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50ohm goes brrrrrr (sh.itjust.works)
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[-] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago

I get the reference to the original meme. I don't understand the EM spectrum component, though.

[-] deranger@sh.itjust.works 34 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

They wish they were in an antenna and going out as radio waves, but instead they’re in a dummy load and not going anywhere. 50ohm is a common antenna impedance.

Had to go get my radio-tech spouse. His reply "Oh, that's the dumb name for a terminator...."

Apparently "dummy load" isn't what they call them in the USAF

i might be wrong here but i think a dummy load is different from a terminator, they both 50 ohm, but a terminator is more like a connector cap, while a dummy load is designed to dissipate heat and can often take many watts of power over extended time without starting glow

[-] Eranziel@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

That's my understanding as well. I've seen dummy loads used when testing transmitters at power so that nothing gets too hot. They usually have a big aluminum heat sink.

this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2026
308 points (97.0% liked)

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