My reaction while reading this.
this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2026
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Just to point out, because it's bothering me way more than it should...
But the electric and magnetic peaks align with each other's valleys, not with each other's peaks.
Well it's wrong. I suppose you are thinking so because Maxwell's equations shows B depending on (∆E/∆t)[i cant write \partial symbol], BUT remember LHS is not B but is curl(B) so derivative acts on both sides. So they are in phase and not 90° out of phase. So the peaks should align, atleast in free space
No, they fucking shouldn't
Edit: neither of us are right, EM waves in vacuum do travel in phase but in conductors, there is a phase difference between 0° (very high resistance) and 45° (superconductor). So yeah, EM waves can "tell" they're in a dummy load.
If two waves of the same frequency align with each others' valleys, they align with each others' peaks. Do you mean they should be aligned peak to valley? I don't know how you're deciding which direction of the axes is positive and which is negative though.
Yeah, because it's not pulsing in intensity, it's pulsing between which kind of energy it's being
You're describing circular polarization. It's not the only way.
Maybe it's showing polarization superpositions of the E-field?
I get the reference to the original meme. I don't understand the EM spectrum component, though.
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.
Thanks. That puts me on the right track.
https://www.onallbands.com/ham-radio-101-dummy-loads-smart-idea/
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
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.
They can't wait anyways because they do not experience the passage of time.