I remember working on the design and development of the first Microwave Journal website some 20 years ago. It was an exciting time, as we navigated our way through those relatively new waters of the web. We felt as though we were on the cutting edge of this new frontier, by launching the first media site for the RF and microwave industry.
The cyber world has evolved dramatically since then, as have the tools with which publishers can now distribute content. Today, we offer an array of resources including blogs, webinars, whitepapers and video in addition to the standard technical articles, news, products, events and archives that have populated the site since its inception.
Microwave Journal has been active on the Social Media front as well. Several years ago, MWJ Technical Editor Pat Hindle launched the “RF and Microwave Community” group on LinkedIn and it now boasts more than 8500 members and grows by a steady 20 members per day. If you have not checked it out yet, I encourage you to do so. There are numerous active discussions going on at all times on a variety of industry related topics. The MWJ Facebook page has about 600 “likes” and that number is growing rapidly. MWJ staffers David Vye (@mwjournal), Pat Hindle (@pathindle), Mike Hallman (@mphallman) and Kristen Anderson (@KAatMWJ) are active on Twitter, and I am a recent addition to the group (@csheffres).
For a good part of the past year, the MWJ staff has been busy working on the latest version of our website, and I am pleased to announce that the brand new www.mwjournal.com will debut very soon. This new website will be hosted on a state-of-the-art Cloud platform developed specifically for publishers like Microwave Journal. It features the vast archive of content that we have accumulated over many years, in a contemporary, user-friendly, easy to navigate environment. You will find product/technology channels that aggregate specific content, making it easier for you to find information relevant to your interests. You will find a re-tooled Buyer’s Guide, eLearning Center and enhanced video archive. Social media is integrated, expanding the opportunities for discussion and networking. I think you will find the site to be a valuable resource and a place to exchange ideas and interact with colleagues.
Watch for other exciting announcements during the year, including a mobile app for our IMS show issue. We will be Tweeting and posting it on Facebook and LinkedIn, so join our groups or follow our Tweets to stay up to date.
On the magazine side, I am excited about the editorial lineup that the editors are putting together. We will cover the latest technologies, the hottest new products and the major conferences as always, along with some unique market perspectives and special reports.
This issue features our cover story on “21st Century Radar: Challenges and Opportunities” and a Special Report titled “Beyond Next Generation Mobile Broadband: BuNGee”. You will find additional articles on Radar Systems Modeling, Peak Power Measurements and a preview of the upcoming DesignCon show, just to name a few. You may also notice some subtle design changes, as we continue to evolve the print and digital editions of the magazine.
As always, I appreciate your support and I look forward to an exciting year ahead.
Happy New Year,
Carl Sheffres