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Chapter 1
Introduction
This book describes design and analysis techniques for radio frequency
circuits that are particularly well suited to small computers. This chapter
presents the rationale and an overview of the book's organization.
Both entering and experienced engineers are addressed for entirely different
reasons. Many new electrical engineering graduates have received heavy
exposure to digital circuits and systems during recent training. Apparently, the
curriculum time limitations have resulted in less thorough treatment of analog
topics, especially filter, impedance matching, and similar circuit design techniques.
The industrial need has not diminished. Experienced engineers are
probably far less aware of the new opportunities available through smallcomputer
design methods. These computing aids are becoming a necessity in
this field, if only to meet the competition from those already exploiting the
opportunities. This book establishes a level of capability of hand-held and
desktop computers for those who have not been following recent applications.
Engineers can now own the computers and programs as well as their
technical expertise. It is interesting to estimate the current (1982) costs for the
equipment an engineer may consider buying for professional use. The following
figures do not account for potential tax advantages. Typical programmable-calculator
and peripheral equipment costs range from $150 to $800.
Typical desktop personal computers and peripheral equipment costs range
from $500 to $5000, and professional-grade equipment (e.g., Hewlett­
Packard, Wang, and Digital Equipment) costs about twice these amounts. The
most expensive desktop computing systems cost as much as $30,000. It is
estimated that within five years the same performance may be obtained at half
these costs; conversely, twice the performance may be available at the same
cost.
Hamming (1973, p. 3) has remarked that computing should be intimately
'bound with both the source of the problem and the use that is going to be
made of the answers; it is not a step to be taken in isolation from reality.
Therefore, the art of connecting the specific problem with the computing is
important, but it is best taught within a field of application. That is the
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