Time for a proper update:
So my design project has gotten off the ground. We'll be researching and constructing a VLF radio antenna/receiver. Pretty cool, even though it's not totally relevant these days. I mean, we still see VLF systems in use today, but it's by no means on the cutting edge. I guess there's no need to fix something that isn't broke, though. The only thing I'm concerned about is constructing the antenna. VLF waves are extremely long, and will require the use of a multi-phase antenna for our application. Otherwise, we'd need a massive array to effectively receive any signals. I don't know anything about that field. I'm sure my faculty advisor will help guide us through it.
To be completely frank, I don't think this thing will take two semesters to complete. I guess I'll have a better view after our meetings next week, but I'm definitely open to pushing hard to finish design and construction before December. It would make for a much softer landing if we didn't have this thing on our plates during our final semester.
Funny story: my group sort of stole the project out from a competing team. The main guy we were up against got to the advisor first, but didn't have a full team assembled. We did. The doc gave the guy the rest of the day to come up with the necessary people but he couldn't. Oh well. That's the way the game goes. It could have easily been us in that position.
My electric materials class is totally blowing my mind. It's primarily a semiconductor device physics course, but there's a heavy emphasis on quantum mechanical theory. Some of the ideas we're talking about are confusing, to say the least. The quantum universe operates in an entirely counterintuitive way compared to our big world. It's almost a philosophical discussion as much as it is a scientific one. I guess the thing that bugs me the most is the fact that no one understands this stuff in any sort of grand way. My prof said the best you can hope for is little plateaus of understanding about the current issue. I hate that.
So yeah
I wish it would rain here.
I also want to go swimming.
A day off on Monday will be nice.
Good music right now:
Against Me! - Walking Is Still Honest
Flogging Molly - Laura
The Rolling Stones - Let Me Down Slow
The Rolling Stones - Mixed Emotions
Also
At the Sets a week from Sunday:
So my design project has gotten off the ground. We'll be researching and constructing a VLF radio antenna/receiver. Pretty cool, even though it's not totally relevant these days. I mean, we still see VLF systems in use today, but it's by no means on the cutting edge. I guess there's no need to fix something that isn't broke, though. The only thing I'm concerned about is constructing the antenna. VLF waves are extremely long, and will require the use of a multi-phase antenna for our application. Otherwise, we'd need a massive array to effectively receive any signals. I don't know anything about that field. I'm sure my faculty advisor will help guide us through it.
To be completely frank, I don't think this thing will take two semesters to complete. I guess I'll have a better view after our meetings next week, but I'm definitely open to pushing hard to finish design and construction before December. It would make for a much softer landing if we didn't have this thing on our plates during our final semester.
Funny story: my group sort of stole the project out from a competing team. The main guy we were up against got to the advisor first, but didn't have a full team assembled. We did. The doc gave the guy the rest of the day to come up with the necessary people but he couldn't. Oh well. That's the way the game goes. It could have easily been us in that position.
My electric materials class is totally blowing my mind. It's primarily a semiconductor device physics course, but there's a heavy emphasis on quantum mechanical theory. Some of the ideas we're talking about are confusing, to say the least. The quantum universe operates in an entirely counterintuitive way compared to our big world. It's almost a philosophical discussion as much as it is a scientific one. I guess the thing that bugs me the most is the fact that no one understands this stuff in any sort of grand way. My prof said the best you can hope for is little plateaus of understanding about the current issue. I hate that.
So yeah
I wish it would rain here.
I also want to go swimming.
A day off on Monday will be nice.
Good music right now:
Against Me! - Walking Is Still Honest
Flogging Molly - Laura
The Rolling Stones - Let Me Down Slow
The Rolling Stones - Mixed Emotions
Also
At the Sets a week from Sunday: