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From: john larkin <jl@650pot.com>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Instead scopes
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2024 11:44:20 -0700
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On Sat, 31 Aug 2024 17:59:04 -0000 (UTC), Phil Hobbs
<pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> wrote:

>john larkin <jlarkin_highland_tech> wrote:
>> On Thu, 29 Aug 2024 21:50:19 +0100, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid
>> (Liz Tuddenham) wrote:
>> 
>>> john larkin <jl@650pot.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> On Thu, 29 Aug 2024 16:15:59 GMT, Jan Panteltje <alien@comet.invalid>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> [...]
>>>>> Calculators yes.
>>> 
>>>> We weren't alowed to use a calculator on exams because it would give
>>>> an unfair advantage to the students that could afford one.
>>> 
>>> We were allowed mechanical calculators (Facits etc.) but there were only
>>> enough for half the candidates.  Half of us were locked in a room with a
>>> spare envigilator acting as a guard while the other half sat the exam
>>> then we swapped places and the ones who had taken the exam were locked
>>> in while the second group sat the exam.
>>> 
>>> Electronic calculators did not exist, but we did learn to program an
>>> analogue computer where 100v = 1 Machine Unit.
>> 
>> A lot of current engineering practise is left over from the days when
>> computing was expensive or non-existant. Things like s-parameters and
>> Smith charts.
>
>I’ve done a lot of lowish-power RF stuff, and mostly agree with you about
>the practicality of using S parameters in hand calculations. 
>
>However, I cordially disagree with your sentiments regarding Smith charts. 
>
>For one thing, they’re super useful for designing optical coatings, but
>that’s a minority interest on SED. 
>
>In RF work one runs into a lot of matching jobs involving modulated sine
>waves. 
>
>One typical example from my work is coupling sine modulation into a diode
>laser, for modulation-generated carrier interferometry.  (*)
> 
>A Smith chart makes it super easy to try out different schemes, such as
>series/shunt stubs, lumped elements, or any combination thereof. 
>
>Useless for bandwidths of an octave or more, and so apt to be undervalued
>by crass time-domain types. ;)

The interesting parts of the world are wideband and nonlinear. So are
we.

Sine waves are BORING.