Copyright 1997 IEEE. Reprinted with permission from the IEEE publication, “Scanning the Past” which covers a reprint of an article appearing in the Proceedings of the IEEE Vol. 85, No. 8, August 1997.
Harold S. Black and the Negative Feedback Amplifier
Seventy years ago this month, H. S. Black (Fig. 1) of Bell Telephone Laboratories conceived the negative feedback amplifier while aboard the Lackawanna Ferry on his way to work. Thirty years later, M. J. Kelly, president of the Bell Labs, characterized Black’s invention as ranking with the de Forest audion “as one of the two inventions of broadest scope and significance in electronics and communications of the past 50 years.” Kelly credited the negative feedback amplifier with having made possible the long-distance telecommunications networks that covered the country, as well as transoceanic telephone cables. He noted that by 1957, the application of the negative feedback principle had transcended telecommunications and had stimulated “the entire explosive extension (more…)
IEEE Green Technologies Conference Extends Deadline for Papers on Current & Emerging Renewable Energy Sources & Energy-Reduction Technologies WASHINGTON (21 November 2011) — IEEE Green Technologies Conference organizers have extended the deadline for technical papers to 1 December.
Accepted papers will be presented during the fourth-annual conference, 19-20 April 2012, at Oral Roberts University and the Hilton Tulsa (Okla.) Southern Hills. They will also be published in a conference proceedings CD and available through the digital library IEEE Xplore.
Contributed papers on topics related to current (more…)
Try ieeecincinnati.org on your tablet or smartphone and see our new mobile friendly layout. The website automatically detects your device and delivers the appropriate layout. Let me know if you have problems or questions.
Raffel’s – 10160 Reading Road (see below for directions)
TIME :
5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Social Time
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Dinner (Reservation Required)
7:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. – Show and Tell
COST:
$12- $20, See information in Reservations
This year for our December 1st meeting we decided to try something different. We would like everyone to bring your favorite tool or toy to share with everyone. Bring that new 3D smartphone, 3DSi, the old Radio Shack TRS-80 computer in your basement, that new handheld digital oscilloscope, the electric car you’ve been working on, that K&E mahogany slide rule you had in college or any intriguing bit of technology to share with us. We will arrange tables around the meeting room for you to set up on and if you want to give a short presentation we’ll have the video projector ready. Of course Raffels will lay out a great holiday spread so it will be a great evening.
Kindle Fire
Also, every person sitting for dinner will get a chance at the door prize, a new Amazon Kindle Fire tablet e-reader, so get your dinner reservations in.
Please let us know what you’re thinking about bringing and we will update this posting with all the stuff. So far the following items will be at the meeting:
Handheld digital oscilloscope
Altair 8800 – 1975 personal computer
A 1920s and 1960s slide rules and geometry kits
Examples of some die cast British-made model trains
A very rare toy hovercraft from 1964, made in England by the same company that made Dinky Toys and other things
A 1950s windup “perpetual motion” ride (the windup motor betrays it) made by Wolverine
1922 RCA Radiola Senior Regenerative Receiver
Cabinet making hand tools including hand planes and pictures of cabinet projects
Leeds & Northrup optical pyrometer
Honeywell-Rubicon Wheatstone bridge
GE panel AC ammeter
GE benchtop DC ammeter
Galvin potentiometer
Zeiss comparator
Small Robot
Home brew DVR
If you have a gizmo that the members would like to see, send Charlie Nash a email and let me know what you’re bringing.
MENU SELECTIONS:
Buffet Menu: Roasted Turkey & Dressing, Baked Ham with Pineapples, Couscous Stuffed Green Peppers, Sweet Potato Casserole, Scalloped Potatoes, Seasoned Green Beans, Cranberry Relish, Dinner Rolls and Butter, and Dessert (Chef’s Choice)
LOCATION: Raffel’s is located at 10160 Reading Road, south of Glendale-Milford Road on the east side of Reading. Take I-75 to the Glendale-Milford Rd. Exit, go east on Glendale-Milford Road approximately ¾ of a mile to Reading Rd. and turn right on Reading.
RESERVATIONS:(Please note New Procedure) Please make reservations for each meeting by going to: https://ieeecincinnati.org/meetings/. Please click on the appropriate link and complete the reservation. You may now pay on-line.
Two ways to pay for dinner: 1) [Register and pay the fee now] using PayPal. 2) [Register and pay the fee at the meeting]. Check or cash; correct change appreciated.
Make checks payable to “IEEE Cincinnati Section”. Those desiring to use their bank’s bill payer service to send a check, rather than paying at the meeting, should contact Reservations@ieeecincinnati.org for details.
Reservations close at noon on November 24th, 2011.
DINNER RESERVATION CANCELLATION POLICY An email to Reservations@ieeecincinnati.org prior to the close of reservations is required to properly cancel your reservation. Failure to cancel does not eliminate your responsibility to pay for the dinner. Refunds for PayPal payments are more complicated, and we request that you leave the funds on deposit for a future meeting.
WALK-INS: Walk-ins are not available for this meeting.
All Reservations must be made by noon, Thursday, November 24th, 2011
PE CREDITS: Depending on the subject matter, attendance at IEEE Cincinnati Section Meetings now qualifies the attendee for Professional Development Hours towards renewal of Professional Engineers Licenses. Required documentation will be available following the meeting! The Section Meetings also provide a great opportunity to network with fellow engineers in the area.
Frank J. Sprague and the Electrification of Urban Transportation
Submitted by Marc Bell, Editor
Copyright 1997 IEEE. Reprinted with permission from the IEEE publication, “Scanning the Past” which covers a reprint of an article appearing in the Proceedings of the IEEE Vol. 85, No. 7, July 1997.
Frank J. Sprague (Fig. 1), known for his pioneering contributions to electric traction, electric elevators, and other applications of electric motors, was born 140 years ago this month. In recognition of his achievements in the field of electric power, he received the Edison Medal of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) in 1910. He also served as president of the AIEE during 1892-1893.
The son of the plant superintendent of a hat factory, Sprague was born in Milford, CT, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1878, the same year that the Edison Electric Light Company was incorporated. He served for about two years on a naval ship known as the Richmond and acted as a special correspondent of the Boston Herald while General Ulysses S. Grant spent time on the ship during visits to China and Japan. Subsequently, Sprague served aboard the Lancaster, stationed in the Mediterranean, and installed an electric call bell on the ship. He managed to observe an exhibition of electric lighting systems, including that of Edison, in Paris, France in (more…)
IEEE-USA E-Book on Transition from School to Work to be Offered Free as Special Benefit to IEEE Members
WASHINGTON (31 October 2011) — As a special benefit of IEEE membership for November, IEEE-USA is offering a free e-book, “Engineer’s Guide to Lifelong Employability: The Transition from School to Work.”
This e-book, prepared by the IEEE-USA Employment and Career Services Committee, provides a road map for the student preparing to enter the job market — what employers are looking for, how they can best find a job and what career paths are open to a new grad. Topics include:
* Finding a Job the Old-Fashioned Way * Networking * The Campus Interview * Making up Your Mind * Four Career Paths * Business — Big or Small? * A Non-Technology Company
“Demand for new BSEEs may be soaring, but so are employer’s standards and expectations,” writes Jean Eason, IEEE-USA Employment and Career Services Committee member. “Good grades and technical expertise aren’t enough anymore.”
From Nov. 1 through Nov. 30, “Engineer’s Guide to Lifelong Employability: The Transition from School to Work” can be downloaded at www.ieeeusa.org/communications/ebooks for free to IEEE Members. The nonmember price is $5.99.
Members can purchase other IEEE-USA E-Books at deeply discounted prices and download other free e-books.
In December the free publication will be book three in the “Engineer’s Guide to Lifelong Employability” series: “What Are You Worth?”
Open Innovation for Security-Related Technology Challenges to be Featured at IEEE Homeland Security Conference
WASHINGTON (31 October 2011) — Open innovation approaches, such as the Innovation Access Network (IAN), are being increasingly used to find solutions to homeland security-related technology challenges.
Rick Mahoney, IAN vice president of business development, will be hosting a business panel, “Innovation Access Network — Fostering Homeland Security / Defense Innovation,” during (more…)
ASME Cincinnati Section November Social Media (Free) Workshop Announcement
IEEE/ASME Cincinnati Section Members,
Don’t be the last to know how to safely and securely use Facebook, Linked-In, and other social media.
Also the engineering and applied science library at UC has freely-available resources to help solve many problems.
Receive 2.0 CPD hours toward Annual Licensure at the November “Safe and Secure Social Media Workshop”
The workshop will be held on a work night from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
Generic Logins and computers will be provided.
ASME Cincinnati Section: November Social Media Training
What: Safe and Secure Social Media Training for Facebook, Linked-In, etc.
Speaker: Ted Baldwin
Title “How to Effectively and Wisely use Social Media” (more…)
5:00 PM- 7:00 PM, United Way of Greater Cincinnati
A unique opportunity to learn about the recent LEED-registered United Way building renovation (LEED Cl v2009) and the operational benefits afforded by the LEED process. Also a great way to support (more…)
M. J. Kelly, president of the Bell Labs, characterized Black’s invention as ranking with the de Forest audion “as one of the two inventions of broadest scope and significance in electronics and communications of the past 50 years.” Kelly credited the negative feedback amplifier with having made possible the long-distance telecommunications networks that covered the country, as well as transoceanic telephone cables. He noted that by 1957, the application of the negative feedback principle had transcended telecommunications and had stimulated “the entire explosive extension (more…)
