Attenuator symbol

[[email protected]]

What's the schematic symbol for a digitally controlled electronic
attenuator? As opposed to mechanically controlled vane attenuators, or
switched resistors, etc.. or a VVA.

 

[Rich Grise]

What's the schematic symbol for a digitally controlled electronic
attenuator? As opposed to mechanically controlled vane attenuators, or
switched resistors, etc.. or a VVA.

A box with input and control logic on one side, and output on the other.
Or, you could put the control logic on the top or bottom.

Hope This Helps!
Rich

 

[Bob]

A box with input and control logic on one side, and output on the other.
Or, you could put the control logic on the top or bottom.

Hope This Helps!
Rich

Here's a picture of one: http://www.analog.com/en/prod/0,2877,AD5165,00.html

 

[[email protected]]

Here's a picture of one:http://www.analog.com/en/prod/0,2877,AD5165,00.html

Eh, I was thinking more of a GaAs MMIC DC-13GHz attenuator... I'm kind
of a stickler for meaningful symbols.
I guess a block with ATT written in it will have to do.

 

[Phil Hobbs]

Eh, I was thinking more of a GaAs MMIC DC-13GHz attenuator... I'm kind
of a stickler for meaningful symbols.
I guess a block with ATT written in it will have to do.

The signal processing block diagram symbol for an attenuator is a
rectangular box with a resistor symbol in the middle (unconnected). I'd
probably use one of those with a diagonal arrow through it.

Cheers,

Phil Hobbs

 

[Joerg]

The signal processing block diagram symbol for an attenuator is a
rectangular box with a resistor symbol in the middle (unconnected). I'd
probably use one of those with a diagonal arrow through it.

IMHO text is better than a symbol, else it quickly becomes obscure. Last
month I drove a truck in Europe. A sign showed up with a truck on there
and an orange box on it. Scratched my head, asked my (European)
passenger. His answer: "I dunno either". Maybe this road was off limits
for truckers carrying orange juice.

 

[Robert Latest]

IMHO text is better than a symbol, else it quickly becomes obscure. Last
month I drove a truck in Europe. A sign showed up with a truck on there
and an orange box on it. Scratched my head, asked my (European)
passenger. His answer: "I dunno either". Maybe this road was off limits
for truckers carrying orange juice.

No, it was off-limit for trucks carrying dangerous substances. As
obscure the sign may be, we can assume that those who it applies to know
what it means.

BTW, you saw "Sign 261". Here's the reference:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bildtafel_der_Verkehrszeichen_in_Deutschland

robert

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

No, it was off-limit for trucks carrying dangerous substances. As
obscure the sign may be, we can assume that those who it applies to know
what it means.

BTW, you saw "Sign 261". Here's the reference:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bildtafel_der_Verkehrszeichen_in_Deutschland

robert

I like the symbols advising caution (as well as prohibition) for
trucks carrying stuff which might contaminate water.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schutzgebiete_in_Wasserwirtschaft_und_Gewässerschutz


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Joerg]

No, it was off-limit for trucks carrying dangerous substances. As
obscure the sign may be, we can assume that those who it applies to know
what it means.

BTW, you saw "Sign 261". Here's the reference:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bildtafel_der_Verkehrszeichen_in_Deutschland

Thanks. It was #269.

That's a lot of signs. This one would probably make an American think
that there is a laundromat ahead:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Zeichen_215.svg

A tourist's dream is to be on a German autobahn in a rented Porsche 911
Turbo and see sign #282 (where the gloves come off and you can step on it).

 

[Robert Latest]

Thanks. It was #269.

Yeah, that's a pretty ridiculous one, but again he to whom it concerns
will (hopefully) obey it.

I don't know what's better. I'm a big fan of the American signs, which
do tend to be somewhat loquacious. But so am I.

robert

 

[Joerg]

Einfahrt and Ausfahrt were the signs that amused me ;-)

Yes, some sound a bit funny. I vividly remember Ausfahrt from a
near-crash. VW Rabbit, fully loaded with four other army guys plus
baggage in there, me driving. Went onto the Ausfahrt strip which
immediately turned off in a rather tight curve, no way to get back onto
the autobahn. That's when Murphy struck. The main brake cylinder cracked
in half ...

 

[Joerg]

2CV ??

Had a similar experience with that one. Exited into a parking area,
wanted to brake, brake pedal gone. This car had a single circuit brake
and all the brake fluid was gone. It had a pretty spartan set when it
came to sensors and warning lights: Zilch.

 

[Eeyore]

IMHO text is better than a symbol, else it quickly becomes obscure. Last
month I drove a truck in Europe. A sign showed up with a truck on there
and an orange box on it. Scratched my head, asked my (European)
passenger. His answer: "I dunno either". Maybe this road was off limits
for truckers carrying orange juice.

A diamond rather than a box (i.e. rotated by 45 degrees) ?

The orange diamond is supposed to refer to hazardous materials being
transported.

Graham

 

[Joerg]

The things you do when you're young and poor...

Drove my '61 Dauphine using only the hand brake until master cylinder
rebuild kits went on sale.

Likewise ran it down the parking lot at Motorola, jumped in, popped
clutch to start it... until batteries went on sale at Sears ;-)

The last five years or so of my trusty old 2CV it did not even have a
battery in there. 6V batteries were very expensive, only VW Bettle
drivers could afford those. Also, they didn't have a crank while the 2CV
did. Chug, chug, chug, *POOF* .... chug, chug, chug, vrooom. The first
phase always cleaned out the exhaust nicely but once the 2nd muffler pot
flew off and rolled into the street. Embarrassing.

I also quickly learned why the older 2CVs had a fast-action switch
between position lights only and full head lights. Forget to pull that
while idle and the engine would stall. I guess they had anticipated that
a lot of folks would run them sans battery.

(At least the clutch was a simple cable adjust ;-)

In the spirit of cost reduction the 2CV engineers didn't spring for such
luxuries. They just made the pedal travels longer. In my days Renault
drivers were considered yuppies with too much money in their pockets.

 

[Joerg]

A diamond rather than a box (i.e. rotated by 45 degrees) ?

The orange diamond is supposed to refer to hazardous materials being
transported.

No, an orange oval thingie on a sketched truck axle. I wish they'd use
text like we do in the US. "Do not pass", "4WD advised" or "Chains
required" is much more clear than some abstract Picasso-style logo. Same
for computers where the first thing I do when one arrives is to switch
all the icons to text. So I can use it.

Similar in cars themselves. I remember when even the guys in the shop
scratched their heads about one warning light that came on in my
Europeanized Chrysler. Our current cars have warning lights with clear
text messages just light in aircraft. That's how it ought to be.

 

[Rich Grise]

That's a lot of signs. This one would probably make an American think
that there is a laundromat ahead:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Zeichen_215.svg

So, what is it? I'd guess some kind of traffic circle/roundabout, but
don't they have inputs and outputs around the circumference? (I don't
read, write, or speak German, except maybe "dankeschoen". )

A tourist's dream is to be on a German autobahn in a rented Porsche 911
Turbo and see sign #282 (where the gloves come off and you can step on it).

I saw some commercial where some guy ships his Camaro or something to
Germany, and the German shipping people ask, "Don't you like the cars in
Germany?" and he says, "Nah, that's not it - I don't like the speed
limits in America."

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

Similar in cars themselves. I remember when even the guys in the shop
scratched their heads about one warning light that came on in my
Europeanized Chrysler. Our current cars have warning lights with clear
text messages just light in aircraft. That's how it ought to be.

Benny Hill once did a bit where he's visiting somewhere in, I think,
Greece. The toilets had the US "men" and "women" pictures,
http://members.aol.com/rmoeuradot/200x200/guide/reccult/RA-090.gif
http://bp1.blogger.com/__SbiAiS_v_0/R2Y1ZmFrtRI/AAAAAAAAAaA/x9AaeUS8rho/s1600-h/ladies+room+sign.jpg
(mind the wrap)
but as he's standing there, some woman in a pants suit comes out of the
one with the "man"-looking sign, and some old guy in traditional Greek
ceremonial garb which looks just like a skirt:
http://www.kiltmen.com/fustanella.jpg
comes out of the other one.

So, even "obvious" ones can be misread, apparently.

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

No, an orange oval thingie on a sketched truck axle. I wish they'd use
text like we do in the US. "Do not pass", "4WD advised" or "Chains
required" is much more clear than some abstract Picasso-style logo. Same
for computers where the first thing I do when one arrives is to switch
all the icons to text. So I can use it.

Which language? Aren't there about a dozen of them over there?

Similar in cars themselves. I remember when even the guys in the shop
scratched their heads about one warning light that came on in my
Europeanized Chrysler. Our current cars have warning lights with clear
text messages just light in aircraft. That's how it ought to be.

And, of course, the ever-popular "Check Engine" light. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Joerg]

So, what is it? I'd guess some kind of traffic circle/roundabout, but
don't they have inputs and outputs around the circumference? (I don't
read, write, or speak German, except maybe "dankeschoen". )

It's a roundabout. Most have inputs and outputs. Around 5:00pm there can
be more input than output ...

I saw some commercial where some guy ships his Camaro or something to
Germany, and the German shipping people ask, "Don't you like the cars in
Germany?" and he says, "Nah, that's not it - I don't like the speed
limits in America."

A friend took me along in his new Corvette a couple weeks ago. Now that
is a car that can really corner.

 

[Joerg]

Which language? Aren't there about a dozen of them over there?

Well, yeah, but most everyone speaks English.