[time-nuts] Vintage Frequency Measurement

Wes wes at triconet.org
Mon Feb 13 21:56:44 UTC 2017


On 2/13/2017 12:56 PM, Brooke Clarke wrote:
>
> Wes:  Is this the patent for the IMPATT diode power amplifier?
> https://patents.google.com/patent/US3931587
>
No.  As I recall the designer (or at least a prime mover) was a guy named 
Eisenhart.  The Hughes organization at the time had engineering done at Conoga 
Park and production here in Tucson.  I was in an auxiliary wing of the Conoga 
Park division located in Tucson to support production.  Engineering didn't think 
we were smart enough to build the stuff here and thought it should be built at 
Hughes Electron Dynamics Division in Torrance.  We of course thought otherwise 
so I was tasked to live at Conoga Park for six months to learn the system.  When 
I came back we broke I don't know how many rules to build two prototype 
transmitters on the factory floor using hourly assembly workers.  Lotsa fun.

BTW, you and I have met.  It was 27 years ago almost to the day! (February 15, 
1990)  I know because I still have the trip report I wrote after visiting FEI to 
review your design for an automatic test position for testing detector diodes.  
In a serious amount of understatement, I described you as "a very capable 
individual" but one who is spread too thin.

Wes




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