Search results for ""author macgregor""

Fascist Italy's ultimate defeat was foreordained. It was a pygmy among giants, and Hitler's failure to destroy the Soviet Union in 1941 doomed all three Axis powers. But Italy's defeat was unique; the only asset that it conquered - briefly - with its own unaided forces in the entire Second World War was a dusty and useless corner of Africa, British Somaliland. And Italy's forces dissolved in 1943 almost without resistance, in stark contrast to the grim fight to the last cartridge of Hitler's army or the fanatical faithfulness unto death of the troops of Imperial Japan. This book tries to understand why the Italian armed forces and Fascist regime were so remarkably ineffective at an activity - war - central to their existence. It approaches the issue above all from the perspective of military culture, through analysis of the services' failure to imagine modern warfare and through a topical structure that offers a social-cultural, political, military-economic, strategic, operational, and tactical cross-section of the war effort.

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Of all the travels of an adventurous age, none have been more quirky and colourful than this Victorian traverse of the Middle East by canoe. Transported to the Suez Canal by steamer, the Rob Roy - an oak and cedar one-man kayak canoe – slipped into the water at Port Said and began a six months voyage. Stalked by jackals, shadowed by bandits and attacked by crocodiles, MacGregor battles on to be rewarded with the adventure of a lifetime. This is the Middle East seen from a truly unique perspective - airy minarets, colourful markets and Pasha's palaces give way to solitary marshes full of strange fishes and reed-lined rivers teeming with bird and animal life seen at close range, then give way again to eerie stretches dominated by deserted temples and ruins. Crossing deserts by horseback or steam train when no channel can be found, MacGregor follows great rivers to their sources, explores remote shores and mixes happily with the many peoples he meets along the way, captured here in all their rich diversity. This is as much a portrait of the way life can be lived as it is of a landscape. It is also a remarkable naturalist's account and a true-life epic worthy of Jules Verne. Illustrated with charming line drawings and practical notes on the design of the canoe, its provisioning and clothes and food necessary this is a book that cries out to be read.

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DETAILED COVERAGE OF LOW-NOISE SYSTEMS IN THE DEEP SPACE NETWORK This book explores the low-noise microwave systems that form the front end of all DSN ground receiving stations. It explains why the front end of each antenna is key to establishing the sensitivity, polarization, frequency diversity, and capabilities of the receiving chain and, therefore, the entire ground station. The book uses precise definitions, measurements, and calibrations of system noise temperature for the calculations based on IEEE standards—an approach that is not generally used in industry and research—which facilitates clarity, understanding, and cross-referencing throughout the book. With the guidance of this book, readers will gain unprecedented insight into all of the major topics needed to understand how to improve a ground station's receiving capability. Low-Noise Systems in the Deep Space Network provides: A description of all internal and external noise elements A complete analysis of ruby maser microwave preamplifiers and closed-cycle refrigerators A comprehensive discussion of high electron mobility transistors (HEMT), including theory, operation, calibration, noise modeling, and characterization A look at external noise and changing atmospheric conditions An overview of antenna gain All noise contributions in the front end are detailed in their measurement and calibration, with an emphasis on achieving maximum accuracy and precision. Each step is analyzed with mathematical rigor, so that the logic trail can be followed throughout. Conversely, the author also provides the overall summary of measurements, error analyses, and statistical results. The book is complemented with copious photographs, diagrams, graphs, and tables; an extensive list of acronyms and abbreviations; cross-references; and an extended list of equations brought together compactly for easy reference. It is an invaluable resource for designers and operators of communications systems, radio- and radar-astronomy stations, space-research facilities, and interferometry observatories. It is also suitable for a range of scientists, engineers, and management personnel, and advanced undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and mathematics.

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