About Us

1861 Welch Street, North Vancouver, BC

Ionocom provides electronic design and development. Our services are centered around circuit design and the subsequent design of printed circuit boards. We also write embedded firmware and PC-based software where this is required. Where clients need industrial or mechanical design we can recommend and work closely with other local companies. We usually deliver a small quantity of prototypes to our clients, and once a design is complete we can recommend local contract electronics manufacturers for volume production.

Ionocom has two full-time partners who perform design and development, with part-time technician and assembly effort available when required. Ionocom provides the small-company benefits of personal service and attention to detail.

Ionocom's offices

We are located on Welch Street in North Vancouver, BC. Just a few minutes from the Capilano Road exit off Highway 1 and from the Lion's Gate Bridge to downtown Vancouver, the location has good access to all parts of the Lower Mainland.

Our office suite is in a well-maintained multi-tenant building. Fast, fibre-optic internet connection and individual offices provide for research, development and computer-aided design. A meeting space facilitates presentations and meetings with clients. A well-equipped lab provides for build, debug and test of prototypes, and a workshop area provides for mechanical work.




Over the years Ionocom has participated in several industry organisations including the Advanced Systems Institute (we were regular participants in the ASI Exchange), Digi BC, the Wireless Innovation Network of BC, and the BC Technology Industry Association.

Ionocom was founded in February 2000 by Matthew Kendall and Nick Massey, both former employees of Racal Canada, an HF radio communications equipment supplier. Previously both were employees of Racal Research, the corporate research and development facility for Racal Electronics in Reading, UK.


Nick Massey

Nick graduated from Edinburgh University in 1979 with a First Class Honours degree in Engineering Science (Electrical and Electronic).

From 1979 to 1994 Nick worked for Racal Research Ltd, reaching the position of Chief Engineer. During his time at Racal Research, Nick worked on many aspects of radio and radio system design for frequency hopping and tactical radio systems at HF, VHF and UHF. His work included propagation and scenario modelling, signal processing algorithms, interference excision and avoidance algorithms and synchronisation system design for frequency hopping radios. He also designed RF transmitter and receiver circuits for HF and VHF radios, synthesisers and antenna tuning units for HF radios and various FSK modems for HF radios. Nick took several projects from research through to production, working closely with Racal Production companies.

In 1994 Nick joined Racal Canada as Chief Engineer and in 1996 he was appointed Vice President of Engineering. During his time at Racal Canada Nick worked on the development of "high-speed" serial modems for HF communications, the design of a 125W linear power amplifier for an HF transceiver and a 150W Antenna Tuning Unit. As Vice President of Engineering, Nick managed an Engineering department of 20 engineers and technicians developing HF radio hardware and embedded control and DSP software. He was also responsible for liaison between the Engineering Department and both internal and external manufacturing plants.

In 2000 Nick co-founded Ionocom Communications where he has worked on a wide variety of projects. He specialises in wireless communications, power and battery management.

Matthew Kendall View Matthew Kendall's LinkedIn profile

Matthew graduated from the University of York in 1987 with a First Class Honours degree in Electronic Engineering.

From 1987 to 1994 Matthew worked for Racal Research Ltd, reaching the position of Principal Engineer. During his time at Racal Research Matthew worked on the RF hardware and DSP firmware of a 900 MHz Rayleigh Fading Simulator and on cell planning for a 900 MHz cellular system. He also designed a high-speed digital correlator, a synthesiser for a VHF tactical radio, RF transmitter and receiver circuits for a VHF Radio-PAD, and the logic/microprocessor/DSP board of a miniature secure VHF tactical radio. Matthew also managed several feasibility studies in the RF Test Equipment and VHF radio fields.

In 1994 Matthew joined Racal Canada, reaching the position of Chief Engineer. During his time at Racal Canada Matthew worked on the hardware and software development of "high-speed" serial modems for HF communications and was Project Manager on a number of hardware and software development projects including an HF Antenna Tuning Unit, Antenna Multiplexer and an email server application.

In 2000 Matthew co-founded Ionocom Communications. He specialises in wireless communications, low-power and analog design, microcontrollers and embedded firmware.

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