Page 65 - The Art and Science of Analog Circuit Design

Thoughts on Becoming and Being an Analog Circuit Designer

Things You Need to Survive as a "Real" Analog
Designer

I am occasionally asked what you need to survive as a "real" analog de-
signer. Well, this is a highly personal matter, but I can at least give my
standard answer, which is the things I need (in order of importance):
1. An understanding significant other (S.O.)
2. A laboratory dog to keep my feet warm
3. A basic supply of discrete and integrated components
4. A decent oscilloscope
5. A power supply
6. A soldering iron
7. Basic hand tools
8. Cheap beer
9. A pad and pencil

An understanding S.O. is critical, because when you start coming
home with large chunks of blue-colored equipment and go misty-eyed
when you see an old Tektronix catalog, it takes a special kind of person
to understand! Analog designers tend to build up huge collections of old
oscilloscopes, circuit boards, random metal boxes, and all sorts of "pre-
cious" items that will come in handy some day. I think meeting an analog
designer who isn't a packrat is about as likely as meeting the Swedish
Bipolar Bikini Team.
A typical workbench for analog circuit design is shown in Figure 5-1.
In addition, the "analog workstation," where most of the really good cir-
cuit ideas are developed, is shown in Figure 5-2. The very useful labora-

Figure5-1.
A l^il work-
bench ustd for
analog $$#.•
design.

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