Newsletter | August 19, 2025

08.19.25 -- The Year Radio Encryption Broke And Rebuilt Itself, CFA Theory Of Operation, MBAL vs. MBALH Data & More

SPONSOR

DSI’s 14th annual Military Tactical Communications Summit will convene leading experts and key decision-makers from the DoD, Military Services, Industry, and Academia for in-depth discussions on advancing tactical communications and strengthening network capabilities to empower the Joint Force. Attendees will have the chance to gain insight into initiatives across the services, such as secure NC3 systems for the Air Force, advanced SATCOM capabilities for Space Force, and enhanced drone connectivity for the Navy. Register now.

FROM THE EDITOR

From Half-Loop To HQC: The Year Radio Encryption Broke And Rebuilt Itself

By John Oncea, Editor

Quantum-ready standards, field-proven SDR attacks, and new P25 link-layer tools are redefining secure RF design. Yesterday’s ciphers are failing; tomorrow’s are already shipping.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

How To Save Time And Money Sourcing Switches For RF Applications

By dB Control

Being able to procure both EM switches and PIN diode switches from a single, U.S.-manufactured source provides increased flexibility and access to expertise for customers.

The Importance Of Input Linearity For Optimizing RF Receiver Designs

By Qorvo

Receiver linearity, especially IIP3, critically impacts RF system performance. Balancing it with Noise Figure ensures optimal sensitivity, interference tolerance, and overall signal integrity.

CFA Theory Of Operation

By CPI Electron Device Business, Inc.

A CFA is a vacuum electron device (VED) with characteristics of a magnetron and a traveling wave tube (TWT). This white paper delves into CFA characteristics and operational theory.

High-Power Amplifier Testing

By Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG

The R&S®ZNA vector network analyzer offers precise, flexible, and robust solutions for high-power amplifier testing, supporting complex setups, advanced measurements, and industry-leading accuracy.

MBAL vs. MBALH Data

By Marki Microwave

Explore new 1:1 and 1:2 baluns offer matched footprints, simplified ADC/DAC interfacing, and detailed s-parameter files for precise RF performance tuning and evaluation.