[Hallicrafters] daffynitions

[Rich Oliver]

Jim,

One fact that is often overlooked is that all electronic devices run on 
smoke.  When you let the smoke out they stop working.  Reloading smoke 
into dead devices is generally beyond our capabilities (except Gary 
Brown?) so we usually settle for replacement parts with a full charge of 
smoke.  "Black Beauties", carbon comp resistors and such are slightly 
porous so the smoke leaks out slowly over time, then the last bit of 
smoke comes out all at once.  Tubes are trickier because the smoke stays 
inside the glass envelope and you have to open the envelope to check for 
smoke.  I have checked all my tubes and I'm happy to report that no 
smoke leaked out of any of them - now I just need stuff the vacuum back 
in and put them back together.  Gary - need some help here!

Most electronics text books just gloss over the critical role of smoke 
if they mention it at all.  It is also generally ignored in school 
courses even though the astute student will nearly always encounter it 
in electronics labs.  For some reason the instructors just sit back and 
allow the student to make the connection by himself.

*COUGH*

Cheers, Rich

Jim Tripp wrote:
> ...
> Now draw the same bug, on its back, with legs pointing skyward and a
> sad face.  You label this bug as an ERG, because everyone knows that
> an erg is a dyne-cm!...
> 
> Jim Tripp