Book excerpt: This standard handbook for engineers covers the fundamentals, theory and applications of radio, electronics, computers, and communications equipment. It provides information on essential, need-to-know topics without heavy emphasis on complicated mathematics. It is a "must-have" for every engineer who requires electrical, electronics, and communications data. Featured in this updated version is coverage on intellectual property and patents, probability and design, antennas, power electronics, rectifiers, power supplies, and properties of materials. Useful information on units, constants and conversion factors, active filter design, antennas, integrated circuits, surface acoustic wave design, and digital signal processing is also included. This work also offers new knowledge in the fields of satellite technology, space communication, microwave science, telecommunication, global positioning systems, frequency data, and radar.