This reminds me of the question I asked in the old group regarding an oscilloscope. I wondered if it was possible to homebrew?a sideband transmitter without one, and the answer was "definitely!" It turns out that even the experienced folks tune with not much else than another transceiver. Oh, ok! Sounds good to me lol.?

I think the overall attitude in the homebrew world gravitates to "learn by doing" no "learn by learning" and I'm cool with that.?

On the other hand, if I've misunderstood misrepresented something in that statement, please accept my apologies and feel free to tell me to shaddup :p?

?

Ryan Flowers

On Mon, Dec 9, 2019 at 10:56 AM Dale Hardin <joe.dale.hardin@...> wrote:

You will find that there are online calculators or models you can use for most everything you?might want to do.? The tougher issue is to understand the how and why of electronics.? On your own, that will take many years to learn.? Most of the folks in this group are experts in their own areas, but will willingly tell you they are still learning.? So, don't worry about the math or the hairy technological details, just jump in and enjoy.? Dale

On Mon, Dec 9, 2019 at 8:55 AM Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io <jgaffke=[email protected]> wrote:

It all depends on how deep you want to go.
For example, most radio amateurs would evaluate an antenna system by measuring the SWR.
But you won't really understand it unless you embrace the notion of a complex impedance,
and make use of those dim memories of sqrt(-1) from your high school algebra class.?

Experimental Methods in RF Design (EMRFD) is probably the book you want.
Anything that fails to go that deep, you will have a hard time cooking up
new designs that actually work well.? Mostly patching together pieces of stuff
that other people have published.

You will need a whole lot of time, as it's a thick read with lots of new concepts.
Some of those pages will take a day of fiddling with before it really sinks in.
And maybe access to a forum somewhere to ask the inevitable questions.
It's got plenty of math in there, relative to the typical QST article.
But nothing I didn't see in a high school algebra class.

I almost never did use calculus in my 40 yr career as an EE.
Some engineers wind up in a job where they use it every day.
Figuring out calculus does give you a tool for better understanding the world,
especially the world of electronics.?
For example, how a capacitor charges up over time.
So useful even if you don't actually *use* it.

Introduction to Radio Frequency design (by the same author) is a good taste
of what you will run into if you decide to get a degree in Electrical Engineering.
What you do coming out of school with an EE degree is wide open.
Could be working on a better generator for Bonneville Dam.
Could be digital design with boards full of FPGA's and mostly writing VHDL.
Analog design (perhaps a radio), mostly reading ap notes from chip manufacturers
on their hot new parts, trying out your design in a simulator on a computer.
Could be getting the recipe just right for a silicon fab line.

That last one would require intimate knowledge of the Ebers-Moll model.
For the second to the last, reading EMRFD thoroughly would get you most of the way there.

Jerry, KE7ER


On Mon, Dec 9, 2019 at 05:40 AM, Michael Maiorana wrote:

Rob,

Start with college-level algebra. My professor called algebra "the language of mathematics".?

Then, Calculus (1, 2 and 3) along with engineering level Physics (physics with calculus).?

Then Differential equations.

Then semiconductor physics and electronic materials.

Then you'll be there.

?

Or... you could use the empirical?methods which are covered thoroughly?in Wes's EMRFD book.

?

Mike M

KU4QO

--

Dale Hardin

Elberta, AL?

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Ryan Flowers W7RLF