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PUBLISHER’S LETTER www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Production Manager Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Peter Smith Ross Tester Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Enquiries Ross Tester Phone (02) 9979 5644 Fax (02) 9979 6503 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Rodney Champness Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed Jim Rowe, B.A., B.Sc, VK2ZLO Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. ACN 003 205 490. ABN 49 003 205 490 All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Hannanprint, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $69.50 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 8, 101 Darley St, Mona Vale, NSW 2103. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. E-mail: silchip<at>siliconchip.com.au ISSN 1030-2662 * Recommended and maximum price only. 2  Silicon Chip SILICON CHIP: on the upward path Are you one of the many readers concerned that SILICON CHIP is about to radically change its format or editorial content? Over the last few months there have been a number of changes in the marketplace, with some imported electronics magazines becom­ing no longer available and a major Australian magazine changing its format and content to suit its changing audience. So many readers have phoned, emailed, written and faxed us, asking to be reassured that we were not about to change our approach. It is very gratifying that so many readers do like our editorial content and presentation and that they don’t want us to change – not a bit. Well, the good news is that we have no major changes in mind. However, we will continue to make incremental changes in content and presentation, just as we have ever since we started SILICON CHIP in 1987. In the last 18 months, for example, we have put a lot more effort into the circuits and other diagrams, using colour as much as possible, to lift the presentation. Staff member Peter Smith has been largely responsible for all this extra work and while we think it has made a very worthwhile difference, not many readers have commented about it or anything else; until now. Similarly, with more recent issues, we have increased the size of the magazine by eight pages and now the whole magazine is presented in full colour whereas before, some sections only had spot colour. We are also attempting to include more computer content although I hasten to add, not at the expense of do-it-yourself project articles. I should also add that we have no intention of dropping the Vintage Radio pages. There was a flurry of correspondence on this topic a few months ago and a number of readers jumped to the conclusion that maybe we were about to drop it. No way. In fact, one of our readers, on renewing his subscription, wrote that if Vintage Radio and Serviceman’s Log were dropped, he would imme­diately cancel out. Hmm – well at least we know where we stand as far as he is concerned. I am very pleased to report that our subscriptions have taken a significant lift in the last few months, so we must be doing something right. On the other hand, we often feel a little let down when an issue that we have put a lot of work into (as we always do) does not sell as well as we thought it would. We hear from some read­ers that “they only buy when something interests them”. But we need your support on a consistent and continuing basis if we are going to continue to grow the magazine. Producing eighty or ninety pages of editorial every month is a very big effort for a small publishing company, so we really do need every bit of support we can get, both from readers and advertisers. We also welcome contributions. If you think an issue of the magazine is a little weak for some reason, please tell us about it. Don’t just “not buy it”. Or if you want articles on a particular topic, please tell us about that too. After all, email makes it dead easy to make your views known. On the other hand, if you think that some issue or article was great, please let us know about that as well. Like everyone else, a little positive feedback goes a long way. In the long-term, we are striving to be the world’s best electronics magazine. We want to continue to provide the best electronics information to all electronics readers, both young and old. We believe we are well along that path. With your con­stant support, we will achieve that goal. Leo Simpson