Very High Frequency Techniques

[Frank Gentges]

Tacoistas,

I had the good fortune to run across and acquire a pair of books 
entitled "Very High Frequency Techniques" dated 1947.  These books 
collected a lot of the information developed about CW (as opposed to 
pulse) signals during WW2.  It was authored by a number of people but 
was compiled and edited by Herbert J Reich.

The same Reich gave us "Principles of Electron Tubes" in 1941.  That 
book provided some key insights into the underlying physics of vacuum 
tubes.  He later authored "Functional Circuits and Oscillators" in 1961. 
  However, he was not Secretary of Labor under President Clinton.

This two volume set was published under the aegis of the Radio Research 
Laboratory at Harvard University.  That laboratory was established 
during WW2 under the National Defense Research Council to give our 
country the technology needed to fight and win the war.

Harvard has since specialized in producing MBAs that have demonstrated 
great success at running American Business Icons into the ground with 
goofy business practices.  They should have stuck to radio as they were 
much better at that.

Anyway, the concepts and designs of much of the VHF/UHF/Microwave gear 
we have worked with over the last half century are layed out in detail. 
  Subsequent texts seem to assume you already have read these books and 
take you forward without these valuable underpinnings.

For example two whole chapters are devoted to the principles and design 
of transmission line filters.  We have seen them everywhere but what a 
revealing discussion here. Likewise, those butterfly resonators and 
oscillators.  However, they cover the complexities of IF amplifiers but 
did not discover the beauty of the electrolytic tank as a pole and zero 
analog design synthesis tool. We would have to wait for post-war 
television engineers for this nifty technique.

If you have a chance to grab this pair, they are loaded with information 
on the concepts and principles used for the first high frequency gear 
developed.  You can find them at Amazon on their used book list.  Of 
course, I will be happy to share them with AMRAD members.  Careful 
review will no doubt reveal how modern basement based designs might be 
improved.  I will try to bring them to tacos on Saturday for everyone to 
ooh and aah over.

Frank K0BRA