TTT324 Smith Chart Demystified

Trying to explain the essential parts of a Smith chart and how to read it.

[@vanclough915]

Van of Broadcast Tech Thank you sir for making it simple. I just purchased an AURSINC NanoVNA SAA-2N V2.2 Vector Network Analyzer for my broadcast engineering service business. Needed a crash course on Smith Chart. I'm not a design engineer, but an application one in that I service high powered FM/AM transmitters. I am grateful for sharing your wisdom with others. Van

[@ElPasoTubeAmps]

Tom, that is the best description I have ever heard of ELI the ICE man. I learned that a long time ago but ultimately had to set aside a small compartment in my brain, about 100 bytes of data... where I stored the information of leading and lagging voltage and current in L and C circuits but your explanation was great. I have a number of VNA and RigExpert, etc devices and I have fun with them but bottom line we want to know our SWR. When I get really serious, I break out my GR RF bridges with signal sources and detectors to make sure my modern day digital devices are telling me the truth. I find it particularly true to go back to fundamentals when measuring L in iron core inductors. One of the GR impedance bridges has a beautiful write-up in their manual (GR 1603-A Z-Y bridge) about iron core inductors. I really enjoy your videos. I have never felt truly competent with the Smith chart but your videos help keep my brain in sync about the fundamental laws of math and electronics.

[@tomtektest8042]

Thanks for the kind comments. I really like your videos, especially those on vintage test equipment like the GR bridges and similar, as you can probably tell from my videos on old B&K, Tektronix, Sencore, and other boat anchors. But the new stuff, like the nanoVNA can be fun too, even if they don't have the nostalgia value. Cheers. Tom.

[@Totalpantscom1]

Thank you, I just got that 'Light Bulb' moment, the best tutorial by far on the Smith Chart.

[@davidluther3408]

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD THE SMITH CHART.WHEN I TOOK RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WE DID THE SMITH CHART.UNFORTUNATLY THE ELECTRONICS PROGRAM I WAS IN NO LONGER EXSIST BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF JOBS IN THE ELECTRONICS FIELD.

[@ka4dqe606]

Enjoyed the video ... good stuff ...

[@mehmetcemarmagan2005]

Thank you for being emitter, cheers.

[@hansepie]

Thank you very much for all your great contributions!

[@shyammohabir8283]

Thanks for sharing! IT brings back tons of fun menories in college. I still remember some of the buzzwords from the Smith Chart, Reflective Coefficients, capacitive reactance, Inductive reactance .. -J capacitive, +J inductive

[@jerrydaugherty3781]

Thanks, the only time I heard of Eli the Ice man was in school (1960) or when I was teaching. I get the feeling not many know about him.

[@gregorythomas333]

I love Alice's Restaurant!! Arlo Guthrie at his finest! Always thought I would end up on the Group W bench right along with him :) I do enjoy these very much...it help keep my brain from going to mush.

[@sliderulelover]

Tom, I wish that you had done some example problems using resistors and inductors/capacitors so we could see how to interpret the resulting impedance of the RC or RL components on the Smith Chart.

[@tomtektest8042]

Thanks for the comment and suggestion. There are so many KZbin videos on interpreting the Smith chart that I thought I couldn't add much there. I did a video on the Smith chart used with the RF Demo Board - though I think others have done better, including the videos from Alan, W2AEW, which I am sure everyone has seen. But I will keep your suggestion in mind and perhaps do something along those lines in the future.

[@sliderulelover]

@@tomtektest8042 Thanks for getting back to me about my suggestion that you include example problems. I enjoy listening to your videos and it is nostalgic, as I am a 69 year old man who loves old stuff and using/collecting slide rules.

[@hlacadie]

Wow, like being back in electronics school (1981). Now, you seem to know your stuff well concerning RF circuitry as it relates to the nanoVNA. I have been obsessed with unloaded Q of a coil at resonance for some time. Can unloaded Q of a coil at it's resonant frequency be measured with a nanoVNA. I would imagine you'd need a good capacitor to use in the circuit.

[@nomadr1349]

Aren't you always moving clockwise with increasing frequency?

[@jagmeetkaur2896]

Why is it called Balck magic chart