Spectrum - Volume 19 Issue 30 May 1, 1997 - Motorola donates equipment to wireless center

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Motorola donates equipment to wireless center

By Lynn Nystrom

Spectrum Volume 19 Issue 30 - May 1, 1997

Virginia Tech and the Center for Wireless Telecommunications (CWT) have received an equipment donation from Motorola's Paging Products Group.

The equipment includes a spectrum analyzer with optional plug-ins and tracking generators, digital volt meters, counters, and a high-end signal generator. The equipment will be used in the electrical engineering department's RF lab for student use especially at the undergraduate level.

Virginia Tech alumni Russ Strobel and Tom Nolan were responsible for arranging the equipment donation. Strobel, Motorola senior product manager, said that it gave him a "great sense of personal pride to arrange for this equipment to come to Virginia Tech especially for undergraduate student use." He recalled courses he had as a student with Charles Bostian, now CWT director, and Warren Stutzman.

Charlene Johnson, a Motorola staffing specialist visiting campus to recruit students, said that the gift marks the start of a new relationship between Motorola and the university.

Expressing his appreciation for the gift, EE Department Head Leonard Ferrari remarked, "Virginia Tech is one of the only places that still does RF circuit design. This equipment is expensive and without this kind of donation we wouldn't be able to continue this type of [activity]. This is particularly good for our wireless program."

CWT faculty member William A. Davis hosted a demonstration of the new equipment. Christa Chatzipetros and Argy Chatzipetros, both Virginia Tech alumni and Motorola employees, said that Motorola is happy with Virginia Tech and the quality of the students.