Electronic Smith Chart Software without installation, without java, without java script, without Windows drivers, incompatible VBasic, outdated *.net libraries, #.net libraries, buggy C++ bullshit, suddenly expired forever licences, and endless administrative (/IT) tasks. Screw ever changing java, incompatible versions of JS, or mutually incompatible OS versions. Embedded is the way to go.
PowerSmith©™ simulation tool
(VA3DIW)
- A step to technology-independence that succeeded. -
We can only dream about Fortran double matissa length. Some compilers are not compliant with the C standard.
Electronic Smith Chart PowerSmith©™ /simulator/s-parameters/noise figure/..
PowerSmith is RF simulation program. Use of the program is for analysis of discrete, lumped elements, distributed elements, transmission line, S-parameters, 3D noise figure profile, noise resistance, transmission line stubs, discrete baluns, antennas, amplifiers, RX and TX matching, and digital domain such as GPGA.
Written by David Tomanek VA3DIW and Martin Kratoska OK1RR.
Import your data from vector network analyzer PowerSmith™ handles Zp to Zs impedance conversion Import your Reflection Coefficients gamma or rho Lumped and Distributed component models Export/Import your design files Lossy transmission line (0.66, 0.81) Frequency sweep Component tuner SWR band chart Complex impedance matching networks AutoMatch™ feature S-parameter LNA analysis S-parameter viewer with TAB button Match your PA output LNA stability analysis LNA input and output gain circles Noise circles viewer Noise resistance rn Used for 1.2GHz, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 12GHz, and HF bands All commands come from keyboard Please register at the authors
Control question
You have 1kW and the SWR=1.44; How much power you burn?
The load is 34.8 ohms or 72 ohms real.
32.5 Watts is the heat. That's not the whole story.
Any load impedance mismatch change the shape of output signal, harmonics, intermodulations..
You are not able to pull out full power. Where the power goes?
The power bounces back from the load. Overloading power amplifier by bounced voltage, and extreme current.
Resulting in excessive heat and thermal (symptom) current run-away.
Keep low SWR.
Decreasing temperature of active device by 10C degrees increases life span of the active device by about
102.5= 316x. (Arrhenius 1859 - 1927, activation energy, the green idiots misused his name on Wiki)
Questions and Answers
Q: I am Nanook. I was 30 years in project management, manager, and heard the buzzword "Smith chart". Now we do FPGA (actually other people do) and somehow it doesn't work. The system has signal reflections and crosstalk. The chip is very hot, burning [Amps]. What should we do??
A: Smith chart is transformation of 2D Cartezian complex-number plane.
The numbers with Positive Real part are inside the circle. The numbers with Negative Real part are outside the circle. It is applied math. It has nothing to do with "old math" or "new math". There are only numbers.
You know what? Call to set up a consulting session.
The FPGA handling GBits needs "signal matching". Some people name it "signal integrity". Signal reflection, signal shape distortion, crosstalk, amplitude distortion, and interference are the obvious symptoms of sloppy, botched design. Without any action, the FPGA will not work properly. Call for help.
Q: We have heat problem. I noticed when I put my finger in specific spot of the RF Power device, the signal jumps up and down, and the current drops. The power supply is buzzing. What is it?
A: Calculate the impedance, measure the impedance with vector network analyzer, measure SWR. There might be additional problem. Do you need help? We do consulting.
Q: When I move the 2.4GHz and 5GHz antenna, the signal quality rapidly changes. We used propagation simulation program. Simulation looks great. Everything works great in simulation software. But the throughput performance for upload and download is a misery. The signal is strong. What is it, what can I do?
A: It can be multiple things at once. It might be a good idea to pick up the phone, and call. Default use of full TX power is the usual mistake. Stronger doesn't mean -"better". You can call.
Q:Looking at the datasheet of Dual-Gate MOSFET BF981 from Vishay-Telefunken, and J310. The point of minimum noise figure and noise circles are of my interest. The common gate s-parameters are missing. What can I do with it? Convert it?
A: The BF981 datasheet noise numbers seems to be right. Untill nowadays, there is no workable internet Smith Chart application. Nobody wants to work for free. It is best to measure the noise figure.
The university courses are disconnected from reality. Call your professor and ask him. He will be pleased.
They may have noise figure meter, if somebody knows how to use it.
The measured location of noise figure with noise resistance can be loaded to PowerSmith, and used for noise figure simulation.
Q: I have two different LNAs with close minimum Noise Factor and two different gains. How can I decide which one is better for the first spot? How to cascade it? Please, provide notes.
A: There is an algorithm to calculate noise quality number for both LNA working together (M).
It will tell you, witch one to use for the first position.
However, it does not tell anything about IP3. Neglecting IP3 may lead to system anomalies, when the system falls apart (the example is known satellite provider).
Q: Just in the middle of work, I get Windows 11 blue screen of computer death.
Microsoft decided to suddenly reinstall the whole crippled OS system. Without notification.
All my work is gone. Two years of work are lost. Shit. What can I do?
A: This is Bill Gates' Microsoft. What you can do? Return your MS_Windows OS. Request reimbursement. Request reimbursement $$$ for your lost time and lost work. Charge them. You are in the same situation when your hard drive dies. Use different OS. Get involved in development of different OS systems.
The brightest ideas were found with pencil and paper.
The OS System
Try VMware for multiple OS platforms. It can switch over to different OS within seconds. If it would be so fantastic, everybody would use it. Point of interest may be the gentoo Linux, Ubuntu Linux, Lynx, Fedora Linux, Slackware Linux, PCLinuxOS, LinuxMint, worth to mention minix3. It will take time for Windows to reinvent UNIX. Stable evolving system is an OPEN OS with accessible source code, where everybody can contribute and debug.
For the PowerSmith users
We have tried to do something for small companies and hobbyist.
The non-profit users are encouraged to use the software. The profit-oriented entities are encouraged to support further development. The software was written during winter 2000 in Winterpeg Manitoba (-40C outside, -40F, windshield -52C). Global warming is for nuts. During the next arctic winter, a graphical user interface was added. There are over 42,000 lines. Several thousands of hours were invested. There is no component limit. The favorite commercial "five-component-limit" was not implemented. Use whatever number of components you want. Memory is the limit.
The bottom window shows how time flies, and how much memory is in use.
A significant number of people were interested in copying the source code for commercial activities, and porting to C++ Microsoft crap. The "C" language is fully documented to the registry level. That is why you have Linux running. The ISS Space station use Linux. C++ is not fully documented to the registry level.
PowerSmith runs smooth on Win95, Win98, Win2000, Windows XP, Win7, FAT32, and later versions with vga emulation. The NTFS file system is not supported. If you are victim of Win10/Win11/Win25, you can run DOSbox. "DOSbox" can be downloaded in seconds.
The whole treasure throve is in math and calculus based on real measured s-parameters.
No fake LTSpice simulation models.
The graphics is an interface between the numbers and the user. Get to the s-parameters by TAB button.
How it works
You can download without license keys, without extracting your own private information, without suddenly expired licenses, without tracking, without violation of your privacy, without flooding your email with useless spam, without hidden fees. Everything depends on you.
Now - you are the investor.
PowerSmith.zip ver1.81b (118k) 30 day evaluation. (Download was disabled)
Any use of the software by any government agency is prohibited. The non-profit organizations can use the software after registration. PowerSmith©™ program users worldwide: Small business owners Computer peripheral devices, manufacturing Antenna installations Weather stations Astronomy Marine and Aerospace navigation Broadcast, cable networks Geology, remote sensing Professional R&D institutions Amateur radio, home brew projects, University use (Reno CA, Silicon Valley, Utah, Arizona, Texas, Connecticut), UK, Singapore, Swiss. FPGA aerospace hardware debugging, crosstalk and reflections
Recent Policy change:
The free download policy expired.
"Regretfully, your access expired".
- If you hear this from your government, vote for Direct Democracy.
Well before 2006 started "The Technology Theft Campaign" in Canada and USA with the trademark "Copied in China 2025".
Canadian and US companies were full of "Chinese traders". Many people have not understood. They were expecting Chinese investments. That never happened. The hidden instructions and target were different. There was naivety and missing experience how to handle this. Do people take brain with them?
Basic mistake was in estimation of human behavior. Wishful expectations based on wrong social behaviour model. Wrong. Completely wrong. The target was MIMICs, microwaves, SiGe, GaAs, HBT, memories, processors, IBM, HP, Agilent, Broadcom, silicon foundries, and software companies. You name it. The naivety and greed moved most of US R&D to China and India. America first?
This was an eye opener. Too late. You know the rest. Years ago, many people thought I am kidding.
Today our company still use proprietary software gadgets.
- With PowerSmith, we gained a step to independence. -
Download Mirrors:
The EM Routines and Codes of JPL Pasadena The JPL Pasadena EM library moved to exile in Greece.gr Circuit Sage library RF Cafe library If you use it, send me a post card.
The matching and forbidden areas
