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Schematic Symbols

symbols.zip (700k) Updated June 2010

This file contains many small JPG images of schematic symbols that I use to make my schematics. I give credit to Gary Johanson, WD4NKA and his TubePad ® method of schematic drawing.

The idea is to use a paint type graphics program, then drop the symbols on to the canvas and arrange them to make a schematic diagram. How easy this is will depend on your paint program. I use a program called Ulead PhotoImpact. This is now a discontinued program, but you can find it on eBay. A free program, such as The GIMP will probably work well.

To use these symbols, download and unzip to a directory of your choice. There is no installation required. Then start up your graphics program. Also start up Windows Explorer and go to where you had unzipped the files.

If you have two screens, it is easy to drag the symbol you want on to the canvas of the graphics software. If you have only one screen, you can share the screen with the programs and drag the symbols to the corner of the canvas. From there, you can drag the symbols around, as well as copy to make another symbol. Use your program to rotate any symbols that are in the wrong direction.

I like to use 360x270 pixel size for my crystal sets up to 640x480 for the larger diagrams. Each drawing program operates a little different, so experiment.

I place the schematic symbols first, and then use the lines (the files that begin with z to connect the symbols. There are horizontal and vertical lines. There are also various lengths of these lines.

You may find that a symbol may be partially covered by a newly placed one. In that case, I do a quick copy and past of the partially covered symbol to bring it "back to the top". As you draw your schematics, your skills will get better. I can do schematics amazingly fast now.

After the symbols are drawn, then the connection dots are added. Finally, I use the text tool to write what is needed on the drawing.

You then can save the file. I now save as .gif as those take a lot less room. But if you like .jpg, that is fine too. Some paint programs allow you save in it's native format. A copy should be saved in the native format so you can go back to the schematic and easily move and change symbols or text. If you save only as a .gif or .jpg, then you have to erase the portions that need changing. It gets ugly at that point.

It is important that you don't resize the picture, or try to compress (jpg files) the file size. These symbols work on a pixel by pixel basis when displayed on a computer monitor. Resizing will cause the picture not to render properly.

Gary had an excellent way to draw schematics. I think that I improved on his idea.

Graphics

BudCap.jpg Scan of a Bud capacitor box, by Rich, W3HWJ (1 mb)

Lambert Crystal Radio Coil Wrapper. (Thanks to Microbes, member of The RadioBoard forums.)

PDF File Downloads

scout.pdf Instructions for my #13 set done for a local scout troop. (3.8 mb)

Computer Screen Wallpaper

49sets-1024-80.jpg Picture of my first 49 crystal sets as shown on my earlier crystal radios main page. (235k)

Spreadsheet Downloads

davecoil.xls Coil winding spreadsheet, Excel format.

davecoil.123 Coil winding spreadsheet, Lotus 123 format.

bandspread.xls LC bandspread calculator v2, Excel format.

Other (non-radio)

ifc.mp3 International Crepitation Contest (18 mb) Funny!

ebstest.mp3 Emergency Broadcast System Test from the 1960's. FCC frowned on this one. (1.3mb) Funny!

1965-04-13 Jean Shepherd on Morse Code (10mb)