to join us at RCA events, including laboratory

• Experts and Legends – snapshot biographies of RCA’s legends

visits, technical symposium, industry events at conferences, awards banquet

who made and are making the modern world of wireless • Award Applications – to elevate achievers, pioneers, game

• Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – follow us on social networking sites

changers and inventors

• Publications – follow RCA and contribute to RCA’s ENews,

PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN

RCA Proceedings, and website

• Women in Wireless – links, archives, recordings and resources

VIDEO ARCHIVES

highlighting the contributions, historical, and ongoing, of women to wireless communications

• RCA’s Interview Series – nearly 50 online interviews of leaders

in the industry share their perspectives

YOUTH PROGRAMS

• RCA Video Archives – containing recordings of the

Technical Symposium and annual awards

• Youth Activities – special programs for middle and high school

• RCA on YouTube – follow our YouTube page

using wireless and amateur radio as a teaching and leadership development tool

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Scholarship Applications – for middle school, high school,

college, and graduate school

• Mentorship Opportunities – Supporting professional growth and

providing opportunities for those industry up-and-comers to meet with more experienced members to learn and grow their careers

TRAINING & EDUCATION

• Young Professional Award Applications – to elevate individuals

• Training – links to certification, training, and RCA introductory

under age 35 for their innovation, leadership, and creativity in wireless communications

video resources • Document Library – links to past issues of the RCA Proceedings,

• Career Links - for job listings

white papers, and other publications Amy Beckham Administrative Director amy@radioclubofamerica.org 612.405.2012

www.radioclubofamerica.org Facebook: facebook.com/RadioClubOfAmerica Twitter: @RCA1909 YouTube: @radioclubofamerica7981 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/844837 PROCEEDINGS • FALL 2025

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Contact Amy Beckham or Karen Clark Amy Beckham amy@radioclubofamerica.org PROCEEDINGS • FALL 2025

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required by the diverse group of public safety users. The SAFECOM/NCSWIC Public Safety User Needs Working Group (PSUNWG) has defined those user needs, and the Project 25 Suite of Standards support those capabilities.

and Data Encryption; Link Layer Encryption (LLE in development) • Location Services - Tier 1 (conventional) and Tier 2 (trunking or conventional)

Manufacturers take the features and specifications defined by the Project 25 Standards and implement them in reliable software, hosted on rugged hardware platforms that are exhaustively tested to ensure systems are reliant and resilient and the Project 25 features and capabilities are available even under the most severe conditions.

The P25 Common Air Interface (CAI) is the “core” of interoperability and is the most widely deployed P25 interface enabling interoperability between P25 radios and between P25 radios and P25 infrastructure, regardless of manufacturer In addition to the FDMA Common Air Interface, the P25 standard suite also enables interoperability for the TDMA Common Air Interface and wireline interfaces. The TDMA Air interface provides the capability to support two simultaneous conversations in a 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth, which meets the FCC requirements for 6.25 kHz spectrum efficient equivalence.

A P25 “SUITE OF STANDARDS” WITH MULTIPLE INTERFACES FOR INTEROPERABILITY The key to Project 25 interoperability is a comprehensive set of well-defined standard interfaces and services.

• Air Interfaces - Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) for trunking/conventional voice and packet data services and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) for trunking voice and control channel

Unlike most LMR technical standards, which focus on the over-the-air protocols, Project 25 also includes a complete suite of technical standards for its wired infrastructure.

One of the most important wireline interfaces for interoperability is the Inter-RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI), which is used to connect P25 networks together, independent of the manufacturer. This intersystem connection allows users to roam from one network to

• Wireline Interfaces - Inter Sub System Interface (ISSI), Console Sub System Interface (CSSI) and conventional Fixed Station Interface (FSI) • Security Services - Over the Air Rekeying (OTAR), Subscriber Authentication (LLA), AES256 Voice

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another network, have encrypted communications across the networks, and permits roamers to talk back to their home system. ISSI gateways have been commercially available for a number of years and second-generation versions of the ISSI capability are available to support “automatic” roaming and caller ID.

The DFSI supports all conventional P25 features, including group and individual calls. The AFSI supports group calls. Both the AFSI and DFSI may be used for analog and digital (P25 CAI) mode air transmissions and support fixed station control, which includes the ability to change the transceiver’s channel, NAC code, repeat enable/disable, and coded/clear transmissions.

Additional wireline interfaces that are part of the P25 suite of standards are the Console Sub-System Interface (CSSI) and the Fixed Station Interface (FSI). The CSSI defines a standard interface between a dispatch Console Subsystem (CSS) and a P25 RF Subsystem (RFSS). This interface provides for interoperability between multiple dispatch console vendors and system or infrastructure manufacturers. It supports Trunked P25 systems and Conventional P25 systems. Support for the CSSI is currently available from several manufacturers.

The P25 suite of standards also enables interoperability for Data and Secure Services including but not limited to Over-the-Air-Rekeying (OTAR) that provides for key management of encrypted voice and data communications regardless of radio or Key Management Facility (KMF) manufacturer. Today there are multiple P25 manufacturers offering OTAR and KMF solutions.

DHS COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (CAP)

The Fixed Station Interface (FSI) is used for connecting conventional base stations and repeaters to other infrastructure components, such as dispatch Console Subsystems. The FSI supports both an analog connection using 2 and 4-wire circuits, known as the Analog Fixed Station Interface (AFSI), and a digital connection known as the Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI). The support for legacy interfaces allows users to retain their large investment of control equipment (consoles, desktop remotes, etc.), while giving them a migration path to full digital control as their budget allows.

PROCEEDINGS • FALL 2025

Public safety and government users can obtain documented proof of Performance, Conformance and Interoperability between P25 manufacturers equipment through the DHS Compliance Assessment Program (CAP).

The program allows suppliers to publicly attest to their products’ compliance through P25 CAP testing at DHSrecognized laboratories. As proof, suppliers are required to submit Summary Test Report (STR) and Supplier’s Declaration of Compliance (SDOC) documents. These

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documents are available on the DHS CAP program website Approved (Grant-Eligible) Equipment page.

other technologies, making P25 technology an economical and efficient choice. Additionally, simulcast operation allows agencies in more urban, crowded environments to reuse scarce frequencies and increase coverage penetration within a given area.

https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/p25-cap

WIDE-RANGING PROJECT 25 BENEFITS

The P25 standard itself is frequency agnostic. P25 equipment is available from numerous suppliers in VHF, UHF, 700, 800, and 900 MHz frequency bands to meet the diverse frequency requirements of agencies around the world. Consult your local regulatory authority or frequency coordinator to determine appropriate frequency bands available in your area. The Project 25 standard enables multiple different frequency bands to be combined and shared on one system. In addition, today there are P25 portable and mobile radios available that support all P25 frequency bands in a single unit, further enhancing interoperability.

First responders have a host of diverse operational needs.

P25 is designed to enable those users to focus on the mission, not the technology itself. Some key benefits include:

Feature Rich Variety of P25 Call Types A wide variety of P25 call types and features are available to each radio user travelling across the CAI, ISSI, CSSI, and DFSI interfaces detailed in the last section.

These call features include: group and individual calls, emergency calls (including man-down, accessory sensed, vehicle sensed, and new remote activated and silent), unit IDs, supplemental services (e.g. call alert, radio check, radio monitor, radio disable, status), all with and without encryption. A complete listing of Project 25 features and capabilities can be found in the P25 capabilities guide link on the www. Project25.org Website homepage.

Improved Spectral Efficiency and Ease of Migration One of the primary benefits of P25 has always been to allow users to gracefully migrate from established 25 kHz channel bandwidth system operation to more spectrally efficient

https://project25.org/index.php/documents/p25frequently-asked-questions?view=frontlist&cat id[0]=10026

“narrowband” operation in a 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth and even further to a 6.25 kHz channel bandwidth (or equivalent). This is especially important in certain frequency bands where narrowband operation is required by the FCC.

Geography and Frequency Flexibility P25 supports a variety of system configurations including direct mode, repeated, single site, multi-site, voting, multicast, and simulcast operation addressing a wide array of unique agency coverage requirements. This flexibility is available for both conventional and trunked applications. This variety of system configurations allows the system developer to choose a system design that offers the highest performance from a cost-effective infrastructure that best matches their specific needs and local environment.

The P25 standard is spectrally efficient as it operates in a 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth for both P25 FDMA and TDMA operations. Additionally, the P25 Phase 2 TDMA interface meets the US FCC regulatory requirements for 6.25 kHz spectrum efficiency equivalence because it supports two simultaneous conversations in each 12.5 kHz channel. And Project 25 is unique in that both P25 FDMA and TDMA equipment is compatible with and designed to coexist with existing analog systems. This flexibility allows users to utilize existing bandwidth and frequency allocations as they migrate from one technology era to the next

For example, P25 offers high-power operation allowing large geographic areas to be covered with fewer sites than

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Flexible Operations Support through Scalable P25 Architecture

o Loss of trunking capability: conventional fallback

The multiple system architectures offered by P25 create scalable, cost effective solutions for users ranging from small local areas to wide area state and national configurations. Both Conventional and Trunked operation is available in local and wide area configurations.

o Loss of Infrastructure: direct radio unit to unit

mode.

communications.

• Trunked Paging: Paging over trunked P25 networks can offer users additional benefits of improved voice quality, message reliability and improved RF coverage.

P25 Pagers have been designed to replace existing legacy analog pagers and provide very similar operational behavior. P25 Pagers can generate alerting tones similar to traditional analog paging. After the alerting tone is heard, call information follows. Multiple agencies can be alerted simultaneously. Paging over P25 has been successfully deployed in many former analog applications, procedures and training are required.

• Conventional Operation: Conventional Operation meets the needs of agencies for cost- effective, low-density communications systems. Conventional Operation enables users to operate on fixed RF channels without the need for a control channel, yet the P25 standard still provides conventional users with advanced features such as caller ID and digital encryption.

Conventional operation also allows for direct user-to-user communications where a repeater may not be available, or off-network operation is desired, such as for fireground operation, or traffic control at an incident scene.

Users simply select the appropriate channel in their radios and communicate immediately with no repeater set-up time.

Security Robust communications security and encryption are essential in today’s threat environment. Project 25 offers “Defense in Depth” security for the nation’s first responders through three unique P25 communication security services, each with an integral key management and delivery process. It is important to understand the unique capabilities that each service offers and how they can be combined and applied to achieve confidentiality, integrity, and availability for P25 voice, data, and network information.

• Trunked Operation: Trunked Operation meets the needs of agencies that have a high-density of users by enabling resource efficiencies. Unlike conventional operation in which a radio channel is dedicated to a particular user group for communications, trunking provides users access to a shared collection of radio channels. Trunked Operation provides many advanced features and may be particularly attractive to agencies in communities that want to join together to form shared regional systems.

The P25 Communications Services Security Triad: • Voice and Data Encryption (256 bit AES): Encrypts and protects the voice and data information sent over the air.

• Redundancy and Failure Operation: P25 Networks are extremely resilient. Several levels of “graceful degradation” are inherent, but procedures must be in place:

• Link Layer Authentication (LLA): Protects the system from access by unauthorized users.

• Link Layer Encryption (LLE, currently in development): Protects over-the-air signaling in all P25 configurations: direct mode and systems, conventional and trunking, traffic channels and control channels. LLE also provides protection from replay of recorded messages and certain types of spoofing.

o System Isolation: continued operation but with

reduced coverage.

o Loss of console connectivity: use of backup radios/

control stations.

Key management and delivery are important elements of any communications security plan. Keys may be loaded by

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Request for Proposal Execution of Acceptance Test Plans Vendor Relationship FCC Licensing and Carey Curves Budget Cycle Management Radio Frequency Coverage Verification Radio Frequency Engineering Drive Testing Quality Audits NEPA Studies Link Budget Antenna Systems Nurse Call Systems Integration Coverage Maps Simulcast Radio Design Site Selection Process System Performance and Auditing FCC and ETA Certification Testing

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“”PE” Engineering Services Available

AN EVOLVING SUITE OF STANDARDS P25 continues to expand and evolve. Changes to the standard occur when new requirements are introduced, existing requirements are modified, and when new technological enhancements and innovations become available.

Recently Published P25 Standards include the following: • New Location on Push to Talk feature for P25 Trunking embeds location information in trunking voice transmissions for use by a mapping application eliminating the need for a dedicated data channel for P25 Tier 2 location services. cable from a key fill device (KFD) or over the air (OTAR) delivering keys securely to radios wirelessly over the secure P25 network. Multiple keys can be stored in the radio and console. The Key ID and Algorithm ID used are transmitted in the voice or data stream. Encryption can be activated via a switch or “strapped” to a talk-group.

• New User Alias Download feature for P25 Trunking allows radios to translate the standard numeric identities received during voice calls to the user’s “real name” alphanumeric alias to improve the radio operator’s awareness of who they are listening to in a call.

• Improved Interoperability for End-to-End encryption key sharing using the IKI Interface between Key Management Facilities (KMFs) allows sharing between separate agencies and different vendor KMFs.

A new capability for enhanced key management is nearing completion in the P25 standards process. A manual key fill device (KFD) will be capable of loading keys to: radios, other key fill devices, and key management facilities. In addition, the new recently published P25 IKI Interface will allow key material to be securely transferred between two separate Key Management Facilities from different agencies and different vendors.

Current work items include the following:

Location Services

• Link Layer Encryption is in progress. This is the first big new technology upgrade for improved security for all air interfaces of P25. It protects control channel control messages and hides group and individual IDs.

P25 location services support situational awareness and can provide vehicle tracking or personnel tracking during an incident or emergency.

• Modifications to the Inter Sub System Interface (ISSI), the Console Sub System Interface (CSSI), and the Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) to enable future

Tier 1 Location allows sharing of location between P25 subscriber units in the fields for situational awareness.

Tier 1 location is available on Conventional P25 systems only.

Tier 2 Location allows sharing of location between P25 SUs and the Location Host Server (LHS) for location reporting. This service requires dedicated data channels on the P25 Conventional or Trunking network. Location updates are routed to a dispatch, CAD, or mapping application to provide vehicle tracking or personnel tracking during an incident or emergency. A variety of triggers are available including: Periodic, Distance Change, Emergency, Power On/Off, Host Request and User Request. Telecommunicators are provided with refreshed locations while communicating with a first responder – especially critical in emergencies.

A new GPS on PTT standard was recently published that adds the ability for a P25 Subscriber Unit to provide its GPS location on each PTT without consuming additional channel capacity. This approach does not require dedicated data channels as the location is embedded on the voice channels.

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Interworking with Broadband Cellular Public Safety Systems.

material provisioning between the KFD and: KMFs, Authentication Facilities, KFDs, and portables/mobiles.

• New Silent Emergency Activation signaling for Trunking and Conventional ensures that the emergency state of the radio is not detectable by anyone around the radio. When the radio enters emergency alarm mode, the emergency alarm request is transmitted but there is no audio/visual indication of that emergency on that particular radio. Use cases include undercover agents in surveillance activity so as not to warn the suspects. This feature informs other users of the declared emergency situation.

• Improved Interoperability for Link Layer Authentication with mutual authentication in multi-system roaming applications.

• Maximized efficient use and control of “Group Regrouping” across the Inter Sub System Interface (ISSI) and the Console Sub System Interface (CSSI).

• Harmonization of equipment behaviors when using Emergency Group Call and Cancel.

• New Interoperability and Conformance tests for ISSI and CSSI including tests for vocoder mode combinations and Supplementary Data Services such as Call Alert and Emergency Group Call Cancel.

• Improved documentation for modeling noise and interference and for coverage modeling and verification now addresses interference issues for radios in proximity of short-tower cellular systems at 700/800 MHz, RF penetration through low-emittance (so-called “green”) glass and additional factors for Coverage Acceptance Plans (CATPs)

P25 LMR/LTE INTERWORKING Project 25 has over 3600 LMR systems on the air today offering PTT communications to Public Safety and government users worldwide. As Broadband LTE systems continue to evolve, many question what type of Standards

• New standard capabilities for P25 Key Fill Devices create standardized interoperability of the Key Fill interface for End-to-End and Authentication key

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based Mission Critical PTT Interworking will be available between the two technologies.

TIA working group will continue to expand the Study document to enable interworking of the technologies.

Work will continue in TIA to maintain and update P25 standard services. Work will continue in 3GPP to maintain and update 3GPP mission critical standard services.

A newly released study of Interworking between LMR and LTE has just been published. The “Study of Interworking between P25 LMR and 3GPP (MCPTT) Mission Critical Services” report from The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) and the TIA TR-8.8 subcommittee (responsible for P25 Standards) was published by ATIS/TIA March 14, 2025.

CONCLUSION Thus, “Public Safety Grade” Project 25 networks and equipment are the foundation of North American Public Safety Communications and the cornerstone of many Public Safety Grade Systems around the world. The nonproprietary, open standard gives purchasers a wide variety of options among many vendors, which helps ensure interoperability while providing competitive pricing. The P25 “user driven” technology standardization approach continues to guide the decision making process for P25 technologists and engineers into the future. The result will be updates and improvements to existing Standards and the development of new P25 Standards that result in capability and performance improvements for Project 25 products and services.

Follow this link for an application form https://tiaonline. org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20240730-P25Request-Form.pdf This new document presents an overview and highlights including scenarios and considerations for the use of a 3GPP Release 15 Inter Working Function (IWF) to enable interoperability of standardized voice and data services between a 3GPP Mission Critical system and a TIA-based LMR system. The TIA-based LMR systems included are: P25/TIA-102 Trunking; P25/TIA-102 Conventional; and TIA-603 Analog Conventional FM. From the 3GPP side, the IWF acts as another missioncritical system, and from the LMR side, the IWF acts as another LMR system. The IWF is the functional entity responsible for conversion of media, identities and control signaling between LTE and LMR technologies to enable interoperable services.

Additional Project 25 information can be found at: www.project25.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mr. Stephen Nichols is Executive Director of the Project 25 Technology Interest Group (PTIG). He has led the organization for the last 12 years. PTIG is a not for profit organization dedicated to the promotion and application of the P25 digital radio Standard. Previously he was with Thales for 16 years as a Business Development Director. He has 40+ years of experience in Land Mobile and Public Safety Radio Mr. Nichols is a member of APCO, IACP, IAFC, and NPSTC. He is a Fellow in the Radio Club of America and a recipient of the Edgar F. Johnson Pioneer Citation.

The IWF supports interworking between LMR systems and mission-critical LTE systems using standard LMR interfaces and the standard 3GPP IWF interfaces.

For LMR, TIA has chosen the P25 Inter-RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) and Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) to interconnect with the IWF.

P25 LMR & LTE BROADBAND ARE BETTER TOGETHER P25 LMR and Cellular broadband (FirstNet) are different Technologies; You do not need to choose one or the other.

For the foreseeable future, both technologies (LMR and Broadband) are strongly anchored into the public safety ecosystem and markets. This coexistence creates a need for Interworking of these technologies. The joint ATIS/

Explore the ‘World of Wireless’ There are many different interesting facets of the wireless communications world. RCA’s ‘World of Wireless’ web page has links to multiple places, ideas, articles, and videos that may be of interest to you. Links include: Hot Topics, Fascinating Information, Interesting Articles, Short Wave Listening, Wireless Museums and more! If you know of anything that could be included here, please contact us.

Learn more at www.bit.ly/RCAWorldofWireless.

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Call for Technical Papers and Panels Now Open for the 2026 NAB Broadcast Engineering and IT (BEIT) Conference at NAB Show Committee Chaired by Sun Sachs, SVP, Product, Townsquare Media TOPICS FOR SUBMISSION

Proposals for technical papers and panels are now being accepted for the 2026 NAB Broadcast Engineering and IT (BEIT) Conference, part of the 2026 NAB Show, held April 18-22, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The conference is an unparalleled opportunity for industry professionals to present their expertise at the premier broadcast, media and entertainment event.

Submissions are required to fall under one of the NAB BEIT Conference’s focus areas, including:

“NAB Show is the destination for industry professionals to showcase cutting-edge advancements throughout the media ecosystem,” said John Clark, NAB senior vice president, Emerging Technology and executive director, PILOT. “The NAB BEIT Conference plays a crucial role in driving innovation, and this year’s call for papers will highlight groundbreaking work from both seasoned professionals and emerging voices. We’re excited to see the wide range of technical expertise and forward-thinking solutions that will be presented in 2026.”

“NAB Show is the destination for industry professionals to showcase cutting-edge advancements throughout the media ecosystem,” said John Clark, NAB senior vice president, Emerging Technology and executive director, PILOT. “The NAB BEIT Conference’s forward-looking focus will highlight groundbreaking work from both seasoned technologists and emerging voices. We’re excited to see the forward-thinking solutions from the industry’s leading experts.”

• Broadcast Radio • Broadcast Television • Broadcast Facility and Cloud Design • Media Workflows • Digital Content Operation and Distribution • Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Using Terrestrial Broadcasting • Audio and Video Technology • Regulatory Issues • Cybersecurity for Broadcasters • Artificial Intelligence • Workforce, Training and Knowledge Transfer • Analytics and Measurement For a complete list of categories and additional details, please visit the official Call for Proposals.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Proposals must be submitted by Friday, November 14, 2025. Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered.

Notifications will be sent to accepted presenters by January 12, 2026.

The NAB BEIT Conference is designed for broadcast engineers, technicians, technology managers, developers, contractors, equipment manufacturers, consultants and researchers. The conference will address current and technical topics, with a forward-looking emphasis on the evolution of technology across radio, television, digital and the broader media and IT ecosystem.

NAB Show is committed to ensuring diverse representation within its programming and encourages diverse voices from various backgrounds to submit proposals. Proposals explaining the underlying technologies used in new broadcast products or services will be considered. Note: Proposals promoting company products or services will not be accepted.

Papers selected for the NAB BEIT Conference will also be published in the “Proceedings of the 2026 NAB BEIT Conference” in April 2026.

For more information, contact Jarell Gibbs, NAB BEIT Conference Coordinator.

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CALL FOR STUDENT PAPERS NOW OPEN

• Jason Ornellas, Regional Director of Technology, Bonneville International Corporation • Skip Pizzi, Senior Advisor, PMVG • Marisabel Rodriguez, Global Services Manager, Google Cloud • Jodie Serror, VP of Advanced Technology, Disney • Adam Simpson, Manager, Emerging Technologies, Graham Media Group • Rebecca Sirmons, GM of NASA+, NASA • Alan Spindel, President, Radio Club of America • Dean Stoneback, Senior Director of Engineering and Standards, SCTE • Thomas True, Senior Applied Engineer, NVIDIA

In partnership with the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS), graduate and undergraduate students (18+ years old) are invited to submit papers for the NAB BEIT Conference. Papers must align with one of the NAB BEIT categories and will be reviewed alongside professional submissions. The selected best student paper will be presented during the NAB BEIT conference and published in the Proceedings. The best student paper award will be presented at the NAB BEIT Opening Session at the 2026 NAB Show, with travel assistance provided to the winner.

Student papers must be submitted by the same deadline as NAB BEIT submissions—November 14, 2025—via the NAB BEIT Conference Student Paper Submission Portal.

PARTNERS

BEIT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

NAB Show would like to recognize its partners for the NAB BEIT Conference, including the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS), North American Broadcast Association (NABA), Radio Club of America (RCA), Public Media Venture Group (PMVG) and Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE).

The 2026 NAB BEIT Conference Committee includes prominent industry experts, chaired by Sun Sachs, SVP of Product, at Townsquare Media and the 2024 NAB Digital Leadership Award Honoree: • Sun Sachs, SVP Product, Townsquare Media (Chair) • Harvey Arnold, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Sinclair Broadcast Group • Felipe Chavez, Chief Operating Officer, Bustos Media • Mike DePolo, VP of Engineering and Digital Operations, Urban One • Terry Douds, Broadcast Operations Supervisor, Ohio University/IEEE BTS • Thomas Edwards, Principal Solutions Architect, AWS • Rebecca Hanson, Director General, NABA • Chris Homer, Director of Engineering, Scripps Media Inc. • Anil Kokaram, Chair of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Trinity College • Dave Kolesar, Broadcast Engineer, WTOP/Hubbard • Geary Morrill, Vice President, SBE

For more details on the NAB BEIT Conference, including the full conference committee, visit here.

Pre-register for NAB Show today. Covering the event? Stay up to date on the latest show news by adding your name to our media list.

ABOUT NAB The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory, and public affairs. Through advocacy, education, and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses, and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.

Special Call for Student Paper Submissions: Best Student Paper Author Awarded Travel and Recognition at NAB Show PROCEEDINGS • FALL 2025

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PAPER COPIES OF RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA TECHNICAL PROCEEDINGS – FREE (while they last) Just pay shipping - or to eliminate shipping charge, come to AWA in Bloomfield, NY and pick them up     

Acoustics and Microphone Placement in Broadcast Studios Part I Acoustics and Microphone Placement in Broadcast Studios Part II THE A-B-Cs of Amplifier Circuits Measurements on Broadcast Receivers Measurement & Design of Audio Frequency Transformers

Dreher Dreher Crom Hull Johnson

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High Power Output Tube Characteristics of Filament Type Rectifiers Servicing Radio Receivers Characteristics of Audio Transformers Grid Suppressor Circuit Circuit Combinations that Provide Uniform Signal Selection Screen-Grid Tubes for Audio Frequency Amplifiers Pentode Tube Practical Television System Equipotential Indirectly Heated Cathode for Receiver Tubes Adjustable Tone Compensation Improves Audio Amplifiers Broadcast Program Protection Proving Lab for Radio Receivers The “Stenode” Multicoupler Antenna System for Apartment Buildings Design & Construction of Standard Signal Generators Design of a Complete Television System Synchronization of Westinghouse Radio Stations WBZ & WBZA Continuity Testing in Radio Service Work Auditorium Sound Adsorption Balance Portable Speech Input Eqpt for Remote Control Broadcasting Voice Recording for Industrial & Social Uses Short-wave Transoceanic Telephone Receiving Eqpt Antenna Transmission Line Systems for Transmission Reception Radio Servicing Instruments from Engineering Viewpoint

Weaver Wise Aceves Turner Harris Uehling Glauber Henney Replogle Allen Aceves Brown Reinken Robinson Amy Franks Huffman Gregory Rider Schlenker Lyon White Polkinghorn Brigham Miller

Dec Jan Jun Sept Oct Nov Feb Mar May July Sept Oct Nov Dec April May July Aug Nov Dec July Sept Nov Jan May

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 Correlations on Class C Radio Amplifiers  Photronic Cell & Control Continued on next page.

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 Carrier Deviation in FM Transmitters Includes Orbital Beam Multiplier Tube for 500 MC Amplification Includes Inductive-Output Tube Applications  Impedance Measurements over a Wide Frequency Range  Wire Transmission of News Pictures  Taming the High Frequency Signal Generator  Cathode Ray Tube Applications  Audio Distortion in Radio Reception  Radio Detector Operating Characteristics  Saturable Reactor Considerations  Direct Drive Horizontal Scan System  Traffic Capacity of Distance-Measuring-Equipment  RF Transmission Lines & Wave Guides  Multiplexed Transmission of FM Broadcast Signals  Armstrong – The Hero as Inventor (Article from Harpers)  Teleglobe Pay-TV System  Reliability & Maintainability of Electronic Devices  New York Fire Communications

Thomas Ferris Dow Packard Hancock Van Beuren Christaldi Minter Armstron Shepard Thalner Hirsch Winlund Armstrong Dreher Kamen Calabro Rheinhardt

Aug “ “ Apr Dec Dec Nov Jan year year year year year year Apr Apr Jul Nov

1941

1942 1942 1943 1945 1946 1948 1950 1950 1950 1951 1953 1956 1963 1963 1963

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Print these 2 pages and mark the desired issues. Proceedings are free, but shipping charges are the responsibility of the recipient. Shipments to a US address are $1 (for the envelope) plus $1 per Proceeding for shipping. AWA’s mailing address for your order form and check is: AWA c/o RCA Proceedings, PO Box 421, Bloomfield, NY 14469 check should be made out to AWA. Please include your mailing address on the form. Proceedings will be mailed within 2 weeks of receipt of your order & check. For international destinations, email a list of desired Proceedings (RCA-proceedings@ antiquewireless.org) and we will reply with a US$ price for your international shipment.

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FEATURE

SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING Brian Bicknese In today’s world, where safety concerns are increasingly complex and multi-faceted, the mantra “See Something, Say Something” (4S) has become a slogan in promoting safety. This simple, yet powerful phrase serves as a reminder to stay vigilant and proactive when it comes to identifying and addressing potential hazards or issues on a job site. Embracing this approach is not only essential for preventing injuries and saving lives, but it also fosters a culture of responsibility, cooperation, and awareness.

Here’s why embodying the 4S mantra is a fundamental mindset to safety.

issue led to a major injury or death. Bearing that guilt is real and unfortunately, we can’t turn back time to correct issues we may see.

The 4S mindset can be applied throughout many different activities during our careers, it’s not just on an active job site when we observe a potentially dangerous situation.

For example, accuracy in the forms we create is an easy way to embody the 4S mindset. If one knows during a trailer inspection that a tire is bad and chooses to ignore it because they’ll “deal with it later”, that can easily lead to a hazardous scenario going down the road. Or if an individual is performing an audit on a crew and chooses not to accurately mark observations because of fear of the crew being reprimanded, that oversight hurts the entire company as if it would have been identified, it can be corrected and knowledge shared amongst an entire company or even industry.

The most immediate and obvious reason to adopt this mantra is its potential to prevent dangerous situations.

Examples might include an unsafe work practice, signs of a potentially hazardous condition, signs of individual behavioral changes or signs of impairment. With each of these, early identification is crucial. By encouraging individuals to report concerns, management can address problems before they escalate.

There is a psychological benefit to participating in safety practices. People who are actively engaged in protecting themselves and others tend to feel a greater sense of control and well-being. When we embody the 4S mentality, we can create an environment that feels safer for everyone.

This sense of empowerment and involvement helps individuals maintain peace of mind, knowing that they are actively contributing to the safety of their workplace.

When everyone is empowered to “see something and say something,” it shifts the responsibility for safety from just a few people—such as foremen or safety individuals to the workforce at large. Safety becomes a shared responsibility.

Each person can play a role in keeping others safe. This collective awareness strengthens bonds and builds trust, as people feel more secure knowing that they are all working together to protect one another.

Incorporating the “See Something, Say Something” mantra into our daily lives—whether at work, in the community, or in public spaces—is a critical step in promoting safety.

It empowers employees to take action, fosters a collective sense of responsibility, and helps prevent incidents before they happen and just might save someone. By staying vigilant, communicating concerns, and working together, we can make our surroundings safer for ourselves and for others. It’s not just a slogan—it’s a call to action that can save lives, reduce risks, and create a safer world for everyone.

When individuals recognize that their observations are valued and taken seriously, they are more likely to remain mindful of their surroundings. This culture can create a ripple effect, encouraging others to act as well. It reinforces the idea that safety is not just the responsibility of a few but the collective duty of all.

Embodying this culture also ensures that individuals feel comfortable coming forward with their concerns.

Before reporting a safety hazard at work, individuals must feel empowered to speak up without fear of retaliation.

Organizations that cultivate a non-judgmental, supportive environment are more likely to see better results in terms of safety awareness and responsiveness. Training programs, anonymous reporting options, and clear protocols can further encourage individuals to come forward when they see something that doesn’t seem right. We’ve all probably either been in a scenario or witnessed the scenario of a newer employee not wanting to say something for fear of his or her “buddy” getting in trouble or fired. But imagine if you saw something wrong, didn’t say anything, and that

PROCEEDINGS • FALL 2025

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brian Bicknese is the Director of Safety & Education at NATE – The Communications Industry Contractors Association. Mr. Bicknese is a 27 year industry professional whose passion has led him to become an industryrecognized leader in safety, rigging, and fall protection.

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IEEE Global Museum Project Expansions The launch of the new IEEE History website earlier this year has added a new dimension to the Global Museum.

Now we can share exhibit materials and visuals with all our supporters, not just those who can visit a Global Museum exhibit in person. For example, you can now download interpretive panels that featured in exhibits curated for IEEE Society conferences, or play our two timeline games created in partnership with IEEE Strategic Marketing (go to https://history.ieee.org/programs/ieee-global-museum/ timelinegames/ to test your knowledge of key events in the history of electrotechnology). Over time, we will develop virtual exhibits and additional interactive features to complement our in-person exhibits and offer standalone, engaging educational experiences.

In January, we played a significant role in the refresh of the historical exhibits at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show. We aimed to provide a more engaging experience by increasing the possibilities for interaction. With that goal in mind, we liberated the “Converging on Smart” artifacts from their plexiglass cases and brought them down off the wall for people to handle, and in some cases, even play with. Remember Tetris? In our exhibit, you could play that on an original Nintendo Game Boy from 1989. IEEE Past President Tom Coughlin conveyed the point of presenting “examples of historical technologies which used to be discrete devices” in a LinkedIn video advertising IEEE’s

Dr. Magoun (right) shares the story of the superheterodyne circuit’s commercialization during his curator’s tour of the National Museum of Industrial History.

CES displays: to manifest the power of today’s “integrating products,” like smartphones, which can “do the things that maybe ten or fifteen separate devices would have done in the old days.”

IEEE Outreach Historian Dr. Alexander B. Magoun drew a successful run at the National Museum of Industrial History (NMIH) to a close at the end of April with a fabulously detailed, insightful, entertaining curator’s tour of our Unseen Signals exhibit.

We look forward to a fresh group of visitors at Infoage Museums, 2201 Marconi Rd., Wall, NJ, U.S.A. (https://www.infoage.org/) where Unseen Signals has now reopened to the public. Museum entry is free for IEEE members and their guests until Unseen Signals closes on 28 December 2025.

SOURCES “Converging on Smart” showcased the versatility of modern smartphones through the groundbreaking single-purpose devices they replaced. Artifacts on each arm of the cross-shaped table fulfilled a different set of functions, like “Capture and Record” or “Connect and Communicate.”

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IEEE History Center News, Issue 128, July 2025, p. 5, https://history.ieee.org/ wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IEEE-HistoryCenter-Issue-128-July-2025.pdf.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame Inductees Named The Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, created by longtime amateur radio publisher Richard Ross, K2MGA (SK), will continue to honor amateur radio operators on a new section of the Hamgallery.com website.

taking a job at the Arecibo Observatory in 1977, rising to become head of telescope operations. He has presented numerous talks on the Arecibo Observatory and his amateur radio experiences at the Dayton Hamvention® Antenna Forums, RCA Speaker series, HamSci conventions, and multiple amateur radio clubs around the world. He was awarded Puerto Rico Amateur of the Year in 2017.

CQ magazine ceased publication in October 2023. Ross died on April 27, 2024, and the change was made with the permission of his widow, Cathy.

The Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors licensed amateur radio operators and non-licensed individuals who have made significant contributions to amateur radio, their professional careers, or to another aspect of world affairs. A select and diverse group of amateurs will administer the new website and review submissions.

Wayne Overbeck, Ph.D., N6NB (SK). Overbeck was coinventor of the Quagi antenna, which is part quad, part Yagi.

He was active in amateur radio for over 68 years, was a communications law professor and textbook author as well as an accomplished DXer and contester.

The 2025 inductees are: Professor Jim Breakall, WA3FET. Dr. Breakall’s work has been instrumental in amateur radio antenna technology development for decades. Dr. Breakall has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles and books. He is an IEEE Life Fellow, a Radio Club of America (RCA) Fellow, and has been awarded the Sarnoff Award, the Dr. Ulrich L. Rohde Technical Award at the RCA, and the Technical Achievement Award at the Dayton Hamvention®.

The nomination deadline for 2025 has passed, but information can be found at Nomination Process for Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.

SOURCES

Angel M. Vazquez, WP3R. Vazquez graduated from the City University of New York. He worked at WNYC as a radio engineer before moving back to Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and

Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame Inductees Named, May 2, 2025, https://www.arrl.org/news/heritage-cqamateur-radio-hall-of-fame-inductees-named.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT FIT FOR RCA? With our new online membership application it’s easier than ever to get involved!

RCA members include inventors, scientists, industry professionals, members of the press, the FCC, government agencies, and world class amateur operators.

We were there at the dawn of radio history and are committed to keeping our members up to date on the latest in wireless technology. RCA believes in the future of the industry and your membership will help us with the important work of encouraging the next generation of wireless pioneers and entrepreneurs.

Help spread the word about why you belong, and direct potential members to www.radioclubofamerica.org/join to learn more about the benefits of membership!

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Celebrating History with a New IEEE Milestone: Project Echo, Telstar, and the Discovery of Cosmic Background Radiation, 1959–1965

By Katherine Grace August, IEEE ComSoc History Committee Vice Chair; Thomas M. Willis III, AT&T Labs; Victor B. Lawrence, Bell Labs Fellow, USA On 16 May 2025, IEEE dedicates a new Milestone: Project Echo, Telstar, and Discovery of Cosmic Background Radiation, 1959–1965, with a plaque that reads.

AT&T Labs, New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame, Dr. Timothy Lee, IEEE-USA President and Boeing Technical Fellow, Dr. Peter Vetter, Nokia President, Bell Labs Core Research, and Dr. Morimi Iwama, himself, among others. There was a memorable tour of the AT&T Science and Technology Innovation Center and Museum by AT&T Archives Manager Melissa Knoll, CA, and Docents Dr. Giovanni Vannucci, Dr. Peter Wolniansky, and Dr Thomas M Willis III.

“In 1959–1960, NASA and AT&T developed a satellite Earth station in Holmdel, NJ, including a novel tracking hornreflector antenna, maser preamplifier, and FM demodulator.

The Earth station demonstrated the first high-quality longdistance voice circuit via the Echo passive communication satellite in 1960–1961, and via the active Telstar communications satellite in 1962–1963. Experiments conducted in 1964–1965 provided the first indication of the cosmic background radiation associated with the Big Bang.”

On 20 May 2024 we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the first measurement of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Radiation. Experiments conducted in 1964–1965 provided the first indication of the cosmic background radiation associated with the Big Bang, which changed the way we understand the very nature and origins of our Universe. Dr. Robert Woodrow Wilson, himself a 1978 Nobel Laureate, his family, friends, and the community participated. Held at AT&T Labs in Middletown, NJ, presentations were given

by Dr. Doug Zuckerman, IEEE ComSoc History Committee Chair, Irwin Gerszberg, Dr. Peter Wolniansky, Dr. Peter Vetter, Dr Giovanni Vannucci, and Dr. Robert Woodrow Wilson. High Tech High School physics students, Holmdel School Students, and their teachers attended.

The 61st Anniversary of the first measurement of cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation by Dr. Arno Allan Penzias and Dr. Robert Woodrow Wilson was recognized at AT&T Labs, Middletown, New Jersey (NJ) on 20 May 2025.

Previous related events include the 62nd Anniversary of the 1962 launch of Telstar on 12 July 2024 with one of the original project team members, Dr. Morimi Iwama, and his family. There were presentations by Irwin Gerszberg,

Holmdel Township representatives and legislators, who had previously dedicated the Crawford Hill Antenna site to be “Robert Wilson Park” on 20 April 2024, were also in attendance. Holmdel High School students and their teachers created remembrance key rings in the image of the Horn Antenna with the two Astronomers.

On 17 September 2024, we celebrated the recognition of Dr. Robert Woodrow Wilson as IEEE-HKN Eta Kappa Nu Eminent Member and Dr Arno Alan Penzias as IEEE-HKN Eta Kappa Nu Honorary Eminent Member (https://hkn.ieee. org/awards/eminent-member-recognition). The Ceremony took place at AT&T Labs in Middletown, NJ. Museum tours were directed by Melissa Knoll, CA; presentations included Dr Sean Bentley, IEEE-HKN Eta Kappa Nu President, Dr Giovanni Van-more. The cake was delicious.

Peter Wolniansky, AT&T Labs, Principal Member of the Technical Staff, Midori Iwama, Irwin Gerszberg, AT&T Labs, AT&T Fellow, Distinguished Inventive Scientist, Dr. Katherine Grace August, IEEE ComSoc History Committee Vice Chair, Professor Dr. Morimi Iwama, IEEE Life Member, Dr. Peter Vetter, President Bell Labs Core Research, Bell Labs Fellow.

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The Milestone Project Echo dedication is one of many celebrated around the globe during the 100th Anniversary of Bell Labs. One can hardly imagine the history of technology or our society without the contributions of Bell Labs and

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related companies. Certainly, IEEE, the communication industry, and many other fields of technology have their very roots in the inventions and innovations of Bell Labs.

The founders, Alexander Graham Bell and his wife Mabel Gardiner Hubbard Bell, dedicated their lives to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. They are remarkable role models known for infusing their passions into the traditions of Bell Labs (https://ethw.org/Alexander_Graham_ Bell). Many IEEE programs now focus on the K through industry STEM pipeline, and lifelong learning connecting all ages toward the goal of advancing technology for humanity.

Recognizing history is enhanced by IEEE Role Models: Celebrating 100 Years of Bell Labs.

The backdrop of this Milestone is the mid-twentieth century, when political conditions were motivating significant government investments in high-quality non-terrestrial communication for resilience and sustainability (https:// ethw.org/Milestones:List_of_IEEE_Milestones). Terrestrial communication was limited then, and methods were vulnerable to natural and man-made disruptions. The Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik I escalated the urgency for a program to address non-terrestrial communication, an essential humanitarian mission. A series of major programs was initiated by the government and commercial laboratories, including Bell Telephone Laboratories at Holmdel, NJ.

Associate Professor Dr. Sean Bentley, IEEE-HKN President, Dr. Robert Woodrow Wilson, being honored as an IEEE-HKN Eminent Member, Nobel Laureate in Physics, and Dr. Giovanni Vannucci, HKN, AT&T Laboratories Mobility & Access Architecture, RAN Architecture Planning.

One outcome from the various projects was the unique Horn Antenna, which was part of Project Echo, and Telstar’s proof of concept for practical satellite communication. The work had multiple goals, not constrained by industry alone. Such non-terrestrial communication was seen as important for resilience in the event of terrestrial disturbances, including but not limited to natural disasters, conflict, and terrorism.

Multiple innovations in novel technologies, including but not limited to transistors, solar power, computing, recording, measurement, and systems redundancy, were necessary to realize these goals. The excellence and precision of the initial satellite tracking systems led to rapid and practical success. Because of this dedication to precision methods, processes, and instruments beyond those traditionally focused on business needs, the history-making communication achievements and transformative radio astronomy discoveries were made possible.

SOURCES GCN Global Communications Newsletter, IEEE Communications Society, August 2025, pp. 3–4.

W. C. Jakes, Jr., “Participation of Bell Telephone Laboratories in Project Echo and Experimental Results,” Bell Labs Technical Journal, Vol. 40, Issue 4, July 1961, pp.

975–1028; R. H. Dicke, P. J. E. Peebles, P. G. Roll, & D. T. Wilkinson, “Cosmic Black-Body Radiation,” Astrophysical Journal, vol. 142, May 7, 1965, pp. 414–419; A. A. Penzias and R. W. Wilson, “A Measurement of Excess Antenna Temperature at 4080 Mc/s,” Astrophysical Journal, vol. 142, 1965.

In the years since Project Echo and Telstar, many innovations have been essential to advancing satellite technology for humanity. Purposes are wide and growing, including uses for agriculture, weather, intelligence, information, location, navigation, disaster response (earthquakes, hurricanes, conflicts), and telehealth.

These early experiments demonstrated practical satellite communications: passive communications across the continent with Project Echo, and active communications between continents across the Atlantic with Telstar.

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Bell System Technical Journal: Vol. 42, Issue 4, July 1963, pp. 739–1934; Telstar I, NASA SP-32 Volume 4, Dec. 1965, pp. 1941–2373.

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FRACTAL Antenna Systems Unveils Breakthrough “Link-Invariant Antenna” Technology Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. (“FRACTAL”) today (Oct. 23, 2025) announced a major advance in electromagnetic design with the introduction of Link-Invariant Antennas (LIA) — a new class of radiators that preserve constant link performance across wide frequency ranges.

possible, with no add-ons.

This simple but profound shift in design approach cancels the normal wavelengthsquared loss that occurs in wideband LIA deliver uniform power at the other end propagation, of the link (target), a critical and enabling creating a differentiator from other antenna types, such as uniform power log periodic arrays ( LPA). link from source to target, from remarkably simple design rules.

FRACTAL’s LIA technology represents one of the early breakthroughs in the company’s Next-Generation Antennas initiative, now advancing rapidly under the Owl Works™ Special Projects Group, FRACTAL’s advanced-concept laboratory in Bedford, MA. The Owl Works™ takes on tough cutting edge tasks in antennas, arrays, cloaking, and metamaterials with proprietary state of the art solutions.

Nathan Cohen, CEO, said the company “is creating new antenna solutions for selected customers who need the state of the art, in record time.” He noted that “a recent and spectacular antenna array win at North America’s largest stadium showcases how we are moving ahead successfully while others are not up to the task. Cohen cites another recent proprietary design breakthrough: a near omni azimuthal wideband antenna with gain, and suppressed ‘doughnut hole’ at zenith. ”There’ s no magic, but clever design afforded by Owl Works™ acumen and fractal metamaterials.”

According to Cohen, “for more than eighty years, antenna professionals, including myself, have pursued frequency independence and constant aperture systems, and tried to perfect it. LIA re-define that framework: they are linkindependent, not frequency-independent. The link sees the same received power, regardless of frequency, with surprisingly simple design rules, and this single-component, and simple, antennas, for the wavelength -squared gain factor and constant impedance. That’s the breakthrough which frequency-independent antennas and complex antenna systems are incapable of delivering.”

And then there is LIA. Building on the firm’s decades of innovation in antenna geometries, the patent-pending LIA designs depart fundamentally from traditional wideband and constantaperture antenna systems. Conventional approaches — such as log-periodic arrays — keep impedance and beam relatively stable but still show delivered power roll-off with frequency in the link. Other broadband forms, like Vivaldi antennas, offer impedance constancy at the expense of varying gain. Antenna systems, such as dishes, or lens antennas, comprise several antenna components to achieve constant aperture and impedance.

Cohen explained that this marks a transition from what is mostly impedance-driven to link-driven antenna design. “It’s a natural evolution of the fractal design philosophy — where geometry defines function across frequency. In doing so, we’re expanding a chapter in antenna theory — one that most thought had already been written.”

Cohen notes that, not surprisingly, LIA are “locally selfsimilar and thus an intriguing variety of fractal antennas.

The advent of fractal geometry in antennas thus takes an expanded importance afforded by LIA and constitute an antenna revolution playfully dubbed ‘The Aperture Rebellion’, a truly disruptive technology.” Antennas become an integral part of the system rather than a widget afterthought, putting RF systems — from EW, IoT, radar, and SATCOM to ISR and broadband communications — into new environments while delivering more cost-effective applications across the board. Continues Cohen: “The Aperture Rebellion is here, and it has and will continue to change where antennas go and what they can do.”

LIA are self-contained radiators that couple a broadband impedance match and a fixed effective aperture in a single geometric entity. This removes the complexity of components and cost that ‘fixed aperture’ antenna systems have previously required and opens enabling opportunities for LIA to be used in applications hitherto never considered.

Link-Invariant Antennas use shape and geometry to rise deterministically with frequency, keeping total power in the link constant across the band and delivering constant received power at the other end of the link. A priori geometric design rules-- invoking fractals—make this

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AT&T’s FirstNet Fusion Platform Focuses on MCX, Interop Fusion platform designed to give public safety greater vendor choice, integration of myriad applications, and MCX that can be used over other carriers.

[This is a reprint from IWCE’s Urgent Communications., October 16, 2025. https://urgentcomm.com/interoperability/ at-t-s-firstnet-fusion-platform-focuses-on-mcx-interop]

critical-push-to-talk (MCPTT), MCData and MCVideo—that were used by security forces during the Paris Olympics last year. AT&T announced its choice of Streamwide as an MCX provider less than three weeks ago.

AT&T’s FirstNet unit today announced FirstNet Fusion, a 3GPP-standards-based mission-critical (MCX) platform that is designed to enhance public-safety interoperability via mission-critical push-to-talk, 911 and situational-awareness solutions—including those used by personnel who subscribe to other wireless carriers.

This Streamwide-powered Fusion MCPTT service will replace FirstNet PTT, the original FirstNet MCPTT offering powered by Samsung that did not gain much traction in the public-safety market and will be sunset at the end of the year, Walsh said. FirstNet PTT subscribers will be the first to trial the Fusion platform as they decide what broadband PTT product they want to use in the future, he said.

Matt Walsh, AT&T’s head of FirstNet and next-generation 911 products, said the introduction of the Fusion platform is a reflection of AT&T’s goal to let public safety respond to emergencies—“from call to car to crisis”—with its choice of communications tools.

One reason many public-safety representatives said FirstNet PTT was not adopted more was that it originally was supported by only one device and users could only communicate with other FirstNet PTT subscribers.

“This is an exciting opportunity to serve public safety in a new way,” Walsh said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “There are a lot of new capabilities built into this platform that we think are going be gamechangers for communication and interoperability.

In contrast, the Fusion MCPTT offering is immediately supported by all cellular devices and supports interoperable PTT with land-mobile-radio (LMR) systems via Fusion Link, the 3GPP-standard Interworking Function (IWF) solution that is supplied by Etherstack, according to Walsh.

“We don’t want to keep them in a silo of just our communications solutions. We want to give them the opportunity to take other solutions and integrate them into Fusion.”

FirstNet subscribers will continue to have Rapid Response— the MCPTT offering from Motorola Solutions built from technology secured through the purchase of Kodiak Networks in 2017—as an MCPTT option, Walsh said.

However, Rapid Response will be separate from Fusion.

Scott Agnew, president of AT&T’s FirstNet team that is contracted to build and operate the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) echoed this sentiment.

“It comes down to giving public safety choice,” Walsh said.

“There are some that are really invested and bought into the Motorola ecosystem and have a preference to stay there.

We’re giving them an opportunity to have that option to do that and still be on the FirstNet network, but bringing Fusion as an alternative path for them to be able to facilitate these communications.”

“FirstNet is in a league of its own—and Fusion further reinforces our unwavering commitment to providing all first responders with the tools they need to protect communities and save lives,” Agnew said in a prepared statement.

“As the first to deliver nationwide mission-critical pushto-talk and now bringing public safety a future-ready interoperability solution for the connected responder, we are setting a new standard for how America responds to emergencies and coordinates operations.”

Walsh said AT&T designed the Fusion platform to support interoperable communications with any application from any vendor in the long term, but that is not yet case initially.

Rapid Response is an example of this, he said.

One key foundational component of the Fusion platform is technology from Streamwide, the France-based company with MCX solutions—3GPP-standard-compliant mission-

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“Overall, our goal is to provide interoperability across platforms; our intent is to facilitate that interoperability across platforms,” Walsh said when asked about Fusion’s

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interoperability with Rapid Response. “At launch, that won’t be case.”

Similar interoperability issues exist with MCPTT offerings from other carriers, like Verizon and T-Mobile. But AT&T is using the Fusion platform to let public-safety users quickly resolve interoperability problems quickly at the scene of an emergency response “in a way that we’ve never done it before,” Walsh said.

“We’re allowing customers to take the Fusion application to any carrier they want and to make that work on any carrier, because—when there’s an event—there’s no way to ensure that everybody who shows up to that event will be on FirstNet,” Walsh said. “So, we want to give those users who are on other carriers the opportunity to connect to Fusion and be able to communicate with those on Fusion.

beholden to whatever level of service those carriers could provide you as they provide you service.

“Out of the gates, we are extending interoperability across carrier networks by letting them take the application and use it on any network they choose.”

“[Letting Fusion be used on other networks is] an important capability, and it really does answer an interoperability mission that says, ‘I want to use any carrier I want and communicate with these people on Fusion,’ and we want to allow that. That’s important. But it is equivalent at that point to an over-the-top solution.”

Walsh explained how a public-safety agency will be able to use Fusion MCX on another carrier’s network, particularly at the scene of an emergency response.

“They can procure it in one of two ways,” Walsh said. “They can establish a direct relationship with FirstNet to purchase those. But we know that—in these events where people need access—they’re not always going to have the time to coordinate that.

Walsh said AT&T would be willing to discuss changing this situation, which has been a concern voiced by the publicsafety community for years.

“So, the coordinator of whatever agency has the Fusion application will also be able to purchase licenses on behalf of any user that they’d like and distribute that application— send them a link to download and a simple organization ID, and then they’re able to jump into the application. Then, the sponsoring agency can make the purchase of the license …

They can purchase it at the time of the need.”

Another key aspect of the Fusion platform is its ability to support applications from a variety of vendors with publicsafety solutions. Today, AT&T announced Fusion integrations with Carbyne and Axon, but “this is just the tip of the iceberg for us,” according to Walsh.

“We’re open to conversations where other carriers may desire to interoperate with Fusion,” Walsh said.

“It’s built with the integration of the ecosystem in mind, so it’s APIs that allow you to interface with the Fusion platform,” he said.

Walsh emphasized that Fusion is designed also to meet the needs of an individual first responder, such as a volunteer firefighter.

In the case of cloud-native 911 call-handling solution provider Carbyne, “we’re moving toward the capability of them integrating dispatch directly into the call-handler’s screen,” noting that video from an emergency caller can be pushed through the Fusion platform to responders in the field, Walsh said.

“It’s not just for agencies,” Walsh said. “That volunteer population that today can’t take advantage of any missioncritical-push-to-talk solution—they’re isolated from it. So, volunteer fire [personnel]. or whatever the case may be, will have the ability to buy and procure services for their devices, as well.

“Imagine you’re taking the call and—within the call—you are able to open a window within that call-taking application that allows you to move directly to dispatching and sharing information from the caller,” Walsh said.

“That could be done either at the agency level … or in a volunteer environment—where the user pays the entire bill— they have the ability to procure the service, as well.”

“Now, all the way from the call to the FirstNet Fusion user, you’re pushing video to give that first responder or incident commander that level of situational awareness that, quite frankly, is something that public safety has been asking for for quite some time.

AT&T provide assurances that its MCX offerings to FirstNet subscribers will adhere to the 3GPP standards as the traffic is on the FirstNet system, but it cannot do the same if the Fusion application is used over another carrier’s network, Walsh said.

“It’s this great integration of 911 capabilities into missioncritical communications. It’s something that’s kind of never been done before.”

“There’s no integration into mission-critical capabilities into other carrier networks,” Walsh said. “So, you would be

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Walsh expressed similar excitement about the integration with Axon, the leader in body-worn cameras used by publicsafety agencies.

“We’re importing now all of Axon’s video location data,” Walsh said. “All of a sudden now, hundreds of thousands of cameras that are out there can be integrated into the Fusion dashboard. Now, those users can be seen, just as if they were a regular Fusion user.

“Think about the long-term vision of that. Obviously, there is video. Obviously, there is voice. There are so many things you can do with a camera, and now you’ve created another endpoint. There’s a lot of opportunities to expand into providing meaningful use cases to public safety through those kinds of integrations.”

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Walsh said he believes the Fusion platform can provide the public-safety community with a level of vendor options it has not experienced before.

“Today, you may be able to do portions of this, but you have to do it all with one vendor,” Walsh said. “What we want to do is create a platform that any vendor can join. Then, public safety can say, ‘I want Carbyne for this solution, or Axon for this solution or perhaps this other body-camera provider.’

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“This is an opportunity for all of these different solutions providers to integrate and provide a single common operating picture for public safety.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Donny Jackson is director of content for Urgent Communications. Before joining UC in 2003, he covered telecommunications for four years as a freelance writer and as news editor for Telephony magazine. Prior to that, he worked for suburban newspapers in the Dallas area, serving as editor-in-chief for the Irving News and the Las Colinas Business News.

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Hearing Examines FirstNet Authority Reauthorization Federal lawmakers heard testimony that the FirstNet Authority should be continued beyond its 2027 sunset date, but few clear details were recommended.

[This is a reprint from IWCE’s Urgent Communications., September 10, 2025. https://urgentcomm.com/public-safety/ hearing-examines-firstnet-authority-reauthorization] Federal lawmakers heard public-safety testimony that the FirstNet Authority should be continued beyond the organization’s 2027 sunset date, but they received little clear guidance about what details should be included in a reauthorization measure.

FirstNet—being built and maintained by FirstNet Authority contractor AT&T—provides more than 7.5 million connections to more than 30,000 public-safety agencies.

But under the 2012 law that created the FirstNet Authority, Congress must take some sort of reauthorization action by February 2027 for the organization to continue existing—a fact noted by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), chairman of the Communications and Technology subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

agencies also use other communications to ensure first responders can pursue their missions.

“With FirstNet’s statutory authority set to expire in 2027, it’s time for Congress to assess the progress made by FirstNet to ensure the law requirements are being met and it is adequately serving the needs of our public-safety community,” Hudson said during yesterday’s subcommittee meeting, which was webcast.

San Bernardino County (Calif.) Sheriff Shannon Dicus—also representing the Major County Sheriffs of America—said he believes it is important that the FirstNet system continue being built out to address “gaps” but noted that the FirstNet Authority model makes the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) unique in the marketplace.

Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) talked about the possibility that Congress “could reauthorize FirstNet with potential improvements and reforms,” while Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) described FirstNet as a “true public-private partnership [that] has been tremendously successful.”

“When you talk about governance and the way FirstNet is rolled out, for the first time, law enforcement and the professionals who are using that [network] are a part of those groups, in terms of implementation of across the country—certainly in our state and locally,” Dicus said.

“So, it gives us a voice we haven’t had before.

Beltway sources have told IWCE’s Urgent Communications that they believe the FirstNet Authority reauthorization will happen, but there have been varied opinions on when it would occur and what changes—if any—could be introduced.

“More importantly, for all of you [in Congress], it allows you to hear how this affects us, what’s going on in the street, and how we use that technology to better serve the public.”

Testimony before the Communications and Technology subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce largely reflected this sentiment. All witnesses noted the key role FirstNet has played in public safety’s broadband evolution but also acknowledged that their

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In his prepared testimony, Dicus said the Major County Sheriffs of America are asking Congress to “remove the sunset provision on the FirstNet Authority.”

Steve Newton, Chatham County (N.C.) Emergency Management’s emergency-management director, said he did

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not know what the appropriate timeframe for a subsequent reauthorization should be. However, Newton noted that his agency uses FirstNet—including owning its own Compact Rapid Deployable (CRD)—while utilizing various technologies, offerings from other carriers, and low-Earthorbit (LEO) satellite connectivity to provide as many layers of communications resiliency as possible to support the publicsafety mission.

some of the shortcomings cited by federal oversight officials in recent years.

“What I do believe, however, is when you’re considering the reauthorization of FirstNet that you look at all of the issues identified by Inspector General’s reports regarding the Authority’s oversight,” Fontes said during the subcommittee hearing, which was webcast.

“I also believe we’re now in a world of competition in publicsafety broadband networks. We didn’t have that in 2012.

We have companies like Verizon, T-Mobile or others coming online that provide opportunities for public safety to utilize broadband networks. I believe public safety is best served when they are in control, and they are capable of making decisions about what network best serves them.”

Such technologies played a key role in helping the state of North Carolina recover last year during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which caused outages to many terrestrial communications networks, according to Newton.

“I had never been a huge proponent low-Earth-orbit satellite systems,” Newton said. “I now own at least six, because of that event.”

Much of the discussion during the subcommittee hearing was focused on next-generation 911 (NG911) deployments and the need for federal funding to support the technological transition from legacy 911 platforms.

Testimony about this topic will be the subject of a separate article on IWCE’s Urgent Communications.

Brian Fontes, former CEO of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), said he was “not here to say that the [FirstNet] network should be sunsetted” but advised lawmakers to consider measures that could help address

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New IEEE History Website Launched In partnership with Tumbleweeds Creative Studio, the IEEE History Center has launched the new IEEE History website, https://history.ieee.org/. Designed to provide a streamlined, visually engaging experience to the general public, historical professionals, and IEEE volunteers, the website documents not only the professional activities of the IEEE History Committee and the IEEE History Center staff, but also the historical activities taking place across the IEEE as a whole.

pages that not only describe the program but also show examples of the exhibit installations from around the world.

Another new feature of the website is the Articles section, which houses some of the IEEE History Center staff’s most interesting articles and will serve as a space to post future articles and scholarship.

The launch of the new website would not be possible without the hard work of Tumbleweeds and the IEEE Experience and Design team, and the IEEE History Center would like to sincerely thank Caitlin Leshiner, Trevor Robertson, Khanh Luu, and Yuen Wai Chow for their efforts on this project.

In addition to an overview of the IEEE History Center’s main programs, the website includes a user-friendly events calendar, where historically related events, such as IEEE Milestone dedications, can be found. The new website will also serve as the official digital platform for the IEEE History Center Newsletter.

SOURCES IEEE History Center News, Issue 128, July 2025, p. 4, https://history.ieee.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IEEEHistory-Center-Issue-128-July-2025.pdf.

The IEEE Global Museum’s web presence has been expanded through the new website, encompassing several

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Vanishing Culture: Digital Library of Amateur Radio and Communications

By Kay Savetz The following guest post from curator and amateur radio enthusiast Kay Savetz is part of our Vanishing Culture series, highlighting the power and importance of preservation in our digital age. Read more essays online or download the full report.

We have built a collection of more than 140,000 items and made them available to the world. Researchers, academics, and hobbyists use the library to learn from the rich history of this 100-yearold hobby.

I am the curator of the Digital Library of Amateur Radio and Communications. DLARC is a project of Internet Archive, and my job is to find and preserve this rich history of radio and communications. DLARC collects resources related to amateur radio, satellite communications, television, shortwave radio, pirate radio, experimental communications, and related communications.

One reason this preservation is necessary is that the people creating history do not always realize at the time that they’re creating history. In 1977, the creators of Amateur Radio Newsline—a weekly audio news bulletin—probably did not realize that their project would still be going in 2024, 47 years later. And, for all of their amazing work, if they had realized they were documenting history, they might have made more effort to save those recordings: the first 20 years of their work are missing. (DLARC has found some recordings from 1996, and then most of them since 2012.)

In the two years since the project launched, DLARC has preserved thousands of magazines and journals, manuals, product catalogs, radio programs, and conference proceedings. These materials were scattered worldwide, often inaccessible and in obsolete formats. We’ve digitized material that was on paper, cassette tape, reel-to-reel tape, CD-ROMs, DVDs. We have digitized video from 16mm film, VHS, U-Matic, Betacam, and even more obscure video formats.

Sometimes, creators do recognize the importance of their effort. For more than six years, Len Winkler hosted Ham Radio & More, a radio show about amateur radio. Winker recorded every episode on cassette tape and managed to digitize many of the shows himself. However, the process of digitizing hundreds of episodes is tedious, and he was not able to complete it. With his approval, DLARC stepped in to finish the job. They’re all online now, more than 300 episodes, including interviews with many notable names in the radio community.

There have been other huge successes: the entire 43-year run of 73 Magazine is digitized and online thanks to the publisher, Wayne Green, who donated the collection to the Internet Archive before his death. Most issues of The W5YI Report, a ham radio newsletter that was published for 25 years, are online as well.

Attempting to preserve material years, or sometimes decades, after the fact makes systematic preservation nearly impossible. For every success story of content saved and archived, there is a heartbreaking story of loss. When

A selection of cassette tapes from the “Ham Radio & More” radio show digitized by DLARC.

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amateur radio enthusiasts die, their media collections are often disposed of by survivors who do not have any connection to amateur radio. File cabinets and bookcases full of (sometimes irreplaceable) materials are emptied into recycling bins.

Another challenge to preservation and access is membership organizations that keep their material behind paywalls. They sometimes prevent any of their information from being lent in an online library, which is their right to do.

However, while they actively thwart efforts at preservation, it remains unclear whether those groups are adequately preserving their own history.

YouTube video introduction to DLARC.

Some material is preserved intentionally, but a good amount was saved purely by accident. The material we recover and digitize has come from attics and basements, from libraries discarding obsolete material, from long-forgotten FTP sites, from scratched CD-ROMs, and from the estates of people who have passed.

So, we float where the radio waves take us, trying to preserve the past as much as possible, while encouraging today’s content creators to consider how to make their material accessible to future generations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kay Savetz is the curator of the Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications. DLARC is funded by a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications to create a free digital library for the radio community, researchers, educators, and students. If you have questions about the projector material to contribute, contact kay@ archive.org.

SOURCES Vanishing Culture: Digital Library of Amateur Radio and Communications, Internet Archive Blogs, Jan. 14, 2025, https://blog.archive.org/2025/01/14/vanishing-culturedigital-library-of-amateur-radio-and-communications/.

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Introducing Radio Alpha, the ARRL Museum and Research Library There is a new resource from ARRL documenting the history of ham radio. Radio Alpha is the ARRL® Museum and Research Library. It is available for viewing at www.arrl. org/museum. Radio Alpha is envisioned as a Wikipedia-like project, administered by a trusted group of volunteers.

materials that may help grow the collection.

Those interested may reach out to Penson at radioalpha@arrl. org.

It aims to serve as a definitive repository of information, offering detailed descriptions and contextual data on pivotal figures, influential organizations, pioneering companies, transformative inventions, and iconic equipment that have shaped the amateur radio landscape. Radio Alpha addresses the critical need for a centralized, reliable, and easily navigable archive of amateur radio’s past.

Penson hopes the data will be preserved forever.

“ARRL has an organizational structure that allows it to take a long view on stuff like this. It is best equipped to handle a project like Radio Alpha.”

Recognizing the fragmented nature of existing historical data, this database will consolidate diverse information sources into a single, cohesive platform. Users will find meticulously researched entries, cross-referenced to provide a holistic understanding of the connections and evolutions within the hobby. A core principle of Radio Alpha is universal accessibility. Therefore, the database will be entirely free to access, ensuring that researchers, historians, enthusiasts, and the public can explore its contents without barriers.

Radio Alpha, the ARRL Museum and Research Library, is an all-volunteer project of ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®. This collection is still under development, and you are welcome to browse the library. Most entries currently include only the most basic information. Radio Alpha will take years to complete, but will never actually be finished, because the history of amateur radio is still being written. Our goal is to distinguish Radio Alpha from other online resources through completeness, quality of information, and careful attention to detail—all curated in a clean, well-organized environment free of advertising, spam, and clickbait. Work will proceed in two phases: The first phase is simply to identify significant people, organizations, manufacturers, events, and equipment, and establish placeholders for them in the database. In the second phase, details will be added. We invite your comments, criticisms, and suggestions. Please email them to Chuck Penson, WA7ZZE, principal architect, at radioalpha@arrl.org. This project is funded by generous contributions to the ARRL Historical Preservation Fund.

Noted author, industrial archeologist, and historian Chuck Penson, WA7ZZE, is the principal architect who crafted the collection. Penson has published several books about the history of Heathkit and the Titan II missile. For him, it is a labor of love and necessity. “Somebody has to do this,” said Penson. “Lots of people are doing it independently on their own – here’s a website about the equipment I own, and here’s some documents I scanned – there’s a lot of that.”

The lack of a central location to compile those collections is the root of Radio Alpha. Penson hopes the research library will preserve the data long after individual contributors have passed away.

As of September 13, 2025, RadioAlpha has 4,188 items.

Radio Alpha, the ARRL Museum and Research Library, may be enjoyed at www.arrl.org/radioalpha or www.arrl.org/ museum.

The platform is committed to being free of advertising, spam, and clickbait, prioritizing the integrity of its historical content and providing an uncluttered user experience.

“This database will be a living resource, regularly updated and expanded through ongoing research and community contributions, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of amateur radio’s profound impact on communication, technology, and society,” wrote Penson.

SOURCES Introducing Radio Alpha, the ARRL Museum and Research Library, ARRL Letter, July 31, 2025, https://www.arrl. org/news/introducing-radio-alpha-the-arrl-museum-andresearch-library; Radio Alpha: The ARRL® Museum and Research Library, https://hub.catalogit.app/radio-alpha.

Radio Alpha seeks contributors and volunteers to help develop the content. Hams who have a passion for the history of radio, experience in writing, or extensive knowledge about a particular brand or mode of amateur radio are encouraged to volunteer. The museum also seeks

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Nokia Bell Labs Unveils Seven IEEE Milestones On October 22, Nokia Bell Labs unveiled seven new IEEE Milestone plaques in a major event at its Murray Hill, New Jersey, facility located at 600 Mountain Avenue, New Providence, NJ. This brings the total number of IEEE Milestone plaques installed at Bell Labs to eleven. More are being proposed.

Dr. Todd Sizer, master of ceremonies and a primary leader of the Bell Labs’ proposal team, made the presentation in front of the Nobel Prize Award recognition wall. Bell Labs researchers have received eleven Nobel Prizes.

Nokia Bell Labs headquarters at Murray Hill, New Jersey.

(Courtesy Wikipedia)

IEEE established the Milestones Program in 1983 in conjunction with its 1984 Centennial Celebration to recognize the achievements of those who formed the profession and technologies represented by IEEE. The IEEE Milestones program honors significant technical achievements in all areas associated with IEEE. It is a program of the IEEE History Committee, administered through the IEEE History Center. Milestones recognize technological innovations and advances that were developed and/or produced for the benefit of humanity. Examples can be found in unique discoveries, products, services, seminal papers, and patents. Milestones can be proposed by any IEEE member and are sponsored by an IEEE Organizational Unit (OU), such as an IEEE section, society, chapter, or student branch. The IEEE History Committee applies a rigorous process to develop and review the proposals, working with the proposal team and outside experts to verify the claims and express them in a manner that is documented and accessible to the general public. Following a recommendation by the IEEE History Committee and approval by the IEEE Board of Directors, a bronze plaque commemorating the achievement is placed at an appropriate site, and a celebratory dedication ceremony is held to unveil it to the public.

Murray Hill is the location of Bell Labs’ legendary headquarters. The company operates ten laboratories in the United States and worldwide. Bell Labs has been, and continues to be, devoted to exploring and developing a wide

Many people contributed to the Milestone proposal effort, including several Radio Club of America members.

The program included technical presentations about the history of five milestones. Other Milestones were featured in separate events.

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Members of the IEEE History Center staff and senior volunteers standing in front of Bell Labs’ eleven IEEE Milestone plaques (L to R): Daniel Jon Mitchell, Mary Ann Hellrigel, Robert Colburn, Alexander Magoun, Michael Geselowitz (IEEE History Center Senior Director), David Michelson (IEEE History Committee Chair), David Bart (IEEE History Committee Treasurer), and Bala Prasana (IEEE Region 1 Director).

Dr. Peter Vetter, president of Nokia Bell Labs Core Research.

spectrum of communications, comprising wireless and wired technologies, smart optical networks, end-to-end network and service automation, intelligent software systems, industrial automation, algorithms, analytics, and augmented intelligence.

The Bell Labs Technology Showcase, adjacent to the main lobby area, provides a window into the company’s remarkable legacy. Showcases, interactive videos, and artifacts tell the story of Bell Labs’ many contributions to global communications. Additional display cabinets were installed for Bell Labs’ centennial celebrations in 2025.

These are located throughout the lobby and behind the

registration desk in the cafeteria/employee lounge. A few views are shown below.

Dozens of people attended the Milestone ceremony event, including scientists and staff associated with the work, senior Bell Labs’ leadership, IEEE staff and volunteers, and the general public. The public is welcome to visit Murray Hill to see the exhibits and the Milestone plaques. Information about Bell Labs’ history is available at https://www.nokia. com/bell-labs/. The technology showcase is open during weekday business hours for self-guided tours. Guided tours and visits from larger groups must be arranged in advance by calling (908) 743-9232. Information about the IEEE History Program, including IEEE’s Milestone program, is available at https://history.ieee.org.

Views of Nokia Bell Labs entrance and exhibits.

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OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT RCA The Radio Club of America provides many opportunities to support the organization and its activities.

Sponsors can make specific requests or provide funding for general operations.

INDIVIDUAL SUSTAINING DONATIONS Make a difference in how quickly we progress with our many initiatives for young people, young wireless professionals and those in established careers. We encourage any member who is impressed with the operations of the club to make a tax-deductible donation earmarked to sustaining operations. Donations to support our day-to-day operations are critical to our future as an organization. You can also select RCA as your full or partial beneficiary on an IRA, so funds are tax-free to RCA, or set up a monthly donation through a credit card or ACH withdrawal.

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS AT SPECIFIC EVENTS Networking is a key reason many of our members get involved and stay active with RCA. Breakfasts, cocktail parties and other social events can be underwritten by sponsors who receive promotional considerations for their donations and heightened visibility to the membership.

3 YEAR SUSTAINING CORPORATE SPONSORS There is a unique set of advantages to corporate sponsors who participate in our three-year program. See our summary of benefits by level of sponsorship.

SCHOLARSHIPS Donate to an existing scholarship fund or create your own and you will be supporting university students pursuing wireless communications as a career.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES The Youth Activities program brings the excitement of learning about amateur radio and vivid lessons in science, math and electronics to middle and high school children in this unique and innovative program sponsored by RCA.

HOW YOU CAN APPLY YOUR DONATIONS A variety of funds are available to support specific goals of the initial donors and RCA operations. Please contact RCA for more information on these opportunities.

• General Club Operations (unrestricted) • Archive Preservation • Barone-DiBlasi-Facella • Biggs • Brownson • DeMello Award • Continuing Education • Dettra, Finch • General Grants in Aid • Goldwater • Grebe • Gunther • Legacy Fund • Link • Meyer • Meyerson • Poppele • Tom Sorley Memorial Fund to RCA • Youth Activities • Richard G. Somers Youth Edu Fund

RCA is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization under IRS rules. Contributions may be tax deductible in the United States depending on a person’s individual tax situation.

HOW TO SPONSOR/DONATE The RCA donations form is on the website. Please contact our Executive Secretary, Amy Beckham, for more information on any of these opportunities. She can be reached at 612.405.2012 or amy@radioclubofamerica.org.

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RCA NEWS

Welcoming 163 New Members to the Radio Club of America in 2025 The Radio Club of America (RCA) proudly welcomes 163 new members who have joined our ranks in 2025! This impressive influx of talent, expertise, and enthusiasm reflects the continued vitality of our community and our shared commitment to advancing the art and science of wireless communications.

To our 163 new colleagues—welcome! We are honored to have you join the Radio Club of America. Your participation strengthens our mission, enriches our discussions, and helps ensure that the pioneering spirit of wireless continues to inspire generations to come.

Since 1909, RCA has been home to the innovators, educators, and leaders who shape the future of wireless technology. Our new members carry on that legacy—representing a diverse spectrum of professionals across public safety, broadcasting, telecommunications, aerospace, defense, and emerging wireless fields. Together, they bring fresh perspectives and a passion for discovery that strengthen the foundation of our organization.

RCA membership offers unique opportunities for connection, collaboration, and contribution. From networking with industry legends and attending the prestigious RCA Awards Banquet, to engaging in educational initiatives and mentoring the next generation, members enjoy unparalleled access to a community built on shared purpose and respect for the history and future of communications.

This year’s new members join at an exciting time. RCA continues to expand its educational programs, support for young professionals, and industry partnerships— ensuring that the Club remains at the forefront of wireless innovation and service. Whether developing cutting-edge technologies, preserving communications heritage, or fostering STEM engagement, RCA members are united by a common goal: to advance wireless for the benefit of humanity.

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RCA NEWS

RCA Programs at the 2025 Dayton Hamvention The Radio Club of America (RCA) provided important programming for the 2025 Dayton Hamvention, including a panel presentation, the Youth Forum, and our booth activities.

Moderator Jim Storms, AB8YK, worked with Grace Papay, K8LG, bringing together many young speakers, including Katie Campbell, KE8LQR, Lilly Colon, W8LIL, Maggie Flowers, KE2AIZ, Max Freedman, N4ML, Dominic Hord, AD8AK, Isaiah Russell, KJ5CMP, Josiah Russell, WD5JR, Levi Stevens, KG5XR, who did a wonderful job with their presentations. Topics included the Dave Kalter Youth DX Adventures, breaking records, microwaves, CW, POTA, and contesting.

INNOVATION PROGRAM RCA’s Innovation Council organized the program Frontiers In RF— AI, People, and Amateur Radio. Moderators Dr. Nathan “Chip” Cohen, W1YW, and David Bart, KB9YPD, brought together leading RF innovators to address key questions about the direction of RF in the 21st century.

As communicators, do we know where we are heading?

Huge changes in the last 20 years have made amateur radio and the world in general awash in a sea of information and options. Now, that information is being used by us to partner with artificial brains (AI) in ways that change the roles of communicators. Possibilities that once took decades will arise at the speed of thought. Speakers explored where those changes may take us, how we as radio amateurs may explore and pioneer it, and what spectrum use and policy changes we might expect in the next decade.

Thank you to all our sponsors, especially Ray Novak and ICOM, for many years of dedicated support!

RCA BOOTH RCA returned to our same location, and the booth was particularly active this year in the MAXIM BUILDING, BOOTH 1811! Remember this for 2026! We reoriented toward an open arrangement and had plenty of visitors.

We registered many new members and visited with many returning members.

YOUTH FORUM For more than 30 years, RCA has led the Youth Forum that focuses on the future, our youth. This year, we welcomed new leadership since Carole Perry has retired!

We look forward to seeing all of you at future RCA events and activities!

RCA’s Video Interview Series Continues In 2025 Radio Club of America (RCA) president emeritus John Facella continues to host RCA’s online interview series.

Many of the sessions are recorded and are available on RCA’s YouTube Channel. Programs in the past year included:

These programs provide meaningful and interesting discussions about experiences, viewpoints, and developments in wireless technology. They provide a valuable historical resource. Each interview runs approximately 1 hour. Guests include a wide range of notable figures in wireless, discussing their careers, passions for radio, views on industry trends, and outlooks for technology. If you missed any of these interviews, they are available at https://www.youtube.com/ playlist?list=PLx5vFACfP6FkoU02HpbqMNFBziAAiqqCB.

• Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, Associate Professor at University of Scranton • John Suzuki, CEO of BK Technologies • J. Gordon Beattie, Jr., Senior Principal Research Scientist/ Engineer RF and Wireless Architecture, VIAVI Solutions

Thank you to everyone participating in RCA’s Interview Series and other programs. Together, you have made history, shared it, and preserved it for posterity.

• Mike Ippolito, General Manager, and Patti Ryg, National Dealer Manager, of DigaTalk+ • Dr. Robert Johnk, former project leader of the NIST TimeDomain Free-Field Metrology program

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RCA NEWS

RCA Announces the Winners of the Young Ham Lends a Hand Contest RCA is excited to recognize this year’s Young Ham Lends a Hand Contest winners: Blake Pearson, KN4VKY, and Ryan Pearson, KN4VKW. Blake and Ryan were honored for their outstanding volunteer spirit and community involvement—both on and off the air. Their dedication exemplifies the core values of amateur radio and the purpose of this award.

They received their awards at the 2025 Dayton Hamvention in May 2025, where each was presented with a $100 prize from the Radio Club of America’s Youth Activities Fund.

The RCA Youth Activities Program supports and encourages the next generation of wireless professionals and hobbyists through scholarships, mentorship, and recognition of youth achievements. This contest is just one way RCA fosters engagement and inspires young people to explore the many facets of wireless technology.

Congratulations again to Blake and Ryan on this well-deserved honor!

RCA Young Ham Lends a Hand Contest winners Blake Pearson, KN4VKY, and Ryan Pearson, KN4VKW.

A New Strategic Relationship for RCA and SMPTE The Radio Club of America (RCA) and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) announced a new strategic relationship on July 10, 2025.

This collaboration brings together two historic organizations with deep roots in innovation and technical leadership.

Through this alliance, RCA and SMPTE will foster greater cross-industry collaboration, support emerging talent, and create new opportunities for knowledge sharing across the wireless, broadcast, and media technology communities.

Together, both organizations are building stronger connections to power the future of communications.

annual conference focuses on media innovations, solutions, and technologies. As one of the only peer-reviewed, noncommercial conferences of its kind, each day of the Summit featured something new, including four days of programming, two days of exhibits, and a slew of networking events.

RCA exhibited at the SMPTE 2025 MTS! The 2025 Media Technology Summit is back, and RCA exhibited at this important industry event! The event was held at the Pasadena Convention Center on October 13–16. SMPTE’s

RCA and SMPTE look forward to sharing more opportunities going forward!

HAS YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGED? If you have recently changed your address, email, or phone number, please login to your membership page on our website to update your information, email amy@radioclubofamerica.org or call (612) 430-6995.

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RCA NEWS

APCO Was Highly Successful for RCA APCO 2025 took place July 27–30 in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Convention Center. The Radio Club of America had a highly successful show presence. Similar to IWCE, RCA focused on publicizing our networking opportunities and the quality of our membership. We added over 200 people to our email lists from direct contacts in the RCA booth. We also added new sponsors, corporate members, and paid individual members. We thank all our volunteers, and we welcome our new members, both individual and corporate.

Amy supervised another cookie-baking station that again drew considerable traffic. Our APCO turnout was strong, and we brought in new corporate members and many new individual memberships.

All hands were on deck as we walked the show to visit all the other booths, participated in programs, and met with old and new RCA members. Thanks in particular to Alan Spindel, Ernie Blair and Andy Maxymilian for their time in the Booth. Booth volunteers worked with steady traffic and industry sponsors steered information and visitors to RCA. It is always terrific to catch up with the many RCA members who visited the booth.

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In 2025, RCA is renewing our focus on networking opportunities and the quality of our membership. We bring together the best in wireless with professionals and nonprofessionals from every segment of the wireless industry.

RCA promotes the exchange of ideas across boundaries, providing a stimulating intellectual and social environment for our members. RCA strives to encourage, educate, and engage students of all ages and professionals in a myriad of wireless careers.

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RCA NEWS

IWCE is Another Huge Success for Radio Club of America The Radio Club of America really refined its look and sharpened its message at IWCE 2025. RCA focused on getting the message out about our networking opportunities and the quality of our membership. We had a huge success at IWCE. Our sharper presence was noted, and we added over 300 people to our email lists from direct contacts in the RCA booth. We also added new sponsors, corporate members, and paid individual members. We thank all our volunteers, and we welcome our new members, both individual and corporate.

Amy hosted a cookie marathon, supervising a cookie-baking station that drew considerable traffic. IWCE was our best showing in many years, bringing in new corporate members and many new individual memberships.

The IWCE breakfast program hosted more than 60 people as we returned to a networking format, where RCA also presented an update on its activities.

In 2025, RCA is focusing on networking opportunities and the quality of our membership. RCA brings together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of the wireless industry. RCA promotes the exchange of ideas across boundaries by providing a stimulating intellectual and social environment for our members. We bring together the best in wireless.

This was an all-out team effort. We walked the show, visiting all the other booths: thanks in particular to Alan Spindel, Bob LaRose, and David Bart. Booth volunteers worked with steady traffic as industry sponsors steered information and visitors to RCA. Our thanks to Carroll Hollingsworth, Cheryl Giggetts, Patti Ryg, Jon Paul Beauchamp, and others who sent people our way!. Many current RCA members visited the booth, it’s always great to reconnect with our members!

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With a vision focused on the future while honoring the past, RCA strives to encourage, educate, and engage students of all ages and professionals in a myriad of wireless careers.

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RCA NEWS

RCA Scholarships: Supporting the Next Generation of Wireless Innovators in 2025 The Radio Club of America (RCA) continues its longstanding tradition of fostering talent in the wireless and communications fields with its 2025 scholarship programs.

Recognizing that the future of wireless technology depends on supporting students at every stage of their education, RCA provides scholarships and grants to deserving individuals pursuing studies in engineering, broadcasting, telecommunications, and related disciplines.

handheld mobile phone. The Vivian Carr Scholarship Fund is dedicated to supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds, reflecting RCA’s commitment to equity and inclusion in STEM fields. Additionally, the Dr. Ted Rappaport Honorary Academic Scholarship provides opportunities for students pursuing advanced studies in electrical engineering and cutting-edge wireless technologies, including 5G, 6G, and emerging communications systems.

RCA’s scholarship program includes a wide range of established funds, each honoring pioneers in the field.

These scholarships have historically supported students at universities and technical institutions across the United States, helping them focus on their studies, research, and innovative projects without the burden of financial strain. Many recipients have gone on to careers in industry, academia, public service, and entrepreneurship, carrying forward the legacy of RCA’s mission to advance wireless communications.

Alongside these new initiatives, RCA continues its Young Achievers Educational Grants, designed to recognize and support promising middle school, high school, and vocational students who demonstrate an interest and aptitude in wireless technology. These programs encourage early engagement and nurture the next generation of innovators.

By combining long-standing scholarships with these exciting new initiatives, RCA ensures that students at all levels have access to the resources, mentorship, and recognition needed to thrive. These awards not only help individuals succeed but also strengthen the broader wireless community, cultivating the engineers, researchers, and leaders who will shape the future of communications.

In 2025, RCA proudly introduces new scholarship initiatives to expand its impact. The Marty Cooper Scholarship Fund celebrates innovation in wireless communications, honoring the engineer widely recognized as a pioneer of the first

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RCA NEWS

RCA’S Media Kits Are Available Online The Radio Club of America (RCA) provides marketing brochures and a media kit to promote its offerings. These are available online. The brochures target potential new members, company involvement, new sponsors, and also refresh our message to current or returning members. The media kit focuses on company level involvement, sponsors, VALUE FOR OUR MEMBERS and advertisers. It provides statistics and information about RCA promotes the exchange RCA’S MISSION: boundaries by RCA and its members,of ideas ouracross publications, market reach, providing a stimulating intellectual andand social environment for ourthe opportunities and and program offerings, explains members. We bring together the best in wireless; free pricing to advertise and sponsor.

Offromparticular note: commercial constraints, academic

The Radio Club of America promotes the cooperation of those interested in scientific investigation in the art of Radio Communication. With a vision focused on the Future while honoring the Past, RCA strives to encourage, educate, and engage students of all ages and professionals in a myriad of wireless careers.

professional limitations, and • The litserve has nowand reached anpolitics. all-time high of 5000+ industry or association We are not an advocacy contacts!! organization, although many of

NETWORKING • RECOGNITION • EDUCATION • YOUTH PROGRAMS

NETWORKING • RECOGNITION • EDUCATION • YOUTH PROGRAMS

R AD IO CLUB O F AMERI CA

R AD I O CLUB O F AMERI CA

RCA brings together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of the wireless industry

RCA brings together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of the wireless industry

www.radioclubofamerica.org

www.radioclubofamerica.org

our members have created new

wireless industries regulations. reflecting industry • Our membership continues toandexpand, leadership in all areas of innovation, management, development, and other functions across a wide range of wireless professionals.

Amy Beckham Administrative Director amy@radioclubofamerica.org 7042 East Fish Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55311 Phone: 612.405.2012 Fax: 612.430.6995

• RCA’s members include top corporate management and leaders, inventors,www.radioclubofamerica.org researchers, R&D management, www.radioclubofamerica.org academics, and engineers contributing to civilian and military advances in wireless.

Two new brochures focus on RCA’s value offering: trifold (left) and booklet (right). If you would like copies for use at trade shows or for marketing, please contact Amy Beckham.

• Our membership continues to expand, reflecting a strong reputation, more than a century of history, and strong participation with our industry peers (personal, corporate, and at leading associations)

2023 RCA ADVERTISING, SPONSORSHIP & MEDIA KIT

Radio Club of America brings together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of the wireless industry

RCA fosters wireless innovation by bringing together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of the wireless industry. RCA promotes the exchange of ideas across boundaries by providing a stimulating intellectual and social environment for our members.

RCA PARTNERSHIPS SHOWCASE YOUR SUPPORT AND BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS!

Incredible Exposure

RCA brings together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of the wireless industry. RCA promotes the exchange of ideas across boundaries by providing a stimulating intellectual and social environment for our members.

40%

Access to the oldest and most prestigious AVERAGE wireless organization in the world, with OPEN RATE members in all aspects of wireless and broadcast technologies, including industrial, public safety, academic, and radio or land mobile radio.

DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP Top corporate management and leaders, inventors, researchers, R&D management, academics and engineers contributing to civilian and military advances in wireless.

5% President/CEO/Owner 6% Consultant/Business Development/Attorney 23% Public Safety/Military/Cyber Security 9% Manager/Sales 4% Students 32% Academic/Research and Development/Engineer 21% Other/Retired

RCA brings together the best in wireless, free from commercial constraints, academic and professional limitations, and industry or association politics. We are not an advocacy organization, although many of our members have created new wireless industries and regulations.

By the Numbers $35 BILLION

Amount the U.S. wireless industry invested to grow, improve and run their networks in 2021.

1909

1913

Formation of the Radio Club of America.

Formation of the Proceedings, RCA’s principle publication.

A growing membership with a listserv of

5,000+ CONTACTS

MEMBER LOCATIONS (PLUS INTERNATIONAL)

RCA MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES RADIO PIONEERS Marty Cooper, RCA Fellow & Lifetime Member Co-founder of Arraycomm and Dyna LLC and best known as the inventor of the handheld cellular phone in 1973 while he worked at Motorola.

Dr. Jim Breakall, RCA Director & Fellow

With a vision focused on the future while honoring the past, our new messaging states that RCA strives to encourage, educate, and engage students of all ages and professionals in a myriad of wireless careers.

Professor emeritus PennState; inventor of 3D Frequency Independent Phased Array Antenna (3D-FIPA), and scientific advisor and technical developer at Arecibo Observatory and HAARP.

Arlene Harris, RCA Fellow & Lifetime Member Co-founder and president of Dyna LLC; a serial serial entrepreneur, inventor, wireless pioneer, and policy advisor known as the ‘first lady of wireless.’ Is an inventor, entrepreneur, investor, and wireless policy advisor; a pioneer in mobile and wireless enterprise and an innovator of consumer products and services.

RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA

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Years RCA’s Youth Activities program has engaged middle and high school students in STEM subjects.

Years RCA’s scholarship programs have supported college and graduate students.

Years of sharing ideas, networking, and recognition for leading edge innovation in wireless.

Ted Rappaport, RCA Fellow & Armstrong Medal Recipient

QUESTIONS?

Founder and director of NYU WIRELESS and wireless research centers at three academic research centers, co-authored over 300 papers and 20 books, and holds over 100 patents.

Contact Amy Beckham, Administrative Director, amy@radioclubofamerica.org Phone: 612.430.6995

www.radioclubofamerica.org

Front page of the new RCA Media Kit. If you would like copies for use at trade shows or for marketing, please contact Amy Beckham.

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SILENT KEYS Silent key is a term of respect for a deceased amateur radio operator. The key in the term refers to a telegraph key, the instrument that all early amateur radio operators, as well as many contemporary amateur radio operators, used to send Morse code. The term SK is used in telegraphy to indicate an end of transmission. Today, the term is commonly used within the radio community as a sign of respect and condolence, regardless of whether the deceased was an amateur radio operator.

JOHN HAINES DILKS III

both historical and modern electronics earned him a respected place in the Antique Wireless Association (AWA).

His knowledge of vintage radios was so extensive that he was asked to consult on the 2013 Hollywood film Paranoia, starring Harrison Ford.

We are sorry to announce the passing of John Haines Dilks III on October 12, 2025, at the age of 84. John was a lifelong pioneer and innovator who made profound impacts on the fields of computers, amateur radio, technology, and education.

John was earned his call sign K2TQN at just 13 years old and remained an active member of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) throughout his life. He was an integral part of the USAF operating the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) program during the Vietnam War. His contribution to global communications during wartime was a testament to his dedication to connecting people in times of crisis.

John was a passionate advocate for education. As a member of the Egg Harbor Township School Board, he championed programs that John Dilks. prepared students for a rapidly changing world. Thanks to his foresight, computers were introduced into the township’s schools in the mid-1980s, well ahead of other districts at the time. He also taught distance learning courses at Fernwood Middle School in Egg Harbor Township long before the days of Zoom teaching. One of his more memorable teaching moments was when he created a multi-sensory flight simulator based on the original Wright Brothers plane.

John was an avid pioneer in personal computing, well known in the early days of hobby computing. John held the first computer trade show, PC76, in Atlantic City, with additional shows the following years in Philadelphia. In addition to coining the terms “personal computers” and ”PCs,” he was instrumental in helping to establish Apple, allowing Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak to showcase their brand-new Apple Computer at his trade show, which jump-started their computer empire. His love for technology also extended to his own ventures, including owning one of the first computer stores offering expert consultations on early computing systems.

His community efforts extended to his active role in the Historical Society, where he frequently gave talks and contributed writings that highlighted both local history and broader historical events. His presentations included topics such as the role of radio communication during the sinking of the Titanic and the Arctic explorations of the schooner Bowdoin. He also worked with the World Peace Camp in 1989, promoting peace and understanding. He generously gave up his vacation time from work to educate campers in Ham Radio, helping the campers earn their ham radio licenses and bridge communication gaps between countries around the world in the name of peace and harmony.

In 1977 as a computer engineer with Western Electric, John gained national attention for inventing a groundbreaking “talking tombstone” through his company, Creative Tombstone, Inc. The solar-powered headstone featured a recording device for epitaphs or personal messages, a video display screen to show a biographical account, a digitized photograph, and a family genealogy. Optional features included visitor sensors, incense spray nozzles, and even a mechanized arm to trim the grass. His invention was featured in People magazine, and he was invited to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to discuss it, but he ultimately declined the offer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Shriners Hospitals for Children. The full obituary is available at https:// www.adams-perfect.com/memorials/john-dilks/5647776.

John was also a passionate historian of radio. He wrote the popular monthly “Old Radio” column in QST magazine, highlighting the history of radios, early equipment, and the pioneers of the industry. He also created a portable radio museum inside an RV, which he drove across the country to educate others about radio history. His deep expertise in

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BRUCE DUMONT

in Chicago. Information about the museum can be found at https://www.museum.tv.

Bruce DuMont, Chicago broadcaster, died of complications from cancer in Chicago on September 10, 2025, at the age of 81. He was a political analyst, television presenter, and the founder of the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. His radio show, Bruce DuMont.

Beyond the Beltway, aired on 14 stations when it ended production in January 2025. The show began as a television program in 1980, Inside Politics, that aired on WYCC, Chicago’s secondary PBS station, from 1996–2017.

He hosted Illinois Lawmakers, a television show originating from Springfield that covered Illinois state politics, from 1987–2006.

Dumont was a member of the Peabody Awards’ Board of Jurors and was the nephew of Allen B. DuMont, founder of the DuMont Television Network. He received multiple Emmys, an Iris Award, a Golden Gavel, and the Silver Circle Award for his contributions to public affairs journalism.

Further information about arrangements for Bruce is available at https://www.chicagolandcremationoptions.com/obituary/ bruce-dumont.

SOURCES Harrington, A., “Bruce DuMont, Chicago Radio and TV Political Analyst and Museum of Broadcast Communications Founder, Dies at 81,” CBS News Chicago, Sep. 11, 2025.

Masterson, M., “Bruce DuMont, Who Helped Launch ‘Chicago Tonight’ During Decadeslong Broadcasting Career, Dies at 81,” WTTW.com, Sep. 11, 2025.

Miller, V., “Broadcast Giant, ‘Beyond the Beltway’ Host Bruce DuMont Dead at 81,” Chicago Sun Times, Sep. 11, 2025.

Born in New London, Connecticut, he was a conservative mainstay in Chicago. DuMont told an interviewer in 2017 that he caught the bug for television on a visit to New York City for his 10th birthday. He saw the set of the DuMont Television Network’s show Captain Video and His Video Rangers. Bruce sat in a prop spaceship on the set and was hooked. As a 12- or 13-year-old boy in Chicago, he and a friend made bus trips to the Chicago Tribune Tower to be interviewed on Ernie Simon’s WGN nightly man-on-the-street show in exchange for a box of Kraft Cheese and two tickets to Balaban & Katz movie theaters.

Bruce DuMont, Wikipedia, Oct. 7, 2025.

200 Years of Electronic Communication Technologies History:

For Future Generations • Preserving • Historical Research

DuMont started broadcasting as a producer for WGN 720 AM in 1968. He interrupted his radio career to make an unsuccessful campaign for the Illinois Senate in 1970, then returned to WGN, this time as a producer for Howard Miller, a controversial radio personality. DuMont gained his own on-air radio experience at WLTD (now WCGO) in Evanston, Illinois.

He then began to focus on producing news and documentaries for local television, working as a producer for Chicago’s primary PBS station, WWTTW, covering Chicago’s mayoral politics. He was the original producer of WTTW’s news and discussion program, Chicago Tonight, when it debuted in 1984. It is WTTW’s longest-running television show.

Visit the world-renowned

AWA COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES MUSEUM in Bloomfield, NY, near Rochester AWA cordially invites RCA members to save with an affinity membership. See www.antiquewireless.org/ joinrenew for more information.

DuMont was the founder and former president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, which began development in 1982. MBC opened in June 1987 inside the River City condominium complex, relocated to the Chicago Cultural Center in 1992, and then reopened in its own building at 360 N. State Street in 2012. He officially retired from MBC in 2017. Since 2023, MBC has been operating temporary exhibits, and continues to manage the Radio Hall of Fame. In October 2025, the museum relocated to 440 West Randolph

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• Sharing • Education

www.facebook.com/antiquewirelessmuseum AWA Twitter: @antiquewireless AWA YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/ UCX55peBhzeX1qps_VYXdLBA

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CHARLIE HILLMAN LILES

system for the Space Shuttle Program and Blackhawk Helicopter testing systems. In retirement, he volunteered as a docent at the Space and Rocket Center and was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Charlie Hillman Liles passed away (June 29, 2025, age 101) in College Station, Texas, just 12 days shy of his 102nd birthday. He was born in McComb, MS, on July 11, 1923, the second of three sons. He graduated from Central High School in Jackson, MS, in 1941. He had a natural aptitude for electronics and built his first radio at the age of 12. His love of radio grew into the lifelong hobby of HAM radio. As W5PWW and then W5AQ, Charlie collected QSL cards from all over the world. By the mid–1960s, he had “worked” over 300 countries, and he moved ever higher on the “DX Century Club Honor Roll” list. He entered a special military program in 1942 and went to Mississippi State University and Northwestern University in Chicago for advanced training in radar. Shortly after his marriage to Minnie Jo Bell, Charlie enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in Europe 1943–1945 as a radar specialist, serving in England, France, Belgium, and briefly in Holland and Germany. He later graduated from Keegan’s Broadcast School in Memphis, Tennessee, and became a radio engineer and DJ at WFUN in Huntsville, Alabama. He began with the C.A.A. (soon to become the F.A.A.) in 1951 as an electronics technician, relocating several times. He remained as an electronics technician supervisor until retirement in 1979.

PAUL DENWALT Paul Denwalt passed way (March 21, 2025, age 88) at home, Paul’s last request was to donate his body to science. He was a long-time manager at International Crystal Manufacturing (ICM). Upon retiring from ICM, he became a partner in DH Marketing, a new Manufacturer’s Representative company. He was a long-time member of the Radio Club of America. After several years with DH Marketing, Paul retired to spend more time with his family.

ROBERT STEPHEN LOGAN Robert Stephen Logan (March 19, 2025, age 77) passed away at his home in Alvin, TX. Bob was born in Caracas, Venezuela. When he was still a baby, his family relocated to South Texas. After graduating from Richard King High School in 1966 and attended Texas A&M University on a football scholarship to pursue a civil engineering degree. He later transferred to The University of Texas at Austin. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Teaching in 1971 and a Master’s degree in Library Science in 1973. He worked at McDonnell Douglas (Denver, CO), Telemedia (Chicago, IL), Systran (Chicago, IL), Tracor (Austin, TX), and the City of Austin, where he remained for 20 years until his retirement in 2010. He authored the book Instructional Systems Development: An International View of Theory and Practice. As an extra-class licensee, NZ5A, he published several articles in QST magazine His article, “Optimizing Propagation on 630 and 2200 Meters” was voted best article from the August 2019 issue of QST. He was interviewed for the QSO Today Podcast (episode 275) to discuss his newly found interest in low-frequency bandwidths, and his final passion project was researching and writing a guidebook to non-directional radio beacons.

DONALD BARTLETT FAY, JR. Donald Bartlett Fay, Jr. passed away (April 30, 2025, age 83) in Huntsville, Alabama. He was raised in Panama City and graduated from Bay High School, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering at The Georgia Institute of Technology. He received a Master of Science in Management degree from Florida Tech. An avid amateur radio operator, he earned his Ham radio license at the age of twelve and was involved in Ham Radio for decades, serving in local and national organizations to promote amateur radio. With call letters K4CEF and later W4NS, he spoke to every location in the world at least twice. Professionally, he worked on many space and technology projects such as the shaker testing system for the Saturn V rockets, a backup

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SILENT KEYS

A Tribute To Jack Belrose

by David Bart [EDITOR’S NOTE: Jack Belrose was an RCA Armstrong Medalist, long-time RCA board member, and editor of the Proceedings of the Radio Club of America. He recruited and mentored me as his successor editor of the Proceedings many years ago. Thank you for inviting me to join in this engaging and highly rewarding adventure! – David Bart]

Electronic Systems in the High Latitude Region is particularly noteworthy, since it summarizes three decades of research at CRC by Jack and his colleagues.

John “Jack” Skelton (VE2CV) Belrose passed away peacefully on September 19, 2024, at age 98. Born in Warner, Alberta, Jack developed a passion for radio communications during his teen years and became a licensed radio amateur in 1947 (VE7QH, then VE3BLW and, until recently, VE2CV/VE3CVV).

He enjoyed the company of his amateur radio colleagues and regularly tuned in for midnight “skeds” and volunteered for Field Days.1

Jack was also Chairman of a CCIR Interim Working Party on sky-wave propagation at frequencies below about 500 kHz, where he was largely responsible for writing two major CCIR reports and rewriting a CCIR report on antennas.

After completing his BASc in Electrical Engineering and MASc at the University of British Columbia, Jack joined the Defense Research Board’s Radio Propagation Laboratory (RPL) in Ottawa in 1957. He was awarded an Athlone Fellowship in 1953 and was accepted as a Ph.D. candidate

by St. John’s College, Cambridge University, to study with the late J. A. Ratcliffe2, then Head of the Radio Group, Cavendish Laboratories.

Jack’s extensive research in antennas and propagation at CRC led to many applications in amateur radio. After retiring, he continued to work at CRC as an Emeritus Researcher. He wrote over 150 papers for professional publications and books, as well as numerous magazine articles. In his later years, he researched and wrote about the contributions of Canadian-born Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (1866-1932) to the development of radio.

Jack received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge (Ph.D. Cantab) in Radio Physics in 1958. He returned to Ottawa, where he continued a lifelong career in Radio Science with the Communications Research Centre (CRC, successor to RPL3). He retired in 1998 after 33 years as Director of the Radio Sciences Branch. Throughout his years at CRC, Jack greatly appreciated the help of his team of scientists and technologists as they pursued a wide range of research relating to radio propagation, solar eclipse activity, and Canada’s early satellite program. One project dear to his heart was the development of trail radio in Canada’s North.

He was a Fellow of the Radio Club of America, a Life Member of the Antique Wireless Association and the Quarter Century Wireless Association, and a Life Senior Member of the IEEE (Antennas and Propagation Society). He served as Technical Advisor to the American Radio Relay League in the areas of radio communications technology, antennas, and propagation since 1981, and he published many articles in QST, QEX, Ham Radio, and Communications Quarterly. He authored several articles in The ARRL Antenna Compendium series publications. Jack served as editor of the Proceedings of the Radio Club of America from 2010–2013. He remained Technical Editor of the Proceedings until his death.

From 1976–1993, Jack was Canadian Panel Coordinator for the AGARD (Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development) Electromagnetic Propagation Panel of NATO. He was Deputy and then Chairman of that Panel from 1979–1983. He was Technical Program Chairman/ co-chairman of several AGARD/EPP symposiums and specialists meetings, and Lecture Series Director for two AGARD LS on antennas (one on performance of antennas in their operational environments and one on modern antenna design using computers and measurement). His lecture notes are entitled “HF Communications and Remote Sensing in the High Latitude Region.” AGARD LS Media Effects on

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Jack Belrose

Jack received RCA’s Armstrong Medal in November 2007 for his many contributions to radio art and science. He was appointed to the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame in 2012 in recognition of his long and distinguished career as a radio pioneer in Canada, both as a professional and as a radio amateur.

When Jack received the Armstrong Medal, alongside Walter Cronkite, the famous anchor of The CBS Evening News, he said, “Thank you for giving me the Armstrong Medal. When

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I look at it, I will think perhaps I did contribute something, rather than nothing, to the book of knowledge.”4

Telecommunications Establishment (DRTE) existed from 1951 to 1969 within the DRB. In 1969, the federal government established a Department of Communications. The DRTE in its entirety was transferred to the new department’s research branch and renamed the Communications Research Centre. The CRC came under Industry Canada’s wing in 1994. Throughout its history, the CRC has made significant contributions to the information and communications technology sector in Canada and abroad, including many “firsts” in Canadian communications, a number of which involved satellite communications. [Source: Wikipedia, and ‘Defence’ is the correct spelling, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Communications_Research_Centre_Canada#History]

[EDITOR’S NOTE: In 2002, Jack authored an engaging and detailed explanation of his scientific research and interests in “Remembrances of a Radio Scientist” by John S. Belrose, Friends of CRC, https://www.friendsofcrc.ca/Articles/BelroseEarlyYears/Belrose%20remembrances.html.]

SOURCES 1 Obituary, https://www.hpmcgarry.ca/obituaries/JohnSkelton-Belrose?obId=44997121; VE2CV, John S. ‘Jack’ Belrose, QCWA, https://www.qcwa.org/ve2cv-32361.htm; Jack Belrose, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Jack_Belrose.

2 John Ashworth Ratcliffe was a legendary British physicist and head of the Cavendish Laboratory’s ionosphere research group at Cambridge. He performed research on fading in radio wave propagation under Edward Appleton; worked on British radar during World War II, where he was in charge of a new form of Chain Home Low (CHL) used to detect low-flying aircraft; and after the war, returned to Cambridge, where he helped establish the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory. [Source: Obituary - Ratcliffe, J.A. - 1902-1987, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 29, No.2, June, 1988, p. 281, https:// adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1988QJRAS..29..281R.]

4 Bishop, D., RCA’s 98th Anniversary Awards & Banquet, “Cronkite, Rooney Wow the Crowd With Tales of the CBS Newsroom,” Proceedings of the RCA, Spring 2008, p. 20, https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Club-ofAmerica/Radio-Club-of-America-2008-01.pdf.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Bart is the President Emeritus of the Radio Club of America, Editor of the RCA Proceedings, and an RCA Fellow.

He is also the Treasurer of the IEEE History Committee and a Vice President and Fellow of the Antique Wireless Association. He has received numerous awards for his work in the history of communications.

3 Officially established in 1969, the CRC’s roots can be traced back to the late 1940s and the Canadian Defence Research Board (DRB). The Defence Research

SILENT AUCTION DONATIONS NEEDED! The RCA banquet Silent Auction returns in 2023! The Silent Auction historically offered a wide range of unusual donations, the sale of which benefited RCA. Absent for some time, this favorite activity has returned. To date, we have received notice that some unusual and rare historical items will be available. Other non-wireless items will also be available. We encourage all attendees to consider bringing a donation, and we ask everyone to participate in helping to raise funds for RCA. Please send your donation information to info@radioclcubofamerica.org.

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BOOK REVIEW Conversations Over the Airwaves and the Deceptive Transmissions that Hoodwinked the Enemy: The Extraordinary Life of Major Rowland ‘Rowley’ Shears, BEM, TD, G8KW

by Richard Shears Reviewed by John Facella, P.E., Former C. Eng. (U.K.), RCA President Emeritus EDITOR’S NOTE: The following book has been suggested as interesting reading or as a useful resource. The following review does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by RCA. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s alone and are not the official opinion of any organization. We welcome suggestions and recommendations from RCA’s members regarding books, movies, and videos to share with RCA’s membership. The scope can include technical, regulatory, fiction, or other subjects. We encourage you to send your suggestions to David Bart at jbart1964@gmail. com for publication in a future issue of the Proceedings.

If you are interested in World War II communications, spies and deception, or amateur radio operators serving their country in time of war, this book is for you! The title is a bit misleading, because the book is mainly about clandestine wartime communications, not exactly ‘conversations!’

WWI for WWII!), see https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=01ieZ4cB-To.

The book tells us about British radio amateur Rowley Shears, who ended up in a Royal Signals Unit in Egypt. Besides regular duties taking care of various radio equipment for the British, Shears ended up in a deceptive operation called “Cheese.”

Cheese involved fooling the German Nazi military intelligence service (Abwehr) into thinking that they had an agent in Egypt who could provide them with intelligence about Allied military units and plans. All the communications were in Morse code (CW), which was extensively used by all participants during the War. Rowley (as he was called by family and friends) learned to mimic the ‘fist’ (the rhythmic style of sending Morse code) of an agent who was ‘turned.’

In collaboration with British military authorities, Rowley provided some selected true information and considerable false information to the Abwehr. The deception was so complete that Rowley’s false agent persona was awarded the German Iron Cross!

The book is written by Major Shears’ son, based on notes and family information about his father. The book is fascinating and represents yet another story of more WWII intrigue that never seems to stop coming to light.

The book is currently only available in paperback.

The publisher is The Choir Press (a self-publishing company in the U.K.). The book was copyrighted in 2025 and is 194 pages long. It is cataloged as ISBN 978-1-78963-538-6. At the moment, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Thrift Books all offer the book online at prices around $19.00 plus shipping (Amazon does not currently carry it). A YouTube video describes the book, but it is likely AI-generated and contains many mistakes (like confusing

The book is organized into five major parts, totaling 38 chapters. Most chapters are just a few pages, making it easy to pick up and read, and then put down for a later return.

Rowley, like many of us, started in wireless at a young age and became a radio amateur. It led him to a lifetime of wireless work, but along the way, he maintained his amateur license and continued to operate wherever possible. The British government awarded him the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his work during the War. Incredibly, the Germans, not knowing who he was, awarded him the Iron Cross for what they perceived as helpful to them as an agent!

Rowley joined the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE)1 in 1950. He joined the Radio Club of America in 1985 and was elevated to an RCA Fellow in 1991.

After WWII, he spent additional time in Germany and was instrumental in helping form the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC). He was later awarded an honorary first membership by the DARC. The book has many fascinating and unexpected details. Here are just a few— • Part I explains Rowley’s early years. On page 11, he explains that just as he reached the age of 20,

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and just before WWII began, he was mustered into the Royal Corps of Signals, beginning his military career.

• Part II, the majority of the book, contains Chapters 4 to 23. This part describes Operation Cheese, and other exploits that fooled the German Abwehr. A local Abwehr agent, Alex, was turned into a double agent working for the British. Rowley learns to imitate Alex’s Morse code “fist” and disseminates false information to the Abwehr. o Chapter 17 provides a rather long section on how Rowley sets up a U.S. Army BC610 transmitter to broadcast entertainment on medium wave and short wave bands to the allied troops in the Middle East. o Chapter 20 describes the plan to capture a new agent being transported on a German U-boat in Operation Wild Goose. o On page 84, Rowley describes the “Dellinger Effect” of solar flares interfering with short-wave transmissions during Operation Cheese.2 o On page 99, includes a description of a unique one-time cigarette case-sized scratch pad used by Abwehr agents, and Rowley’s hand-drawn picture of this device is shown on page 108. o During the Battle of Al Alamein with General Rommel, fake tanks and artillery pieces were used to fool the Germans into thinking the Allied forces were larger than actual. This is described on pages 102 and 103. A similar ruse was used during the Normandy Invasion in June 1944. o The successful capture of German General Karl Kreipe, the commander in Crete, is described on pages 112 and 113. This event became a book and a film “III Met by Moonlight.”3 o Some of the deceptions used by Abwehr agents are described on pages 114 to 116, wherein agent radios were supposedly buried by the Abwehr, but Rowley’s team never found them. o Hams will be interested to know that the D104 microphone is mentioned, see page 125.

• Part III deals with what happened after the War ended. o On page 133, he describes how he assisted 40 news reporters by sending their dispatches back to their news offices during the Berlin Airlift of 1948.

All the transmissions were sent in CW! He must have had a sore hand! o Rowley started working with German radio amateurs in the period of 1947–1950. At that time, there were considerable illegal radio transmissions from agents working for Russia or black marketers. Some were from frustrated legitimate radio amateurs who were still forbidden to transmit. Rowley convinced the authorities to begin licensing legitimate German

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radio amateurs again, which reduced the problem. This is all described on pages 147–148.

• Part IV, beginning on page 152, tells about Rowley’s move back to the U.K. from Germany. He started his own company, “KW,” to manufacture amateur radio equipment. For a while, they teamed up with Geloso, an Italian manufacturer of amateur radios. Initially, KW’s offerings provided separate transmitters and receivers, but with the KW2000, they built an SSB transceiver. Rowley received some awards from the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) for his company’s accomplishments. This was about the time that Collins came out with its KWM2 transceiver.4 o KW equipment was featured in the first James Bond film, “Dr. No,” in 1962. Aficionados of KW radios in the U.K. continue to celebrate the equipment on “KW Weekends” each January. o During the early 1960s, various ‘pirate radio stations’ operated off the coast of the U.K., such as Radio Caroline. We learn that Rowley supplied transmitters to some of these stations in Chapter 36, page 165. o Page 167 explains how Rowley also provided communications support in 1968 to the British Trans-Artic Expedition.5 Rowley passed away in 2009 at the age of 90.

The book has an extensive four-page glossary at the end of radio and military terms, which can be helpful to those less familiar with these subjects.

Rowley’s life has some intriguing parallels to Arthur Collins: being an avid radio amateur all his life, helping the war effort (albeit in different ways), becoming a manufacturer of both amateur and commercial radio equipment, and supporting an arctic expedition.

Overall, this book is a fun read if you are interested in spies, WWII, or amateur radio. I enjoyed every page.

One has to marvel at the audacity and skill of the British in fooling the Abwehr for such a long time.

SOURCES 1 The IRE and the AIEE merged to became the IEEE in 1963.

2 First discovered in 1930 and 1935; also known as SIDs. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_ ionospheric_disturbance.

3 “Night Ambush” was the shorter American version.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ill_Met_by_ Moonlight_(film).

4 For more information on the KW company and offerings, see: https://www.electronics-notes.com/ articles/history/radio-receivers/kw-electronics.php.

5 This is eerily similar to the support Arthur Collins provided in 1925 to the MacMillan Polar Expedition.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER John Facella has a 35+ year career in wireless, including working for Motorola and its largest competitor, Harris (now L3 Harris), a national wireless consulting company, and for his own engineering consulting company. He has also been the chief executive of several small high-tech companies, and he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He graduated from Georgia Tech with a BSEE degree, has an MBA, and is a registered professional engineer. He was formerly a chartered engineer in the U.K. John is a Fellow and President Emeritus of the Radio Club of America.

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TRAVEL REVIEW

A Visit To Historic Speedwell— Birthplace of the Morse Telegraph

by David Bart As historians, we dig into papers, collect, preserve, and examine artifacts, write, and teach. Sometimes, it is just great to be a tourist. That was my experience when I visited Historic Speedwell, called locally, the “Birthplace of the Telegraph,” located in Morristown, New Jersey!

The historic complex is about 30 minutes west of Newark and about 45 minutes north of Princeton. In short, like the Villa Griffone near Bologna, Italy, the location of Guglielmo Marconi’s earliest experiments in wireless telegraphy, this was a terrific find, and it was exhilarating for me as a historian of electrical communications!

Speedwell was an important early American ironworks.

It made the engine for the S.S. Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic in 1819, and early American railroad wheels, innovating the first durable iron tire for railroad locomotives in January 1836. The collection of buildings captures the flavor of life in the mid-19th century, the early American Industrial Revolution, and Stephen Vail’s legacy. Special emphasis is placed on the telegraph, a joint effort of Samual Morse and Stephen Vail’s son, Alfred Vail. Today, Speedwell is an IEEE Milestone site and a National Historic Landmark.

HISTORIC SPEEDWELL

THE HOUSE TOUR

Historic Speedwell is a small enclave adjacent to Speedwell Avenue that includes five structures from the Vail Family farm and a small part of Stephen Vail’s Speedwell Iron Works. The site also has three early Morristown homes that were relocated here, dating from before and after the American Revolutionary period. Several stone structures and a jogging path can also be explored. The site occupies only a small portion of the original Speedwell Iron Works complex.

The rest has been lost to fires, demolition, and suburban development. The site addresses Morristown’s contributions to the American Industrial Revolution, Vail’s company, and the telegraph.

I took the guided tour of the entire site, including the Vail family home. I also spent plenty of time wandering, enjoying the many exhibits. The tour was good, but I was disappointed that the tour guides lacked knowledge or understanding of telegraph history. They could not explain Morse’s 1838 port-rule device and how it differed from the later telegraph key and register, the concept of the Morse alphabet, or how the debate over who originated the innovation shaped its development and history. Several key artifacts went unnoticed, including a well-known daguerreotype of Alfred Vail from 1853, a Wade telegraph insulator on its mount with a portion of wire from the first U. S. Transcontinental telegraph line in 1861 (donated by the Western Union Museum), or the 3D topographic map of the Atlantic Ocean showing the trans-Atlantic routes for submarine cables circa 1890 (donated by the Western Union Museum). So many visitors were asking questions that I ended up explaining telegraph history to the group. Even so, I found the tours worthwhile, learning about the Vail family, the history of the site, and efforts to preserve it.

TELEGRAPH EXHIBITS

The Factory Building, site of the Morse/Vail telegraph experiments.

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The L’Hommedieu House is the location of the entrance registration and has a small gift shop. It has a room featuring a short historical video and several rooms of temporary exhibits. One of the display cases contains the famous daguerreotype of Alfred Vail (this is the original, owned by Vail’s son) and Vail’s notebook, documenting the Morse/Vail telegraph experiments.

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The exhibits in the Factory Building address the origin and impact of the Morse telegraph. They were wonderful. I was less concerned about a detailed reading and review of every statement than obtaining an overall impression about the subjects and appreciating the educational value of the story.

This was an exciting experience. These are perhaps the best exhibits I have ever seen about Morse and the development of the telegraph.

The original 1853 Daguerreotype, published in 1912, of Alfred Vail, Morse’s collaborator in developing the telegraph.

The telegraph exhibits are located on two floors. They address biographies of the main people involved (Alfred Vail, Samuel Morse, Joseph Henry, Leonard Gale), origins of the many ideas and influences that brought forth the invention, its technical development, the expansion of concepts, the demonstrations in 1838 and 1844 on the Washington-Baltimore line, the patents, and legacies.

The second floor hosted Morse’s and Vail’s first public demonstration of their telegraph, where they sent the message, “A patient waiter is no loser,” across the room over three kilometers of wire in January 1838. The exhibit about this experiment includes sections of that wire.

Reproductions of the port-rule, key, register, sounder, and other devices are displayed for visitors to operate.

Journal entry noting the first use of the telegraph, 1838.

Alfred Vail and Samuel F. B. Morse developed and perfected their electromagnetic telegraph in what is now known as the Factory Building. On entering, look behind the door for the plaques for the IEEE Milestone and the National Historic Landmark.

I liked the many interactives delving into the nature of innovation, how science evolves, the importance of public and private funding, and who ultimately receives credit.

The exhibits do not reach conclusions but leave the visitor to ponder the questions. Speedwell has the only exhibit I have seen that distinguishes between inventive/scientific claims of priority versus the legal rights of a patent holder.

Other exhibits delve into the distinction between the origin of ideas and the technical development of practical devices. Many exhibits provide biographies about the key players; explore how influences can inspire invention; explain telegraphy’s patents and innovations; highlight the Washington-Baltimore demonstrations; and convey the legacies of telegraphy right up to today in wireless communications.

The Telegraph exhibits in the Factory Building.

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Extensive written and photographic content is provided in well-designed visuals with question-and-answer interactives throughout. The exhibits include many original artifacts, including sections of the original telegraph wires and cables from various dates and events.

PRESERVING HISTORY

DONOR GIFT:

COMMEMORATIVE CODE PRACTICE OSCILLATOR

Historic Speedwell was organized as Speedwell Village in 1966 as a non-profit, historic site. In the late 1960s, three historic Morristown structures (Moses Estey House, Ford Cottage, and L’Hommedieu House) were relocated here to save them from demolition. The Morris County Park Commission acquired the property in 2002 and opened it to the public in 2003. A 2007 Trust grant helped fund the preparation of a historic structure report for the Vail Homestead and the preparation of a preservation plan for the Moses Estey House.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT Historic Speedwell is listed on Tripadvisor and Yelp, where visitors rate it 4.0/4.4 out of 5.0. A visitor can spend a fast 1-2 hours, or several hours if they take more time absorbing the exhibits. For a telegraph historian, this was an inspiring adventure. I took many photos that I re-read in more detail as I have time, and to re-live my experience.

For anyone interested in seeing an important site in telecommunications history, this is well worth your time; so, become a tourist for a day and just have fun.

SOURCE An excerpt of this article appeared in the IEEE History Center News, Issue 128, July 2025, pp. 6–7.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER David Bart is the President Emeritus of the Radio Club of America, Editor of the RCA Proceedings, and an RCA Fellow.

He is also the Treasurer of the IEEE History Committee and a Vice President and Fellow of the Antique Wireless Association. He has received numerous awards for his work in the history of communications.

We all know that students today are often more interested in computers than wireless. As a result, the future of wireless depends on getting more youth interestesd in wireless.

Here is a great opportunity to support our RCA Youth Program under Director Carole Perry and obtain a free gift as a result. Carole has been driving our Youth Program for 30 years this year! As a surprise to her, Director Charles Kirmuss commissioned a CW Morse code practice oscillator that was the same design Carole used years before with her early amateur radio classes with middle school and high school.

If you donate at least $30 to Carole's RCA Youth Program, you will receive a commemorative code practice oscillator. Your donation will be used to assist with costs like awards to the children, donation materials for school radio clubs, travel expenses for youth presenters to the Technical Symposium, and more.

In addition, if you renew your RCA membership for three years, you will also receive a code practice oscillator.

If you have interest in donating to the Youth Program, please email Director Carole Perry directly (wb2mgp@gmail.com) and she will provide instructions as to how to send a check.

If you wish to renew your membership for three years, contact Amy Beckham (Amy@radioclubofAmerica.org) for details on getting the code practice oscillator.

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SETI SPECIAL SECTION

SETI: WE CAN MAKE THE COSMIC CONNECTION

PART 2: CONTINUING THE CONNECTION Dr. Nathan “Chip” Cohen, Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. [EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second part of a two-part article. The first part appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of the Proceedings of the Radio Club of America.]

Definitions: Pr = received power (W); Pt = transmitted power (W); Gt, Gr = transmit and receive gains (dimensionless); λ = wavelength (m); R = range (m).

In Part 1, we saw that communication between cosmic civilizations is prescribed by the commonalities of physics that are shared universally. Yet, there are universal problems as well: every world that reaches technological maturity confronts the same issues of power, aperture, detectability, encoding, and messaging. The universe, indifferent though it may seem, provides the same electromagnetic rules everywhere—the same primer on which all intelligence must learn to write and practically implement.

Because gain G ∝ (D/λ)², with D = aperture diameter, received power rises as Dt² · Dr² — a fourth-power law in aperture size, when considering both apertures together, in the link. Doubling both apertures increases Pr by 16 times. The key point is that the aperture produces substantial magnification (gain) of the signal, making tight beams, analogous to a flashlight, that focus power with substantial increases, which can easily exceed a factor of a million or more, making modest input power work as high EIRP. This makes high input power work as an extraordinary EIRP. In other words, an aperture, depending on size and frequency, can provide well over 60 dB of gain and make contact possible.

Simplicity of transmission begets ease of detection.

So, complex modulation systems, out-of-water hole frequencies, and so on, make it difficult to detect a signal at cosmic distances. By analogy, a simple common language assures that contact—that is detectability—is the name of the game.

Now we turn from principle to practice: how an actual interstellar link is likely to be built. Exploiting the low noise microwave water hole as a passband of choice, polychromatic ETI’s multiple narrow signals (called ‘tones’ for convenience) are used against cosmic fading (scintillation), and additional surprising common knowledge bases to form a fascinating, likely SETI scenario, as shown here.

We start with the link itself. If detection is the common language of cosmic communication, then the link equation is its grammar, modulation its vocabulary, and pattern its melody. Here we trace how those elements work together— and find that even our civilization already holds the means to make the cosmic connection using radio at the microwave water hole.

THE LINK AND THE POWER Every conversation across space begins with the Friis transmission relation (see, for example, Pierce,1961): Pr = Pt · Gt · Gr · ( λ / 4πR)²

On the downside, the attenuation from distance alone is daunting. Free-space path loss expresses geometric attenuation and wavelength dependence: FSPL (dB) = 20 log10 (4πR / λ) For example, at 1 GHz (λ = 0.3 m) and R = 1,000 lightyears (9.46×1018 m), FSPL ≈ 286 dB. The FSPL climbs markedly as the frequencies crawl into the terahertz and infrared regimes. While relatively modest at the water hole, this immense FSPL takes careful consideration. But with sensitive receivers and large highgain apertures, it can be readily overcome. Here’s how, as shown through the receiver’s end.

Detectability at the receiver follows from the radiometer equation (see Kraus,1966): Smin = (Nσ · k · Tsys) / (Ae √(B τ)) Definitions: Smin = minimum detectable flux density (W m-2 Hz-1); Nσ = detection threshold (in σ); k = Boltzmann constant (1.38×10-23 J K-1); Tsys = system temperature (K); Ae = collecting area (m²); B = bandwidth (Hz); τ = integration time(s).

The bigger the aperture, the more sensitive the detection threshold, and a wider bandwidth, along with increased integration time, knocks it down further.

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achieve Type I detectability (see the next section on Aperture Engines).

Geometry, from aperture, not sheer power generation, governs who is heard across the stars. The quest for power is always dictated by aperture and secondarily by input power. While the Friis equation shows daunting tasks ahead to maintain a cosmic link, the numbers encourage us to pursue the search.

Fig. 1: The world’s largest telescope, PRC’s FAST 500, is an ideal tool in the SETI experience and is being used, in part, for that purpose.

Type

Approx.

Power (W)

Energy Source

Equivalent EIRP Reach @ 1 GHz

I

1016–1017

Planetary (all energy on a world)

More than ½ way across the Galaxy

II

1026

Stellar (Dyson-scale engineering)

Beyond the Galaxy

III

1036

Galactic (entire galaxy)

True extragalactic exploration

MODULATION, INFORMATION, AND CODING

Nowadays, the biggest aperture for SETI is the FAST 500-meter dish in PRC. Let’s consider a realistic datataking scenario in SETI with FAST, where we are matching a bandwidth of a given polychromatic tone with the receiver bandwidth (note that SETI receivers actually look at billions of channel bandwidths simultaneously, which then creates a waterfall display):

A pure tone—that is, a narrowband signal—can stand out with the highest SNR compared to other modes, but says nothing. Intelligence reveals itself through modulation, controlled variation that carries meaning. Yet, modulation can hinder detectability. Complex, wideband modulation schemes can hide signals—the opposite of the intended objective of obtaining a detectable cosmic link—or they can dilute the transmit power, preventing detection. Here, we will see that the polychromatic method also acts as a viable modulation method. This invokes SETI’s rule one: be findable first, understandable second.

Example: A 500 m FAST-class dish, Tsys = 30 K, B = 1 Hz, τ = 300 s, Nσ = 10 → Smin ≈ 4.8×10-27 W m-2 Hz-1.

Let us say that again, for emphasis: be findable first, understandable second.

From this calculation and the Friis equation, a 1 Hz signal of EIRP ≈ 1015 W is visible to ≈ 30,000 light-years.

That is a happy fact considering that the input power, which can be in the megawatt class, is not the limiting factor—it is the aperture at the ET end and at our end. If a transmitted signal is found above the SNR threshold, the integration time can be considerably extended, increasing detectable distance well beyond the 30% reach of the Milky Way.

Additional caution extends to messaging in the sense that the Cosmic link is just one-way. The latency between a two-way transmission can literally be tens of thousands of years. Of course, one-way transmissions are incredibly valuable: Confucius, Aristotle, and even Da Vinci speak to us through books and records. Their wisdom and messages cross time in a one-way exchange of history and fact.

Nonetheless, information, even one-way information, is key. How might ETI best convey something meaningful to us, given the weakness of signals, the narrowness of the bandwidth of tones, and unknown symbolic language?

So, as SETI is an invitation to power, let us use a common measure of the same definition. In 1964, Nikolai Kardashev (Kardashev 1964) devised a convenient measure of the advanced stages of purported ET civilizations, based on exploiting power from a local star or more. While the Kardashev Scale refers to total power harnessed by an ETI, not the EIRP of transmission of an ET civilization, it is useful to see how the EIRPs compare to an arbitrary but interesting measure of advancement of an ET, should they ever be found. The Kardashev scale has become common language in SETI circles and is summarized below: Earth today ≈ 2×10¹³ W continuous—an apprentice civilization. Yet with high-gain apertures, our EIRPs

First, the amount of information is limited severely by bandwidth, as shown by Shannon’s Equation: Cs = B log2(1 + SNR) Here, Cs = bits s-1, B = bandwidth (Hz), SNR = signal-tonoise ratio.

At a 1 Hz bandwidth, capacity is minute. But polychromatic multiple narrow tones can exploit coding symbols by switching among discrete frequencies— frequency-shift keying (FSK). Thus, single-tone SETI must be an on-off modulation, but polychromatic SETI allows for a form of FSK that not only beats cosmic fading (see Part

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1 of this article) but conveys information by small, discrete changes between a few tones. If we let s(t) = A cos[ 2π fi t + φ ], for symbol i ∈ {1 … N} Then s(t) is the transmitted waveform, A is the constant amplitude, fi is the frequency chosen for the i-th symbol, t is time, φ is the reference phase, and N is the number of available tone frequencies. A binary FSK signal (N = 2) alternates between fi and f2, representing a logical “0” or “1.” Multiple tones (N > 2) increase the alphabet size but also require proportionally wider receiver bandwidth.

Because each tone is narrow, the total spectrum remains compact—a crucial advantage for interstellar detection.

However, pure FSK transmits information slowly. Narrow channels demand long integration times, which limit the achievable bit rate. A civilization interested in being found must trade speed for clarity. Is there a workaround?

KEYED MODULATION AND COMPOUND ENCODING One elegant solution is to code the modulation itself.

A baseline FSK carrier sequence can be treated as a primary modulation function m0(t). An additional key function k(t)—an intentional secondary pattern—can then be applied multiplicatively or additively to embed higherorder information. The combined transmitted signal is: s_total(t) = m0(t) · k(t) where s_total(t) is the total transmitted waveform, m0(t) is the baseline modulated carrier, and k(t) is the key or overlay function. If k(t) is binary (values ±1), it acts as a digital mask; if k(t) varies continuously, it behaves like a slow phase or amplitude modulation.

This ‘keyed modulation’ (see, for example, Sklar, 2001) creates two information layers—the carrier sequence and the overlaid key—each simple on its own but jointly producing a complex composite that remains narrowband and highly detectable.

For instance, a simple binary FSK signal alternating between fi and f2 could be keyed by a slow sinusoidal function k(t) = 1 + ε sin (2π f_k t), where ε < 1 is a small modulation index and f_k is the keying frequency.

This overlay doubles the information content per symbol without broadening the main spectral envelope.

FRACTAL CODING AND SELF-SIMILAR KEYS A particularly powerful realization of keyed modulation is fractal coding—encoding information through self-similar rules that repeat at multiple scales. In a fractal code, the key k(t) is generated by a recursive mapping F(x) that produces patterns repeating at ever-finer resolution.

If r is the scale factor between iterations and n is the recursion depth, the resulting information complexity C scales approximately as: C ∝ rn D_f

where C is the encoded information capacity, r is the self-similar scaling ratio, n is the number of hierarchical iterations, and D_f is the fractal dimension of the coding function space.

Thus, a compact mathematical rule can express a vastly complex message—the same principle used in Barnsley’s fractal image compression (Barnsley and Hurd,1993 where a few transformation coefficients recreate an entire detailed image). In other words, a few bits ‘unwrap’ to produce many thousands.

Applied to SETI, a transmitter could superpose a lowentropy base signal m0(t)—easily detected—with a highentropy key k(t) that unfolds deeper structure.

To an initial observer, the transmission might seem repetitive or even artificial, but meaningless; yet, when decoded against its own internal key, it reveals a structured, information-rich pattern. The bit rate may seem very low, but the information conveyed can be of moderate magnitude. Thus, ETIs are likely to send out modulated tones with far more than the most basic messages therein.

MEANING BUILT ON DETECTABILITY In this way, modulation and coding become inseparable: modulation makes the signal visible; coding makes it meaningful.

A narrowband carrier guarantees detectability; a keyed or fractal code guarantees expressive power. By embedding one within the other, an intelligent sender preserves the universal priority of SETI — first be heard, then be understood — while constructing a channel that any sufficiently advanced receiver can eventually decipher.

Because symbol rates must be slow for detectability, coding carries the message. A mathematical key lets information unwind slowly. Fractal coding compresses complex data via recursive self-similar rules—ideal when each bit is costly. FSK arises naturally since detectable signals must be polychromatic; those frequency bands themselves become the FSK alphabet.

APERTURE ENGINES—TEACHING THE STAR TO SPEAK In all conventional transmitters, power and aperture are separate entities. A generator produces electrical power; that power is fed into an antenna, which then radiates it into space. The radiating aperture only directs energy — it does not create it. The transmitter itself, buried behind cables and feeds, is the true source of radiated power, while the antenna simply shapes that emission. This longstanding separation has defined every radio system on Earth. Yet from the standpoint of physics, it is an artificial boundary. Nothing in Maxwell’s equations forbids the same physical surface from both collecting and transmitting power simultaneously — converting local energy directly into directed electromagnetic emission. When those functions are unified (Cohen, 1998), the result is a new kind of radiating system: the aperture engine.

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An aperture engine dispenses with the transmitter–antenna duality altogether. It gathers power over its physical area— solar or otherwise—and radiates it coherently from the same surface. Every tile is both a collector and a radiator; energy conversion and beam formation are co-located. The Aperture Engine converts starlight into RF energy.

Finite power can span light-years when shaped by geometry. An aperture engine collects, converts, and transmits through the same surface. Each tile converts starlight to RF and radiates in step with neighbors. The collected power and gain both scale as D²; their product (EIRP) scales as D4.

The antenna, the transmitter, and the power collector are one. That is an aperture engine.

Consider the following equations:

This change in architecture has a profound geometric consequence: since both collected power and aperture gain depend on the area (∝ D²), their combination yields an effective radiated power that scales as D4. Once a linear engineering problem becomes an exponential geometric amplifier. Instead of needing gigawatts of transmitters, one can simply expand the surface, allowing sunlight or stellar flux itself to drive an immensely powerful, highly directional signal. It is this marriage of functions—both power source and radiating geometry—that makes the aperture engine an enabling technology for interstellar communication.

where Iʘ is the stellar radiance and η is the efficiency coefficient.

Collected power: Pcol = η Iʘ (π D² / 4)

Gain: G = (π D / λ)².

Hence, EIRP = η Iʘ [π³ D4 / (4 λ²)] Sunlight (or starlight) hits the aperture, provides power for the ETI transmitter/ antenna, and gets magnified by the antenna array’s gain.

The D4 factor from an aperture engine is an amazing multiplier that assures the ability for a cosmic link.

Using ourselves and our Sun as an example, at 1 GHz (λ = 0.3 m), D = 1 km, η = 0.5 → EIRP ≈ 1017 W. A 400 m array → 1015 W. Doubling D → times 16 EIRP. Here is a handy list showing the advantages of an aperture engine.

Note, the intercepted power is how much is collected from the solar panel that is embedded with the phased array of the aperture engine, and the EIRP includes the gain factor from that same aperture: An aperture engine does not separate the collector from the antenna; they are one function. Because both power gathering and gain grow as D², energy and directivity reinforce each other automatically—a true D4 engine.

THE DYSON CONTINUUM Freeman Dyson (Dyson, 1960) imagined enclosing a star to capture its energy. An aperture engine is the functional descendant, not enclosing the star but teaching it to speak.

It is a Dyson communicator, providing efficiency over scale.

A 200-plus-acre solar farm could, if phased, yield ~1.5×1017 W EIRP at 1 GHz— beyond Milky Way-wide detectability. Closer links only require football field-sized aperture engines. Orbital versions could convert sunlight directly to RF; each wafer radiating in step would make the star itself a transmitter.

Fig. 2: An Aperture Engine, first conceived in 1972 (see sidebar), is a phased array antenna that also collects solar (or stellar) power on the same surface. Electronics become a layer on the wafer-oriented arrangement. Power collection and antenna gain each contribute D^2 (diameter) factors, so that the actual EIRP increases at a remarkable D^4 rate with increasing aperture diameter (see reprint of 1998 article).

Clearly, aperture engines are an efficient and surprisingly accessible way to deliver the power needed for a Cosmic link. They portend that their ease of construction and efficiency of power make near-Galactic links accessible and possible, even for us and civilizations of modest advancement. A farmer’s lower field or solar cell farm could be the communication device that enables the link across the Galaxy.

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Aperture D (m)

Intercepted Power (W)

EIRP (W @ 1 GHz, 50%)

Detectability

100

1.1×107

1.1×10¹³

Nearby stars

400

1.8×108

1.0×1015

1/3 diameter of Galaxy

1,000

1.6×109

1.5×1017

Just outside Galaxy

10,000

1.6×10¹¹

1.5×10²¹

Magellanic Clouds

FINDING THE PATTERNS OF INTELLIGENCE Every coherent transmission from a rotating, orbiting planet must drift in frequency. The Doppler shift caused by this motion alters the received frequency with time, such that

Said simply, the ratio is constant, even though each tone individually drifts with time.

This simple relationship is profound: the ratio of two-tone frequencies from a common source is immune to the Doppler dynamics that affect each frequency separately.

That invariance—hidden in the ratios, not the absolute values—is the key to recognition.

To make this invariance visible, we must represent the data in a space where ratios become measurable displacements.

Taking the logarithm of frequency does exactly that. In log-frequency space, a ratio transforms into a translation difference: ln(f2/f1) = Δ where Δ is constant across time. All Doppler motion in log-frequency now appears as a lateral shift in frequency— tones will chirp in an identical pattern with an offset in frequency.

By re-expressing the dynamic spectrum S(t, f) as S′(t, u), where u = ln f, the Doppler-induced frequency variations become translations, not distortions. Two tones from the same emitter will drift through time in perfect step, maintaining a fixed separation Δ in u.

When viewed on a log-frequency waterfall display, this produces an unmistakable pattern: multiple narrowband tracks curving together, separated by equal horizontal spacing—the Doppler-Invariant Pattern.

Fig. 3: Disney’s amusing spin on a solar farm could be, if modified, a powerful Aperture Engine that could be heard almost halfway across the Galaxy.

f(t) = f0 [1 + v(t)/c]

This invariance can be exploited algorithmically. By measuring the shift-correlation of the signal power S′(t, u) across small log-frequency displacements Δ, the system can detect when multiple tones share identical fractional Doppler histories—a signature that only coordinated, intentional transmissions can produce. This remarkable bonus of the polychromatic tone approach was described over thirty years ago and is called Doppler Invariant Pattern Recognition (DIPR) (Cohen and Charlton, 1995).

where f0 is the transmitted rest frequency, v(t) is the instantaneous line-of-sight velocity of the transmitter, and c is the speed of light. Even if corrections are made, for example, for the Earth’s rotation of our receivers, there will always be a residual Doppler velocity and acceleration.

HOW AI SEARCHES FOR DIPR PATTERNS

As that world turns and moves along its orbit, v(t) changes slowly but continuously, producing the familiar “chirp”—a steady rise or fall in observed frequency over time, for on a waterfall display.

An AI engine does not use brute force by marching through thousands of potential frequency drift rates as a classical SETI pipeline might. Instead, it uses a ‘shift-correlation’ search across the log-frequency/time plane.

Consider two narrowband tones originating from the same transmitter—say f1(t) and f2(t)—both experience identical Doppler motion. Their ratio becomes

1. The waterfall spectrum is transformed to log frequency.

f2(t) / f1(t) = [f20 / f10] × [1 + v(t)/c] / [1 + v(t)/c] = f20 / f10

3. If a strong correlation appears at a constant Δ log f, it indicates that multiple narrowband traces are moving together with identical fractional drift—precisely the signature of a coherent transmission originating from one rotating/orbiting world.

and the time-varying velocity term cancels completely. That is to say, the ratio of the frequencies of the two tones, or all tones from that same transmitter, is independent of the Doppler effect, even though the individual tones are greatly dominated by it.

AI is essential to detect ETI. There is just too much data to sift through otherwise. Here is how AI will use DIPR to detect signals in the sea of noise.

2. The algorithm shifts the data by various Δ log f offsets and computes cross-correlations over time.

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W(t,u) – weighting or masking window. Integration is over t (time) and u (log-frequency).

3. Normalize to obtain the DIPR detection statistic: ρ(Δ) = [ ∫∫ W(t,u) S′(t,u) S′(t,u + Δ) du dt ] / { √[ ∫∫ W(t,u) [S′(t,u)]² du dt ] √[ ∫∫ W(t,u)[S′(t,u + Δ)]² du dt ] } ρ(Δ) ranges from –1 to +1; a persistent peak of ρ(Δ) at constant Δ indicates multiple narrowband components drifting together with identical fractional acceleration—the hallmark of a coherent transmission.

4. Discrete implementation (AI or FFT form): C[Δk] = Σn=1N Σm=1M_Δk Wn,m S′n,m S′n,m+Δk Definitions: n – time index (1…N); m – log-frequency bin (1…M); Δk – discrete log-frequency shift tested.

Normalization to ρ[Δk] follows directly from Eq. (3).

Fig. 4: Simulated waterfall display shows three polychromatic tones tracking each other in log-frequency space. This enables DIPR—a powerful detection protocol easily implemented with AI. These ‘tones’ (very narrow band signals) can be spread across a wide frequency range in the water hole (1-10 GHz) and are used to assure detection given severe cosmic fading (scintillation). It is a happy circumstance that they also provide a powerful detection protocol.

This method is optimal because it directly tests a physical invariance—not an arbitrary pattern. AI can therefore use nature’s own invariance to “lock in.” Unlike an ANN (artificial neural net) trained to guess patterns through massive data sifting, a DIPR-driven ANN constrains the search to physically allowed relations, a drastic reduction in false positives and computational load.

Because DIPR leverages a physical invariance, not a statistical coincidence, random or Rayleigh noise cannot sustain this correlation over time; thus, a stable ρ(Δ) peak serves as a robust discriminator of intelligent emission from the pattern invariance from polychromatic tones.

We are witnessing a ‘matched filter’ which is elegant and naturally driven, that reduces the burden of detection immensely.

EFFECTIVE SNR GAIN FROM SHIFT-CORRELATION—AND WHY NOISE CANNOT MIMIC IT Conventional SETI searches typically examine single narrowband tones—isolated power spikes against a broadband noise floor. Detectability is then dictated, as discussed, by the radiometer equation:

The math that AI will use to look for shift-correlation from DIPR: DIPR Shift-Correlation (AI Detection Framework) is as follows.

The Doppler-Invariant Pattern of Recognition (DIPR) can be described mathematically in log-frequency space, where all tones sharing the same fractional Doppler drift maintain constant spacing.

1. Reproject the dynamic spectrum into log-frequency: S′(t, u) = S(t, f = eu) Definitions: S(t,f)—power spectrum as a function of time t and frequency f.

S′(t, u) – same data expressed versus u = ln f (the logfrequency coordinate).

2. Compute the shift-correlation across a log-frequency offset: C(Δ) = ∫∫ W(t,u) S′(t,u) S′(t,u + Δ) du dt Definitions: C(Δ)—unnormalized correlation for logfrequency shift Δ = ln(f2 / f1).

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SNR = (Ps / k T_sys) √(τ / B)

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where Ps is the received signal power, k is Boltzmann’s constant, T_sys is system temperature, τ is integration time, and B is bandwidth. This relation defines a slow path to sensitivity: every tenfold improvement in SNR demands one hundred times more integration time.

The Doppler-Invariant Pattern Recognition (DIPR) method changes that equation by exploiting physics, not patience.

Instead of examining a single frequency channel, it crosscorrelates multiple coherent tones whose fractional Doppler motion is physically coupled. These tones move together in log-frequency space, maintaining constant spacing; their correlated structure enables an effective integration across both frequency and time.

The resulting improvement in effective signal-to-noise ratio can be approximated as: SNR_eff ≈ √(N_c) × SNR_single where N_c is the number of correlated tones and SNR_ single is the narrowband value from the previous equation.

For a modest five-tone polychromatic transmission (N_c = 5), the SNR gain is about √5 ≈ 2.24, corresponding to roughly 3.5 dB improvement—equivalent to quadrupling the integration time, but achieved instantly through correlation.

This gain is coherent: the correlated tones reinforce one another along their invariant Doppler trajectory, while uncorrelated noise terms average toward zero. The process

DAYDREAMING APERTURE ENGINES Aperture engines were born out of sheer boredom in a high school physics class. It is a story of creation through dysfunction.

Before the start of my senior year, I decided to study for the Physics Achievement Test (later part of the SAT II).

Inspired by George Gamow’s books, I decided to take on the task myself. I spent time digging through the stacks at the Boston Public Library to find answers to my questions, and I took the test. When the results came back, I had earned a top score. A guidance counselor congratulated me on my achievement—and passed the news along to my incoming physics teacher.

Unfortunately, my new teacher had no idea that I had already taken and aced the test. On the first day of class, he was furious. The physics class was already in danger of being removed from the curriculum; if students could succeed without it, that posed a serious problem for Mr. Teacher. When my request to take a local college physics course instead was denied, I found myself stuck in his classroom—bored, angry, hurt, and lost in daydreams.

I spent much of class with my head resting on my arms.

Mr. Teacher assumed I was sleeping and called on me constantly. I always answered his questions correctly without looking up, and eventually, he tired of the game.

His droning lectures became white noise, the perfect backdrop for my mind to wander.

One particular daydream grew into something bigger.

I had been using my SB-102 transceiver— ham radio equipment that I had built and modified myself. Just a few years earlier, electronics had undergone a paradigm shift: circuits moved from point-to-point wiring to printed circuit boards (PCBs). Three-dimensional “boat anchor” transceivers were becoming transceivers with cards.

The SB-102 had several such cards. Components were

shrinking, and circuitry was being compressed into layers.

But antennas, I thought, were still point-to-point circuits. Why not imagine them differently? In my mind’s eye, entire antenna arrays collapsed into flat shewets—sheets that also collected power on the same surface. The wafer became truly multifunctional—layers of electronic components that Philo Farnsworth. formed a transceiver, a solar cell surface, and an antenna, simultaneously. Sunlight was converted, modulated, and focused as radio frequency energy. An engine. An engine built as an aperture.

Did I share this revelation with Mr. Teacher, hoping for encouragement or validation? Hah! Only years later did I realize how often teenage boredom sparks innovation. The classic example is Philo Farnsworth, the inventor of analog electronic television, who conceived the idea of raster scanning while plowing rows—rasters—in a field.

I eventually published an article about aperture engines nearly 30 years ago, along with some patented applications. Today, the core concept has become reality in satellite technology. For example, AST Bluebirds employ similar principles—in many cases, separating power sources from an antenna aperture offers no advantage. My 1972 daydream has, at least in part, become tomorrow’s RF technology.

Listen to teenagers!

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is not mere averaging but a pattern-locked amplification— an integration guided by physics rather than brute force.

Noise, even when structured, cannot maintain the invariant relationship that defines a true signal of common origin. For two tones from the same transmitter, ln(f2 / f1) = constant across time, even as each tone individually drifts from Doppler motion. Random noise, however, has no such coupling across frequencies—its phases and drifts are independent.

The probability that five independent noise tones would maintain a constant log-frequency spacing Δ over N time samples can be estimated as

frequency waterfall, such impostors “tear away” from each other, while the genuine correlated pattern stays locked together in perfect step.

Thus, DIPR shift-correlation provides not only an effective SNR boost but also an extraordinary noise discriminator. It uses nature’s own invariance as the recognition key.

For AI, this reframes detection itself: rather than exploring thousands of hypothetical signal models, it can instead sift through mountains of data for a handful of correlations that obey a physical law—the unmistakable whisper of coherence amid the cosmic noise.

CONCLUSION — BUILDING THE BRIDGE

where ρ0 is the correlation threshold, N_c the number of tones, and N is the number of independent time samples.

For realistic values (N = 100, N_c = 5, ρ0 = 0.5), P_false ≈ 10-11—vanishingly small.

Part 1 of this article showed that interstellar communication can be woven from the shared fabric of physics. Part 2 shows how those laws can become craft, where power is shaped by aperture, meaning is carried by modulation, and recognition is drawn from motion. No miracles are required, only understanding and patience.

Even artificial interference, such as satellites or radar sidebands, may produce drifting tones, but they will differ in slope and direction; they cannot sustain the same fractional drift across wide frequency ratios. On a log-

The original notion of SETI was defined within the realm of a single narrow signal that has been forced, by nature, to now be reconsidered as polychromatic, usually about five tones, often spread out in frequency over the water

P_false ≈ exp[ – (N N_c ρ0² / 2) ]

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hole to overcome fading: scintillation dictates that there can be many tones. Happily, these multiple tones lead not only to a nifty modulation method but a powerful pattern recognition method. And, AI can now sift through the sands of noise to find signals. Efficiency of power leads to a new tool, the aperture engine, that can produce the power of the polychromatic dictate purely by area, and at reasonably modest areas at that.

The water hole now becomes a meeting ground, realistically, for technologies to talk across the Galaxy.

When we learn to look for patterns that move in step, and to shape energy rather than waste it, we will be ready both to hear and to be heard. Through geometry, modulation, invariance, and patterns, we already hold the tools to join what has been called the Galactic Club (Bracewell, 1976).

REFERENCES Barnsley, Michael F. and Hurd, Lyman P. Fractal Image Compression. AK Peters / CRC Press, 1993.

Bracewell, Ronald N. The Galactic Club: Intelligent Life in Outer Space. San Francisco: San Francisco Book Company, 1976.

Cohen, N. and Charlton., D., “Polychromatic SETI”, in Progress in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life (Seth Shostak, ed.) PASP, San Francisco, 1995.

Cohen, N., “Aperture Engines for SETI”, SETIQuest, 4,3,1998, pp. 3-4.

Dyson, Freeman J., “Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation.” Science, Vol. 131, No. 3414, June 1960, pp. 1667–1668.

Kardashev, N. S. “Transmission of Information by Extraterrestrial Civilizations.” Soviet Astronomy, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Sept./Oct. 1964), pp. 217–221.

Kraus, John D. Radio Astronomy. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1966.

Pierce, J. R. Symbols, Signals and Noise: The Nature and Process of Communication. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1961.

Sklar, B. Digital Communications: Fundamentals and Applications, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall, 2001.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Nathan “Chip” Cohen is the founder and CEO of Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. He is a physicist, radio astronomer, and innovator/inventor. Dr. Cohen has held research and or professorial positions at: Harvard; MIT; Cornell; NAIC (Arecibo); NASA-JPL and Ames; and Boston University. He is a former professor of Science and Engineering; spent time as a Quant trader on Wall Street with a seat on the AMEX; studied astrophysics under Dr. Frank Drake (an RCA Lifetime Achievement Award winner). Dr Cohen published over 100 technical papers and holds 94 US patents. He is the inventor of fractal antennas and resonators, fractal metamaterials, and the invisibility cloak, conducting basic and applied research on these, and holds the source patents in these fields. Dr. Cohen is a Fellow of the Radio Club of America, received RCA’s Arno Penzias, Lee De Forest, and Alfred Grebe Awards, and is a former RCA Vice President.

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SETI SPECIAL SECTION

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Reprinted courtesy SETIQuest, Vol. 4, No. 3, Third Quarter 1998, p. 10.

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FFT SPECIAL SECTION

THE FAST FOURIER TRANSFORM (FFT) – A PRIMER/REMINDER OF WHAT IT IS David Bart The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was developed and demonstrated 60 years ago in 1965. A set of algorithms allows the decomposition of signals into their constituent sinusoids, enabling analysis in the frequency domain. It has an enormous range of applications in radio frequency analysis, software radio, image processing, and audio.

THE BASIC PROCESS Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier’s theorem states that any periodic function can be broken down into a series of sine and cosine components. Derived in the context of Fourier’s landmark study, The Analytical Theory of Heat, it is a core concept in the analysis of radio signals and the analysis of radio waves.

Today, the FFT is an algorithm Jean-Baptiste Joseph that converts a signal from its Fourier (1768–1830). original (time or spatial) domain into a frequency-domain representation. This reveals its constituent frequencies and their strengths. The FFT process is useful in a wide range of applications, from signal and image processing to data analysis and scientific research.

Basic FFT uses include audio and image processing, where it is used for compression, filtering, and noise reduction; in communication systems for modulating/demodulating signals and spectrum analysis; and in data and scientific analysis, such as analyzing vibrations, testing system responses, or processing astronomical data. Essentially, FFT provides a very fast way to convert a signal from the time domain to the frequency domain, revealing its constituent frequencies for various applications.

BACKGROUND The development of the FFT is attributed to national defense work. Professor John Tukey of Princeton University was working on Fourier transforms for analyzing underground nuclear test detection. At a 1963 meeting of President Kennedy’s Science Advisory Committee, Dr. Richard Garwin of IBM Research, who also attended that meeting, recognized that Tukey had conceived an approach

to doing complete discrete Fourier transforms with vastly reduced mathematical calculations.

Garwin reasoned that seismometers could be placed in countries surrounding the Soviet Union to detect nuclear explosions from atomic bomb tests. The detection and measurement of ground vibrations could be converted into electrical signals, recorded as seismograms, and transformed for analysis. FFT could calculate a seismic sensor’s frequency and produce images.

John Tukey.

Garwin asked IBM Research’s Director of Mathematical Sciences to identify a mathematical analyst who could produce a generally useful algorithm for similar calculations. IBM’s Dr. James Cooley was recruited to initiate a collaboration with Tukey. Working Richard Garwin. together at IBM, Cooley and Tukey led a team that produced working computer code, thereby demonstrating the power of the FFT. Cooley and Tukey performed their work on an IBM 7094 computer, and Garwin stated it was coded in FORTRAN. The entire computation was dominated by arithmetic operations and just a few overhead operations to control the two nested loops. Indexing accounted for very James Cooley. few cycles in each loop. Since the execution time of the arithmetic operations strongly dominated the total execution time, and because FFT reduces those operations, the entire process sped up considerably for almost every computer that could execute FFTs. The Cooley-Tukey algorithm reduced the number of real arithmetic operations by twice as much as the reduction of the complex arithmetic operations. It was clear that FFT produced at least two orders of magnitude (100 times) faster code than was previously obtainable with the classic version of the algorithm.

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The two published “An Algorithm for the Machine Calculation of Complex Fourier Series,” in the Mathematics of Computation (Vol. 19, pp. 297-301, April 1965), a bimonthly mathematics journal focused on computational mathematics. The computation of Fourier Transforms was widely believed to require many operations that grew quadratically in relation to the problem size.

FFT requires operations that are proportional to N log N for problems of size N. For large problems of that time, FFT was 100 times faster than the existing Fourier Transform computer codes. Thus, the use of FFT enabled transformations that were previously considered prohibitive for practical use.

The FFT algorithm was so fast that it could keep up with the seismic data. Seismometer sensors were placed, and they detected nuclear explosions within a 15-kilometer radius from where they were detonated.

Although many of its foundational ideas had existed for some time, Cooley and Tukey brought FFT into the digital age. Their version of the algorithm greatly reduced the computational complexity of processing large datasets, making digital signal processing more feasible and efficient. FFT-enabled computerized tomography, audio and video compression, signal processing, scientific computing, and real-time data streaming to occur in a fraction of the time previously taken for such tasks. This made digital signal processing much more feasible and efficient.

REAL-TIME VERSUS POST-PROCESSING FFT can be applied in both real-time and post-processing, depending on the application.

Real-time FFT is used where immediate frequencydomain information is required, such as real-time spectrum analyzers, audio effects processing, certain telecommunications applications, and active noise control.

Real-time FFT requires fast hardware and optimized algorithms capable of performing at high data rates.

Latency can be a critical factor, so the system must be capable of handling the data within the time constraints.

Real-time FFT provides immediate results useful in audio processing, live monitoring systems, or active control systems.

Post-Processing FFT is used when there is no immediate need for the transformed data, or when time-delayed

THE DISCRETE FOURIER TRANSFORM (DFT) AND FFT DFT is a powerful mathematical tool that transforms discrete, periodic signals from their time-domain representation to a frequency-domain representation. This allows for analysis and manipulation in the frequency domain, before potentially transforming back to the time domain with the inverse DFT. The DFT, which the FFT computes efficiently, is defined for a sequence x[n] of length N as:

• X[k] is the kth element of the frequency-domain representation.

• x[n] is the nth element of the time-domain signal.

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• e is the base of the natural logarithm (approximately 2.71828).

• j is the imaginary unit (satisfying j2=−1).

The FFT algorithm efficiently computes DFT (so the equation is the same), but there are many different FFT algorithms (e.g., radix-2, split-radix, etc.), and each version has its own specific methods, steps, and nuances.

Depending on their use, they permit the mathematical combination or breaking apart of signal components.

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complex and more intensive analysis is required, such as vibration analysis of machinery, in research studies, and certain image processing tasks. Post-processing FFT often involves very large datasets, requiring efficient storage and retrieval mechanisms. In the absence of time constraints, much more detailed and comprehensive analysis can be performed, and data can be re-analyzed with different parameters, algorithms, or models as needed.

SIGNAL AND AUDIO PROCESSING APPLICATIONS FFT enables pitch detection, audio compression (like MP3s), speech recognition, and sound synthesis by breaking down sound into its individual frequencies.

(Audio and speech analysis.)

By analyzing a signal in the frequency domain, FFT enables pinpointing and the removal of unwanted frequency components, such as noise from an audio recording or signal interference in communication systems. (Filtering and noise reduction.)

In engineering, FFT methods can analyze vibrations in machinery to help diagnose problems like imbalance or wear and tear, serving as a key tool for predictive maintenance. (Vibration analysis.)

In modern wireless communications, including Wi-Fi and cellular networks, FFT enables efficient modulation and demodulation of signals. (Telecommunications.)

IMAGE PROCESSING APPLICATIONS FFT facilitates the removal of repetitive noise patterns, image sharpening, and blur detection by manipulating an image’s frequency components. (Image filtering and enhancement.)

Software algorithms transform images into the frequency domain, using file types like JPEG for storage and transfer.

FFT allows less important frequency data to be discarded, reducing file size while maintaining visual quality. (Image compression.)

MRIs and CT scans rely on FFT to reconstruct a final image from the raw frequency-based data collected by the scanner. (Medical imaging.)

DATA ANALYSIS AND MATHEMATICS APPLICATIONS FFT has broad application in data analysis, especially in science. FFT is used to find and process periodic patterns, trends, and anomalies in time-series data, permitting a wide range of applications from astronomy to seismic data analysis. (Spectral analysis.)

FFT is designed to be efficient and to function at high speed, significantly speeding up complex mathematical operations, such as the multiplication of large polynomials, by converting them into simpler

FFT PROVIDES IMPORTANT BENEFITS Signal Analysis: Converting a time-domain signal to its frequency components, permitting users to identify dominant frequencies present in a signal, detect any unwanted noise, or analyze harmonics.

Noise Reduction: In audio or image processing, the identification and removal of unwanted frequencies (noise) is achieved by manipulating the frequency components and converting the signal back into the time domain.

Compression: In digital signal processing, the frequency representation of a signal can sometimes be compressed by preserving only the most significant frequencies, which can be especially useful in image and audio compression techniques.

Filter Design and Implementation: Filters can be designed and implemented more efficiently in the frequency domain. By converting a signal to its frequency representation, certain frequency components can be amplified, attenuated, or eliminated, and then transformed back to the time domain.

Telecommunication: FFT is used in modulating signals for transmission and in demodulating them upon receipt.

Convolution: Convolution in the time domain is multiplication in the frequency domain. Computing convolution using FFT (by converting to the frequency domain, multiplying, and then converting back) can be faster than direct time-domain convolution for long signals.

Spectral Analysis: In fields such as astronomy, geology, and oceanography, analyzing the frequency components of signals can provide insights into physical phenomena.

Structural Analysis: In civil engineering, FFT can be used to analyze the vibrational response of structures, helping engineers detect resonant frequencies that could be harmful to the structure.

Audio Processing: FFT helps in equalization, reverb, pitch correction, and many other audio effects by analyzing and manipulating signals in the frequency domain.

Medical Imaging: In MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), the FFT is used to transform the signals received from the body into images.

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RCA AND FAST FOURIER TRANSFORMS The concept of Fourier analysis is often discussed in publications and forums associated with the Radio Club of America (RCA) due to its fundamental importance in radio science and digital signal processing.

The Proceedings of the Radio Club of America has published papers discussing the application of Fourier transforms, including the complex-valued and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), in areas like spectrum monitoring and digital signal processing (DSP).

The influence of Fourier analysis is highlighted by the work of accomplished RCA members and award recipients, including: • Dr. Ulrich Rohde is the father of software-defined radio and other significant advances that depend upon FFT for their operation. The Ulrich Rohde Award is named in his honor for work in applied radio science and engineering.

• Dr. Thomas Marzetta, an Armstrong Medal recipient, originated Massive MIMO, one of the cornerstones of 5G wireless technology that incorporates FFT. • Dr. Nathan “Chip” Cohen has published extensively on electromagnetics and holds patents in fractal antennas and metamaterials. He has presented his work at the RCA Technical Symposium, including topics related to Fourier-based signal analysis and design.

• Dr. James Breakall has over 50 years of experience in numerical electromagnetics and antenna design. His work has included the development of sophisticated antenna modeling programs, such as the Numerical Electromagnetics Code (NEC), which relies on principles connected to Fourier analysis.

• Dr. Ted Rappaport has conducted fundamental research on wireless communication channels, including work that influenced the first Wi-Fi and digital cellular standards. He received the Armstrong Medal, and his research involves the application of advanced signal processing techniques, such as the use of Fourier transforms to analyze wireless signals.

• Dr. Akhlesh Lakhtakia received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his considerable work focusing on electromagnetic fields, including his work on digital 3D holographic images that include the application of FFT techniques.

• Dr. Eli Brookner, an Armstrong Medal recipient, is one of the most well-known experts in radar. Known for his contributions to airborne, intelligence, space, air-traffic control, and defense mission systems, many of which include the use of FFT techniques.

multiplication problems in the frequency domain. (Fast computation.)

FFT converts complex partial differential equations (PDEs) into simpler algebraic forms, making it much easier to find numerical solutions for physical simulations. (Solving differential equations.)

IMPORTANCE FFT is widely recognized as one of the most important algorithms ever designed. Strang wrote, “FFT has revolutionized signal processing. Whole industries are changed from slow to fast by this one idea — which is pure mathematics.” “[It is] the most valuable numerical algorithm in our lifetime.” [Strang, 1993, p. 290] Authors in a special issue of IEEE Computing in Science and Engineering devoted to the top 10 algorithms stated, “The FFT is perhaps the most ubiquitous algorithm in use today to analyze and manipulate digital or discrete data.”

(Dongarra and Sullivan, p. 22).

The IEEE Milestone website states, “The single most important feature of the FFT is that it enabled new applications that have proven to be important contributions to science and to everyday life. Computerized Tomography has saved lives. The FFT made it practical. The FFT is central to image and video stream compression/ decompression through the JPEG and MPEG standards.

Without it, internet traffic of photos and audio would not be possible.”

In short, this computer algorithm is found in just about every modern electronic device. It is critical to many of today’s cutting-edge technologies, such as AI, quantum computing, self-driving cars, and 5G communication systems.

RECOGNITION FFT was widely acknowledged, and the creators of FFT were celebrated. Tukey received the U.S. National Medal of Science in 1973 and the 1982 IEEE Medal of Honor for “contributions to the spectral analysis of random processes and the fast Fourier transform algorithm.”

Cooley received the 2002 IEEE Kilby Signal Processing Medal. Although he was not one of the inventors, Garwin is widely credited with recognizing that the algorithm had wider applications, especially in scientific and engineering fields. Garwin was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering and received the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to science, technology, and security.

SOURCES 1. IEEE Milestone: Milestone: First Demonstration of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), 1964, https://ethw.org/ Milestones:First_Demonstration_of_the_Fast_Fourier_ Transform_(FFT),_1964.

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2. Pretz, K., The 60-Year Old Algorithm Underlying Today’s Tech Developed by IBM and Princeton, FFT Powers AI and 5G Wireless, IEEE Spectrum, Aug. 21, 2025, https://spectrum.ieee.org/fft-algorithm-ieeemilestone.

3. FFT Fast Fourier Transform, Svantek, https://svantek. com/academy/fft-fast-fourier-transform/.

4. Strang, G. “Wavelet transforms versus Fourier transforms.” Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society 28.2 (1993): 288-305.

5. Dongarra and Sullivan. “Guest Editors’ Introduction, The top 10 algorithms” Computing in Science & Engineering 2.1 (2000): 22-23.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Bart is the President Emeritus of the Radio Club of America, Editor of the RCA Proceedings, and an RCA Fellow.

He is also the Treasurer of the IEEE History Committee and a Vice President and Fellow of the Antique Wireless Association. He has received numerous awards for his work in the history of communications.

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FFT SPECIAL SECTION

IEEE COMMEMORATES THE FAST FOURIER TRANSFORM WITH A MILESTONE PLAQUE In 1963, President Kennedy’s science advisory committee had a problem to solve. They needed to devise a way to detect secret nuclear tests detonated underground by foreign actors. The committee considered several ideas, including a few — like satellite sensing — that would only be possible decades later. But one idea stuck in the craw of Princeton statistician John Tukey. If they could disaggregate the acoustic signals pulsing through the Earth’s crust, they could pinpoint signatures in those signals that could only be made by either an earthquake or a nuclear bomb.

In theory, it was no different than splitting a sunbeam into the colors of the rainbow and pinpointing a certain shade of green. A 19th-century mathematical technique called the Fourier transform provided the kind of mathematical prism they needed. But for round-the-clock seismic

monitoring, they needed a digital program to execute the task. And the Fourier transform, while supremely elegant, was also supremely slow, especially for the computers of the era. It would require a quantum leap in computational efficiency.

Tukey thought he had worked out a way to do it, but he lacked the necessary expertise in computer programming.

His fellow committee member, IBM’s Richard Garwin, saw what Tukey was working on and immediately recognized its potential. He connected Tukey with James Cooley, IBM’s top expert on computer code, and a few months later, in 1964, the two men demonstrated a new algorithm that would prove to be one of the most useful ever invented.

Called the Fast Fourier Transform, it was 100 times faster at the required computations than other methods. And as it turned out, for this speedy algorithm, non-proliferation

Leaders from IEEE, IBM, and Princeton gathered to commemorate the first demonstration of the Fast Fourier Transform in 1964, an algorithmic technique that has enabled countless technologies, including computerized tomography, image and audio compression, and real-time streaming. The technique was co-developed by Princeton’s John Tukey and IBM’s James Cooley. IEEE has installed a plaque in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering recognizing the milestone. (Photo by Manny Ishola)

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SOURCE Lyon, S., May 25, 2025, “IEEE commemorates the 1964 demonstration of the Fast Fourier Transform With Milestone Plaque,” Princeton Electrical and Computer Engineering News, Princeton University, https:// ece.princeton.edu/news/ieee-commemorates-1964demonstration-fast-fourier-transform-milestone-plaque.

The Milestone plaque on display.

was just the start. It has since enabled a dizzying number of technologies: medical imaging such as the MRI and CT scan, cell phones, digital streaming, artificial intelligence, and a wide range of scientific research. It changed subfields in mathematics and chemistry, revolutionized music and photography, and provided the bedrock on which our digital infrastructure has been built.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A number of Radio Club of America members participated in this special IEEE event. As a side note, Dr. Michael Littman, a Princeton University Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, installed a wonderful display of Edison items, Atwater Kent, and vintage radios in the hall cabinets of the Princeton University Friend Center for Engineering Education, the location of the FFT commemoration. Additional cabinets include an exhibit on “The Media Archeology of Voice Mail: Technologies for the Recording of Personal Audio Letters 1922–1967.” These exhibits remain on display.]

The legacy of the FFT, as it has come to be known to engineers, was the object of a dedication ceremony on May 22, hosted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), IBM Watson Research Laboratory, and Princeton’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. At the ceremony, IEEE unveiled a plaque dedicated to the milestone achievement.

The plaque will be installed in the hallway of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The IEEE Milestone plaque will be installed in the Department’s main hallway.

“The FFT is a thing of beauty,” said Andrea Goldsmith, dean of Princeton’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, in her remarks at the celebration. “Every single device that uses signal processing, which is nearly every electronic device, owes its value to the FFT.” Goldsmith said she had taught the algorithm in virtually every year of her long career as a professor and had seen its elegance spark the passions of many graduate students over that span.

The event also featured talks by Tom Coughlin, the 2024 IEEE President; Bala Prasanna, director of IEEE Region 1; Harold Stone, a retired fellow of NEC Research Laboratory; and Arjuna Madanayake of Florida International University. The ceremony was scheduled to include Richard Garwin, the man who saw Tukey’s paperwork during that fateful 1963 meeting and connected him with Cooley, but Garwin died at age 97 on May 13. Tukey’s nephew, Frank Anscombe, spoke on Garwin’s behalf.

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FFT SPECIAL SECTION

Reprinted courtesy IEEE Access, Vol. 8, 2020

Received April 9, 2020, accepted May 3, 2020, date of publication May 14, 2020, date of current version June 4, 2020.

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2994550

Fast Radix-32 Approximate DFTs for 1024-Beam Digital RF Beamforming ARJUNA MADANAYAKE 1 , (Member, IEEE), RENATO J. CINTRA 2,7 , (Senior Member, IEEE), NAJATH AKRAM 1 , (Student Member, IEEE), VIDUNETH ARIYARATHNA 1 , (Student Member, IEEE), SOUMYAJIT MANDAL 3 , (Senior Member, IEEE), VÍTOR A. COUTINHO 4 , FÁBIO M. BAYER 5 , DIEGO COELHO 2 , AND THEODORE S. RAPPAPORT 6 , (Fellow, IEEE) 1 Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA 2 Signal Processing Group, Departamento de Estatística, UFPE, 50670-901 Recife, Brazil

3 Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering Department, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA 4 Signal Processing Group, Departamento de Estatística, UFPE, 50670-901 Recife, Brazil

5 Department of Statistics and LACESM, Federal University of Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Brazil

6 NYU Wireless, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn NY 11220, USA 7 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada

Corresponding author: Arjuna Madanayake (amadanay@fiu.edu) This work was supported in part by multiple awards from NSF Collaborative Research: Spatially Oversampled Dense Multi-Beam Millimeter-Wave Communications for Exponentially Increased Energy-Efficiency (SpecEES) under Award 1854798 and Award 1731290, in part by NSF ECCS, in part by Collaborative Research: Wideband Multi-Beam Antenna Arrays: Low-Complexity Algorithms and Analog-CMOS Implementations under Award 1711395, and in part by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brazil.

ABSTRACT The discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is widely employed for multi-beam digital beamforming.

The DFT can be efficiently implemented through the use of fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithms, thus reducing chip area, power consumption, processing time, and consumption of other hardware resources.

This paper proposes three new hybrid DFT 1024-point DFT approximations and their respective fast algorithms. These approximate DFT (ADFT) algorithms have significantly reduced circuit complexity and power consumption compared to traditional FFT approaches while trading off a subtle loss in computational precision which is acceptable for digital beamforming applications in RF antenna implementations. ADFT algorithms have not been introduced for beamforming beyond N = 32, but this paper anticipates the need for massively large adaptive arrays for future 5G and 6G systems. Digital CMOS circuit designs for the ADFTs show the resulting improvements in both circuit complexity and power consumption metrics. Simulation results show similar or lower critical path delay with up to 48.5% lower chip area compared to a standard Cooley-Tukey FFT. The time-area and dynamic power metrics are reduced up to 66.0%. The 1024-point ADFT beamformers produce signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gains between 29.2–30.1 dB, which is a loss of ≤ 0.9 dB SNR gain compared to exact 1024-point DFT beamformers (worst case) realizable at using an FFT. INDEX TERMS Fourier transform, discrete fourier transform, approximation, VLSI, DFT, FFT, radix, fast algorithm, beamforming, beamsteering, 5G, MIMO, massive MIMO.

I. INTRODUCTION

The discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is a linear transform that is widely applied to convert a sampled signal into a representation over the discrete frequency domain. Fully-digital transmit and receive aperture arrays for radio-frequency (RF) spectrum sensing, communications, and radar use the DFT The associate editor coordinating the review of this manuscript and approving it for publication was Pietro Savazzi VOLUME 8, 2020

.

for multi-beam beamforming. For example, simultaneous receiver beams are imperative for high-capacity multi-input multi-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems. Joint spatial division and multiplexing (JSDM) is an approach to multi-user MIMO downlinks that exploits the structure of channel correlations in order to allow a large number of antennas at the base station while requiring reduced-dimensional channel state information at the transmitter [1], [2]. This uses a multi-user MIMO downlink precoder obtained from

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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an array pre-beamforming matrix, and incurs no loss of optimality for a large number of array elements. A DFT-based pre-beamforming matrix is near-optimal for uniform linear arrays (ULAs) of antennas, and requires only coarse information about the users’ angles of arrival and angular spread [3].

The N -point DFT computes N uniformly spaced frequency domain outputs (‘‘bins’’) using N uniformly sampled discrete signal values by means of an N × N transform matrix [4]. Because implementations of the multiplication operation requires more chip area (or processing time, for non-parallelized software implementations) compared to addition operations, the computational complexity of computing the DFT is expressed in terms of the multiplication count [5]. The required number of multiplications depends on the fast algorithm employed for the particular transform length N in consideration. The computational complexity of the N -point DFT using direct matrix-vector multiplication is O(N 2 ) where O(·) represents the ‘‘big O’’ notation for asymptotic complexity [6]–[8].

The computational complexity of computing the N -point DFT can be reduced via fast Fourier transforms (FFTs), which are fast algorithms for realizing DFTs that reduce the computational complexity to O(N log2 N ) [5]. Thus, multiple DFT beams for both wireless communications applications (e.g., JSDM) and multi-beam radar/imaging systems are often generated by applying an N -point spatial FFT to each temporal sample acquired by the ULA [9], [10].

The search for particular N -point FFT methods that minimize the multiplicative complexity is a separate field of research in signal processing, computer science, and applied mathematics, with a multitude of algorithms and implementations available [5], [11]–[14]. In [15], the theoretical lower bound for the DFT multiplicative complexity was established as a function of N . All FFT algorithms use sparse factorizations of the DFT matrix to provide accurate implementations of the DFT at an arithmetic complexity that approaches this lower bound. However, such high accuracy is of limited practical relevance in digital multi-beam RF beamforming applications, such as radar signal processing, where the accuracy of the results is limited by other system parameters or environmental conditions (e.g., thermal noise in a receiver, or the practical implementation of an antenna radiation pattern compared to ideal, harmonic distortion in a microwave mixer or amplifier). In such applications, relentless pursuit of high accuracy in the exact computation of the DFT is not relevant in terms of overall performance, and smart system designers can exploit this fact for power and cost optimization. High-precision VLSI implementation of FFT algorithms may result in unnecessarily large circuits, exaggerated critical path delays, and wasted power. All of those factors contribute to higher-cost circuits, reduced frequency of operation, and higher operation costs. This is because digital multipliers demand a large amount of circuit resources when compared to simple adders. This makes the reduction of the number of multipliers in a given system crucial when chip area and power must be conserved and

high-speed operation is desirable. In particular, the adoption of approximate DFT (ADFT) computations opens up new possibilities for fast algorithms which do not compute the DFT in the strictest mathematical sense, but nevertheless can be good enough for digital multi-beam RF beamforming applications, particularly at mmwave frequencies and above, where reproducibility of antenna patterns become more problematic. Because ADFT applications are able to realize much greater efficiencies than the theoretical lower bound N for an N -point DFT proposed in [15], ADFT computations allow greater reductions in computational complexity than traditional FFTs, albeit at the cost of a deterministic loss in performance, namely a small increase in worst-case side-lobe level [16].

The ever increasing data rate demands of wireless communications led to the exploration of millimeterwave (mmW)/sub-THz/THz frequencies in 5G cellular networks [17], [18], where larger antenna array sizes (e.g. N = 64, 128, 256) for beamforming and massive MIMO have become a general requirement [19]. For example, IoT and robotics applications in emerging fifth-generation (5G) and beyond mobile wireless networks will require 6D positioning, which involves both spatial position and device orientation (role, pitch, yaw) which require new algorithms that can benefit from large number of closely packed low-complexity digital beams [2], [20], [21]. A similar need occurs in the design of systems for intelligent surfaces which provide means of communication without line-of-sight [22]. In fact mmW-based 5G MIMO cellular systems are already being deployed [23]. Moreover, ongoing research in the sub-THz range [2], [24]–[32] suggests that the W and G bands will be commercially available within the next 5-10 years. Such sub-THz carrier frequencies require large amounts of beamforming gain to mitigate free-space path loss in the first meter of propagation from the antenna [2], [18], [33], [34]. Thus, communication systems at these frequencies would require much larger numbers of antenna elements in the transceiver arrays; array sizes of the order of N = 1000 elements would not be unrealistic for future sixth generation (6G) cellular systems. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, DFT approximations in the literature are limited to N ≤ 32.

In this paper, we address this important beamforming challenge by introducing three new approximations to the very large N = 1024 (1024-point) DFT. Fast algorithms that allow low-complexity implementations of these approximations are also developed and shown to provide remarkable accuracy with significant cost and power reduction compared to DFT and FFT approaches. The proposed 1024-point ADFTs are based on a recently proposed 32-point DFT approximation and multiplierless fast algorithm [7], [35] that furnish a ‘‘reasonable’’ approximation of the 32-point DFT albeit without using multiplications (i.e., using an adder-only signal flow graph). The 1024-point exact DFT can be expressed in terms of 32-point DFT. We use this fact to derive an approximation for the 1024-point DFT matrix by means for our earlier 32-point ADFT. In particular, we propose three different

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FIGURE 1. Beamforming architecture of a 1024-element ULA receiver using the proposed method. The rewiring block performs spatial multiplexing over the incoming in the input and the transformed signal at the output (see Fig. 5).

1024-point transforms with different trade-offs in computational complexity and computational accuracy compared to the baseline exact DFT. These three transforms differ from each other based on the use of 32-point ADFT in the derivation and they can be used to replace the FFT while generating N = 1024 beams from a 1024-element ULA as shown in Fig. 1.

The paper is organized as follows. Section II reviews the DFT and selected popular FFT algorithms. In Section III, we discuss the mathematical background for the 32-point DFT approximation introduced in [35] and describe its associated fast algorithm in matrix form. In Section IV, we present 1024-point DFT approximations and discuss three different algorithms to implement them. Section V explores the digital VLSI realization of the proposed 1024-point DFT approximations. In Section VI, we summarize our conclusions.

II. REVIEW OF THE DFT AND FFT

In order to understand the method used to create accurate ADFT algorithms, we will discuss the mathematical background related to the DFT definition and FFT algorithms.

A. MATHEMATICAL DEFINITION OF THE DFT

Let the vector x = x[0] x[1] . . . x[N − 1] represent a signal with N samples. The DFT maps the input signal x into

an output signal X = X [0] X [1] · · · X [N − 1] according to the following relationship:

X [k] √1

N

VOLUME 8, 2020

N −1

nk n=0 x[n] · ωN ,

k = 0, 1, . . . , N − 1, (1)

√ 2π where ωN = e−j N is the N th root of unity and j −1. On the other hand, the inverse DFT (IDFT) is given as N −1 −nk x[n] = √1 n = 0, 1, . . . , N − 1. (2) k=0 X [k] · ωN , N

The DFT of x can be expressed through a matrix-vector multiplication X = FN · x, where 1  1 1 ...

1 1

 1 1   FN = √  1 N   .. .

1

ωN

2 ωN 3 ωN

.. .

(N −1) ωN

2 ωN

(N −1)

...

4 ωN

ωN

...

6 ωN

ωN

...

.. .

..

2(N −1) ωN

is the N -point DFT matrix [36].

.

...

2(N −1)

3(N −1) ωN

.. .

(N −1)(N −1) ωN

    (3)  

B. FFT ALGORITHMS

DFT was originally the cornerstone of primitive DSP, until the FFT was found to be vastly more efficient. Here we extend FFTs to become ADFTs. The computational complexity associated with performing the N -point DFT operation in direct form is O(N 2 ). This complexity is prohibitive for most engineering applications since a high number of operations accounts for (i) higher energy consumption; (ii) higher latency; (iii) higher number of gates; and, in consequence, (iv) higher chance of system failure. To address these issues, FFT factorizations furnish a product of sparse (mostly zeros) matrices that reduces the DFT computational complexity to O(N log N ). Different FFT algorithms can be identified in the literature [37]–[40]. Here we consider three popular algorithms, namely i) the Cooley-Tukey FFT [5], ii) the splitradix FFT [38], and iii) the Winograd FFT [41]; each of these is briefly described below.

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1) COOLEY-TUKEY ALGORITHM

A very popular form of the classical Cooley-Tukey algorithm is the radix-2 decimation-in-time FFT, which splits the N -point DFT computation into two N /2-point DFT computations resulting in an overall reduced complexity [37].

Recursive use of this algorithm reduces the number of multiplications of the DFT from O(N 2 ) down to O(N log2 N ).

2) SPLIT-RADIX ALGORITHM

This is a variant of the Cooley-Tukey FFT algorithm which uses a blend of radix-2 and radix-4 by recursively expressing the N -point DFT in terms of one N /2-point DFT and two N /4-point DFT instantiations [38]. The split-radix algorithm can reduce the overall number of additions required to compute DFTs of sizes that are powers of two without increasing the number of multiplications [42].

3) WINOGRAD ALGORITHM

The Winograd algorithm implements an efficient FFT and exploits the multiplicative structure on the data indexing of DFT and converts it into a cyclic convolution computation [39], [40]. In several particular cases, the Winograd algorithm achieves the theoretical minimum multiplicative complexity [15] as shown in [39] making it more efficient over the Cooley-Tukey and radix. For large DFT block lengths that can be decomposed as a product of small primes, the Winograd algorithm achieves nearly-linear complexity [5].

C. MATRIX REPRESENTATION OF THE N 2 -POINT DFT IN TERMS OF THE N-POINT DFT

Now we will use the matrix definition in sub section II-A to derive a matrix representation for the computation of the N 2 -point DFT in terms of the N -point DFT via a radix-N FFT approach. The goal of this is to derive a 1024-point DFT in terms of 32-point DFT. Generally speaking, the N 2 -point DFT computation corresponds to a vector-matrix multiplication with a N 2 × N 2 matrix transformation: X = FN 2 · x.

(4)

The expression in (4) can be rewritten by directly invoking the Cooley-Tukey algorithm in its more general form as detailed in [5, p. 69]. By explicitly following the Cooley-Tukey algorithm, the N 2 -point DFT can be computed by means of: 1) address-shuffling the input column vector into a 2D N × N array; 2) computing the N -point DFT of each array column using FFTs; 3) element-wise multiplying the twiddle-factors (twiddle factors are the coefficients containing roots of unity in the DFT matrix [5]); 4) computing the N -point DFT of each resulting row using FFTs; and 5) undoing the address shuffling to convert the obtained 2D array into the final output column vector.

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The 1D to 2D mapping can be accomplished by means of the inverse vectorization operator invvec(·) [43] (Cf. [44], [45]) which obeys the following mapping:     x0 xN ··· xN (N −1) x0  x1   x1 xN +1 · · · xN (N −1)+1      invvec .  =  . . . .. .. ..  ..   ..  . . xN −1 x2N −1 · · · xN 2 −1 xN 2 (5) Based on the 1D to 2D mapping in Eqn. (5) we can show that the N 2 -point DFT given in (4) can be represented in the following matrix expression based on the Cooley-Tukey algorithm:

, (6) X = vec FN · N ◦ FN · (invvec(x))

where vec(·) is the matrix vectorization operator [46, p. 239], ◦ is the Hadamard element-wise multiplication [46, p. 251], the superscript denotes simple transposition (non Hermitian), and N is the twiddle-factor matrix given by N =

(ωNm·n 2 )m,n=0,1,...,N . Noting that N = N , (6) can be further simplified. In particular, for N = 1024 = 322 , we have

X = vec 32 ◦ F32 · (invvec(x)) · F (7) 32 .

The inner DFT call corresponds to row-wise transformation of invvec(x), whereas the outer DFT performs column-wise transformations on the resulting intermediate computation.

The formulation shown in (7) is the fundamental expression on which the proposed approximations (eg. ADFTs) in this work are based.

III. MULTIPLIERLESS 32-POINT ADFT

In this section, the adopted multiplierless 32-point ADFT, first introduced in [7], [35], is presented, and its complexity and error analysis are discussed. This is critical for understanding as the 1024-point ADFT is realized using 32-point ADFT as the main building block.

A. MATRIX REPRESENTATION

The considered 32-point ADFT matrix denoted by F̂32 can be computed through a product of sparse matrices whose real and imaginary parts of its coefficients contains only ±1 entries. Such simple arithmetic leads to hardware designs that can be realized with adders only.

To present the factorization of F̂32 , we need the auxiliary structures in eq. (8)- (17), since the auxiliary factors are key for matrix factorization. Let Bt be a t × t real matrix given by   Ī(t−1)/2  I(t−1)/2     1   , if t is odd,     Ī −I(t−1)/2 (t−1)/2 Bt = (8)  

    It/2 Īt/2   , if t is even,  Īt/2 −It/2 VOLUME 8, 2020

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 I16

where Ik and Īk being the identity and counter-identity matrix of order k, respectively. Let also Z1 , Z2 , and Z3 be the following matrices (for clarity, only the non-zero elements are shown): 1

      Z1 =      1

1

       Z2 =       

1



1 1

1

1

1

1 1

1

−1

1

1

1 1

1

1

1 1

1

−1

1 −1

1

1

1

−1

1 −1

1

1

1

      ,     

(9)

−1

−1

1

1 1

1

1

1

−1

1 1

1

1 −1

1



        , (10)    1   

−1

and 1

  1  1  Z3 =      

1

1 1 1 1 −1



−1

   −1  1  1  1 .

1 1 −1   1  1 1  1  1 −1 1

1

−1

(11)

1

The 32-point ADFT matrix is factorized into eight sparse matrices Wk , for k = 0, 1, . . . , 7, according to F̂32 = W7 · W6 · W5 · W4 · W3 · W2 · W1 · W0 , (12) where W0 =

W2 =

B17

B9



 W4 =  

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B3

B15

B7

B2

I16

B4

W1 = 0

,

I16

 W3 =  

,

B4



B2

Z2

I15  B5 1

 , 

0

I15

I16

B3

W5 =

1

B3

B2



1

1  1 −1 1   1  1   1 1  1 −1   1 1  1 −1   1 1  1 −1   1  1  1 −1 1

1

 

          , (16)        1   

−1

and W7 is given in (17), as shown at the bottom of the next page.

B. ARITHMETIC COMPLEXITY

1

1

       W6 =       

1

(13)

,

B3

I15

 Z1

  , (14) 

Z3

, (15)

In this section, we study the arithmetic complexity of the proposed ADFTs by assuming execution is fully sequential.

That is, we consider all algorithms execute on a sequential processor by utilizing a central processing unit (CPU) that furnishes arithmetic operations dictated by the particular algorithm. The execution time is proportional to the number of arithmetic operations, and in general, multiplication being more computationally intensive compared to addition, takes longer to execute. Therefore, the number of multiplications is the primary metric for quantification of arithmetic complexity.

The discussed 32-point ADFT has a null complexity of multiplications and no bit-shifting operations are required.

The only source of arithmetic complexity is the number of additions in the factorization in (12). Considering complex inputs, the matrices W0 , W1 , and W4 require 60 real additions each, while the matrices W2 , W3 , and W5 require 28 real additions each. Similarly, the matrix W6 requires 24 real additions, while the only complex matrix in the factorization, W7 , requires 60 real additions. In total, the transform F̂32 thus requires 348 real additions and no bit-shifting. By comparison, the Cooley-Tukey radix-2 algorithm requires 88 real multiplications and 408 real additions [5], [38]. In contrast, the approach to represent a 32-point DFT using (4) and (7) offers 1/8 the number of additions with no multiplications as compared to the 88 multiplications needed by Cooley-Tukey.

C. ERROR ANALYSIS

The rows of a linear transform matrix can be understood as a finite impulse response (FIR) filter bank [6]. Savings of computation and exploitation of sparsity gives rise to slightly inaccurate representations of the frequency response of the filter bank. Thus we can assess how close the filter bank implied by the proposed (in eq. (12)) ADFT approximations are to the rows of exact DFT matrix. The filter bank frequency responses for four of the bins of the 32-point DFT, 32-point ADFT, and the corresponding error plots are shown in Fig. 2. The four bins shown are the ones corresponding the the rows of the 32-point ADFT that performs the worst in terms of frequency response; thus they can be understood as worst-case scenarios. The figure shows that the 32-point ADFT is ‘‘close enough’’ to the exact DFT to be useful in 96617

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emerges. We propose three different algorithms based on the position of ADFT matrix in the derivation: • Algorithm 1: ADFT-ADFT. Substitute both row- and column-wise 32-point DFT F32 with the multiplierless 32-point ADFT F̂32 ; • Algorithm 2: Hybrid ADFT-DFT. Replace only the row-wise 32-point FFTs with the multiplierless 32-point ADFT in Section III leaving column-wise DFTs exact, and; • Algorithm 3: Hybrid DFT-ADFT. Replace only the column-wise 32-point FFTs with the multiplierless 32-point ADFT in Section III leaving row-wise DFTs exact.

Let X̂i for i = 1, 2, 3 denote approximations for X given

by Algorithm 1, Algorithm 2, and Algorithm 3, respectively.

Thus we have mathematically:

X̂1 = vec 32 ◦ F̂32 · (invvec(x)) · F̂ 32 , (18)

X̂2 = vec 32 ◦ F̂32 · (invvec(x)) · F 32 , (19)

many practical applications, especially for wireless communications and software-defined radio (SDR) where antenna pattern, noise and semiconductor process variations induce some errors themselves: its error level of about −10 dB compared to the main lobe of exact DFT’s filterbank response is within the margin of error of such systems (which include both electronics and electromagnetics).

IV. APPROXIMATIONS FOR THE 1024-POINT DFT A. APPROXIMATION METHODOLOGY

As section III-B illustrated the ADFT for N = 32, here we exploit the square of N = 32 to create a family of ADFTs for N = 1024. Motivated by the promising results achieved for 32-point ADFT, we will extend the approximation to 1024point case using the mathematics described in section II-C. Here, we propose three ADFT algorithms which have small deviations of their filter bank responses when compared to the DFT. We assume that the applications at hand will be tolerant of the given deviations of frequency response, and that such deviations will be a small price to pay in exchange for the significantly smaller circuit realizations and power consumption over traditional fixed-point FFTs. It should be noted that the implementation of such approximate methods is not constrained by the minimum theoretical bounds of multiplicative complexity [15], that apply to the exact DFT. Indeed the proposed algorithms are not in fact calculating the DFT, but furnishing approximations that are deemed reasonable for most high-speed digital-RF applications.

Based on (7), we propose the replacement of the exact 32-point DFT F32 by the 32-point ADFT proposed in [35].

Therefore, a suite of approximations for the DFT computation 1

                   W7 =                   

1

and

X̂3 = vec

−j

j

1

−j 1

1

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−j −j

−j

−j

j

−1

−j

1

j

−j

−1

j

−j 1

j

j

1

j j

1

−j 1

j

−1

−j

j

1

(20)

−1

j j

−1

1

j j j

1



          −1      −1     −1 .  −1   −1       −1         −1  −1

−j

−j

−1

1

−j

1

1

32 ◦ F32 · (invvec(x)) · F̂ 32 .

The above combinations of ADFT and DFT yield lowcomplexity approximations for the 1024-point DFT, which— due to its relatively large block length—is a computationally intractable task via usual direct numerical search methods.

Algorithms 1, 2, and 3 have considerably different computational complexities and performance trade-offs, as discussed in subsection IV-B.

−j

−1

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FIGURE 2. Magnitude of the filter-bank responses for (a) the exact 32-point DFT, (b) the 32-point ADFT and (c) error of the ADFT response for the least performing rows. .

B. ARITHMETIC COMPLEXITY 1) TWIDDLE-FACTOR MATRIX

TABLE 1. Real arithmetic complexity for the exact 1024-point DFT and for the proposed approximations.

In the three proposed algorithms, only the DFT computation F32 is subject to an approximation; the twiddle-factor matrix 32 is left unaltered in its exact form (cf. (7)). Therefore, a minimum number of multiplications remains due to 32 . Considering only the nontrivial multiplications, the twiddle-factor matrix requires 961 complex multiplications, which translate into 2883 real multiplications and 2883 real additions. The arithmetic complexity assumes sequential operation in a CPU. This parameter will be used in the arithmetic complexity calculations for each of the three algorithms.

C. PERFORMANCE OF THE PROPOSED APPROXIMATIONS

2) ALGORITHM 1

Here the only source of multiplicative complexity are the twiddle factors in between the row- and column-wise 32-point ADFT blocks. Since the 32-point ADFT requires 348 additions and it is called 64 times, it contributes 64 × 348 = 22272 real additions to the overall arithmetic complexity of Algorithm 1. The resulting arithmetic costs are: 2883 real multiplications and 2883 + 22272 = 25155 additions.

3) ALGORITHM 2

Here multiplicative costs stem from the twiddle factors and the column-wise 32-point exact DFT. The column-wise exact DFT is computed using the Cooley-Tukey radix-2 FFT [5], [38] (see Section III-B). Since this algorithm requires 32 calls to the exact 32-point DFT and 32 calls to the 32-point ADFT, we have a total of (32 × 88) + 2883 = 5699 real multiplications and (32 × 408) + (32 × 348) + 2883 = 27075 real additions.

4) ALGORITHM 3

Here the operation count follows the same rationale as for Algorithm 2, with the difference that the roles of the row and column-wise transforms are swapped. Therefore, Algorithms 2 and 3 have the same arithmetic costs. The arithmetic complexity of the proposed methods is summarized in Table 1.

Considering the frequency response error expressed in logmagnitude units, Fig. 3 shows (i) the upper and lower envelopes and (ii) the first, second, and third quartiles of the error resulting from the proposed approximate filter banks [47], [48]. For ease of visual inspection, we show only the normalized frequencies on the interval [−π/4, π/4]. The error of the frequency response for the remaining parts of the interval [−π, π] are just a repetition of the plots in Fig. 3.

Note that the three approximations resulting from Algorithm 1, Algorithm 2, and Algorithm 3 have distinct frequency responses. Fig. 3 indicates that the Algorithm 1 is the one presenting the largest deviation for the main lobe from the exact DFT. This is expected given that the transform resulting from Algorithm 1 is obtained through the substitution of both the row- and column-wise DFT block by the discussed approximate 32-point DFT. This qualitative analysis is confirmed once we calculate the errors in the frequency responses of the rows of the three proposed approximations. Table 2 displays the minimum (nonzero), mean, and maximum for the squared magnitude of these errors. Notice in Fig. 3 that the transform resulting from Algorithm 1 has the highest deviations from the expected frequency response for its rows with range of 5 dB compared to the filter bank response of the exact DFT matrix. In Table 2, we also show the worst-case side lobe in dB for each of the transforms. All transforms considered here possess a low worst-case side lobe on the order of −12 dB. 96619

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FIGURE 3. Log-magnitude error of the frequency response of the rows of the proposed approximations. The errors are bounded to −60 dB for displaying purposes.

Noise rejection of the proposed ADFTs can be evaluated by means of its SNR improvement per frequency bin. The noise present from the antenna array can be modeled as additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) with zero mean and variance σ 2 . The AWGN present in each frequency bin is σ 2 /N .

For narrowband (monochromatic) plane wave received by the array, the input signals to both the DFT and the three ADFT algorithms follows exp(j2π nk/N ) for n, k = 0, 1, . . . , N −1, where k represents the DFT/ADFT bin number (corresponding to specific spatial frequencies related to the direction of propagation of each wave) and n is the antenna number in the ULA. The monochromatic signal having frequency exp(j2π k/N ) for bin k has its SNR improved by 10 log10 (N ), which is 30.1 dB for the 1024 point DFT. This is the best case SNR improvement per bin for the DFTs. The adoption of various ADFTs in place of the DFT causes a loss of SNR performance observed as a hit in the SNR per bin. Let the reduction in SNR for bin k be denoted γx where x ∈ {1, 2, 3} are for the three proposed approximation algorithms.

The worst-case SNR degradation for the ADFTs obtained through simulations with 105 replicates for finding the ensemble average for each bin of the ADFTs are shown in Table 2. The SNR degradation shows that Algorithm 1 has the largest worst-case degradation of SNR compared to the DFT ( γ1 < 0.9 dB). There is no significant difference between Algorithm 2 and Algorithm 3 in terms of SNR degradation and has worst-case ( γ2,3 < 0.4 dB). The reduction in SNR of the three ADFTs compared to SNR of DFTs can be compensated by adding ≤ 0.9 dB of additional transmit power and antenna gain at the transmit side. Fig. 4 shows the SNR plot for each of the beams of the DFT and the three proposed approximations. Notice that no approximation has an SNR lower than 29.2 dB in any of the bins, demonstrating that the SNR degradation is ≤ 0.9 dB compared to the DFT where the SNR improves by 30.1 dB for every bin.

V. DIGITAL VLSI REALIZATION

Next, we explore digital VLSI realizations of the three ADFT approaches outlined in (18), (19) and (19) using a timemultiplexed approach. Traditionally, arithmetic complexity amounts of counts of both multiplication operations and

addition operations. However, for semi-parallelized hardware implementations on VLSI platforms, the existence of parallel sub-systems offers a trade-off between circuit complexity and algorithm execution speed as described by Amdahl’s Law [49]. The proposed algorithms are based on radix32 SFGs, which imply the sequential nature is limited to 1024-point algorithm completion every 32 clock cycles. The radix-32 SFG allows re-use of ADFT and DFT cores, and twiddle-factor cores, using time-multiplexing up to 32 levels.

The use of time-multiplexed operations leads to the generalization of the multiplier structures that do not distinguish trivial multiplications by 0, 1, −1. Therefore, the number of multiplications for the twiddle factor block is 1024 complex multiplications (compare to 961 complex multiplications for a sequential algorithm that can ignore trivial multiplications). However, radix-32 approach allows time-multiplexing of 32 parallel complex multipliers for achieving the twiddle factor matrix, leading to circuit complexity of 96 real multipliers, and 160 real adders/subtractors, in the twiddle factor block. To distinguish the mathematical operations from its physical realization, hereafter we refer to the circuit implementation of the selected 32-point DFT and ADFT, respectively, as DFT32 and ADFT32 cores. Also, the digital VLSI hardware for the 1024-point exact DFT and each of the 1024point approximations resulting from Algorithm 1, Algorithm 2, and Algorithm 3 are referred to as the DFT1024, ADFT1024_1, ADFT1024_2, and ADFT1024_3 cores, respectively. Fig. 5 shows the overall architecture of the DFT1024 with the DFT32 cores. We focus on the design of the ADFT1024_1 core. Because this design can be easily extended to the other cores, the description of the ADFT1024_2 (Algorithm 2) and ADFT1024_3 (Algorithm 3) cores is omitted for brevity.

The core ADFT1024_1 is a radix-32 unit and therefore processes an input signal block of 1024 time-domain samples in 32 clock cycles. Each signal block consists of 32 rows of adjacent time-domain samples in 32 columns.

The first ADFT32 block sequentially computes the 32-point ADFT of each row, which are given by: x[k], x[32+k], x[2× 32 + k], . . . , x[31 × 32 + k], for k = 0, 1, . . . , 31. Sampled values in the intermediate frequency (IF) domain are

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FIGURE 4. The SNR for DFT and proposed Algorithm 1, Algorithm 2, and Algorithm 3. The SNR for the proposed algorithms is no lower than 29.2 dB, against 30.1 dB for the DFT.

TABLE 2. Performance statistics of the proposed approximations: frequency response magnitude, worst-case side lobe level and SNR degradation.

after suitable twiddle factors have been applied, which in turn, furnishes the desired 1024-point ADFT values. In order to minimize the chances of overflow, the second timemultiplexed ADFT32 block in Fig. 5 uses a larger wordlength by one bit than the first time-multiplexed ADFT32 block. Use of a larger word length accommodates for the arithmetic operations that are carried on the first time-multiplexed ADFT32 and the twiddle factors.

A. TRANSPOSE BUFFER AND TWIDDLE FACTORS FIGURE 5. Signal flow graph showing the VLSI architecture to be modified for the proposed architecture based on the selected approximation.

Algorithm 1: Replacement of both 32-point DFTs with 32-point ADFT blocks. Algorithm 2: Replacement of only row-wise 32-point DFT with 32-point ADFT blocks leaving column-wise DFT exact. Algorithm 3: Replacement of column-wise 32-point FFT with 32-point ADFT blocks leaving row-wise DFT exact.

passed to the transpose buffer, which realizes the matrix transposition operation in digital VLSI hardware, while operating in-step with the system clock. One complete matrix transpose operation is achieved every 32 clock cycles. The transpose buffer feeds the second time-multiplexed ADFT32

The transpose buffer shown in Fig. 6 consists of a mesh of 1024 delays and 32 parallel multiplexers, each of them possessing 32 inputs. The transpose buffer block generates the transpose of the first set of frequency bins. The transposition allows the column-wise DFT computation required in eq. (18), (19) and (20).

Twiddle-factor multiplication count consists of 961 nontrivial complex multiplications spread over 32 clock cycles.

However, these are implemented using 32 parallel complex multipliers, which each consume 3 real multipliers and 5 adders (Gauss Algorithm for complex multiplication). The twiddle factor block therefore furnishes the only 96621

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TABLE 3. Circuit complexity for the proposed architectures and the 1024-point DFT.

FIGURE 6. Schematic diagram of the transpose buffer.

overall circuit complexity of 398 + 160 + 348 = 906 adder circuits and 96 + 78 = 174 multipliers ADFT1024_2.

3) ADFT1024_3 CORE

multiplications present in ADFT1024_1, which results from Algorithm 1 in a radix-32 hardware realization. Each of the column bins (after the transpose buffer) undergoes a multiplim·n , where 0 ≤ m ≤ 31 and 0 ≤ n ≤ 31. cation by ω1024 Therefore, the precision of the twiddle-factor multipliers plays a critical role in the final area A, area-time AT , and area-time-squared (AT 2 ) metrics. In this paper, we have set the twiddle-factor precision level to be equal to the system word size of the inputs to the ADFT1024_1 core, which is a design parameter and the choice of lower precision levels in the twiddle factors would result in improvements in the VLSI metrics for all three proposed algorithms. In a sense, hardware designed with such conservative parameters can be thought of as worst-case benchmark, with more coarsely quantified twiddle factors leading to even better improvements in area, area-time, and area-time-squared metrics.

B. CIRCUIT COMPLEXITY

All circuits operate for 32 clock cycles to produce one 1024point transform. Complex multiplication is realized using 3 real multiplier circuits and 5 real adder circuits following the Gauss multiplication algorithm. The twiddle-factor matrix based on Gauss multiplication 32 in (18) therefore requires 96 real multiplier circuits and 160 adders circuits.

This block is common to all four 1024-point algorithms.

1) ADFT1024_1 CORE

Each ADFT32 requires 348 adders/subtractors and no multipliers.

As shown in Fig. 5, the proposed radix-32 timemultiplexed architecture for Algorithm 1 uses two ADFT32 cores. Thus, ADFT1024_1 has an overall circuit complexity of 348 ∗ 2 + 160 = 856 adders/subtractor circuits and 96 real multiplier circuits.

2) ADFT1024_2 CORE

In ADFT1024_2, the row-wise DFT block is substituted by the ADFT32 block. The DFT32 requires a total 78 real multiplier circuits and 398 adder circuits. Because the ADFT32 requires 348 adder circuits but no multipliers, we have an

The circuit complexity for the Algorithm 3 is the same as for ADFT1024_2. The only change is in the placement of the elements in the architectural level.

The 1024-point DFT (denoted DFT1024) obtained by using two DFT32 cores for row- and column-wise FFTs would require 78 ∗ 2 + 96 = 252 real multiplier circuits and 398 ∗ 2 + 160 = 796 + 160 = 956 adder circuits. This is our reference radix-32 FFT circuit for baselining the circuit complexities of the proposed ADFT1024 algorithms.

The circuit complexities for the proposed designs as well as DFT1024 are presented in Table 3.

C. ASIC SYNTHESIS AND PLACE-ROUTE RESULTS: 45nm CMOS

The proposed architectures were implemented on MATLAB Simulink using Xilinx libraries and then mapped to 45-nm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology cells (synthesis only). Each of the designs consists of three main hardware components—first 32-point transform block, transpose buffer with twiddle-factor multiplication block, and second 32-point transform block. The complexity of each 32-point transform block core depends on its corresponding input word length. Key quantitative measurements of performance for each 32-point transform block core and transpose buffer with twiddle-factor multiplications are shown in Table 4. In Table 5, we list the hardware implementation metrics for ADFT1024_1, ADFT1024_2, and ADFT1024_3. Metrics for the DFT1024 core were included as reference values.

D. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS

The results in Table 4 shows that the 32-point ADFT core demands considerably less hardware resources than the 32-point exact DFT core. On the other hand, the implementation of the transpose buffer with twiddle factor multiplication adds a fixed hardware complexity to the system for both the DFT and the approximate architectures. As a result, the transpose buffer causes the highest area consumption and a relatively high power consumption in comparison to that of 32-point ADFT cores. Thus, it becomes the dominant

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TABLE 4. Key quantitative measurements of performance in digital 45 nm CMOS VLSI for each DFT core and transpose buffer with twiddle factor multiplications.

FIGURE 7. The four worst bins for multi-beam beamforming: (a) exact DFT response, (b) ADFT response, and (c) error for algorithm 1; (d) exact DFT response, (e) ADFT response, and (f) error for algorithm 2; (g) exact DFT response, (h) ADFT response, and (i) error for algorithm 3.

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TABLE 5. Key quantitative measurements of performance in digital 45 nm CMOS VLSI for each algorithm.

FIGURE 8. Linear plot of selected beams {200, 201, 202, 203} for exact and approximate transforms: (a) exact DFT response, (b) ADFT response, and (c) error for algorithm 1; (d) ADFT response, and (e) error for algorithm 2; (f) ADFT response, and (g) error for algorithm 3.

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factor in hardware complexity for the designs of the three 1024-point approximate transforms, as shown in Table 5.

The core ADFT1024_1 gives the best hardware utilization, whereas ADFT1024_2 gives the worst as can be seen in Table 5. Algorithm 3 gives the best error performance, i.e., provides the most accurate approximation. Moreover, the hardware resource consumption of its physical realization ADFT1024_3 is also close to that of ADFT1024_2.

The error performance of Algorithm 2 does not differ much from that of Algorithm 1, which also provides a hardware realization ADFT1024_1 with the lowest resource consumption. Therefore, we recommend either Algorithm 1 or Algorithm 3 (i.e., its hardware realizations ADFT1024_1 and ADFT1024_3) as the best designs.

E. ADFT-BASED 1024-BEAM DIGITAL BEAMFORMERS

In the proposed system, each ADFT bin corresponds to a unique direction in space. Ideally these bins should be identical to the spatial DFT bins, but their magnitude could deviate because of the approximation. The four worst bins for each of the three algorithms are shown in Fig. 7. The resulting errors are small enough to be acceptable for the low SNR scenarios seen in practical wireless systems.

Fig. 8 shows detailed plots of 4 consecutive beams (from bins 200-203) for the three proposed algorithms, together with the errors. We chose these four beams arbitrarily to showcase the shapes of the obtained RF beams in sufficient detail.

Note that practical realization of 1024-element ULAs for generating narrow ADFT-based beams in currently-licensed frequency bands (upto the V band) may be challenging due to the large sizes of the resulting apertures. However, due to ongoing research in the sub-THz range [24]–[32], the W and G bands will soon be commercially available for both licensed and unlicensed use. At a carrier frequency of 300 GHz, λ/2 = 0.5 mm and thus the size of a Nyquistspaced 1024-element ULA would decrease to a reasonable value of 51.2 cm.

VI. CONCLUSIONS

FFTs are used for reducing the computational costs of evaluating the DFT. Generally, they decrease complexity from O(N 2 ) down to O(N log N ). In this paper, we show that further savings can be accomplished by means of approximate methods. The resulting 1024-point DFT approximations present a trade-off between performance and hardware complexity without significant loss in terms of worst-side lobe and SNR. Our work shows that larger block-length DFT approximations can be obtained from the smaller-size approximations derived using previously-described numerical optimization methods. Our methodology can be directly applied to any DFT for which the block length is a perfect square. Since the current DFT approximations in the literature are restricted to the sizes {8, 16, 32} [8], [35], [48], [50], [51], approximate algorithms can be derived for N ∈ {64, 256, 1024}. In this

work, we focused on the 1024-point case.√Assuming that a multiplierless DFT approximation of size N can always be found, our derivations suggests that we can obtain √ an N -point DFT approximation that requires only N − 2 N − 1 multiplications; effectively making the complexity of the resulting N -point approximation O(N ). The proposed algorithms were synthesized to digital VLSI using a 45-nm CMOS library.

Synthesis results confirm the expected improvements in layout area and power consumption metrics compared to a conventional 1024-point DFT implementation.

The choice of algorithm depends on the application and its tolerance for computational error in the DFT block. Highly error tolerant applications can greatly benefit from Algorithm 1 which has the lowest complexity. Algorithm 2 or 3 maybe selected when Algorithm 1 does not furnish sufficient performance.

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ARJUNA MADANAYAKE (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in 2008. He is currently an Associate Professor of electrical and computer engineering with Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, FL. His research interests are in array signal processing, multi-dimensional systems and signal processing, microwave and analog circuits, digital circuits and FPGA systems, fast algorithms and applications, wireless communications, and mm-wave systems. His research program at FIU is funded by several grants from DARPA and NSF.

RENATO J. CINTRA (Senior Member, IEEE) received the D.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil, in 2005. He joined the Centre for Natural and Exact Sciences, UFPE, in 2005.

He has held visiting professor positions at the Département Informatique, INSA, Lyon, France and the University of Calgary, Canada. He was an Associate Editor for the IEEE GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING LETTERS, and Circuits, Systems, and Signal Processing (Springer). He serves as an Associate Editor for IET Circuits, Devices & Systems and the Journal of Communication and Information Systems, and, a Subject Editor of ELECTRONICS LETTERS. His longterm topics of research include: approximation theory for discrete transforms, theory and methods for digital signal/image processing, and statistical methods.

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NAJATH AKRAM (Student Member, IEEE) received the B.Sc. degree in electrical and information engineering from the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, in 2016. He is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree with Florida International University under the supervision of Dr. Arjuna Madanayake.

His research interests include multi-dimensional signal processing, RF systems design, and antenna array processing.

VIDUNETH ARIYARATHNA (Student Member, IEEE) received the bachelor’s degree (Hons.) in electronics and telecommunication engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, in 2013, the master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Akron, in 2016, under the supervision of Dr. Arjuna Madanayake, and the Ph.D. degree from Florida International University, in 2019, under the supervision of Dr. Arjuna Madanayake. He is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Ultra-Broadband Nanonetworking Laboratory, Northeastern University. His main research interests include the areas of RF-systems design, analog-digital hybrid beamforming systems, ultrabroadband wireless communication systems, and multi-dimensional signal processing.

SOUMYAJIT MANDAL (Senior Member, IEEE) received the B.Tech. degree in electronics and electrical communications engineering from IIT Kharagpur, India, in 2002, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA, in 2004 and 2009, respectively.

He was a Research Scientist at Schlumberger-Doll Research, Cambridge, MA, USA, from 2010 to 2014. He is currently the T. and A. Schroeder Assistant Professor with the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. His research interests include analog and biological computation, magnetic resonance sensors, low-power analog and RF circuits, and precision instrumentation for various biomedical and sensor interface applications. He was a recipient of the President of India Gold Medal, in 2002, the MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) Doctoral Dissertation Award, in 2009, the T. Keith Glennan Fellowship, in 2016, and the IIT Kharagpur Young Alumni Achievers Award, in 2018. He has over 125 publications in peerreviewed journals and premier conferences, and has been awarded 18 patents.

VÍTOR A. COUTINHO received the B.Sc. degree in electronic engineering, the M.Sc. and D.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil, in 2012, 2015, and 2018, respectively.

He is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. His main research interests include digital signal processing, fast algorithms for discrete transforms, discrete transform approximations, and prunedbased algorithms for image compression.

FÁBIO M. BAYER received the B.Sc. degree in mathematics from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Brazil, in 2006, and the D.Sc. degree in statistics from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil, in 2011. He is currently an Associate Professor with the Department of Statistics, UFSM and a Researcher with the Laboratory of Space Sciences of Santa Maria (LACESM), UFSM. His research interests include data science, regression and dynamic models, statistical computing, parametric inference, and statistical signal processing.

DIEGO COELHO received the B.Sc. degree in electronics engineering and the M.Sc. degree in statistics from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Brazil, in 2012 and 2015, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada, in 2018.

He is currently an Independent Researcher, Calgary, Canada. His research interests include digital signal and image processing, optimization, matrix computation, numerical analysis, and highperformance computing.

THEODORE S. RAPPAPORT (Fellow, IEEE) is currently the David Lee/Ernst Weber Professor with New York University (NYU) and holds faculty appointments with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, the Courant Computer Science Department, and the NYU Langone School of Medicine. He is also the Founder and the Director of NYU WIRELESS, a multidisciplinary research center focused on the future of wireless communications and applications. His research has led the way for modern wireless communication systems. In 1987, his Ph.D. at Purdue University provided fundamental knowledge of indoor wireless channels used to create the first WiFi standard (IEEE 802.11), and he conducted fundamental work that led to the first US Digital cellphone standards, TDMA IS-54/IS-136, and CDMA IS-95. He and his students engineered the world’s first public WiFi hotspots, and more recently, his work proved the viability of millimeter waves for mobile communications, and the global wireless industry adopted his vision for 5th generation (5G) cellphone networks. He founded three academic wireless research centers at Virginia Tech, The University of Texas, and NYU that have produced thousands of engineers and educators, since 1990, and he has coauthored over 300 articles and 20 books, including the most cited books on wireless communications, adaptive antennas, wireless simulation, and millimeter-wave communications. He co-founded two wireless companies, TSR Technologies and Wireless Valley Communication, which were sold to publicly traded companies, and he has advised many others. He co-founded the Virginia Tech Symposium on Wireless Communications, in 1991, the Texas Wireless Summit, in 2003, and the Brooklyn 5G Summit (B5GS), in 2014. He has more than 100 patents, serves on the Technological Advisory Council of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Dr. Rappaport is a Fellow of the Radio Club of America and the National Academy of Inventors, a Life Member of the American Radio Relay League, a Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas and Virginia, and an Amateur Radio Operator (N9NB). He has received ASEE’s Terman Award, the Sir Monty Finniston Medal from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society’s James R. Evans Avant Garde and Stu Meyer Awards, the IEEE Education Society William E. Sayle Award for achievement in education, the IEEE Communications Society Armstrong Award, and the Armstrong Medal from the Radio Club of America.

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RECEPTION APPETIZER SPONSOR $6,000

PHOTO WALL TITANIUM SPONSOR $6,000

BANQUET WINE SPONSOR $3,000

HYBRID EVENT SPONSOR $5,500

Logos on event banners at Tech Symposium and Banquet Logo on Banquet PowerPoint Logo in commemorative Banquet program Logo and URL on RCA website Full page ad in Aerogram and Proceedings (full membership distribution) Company logo on signage supporting Young Achievers Company logo in Proceedings Inclusion in all commerials and soundbites during Symposium Branding on all Symposium videos on RCA YouTube channel Half page ad in Proceedings, logo in Aerogram Lanyard with logo Quarter page ad in Proceedings, logo in Aerogram Table signage 6 tickets to Tech Symposium Logo on speaker podium Event signage Exclusive networking opportunity Logo on cocktail napkins VIP cocktail named after you 7’ x 7’ step and repeat backdrop featuring your logo and RCA logo 2 Banquet and Tech Symposium tickets Social media branding Special pre- and post event recognition

The RCA is offering a variety of new sponsorships in 2021 which can give your company recognition and business opportunities. We can also create a custom sponsorship that meets your needs. Radio Club of America is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, therefore, your sponsorship can qualify for a tax-deduction. Please consult with your tax advisor for specific information.

COMPANY NAME (as you would like it to appear in promotional materials):

YOUR NAME ADDRESS PHONE EMAIL WEBSITE

You can pay online at www.radioclubofamerica.org or call Karen Clark at kjclark33@comcast.net for more information, to pay by check or for the specifications for your company logo.

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BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

Would you like to be listed in the next issue of the Proceedings?

Contact RCA at (612) 405-2012 or Amy@radioclubofamerica.org to reserve space.

ANDERSON-INTELLI-SMART BATTERY DIVISION KIRMUSS & ASSOCIATES, LLC

ANTIQUE WIRELESS ASSOCIATION

DIRECTORY ADVANCED WIRELESS MARKETING Jack Armstrong, President 200 Warren Road Cockeysville, MD, 21030 PHONE: (443) 823-5100 jack@advancedwirelessmarketing.com www.advancedwirelessmarketing.com

Manufacturer’s Representative

Charles Kirmuss, Founder, Principal 51 West 84th Ave., Suite 301 Denver, CO 80260 PHONE: (303) 263-6353 ckirmuss@frontier.net www.anderson-intellismartbattery.com

Robert Hobday, Director David Bart, Board of Directors PO Box 421 Bloomfield, NY 14469 PHONE: (847) 542-9873 jbart1964@gmail.com www.antiquewireless.org

Preserving the Past for Posterity

Manufacturer of OE and replacement batteries for the two way radio industry. iNTELLi Smart Battery™ technology at lower cost than traditional OE standard batteries.

BLUE WING

CAPITAL AREA COMMUNICATIONS

Andy Maxymillian, PMP, Principal Consultant 235 Summer Hill Drive Gilbertsville, PA 19525 PHONE: (610) 473-2171 CELL: (610) 316-2660 FAX: (610) 473-2536 andrew.maxymillian@bluewing.com www.bluewing.com

Stephen J. Shaver, Project Manager 4120 Swatara Drive Harrisburg, PA, 17113 PHONE: (717) 561-0800 CELL: (717) 645-0086 FAX: (717) 561-9805 steves@cacradio.com www.cacradio.com

Consultant Services

KIRMUSSAUDIO DIV OF KIRMUSS & ASSOCIATES, LLC Charles Kirmuss, Founder, Principal 51 West 84th Ave., Suite 301 Denver, Co. 80260 PHONE: (303) 263-6353 FAX: (303) 862-7170 ckirmuss@frontier.net www.kirmussaudio.com

KIRMUSS & ASSOCIATES, LLC CONSULTANTS. INFINITY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES. KIRMUSSAUDIO.

BRINGING PEOPLE, PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY TOGETHER SINCE 1979

Charles Kirmuss, WØCBK, Founder, Principal PO BOX 350698, Westminster, CO.. 8002

Wireless Communication Systems Solutions Provider

PHONE: (303) 263-6353 charles@kirmussaudio.com www.kirmussaudio.com

LEONARDO

PANTHER PINES CONSULTING

William P. Fredrickson 11300 W. 89th Street Overland Park, KS 66214 PHONE: (913) 495-2614 CELL: (913) 909-4492 Bill.fredrickson@ leonardocompany-us.com www.leonardocc.com

John Facella, P.E., BSEE, MBA, Principal PHONE: (978) 799-8900 pantherpinesconsulting@gmail.com www.pantherpinesconsulting.com

Manufacturer of the world’s only vinyl record groove restoration system.

Communications & Management Consulting

Land Mobile Radio Manufacturer: DMR, P25, Tetra

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BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

DIRECTORY RFI AMERICAS Sean Johnson, President 2023 Case Pkwy Twinsburg, OH, 44087 PHONE: (330) 486-0706 x302 CELL: (330) 541-6585 FAX: (330) 486-0705 sean.johnson@rfi.com.au www.rfiamericas.com

RLA COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING, LLC Robert A. Lopez, P.E., President 8305 Bergenline Avenue #9 North Bergen, NJ 07047 PHONE: (973) 449-5249 rlopez@rlacommunications.com www.rlacommunications.com

Would you like to be listed in the next issue of the Proceedings?

Contact RCA at (612) 405-2012 or Amy@radioclubofamerica.org to reserve space.

ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL, INC. Maggie Lynch, President 3135 Coachman Ct. Oceanside, CA 92056 PHONE: (760) 529-9518 sales@royal-communications.com royalcominc.com

Manufacturer of antennas and RF conditioning equipment for LMR

A communications engineering consulting company serving public safety and commercial wireless industries.

Specializing in the sales and service of Barrett High Frequency, Single Sideband transceivers that are dependable and easy to use.

TOWER INNOVATIONS, INC.

TSR CONSULTING ®

TWR

Bruce R. McIntyre, President 107 Dunbar Ave., Suite E Oldsmar, FL 34677 PHONE: (813) 818-8766 CELL: (727) 439-3683 FAX: (813) 925-0999 bruce@towerinnovationsinc.com www.towerinnovactionsinc.com

Dr. Theodore S. Rappaport, P.E., Ph.D PO BOX 888 Riner, VA 24149

Lauren Libby, International President 300 Greyson Drive Cary NC 27511 PHONE: (719) 331-7051 llibby@twr.org www.twr.org

Technical consulting, engineering and design services in the field of wired and wireless communications systems, equipment and devices.

Wireless consulting, Communications structures

MASSIVELY BROADBAND®

UTILITY TELECOM CONSULTING GROUP

WIRELESS TOWERS, INC.

George R. Stoll, President 9850 S. Maryland Pkwy Las Vegas, NV, 89183 PHONE: (303) 840-2878 CELL: (303) 475-0414 FAX: (303) 840-1129 george.stoll@utcg.com www.utcg.com

RF and Digital Content to 190 Countries in 230 languages every day

Larry Shaefer, President 115 N. Walker St. Angleton, TX 77515 PHONE: (713) 522-7000 CELL: (713) 526-8000 Lshaefer@sbcglobal.net www.wireless-towers.com

Texas Tower Site Leasing

Consulting Engineers

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RCA CALENDAR

EVENTS

CALENDAR

Visit the event calendar on the RCA website for the most up-to-date event information.

OCTOBER 2025

MARCH 2026

JUNE 2026

National Association of Broadcasters October 22-23, 2025 | Las Vegas, NV https://www.nabshow.com

GSMA Mobile World Congress March 2-5, 2026 | Barcelona Spain https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/

DAS & Small Cells Congress June 2-5, 2026 | London https://www.smallcells.world

NOVEMBER 2025

RCA Quarterly Interview March 3, 2026 www.radioclubofamerica.org/InterviewSeries

RCA Interview Series June 2, 2026 www.radioclubofamerica.org/InterviewSeries

Satellite 2022 March 23-26, 2026 | Washington DC https://www.satshow.com

UTC Telecom & Technology Conference June 1-4, 2026 | Minneapolis, MN https://utctelecom.org/

IoT World USA March 23-24, 2026 | Boston, MA https://www.industryofthingsworldusa.com/

JULY 2026

RCA Technical Symposium & Annual Awards Banquet November 22, 2025 | Washington D.C. https://www.radioclubofamerica.org/Symposium-Banquet

DECEMBER 2025 RCA Interview Series December 1, 2025 www.radioclubofamerica.org/InterviewSeries

IWCE March 16-19, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV https://iwceexpo.com/

APRIL 2026

JANUARY 2026 CES (Consumer Technology Association) January 4-8 2026 | Las Vegas https://www.ces.tech/ AFCEA West February 10-12, 2026 | San Diego https://www.westconference.org/West25/ Public/Enter.aspx

National Association of Broadcasters April 18-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV https://cloud.e.nabshow.com

MAY 2026 WIA Connectivity (X) May 4-6, 2026 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL https://www.connectivityexpo.com/ Dayton Hamvention May 15-17, 2026 | Dayton, OH https://hamvention.org/

FEBRUARY 2026 Hamcation February 13-15, 2026 | Orlando https://www.hamcation.com/

APCO August 2-6, 2026 | San Antonio, TX https://apco2026.org/

AUGUST 2026 Huntsville Hamfest August 22-23, 2026 | Huntsville, AL https://hamfest.org/

SEPTEMBER 2026 RCA Interview Series September 1, 2026 www.radioclubofamerica.org/InterviewSeries Competitive Carrier Assoc Annual Convention September 14-16, 2026 https://www.ccamobile.org/cca-events#FutureCCAEvents

NATE Unite February 23-260, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV https://nu25.mapyourshow.com/8_0/#/

Do you want to see RCA at more shows?

Please drop us a line and help organize an RCA booth. We are ready to come to you!!

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SHARE YOUR RCA STORY

SHOP AMAZON & HELP RCA

We had a record number of new members last year help us continue this momentum by spreading the word about why you belong to the oldest, most prestigious group of wireless professionals in the world! Direct potential members to the Why RCA? page of the website to learn what sets us apart.

Amazon has a program called Amazon Smile, through which Amazon will donate .5% of a qualified purchase to a charitable organization of your choice. To designate proceeds towards RCA, go to smile.amazon.com and use your Amazon login.

You will be asked to select a charitable organization (Radio Club of America) and start shopping. It is an easy way to help the Radio Club and at the same time get a great deal on amazon.com. If you are an Amazon Prime member, you will continue to receive the benefits of your Prime membership.

Signing up for RCA Membership has never been easier! Use the new online membership application to submit your information in a matter of minutes.

HAS YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGED? If you have recently changed your address, email, or phone number, please login to your membership page on our website to update your information, email amy@radioclubofamerica.org or call (612) 430-6995.

HEADQUARTERS OFFICE ADDRESS: 13570 Grove Drive #302 Maple Grove MN 55311 PHONE: (612) 430-6995 EMAIL: amy@radioclubofamerica.org WEBSITE: www.radioclubofamerica.org

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