Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
PUBLISHER'S LETTER
Leo Simpson, B.Bus.
Editor
Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.)
Technical Staff
John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.)
Robert Flynn
Darren Yates
Reader Services
Ann Jenkinson
Sales & Marketing Mgr.
Angela Clarke, B.A.(Comm.)
Phone (02) 979 5644
Mobile phone (018) 28 5532
Regular Contributors
The future of electronic mail
This month, as usual, we have a mixture of projects and technical articles
designed to tickle your electronics fancy. For those who are keen on high
fidelity systems, we have an article on a 3-way loudspeaker system which
can be built for a very reasonable price. It has been quite some time since we
last described a loudspeaker system and in view of the number of different
speaker combinations we have tried over the last few years, in the quest for
good sound at a reasonable price, we are very pleased to finally present this
system.
For those who have an abiding interest in thunderstorms and lightning,
and who doesn't as the thunderstorm season comes round once again, we
have an article about a radio system which actually plots lightning strikes as
they happen. This system will shortly be installed in Australia and will be
a big advance in monitoring storms as they progress.
But perhaps the most interesting project article this month is the one on
the Fax/Modem, beginning on page 58. Whether or not you have a computer
and whether or not you are interested in having a fax or a modem, this unit
will be of particular interest. Why? Because it's so cheap. When you
consider how expensive both modems and facsimile machines were just a
few years ago, this under $300 unit represents another benchmark in the
declining prices of computer-based equipment.
As this trend continues, it's not too hard to see where this technology is
likely to lead. Ultimately, many homes will have their own fax machines in fact many people already have a fax machine at home. But the machine
of the future is likely to be much cheaper and will combine the capabilities
of a plain paper fax, photocopier and modem for computer hookup.
In fact, it is likely that s0me of these fax wonders will eventually have full
sized computer keyboards so that you can sit down, dash off a short letter
and then fax it anywhere, down the street or across the world. All this will
probably be available in the not too distant future at a price of less than $500
in today's money.
And what of the consequences of this technology? Well the postal service
as we know it will probably cease to exist. Why bother going down the street
to post a letter when you can zap it off without leaving your home and at less
cost?
It is well to remember that, ultimately, technical change comes about not
because new technology is discovered but because it makes it possible to do
things more easily, quickly and more cheaply. So read the Fax/Modem
article on page 58 and take a look at a portent for the future.
Leo Simpson
Brendan Akhurst
Jennifer Bonnitcha, B.A.
Garry Cratt, VK2YBX
John Hill
Jim Lawler, MTETIA
Bryan Maher, M.E., B.Sc.
Jim Yalden, VK2YGY
Bob Young
Photography
Stuart Bryce
Editorial Advisory Panel
Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW
Norman Marks
Steve Payor, B.Sc., B.E.
SILICON CHIP is published 12 times
a year by Silicon Chip Publications
Pty Ltd. All material copyright ©. No
part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent of the publisher.
Printing: Magazine Printers Pty Ltd,
Alexandria, NSW; Macquarie Print,
Dubbo, NSW.
Distribution: Network Distribution
Company.
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Subscription rates: $42 per year
in Australia. For overseas rates, refer to the subscription page in this
issue.
Liability: Devices or circuits described in SILICON CHIP may be
covered by patents. SILICON CHIP
disclaims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such
e_quipment.
Editorial & advertising offices:
Unit 1a/77-79 Bassett Street, Mona
Vale, NSW 2103. Postal address:
PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW
2097. Phone (02) 979 5644. Fax
(02) 979 6503.
ISSN 1030-2662
SEPTEMBER 1991
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