Calculators galore

If you are like me, you turn to the internet if you want to calculate anything. Most sorts of calculators are there just waiting for your input. Years ago, we had to find the answer in a textbook. Nowadays it is just there at our fingertips!

See https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics as an example. There are many around.

Have a laugh - NOT amateur radio

This photo was sent to me by Steve G1KQH last night. It made me chuckle.

The serious point is many very old people are unhappy with smart phones, apps, online banking etc.  They are used to speaking with a human being!

At one time, for example, I could go into my local bank and speak to the manager.  Now you get connected to an overseas call centre and treated as a number. I am sure I am not alone in absolutely hating call centres on the far side of the planet. 

Do you also get thoroughly fed up being told "your call is very important to us" and please press button "x" if you want this service or "y" if you want this?  One of the worst is AI when you have to say something! With my poor voice I often have to repeat.

Every day we get further and further from real contact with human beings!

Dipole calculator

In the next few days, I have to make a dipole for the 8m band on which I have special permission to TX for 12 months. At my QTH, the most suitable antenna is a simple wire dipole. You may be interested in this calculator.

See https://www.wireantennas.co.uk/dipole-calculator . 

Online calculators

Every now and again, you need to work out something "radio" and a calculator can come in very handy. This site has some very useful calculators.

See https://www.66pacific.com/calculators/default.aspx .

Filter Calculator (and other calculators)

When designing a simple Sallen-Key active filter yesterday for my VLF receiver I found several useful web resources. One of the best is http://www.calculatoredge.com/index.htm#electronics that has a lot of useful calculators for electronics. I like the fact that when designing filters it asks you, and gives you, values in "real" numbers like nF and kohms. Some calculators ask you to give values in Farads and ohms to the power E-09 and similar and are obviously written by a college professor and not a real engineer who finds it hard to work these out!