TRLINE-interactive transmission line computer program for undergraduate teaching

The author describes a complete and full-featured program for exploring the mysteries of the topics presented in a modern fields and waves course. The TRLINE program is designed to provide computational and instructional assistance in making the calculations and visualizations required in transmission line analysis. The interactive capabilities of the program make it an invaluable design aid. Among the concepts that it covers are traveling wave, incident wave, reflected wave, reflection coefficient, standing wave, matched load, and standing wave ratio. Techniques for creating matched loads with quarter-wave transformers and stub matching are also presented. The program provides an valuable resource for any instructor teaching a traditional introductory fields and waves course.