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More RADAR Jamming- Empirical development

Yo,

S>It reinforced my feelings that , no matter how smart the team is, or

how much preparation they do, you don't know diddly squat about how a >system works in the field till you try it out.......

John Woodgate replied:

This is a fundamental law of nature.

--

Andy writes:

Yes,John, but this law is not taught in academia. I can think back of all of the wonderful presentations I have attended, which were backed up with excellent theoretical references, which, after millions of dollars of development, didn't actually work..... (And, to be fair, I have done it myself a few times more than I care to talk about )

The sooner an engineer can actually claptrap some equipment together to try out the idea, the better it seems to go......

Unfortunately, most engineers don't have the clout to do this until they have 10-15 years of experience and a suitablly multi-syllable title. By that time, many have been "promoted" to management level positions. ( So they can't muddle up the works anymore, ... which isn't always true (grin) .

WORKING ENGINEERS often can't justify in the schedule any experimental efforts.

Anyway, I would like to present the following as a BASIC LAW OF ENGINEERING, which I think should be called "Andy's Law".

" Unless you actually build it, you don't know if it will work"

I will admit that computer simulation has come a LONG WAY, and I use it as much as anyone, but, still, it is only simulation, and accounts for only the variables that the programmer can think of at the time.....

Recently, someone asked about building an underwater transmitting antenna and I replied that the best way to prove the idea was to test it. --- That got a reply, to me, that I didn't know what I was talking about..... Well, as head technical guru of the Raytheon Electromagnetics Lab for many years, I didn't feel I needed to justify my answer, ---- eventually my critic would graduate from high school and , in 10 or 20 years, realize what I was talking about......

So, while I place a great value on academic training (having a wall full of degrees and licenses myself-- which I would never talk about (grin) .... Unless you actually build it, you don't know if it will work"

Sorry folks, just rambling because I have a lot of time on my hands and am waiting for my solder to cool on my latest home project........ Andy, PE, BS, MS , GMDSS, GROL, W4OAH, etc etc

Reply to
Andy
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Endorsement,

Andy writes:

A good and well established school....Graduates have my deep respect, especially since so few of those with degrees and stuff have ever been to it......(smile)

The FCC first phone was changed to a GROL (General Radiotelephone Operator License) about 10 or 15 years ago, and is issued for life. So you might be able to grandfather it back if you try. However, I warn you, the new "Certificate" that you get for your wall is NOWHERE near as impressive as the FIRST CLASS COMMERCIAL RADIOTELEPHONE certificate..... I still have my old one (w RADAR also) , but it was marked "EXPIRED" when they sent it back and issued the GROL. Bummer. I have been thinking about scanning it and using a graphics program to remove the "EXPIRED" , cause I was real proud of it when I got it back in school. Just another of those things I haven't gotten around to....

I think the neatest one I have is a Second Class Radiotelegraph Operator license. I couldn't take the test for First because they require 6 months ship service or FBO service, and I was just getting it for the hell of it. There is no longer a First Radiotelegraph, but I think there might be a Second. Real nice certificate..... :>))) Pretty useless as a practical matter, tho....

... I'm ambling on, aren't I...... well, some day everyone else will, too....

Good Luck,

Andy

Reply to
Andy

On 17 Apr 2005 07:21:40 -0700, "Andy" wroth:

That is well documented in reports of Noah's Ark and the Tower of Babel. to name a couple.

Ahem... I think that question was mine. And I think I remember agreeing with your testing recomendation. The math and science crowd said that the antenna structure "should be" smaller. Exactly how much smaller was left as a point to be determined empirically.

Jim Meyer, with a small wall, no degrees, and only one licence,

FCC Radiotelephone Operator Licence, First Class, with Ship's Radar Endorsement, (expired) and soon to complete my final exams in SoHK*

*School of Hard Knocks
Reply to
James Meyer

[snip]

What's that old expression?

"The difference between Theory and Practice is much bigger in Practice than in Theory"?

or something like that.

Robert

Reply to
Robert

The way I heard it was: In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice, but in practice, there is.

--Mac

Reply to
Mac

Endorsement,

Feh. If you think you've graduated from the School of Hard Knocks, you're in for some very unpleasant surprises.

Kid, you've just barely matriculated.

Good Luck! Rich ------ The other day my girlfriend and I were going to a party and on the way there, we got a flat tire. We got out of the car and I pumped, she jacked I pumped, she jacked, I pumped, she jacked and then we changed the tire. Eventually we arrived at the party and when we walked in, everyone was jumping for joy. What a sight seeing her hanging nude from the chandelier! Well the party was OK, I guess, we just sat around drinking sherry and eating candy. Everybody else started feeling merry. Those have got to be the three wildest girls I know.

Reply to
Rich The Newsgropup Wacko

Nah - The reason is that after 10-15 years you don't really give a shit what someone straight out of school or some geeky theorists are muttering about and you have learned that *Results* - however they were achieved - brings home the bacon.

An important part of getting Results is avoid asking Management for permission for anything; They do not really want to know because that makes them responsible, they prefer the money.

However, Always remember to give Boss and Colleagues about half of the credit for things that goes well even if they do not deserve it. This creates breathing space and margin for error.

Reply to
Frithiof Andreas Jensen

No, only the GROL remains.

--
Former professional electron wrangler.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

Well said. As is a corollary:

"Even if you actually build it, you still don't know it can't work"

I guess I've been watching too many so-called Mythbusters shows :-).

Reply to
Clifford Heath

Another good version.

Robert

Reply to
Robert

Excellent advice !! Been there, done that, got the Tshirt, washed the truck with it.....

A
Reply to
Andy

Excellent advice !! Been there, done that, got the Tshirt, washed the truck with it.....

A
Reply to
Andy

I heard it as:

Whats the difference between theory and practice?

In theory there is none, in practice there always is.

Cheers Terry

Reply to
Terry Given

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