Good idea John on downloading EZNEC. It does take a bit of time to get used to the manual/instructions - and that would be true of any manuals "written" today. Manuals in general are a problem. Take my iPhone as an example, really crappy documentation. About 6 or 8 years ago I was visiting my daughter in St Louis and we were cleaning her kitchen. We really cleaned the stove top gas range only to discover the manual for it in the drawer, written in about 1950. I found that manual to be excellent, very clear on how to use it and what burner went with what knob, etc. Not so of today's ranges. When did we stop teaching writing to kids, todays designers? Maybe about 1980?

 

A second via John, consider downloading LTspice. You can download a free copy from linear technology's website. It is really super for simulating circuit. It's easy, for example, to draw the schematic for a audio phase-shift oscillator and then hit the simulation button; you can select to see the waveform generated or the frequency response of the unit. Then you can change values and play what if. Again....the manual takes some time to get used to.

 

If anyone is interested, we could get a "go-to-meeting" link set up on the WEB and I'd be happy to outline how to use the program, generating and simulating several simple circuits. Let's discuss that at Ozcon?

 

Uncle Phil