I have organised my BNC adapter drawer. I gave everything a good scrub with isopropyl too.
BNC adapter
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Orders of magnitude
I wanted to get some intuition for what made a bigger difference: adding an extra item to a set, or having an extra order of magnitude of items in a set. So I created this spreadsheet and discovered that an extra order of magnitude smashes an extra item in the set.
In the spreadsheet the parameters are ‘x’, which is the size of the base set (called Set A), and ‘i’, which is the number of extra items to add into the second set (called Set B).
If you make x = 10 and i = 90 you break even, Set A and Set B grow at the same rate.
If you make x = 10 and i = 1 it’s no contest, Set A gets much bigger much faster.
Toilet light cover
I had to replace the globe in the toilet light:
But when I did I managed to snap off the tabs that hold the cover on. So I glued and bolted them back on:
You can see the screws I used are way too big. I had 6mm and 18mm in inventory and had to use the 18mm ones. Realising this gap in my inventory I have just now purchased some 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm ones to flesh out my collection.
Soldering temperature
I made some notes for my drawer:
Silicon Chip
I’m happy to report that I’ve subscribed to Silicon Chip for the year. Got a print + digital subscription. My first three copies arrived in the mail today:
I got one of their binders with my subscription:
Look forward to filling that up!
Peg board
The arrangement of tools on the peg board is a perpetual work in progress. For the archives this is how it looks after today’s rearrangement. I’ve been trying to make some space for the wire rack and storage bins I’m hoping to purchase soon.
Homework
This is a part of the homework feature of my blog, which is an ongoing conversation with my mate S.F.
Check out this skit from He Huang, she’s hilarious!
The book I mentioned was Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. It’s a postmodern literary classic published in 1973. I have a dead tree version on my shelf (I haven’t read it yet), and I will give to you later this year.
The panopticon is a concept for a prison or surveillance system originally proposed by the philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century.
As we mentioned: if you work on the railways you must see people miss the train all day, every day.
As we discovered: you can’t change displacement without changing time. This was a revelation for me! Even classical space is not orthogonal to classical time! Or perhaps orthogonality and independence are different concepts and I oughtn’t conflate them.
I found the Bill Hicks pick up the gun skit.
I have published my latest weight loss report.
I mentioned the egg drop test. I read recently (and I’m annoyed that I forget where) that academics like using the egg drop test as a clandestine intelligence test.
I mentioned there are two broad types of 3D printer: resin and filament. You can read about resin vs filament. I’m planning to get a filament printer. The one I have my eye on is a Creality Ender-3 V2 Neo.
I will put gluten free muesli and sugar free jam on the shopping list. :)
Shopping!
I documented my shopping list. Now all I need is a cool eleven grand…
Why can’t two series-connected diodes act as a BJT?
I’ve read this before, but I read it again today: Why can’t two series-connected diodes act as a BJT? It has a really good and detailed answer, and also a follow-up.
The first answer above referenced content available for free from here: Modern Semiconductor Devices for Integrated Circuits. The dead tree version is available from Amazon but it costs much more than “free”.
B5819W vs B5819WS
Over on AliExpress I discovered the B5819W and B5819WS Schottky diodes. I read the B5819W datasheet and the B5819WS datasheet but it was hard to pick the difference.
So I asked ChatGPT, you can see that conversation below.
Basically the difference is in packaging size, and also the B5819WS, which is smaller, can operate at a slightly higher temperature.
- What’s the difference between B5819W and B5819WS diodes?
- B5819W and B5819WS are both Schottky barrier diodes manufactured by STMicroelectronics.
The main difference between the two diodes is their package type. B5819W is available in a SOD-123 package, while B5819WS is available in a SOD-323 package. The SOD-323 package is smaller in size compared to the SOD-123 package, which means that the B5819WS diode may be suitable for applications where board space is limited.
In terms of their electrical specifications, both diodes have a maximum reverse voltage of 40V, a forward voltage drop of 0.38V at 1A, and a maximum forward current of 1A. The main difference between the two diodes is their maximum junction temperature. The B5819W has a maximum junction temperature of 125°C, while the B5819WS has a maximum junction temperature of 150°C.
In summary, the main difference between B5819W and B5819WS diodes is their package type and maximum junction temperature. The electrical specifications of both diodes are largely similar.
- If I had to stock only one type of diode, would I stock B5819W or B5819WS?
- If you had to stock only one type of diode, whether to stock B5819W or B5819WS would depend on the specific requirements of your application.
If space on the circuit board is not a constraint and the maximum junction temperature of 125°C is sufficient for your application, you may consider stocking B5819W. On the other hand, if board space is limited or if the application requires a higher maximum junction temperature of up to 150°C, you may consider stocking B5819WS.
It is important to note that there may be other diodes available that may better suit the requirements of your application, and it is always recommended to consult the datasheet and application notes to ensure that the diode you choose is suitable for your specific needs.