Dr. Allen Katz spent 54 years as a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The College of New Jersey, and over five decades as an amateur radio operator known to the world by his callsign, K2UYH.
He was a pioneer of Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communication — the practice of bouncing radio signals off the lunar surface to reach operators across the globe. Using a 28-foot parabolic dish at his New Jersey home, he spent decades pushing the boundaries of what was possible on the moonbounce circuit, earning multiple world records along the way.
Beyond his ham radio work, Dr. Katz was the founder and president of Linearizer Technology, Inc., where his research into microwave linearization improved the performance of satellite communications payloads worldwide. He held 17 patents and authored more than 100 technical publications over his career.
His contributions were recognized with numerous honors, including the William Randolph Lovelace II Award from the American Astronautical Society, the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society's Application Award, and Fellow status in the IEEE. He also founded and for years hosted the Semi-Annual EME Conference, building a global community of moonbounce operators who considered him a mentor as much as a colleague.
Dr. Katz passed away in June 2024, shortly before the 20th EME Conference he had long championed took place near his home in New Jersey.