How to make a Smith chart
8 comments
·October 24, 2025mbostock
I made an interactive implementation here: https://observablehq.com/@mbostock/smith-chart
btkramer9
I loved smith charts during my microwave classes in college. I've always felt like there should be a fun game based on the mechanics of using a smith chart.
uzby
This software is so good it is as enjoyable as any game, it taught me to love Smith Charts
dmd
I’m just amazed there isn’t a nearly impenetrable Greg Egan book based on them.
munchler
> The Smith chart from electrical engineering is the image of a Cartesian grid under the function f(z) = (z − 1)/(z + 1). More specifically, it’s the image of a grid in the right half-plane.
Well, I'm already confused. The domain is complex numbers where the real part is >= 0? I think it would be helpful to make that clear from the get-go. When I see "Cartesian grid", I think R^2, not C.
_whiteCaps_
I have PTSD from learning Smith charts in school.
My prof even said to me "If you'd pay attention, you'd understand this!". I was the only one who was brave enough to ask questions about it!
OldSchool
Heh, this reminds me, don't worry:
One of my extremely intelligent roommates in the 80s switched from EE to CS, seemingly due to Smith charts and Electromagnetics coursework.
He went on to make a large fortune in software.
These are wormhole graphs, right?