[TowerTalk] EZNEC antenna modeling forum has been created onYahoo

[Jim Lux]

On 2/25/13 7:32 AM, Bert Almemo wrote:
> Thanks Larry.
>
> It seems many groups demand you have extensive knowledge to be allowed to
> ask questions. If not not the "pros" will shoot you down and recicule you.
> It has happened to me.
>
> I made a comment and was told that "this is not Facebook"!! Nice peers!!
> This is a hobby and if people want to show off their expertise find another
> venue. Thanks.

Here? on TT?  I don't think so..

  And the same would be true of nec-list.  There are posters on nec-list 
(and other lists) who sometimes get brushed off because it's obvious 
they're doing some sort of class assignment homework, and the questions 
they are asking are more in a nature of "do this for me", rather than 
"help me figure out"..




>
> 73 Bert, VE3NR
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Larry
> Loen
> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 10:11 AM
> To: jim at audiosystemsgroup.com
> Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] EZNEC antenna modeling forum has been created
> onYahoo
>
> I found this exchange very useful, actually.
>
> Besides, somebody had a question, their google-fu failed them and they got
> fixed up.  Don't see the problem here.
>
> Furthermore, speaking as someone who has tried his hand at "NEC"
> documentation, I find it one of the least informative interfaces on the
> planet whether "EZ" or the others.  This is one case where RTFM was _not_
> helpful.



You got that right..  bare NEC does require some sort of tutorial 
assistance, if only to get started.

I think most people start (wisely) by taking an existing model and 
modifying it.  Fortunately, these days computers are so fast that "try 
it and see" doesn't take long.

Yes, there are tricks in getting the right results out and avoiding 
models that have numerical problems (particularly with NEC2).  EZNEC and 
4nec2 both warn you when you build models that are likely to have problems.

I think one of the basic issues is that ALL modeling programs that are 
non-trivial require some background knowledge, so the "first step" is 
biggish and can be a barrier to entry.

It used to be that the mechanics of building the model were the sticky 
point, but both EZNEC and 4nec2 have decent "geometry editors" now, so 
you're not using a text editor to build up masses of GW and GM cards.




>
> Me, I'm off to the various fora where maybe I can learn, among other things,
> _how_ to read that manual.  Maybe if you already have a Ph D in antenna
> theory, the manual is a snap.
>

that *is* the audience for the NEC2 manual, certainly..  Particularly 
the "theory" volume.    Fortunately, most hams will never need to know 
what a Green's function is, nor why the basis function  (or kernel) for 
NEC4 is better than NEC2.

The NEC2 user manual is really more "documentation of the input deck and 
output printout formats" and assumes you know what you're doing in a 
modeling sense.

You need to find something more tutorial to walk you through it.  I 
think ARRL has a online class of some sort on using EZNEC.

> But, I don't, so it isn't.
>
>