<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit 10(a)
                                                           Form 10-QSB (3/31/97)

                           LOAN MODIFICATION AGREEMENT

     This Loan Modification Agreement is entered into as of January 15, 1997, 
by and between EIP Microwave, Inc. ("Borrower") whose address is 1745 
McCandless Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035, and Silicon Valley Bank ("Silicon") 
whose address is 3003 Tasman Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054.

1.   DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS:  Among other indebtedness which 
may be owing by Borrower to Silicon, Borrower is indebted to Silicon pursuant 
to, among other documents, a Loan and Security Agreement, dated March 10, 
1992 (including the Schedule thereto), as may be amended from time to 
time (the "Loan Agreement").  The Loan Agreement provided for, among other 
things, a Credit Limit in the original principal amount of Five Hundred 
Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($500,000.00) (the "A/R Facility").  The A/R 
Facility has been modified pursuant to, among other documents, a Loan 
Modification Agreement dated November 15, 1996, pursuant to which, among 
other things, the Credit Limit was decreased to One Hundred Eighty Five 
Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($185,000.00). Defined terms used but not 
otherwise defined herein shall have the same meanings as in the Loan 
Agreement.  

Hereinafter, all indebtedness owing by Borrower to Silicon shall be referred 
to as the "Indebtedness."

2.   DESCRIPTION OF COLLATERAL AND GUARANTIES:  Repayment of the Indebtedness 
is secured by the Collateral as described in the Loan Agreement.

Hereinafter, the above-described security documents and guaranties, together 
with all other documents  securing repayment of the Indebtedness shall be 
referred to as the "Security Documents."  Hereinafter, the Security 
Documents, together with all other documents evidencing or securing the 
Indebtedness shall be referred to as the "Existing Loan Documents."

3.   DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE IN TERMS.

     A.   MODIFICATION(S) TO LOAN AGREEMENT.

          1.   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the section
               entitled "1.1 Loans", Silicon, in its discretion, will make loans
               to the Borrower (the "Loans") in amounts determined by Silicon in
               its discretion up to the amount (the "Credit Limit") shown on the
               Schedule to this Agreement (the "Schedule").

          2.   The following modifications pertain to the Schedule to the Loan
               Agreement:

                 a.  Modification(s) to Credit Limit.

                      (1)  The first paragraph of the section entitled
                      "Credit Limit (Section 1.1)" is hereby amended in
                      its entirety to read as follows:

                      An amount not to exceed the lesser of: (i)
                      $500,000.00 at any one time outstanding or (ii) 60%
                      of the Net Amount of Borrower's accounts, which
                      Silicon in its discretion deems eligible for
                      borrowing.

                      (2)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
                      contained in the section entitled "Credit Limit
                      (Section 1.1)" accounts relating to Marconi
                      Instruments and accounts relating to and with
                      respect to which the account debtor is a federal,
                      state, or local governmental entity shall no longer
                      be deemed as eligible accounts.

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<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit 10(a)
                                                           Form 10-QSB (3/31/97)

               b.  Extension of Maturity Date.

                  The Maturity Date as set forth in the section entitled
                      "Maturity Date (Section 5.1)" is hereby deleted and
                      replaced, effective as of the date hereof, with
                      "March 5, 1997."

               c.  Modification of the Financial Covenants.

                  (1) The Tangible Net Worth and Profitability covenants
                      as set forth in the section entitled "Financial
                      Covenants (Section 4.1)" are hereby amended to read
                      as follows:

                      TANGIBLE NET WORTH.  Borrower shall maintain, on a
                      monthly basis, beginning with the month ended
                      September 30, 1996, a tangible net worth of not
                      less than $1,000,000.00 plus 100% of funded
                      Subordinated Debt.

                      PROFITABILITY.  Borrower shall be profitable (after
                      taxes) on a quarterly basis with an allowance for
                      losses of $135,000.00 for the quarter ended 
                      December 31, 1996 and $105,000.00 for the quarter
                      ending March 31, 1997.

                  (2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
                      in the definition of "Subordinated Debt",
                      indebtedness owing by Borrower to the Creditor's
                      named below, which shall be subordinated to the
                      indebtedness of Silicon  under a subordination
                      agreement in form specified by Silicon, shall be
                      included in the Tangible Net Worth for the purposes
                      of the Financial Covenants:

                  CREDITORS                   AMOUNT
                  ---------                   ------
                  John F. Bishop              $300,000.00
                  J. Bradford Bishop          $300,000.00

               d.  Modification to "Other Covenants".

                  The last sentence in paragraph 2 of the section of the
                  Schedule to the Loan Agreement entitled "Other Covenants
                  (Section 4.1)", describing the monthly backlog report
                  requirement, is hereby deleted.

4.   CONSISTENT CHANGES. The Existing Loan Documents are hereby amended 
wherever necessary to reflect the changes described above.

5.   PAYMENT OF LOAN FEE.     Borrower shall pay to Silicon a fee in the 
amount of Five Hundred and 00/100 Dollars ($500.00) (the "Loan Fee") plus all 
out-of-pocket expenses.

6.   NO DEFENSES OF BORROWER. Borrower (and each guarantor and pledgor 
signing below) agrees that it has no defenses against the obligations to pay 
any amounts under the Indebtedness.

7.   CONTINUING VALIDITY.     Borrower (and each guarantor and pledgor 
signing below) understands and agrees that in modifying the existing 
Indebtedness, Silicon is relying upon Borrower's representations, warranties, 
and agreements, as set forth in the Existing Loan Documents.  Except as 
expressly modified pursuant to this Loan Modification Agreement, the terms of 
the Existing Loan Documents remain unchanged and in full force and effect.  
Silicon's agreement to modifications to the existing Indebtedness pursuant to 
this

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<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit 10(a)
                                                           Form 10-QSB (3/31/97)

Loan Modification Agreement in no way shall obligate Silicon to make any 
future modifications to the Indebtedness.  Nothing in this Loan Modification 
Agreement shall constitute a satisfaction of the Indebtedness. It is the 
intention of Silicon and Borrower to retain as liable parties all makers and 
endorsers of Existing Loan Documents, unless the party is expressly released 
by Silicon in writing.  No maker, endorser, or guarantor will be released by 
virtue of this Loan Modification Agreement.  The terms of this paragraph 
apply not only to this Loan Modification Agreement, but also to all 
subsequent loan modification agreements.

8.   CONDITIONS.    The effectiveness of this Loan Modification Agreement is 
conditioned upon Borrower's payment of the Loan Fee and receipt by Silicon, 
of Subordination Agreements executed by the Creditor's set-forth herein.

     This Loan Modification Agreement is executed as of the date first 
written above.

BORROWER:                                SILICON:

EIP MICROWAVE, INC.                      SILICON VALLEY BANK


By:  /s/ Lewis R. Foster                 By:  /s/ Julie Schneider
     -------------------                 -------------------------
Name:    Lewis R. Foster                 Name:  Julie Schneider
     -------------------                 -------------------------
Title:   President                       Title:      AVP
     -------------------                 -------------------------

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