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September 14th 03, 07:19 PM

In article ,
(Brian Kelly) writes:

slide rules

(N2EY) wrote in message
...
In article ,

(Brian Kelly) writes:

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 forgot about those, they were really slick. I had an L/C version.
Went the way of the 75A4.

damn.....I always trashpick the wrong neighborhoods...

I have a current-tech version. I originally bought Mathcad for doing
biz-type engineeing number crunching but at this point I've written
and canned more ham related math routines than I have for biz
purposes. One of 'em is an L/C cruncher which is pretty simple. I also
wrote a coil designer which is *not* simple. Net result is that I can
bring both up in separate windows and copy-paste results between 'em
and bingo, almost instant tank circuit designs right down to the
number of turns of #X wire x Y form diameter x Z winding length. To
the fifth decimal place when I get really anal.

Nice!

What's even neater is that nowadays we have the choice.

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.

No, NO! Tell me you din use a Bulletin bag for a briefcase, say it
isn't true! Gauche! GAUCHE!

Turned inside out so the lettering didn't show.

You'd have been lampooned back across
Chestnut St. if you'd shown up in class on our side of the street with
one of those.

Not at all. It was the '70s. Compared to what was considered "fashion" in
1973-76, that bag was the most chic thing going...

But then you people also had water buffalo on campus. Sigh.

That was long after my time.

73 de Jim, N2EY