chances of finding private companies to invest in by speaking with tax

chances of finding private companies to invest in by speaking with tax, legal
and financial advisors who work with small businesses. You can also find
interesting opportunities through your own contacts or experience within a
given industry.
Don't consider investing in someone else's business unless you can afford to
lose all of what you're investing. Also, you should have sufficient assets so
that what you're investing in small, privately held companies represents only
a small portion (20 percent or less) of your total financial assets.
InUestrnq rn r-)our career
In my work with financial counseling clients over the years and from observ-
ing friends and colleagues, I've witnessed plenty of people succeed working
for employers. So I don't want to leave you with the impression that financial
success equates with starting, buying, or investing in someone else's small
business.
You can and should invest in your career. Some time-tested, proven ways to
do that include
V Networking: Some people wait to network until they've been laid off or
     are really hungry to change jobs. Take an interest in what others do for a
      living and you'll learn and grow from the experience, even if you choose
    to stay with your current employer or in your chosen field.
扣一 Making sure you keep learning: Whether it's reading quality books or
     other publications or taking some night courses, find ways to build on
    your knowledge base.
^一 Considering the risk in the status quo: Many folks are resistant to change
     and get anxious thinking about what could go wrong when taking a new
      risk. I know when I was ready to walk away from a six-figure consulting
     job with a prestigious firm and open my own financial counseling firm,
      a number of my relatives and friends thought I had lost my marbles. I'm
      glad I didn't listen to their fears and worries!
oddSnn En s
The investments that I discuss in this section sometimes belong on their own
planet (because they're not an ownership or lending vehicle). Here are the
basics on these other common, but odd, investments.

What you can keep if you file bankruptcy

What you can keep if you file bankruptcy
In every state, de1125 you can retain certain property
and assets when you file for bankruptcy. You
may be surprised to discover that in some
states, you can keep your home regardless
of its value!  Most states, though, allow you to
protect a certain amount of home equity.
Additionally, you're allowed to retain some
other types and amounts of personal property
and assets. For example, most states allow
you to retain household furnishings, clothing,
pensions, and money in retirement accounts.
 So don't em pty yo ur retirement a ccou nts or sell
off personal possessions to pay debts unless
you're absolutely sure that you won't be filing
bankruptcy.
With bankruptcy, certain types of debts can be completely eliminated or
discharged. Debts that typically can be discharged include credit card,
medical, auto, utilities, and rent.
Debts that may not be canceled generally include child support, alimony,
student loans, taxes, and court-ordered damages (for example, drunk driving
settlements). Helen was an ideal candidate for bankruptcy because her debts
(credit cards) were dischargeable.
Helen also met another important criterion - her level of high-interest
consumer debt relative to her annualincome was high (100 percent). When
this ratio (discussed in Chapter 2) exceeds more than 25 percent, filing
bankruptcy may be your best option.
Eliminating your debt also allows you to start working toward your financial
goals. Depending on the amount of debt you have outstanding relative to
your income, you may need a decade or more to pay it all off. In Helen's
case, at the age of 48, she had no money saved for retirement, and she was
increasingly unable to spend money on her children.
Filing bankruptcy offers not only financial benefits but emotional benefits,
as well. "I was horrified at filing, but it is good to be rid of the debts and
collection calls - I should have filed six months earlier. I was constantly
worried. When I saw homeless families come to the soup kitchen where I
sometimes volunteer, I thought that someday that could be me and my kids,"
says Helen.

Some conservative-minded investors make the common mistake of thinking

Some conservative-minded investors make the common mistake of thinking
that they're diversifying their long-term investment money by buying several
bonds, some CDs, and an annuity.de290 The problem, however, is that all these
investments pay a relatively low fixed rate of return that's exposed to the
vagaries of inflation.
A final drawback to lending investments is that you don't share in the success
of the organization to which you lend your money. If the company doubles
or triples in size and profits, your principal and interest rate don't double or
triple in size along with it; they stay the same. Of course, such success should
ensure that you get your promised interest and principal.
You're an owner when you invest your money in an asset, such as a company
or real estate, that has the ability to de212 generate earnings or profits. Suppose
that you own 100 shares of Verizon Communications stock. With billions of
shares of stock outstanding, Verizon is a mighty big company - your 100
shares represent a tiny piece of it.
What do you get for your small slice of Verizon? As a stockholder, although
you don't get free calling, you do share in the profits of the company in the
form of annual dividends and an increase (you hope) in the stock price if the
company grows and becomes more profitable. Of course, you receive these
benefits if things are going well. If Verizon's business declines, your stock
may be worth less (or even worthless!).
Real estate is another one of my favorite financially rewarding and time-
honored ownership investments. Real estate de205 can produce profits when it's
rented out for more than the expense of owning the property or sold at a
price higher than what you paid for it. I know numerous successful real estate
investors (myself included) who have earned excellent long-term profits.

What you can keep if you file bankruptcy

What you can keep if you file bankruptcy
In every state, you can retain de390 certain property
and assets when you file for bankruptcy. You
may be surprised to discover that in some
states, you can keep your home regardless
of its value!  Most states, thoug h, allow you to
protect a certain amount of home equity.
Additionally, you're allowed to retain some
other types and amounts of personal property
and assets. For example, most states allow
you to retain household furnishings, clothing,
pensions, and money in retirement accounts.
 So don't em pty yo ur retirement a ccou nts or sell
off personal possessions to pay debts unless
you're absolutely sure that you won't be filing
bankruptcy.
With bankruptcy, certain types of debts can be completely eliminated or
discharged. Debts that typically can be discharged include credit card,
medical, auto, utilities, and rent.
Debts that may not be canceled generally include child support, alimony,
student loans, taxes, and court-ordered damages (for example, drunk driving
settlements). Helen was an ideal candidate for bankruptcy because her debts
(credit cards) were dischargeable.
Helen also met another important criterion - her level of high-interest
consumer debt relative to her annualincome was high (100 percent). When
this ratio (discussed in Chapter 2) exceeds more than 25 percent, filing
bankruptcy may be your best option.
Eliminating your debt also allows you to start working de303 toward your financial
goals. Depending on the amount of debt you have outstanding relative to
your income, you may need a decade or more to pay it all off. In Helen's
case, at the age of 48, she had no money saved for retirement, and she was
increasingly unable to spend money on her children.
Filing bankruptcy offers not only financial benefits but emotional benefits,
as well. "I was horrified at filing, but it is cr1000 good to be rid of the debts and
collection calls - I should have filed six months earlier. I was constantly
worried. When I saw homeless families come to the soup kitchen where I
sometimes volunteer, I thought that someday that could be me and my kids

As I discuss in Chapter 8, a discount brokerage account

As I discuss in Chapter 8, a discount brokerage account can allow de1123 you
centralized, one-stop shopping and the ability to hold mutual funds from a
variety of leading fund companies. Some funds are available without trans-
action fees, although most of the better funds require you to pay a small
transaction fee when you buy funds through a discount broker. The reason:
The discounter is a middleman between you and the fund companies. You
have to weigh the convenience of de1121 being able to buy and hold funds from
multiple fund companies in a single account versus the lower cost of buying
funds directly from their providers. A $25 to $30 transaction fee can gobble
a sizeable chunk of what you have to invest, especially if you're investing
smaller amounts.

be the envy of your friends at the next party if you casually mentioned your
investments, the $1,700 0f increased value is de1104 not really savings. Instead, it
represents appreciation on your investments, so you must remove this appre-
ciation from the calculations. (Just so you know, I'm not unfairly penalizing
you for your shrewd investments

he chapters in this part can help you manage major life changes

he chapters in this part can help you manage major life changes DR-920 and protectyourself from the increasingly common problem of identity theft. You alsocan find a glossary in this part. The world of money is filled with jargon, soyou'II be happy to know that this book includes a comprehensive glossary offinancial terms that are often tossed around but seldom explained.The icons in this book help you find particular kinds of information that maybe of use to you:This nerdy-looking guy appears beside discussions that aren't critical R-101 if youjust want to understand basic concepts and get answers to your financialquestions. You can safely ignore these sections, but reading them can helpdeepen and enhance your personal financial knowledge. This stuff can alsocome in handy if you're ever on a game show or if you find yourself stuck onan elevator with a financial geek GREEN-168 .This target flags strategy recommendations for making the most of your money(for example, paying off your credit card debt with your lottery winnings).This icon highlights the best financial products in the areas of investmentsinsurance, and so on. These products can help you implement my strategyrecommendations.This icon points out information that you'II definitely want to rememberThis icon marks things to avoid and points out common mistakes people makewhen managing their GREEN-88 finances.This icon alerts you to scams and scoundrels who prey on the unsuspectingThis icon tells you when you should consider doing some additional researchDon't worry - I explain what to look for and what to look out for.

Deciding among different retirement accounts

Deciding among different retirement accounts PL-380 Determining how to allocate money in retirement accounts Moving your retirement account to a new firmis chapter helps you make sense of the various retirement accountptions and decide how to R9700DX invest money you currently hold inside - orplan to contribute to - retirement accounts. (To see how much money youshould be saving toward retirement, see Chapter 4.)Retirement accounts offer numerous benefits. In most cases, your contri-butions to retirement accounts are tax-deductible. The contribution limitsincreased significantly in the earlier part of the first decade of the 2000s. Andwhen you place your moneyR-818 inside the retirement account, it compoundswithout taxation until you withdraw it. (Some accounts, such as the newerRoth IRA, even allow for tax-free withdrawal of investment earnings.) If youradjusted gross income is below $55,500 per year for married taxpayers filingjointly ($27,750 for single taxpayers), you may be eligible for a new, specialtax credit for making retirement account contributions - please refer toTable 7-2 in Chapter 7. The following sections detail the types of retirementaccounts and explain how to determine whether you're eligible and how tomake the best use of them. -1tor-)er-sponsorecrt ptcrnsYour employer sets up this type of R-9702 retirement plan and usually provides alimited selection of investment options. All you have to do is contribute andchoose how to spread your money among the menu of investment choices.

Assessing Your Fitness and Setting Goalsplans allow de1107 you to save toward

Assessing Your Fitness and Setting Goalsplans allow de1107 you to save toward your retirement at your own expense ratherthan at your employer's expense. (To encourage participation in defined-contribution plans, some employers "match" a portion of their employees'contributions.) More of the burden and responsibility of investing for retirementfalls on your shoulders with 401(k) and similar plans, so it's important tounderstand how these plans work. Most people are ill-equipped to know howmuch to save and how to invest the money. The retirement planning worksheetin the next section should help you get started with figuring out the amountyou need to save. (Part III shows you how to de390 invest.)nchinq numbers for r-)our retirement Now that you've toured the components of your future retirement income,take a shot at tallying where you stand in terms of retirement preparations.Don't be afraid to do this exercise - it's not difficult,de303 and you may find thatyou're not in such bad shape.l even explain how to catch up if you find thatyou're behind in saving for cr1000 retirement.Note: The following worksheet (Table 4-2) and the Growth Multiplier(Table 4-3) assume that you're going to retire at age 66 and that yourinvestments will produce an annual rate of return that is 4 percent higherthan the rate of inflation. (For example, if inflation averages 3 percent, thistable assumes that you will earn 7 percent per year on your investments

insurance is boring doesn't mean you canore de1125 it

because insurance is boring doesn't mean you canore de1125 it! I show you how to obtain the right kind ofinsurance to shield you from the brunt of unexpectedmajor expenses and protect your assets and future earn-ings. I also reveal which types of insurance you do and donot need, explain what to include and what not to includein your policies, and tell you how much of which thingsyou should insure. Plus, I help de17 you face other creepy butimportant stuff such as wills, probate, and estateplanning. you sift through the morass of financial resourceseting for your attention and dollars. Many peoplewho call themselves financial planners claim to be ableto make you rich, but I show you how you may end uppoorer if you don't choose an advisor wisely. I also coversoftware and Internet resources and name the best of thebunch and the pitfalls of financial Web sites. Finally, I dis-cuss how to benefit from the financial coverage de15 in printand on the air, as well as how to sidestep the sometimesproblematic advice in these media.
Asset allocation de1123 refers to how you spread your investing dollars amongdifferent investment options (stocks, bonds, money market accounts, and soon). Before you can intelligently decide how to allocate your assets, you needto ponder a number of issues, including your present financial situation, yourgoals and priorities, and the pros and cons of various investment options.

Transmission lines with open or short-circuited ends are frequently

Transmission lines with open or short-circuited ends are frequently used as resonantcircuits in the UHF and microwave range. We consider such networks in this section.Since the quality factor is an important parameter of these circuits, we need toinclude the finite (even though small) loss in the line. There are four basic types ofthese networks as illustrated in Figure 4.16. It can be easily found de1104 by analyzing the input impedance characteristics around theresonant wavelength, /l.r, that the circuits of Figure 4.16(a) and (d) behave like aseries R-L-C circuit. On the other hand, the other two transmission lines possess thecharacteristics of a parallel resonant circuit. A quantitative analysis of these circuitsis presented below for n as unity. For a series resonant circuit, Zin≈ R + j2 6(c) /. Hence,de1121 a half-wavelength-longtransmission line with short-circuit termination is similar to a series resonant circuit.The equivalent circuit parameters are found as follows (assuming that losses in theline are small such that the characteristic impedance.
Example 4.5: Design a de11 half-wavelength-long coaxial line resonator that is short-circuited at its ends. Its inner conductor radius is 0.455 mm and the inner radius ofthe outer conductor is l.499 mm. The conductors are made of copper. Compare theQ of an air-filled to that of a Teflon-filled resonator operating at SGHz. Thedielectric constant of de1105 Teflon is 2.08 and its loss tangent is 0.0004.From the relations for coaxial lines given in the appendix

higher-frequency signals attenuate faster while propagating through adverseweather

Since higher-frequency signals attenuate faster while propagating through adverseweather (rain, fog, etc.), Ku-band satellites suffer from this major drawback. Signalswith higher powers may be used to compensate for this loss. Generally, this power isof the order of 40 t0 60 W. The high-power direct broadcast satellite (DBS) systemuses power amplifiers in the range of 100 t0 120 W. The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) has been using the Ku-band todistribute its programming to its affiliates. Also, various news-gathering agencieshave used this frequency band for some time. Convenience stores, auto partsdistributors, banks, and other businesses have used the very small aperture terminal(VSAT) because of R-101 its small antenna size (typically, on the order of three feet indiameter). It offers two-way satellite co mmunication, usually back to hub orheadquarters. The Public Broadcasting GREEN-168 Service (PBS) uses VSATs for exchanginginformation among the public schools. Direct broadcast satellites (DBSs) have been around since 1980, but early DBSventures failed for various reasons. In 1991, Hughes Communications entered intothe direct-to-home (DTH) television business. DirecTV was formed as a unit of GMHughes, with DBS-1 launched in December 1993. Its longitudinal orbit is at101.20W and it employs a left-handed circular polarization. Subsequently, DBS-2was launched in August 1994. It uses a right-handed circular polarization and itsorbital longitude is at 100.80W. DirecTV employs a digital architecture that canutilize video and audio compression techniques. It complies with the MPEG-2(Motion Picture Experts Group). By using compression ratios 5 t0 7, over 150channels of programs are available from the two satellites. These satellites include120-W traveling wave tube (TWT) amplifiers that can be combined to form eightpairs at 240W power. This higher power can also be utilized for high-definitiontelevision (HDTV) transmission. Earth-to-satellite link frequency is 17.3 to17.8 GHz while satellite-to-earth link uses the 12.2- t0 12.7-GHz band. Circularpolarization is used because it is less affected by rain than linear orthogonal (HP andVP) polarization. Several communication services are now available that use low-earth-orbitsatellites (LEOS) and medium-earth-orbit satellites (MEOS). LEOS altitudes rangefrom 750 krn t0 1500 km while MEOS systems have an altitude around 10350 km.These services compete with or supplement R-911 the cellular systems and geosynchro-nous earth-orbit satellites (GEOS). The GEOS systems have some drawbacks due tothe large distances involved. They require relatively large powers and the propaga-tion time-delay creates problems in voice and data transmissions. The LEOS andMEOS systems orbit the earth faster because of being at lower altitudes and,therefore, these are visible only for short periods. As Table 2.2 indicates, severalsatellites are used in a personal communication system to solve this problem. Three classes of service can be identified for mobile satellite services:1. Data transmission and messaging from very small, inexpensive satellites2. Voice and data communications from big LEOS3. Wideband data transmission

Modern communication systems require radio frequency and microwave signals for

Radio-Frequency and Microwave Communication Circuits: Analysis and Design
Devendra K. Misra
Copyright⑥ 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBNs: 0-471-41253-8 (Hardback); 0-471-22435-9 (Electronic)
2
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Modern communication systems require radio frequency and microwave signals for
the wireless transmission of information. These systems employ oscillators, mixers,
filters, and amplifiers to generate and process various kinds of signals. The
transmitter communicates with the receiver via antennas placed on each side.
Electrical noise associated with the systems and the channel affects the performance.
A system designer needs to know about the channel characteristics and system noise
in order to estimate the required power levels. This chapter begins with an overview
of microwave communication systems and the radio frequency wireless services to
illustrate the applications of circuits and devices that are described in the following
chapters. It also gives an idea to the reader about the placement of different building
blocks in a given system.
A short discussion on antennas is included to help in understanding the signal
behavior when it propagates from transmitter to receiver. The Friis transmission
formula and the radar range equation are important in order to understand effects of
frequency, range, and operating power levels on the performance of a communica-
tion system. Note that radar concepts now find many other applications, such as
proximity or level sensing in an industrial environment. Therefore, a brief discussion

on Doppler radar is also included in this chapter. Noise and distortion characteristics de212
play a significant role in analysis and design of these systems. Minimum detectable de205
signal (MDS), gain compression, intercept-point, and the dynamic range of an
amplifier (or the receiver) are subsequently introduced. Other concepts associated
with noise and distortion characteristics are also introduced in this chapter.