Bart, here is the new thread you suggested. I will start it off and
hopefully it will maintain some sense of continuity and stay on coil
building.
It would be useful to have some sort of consensus about what it
actually means to "teach coiling," albeit, I suspect that will not
happen.
Is "teaching coiling" simply providing an algorithm that anyone who
has a basic knowledge of electrical wiring can follow? If so, then the
TCML has done an
amazing job. With the Tesla model building programs developed by Paul
and others this has been accomplished.
However, I prefer to think that there is more to it than that.
Consider advancing old technology to new technology. I have been on
this list for quite a while and
read, watched and experimented with spark gap coils, VTTC 's SSTC's
to DRSSTC ( solid state coiling still amazes me, even though I
finally understand how the process works ).
Our list members developed and published new technology about coil
building and created the "state of the art".
Should history be neglected? Every primary science course investigates
the historical events in its discipline. The TCML has members
dedicated to rebuilding and preserving historical devices.
Jeff Behary has accumulated an astounding collection of devices and
literature. There is always something to learn from history.
How about the conceptual foundation of resonant circuits? How can any
individual say they "understand" how a coil works without the
conceptual foundation? The TCML has always had members more than
willing to share their academic knowledge. My good friend Bert Hickman
always comes through as well as other list members. Obviously this
knowledge level developed the modeling programs.
Our coils are indeed, complex objects, and their level of complexity
will depend on the user requirements and desires. Some will learn just
how to make big sparks and others will dig
deep into electromagnetic fields, solid state electronics. streamer
and plasma development, commercial applications and many other
directions.
Sometimes I have a transfer student from a community college who
doesn't, for example, want to take a course in Operating Systems. The
student will indicate that he knows all about
Unix, Linux, Mac/Os, Solaris , etc. I simply respond, "That is good
and certainly useful, but I'll teach you how to write an operating
system." Few people need to know how to develop and write an OS,
but many need to know how to use them. I believe It is the same with
teaching coiling, some will get to some conceptual foundation, but
most will become educated users and builders.
John W. G.
John W. Gudenas, Ph.D.
Professor of Computer Science
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