1ghostorchid's Weblog

Electronics design reference

1ghostorchid — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:21:31 +0000

RF physical design

http://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedia/transmission.cfm

RF physics and phenomenon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/capactive_coupling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_effect

http:⁄en.wikipedia.org⁄wiki⁄proximity_effect_(electromagnetism)

Addtional reading

Engineering Electromagnetics

View this document on Scribd

TSAT fallout

1ghostorchid — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:10:55 +0000

http://militarydailynews.com/2010/01/plug-and-play-satellites-short-order-space-capability

On news of the TSAT cancellation, I expected some form of mitigation from the government to cover MILSTAT. This is a misread of the situation as WGS will serve as the backbone with replacement to be determined. If budget scales, that’s serving up a 10% solution.

Senate Report 111-035 – NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010

Next-generation military satellite communications

The budget request included no funds in Air Force Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDTEF), for next-generation military satellite communications to identify technologies that could be used on future military communications satellites. When the transformational communications satellite (T-Sat) was cancelled, several risk reduction efforts that could have application on future satellites were also cancelled. In addition, work on military unique radiation hardening requirements was also cancelled.

The committee recommends an increase of $50.0 million in a new program element, PE 604xxxF. This new PE would be created to explore communications technologies that could be utilized on future blocks of current communications satellite or eventually on next-generation communications satellite. This program would be similar in concept to the Third Generation Infrared Satellite System (3GIRS), which is conducting risk reduction efforts for next-generation overhead persistent infrared technologies. These risk reduction efforts should include continued efforts to reduce the cost, weight, and complexity of current radiation hardening techniques.

One of the many problems with the T-Sat program was that it was started with very immature technologies. In the future if there are to be new or evolved communications satellites, the committee wants to ensure that the technologies are sufficiently mature to be fielded with low cost and schedule risk.

Pandora

1ghostorchid — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:04:14 +0000

Caring for Your Introvert – The Atlantic (March 2003)

1ghostorchid — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:23:43 +0000

Caring for Your Introvert – The Atlantic (March 2003).

Yup. Tell me something I don’t know.

Mount Langley Summit

1ghostorchid — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:34:19 +0000

Plan itinerary.

Day 1. Drive to Lone Pine for walk-in permit (Eastern Sierra Interagency Center, Highway 395 & Highway 136, Lone Pine, CA 93545). Drive into trail head (44 mi along Horseshoe Meadow Rd) from Lone Pine Creek (3 mi). Begin hike from Cottonwood Lakes trailhead (10040ft, +0mi) to High Lake (11500ft, +6mi).
Day 2. High Lake (11500ft, 0mi) to New Army Pass (12300ft, +1mi), to Mount Langley (14026, +4mi), and back to camp (~2500+ft, 10.0mi). Break camp and return to trail head High Lake (11500ft, 0mi) to Cottonwood Lakes trailhead (10040ft, +6mi). Drive back to LA.

Topo trail for summit day.

090816 USGS marker for Mount Langely

Full slideshow.

Hiking Reference Links

1ghostorchid — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:19:40 +0000

NOAA weather checks

Echo Mountain Peak weather

Mount Wilson Peak weather

Baldy Peak (San Antonio) weather

Cucamonga Peak weather

San Gorgonio Peak weather

San Jacinto Peak weather

Mount Whitney weather

White Mountain Peak weather, Barcroft station

Mount Langely weather

Ranger Stations

Angeles Crest National Forest contacts

San Bernadino National Forest contacts

Inyo National Forest contacts

Sierra National Forest contacts

Signs apocalypse is upon us

1ghostorchid — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:36:06 +0000

Disgruntled climatologist enraged over budget cuts use exhaust methane gas to melt glaciers!

Time to rethink what personal measures to counter climate change.

Unintentionally Comedic Family Photos

1ghostorchid — Sat, 09 May 2009 03:58:05 +0000

If you can’t have good laughs with you family, have it at the expense of other people’s family.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

Katie Melua at Amoeba

1ghostorchid — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:57:40 +0000

Some fan mentioned that Katie was huge in the UK–I have a hard time believe that to be true. Her genre is just not a MEGASTAR factory. On the merits of her talent and performance, I think she’s a musician that I would follow if she ever toured in the US. I’ll see you at the Stinking Rose or Lawrys Katie!

LA is not cool enough for Muji

1ghostorchid — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:28:29 +0000

Why can’t I go green and support local economies at the same time? It’s an intrinsic failure of Los Angeles to not be hip enough to have a Muji. Revelations from a bag lost.

Score: baggu = 1, muji = 0.