RadioBanter - View Single Post

September 12th 03, 01:19 PM

In article ,
(Brian Kelly) writes:

" wrote in message
news:N918b.415225$YN5.279999@sccrnsc01...
"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...
Brian Kelly wrote:

I really hate to bust yer bubble again Alun but Smith Charts and all
the rest of the artifact nomograph "solvers" were already stale about
the time you popped out of school. Didja also have a course in slide
rule operations too? I'll bet you did, dinya?

Now ya did it Brian! I will always have a soft spot for slide rules. Of
course they are obsolete,

We never had courses on either slide rule or log tables "operations".
We had to pick 'em up on the fly on our own. Some of the guys learned
to use 'em in high school.

Like me. Graduated high school in 1972.

During the first couple weeks of class
there were a lotta guys huddled in groups in the cafeteria trying to
figure the things out. I never did learn to use more than maybe 8-10
of the 21 scales on my bamboo Post. That was a NICE slipstick and I
still have it.

oh mama

but when I got my first slide rule, it took
math out of the abstract and put it in the real world for me.

I never considered that but in looking back you're right.

And besides the slide rule, there were various forms of specialized "lightning
calculators". At one time ARRL sold a several different types for solving LC
problems, designing coils, power/resistance, etc. I still have and use one of
the later-model slide rule LC ones for tuned-circuit work. Gives an eagle-eye
view of effects ("if I use a 140 pf variable instad of 100, I'll be able to
reach 2 MHz...").

I was in the last class at our school that was trained in their use. I
kind of miss the engineer's sixshooter on my belt! ;^)

The engineering students' full dress uniform (the physics majors
weren't far behind) also included a pocket protector full of whatever
ya could jam into it, a worn-out rumpled corduroy jacket and a
beat-to-crap briecase . . The uniform definitely differentiated the
engineers from the business administration weenies.

And other wannabees. In my day it was only slightly different. Denim replaced
corduroy and the briefcase was often a backpack. Mine was an old Bulletin
delivery bag.

Where d'ya put the batteries in those things anyhow?

- Mike KB3EIA -

Well said! I still have my log tables book (that's logarithms for the young
folks). Remarkably useless now-a-days.

Whatta pain THEY were!!

Amen.

I worked in the insurance industry and used to enjoy driving young,
visiting
actuaries crazy. They would ask a question on the data presented and rather
than bang something out on my computer or programmable calculator (both of
which I used at all times EXCEPT when a newbie actuary was present)

I've pulled that one. I'm waiting for the opportunities to spring it
on a nephew and a grandson.

Years ago I learned to do basic math to 2 decimal places in me head. Saved a
lot of fiddling. Refined it when I started running so I could figure out time
splits on the fly. Still amazes the unwashed multitudes.

73 de Jim, N2EY