Ubuntu Manpage: gsmc - A GTK Smith Chart Calculator for RF impedance matching

NAME

       gsmc - A GTK Smith Chart Calculator for RF impedance matching

SYNOPSIS

       gsmc

DESCRIPTION

       gsmc  is  a  GTK application that allows one to do all the calculation usually done on a Smith Chart.  It
       permits one to make calculation for network composed by resistor, capacitor, inductance, and transmission
       line (also as stub).  Network topology is limited to series, parallel and as trasmissive for transmission
       line. No series connection are allowed in parallel branch, neither parallel connection in series  branch.
       Transmission  line  can be placed as quadrupole or as a parallel or series stub, either opened or shorted
       at the other end.

       Calculation procedure starts with setting the initial impedance to be matched, next network elements  are
       added and tuned to obtain the desidered impedance value.

       The  network  so  obtained can be saved in spice format for other analysis; current work can be saved for
       successive retrieve.

       The initial (start) impedance is thought as "the load" so when adding a transmission  line  placed  as  a
       quadrupole  rotation  is  clockwise, going "toward generator"; generator is placed after the last network
       element, as can be seen from spice output.

OPTIONS

       None

INTERACTIVE COMMANDS

       gsmc is a menu based GTK application with as much as possible accelerators and mnemonics. Nearly all  the
       command  can  to  be  issued  as a single keystroke or keystroke with modifiers. This is, in the author's
       opinion, the preferable way for very specialistic programs that has to be used extensively.

       Ctrl+q Quit the program.

       Ctrl+1 Toggle visualization of impedance (Z) circle

       Ctrl+2 Toggle visualization of admittance (Y) circle

       Ctrl+3 Toggle visualization of reflection coefficient (RHO) circle

       Ctrl+4 Toggle visualization of constant Q circle

       s      Set start point: can be entered as impedance, admittance or reflection coefficient

       Ctrl+0 (zero)
              Set characteristic impedance z0

       f      Set frequency (f0)

       r      Add a resistor

       l      Add an inductor

       c      Add a capacitor

       t      Add a transmission line or stub

       Shift+r
              Insert a resistor before the highlighted element

       Shift+l
              Insert an inductor before the highlighted element

       Shift+c
              Insert a capacitor before the highlighted element

       Shift+t
              Insert a transmission line or stub before the highlighted element

       d      Delete the currently highlighted element

       Shift+Curs Up
              Highlight previous element

       Shift+Curs Down
              Highlight next element

       Shift+Curs Left
              Decrease the first field of currently highlighted element

       Shift+Curs Right
              Increase the first field of currently highlighted element

       Mod+Curs Left
              Decrease the second field of currently highlighted element

       Mod+Curs Right
              Increase the second field of currently highlighted element

       Mod+Curs Up
              Increase the tuning step

       Mod+Curs Down
              Decrease the tuning step

       Ctrl+w Write network file in spice format

       Ctrl+n Restart for a new calculation with a clean chart

       =      Change first field of currently highlighted element

       Mod+=  Change second field of currently highlighted element

       Ctrl+a Start autotune procedure (tune goal is characteristic impedance)

       Ctrl+x Toggle lock flag in autotune procedure

       Ctrl+p Write an EPS or PS file

       Ctrl+l Load a previously saved .B gsmc job

       Ctrl+l Save a .B gsmc job

       Ctrl+f Increase frequency

       Shift+Ctrl+f
              Decrease frequency

       Check online keystroke for an updated list of commands.

       DIALOG WIN

       For operation that requires data entry a widget is created; it is composed by an  text  entry  field  and
       optionally some radio button to chose the format of data entry.

       The format for data entry can be a single number, or a more complex string. First of all every number can
       be supplied using standard prefix for unit of measure i.e.:

              a      (atto) 1e-18

              f      (femto) 1e-15

              p      (pico) 1e-12

              n      (nano) 1e-9

              u      (micro) 1e-6

              m      (milli) 1e-3

              k      (kilo) 1e3

              M      (mega) 1e6

              G      (giga) 1e9

              T      (tera) 1e12
       Note  that for spice output format mega is written as MEG instead of M, that will be otherwise recognized
       by spice as milli.  Unit of measure are not allowed to be in the text entered.

       Where a complex number is required both the rectangular and the polar format are recognized:  the  former
       can  be supplied as '12.3-j456m' while the latter can be supplied as '34.2 145' meaning a modulus of 34.2
       with a phase of 145 degrees. If the complex number is purely imaginary only something like 'j82'  can  be
       supplied,  while if imaginary part is zero a single number can be given. Imaginary operator can be issued
       as 'i' as well as 'j'.

DATA PRESENTATION

       The single window of gsmc is divided in four parts:

       -      The Smith chart itself in the upper left portion, where arcs and constant circle are drawn.

       -      The vertical bar on the right of the Smith chart, where initial, final and  cursor  impedance  are
              presented together general data.

       -      The horizontal bar on the bottom of Smith chart where the network element are listed.

       -      The portion in the lower right portion, for future use...

EXAMPLE OF USE

Let's try a simple example to understand how gsmc work. Suppose to have a load of 10-j35ohm to be matched
to 50+j0ohm at an operating frequency of 15.5MHz and we can use only concentrated reactive elements, i.e.
inductances and capacitors.

So start with setting operating frequency: press 'f' and a dialog win will appear. Type in the string
'15.5M' and then press enter. Now in the vertical bar the frequency entered is displayed.

Next set the start point impedance: press 's' and a dialog win will appear with the title "Start Point";
select the format for start point either clicking the "Z" radio button or using the mnemonic via Mod+Z.
Now the impedance can be entered as the string '10-j35' followed by enter. The starting point is now
displayed as a small circle.

The network has now to be constructed: let start with a series inductance of 800nH, so press 'l' and next
introduce the value as '800n', be sure that "Series" radio button is selected before pressing enter. TAB
and Shift+TAB is useful to move across items in dialog win without leave hands from keyboard. This value
is really too large, use Shift+Left cursor to reduce a bit. Up to where? Let's help you displaying the
admittance constant circles pressing "Ctrl+2", the arc should arrive to the G=1 circle (also called the
mirror circle), it's around 546nH.

Now add a capacitor in parallel connection, saying of 200pF: press 'c' and insert the string '200p' and
select Parallel either with mouse or with "Mod+p". Now the admittance circles may confuse, remove it by
pressing "Ctrl+2" again. The value of 200pF is too small, enlarge it by pressing Shift+Left cursor up to
get the end point near to the chart's center. The point reached with 429pF has nearly zero imaginary but
is 43ohm of real part instead of 50ohm.

So back to the inductance and try to modify it, with Shift+Cursor up move to the first component and then
try to change the inductance value by pressing cursor left and right. The changes are too large and 50+j0
cannot be reached. So press "Mod+Cursor down" and the "tunestep" value shown in the vertical bar is
reduced from 10% to 5%, try again to use Shift+Cursors left and right. It feel better. Now do the same on
the capacitor, moving to it by pressing cursor down and than adjusting value as for the inductance.

Final values should be around 568nH and 408pF. Now you want to see what happen using the closest standard
commercial values, that is 560nH and 390pF in the E12 series. Select (with Shift+Cursor Up), if needed,
the inductance and then press '=', the dialog window appear (middle line is unused) and the string '560n
s' has to be introduced. Next move to capacitor (Shift+Curs Down) and pressing '=' here insert '390p p'.
The final result is of SWR=1.14, if it's enough for you...

Moving the mouse to the point where the two arcs ends you can see that the point has an impedance of
about 10+j20ohm.

Transmission line and resistor can be used similarly refer to the section INTERACTIVE COMMANDS for
knowing how they can be placed. The major difference with transmission line is that they have two
parameter, the electrical length and the characteristic impedance: the former can be adjusted with
Shift+Cursor left/right as for resistor, inductance and capacitor; the latter can be adjusted with
Mod+cursor left/right.

Now the network can be saved either in a gsmc format (.gdt extension) by pressing Ctrl+s or in spice
format pressing Ctrl+w: The file so generated can be now analyzed with a spice simulator or gnucap or
ngspice ; maybe you are interested in simulating it sweeping around 15.5MHz, so modify the line

.ac lin 1 15.50MEG 15.50MEG

.ac lin 51 10MEG 30MEG

and run spice or gnucap

This example should be included in gsmc package an can be retrieved by pressing Ctrl+l and selecting
example1.gdt.

Autotune algorithm is very primitive and may not reach what is very simple to do by hand, do not ask to
much from it, work in progress...

Charts so drawn can be printed to a Postscript or Encapsulated Postscript file; in printed file some
information are added on the chart drawing as well as Circuit Description and some of the Current Value
are transcripted. Automatic recognition of filename extension .eps or .ps allows one to specify if the
file has to be in encapsulated format or not.

FILES

       gsmc don't use special configuration file, a gtkrc file is supplied and can be tuned to user preferences;
       if present it must be in /root/.gsmc/gtkrc.  File  describing  the  network  currently  analyzed  can  be
       generated,  it's  only needed that a minimum file permission is allowed, if not the program will work but
       data could not be saved.

       Data file (.gdt) contain a copy of internal  data  structures  in  a  quite  human  readable  format;  by
       inspection  one  can recognize and modify some parts using a text editor. For more details compare a .gdt
       file with smcdata struct defined in source file main.h.

LIMITATIONS

       Porting can be very very difficult, since all is based on X windows programming and GTK library, but  for
       other platform a plenty of similar program are available, free and good one too.

BUGS

       Help me to find.

TODO

       • Improve autotune algorithm

       • Target setting (not always one want to match to z0) for autotune.

       • Auxiliary window for error reporting instead of stderr.

COPYING

       This  program  is  free  software;  you  can  redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU
       General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License,  or
       (at your option) any later version.

AUTHOR

        Lapo Pieri  (IK5NAX)

        Home address: via delle Ortensie, 22  I-50142 Firenze Italy
        Phone: +39 055 706881
        e-mail: ik5nax@radioteknos.it
        website: www.qsl.net/ik5nax ; www.radioteknos.it