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 Technical Symposium Details
SETI: We Can Make
The Cosmic Connection
The Road to 6G
The Cosmic Microwave Background
RCA Scholarship Activities
Iç-9700
2M / 70CM / 23CM / Satellite
RS-BA1 Software (Version 2)
Iç-PW2
HF / 6M 1 kW Amplifier
RS-PW2 Software
Iç-7100
Iç-7300 MK2
HF / 50 MHz*
RS-BA1 Software (Version 2)
Improved RMDR and Phase Noise Characteristics
HDMI™ Port for an External Display
USB Type-C™ with Dual COM + Audio
RX Antenna IN/OUT Connectors
Built-in CW Decoder
Iç-7760
HF / 50MHz
RS-BA1 Software (Version 2) With optional RC-7760
Iç-905
*Optional çX-10G 10GHz Transverter
2M / 70CM / 23CM / 13CM / 5CM
RS-BA1 Software (Version 2)
ID-52A PLUS
2M / 70CM / Analog / Digital
HF / 6M / 2M / 70CM Analog / Digital RS-BA1 Software (Version 2)
Iç-R8600
10 kHz – 3 GHz
Wideband SDR Receiver
RS-R8600 Software
Iç-2730B
2M / 70CM Analog
Iç-2730A
2M / 70CM Analog
PRESIDENT
Alan Spindel*
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*
SECRETARY
Margaret J. Lyons, PE, PMP*
DIRECTORS
JonPaul Beauchamp
Dr. James Breakall
Karen Clark
Dr. Nathan Cohen
Cheryl Giggetts
Michael Kalter
PRESIDENTS EMERITI
Charles Kirmuss
Robert LaRose
Carole Perry
Dr. Ajay Poddar
Dr. Julio Urbina
Steven L. Aldinger John Facella P.E.
David Bart Mal Gurian
Sandra Black Carroll Hollingsworth
Philip Casciano
Bruce McIntyre
Mercy Contreras Stan Reubenstein
Timothy Duffy Anthony Sabino, Jr.
STAFF
Amy Beckham, Administrative Director
Awards & Fellows: Charles Kirmuss
Banquet: Margaret Lyons*
Constitution & By-Laws: Chester “Barney” Scholl, Jr. / Ed 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 “Barney” 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: Ed 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
*Executive Committee Member
HEADQUARTERS OFFICE: 13570 Grove Drive #302 Maple Grove MN 55311 (612) 430-6995
amy@radioclubofamerica.org www.radioclubofamerica.org
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
David P. Bart 8512 Kedvale Ave., Skokie, IL 60076 (847) 542-9873 jbart1964@gmail.com
ADVERTISING CONTACT Amy Beckham (612) 430-6995 Amy@radioclubofAmerica.org
PROCEEDINGS SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR
Nathan “Chip” Cohen, Ph.D. 2 Ledgewood Place, Belmont MA 02478 (781) 275-2300
w1yw@aol.com
PRODUCTION Sapphyre Group
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.
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.
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
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.
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,
ALAN SPINDEL President The Radio Club of America Inc.
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!!
We have arranged two days of tours with separate fees per day to cover transportation and admission. The full tour schedule is as follows:
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Evening Lighted Monument Tour ($50 per person)
Join us for a private, lighted monument tour via motor coach. Stops include:
• 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)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 (PRIVATE TOURS)
Travel via motor coach for two exclusive tours:
• NSA Cryptologic Museum
• Spy Museum
(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.
Cost: $50 per person.
Security Requirements: Additional documentation required; Real ID or US passport must be presented on the day of the tour.
Evening: Free time on your own.
Complete information about the banquet is available on the RCA website, or contact Amy Beckham at amy@radioclubofamerica.org.
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.
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. 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
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.
Under her leadership, VoiceBrain has secured major partnerships, including with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration
(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.
“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.”
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.
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
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.
Blue Wing strives to provide operationally driven solutions to its clients.
We translate operational objectives into pragmatic engineering solutions.
Contact us today!
Andy Maxymillian (610) 316-2660 andrew.maxymillian@bluewing.com
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.
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. 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.
1. Digital Signal Processing and the Transition to Digital Networks
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.
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).
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.
4. ATM and IP Networking
Lawrence led Bell Labs’ development of the ATLANTA ATM switching chipset, widely adopted by major vendors. His
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
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.
6. Digital Audio Broadcast
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.
7. Submarine Fiber Optics and African Connectivity
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).
8. U.S. National Secure Voice Systems
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.
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.
10. Global R&D Leadership
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.
Among his many recognitions are:
• 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)
Step up to Life Membership and join the ranks of RCA’s most dedicated members. Say goodbye to annual renewals and cement your place in wireless history—for life!
You may qualify for Life Membership under one of the following options:
✅ Standard Life Membership: For members in good standing for the past 3 years, upgrade now for a one-time fee of $2,215.
✅ 65+ Life Membership: For members age 65 or older and in good standing for the past 3 years, upgrade now for a one-time fee of $600.
✅ 20-Year Member Life Option: If you’ve been an RCA member for 20 years or more, upgrade now for a one-time fee of $1,275.
Make a one-time investment and enjoy RCA benefits for life—no more renewals, ever.
• National Inventors Hall of Fame (2016)
• Dominican University Honorary Doctorate (2023)
• National Medal of Technology and Innovation (2024)
SOURCES
• Victor B. Lawrence, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Victor_B._Lawrence
• “2016 NIHF Inductee – Victor Lawrence,” https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=vAga2z7jGWM
• “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/
• “IEEE Fellows 1987,” IEEE Communications Society, https://www.comsoc.org/membership/ieee-fellows/1987
• “Victor Lawrence’s Biography,” The HistoryMakers, https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/victorlawrence
• “Professor Victor Lawrence from Ghana,” The HistoryMakers, Mar. 3, 2013, https://www. thehistorymakers.org/biography/victor-lawrence
• “Victor Lawrence – Stevens Institute of Technology,” https://faculty.stevens.edu/vlawrenc/
• 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
• Graden, Philip. “Victor Lawrence – The Global Telecom Pioneer,” USTelecom, Feb. 2, 2022, https://ustelecom. org/victor-lawrence-the-global-telecom-pioneer/
• “Cablevision Features Prof. Lawrence on African Internet Expansion,” Stevens Institute of Technology, Apr. 17, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMCd1EGrHJ4
• Dominican University’s 69th Annual Commencement, https://www.duny.edu/dominican-universitys-69thannual-commencement-ceremony-on-may-17-honorsoutstanding-alumni-and-community-members/
Warriors 4 Wireless is a charitable organization existing soley to help veterans find decent paying careers in the growing 5G wireless workforce.
We have invested well over $3,300,000 of contributed funds to assist veterans joining the telecom workforce. And we have connected over 3,300 veterans to telecom career opportunities. Let us help you!
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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:
• 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.
• Research on Star Formation: He studied dark gas clouds in the Milky Way, which are regions where stars are formed.
• Instrumentation Design: Wilson designed instruments for the Sub-Millimeter Array, enhancing millimeter-wave observations.
• Leadership Roles: He held leadership positions at Bell Telephone Laboratories and later at the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
• 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.
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.
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.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 | WASHINGTON
Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Kinuko Masaki
REASONS TO ATTEND THE RCA BANQUET AND TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM
Innovative Learning in Wireless Technology
Dive into a wide range of wireless topics—from the latest advancements to the rich history that shaped today’s technology.
Build Connections and Strengthen Your Network
Join us in Washington D.C. to meet RCA’s members and expand your professional network.
Celebrate Industry Leaders
Honor the innovators, creators, and visionaries who make this industry unique, and recognize those shaping its future.
Support Future Leaders
Champion the next generation by supporting RCA’s youth initiatives and learning from this year’s Young Achiever Award Winner.
Explore Iconic Facilities
Join exclusive tours of the U.S. Capital, the White House, several memorials.
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.
Register for the 2025 Technical Symposium and Banquet at www.radioclubofamerica.org
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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 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
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”;
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 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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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 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
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 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.
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.
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
stage with other leading voices in AI, including the CEO of Ericsson Enterprise Wireless, a VoiceBrain partner.
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
President of the Antique Radio Club of Illinois.
David was inducted into IEEE Eta Kappa Nu as a professional member and has received RCA’s Ralph Batcher Memorial Award and its Service Award, as well as 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.
EXCELLENCE IN SALES AND MARKETING AWARD
LARRY WEBER
The Radio Club of America recognizes all aspects of what it takes to be successful in the Wireless Industry. Whether a business is launching an innovative idea or a unique product, it is the job of sales and marketing to advance that product and ultimately make it successful. This Award is to recognize an individual who exhibits the “Esprit de Corps” of sales, marketing and promoting in the Wireless Industry. The ideal candidate should have been in the
wireless industry for a minimum of 10 years. The nominee should not be judged on sales volume, but on their dedication to the wireless industry. They should demonstrate a professional and ethical approach to their business relationships. They should display integrity when representing the wireless industry and they should work 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 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
www.comsoc.org/membership
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 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 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.
THE BARRY GOLDWATER AMATEUR RADIO AWARD
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 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 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. 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.
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).
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Roman Kaluta is the Director of Business DevelopmentPublic 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,
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 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
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.
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.
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 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.
Monte L. Simpson is a public safety communications leader with 47 years of dedicated service in emergency
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.
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 Prizewinning 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).
Step up to Life Membership and join the ranks of RCA’s most dedicated members. Say goodbye to annual renewals and cement your place in wireless history—for life!
You may qualify for Life Membership under one of the following options:
✅ Standard Life Membership: For members in good standing for the past 3 years, upgrade now for a one-time fee of $2,215.
✅ 65+ Life Membership: For members age 65 or older and in good standing for the past 3 years, upgrade now for a one-time fee of $600.
✅ 20-Year Member Life Option: If you’ve been an RCA member for 20 years or more, upgrade now for a one-time fee of $1,275.
Make a one-time investment and enjoy RCA benefits for life—no more renewals, ever.
Jack L. Burbank................................... GPS Security and Countermeasures: PNT in GPS-Degraded Environments
Kristina Collins .......................................................................................... The Lion In the (Propagation) Path
Jennifer Harder ................................................................................... Why? The Compelling Case for Curiosity
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 Wasily Wolniansky TBD
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
Victor Lawrence
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.
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.
Mike Pappas
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 revitalization of Orban as it again leads the way in audio processing for radio, TV, and Internet streaming.
Title TBD
Peter Wasily Wolniansky
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.
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.
Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center
Julio Ripoll
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 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.
Caroline Spindel
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.
Rachel Jones
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.
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.
GPS Security and Countermeasures: PNT in GPSDegraded Environments
Jack L. Burbank
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 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.
Jennifer Harder
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.
Abigail Merchant is a high schooler 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 studentled 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.
Kristina Collins 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. 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
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.
Developments and an Outlook for Public Safety and the Use of Push-to-talk
PANEL: Roman Kaluta – moderator, Thomas Kelly, Harlin McEwen, Josh Lober
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, major Push to Talk over Cellular providers, and the JPS Manufacturer Representatives and Dealer networks.
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 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 participated in national policy development on incident-information sharing and broadband for first responders.
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.
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 broadband networks, his journey reflects a consistent focus on service, communication, and adaptation to change.
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.
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. 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.
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)
RCA: A CENTURY OF PARADIGMS
David P. Bart, RCA President Emeritus
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
Our organization grows and encourages innovation because of your support. With your support, our organization continues to grow and encourage innovation. Thank you!
Conference: March 16-19, 2026
Exhibits: March 18-19, 2026
Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV
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
Meet Top Radio Vendors in One Place
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.
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.
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.
Radio Club of America brings together professionals and non-professionals from every segment of
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 Events – links to join us at RCA events, including laboratory visits, technical symposium, industry events at conferences, awards banquet
• Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – follow us on social networking sites
• Publications – follow RCA and contribute to RCA’s ENews, RCA Proceedings, and website
• RCA’s Interview Series – nearly 50 online interviews of leaders in the industry share their perspectives
• RCA Video Archives – containing recordings of the Technical Symposium and annual awards
• RCA on YouTube – follow our YouTube page CAREER DEVELOPMENT
• 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
• Young Professional Award Applications – to elevate individuals under age 35 for their innovation, leadership, and creativity in wireless communications
• Career Links - for job listings
• Experts and Legends – snapshot biographies of RCA’s legends who made and are making the modern world of wireless
• Award Applications – to elevate achievers, pioneers, game changers and inventors
PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN
• Women in Wireless – links, archives, recordings and resources highlighting the contributions, historical, and ongoing, of women to wireless communications
• Youth Activities – special programs for middle and high school using wireless and amateur radio as a teaching and leadership development tool
• Scholarship Applications – for middle school, high school, college, and graduate school
• Training – links to certification, training, and RCA introductory video resources
• Document Library – links to past issues of the RCA Proceedings, 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
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.
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.”
“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
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 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.
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
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.
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 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
• 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
and Data Encryption; Link Layer Encryption (LLE in development)
• Location Services - Tier 1 (conventional) and Tier 2 (trunking or conventional)
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.
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
DISPLAY YOUR RCA MEMBERSHIP WITH OUR CUSTOMIZABLE
Wear it on its own, or add Life Member, Senior Member, or Fellow bars to reflect your unique membership distinctions.
• $9.95 for the standard pin
• $3 per bar for Life Member, Senior Member, and Fellow bars
ORDER AT: https://bit.ly/3eqX64O
Prices include shipping & handling.
Interference Detection and Mitigation
Intermodulation Studies
Distributed Antenna Systems( ERCES)
Design / Review / P.E. Approval
System Analyzation
Project Management
Engineer-Furnish-Install (EFI)
System Design / Construction
System Optimization
System Integration
End User Equipment Training
Radio Paging Systems
Paging Systems Engineering
User Needs Assessment
System Performance Troubleshooting
Technology Assessment
Request for Information
Preparation of Acceptance Test Plans
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
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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
documents are available on the DHS CAP program website Approved (Grant-Eligible) Equipment page. https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/p25-cap
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:
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. https://project25.org/index.php/documents/p25frequently-asked-questions?view=frontlist&cat id[0]=10026
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.
For example, P25 offers high-power operation allowing large geographic areas to be covered with fewer sites than
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.
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.
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
“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.
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
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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Redundancy and Failure Operation: P25 Networks are extremely resilient. Several levels of “graceful degradation” are inherent, but procedures must be in place:
o System Isolation: continued operation but with reduced coverage.
o Loss of console connectivity: use of backup radios/ control stations.
o Loss of trunking capability: conventional fallback mode.
o Loss of Infrastructure: direct radio unit to unit 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.
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.
• Voice and Data Encryption (256 bit AES): Encrypts and protects the voice and data information sent over the air.
• 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.
Key management and delivery are important elements of any communications security plan. Keys may be loaded by
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.
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.
P25 location services support situational awareness and can provide vehicle tracking or personnel tracking during an incident or emergency.
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.
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.
• 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.
Current work items include the following:
• 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.
• Modifications to the Inter Sub System Interface (ISSI), the Console Sub System Interface (CSSI), and the Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) to enable future
Interworking with Broadband Cellular Public Safety Systems.
• 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 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)
• New standard capabilities for P25 Key Fill Devices create standardized interoperability of the Key Fill interface for End-to-End and Authentication key
material provisioning between the KFD and: KMFs, Authentication Facilities, KFDs, and portables/mobiles.
• 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.
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
based Mission Critical PTT Interworking will be available between the two technologies.
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.
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.
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 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/
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.
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.
Additional Project 25 information can be found at: www.project25.org
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.
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
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.
“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.”
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.
Papers selected for the NAB BEIT Conference will also be published in the “Proceedings of the 2026 NAB BEIT Conference” in April 2026.
Submissions are required to fall under one of the NAB BEIT Conference’s focus areas, including:
• 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
• Analy tics and Measurement
For a complete list of categories and additional details, please visit the official Call for Proposals.
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.
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.
For more information, contact Jarell Gibbs, NAB BEIT Conference Coordinator.
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.
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
• 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
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).
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.
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
You can count on PMC Wireless to support your mission in these areas:
• Turn-key Two-Way Radio Systems
• P25, All-band Encrypted Radios
• Dispatch Center Solutions
• In-Building Public Safety DAS / ERRCS / ERCES
• Emergency School Communications
• Concealed Weapons Detection – CWD
• Microwave Backhaul Networks
• In-Vehicle Cellular Connectivity
• Mobile Data Terminals
• First Responder Pagers
• Antenna / Site Work
• System Maintenance / Monitoring
• Full-Service Install / Repair
• FCC Licensing Support
• Drone Detection
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
(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 Dreher May 1928
Acoustics and Microphone Placement in Broadcast Studios Part II Dreher June 1928
THE A-B-Cs of Amplifier Circuits Crom Sept 1928
Measurements on Broadcast Receivers Hull Oct 1928
Measurement & Design of Audio Frequency Transformers Johnson Nov 1928
High Power Output Tube Weaver Dec 1928
Characteristics of Filament Type Rectifiers Wise Jan 1929
Servicing Radio Receivers Aceves Jun 1929
Characteristics of Audio Transformers Turner Sept 1929
Grid Suppressor Circuit Harris Oct 1929
Circuit Combinations that Provide Uniform Signal Selection Uehling Nov 1929
Screen-Grid Tubes for Audio Frequency Amplifiers Glauber Feb 1930
Pentode Tube Henney Mar 1930
Practical Television System Replogle May 1930
Equipotential Indirectly Heated Cathode for Receiver Tubes Allen July 1930
Adjustable Tone Compensation Improves Audio Amplifiers Aceves Sept 1930
Broadcast Program Protection Brown Oct 1930
Proving Lab for Radio Receivers Reinken Nov 1930
The “Stenode” Robinson Dec 1930
Multicoupler Antenna System for Apartment Buildings Amy April 1931
Design & Construction of Standard Signal Generators Franks May 1931
Design of a Complete Television System Huffman July 1931
Synchronization of Westinghouse Radio Stations WBZ & WBZA Gregory Aug 1931
Continuity Testing in Radio Service Work Rider Nov 1931
Auditorium Sound Adsorption Balance Schlenker Dec 1931
Portable Speech Input Eqpt for Remote Control Broadcasting Lyon July 1932
Voice Recording for Industrial & Social Uses White Sept 1932
Short-wave Transoceanic Telephone Receiving Eqpt Polkinghorn Nov 1932
Antenna Transmission Line Systems for Transmission Reception Brigham Jan 1933
Radio Servicing Instruments from Engineering Viewpoint Miller May 1933
Correlations on Class C Radio Amplifiers Davis Nov 1933
Photronic Cell & Control Pierce Jun 1934
Continued on next page.
Carrier Deviation in FM Transmitters
Thomas Aug 1941
Includes Orbital Beam Multiplier Tube for 500 MC Amplification Ferris “ Includes Inductive-Output Tube Applications
Impedance Measurements over a Wide Frequency Range
Dow “
Packard Apr 1942
Wire Transmission of News Pictures Hancock Dec 1942
Taming the High Frequency Signal Generator Van Beuren Dec 1943
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
Christaldi Nov 1945
Minter Jan 1946
Armstron year 1948
Shepard year 1950
Thalner year 1950
Hirsch year 1950
Winlund year 1951
Multiplexed Transmission of FM Broadcast Signals Armstrong year 1953
Armstrong – The Hero as Inventor (Article from Harpers) Dreher Apr 1956
Teleglobe Pay-TV System Kamen Apr 1963
Reliability & Maintainability of Electronic Devices
New York Fire Communications
Name:
Email:
Mailing Address:
Calabro Jul 1963
Rheinhardt Nov 1963
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.
2025 TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM & 116 TH AWARDS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2025
HYATT REGENCY CAPITOL HILL
WASHINGTON D.C.
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.
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.
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®.
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
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.
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 nomination deadline for 2025 has passed, but information can be found at Nomination Process for Heritage CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.
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
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!
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.
“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.”
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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
possible, with no add-ons.
This simple but profound shift in design approach cancels the normal wavelengthsquared loss that occurs in wideband propagation, creating a uniform power link from source to target, from remarkably simple design rules.
LIA deliver uniform power at the other end of the link (target), a critical and enabling differentiator from other antenna types, such as log periodic arrays ( LPA).
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.”
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.”
Fusion platform designed to give public safety greater vendor choice, integration of myriad applications, and
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]
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.
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.
“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.
“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.”
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.
“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.”
One key foundational component of the Fusion platform is technology from Streamwide, the France-based company with MCX solutions—3GPP-standard-compliant mission-
MCX that can be used over
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
“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
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.
“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.”
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.
“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.”
Walsh emphasized that Fusion is designed also to meet the needs of an individual first responder, such as a volunteer firefighter.
“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.
“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.”
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.
“There’s no integration into mission-critical capabilities into other carrier networks,” Walsh said. “So, you would be
beholden to whatever level of service those carriers could provide you as they provide you service.
“[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 said AT&T would be willing to discuss changing this situation, which has been a concern voiced by the publicsafety community for years.
“We’re open to conversations where other carriers may desire to interoperate with Fusion,” Walsh said.
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.
“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.
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.
“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.
“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.
“It’s this great integration of 911 capabilities into missioncritical communications. It’s something that’s kind of never been done before.”
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.”
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.’
“This is an opportunity for all of these different solutions providers to integrate and provide a single common operating picture for public safety.”
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.
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.
“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.
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.”
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.
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
agencies also use other communications to ensure first responders can pursue their missions.
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.
“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.
“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.”
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
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.
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.”
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
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.”
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
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.
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.
The IEEE Global Museum’s web presence has been expanded through the new website, encompassing several
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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
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.
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.
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.
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/.
Download the complete Vanishing Culture report.
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. 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. 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.
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.
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. 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
materials that may help grow the collection. Those interested may reach out to Penson at radioalpha@arrl. org
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.”
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.
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.
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
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.
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
people contributed
the
The program included technical presentations about the history of five milestones. Other Milestones were featured in separate events.
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
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).
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
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.”
“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.”
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Donate to an existing scholarship fund or create your own and you will be supporting university students pursuing wireless communications as a career.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Thank you to all our sponsors, especially Ray Novak and ICOM, for many years of dedicated support!
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.
We look forward to seeing all of you at future RCA events and activities!
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:
• 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
• 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
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. 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.
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.
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.
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
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 and SMPTE look forward to sharing more opportunities going forward!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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, and advertisers. It provides statistics and information about RCA and its members, our publications, market reach, and program offerings, and explains the opportunities and pricing to advertise and sponsor. Of particular note:
• The litserve has now reached an all-time high of 5000+ contacts!!
• Our membership continues to expand, reflecting industry leadership in all areas of innovation, management, development, and other functions across a wide range of wireless professionals.
• RCA’s members include top corporate management and leaders, inventors, researchers, R&D management, academics, and engineers contributing to civilian and military advances in wireless.
• 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)
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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.
John was a passionate advocate for education. As a member of the Egg Harbor Township School Board, he championed programs that 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.
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 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
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, 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.
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.
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.
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
in Chicago. Information about the museum can be found at https://www.museum.tv.
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
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.
Bruce DuMont, Wikipedia, Oct. 7, 2025.
200 Years of Electronic Communication Technologies History:
• Sharing
Education • Preserving
Historical Research
AWA cordially invites RCA members to save with an affinity membership. See www.antiquewireless.org/ joinrenew for more information.
www.facebook.com/antiquewirelessmuseum
AWA Twitter: @antiquewireless
AWA YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/ UCX55peBhzeX1qps_VYXdLBA
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.
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
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.
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 (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.
[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]
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
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 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.
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
Electronic Systems in the High Latitude Region is particularly noteworthy, since it summarizes three decades of research at CRC by Jack and his colleagues.
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.
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.
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.
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
I look at it, I will think perhaps I did contribute something, rather than nothing, to the book of knowledge.”4
[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.]
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.]
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
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]
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.
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.
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.
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!’
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 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
WWI for WWII!), see https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=01ieZ4cB-To.
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.
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.
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,
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
• Frequency Coordination
• Licensing
• License Management
• Engineering Services
• Microwave Services
Choose APCO and you gain access to our dedicated sta and a nationwide network of over 60 two-way radio professionals. We are here to guide you every step of the way.
“We’ve received expert service from the [APCO] sta ... they helped us through every step of the application process and made it a breeze.”
-Scott Bingham
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
An excerpt of this article appeared in the IEEE History Center News, Issue 128, July 2025, pp. 6–7.
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. DONOR GIFT:
Telewave.io established in 1972 and headquartered in Fremont, California, specializes in designing and manufacturing premium RF system products. Serving a diverse clientele that includes wireless system operators, public safety providers, and various governmental agencies both domestically ad internationally.
Telewave.io is your trusted partner in enhancing communication systems.
• Proven Expertise: Over 50 years of industry experience
• High Quality Products: Premium RF systems designed for reliability and performance
• Wide Clientele: Trusted by wireless operators, public safety providers, and government agencies
• Global Reach: Serving clients across the United States and internationally
• Innovation Hub: Based in the tech-driven environment of Fremont, California
The Telewave.io PRM Series are advanced portable RF monitoring systems designed for evaluating and certifying ERRCS and LMR installations.
The Telewave.io Model 44DL Broadband RF Wattmeter is a compact, versatile test instrument for the direct measurement of forward and reflected RF power.
Discover Telewave.io's full range of RF monitoring systems, antennas, duplexers, combiners, and more—visit our website to learn more!
[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.]
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.
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.
Every conversation across space begins with the Friis transmission relation (see, for example, Pierce,1961): Pr = Pt · Gt · Gr · ( λ / 4πR)²
Definitions: Pr = received power (W); Pt = transmitted power (W); Gt, Gr = transmit and receive gains (dimensionless); λ = wavelength (m); R = range (m).
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.
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.
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):
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
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.
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
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.
I 1016–1017
II 1026
III 1036
Planetary (all energy on a world) More than ½ way across the Galaxy
Stellar (Dyson-scale engineering) Beyond the Galaxy
Galactic (entire galaxy) True extragalactic exploration
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.
Let us say that again, for emphasis: be findable first, understandable second.
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?
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
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The antenna, the transmitter, and the power collector are one. That is an aperture engine.
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.
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).
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
Consider the following equations:
Collected power: Pcol = η Iʘ (π D² / 4) where Iʘ is the stellar radiance and η is the efficiency coefficient.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
f(t) = f0 [1 + v(t)/c]
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.
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.
Consider two narrowband tones originating from the same transmitter—say f1(t) and f2(t)—both experience identical Doppler motion. Their ratio becomes f2(t) / f1(t) = [f20 / f10] × [1 + v(t)/c] / [1 + v(t)/c] = f20 / f10 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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
1. The waterfall spectrum is transformed to log frequency.
2. The algorithm shifts the data by various Δ log f offsets and computes cross-correlations over time.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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.
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:
SNR = (Ps / k T_sys) √(τ / B)
Stay Connected with the Radio Club of America!
Follow us on Facebook for the latest updates in wireless innovation, club events, member spotlights, and industry news. Whether you’re a longtime member or just discovering the world of wireless, our page is your hub for history, networking, and the future of radio.
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
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 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!
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 P_false ≈ exp[ – (N N_c ρ0² / 2) ] 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.
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-
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.
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.
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
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).
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.
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.
RCA members play an important leading role at Hamvention. This year is no different. Look for these people at programs and booths.
• Youth Forum (Jim Storms)
• Instructor Academy (Gordon West)
• DX Engineering (Tim Duffy)
• Ham Nation and Friends (Gordon West)
• ICOM (Ray Novak)
• TenTec (Alan Spindel)
• Hamvention Leadership: Jack Gerbs, Michael Kalter, Jim Storms
Reprinted courtesy SETIQuest, Vol. 4, No. 3, Third Quarter 1998, p. 10.
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.
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 that converts a signal from its 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
• 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.
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
Interference Detection and Mitigation
Intermodulation Studies
Distributed Antenna Systems( ERCES)
Design / Review / P.E. Approval
System Analyzation
Project Management
Engineer-Furnish-Install (EFI)
System Design / Construction
System Optimization
System Integration
End User Equipment Training
Radio Paging Systems
Paging Systems Engineering
User Needs Assessment
System Performance Troubleshooting
Technology Assessment
Request for Information
Preparation of Acceptance Test Plans
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
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.
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.)
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.)
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
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.]
ReceivedApril9,2020,acceptedMay3,2020,dateofpublicationMay14,2020,dateofcurrentversionJune4,2020. DigitalObjectIdentifier10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2994550
ARJUNAMADANAYAKE 1 ,(Member,IEEE),RENATOJ.CINTRA 2,7 ,(SeniorMember,IEEE), NAJATHAKRAM 1 ,(StudentMember,IEEE), VIDUNETHARIYARATHNA 1 ,(StudentMember,IEEE), SOUMYAJITMANDAL 3 ,(SeniorMember,IEEE),VÍTORA.COUTINHO 4 ,FÁBIOM.BAYER 5 , DIEGOCOELHO 2 ,ANDTHEODORES.RAPPAPORT 6 ,(Fellow,IEEE)
1 ElectricalandComputerEngineeringDepartment,FloridaInternationalUniversity,Miami,FL33199,USA
2 SignalProcessingGroup,DepartamentodeEstatística,UFPE,50670-901Recife,Brazil
3 Electrical,Computer,andSystemsEngineeringDepartment,CaseWesternReserveUniversity,Cleveland,OH44106,USA
4 SignalProcessingGroup,DepartamentodeEstatística,UFPE,50670-901Recife,Brazil
5 DepartmentofStatisticsandLACESM,FederalUniversityofSantaMaria,97105-900SantaMaria,Brazil
6 NYUWireless,DepartmentofElectricalEngineering,TandonSchoolofEngineering,NewYorkUniversity,BrooklynNY11220,USA
7 DepartmentofElectricalandComputerEngineering,UniversityofCalgary,Calgary,ABT2N1N4,Canada
Correspondingauthor:ArjunaMadanayake(amadanay@fiu.edu)
ThisworkwassupportedinpartbymultipleawardsfromNSFCollaborativeResearch:SpatiallyOversampledDenseMulti-Beam Millimeter-WaveCommunicationsforExponentiallyIncreasedEnergy-Efficiency(SpecEES)underAward1854798andAward1731290, inpartbyNSFECCS,inpartbyCollaborativeResearch:WidebandMulti-BeamAntennaArrays:Low-ComplexityAlgorithmsand Analog-CMOSImplementationsunderAward1711395,andinpartbyConselhoNacionaldeDesenvolvimentoCientíficoeTecnológico (CNPq),Brazil.
ABSTRACT ThediscreteFouriertransform(DFT)iswidelyemployedformulti-beamdigitalbeamforming. TheDFTcanbeefficientlyimplementedthroughtheuseoffastFouriertransform(FFT)algorithms,thus reducingchiparea,powerconsumption,processingtime,andconsumptionofotherhardwareresources. ThispaperproposesthreenewhybridDFT1024-pointDFTapproximationsandtheirrespectivefast algorithms.TheseapproximateDFT(ADFT)algorithmshavesignificantlyreducedcircuitcomplexityand powerconsumptioncomparedtotraditionalFFTapproacheswhiletradingoffasubtlelossincomputational precisionwhichisacceptablefordigitalbeamformingapplicationsinRFantennaimplementations.ADFT algorithmshavenotbeenintroducedforbeamformingbeyond N = 32,butthispaperanticipatestheneedfor massivelylargeadaptivearraysforfuture5Gand6Gsystems.DigitalCMOScircuitdesignsfortheADFTs showtheresultingimprovementsinbothcircuitcomplexityandpowerconsumptionmetrics.Simulation resultsshowsimilarorlowercriticalpathdelaywithupto48.5%lowerchipareacomparedtoastandard Cooley-TukeyFFT.Thetime-areaanddynamicpowermetricsarereducedupto66.0%.The1024-point ADFTbeamformersproducesignal-to-noiseratio(SNR)gainsbetween29.2–30.1dB,whichisaloss of ≤ 0.9dBSNRgaincomparedtoexact1024-pointDFTbeamformers(worstcase)realizableatusing anFFT.
INDEXTERMS Fouriertransform,discretefouriertransform,approximation,VLSI,DFT,FFT,radix,fast algorithm,beamforming,beamsteering,5G,MIMO,massiveMIMO.
ThediscreteFouriertransform(DFT)isalineartransform thatiswidelyappliedtoconvertasampledsignalintoarepresentationoverthediscretefrequencydomain.Fully-digital transmitandreceiveaperturearraysforradio-frequency(RF) spectrumsensing,communications,andradarusetheDFT
Theassociateeditorcoordinatingthereviewofthismanuscriptand approvingitforpublicationwasPietroSavazzi
VOLUME8,2020
formulti-beambeamforming.Forexample,simultaneous receiverbeamsareimperativeforhigh-capacitymulti-input multi-output(MIMO)wirelesscommunicationsystems.Joint spatialdivisionandmultiplexing(JSDM)isanapproachto multi-userMIMOdownlinksthatexploitsthestructureof channelcorrelationsinordertoallowalargenumberofantennasatthebasestationwhilerequiringreduced-dimensional channelstateinformationatthetransmitter[1],[2].This usesamulti-userMIMOdownlinkprecoderobtainedfrom
ThisworkislicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttribution4.0License.Formoreinformation,seehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 96613
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
anarraypre-beamformingmatrix,andincursnolossofoptimalityforalargenumberofarrayelements.ADFT-based pre-beamformingmatrixisnear-optimalforuniformlinear arrays(ULAs)ofantennas,andrequiresonlycoarseinformationabouttheusers’anglesofarrivalandangularspread[3].
The N -pointDFTcomputes N uniformlyspacedfrequency domainoutputs(‘‘bins’’)using N uniformlysampleddiscretesignalvaluesbymeansofan N × N transform matrix[4].Becauseimplementationsofthemultiplication operationrequiresmorechiparea(orprocessingtime, fornon-parallelizedsoftwareimplementations)comparedto additionoperations,thecomputationalcomplexityofcomputingtheDFTisexpressedintermsofthemultiplication count[5].Therequirednumberofmultiplicationsdepends onthefastalgorithmemployedfortheparticulartransform length N inconsideration.Thecomputationalcomplexityof the N -pointDFTusingdirectmatrix-vectormultiplication is O (N 2 )where O ( )representsthe‘‘bigO’’notationfor asymptoticcomplexity[6]–[8].
Thecomputationalcomplexityofcomputingthe N -point DFTcanbereducedviafastFouriertransforms(FFTs), whicharefastalgorithmsforrealizingDFTsthatreduce thecomputationalcomplexityto O (N log2 N )[5].Thus, multipleDFTbeamsforbothwirelesscommunicationsapplications(e.g.,JSDM)andmulti-beamradar/imagingsystems areoftengeneratedbyapplyingan N -pointspatialFFTto eachtemporalsampleacquiredbytheULA[9],[10].
Thesearchforparticular N -pointFFTmethodsthatminimizethemultiplicativecomplexityisaseparatefieldof researchinsignalprocessing,computerscience,andapplied mathematics,withamultitudeofalgorithmsandimplementationsavailable[5],[11]–[14].In[15],thetheoreticallower boundfortheDFTmultiplicativecomplexitywasestablishedasafunctionof N .AllFFTalgorithmsusesparse factorizationsoftheDFTmatrixtoprovideaccurateimplementationsoftheDFTatanarithmeticcomplexitythat approachesthislowerbound.However,suchhighaccuracy isoflimitedpracticalrelevanceindigitalmulti-beamRF beamformingapplications,suchasradarsignalprocessing, wheretheaccuracyoftheresultsislimitedbyothersystem parametersorenvironmentalconditions(e.g.,thermalnoise inareceiver,orthepracticalimplementationofanantenna radiationpatterncomparedtoideal,harmonicdistortionina microwavemixeroramplifier).Insuchapplications,relentlesspursuitofhighaccuracyintheexactcomputationof theDFTisnotrelevantintermsofoverallperformance, andsmartsystemdesignerscanexploitthisfactforpower andcostoptimization.High-precisionVLSIimplementation ofFFTalgorithmsmayresultinunnecessarilylargecircuits,exaggeratedcriticalpathdelays,andwastedpower.All ofthosefactorscontributetohigher-costcircuits,reduced frequencyofoperation,andhigheroperationcosts.Thisis becausedigitalmultipliersdemandalargeamountofcircuit resourceswhencomparedtosimpleadders.Thismakesthe reductionofthenumberofmultipliersinagivensystem crucialwhenchipareaandpowermustbeconservedand
high-speedoperationisdesirable.Inparticular,theadoption ofapproximateDFT(ADFT)computationsopensupnew possibilitiesforfastalgorithmswhichdonotcomputethe DFTinthestrictestmathematicalsense,butnevertheless canbe goodenough fordigitalmulti-beamRFbeamforming applications,particularlyatmmwavefrequenciesandabove, wherereproducibilityofantennapatternsbecomemoreproblematic.BecauseADFTapplicationsareabletorealizemuch greaterefficienciesthanthetheoreticallowerbound N foran N -pointDFTproposedin[15],ADFTcomputationsallow greaterreductionsincomputationalcomplexitythantraditionalFFTs,albeitatthecostofadeterministiclossin performance,namelyasmallincreaseinworst-caseside-lobe level[16].
Theeverincreasingdataratedemandsofwireless communicationsledtotheexplorationofmillimeterwave(mmW)/sub-THz/THzfrequenciesin5Gcellularnetworks[17],[18],wherelargerantennaarraysizes(e.g. N = 64, 128, 256)forbeamformingandmassiveMIMOhave becomeageneralrequirement[19].Forexample,IoTand roboticsapplicationsinemergingfifth-generation(5G)and beyondmobilewirelessnetworkswillrequire6Dpositioning, whichinvolvesbothspatialpositionanddeviceorientation (role,pitch,yaw)whichrequirenewalgorithmsthatcan benefitfromlargenumberofcloselypackedlow-complexity digitalbeams[2],[20],[21].Asimilarneedoccursinthe designofsystemsforintelligentsurfaceswhichprovide meansofcommunicationwithoutline-of-sight[22].Infact mmW-based5GMIMOcellularsystemsarealreadybeing deployed[23].Moreover,ongoingresearchinthesub-THz range[2],[24]–[32]suggeststhattheWandGbandswill becommerciallyavailablewithinthenext5-10years.Such sub-THzcarrierfrequenciesrequirelargeamountsofbeamforminggaintomitigatefree-spacepathlossinthefirstmeter ofpropagationfromtheantenna[2],[18],[33],[34].Thus, communicationsystemsatthesefrequencieswouldrequire muchlargernumbersofantennaelementsinthetransceiver arrays;arraysizesoftheorderof N = 1000elementswould notbeunrealisticforfuturesixthgeneration(6G)cellular systems.Nevertheless,tothebestofourknowledge,DFT approximationsintheliteraturearelimitedto N ≤ 32.
Inthispaper,weaddressthisimportantbeamformingchallengebyintroducingthreenewapproximationstothevery largeN=1024(1024-point)DFT.Fastalgorithmsthatallow low-complexityimplementationsoftheseapproximationsare alsodevelopedandshowntoprovideremarkableaccuracy withsignificantcostandpowerreductioncomparedtoDFT andFFTapproaches.Theproposed1024-pointADFTsare basedonarecentlyproposed32-pointDFTapproximation andmultiplierlessfastalgorithm[7],[35]thatfurnisha‘‘reasonable’’approximationofthe32-pointDFTalbeitwithout usingmultiplications(i.e.,usinganadder-onlysignalflow graph).The1024-pointexactDFTcanbeexpressedinterms of32-pointDFT.Weusethisfacttoderiveanapproximation forthe1024-pointDFTmatrixbymeansforourearlier 32-pointADFT.Inparticular,weproposethreedifferent
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
FIGURE1. Beamformingarchitectureofa1024-elementULAreceiverusingtheproposedmethod.Therewiringblockperformsspatial multiplexingovertheincomingintheinputandthetransformedsignalattheoutput(seeFig. 5).
1024-pointtransformswithdifferenttrade-offsincomputationalcomplexityandcomputationalaccuracycompared tothebaselineexactDFT.Thesethreetransformsdiffer fromeachotherbasedontheuseof32-pointADFTinthe derivationandtheycanbeusedtoreplacetheFFTwhile generating N = 1024beamsfroma1024-elementULAas showninFig. 1
Thepaperisorganizedasfollows.Section II reviewsthe DFTandselectedpopularFFTalgorithms.InSection III,we discussthemathematicalbackgroundforthe32-pointDFT approximationintroducedin[35]anddescribeitsassociated fastalgorithminmatrixform.InSection IV,wepresent 1024-pointDFTapproximationsanddiscussthreedifferent algorithmstoimplementthem.Section V exploresthedigital VLSIrealizationoftheproposed1024-pointDFTapproximations.InSection VI,wesummarizeourconclusions.
II.REVIEWOFTHEDFTANDFFT
Inordertounderstandthemethodusedtocreateaccurate ADFTalgorithms,wewilldiscussthemathematicalbackgroundrelatedtotheDFTdefinitionandFFTalgorithms.
A.MATHEMATICALDEFINITIONOFTHEDFT
Letthevector x = x [0] x [1] x [N 1] representa signalwith N samples.TheDFTmapstheinputsignal x into anoutputsignal X = X [0] X [1] ··· X [N 1] according tothefollowingrelationship:
where ωN = e j 2π N isthe N throotofunityand j √ 1.On theotherhand,theinverseDFT(IDFT)isgivenas x [n] = 1
. (2)
TheDFTof x canbeexpressedthroughamatrix-vector multiplication X = FN · x,where
isthe N -pointDFTmatrix[36].
B.FFTALGORITHMS
DFTwasoriginallythecornerstoneofprimitiveDSP,until theFFTwasfoundtobevastlymoreefficient.Herewe extendFFTstobecomeADFTs.Thecomputationalcomplexityassociatedwithperformingthe N -pointDFToperation indirectformis O (N 2 ).Thiscomplexityisprohibitivefor mostengineeringapplicationssinceahighnumberofoperationsaccountsfor(i)higherenergyconsumption;(ii)higher latency;(iii)highernumberofgates;and,inconsequence, (iv)higherchanceofsystemfailure.Toaddresstheseissues, FFTfactorizationsfurnishaproductofsparse(mostlyzeros) matricesthatreducestheDFTcomputationalcomplexity to O (N log N ).DifferentFFTalgorithmscanbeidentified intheliterature[37]–[40].Hereweconsiderthreepopular algorithms,namelyi)theCooley-TukeyFFT[5],ii)thesplitradixFFT[38],andiii)theWinogradFFT[41];eachofthese isbrieflydescribedbelow.
1)COOLEY-TUKEYALGORITHM
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
AverypopularformoftheclassicalCooley-Tukeyalgorithmistheradix-2decimation-in-timeFFT,whichsplitsthe N -pointDFTcomputationintotwo N /2-pointDFTcomputationsresultinginanoverallreducedcomplexity[37]. RecursiveuseofthisalgorithmreducesthenumberofmultiplicationsoftheDFTfrom O (N 2 )downto O (N log2 N ).
2)SPLIT-RADIXALGORITHM
ThisisavariantoftheCooley-TukeyFFTalgorithmwhich usesablendofradix-2andradix-4byrecursivelyexpressing the N -pointDFTintermsofone N /2-pointDFTandtwo N /4-pointDFTinstantiations[38].Thesplit-radixalgorithm canreducetheoverallnumberofadditionsrequiredtocomputeDFTsofsizesthatarepowersoftwowithoutincreasing thenumberofmultiplications[42].
3)WINOGRADALGORITHM
TheWinogradalgorithmimplementsanefficientFFTand exploitsthemultiplicativestructureonthedataindexing ofDFTandconvertsitintoacyclicconvolutioncomputation[39],[40].Inseveralparticularcases,theWinograd algorithmachievesthetheoreticalminimummultiplicative complexity[15]asshownin[39]makingitmoreefficient overtheCooley-Tukeyandradix.ForlargeDFTblock lengthsthatcanbedecomposedasaproductofsmall primes,theWinogradalgorithmachievesnearly-linearcomplexity[5].
C.MATRIXREPRESENTATIONOFTHEN 2 -POINTDFTIN TERMSOFTHEN-POINTDFT
Nowwewillusethematrixdefinitioninsubsection II-A toderiveamatrixrepresentationforthecomputationofthe N 2 -pointDFTintermsofthe N -pointDFTviaaradix-N FFTapproach.Thegoalofthisistoderivea1024-pointDFT intermsof32-pointDFT.Generallyspeaking,the N 2 -point DFTcomputationcorrespondstoavector-matrixmultiplicationwitha N 2 × N 2 matrixtransformation:
X = FN 2 x. (4)
Theexpressionin(4)canberewrittenbydirectlyinvokingthe Cooley-Tukeyalgorithminitsmoregeneralformasdetailed in[5,p.69].ByexplicitlyfollowingtheCooley-Tukeyalgorithm,the N 2 -pointDFTcanbecomputedbymeansof:
1)address-shufflingtheinputcolumnvectorintoa2D N × N array;
2)computingthe N -pointDFTofeacharraycolumn usingFFTs;
3)element-wisemultiplyingthetwiddle-factors(twiddle factorsarethecoefficientscontainingrootsofunityin theDFTmatrix[5]);
4)computingthe N -pointDFTofeachresultingrowusing FFTs;and
5)undoingtheaddressshufflingtoconverttheobtained 2Darrayintothefinaloutputcolumnvector.
The1Dto2Dmappingcanbeaccomplishedbymeansofthe inversevectorizationoperatorinvvec( )[43](Cf.[44],[45]) whichobeysthefollowingmapping:
invvec
Basedonthe1Dto2DmappinginEqn.(5)wecanshow thatthe N 2 -pointDFTgivenin(4)canberepresentedin thefollowingmatrixexpressionbasedontheCooley-Tukey algorithm:
X = vec FN N ◦ FN (invvec(x)) , (6)
wherevec( )isthematrixvectorizationoperator[46,p.239], ◦ istheHadamardelement-wisemultiplication[46,p.251], thesuperscript denotessimpletransposition(nonHermitian),and N isthetwiddle-factormatrixgivenby N = (ω m n N 2 )m,n=0,1,...,N .Notingthat N = N ,(6)canbefurther simplified.Inparticular,for N = 1024 = 322 ,wehave
X = vec 32 ◦ F32 · (invvec(x)) · F32 (7)
TheinnerDFTcallcorrespondstorow-wisetransformation ofinvvec(x),whereastheouterDFTperformscolumn-wise transformationsontheresultingintermediatecomputation. Theformulationshownin(7)isthefundamentalexpression onwhichtheproposedapproximations(eg.ADFTs)inthis workarebased.
Inthissection,theadoptedmultiplierless32-pointADFT, firstintroducedin[7],[35],ispresented,anditscomplexity anderroranalysisarediscussed.Thisiscriticalforunderstandingasthe1024-pointADFTisrealizedusing32-point ADFTasthemainbuildingblock.
A.MATRIXREPRESENTATION
Theconsidered32-pointADFTmatrixdenotedby ˆ F32 can becomputedthroughaproductofsparsematriceswhose realandimaginarypartsofitscoefficientscontainsonly ±1 entries.Suchsimplearithmeticleadstohardwaredesignsthat canberealizedwithaddersonly.
Topresentthefactorizationof ˆ F32 ,weneedtheauxiliary structuresineq.(8)-(17),sincetheauxiliaryfactorsarekey formatrixfactorization.Let Bt bea t × t realmatrixgivenby
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
where Ik and Ik beingtheidentityandcounter-identitymatrix oforder k ,respectively.Letalso Z1 , Z2 ,and Z3 bethe followingmatrices(forclarity,onlythenon-zeroelements areshown):
, (10) and Z3 =
The32-pointADFTmatrixisfactorizedintoeightsparse matrices Wk ,for k = 0, 1,..., 7,accordingto
and W7 isgivenin(17),asshownatthebottomofthenext page.
Inthissection,westudythearithmeticcomplexityofthe proposedADFTsbyassumingexecutionisfullysequential. Thatis,weconsiderallalgorithmsexecuteonasequentialprocessorbyutilizingacentralprocessingunit(CPU) thatfurnishesarithmeticoperationsdictatedbytheparticular algorithm.Theexecutiontimeisproportionaltothenumberofarithmeticoperations,andingeneral,multiplication beingmorecomputationallyintensivecomparedtoaddition, takeslongertoexecute.Therefore,thenumberofmultiplicationsistheprimarymetricforquantificationofarithmetic complexity.
Thediscussed32-pointADFThasanullcomplexityof multiplicationsandnobit-shiftingoperationsarerequired. Theonlysourceofarithmeticcomplexityisthenumberof additionsinthefactorizationin(12).Consideringcomplex inputs,thematrices W0 , W1 ,and W4 require60realadditions each,whilethematrices W2 , W3 ,and W5 require28real additionseach.Similarly,thematrix W6 requires24real additions,whiletheonlycomplexmatrixinthefactorization, W7 ,requires60realadditions.Intotal,thetransform ˆ F32 thusrequires348realadditionsandnobit-shifting.Bycomparison,theCooley-Tukeyradix-2algorithmrequires88real multiplicationsand408realadditions[5],[38].Incontrast, theapproachtorepresenta32-pointDFTusing(4)and(7) offers1/8thenumberofadditionswithnomultiplicationsas comparedtothe88multiplicationsneededbyCooley-Tukey.
Therowsofalineartransformmatrixcanbeunderstoodas afiniteimpulseresponse(FIR)filterbank[6].Savingsof computationandexploitationofsparsitygivesrisetoslightly inaccuraterepresentationsofthefrequencyresponseofthe filterbank.Thuswecanassesshowclosethefilterbank impliedbytheproposed(ineq.(12))ADFTapproximations aretotherowsofexactDFTmatrix.Thefilterbankfrequencyresponsesforfourofthebinsofthe32-pointDFT, 32-pointADFT,andthecorrespondingerrorplotsareshown inFig. 2.Thefourbinsshownaretheonescorresponding thetherowsofthe32-pointADFTthatperformstheworst intermsoffrequencyresponse;thustheycanbeunderstood asworst-casescenarios.Thefigureshowsthatthe32-point ADFTis‘‘closeenough’’totheexactDFTtobeusefulin
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
manypracticalapplications,especiallyforwirelesscommunicationsandsoftware-definedradio(SDR)whereantenna pattern,noiseandsemiconductorprocessvariationsinduce someerrorsthemselves:itserrorlevelofabout 10dB comparedtothemainlobeofexactDFT’sfilterbankresponse iswithinthemarginoferrorofsuchsystems(whichinclude bothelectronicsandelectromagnetics).
A.APPROXIMATIONMETHODOLOGY
Assection III-B illustratedtheADFTfor N = 32,herewe exploitthesquareof N = 32tocreateafamilyofADFTsfor N = 1024.Motivatedbythepromisingresultsachievedfor 32-pointADFT,wewillextendtheapproximationto1024pointcaseusingthemathematicsdescribedinsection II-C Here,weproposethreeADFTalgorithmswhichhavesmall deviationsoftheirfilterbankresponseswhencomparedto theDFT.Weassumethattheapplicationsathandwillbe tolerantofthegivendeviationsoffrequencyresponse,and thatsuchdeviationswillbeasmallpricetopayinexchange forthesignificantlysmallercircuitrealizationsandpower consumptionovertraditionalfixed-pointFFTs.Itshouldbe notedthattheimplementationofsuchapproximatemethods isnotconstrainedbytheminimumtheoreticalboundsof multiplicativecomplexity[15],thatapplytotheexactDFT. Indeedtheproposedalgorithmsarenotinfactcalculatingthe DFT,butfurnishingapproximationsthataredeemedreasonableformosthigh-speeddigital-RFapplications. Basedon(7),weproposethereplacementoftheexact 32-pointDFT F32 bythe32-pointADFTproposedin[35]. Therefore,asuiteofapproximationsfortheDFTcomputation
emerges.Weproposethreedifferentalgorithmsbasedonthe positionofADFTmatrixinthederivation:
• Algorithm1:ADFT-ADFT. Substitutebothrow-and column-wise32-pointDFT F32 withthemultiplierless 32-pointADFT ˆ F32 ;
• Algorithm2:HybridADFT-DFT. Replaceonlythe row-wise32-pointFFTswiththemultiplierless32-point ADFTinSection III leavingcolumn-wiseDFTsexact, and;
• Algorithm3:HybridDFT-ADFT. Replaceonlythe column-wise32-pointFFTswiththemultiplierless 32-pointADFTinSection III leavingrow-wiseDFTs exact.
Let ˆ Xi for i = 1, 2, 3denoteapproximationsfor X given byAlgorithm1,Algorithm2,andAlgorithm3,respectively. Thuswehavemathematically:
TheabovecombinationsofADFTandDFTyieldlowcomplexityapproximationsforthe1024-pointDFT,which— duetoitsrelativelylargeblocklength—isacomputationally intractabletaskviausualdirectnumericalsearchmethods. Algorithms1,2,and3haveconsiderablydifferentcomputationalcomplexitiesandperformancetrade-offs,asdiscussed insubsection IV-B.
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
FIGURE2. Magnitudeofthefilter-bankresponsesfor(a)theexact32-pointDFT,(b)the32-pointADFTand(c)erroroftheADFTresponsefortheleast performingrows..
B.ARITHMETICCOMPLEXITY
1)TWIDDLE-FACTORMATRIX
Inthethreeproposedalgorithms,onlytheDFTcomputation F32 issubjecttoanapproximation;thetwiddle-factor matrix 32 isleftunalteredinitsexactform(cf.(7)).Therefore,aminimumnumberofmultiplicationsremainsdue to 32 .Consideringonlythenontrivialmultiplications,the twiddle-factormatrixrequires961complexmultiplications, whichtranslateinto2883realmultiplicationsand2883real additions.Thearithmeticcomplexityassumessequential operationinaCPU.Thisparameterwillbeusedinthe arithmeticcomplexitycalculationsforeachofthethreealgorithms.
2)ALGORITHM1
Heretheonlysourceofmultiplicativecomplexityare thetwiddlefactorsinbetweentherow-andcolumn-wise 32-pointADFTblocks.Sincethe32-pointADFTrequires 348additionsanditiscalled64times,itcontributes64 × 348 = 22272realadditionstotheoverallarithmeticcomplexityofAlgorithm1.Theresultingarithmeticcostsare: 2883realmultiplicationsand2883 + 22272 = 25155additions.
3)ALGORITHM2
Heremultiplicativecostsstemfromthetwiddlefactorsand thecolumn-wise32-pointexactDFT.Thecolumn-wiseexact DFTiscomputedusingtheCooley-Tukeyradix-2FFT[5], [38](seeSection III-B).Sincethisalgorithmrequires32 callstotheexact32-pointDFTand32callstothe32-point ADFT,wehaveatotalof(32 × 88) + 2883 = 5699real multiplicationsand(32 × 408) + (32 × 348) + 2883 = 27075 realadditions.
4)ALGORITHM3
Heretheoperationcountfollowsthesamerationaleasfor Algorithm2,withthedifferencethattherolesoftherow andcolumn-wisetransformsareswapped.Therefore,Algorithms2and3havethesamearithmeticcosts.Thearithmeticcomplexityoftheproposedmethodsissummarized inTable 1
C.PERFORMANCEOFTHEPROPOSEDAPPROXIMATIONS
Consideringthefrequencyresponseerrorexpressedinlogmagnitudeunits,Fig. 3 shows(i)theupperandlower envelopesand(ii)thefirst,second,andthirdquartilesof theerrorresultingfromtheproposedapproximatefilter banks[47],[48].Foreaseofvisualinspection,weshowonly thenormalizedfrequenciesontheinterval[ π/4,π/4].The errorofthefrequencyresponsefortheremainingpartsofthe interval[ π,π ]arejustarepetitionoftheplotsinFig. 3 NotethatthethreeapproximationsresultingfromAlgorithm1,Algorithm2,andAlgorithm3havedistinctfrequencyresponses.Fig. 3 indicatesthattheAlgorithm1isthe onepresentingthelargestdeviationforthemainlobefromthe exactDFT.Thisisexpectedgiventhatthetransformresulting fromAlgorithm1isobtainedthroughthesubstitutionof boththerow-andcolumn-wiseDFTblockbythediscussed approximate32-pointDFT.Thisqualitativeanalysisisconfirmedoncewecalculatetheerrorsinthefrequencyresponses oftherowsofthethreeproposedapproximations.Table 2 displaystheminimum(nonzero),mean,andmaximumfor thesquaredmagnitudeoftheseerrors.NoticeinFig. 3 that thetransformresultingfromAlgorithm1hasthehighest deviationsfromtheexpectedfrequencyresponseforitsrows withrangeof5dBcomparedtothefilterbankresponseofthe exactDFTmatrix.InTable 2,wealsoshowtheworst-case sidelobeindBforeachofthetransforms.Alltransforms consideredherepossessalowworst-casesidelobeonthe orderof 12dB.
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
FIGURE3. Log-magnitudeerrorofthefrequencyresponseoftherowsoftheproposedapproximations.Theerrorsareboundedto 60dBfordisplaying purposes.
NoiserejectionoftheproposedADFTscanbeevaluatedby meansofitsSNRimprovementperfrequencybin.Thenoise presentfromtheantennaarraycanbemodeledasadditive whiteGaussiannoise(AWGN)withzeromeanandvariance σ 2 .TheAWGNpresentineachfrequencybinis σ 2 /N Fornarrowband(monochromatic)planewavereceivedbythe array,theinputsignalstoboththeDFTandthethreeADFT algorithmsfollowsexp(j2π nk /N )for n, k = 0, 1,..., N 1, where k representstheDFT/ADFTbinnumber(correspondingtospecificspatialfrequenciesrelatedtothedirection ofpropagationofeachwave)and n istheantennanumber intheULA.Themonochromaticsignalhavingfrequency exp(j2π k /N )forbin k hasitsSNRimprovedby10log10 (N ), whichis30 1dBforthe1024pointDFT.Thisisthebest caseSNRimprovementperbinfortheDFTs.Theadoption ofvariousADFTsinplaceoftheDFTcausesalossofSNR performanceobservedasahitintheSNRperbin.Letthe reductioninSNRforbin k bedenoted γx where x ∈ {1, 2, 3} areforthethreeproposedapproximationalgorithms. Theworst-caseSNRdegradationfortheADFTsobtained throughsimulationswith105 replicatesforfindingthe ensembleaverageforeachbinoftheADFTsareshown inTable 2.TheSNRdegradationshowsthatAlgorithm1has thelargestworst-casedegradationofSNRcomparedtothe DFT( γ1 < 0 9dB).Thereisnosignificantdifference betweenAlgorithm2andAlgorithm3intermsofSNRdegradationandhasworst-case( γ2,3 < 0 4dB).Thereduction inSNRofthethreeADFTscomparedtoSNRofDFTscan becompensatedbyadding ≤ 0.9dBofadditionaltransmit powerandantennagainatthetransmitside.Fig. 4 showsthe SNRplotforeachofthebeamsoftheDFTandthethree proposedapproximations.Noticethatnoapproximationhas anSNRlowerthan29 2dBinanyofthebins,demonstrating thattheSNRdegradationis ≤ 0 9dBcomparedtotheDFT wheretheSNRimprovesby30 1dBforeverybin.
Next,weexploredigitalVLSIrealizationsofthethreeADFT approachesoutlinedin(18),(19)and(19)usingatimemultiplexedapproach.Traditionally,arithmeticcomplexity amountsofcountsofbothmultiplicationoperationsand
additionoperations.However,forsemi-parallelizedhardware implementationsonVLSIplatforms,theexistenceofparallel sub-systemsoffersatrade-offbetweencircuitcomplexity andalgorithmexecutionspeedasdescribedbyAmdahl’s Law[49].Theproposedalgorithmsarebasedonradix32SFGs,whichimplythesequentialnatureislimitedto 1024-pointalgorithmcompletionevery32clockcycles.The radix-32SFGallowsre-useofADFTandDFTcores,and twiddle-factorcores,usingtime-multiplexingupto32levels. Theuseoftime-multiplexedoperationsleadstothegeneralizationofthemultiplierstructuresthatdonotdistinguish trivialmultiplicationsby0, 1, 1 Therefore,thenumberof multiplicationsforthetwiddlefactorblockis1024complexmultiplications(compareto961complexmultiplications forasequentialalgorithmthatcanignoretrivialmultiplications).However,radix-32approachallowstime-multiplexing of32parallelcomplexmultipliersforachievingthetwiddle factormatrix,leadingtocircuitcomplexityof96realmultipliers,and160realadders/subtractors,inthetwiddlefactor block.Todistinguishthemathematicaloperationsfromits physicalrealization,hereafterwerefertothecircuitimplementationoftheselected32-pointDFTandADFT,respectively,as DFT32 and ADFT32 cores.Also,thedigitalVLSI hardwareforthe1024-pointexactDFTandeachofthe1024pointapproximationsresultingfromAlgorithm1,Algorithm2,andAlgorithm3arereferredtoasthe DFT1024, ADFT1024_1, ADFT1024_2,and ADFT1024_3 cores, respectively.Fig. 5 showstheoverallarchitectureofthe DFT1024 withthe DFT32 cores.Wefocusonthedesign ofthe ADFT1024_1 core.Becausethisdesigncanbe easilyextendedtotheothercores,thedescriptionofthe ADFT1024_2 (Algorithm2)and ADFT1024_3 (Algorithm3)coresisomittedforbrevity.
Thecore ADFT1024_1 isaradix-32unitandthereforeprocessesaninputsignalblockof1024time-domain samplesin32clockcycles.Eachsignalblockconsists of32rowsofadjacenttime-domainsamplesin32columns. Thefirst ADFT32 blocksequentiallycomputesthe32-point ADFTofeachrow,whicharegivenby: x [k ], x [32 + k ], x [2 × 32 + k ],..., x [31 × 32 + k ],for k = 0, 1,..., 31.Sampledvaluesintheintermediatefrequency(IF)domainare
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
FIGURE4. TheSNRforDFTandproposedAlgorithm1,Algorithm2,andAlgorithm3.TheSNRforthe proposedalgorithmsisnolowerthan29.2dB,against30.1dBfortheDFT.
TABLE2. Performancestatisticsoftheproposedapproximations:frequencyresponsemagnitude,worst-casesidelobelevelandSNRdegradation.
FIGURE5. SignalflowgraphshowingtheVLSIarchitecturetobemodified fortheproposedarchitecturebasedontheselectedapproximation. Algorithm1: Replacementofboth32-pointDFTswith32-pointADFT blocks. Algorithm2: Replacementofonlyrow-wise32-pointDFTwith 32-pointADFTblocksleavingcolumn-wiseDFTexact. Algorithm3: Replacementofcolumn-wise32-pointFFTwith32-pointADFTblocks leavingrow-wiseDFTexact.
passedtothetransposebuffer,whichrealizesthematrix transpositionoperationindigitalVLSIhardware,while operatingin-stepwiththesystemclock.Onecompletematrix transposeoperationisachievedevery32clockcycles.The transposebufferfeedsthesecondtime-multiplexed ADFT32
aftersuitabletwiddlefactorshavebeenapplied,whichin turn,furnishesthedesired1024-pointADFTvalues.In ordertominimizethechancesofoverflow,thesecondtimemultiplexed ADFT32 blockinFig. 5 usesalargerwordlength byonebitthanthefirsttime-multiplexed ADFT32 block.Use ofalargerwordlengthaccommodatesforthearithmeticoperationsthatarecarriedonthefirsttime-multiplexed ADFT32 andthetwiddlefactors.
ThetransposebuffershowninFig. 6 consistsofamesh of1024delaysand32parallelmultiplexers,eachofthem possessing32inputs.Thetransposebufferblockgenerates thetransposeofthefirstsetoffrequencybins.Thetranspositionallowsthecolumn-wiseDFTcomputationrequiredin eq.(18),(19)and(20).
Twiddle-factormultiplicationcountconsistsof961nontrivialcomplexmultiplicationsspreadover32clockcycles. However,theseareimplementedusing32parallelcomplexmultipliers,whicheachconsume3realmultipliers and5adders(GaussAlgorithmforcomplexmultiplication).Thetwiddlefactorblockthereforefurnishestheonly
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
TABLE3. Circuitcomplexityfortheproposedarchitecturesandthe 1024-pointDFT.
FIGURE6. Schematicdiagramofthetransposebuffer.
multiplicationspresentin ADFT1024_1,whichresultsfrom Algorithm1inaradix-32hardwarerealization.Eachofthe columnbins(afterthetransposebuffer)undergoesamultiplicationby ω m n 1024 ,where0 ≤ m ≤ 31and0 ≤ n ≤ 31. Therefore,theprecisionofthetwiddle-factormultipliers playsacriticalroleinthefinalarea A,area-time AT ,and area-time-squared(AT 2 )metrics.Inthispaper,wehaveset thetwiddle-factorprecisionleveltobeequaltothesystem wordsizeoftheinputstothe ADFT1024_1 core,whichisa designparameterandthechoiceoflowerprecisionlevelsin thetwiddlefactorswouldresultinimprovementsintheVLSI metricsforallthreeproposedalgorithms.Inasense,hardware designedwithsuchconservativeparameterscanbethought ofasworst-casebenchmark,withmorecoarselyquantified twiddlefactorsleadingtoevenbetterimprovementsinarea, area-time,andarea-time-squaredmetrics.
B.CIRCUITCOMPLEXITY
Allcircuitsoperatefor32clockcyclestoproduceone1024pointtransform.Complexmultiplicationisrealizedusing 3realmultipliercircuitsand5realaddercircuitsfollowingtheGaussmultiplicationalgorithm.Thetwiddle-factor matrixbasedonGaussmultiplication 32 in(18)therefore requires96realmultipliercircuitsand160adderscircuits. Thisblockiscommontoallfour1024-pointalgorithms.
1) ADFT1024_1 CORE
Each ADFT32 requires348adders/subtractorsandnomultipliers.
AsshowninFig. 5,theproposedradix-32timemultiplexedarchitectureforAlgorithm1usestwo ADFT32 cores.Thus, ADFT1024_1 hasanoverallcircuitcomplexity of348 ∗ 2 + 160 = 856adders/subtractorcircuitsand96real multipliercircuits.
2) ADFT1024_2 CORE
In ADFT1024_2,therow-wiseDFTblockissubstitutedby theADFT32block.The DFT32 requiresatotal78realmultipliercircuitsand398addercircuits.Becausethe ADFT32 requires348addercircuitsbutnomultipliers,wehavean
overallcircuitcomplexityof398 + 160 + 348 = 906adder circuitsand96 + 78 = 174multipliers ADFT1024_2
3) ADFT1024_3 CORE
ThecircuitcomplexityfortheAlgorithm3isthesameasfor ADFT1024_2.Theonlychangeisintheplacementofthe elementsinthearchitecturallevel.
The1024-pointDFT(denotedDFT1024)obtainedby usingtwoDFT32coresforrow-andcolumn-wiseFFTs wouldrequire78 ∗ 2 + 96 = 252realmultipliercircuitsand 398 ∗ 2 + 160 = 796 + 160 = 956addercircuits.Thisis ourreferenceradix-32FFTcircuitforbaseliningthecircuit complexitiesoftheproposedADFT1024algorithms.
Thecircuitcomplexitiesfortheproposeddesignsaswell as DFT1024 arepresentedinTable 3.
C.ASICSYNTHESISANDPLACE-ROUTERESULTS:45nm CMOS
TheproposedarchitectureswereimplementedonMATLAB SimulinkusingXilinxlibrariesandthenmappedto45-nm complementarymetal-oxidesemiconductor(CMOS)technologycells(synthesisonly).Eachofthedesignsconsistsof threemainhardwarecomponents—first32-pointtransform block,transposebufferwithtwiddle-factormultiplication block,andsecond32-pointtransformblock.Thecomplexityofeach32-pointtransformblockcoredependsonits correspondinginputwordlength.Keyquantitativemeasurementsofperformanceforeach32-pointtransformblock coreandtransposebufferwithtwiddle-factormultiplications areshowninTable 4.InTable 5,welistthehardware implementationmetricsfor ADFT1024_1, ADFT1024_2, and ADFT1024_3.Metricsforthe DFT1024 corewere includedasreferencevalues.
TheresultsinTable 4 showsthatthe32-pointADFT coredemandsconsiderablylesshardwareresourcesthanthe 32-pointexactDFTcore.Ontheotherhand,theimplementationofthetransposebufferwithtwiddlefactormultiplication addsafixedhardwarecomplexitytothesystemforboth theDFTandtheapproximatearchitectures.Asaresult,the transposebuffercausesthehighestareaconsumptionand arelativelyhighpowerconsumptionincomparisontothat of32-pointADFTcores.Thus,itbecomesthedominant
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
TABLE4. Keyquantitativemeasurementsofperformanceindigital45nmCMOSVLSIforeachDFTcoreandtransposebufferwithtwiddlefactor multiplications.
FIGURE7. Thefourworstbinsformulti-beambeamforming:(a)exactDFTresponse,(b)ADFTresponse,and(c)errorforalgorithm 1;(d)exactDFTresponse,(e)ADFTresponse,and(f)errorforalgorithm2;(g)exactDFTresponse,(h)ADFTresponse,and(i)error foralgorithm3.
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
TABLE5. Keyquantitativemeasurementsofperformanceindigital45nmCMOSVLSIforeachalgorithm.
FIGURE8. Linearplotofselectedbeams {200, 201, 202, 203} forexactandapproximatetransforms:(a)exactDFTresponse, (b)ADFTresponse,and(c)errorforalgorithm1;(d)ADFTresponse,and(e)errorforalgorithm2;(f)ADFTresponse,and (g)errorforalgorithm3.
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
factorinhardwarecomplexityforthedesignsofthethree 1024-pointapproximatetransforms,asshowninTable 5
Thecore ADFT1024_1 givesthebesthardwareutilization,whereas ADFT1024_2 givestheworstascanbeseen inTable 5.Algorithm3givesthebesterrorperformance, i.e.,providesthemostaccurateapproximation.Moreover, thehardwareresourceconsumptionofitsphysicalrealization ADFT1024_3 isalsoclosetothatof ADFT1024_2 TheerrorperformanceofAlgorithm2doesnotdiffermuch fromthatofAlgorithm1,whichalsoprovidesahardware realization ADFT1024_1 withthelowestresourceconsumption.Therefore,werecommendeitherAlgorithm1or Algorithm3(i.e.,itshardwarerealizations ADFT1024_1 and ADFT1024_3)asthebestdesigns.
E.ADFT-BASED1024-BEAMDIGITALBEAMFORMERS
Intheproposedsystem,eachADFTbincorrespondstoa uniquedirectioninspace.IdeallythesebinsshouldbeidenticaltothespatialDFTbins,buttheirmagnitudecoulddeviate becauseoftheapproximation.Thefourworstbinsforeachof thethreealgorithmsareshowninFig. 7.Theresultingerrors aresmallenoughtobeacceptableforthelowSNRscenarios seeninpracticalwirelesssystems.
Fig. 8 showsdetailedplotsof4consecutivebeams(from bins200-203)forthethreeproposedalgorithms,together withtheerrors.Wechosethesefourbeamsarbitrarilyto showcasetheshapesoftheobtainedRFbeamsinsufficient detail.
Notethatpracticalrealizationof1024-elementULAsfor generatingnarrowADFT-basedbeamsincurrently-licensed frequencybands(uptotheVband)maybechallenging duetothelargesizesoftheresultingapertures.However, duetoongoingresearchinthesub-THzrange[24]–[32], theWandGbandswillsoonbecommerciallyavailable forbothlicensedandunlicenseduse.Atacarrierfrequency of300GHz, λ/2 = 0 5mmandthusthesizeofaNyquistspaced1024-elementULAwoulddecreasetoareasonable valueof51.2cm.
FFTsareusedforreducingthecomputationalcostsof evaluatingtheDFT.Generally,theydecreasecomplexity from O (N 2 )downto O (N log N ).Inthispaper,weshowthat furthersavingscanbeaccomplishedbymeansofapproximatemethods.Theresulting1024-pointDFTapproximations presentatrade-offbetweenperformanceandhardwarecomplexitywithoutsignificantlossintermsofworst-sidelobe andSNR.
Ourworkshowsthatlargerblock-lengthDFTapproximationscanbeobtainedfromthesmaller-sizeapproximations derivedusingpreviously-describednumericaloptimization methods.Ourmethodologycanbedirectlyappliedtoany DFTforwhichtheblocklengthisaperfectsquare.Sincethe currentDFTapproximationsintheliteraturearerestrictedto thesizes {8, 16, 32} [8],[35],[48],[50],[51],approximate algorithmscanbederivedfor N ∈{64, 256, 1024}.Inthis
work,wefocusedonthe1024-pointcase.Assumingthata multiplierlessDFTapproximationofsize √N canalwaysbe found,ourderivationssuggeststhatwecanobtainan N -point DFTapproximationthatrequiresonly N 2√N 1multiplications;effectivelymakingthecomplexityoftheresulting N -pointapproximation O (N ).Theproposedalgorithmswere synthesizedtodigitalVLSIusinga45-nmCMOSlibrary. Synthesisresultsconfirmtheexpectedimprovementsinlayoutareaandpowerconsumptionmetricscomparedtoaconventional1024-pointDFTimplementation.
Thechoiceofalgorithmdependsontheapplicationandits toleranceforcomputationalerrorintheDFTblock.Highly errortolerantapplicationscangreatlybenefitfromAlgorithm1whichhasthelowestcomplexity.Algorithm2or 3maybeselectedwhenAlgorithm1doesnotfurnishsufficientperformance.
[1]Z.Zhang,X.Wang,K.Long,A.V.Vasilakos,andL.Hanzo,‘‘LargescaleMIMO-basedwirelessbackhaulin5Gnetworks,’’ IEEEWireless Commun.,vol.22,no.5,pp.58–66,Oct.2015.
[2]S.Sun,T.Rappaport,R.Heath,A.Nix,andS.Rangan,‘‘MIMOfor millimeter-wavewirelesscommunications:Beamforming,spatialmultiplexing,orboth?’’ IEEECommun.Mag.,vol.52,no.12,pp.110–121, Dec.2014.
[3]A.Adhikary,J.Nam,J.-Y.Ahn,andG.Caire,‘‘Jointspatialdivisionand multiplexing—Thelarge-scalearrayregime,’’ IEEETrans.Inf.Theory, vol.59,no.10,pp.6441–6463,Oct.2013.
[4]D.C.Champeney, AHandbookofFourierTheorems.Cambridge,U.K.: CambridgeUniv.Press,1987.
[5]R.E.Blahut, FastAlgorithmsforSignalProcessing.Cambridge,U.K.: CambridgeUniv.Press,2010.
[6]A.V.OppenheimandR.W.Schafer, Discrete-TimeSignalProcessing, 3rded.UpperSaddleRiver,NJ,USA:Prentice-Hall,2009.
[7]A.Madanayake,S.Mandal,T.S.Rappaport,V.Ariyarathna,S.Madishetty, S.Pulipati,R.J.Cintra,D.Coelho,R.Oliviera,F.M.Bayer,and L.Belostotski,‘‘Towardsalow-SWaP1024-beamdigitalarray:A32-beam subsystemat5.8GHz,’’ IEEETrans.AntennasPropag.,vol.68,no.2, pp.900–912,Feb.2020.
[8]V.Ariyarathna,D.F.G.Coelho,S.Pulipati,R.J.Cintra,F.M.Bayer, V.S.Dimitrov,andA.Madanayake,‘‘Multibeamdigitalarrayreceiver usinga16-pointmultiplierlessDFTapproximation,’’ IEEETrans.AntennasPropag.,vol.67,no.2,pp.925–933,Feb.2019.
[9]S.W.EllingsonandW.Cazemier,‘‘Efficientmultibeamsynthesiswith interferencenullingforlargearrays,’’ IEEETrans.AntennasPropag., vol.51,no.3,pp.503–511,Mar.2003.
[10]J.O.Coleman,‘‘AgeneralizedFFTformanysimultaneousreceive beams,’’NavalRes.Lab,SignalProcess.Sect.,Washington,DC,USA, Tech.Rep.NRL/MR/5320–07-9029,2007.
[11]C.Y.C.Yang,Y.-Z.-X.Y.-Z.Xie,L.C.L.Chen,H.C.H.Chen,and Y.D.Y.Deng,‘‘Designofaconfigurablefixed-pointFFTprocessor,’’in Proc.IETInt.RadarConf.,Oct.2015,pp.1–4.
[12]C.V.KumarandK.R.K.Sastry,‘‘DesignandimplementationofFFT pruningalgorithmonFPGA,’’in Proc.7thInt.Conf.CloudComput.,Data Sci.Eng.-Confluence,Jan.2017,pp.739–743.
[13]T.Ayhan,W.Dehaene,andM.Verhelst,‘‘A128:2048/1536pointFFT hardwareimplementationwithoutputpruning,’’in Proc.22ndEur.Signal Process.Conf.(EUSIPCO),Sep.2014,pp.266–270.
[14]M.Z.A.KhanandS.Qadeer,‘‘AnewvariantofRadix-4FFT,’’in Proc. 13thInt.Conf.WirelessOpt.Commun.Netw.(WOCN),Jul.2016,pp.1–4.
[15]M.T.Heideman,‘‘Multiplicativecomplexityoflinearandbilinearsystems,’’in MultiplicativeComplexity,Convolution,andtheDFT.NewYork, NY,USA:Springer,1988,pp.5–26.
[16]V.Ariyarathna,A.Madanayake,X.Tang,D.Coelho,R.J.Cintra, L.Belostotski,S.Mandal,andT.S.Rappaport,‘‘Analogapproximate-FFT 8/16-beamalgorithms,architecturesandCMOScircuitsfor5GbeamformingMIMOtransceivers,’’ IEEEJ.Emerg.Sel.TopicsCircuitsSyst.,vol.8, no.3,pp.466–479,Sep.2018.
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
[17]T.S.Rappaport,S.Sun,R.Mayzus,H.Zhao,Y.Azar,K.Wang, G.N.Wong,J.K.Schulz,M.Samimi,andF.Gutierrez,‘‘Millimeterwave mobilecommunicationsfor5Gcellular:Itwillwork!,’’ IEEEAccess, vol.1,pp.335–349,2013.
[18]T.S.Rappaport,Y.Xing,O.Kanhere,S.Ju,A.Madanayake,S.Mandal, A.Alkhateeb,andG.C.Trichopoulos,‘‘Wirelesscommunicationsand applicationsabove100GHz:Opportunitiesandchallengesfor6Gand beyond,’’ IEEEAccess,vol.7,pp.78729–78757,2019.
[19]E.Bjornson,L.Sanguinetti,H.Wymeersch,J.Hoydis,andT.L.Marzetta, ‘‘MassiveMIMOisareality—Whatisnext?:Fivepromisingresearch directionsforantennaarrays,’’ DigitalSignalProcess.,vol.94,pp.3–20, Nov.2019.
[20]H.Wymeersch,G.Seco-Granados,G.Destino,D.Dardari,and F.Tufvesson,‘‘5GmmWavepositioningforvehicularnetworks,’’ IEEE WirelessCommun.,vol.24,no.6,pp.80–86,Dec.2017.
[21]E.Marchand,H.Uchiyama,andF.Spindler,‘‘Poseestimationforaugmentedreality:Ahands-onsurvey,’’ IEEETrans.Vis.Comput.Graphics, vol.22,no.12,pp.2633–2651,Dec.2016.
[22]A.Taha,M.Alrabeiah,andA.Alkhateeb,‘‘Enablinglargeintelligentsurfaceswithcompressivesensinganddeeplearning,’’2019, arXiv:1904.10136.[Online].Available:https://arxiv.org/abs/1904.10136
[23]IEEECommunicationSociety. TechnologyBlog.Accessed:Oct.16,2019. [Online].Available:https://techblog.comsoc.org/category/5g/
[24]M.Hossain,K.Nosaeva,B.Janke,N.Weimann,V.Krozer,and W.Heinrich,‘‘AG-bandhighpowerfrequencydoublerintransferredsubstrateInPHBTtechnology,’’ IEEEMicrow.WirelessCompon.Lett., vol.26,no.1,pp.49–51,Jan.2016.
[25]K.Zhou,J.-Q.Ding,C.-X.Zhou,andW.Wu,‘‘W -Banddual-bandquasiellipticalwaveguidefilterwithflexiblyallocatedfrequencyandbandwidth ratios,’’ IEEEMicrow.WirelessCompon.Lett.,vol.28,no.3,pp.206–208, Mar.2018.
[26]A.Kurdoghlian,H.Moyer,H.Sharifi,D.F.Brown,R.Nagele,J.Tai, R.Bowen,M.Wetzel,R.Grabar,D.Santos,andM.Micovic,‘‘First demonstrationofbroadbandW-bandandD-bandGaNMMICsfornext generationcommunicationsystems,’’in IEEEMTT-SInt.Microw.Symp. Dig.,Jun.2017,pp.1126–1128.
[27]W.Shaobing,G.Jianfeng,W.Weibo,andZ.Junyun,‘‘W-bandMMICPA withultrahighpowerdensityin100-nmAlGaN/GaNtechnology,’’ IEEE Trans.ElectronDevices,vol.63,no.10,pp.3882–3886,Oct.2016.
[28]S.Carpenter,Z.S.He,andH.Zirath,‘‘Balancedactivefrequencymultipliersindandgbandsusing250nmInPDHBTtechnology,’’in Proc. IEEECompoundSemiconductorIntegr.CircuitSymp.(CSICS),Oct.2017, pp.1–4.
[29]M.Rodwell,Z.Griffith,N.Parthasarathy,E.Lind,C.Sheldon,S.Bank, U.Singisetti,M.Urteaga,K.Shinohara,R.Pierson,andP.Rowell,‘‘Developingbipolartransistorsforsub-mm-waveamplifiersandnext-generation (300GHz)digitalcircuits,’’in Proc.64thDeviceRes.Conf.,Jun.2006, pp.5–8.
[30]J.KimandJ.F.Buckwalter,‘‘Staggeredgainfor100+GHzbroadband amplifiers,’’ IEEEJ.Solid-StateCircuits,vol.46,no.5,pp.1123–1136, May2011.
[31]A.Natarajan,A.Komijani,X.Guan,A.Babakhani,andA.Hajimiri, ‘‘A77-GHzphased-arraytransceiverwithon-chipantennasinsilicon: TransmitterandlocalLO-pathphaseshifting,’’ IEEEJ.Solid-StateCircuits,vol.41,no.12,pp.2807–2819,Dec.2006.
[32]A.Babakhani,X.Guan,A.Komijani,A.Natarajan,andA.Hajimiri, ‘‘A77-GHzphased-arraytransceiverwithon-chipantennasinsilicon: Receiverandantennas,’’ IEEEJ.Solid-StateCircuits,vol.41,no.12, pp.2795–2806,Dec.2006.
[33]Y.XingandT.S.Rappaport,‘‘Propagationmeasurementsystemand approachat140GHz-movingto6Gandabove100GHz,’’in Proc.IEEE GlobalCommun.Conf.(GLOBECOM),Dec.2018,pp.1–6.
[34]Y.Xing,O.Kanhere,S.Ju,andT.S.Rappaport,‘‘Indoorwirelesschannel propertiesatmillimeterwaveandsub-terahertzfrequencies,’’in Proc. IEEEGlobalCommun.Conf.(GLOBECOM),Dec.2019,pp.1–6.
[35]D.M.S.Villagrán,‘‘AproximaçõesparaatransformadadiscretadeFourier eaplicaçõesemdeteçãoeestimação,’’M.S.thesis,Dept.Statist.,Univ. FederaldePernambuo,Recife,Brazil,2015.
[36]K.R.RaoandP.C.Yip,Eds., TheTransformandDataCompression Handbook (ElectricalEngineering&AppliedSignalProcessingSeries). BocaRaton,FL,USA:CRCPress,2000.
[37]J.W.CooleyandJ.W.Tukey,‘‘Analgorithmforthemachinecalculation ofcomplexFourierseries,’’ Math.Comput.,vol.19,no.90,pp.297–301, 1965.
[38]P.DuhamelandH.Hollmann,‘‘SplitradixFFTalgorithm,’’ Electron.Lett., vol.20,no.1,pp.14–16,1984.
[39]S.Winograd,‘‘OncomputingthediscreteFouriertransform,’’ Math.Comput.,vol.32,no.141,pp.175–199,1978.
[40]S.Winograd,‘‘OnthemultiplicativecomplexityofthediscreteFourier transform,’’ Adv.Math.,vol.32,no.2,pp.83–117,May1979.
[41]S.Winograd, ArithmeticComplexityofComputations (CBMS-NSF RegionalConferenceSeriesinAppliedMathematics).Philadelphia,PA, USA:SIAM,1980.
[42]S.G.JohnsonandM.Frigo,‘‘Amodifiedsplit-radixFFTwithfewer arithmeticoperations,’’ IEEETrans.SignalProcess.,vol.55,no.1, pp.111–119,Jan.2007.
[43]T.Duong.(2019). Vec,Vech,Invvec,Invvech.[Online].Available: https://www.rdocumentation.org/packages/ks/versions/1.6.13/topics/vec% 2%C%20vech%2C%20invvec%2C%20invvech
[44]MathWorks.(2019). MATLABR2018bDocumentation‘Vec2mat’ [Online].Available:https://www.mathworks.com/help/comm/ref/vec2mat [45]MathWorks.(2019). MATLABR2018bDocumentation‘Reshape’ [Online].Available:https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/reshape
[46]G.A.F.Seber, AMatrixHandbookforStatisticians (WileySeriesin ProbabilityandStatistics).Hoboken,NJ,USA:Wiley,2008. [47]D.Suarez,A.Sengupta,F.M.Bayer,A.Madanayake,S.Kulasekera,and R.J.Cintra,‘‘Multi-beamRFapertureusingmultiplierlessFFTapproximation,’’ Electron.Lett.,vol.50,no.24,pp.1788–1790,Nov.2014.
[48]S.Kulasekera,A.Madanayake,R.J.Cintra,D.Suarez,andF.M.Bayer, ‘‘Multi-beamreceiveraperturesusingmultiplierless8-pointapproximate DFT,’’in Proc.IEEERadarConf.(RadarCon),May2015,pp.1244–1249.
[49]G.M.Amdahl,‘‘Validityofthesingleprocessorapproachtoachieving largescalecomputingcapabilities,’’in Proc.SpringJointComput.Conf.AFIPS(Spring).NewYork,NY,USA:ACM,1967,pp.483–485.
[50]V.A.Coutinho,V.Ariyarathna,D.F.G.Coelho,R.J.Cintral,and A.Madanayake,‘‘An8-beam2.4GHzdigitalarrayreceiverbasedonafast multiplierlessspatialDFTapproximation,’’in IEEEMTT-SInt.Microw. Symp.Dig.,Jun.2018,pp.1538–1541.
[51]V.Ariyarathna,S.Kulasekera,A.Madanayake,K.-S.Lee,D.Suarez, R.J.Cintra,F.M.Bayer,andL.Belostotski,‘‘Multi-beam4GHz microwaveaperturesusingcurrent-modeDFTapproximationon65nm CMOS,’’in IEEEMTT-SInt.Microw.Symp.Dig.,May2015,pp.1–4.
ARJUNAMADANAYAKE (Member,IEEE)
receivedthePh.D.degreeinelectricalengineering fromtheUniversityofCalgary,Alberta,Canada, in2008.HeiscurrentlyanAssociateProfessorof electricalandcomputerengineeringwithFlorida InternationalUniversity(FIU)inMiami,FL.His researchinterestsareinarraysignalprocessing, multi-dimensionalsystemsandsignalprocessing, microwaveandanalogcircuits,digitalcircuitsand FPGAsystems,fastalgorithmsandapplications, wirelesscommunications,andmm-wavesystems.Hisresearchprogramat FIUisfundedbyseveralgrantsfromDARPAandNSF.
RENATOJ.CINTRA (SeniorMember,IEEE)
receivedtheD.Sc.degreeinelectricalengineeringfromtheUniversidadeFederaldePernambuco (UFPE),Brazil,in2005.HejoinedtheCentre forNaturalandExactSciences,UFPE,in2005. Hehasheldvisitingprofessorpositionsatthe DépartementInformatique,INSA,Lyon,France andtheUniversityofCalgary,Canada.Hewas anAssociateEditorfortheIEEEGEOSCIENCEAND REMOTE SENSING LETTERS,and Circuits,Systems, andSignalProcessing (Springer).HeservesasanAssociateEditorfor IETCircuits,Devices&Systems andthe JournalofCommunicationand InformationSystems,and,aSubjectEditorofELECTRONICS LETTERS.Hislongtermtopicsofresearchinclude:approximationtheoryfordiscretetransforms,theoryandmethodsfordigitalsignal/imageprocessing,andstatistical methods.
A.Madanayake etal.:FastRadix-32ApproximateDFTsfor1024-BeamDigitalRFBeamforming
NAJATHAKRAM (StudentMember,IEEE) receivedtheB.Sc.degreeinelectricalandinformationengineeringfromtheUniversityofRuhuna, SriLanka,in2016.Heiscurrentlypursuingthe Ph.D.degreewithFloridaInternationalUniversity underthesupervisionofDr.ArjunaMadanayake. Hisresearchinterestsincludemulti-dimensional signalprocessing,RFsystemsdesign,andantenna arrayprocessing.
VIDUNETHARIYARATHNA (StudentMember, IEEE)receivedthebachelor’sdegree(Hons.) inelectronicsandtelecommunicationengineeringfromtheUniversityofMoratuwa,SriLanka, in2013,themaster’sdegreeinelectricalengineeringfromtheUniversityofAkron,in2016, underthesupervisionofDr.ArjunaMadanayake, andthePh.D.degreefromFloridaInternational University,in2019,underthesupervisionof Dr.ArjunaMadanayake.HeiscurrentlyaPostdoctoralResearchAssociatewiththeUltra-BroadbandNanonetworkingLaboratory,NortheasternUniversity.Hismainresearchinterestsincludetheareas ofRF-systemsdesign,analog-digitalhybridbeamformingsystems,ultrabroadbandwirelesscommunicationsystems,andmulti-dimensionalsignal processing.
SOUMYAJITMANDAL (SeniorMember,IEEE) receivedtheB.Tech.degreeinelectronicsand electricalcommunicationsengineeringfromIIT Kharagpur,India,in2002,andtheM.S.andPh.D. degreesinelectricalengineeringfromtheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology(MIT),Cambridge,MA,USA,in2004and2009,respectively. HewasaResearchScientistatSchlumberger-Doll Research,Cambridge,MA,USA,from2010to 2014.HeiscurrentlytheT.andA.Schroeder AssistantProfessorwiththeDepartmentofElectrical,Computer,andSystemsEngineering,CaseWesternReserveUniversity,Cleveland,OH,USA. Hisresearchinterestsincludeanalogandbiologicalcomputation,magnetic resonancesensors,low-poweranalogandRFcircuits,andprecisioninstrumentationforvariousbiomedicalandsensorinterfaceapplications.Hewas arecipientofthePresidentofIndiaGoldMedal,in2002,theMITMicrosystemsTechnologyLaboratories(MTL)DoctoralDissertationAward,in2009, theT.KeithGlennanFellowship,in2016,andtheIITKharagpurYoung AlumniAchieversAward,in2018.Hehasover125publicationsinpeerreviewedjournalsandpremierconferences,andhasbeenawarded18patents.
VÍTORA.COUTINHO receivedtheB.Sc.degree inelectronicengineering,theM.Sc.andD.Sc. degreesinelectricalengineeringfromtheUniversidadeFederaldePernambuco,Recife,Brazil,in 2012,2015,and2018,respectively.
HeiscurrentlyaPostdoctoralResearcherwith theUniversidadeFederaldePernambuco.His mainresearchinterestsincludedigitalsignalprocessing,fastalgorithmsfordiscretetransforms, discretetransformapproximations,andprunedbasedalgorithmsforimagecompression.
FÁBIOM.BAYER receivedtheB.Sc.degreein mathematicsfromtheFederalUniversityofSanta Maria(UFSM),Brazil,in2006,andtheD.Sc. degreeinstatisticsfromtheFederalUniversity ofPernambuco(UFPE),Brazil,in2011.Heis currentlyanAssociateProfessorwiththeDepartmentofStatistics,UFSMandaResearcherwith theLaboratoryofSpaceSciencesofSantaMaria (LACESM),UFSM.Hisresearchinterestsinclude datascience,regressionanddynamicmodels,statisticalcomputing,parametricinference,andstatisticalsignalprocessing.
DIEGOCOELHO receivedtheB.Sc.degreein electronicsengineeringandtheM.Sc.degreein statisticsfromtheUniversidadeFederaldePernambuco(UFPE),Recife,Brazil,in2012and 2015,respectively,andthePh.D.degreefromthe UniversityofCalgary,Calgary,Canada,in2018. HeiscurrentlyanIndependentResearcher,Calgary,Canada.Hisresearchinterestsincludedigitalsignalandimageprocessing,optimization, matrixcomputation,numericalanalysis,andhighperformancecomputing.
THEODORES.RAPPAPORT (Fellow,IEEE)is currentlytheDavidLee/ErnstWeberProfessor withNewYorkUniversity(NYU)andholdsfacultyappointmentswiththeElectricalandComputerEngineeringDepartmentoftheNYUTandon SchoolofEngineering,theCourantComputerScienceDepartment,andtheNYULangoneSchoolof Medicine.HeisalsotheFounderandtheDirector ofNYUWIRELESS,amultidisciplinaryresearch centerfocusedonthefutureofwirelesscommunicationsandapplications.Hisresearchhasledthewayformodernwireless communicationsystems.In1987,hisPh.D.atPurdueUniversityprovided fundamentalknowledgeofindoorwirelesschannelsusedtocreatethefirst WiFistandard(IEEE802.11),andheconductedfundamentalworkthatled tothefirstUSDigitalcellphonestandards,TDMAIS-54/IS-136,andCDMA IS-95.Heandhisstudentsengineeredtheworld’sfirstpublicWiFihotspots, andmorerecently,hisworkprovedtheviabilityofmillimeterwavesfor mobilecommunications,andtheglobalwirelessindustryadoptedhisvision for5thgeneration(5G)cellphonenetworks.Hefoundedthreeacademic wirelessresearchcentersatVirginiaTech,TheUniversityofTexas,and NYUthathaveproducedthousandsofengineersandeducators,since1990, andhehascoauthoredover300articlesand20books,includingthemost citedbooksonwirelesscommunications,adaptiveantennas,wirelesssimulation,andmillimeter-wavecommunications.Heco-foundedtwowireless companies,TSRTechnologiesandWirelessValleyCommunication,which weresoldtopubliclytradedcompanies,andhehasadvisedmanyothers.He co-foundedtheVirginiaTechSymposiumonWirelessCommunications,in 1991,theTexasWirelessSummit,in2003,andtheBrooklyn5GSummit (B5GS),in2014.Hehasmorethan100patents,servesontheTechnological AdvisoryCounciloftheFederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC) Dr.RappaportisaFellowoftheRadioClubofAmericaandtheNational AcademyofInventors,aLifeMemberoftheAmericanRadioRelayLeague, aLicensedProfessionalEngineerinTexasandVirginia,andanAmateur RadioOperator(N9NB).HehasreceivedASEE’sTermanAward,theSir MontyFinnistonMedalfromtheInstitutionofEngineeringandTechnology (IET),theIEEEVehicularTechnologySociety’sJamesR.EvansAvant GardeandStuMeyerAwards,theIEEEEducationSocietyWilliamE. SayleAwardforachievementineducation,theIEEECommunicationsSocietyArmstrongAward,andtheArmstrongMedalfromtheRadioClubof America.
The Proceedings of the Radio Club of America is known for bringing you a wide mix of papers, ranging from sophisticated technical material to historical surveys of subjects related to electronic communications. RCA also is known for fostering discussion and sharing the viewpoints of its members. RCA is therefore issuing a call for papers and editorial comments for publication in upcoming issues of the Proceedings
The Proceedings is published semi-annually, and has been issued since 1914. The Proceedings is considered to be the first publication geared to promoting and sharing the intellectual development of all aspects of radio and wireless communications. Coverage has expanded to include relevant articles encompassing science, technology development, marketing and regulatory topics. We seek articles from knowledgeable engineers, professionals, academics and amateurs who are participating in building future applications, as well as those who want to document the history of relevant technologies.
As a fellow reader of the Proceedings, we would like you to author an article or editorial for publication. We welcome “early work,” even if it is still in the process of being drafted. RCA offers a unique opportunity for you to get an early reaction to important work now underway in wireless communications. It is also a unique opportunity to air your views, inviting commentary and response from the membership.
We seek interesting or important technical articles, editorials and discussion pieces in any of the following areas:
• Antennas and supporting structures (i.e., towers)
• Broadband communications
• Broadcast
• Cellular telephony
• FirstNet
• Ham (amateur) radio
• Land mobile radio
• Long-Term Evolution (LTE)
• Military communications
• Regulatory topics
• Robotics
• Satellites
• 4G/5G Cellular
• Semiconductors, LED or other devices supporting wireless communications
• Any other wireless/radio technologies
Please submit an abstract (1-3 paragraphs) including the title, author(s) and contact information, a synopsis of the material to be published, and a note as to why you think the subject is interesting or important to the wireless industry. Authors of papers selected for publication in the Proceedings may be given an opportunity to present at one of the RCA’s upcoming events, such as the annual Technical Symposium. (Note: participants are responsible for their own travel expenses to RCA events.)
Please send abstracts for articles and editorials to be published in the Proceedings to: David Bart at jbart1964@gmail.com.
Please send abstracts for potential presentation topics at RCA events to: David Bart at jbart1964@gmail.com.
For general questions about RCA, an article idea or submission, please contact Amy Beckham at Amy@radioclubofAmerica.org.
Thanks to our sleek new RCA website, 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.
Details are coming soon. If you can’t wait, contact Karen Clark, Sponsor Committee Chair at kjclark33@comcast.net to get a sneak peek!
The Annual RCA Awards Banquet is the premier industry event to honor exceptional achievements by those who devote themselves to wireless communications. The event also showcases the achievements of middle and high school students involved in the RCA Youth Activities Program. Through your sponsorship your Company will receive: Recognition, Logo Visibility, Opportunity to reach a targeted market of Technical Executives, not to mention…your Sponsorship makes it possible for us to keep this event affordable for attendees and shows your support for our industry’s finest performers—both established and up-and-coming— whose invention, ingenuity and dedication benefit us all.
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):
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.
Jack Armstrong, President
200 Warren Road
Cockeysville, MD, 21030
PHONE: (443) 823-5100
jack@advancedwirelessmarketing.com www.advancedwirelessmarketing.com
Manufacturer’s Representative
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 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
Charles Kirmuss, Founder, Principal 51 West 84th Ave., Suite 301 Denver, CO 80260
PHONE: (303) 263-6353
ckirmuss@frontier.net
www.anderson-intellismartbattery.com
Manufacturer of OE and replacement batteries for the two way radio industry. iNTELLi Smart Battery™ technology at lower cost than traditional OE standard batteries.
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
Wireless Communication Systems Solutions Provider
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
Land Mobile Radio Manufacturer: DMR, P25, Tetra
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.
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
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 PHONE: (303) 263-6353 charles@kirmussaudio.com www.kirmussaudio.com
Manufacturer of the world’s only vinyl record groove restoration system.
John Facella, P.E., BSEE, MBA, Principal PHONE: (978) 799-8900 pantherpinesconsulting@gmail.com www.pantherpinesconsulting.com
Communications & Management Consulting
Paula A. Nelson-Shira, Owner
7108 S. Alton Way, Building H Centennial, CO, 80112
PHONE: (330) 792-2390 x112
FAX: (330) 792-2391
pnelson-shira@RRMediaGroup.com RRMediaGroup.com
Information leader on wireless communications since 1984.
Maggie Lynch, President 3135 Coachman Ct. Oceanside, CA 92056
PHONE: (760) 529-9518 sales@royal-communications.com royalcominc.com
Specializing in the sales and service of Barrett High Frequency, Single Sideband transceivers that are dependable and easy to use.
Lauren Libby, International President
300 Greyson Drive
Cary NC 27511
PHONE: (719) 331-7051
llibby@twr.org www.twr.org
RF and Digital Content to 190 Countries in 230 languages every day
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
Manufacturer of antennas and RF conditioning equipment for LMR
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 Wireless consulting, Communications structures
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 Consulting Engineers
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.
Robert A. Lopez, P.E., President 8305 Bergenline Avenue #9
North Bergen, NJ 07047
PHONE: (973) 449-5249
rlopez@rlacommunications.com
www.rlacommunications.com
A communications engineering consulting company serving public safety and commercial wireless industries.
Dr. Theodore S. Rappaport, P.E., Ph.D PO BOX 888 Riner, VA 24149
Technical consulting, engineering and design services in the field of wired and wireless communications systems, equipment and devices.
MASSIVELY BROADBAND ®
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
Visit the event calendar on the RCA website for the most up-to-date event information.
OCTOBER 2025
National Association of Broadcasters
October 22-23, 2025 | Las Vegas, NV https://www.nabshow.com
NOVEMBER 2025
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
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
FEBRUARY 2026
Hamcation
February 13-15, 2026 | Orlando https://www.hamcation.com/
NATE Unite
February 23-260, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV https://nu25.mapyourshow.com/8_0/#/
GSMA Mobile World Congress
March 2-5, 2026 | Barcelona Spain https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/
RCA Quarterly Interview
March 3, 2026 www.radioclubofamerica.org/InterviewSeries
Satellite 2022
March 23-26, 2026 | Washington DC https://www.satshow.com
IoT World USA
March 23-24, 2026 | Boston, MA https://www.industryofthingsworldusa.com/ IWCE
March 16-19, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV https://iwceexpo.com/
APRIL 2026
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/
JUNE 2026
DAS & Small Cells Congress
June 2-5, 2026 | London https://www.smallcells.world
RCA Interview Series
June 2, 2026 www.radioclubofamerica.org/InterviewSeries
UTC Telecom & Technology Conference
June 1-4, 2026 | Minneapolis, MN https://utctelecom.org/
JULY 2026
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
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!!
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.
Signing up for RCA Membership has never been easier! Use the new online membership application to submit your information in a matter of minutes.
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.
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.
ADDRESS: 13570 Grove Drive #302 Maple Grove MN 55311
PHONE: (612) 430-6995
EMAIL: amy@radioclubofamerica.org
WEBSITE: www.radioclubofamerica.org