Abstract: A tickle stick for locating marine life including lobsters which comprises an adjustable lighted end for probing locations where lobsters and the like may be found underwater. The stick includes a water tight compartment for housing a commercially available flash light to provide, at low cost, the light needed in locating the lobster. The water tight compartment also serves to provide positive buoyancy as well as a storage compartment.

Abstract: A directional coupler has a multi-layered low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate. A circuit line is located on one of the layers and is connected to an input port and an output port. Another circuit line is located on a different layer and is connected to a forward coupled port and a reverse coupled port. The circuit lines are located close to each other such that they are electromagnetically coupled. Ground planes are located on the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate.

Abstract: A coupler that has a small package size and is adjustable after manufacturing. A coupler has a substrate with several dielectric layers and a top and bottom surface. A ground plane is located on the top surface and another ground plane is located on the bottom surface. A pair of coupled circuit lines are located within the substrate. Conductive vias extend between the layers and provide an electrical connection between the ground planes and the circuit lines. The top ground plane has several segments joined by links. The top ground plane can be modified to adjust the coupling between the coupled circuit lines by deleting one or more of the links. The links can be used to adjust the coupling after the coupler has been manufactured.

Abstract: A double balanced mixer with improved isolation between the LO and RF frequency signals. The mixer has a local oscillator balun, an intermediate frequency balun and an RF balun. The baluns are located on inner layers of a substrate comprised of low temperature co-fired ceramic. The baluns are formed from spiral lines that form windings. The windings are coupled between adjacent layers. The local oscillator balun is connected to the intermediate frequency balun. A diode ring is connected between the RF balun and the intermediate frequency balun. The diode ring is mounted to a top layer. Several vias extend through the substrate. The vias provide an electrical connection between the baluns and the diode ring.

Abstract: A tunable amplitude unbalance stripline combiner for RF signals in which the amplitude unbalance can be adjusted in order to minimize the amplitude unbalance. The combiner has an upper printed circuit board mounted over a lower printed circuit board. The lower printed circuit board has a pair of printed circuit lines that are connected between an output port and a pair of input ports. The upper printed circuit board has a metallized area covering the top surface. Several non-metallized cavities are located in the metallized area above the circuit lines. The number of cavities can be adjusted to change the amplitude unbalance.

Abstract: A miniature wideband bias tee that has a small package size. The bias tee has a low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface. A first inductor is located within the substrate. A second inductor is attached to the top surface and has a core with a wire wound on the core. Terminals are located on the top and bottom surfaces. Ends of the wire are connected to terminals on the top surface. A capacitor is mounted to terminals on the top surface. Several vias extend through the substrate and electrically connect the terminals to the inductor and capacitor.