Hello, 
,你好,willkommen, 
, bom dia, whaddup dudes! and welcome to our “Microwaves International” special edition MTT-S IMS Show issue, celebrating the emerging communities of the global high-frequency electronics industry. From Barcelona to Beijing, Seattle to Saint Petersburg, the microwave technology footprint continues to grow as communication systems proliferate and aerospace/defense markets worldwide expand to meet regional requirements. With sequestration and economic uncertainty at home, companies are wise to pursue each and every reasonable opportunity, including those offshore. And so, as the industry prepares to converge next month at IMS, we are pleased to present a global perspective in addition to our annual preview of North America’s largest microwave symposium and exhibition.
Since new markets in Asia, South America, Eastern Europe and Russia have opened up, many of the companies have been expanding their international presence. In 2012, we joined the globalization movement with the launch of Microwave Journal China and announced the launch of the Electronic Design Innovation Conference (EDI CON), an industry-driven event which took place this past March in Beijing. Both have been very well received by a growing audience of microwave technologists in China, allowing the Journal to expand its media reach on behalf of multi-national companies pursuing business there and establishing a beachhead for more companies to follow.
Engineering resources are essential to the health of our industry. Such resources, represented by a thriving technical community, combined with financial resources and a demand for systems requiring high-frequency components create microwave business opportunities. Through a native-language media outlet and world-class, industry-driven conference/exhibition, MWJ China and EDI CON allow the industry to support a growing Chinese RF community with technical information and products.
In this issue, we look at this emerging community and its unique technology needs in our recap of EDI CON 2013. This EDI CON special report reveals that the world’s largest mobile device market is about to transition to mobile broadband and microwave backhaul technology on a massive scale, the country is in the conceptual planning stage for government sponsored smart cities and next generation satellite navigation systems and has substantial demand for the communication ICs that will support these initiatives.
From Beijing we travel to Russia where Dr. Alexander Chenakin, vice president at Phase Matrix introduces our readers to Russian companies at the forefront of design and manufacture of oscillators, synthesizers and test equipment in this market. At the Journal, we have witnessed an increasing level of activity among Russian microwave companies in Europe at EuMW and China at EDI CON.
As an internationally recognized expert in the field of microwave frequency synthesis with a PhD degree from Kiev Polytechnic Institute, Chenakin provides unique insight into the Russian microwave community. Chenakin shares his intimate knowledge of the country’s microwave history, its technical strengths and some of the individuals and companies to watch for.
Closer to home, we turn our attention to the gathering of IMS delegates and exhibitors next month with coverage of this year’s activities including a special report on two new events – Wireless Industry Day, hosted by the local IEEE Seattle Chapter, and the “Death of GaAs?” panel, hosted by Strategy Analytics. Guest editorial from the IMS, RFIC and ARFTG symposia chairs preview the technical program.
From year to year, depending on the location and economy, IMS attracts approximately 2000 delegates, 1500 exhibitor attendees, and 4000 exhibitor staff. This yearly get-together gives attendees the chance to connect with friends and former colleagues in the exhibition hall, social events, hotel lobbies and airport lounges. To acknowledge this social component of Microwave Week, we offer our third installment of “MTT-Stories,” a graphic novel depicting the event’s lighter side.
Many exhibitors will time their new product launches to coincide with Microwave Week to capitalize on this concentration of microwave technologists. The Journal is grateful to those companies with the foresight and resources to provide a preview of these new products in this month’s new product section and the advertisements throughout this issue. Doing so helps IMS attendees get a sense of hot products, which companies to visit and what to look for. Those not attending IMS are sure to appreciate the information as well.
We conclude the May issue with this month’s Puzzler – Mr. Smith’s (aka Smitty) Super Seattle Scavenger Hunt, our tip of the hat to the famous icons that define this great city of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle offers great sights, excellent dining and fun entertainment. Hopefully, you will be among those of us enjoying all the city has to offer as we gather for the North American leg of the international microwave community’s world tour. Happy reading and safe travels.