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SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: www.jaycar.com.au Contents Vol.17, No.10; October 2004 www.siliconchip.com.au FEATURES 8 The Humble “Trannie” Turns 50 You say you want a revolution? Well, the humble transistor radio has just turned 50! Here’s a look at some of the early designs and how they were developed – by Kevin Poulter 22 Review: Stressless Wireless Add short-range wireless communications to your projects with these easy-touse transceiver modules – by Peter Smith The Humble “Trannie” Turns 50 – Page 8. 24 Epson’s Latest Micro-Flying Robot Is it a bird, is it a plane? . . . no, it’s the worlds smallest “micro-flying” robot and it flies by itself 46 Review: The Amateur Scientist 2.0 Over 1000 classic science projects from “Scientific American” and they’re all on a single CD – by Peter Smith PROJECTS TO BUILD 26 SMS Controller, Pt.1 Control equipment from anywhere using SMS and an old Nokia mobile phone. It can even text you when your alarm has activated – by Peter Smith Build An SMS Controller – Page 26. 36 RGB To Component Video Converter What – no RGB inputs on your TV to match your new digital set-top box? Don’t sweat it . . . build this low-cost unit instead – by Jim Rowe 68 USB Power Injector Don’t overload your PC’s USB ports or USB hub. This simple gadget goes in the USB line and will drive that power-hungry USB peripheral – by Jim Rowe 76 Remote Controller For Garage Doors & Gates It’s easy to build and has all the features you’ve ever wanted in a remote control, including battery back-up SPECIAL COLUMNS 60 Circuit Notebook (1) Light-Controlled Pond Pump; (2) Bike Battery Charger; (3) 6-Station Sprinkler Controller; (4) 4-Channel Oscilloscope Adapter 82 Serviceman’s Log RGB To Component Video Converter – Page 36. Flushing out the problems – by the TV Serviceman 90 Vintage Radio Those troublesome capacitors, Pt.1 – by Rodney Champness DEPARTMENTS 2 4 57 59 89 Publisher’s Letter Mailbag Product Showcase Silicon Chip Weblink Order Form siliconchip.com.au 98 101 102 104 Ask Silicon Chip Notes & Errata Market Centre Ad Index USB Power Injector – Page 68. October 2004  1 PUBLISHER’S LETTER www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Production Manager Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Editor Peter Smith Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Ross Tester Jim Rowe, B.A., B.Sc, VK2ZLO Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Enquiries Phil Benedictus Laurence Smith Benedictus Smith Pty Ltd Phone (02) 9211 9792 Fax: (02) 9211 0068 info<at>benedictus-smith.com Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Rodney Champness, VK3UG Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Stan Swan 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, Noble Park, Victoria. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $83.00 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 Australia’s future energy options Recent energy conferences are highlighting the huge growth in energy consumption both in Australia and around the world. In spite of serious concerns held by many academics about global warming, people are just getting on with life and that means using ever more energy. The last two decades have seen Australian electrical energy consumption double but that pales into insignificance when compared to China which currently is installing the equivalent of Australia’s entire electrical grid every YEAR! Truly, the economic growth and accompanying growth of infrastructure in China is enormous and it is well on the way to becoming the dominant world economy in the next 20 or 30 years. (Most commentators reckon that the Chinese will achieve world dominance within 50 years but having seen a small fraction of their recent infrastructure development, I think it will be much sooner.) So where is all the world’s energy growth to come from? Much of it will continue to come from oil but coal is seen as ever more important in spite of its large contribution to green-house gases. Many energy experts see carbon sequestration, the burying of carbon dioxide gas, as the solution, along with the idea of “carbon trading” which is set to boom if the Kyoto protocol is ratified by Russia. Personally, I regard carbon sequestration as a bad joke, even though it has already been demonstrated with carbon dioxide extracted from gas production in the Norwegian North Sea. I suspect that carbon sequestration will never happen in a big way, just as the burial of nuclear power station radioactive waste products deep in stable underground rock strata has never happened. Unfortunately too, renewable energy resources such as solar and wind power seem unlikely to ever make a really major contribution to the world’s energy needs. Wind power is being taken up in a big way, even in Australia, but the electrical grid then requires big reserves (provided by thermal power stations) to provide for times when the wind is not blowing. If Australia had large solar generation it could complement wind power, on the basis that when the wind is not blowing on the coastal regions, the sun is probably shining strongly in the central Australian regions. But that is unlikely in the near future. Still, coal power stations are not really the way to go, especially as we have huge reserves of gas. Gas-fired power stations are much more efficient (due to co-generation techniques), have much more benign greenhouse gas emissions and do not need huge open-cut mines which blight the landscape. For the rest of the world, nuclear and coal-fired power stations seem likely to continue as the main electricity sources and regardless of how systems are tweaked to improve efficiency, coal-fired power stations seem destined to be built in increasing numbers. Does that seem pessimistic? Yes, but short of asking the rest of the world to limit their living standards in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions, there does not seem to be a realistic alternative. In the far future, maybe we will have a mixture of solar and fusion power stations, giving a cleaner environment. Leo Simpson * Recommended and maximum price only. 2  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au MicroGram USB Net Phone · Make free voice calls PC to PC · Make calls Worldwide to landline and mobile phones at ridiculously low rates The computer shop that’s got the lot! MicroGrams USB Net Phone is designed to make free PC to PC calls over the Internet. With its slim design it is a perfect solution for home, SOHO and traveling users. No software is supplied with the phone, however MicroGram recommends using Skype, which is free to download from www.skype.com. Other programs like MSN Messenger, NetMeeting, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ are also compatible. Skype 1.0 now supports "SkypeOut" a feature that allows users to make calls to friends who only have a landline or mobile phone, anywhere in the world at local rates. NEW! Multi-homed ADSL Router Enhance reliability & double your ADSL capacity by using two different ISP’s. Cat 10145-7 $399 USB Digital TV Tuner Watch and capture (mpeg-2) digital TV broadcasts on your PC or Notebook. Cat 3547-7 $319 Bluetooth GPS Turn a Bluetooth capable PDA, Laptop, or Smartphone into a GPS. Cat 11433-7 $469 Cat 10129-7 $89 Gigabit PCI Adapter NEW! Add a high speed gigabit port to your PC with this inexpensive 1000/100/10Mbps NIC. Cat 11359-7 $41 USB Extender Removable HDD Kit DVI KVM Switch Kit includes aluminium tray and frame for IDE Hard Disks. Cat 6802-7 $79 A two way KVM switch for use with a DVI monitor and PS/2 mouse and keyboard. Cat 11663-7 $169 Use a USB device up to 50m away from a PC over inexpensive UTP cable (not included). Cat 11666-7 $105 12v Mini PC Optical (toslink) Switch SATA Controller Business Card Cutter Laser Barcode Scanner This optical switch box has three inputs and one output. Cat 23000-7 $54 Add two SATA Hard Disks to any PC. Cat 2872-7 $99 Comes with cutter and software Cat 5448-7 $249 A reliable scanner for a great price. Cat 1008039-7 $399 TV on your Monitor Watch TV on any monitor. Does not require a PC. Cat 3525-7 $239 Serial to Ethernet Available in 1, 2, 4 or 8 port models Cat 15141-7 (single port) $259 NEW! wLAN USB Dongle USB to 2 Serial Ports Provides two native windows COM ports that are compatible with Windows serial communication applications. Cat 2852-7 $119 This 802.11b dongle is great for setting up a simple wireless network. Cat 11438-7 $69 This Mini PC is perfect for the car, boat or even the office. Cat 1150-7 $729 Video to VGA LCD Monitor Arm Display any video signal on a VGA monitor. Has S-Video and RCA inputs. Cat 3479-7 $259 Holds up to a 17" Monitor. 3 in 1 mounting system (desk/wall/clamp). Cat 4666-7 $99 USB to 5.1 Sound S/PDIF and 3.5mm headphone connections. Cat 23025-7 $99 Thin Client Terminals! We’ve got them for Serial, Ethernet, Windows Based and Linux applications MicroGram Computers Ph: (02) 4389 8444 FreeFax: 1800 625 777 Vamtest Pty Ltd trading as MicroGram Computers ABN 60 003 062 100, info<at>mgram.com.au 1/14 Bon Mace Close, Berkeley Vale NSW 2261 All prices subject to change without notice. For current pricing visit our website. Pictures are indicative only. See all these products & more on our website...www.mgram.com.au SHORE AD/MGRM1004 Dealer inquiries welcome MAILBAG IEC power cords can have poor contacts Recent remarks about power cords (Mailbag, July 2004) have prompted me to offer some comments about their serviceability. I am involved in testing and tagging a large number of secondhand cords for use in computers, monitors, printers, etc. In a recent batch of 55 which I tested, nine were rejected due to poor connections between male and female plug and socket. Australian standard 3-pin plugs have a 1.6mm thick male pin but IEC pins are 2mm thick. When I first started checking the resistance of these cords, any slight movement of the plug would produce an open-circuit with some cords and I realised that a “go-no go” gauge was needed. This was made from the earth pin of an IEC plug and I now make it a standard procedure to test for sufficient contact tension with all IEC sockets, prior to the other tests required. G. F. Nott, via email Whatever happened to 230V? A few years back, one of the hot topics in SILICON CHIP editorials and correspondence was the proposal to change Australia’s domestic singlephase mains supply to 230V. I was reminded of this when I purchased a new element for my water heater. Despite being exactly the same part number as the original 240V stamped part, it is now stamped “230V”. For a few years I’ve noticed a lot of domestic appliances have been rated at 230-240V. I assumed this was because the same appliances were also for the Kiwi market but now I wonder if it is really in fact to satisfy the pro-230V lobby in preparation for the lowering of voltage. In the UK, they went through the 230V conversion not so long ago, for the same politically correct reasons Australia was faced with. Interestingly however, it turns out that it was “only on paper”. The mains voltage was not actually changed from 240V. It might all seem academic triviality 4  Silicon Chip but having once lived at the end of the line with the mains regularly dropping to 200V and under, 10V difference was enough to stop an already poorly performing appliance from working altogether. My question is therefore, did we actually go through with it in Australia? If so, the UK approach must have been taken because I am glad to see the mains in my area is still closer to 250VAC when I measure it. John Hunter, via email. Comment: it seems as though the 230V “conversion” has been largely in name only. Good thing too. Even bigger power supply wanted The HT power supply using a modified AT power supply in the July 2004 issue is excellent. The only criticism is that as an RF-oriented person, 125W is just not enough; I need about 1kV at 1A for a decent HF linear and yes, I realise the transformer is just not big enough to do this – a redesign using a bigger transformer, perhaps? The other observation in the photograph of the dismantled supply: note the complete absence of EMI suppression on the mains power input. There is space on the board but the manufacturer just didn’t bother to put it in. Ah well, that’s the price we pay for being run by third-world politicians. By the way, high voltage transformers are still readily available (see your own advertisers). You just have to pay a lot of money for them. Still, if you are mad enough to want to build a valve audio amplifier, then you will spend it. For RF power, valves still rule supreme on a “bang for the buck” basis. Andrew Blight, VK3BFA, via email. Wide-screen digital TV is a mess In December 2003, I wrote regarding my thoughts on the current state of Digital TV broadcasting in Australia. Recently, Aldi started selling their own “Medion” brand digital set-top boxes for the princely sum of $169. I couldn’t believe Aldi’s Cheapo Chinese-made offering: you just plug it in and it works! All the local channels were already tuned in; all I had to do was tell it where I lived and it automatically sorted out the program guide, local time and so on. You even get an on-screen signal strength meter to help you set up the antenna! The digital channels came booming in! So now it seems I’m getting Digital TV as advertised. If they can just do something about the fact that most of the time all I’m getting is five copies of the existing analog channels, I’ll be ecstatic! Interestingly, unlike the Thomson units, the Aldi receiver actually does something with the HD transmissions instead of the screen just going blank. You get a series of “stills” which seem to have more resolution than the “live” SD transmissions, although I know that doesn’t really make sense on an SD TV. The whole HD/widescreen thing seems to be going off the rails somewhat, particularly in the US. Contrary to what was predicted, sales of widescreen sets seem to have gone off the boil. Most of the newer large-screen TV sets I’ve looked at recently have been standard 4:3, including one “HD-ready” Philips 68cm 100Hz job for $999. They seem to have somewhat lost the plot with large screens. The Philips set offers a choice of 625-line 50Hz progressive scan, 625-line 100Hz interlace, or 1080/1250 line 50Hz interlace. On 1080/1250 you can hardly see the horizontal scanning lines but the tube’s vertical stripe pattern is considerably coarser than even the plain old 625-line horizontal line structure! “HD siliconchip.com.au ready”? Ready for what? Trouble is, the finer the pitch, the more electrons that wind up simply heating up the shadow mask, and the more power consumed, the heftier the scanning circuitry has to be and so on. Most manufacturers have taken the easy way out. Very few plasma screens offer true HD 1920 x 1080 resolution; in fact a lot of models have only “VGA” 640 x 480 resolution (derived from the visible picture area of ordinary NTSC transmissions). Meanwhile large-screen LCD displays are racing up on the inside, offering lower cost, lighter weight, less fragility and lower power consumption. The images aren’t yet quite up to current plasma or CRT standard but I doubt many people would notice the difference. What’s really interesting is that many of them are old-fashioned 4:3, not widescreen 16:9! This highlights another major stuffup. As one of your other correspondents has pointed out, if you set your digital receiver to 16:9 letterbox, a lot of the time you simply wind up with a three-quarter sized 4:3 image, since the stations routinely transmit 4:3 sourced material “vertically letterboxed”! Worse still is vertical-letterboxing of already horizontally-letterboxed SD material! This is because the authorities blithely assumed that everyone would by now own 16:9 TV sets. What should have happened was a mandate that all digital set-top boxes be fitted with a 16:9 “flag” signal output and all new 4:3 TV sets set up to switch automatically from this. Ah well, hindsight – the only perfect science! Keith Walters, via email. “No More Gaps” not safe as high voltage insulation I was reading your May 2004 issue when I came across the reader’s question regarding the use of Hot Glue as an insulating medium. I have used Hot Glue a number of times but was worried when I saw the reader refer to the use of “No More Gaps”. A couple of months ago, I was working with another engineer on an audio project. We experienced problems with air escaping out of the input connectors on a bass speaker cabinet. siliconchip.com.au To quickly fault find our problem we covered the socket in “No More Gaps” due to its thick consistency. The next day we couldn’t find our input signal and to our surprise the No More Gaps had shorted the input socket. We discovered that the no more gaps was highly conductive either wet or dry. We left the PC board for a number of days with no change to the results. This meant two things. Firstly, as a mains insulation medium it is very dangerous. However, as a cheap conductive RF coating it works exceptionally well and for only a fraction of the cost of the spray-on coatings; it is not very pretty though. Robert Martin, via email. CFLs and timebase correctors I totally agree that CFLs do not live up to their claims. I bought a fairly large quantity of CFLs from K-Mart early in the piece and they all failed way short of their claimed life. Some that failed within weeks or a couple of months were replaced under warranty, but I got sick of taking them back. They were in the vicinity of $24 to $30 each and terrible rubbish! Some were mounted in ordinary light fittings and several were mounted in plain surfacemount sockets in my darkroom (with a low ceiling) where I did most of my CAD work at the time. The reduced amount of heat compared to incandescent lamps was the main reason for using them there and the availability of “daylight” types was another. Ultimately they all failed prematurely and were a total waste of resources and money. I noticed that when they failed the lamp-base was often discoloured, indicating extreme temperature inside. I also found out (the hard way) that as the lamps approach their end of life, the fluorescent tube can become extremely hot. I have opened a few failed lamps to see a pretty low-tech circuit with two or three transistors, electrolytic and film capacitors, a ferrite-cored transformer and a few diodes and resistors on a poorly assembled, badly soldered PC board (usually made in China). Philips and GE CFLs are better but still not anywhere as Atmel’s AVR, from JED in Australia JED has designed a range of single board computers and modules as a way of using the AVR without SMT board design The AVR570 module (above) is a way of using an ATmega128 CPU on a user base board without having to lay out the intricate, surface-mounted surrounds of the CPU, and then having to manufacture your board on an SMT robot line. Instead you simply layout a square for four 0.1” spaced socket strips and plug in our pre-tested module. The module has the crystal, resetter, AVR-ISP programming header (and an optional JTAG ICE pad), as well as programming signal switching. For a little extra, we load a DS1305 RTC, crystal and Li battery underneath, which uses SPI and port G. See JED’s www site for a datasheet. AVR573 Single Board Computer This board uses the AVR570 module and adds 20 An./Dig. inputs, 12 FET outs, LCD/ Kbd, 2xRS232, 1xRS485, 1-Wire, power reg. etc. See www.jedmicro.com.au/avr.htm $330 PC-PROM Programmer This programmer plugs into a PC printer port and reads, writes and edits any 28 or 32-pin PROM. Comes with plug-pack, cable and software. Also available is a multi-PROM UV eraser with timer, and a 32/32 PLCC converter. JED Microprocessors Pty Ltd 173 Boronia Rd, Boronia, Victoria, 3155 Ph. 03 9762 3588, Fax 03 9762 5499 www.jedmicro.com.au October 2004  5 Mailbag: continued long-lived as an incandescent bulb or conventional fluorescent tube. I would say that the lamps fail mainly because the heat dries out the main filter cap which then has insufficient capacitance to filter the 340V or so used to power the HF power oscillator. I have not attempted to repair any of these failed lamps because (1) the tube is usually blackened at the ends or it breaks when the base is pried open; (2) the filter capacitor is very tiny and I have not seen the capacitance/voltage/small size combination available here; (3) it’s pretty much impossible to safely reassemble the base after opening and (4) they’re too dangerous to play with. Unless the manufacturers of CFLs can lift their game, I can’t see that these lamps will ever perform as long as expected. The right solution might be to have the inverter in the roof where it can be big enough to be constructed from more reliable components and dissipate its heat, or perhaps just go back to the good old choke and starter setup with a plug-in tube. Additionally, I imagine that millions of CFLs must draw a rather spiky current from the mains with their simple half-wave or full-wave capacitor input filters which I thought the supply authorities were trying to minimise these days. Regarding the Video Enhancer & Y/C Separator in the August 2004 issue, I might be wrong but as far as I can see, the device does not gate out any Macrovision pulses. Many people would want to use this gadget to view commercial DVDs or VHS tapes. Black level clamping is definitely not compatible with Macrovision, so they will need another device in line with the input to get rid of it. I think you should have mentioned this in the article or perhaps it might have been an idea to build this facility into the design. Finally, regarding Rex Shepherd’s letter in “Mailbag” for August 2004, I get quite a few calls from people who are trying to put original VHS (or Betamax) tapes onto DVD, either using DVD recorders or PC-based video capture cards and internal DVD drives – unsuccessfully. Basically, the video signal from 99% of VHS players is too 6  Silicon Chip jittery and noisy for the A-to-D and MPEG2 converters in DVD recorders and capture cards to cope with. The other 1% (a handful of high-end JVC, Panasonic and Sony machines, etc) have timebase correctors (TBCs) builtin and their output can be processed quite readily. These high-end machines quite often have advanced video noise and chroma noise reduction built-in (such as JVC’s very effective 3D noise reduction) and the improvement in quality of the resultant DVD is well worth the investment, but these machines are starting to become rare as the DVD recorder becomes more affordable and starts to displace the VCR. External TBCs are also very effective and offer controls for brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness (such as this one: http://www.questronix. com.au/products/ctb100.htm) at a reasonable cost. In my experience, most tapes need a bit of adjustment, especially if they are getting “wishywashy”! I can see Mr Shepherd’s point but it is a technically complex subject and I doubt that many electronics salesmen would have any idea what a TBC is, let alone recommend that one is necessary for a decent transfer to DVD. Given a good quality video signal, Mr Shepherd’s Digitrex should perform as claimed. If it doesn’t, then he has a strong case for a replacement or a refund. A “stabiliser” such as your “Dr Video” will achieve little if anything as it will not affect the stability of the video signal at all and cannot replace missing/degraded sync as caused by tape dropouts or bad tracking. Only a TBC can achieve that. Joe R, via email. New PCs have puny speakers Saw the article on silencing PCs in the July 2004 issue. I have just gone through a similar scenario with my new P4 and ended up building a PWM NE555 controller for the internal case fans using a thermistor to control the pulse width and therefore the speed of the case fans. But have you noticed that new PC cases have a different form of “noise maker” in place of the small dynamic loudspeaker of days of yore? This has a very limited bandwidth/output when compared with the small speaker in older cases and shoots the PC in the foot for many users. Why? Because the motherboard over-temperature and processor fan failure warnings are via this little transducer. For those folks with tinnitus or industrial deafness, this little transducer’s output falls outside their audible range. Changing the transducer back to a conventional PC dynamic speaker solves the problem. Isn’t progress wonderful? Brad Sheargold, via email. Comment: progress is wonderful; it’s just that some parts of progress are more wonderful than others! Saving the output transformer I read Graeme Dennes’ letter in Mailbag for August 2004 with interest, concerning my Vintage Radio article in the June issue. I quite agree with Graeme’s comments about the placement of the capacitor (C11) from the plate of the audio output valve to earth, in that there is a danger of a short circuit occurring. I talk about voltage stress and leakage of capacitors in this month’s article. Some manufacturers did place the capacitor across the speaker transformer primary and it is my policy to do the same. As Graeme points out, one of the functions of this capacitor is to assist with RF stability. There is a small amount of IF signal amplified by the audio amplifier and most manufacturers weren’t concerned about filtering this out – as long as the set worked. When wired straight from plate to earth, this capacitor is more effective. If wired from plate to the HT line, the bypassing of the RF (or actually IF signal) is not quite as effective, particularly if only an electrolytic capacitor is used as a filter. Electrolytic capacitors are not renowned for good long-term RF filtering. With a lack of good filtering, a small amount of this IF signal remains on the supposedly bypassed and filtered siliconchip.com.au HT supply line and is then fed back into the IF and hence instability can occur. I have struck this many times, and with proper bypassing and filtering, a set that is marginally stable often becomes a first class performer. Then the plate bypass capacitor (C11 in this case) can be wired across the speaker transformer as Graeme suggests. I haven’t advocated the procedure suggested by Graeme in my articles as I have been concerned that should I advocate doing this and it then causes instability in the receiver, I have not helped a newcomer to get his/her set going properly. A new high-quality high-voltage (at least 600V rating) polyester will be more reliable than the older paper capacitor it replaces anyway. Perhaps restorers can try the capacitor wired in both ways – the earthy end to chassis or to the HT end of the speaker transformer. If the set performance is identical with the capacitor wired either way, then it can be assumed that the wiring of the capacitor across the transformer primary is OK. However, if the performance of various valves is down or the alignment is a little out at the time of the tests and later on a new valve(s) is put in or the alignment touched up, unexplained instability could occur which may be due to this circuit alteration. Rodney Champness, via email. CFLs and car electrics I agree with your short life observations on CFLs but perhaps a more important point is that they all contain a drop of mercury in the tube and these drops add up. Given their much higher complexity, it would be interesting to see a proper total energy audit, including construction and waste disposal, for both types. I hope your response to the letter on saving the output transformer (Mailbag, August 2004) was tonguein-cheek since many of the old mantle sets I repaired in my youth had a shorted .001µF waxed-paper capacitor across the o/p transformer primary (incidentally cooking the output bot- tle). I’m sure Rod Champness will confirm. The same arrangement is used in guitar amplifier reverb line drivers dating from the same era but failures are very rare. Regarding the letter on a safe battery charger for cars (Ask SILICON CHIP, August 2004), I have seen notices in engine bays advising the disconnection of the battery when welding or battery charging. Car service folks these days often have a “keep alive” gizmo consisting of two 6V lantern cells and a cigarette lighter plug to preserve the memory of the various items connected to the 12V bus. One car I was asked to look at after the owner had disconnected the battery for welding had such terrible amnesia it wouldn’t even crank! Roly Roper, via email. Comment: no doubt if CFLs lasted as long as claimed they would have a favourable energy audit. That battery backup scheme is not really safe; it should have an isolating SC diode to prevent mishaps. Stunning new Lumiled indoor/outdoor LED light fitting range D HIGH BRIGHTNESS D LONG LIFE D FULLY DIMMABLE D ENERGY EFFICIENT The range of LUMILED downlight fittings shown here have been designed for domestic, display, marine, mobile home and caravan applications. All fittings use Lumileds, which are: - Long life (typical 100,000 hours) - High efficiency, low power, low voltage - Vibration proof ARE BOTH ROOF, P R E WEATH ERSIBLE! M B U S The OPLLBL series Black powder coated. The OPLLBR series Solid Brass. Both the OPLLBL and OPLLBR series are stand-alone types, for use either indoors or outdoors, are fully weatherproof and able to be fully submerged for pond application. The OPLLGW series White powder coated. This series is a ceiling type gimballed fitting and require a 57mm diameter cutout (MR11 size). Visit us at: www.prime-electronics.com.au PRIME ELECTRONICS siliconchip.com.au The OPLLFG series Gold outer rim with chrome inner finish. This series is a ceiling type fixed fitting and require a 51mm diameter cutout (MR11 size). The OPLLGC series Brushed Stainless Steel finish. This series is a ceiling type gimballed fitting and require a 57mm diameter cutout (MR11 size). The OPLLGG series Brushed Gold Finish This series is a ceiling type gimballed fitting and require a 57mm diameter cutout (MR11 size). Email us: sales<at>prime-electronics.com.au BRISBANE 22 Campbell Street Bowen Hills QLD 4006 Telephone: (07) 3252 7466 Facsimile: (07) 3252 2862 SOUTHPORT 11 Brickworks Cntr, Warehouse Rd Southport QLD 4215 Telephone: (07) 5531 2599 Facsimile: (07) 5571 0543 SYDNEY 185 Parramatta Road Homebush NSW 2140 Telephone: (02) 9704 9000 Facsimile: (02) 9746 1197 October 2004  7 The humble “trannie” turns Happy 50th Birthday! By Kevin Poulter T ransistors revolutionised our world immeasurably, galvanising amazing advances in radios and entertainment. Now every home, vehicle, business and hospital has equipment relying on the equivalent of thousands if not millions of semiconductors. For example, the Apple PowerPC G5 computer has more than 58 million transistors, a high-performance silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process for faster operation, and copper interconnects for improved conductivity. IBM manufactures these processors in a $3 billion, state-of-the-art facility in New York. The development of transistors didn’t occur overnight. The crystal diode was employed for reception before 1920, while during WW2, solid state rectifiers were used, especially in radar. Radio engineers and scientists contemplated that adding extra elements to diodes could be the basis of a device 8  Silicon Chip with significantly less power requirement than the thermonic valve. Some saw longer term innovation. Computers were not unknown but were very expensive, space-hungry and underpowered. The ENIAC in 1946 required 300,000 valves and a large room to achieve a performance immensely inferior to today’s PCs. The first transistor Early attempts to develop a ‘triode’ transistor resulted in notable failures until scientists in the American Bell Laboratories made a breakthrough. In December 1947, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain developed the first point-contact transistor. They intended it to be more like a junctioneffect transistor, but great excitement ensued. William Shockley, the theorist leading the research, wanted better, so he continued develop the junction transistor. Later the trio shared the 1956 Nobel Prize in physics for their discoveries. Bell Labs nervously contacted the military to clear their discovery for public release. The concern was the defence hierarchy might put it under wraps but nothing was heard. As the transistor was being refined, Bell kept their discovery a secret until June 1948. Recognition and sales were essential to recover escalating development costs, so Bell invited the press to view their transistor. Few realised the possibilities and press was mainly one or two lines. In July 1951, Bell announced the junction type. Eight days that changed the world Bell was now armed with a superior reason to proceed. In September 1951, Bell Labs staged their much-heralded Transistor Symposium, a week of intensive education and the license to reproduce both types of transistors. siliconchip.com.au 50 years old this month... Inside the very first mass-produced transistor radio , the Regency TR-1. It beat the Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo TR-55 by a mere nine months. Don’t recognise the name? It later became the giant Sony Corporation. The entry fee for this world-changing technology club was twenty-five thousand dollars. Licensees had just eight days to learn everything Bell knew about transistors. The first transistor was a pointcontact transistor, a wafer of N-type germanium as the base block. Two phosphorbronze wires were pushed into the wafer, similar to the ‘cats whisker’ of a radio crystal set. Brief high-current pulses fused the wires to the germanium, a technique called ‘electrical forming’. This caused some phosphorus to diffuse from the wires into the germaniWithin a year of the first transistor radio, um, creating P-type Sony released their first to the regions around the Japanese market. This wooden- points. If forming was cased TR-72 is a 50s example. done correctly, a PNP siliconchip.com.au structure with a narrow N region was created. Point-contact transistors were only manufactured for a few years before replacement by the junction transistor. Point-contact transistors had a common-base current gain (‘alpha’) well in excess of one and negative resistance, useful in oscillators and switches. In 1959, Robert Noyce proved more than one transistor could be placed on a single piece of semiconductor material. Later resistors and other components were integrated, making the integrated circuit. The first junction transistors were the grown-junction type. A single crystal of germanium was grown and doped at the same time. The crystal was pulled slowly from a melt containing N-type impurities. P-type impurities were later added and left for a short while, then more N-type was added again. The result was an N-doped crystal with a thin P-type October 2004  9 Mullard (Philips) manufactured transistors in Hendon (SA). Transistors were supplied in valve boxes. Valves were still being manufactured, so there was an ample supply of boxes. The transistor leads were bent to reduce rattling in the box. Below, more OC71s, sleeved in the Defence Research Establishment colours. layer in it. The crystal was then cut into small blocks, each forming a single NPN transistor. Early transistor semiconductor production resembled the production of quartz frequency-control crystals. Mullard’s techniques included lapping (rotary grinding) the germanium slices on their untreated side to reduce roughness and thickness. The slices were then cut into small circular wafers by an ultrasonic drill. Etching followed, to further reduce the thickness, forming the base of the transistor and worth more than their weight in gold! The indium collector and emitter pellets were alloyed to the base germanium, which at this stage might only have been around 0.1 millimetre thick. The grown-junction process was soon superseded by the alloy diffusion technique, where two beads of the element indium, the ‘impurity’ used to Left: Raytheon CK703 point-contact transistor, likely the first commercially available, in 1948. Raytheon went on to make the first ever mass-produced junction transistor, the CK722. Right: Bell Labs/Western Electric M1752. This NPN grown-junction low-power AF transistor was the first junction type obtainable outside a research lab, in 1951. Transistors were available for years before the first radio was available to the public. 10  Silicon Chip create P-type germanium, were fused onto a thin N-type germanium block, one on either side. Some indium diffused into the germanium, creating a PNP structure. This process was easier to control and reproduce than the grown-junction approach, yielding a thinner base layer and delivering superior high-frequency response. The field-effect transistor (FET) is probably the closest device to the Bell Lab team’s original dream of a solidstate equivalent to the vacuum tube. Twelve years passed before the superior bipolar junction transistor (BJT) was available for commercial use. It was one step to have a laboratory transistor, but a long way from the production of reliable quantities with practical applications. The Raytheon CK703 point-contact transistor was likely the first to be marketed. Raytheon’s claimed first release in 1948 is just months after Bell Lab’s announcement. The Western Electric (Bell) M1752 was the first junction transistor available outside of the research lab, in 1951. It was an NPN grown-junction low-power AF transistor but a fault was soon apparent – the plastic encapsulation was not hermetic, so moisture ruined the transistor. It took time to discover the acceptable characteristics and limitations of transistors, so some manufacturers tried to make tetrode and even pentode transistors. Most started producing point-contact transistors, which at the time had better high-frequency behaviour than junction types. The junction transistor soon was superior in performance, simpler and more consistent in manufacture. European companies also applied for licenses. Mullard/Philips especially affected Australia’s Internal view of the ubiquitous Mullard/ Philips OC71 – still being used in do-it-yourself projects into the 1970s and 80s! siliconchip.com.au entry into transistor radio production, establishing local component production here. Early European transistor licensees included STC and GEC (UK). Both English firms’ research labs were not far behind the Americans. For example, STC had a point-contact transistor in 1949. GEC’s first transistor, the GET1, was in prototype at this time. The first commercial junction transistors were primitive by modern standards, with a maximum collectoremitter voltage of 6V and collector current of just a few milliamps. Particularly notable was the Raytheon’s first mass-produced transistor, the CK722, which made solid-state electronics affordable to the amateur constructor. Improved types were soon developed, extending frequency response, lowering noise levels, and increasing power dissipation. The earliest transistors were made from germanium, a metallic semiconductor. However it was known that silicon offered advantages in terms of breakdown voltage and power handling ability. Silicon was more difficult to refine because of its higher melting point but by 1955, the first silicon transistors were commercially available. Texas Instruments played a leading part in the early development of this technology. Texas Instruments 900 series were the first silicon transistors on the mar- Two of the world’s first Regency transistor radios (circa 1954-5) with a 1956 black Zenith Royal 500. ket, in 1955. They included types 903, 904, and 905, NPN grown-junction types, used as RF amplifiers. By 1956, Texas Instruments manufactured the 2S series of transistors, using the standard TO-5 metal case. Six years after Bell’s initial announcement, on October 18, 1954, the Regency division of I.D.E.A. announced the world’s first consumer transistor radio, the TR-1. Regency had finally overcome hurdles like a fifty percent board failure rate. Leading brand Transistor Radios like this Philips model 198 were manufactured in valve radio plants. The factories and their design teams were geared to old techniques including extensive use of metal. Most early transistor radios therefore resembled their recent predecessors, with features like a metal chassis. The outside case of this Philips was pressed cardboard, though many early transistor radio cases were wood with a vinyl exterior. siliconchip.com.au The author’s experience suggests that at the time major problems would include mastering the dip-soldering, ensuring all the components had a secure solder joint after a single fast dip in the solder bath. Inferior plating on the component leads and circuit board, air bubbles plus component overheating were some of the early dip-solder challenges. The Regency TR-1 pocket radio was announced for sale on November 1 1954, at US$49.95, just in time for Christmas. I.D.E.A. stated before the Regency’s release: “the success of the Regency is due, in large measure, to a high-performance, low-cost transistor developed by Texas Instruments... wherein power gains of 34 decibels and 40 decibels are achieved in intermediate frequency and audio stages respectively. Only four transistors are used in the entire radio...one transistor as a combination mixer-oscillator, two as intermediate frequency amplifier and one as an audio amplifier. A germanium diode is employed as a detector.” Texas Instruments enthusiastically described the Regency: “The ‘pocket size’ is a significant achievement, since it includes a high fidelity, high volume speaker and a single battery supply as well as all associated receiver circuit components...Audio volume fidelity and reception range are the equal of or superior to that of the small vacuum tube-equipped portable radios.” Many component manufacturers contributed to the Regency’s compact design with semiautomatic production of the final assembly, including October 2004  11 Two AWA radios (left and centre) with an Elvis record of the era. The gold radio (centre) was designed for ladies. This model was identical with the brown leather finished model, but had a slimmer profile. This was easily achieved, as there was plenty of free space inside. Why the other men’s/family model was not as slim is a mystery. The transistor radio on the right is an AWA too, re-badged as Westinghouse. Re-badging was fairly common then and now, for example, K-Mart brand transistors. dip-soldering of the printed circuit board assembly. The Regency’s performance was not startling. The momentous advantages were the first entry into solid-state, the size, plus a minuscule 4mA drain on the easily obtained 22.5V hearing aid battery, which delivered 20 to 30 hours of use. The Regency was also one of the first radios since the twenties to reintroduce personal listening through an earpiece – great for listening in bed. They certainly were popular, with around 100,000 sold in the first year. For their commitment, Texas Instruments produced nearly half a million transistors, constrained three million dollars of plant, lost over a million dollars, but laid the foundations as a leader in semiconductors. TI’s gamble paid off, recovering to make net sales of US $200 million in 1960. Much of TI’s production was supplied to IBM, after the computer giant saw the benefits of solid state. While the new solid-state components were called transistors, the public soon rather erroneously called their solid-state radios by the same name – “transistors” and later on, “trannies”. Mullard, an English tube manufacturer, became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Dutch Philips company. They planned to convert Mullard into 12  Silicon Chip a semiconductor manufacturing plant. Their goal was to capture 95% of the European market and they did this within a few years. Mullard’s OC series of transistors and OA family of diodes dominated Europe for about 20 years and were extensively used in Australia for decades. Mullard developed a unique glass encapsulation, releasing three new alloy-junction transistors, the OC70, OC71 and OC72 in 1954. The OC71 glass case was painted black to avoid photoelectric effect. In fact, hobbyists in the 60s scratched off the paint to make it photosensitive for applications like a flash slave. Mullard added an aluminium can over the OC71 glass tube, to make the higher power OC72. This transistor was rated at 100mw power total, when an external fin was pushed on to make an extra heatsink. Matched pairs of OC72 transistors were sold for pushpull audio, typically offering 200mW audio output. Millions of the OC series of transistors were used in Europe for a period of almost 20 years. Mullard issued many other germanium and silicon diodes and junction transistors of all types in this encapsulation. Philips produced technically superior transistor radios, however their primary interest was transistor and component research and production. As a consequence, Philips led in the supply of components and research, strongly supported by numerous books and technical leaflets they created on their latest products. This information flow included complete circuits for manufacturers to adapt, so they would use more Philips/Mullard components. Japan had well-developed research, establishing them as leaders in the development of transistor radios, however the Soviet Union appears to have lagged until the 1960s. Valves held on In the 70s, some of the last Astor radios were pocket size. siliconchip.com.au Novelty Radios became popular in the 70s. National bought out a 70s zany radio, the Toot-a-loop (left), but named it the Wrist Twist here. The right rear unit (with balancing balls) is a JVC brand. National made many novel types, like the three in the right foreground. Bright colours, especially oranges and reds, were in vogue at the time. tenaciously. In 1957 a Japanese tiny three-valve unit sold in US stores for just ten dollars. To minimise current drain, there was no audio stage, just an earpiece. A Japanese tape recorder and home appliance manufacturer called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo saw the possibilities, but had difficulty with the $25,000 licence rights, due to their government’s foreign exchange limitations. Approaches to the government authority were eventually successful and they joined the solid state fraternity. The company planned to release the world’s first transistor radio, until the Regency beat them to the post. Their first transistor radio, the TR- 55, entered the Japanese market in August 1955, nine months after the Regency. When the TR-63 was ready to enter the US market in 1957, they realised their name was unpronounceable by Americans. A new name was needed. The latin word ‘sonus’ meaning sound was promising and at the time bright young Japanese men were referred to as ‘sonny boys’, so the name SONY was established as their logo. In January 1957, the overall company name was changed to Sony. The Sony TR-63 was slightly smaller than the Regency, but didn’t fit the even smaller Japanese shirt pockets, so Sony had a batch of shirts made for their local sales team to demonstrate the pocketability. Transistor radios were made in all shapes, from spray cans to Vegemite, Big M and promotional items. ‘Linda’ dolls were made by a number of companies in Asia. The tuning and volume controls were not conventional. siliconchip.com.au October 2004  13 The ’70s HMV Capri, as new in box. Two features stood out – an ultraminiature tuning capacitor and a 9V battery that would become the standard for mini transistor radios. By 1958/9, over 30 Japanese brands were sold in USA. A staggering six million were sold in the US during 1959, becoming Japan’s second largest source of US dollars, at $US62 million! By the 60s, Japan’s world-wide electronics revolution was in full swing. While they offered cheap compacts, their top shelf transistor radios boasted fine build quality, excellent performance, lavish use of chrome on the exterior case and superb fine-grain, gloss leather outer cases. Japanese radios were extensively sold on the international market, with National and Sony dominating duty- Kriesler transistor radios, 1960s. 14  Silicon Chip free stores in every exotic tourist port of the globe. Europe and other manufacturing countries also commenced producing transistor radios. The British protectorate of Hong Kong soon manufacturing budget quality, small radios. Like many products from this duty-free country, early designs were British. The quality did not compare to the world’s best, but the price was right. Few could have predicted the transistor radio’s dramatic changes to our culture. When valve radios were the only choice, every home had a mantel or radiogram to bring news and older entertainers into lounge rooms and kitchens. Parents placed high value on the family radio and its programming, so children often had restricted access. As a consequence, they mainly heard the old time music their parents liked. Once affordable transistor radios became available, nearly every teenager wanted one. Soon they were able to play their style of music anywhere they liked, from the bedroom to the beach. It opened a whole new world of independence for the young and motivated the success of rising stars like Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Lesley Gore, the Beach Boys, Little Eva, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison and many more. Most Australian and overseas manufacturers could see transistor radios were inevitably destined to replace power ravenous valves, but had considerable difficulty with the transition. The dilemma – for decades they produced large heavy radios with excellent reception but now an upstart was on the scene. Picture massive Australian manufacturing plants geared to produce valve radios. Each had ageing valve designers, hundreds of employees and giant metal presses to stamp chassis. Early transistors did not perform well, so it’s therefore easy to understand Australian manufacturers’ reluctance to dive into this newfangled invention. Possible outcomes included losing loyal customers dissatisfied with the performance of transistor radios. Perhaps the greatest problems were that the designers had to revise most of their electronic theory. Also significant sections of their plant and production lines were totally unsuited to transistor radio assembly. There was a human element too – it was becoming obvious the simpler automated construction of small transistor radios and outsourcing of plastic mouldings would lead to the sacking of hundreds of people. Many had developed strong friendships in the organisations and had recently survived a war. All these factors led to many Australian radio brands producing valve equipment into the early 70s, especially television sets. Australian car radio manufacturers especially could see the lower current drain benefits, so until transistors approached the quality of valves, they released hybrids – radios with a mix of valves and transistors. PYE even produced a radiogram called the ‘Transista’ but few consumers realised only the tuner was solid-state! The levers that finally forced local manufacturers to make the full transition were competition from imported all-transistor radios, the tiny power drain and the fear of being the last cab off the rank. To avoid customer rejection and to utilise existing production facilities, many of Australia’s first transistor radios looked remarkably similar to their last valve version. Not only were the cases very similar, but there was a metal chassis! Naturally most were quite heavy. An example is the HMV J4-17 Rangemaster, released in 1961 priced at 30 pounds, nine shillings. They have great similarity to the valve HMV 65-54 and the size and weight made them a portable mantel. The sound was acceptable, though servicing can be difficult, as the five-inch loudspeaker siliconchip.com.au The Zenith Transoceanic RD7000 multiband was the king of receivers for many years. Features included an array of huge antennas, log platform, map light and international time calculators. was mounted first, then layers of parts added on top. Another problem with most transistor radios was the battery cost up to thirteen shillings and there was no provision for a mains power supply. Remarkably, there is little evidence of the first fully Australian-built alltransistor radio. Local magazines proclaimed overseas advances, but little was said of local progress, perhaps as Australia was behind overseas developments. Further, the availability of fully imported plus locally sub-assembled radios blurred the event. In radio circles, the general opinion is a number of Australia’s leading brands released all-transistor radios about the same time, around 1958. John Sheard, who was a radio retailer in Mt Gambier from 1954 to 1989, recalls the first fully Australian-made transistor radio he saw was PYE. Another early arrival at his store was the American designed Admiral, though it had many US parts. Around 1960, John also recalls testing a Stromberg Carlson model with optional solar cells on the top. He found it played perfectly with good volume in the sun without batteries. Philips manufactured solid-state components at Hendon, South Australia, with transistor types like OC71 sold in valve boxes (see photo). Philips siliconchip.com.au had plants around Australia. One exemployee laments: “Even though they made resistors and capacitors at Hendon with the radio/TV manufacturing line in the adjacent building, we could not access components until they had been shipped to the Sydney (or Melb.) warehouse. That’s why many chassis didn’t have a single Philips component”. Other Australian component manufacturers designed new components for transistors as well. Companies like Rola, EMI and MSP, accepted the challenge of developing compact loudspeakers with high efficiency and acceptable frequency range. In addition, all other components like tuning gangs, capacitors and resistors were miniaturised. Nearly every component was available from Australian production, unlike today. Choice magazine saw the growing popularity of these new portables, so they reviewed transistor radios available in 1961 and again in 1972. Their tests were authoritative, as technicians were engaged to properly test performance. Choice noted in 1961 that their initial survey revealed over 80 different models, but later that year they found only about 30 were still available, due to a contraction or recession in the retail market. ACA’s tests in 1961 resulted in recommending the Philips model 200 and the Westinghouse model W812P. They concluded the Westinghouse was probably a rebadged AWA 208P, which they had not included in the tests, so it’s likely the AWA would have shared the winners dais too. Tests made in 1972 showed radios in the $25 to $31 range were winners, including the HMV Capri, Kriesler and Thorn Graduate. As test bench results are more discriminating than actual listening tests, Choice rightly suggested the buyer could test transistor radios themselves in a store, to make their own decision. Nearly all transistor radios received local stations reasonably well, so people often chose attractive models. As a consequence, models like the AWA Transistor Seven sold for many years in large numbers. Australia’s transistor radio production had begun, leading to local production of nearly every type of entertainment unit and instigating immense changes in culture, employment and SC industry for decades to come. More reading, sources and credits: Kevin Poulter, (03) 9558 3652, email<at>radioworld.info Web references are displayed at: www.radioworld.info, click on ‘first transistor’ HRSA, Radio Waves, (03) 9539 1117, www.hrsa.asn.au Chris Rogers, John Sheard, Tony Maher, Andrew Wylie (UK) Foundations of Wireless 1958 Mullard Reference Manual of Transistor Circuits 1961 Choice Magazine 1961 and 1972 Radio and Television 1963 Mullard Data Book 1964-5 Philips Pocketbook 1969 Introduction to Electronics, Devices and Circuits 1982 Introductory DC/AC Electronics 1989 The Portable Radio in American Life 1991 October 2004  15 SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: dicksmith.com.au SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: dicksmith.com.au SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: dicksmith.com.au SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: dicksmith.com.au SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: dicksmith.com.au SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: dicksmith.com.au Stress-less Wireless Add short-range wireless connectivity to your designs with these easy-to-use compact transceiver modules. Review: By PETER SMITH T HE ER400TRS IS an extremely compact intelligent radio transceiver that operates in the 434MHZ LIPD band. This UK designed and manufactured device integrates radio, microcontroller and power supply circuitry in a screened 9-pin single-inline module measuring just 37 x 14 x 4mm. All communications protocols are handled on-board, allowing OEMs to add wireless capabilities to their products without the need to understand radio technology. One obvious application for these new modules is in two-way data telemetry systems. They would also be suitable for applications where it is essential that a receiving node issues a “receipt” to confirm reception of transmitted data, such as in handheld terminals and electronic point-of-sale terminals. The ER400TRS transceiver is supplied ready-to-run from LPRS. Alternatively, designers can make use of a range of user-programmable functions to customise their radio links to their own specifications using simple software commands. In either case, the embedded Easy-Radio software ensures that the data stream from transmitter to receiver is efficiently packaged to maximise both the range and the data transfer rate of the radio link. The data rate defaults to the industry standard of 19.2kbps, but can be programmed to any rate between 4.8kbps and 38.4kbps. The units can be programmed for use in one ER400TRS Transceiver: Main Features • • • • • • • 10 programmable frequencies between 433-434MHz 10 programmable power output levels (10mW max.) Selectable data rate from 4.8kbps to 38.4kbps All options programmed via software commands Range in excess of 250m line-of-sight Low current consumption: receiver 17.0mA, transmitter 23mA Embedded software handles all data encoded & decoding and over-air transmission • RSSI output • 9-pin SIL package measuring 37.5 x 14 x 4mm 22  Silicon Chip The evaluation kit includes two of these modules, with in-built power supply, an RS232 serial interface and an antenna. siliconchip.com.au The ER400TRS radio transceiver operates in the 434MHZ LIPD band and is comes packaged in a screened 9-pin single-in-line module. of 10 channels within the 434MHz band so that systems can avoid specific congested or “dirty” frequencies. A crystal-controlled synthesiser is used to guarantee frequency accuracy. The transmitter power output is programmable in 1mW steps, up to a maximum of 10mW ERP. A standard 50Ω antenna, such as a whip, helical or PC-board loop can be used, with a line-of-sight range of 250m easily attainable. Connection between host equipment and transceiver is via a conventional serial interface. The interface includes two handshaking lines (“host ready” and “transceiver busy”) to control data flow. The module also features a received signal-strength indicator output, which can be put to good use when setting up fixed links or networks of devices. The modules are designed to run from a single 3.6V lithium cell but for added flexibility, can be used with any DC supply between 3.3V and 5.5V. Typical current drains for the transmit and receive functions are 23mA and 12.5mA, respectively. At idle, the transceiver draws a quiescent current of 2mA. Evaluation kit A complete evaluation kit is available for those wishing to determine the suitability of the Easy-Radio system for their applications. Each kit includes a pair of identical demonstration boards that can accommodate any of the Easy-Radio series of modules. The demo boards incorporate a power supply, RS232 serial interface and SMA connector for antenna hook-up. Basically, the kit is designed to allow two PCs to be connected together via a two-way radio link. Everything siliconchip.com.au Fig.1: block diagram of the ER400TRS module internals. A radio transceiver, microcontroller and power supply are all included in the small, single-in-line package. that’s required is provided with the kit, including PC software on CD, whip antennas, serial cables and 9V batteries. The software runs on Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000 & XP and gives access to all of the user-programmable options within the modules. Serial data rate, power output, frequency and handshake control, as well as several special test modes can all be controlled. In addition, the software provides a simple serial terminal window that allows messages to be sent between modules. The ER400TRS is just one of a new family of Easy-Radio devices from Low Power Radio Solutions in the UK. More information can be obtained from the Australian agent’s website at www.lprs.com.au LPRS are represented in Australia by Telelink Communications – phone (07) 4934 0413; fax (07) 4934 0311; email: sales<at>telelink.com.au or sales<at>lprs. SC com.au Fig.2: the software runs on Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000 & XP and gives access to all of the user-programmable options within the modules. October 2004  23 Epson’s latest micro-flying robot Epson has successfully developed a lighter and more advanced successor to the mFR, the world’s smallest and lightest micro-flying robot (featured in SILICON CHIP, January 2004). This one is capable of independent (non-tethered) flight. T urning once again to its micromechatronics technology, Epson’s mFR-II Micro-Flying Robot also features Bluetooth wireless control and independent flight. The mFRII was first displayed at the Emerging Technology Fair, held as part of the Emerging Technology Fair in Tokyo in late August. The mFR-II is only the latest chapter in an Epson success story that began with Monsieur, a micro-robot that was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s smallest micro-robot and was put on sale in 1993. Having made micro-mechatronics one of its core technologies, the company has since created and marketed several more microrobots in the EMRoS series. April 2003 saw the introduction of 24  Silicon Chip the Monsieur II-P, a prototype microrobot that operates on the world’s thinnest micro-actuator (an ultra-thin, ultrasonic motor) and is remote-controllable via a power-saving Bluetooth module. The following November, Epson unveiled the prototype micro-flying robot mFR, which featured two ultra-thin, ultrasonic motors driving two contrarotating propellers for levitation, plus the world’s first linear-actuator stabilizing mechanism for attitude control during flight. However, the mFR prototype microrobot’s flying range was limited by the length of the power cord attaching it to an external battery. Although it was radio-controlled, it had to be kept within sight of the operator while flying. Consequently, Epson decided that the next step was to extend the flying range by developing fully wireless operation paired with independent flight capability. The main issue to be tackled with regard to wireless flight was the need to combine lighter weight with greater dynamic lift. Epson made the robot lighter by developing a new gyro-sensor that is one-fifth the weight of its predecessor, making it the world’s smallest and lightest gyro-sensor. Also helping to shed weight is the high-density mounting technology used to package the microrobot’s two micro-controllers including the Epsonoriginal S1C33-family 32-bit RISC. Dynamic lift was boosted 30% by introducing more powerful ultra-thin siliconchip.com.au ultrasonic motors and newly designed, optimally shaped main rotors. For the challenge of independent flight, Epson brought its many years of micromechatronics experience to bear in realizing the development of a linear actuator with faster response time and a high-precision attitude control mechanism, along with a flight path control and independent flight system (primarily for hovering). To top it off, Epson added an image sensor unit that can capture and transmit aerial images via a Bluetooth wireless connection to a monitor on land and devised two LED lamps as a means of signaling. Epson was assisted by Chiba University’s Nonami (Control and Robotics) Laboratory in developing the control system for independent flight. The company also received advice on the rotor design from the Kawachi (Aeronautics and Astronautics) Laboratory at the University of Tokyo. The key concept behind Epson’s R&D efforts in micro-flying robots has been to expand the horizons of microrobot activities from two-dimensional to three-dimensional space. Now, with the successful implemen- mFR-II Specifications Power: 4.2V Power consumption: 3.5W Dimensions Diameter: About 136mm Height: About 85mm Maximum lift: About 17g/f Flight time: About 3 minutes Weight (no battery): 8.6g Weight with battery: 12.3g Individual component weights:   Battery 3.7g    Rotary Actuator Unit 2.9g    Linear Actuator Unit 0.6g   Control Circuitry 3.1g   Frame 2.0g tation of Bluetooth communications and independent flight in the FR-II, Epson has added a new dimension to micro-robotics while greatly expanding the potential range of micro-robot applications by incorporating image capture and transmission functions. For more information, visit the Epson website, www.epson.co.jp SC Want really bright LEDs? We have the best value, brightest LEDs available in Australia! Check these out: Luxeon 1 and 5 watt LEDs All colours available, with or without attached optics, as low as $10 each Lumileds Superflux LEDs These are 7.6mm square and can be driven at up to 50mA continuously. •Red and amber: $2 each •Blue, green and cyan: $3 each Asian Superflux LEDs Same size and current as the Lumileds units, almost the same light output, but a fraction of the price. •Red and amber: Just 50 cents each! •Blue, green, aqua and white: $1 each. Go to www.ata.org.au and check out our webshop or call us on (03)9388 9311. Stabiliser Rotors Rotary actuators (contra-rotating) Linear Actuator (dual axis) Control Circuitry Polymer-Lithium Secondary Battery siliconchip.com.au Frame October 2004  25 Control equipment from anywhere, any time, using SMS and an old Nokia mobile phone! – By Peter Smith SMS Controller Pt.1 W ould you like to be immediately informed when your burglar alarm is activated, as well as which sectors were tripped? What about if you could reset the alarm or even isolate one or more sectors? Well, this is just one of a huge number of possible applications for our new SMS Controller. Other applications include controlling pumps on a farm, switching home appliances, rebooting a server or locating your car in a car park. Using the convenience of SMS, this project lets you remotely control equipment by sending plain text messages, such as “pump on”, “aircon off”, “reset” or “blast horn” – all of which can be pre-programmed into the controller and easily remembered later. It can control up to eight external 26  Silicon Chip devices and report the condition of up to four digital inputs. Short Message Service (SMS) is defined as a text-based service that enables up to 160 characters to be sent from one mobile phone to another. In a similar vein to email, messages are stored and forwarded at an SMS cen- tre, allowing messages to be retrieved later if you are not immediately available to receive them. Unlike voice calls, SMS messages travel over the mobile network’s low-speed control channel. “Texting”, as it’s also known, is a fast and convenient way of communicating. In fact, SMS has taken on a life of its own, spawning a whole new shorthand language that’s rapidly being adopted as the norm. Australians have been quick to make use of this technology, with millions of handsets currently in use. As new models with “must have” features hit the market, older models become virtually worthless and if not recycled, end up in landfill. With this in mind, we’ve designed the project to work with several popular (but now outdated) Nokia models. Chances are, you’ll already have one of these on the shelf. If not, secondhand siliconchip.com.au Table 1: Connector Pinouts For The Nokia 5110 & 6110 Models Pin No. Fig.1: the interface connector on 5110 & 6110 models is located at the bottom of the phone. Here’s the pin numbering schematic. units are readily available for a song. Nokia rebirth While a number of models would have been suitable for this project, the Nokia 3210, 3310, 5110 and 6110 were obvious choices, as they all include a common serial data interface necessary for remote control. Of these four models, the 5110 & 6110 are preferred for two important reasons. First, Nokia specifically designed the serial interface on these models for user access. In fact, they marketed accessories such as car kits and PC-based software that makes use of the interface. The interface connectors are therefore reliable and easily accessible. Second, both models include the functions necessary for the SMS Controller to monitor battery level, as well as “push” the power button should power be lost for any reason. By contrast, the 3210 & 3310 interface connectors are hidden beneath the rear covers, and in the case of the 3310, beneath the battery! In addi- Name Function 1 VIN Charger input voltage 2 CHRG_CTRL Charger control (PWM) signal 3 XMIC External microphone input 4 SGND Signal ground 5 XEAR External earphone output 6 MBUS MBUS serial receive/transmit 7 FBUS_RX FBUS serial receive 8 FBUS_TX FBUS serial transmit 9 L_GND DC Jack tion, they lack the battery monitoring and remote power-up functions. It’s therefore necessary to manually push the power button if a battery runs flat. Despite these limitations, both models operate satisfactorily with this project. If you don’t already have a suitable model, you can often pick one up on ebay.com.au for around $20-40. Look for a unit with a good battery; this will save you money later, as a functioning battery is mandatory even when connected to a DC power source. You’ll also need a data cable for the phone to controller link. Nokia no longer offers cables for these older phones but after-market equivalents are readily available on the Internet. Alternatively, ask your local mobile phone dealer for advice on suitable suppliers. Note that some vendors offer cables Charger/logic ground Charger input (centre positive) This close-up view shows the interface connector on the Nokia 6110, together with the matching plug from the data cable. The DC jack and the adjacent charger input and control signal pins (pins 1 & 2) are to the left. System Limitations & Cautions Before building this project, you should first make sure that it suits your intended application. Note that this is not a real-time control system. The time taken for a message to be sent by the controller can vary from anywhere between a few seconds to tens of seconds, depending on network load. This means that rapidly changing inputs will go undetected. Effectively, you will be left not knowing what the real state of the input port is, despite having received a host of state-change messages. In other siliconchip.com.au words, the inputs should only be used to sense signals that change infrequently over time. Alarm signals are a typical example, as they’re expected to change only during exceptional conditions. A second pitfall has to do with SMS costs. You must use a prepaid mobile phone account. A malfunctioning system could cost you a fortune on an open-ended plan. In theory, if the controller were to send messages as fast as the network would allow, more than 17,000 messages could be sent in one day alone. On a $10 plan, this would really be a disaster! We therefore strongly recommend that a pre-paid account be set up for the controller-connected phone. This ensures that if something goes wrong, you already know how much it’s going to cost you. Finally, do not use the phone connected to the controller to program or test the system by sending messages to yourself. Doing so will confuse the controller, resulting in messages echoing backwards and forwards until your account balance is empty! October 2004  27 28  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au Fig.2: the circuit diagram for the main part of the controller. A 40-pin micro (IC1) handles almost everything, including communications with the mobile phone and control of the input & output ports. designed specifically for updating, or “flashing”, phone memory. Some of these will not work with this project! When in doubt, look for a cable that works with “LogoManager” or “Oxygen Phone Manager”. Both these PC software products communicate with the phone in a similar manner to this project. Phone power The controller includes an on-board current-limited power supply for charging the phone’s battery. The original plugpack charger (ACP-7A) cannot be used, as it provides no mechanism for disconnecting power once the battery is sufficiently charged. To connect the controller’s power supply output to the phone’s DC input, a simple two-wire cable with a standard 1.1mm (3.5mm OD) DC plug on one end is required. You can either make one yourself, or scrounge a ready-made cable from an old in-car charger. All you need to do is disconnect the cigarette lighter plug end and you have the necessary cable complete with a moulded-in DC plug! Serial interface The Nokia phones mentioned earlier incorporate two proprietary serial interfaces known as “MBUS” and “FBUS”. MBUS is half-duplex, meaning that it provides just one signal line for both sending and receiving data. Data is exchanged over the MBUS at 9600bps (bits per second). This interface is intended primarily for factory test and adjustment, so we won’t be using it here. FBUS, on the other hand, provides separate send and receive lines and operates at the much higher speed of 115.2kbps. Nokia designed FBUS for connection to external accessories, such as their PC Data Suite. However, not all models work with this particular software. Nevertheless, the FBUS interface is present on all these models and ready to do duty in this project. Note: although earlier model phones also include an FBUS interface, the protocol used is different to that used siliconchip.com.au Parts List 1 PC board, code 12110041, 130mm x 85mm 4 2-way 5mm terminal blocks (CON1, CON4, CON6) 4 3-way 5mm terminal blocks (CON3, CON4) 1 9-way 90° PC-mount male ‘D’ connector (CON2) (Altronics P 3020) 1 10-way 2.54mm DIL shrouded header (CON5) (Altronics P 5010) 1 8-way 2.54mm DIL header (JP4 - JP7) 1 6-way 2.54mm DIL header (JP1 - JP3) 7 jumper shunts 1 40-pin IC socket 1 18-pin IC socket 1 16-pin IC socket 1 220µH ferrite choke (L1) (Altronics L 6225) 2 M205 PC-mount fuse clips 1 M205 1A slow-blow fuse 4 M3 x 10mm tapped spacers 5 M3 x 6mm pan head screws 1 M3 x 6mm nut & washer Nokia mobile phone (see text) Serial (data) cable to suit phone (see text) DC power cable to suit phone (see text) Semiconductors 1 AT90S8515-8 or ATMega8515-16 microcontroller (40 pin) (IC1), programmed with SMS.HEX 1 MC34064P-5 under-voltage sensor (IC2) (Altronics Z 7252) on the models mentioned here. This project uses FBUS “version 2” protocol, which according to one source is supported only on the following models: 6110, 6130, 6150, 6190, 5110, 5130, 5190, 3210, 3310, 3330, 3360, 3390 & 3410. However, we’ve only tested this project with the 6110, 5110, 3210 & 3310 and therefore cannot guarantee operation with other models! The physical location of the interface pins varies according to the model. In addition, some models provide extra contacts for hands-free adapters and chargers. Fig.1 and Table 1 show the connec- 1 MAX232 RS232 receiver/driver (IC3) 1 ULN2803 Darlington transistor array (IC4) 1 MC34063 switching regulator (IC5) 1 7.3728MHz crystal, HC49 package (X1) (Farnell 176104) 1 1N4004 diode (D1) 2 1N5819 Schottky diodes (D2, D3) 1 1N4148 diode (D4) 1 1N4746 18V 1W zener diode (ZD1) 1 1N4736 6.8V 1W zener diode (ZD2) 4 1N751 5.1V 0.5W zener diodes (ZD3 – ZD6) 1 1N4753 36V 1W zener diode (ZD7) 5 3mm red LEDs (LED1 - LED4, LED6) 1 3mm green LED (LED5) Capacitors 1 220µF 50V PC electrolytic 2 220µF 25V PC electrolytic 2 10µF 16V tag tantalum 4 1µF 50V monolithic ceramic 9 100nF 50V monolithic ceramic 1 1nF 50V ceramic disc 2 22pF 50V ceramic disc Resistors (0.25W 1%) 1 22kΩ 8 1kΩ 1 10kΩ 6 330Ω 4 3.3kΩ 2 1.5Ω 5% 2 4.7kΩ 1 10Ω 1W 5% 1 10Ω 5W 5% (for testing) tor layout and pin assignments for the 5110 and 6110 models. This information is shown for interest only, as the data cable includes all the electronics necessary to interface these signals to a standard PC’s serial port. We’ve designed the controller so that the cable plugs directly into the on-board 9-pin “D” connector – no PC is required! Circuit basics For convenience, we’ve divided the circuit diagram for the controller into two sections. The main circuit appears in Fig.2, while the phone power supply is shown in Fig.3. Looking first at Fig.2, you’ll note that October 2004  29 Fig.3: the on-board power supply for the phone is based on a common switchmode regulator (IC5). an Atmel microcontroller (IC1) dominates the circuit, with just a handful of external interface components and a 5V power supply. As first glance, it may seem odd that we’ve selected a 40-pin micro for the job, as quite a few pins are unused. Wouldn’t a smaller, cheaper device have been sufficient? Well, no, because we needed to make use of the generous code and data memory spaces available in this particular device. The AT90S8515/ ATMega8515 includes 8192 bytes of code (FLASH) memory, 512 bytes of RAM and 512 bytes of data (EEPROM) memory. The micro includes four 8-bit input/ output (I/O) ports. Ports “A” and “C” are used for the external interface, which we’ll come back to shortly. Port “B” drives the five status LEDs (LED1 - LED5) and is also used for in-system Fig.4: eight open-collector outputs are provided by IC4, a ULN2803 Darlington transistor array. The equivalent circuit for each output channel is shown here. programming (ISP) via CON5 – see the panels entitled “LED Indicators” and “Microcontroller Programming” in Pt.2 next month. Fig.5: the amount of current the ULN2803 can sink depends on the number of outputs in use. Reproduced from the datasheet, this graph shows the maximum current per channel for 1-8 simultaneously conducting outputs. For most controller applications, a duty cycle of 100% should be assumed. 30  Silicon Chip The upper three bits of Port “D” (PD5-PD7) are used to read the state of jumpers JP-JP3. The lower two bits (PD0 & PD1) are programmed as serial transmit and receive lines for communication with the phone. A MAX232 level converter (IC3) transforms the TTL levels on these pins to about ±9V to drive the electronics embedded in the data cable. By way of explanation, electronic circuitry is included in the data cable to convert the logic levels from the phone (0 - 2.8V) into RS232 levels (about ±9V), so that the phone can be plugged into the serial port of a PC. We’ve therefore included a “PC-like” interface for use with common types of cables. The MAX232 also provides simulated “RTS” and “DTR” signals to the cable. “RTS” is used by “dual mode” cables to switch between the MBUS and the FBUS. In this design, “RTS” is permanently driven to a negative voltage to select the FBUS connection. Conversely, “DTR” is permanently driven positive by virtue of the direct connection to the positive output on V+ (pin 2) of IC3. This is used to power the circuits in the cable. Power for the micro and its associated circuitry is provided by a 7805 +5V regulator (REG1). The input to the regulator is reverse-polarity protected by D1. Following this, a 10Ω series resistor and zener diode ZD1 are included to provide transient overvoltage protection. A 6.8V zener diode (ZD2) provides limited protection in the case of serisiliconchip.com.au ous over-voltage transients on the 5V rail. Note that if subjected to a substantial over-voltage, such as might occur during a nearby lightning strike, ZD2 would probably be destroyed. Always check the condition of this zener if the fuse blows or the 10Ω 1W resistor is found to be open-circuit. An under-voltage sensor (IC2) is used to reset the micro when ever the power supply voltage drops below about 4.6V. Output switching Eight outputs are provided for controlling external devices. Each output line is driven by one open-collector transistor pair in a ULN2803 (IC4). Fig.4 shows the equivalent circuit for one channel of the ULN2803. All outputs are diode-connected to the “COM” pin, which is then externally clamped to ground using a 36V zener diode (ZD7). To allow for plenty of headroom, the open-circuit voltage at any output pin should not exceed +28V. One ULN2803 output can switch a maximum load current of 500mA. However, when more than one output is used, this must be derated according to the graph in Fig.5. For example, with four outputs in use, the maximum current per channel is slightly less than 300mA. Note that for this application, a duty cycle of 100% should be assumed. More information is available in the ULN2803 datasheet, which can be downloaded from www.allegromicro. com. Fig.6(a) shows how to connect a simple relay circuit to any of the eight outputs. Note that a high-speed diode must be soldered directly across the relay coil terminals as shown. This diode limits the flyback voltage that occurs at relay switch-off, thus preventing high-voltage spikes from appearing across the driver output. We’ve specified UF4001 diodes for the job but of course, the higher voltage UF4002 and UF4003 devices can also be used (Jaycar ZR-1034, Altronics Z 0030). If more current is required than can be provided by the ULN2803, the circuit shown in Fig.6(b) can be used. This circuit will handle at least 500mA, at the same time allowing all eight outputs to be used without overloading the driver. However, by substituting a power transistor and increasing the base drive, the current siliconchip.com.au Fig.6(a): here’s how to hook up a relay to any of the eight outputs. The diode must be soldered directly across the relay coil terminals. Take particular care that you have the cathode (banded) end to +12V, otherwise the ULN2803 will be destroyed! Fig.6(b): if more current is required than the ULN2803 can handle, then a transistor buffer circuit can be added. This circuit will switch at least 500mA. Fig.6(c): a power transistor can be used to boost current handling to over 1A. As shown here, power and ground for all external circuits must be independently wired to the power source. handling can be increased to over 1A – see Fig.6(c). Input sensing Four digital inputs (at CON3, Fig.2) are available for sensing the state of external trigger devices. Each input is current-limited by a 1kΩ resistor and is then clamped to +5.1V using a zener diode (ZD3-ZD6). This scheme allows a maximum trigger input of 16V. As shown in Fig.7(a), an input voltage of between 0 and 1.5V will be sensed as a logic “low”, whereas 3-16V will be sensed as a logic “high”. Voltages in between these two ranges are considered invalid and may be sensed either “low” or “high”. October 2004  31 Fig.7(a): any of the four inputs can be used to detect the logic level of a digital signal. An input voltage of between 0 and 1.5V will be sensed as a logic “low”, whereas 3-16V will be sensed as a logic “high”. Fig.7(b): with the aid of the SMS Controller’s on-board pull-up resistors, the state of a switch is easily sensed. Fig.7(c): optocouplers can be used when the two systems lack a common ground. This is also an effective means of eliminating false triggering in noisy electrical environments and when using long cable runs. Select a resistor value that limits LED current flow to between 4mA and 20mA. The micro samples these inputs every 128ms. Any single input change must be present for at least twice that time (256ms), otherwise it will be rejected as noise. If additional inputs change state within this 256ms window, they must remain valid for 500ms or more to be recognised. Jumpers JP4-JP7 allow a 3.3kΩ pull-up to be applied to any of the inputs for use with a switch (Fig.7(b)) or optocoupler (Fig.7(c)). The optocoupler scheme is necessary when the two systems do not share a common ground. It can also be used to eliminate false level sensing in noisy electrical environments and provides an effective isolation barrier against high-voltage transients. Any generalpurpose optocoupler (eg, 4N25 or 4N28) would be suitable. Important: when using the circuits shown in Figs.7(a) & 7(b), the wiring between the equipment and/or 32  Silicon Chip L1 and a 220µF capacitor. When it turns off, the energy is discharged into the load via D3. In operation, the MC34063 attempts to maintain the output voltage at 7.0V, as set by the 22kΩ and 4.7kΩ resistors connected to pin 5. However, once the load current reaches about 350mA, internal current-limiting circuits begin to take effect. The peak current level during each “on” cycle is determined by the voltage at pin 7, which is developed across paralleled 1.5Ω resistors. At about 350mA, the MC34063 begins to shorten the transistor “on” time, thus limiting the output current. This also causes a drop in output voltage. The result is a current-limited output of between 360mA and 400mA. When charging the phone’s battery, the output voltage will typically fall to around 5-6V. This closely follows the performance of the standard ACP-7A plugpack charger. Battery charging switches and the input terminal block must be kept as short as possible. Do not connect long cable runs directly to the digital inputs! If you need to sense a signal over any significant distance, then use an optocoupler for isolation, as shown in Fig.7(c). Phone power supply A simple step-down switchmode regulator circuit is used to power the phone – see Fig.3. It is based on the well-known MC34063 switchmode controller IC (IC5), which includes an oscillator, PWM controller and switching transistor – ie, most of the elements needed for a step-down design. In short, the MC34063 regulates the output voltage by varying the amount of time an internal NPN transistor is switched on. The transistor’s collector is connected to pin 1 and the emitter to pin 2. When the transistor is conducting, energy is transferred to inductor According to Nokia, the batteries in these models must not be continually charged. In use, we found that the phone’s battery charging circuits disconnect the DC input once the terminal voltage exceeds a certain absolute value. Some models also include a thermistor inside the battery pack and will terminate charging after a certain temperature rise. However, neither method eliminates overcharging. To minimise overcharging, it is therefore necessary for the controller to be able to switch the current-limited supply on and off at the appropriate times. This is achieved in the circuit using diode D4 and a 4.7kΩ resistor between pin 14 of IC1 and pin 5 of IC5. When the micro drives this line high, it pulls the MC34063 feedback signal above the set point, forcing it to stop switching. In this condition, the internal switching transistor is off, so the input is disconnected from the output and no current flows to the phone. In operation, the micro adopts one of two charging strategies, dependent on the particular model of phone. For the 5110 & 6110, battery level is monitored over the FBUS. When the level drops to “1”, the power supply is switched on. When it reaches “4”, the supply is switched off after a short “top-up” period. To prevent sudden death due to a marginal battery, the supply is also switched on just prior to message siliconchip.com.au Fig.8: follow this diagram when assembling the controller. The orientation of all the ICs, diodes, LEDs and polarised capacitors is critical, so double-check all of these before applying power. This is what the fully-assembled PC board looks like. Note that there are a few minor differences between this prototype and the final version depicted in Fig.8. transmission if the battery level is less than “3”. These numbers relate to the battery indicator bar on the right-hand side of the display. As battery level information is not siliconchip.com.au available on the 3110 & 3210 models, a simple timed charge regime is used instead. As switch-on, the battery is charged for 40 minutes. Following this, the power supply is switched off for eight hours and then the cycle repeats over. As we’ll see next month, the default 40-minute charge time can be altered if desired. This charge-discharge cycling conOctober 2004  33 Table 1: Resistor Colour Codes o o o o o o o o o o No. 1 1 4 2 8 6 2 1 1 Value 22kΩ 10kΩ 3.3kΩ 4.7kΩ 1kΩ 330Ω 1.5Ω 10Ω 1W 5% 10Ω 5W Main Features • Works with several popular Nokia brand phones • Eight open-collector outputs • Four digital inputs • User-programmable plain text message control • Communicate from any other • • • • mobile Password protected On-board phone power supply Ideal for alarm control panels Can be used in vehicles tinues indefinitely. Should a marginal battery cause the phone to switch off prematurely or an extended power failure occurs, the controller automatically brings the phone back on-line and resumes charging. Without this feature, you’d have to press the power button to restore operation! Unfortunately, this cannot be achiev­ed with the 3210 & 3310 models, which lack support for remote control of the power button. In other words, a marginal battery or extended power failure will require that you physically press the power button to get the system back on-line. Assembly All the circuitry, including the phone power supply, is accommodated on a single PC board measuring 130mm x 85mm and coded 12110041. This has a row of screw terminals for the inputs (CON3) and outputs (CON4), as well as a 9-pin D socket (CON2) and screw terminals for phone power (CON6) and 12V (CON1). As well, there are the five status LEDs for the micro. 34  Silicon Chip 4-Band Code (1%) red red orange brown brown black orange brown orange orange red brown yellow violet red brown brown black red brown orange orange brown brown brown green gold brown brown black black gold not applicable Fig.8 shows the assembly details. Begin by installing the three wire links using 0.7mm tinned copper wire or similar. Follow up with all the low-profile components, starting with the resistors, diodes (D1-D4) and zener diodes (ZD1–ZD7). Take care to orient the banded (cathode) ends of the diodes as indicated. Also, double-check the numbers printed on the zener diodes to ensure you have them all in their intended positions. Install the IC sockets next, aligning the notched (pin 1) ends as shown. IC5 must be installed without a socket, noting that it goes around the opposite way to the other three DIL-packaged ICs. We also recommend that IC4 be soldered directly to the board (no socket), as in some applications it will have to dissipate considerable power. However, for low-power applications, such as when you’ll only be driving one or two relays, an IC socket can be used if desired. Don’t plug the micro (IC1) or MAX232 (IC3) into their sockets just yet – that comes later. All remaining components can now be installed, leaving the connectors until last. Note that the flat (cathode) sides of the LEDs must all face towards the micro (IC1). In addition, the positive leads of the three electrolytic and two tantalum capacitors must be aligned with the “+” markings on the diagram. To mount the 3-terminal regulator (REG1), first bend its leads at right angles about 5mm from the body. That done, slip it into position, checking that the hole in its metal tab lines up with the hole in the PC board. Adjust as necessary, then secure it to the board using an M3 x 6mm screw, nut and washer and tighten up before soldering the leads. The leads of the crystal (X1) must also be bent at right angles, this time 5-Band Code (1%) red red black red brown brown black black red brown orange orange black brown brown yellow violet black brown brown brown black black brown brown orange orange black black brown brown green black silver brown not applicable not applicable about 3mm from the body. Once in place, a short length of tinned copper wire can be soldered to the opposite end of the crystal case and to the pad underneath, grounding the case and securing it in position. Finally, the 10-way and 6-way screw terminal blocks (CON3 & CON4) are made up by sliding 2-way and 3-way sections together, before mounting them on the board. Push them all the way down onto the board surface and hold them in place while soldering. The same goes for the remaining connectors; make sure they’re fully in contact with the board surface before soldering their pins. Controller checkout The first job is to check out the power supply circuitry. Without IC1 or IC3 installed, connect a 12V DC power supply to the DC input terminals (CON1). A plugpack, 12V SLA battery or bench supply can be used for testing and it must be able to source at least 500mA of current. Switch on and check that the power LED (LED6) illuminates. If it doesn’t, switch off immediately and check that LED6, D1, ZD1 & ZD2 are all correctly installed. Also, check for a possible short circuit between the +5V rail and ground (0V) using your multimeter. Note that a short circuit will probably blow the fuse. Assuming all is well, set your meter to read volts and measure between pins 20 & 40 of IC1’s socket and pins 15 & 16 of IC3’s socket. Both readings must be close to 5.0V (±5%). Any problems here must be rectified before continuing with the testing procedure. Next, measure the voltage across the phone power supply output terminals (CON6). With nothing connected to these terminals, you should get a reading of about 7.0V. siliconchip.com.au Cutting Corners: Using A Homemade Data Cable Some readers will already be familiar with the Nokia FBUS/MBUS and software such as LogoManager and Oxygen Phone Manager. These products enable you to upload and download phone books and ring tones, create logos and more, using a PC. Some may even have made up their own cables for connection to a PC. Making your own cable can save $20 - $30 or so but it’s risky. A wrong connection and your phone or project may not survive. The results may also not be completely reliable. We’d therefore strongly recommend that you use a commercially made data cable for this project. Having said that, we know that some diehards will want to have a go at making their own cable for the phone to controller connection, so here are the basics – use them at your own risk! Commercial data cables include electronics for conversion between the FBUS/MBUS signal levels (0 2.8V) and RS232 levels (about ±9V) so that you can plug the phone into your PC. However, when using the phone with a microcontroller, a much less complicated level conversion scheme can be employed. To modify the standard layout for direct phone to controller connection, leave out the MAX232 (IC3), the four 1µF capacitors and 100nF capacitor and install three resistors instead, as shown in Fig.9(b). The If this is correct, switch off and install a 10Ω 5W resistor across the “+” and “-” terminals of CON6 to act as a load. This resistor will get quite warm in operation, so make sure that it’s not touching anything. Now power up again and measure the voltage across the 10Ω load resistor – it should be between about 3.6V and 3.9V. In some cases though, this voltage may be higher than specified due to tolerances in the MC34063 and the 1.5W resistors. If it’s 4.7V or less, it can be safely used as is. Alternatively, you siliconchip.com.au Fig.9(a): use this modified circuit if you intend using a homemade data cable (see text). transmit (TXD), receive (RXD) and ground (GND) pins from the on-board D9 connector are then wired to the FBUS_RX, FBUS_TX and L_GND pins of the phone using shielded data cable. The length of this cable should be 550-600mm and the cable shield must be connected to ground. We note that some circuits published on the Internet join MBUS to FBUS_RX and use a diode to connect back to the serial transmit line. This may work but it provides no protection for the microcontroller or phone signal lines. The method used here translates the 5V logic levels from the micro’s serial data output to about 2.7V for the FBUS serial input using a simple 2.7kΩ and 3.3kΩ resistive divider. On the return side, data transmitted on the FBUS is connected directly to the micro’s serial data input via a 2.7kΩ current-limiting resistor. The 2.8V logic levels from the FBUS mean that this scheme is running right on the margin and is not noise-immune. However, if you make the cable as we’ve described, you should find that it works reliably. For the 5110 & 6110 models, an old can reduce the voltage to the specified level (3.6V - 3.9V) by increasing one of the 1.5W resistors to 1.8W. If the voltage is still out of range, the first step is to make sure that the DC input voltage on CON1 is between 12.0V and 14.5V. If so, there is a problem somewhere in the switching regulator section shown in Fig.3. In particular, check that D2 is oriented correctly and that you’ve installed the wire link that goes between pins 1 & 8 of IC5. Once the power supply checks out, disconnect the 10Ω test resistor and Fig.9(b): the modified board layout – just leave out the MAX232 (IC3) and five associated capacitors and install three resistors instead (note: the pads are numbered in line with IC3’s original pin positions). Two resistors mount vertically between pads 15 & 14 (3.3kΩ) and pads 13 & 12 (2.7kΩ), while the third (2.7kΩ) goes between pad 11 and the spare pad directly above. hands-free set is a cheap source for the phone-side connector. For other models, you’re on your own! Pinouts for the Nokia 3210 and 3310 models are readily available on the Internet. connect your phone’s power cable leads. Be particularly careful that you have the polarity correct. This can be verified by measuring the voltage directly at the DC plug tip. With the black (-) probe on the barrel (outer) surface of the plug and red (+) probe on the inner contact, your meter should display a positive (not negative!) voltage. That’s all for this month. In Pt.2, we’ll show you how to check out the remainder of the circuit, including the microcontroller and serial interface, SC and describe how it’s used. October 2004  35 The unit is easy to build, with all parts installed on a double-sided PC board to eliminate internal wiring. It simply connects between the video source (eg, a set-top box) and your TV set or video projector. By JIM ROWE RGB to Component Video Converter OK, YOU’VE JUST landed home with your new widescreen TV set and tried to hook it up. But there’s a problem – your new set has Y/Cb/Cr component video inputs while your digital set-top box only provides high-quality signals in RGB format. You’ve got three choices – chuck a wobbly, use the composite video output (but at the expense of picture quality) or build this low-cost “RGB to Component Video Converter”. 36  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au I F YOU LIVE in an area where either pay-TV or digital FTA (free-to-air) TV signals are available, it’s well worth investing in one and/or the other service because of their better picture and sound quality. However, to achieve the best possible picture quality, you have to use the component video signals from the pay-TV or DTV set-top box and feed these into the matching inputs of your TV set or video projector. The big catch here is that some settop boxes of European origin only provide RGB video signals, with separated red, blue and green outputs. In most cases, these signals are made available via one of the large 20-pin SCART sockets or Euroconnectors. This doesn’t suit most of the latest large-screen (and widescreen) TVs and video projectors sold in Australia. These are usually designed to accept Y/Cb/Cr (or Y/B-Y/R-Y) component video, the same format as provided by the latest DVD players. Unfortunately, you can’t feed RGB signals directly into these sets or projectors. But you can convert the RGB signals into Y/B-Y/R-Y form, using the simple converter unit described here. It simply connects between your set-top box and your TV set or projector. As shown in the photos, the complete converter fits in a small instrument box. It runs from a 9V AC plugpack supply, drawing less than 50mA – ie, less than half a watt of power. Fig.1: the RGB signals are added in the correct proportions in op amp IC1a to produce a -Y (inverted luminance) signal. This is then fed to IC1b & IC2b to produce the R-Y and B-Y colour difference signals, while inverter IC2a produces the Y signal. fier. This stage is used to combine the three input signals in the right proportions, as determined by the three input resistor values. Because IC1a is connected as an inverting amplifier, the signal at its output is an inverted version of the Y signal (ie, -Y). This -Y signal is then added to the R signal in IC1b to derive the R-Y colour difference signal. In fact, IC1b operates with a gain of two (as set by the R1 resistor values), so its output signal corresponds to 2(RY). This is done to compensate for the voltage division that occurs when the converter’s R-Y output is connected to the R-Y input of a TV set or video projector – ie, due to the effect of the converter’s 75Ω “back termination” output resistor and the set’s 75Ω input resistor. Exactly the same arrangement is How it works The operation of the converter is quite straightforward, because it simply duplicates the kind of matrixing used to produce the luminance (Y) and colour difference (R-Y and B-Y) signals from the original colour camera signals. To do this, it first creates the Y signal by combining the R, G and B signals in the correct proportions; ie: Y = 0.3R + 0.59G + 0.11B That done, it subtracts this Y signal from the R and B signals, to create the colour difference signals. Fig.1 shows how this is done. The Y signal is produced by the mixer/adder stage based on IC1a which (like all of the other op amps used) is one half of a MAX4451ESA dual wideband amplisiliconchip.com.au Above: the rear panel provides access to the three component video RCA output sockets and the power socket. October 2004  37 Fig.2: the complete circuit for the RGB To Component Video Converter. Op amps IC1a, IC2a & IC2b all operate with a gain of two, to compensate for the signal losses that occur due to the 75W “back termination” output resistors and the set’s 75W input resistors. used to produce a 2(B-Y) colour difference signal, using adder stage IC2b. In this case, we simply add the -Y signal to the B signal and again amplify their sum by two. The centre output buffer stage using IC2a operates as an inverting amplifier with a gain of two and converts the -Y (luminance) signal from IC1a into an output signal of 2Y. As before, this stage operates with a gain of two to compensate for the inevitable voltage division due to the 75Ω back termina38  Silicon Chip tion and input resistors. Now take a look at Fig.2 which shows the full circuit details. As shown, all the resistors shown as R1 in Fig.1 actually have a value of 510Ω. These resistors are in the feedback networks and at the inputs to IC1b, IC2a & IC2b. By contrast, the various parallel resistor combinations between the three video inputs and IC1a’s inverting input (pin 2) are chosen to give the correct mixing proportions. For example, the 2.2kΩ and 7.5kΩ resistors from CON1 give a value of 1701Ω, which is very close to the correct figure for the R component (ie, 510/0.3 = 1700Ω) Similarly, the 1kΩ and 6.2kΩ resistors give a value of 861.1Ω, which is very close to the correct figure for the G component (510/0.59 = 864.4Ω). And finally, and the 5.1kΩ and 51kΩ resistors give 4636Ω, exactly the right figure for the B component (510/0.11 = 4636Ω). The 91Ω and 82Ω resistors across the three video inputs ensure that each has siliconchip.com.au the correct 75Ω input resistance. Note that these resistors are all somewhat higher than 75Ω, to compensate for the effects of the various mixing resistors connected to them. This impedance matching is necessary to ensure that the input cables from your set-top box or other RGB video source are correctly terminated, to prevent ringing. Power supply The converter’s power supply is simple, as the MAX4451 devices operate from ±5V supply rails and draw quite low current. Power is derived from a 9VAC plugpack and this feeds half-wave rectifiers D1 and D2. These produce +13V and -13V rails which are filtered using two 2200µF electrolytic capacitors and fed to 3-terminal regulators REG1 and REG2. The +5V and -5V regulator outputs are then filtered using 100µF capacitors and fed to the op amps. LED1 provides power indication. It is simply connected across the +5V rail in series with a 470Ω current-limiting resistor. Construction All of the converter circuitry is built on a double-sided PC board coded 02110041 and measuring 117 x 102mm. This in turn is housed in a standard instrument case measuring 140 x 110 x 35mm, to produce a very compact and neat unit. There’s no off-board wiring at all – all the RCA input and output connectors are mounted directly on the PC board along the front and rear edges. These are all accessed through holes in the front and rear panels when the case is assembled. Fig.3: install the parts on the top of the PC board as shown here. The red dots indicate where component leads (and the single “via” above left from CON1) are soldered to both sides, if the board doesn’t have plated-through holes. At least one kit supplier has indicated that they intend supplying PC boards with plated-through holes for this design. However, if your board is not plated through, you will have to solder some of the component leads on both sides of the board. You’ll also need to solder a short length of tinned copper wire (such as a resistor lead offcut) through one “via” hole, to make the connection between top and bottom tracks. To make it easy, these points are all indicated on the PC board overlay diagram (Fig.3) with red dots. Most of the components fit on the top of the board in the usual way. The only exceptions are the two MAX4451ESA Table 1: Resistor Colour Codes o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o siliconchip.com.au No.   1   1   1   1   1   1   1   2 5   1   2   2   1   3 Value 51kΩ 7.5kΩ 6.2kΩ 5.1kΩ 2.2kΩ 1.5kΩ 1kΩ 820Ω 510Ω 470Ω 270Ω 91Ω 82Ω 75Ω 4-Band Code (1%) green brown orange brown violet green red brown blue red red brown green brown red brown red red red brown brown green red brown brown black red brown grey red brown brown green brown brown brown yellow violet brown brown red violet brown brown white brown black brown grey red black brown violet green black brown 5-Band Code (1%) green brown black red brown violet green black brown brown blue red black brown brown green brown black brown brown red red black brown brown brown green black brown brown brown black black brown brown grey red black black brown green brown black black brown yellow violet black black brown red violet black black brown white brown black gold brown grey red black gold brown violet green black gold brown October 2004  39 The assembly is straightforward but be sure to install all polarised parts with the correct orientation. These include the diodes, 3-terminal regulators, the LED and the two op amps. surface-mount SOIC packages, which are mounted on the bottom of the PC board (more on this later). Begin the board assembly by fitting the short wire link which forms a “via” between the top and bottom copper tracks of the -5V supply rail. It’s located near the front of the board, about 17mm to the right of the 470Ω resistor just behind LED1. Fitting this link first will make sure you don’t forget it. Next fit the resistors, making sure Fig.4: these full-size artworks can be used as drilling templates for the front and rear panels. 40  Silicon Chip you solder their “earthy” leads to both sides the board where indicated. Table 1 shows the resistor colour codes but we advise checking each value on a multimeter before it is fitted, just to make sure. That done, install the RCA sockets and the 9V AC power socket, using a small drill to enlarge their mounting holes if necessary. The three small 100nF monolithic capacitors can be fitted next, again taking care to solder their leads to both sides of the board where indicated. That done, fit the two 10µF tantalum capacitors and the larger electrolytics, making sure each of these polarised components is orientated correctly. The earthy lead of both tantalum capacitors is soldered to the top copper as well, as shown in Fig.3. Next fit the two diodes (D1 & D2) in the power supply, again watching their polarity. Follow with the two regulators, making sure that you fit each one in the correct position. REG2 (the 7905) goes on the lefthand side, while REG1 (the 7805) mounts to the right of siliconchip.com.au Parts List Mounting the SOIC-8 Devices 1 PC board, code 02110041, 117 x 102mm (double sided) 1 plastic instrument case, 140 x 110 x 35mm 6 RCA sockets, PC-mount (2 x red, 2 x blue, 1 x green, 1 x yellow) 1 2.5mm concentric LV power connector (CON7) 2 M3 x 6mm machine screws with M3 nuts 6 4G x 6mm self-tapping screws, pan head Semiconductors 2 MAX4451ESA dual wideband op amps (IC1,IC2) 1 7805 +5V regulator (REG1) 1 7905 -5V regulator (REG2) 1 3mm green LED (LED1) 2 1N4004 1A diode (D1,D2) Fig.5: the two MAX4451ESA dual op amps are mounted on the underside of the PC board, as shown here. Be sure to install them the right way around. REG2. Don’t get them mixed up! Each regulator is mounted horizontally, with its three leads bent downwards 5mm from the device body so that they pass through the holes in the PC board. They are both secured using 6mm x M3 machine screws and nuts and this should be done before soldering their leads. Note that REG1’s centre lead is soldered on both sides of the board, as are two leads for REG2. Surface mount ICs Once the regulators are in, you are ready to fit the two surface-mount ICs (IC1 & IC2). These are 8-lead SOIC packages and mount on the underside of the board – see Fig.5. They have a 1.25mm lead spacing, so they’re not You will need a fine-tipped soldering iron to install IC1 & IC2. Make sure that you don’t overheat them or leave solder bridges between their pins. siliconchip.com.au too small for manual handling and soldering, providing you’re careful and use a soldering iron with a finetipped bit. To fit these ICs, invert the board and locate their mounting positions – you’ll find the two sets of four small rectangular pads in each position. That done, remove the devices from their packaging and examine each one with a magnifying glass to identify the small chamfer along one side (ie, adjacent to pins 1-4 of the device). Both devices are mounted on the board with this chamfered side towards the front – ie, downwards in Fig.5. Be sure to use a fine-tipped soldering iron for this job and be careful not to overheat them or leave solder bridges between their pins. The best way to install them is to hold each device in place with a vacuum pick-up tool or a toothpick while you press down gently on one of its leads with the tip of the soldering iron. This will usually make a weak solder joint between the lead and the tinning on the board copper – enough to hold the device in place while you solder the remaining leads to their pads. That done, you can then go back and solder the first lead properly, to complete the job. Capacitors 2 2200µF 16V RB electrolytic 2 100µF 16V RB electrolytic 2 10µF 25V tantalum 4 100nF multilayer monolithic (code 100n or 104) Resistors (0.25W 1%) 1 51kΩ 2 1kΩ 1 7.5kΩ 2 820Ω 5 510Ω 1 6.2kΩ 1 470Ω 2 270Ω 1 5.1kΩ 2 91Ω 1 2.2kΩ 1 82Ω 1 1.5kΩ 3 75Ω The final component to fit is LED1 (the power LED). This in installed on the top of the board, with its longer anode lead towards the right (ie, towards CON1). It should be mounted with its body about 17mm above the top of the board (a strip of cardboard between the leads makes a handy spacer). After mounting, bend its leads down together at right angles at a point 9mm above the board. This ensures that it will later protrude through its matching hole in the front panel when the board is installed in its case. Drilling the panels The next step in the construction is to prepare the front and rear panels of the case. This involves drilling and reaming a small number of holes for the various connectors and the power indicator LED, using photocopies of the panel artworks as templates. October 2004  41 Finally, any excess tape is trimmed off and the holes cut out using a sharp hobby knife. Of course, if you buy a complete kit for the converter, you won’t have to do any of this. Instead, the panels will be supplied pre-punched and with silk-screened lettering for a really professional finish. Final assembly Now for the final assembly. This is done by first fitting the panels over the connectors on each side of the board (and also over the LED in the case of the front panel). That done, lower the assembly into the bottom half of the case, sliding each panel into its mating slot. It’s then simply a matter of fitting eight 6mm-long self-tapping screws (four along the front and four along the rear) to hold the PC board in place. Finally, the top half of the case can be fitted and secured from the bottom using the two long countersink-head self-tappers provided. Your RGB to Component Video Converter is now complete and ready for use. There are no adjustments to make – all that’s needed is to connect a suitable 9V AC plugpack and it should spring to life. Troubleshooting Fig.5: here are the full size top and bottom etching patterns for the PC board. Once that’s done, additional photocopies of the artworks can attached to the outside of each panel for a professional finish. The way to do this is to first make a copy of each artwork on adhesive-backed A4 label sheet paper. 42  Silicon Chip The labels are then trimmed, peeled off the backing and attached to the panels. That done, a length of clear packaging tape (ie, wide adhesive tape) is applied over each panel to protect it from dirt and finger grease. In the unlikely event that it doesn’t work, the first step is to go back over your work and carefully check that all components are correctly positioned and orientated. Check also for missed solder joints, especially where leads have to be soldered on both sides of the PC board. Next, check the power supply rails with your multimeter. There should be +5V at the output of REG1 and -5V at the output of REG2. If you don’t get these voltages, check the two regulators and diodes D1 and D2, plus the polarity of all electrolytic capacitors. You should also be able to measure +5V (with respect to board earth) on pin 8 of each of the two surface-mount ICs. Similarly, pin 4 of each device should be at -5V but be careful not to short out adjacent pins with the meter probe when making these measurements. Finally, if LED1 fails to light even though the +5V rail is correct, check that the LED has been installed correctly. Check also that its 470Ω resistor SC is correct. siliconchip.com.au The apprenticeship that will take you places. APPRENTICESHIP SPECIFICATIONS NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS GUARANTEED JOB The entire unit can be quickly deployed to areas of extreme temperature due to its robust construction. GREAT PAY UNMATCHED BENEFITS NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES TEAM ENVIRONMENT Based on the Land Rover Defender, the Parakeet is an extremely mobile, modern electronic office communications suite which offers a range of features. The Parakeet features automatic satellite tracking capability. Working in a team is a big part of Army life, particularly whilst on deployment in foreign countries. You’ll receive nationally accredited qualifications and the guarantee of a job at the completion of your training. You could earn up to p.a. after 2 years. $43,000 ARMY TRADES Aircraft Technician *Fitter Armament Avionics Technician *Plumber Aircraft Life Support Fitter *Technician Electronic Telecommunications Systems Y&R DFA1013/SC Aircraft Structural Fitter *Carpenter *Electrical Technician *Electrician Technician Telecommunications Systems *Vehicle Mechanic *Qualified applicants may apply. Nowhere else will you find the experience and job security that you’ll enjoy in the Army. Communications are vital to ensure Army commanders have the means to control information using radio, microwave and satellite links. In addition, high technology computer switched digital networks are rapidly becoming a reality. As a Telco in the Army it’ll be your job to install, configure, maintain and just as importantly diagnose faults within the Army’s telecommunications and information systems network. The job’s diverse and interesting but above all you’ll be receiving some of the best apprenticeship training. Training that’s very much sought after in the civilian world. You’ll be paid a great wage while you train with a guaranteed job when you finish. You’ll start on $23,000p.a. and after 2 years you can earn up to $43,000p.a. and even more as your career progresses. You’ll enjoy all sorts of benefits like free medical and dental, subsidised meals and accommodation. Call 13 19 01 or visit www.defencejobs.gov.au Stan’s fallen in love again . . . This new PICAXE-08M is a wee ripper! by Stan Swan* As featured in the September 2004 “SILICON CHIP” “Rudolph” project, UK maestros Revolution Education have launched a new addition to their low-cost PICAXE range; the 8-pin PICAXE-08M (M for Music?). I t’s perhaps indicative of the white-hot rate of change in electronics that the PIC12F683 engine on which the PICAXE-08M is based was itself only announced by MicroChip earlier this year. From planning to market in only a few months! Twice the power – but at only a small cost increase? If only petrol were as obliging. This new DIP8 sized chip is a deceptively tiny powerhouse that’s now quite capable of very serious application. Note: The 08M will need the latest Programming Editor (Ver 4.1.2 or higher)– it’s a free 23Mb download from www. picaxe.com – a patch to Ver 4.1.4 is available too . PICAXE-08M features include: • Drop-in replacement for PICAXE-08 • 8MHz or 4MHz operation • Twice as much program/data memory (256 bytes, about 80 lines of source ) • Interrupts supported (SETINT) • PEEK and POKE to 48 bytes “RAM” (SFR) • Three 8-bit/10-bit analog inputs • IR receive and transmit (enhanced SIRC protocol) • Up to 4800 baud serial using SERIN/SEROUT • Up to 9600 baud serial transmit using SERTXD • Continuous PWM out (1 channel) • Continuous Servo outputs (4 channels?) • DS18B20 temperature sensor support • One-Wire Serial Number support • TUNE and PLAY command • 2.5V to 5.5V operation To put this new fire breather in perspective, below is an updated summary of the Picaxe family, along with their associated PIC “engines”. All enjoy the usual wide supply voltages (<3-5½V), 4MHz clock and direct ~20mA output drive but larger versions have dedicated input or output pins rather than the versatile I/Os of the ’08/08M, can be wound up to 8 (or even 16) MHz and recognise more enhanced commands. For many purposes it seems the 08M is now the chip of choice but power users will probably find the greater memory of the18X more appealing. Perhaps the easiest way to get to initial grips with the 08M is to just swap it out in a past 08 circuit, with code tweaked to suit enhanced features. We’ve altered the ’08 NTC data logger (SILICON CHIP, September 2003) to exploit the greater EEPROM space, larger code memory and 8-bit ADC. The ’08M is of course further capable of reading DS18B20s for direct Celsius temperatures but the ~$10 bill of materials for the thermistor version will no doubt appeal for simple applications and tight budgets. Here’s the revised program, available for download via www.picaxe.orcon. net.nz/data08m.bas Thanks to SERTXD, stored data will be fed back out (for F8 terminal display etc) via the normal three-wire programming cable and values will also be displayed as collected in real time. A simple lookup table could relate NTC readings to temperature but for more ambitious applications you would probably use the DS18B20. PICAXE FAMILY COMPARISON Name Mem I/O (Pins) lines Out pins Inputs ADC (Low) Data  mem.  08 08M 18 18A 18X 28A 28X 40X 1-4 1-4 8 8 9 8 9-17 9-17 1-4 1-4 5 5 5 8 0-12 8-20 1L 3H 3L 3 3 4 0-4 3-7 128-prog 256-prog 128-prog 256 256+I2C 64+256 128+I2C 128+I2C 40 80 40 80 600 80 600 600 44  Silicon Chip 5 5 13 13 14 20 21 32 Polled Interrupt Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes PIC type 12F629/675 12F683 16F627 16F819 16F88 16F872 16F873A 16F874 Cost $AU) (approx) $4 $5 $10 $14 $15 $20 $28 siliconchip.com.au PICAXE 08M BASIC LISTING - DATA08M.BAS (Also downloadable from: www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz/data08m.bas) ‘DATA08M.BAS = NTC temp.datalogger-Picaxe-08M version Ver 1.0 30/08/04 Stan. SWAN ‘Program a “hi res” enhancement of lo res datalog8.bas shown Sept.’03 SiChip article ‘NB-this further enhances orig.08 version with 08M “SERTXD” cmd feeding serial data ‘out via normal 3 wire progr.lead <at> 4800bps & displays via editor F8 inbuilt terminal ‘============================================================================================ ‘When “08M” powered up, any prior stored EEPROM values sent SERTXD pin 0 serial data ‘-also suit 4800bps display via any term. program -LCD,F8,StampPlot- or.csv Excel too. ‘NB-Gives you 30secs to turn unit OFF before fresh storage begins & thus progressively ‘wiping existing values ! For security however this data can’t easily be bulk erased ‘***BUT CARE - BE PROMPT ! REPROGRAMMING/RELOADING “08M” TOTALLY WIPES DATA TOO ****. ‘As set up logs NTC temp every 60 secs for ~2 hrs. Alter WAIT value (or SLEEP)to suit? ‘--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------‘PICAXE08M has hi-res data values 0-255(via “readadc” command),but also READTEMP for ‘direct DS18B20 Celsius readings! Both 08 & 08M values stored in program space. Care ! ‘If power saving needed use SLEEP instead of WAIT ex. 26x2.3secs ~1min delay (+/- 1% ) ‘Alter to suit.Ex. Sleep 391 =128 x 1/4 hr =32 hrs.Some interpreter o’head/drift noted ‘128 readings,so <at> 1/min ~2 hrs, /5 min ~10 hrs, /30 min ~2.5 days,& /60 min ~5 days ‘NB- sensor thermal lag means there’s little point sampling faster than every minute ! ‘Solderless “PICNIK” mini breadboard setup pix => www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz/pcsx08m.jpg ‘Program hosted=> www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz/data08m.bas. ASCII art schematic below ‘--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------‘ SERTXD Typical temp. readings/readadc values ‘ & piezo - - - - - -ve rail 0 Celsius 11 ‘ Ch.0 _____ Ch. | | 4 21 ‘ - | ___ | 2 LED 47k 8 32 ‘ ------ | |_______| | 12 43 ‘ |Picaxe| |_______________| 16 53 ‘ | 08M | Ch.1 ADC | 20 64 ‘ -----100k 24 75 ‘ + NTC 28 86 etc ‘||| 3-5 V ‘Usual 3 wire + + + + + + +ve supply NOTE - Temp values approximate ‘prog.input & may need calibration your NTC ‘--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------‘READ/PLAYBACK ROUTINE pause 100 ‘sertxd wakeup to avoid initial junk? sertxd(“PICAXE-08M NTC Temp.Datalogger “) ‘ Title header for b0=0 to 127 ‘stored data values readout to terminal or LCD read b0,b1 ‘polls & reads out stored EEPROM values ( .csv) sertxd (#b0,44,#b1,” “) ‘Values <at> prog.pin,+ ASCII comma(44) for Excel .csv high 2 ‘LED at output 2 on to confirm data readout next b0 ‘read next stored EEPROM value as SERTXD serial out wait 30 ‘30 secs “reading” delay -modify if too short etc low 2 ‘LED off shows reading over, & new data run starting ‘--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------‘WRITE/DATA LOGGING ROUTINE for b0= 0 to 127 ‘begin 128 data readings <at> time set by SLEEP/WAIT sound 0,(75,10) ‘Beep to alert data logging commencing pulsout 2,500 ‘brief flash from pin 2 LED indicates datalogging readadc 1,b1 ‘Hi Res (8 bit) read NTC at Pin 1 Voltage divider sertxd (“ “) ‘gap as usual 10=CR,12=FF(=cls),13=LF nogo with F8? sertxd(#b0,44,#b1) ‘Now allows data display (via F8 ?) as gathered too! write b0,b1 ‘sequentially write values to 08M EEPROM locations wait 60 ‘Checks every 60 secs -alter to suit or use SLEEP etc next b0 ‘Gathering automatically stops after 128 samples high 4 ‘Ch.4 green LED on to show data run ended (optional) ‘--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Next month: The 08M attacks Picaxe interrupts. (ASCII art above may be scrambled in print but is neatly aligned on website) *s.t.swan<at>massey.ac.nz SC siliconchip.com.au October 2004  45 The Amateur Scientist 2.0 . . . the most comprehensive collection of science projects ever assembled Sourced from the pages of the respected Scientific American journal, this treasure trove of science projects spans more than 70 years of endeavour. The collection includes over 1000 projects, with enough breadth and depth to delight both amateur and professional alike. By PETER SMITH T HE AMATEUR SCIENTIST is supplied on a single CD, with all of its resources accessible from within a web browser. This means that the product does not need to be installed on your hard drive. You simply insert the CD, fire up your browser software (Internet 46  Silicon Chip Explorer or Netscape) and you’re ready to begin exploring. Think of it as huge web site on CD! Being web-based, it can be used on Windows, Mac OS, Linux and Unix platforms. This delivery method also means that the CD can travel with you, so you can continue your exploration on the road, in the library or wherever a PC is available. As well as specific project material, The Amateur Scientist also includes the following: • Tips and hints by other experienced amateur scientists. • Details on building science apparatus from vacuum techniques to glass-blowing. • A large database of chemicals, their properties, and safety requirements • Links to companies and organisations that can help you in your research. • A select library of science-related demos, shareware, and public domain software (supplied on a second CD). • Full text search capability. siliconchip.com.au • Indexes for browsing by year or subject. • Project ratings for cost, difficulty, possible hazards, and usefulness. Browsing the CD The opening page acts as the blasting-off point. There you can browse the CD by date, by subject and by keyword. Windows users should find that this page opens automatically when the CD is inserted. Macintosh users will need to open the “home.html” file in the root directory of the CD. Project layouts include all of the information from the original article, in many cases complete with handdrawn sketches and photographs. A scrollable window appears on the left side of most pages, providing convenient access to basic information about the chosen subject. Instant access to various charts, tables and databases is made possible via the “Ready References” link at the head of the window. There you’ll find information such as the atomic weight of Helium, Norton’s Theorem and the brightness of Sirius. Project ratings Each project has been reviewed by the editors and rated by “difficulty”, “danger”, “utility” and “cost”. These ratings are displayed at the top of each project as well as in the search list, enabling you to quickly ascertain the suitability of a project for the intended audience. The Amateur Scientist includes all sorts of chemistry experiments together with detailed sketches. siliconchip.com.au Here’s how a typical project appears in the browser window. All follow this basic, functional layout style. Below right is an illustration from the same project, showing how to construct a “field mill” instrument for detecting the Earth’s electric field. Apparently, it shouldn’t take more than a weekend to assemble! The “difficulty” indicator ranges from 1 to 5. This is an estimate of the time, experience and skill needed to successfully complete the project. According to the editors, most projects with a rating of 1 or 2 should be accessible by younger students, although adult supervision may be required. At the other end of the scale, we find projects such as gas-charged lasers and proton accelerators. Obviously, advanced skills and significant time investments are required to construct these. Parents and teachers will also find the “danger” indicator useful when searching for suitable content. A rating of 1 indicates relative safety, with minimal supervision required. Ratings 2 & 3 indicate increased supervision is required, whereas projects that score a high 4 are definitely not for children (or inexperienced adults), as slip-ups could be fatal! The “utility” indicator is a nice addition that gives you a feel for the relevance of the material to today’s science and its possible application in your project. It uses a graphical icon to indicate one of these four categories: (1). Cool project – a good contender for science fairs and home experiments. October 2004  47 The Amateur Scientist – A Few Of The Projects (1) Build a seismograph to study earthquakes (2) Make soap bubbles that last for months (3) Monitor the health of local streams (4) Preserve biological specimens (5) Build a carbon dioxide laser (6) Grow bacteria cultures safely at home (7) Build a ripple tank to study wave phenomena (8) Discover how plants grow in low gravity (9) Do strange experiments with sound (10) Use a hot wire to study the crystal structure of steel (11) Extract and purify DNA in your kitchen (12) Create a laser hologram (13) Study variable stars like a pro (14) Investigate vortexes in water (15) Cultivate slime moulds (16) Study the flight efficiency of soaring birds (17) How to make an Electret (18) Construct fluid lenses (19) Raise butterflies as experimental animals (20) Study the physics of spinning tops (21) Build an apparatus for studying chaotic systems (22) Detect metals in air, liquids, or solids (23) Photograph an ant’s brain and nervous system (24) Use magnets to make fluids into solids (25) Measure the metabolism of an insect (26) Rear a plankton menagerie (27) Construct equipment to study the formation of crystals (28) Build a hydrophone and record underwater sounds (29) Directly observe the Moon’s gravity on Earth (30) Observe cosmic rays from outer space (31) Construct a particle accelerator at home (32) Grow animal tissue cultures (33) Build a working Stirling Engine in your backyard (34) Study radioactivity with a diffusion cloud chamber (35) Construct a working camera with a lens made of ice (36) Measure the charge of a single electron (37) Study the metabolism of small animals, even individual insects! (38) Measure the electric charge on raindrops (39) Monitor atmospheric haze (40) Study fluctuations in the Earth’s magnetic field (41) Preserve snowflakes in plastic (42) Build a pendulum that detects the Earth’s rotation (43) Simulate the process of stream and river erosion (44) Build a spectrograph to determine the chemical structure of materials (45) Build an underwater observatory (46) Synthesise organic molecules Some projects use simple techniques to achieve outstanding results. Even younger experimenters can “get inside an ant’s head”, as depicted here, using a microscope and a simple procedure. (2). Uses obsolete technology but could be updated. (3). Explores a problem that is now well-understood but might still be fun or educational to do. (4). Historical interest. Finally, a “cost” rating of above or below $100 (US) is given for the project. As stressed by the editors, the real cost will vary enormously, dependent on the availability of materials or the ingenuity of the experimenter. We’d take it with a grain of sodium chloride! Practicalities Many of the projects presented in The Amateur Scientist will require significant resourcefulness on the part of the experimenter. This applies particularly to the sourcing of project materials, as most of the suppliers mentioned on the CD will not ship their products outside of the United States. However, we expect that many of these materials will be available though educational institutions here in Australia. Summary You might not want to build your own laser but you can learn how they work from the detailed sketches. 48  Silicon Chip To quote from the editors, “this product is an archive, a slice of history, a gallery of uncommon ingenuity. But most of all, it is a tool”. We agree wholeheartedly. The Amateur Scientist is published by Bright Science, LLC, situated in Coventry, Rhode Island. You can contact them at info<at>brightscience.com, or browse to www.brightscience.com. The CD is available from the SILICON CHIP Bookshop at $49 plus $7 postage SC and packing. siliconchip.com.au OCTOBER BARGAINS XPERT DVD Maker 149 297 Bagot Road, Coconut Grove, NT. 0810. Ph: (08) 8948 4043 NOW OPEN The first 200 customers in our new store to mention this ad receive a FREE set of steak knives! Theremin Synthesiser Pre-Built and Tested As used in the Beach Boys’ classic hit Good Vibrations! The Theremin has an amazing range of notes from piercing shrieks to low-end growling sounds. Music shops sell Theremins for several hundred dollars, so you will save a bundle with Jaycar! •Requires 9-12VDC. Cat. AM-4025 $ .00 99 Mini Digital Video Camera Fantastic price! This easy to use camera fits in the palm of your hand! The recorded video can be transferred to a computer for editing, or simply 249 High Power Pure Sine Wave Inverters SLASHED TO CLEAR! Our new models are in stock, and we desperately need to clear all remaining stock of these units! They carry a host of safety features, and provide huge power output to suit a wide range of applications. Quantities strictly limited, check out our website catalogue for all the details. 2003 Cat Price $1099 $350 24VDC - 230VAC 1500W (2500W Surge) SAVE 2003 Cat Price $1395 $450 Video Enhancer and Y/C Separator Kit Convert composite video to S-Video and enhance it! Ref: Silicon Chip August 2004. Planning to transfer your VHS videos to DVD with your computer? This project enhances & sharpens the picture, as well as converting to S-Video for a high quality transfer! Kit supplied with through-hole plated and solder masked PCB, case, silk screened and laser cut panels, quality Belden RG58 cable, mains plug pack, Cat. KC-5394 and all electronic components. $ .00 179 The Jaycar kit is supplied with genuine Belden RG58 A/V cable. This cable has a known, consistent propagation delay so you can be confident the propagation delay will be spot on. Beware of inferior kits that use cheap "house" brand cable that might have wildly variable propagation delay characteristics. 2004 CATALOGUES Our 424 page printed and CD-ROM catalogues are still available! GET YOUR COPY NOW! Cat. MI-5090 $ .00 749 Cat. MI-5095 $ .00 949 424 Page Printed Catalogue - $3.95 CD-ROM Catalogue only $3.00 FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 89 40Ch UHF CB Transceiver Wrist Watches A true CB transceiver in a wrist watch! They operate on the Citizen Band (CB) frequencies with a range of up to 2km. They are powered from internally rechargeable Li-Ion batteries. Supplied as a pair complete with mains charger. See website for details. Cat. DC-1070 $ Pair 199 Stadium Double Insulated Degaussing Wand For the serious Techie! viewed directly on any TV. Supplied with A digital camera bag, cables a video camer and software. er d n u r fo •3.1 mega pixel software $250! resolution for stills. •1.5" colour LCD screen. •5 layer glass lens. Cat. QC-3230 •Requires SD or MMC card $ .00 •Internal microphone and lots more! 12VDC - 230VAC 1000W (1500W Surge) SAVE KIT OF THE MONTH RGB to Component Video Converter Kit Video Standards Converter Ref: Silicon Chip August 2004. Enjoy the high quality of RGB video when your projector, plasma TV etc only supports Component video inputs. Kit includes PCB, case, silkscreened and punched panels, colour Cat. KC-5398 coded RCA sockets, 9VAC plugpack, $ .95 and all electronic components. October 2004 Convert all your old VHS tapes and camcorder cassettes to DVD! XPERT DVD Maker converts on the fly, so there is no need for excessive amounts of free disk space. All you need is a DVD burner and you can store your memories forever! Cat. XC-4811 $ .00 NEW STORE IN DARWIN! INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au OUT NOW ATTENTION TV MONITOR REPAIR TECHNICIANS Grab one of these now as they are getting scarce! A degaussing wand will neutralise a magnetic field quickly and safely. It is commonly used on CRTs such as TVs and computer monitors. 1.8m mains lead. Cat. TH-2480 $ .95 79 Dash Mount and Roof Mount 7" Widescreen Monitors for Cars Versatile mounting options! They are powered from 12VDC, have on screen display for controls, and a wide viewing angle. Roof Mount TFT Monitor Ideal for rear seat viewing, this unit has integrated dome lights in the console so you can replace your Cat. QM-3751 $ .00 factory interior light. 419 Dash Mount TFT Monitor If your monitor is mounted permanently on display, it might attract attention of potential thieves. This unit folds down to store into a single DIN space (standard car stereo space) so it will go un-noticed. Cat. QM-3753 $ .00 449 1 MEGA OCTOBER BARGAINS!!! Sound Activated Baby Cot Light Many items have very limited stock and may not be in your local store. Please call to check before driving across town. 15dB RF Amplifier No more bumps in the night! It switches on the light when your baby starts crying so you don’t have to fumble in the dark. 2003 Cat Price $19.95 SAVE Cat. ST-3029 $12.95 $ .00 SMART CARDS SLASHED! Boost your signal for better picture! It has F type input/output connectors, variable gain, and mounted into a rugged die-cast aluminium enclosure. Was $118 SAVE 7 We have drastically reduced prices on all of our smart cards! Grab a bargain before they are sold out! Cat. LT-3242 $ .00 98 $20 Reel Wire Tidy - Pk of 2 Eliminate clutter! Simply feed the wire into the reel then wind up. Suits up to 8mm cable or up to 14 x 8mm figure 8. 2003 Cat Price $9.95 SAVE $5 4 Speaker Cabinet Handles Requires 240Hx120Wmm cutout. Was $13.50 SAVE $6 Cat. HS-8008 $ .50 Requires 164Hx122Wmm cutout. Was $9.95 SAVE $3 Cat. HS-8010 $ .95 Requires 128Wx74Hmm cutout. Was $13.95 SAVE $6 Cat. HS-8015 $ .95 Plastic Handle Metal Handle 7 6 7 E X TR A R E M OTE C O NTR O LS Assorted extra remote controls slashed! Garrison remote to suit Cat. LR-8822 SAVE $10 Cat. LR-8823 Was $30.50 Now $20.50 Garrison remote to suit Cat. LR-8825 SAVE $10 Cat. LR-8826 Was $30.50 Now $20.50 Extra remote to suit Cat. LR-8831 SAVE $15 Cat. LR-8836 Was $36.95 Now $21.95 Extra remote to suit Cat. LA-9000 SAVE $10 Cat. LA-9002 Was $29.95 Now $19.95 Extra remote to suit Cat. LA-9005 SAVE $15 Cat. LA-9007 Was $34.95 Now $19.95 Loud 125dB output! Great as an extra deterrent. Was Cat. LA-8910 SAVE $54.95 $ .95 39 Ideal for any high current 12VDC switching application. Cat. ST-0577 $ .50 Momentary Cat. ST-0577 Toggle Cat. ST-0579 Cat. ST-0579 Missile Switch $ .95 5 Protective Cover Cat. ST-0578 $ .95 2 Cat. ZZ-8806 Was $19.95 Now $9.95 4 Buy a Missile Switch Cover & a SPST 20A Switch for just $9.95! Save up to $5.50 SAVE $10 SAVE $20 Red Perspex Panel Great for hobby work. Ideal for mounting in front of LED display. 195 x 195 x 3mm. Was $8.95 Cat. HM-9505 $ .95 SAVE $10 SAVE $2 6 49 19" ABS Rack Mount Enclosures Save on Passive Infrared Detectors Micron Pulse Count PIR Normally open contacts! Uses a proven design for a high level of performance and stability. Cat. LA-5035 Was $39.95 Now $24.95 Save $15 Proton Quad Pulse Count PIR Designed in the UK! Uses a unique four element sensor, which enables it to detect in three dimensions! Cat. LA-5025 Was $39.95 Now $29.95 Save $10 PIR Lenses! Pet Alley lens to suit LA-5025 Cat. LA-5027 Curtain lens to suit LA-5025/30 Cat. LA-5032 Long Range lens to suit LA-5030 Cat. LA-5031 All types (ea) Was $5.60 Now $2.00 Save $3.60 12V Dual Orange LED Flasher 6 SHADOW Car Engine Immobiliser SPST 20A 12VDC Toggle Switches 9 49 High quality construction for the ultimate deterrence. Includes flashing LED. Was Cat. LA-5313 $ .95 $69.95 $3 $10 ‘FUN’ wafer card with AT90S8515A ATMEL + 24LC256 EEPROM. Endless uses! Wire them on, flashing, or to the accessories switch! Was $9.95 Cat. LA-5087 $ .95 SAVE Car Alarm Siren with Battery Backup $15 Cat. ZZ-8820 Was $24.95 Now $14.95 Heavy Duty Dummy Camera Large Steel Handle ‘SILVER’ wafer card with PIC16F877 + 24LC64 EEPROM. Cat. ZZ-8810 SAVE ‘EMERALD’ wafer card with PIC16F628 + 24LC64 EEPROM. Identical to the real rotating camera we stock! It pans back and forth over an adjustable pan angle. Was $69.95 Cat. LA-5319 $ .95 SAVE $20 Make light work of moving bulky speaker cabinets! They also reduce the risk of dropping them, avoiding costly damage. SAVE $2 Was $7.95 Now $5.95 Was $19.95 Now $9.95 Rotating Dummy Camera Cat. HP-1295 $ .95 ‘GOLD’ wafer card with PIC16F84A + 24LC16B EEPROM. Cat. ZZ-8800 Aus / NZ standards approved! It features all black wiring, so once installed, it will be a lot more difficult for anyone to hot-wire your car! Cat. LA-8970 $ .50 Cheap rack enclosures! Available in beige or black, they are 200mm deep. 1U beige Cat. HB-5135 1U black Cat. HB-5140 2U beige Cat. HB-5145 2U black Cat. HB-5150 3U beige Cat. HB-5160 3U black Cat. HB-5155 1U cases (ea) Was $39.95 Now $29.95 Save $10 2U cases (ea) Was $49.95 Now $37.95 Save $12 3U cases (ea) Was $59.95 Now $44.95 Save $15 19" Blank Rack Panels One standard rack unit equals 44mm high. 1U natural finish Cat. HB-5401 Was $14.00 Now $11.00 1U black finish Cat. HB-5404 Was $14.50 Now $11.50 2U natural finish Cat. HB-5402 Was $20.25 Now $16.25 2U black finish Cat. HB-5405 Was $21.25 Now $17.25 3U natural finish Cat. HB-5403 Was $27.00 Now $22.00 3U black finish Cat. HB-5406 Was $28.00 Now $23.00 Purchase the upgrade SAVE pack (LA-8975) which includes shock sensor, $39.50 bonnet switch, and backup battery siren for just $40 more! SAVE $4 SAVE $5 SAVE $3 SAVE $4 SAVE $5 Rear View Mirror with Voice Recorder and Hands Free Phone Kit Don’t get caught on your mobile phone! It has a host of great features including a 60 second SAVE voice recorder. $44 Was $79 129 SAVE $3 Cat. GG-2120 $ .00 35 Rear View Mirror with Voice Recorder, Hands Free Phone Kit & Reversing Sensor What more could you need! Makes a great addition to your car. Was $169 Cat. GG-2122 SAVE $ .00 $89 80 FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au THINK SUMMER - THINK SOLAR! BP Solar 12V Polycrystalline Solar Panels Amorphous Type Solar Panels Top quality panels at a great price! Each panel has an array of 36 Polycrystalline cells, and can charge 12V batteries in virtually any climate. They are built to last, and designed to withstand a 25mm hail stone travelling at terminal velocity. They are mounted in an anodised aluminium frame that is weather proof and corrosion resistant. See website for full details. Power 10W 20W 80W Warranty 10 Year 10 Year 20 Year Cat No. ZM-9060 ZM-9062 ZM-9069 VDC VAC 12 to 230 12 to 230 12 to 230 12 to 230 24 to 230 12 to 230 12 to 230 12 to 230 12 to 230 Cat. No. MI-5100 MI-5102 MI-5104 MI-5106 MI-5107 MI-5108 MI-5110 MI-5112 MI-5114 Price $59.95 $79.95 $119.95 $159.95 $169.95 $249.95 $299.95 $399.95 $599.95 Want to use Solar but Don’t Know How? We have books to help you! Solar Electricity 24 4 Way Distribution Block with Blown Fuse Indication Cat. SZ-2074 $ .95 44 Car Battery Clips 30 Amp 70mm long, 14mm jaw opening. 50 Amp 98mm long, 25mm jaw opening. Cat. No. MI-5080 MI-5082 MI-5085 MI-5088 MI-5089 Price $229 $299 $329 $799 $999 Solar Panel Voltage Regulators Protect your appliances! 12V solar panels can sometimes supply up to 18VDC. Run a regulator inline to keep this voltage under maximum ratings. 12V 1.5A Charging Regulator Cat. AA-0258 $ .95 22 Cat. HM-3010 $ .10 3 Cat. HM-3012 $ .65 3 Cat. HM-3015 $ .70 4 INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au Voltage 6V 6V 12V 12V 12V 12V 12V Capacity 4.2Ah 12Ah 1.3Ah 2.2Ah 4.2Ah 7.2Ah 18Ah Cat. No. SB-2496 SB-2497 SB-2480 SB-2482 SB-2484 SB-2486 SB-2490 Price $12.95 $29.95 $19.95 $24.95 $35.00 $36.50 $44.95 Small Solar Panels 39 Digital Voltage and Current Terminal Block Keep an eye on power conditions! It features two 3 digit 7 segment LED displays to display voltage and current, and 4 gauge input and output terminals. It can measure current up to 200 amps! High quality batteries! Our range of SLA batteries represent excellent value for money. They feature leak proof construction, long service life, high discharge capability, deep discharge recovery, and more. Don’t use low quality SLA batteries to save a dollar or two, you will just end up replacing them even sooner. Ideal for charging SLA batteries! Supplied with reverse current diode, 2m lead with alligator clips. 12V 1.26W Cat. ZM-9016 $ .95 15A Figure 8 Cable - 100m Roll Cat. WH-3078 $1.25/m $80/Roll 25A Single Cable - 100m Roll Red Cat. WH-3080 Black Cat. WH-3082 $0.75/m $55.00/Roll 8 Gauge Single Cable - 100m Roll Red Cat. WH-3058 Black Cat. WH-3059 $3.50/m $230.00/Roll 4 Gauge Single Cable - 50m Roll Red Cat. WH-3064 Black Cat. WH-3066 $5.95/m $237.50/Roll FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 VDC VAC 12 to 230 12 to 230 12 to 230 12 to 230 24 to 230 High Current DC Power Cable Explains charging systems for Cat. BE-1530 remote and mobile $ .95 power installations. 55mm long, 20mm jaw opening. Surge (300W) (500W) (1000W) (2000W) (2500W) 69 Build Your Own Direct Charging Plant 15 Amp Power 150W 300W 500W 1000W 1500W Price $29.95 $39.95 $69.95 $139.00 $199.00 Sealed Lead Acid Batteries Great reliability! Pure Sine Wave inverters provide a mains waveform that is much closer to that of conventional mains supplies. This is much better, and sometimes required when powering sensitive equipment, some switchmode power supplies, and more. Cat. MP-3126 $ .90 34 Red and Black Pair Cat No. ZM-9020 ZM-9024 ZM-9026 ZM-9030 ZM-9045 12V 20A Solar Panel Regulator Find out everything Cat. BE-1532 you need to know $ .95 about solar systems. The easiest way to find a blown fuse! When it blows, an LED lights up! It has provisions for 2 gauge or 4 gauge cable inputs, and 4 x 4 gauge outputs. Accepts 5AG fuses. Power 1 Watt 2 Watt 4 Watt 10 Watt 15 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverters Modified Square Wave Inverters Surge (300W) (450W) (1000W) (1200W) (1200W) (1500W) (2000W) (2500W) (3500W) Voltage 6 Volt 12 Volt 12 Volt 12 Volt 12 Volt Price $235 $359 $799 Great value! They have a host of safety features such as overload and short circuit protection, dielectric isolation between the battery and secondary voltages, and much more. They all have excellent surge GREAT NEW ratings and boast over 90% RANGE efficiency. Power 100W 150W 300W 400W 400W 600W 800W 1000W 1500W Very affordable! These are Amorphous Silicon type solar panels offering excellent quality, and value for money. Be aware of cheap Amorphous solar panels which will simply not give the claimed output power. All our panels will give claimed power at 34°S latitude, ie, Sydney. Amorphous power output gradually decreases over the years, unlike polycrystalline which do not. 12V 4.5W Cat. ZM-9018 $ .95 99 2 & 4 Gauge Gold Plated Power Terminals High quality for high power! They have an 8mm mounting hole to mount on a battery terminal. Cat. HC-4066 2 Gauge Terminal $ .95 6 4 Gauge Terminal Cat. HC-4062 $ .95 6 Gold Battery Terminals Cat. QP-5550 $ .95 49 Upgrade yours for better power transfer. Solid brass construction with gold plating. It has a 6mm bolt with wing nut for connections. Cat. HC-4040 $ .50 11 3 Digital Camera Pen Touch Screen Data Bank Keychain SAVE Multiple functions from this tiny unit! Store names, phone numbers, email addresses, and more. Also includes alarm clock, calculator, world time, and more.•65(L) x 42(W) x 15(D)mm. Was $19.95 A tiny digital camera! $20 It looks just like a pen, but it houses a small CMOS sensor, and memory to capture up to 36 images! Images are Cat. QC-3380 $ .95 downloaded via the serial port. Was $99.95 79 PDA Watch with Internal Camera Traffic Light Style Parking Sensor No more bump parking! The lights change from green to amber, to red as you approach so you don’t hit the wall. Great for big vehicles in garages etc. Was $49.95 SAVE $20.95 Cat. LR-8867 29.00 $ .95 Shoot your opponent and SAVE disable them with your $39.95 Infrared cannon! You can engage your opponent in oneon-one battles! Not only do they manoeuvre forward, back, left and right, they also feature a rotating turret with an infrared cannon to ‘shoot’ your opponent. Hours of fun! There are two tanks available. A 27MHz tank GT-3040, and a 40MHz tank GT-3042. 2 tanks on different frequencies are required for battles.Limited quantity. 2 for Was $34.95ea 40.00 $ Cat. AR-1497 19 $ Flashing Message Pin Don’t forget that reminder! This great product has an LED that flashes when you clip a note under it, so you won’t forget any more! Was $6.95 2.00 $ A4 Magnetic Inkjet Paper Print family photos and stick them on the fridge! Thousands of uses for these, just run them through your printer like ordinary paper! Pack of 5 sheets. Cat. LM-1630 Was SAVE $ .95 $19.95 14 $5 15.95 $ ST-3900/02 Was $7.95 NOW $5.95 SAVE $2 ST-3904/06 Was $9.95 NOW $7.95 SAVE $2 ST-3910 Was $24.95 NOW $19.95 SAVE $5 Novelty Badge with Orgasm Sounds CDs not included Media Card & Socket Cleaning Kits Cat. GG-2200 SAVE $4.95 .95 Cat. GH-1200 Compact yet very bright! Accentuate your displays, enhance your aquarium, and much more! They have suction cup mounts for versatility. Powered by the controller module. Red ST-3900, Green ST-3902 Blue ST-3904, White ST-3906 Mains powered controller (plugpack included). Cat. ST-3910 Strong and stylish! Finished in brushed aluminium, it protects your CDs as well as looking great. Cat. YS-5542 SAVE $39 Keep your pet’s hair in great condition. The ioniser pet brush adds volume and lustre as you brush, and helps repel dirt and odours. Was $19.95 SAVE Waterproof LED Spotlights Brushed Aluminium 64 CD Case Chemical free insect killer! The UV lights attract them, the big fan sucks them in, they dehydrate and die. Simple, but effective! Limited qty. Was $79 Ioniser Pet Brush $4 $29.95 UV Bug Trap 5.95 $ 14 $ RADIO CONTROLLED BATTLE TANKS WITH INFRARED CANNONS 89 $40 Cat. GT-3150 $4 Cat. XC-0182 SAVE $5 CLEARANCE! Great functions in a wrist watch! You can take up to 44 pictures, store contacts, keep a ‘to do’ list, and even play games! Serial interface for up/downloading. Was Cat. QC-3384 SAVE $129.95 $ .95 Novelty Desktop Mini Golf Challenge yourself! See who can sink that chip or putt. Moveable hole for variation. See website for details. Was $9.95 SAVE Help eliminate read and write errors. These kits include a memory card socket cleaner, special micro particle sandpaper, high tech cleaning cloths, cleaning solution and 12 cleaning swabs, designed to remove dirt and finger prints. Includes adhesive film to protect the Accessories LCD on your camera too. not included Kit for Compact Flash Cat. XC-4900 ALL TYPES Kit for MMC / SD Cat. XC-4902 $ .95 Kit for Smart Media Cat. XC-4904 Gives a whole new meaning to "Touch Me There"! Wear this badge and you are sure to be the centre of attention as everyone tries to push your buttons. Cat. GT-3315 9.95 $ Novelty Keychain with Orgasm Sounds Everyone will want what you're having! Keep this little beauty in your pocket or purse. It lets out orgasmic sounds at the press of a button. What a laugh! Cat. GT-3325 9.95 $ 9 GET INTO HEALTH & FITNESS TO GET FIT FOR SUMMER Digital Watch with Pulse and Energy Consumption Function Even calculates calories burnt! Keep an eye on how hard you are training while you get fit for summer! Also includes alarm and stopwatch functions. Was $39.95 Cat. XC-0266 29.95 $ 4 SAVE $10 3kg Digital Nutrition Scales Do you know what SAVE is in your food? $10 Calculates the nutrition content for over 450 items based on weight. Ideal for anyone with specific dietary requirements. Was Cat. QM-7240 $79.95 $ .95 69 Hand Held Body Fat Analyser Calculates your body fat content! You could measure your reducing waist line, but this analyser actually calculates your body fat content. Very accurate. SAVE 2004 CAT $15 PRICE $29.95 Cat. QM-7252 14.95 $ FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au SUMMER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! GET PREPARED NOW! Personal Fans with Water Spray Cat. GH-1070 $ Turbo Camping Shower Take a shower anywhere! Wash away the cares of the day - no matter how far from civilisation you are! You just need a bucket of warm water and your vehicles battery! It is a great touch of luxury for a trip away. Horrifyingly bright! Selectable use of the Halogen or LED. •170(L) x 44(dia body)/66(dia head)mm. SAVE $4.95 Was $29.95 19 .95 Stay on the right track! Don’t mess around with mechanical compasses. What if it gets dark? This LCD unit is backlit, so you can get your bearings whenever you want without fumbling with torches. It is supplied with suction cup mounts and a lanyard. Cat. QM-7262 SAVE Was $59.95 $ .95 49 $10 Rock Climbing and Hiking Altimeter Great for hiking or rock climbing trips this summer! The rugged aneroid mechanism allows measurement from sea level to 5000 metres. Includes a small compass, thermometer, lanyard, and belt clip. Was $49.95 Cat. QM-7280 39 .95 SAVE $10 12VDC Cooler / Warmers Keep your pies hot, or your beers cold! A solid state thermoelectric device cools to -25°C, or heats to +65°C relative to ambient temperature. They are a reliable and portable way to transport hot or cold food and drinks over long distances without trouble. They are powered from your car’s cigarette lighter socket or a mains plugpack. Three models available: 4L Holds 4 Litre Red Cat. GH-1376 4 Litre Silver Cat. GH-1377 8 Litre Red Cat. GH-1378 Was $89.95 44.95 $ 44 $ .95 79 $ 9.95 $ .95 6 x 375mL Cans 8L Holds 12 x 375mL Cans 25.00 $ Blinding white light! If you need a super bright torch, this one’s for you. If houses a super bright, super white, 5W Luxeon LED for superb performance. •Requires six AA batteries. Cat. ST-3079 29.95 $ Cat. ST-3302 SAVE $10 39.95 $ Cat. ST-3304 59.95 $ $10 Cat. ST-3338 149.95 $ Multi-Function Torch Warning Light Stay safe in emergencies! Breakdowns & flat tyres at night can be dangerous and the more warning you can give other drivers of your presence, the safer you will be. It features a torch, flashing LED light, with a magnetic and tripod type base. Cat. ST-3875 39.95 A must have for every recreational fisherman! It includes a 14 in 1 multi tool, 0 - 6kg scales, and an LED hand torch, all in a convenient belt pouch. Cat. TD-2053 29.95 $ Talking Pedometer with FM Radio Listen to music while you burn calories! It announces the steps, distance, calories burnt and exercise time when you press the TALK button, or automatically at intervals. Integrated auto-scan Cat. XC-0265 FM radio with $ .95 earphones included. 29 Spend $50 or more on anything on this page during October, & you will receive a Solar Clothes Dryer absolutely FREE! But you must ask. INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au 29.95 $ Fishing Tool Set Cat. ST-3328 5W Super Bright Luxeon LED Hand Torch FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 2,000,000 Candle Power Cat. ST-3304 Was $69.95 $10 $ Cat. ST-3300 SAVE $5 Cat. ST-3300 Was $34.95 3,500,000 Candle Power SAVE Versatile and functional! Use it as a bright LED or Xenon torch, or alternatively stand it on its end and use the CCFL lamp as a lantern. SAVE Was $39.95 SAVE $10 1,000,000 Candle Power Cat. ST-3302 Was $49.95 3 LED / Xenon / CCFL Torch Digital Compass with Clock and Thermometer $ Cat. YS-5545 Halogen/LED Hand Torch Cat. YS-2800 $ High power Quartz Halogen globes are fed power from the internal sealed lead acid batteries. Extremely bright, with beams that can be seen for kilometres! Include car & mains chargers. The Amazing Flygun is a safe, fun, and effective method of killing flies and mosquitoes. Launch the spring powered swatter at your target! It is safe, fun, KILLS and really CKROACHES CO does work! TOO! 7.95 .95 High Power Rechargeable Halogen Spotlights You will need sunglasses for these babies! Cat. GH-1072 3 $ The Amazing Flygun! Keep the kids entertained! Keep your cool! These fans have a water spray to use on those scorching summer days. Small size GH-1070 Large size GH-1072 High Frequency Ultrasonic Pest Repeller No toxic sprays! A completely safe way of controlling those annoying pests. It emits a super high frequency sound inaudible to the human ear. Effective range up to 3000 square feet. Cat. YS-5520 34.95 $ Digital Map Distance Calculator How far is the next turn off? Automatically convert a map’s distance to real distance by rolling the small wheel along the desired route. It works with any map scale and displays in kilometres or miles. A great aid en for draftsm too! Cat. XC-0375 19.95 $ RF Wireless Weather Station You can’t make it rain, but find out when it will! It predicts the weather based on current data, and displays the temp, humidity, time, and date. Cat. XC-0295 99.00 $ 5 Melcom 5 Sector Alarm with Built-In LCD Keypad Installer Kit Vandal Resistant Dome Camera Housing All new from Melcom! The LCD keypad and brains have been combined to make a compact alarm system for easier installation. It offers a number of advanced features including a two line 16 character LCD display, and a dictionary of 84 location names that can be assigned to each sector. See website for all the details. Installer kit includes: •1 x Melcom Alarm Panel with built-in LCD Keypad •1 x Power supply •1 x 1.2Ah SLA Battery •2 x Micron pulse count PIR's •2 x N/O Reed/magnet assemblies •1 x Siren horn •1 x Strobe light •1 x Siren cover •2 x 30mt 4-core Cat. LA-5435 $ .00 cable •4 x Large Alarm Stickers Built like a tank! No matter how sophisticated your surveillance system is, there is always the possibility of it being destroyed. This housing can withstand more than 500kg of pressure, and a blow from a 4.5kg sledge hammer. Cat. QC-3328 $ .95 Suits standard board cameras. 369 Twin Photo Beam Detector Transmitter / Receiver Up to 60m indoor range! It actually uses two beams to assist in eliminating false triggering from birds, leaves etc. Normally open and normally closed relay contacts are provided, while the cases are weatherproof, and sunlight filtering to avoid interference. SAVE Was $199 $40 Cat. LA-5198 $ .00 159 Self Contained Security Keypad Over 100 million possible SAVE combinations. $12 Great for a simple secure setup for a door entry or Cat. LA-5355 .95 similar. Single relay output. $ Was $66.95 299 This is one of the most useful PC based cameras we have seen! It has full functionality as a pan/tilt camera, with motion controlled via the serial port! You can log onto a preset IP address, and actually take control of the pan/tilt functions. Software and drivers are supplied on CD-ROM, and it is compatible with Windows 98,SE,ME,2000, and XP. •640 x 480 pixels resolution. •Colour CMOS sensor. •111(L) x 97(W) x 86(H)mm approx. Cat. LA-5518 Was $169 SAVE $40 Cat. LA-5552 Was $165 SAVE $10.95 Remarkably affordable! Supplied in a tough, yet attractive case, and contains the necessary tools and connectors to cut, strip, terminate, and test Cat 5 network cables. SAVE Was $199.95 $30 SAVE $85 999 AV-GAD 8 Sector Alarm with Dialler Deal Cat. QC-3395 $ .00 399 Cat. LA-5518 $ .00 129 Cat. LA-5552 $ .00 55Pc Computer Service Tool Kit 169 For the serious serviceman! Housed in a soft leather case, it contains a range of tools suitable for computer servicing. It is a must for service people and anyone who does their own Cat. TD-2051 SAVE computer servicing. $ .00 $15 Was $65 50 A tried and tested system! When reliability is of the utmost importance, AV-GAD alarms will deliver. Check out our website for the long list of great features. Kit includes: •8 sector panel. •5 AV-GAD PIRs. •2 x reed/magnet sets. •Standard keypad. •7Ah SLA backup battery. •1 x strobe. •1 x horn speaker. •6 x deterrent speakers. •Mains power supply. •1 x ABS siren cover. •1 x internal siren. •30m roll of 2 core cable. •200m of 6 core ACA approved alarm cable. Was $899 Cat. LA-5485 SAVE $ .00 $200 699 80 960 Hour Time Lapse VCR Cat. TD-2092 $ .95 69 Top quality multiplexing operation without the expense! It offers four video channels each with audio, switching or multiplexed display, and advanced features such as picture Cat. QV-3069 zoom and motion detection recording. $ .00 See website for details. USB Pan / Tilt PC Camera with Remote Access Spare Keypad (702T) Use a surveillance camera in 0 Lux conditions! It has a waterproof metal case with an effective range of around 5 metres. Requires Cat. QC-3650 12VDC <at> 200mA. $ .00 •44.5(Dia) x 27(D)mm. 4 Channel Multiplexing DVR with Audio and 120GB HDD RS-232 cable for Programming Professional Cat 5 Cable Termination Tool Kit 6 Zoom Camera Lens Versatile! Ideal for a surveillance area with varying light conditions and objects of attention. Three built in motors allow control of focal length, focus, and iris. The motors are DC drive, and the lens is CS mount. Cat. QC-3358 $ .00 6.0 - 36.0mm focal length. Limited quantities, may be store stock. Economic Two Zone Alarm Controller 19 39 AV-GAD EASYLOADER Accessories 54 Simple security! Ideal for boats, caravans, granny flats etc., if features instant and delayed zones, with 2 x 8 ohm horn outputs, and a N/O relay output. Ltd qty. Cat. LA-5590 $ .00 Was $29.95 18 LED IR Spotlight for Cameras 960 hours recording on a standard E-180 tape! It features alarm trigger recording, and a four head helical scan Azimuth system ensures picture Cat. QV-3053 SAVE $ .00 clarity at slow recording $100 speeds. Was $699 599 Dual Relay Remote Controlled Switch Wireless control! Add wireless operation to garage doors, gates, lights, just about anything that switches on and off! Two relay outputs, one latching, and one momentary. Cat. LR-8825 SAVE Was $129.95 $ .95 $20 109 Wireless Remote Control for AV-GAD Alarms Simple arm / disarm! With these units, you can arm and disarm your AV-GAD Easyloader alarm and other devices via remote control. They are sold as a separate transmitter and receiver so you can have multiple transmitters. Ltd qty, may be store model. Transmitter Was $77.95 Cat. LA-5540 $ .00 35 SAVE $42.95 Receiver Was $139 Cat. LA-5545 $ .00 75 SAVE $64 6 Core Approved Alarm Cable 100m Roll Australian made! Austel approved for use on alarm systems with dialler outputs. 6 x 7 / 0.2 Cat. WB-1598 flexible stranded SAVE conductors. ¢/m 45¢/m Was $1.35/m 90 FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au NEW HARDCORE ELECTRONICS! Low Dropout Voltage Regulators HSS Step Drill Bits - 1mm steps Drill multiple size holes with the one bit! Suitable for plastics and un-hardened metals (such as aluminium or copper sheeting etc) up to 4mm thick! Made from high speed steel (HSS). Two sizes available: 4 - 12mm Cat. TD-2436 Cat. TD-2436 Cat. TD-2438 $ .95 12 - 20mm Cat. TD-2438 $ .95 19 This section is dedicated to what’s new for the Hardcore Enthusiast. 29 See instore for our fantastic new range of SMD components Hand Crank Dynamo Datasheets available on our website. 5 Volt 1 Amp LM294OCT-5 Cat. ZV-1560 1+ $6.95 Cat. ZV-1562 1+ $6.95 10+ $6.25 25+ $5.65 12 Volt 3 Amp LM1085IT-12 Cat. ZV-1564 1+ $7.95 10+ $6.95 25+ $5.95 NEW MICROCONTROLLERS! PIC PIC16F88 Cat. ZZ-8530 1+ $12.95 10+ $11.35 25+ $10.25 1+ $12.95 10+ $11.35 25+ $10.25 10+ $11.35 25+ $9.95 10+ $22.35 25+ $20.25 10+ $26.90 25+ $24.25 10+ $21.35 25+ $19.25 PIC PIC16F877A Cat. ZZ-8540 Add green power to your devices! Just crank the handle for power. It can easily be adapted for use in low current projects and devices. Crank slowly, and the voltage is low. Crank fast, and the voltage is high. See website for details. 10+ $6.25 25+ $5.65 12 Volt 1 Amp LM294OCT-12 ATMEL AT90S1200 Cat. ZZ-8750 1+ $12.95 ATMEL ATMEGA 16-8PC Cat. ZZ-8755 1+ $24.95 ATMEL ATMEGA 32-8PC Cat. MD-7000 $ .95 14 Heatsink Compound Keep your cool. This 150g tube is good for about 450 TO-3 package transistors. Non electrically conductive. SAVE Was $22.95 $5 Cat. ZZ-8760 1+ $29.95 ATMEL ATMEGA 8515-8PC Cat. ZZ-8765 1+ $23.95 17 Torque transfer compound. It dramatically increases the amount of torque you can apply to a screw head without slipping. 14g bottle. Was $13.95 Cat. NM-2830 SAVE $ .95 Self Amalgamating Tape Includes 4 x 36mm dia Cat. YG-2860 tyres, hubs to suit, and $ .95 2 x 100mm axles. 9 SAVE $5 Sports tyres - set of 2. Includes 2 x 56mm dia tyres, a set of wide and narrow hubs Cat. YG-2862 to suit, screws, nuts & $ .95 two small wrenches. Top Quality Japanese Made 13W Lightweight Soldering Pencil The most delicate mains iron we have seen! Highly flexible silicon rubber mains lead, perfectly balanced when held, and simply a dream to use. MADE IN JAPAN. Cat. NM-2826 $ .50 17 No toolbox should be without one. Strips wire from 0.9mm to 5.5mm, made from a hardened alloy steel with rubber handles. SAVE Was $12.25 $3 39 Antistatic Soldering Station Excellent quality. Each driver contains a deep socket and duplex colour non-slip rubber handle. 3 - 6mm sizes in 0.5mm steps. Was Cat. TD-2007 $29.95 $ .95 24 Cat. TH-1825 $ .25 9 High quality, great price! If you want a fantastic soldering station that won’t break the bank, the Goot is for you. It is ESD safe, has a digital temperature adjustment from 200 - 480°C at 65W, and a Cat. TS-1440 $ .00 lightweight soldering pencil. MADE IN JAPAN. 229 FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au Die-cast aluminium construction! Great if you only occasionally need a vice on your workbench. It attaches and detaches without leaving a mark. Was Cat. TH-1766 SAVE $57.95 $ .95 47 Coax Crimping Tool Kit SAVE $30 A great selection of tools. Contains a crimp tool with 5 interchangeable dies, cable cutter, coax stripper, screwdriver, all in a handy case. Cat. TH-1878 Was $ .00 $169 Solderless Prototyping Board Quick prototyping with ease! 1280 terminal holes, 300 distribution holes, and multiple provisions for batteries, switches, binding posts etc. Buy a solderless prototyping board in Cat. PB-8818 October & get a $ .95 breadboard jumper kit (PB-8850) FREE! Save $8.95! 37 SAVE $5 56 Piece Drill and Accessories Set L Type Driver Set Double ended driver for versatility! Supplied with 5 screwdriver, 2 posidrive, and 3 torx bits. Was $10.99 Vacuum Bench Vice 139 7 Pc Hex Nut Driver Set Cat. TS-1446 $ .95 59 SAVE $10 19 Wire Stripper / Cutter Pliers 16 Mini Lab Magnifier Lamp Three dioptre magnification! Great for checking PCB tracks and solder joins, or any fine work up close. Was $69.95 Cat. QM-3520 $ .95 An ideal kit to get started! Includes an assortment of copper boards, etching solution, tweezers, a photosensitive PCB and developer. SAVE Was $24.95 Cat. HG-9990 $5 $ .95 10 $3 Extremely versatile! "Cures" into a single mass once applied, to help seal and waterproof wires or even pipes. 10m roll. Was $22.50 Truck tyres - set of 4. 6 PCB Etching Kit Tamiya Model Tyres Ideal for model car robotics projects! Two types available: Industry standard design! They meet or exceed international standard leakage requirements. Suitable for 115 - 250VAC <at> 50Hz or 60Hz. Cat. MS-4003 SAVE Was $ .95 $1.50 $8.45 $10 Screwdriver Helper Cat. NM-2012 $ .95 6A EMI Power Line Filter High torque motor! Perfect for drilling, polishing, engraving, grinding, sanding, and cutting. Supplied in a handy case that stores the drill, plugpack, and all accessories. Was $22.95 Limited quantity Cat. TD-2044 $ .99 8 SAVE $2 Cat. TD-2462 $ .00 12 SAVE $10.95 7 Bed Wetting Alert Kit Portable Door Bell Kit Dry nights - happy kids! Ref: Silicon Chip Sept ‘04. The bed wetting alert uses the wireless transmitter from our witty Remote Controlled Fart Gadget to sound an alarm when the modified transmitter detects any moisture. It works very well, and can help train your child to wake up before they wet the bed, so they can go to the toilet instead. Kit supplied with fart gadget for modification, PCB, and all Cat. KC-5396 $ .95 electronic components. 39 USB Power Injector Kit A power boost for your USB port. Ref: Silicon Chip Oct 2004 You may have devices that try to draw more current than your USB port can handle. This project will allow full current draw no matter how many peripherals are running. Kit supplied with PCB, case, silk screened and punched panels and all electronic components. Cat. KC-5399 $ .95 29 YOUR LOCAL JAYCAR STORE NEW SOUTH WALES Albury Ph (02) 6021 6788 Bankstown Ph (02) 9709 2822 Bondi Junction Ph (02) 9369 3899 Brookvale Ph (02) 9905 4130 Campbelltown Ph (02) 4620 7155 Erina Ph (02) 4365 3433 Newcastle Ph (02) 4965 3799 Parramatta Ph (02) 9683 3377 Penrith Ph (02) 4721 8337 Silverwater Ph (02) 9741 8557 St. Leonards Ph (02) 9439 4799 Sydney City Ph (02) 9267 1614 Taren Point Ph (02) 9531 7033 Wollongong Ph (02) 4226 7089 VICTORIA Coburg Ph (03) 9384 1811 Frankston Ph (03) 9781 4100 Geelong Ph (03) 5221 5800 Melbourne Ph (03) 9663 2030 Ringwood Ph (03) 9870 9053 Springvale Ph (03) 9547 1022 QUEENSLAND Aspley Ph (07) 3863 0099 Brisbane - Woolloongabba Ph (07) 3393 0777 Gold Coast - Mermaid Beach Ph (07) 5526 6722 Townsville Ph (07) 4772 5022 Underwood Ph (07) 3841 4888 AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Canberra Ph (02) 6239 1801 TASMANIA Hobart Ph (03) 6272 9955 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Adelaide Ph (08) 8231 7355 Clovelly Park Ph (08) 8276 6901 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Perth Ph (08) 9328 8252 NORTHERN TERRITORY Darwin Ph (08) 8948 4043 NEW ZEALAND Newmarket - Auckland Ph (09) 377 6421 Glenfield - Auckland Ph (09) 444 4628 Wellington Ph (04) 801 9005 Christchurch Ph (03) 379 1662 Freecall Orders Ph 0800 452 9227 Take the doorbell out to the pool! Ref: Silicon Chip Sept ‘04. It uses the wireless transmitter from our witty Remote Controlled Fart Gadget. This means you can take the battery powered receiver out to the backyard with you etc., so you will always here it. Kit supplied with PCB and all electronic components. Requires GH-1088 Fart Gadget - $19.95 Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) is a contact-less method of controlling an event such as a door strike or alarm etc. An ‘RFID Tag’ transmits a unique code when energised by the receiver’s magnetic field. As long as a pre-programmed tag is recognised by the receiver, access is granted. RFID Security Module Receiver Kit Cat. KC-5397 $ .95 14 Dr Video Kit MkII An even better video stabiliser! Ref: Silicon Chip June 2004. Movie companies deliberately tamper with the video signal to restrict copying, but this robs you of the true high quality picture your system is capable of and you deserve. Get the picture you paid for and strip out these annoying signals from composite or S-video. Kit includes PCB, case, panels and Cat. KC-5390 $ .95 all electronic components. 99 Ref: Silicon Chip June 2004. Provides normally open, normally closed electrically switched outputs. Supplied PCB will mount behind standard wall plate. Kit supplied with PCB, tag, and all electronic components. Cat. KC-5393 $ .95 89 Includes 1 Keyfob RFID tag worth $9.95 absolutely FREE! See below for extra tags. EXCLUSIVE: The Jaycar kit includes a specially modified PCB that is designed to fit within an Aust/NZ standard Clipsal / HPM type wall plate. Beware of inferior kits that do not have this valuable feature. RFID Tags Keyfob Style Cat. ZZ-8950 These tags $ .95 transmit a 40 bit unique Credit Card Style code and are Cat. ZZ-8952 EM-4001 $ .95 compliant. Three styles Clear Style - NEW available: Cat. ZZ-8954 $ .95 9 5 4 High Performance Kits for Cars - Exclusive to Jaycar! These projects off fantastic tuning and performance modifications for your car. All projects are from the book High Performance Electronics Projects for Cars - published by Silicon Chip Magazine, available soon! See 2004 catalogue pages 12 & 13 for details. Digital Pulse Adjuster Kit Intelligent Turbo Timer Kit A huge revolution in DIY performance! Control and tune the operation of a solenoid that is run by the engine management system. You could alter auto transmission shifts, control an extra injector, and more! Kit supplied with PCB, machined case, and all electronic components. Requires KC-5386 Cat. KC-5384 $ .95 Hand Controller below. There are turbo timers, and there are intelligent turbo timers. It determines how hard the car has been driven, and idles for the appropriate time. Kit supplied with PCB, and all electronic components. Hand Controller Kit for Digital Adjusters Range up to 1200°C! Keep an eye on critical temperatures such as brakes, turbo manifolds, intercoolers, and more. Trips a relay at a preset level to trigger an alarm, water spray cooling, and more! Kit supplied with PCB, LCD readout and all electronic components. Cat. KC-5376 $ .95 79 Real time or programming display! This controller is used for all of the digital adjuster kits available. It can be connected for programming then removed, or left connected for real time display. Kit supplied with silkscreened and machined case, PCB, LCD, and all electronic components. Duty Cycle Meter Kit Super fast real time sampling! Automatically cut-in an extra fuel pump when your injectors reach a certain level and more! Includes a simple duty cycle generator for testing. Kit supplied with PCB, and all electronic components. Cat. KC-5375 $ .95 54 8 RFID - Secure Access Without Keys! PRICES VALID TO 31ST OCTOBER 2004 44 High Range Adjustable Temp Switch Kit with LCD Readout Cat. KC-5386 $ .95 59 Cat. KC-5383 $ .95 69 LED display model shown Simple Voltage Switch Kit Suits a huge range of applications! Use it to trigger an extra fuel pump under high boost, anti-lag wastegate shutoff, and much more. Can detect rising or falling voltage, and features adjustable hysteresis (the difference between trigger on and off voltage). Kit includes PCB, and all electronic components. Cat. KC-5377 $ .95 29 FOR INFORMATION AND ORDERING TELEPHONE> 1800 022 888 INTERNET> www.jaycar.com.au PRODUCT SHOWCASE LED lighting fittings from Prime Electronics We’ve been talking about high brightness LEDs making their way into mainstream (home/office) lighting for some time now. It’s happened – and these new Lumiled lighting fittings from Prime Electronics will set a pretty high bar for anyone else wanting to get into the field! Prime Electronics, a long standing supplier of electronic components to the industry, have released a range of attractive, rugged and functional light fittings using high output 3-Watt LUMILEDS. These LEDs have a typical life of 100,000 hours, equating to over 10 years light output. These LUMILED light fittings are specially suited to applications where long life and energy efficiency are important, in particular remote, domestic and commercial situations, and for marine, mobile home, caravan and camping applications. All are manufactured in Australia to suit our rugged conditions. They are built to standard light fitting sizes (MR11) and are particularly “low profile” to suit applications which have restricted ceiling heights. All light fittings are available in narrow, medium and wide beam DSE Fire Extinguisher Here’s something every hobbyist, every lab, every home should have – and usually don’t! Dick Smith Electronics now stock this 0.9kg Australianapproved fire extinguisher, suitable for fighting flammable liquid and electrical fires. An easy-to-read gauge tells you that extinguisher is charged and ready for use. With a six-year limited guarantee, it’s priced at $19.98 inc GST and is available from all DSE stores, mail order and web. Contact: Dick Smith Electronics (all stores) Reply Paid 500, PO Box 500, Regents Park DC NSW 2143. Tel: 1300 366 644 Fax: (02) 9642 9155 Website: www.dse.com.au siliconchip.com.au angles, and the LEDs are available in an array of colours: White, Blue, Royal Blue, Green and Cyan. The body of the light fitting is produced in a range of colours to suit individual decor requirements, both fixed and gimballed. Included in this range are several models (two shown left and above) for outdoor use, ideally suited for garden and path lighting. These may also be submerged for lighting of ponds and fountains. They have been designed to work on low voltages and typically consume around 1A <at> 4V DC. For best performance of these light fittings Prime Electronics suggest the use of a regulated switchmode power supply to ensure long life and maximum light output. Prime Electronics also manufactures a high efficiency switchmode power supply for this application that will operate from 5-30V DC and will run mul- Contact: tiple LEDs while Prime Electronics maintaining good 22 Campbell St, Bowen Hills Qld 4006 efficiency at 12 and Tel: (07) 3252 7466 Fax: (07) 3252 2862 24V DC. Website: www.prime-electronics.com.au Oops! Camera destroyed – but the card survives! images that have astonished everyone who’s seen them! (Pics: Don Frazier) Contact: Brightpoint Australia 1/9 Rodborough Rd, Frenchs Forest 2068 Tel: (02) 8977 5000 Fax: (02) 8977 5046 Website: www.brightpoint.com.au When a demolition crew set off an explosion to bring down an old highway bridge on the Mississippi River, newspaper photographer Don Frazier was so close that his hair stood on end. His brand new digital camera, positioned on a tripod at an even closer point to remotely capture the event, fared much worse. It was blown to bits. But to Frazier’s amazement, there on the ground, next to the shattered remnants of his camera, was his SanDisk 256MB CompactFlash card. Even though it had been blasted from the camera chamber, when he inserted the card into a PC reader, up popped TOROIDAL POWER TRANSFORMERS Manufactured in Australia Comprehensive data available Harbuch Electronics Pty Ltd 9/40 Leighton Pl. HORNSBY 2077 Ph (02) 9476-5854 Fx (02) 9476-3231 October 2004  57 Elexol updates popular Digital I/O USB Module The Elexol USBIO24 V3 is the second generation of a low-cost integrated module for the input and/ or output of digital signals from a computer system by connection to the USB port. The USB port also supplies power to the module. Pin-out and firmware are 100% compatible with the first version of the USB- I/ O24, with connection via 0.1-inch headers to suit standard IDC connectors. The module features 24 5V level signal lines grouped into three ports, all individually programmable as input or output, as well as capabilities for further expansion via the expansion port. As the module connects to the USB port (via an integrated TypeB connector), multiple modules can be connected to a single PC by the use of a USB hub or hubs. Each module features a unique serial number which the PC can identify, allowing for multiple modules to be connected for a single application. The outputs of the module are able to source or sink up to 30mA per I/O to allow for direct connection to a variety of devices. Contact: Elexol Pty Ltd PO Box 5972, Bundall Qld 4217 Tel: (07) 5574 3988 Fax: (07) 5574 3833 Website: www.elexol.com.au Digital TV set-top-box with built-in hard disk drive Microgram have available a digital set-top box which has an 80GB hard disk drive built in. As well as all the advantages of digital TV reception, this allows the recording of up to 28 hours of program. You can also set 14 timer recording instances so you can record shows then watch them later – even fast forward the ads if you want to! Or you can time shift: pause the TV program, go and get that cup of coffee, or have an hour-long chat on the phone. All the while, the hard disk in the set-top box is recording what you would otherwise be missing. Then you can then press play and start watching again. While you are doing this, the box is busy recording the remainder of your show. The set-top box offers more features than a VCR with five speeds of slow motion, four speeds of fast-forward or rewind and even simultaneous file play and record. Recommended price is $599.00. A new lockout system from Farnelinone is designed to replace high priced security seal, padlocks and chains. Cable Lockout is ideal for isolating and locking out a wide range of equipment including industrial valves, controls and so on. Cable Lockout is extremely tough and versatile. It was originally designed to lockout valves simultaneously in processing plants but can also be used as a securing mechanism for assets including empty cylinders, ladders, etc . . . even thing like pushbikes in the parking lot! The Cable Lockout is user friendly, durable, secure, versatile & most of all cost effective compared to other methods of lockouts available on the marketplace today. Prices start at less than $30 inc GST. Contact: Contact: 1/14 Bon Mace Cl, Berkeley Vale 2261 Tel: (02) 4389 8444 Fax: (02) 4389 8388 Website: www.microgram.com.au PMB 6, Chester Hill NSW 2162 Tel: 1300 361 005 (NZ 0800 90 80 80) Website: www.farnellinone.com Microgram Computers IP-65 sealed polycarb enclosures These versatile enclosures from Electus Distribution are moulded in a light grey polycarbonate material with a clear lid and neoprene seal that provides environmental protection to IP-65. The enclosures feature stainless steel lid fixing screws, threaded brass inserts and internal PCB guide slots. The mounting holes and lid fixing screws are outside the sealed area which prevents the ingress of dust and Contact: moisture. For full technical Electus Distribution specifications and 100 Silverwater Rd, Silverwater NSW 2128. availability, contact Tel: 1300 738 555 Fax: 1300 738 500 Electus Distribution. Web: www.electusdistribution.com.au 58  Silicon Chip Cable lockout device Farnell InOne Rain, liquid detectors New detector/alarm systems from AIC can sense and warn of rain/precipitation and floor liquids respectively. The rain sensor could be used to automatically close roofs or to shut down sensitive processes, while the floor/liquid sensor has applications in HVAC, under-floor wiring, laundry and other areas where the presence of free water could be a safety hazard or indicate system failure. The units are designed to minimise or eliminate false triggering/alarms and both sensor heads Contact: are supplied in IP65 Amalgamated Instrument Co Unit 5/28 Leighton Pl, Hornsby NSW 2077. enclosures. Contact AIC for full Tel: (02) 9476 2244 Fax: (02) 9476 2902 Web: www.aicpl.com.au details. siliconchip.com.au SILICON CHIP WebLINK How many times have you wanted to access a company’s website but cannot remember their site name? Here's an exciting new concept from SILICON CHIP: you can access any of these organisations instantly by going to the SILICON CHIP website (siliconchip.com.au), clicking on WebLINK and then on the website graphic of the company you’re looking for. It’s that simple. No longer do you have to wade through search engines or look through pages of indexes – just point’n’click and the site you want will open! Your company or business can be a part of SILICON CHIP’s WebLINK . For one low rate you receive a printed entry each month on the SILICON CHIP WebLINK page with your home page graphic, company name, phone, fax and site details plus up to 50 words of description– and this is repeated on the WebLINK page on the SILICON CHIP website with the link of your choice active. Get those extra hits on your site from the right people in the electronics industry – the people who make decisions to buy your products. Call SILICON CHIP today on (02) 9979 5644 We specialise in providing a range of Low Power Radio solutions for OEM’s to incorporate in their wireless technology based products. The innovative range includes products from MK Consultants, the world-renowned specialist manufacturer. TeleLink Communications Tel:(07) 4934 0413 Fax: (07) 4934 0311 Av-COMM Pty Ltd Tel:(02) 9939 4377 Fax: (02) 9939 4376 Tel:(02) WebLINK: avcomm.com.au WebLINK: avcomm.com.au Jed Microprocessors Pty Ltd We endeavour to provide a range of technical books of interest to the Radio Amateur as well as electronics enthusiasts, at competitive prices. Special discounts are offered to WIA members. We are the only bookshop of this type in Australia. Wireless Institute of Australia (VK2) Tel: (03) 9762 3588 Fax: (03) 9762 5499 Tel:(02) 9689 2417 Fax: (02) 9633 1525 A 100% Australian owned company supplying frequency control products to the highest international standards: filters, DIL’s, voltage, temperature compensated and oven controlled oscillators, monolithic and discrete filters and ceramic filters and resonators. Our website is updated daily, with over 5,500 products available through our secure online ordering facility. Features include semiconductor data sheets, media releases, software downloads, and much more. For everything in radio control for aircraft, model boats and planes, etc. We also carry an extensive range of model flight control modules including GPS, altitude and speed, interfaces, autopilot and groundstation controllers. More info on our website! Hy-Q International Pty Ltd JAYCAR JAYCAR ELECTRONICS ELECTRONICS WebLINK: www.hy-q.com.au WebLINK: www.jaycar.com.au WebLINK: www.jaycar.com.au WebLINK: telelink.com.au International satellite TV reception in your home is now affordable. Send for your free info pack containing equipment catalog, satellite lists, etc or call for appointment to view. We can display all satellites from 76.5° to 180°. JED designs and manufactures a range of single board computers (based on Wilke Tiger and Atmel AVR), as well as LCD displays and analog and digital I/O for PCs and controllers. JED also makes a PC PROM programmer and RS232/RS485 converters. Tel:(03) 9562-8222 Fax: (03) 9562 9009 WebLINK: jedmicro.com.au Tel: Tel: 1800 1800 022 022 888 888 WebLINK: wiansw.org.au/bookshop/ Silvertone Silvertone Electronics Electronics Tel:(07) 4639 1100 Tel/Fax: (02)Fax: 9533(07)4639 3517 1275 WebLINK: www.silvertone.com.au WebLINK: silvertone.com.au . Micro Fuel Cells set to replace batteries in consumer electronics Laptops, PDAs and phones powered by hydrogen are not yet a commercial reality. But micro fuel cells (MFCs) that can replace batteries in portable electronics are not too far away. The likes of Hitachi, NEC and Toshiba, large manufacturers of consumer electronic devices and the batteries that power them, are showing rapid progress in making MFCs smaller and siliconchip.com.au lighter, more powerful and reliable – critical not only for civilian use but for the large and important military market. Meanwhile, they are laying down the international regulatory framework required to make such devices viable worldwide. The Japanese do not have this field all to themselves. In the United States, MTI Micro Fuel Cells, Inc., Medis Technologies Ltd and a few other firms are also active. Next year, the major Japanese firms will release limited numbers of MFCpowered portable devices to test markets. Later, high-end consumers will begin to adopt them, but mass-market acceptance will probably take until SC 2008 or later. October 2004  59 CIRCUIT NOTEBOOK Interesting circuit ideas which we have checked but not built and tested. Contributions from readers are welcome and will be paid for at standard rates. Light-controlled pond pump This circuit was constructed to control the pump in a garden pond, so that it automatically turns on at dawn and off again at dusk. Not only does this mean that we don’t have to get cold and wet when turning the pump on or off manually but it’s also one less job for our kind neighbours when we go away on holidays! The controller is powered from the pump’s existing 25VAC mains transformer. A bridge rectifier (BR1) and 1000µF capacitor provide DC power to the circuit. For dependable operation, this is regulated to +12V by a 7812 regulator (REG1), while a red LED (LED1) provides power-on indication. The light sensor (LDR1) is a Cadmium-Sulphide photocell obtained from Tandy Electronics. The photocell forms a voltage Bike battery charger This simple circuit allows a 12V battery pack to be charged via a bike generator. The generator is rated at 3W and with this voltage multiplier circuit provides about 200mA at about 15km/h. A 12V system was chosen because it allows the use of a car horn (get noticed)! Two 6V 3W globes in series provides adequate lighting and they last more than six months. Paul Breuker, Concord, NSW. ($20) 60  Silicon Chip divider with trimpot VR1. With no light on the photocell, the voltage on the base of Q1 is greater than 0.6V and therefore it is switched on. When light falls on the photocell, its resistance decreases, lowering the bias voltage on Q1 and switching it off. This in turn allows Q2 to switch on, energised the relay and turning on the pond pump. In use, the 2.2MΩ trimpot is adjusted so that the pump cuts out at the desired light level. A 47µF capacitor across LDR1 prevents transient light changes from affecting circuit operation. S1 is a miniature SPDT centre-off toggle switch, allowing the pump to be turned on or off manually, or switched to automatic mode. The circuit was constructed on a small protoboard from Dick Smith Electronics (Cat. H 5604) and housed in a bulkhead box, which was then attached to the transformer housing. The photocell was soldered to a length of figure-8 cable and sheathed in a short length of heatshrink tubing to form a light probe. This was attached to a nearby fence post to provide suitable exposure to sunlight. Ian Hogan, Mt Waverley, Vic. ($35) siliconchip.com.au 01010101 Telelink Communications Low Power Radio Solutions in the UK have developed the R&D Engineer’s dream solution in wireless connectivity integration, with the range of ‘Easy Radio’ modules & Evaluation Kits. These are available for the 433MHz and 900MHz bands. (See the review in this edition of SILICON CHIP). OCTOBER SUPER SPECIALS! THIS MONTH ONLY: 232 Price for the evaluation $ 10 kit, including TWO FREE ER400TRS Modules . . . INCLUDING GST! MORE INFO, DATA, ETC? VISIT www.lprs.com.au 39 factory-subsidised $ 60 THIS Amazing price on the industry-leading MONTH ER400TRS Easy Radio EA INCLUDING GST! ONLY: Transceiver Module 500 only available at this amazing price! No MOQs - buy 1 or buy 500! Strictly while stocks last Australasian distributors for LPRS LOW POWER RADIO SOLUTIONS Australasian distributors for M.K.Consultants (UK) Ltd Telelink Communications have a Low Power Radio Module solution solution for for you! you! Contact: Jack Chomley Telelink Communications PO Box 5457, North Rockhampton, Qld 4702 Phone (07) 4934 0413 Fax (07) 4934 0311 siliconchip.com.au(24 hour message service (07) 3830 0233 October 2004  61 Web: www.telelink.com.au email: sales<at>telelink.com.au Circuit Notebook – continued Ron R is this musso winner onth’s Peak At of the las L Meter CR 6-station sprinkler controller This design makes use of a cheap quartz clock mechanism along with a PICAXE-08 micro to accurately time a 6-station sprinkler system. Power for the entire setup is sourced from a 12V DC plugpack. A 7805 regulator (REG1) provides a well-regulated +5V for IC1 & IC2. Two resistors divide the +5V rail down to about +2.7V to power the clock board. If desired, a 3-cell alkaline battery pack and series diode (D2) can be included to provide backup power during short-term outages. The quartz clock board acts as a timebase for the sprinkler system, eliminating the inaccuracies that arise when using the micro’s on-board resonator and software for timing tasks. Accuracy of a typical clock is around 2ppm, which means only about one minute error per year! The existing coil in the clock mechanism is first removed and discarded. 62  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au The two pads are then wired to Schottky diodes D1 & D2. These diodes “OR” the pulses from the clock circuit, resulting in a 30ms pulse to pin 4 of the PICAXE microcontroller every second. A LED on pin 3 of the micro flashes in unison with the tick of the clock to indicate that the program is running. On the output side, each solenoid is switched by a MOSFET, which is in turn controlled by one output of a 4028 1-of-10 decoder (IC2). The decoder enables all six stations to be switched using just three port pins of the PICAXE. Let’s now look at the PICAXE program, as shown at right. Because of code space restrictions, the six stations are programmed within a 2-hour time zone, operating three times a week. The use of 2-hour blocks for timekeeping cuts down on the number of variables and therefore the required code. This allows more sprinklers to operate on the same variable than would otherwise be possible and allows a maximum watering time of 20 minutes per station. The program uses 126 bytes out of the 128 available. System activation time is determined by the initial value of variable b3, which counts two-hour time periods. If b3 = 0 (the default), then the first sprinkler will start at power-up. On the other hand, if you wanted to power up the system on, say, Sunday at 12.00 noon, but would like to start sprinkling on Tuesday at 8.00pm, then b3 should initially be set to the value 28 ((24hrs + 24hrs + 8hrs)/2). If you only needed to water twice a week, you would delete the last “if b3 =” instruction and adjust the second b3 value, as so on. It’s all pretty straightforward and is easily modified to suit your requirements. The programmed sequence will repeat indefinitely until power is removed or a new program is loaded. As it is very easy to download a new program to the PICAXE, changing sprinkling times as needed for summer and winter is a snap. This eliminates the need for menu-driven push-buttons and therefore complicated hardware. And best of all, it’s much cheaper than commercial units, which typically cost over $120! Ron Russo, Kirwan, Qld. 'Six Station Sprinkler Controller – PICAXE-08 siliconchip.com.au ' NOTE: Values shown for b3 (minutes variable) are for maximum ' allowable time of 20 minutes each but they can be any length ' as long as the total time for the six does not exceed 119 minutes. ' If less stations are needed, then change the program or just put ' the same last time into redundant stations. Symbol Work_Led = 4 dirs = %00010111 'pin for indicator LED 'set for 4 outputs Main: if pin3=1 then Sec_Pulse low Work_Led goto Main 'is Pin3 is high goto Sec_Pulse 'if not then turn LED off Sec_Pulse: high Work_Led pause 50 let b1=b1+1 if b1=60 then Min_Up ChK_Day: if b3=0 then Station_1 if b3=24 then Station_1 if b3=48 then Station_1 goto Main Min_Up: let b1=0 let b2=b2+ 1 if b2=120 then Hours2_Up goto ChK_Day 'a pulse so turn LED on 'wait 50 ms (30 ms clock pulse ended) 'increment seconds 'if 60 seconds are up goto Min_Up 'if time first day goto Station_1 'if time second day goto Station_1 'if time last day goto Station_1 'minute is up so reset seconds variable 'increment minutes variable 'if 2 hour block is up goto Hours2_Up 'if not goto Chk_day to see if is a water day Station_1: if b2>20 then Station_2 let pins=1 goto Main 'if minutes > 20 goto second station 'else set pins to turn on Station 1 Station_2: if b2>40 then Station_3 let pins=2 goto Main 'if minutes > 40 goto third station 'else set pins to turn on Station 2 Station_3: if b2>60 then Station_4 let pins=3 goto Main 'if minutes > 60 goto forth station 'else set pins to turn on Station 3 Station_4: if b2>80 then Station_5 let pins=4 goto Main 'if minutes > 80 goto Fifth Station 'else set pins to turn on Station 4 Station_5: if b2>100 then Station_6 let pins=5 goto Main 'if minutes > 100 goto sixth station 'else set pins to turn on Station 5 ‘ (Last station minute variable value must be less than 120) Station_6: if b2=119 then Station_OFF 'if minutes = 119 go turn off station let pins=6 'else set Pins to turn on Station 6 goto Main Station_OFF: let pins=0 goto Main 'last station time up, clear pins to turn off Hours2_Up: let b2=0 let b3=b3+1 if b3=84 then Week_Up goto Main 'last 2 hours is up (1 week),reset minutes 'increment 2 hour block 'if week has ended goto Week_up Week_Up: let b3=0 goto Main 'week has ended so reset 2 hour variable October 2004  63 Silicon Chip Binders REAL VALUE AT $12.95 PLUS P & P These binders will protect your copies of S ILICON CHIP. They feature heavy-board covers & are made from a dis­ tinctive 2-tone green vinyl. They hold up to 14 issues & will look great on your bookshelf. H 80mm internal width H SILICON CHIP logo printed in gold-coloured lettering on spine & cover H Buy five and get them postage free! Price: $A12.95 plus $A7 p&p per order. Available only in Aust. Silicon Chip Publications PO Box 139 Collaroy Beach 2097 Or fax (02) 9979 6503; or ring (02) 9979 5644 & quote your credit card number. Use this handy form Enclosed is my cheque/money order for Circuit Notebook – continued Four-channel oscilloscope adapter This circuit enables you to display four signals simultaneously using only one channel of your oscilloscope. Essentially, it switches each of the inputs through to the output in turn, with some signal massaging in between. As shown, it is suitable only for low-frequency signal measurement and does not include over-voltage protection at the inputs. Each input circuit is identical, utilising one amplifier from a TL084 quad op amp package. Looking at channel 1, the input signal is attenuated by a factor of 10 by the 100kΩ and 10kΩ resistors before arriving at the non-inverting input of IC1a. A 15kΩ resistor in series with the op amp output along with a 10kΩ resistor to ground provide additional attenuation. Vertical (voltage axis) adjustment is made with VR2, which sets the gain of the amplifier. This is used to calibrate or scale the displayed signal against the actual input voltage level. Using the values shown, the gain can be adjusted from unity to about a factor of 26. Note that the output of the op amp must be limited to ±10V so that the voltage into the 4-channel multiplexer (IC2) does not exceed ±5V. Therefore, with a gain of unity, the input voltage can range from ±100V, whereas with a gain of 26, it must not exceed about ±3.85V. VR1 applies a positive or negative DC offset to the output of the op amp. This can be used to compensate for op amp input offset voltage. It can also be used to shift the vertical position of the trace on-screen to provide multiple trace separation. Note, however, that any offset will consume part of the available output swing and therefore limit signal measurement “headroom”. Each op amp output is connected to IC2, a 4-channel analog multiplexer. The logic levels on “S0” & “S1” (pins 9 & 10) determine which input channel is connected to the “Z” output (pin 3). A square wave oscillator and divider circuit are used to toggle the “S0” and “S1” pins in sequence to first select channel 1 briefly, then channel 2 and so on. An LM6361 high-speed op amp (IC6) forms the heart of the oscillator. It operates at about 20kHz. Backto-back zener diodes at the output clip the voltage to TTL levels, after which diode D1 passes the positive half-cycle to the input of one gate of a 74HC00 quad NAND device. IC4a & IC4b “clean up” the signal before if is applied to the S0 input of IC2. A 74HC73 J-K flip-flip (IC5) divides the oscillator frequency by two. This is used to drive the “S1” input when in 4-channel mode. In 2-channel mode (switch S1 closed), one input (pin 12) of IC4d is pulled low, which effectively holds the “S1” input permanently low. Finally, a separate buffer circuit (IC3) is used to provide a trigger signal for the oscilloscope. This is needed because it would be difficult to trigger reliably on the main output as it switches rapidly between the four signal sources. Ashish Nand, Melton South, Vic. ($60) $________ or please debit my  Bankcard   Visa    Mastercard Card No: _________________________________ Card Expiry Date ____/____ Signature ________________________ Name ____________________________ Address__________________________ __________________ P/code_______ 64  Silicon Chip CONTRIBUTE AND WIN! As you can see, we pay good money for each of the “Circuit Notebook” contributions published in SILICON CHIP. But now there’s an even better reason to send in your circuit idea: each month, the best contribution published will win a superb Peak Atlas LCR Meter valued at $195.00. So don’t keep that brilliant circuit secret any more: send it to SILICON CHIP and you could be a winner! siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au October 2004  65 SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: www.jaycar.com.au SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: www.jaycar.com.au USB Power Injector By JIM ROWE Do you have a new USB-powered peripheral like a scanner that needs more power than can be drawn from the socket on your PC or USB hub? Here’s a little gadget that will solve your problem. It allows you to feed extra power into the USB line, controlled automatically by the PC – so your new peripheral will be turned on and off just as if it were being powered directly by the PC. 68  Silicon Chip E ACH USB SOCKET of a PC or self-powered USB (Universal Serial Bus) hub can supply up to 500mA at 5V DC, which can be used to power many USB peripherals directly. That’s one of the advantages of USB and many of the newer peripherals are designed to be powered in this way. Many low-cost USB hubs are also designed to take their own power from the PC, via their “upstream” USB cable. That’s fine in most cases, as the hub’s internal circuitry only needs a few tens of milliamps to operate. However, things start to get a little more complicated if you try to connect a number of bus-powered USB peripherals to your PC via such a hub, because the hub’s “downstream” output sockets can each only supply a maximum of 100mA. That’s because siliconchip.com.au Fig.1: the USB Power Injector is essentially a switch and a 5V regulator. The Vbus supply from USB socket CON1 turns on transistor Q1 which then turns on Mosfet Q2. This then feeds unregulated DC to REG1 which in turn supplies 5V to the downstream USB socket CON2. all of their power must ultimately come from the PC itself, of course. What happens if you have one of these hubs already powering say, three USB powered peripherals and then you buy a USB-powered scanner or label printer that needs to draw more than 100mA? Ah, that is a problem. Luckily it’s easily solved; all you need is the USB Power Injector described here. It’s designed to be connected in series with the USB cable to your new peripheral and also to a 9V AC or DC plugpack. When it detects 5V DC coming from the PC and/or hub, it switches power from the plugpack through to a builtin 5V regulator, to provide your new peripheral with its own 5V power at up to 500mA. All of the components used in the USB Power Injector are mounted directly on a very small PC board, which fits snugly inside a small jiffy box. How it works Looking at the circuit diagram of Fig.1, power from the external plugpack comes in via socket CON3 and then passes through diodes D1-D4. These provide rectification for an AC plugpack or automatic polarity corsiliconchip.com.au rection for a DC plugpack. Either way, a DC voltage of between 8V and 14V (or thereabouts) appears across the 1000µF reservoir capacitor. CON1 is a USB “Type B” socket, used as the Injector’s “upstream” or input port. It connects back to one of the USB output/downstream ports of your PC or hub, via a standard USB cable. Both of the data lines of CON1 are connected directly to the corresponding pins of CON2, a USB “Type A” socket which is the Injector’s output/downstream port. This connects to your new USB peripheral via another standard USB connecting cable, so the Injector is fully transparent in terms of USB data communication. USB data can pass straight through the Injector in either direction, between PC and peripheral and vice-versa. When the PC is powered down though, power from the plugpack is not able to flow through to the peripheral because P-channel power MOSFET Q2 is connected in series and it is normally turned off. When the PC is turned on, +5V appears at pin 1 of CON1 and this switches on transistor Q1 via a 22kΩ base resistor. Q1 then switches on Q2, which becomes a very low resistance, about 0.1Ω. This feeds the unregulated DC voltage across the 1000µF capacitor through to REG1, a 7805 +5V regulator which now provides +5V to pin 1 of CON2 and your peripheral device. LED1 is used to provide “power on” indication. LED1 is fed via the 820Ω series resistor from the switched DC at the input to REG1, so it’s only illuminated when the Injector’s power is switched on by Q2. The 10µF and 100nF capacitors are included to ensure stable operation of REG1, while diode D5 is to protect it from reverse-voltage damage when the power is turned off. Although REG1 has very little heatsinking, it should be able to power virtually any USB-powered peripheral which draws no more than the maximum drain of 500mA. Construction All the components used in the USB Power Injector (apart from the plugpack) are mounted directly on a small PC board. This measures 76 x 46mm and is coded 07110041. The artwork (Fig.3) for the PC board has rounded cutouts in each corner, allowing it to fit snugly in one of the smallest UB-5 jiffy boxes (83 x 54 October 2004  69 Fig.2: follow this component overlay to assemble the PC board. Don’t get Q2 and REG1 mixed up – they look the same! x 31mm). It’s supported inside the box by four 9mm long M3 tapped spacers, using four countersink 6mm x M3 screws through the bottom of the box and another four round-head Parts List 1 PC board, code 07110041, 76 x 46mm 1 plastic utility box, UB-5 size (83 x 54 x 31mm) 1 USB socket type B, PC-mount (CON1) 1 USB socket type A, PC-mount (CON2) 1 2.5mm concentric LV power socket (CON3) 4 M3 tapped spacers, 9mm long 6 M3 x 6mm machine screws, round head 4 M3 x 6mm machine screws, countersink head Fig.3: check your PC board carefully against this full-size etching pattern before installing any of the parts. 6mm x M3 screws through the PC board itself. Rectangular holes are cut in the narrow ends of the box to provide access to the two USB connectors (CON1 and CON2), while a 3mm round hole is drilled in the end next to CON2, to allow LED1 to protrude. Similarly, a 9mm hole is drilled in one of the longer sides of the box, to allow access to power input connector CON3. The locations of all box holes are shown in Fig.4. The component overlay diagram for the PC is shown in Fig.2 and you can cross-check this with the internal photo. Fit the low-profile resistors and diodes first, taking care with the diode polarity as usual. Then fit the capacitors, taking care with the polarity of the 10µF and 1000µF capacitors. Note that the larger capacitor mounts over on its side, to make sure there is clearance between it and the box lid – see photograph below. Next, fit the three connectors. The two USB connectors are different in terms of their pin layout, so make sure you fit them in their correct positions. You may need to elongate the holes for their attachment lugs slightly with a jeweller’s file, before the connectors will fit down against the board. The last components to fit are the TO-92 transistor Q1, LED1 and the two TO-220 devices Q2 and REG1. Make sure you don’t swap the latter Semiconductors 1 7805 5V regulator (REG1) 1 PN100 NPN transistor (Q1) 1 IRF9540 P-channel MOSFET (Q2) 1 3mm green LED (LED1) 5 1N4004 diodes (D1-D5) Capacitors 1 1000µF 16V PC electrolytic 1 10µF 25V tantalum 1 100nF (0.1µF) multilayer monolithic (code 104 or 100n) Resistors (0.25W 1%) 1 22kΩ 2 10kΩ 1 820Ω 70  Silicon Chip The PC board is mounted inside the case on four M3 x 9mm tapped spacers and secured using machine screws. Note how the 1000µF electrolytic capacitor is mounted. siliconchip.com.au The power indicator LED protrudes through a hole in the end of the case, adjacent to the USB output socket (CON2). devices, as this may cause one or both of them to be damaged. Both devices mount flat down against the top of the board, with a 6mm x M3 machine screw and nut used to hold them down and also provide a small amount of heatsinking. Make sure also that you fit LED1 with its “flat” side towards connector CON2 and its longer anode lead further away. The LED leads are soldered in place with the body about 11mm above the board and they are then bent down at right angles about 4mm above the board, so the body can protrude through the matching hole in the end of the box. Once you have made the necessary holes in the UB-5 box (including the countersunk holes in the bottom, for the PC board mounting screws), the completed board assembly can be mounted in the box using the 9mm M3 tapped spacers. Fig.4: this diagram shows the drilling and cutout details for the plastic case that’s used to house the board assembly. Checkout time There are no adjustments or setup needed on the completed USB Power Injector and very little in the way of testing. All you need do is connect the output of a 9V DC or AC plugpack to CON3 and confirm that indicator LED1 doesn’t light until you also connect CON1 to a downstream USB port on your PC or USB hub. If the LED then turns on and off when the PC is itself turned on and off, this confirms that it’s working correctly. All siliconchip.com.au Fig.5: this front panel label can be cut out and attached to the lid of the case. It can be protected using wide strips of clear adhesive tape. that remains is to screw on the lid of the UB-5 box and fit the cover plugs – although you might also want to stick on a dress label as well, to finish the job. The artwork for a suitable label is SC shown in Fig.5. October 2004  71 SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: www.altronics.com.au/ SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: www.altronics.com.au/ SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: www.altronics.com.au/ SILICON CHIP If you are seeing a blank page here, it is more than likely that it contained advertising which is now out of date and the advertiser has requested that the page be removed to prevent misunderstandings. Please feel free to visit the advertiser’s website: www.altronics.com.au/ Everything you’ve ever wanted in a GARAGE DOOR OR GATE REMOTE CONTROLLER If you’re sick of getting out of the car in the rain (what rain!) to open the garage door or gate, it’s about time you got into the twenty-first century and made them remote controlled. This circuit is a beauty, giving you all the features you’ve ever thought you’d need and probably many more besides. T his controller uses an assembled UHF transmitter and receiver to make life easy for you. Output from the receiver is used to control the motor drive circuitry, the action depending on the pushbutton pressed on the remote transmitter. It may be used to directly control a 12V DC motor for a garage door opener or gate opener, or (with appropriate care and safeguards) to control an external relay or contactor which in turn controls 240V or even industrial 415V (three phase) motor as often found on large and high roller doors. While the circuit is complete, the details of the mechanical drive system for your particular garage door or gate opener are up to you. For inspiration, you might refer to our previous articles on a garage door opener in the April & May 1998 issues. Similarly, for a practical gate opener system, have a look at the August 1997 issue of SILICON CHIP. Both the drive systems referred to 76  Silicon Chip are based on 12V automotive windscreen wiper motors which have the advantage of being cheap, readily available, powerful and compact. This controller circuit suits those motors and incorporates a large 12V SLA battery as the power source. If you are considering a motor other than a windscreen wiper motor, bear in mind that most “straight” 12VDC motors will rotate too fast to be of much use in a garage door or gate opener. They need a gearbox to not only reduce the speed but increase torque. Using 12V as the power source is safe and convenient as well as providing extra insurance in case of a power blackout – when that happens, you can still operate the garage door/gate. The 12V SLA battery is kept charged via an on-board charger which is powered by a 9V AC plugpack. Note that this charger is NOT intended to charge 12V automotive-type batteries, which many people use as a backup. Trying to charge a flat 12V vehicle battery with this circuit would almost certainly burn it out. Features The main features of the controller circuit are provision for upper and lower door travel limit switches and over-current sensing for UP and DOWN modes of operation. This latter feature can be used to detect obstructions and immediately stop door operation to prevent damage to the motor, drive mechanism or possibly even your car (or you!). Keyfob remote transmitter The unit is based on a pre-built UHF receiver module and features a small keyfob transmitter that has more than half a million possible codes. You press a button on the transmitter and the door goes up; press the same button again and the door goes down. There is also provision for a manual switch which can be mounted somewhere on the wall inside the garage. siliconchip.com.au This is one way the finished project could be mounted – the see-through-lid 220 x 70 x 80mm electrical box is available from electrical wholesalers for about $30, while the courtesy light (left) is a car reversing lamp, available at auto shops. The SLA battery fits nicely in this case, along with the PC board, and the plugpack keeps it nicely charged. This works in a similar way to the button on the transmitter: press it once for the door to go up and press it again to make the door go down. If you press the button before the door reaches the end of its travel, it will stop. You then have to press the button again to make the door go in the opposite direction. This applies also to operation via the transmitter and is exactly the same convention used by commercial garage door openers. Circuit description The receiver is based on a pre-built UHF “front-end” module. This processes the signal received from the keyfob transmitter which has four buttons. One of the receiver outputs switches to +5V, depending on the button pressed. Door operation can be set to work with button “A” or “B”, selected by making connections at point “A” or “B” under the PC board. The connection marked “VT” can siliconchip.com.au also be used but the door will then operate with any button on the transmitter. This connection can be made by shorting the selected pads together with solder. The main IC on the receiver module is a Tri-state decoder chip which is used to decode the pulse signal generated by the transmitter. This device has eight address lines and these must be connected to match the transmitter code. (For more on this topic, see the Coding section of this text). If the code sequence is valid, the selected output switches high and LED1 is lit. The selected output connects via diode D1 to the clock input, pin 14, of IC1, a 4017 decade counter. This counter can also be clocked by manual switch S1 and by the limit switches. The length of the clock pulses produced by the operation of the limit switches is limited by the time constant of the associated 100nF (0.1mF) capacitor and 3.3MW resistor. The 10nF (.01mF) capacitor filters out any noise picked up by the wires used to connect to the limit switches, while the 10MW resistor discharges the 100nF capacitor after the switches have been operated. Note that when the power is first applied, IC1 is reset by a short pulse to pin 15, by virtue of the 10nF (0.1mF) capacitor connected to the +5V supply line. The counter is also reset when its Q4 output (pin 10) goes high, via diode D3. This means that IC1 can only have four exclusive output states: Q0 high, Q1 high, Q2 high or Q3 high. Outputs Q0 and Q2 do not drive anything so they correspond to “stop” modes while outputs Q1 and Q3 switch the “up” and “down” relays (via transistors Q1 and Q2). Thus, a succession of clock pulses from the receiver correspond to the following modes: Stop, Up, Stop, Down, Stop, Up, etc. Two separate over-current detectors, comprising op October 2004  77 78  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au 2004 SC  B E LED 0.22 Ω 5W +5V A K 0.22 Ω 5W RELAY1 RELAY2 +12V 10M 2.2k B C E TIP41 10 µF 100k 100k +5V K λ LED1 A 100nF D RF C MODULE VT A B C D A K 10 µF G D S Vss 8 RST D OVER CURRENT SET A K 100k 15 100nF +5V 4 IC3b VR2 100k 220k 6 5 180k D3 IC2d K A 12 13 K A 100k D4 4.7k D6 7 10k B A 1N4148 5 GND OUT K 10 220k D11 100nF B Q2 C8550 8 9 E C IN 1 A D16 K 1000 µF K +12V A ZD1 9.1V ZD2 5.1V E C – + – + B Q4 TIP41 OR MJE3055 100k 14 10 µF K 4.7k D C 1N4004 22nF 1.5k 4 3 6 7 1 2 1 D5 470 µF K 8 A K 2 5 A K G G Q6 2SK2165 OR P239 G K D14 470 µF 10Ω 10Ω 10Ω S D S D LOAD +12V LOAD +12V 9V AC IN 12V – BATTERY + X Y S D LAMP Q3 2SK2165 OR P239 +12V Q5 2SK2165 OR P239 +5V +5V 3 D9 A A 7 IC2a IC4 OE100 A D8 1N4148 4 IC2: 4093B 10M (OPTIONAL COMPONENT KIT) 100k 5 6 IC2b +12V RELAY2 100k IC2c 100nF 4.7k Q1 C8550 A K D1–5, D8–13: 1N4148 D6–7, D14–16: 1N4004 A A K D5 E C D7 RELAY1 REG1 L4949 10 µF 8 D10 10 µF +5V K A +5V 100nF 10 11 OE 13 Q4 4017B 16 Vdd 2 Q1 14 CLK 7 IC1 Q3 100nF 100k D13 IC3: LM358 1 MOSFETS VR1 100k OVER CURRENT SET A K 10k 3.3M 1M D2 100k 8 A K IC3a 220k 2 3 180k D12 10nF D1 MANUAL S1 GARAGE DOOR REMOTE CONTROLLER C C8550 100V GREENCAP 100–470nF – + MOTOR LIMIT SWITCHES ANTENNA REMOTE MANUAL SWITCH K REG1 L4949 + 4004 IC3 LM358 + amp comparators IC3a and 100nF 10 µF VR2 VR1 D16 10k 100k IC3b, detect higher than 180k 10k 180k 1000 µF 100k normal motor currents that 1.5k 100k 100k 220k 220k would result when the door 4148 4148 D13 D12 22nF Q4 100k 100k reaches its up or down stop TIP41 ZD2 5V1 470 µF 470 µF positions or if the door is ZD1 9V1 +5V 10 µF 10 µF 10 µF D15 obstructed. The outputs of D14 10M C these over-current detectors 4148 220k then apply a pulse to the D9 D10 4148 Q3 D11 D8 4148 A clock input of IC1, which P239 4148 10 µF Q2 causes it to go into the Stop 100k B 100nF mode. 100nF C8550 The counter (IC1) can be 0.22 Ω 5W 100k 100k 100nF D 4.7k 100nF disabled by holding its OE MANUAL Q1 100k input (pin 13) at +5V. The D2 VT 4148 0.22 Ω 5W S1 1M output of the monostable C8550 10nF GND LED1 comprising Schmitt NAND R10 10R 3.3M VALID 100nF 4.7k gates IC2c & IC2d is norTRANS © oatleyelectronics.com 10M CON5 CON6 CON1 CON4 CON3 CON2 mally low, thus enabling Q5 P239 Q6 P239 CON7 the counter to clock. However, this monosta– + REMOTE X LIMIT Y ~9VAC~ MOTOR K023C LAMP OUTPUTS SWITCHES MANUAL BATTERY ble is triggered via isolating COMPONENTS SHOWN IN BLUE ARE IN THE OPTIONAL COMPONENTS KIT diodes D4 & D5 each time Q1 (up) or Q3 (down) of IC2 first go high. This monostable therefore prevents the counter from stepping for approximately two seconds after the up or down modes are first activated. This two-second disabling of the counter prevents it being triggered by the over-current detectors, which would otherwise happen since a motor draws relatively high currents when it first starts up. A second monostable made up of gates IC2a & IC2b is used to switch a courtesy lamp via Mosfet Q3. This monostable is also operated via diodes D4 & D5 each time Q1 (up) or Q3 (down) of IC2 goes The PC board shown both as an overlay and matching photograph (both shown very close to right high. The time constant of size). Watch polarities on the semiconductors, electrolytics and the UHF receiver module. the monostable causes the relays and motor are driven directly is most unusual for boards to be crook courtesy lamp to light for just under from the 12V battery. but it still pays to check for shorts/ two minutes – enough time to exit the bridges and over-etching. car and garage and/or turn other lights Construction If you’re happy with the board, start on if necessary. We’re only going to cover the basic construction by mounting all of the As already noted, a combination of assembly details in this article, up to resistors first of all. a 12V SLA battery and 9V AC plugthe point where you put it in a case of Good construction practice means pack is used to power the controller some description. that you will orient all the resistors in and charge the battery. The battery is Final installation will of course the same way – eg, horizontally mountcharged via NPN transistor Q4 (TIP41) depend on individual situations so ed resistors with their multiplier bands which has its output set by zener diwe won’t attempt to cover that here. to the right and vertically mounted odes ZD1 & ZD2. First check that your PC board ap- resistors with their multiplier bands An L4949 regulator IC provides pears properly etched. These days it to the bottom of the board. This makes +5V supply for the receiver, while the + + + + 2.2k 10Ω 10Ω 4148 D3 IC1 4017B D4 4148 4148 D5 RX7 RECEIVE MODULE IC4 OE100 D7 4004 4004 D6 RELAY 2 RELAY 1 A B TV siliconchip.com.au + IC2 4093B 4004 4148 D1 4.7k 100k + 4004 October 2004  79 IC is wired with the same coding state as the corresponding pin on the decoder IC, otherwise the remote control will not operate. These connections can also be made with a solder blob between the IC pins and their nearby exposed 0V or +5V tracks. The over-current setting trimpots (VR1 & VR2) are set during installation of the door mechanism. Mounting it! A close-up view of the UHF receiver module, showing which way around it mounts on the main PC board. The cable at top left is the antenna wire. troubleshooting a lot easier, too. Next follow the other low profile components such as small capacitors, diodes, etc, then the larger capacitors, LEDs, the small transistors, etc. Follow the PC board overlay and the photographs to ensure you get the polarised components the right way around. The larger transistors and MOSFETs, plus the sockets for the ICs (if you are using them) go in next, followed by the trimpots, terminal blocks and (almost!) finally, the relays. Apart from the UHF receiver module, your board should now be pretty well populated. If there are empty holes (apart from the seven down the right-hand edge), check to see what you out! The receiver module Give your board a good check against the overlay and photo to make sure everything is in and in correctly. The receiver module is pre-assembled (it even has the antenna wire soldered on) and pre-aligned. It will work first time as long as you don’t twiddle anything! Solder it in position on the receiver module, then solder the module itself onto the main PC board. Again, use the photos to make sure you get it the right way around. The transmitter This comes as a kit but all soldering is already done for you. Simply assemble the bits in the case, and it’s finished! Coding We’ve shown one possible arrangement using a box intended for electrical switchgear. With a screw-on, see through lid this box measures 220 x 170 x 80mm and is available from most electrical fitting wholesalers. This box is a good size because it’s an easy fit for both the PC board and the SLA battery. We mounted the board in the upper side of the case via some 20mm tapped stand-offs and took all of the cabling out through the bottom, via a 20mm cable gland. Perhaps that’s a bit of overkill but it makes a nice, neat job. The cables go to the plugpack, the two limit switches, the 12V courtesy light and of course a pair of relatively heavy leads to the motor. Other connections within the case are for the 12V SLA battery (these leads fitted with a pair of spade lugs for convenience) and another pair of wires to the manual push-button switch, which we mounted on the side of the case. This may or may not be convenient for you but rememember, you can fit other switches in parallel if you so wish. The transmitter and receiver come with their encoder ICs unencoded. After the system is operating correctly, you may code the transmitter and receiver as leaving it uncoded is a high security risk. Data inputs are pins 1 through to 8 on both the encoder IC in the transmitter The mini keyfob transmitter – the photo at left and decoder IC on the shows how you would normally have it (albeit receiver module. Data with keys on the ring!). A cover slides down coding inputs are Trito reveal the four push-buttons (centre) while state, ie, each data pin a mini telescopic whip antenna can be raised may be either left floatif you are after the maximum possible range (right). ing, tied high (+5V) or tied to 0V. Ensure that the coding state on each pin number on the encoder Standard SPDT roller microswitches are used for limit switches. These are NOT supplied in the Oatley Electronics kit. 80  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au The 12V SLA battery is just a little too big to be left “slopping around” in this case so we glued some highdensity foam rubber to the sides and the back of the case, making it a nice, snug fit. The antenna position Ideally the antenna should hang straight down from the receiver board – but as you will note from the photo at right, we draped it around the top of the PC board, out of the way. In all but the most critical of applications, this should be more than satisfactory. If you really want to get picky, you could use a length of stiff wire and run it out through a hole drilled in the top of the case. But we’d wager you wouldn’t gain any additional range doing so! The mechanical side As we said at the outset, we did not intend to get into this area in this particular article. All this project provides is the switched 12V DC with reversing polarity to drive what ever motor arrangement you think appropriate. There are many different ways of opening and closing doors and gates, just as there are many different styles of doors and gates. It’s all up to you and your application. The motor We will make one other comment about the motor you use. As we mentioned, most 12V DC motors without gearboxes will have too much speed and not enough torque to be of much use in this role. Apart from the windscreen wiper motor option already covered, Oatley A shot inside the case with the battery removed shows how everything fits together. The switch on the upper right is the manual door switch – some may prefer to mount this outside the case in a more convenient position. Electronics have made us aware of a 24V DC motor which they have available which looks ideal for the job. It runs more than adequately on 12VDC and has the right sort of power and speed. Best of all, the sprocket suits a standard bike chain so mechanically it should be relatively easy to incorporate. It retails for around $70.00. This 24V DC geared motor from Oatley has lots of grunt, has bike sprocket output and operates perfectly from 12V. It should suit this project well. siliconchip.com.au Where from, how much? Oatley Electronics own the copyright on this design and the PC Board. The main kit of parts for the project, (K023C, retailing for $39.00) consists of the PC board and all on-board components, except for those marked optional. The optional components kit retails for $12.00, as do the TX7 4-channel keyfob transmitters (you can use as many as you like as long as they are all coded the same). The 12V 7Ah SLA battery (PB6) retails for $25, while a suitable 9VAC 1A plugpack (K023CP) sells for $6.00. Contact Oatley Electronics on (02) 9584 3563 or via their website, www.oatleyelectronics.com SC October 2004  81 SERVICEMAN'S LOG Flushing out the problems There were lots of unusual jobs this month, including some I should never have taken on. I also had a close encounter with what can only be described as a high-tech “Superloo”. I think I’m over servicing oscilloscopes. The only thing they seem to have in common with TVs is the CRT and even then the voltages are all completely different and difficult to measure. Basically, you need a digital voltmeter that can read from -3000V to over +12,000V. Unfortunately, using a 30kV probe with an analog meter is rather difficult – especially when it comes to making contact with a tiny, inaccessible component without shorting anything. Anyway, I had to fix a Kikusui COS5060TM 60MHz delay oscilloscope that had excessive uncontrollable trace brightness. I don’t know its age (I guess about 1983) but the look and feel of this CRO is very similar to Items Covered This Month • • • • • • • • Kikusui COS5060TM 60MHz delay oscilloscope Technics RS-1500US professional reel to reel tape recorder Sharp CX68GS TV set Philips CH685 TV set (KL9A-3 chassis) Superloos – a close encounter of the toilet kind Grundig Megatron M82-115/9 IDTV/P+P TV set (CUC1882 chassis) Philips 32FL2881/75R TV set (FL2-G chassis) Panasonic TX-51P800H (GP1 VP chassis) 82  Silicon Chip that of the LG/Goldstar ones I have written about recently. It even uses a very similar Toshiba 150CTB31 CRT (16W). However, unlike the others, there are no voltages or control descriptions written on the PC boards, the access is much worse and there is no circuit diagram in the instruction manual. Once I began looking inside, it was hard to know where to begin. In the end, I decided to start my attack with a soldering iron and resoldered as many dry joints as I could find, especially in and around the power supply and EHT sections. I found one “doozy” of a classic dry joint to the CRT filaments but nothing that made any significant difference to the fault at hand. All the other controls appeared to work and the intensity control was having a slight effect, mainly due to the size of the sweep and focus which I put down to “blooming” from the excessive beam current. Next, I tried to figure out where the CRT bias control was but was unable to be sure. There are three largish trimpots next to the CRT connection plug which I marked before seeing what effect they had. However, they seemed only to have an impression on the trace focus. By now, I desperately needed a service manual and so I got onto the web and started looking. Google revealed no private copies and virtually no information at all but I did discover that the Australian agent for Kikusui was Emona Enterprises. As a result, I contacted their spare parts division and enquired about purchasing a service manual. A few days later, I was informed that the complete service manual was available for $150 plus GST (three weeks ex-Japan). Unfortunately, this price was out of my league but a very obliging young lady at Emona managed to organise a deal for me that was acceptable. She could supply a few relevant photocopied pages for $25. I jumped at this generous offer and in due course not only received the complete circuit diagram but also three BAV21 diodes that Emona’s technical section thought might be the cause of my problem (CR835, CR837 and CR838 in the G1 circuit to the CRT). Well, that was service with a smile! I removed and checked the three diodes but unfortunately could only find CR835 to be slightly leaky. Replacing all three made absolutely no difference to the symptoms. I now knew that the CRT BIAS control was RV821 but it too made no difference to the fault. Another disappointment was the lack of voltages marked on the circuit, although I managed to confirm the few that were marked as being correct. Using a high-voltage probe, the cathode measured -1.74kV, the first grid -1.76kV to -1.77kV (depending on the intensity control) and second grid (P1) -1.16kV (Focus). The third grid (Geom/Accel) was +45V and the fourth grid (Astig) was +63V, which was roughly what I expected. G1 with respect to the cathode was varying between -20V and -30V but when I connected a DVM between these elements, the voltage range was different, this time varying from -8V to -20V (minimum to maximum intensity respectively). Similarly, the second grid to cathode measured 580V with the probe and only 190V with the meter. I’m not sure why these discrepancies occurred but I suspect that the DVM was dragging the voltages down. Unfortunately, I couldn’t measure the EHT as access was too difficult, the probe being wedged hard between the CRT and the front control panel. Any attempt I made caused severe siliconchip.com.au arcing and threatened to destroy the circuits! Using another oscilloscope, I could see the “Unblocking Signal” coming into the CRT control DC regeneration circuit. This varied with the frontpanel controls but I had no definitive figures to work with. At this point, I noticed two circuits that were very similar, one for intensity and the other for focus, so I compared their voltages. It turned out that the focus control voltages were much higher than those for the intensity control circuit (95V compared to 45V) but was this significant? Because the BAV21 diodes were obviously recognised as troublesome components by Emona, I decided to check all such similar diodes in both of these control circuits. To do this, I unsoldered one end of each diode POSITION VACANT: ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN Our company is offering a long-term learning and rewarding experience for a talented Electronics Technician. Our valued clients provide us with a variety of service requests that change or are new each day, the successful completion of which is challenging and personally rewarding. The position vacant is well suited to one who enjoys designing, building and fault finding electronics equipment. A sound understanding of basic electronics theory and power supply topologies is essential. Using schematics, the suitable applicant will need to demonstrate their ability in efficient and effective navigation and fault-finding of complex electronics circuitry. As more than one-hour total travel time to and from our location in Hornsby has proven impractical in the past, only local applicants need apply. If you are prepared to apply yourself enthusiastically, with study, our company-provided regular training is of great benefit and the work environment stimulating. Find us at www.switchmode.com.au siliconchip.com.au October 2004  83 Serviceman’s Log – continued and measured its leakage with x100kΩ ohmmeter but I couldn’t find any that were faulty. Similarly, I checked all resistors over 47kΩ and even replaced C846, C847 and C848 (1nF 6kV) in case they were leaky but I was getting nowhere. By now, I was seriously considering abandoning this project when a colleague volunteered to look it over for me. It took him only an hour to find the culprit which turned out to be CR836, a BAV21 from the wiper of the CRT Bias control (RV821) which I had already checked. It was indeed leaky but how did I miss it? I could swear I had measured it to be OK out of circuit but obviously I had missed it (I must be getting old). Anyway, this fixed the fault completely. I must admit that I am now highly suspicious of all BAV21 diodes and will in future always measure them completely out of circuit as they never go dead short. Instead, they always seem to go high resistance! Interestingly, I went back in afterwards to see what voltage differences it had made and found that the only change was to G1. This now varied from -62V (minimum intensity) to -43V (maximum intensity). Ironically, in the course of measuring these voltages, some small sparks were produced as the meter probe touched the solder pads and suddenly the fault was back again. This time, it was CR835 that was faulty. A real recorder Ozitronics www.ozitronics.com Tel: (03) 9434 3806 Fax: (03) 9011 6220 Email: sales2004<at>ozitronics.com Bidirectional DC Motor Speed Controller Control the speed of a DC motor in both forward and reverse direction from fully ON to fully OFF. Max 32VDC <at> 5A (see docs). K166 - $35.75 Rolling Code 2-Channel UHF Remote K157 -$76.45 High security. Momentary or latching relays with indicator LEDs. Range up to 25m. Up to 15 Tx's can be learnt by one Rx. 12VDC. (Assembled - $92.95) Phone Call Logger Record the start and stop time of outgoing calls along with any numbers dialled. "Stand K146 alone" operation - no need $96.25 for any PC connection. No data loss during power failure. Supplied with 16K of memory - expandable to 64K. Includes plastic case 130x110x30mm. Multi-mode Timer: K141 - $32.45 4-Digit Timing Module: K148 - $30.80 Dual Relay Board: K156 - $19.80 Prices include GST - shipping extra. Full documentation available from website. 84  Silicon Chip An enterprising client of mine purchased an old but beautiful Technics RS-1500US professional reel-to-reel tape recorder. In fact, he bought this “Isolated Loop”, 3-motor, 3-speed (15, 7½ , 3¾ ips), direct quartz lockeddrive, 4-head tape deck along with 40 10½-inch reels of tapes. In its day, it was probably one of the finest tape recorders made and he paid for it outright by selling some of the tapes on eBay. However, he struck a catch – the deck was faulty! None of the “turbotouch” controls were working! Unfortunately, access to the circuits in this machine is very difficult. Those Japanese must have very small hands, because you almost need to perform keyhole surgery when fixing this deck. When I finally managed to remove the power supply and main control circuit, I started by checking the main power rails (21.4V, 20V, 15V and 5V). These were all spot on so I moved on to the six microswitches (or remote control), which controlled the input NAND gates of seven logic ICs via 12 diodes. These in turn control the motors, plus an additional timer circuit. I soon found that the STOP input rail (D3, D6, D9 & D19) was perpetually held low, so I checked these diodes as well as D15, D16 (from the timer), D17 and D18 plus TR8, TR24 and TR25 but they were all OK. In fact, I didn’t get anywhere until I checked out IC7 (M53200P), especially pin 11 (LO) which is controlled by pins 12 & 13 (HI). This in turn is controlled by TR10 (2SC828) and D26 which was switched off. Both TR9 and TR10 measured OK, which just left C17 (4.7µF 10V) on TR9’s collector. This was short circuit and replacing it fixed up all the functions. Zapped Sharp Mr Marsden brought in his Sharp CX68GS TV set that had been killed during a storm – or so he thought as he wasn’t actually there when it happened. Looking inside, I quickly found that R706 (1.8Ω 7W) was open circuit and that chopper transistor Q703 (2SC4429) had shorted. With a switchmode power supply like this, you have to check everything in order for it not to blow again – especially after a cataclysmic event like a power surge or lightning strike. Subsequent checks revealed that C715 (0.01µF), R711 (47Ω 0.5W), Q702 (2SC3807) and C716 (2200pF 2kV), the latter sporting a black burnt spot (and probably the main culprit), were all in various stages of destruction. I replaced them all with identical components, some of which had to be ordered in. I switched it on and BANG – the front face of the chopper transistor blew off completely. Oh dear! I installed a new chopper transistor and replaced Q702 (2SC3807), 5A fuse F701, IC703 (SE120N) and the optocoupler (IC702), before rechecking everything I had already done. That done, I gingerly switched the set on again and . . . CRACK! – it all blew up again (and the parts ain’t cheap). This time, an even closer recheck of everything revealed that only transistors Q703 and Q702 and the fuse were damaged. The 2SC4429 is rated at 1100V, 8A & 60W and the 2SC3807 at 30V, 2A. It seemed obvious to me that the chopper was failing and blowing its driver, so I decided to install a BU508A (rated at 1500V, 8A, 125W) instead of the 2SC4429. This time, when I switched the set siliconchip.com.au Mobilize Your Measurements NI Portable Data Acquisition National Instruments data acquisition (DAQ) and signal conditioning devices offer guaranteed accuracy and compact, lightweight designs for mobile applications and those with space constraints. NI portable DAQ products deliver: • Hot-pluggable connectivity for PCMCIA, USB, and FireWire buses • Portable modular signal conditioning for improved accuracy and signal connectivity • More than 3,000 measurement examples for NI LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, and Visual Studio with Measurement Studio • Superior integration with LabVIEW for quick, powerful development • Handheld measurements with the new LabVIEW PDA Module To attend a FREE Web Event on the benefits of NI data acquisition, visit ni.com/info and enter naz92k. Reduce Your Development Time and Costs FREE Measurement and Control Designer Resource CD Up to two-thirds of your application costs are spent on configuration and development time. Use the new NI Measurement and Control Designer 2004 CD to quickly and easily select the best software and hardware for test and measurement applications. It is loaded with hundreds of measurement resources to save you even more time and effort: • Application notes and white papers • Detailed descriptions of the newest • Example DAQ programs and NI software and hardware tools video tutorials • Product recommendations for test • Examples of customer applications and measurement applications Order your FREE CD today. Visit ni.com/info and enter auqhsj or Freecall AUST 1800 300 800, NZ 0800 553 322. National Instruments Australia National Instruments New Zealand Tel. 1800 300 800 • info.australia<at>ni.com ni.com/oceania Tel. 0800 553 322 • info.newzealand<at>ni.com ni.com/oceania © 2004 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. CVI and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. Serviceman’s Log – continued on, it came on perfectly with all functions working. At that point, I decided that I’d had enough of the 2SC4429s supplied to us and sent back all the other unused ones I had ordered. Frankly, I think that they were underrated counterfeit copies of the original. In fact, if you open up one of these devices, the “chip” is much smaller than you would expect for a 60W device. Unfortunately, there are a few re-labelled counterfeit power transistors around these days. After soak testing the set for a week, it went back to Mr Marsden. However, the very next day, he phoned and reported that it had died again. I couldn’t believe it! Back came the set and I was expecting the same problem as before. However, I was relieved to find that it was only R705, the other sister 1.8Ω 7W surge resistor from the bridge rectifier. That was some months ago and so far, so good. The humming Philips I’m still getting in ancient Philips TVs which their owners are reluctant to upgrade and the faults are becoming more weird and interesting. Recently, a 1986 CH685 KL9A-3 chassis came in, its owner complaining of a loud persistent hum in the 86  Silicon Chip sound. I thought at the time it would be a doddle to fix but it turned out to be rather tricky. In greater detail, the problem was 50Hz hum which was causing the sound to “quaver” at low volume. This set has a separate audio output amplifier board with its own power supply, so I checked the 33.5V and 15V rails for ripple and tried unplugging the input to the amplifier module to confirm that the problem was elsewhere. I then backtracked towards the tuner, unplugging leads as I went, and noticed that the hum would vary as I moved the modules and their wiring harnesses. Aha, I thought, dry joints on these boards might be the answer but there were none to be found. It was then I noticed that the hum was varying with picture content and that the objects on the screen were very bright and “contrasty”. As a result, I checked the aquadag screening from the CRT to the neck board and found that uncoupling it removed the hum. I then clipped a jumper in its place and earthed it to the chassis. The sound was now back to normal and I spent a long, long time trying to find out why this was so. This involved following the earthing to the aquadag back to the EHT and tripler sections but I couldn’t find out what was wrong. This wretched set was going to fight me all the way. I then began to notice that the most sensitive board to movement was the 5-pin DIN input module which also had a small 15V power supply and an analog switching IC (IC7031, HEF4066). And although I couldn’t find anything obviously wrong with it, I did notice that unplugging the TV input into the IC also removed the hum. I checked the switching voltage from the control panel TV/VCR switch and noticed that unplugging it also eliminated the hum. I now felt that the problem was around this area and so ran DC checks all around transistor Q7025 and IC7031. This turned to be quite fruitful as it quickly revealed that R3040 (22kΩ) to the base of this switching transistor was open circuit, leaving the transistor permanently switched on. And that in turn meant that two analog switches from the external DIN socket were connected permanently. So why did this resistor cause so much strife? My theory is that when it went open circuit, it meant that the switching line cable probably became inductive and was picking up 50Hz buzz from the CRT and passing that through into the audio output stages. But then again . . . Flushed with success I was asked by a friend just recently if I could give him a hand with some toilets! Apparently, he wanted me to help flush out some problems! Now these wasn’t just any toilets. Instead, they were the public toilets for a very expensive architect-designed restaurant and were the latest when it came to fantastic features. For example, the men’s latrine has an automatic flush and the glass hand “basin” was also completely automatic. The water was controlled by a sensor and piped around the face mirror and flowed onto a piece of glass before exiting into a trough. You washed your hands in the water from the mirror faucet. But it didn’t end there. The toilets had clear glass cubicles and when you went inside, a sensor would make them go opaque for 90 seconds or until the sensor no longer detected any movement. There is, fortunately a failsafe feature – in the event of a power failure, the glass remains opaque. Flushing was via a touch sensitive siliconchip.com.au Grumpy Grundig I was recently asked to look at a 1996 Grundig Megatron M82-115/9 IDTV/P+P employing a CUC1882 chassis. Initially, I thought the “Megatron” bit referred to the extralong model number but I later discovered that it refers to almost every aspect of this luxury TV, which is modestly siliconchip.com.au www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com 2nd Generation Low Cost USB Data I/O Module Need to get data into or out of a USB port? Here’s what you need 24 independently programmable Input/Output pins grouped into 3 ports. Single module high-speed digital Input/Output solution. Up to 128 modules can be connected to a single PC with capabilities of further expansion. Easy to connect by 0.1” pitch headers to suit standard IDC connectors. Integrated Type-B USB connector. On-board unique serial number in EEPROM and custom programmable FLASH microcontroller. Both USB enumeration information & microcontroller can be re-programmed to suit customer needs. Module powered by the USB from the PC. NEW! UPDATED V3 MODEL HAS ON-BOARD LED INDICATION Just some of our range of USB and MP3 modules ... USB MOD1 - USB MOD2 USB MOD3 - USB MOD4 - MP3 MOD4 USB Plug and - USB Plug and USB Plug and USB Plug and -VS1001 chip. Play Serial Development Module. Up to 920k baud (RS232) and 2000k baud (RS422/RS485). Play Serial Play Parallel 8-Bit Play Parallel 8Converts Development FIFO Bit FIFO clocked serial Module (2nd Development Development data (MP3) to Gen). 1000k baud Module (2nd Module. stereo audio (RS232) and Gen). Up to 8 out. Suitable for Up to 8 Million 3000k baud Million bits bit (1 Megadriving byte) per sec. (RS422 / RS485). (1Megabyte) per headphones. second. Visit our web shop <at> www.elexol.com Elexol Pty Ltd Ph: (07) 5574 3988 Fax: (07) 5574 3833 (PO Box 5972, Bundall, Qld 4217) www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com www.elexol.com area on the glass wall. All this for a mere $100,000 and that was just for the glass panels. Well, with all these high-tech features, things were bound to go wrong and they did! What no-one had envisaged was that apparently some young women liked to go into the toilet and take a nap! The problem was that after 90 seconds the glass would clear and they were visible in all their glory! This was, of course, the down-side. The upside is that if someone is drunk or ill, someone will see their plight and presumably call for help. Anyway we had to go back and see what could be done to make the sensor more sensitive. The infrared proximity sensors are mounted in the roof, one above each cubicle. Initially, my friend specified very sensitive small-footprint sensors but it was felt by management that a wide footprint would better, even if it meant a reduction in sensitivity. Unfortunately, this led to the current problem but I guess that’s all part and parcel of the teething problems involved with new technology. Anyway, we replaced each sensor so that the smallest movement of someone sitting on the toilet would trigger it. We also realigned the sensor with the crosshairs towards the front of the seat where one’s head would normally be. The theory is that if the occupant falls asleep, their head will remain in the sensor’s footprint and slight movements will continue to trigger it. This we hope will be sufficient, otherwise we may have to contemplate fitting a horizontal infrared LED, mirror and receiver from behind the occupant. So there you have it – a fully automatic, timed and hygienic ergonomic superloo. High-tech is everywhere! described in the sales brochure as a “Megavision Monolith”. And in case you’re wondering, the set came with a $A9000 price tag – and that was back in 1996. The client complained that the convergence was poor and that there were lines across the picture. He also clearly implied that there wasn’t really much wrong with October 2004  87 Serviceman’s Log – continued features came at a price, the set costing around $6000 11 years ago. This particular set was dead and pulsating, so the first step was to check out the HT rail. This involved shorting out the base and emitter terminals of the line output transistor and hanging some 240V light globes (200W total) across the collector. When I switched it on, the power supply had no trouble delivering 140V into this 200W “dummy” load. This was screaming at me “flyback transformer”, except that when I removed the shorting jumper and disconnected the horizontal deflection coils, the B+ was restored and the set stopped pulsating. In the end, I decided that the line output transformer was still the most likely culprit as there was no discernible EHT. This turned out to be correct. After fitting a replacement and aligning the double focus control, the picture and sound were once again excellent. Where will it end? it that a competent technician and $75 couldn’t fix! Yeah, right! When I opened up the 76cm set and examined it on the bench, I did notice that the convergence was out but the only controls were the purity and static convergence rings around the neck of the Toshiba A76KJJ96X98 picture tube. Fortunately, it didn’t take long to fix the convergence problem, though I have to say the 2mm dynamic convergence errors didn’t impress me in a $9000 television with no additional correction. The main symptom, though, was still there and that was the diagonal patterning which, when the colour saturation was increased, became magenta stripes. I then noticed that the Picture-in-Picture didn’t have these stripes but the picture was ghosting. This combination of errors was a dead giveaway for a fault in the digital comb filter in the “features box”. I couldn’t continue without the aid of a circuit diagram so I contacted Grundig, who were extremely helpful, and discovered that an exchange features box was $385 trade. However, their technical support went beyond the call of duty and told me to look out for a crack in the tripler and to change all 26 electrolytic capacitors inside the features box (upgrading their values to 220µF 35V 105°C). 88  Silicon Chip This advice was spot on. There was a crack on the concealed underside of the tripler (where the internal focus resistor is) and indeed all the electrolytic capacitors inside the features box were shot. Replacing all these items fixed the problem – but at a lot more than $75. Ironically, after fitting the new tripler, the set would try to start but would stop almost immediately. This was due to your truly forgetting to reinsert a plug immediately under the tripler. It took a long time to find and correct this as it was so well concealed. One very impressive feature of this set was the amazing menu system, which was a complete in-depth instruction book available in multiple languages, plus a series of complex test cards and a service menu that can perform service adjustments after dialling up the service code of 8500. The beautiful Philips I had another beautiful TV come in this week and I found it hard to believe how technically advanced it was for a 1993 model. This was a Philips 32FL2881/75R employing an FL2-G chassis and boasting a 16 x 9 widescreen, progressive scan, Dolby surround sound, picture-in-picture and 100Hz scanning, to mention just a few of its features. Of course, all these With modern TVs, it is not unusual to include a set of software convergence and other adjustments for both PAL and other systems as well. However, we recently came across a convergence problem that initially had us stumped. The set concerned was a Panasonic TX-51P800H (GP1 VP chassis) that came in with a faulty green tube with a focus problem. After replacing the picture tube and doing all the alignment adjustments, everything was looking great apart from a bizarre fault: the convergence was out only in the tuning menu and the double window option. At first we thought that this was due to a faulty EEPROM or digital board. We were about to order and replace these items when the Panasonic Technical Officer whispered in our ears. Because we didn’t have the service manual, we could be forgiven for not realising that the Tuning Mode Search Menu switched the set to Progressive Scan and there is a separate set of convergence controls for this. Similarly, the double window has its own set of controls too. To fix this, you get into the “Service Adjustment Mode”, select convergence, and then select the mode (system, menu, double window, etc) that you wish to adjust. Where will SC it all end? siliconchip.com.au SILICON CHIP siliconchip.com.au YOUR DETAILS NEED PCBs? Order Form/Tax Invoice You can get the latest PCBs and micros direct from SILICON CHIP! See p100 for full details . . . Your Name_________________________________________________________ Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd ABN 49 003 205 490 PO BOX 139, COLLAROY NSW 2097 email: silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au Phone (02) 9939 3295 Fax (02) 9939 2648 This form may be photocopied without infringing copyright. 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Books: Aust. $10 per order; NZ: $AU12 per book; Elsewhere $AU18 per book OR PAYPAL (24/7) OR Use PayPal to pay silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au PHONE – (9-5, Mon-Fri) Call (02) 9939 3295 with your credit card details OR MAIL This form to PO Box 139, Collaroy NSW 2097 October 2004  89 *ALL ITEMS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. PRICES VALID FOR MONTH OF MAGAZINE ISSUE ONLY. ALL PRICES IN AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS AND INCLUDE GST WHERE APPLICABLE. 10/04 Vintage Radio By RODNEY CHAMPNESS, VK3UG Those troublesome capacitors, Pt.1 Capacitors – especially paper capacitors – have long claimed the crown for being the most troublesome components in vintage radios. They are even more troublesome than valves, which are often made the scapegoat for other faults in a set. Confronted with a faulty vintage radio, the first thing many restorers look for is a faulty valve. Perhaps it’s because they look more fragile than other components or perhaps it’s because they’re easier to replace than a “wired-in” component like a paper capacitor. Often however, the problem lies elsewhere and paper capacitors are notorious for causing problems in vintage radios. As a result, many vintage radio enthusiasts spend a great deal of time checking and replacing capaci- tors when restoring a set. In fact, some take a blanket approach and replace most, if not all, capacitors in a set. However, that’s not always the best approach – some will almost certainly need replacement but generally not all. Radio servicing Many years ago, when I was a radio serviceman, paper capacitors were just as troublesome in valve radios as they are now. Typically, the set’s sound would gradually distort over a period of approximately an hour, or the sound would become intermittent, fading out over a minute or so and then suddenly blaring out at full volume again. Although it was possible to painstakingly check each stage and eventually locate the offending component, this usually wasn’t the best approach. In those days, we didn’t have the range of quality test instruments that we have today. Of course, it was always pleasing to find the offending component, if at all possible (Sherlock Holmes had just successfully solved another mystery). However, this approach was usually very labour intensive and time consuming. I also reasoned that if one paper capacitor was faulty, then others were likely to become defective within a short time. And that could mean that the set would be back with the “same fault” after just a few weeks or months and my reputation would suffer. As a result, I quickly came to the conclusion that it was more economic to replace all the paper capacitors in one fell swoop. The fault would be fixed (but I wouldn’t know which component was faulty) and a batch of new capacitors would give years of trouble-free service. Or would they? Unfortunately, at that time, the replacements were the Ducons and UCC capacitors of the 1950s and early 60s. These proved to be quite troublesome in service. Capacitor faults Capacitors that are deformed should be replaced. However, if a capacitor appears OK, it may still be used in many circuit locations even if it is leaky. 90  Silicon Chip So what faults did paper capacitors have? Basically, there were three different types of fault that occurred. The most common fault was leakage resistance which varied with voltage and temperature. This could vary from a few thousand ohms up to hundreds of megohms, depending on the capacitor and its manufacturer. As a result, siliconchip.com.au These old paper capacitors have obviously seen better days and have been replaced. If you want to maintain authenticity, you can often use the “shell” of an old capacitor to hide a modern replacement. the capacitor looked like a capacitor with a parallel resistance. The second type of fault involved poor contact between the end plate in the capacitor (attached to the pigtail) and the coiled ends of the capacitor plates. In that case, the capacitor would intermittently go open circuit but just touching a test prod almost anywhere in the set would cause the capacitor to temporarily “come good”. This type of fault was difficult to track down to a single unit. The third type of fault was somewhat more common in early paper capacitors. A paper capacitor is made of sheets of specially treated paper, with two foils in between the sheets. These are wound rather like sticky tape on a roll and the foils may only be attached to the pigtail at one end of the wound layers. A capacitor made this way (or heading this way in service) can be quite inductive and will not do a good job in RF circuits. It may test perfectly for capacitance and leakage but it won’t work in the circuit. Again, this can be a tricky fault to find. It will be quite obvious to those who read the “Serviceman’s Log” that bulk replacement of some components is done today, even though most will be quite OK. The fact is, it’s far more economical to replace many small components that could cause a particular fault rather than spend time tracking down an individual culprit. Of course, it will be obvious which component is at fault in many cases. However, it pays to replace “innocent” components that could be intermittent siliconchip.com.au and which may have caused the other parts to fail. Restoring old radios To ensure high reliability in vintage sets, all the paper capacitors can be replaced with modern (and much more reliable) polyester or styroseal capacitors. In fact, this is often done as a matter of course by many vintage radio buffs. It’s also a technique that’s often employed by less experienced restorers to fix a problem they are not familiar with. I was initially guilty of this approach too, probably as a result of my servicing experiences. However, sometimes I didn’t have enough capacitors to do the complete job and I eventually began to wonder if it really was necessary to replace all paper capacitors. The answer to this is “no, it isn’t” and the reason is quite simple – many are not in positions where they can cause trouble, despite having measurable leakage. Of course, the exact amount of leakage that is tolerable in any location is an elastic figure – it all depends where the capacitor is located in the circuit. In short, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”! In addition, needlessly replacing all the original paper capacitors detracts from the set’s authenticity – at least when it comes to appearance. There is an alternative though and that is to remove the innards of the paper capacitors and hide polyester capacitors inside the vacated cases. That way, the capacitors look authentic but now work reliably. For further information on how to A high-voltage insulation tester is useful for checking capacitors out of circuit. do this, the Historical Radio Society of Australia magazine “Radio Waves” had an article in its January 2004 issue on this very subject. The decision to replace a paper capacitor will depend on its leakage resistance, its location in the circuit and the component values around it. However, there are some capacitors that must have negligible or unmeasurable leakage resistance. These are the audio coupler between the plate of the first audio stage and the output valve grid and the AGC/AVC bypass capacitors. I routinely replace these capacitors without even bothering to test them, particularly the audio coupler. Cathode bypass capacitors can be extremely leaky and still be “satisfactory” as far as the circuit is concerned. However, if their leakage resistance is below around a megohm or two, I would still replace them as the leakage may be due to another fault which then needs to be tracked down. Example sets It has always been my philosophy to place the least strain possible on components within a receiver. This sometimes involves making slight alterations to circuits to achieve this aim, as detailed for the two example circuits presented below and in Pt.2 next month. The less strain on a part, the more reliable it is likely to be. October 2004  91 Electrolytic capacitors can also be unreliable and need to be carefully checked, both for leakage and for capacitance value. Again, you can hide modern units inside the “shells” of the originals to keep the appearance authentic. My first example is the Healing R401E/S401E, a simple 4-valve superhet receiver. This set places relatively little stress on its capacitors and is also quite tolerant of leakage resistance. Pt.2 next month covers the Healing 505E, a 5-valve superhet. By contrast with the 401E, this set has a number of capacitors that are either under significant stress or are in places where very little leakage can be tolerated. The Healing R401E/S401E The R401E has no AGC and only one audio stage, so that greatly simplifies matters. Generally, bypass capacitors (such as a screen bypass) can have a leakage resistance of 10 times the value of the screen dropping resistor and the performance of the set will be little affected (if noticeable at all). In practice, I prefer to limit the leakage resistance to something like 20 times, with a minimum of around 2MΩ. In this case, screen bypass capacitor C8 could have a leakage of 20 times the value of R5 (20kΩ) which is 0.4MΩ but as just stated, I would replace it if it were below 2MΩ just to be on the safe side. Note that C8’s voltage rating is 400V, although the operating voltage is around 116V. However, the voltage across this capacitor could be as high as 330V just after switch-on, as the 5Y3GT is operating and supplying peak DC voltage well before the other valves start drawing any current. C3 is used as an RF bypass and is connected to potentiometer R1 which has a resistance of 50kΩ. Even with R1’s moving arm at the centre of its travel, the maximum resistance to earth is around 14kΩ and so the maximum voltage across C3 is only about 35V. As a result, C3 isn’t highly This photo shows a couple of old Ducon paper capacitors. They were notoriously unreliable. 92  Silicon Chip stressed and it can be quite leaky at perhaps 300kΩ and still cause no problems in the set. C9 is the cathode bypass for both of the radio frequency (RF) valves (6A8G & EBF35). This capacitor is in parallel with R3 which in turn is in series with R4 and R1 in parallel. As a result, the resistance from the cathodes of these two valves to earth is around 3kΩ and so the leakage across C9 could be as low as 60kΩ without causing problems. By contrast, C10 is a mica capacitor and it must have very low leakage – ie, greater than 20MΩ internal resistance. In practice, mica capacitors generally have extremely low leakage (high resistance) and rarely need replacing. Next, we come to the critical audio coupler – capacitor C11. Resistor R7 has a value of 1MΩ, so as a rule of thumb, I would expect C11 to have greater than 20MΩ of resistance or I would replace it. There’s not much voltage across this capacitor though, so it’s quite unstressed in this circuit. The voltage across C10 will vary from around +35V to perhaps +20V, depending on the setting of the volume control and the strength of the received station. Assuming that C11 has a resistance of 20MΩ, this means that the voltage at the junction of R7 and C11 will be just under +2V. This voltage is applied to the grid of the 6V6G and will cause it to draw more current, so the voltage across R8 rises by almost 2V to almost bring the stage back to its correct bias. In greater detail, the normal bias on a 6V6G running from a 250V HT supply is around 12.5V. If it has +2V on the grid, the cathode voltage has to rise to 14.5V to cancel the effect of the positive grid voltage. As a result, the valve will draw 14.5/12.5 times its intended current, or about 16% more (of course, this increase would be much greater with a valve that requires just 5V of bias). In this set, a 20MΩ leakage across C11 is probably acceptable as the valve is not being pushed hard. However, I would still replace it if it were below 50MΩ leakage resistance. Note that although the maximum voltage across this capacitor is only 35V, it is rated at 600V! Next on the list is C13 which is wired from the plate of the 6V6GT to its screen. It acts as an elementary tone control (so that the set doesn’t sound siliconchip.com.au Fig.1: the Healing R401E is a fairly simple 4-valve superhet receiver. Most of its paper capacitors are in non-critical locations when it comes to leakage. “screechy”) and as an RF bypass to filter out any residual 455kHz energy in the audio amplifier. Once again, there is only around 40V DC and about 150V of audio impressed across this capacitor which is also rated at 600V. R9 and output transformer T2’s primary are connected in series across C13 and have a combined resistance of about 4.5kΩ. Once again, this capacitor could theoretically be quite leaky at around 20 times this value (ie, 90kΩ) without having any real affect on the set. Photo Gallery: Breville 621 Pick-Me-Up-4 Only C8 is stressed In summary, there’s only one paper capacitor in this set that’s under any real stress and that’s screen bypass capacitor C8. The others all have quite an easy life and can have quite high leakage without upsetting the operation of the receiver. This means that you may not have to replace any paper capacitors when restoring this set (except for C8), which is contrary to what many people have believed in the past. Next month, we’ll examine the paper capacitors in the Healing 505E receiver. This set is far less tolerant of leaky capacitors than the 401E, as we shall see. SC siliconchip.com.au Introduced in 1947 by Breville Radio, Sydney, the 621 was housed in a painted metal cabinet fitted with a carrying handle. However, the set wasn’t really a portable, being designed for mains-only operation. The valve line-up was as follows: EK2G frequency changer; 6G8-G reflexed IF/audio amplifier/AVC rectifier; 6V6-GT audio output; and 5Y3-GT rectifier. Photo: Historical Radio Society of Australia, Inc. October 2004  93 Silicon Chip Back Issues November 1994: Dry Cell Battery Rejuvenator; Novel Alphanumeric Clock; 80-M DSB Amateur Transmitter; 2-Cell Nicad Discharger. April 1989: Auxiliary Brake Light Flasher; What You Need to Know About Capacitors; 32-Band Graphic Equaliser, Pt.2. April 1992: IR Remote Control For Model Railroads; Differential Input Buffer For CROs; Aligning Vintage Radio Receivers, Pt.1. May 1989: Build A Synthesised Tom-Tom; Biofeedback Monitor For Your PC; Simple Stub Filter For Suppressing TV Interference. June 1992: Multi-Station Headset Intercom, Pt.1; Video Switcher For Camcorders & VCRs; IR Remote Control For Model Railroads, Pt.3; 15-Watt 12-240V Inverter; A Look At Hard Disk Drives. July 1989: Exhaust Gas Monitor; Experimental Mains Hum Sniffers; Compact Ultrasonic Car Alarm; The NSW 86 Class Electrics. September 1989: 2-Chip Portable AM Stereo Radio Pt.1; High Or Low Fluid Level Detector; Studio Series 20-Band Stereo Equaliser, Pt.2. October 1992: 2kW 24VDC - 240VAC Sinewave Inverter; Multi-Sector Home Burglar Alarm, Pt.2; Mini Amplifier For Personal Stereos; A Regulated Lead-Acid Battery Charger. October 1989: FM Radio Intercom For Motorbikes Pt.1; GaAsFet Preamplifier For Amateur TV; 2-Chip Portable AM Stereo Radio, Pt.2. February 1993: Three Projects For Model Railroads; Low Fuel Indicator For Cars; Audio Level/VU Meter (LED Readout); An Electronic Cockroach; 2kW 24VDC To 240VAC Sinewave Inverter, Pt.5. November 1989: Radfax Decoder For Your PC (Displays Fax, RTTY & Morse); FM Radio Intercom For Motorbikes, Pt.2; 2-Chip Portable AM Stereo Radio, Pt.3; Floppy Disk Drive Formats & Options. March 1993: Solar Charger For 12V Batteries; Reaction Trainer; Audio Mixer for Camcorders; A 24-Hour Sidereal Clock For Astronomers. January 1990: High Quality Sine/Square Oscillator; Service Tips For Your VCR; Active Antenna Kit; Designing UHF Transmitter Stages. February 1990: A 16-Channel Mixing Desk; Build A High Quality Audio Oscillator, Pt.2; The Incredible Hot Canaries; Random Wire Antenna Tuner For 6 Metres; Phone Patch For Radio Amateurs, Pt.2. March 1990: Delay Unit For Automatic Antennas; Workout Timer For Aerobics Classes; 16-Channel Mixing Desk, Pt.2; Using The UC3906 SLA Battery Charger IC. April 1990: Dual Tracking ±50V Power Supply; Voice-Operated Switch With Delayed Audio; 16-Channel Mixing Desk, Pt.3; Active CW Filter. June 1990: Multi-Sector Home Burglar Alarm; Build A Low-Noise Universal Stereo Preamplifier; Load Protector For Power Supplies. July 1993: Single Chip Message Recorder; Light Beam Relay Extender; AM Radio Trainer, Pt.2; Quiz Game Adjudicator; Antenna Tuners – Why They Are Useful. July 1995: Electric Fence Controller; How To Run Two Trains On A Single Track (Incl. Lights & Sound); Setting Up A Satellite TV Ground Station; Build A Reliable Door Minder. August 1993: Low-Cost Colour Video Fader; 60-LED Brake Light Array; Microprocessor-Based Sidereal Clock; Satellites & Their Orbits. September 1993: Automatic Nicad Battery Charger/Discharger; Stereo Preamplifier With IR Remote Control, Pt.1; In-Circuit Transistor Tester; +5V to ±15V DC Converter; Remote-Controlled Cockroach. September 1990: 3-Digit Counter Module; Simple Shortwave Converter For The 2-Metre Band; Taking Care Of Nicad Battery Packs. December 1993: Remote Controller For Garage Doors; LED Stroboscope; 25W Audio Amplifier Module; A 1-Chip Melody Generator; Engine Management, Pt.3; Index To Volume 6. May 1991: 13.5V 25A Power Supply For Transceivers; Stereo Audio Expander; Fluorescent Light Simulator For Model Railways; How To Install Multiple TV Outlets, Pt.1. July 1991: Loudspeaker Protector For Stereo Amplifiers; 4-Channel Lighting Desk, Pt.2; How To Install Multiple TV Outlets, Pt.2; Tuning In To Satellite TV, Pt.2. September 1991: Digital Altimeter For Gliders & Ultralights; Ultrasonic Switch For Mains Appliances; The Basics Of A/D & D/A Conversion. October 1991: A Talking Voltmeter For Your PC, Pt.1; SteamSound Simulator For Model Railways Mk.II; Magnetic Field Strength Meter; Digital Altimeter For Gliders, Pt.2; Military Applications Of R/C Aircraft. November 1991: Build A Colour TV Pattern Generator, Pt.1; A Junkbox 2-Valve Receiver; Flashing Alarm Light For Cars; Digital Altimeter For Gliders, Pt.3; A Talking Voltmeter For Your PC, Pt.2. December 1991: TV Transmitter For VCRs With UHF Modulators; IR Light Beam Relay; Colour TV Pattern Generator, Pt.2; Index To Vol.4. March 1992: TV Transmitter For VHF VCRs; Thermostatic Switch For Car Radiator Fans; Valve Substitution In Vintage Radios. ORDER FORM April 1995: FM Radio Trainer, Pt.1; Balanced Mic Preamp & Line Filter; 50W/Channel Stereo Amplifier, Pt.2; Wide Range Electrostatic Loudspeakers, Pt.3; 8-Channel Decoder For Radio Remote Control. June 1995: Build A Satellite TV Receiver; Train Detector For Model Railways; 1W Audio Amplifier Trainer; Low-Cost Video Security System; Multi-Channel Radio Control Transmitter For Models, Pt.1. November 1993: High Efficiency Inverter For Fluorescent Tubes; Stereo Preamplifier With IR Remote Control, Pt.3; Siren Sound Generator; Engine Management, Pt.2; Experiments For Games Cards. March 1991: Transistor Beta Tester Mk.2; A Synthesised AM Stereo Tuner, Pt.2; Multi-Purpose I/O Board For PC-Compatibles; Wideband RF Preamplifier For Amateur Radio & TV. March 1995: 2 x 50W Stereo Amplifier, Pt.1; Subcarrier Decoder For FM Receivers; Wide Range Electrostatic Loudspeakers, Pt.2; IR Illuminator For CCD Cameras; Remote Control System For Models, Pt.3. June 1993: AM Radio Trainer, Pt.1; Remote Control For The Woofer Stopper; Digital Voltmeter For Cars. August 1990: High Stability UHF Remote Transmitter; Universal Safety Timer For Mains Appliances (9 Minutes); Horace The Electronic Cricket; Digital Sine/Square Generator, Pt.2. January 1991: Fast Charger For Nicad Batteries, Pt.1; Have Fun With The Fruit Machine (Simple Poker Machine); Two-Tone Alarm Module; The Dangers of Servicing Microwave Ovens. February 1995: 2 x 50W Stereo Amplifier Module; Digital Effects Unit For Musicians; 6-Channel Thermometer With LCD Readout; Wide Range Electrostatic Loudspeakers, Pt.1; Oil Change Timer For Cars; Remote Control System For Models, Pt.2. May 1995: Guitar Headphone Amplifier; FM Radio Trainer, Pt.2; Transistor/Mosfet Tester For DMMs; A 16-Channel Decoder For Radio Remote Control; Introduction To Satellite TV. October 1993: Courtesy Light Switch-Off Timer For Cars; Wireless Microphone For Musicians; Stereo Preamplifier With IR Remote Control, Pt.2; Electronic Engine Management, Pt.1. November 1990: Connecting Two TV Sets To One VCR; Build An Egg Timer; Low-Cost Model Train Controller; 1.5V To 9V DC Converter; Introduction To Digital Electronics; A 6-Metre Amateur Transmitter. January 1995: Sun Tracker For Solar Panels; Battery Saver For Torches; Dual Channel UHF Remote Control; Stereo Microphone Pre­amp­lifier. April 1993: Solar-Powered Electric Fence; Audio Power Meter; ThreeFunction Home Weather Station; 12VDC To 70VDC Converter. July 1990: Digital Sine/Square Generator, Pt.1 (0-500kHz); Burglar Alarm Keypad & Combination Lock; Build A Simple Electronic Die; October 1990: The Dangers of PCBs; Low-Cost Siren For Burglar Alarms; Dimming Controls For The Discolight; Surfsound Simulator; DC Offset For DMMs; NE602 Converter Circuits. December 1994: Car Burglar Alarm; Three-Spot Low Distortion Sinewave Oscillator; Clifford – A Pesky Electronic Cricket; Remote Control System for Models, Pt.1; Index to Vol.7. August 1995: Fuel Injector Monitor For Cars; Gain Controlled Microphone Preamp; How To Identify IDE Hard Disk Drive Parameters. September 1995: Railpower Mk.2 Walkaround Throttle For Model Railways, Pt.1; Keypad Combination Lock; Jacob’s Ladder Display. October 1995: 3-Way Loudspeaker System; Railpower Mk.2 Walkaround Throttle For Model Railways, Pt.2; Nicad Fast Charger. January 1994: 3A 40V Variable Power Supply; Solar Panel Switching Regulator; Printer Status Indicator; Mini Drill Speed Controller; Stepper Motor Controller; Active Filter Design; Engine Management, Pt.4. February 1994:90-Second Message Recorder; 12-240VAC 200W Inverter; 0.5W Audio Amplifier; 3A 40V Adjustable Power Supply; Engine Management, Pt.5; Airbags In Cars – How They Work. March 1994: Intelligent IR Remote Controller; 50W (LM3876) Audio Amplifier Module; Level Crossing Detector For Model Railways; Voice Activated Switch For FM Microphones; Engine Management, Pt.6. November 1995: Mixture Display For Fuel Injected Cars; CB Trans­verter For The 80M Amateur Band, Pt.1; PIR Movement Detector. December 1995: Engine Immobiliser; 5-Band Equaliser; CB Transverter For The 80M Amateur Band, Pt.2; Subwoofer Controller; Knock Sensing In Cars; Index To Volume 8. January 1996: Surround Sound Mixer & Decoder, Pt.1; Magnetic Card Reader; Automatic Sprinkler Controller; IR Remote Control For The Railpower Mk.2; Recharging Nicad Batteries For Long Life. April 1996: 125W Audio Amplifier Module; Knock Indicator For Leaded Petrol Engines; Multi-Channel Radio Control Transmitter; Pt.3. May 1996: High Voltage Insulation Tester; Knightrider LED Chaser; Simple Intercom Uses Optical Cable; Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes, Pt.3. June 1996: Stereo Simulator (uses delay chip); Rope Light Chaser; Low Ohms Tester For Your DMM; Automatic 10A Battery Charger. April 1994: Sound & Lights For Model Railway Level Crossings; Dual Supply Voltage Regulator; Universal Stereo Preamplifier; Digital Water Tank Gauge; Engine Management, Pt.7. May 1994: Fast Charger For Nicad Batteries; Induction Balance Metal Locator; Multi-Channel Infrared Remote Control; Dual Electronic Dice; Simple Servo Driver Circuits; Engine Management, Pt.8. June 1994: A Coolant Level Alarm For Your Car; 80-Metre AM/CW Transmitter For Amateurs; Converting Phono Inputs To Line Inputs; PC-Based Nicad Battery Monitor; Engine Management, Pt.9. July 1996: VGA Digital Oscilloscope, Pt.1; Remote Control Extender For VCRs; 2A SLA Battery Charger; 3-Band Parametric Equaliser;. August 1996: Introduction to IGBTs; Electronic Starter For Fluores­cent Lamps; VGA Oscilloscope, Pt.2; 350W Amplifier Module; Masthead Amplifier For TV & FM; Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes, Pt.4. September 1996: VGA Oscilloscope, Pt.3; IR Stereo Headphone Link, Pt.1; High Quality PA Loudspeaker; 3-Band HF Amateur Radio Receiver; Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes, Pt.5. October 1996: Send Video Signals Over Twisted Pair Cable; 600W DC-DC Converter For Car Hifi Systems, Pt.1; IR Stereo Headphone Link, Pt.2; Multi-Channel Radio Control Transmitter, Pt.8. July 1994: Build A 4-Bay Bow-Tie UHF TV Antenna; PreChamp 2-Transistor Preamplifier; Steam Train Whistle & Diesel Horn Simulator; 6V SLA Battery Charger; Electronic Engine Management, Pt.10. August 1994: High-Power Dimmer For Incandescent Lights; Dual Diversity Tuner For FM Microphones, Pt.1; Nicad Zapper (For Resurrecting Nicad Batteries); Electronic Engine Management, Pt.11. September 1994: Automatic Discharger For Nicad Batteries; MiniVox Voice Operated Relay; AM Radio For Weather Beacons; Dual Diversity Tuner For FM Mics, Pt.2; Electronic Engine Management, Pt.12. October 1994: How Dolby Surround Sound Works; Dual Rail Variable Power Supply; Talking Headlight Reminder; Electronic Ballast For Fluorescent Lights; Electronic Engine Management, Pt.13. November 1996: 8-Channel Stereo Mixer, Pt.1; Low-Cost Fluorescent Light Inverter; Repairing Domestic Light Dimmers; 600W DC-DC Converter For Car Hifi Systems, Pt.2. December 1996: Active Filter For CW Reception; Fast Clock For Railway Modellers; Laser Pistol & Electronic Target; Build A Sound Level Meter; 8-Channel Stereo Mixer, Pt.2; Index To Vol.9. January 1997: How To Network Your PC; Control Panel For Multiple Smoke Alarms, Pt.1; Build A Pink Noise Source; Computer Controlled Dual Power Supply, Pt.1; Digi-Temp Monitors Eight Temperatures. February 1997: PC-Con­trolled Moving Message Display; Computer Please send the following back issues:________________________________________ Enclosed is my cheque/money order for $­______or please debit my:  Bankcard  Visa Card  Master Card Card No. Signature ___________________________ Card expiry date_____ /______ Name ______________________________ Phone No (___) ____________ PLEASE PRINT Street ______________________________________________________ Suburb/town _______________________________ Postcode ___________ 94  Silicon Chip 10% OF SUBSCR F TO IB OR IF Y ERS OU 10 OR M BUY ORE Note: prices include postage & packing Australia ............................... $A8.80 (incl. GST) Overseas (airmail) ..................................... $A10 Detach and mail to: Silicon Chip Publications, PO Box 139, Collaroy, NSW, Australia 2097. Or call (02) 9979 5644 & quote your credit card details or fax the details to (02) 9979 6503. Email: silchip<at>siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au Controlled Dual Power Supply, Pt.2; Alert-A-Phone Loud Sounding Telephone Alarm; Control Panel For Multiple Smoke Alarms, Pt.2. March 1997: Driving A Computer By Remote Control; Plastic Power PA Amplifier (175W); Signalling & Lighting For Model Railways; Build A Jumbo LED Clock; Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes, Pt.7. April 1997: Simple Timer With No ICs; Digital Voltmeter For Cars; Loudspeaker Protector For Stereo Amplifiers; Model Train Controller; A Look At Signal Tracing; Pt.1; Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes, Pt.8. December 1999: Solar Panel Regulator; PC Powerhouse (gives +12V, +9V, +6V & +5V rails); Fortune Finder Metal Locator; Speed Alarm For Cars, Pt.2; Railpower Model Train Controller, Pt.3; Index To Vol.12. January 2000: Spring Reverberation Module; An Audio-Video Test Generator; Picman Programmable Robot; Parallel Port Interface Card; Off-Hook Indicator For Telephones. February 2000: Multi-Sector Sprinkler Controller; A Digital Voltmeter For Your Car; Safety Switch Checker; Sine/Square Wave Oscillator. May 1997: Neon Tube Modulator For Light Systems; Traffic Lights For A Model Intersection; The Spacewriter – It Writes Messages In Thin Air; A Look At Signal Tracing; Pt.2; Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes, Pt.9. March 2000: Resurrecting An Old Computer; Low Distortion 100W Amplifier Module, Pt.1; Electronic Wind Vane With 16-LED Display; Glowplug Driver For Powered Models; The OzTrip Car Computer, Pt.1. June 1997: PC-Controlled Thermometer/Thermostat; TV Pattern Generator, Pt.1; Audio/RF Signal Tracer; High-Current Speed Controller For 12V/24V Motors; Manual Control Circuit For Stepper Motors. May 2000: Ultra-LD Stereo Amplifier, Pt.2; LED Dice (With PIC Microcontroller); Low-Cost AT Keyboard Translator (Converts IBM Scan-Codes To ASCII); 50A Motor Speed Controller For Models. July 1997: Infrared Remote Volume Control; A Flexible Interface Card For PCs; Points Controller For Model Railways; Colour TV Pattern Generator, Pt.2; An In-Line Mixer For Radio Control Receivers. June 2000: Automatic Rain Gauge; Parallel Port VHF FM Receiver; Switchmode Power Supply (1.23V to 40V) Pt.1; CD Compressor. August 1997: The Bass Barrel Subwoofer; 500 Watt Audio Power Amplifier Module; A TENs Unit For Pain Relief; Addressable PC Card For Stepper Motor Control; Remote Controlled Gates For Your Home. October 1997: 5-Digit Tachometer; Central Locking For Your Car; PCControlled 6-Channel Voltmeter; 500W Audio Power Amplifier, Pt.3. November 1997: Heavy Duty 10A 240VAC Motor Speed Controller; Easy-To-Use Cable & Wiring Tester; Build A Musical Doorbell; Replacing Foam Speaker Surrounds; Understanding Electric Lighting Pt.1. December 1997: Speed Alarm For Cars; 2-Axis Robot With Gripper; Stepper Motor Driver With Onboard Buffer; Power Supply For Stepper Motor Cards; Understanding Electric Lighting Pt.2; Index To Vol.10. January 1998: 4-Channel 12VDC or 12VAC Lightshow, Pt.1; Command Control For Model Railways, Pt.1; Pan Controller For CCD Cameras. February 1998: Multi-Purpose Fast Battery Charger, Pt.1; Telephone Exchange Simulator For Testing; Command Control System For Model Railways, Pt.2; Build Your Own 4-Channel Lightshow, Pt.2. Test Instruments; Direct Conversion Receiver For Radio Amateurs. September 2002: 12V Fluorescent Lamp Inverter; 8-Channel Infrared Remote Control; 50-Watt DC Electronic Load; Spyware – An Update. October 2002: Speed Controller For Universal Motors; PC Parallel Port Wizard; Cable Tracer; AVR ISP Serial Programmer; 3D TV. November 2002: SuperCharger For NiCd/NiMH Batteries, Pt.1; Windows-Based EPROM Programmer, Pt.1; 4-Digit Crystal-Controlled Timing Module; Using Linux To Share An Optus Cable Modem, Pt.1. December 2002: Receiving TV From Satellites; Pt.1; The Micromitter Stereo FM Transmitter; Windows-Based EPROM Programmer, Pt.2; SuperCharger For NiCd/NiMH Batteries; Pt.2; Simple VHF FM/AM Radio; Using Linux To Share An Optus Cable Modem, Pt.2. January 2003: Receiving TV From Satellites, Pt 2; SC480 50W RMS Amplifier Module, Pt.1; Gear Indicator For Cars; Active 3-Way Crossover For Speakers; Using Linux To Share An Optus Cable Modem, Pt.3. July 2000: Moving Message Display; Compact Fluorescent Lamp Driver; Musicians’ Lead Tester; Switchmode Power Supply, Pt.2. February 2003: PortaPal PA System, Pt.1; SC480 50W RMS Amplifier Module, Pt.2; Windows-Based EPROM Programmer, Pt.3; Using Linux To Share An Optus Cable Modem, Pt.4; Fun With The PICAXE, Pt.1. August 2000: Theremin; Spinner (writes messages in “thin-air”); Proximity Switch; Structured Cabling For Computer Networks. March 2003: LED Lighting For Your Car; Peltier-Effect Tinnie Cooler; PortaPal PA System, Pt.2; 12V SLA Battery Float Charger; Little Dynamite Subwoofer; Fun With The PICAXE, Pt.2 (Shop Door Minder). September 2000: Swimming Pool Alarm; 8-Channel PC Relay Board; Fuel Mixture Display For Cars, Pt.1; Protoboards – The Easy Way Into Electronics, Pt.1; Cybug The Solar Fly. October 2000: Guitar Jammer; Breath Tester; Wand-Mounted Inspection Camera; Subwoofer For Cars; Fuel Mixture Display, Pt.2. November 2000: Santa & Rudolf Chrissie Display; 2-Channel Guitar Preamplifier, Pt.1; Message Bank & Missed Call Alert; Protoboards – The Easy Way Into Electronics, Pt.3. December 2000: Home Networking For Shared Internet Access; White LED Torch; 2-Channel Guitar Preamplifier, Pt.2 (Digital Reverb); Driving An LCD From The Parallel Port; Index To Vol.13. April 2003: Video-Audio Booster For Home Theatre Systems; Telephone Dialler For Burglar Alarms; Three PIC Programmer Kits; PICAXE, Pt.3 (Heartbeat Simulator); Electric Shutter Release For Cameras. May 2003: Widgybox Guitar Distortion Effects Unit; 10MHz Direct Digital Synthesis Generator; Big Blaster Subwoofer; Printer Port Simulator; PICAXE, Pt.4 (Motor Controller). June 2003: PICAXE, Pt.5; PICAXE-Controlled Telephone Intercom; PICAXE-08 Port Expansion; Sunset Switch For Security & Garden Lighting; Digital Reaction Timer; Adjustable DC-DC Converter For Cars; Long-Range 4-Channel UHF Remote Control. January 2001: How To Transfer LPs & Tapes To CD; The LP Doctor – Clean Up Clicks & Pops, Pt.1; Arbitrary Waveform Generator; 2-Channel Guitar Preamplifier, Pt.3; PIC Programmer & TestBed. July 2003: Smart Card Reader & Programmer; Power-Up Auto Mains Switch; A “Smart” Slave Flash Trigger; Programmable Continuity Tester; PICAXE Pt.6 – Data Communications; Updating The PIC Programmer & Checkerboard; RFID Tags – How They Work. February 2001: An Easy Way To Make PC Boards; L’il Pulser Train Controller; A MIDI Interface For PCs; Build The Bass Blazer; 2-Metre Groundplane Antenna; The LP Doctor – Clean Up Clicks & Pops, Pt.2. August 2003: PC Infrared Remote Receiver (Play DVDs & MP3s On Your PC Via Remote Control); Digital Instrument Display For Cars, Pt.1; Home-Brew Weatherproof 2.4GHz WiFi Antennas; PICAXE Pt.7. March 2001: Making Photo Resist PC Boards; Big-Digit 12/24 Hour Clock; Parallel Port PIC Programmer & Checkerboard; Protoboards – The Easy Way Into Electronics, Pt.5; A Simple MIDI Expansion Box. September 2003: Robot Wars; Krypton Bike Light; PIC Programmer; Current Clamp Meter Adapter For DMMs; PICAXE Pt.8 – A Data Logger; Digital Instrument Display For Cars, Pt.2. April 2001: A GPS Module For Your PC; Dr Video – An Easy-To-Build Video Stabiliser; Tremolo Unit For Musicians; Minimitter FM Stereo Transmitter; Intelligent Nicad Battery Charger. October 2003: PC Board Design, Pt.1; JV80 Loudspeaker System; A Dirt Cheap, High-Current Power Supply; Low-Cost 50MHz Frequency Meter; Long-Range 16-Channel Remote Control System. August 1998: Troubleshooting Your PC, Pt.4; I/O Card With Data Logging; Beat Triggered Strobe; 15W/Ch Class-A Stereo Amplifier, Pt.2. May 2001: 12V Mini Stereo Amplifier; Two White-LED Torches To Build; PowerPak – A Multi-Voltage Power Supply; Using Linux To Share An Internet Connection, Pt.1; Tweaking Windows With TweakUI. November 2003: PC Board Design, Pt.2; 12AX7 Valve Audio Preamplifier; Our Best Ever LED Torch; Smart Radio Modem For Microcontrollers; PICAXE Pt.9; Programmable PIC-Powered Timer. September 1998: Troubleshooting Your PC, Pt.5; A Blocked Air-Filter Alarm; Waa-Waa Pedal For Guitars; Jacob’s Ladder; Gear Change Indicator For Cars; Capacity Indicator For Rechargeable Batteries. June 2001: Universal Battery Charger, Pt.1; Phonome – Call, Listen In & Switch Devices On & Off; Low-Cost Automatic Camera Switcher; Using Linux To Share An Internet Connection, Pt.2; A PC To Die For, Pt.1. October 1998: AC Millivoltmeter, Pt.1; PC-Controlled Stress-O-Meter; Versatile Electronic Guitar Limiter; 12V Trickle Charger For Float Conditions; Adding An External Battery Pack To Your Flashgun. July 2001: The HeartMate Heart Rate Monitor; Do Not Disturb Tele­phone Timer; Pic-Toc – A Simple Alarm Clock; Fast Universal Battery Charger, Pt.2; A PC To Die For, Pt.2; Backing Up Your Email. December 2003: How To Receive Weather Satellite Images; Self-Diagnostics Plug For Cars; PC Board Design, Pt.3; VHF Receiver For Weather Satellites; Linear Supply For Luxeon 1W Star LEDs; MiniCal 5V Meter Calibration Standard; PIC-Based Car Battery Monitor; PICAXE Pt.10. November 1998: The Christmas Star; A Turbo Timer For Cars; Build A Poker Machine, Pt.1; FM Transmitter For Musicians; Lab Quality AC Millivoltmeter, Pt.2; Improving AM Radio Reception, Pt.1. August 2001: DI Box For Musicians; 200W Mosfet Amplifier Module; Headlight Reminder; 40MHz 6-Digit Frequency Counter Module; A PC To Die For, Pt.3; Using Linux To Share An Internet Connection, Pt.3. December 1998: Engine Immobiliser Mk.2; Thermocouple Adaptor For DMMs; Regulated 12V DC Plugpack; Build A Poker Machine, Pt.2; Improving AM Radio Reception, Pt.2; Mixer Module For F3B Gliders. September 2001: Making MP3s; Build An MP3 Jukebox, Pt.1; PCControlled Mains Switch; Personal Noise Source For Tinnitus; Directional Microphone; Using Linux To Share An Internet Connection, Pt.4. January 1999: High-Voltage Megohm Tester; A Look At The BASIC Stamp; Bargraph Ammeter For Cars; Keypad Engine Immobiliser. November 2001: Ultra-LD 100W/Channel Stereo Amplifier, Pt.1; Neon Tube Modulator For Cars; Audio/Video Distribution Amplifier; Build A Short Message Recorder Player; Useful Tips For Your PC. April 1998: Automatic Garage Door Opener, Pt.1; 40V 8A Adjustable Power Supply, Pt.1; PC-Controlled 0-30kHz Sinewave Generator; Understanding Electric Lighting; Pt.6. May 1998: 3-LED Logic Probe; Garage Door Opener, Pt.2; Command Control System, Pt.4; 40V 8A Adjustable Power Supply, Pt.2. June 1998: Troubleshooting Your PC, Pt.2; Universal High Energy Ignition System; The Roadies’ Friend Cable Tester; Universal Stepper Motor Controller; Command Control For Model Railways, Pt.5. July 1998: Troubleshooting Your PC, Pt.3; 15W/Ch Class-A Audio Amplifier, Pt.1; Simple Charger For 6V & 12V SLA Batteries; Auto­ matic Semiconductor Analyser; Understanding Electric Lighting, Pt.8. March 1999: Build A Digital Anemometer; DIY PIC Programmer; Easy-To-Build Audio Compressor; Low-Distortion Audio Signal Generator, Pt.2. December 2001: IR Transceiver For PCs; 100W/Ch Stereo Amplifier, Pt.2; Pardy Lights Colour Display; PIC Fun – Learning About Micros. April 1999: Getting Started With Linux; Pt.2; High-Power Electric Fence Controller; Bass Cube Subwoofer; Programmable Thermostat/ Thermometer; Build An Infrared Sentry; Rev Limiter For Cars. January 2002: Touch And/Or Remote-Controlled Light Dimmer, Pt.1; A Cheap ’n’Easy Motorbike Alarm; 100W /Channel Stereo Amplifier, Pt.3; Build A Raucous Alarm; FAQs On The MP3 Jukebox. May 1999: The Line Dancer Robot; An X-Y Table With Stepper Motor Control, Pt.1; Three Electric Fence Testers; Heart Of LEDs; Build A Carbon Monoxide Alarm. February 2002: 10-Channel IR Remote Control Receiver; 2.4GHz High-Power Audio-Video Link; Touch And/Or Remote-Controlled Light Dimmer, Pt.2; Booting A PC Without A Keyboard; 4-Way Event Timer. June 1999: FM Radio Tuner Card For PCs; X-Y Table With Stepper Motor Control, Pt.2; Programmable Ignition Timing Module For Cars, Pt.1. March 2002: Mighty Midget Audio Amplifier Module; 6-Channel IR Remote Volume Control, Pt.1; RIAA Pre­-­Amplifier For Magnetic Cartridges; 12/24V Intelligent Solar Power Battery Charger. July 1999: Build A Dog Silencer; 10µH to 19.99mH Inductance Meter; Audio-Video Transmitter; Programmable Ignition Timing Module For Cars, Pt.2; XYZ Table With Stepper Motor Control, Pt.3. August 1999: Remote Modem Controller; Daytime Running Lights For Cars; Build A PC Monitor Checker; Switching Temperature Controller; XYZ Table With Stepper Motor Control, Pt.4; Electric Lighting, Pt.14. September 1999: Autonomouse The Robot, Pt.1; Voice Direct Speech Recognition Module; Digital Electrolytic Capacitance Meter; XYZ Table With Stepper Motor Control, Pt.5; Peltier-Powered Can Cooler. October 1999: Build The Railpower Model Train Controller, Pt.1; Semiconductor Curve Tracer; Autonomouse The Robot, Pt.2; XYZ Table With Stepper Motor Control, Pt.6; Introducing Home Theatre. November 1999: Setting Up An Email Server; Speed Alarm For Cars, Pt.1; LED Christmas Tree; Intercom Station Expander; Foldback Loudspeaker System; Railpower Model Train Controller, Pt.2. siliconchip.com.au April 2002:Automatic Single-Channel Light Dimmer; Pt.1; Water Level Indicator; Multiple-Output Bench Power Supply; Versatile Multi-Mode Timer; 6-Channel IR Remote Volume Control, Pt.2. May 2002: 32-LED Knightrider; The Battery Guardian (Cuts Power When the Battery Voltage Drops); Stereo Headphone Amplifier; Automatic Single-Channel Light Dimmer; Pt.2; Stepper Motor Controller. June 2002: Lock Out The Bad Guys with A Firewall; Remote Volume Control For Stereo Amplifiers; The “Matchless” Metal Locator; Compact 0-80A Automotive Ammeter; Constant High-Current Source. July 2002: Telephone Headset Adaptor; Rolling Code 4-Channel UHF Remote Control; Remote Volume Control For The Ultra-LD Stereo Amplifier; Direct Conversion Receiver For Radio Amateurs, Pt.1. August 2002: Digital Instrumentation Software For PCs; Digital Storage Logic Probe; Digital Therm./Thermostat; Sound Card Interface For PC January 2004: Studio 350W Power Amplifier Module, Pt.1; HighEfficiency Power Supply For 1W Star LEDs; Antenna & RF Preamp For Weather Satellites; Lapel Microphone Adaptor FOR PA Systems; PICAXE-18X 4-Channel Datalogger, Pt.1; 2.4GHZ Audio/Video Link. February 2004: PC Board Design For Beginners, Pt.1; Simple Supply Rail Monitor For PCs; Studio 350W Power Amplifier Module, Pt.2; Fantastic Human-Powered LED Torches; Shorted Turns Tester For Line Output Transformers; PICAXE-18X 4-Channel Datalogger, Pt.2. March 2004: PC Board Design For Beginners, Pt.2; Build The QuickBrake For Increased Driving Safety; 3V-9V (or more) DC-DC Converter; The ESR Meter Mk.2, Pt.1; Power Supply Demo Design; White LED Driver; PICAXE-18X 4-Channel Datalogger, Pt.3. April 2004: PC Board Design For Beginners, Pt.3; Loudspeaker Level Meter For Home Theatre Systems; Shut That Mutt (Electronic Dog Silencer); Smart Mixture Display For Cars; The ESR Meter Mk.2, Pt.2; PC/PICAXE Interface For UHF Remote Control. May 2004: Amplifier Testing Without High-Tech Gear; Component Video To RGB Converter; Starpower Switching Supply For Luxeon Star LEDs; Wireless Parallel Port; Poor Man’s Metal Locator. June 2004: Dr Video Mk.2 Video Stabiliser; Build An RFID Security Module; Fridge-Door Alarm; Courtesy Light Delay For Cars; Automating PC Power-Up; Upgraded Software For The EPROM Programmer. July 2004: Silencing A Noisy PC; Versatile Battery Protector; Appliance Energy Meter, Pt.1; A Poor Man’s Q Meter; Regulated High-Voltage Supply For Valve Amplifiers; Remote Control For A Model Train Layout. August 2004: Video Formats: Why Bother?; VAF’s New DC-X Generation IV Loudspeaker System; Video Enhancer & Y/C Separator; Balanced Microphone Preamplifier; Appliance Energy Meter, Pt.2; Build A 3-State Logic Probe. September 2004: Voice Over IP (VoIP) For Beginners; WiFry – Cooking Up 2.4GHz Antennas; Bed Wetting Alert; Build a Programmable Robot; Another CFL Inverter PLEASE NOTE: issues not listed have sold out. All other issues are in stock. We can supply photostat copies from sold-out issues for $8.80 per article (includes p&p). When supplying photostat articles or back copies, we automatically supply any relevant notes & errata at no extra charge. A complete index to all articles published to date can be downloaded free from our web site: www.siliconchip.com.au October 2004  95 ALL S ILICON C HIP SUBSCRIBERS – PRINT, OR BOTH – AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR A REFERENCE $ave 10%ONLINE DISCOUNT ON ALL BOOK OR PARTSHOP PURCHASES. CHIP BOOKSHOP 10% (Does not apply to subscriptions) SILICON For the latest titles and information, please refer to our website books page: www.siliconchip.com.au/Shop/Books PIC MICROCONTROLLERS: know it all SELF ON AUDIO Multiple authors $85.00 The best of subjects Newnes authors have written over the past few years, combined in a one-stop maxi reference. Covers introduction to PICs and their programming in Assembly, PICBASIC, MBASIC & C. 900+ pages. PROGRAMMING and CUSTOMIZING THE PICAXE By David Lincoln (2nd Ed, 2011) $65.00* A great aid when wrestling with applications for the PICAXE See series of microcontrollers, at beginner, intermediate and Review April advanced levels. Every electronics class, school and library should have a copy, along with anyone who works with PICAXEs. 300 pages in paperback. 2011 PIC IN PRACTICE by D W Smith. 2nd Edition - published 2006 $60.00* by Douglas Self 2nd Edition 2006 $69.00* A collection of 35 classic magazine articles offering a dependable methodology for designing audio power amplifiers to improve performance at every point without significantly increasing cost. Includes compressors/limiters, hybrid bipolar/FET amps, electronic switching and more. 467 pages in paperback. SMALL SIGNAL AUDIO DESIGN By Douglas Self – First Edition 2010 $95.00* The latest from the Guru of audio. Explains audio concepts in easy-to-understand language with plenty of examples and reasoning. Inspiration for audio designers, superb background for audio enthusiasts and especially where it comes to component peculiarities and limitations. Expensive? Yes. Value for money? YES! Highly recommended. 558 pages in paperback. Based on popular short courses on the PIC, for professionals, students and teachers. Can be used at a variety of levels. An ideal introduction to the world of microcontrollers. 255 pages in paperback. PIC MICROCONTROLLER – your personal introductory course By John Morton 3rd edition 2005. $60.00* A unique and practical guide to getting up and running with the PIC. It assumes no knowledge of microcontrollers – ideal introduction for students, teachers, technicians and electronics enthusiasts. Revised 3rd edition focuses entirely on re-programmable flash PICs such as 16F54, 16F84 12F508 and 12F675. 226 pages in paperback. AUDIO POWER AMPLIFIER DESIGN HANDBOOK by Douglas Self – 5th Edition 2009 $85.00* "The Bible" on audio power amplifiers. Many revisions and updates to the previous edition and now has an extra three chapters covering Class XD, Power Amp Input Systems and Input Processing and Auxiliarly Subsystems. Not cheap and not a book for the beginner but if you want the best reference on Audio Power Amps, you want this one! 463 pages in paperback. DVD PLAYERS AND DRIVES by K.F. Ibrahim. Published 2003. $71.00* OP AMPS FOR EVERYONE By Bruce Carter – 4th Edition 2013 $83.00* This is the bible for anyone designing op amp circuits and you don't have to be an engineer to get the most out of it. It is written in simple language but gives lots of in-depth info, bridging the gap between the theoretical and the practical. 281 pages, A guide to DVD technology and applications, with particular focus on design issues and pitfalls, maintenance and repair. Ideal for engineers, technicians, students of consumer electronics and sales and installation staff. 319 pages in paperback. by Sanjaya Maniktala, Published April 2012. $83.00 Thoroughly revised! The most comprehensive study available of theoretical and practical aspects of controlling and measuring EMI in switching power supplies. Subtitled Exploring the PIC32, a Microchip insider tells all on this powerful PIC! Focuses on examples and exercises that show how to solve common, real-world design problems quickly. Includes handy checklists. FREE CD-ROM includes source code in C, the Microchip C30 compiler, and MPLAB SIM. 400 pages paperback. By Garry Cratt – Latest (7th) Edition 2008 $49.00 Written in Australia, for Australian conditions by one of Australia's foremost satellite TV experts. If there is anything you wanted to know about setting up a satellite TV system, (including what you can't do!) it's sure to be covered in this 176-page paperback book. See Review Feb 2004 SWITCHING POWER SUPPLIES A-Z PROGRAMMING 32-bit MICROCONTROLLERS IN C By Luci di Jasio (2008) $79.00* PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SATELLITE TV See Review March 2010 ELECTRIC MOTORS AND DRIVES By Austin Hughes & Bill Drury - 4th edition 2013 $59.00* This is a very easy to read book with very little mathematics or formulas. It covers the basics of all the main motor types, DC permanent magnet and wound field, AC induction and steppers and gives a very good description of how speed control circuits work with these motors. Soft covers, 444 pages. NEWNES GUIDE TO TV & VIDEO TECHNOLOGY By KF Ibrahim 4th Edition (Published 2007) $49.00 It's back! Provides a full and comprehensive coverage of video and television technology including HDTV and DVD. Starts with fundamentals so is ideal for students but covers in-depth technologies such as Blu-ray, DLP, Digital TV, etc so is also perfect for engineers. 600+ pages in paperback. RF CIRCUIT DESIGN by Chris Bowick, Second Edition, 2008. $63.00* The classic RF circuit design book. RF circuit design is now more important that ever in the wireless world. In most of the wireless devices that we use there is an RF component – this book tells how to design and integrate in a very practical fashion. 244 pages in paperback. AC MACHINES By Jim Lowe Published 2006 $66.00* Applicable to Australian trades-level courses including NE10 AC Machines, NE12 Synchronous Machines and the AC part of NE30 Electric Motor Control and Protection. Covering polyphase induction motors, singlephase motors, synchronous machines and polyphase motor starting. 160 pages in paperback. PRACTICAL VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES & POWER ELECTRONICS Se e by Malcolm Barnes. 1st Ed, Feb 2003. $73.00* Review An essential reference for engineers and anyone who wishes to design or use variable speed drives for induction motors. 286 pages in soft cover. Feb 2003 BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE PRACTICAL RF HANDBOOK by Carl Vogel. Published 2009. $40.00* by Ian Hickman. 4th edition 2007 $61.00* A guide to RF design for engineers, technicians, students and enthusiasts. Covers key topics in RF: analog design principles, transmission lines, couplers, transformers, amplifiers, oscillators, modulation, transmitters and receivers, propagation and antennas. 279 pages in paperback. Alternative fuel expert Carl Vogel gives you a hands-on guide with the latest technical information and easy-to-follow instructions for building a two-wheeled electric vehicle – from a streamlined scooter to a full-sized motorcycle. 384 pages in soft cover. *NOTE: ALL PRICES ARE PLUS P&P – AUSTRALIA ONLY: $10.00 per order; NZ – $AU12.00 PER BOOK; REST OF WORLD $AU18.00 PER BOOK To Place Your Order: INTERNET (24/7) PAYPAL (24/7) eMAIL (24/7) www.siliconchip. com.au/Shop/Books Use your PayPal account silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au with order & credit card details FAX (24/7) MAIL (24/7) Your order and card details to Your order to PO Box 139 Collaroy NSW 2097 (02) 9939 2648 with all details PHONE – (9-5, Mon-Fri) Call (02) 9939 3295 with with order & credit card details You can also order and pay for books by cheque/money order (Mail Only). Make cheques payable to Silicon Chip Publications. ALL TITLES SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. PRICES VALID FOR MONTH OF MAGAZINE ISSUE ONLY. ALL PRICES INCLUDE GST ALL S ILICON C HIP SUBSCRIBERS – PRINT, OR BOTH – AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR A REFERENCE $ave 10%ONLINE DISCOUNT ON ALL BOOK OR PARTSHOP PURCHASES. CHIP BOOKSHOP 10% (Does not apply to subscriptions) SILICON For the latest titles and information, please refer to our website books page: www.siliconchip.com.au/Shop/Books PIC MICROCONTROLLERS: know it all SELF ON AUDIO Multiple authors $85.00 The best of subjects Newnes authors have written over the past few years, combined in a one-stop maxi reference. Covers introduction to PICs and their programming in Assembly, PICBASIC, MBASIC & C. 900+ pages. PROGRAMMING and CUSTOMIZING THE PICAXE By David Lincoln (2nd Ed, 2011) $65.00* A great aid when wrestling with applications for the PICAXE See series of microcontrollers, at beginner, intermediate and Review April advanced levels. Every electronics class, school and library should have a copy, along with anyone who works with PICAXEs. 300 pages in paperback. 2011 PIC IN PRACTICE by D W Smith. 2nd Edition - published 2006 $60.00* by Douglas Self 2nd Edition 2006 $69.00* A collection of 35 classic magazine articles offering a dependable methodology for designing audio power amplifiers to improve performance at every point without significantly increasing cost. Includes compressors/limiters, hybrid bipolar/FET amps, electronic switching and more. 467 pages in paperback. SMALL SIGNAL AUDIO DESIGN By Douglas Self – First Edition 2010 $95.00* The latest from the Guru of audio. Explains audio concepts in easy-to-understand language with plenty of examples and reasoning. Inspiration for audio designers, superb background for audio enthusiasts and especially where it comes to component peculiarities and limitations. Expensive? Yes. Value for money? YES! Highly recommended. 558 pages in paperback. Based on popular short courses on the PIC, for professionals, students and teachers. Can be used at a variety of levels. An ideal introduction to the world of microcontrollers. 255 pages in paperback. PIC MICROCONTROLLER – your personal introductory course By John Morton 3rd edition 2005. $60.00* A unique and practical guide to getting up and running with the PIC. It assumes no knowledge of microcontrollers – ideal introduction for students, teachers, technicians and electronics enthusiasts. Revised 3rd edition focuses entirely on re-programmable flash PICs such as 16F54, 16F84 12F508 and 12F675. 226 pages in paperback. AUDIO POWER AMPLIFIER DESIGN HANDBOOK by Douglas Self – 5th Edition 2009 $85.00* "The Bible" on audio power amplifiers. Many revisions and updates to the previous edition and now has an extra three chapters covering Class XD, Power Amp Input Systems and Input Processing and Auxiliarly Subsystems. Not cheap and not a book for the beginner but if you want the best reference on Audio Power Amps, you want this one! 463 pages in paperback. DVD PLAYERS AND DRIVES by K.F. Ibrahim. Published 2003. $71.00* OP AMPS FOR EVERYONE By Bruce Carter – 4th Edition 2013 $83.00* This is the bible for anyone designing op amp circuits and you don't have to be an engineer to get the most out of it. It is written in simple language but gives lots of in-depth info, bridging the gap between the theoretical and the practical. 281 pages, A guide to DVD technology and applications, with particular focus on design issues and pitfalls, maintenance and repair. Ideal for engineers, technicians, students of consumer electronics and sales and installation staff. 319 pages in paperback. by Sanjaya Maniktala, Published April 2012. $83.00 Thoroughly revised! The most comprehensive study available of theoretical and practical aspects of controlling and measuring EMI in switching power supplies. Subtitled Exploring the PIC32, a Microchip insider tells all on this powerful PIC! Focuses on examples and exercises that show how to solve common, real-world design problems quickly. Includes handy checklists. FREE CD-ROM includes source code in C, the Microchip C30 compiler, and MPLAB SIM. 400 pages paperback. By Garry Cratt – Latest (7th) Edition 2008 $49.00 Written in Australia, for Australian conditions by one of Australia's foremost satellite TV experts. If there is anything you wanted to know about setting up a satellite TV system, (including what you can't do!) it's sure to be covered in this 176-page paperback book. See Review Feb 2004 SWITCHING POWER SUPPLIES A-Z PROGRAMMING 32-bit MICROCONTROLLERS IN C By Luci di Jasio (2008) $79.00* PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SATELLITE TV See Review March 2010 ELECTRIC MOTORS AND DRIVES By Austin Hughes & Bill Drury - 4th edition 2013 $59.00* This is a very easy to read book with very little mathematics or formulas. It covers the basics of all the main motor types, DC permanent magnet and wound field, AC induction and steppers and gives a very good description of how speed control circuits work with these motors. Soft covers, 444 pages. NEWNES GUIDE TO TV & VIDEO TECHNOLOGY By KF Ibrahim 4th Edition (Published 2007) $49.00 It's back! Provides a full and comprehensive coverage of video and television technology including HDTV and DVD. Starts with fundamentals so is ideal for students but covers in-depth technologies such as Blu-ray, DLP, Digital TV, etc so is also perfect for engineers. 600+ pages in paperback. RF CIRCUIT DESIGN by Chris Bowick, Second Edition, 2008. $63.00* The classic RF circuit design book. RF circuit design is now more important that ever in the wireless world. In most of the wireless devices that we use there is an RF component – this book tells how to design and integrate in a very practical fashion. 244 pages in paperback. AC MACHINES By Jim Lowe Published 2006 $66.00* Applicable to Australian trades-level courses including NE10 AC Machines, NE12 Synchronous Machines and the AC part of NE30 Electric Motor Control and Protection. Covering polyphase induction motors, singlephase motors, synchronous machines and polyphase motor starting. 160 pages in paperback. PRACTICAL VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES & POWER ELECTRONICS Se e by Malcolm Barnes. 1st Ed, Feb 2003. $73.00* Review An essential reference for engineers and anyone who wishes to design or use variable speed drives for induction motors. 286 pages in soft cover. Feb 2003 BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE PRACTICAL RF HANDBOOK by Carl Vogel. Published 2009. $40.00* by Ian Hickman. 4th edition 2007 $61.00* A guide to RF design for engineers, technicians, students and enthusiasts. Covers key topics in RF: analog design principles, transmission lines, couplers, transformers, amplifiers, oscillators, modulation, transmitters and receivers, propagation and antennas. 279 pages in paperback. Alternative fuel expert Carl Vogel gives you a hands-on guide with the latest technical information and easy-to-follow instructions for building a two-wheeled electric vehicle – from a streamlined scooter to a full-sized motorcycle. 384 pages in soft cover. *NOTE: ALL PRICES ARE PLUS P&P – AUSTRALIA ONLY: $10.00 per order; NZ – $AU12.00 PER BOOK; REST OF WORLD $AU18.00 PER BOOK To Place Your Order: INTERNET (24/7) PAYPAL (24/7) eMAIL (24/7) www.siliconchip. com.au/Shop/Books Use your PayPal account silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au with order & credit card details FAX (24/7) MAIL (24/7) Your order and card details to Your order to PO Box 139 Collaroy NSW 2097 (02) 9939 2648 with all details PHONE – (9-5, Mon-Fri) Call (02) 9939 3295 with with order & credit card details You can also order and pay for books by cheque/money order (Mail Only). Make cheques payable to Silicon Chip Publications. ALL TITLES SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. PRICES VALID FOR MONTH OF MAGAZINE ISSUE ONLY. ALL PRICES INCLUDE GST ASK SILICON CHIP Got a technical problem? Can’t understand a piece of jargon or some technical principle? Drop us a line and we’ll answer your question. Write to: Ask Silicon Chip, PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097; or send an email to silchip<at>siliconchip.com.au Do battery reconditioners work? I saw an advert in a 4WD magazine for a car battery reconditioner which brings batteries back to life. It goes in line with the battery and charges it, restoring the battery. What do you think about it? (L. S., via email). • There may well be some truth in this product and it may be along the same lines as the battery desulphator circuit we published in the Circuit Notebook pages in February 2003. Note that we have yet to try such a circuit. NTSC version of TV Pattern Generator I am purchasing two Programmable TV Pattern Generator kits (SILICON CHIP, June & July 1997) from the local Altronics store. I wish to adapt the design to provide RGB & sync outputs (I presume I can use the signals applied to the AD722) and also wish to have an NTSC video signal option. I only have data for the AD723/724/725 devices so in regard to the AD722, can I simply change crystals to achieve this? (W. A., via email). • Pin 11 selects the NTSC or PAL operation. Set pin 11 high for NTSC. Also change the crystal to 14.318180MHz. Replacement for Hall Effect sensor Could you tell where can I get the HKZ101 and MJH10012 required to build the High Energy Ignition – I don’t want to buy the kit, I have been offered alternatives, UGN3503U and MJ10012 respectively. Are they compatible? Finally, how do you connect the Programmable Ignition Timing module to the Multi-Spark CDI? (D. S., Bandung, Indonesia). • The HKZ101 is obsolete and no longer available. Unfortunately, the UGN3503 is not the same and is unsuitable. You can use the Honeywell 4AV16F Hall Effect Vane sensor but note that a rotating soft iron vane is also required to pass through this sensor. The Hall sensor is available from Farnell Electronics – www.farnellinone.com The MJH10012 is available from Jaycar – contact kits<at>jaycar.com.au Interfacing the Programmable Ignition to the Capacitor Discharge Ignition requires two connections as follows: (1) connect the output of the trigger circuit to the points input of the Programmable Ignition; and (2) connect the Programmable Ignition output to the main circuit at the point marked “To Trigger Circuit”; ie, to the 10kΩ base resistor for Q4. Using the Remote Extender with Foxtel I purchased one of your Remote Control Extenders (from SILICON CHIP, July 1996) and have been very happy with it. However, I recently changed to a Foxtel Digital box and the Remote Extender will not work with this unit. I have tried adjusting the carrier oscillator with no success. Can you tell me what to do next? (P. W., via email). • We’re not aware of the infrared protocol or carrier frequency used by the Foxtel infrared remotes so cannot be certain why the Extender is not working. However, some constructors have been able to get their kits working by subsituting a different IR receiver module (eg, Altronics Z 1611). These is also another possible solution. A learning remote could be used to store the recalcitrant remote codes Preamplifier for projector photocell pickup I am currently updating a pair of RCA 1018-F 35mm film sound heads. I think they were made around the 1935 mark. They are in good condition but need to be converted to SVA (Stereo Variable Area) pickup. This involves removing the old photocell and replacing it with a split solar cell, one side per soundtrack half. As I have very little money to spend on the project, I cannot afford to buy a commercial split cell so I improvised by purchasing a “hobby cell” from Dick Smith and modified that. Bingo! Instant stereo cells. My question refers to the preamp 98  Silicon Chip I am using to interface the cells and power amplifier. I have built the “Universal Stereo Preamplifier” published in SILICON CHIP in April 1994 and am very happy with the performance of the unit but I need advice on a design modification. Testing with the projector running and the solar cell installed exhibit an “RIAA-like” frequency response, ie, bass boost and treble cut. What components should I change, and which values, in order to flatten the response of the design? If possible, some treble boost with a flat bass response will be the ideal as cutting treble is simply a matter of de- focussing the sound lens; otherwise a flat response is perfectly OK. The version of the preamp I built is the microphone version. Should I have built the “Tape” version instead? (I. P, Imbil, Qld.) • The preamplifier you’ve built is not suitable as it stands – you do need treble boost, etc. The best way to work out what you need would be to have a look at the Optical/ Magnetic Preamp for projectors, produced by Jim Rowe way back in October 1975 in “Electronics Australia” magazine. You can then modify your existing preamp to do the same function siliconchip.com.au and this then used with the Remote Extender. Give it a try. Studio 350 amplifier for a car I am considering starting work on the Studio 350 power amplifier module (SILICON CHIP, January & February 2004) but would like to adapt it for use in a car. I’m sure I could use a power inverter for this but would rather do it as part of the amplifier itself. How would I go about doing this? Is it possible? (D. T., via email). • You need a massive inverter to run the Studio 350 power amplifier – about 600W. It just so happens that we described a 600W DC-DC inverter in the October & November 1996 issues. However, it would be expensive to build and it would be far more practical and cheaper to buy a ready-made car amplifier. We would love you to build the two kits but the expense would be high. Midrange boost for guitar I have a Champ audio amplifier kit (SILICON CHIP, February 1994) that I’d like to use in my guitar as an onboard mid boost. What modifications would you suggest I make to it? (B. D., via email). • The Champ is not really suitable for guitar mid boost. It does not have a high input impedance or any midrange band-pass filtering. The DI Box published in the August 2001 issue would be more useful. It has a 3-band equaliser and so the midrange can be boosted. Master preamplifier connection I’d like to connect four power amplifiers to one master preamplifier. What precautions should I take in terms of the reduced impedance load of the power amplifiers as seen by the preamp? (P. S., via email). • It largely depends on the input impedance of the power amplifiers and to a lesser extent, on the minimum load impedance that the preamp can drive. In general though, if the combined input load of the power amplifiers is more than say, 10kΩ, then there should not be any problems. siliconchip.com.au Weather satellite receiver is noisy My son-in-law, a medical electronics technician, has made a good job of Weather Satellite receiver (S ILICON C HIP , December 2003) and it seems to be properly tuned according to the instructions, yet its performance is very poor. No satisfactory pictures have been received. Compared with an old kit receiver, sold by SciSat products in Queensland about eight years ago, the new unit is much noisier. With the same antenna and masthead preamp used on both receivers, the Sci Sat receiver gives good pictures, while the new kit either fails to lock on or produces a screen full of snow with no picture detail. Could you please help? (T. B., via email). • It sounds as if either your IF chip If it is less, you might consider providing a buffer for the preamplifier, along the lines of the audio stage in the Video/Audio Distribution Amplifier featured in the November 2001 issue. Note: if you do use this buffer (based on an LM833), the individual 47kΩ output resistors should each be changed to 1kΩ. Speed Control kit for RC boat I have purchased a 10A DC Speed Control which was published in the June 1997 issue. I’m wanting to connect a receiver to it for use on an RC boat. I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction for a guide on how to achieve this. (N. R., via email). • The 10A circuit is not suitable for radio control. Have a look at the 50A speed controller in the May 2000 issue. It is designed to work in an RC system. Level meter for digital camera I want to monitor an analog audio signal (something like a VU meter) as it passes through a microphone and into a digital camera; preferably something or RF stage is “taking off”. Have you checked the RSSI voltage (across the 390kΩ resistor), when the RF control is turned fully anticlockwise? It should be below 0.27V if the IF chip isn’t oscillating. Turning up the RF control shouldn’t make the voltage rise much, if there’s no signal input to the receiver. If it does, the RF stage may be oscillating. A small number of these receivers have needed a small earthed shield plate over the top of the IF chip, to keep it from taking off. Similarly one or two have needed additional bypass capacitors from the source of the RF amplifier to ground, to keep it stable. We suggest 47nF SMD capacitors for this if they’re needed, as these have extremely low self-inductance. mobile that’s easy to move around with. I wonder if the Loudspeaker Level Meter featured in the April 2004 issue would be appropriate. (P. M., via email). • You can use the Level Meter but the gain of IC1 may need adjusting. IC3 would be best replaced with a log version (LM3915; Dick Smith Cat Z-6297). The scale on the display will then be 3dB per LED. Intercom for aircraft wanted Do you have any duplex intercom kits? This is for an aircraft application. I want to be able to talk to other passengers as well as hear myself while we are wearing our headsets. Do you have anything suitable? (A. M., via email). • Have a look at the Multi-Station Headset Intercom from the June & July 1992 issues. Connecting a VCR to a PC My son was given a Panasonic NVSJ400 VCR in excellent condition. Unfortunately, we do not have the instruction manual and we cannot find the channel that will let it speak October 2004  99 Radon detector wanted With the ever-increasing growth of dense city housing, the design of houses is becoming more and more restrictive to the flow of air through the buildings. Radon is a documented (second highest) cause of adeno-carcinoma of the lung in non-smokers and smokers (cigarettes) alike. It would be very useful to be able to detect the radon levels in the household via continuous monitoring. I have seen some Electronic Radon Detectors on the market. An example of an EPA (US) approved model is: http://www.testproducts. com/electron_detectors/radon/ index.html There are no products available in Australia that cater for the home/ office environment. I am propos- ing that your gifted technical staff design a homemade kit using a radon detecting transducer. Is this feasible? (G. S., via email) • While a solid state alpha scintillation counter is relatively easy to design, it does not necessarily give an indication of radon or its daughter elements with their short half lives. We think that if you are concerned about a possible build-up of radon in your house, you should consider installing an under-floor fan. If the underside of your house is well-ventilated, or it is built on a concrete slab, it is highly unlikely that there is any problem with radon build-up. It is mainly a problem in cold countries where houses are well-sealed against air leakage. to the computer so we can set it up. Can you help? (B. K., via email). • All you have to do is connect the A/V output from your VCR to the VIVO (video-in/video-out) socket on your PC’s video card. There is no need to know the RF channel of the VCR’s modulator. If your video card doesn’t have a VIVO socket (and a lot don’t), then you will either have to replace it or purchase a separate video capture card. (LM335Z) and an LM393 comparator. This drove a Mosfet to power a pump motor for a solar hot water system. It could equally be used for an air pump fan in the roof cavity. The master switch you require can either switch power on and off for the circuit or for the fan motor directly. Note that an air filter system would be required to remove dust and fibre glass (when insulation is used in the roof space) from the roof cavity. Roof blower control wanted Higher power for bridged modules I am looking for a circuit which is used to activate a blower to blow hot air from the roof space into several rooms if the temperature in the roof space is higher than the temperature in the room or rooms and only if a master switch is activated for the heating action. A similar circuit may have been described which switches on a pump to circulate water from the solar panels to a tank below only when the temperature in the panels is higher than the temperature in the tank. (D. W., via email). • We published a circuit to do this in the Circuit Notebook section of the March 2002 issue of SILICON CHIP. It comprised two temperature sensors Since the upgrade model of the ETI480 amplifier can only drive 8-ohm loads under bridging, I was wondering if it was possible to add another pushpull output transistor pair to increase the power output of these modules or are there other limiting components, or will it mess up the biasing? (R. G., via email). • We assume you are referring to the SC480 presented in January & February 2003. If so, it is possible to add parallel output transistors to increase the current capability of the output stages (for two modules) but the whole project becomes uneconomic and very bulky. You would be better off going for a higher-rated module such as the Plastic Power amplifier described in 100  Silicon Chip April 1996. It can deliver 175 watts RMS into a 4-ohm loads and up to 230 watts music power, and at lower distortion. Jacobs Ladder to drive spark plugs I am looking for a kit for an automotive project that I am building. The requirement is to continually ignite from one to four spark plugs at the flick of a switch. I was going to use the Jacobs Ladder kit (SILICON CHIP, September 1995) but I’m not sure it would work if I replaced the wires with spark plug leads and added spark plugs to the end of them. What do you think? (F. S., via email). • You should be able to use the Jacobs Ladder circuit to drive the spark plugs without problems. Repairing a talking radio I have a talking clock radio that I am quite attached to. Unfortunately, when I recently dismantled it to clean the switch contacts, the LCD screen removed itself from the circuit board and the attaching strip. Being attached by this rubber strip with micro conductors has caused me great distress considering how I will repair the connection. Is my only solution to get out the microscope and some conductive epoxy glue and try and repair it? Or am I able to purchase a replacement LCD mounted on a board that I can solder? (D. V., Newcastle, NSW). • Just reassemble the unit so that the LCD is sandwiched against the elastomeric conductor strips on the PC board. It should work. Correct connection for HEI system I have just assembled the High Energy Ignition system and installed it on the car. There is a problem that I do not know how to solve and where to start. I built the kit from the diagram for ignition with points and although the car won’t run, the problem seems to be at the distributor. I have power to the HEI and power at the negative side of the coil. I connected a plug lead to an external spark plug and cranked the engine over. The plug fired only once. I put a siliconchip.com.au test lamp on the wire to the distributor from the HEI and there is power there the moment the starter is tuned on, then nothing. Any ideas on what to look for? (R. M., via email). • Power for the High Energy Ignition system must be obtained from a switched 12V supply via the fuse box. This connection must apply 12V when ever the ignition is on and not only when the starter motor is running. Also note that only one points input is normally required. Remove the diode associated with the points input that is not used. Programming PICAXE via USB I was wondering if it is possible to program PICAXEs using a USB-serial converter module from DLP design, based on the FTDI FT232BM IC. The device only has 5V logic levels on the serial lines – not true RS232. Do I need to modify the programming circuit or change the two resistor values? (L. W., via email). • The PICAXE programming system will work with certain types of USB-toserial port adapters. Go to http://www. rev-ed.co.uk/picaxe/forum and search for “USB” to find out more. Circuit for the Cylon Voice I am after an old kit from “Electronics Australia” or ETI which was called the “Cylon Voice”. I am not sure whether it used a XR2206 IC or not and if the IC it used is still available. (R. M., via email). • The Cylon Voice was described in the January 1981 issue of “Electron- ics Australia” and did use an XR2206 which was rather heavy on batteries. We don’t know of a current source for the XR2206. We published an equivalent circuit, the Vader Voice, in the September 1995 issue of SILICON CHIP. Its current consumption was much less than the Cylon Voice. Subwoofer controller times out I have built one of the subwoofer controllers (SILICON CHIP, December 1995) and all is working OK except it has problems with low signal levels; the timer times out whilst in use. I was wondering if it would be possible to adjust the sensitivity of the VOX circuit to cope with lower levels of input to the controller to enable switching. High efficiency speakers are being used and the unit is OK just above normal listening levels. I use the 15W Class-A circuit (SILICON CHIP, July & August 1998) and it is very sweet indeed. Any chance of a 30 watter in the future? (W. C., via email). • To reduce the incidence of dropout try increasing the value of R40 to 330kΩ. This reduces the feedback around IC2b. We may do another class-A amplifier but it would have to be more than 30W to make it a worthwhile increase over the 15 watter. Backup for cordless phones Some years ago you described a construction article on a gel-cell backup for telephones. Can you please tell me Notes & Errata CFL/Fluoro Driver, September 2004: the circuit diagram on page 77 and the component overlay on page 78 both show a 470Ω 1W resistor connected across the transformer secondary. This component is not supplied in the kit and should not be present. Also, the output filter capacitor is 470pF and not 1nF, as referred to in the text. Weather Satellite Receiver, December 2003: a small number of these receivers have needed a small earthed shield plate over the top of the IF chip, to keep it from taking off. Similarly, one or two have needed additional 47nF SMD bypass capacitors from the source of the RF amplifier to ground, to keep it stable. LED Driver, March 2004: pins 1 & 2, 5 & 6 and 8 & 9 of IC1 on the circuit on page 74 are all swapped. The PC board overlay diagram is correct. the project/kit number, board number and if any of the kitset suppliers produced same? (E. R., Cobram, Vic). • The project was entitled “Backup Battery for Cordless Phones” in October 1999. The PC board number was 12510991. It was intended to provide backup power for the phone/base station of a cordless phone system. A kit was produced at the time but it is no SC longer available. WARNING! SILICON CHIP magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage. All such projects should be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely. Readers are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the instructions in the articles. When working on these projects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with mains AC voltages or high voltage DC. If you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other high voltages, you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability for damages should anyone be killed or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SILICON CHIP magazine. 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 equipment. SILICON CHIP also disclaims any liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government regulations and by-laws. Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to the Trade Practices Act 1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable. siliconchip.com.au October 2004  101 MARKET CENTRE Cash in your surplus gear. Advertise it here in Silicon Chip. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Advertising rates for this page: Classified ads: $22.00 (incl. GST) for up to 20 words plus 66 cents for each additional word. Display ads: $36.00 (incl. GST) per column centimetre (max. 10cm). Closing date: five weeks prior to month of sale. To run your classified ad, print it clearly in the space below or on a separate sheet of paper, fill out the form & send it with your cheque or credit card details to: Silicon Chip Classifieds, PO Box 139, Collaroy, NSW 2097. Alternatively, fax the details to (02) 9979 6503 or send an email to silchip<at>siliconchip.com.au Taxation Invoice ABN 49 003 205 490 _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ Enclosed is my cheque/money order for $­__________ or please debit my  Bankcard    Visa Card    Master Card Card No. Signature­­­­­­­­­­­­__________________________ Card expiry date______/______ Name _____________________________________________________ Street _____________________________________________________ Suburb/town ___________________________ Postcode______________ Phone:_____________ Fax:_____________ Email:__________________ 102  Silicon Chip FOR SALE Logbox and FieldLogger universal input dataloggers sPlan Windows electronic schematic software and Sprint Layout Windows PCB layout software are feature packed but low in price Labjack USB Data Acquisition Module features 8 12bit analog inputs, 20 digital I/O, 2 analog outputs and high speed counter. Free software, Labview driver and ActiveX component. DAS005 Parallel Port Data Acquisition Module features 8 12bit Analog inputs, 4 Digital I/Ps & 4 Digital O/Ps. Free windows software and source code. Pixel Programmable Controller with 4 analog inputs, 8 digital inputs and 8 relay outputs. Can use a 28A or 28X Picaxe. Programmed in basic or Flow chart. 2, 4 & 8 Relay Modules suitable for TTL and Open Collector Outputs. Programmers for Atmel and PIC microcontrollers. Stepper Motor and Servo Motor controller kits. Switch Mode and Linear Power Supplies and DC-DC converters. Full details and credit card ordering available at www.oceancontrols.com.au RCS RADIO/DESIGN is at 41 Arlewis St, Chester Hill 2162, NSW Australia and has all the published PC boards from SC, EA, ETI, HE, AEM & others. Ph (02) 9738 0330. sales<at>rcsradio. com.au, www.rcsradio.com.au REALLY BRIGHT LEDs, LED products and other cool stuff. 5mm superbrights from 35 cents each. LED bulbs and displays at very low prices. Nixie clock kit, includes tubes, $150. Nixie tubes, unusual bulbs and Russian electronic components. New stuff weekly! www. ledsales.com.au THE PIC CLUB meets 6pm, 2nd Tuesday each month. We discuss PIC programming and project design. 1st Floor, Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney. $5 admission. Phone: 9593 1025. siliconchip.com.au ELNEC IC PROGRAMMERS Satellite TV Reception Universal and specialised models High quality Realistic prices Large range of adaptors Free regular software updates Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2k/XP International satellite TV reception in your home is now affordable. Send for your free info pack containing equipment catalog, satellite lists, etc or call for appointment to view. We can display all satellites from 76.5° to 180°. GRANTRONICS PTY LTD PO Box 275, Wentworthville. 2145. Ph: 02 9896 7150 www.grantronics.com.au AV-COMM P/L, 24/9 Powells Rd, Brookvale, NSW 2100. Tel: 02 9939 4377 or 9939 4378. Fax: 9939 4376; www.avcomm.com.au & MADE TO ORDER PCBs For more details: www.acetronics.com.au Phone (02) 9600 6832 email: acetronics<at>acetronics.com.au JACKSON BROS JACKSON OF THE UK IS BACK Highest quality products made by UK Craftsmen New New New Mark22-SM Slimline Mini FM R/C Receiver • • • • • 6 Channels 10kHz frequency separation Size: 55 x 23 x 20mm Weight: 25gm Modular Construction Price: $A129.50 with crystal Electronics PO Box 580, Riverwood, NSW 2210. Ph/Fax (02) 9533 3517 email: youngbob<at>silvertone.com.au Website: www.silvertone.com.au TAIG MACHINERY Micro Mini Lathes and Mills From $489.00 PICDOSTM http://www.picdos.com Hard disk, DOS & files on PIC16F877 SmartMediaTM based No complex hardware just wires Run-Debug existing PIC code & interrupts Free schematics, software, debugger DIRECTIONS to find information about semiconductors, projects, valves and more, referenced in Silicon Chip 90-04, EA 86-94, most TE, some ETI. Easyfind groupings on CD-ROM. Requirements: PC or MAC capable of opening web pages from CD. AUD$15.00 includes postage Australia wide. Ian Mullins, 174 Pinnacle Drive, Condon, 4815. PATENT LICENCES USA, Aust. for sale. Electronic machine vibration tester. Manufacture to untapped market. Phone AH (03) 5979 8303. USB KITS: LCD Module Interface, Stepper Motor Controller, PIO Interface, DTMF Transceiver, Thermometer, DDS HF Generator, Compass, 4 Channel Voltmeter, I/O Relay Card. Also available, Digital Oscilloscope, Temperature siliconchip.com.au Variable and trimmer capacitors, reduction drives, dials, ceramic stand-offs Full range now available off the shelf in Australia CATALOGUES AND PRICE LISTS NOW AVAILABLE CHARLES I COOKSON PTY LTD GPO BOX 812, ADELAIDE, SA 5001 Tel: (08) 8235 0744 Fax: (08) 8356 3652 FreeFax: 1800 673355 (Within Australia) Email: jackson<at>homeplanet.com.au ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED SOLE AGENTS FOR AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND Loggers, VHF Receivers and USB Active X (and USBDOS.exe file) to control our kits from your application. www. ar.com.au/~softmark STOCK REDUCTION SALE: Every Friday 12pm to 5pm. Electronic components, switches, LEDs, displays, enclosures, connectors, crystals, relays, neons and many more. At Switches Plus Components, Unit 1 - 2 Sibthorpe Street, Braeside, Victoria. Phone (03) 9587 4044. WEATHER STATIONS: windspeed & direction, inside temperature, outside temperature & windchill. Records highs & lows with time and date as they occur. Optional rainfall and PC interface. Used by government departments, farmers, pilots and weather enthusiasts. Other Stepper motors: 200 oz in $89.00, 330 oz in $110.00 Digital verniers: 150mm $55.00, 200mm $65.00 59 Gilmore Crescent (02) 6281 5660 Garran ACT 2605 0412269707 Foam surrounds,voice coils,cones and more Original parts for Dynaudio,Tannoy and others Expert speaker repairs – 20 years experience Australian agents for products Trade welcome – email for your user ID Phone (03) 9682 2487 speakerbits.com.au models with barometric pressure, humidity, dew point, solar radiation, UV, leaf wetness, etc. Just phone, fax or write for our FREE catalog and price list. Eco Watch phone: (03) 9761 7040; fax: (03) 9761 7050; Unit 5, 17 Southfork Drive, Kilsyth, Vic. 3137. ABN 63 006 399 480. continued next page October 2004  103 Do You Eat, Breathe and Sleep TECHNOLOGY? Opportunities for full-time and part-time positions all over Australia & New Zealand Jaycar Electronics is a rapidly growing, Australian owned, international retailer with more than 39 stores in Australia and New Zealand. Our aggressive expansion programme has resulted in the need for dedicated individuals to join our team to assist us in achieving our goals. We pride ourselves on the technical knowledge of our staff. Do you think that the following statements describe you? Please put a tick in the boxes that do: Knowledge of electronics, particularly at component level. Assemble projects or kits yourself for car, computer, audio, etc. Have empathy with others who have the same interest as you. May have worked in some retail already (not obligatory). Have energy, enthusiasm and a personality that enjoys helping people. Appreciates an opportunity for future advancement. Have an eye for detail. S-Video . . . Video . . . Audio . . . VGA distribution amps, splitters, standards converters, tbc’s, switchers, cables, etc, & price list: www.questronix.com.au PCBs MADE, ONE OR MANY. Any format, hobbyists welcome. Sesame Elec­tronics (02) 9593 1025. sesame777<at>optusnet.com.au http://sesame_elec.tripod.com ImageCraft C Compilers: 32-bit Windows IDE and compiler. For AVR, 68HC­08, 68HC11, 68HC12, 68HC16. from $330.00 Atmel Flash CPU Programmer: Handles the 89Cx051, 89C5x, 89Sxx in both DIP and PLCC44 and some AVR’s, Why not do something you love and get paid for it? Please write or email us with your details, along with your C.V. and any qualifications you may have. We pay a competitive salary, sales commissions and have great benefits like a liberal staff purchase policy. Send to: Retail Operations Manager - Jaycar Electronics Pty Ltd P.O. Box 6424 Silverwater NSW 1811 Email: jobs<at>jaycar.com.au Jaycar Electronics is an equal opportunity employer and actively promotes staff from within the organisation. Advertising Index Acetronics..................................103 Alternative Technology Assoc......25 Altronics................................. 72-75 Av-Comm...................................103 Charles I Cookson.....................103 Defence Force Recruiting............43 Dick Smith Electronics........... 16-21 Eco Watch..................................103 Elexol...........................................87 most 8-pin EEPROMS. Includes socket for serial ISP cable. $220, $11 p&p. SOIC adaptors: 20 pin $132.00, 14 pin $126.50, 8 pin $121.00. Full details on web site. Credit cards accepted. GRANTRONICS PTY LTD, PO Box 275, Wentworthville 2145. (02) 9896 7150 or http://www.grantronics.com.au Grantronics.................................104 KITS KITS AND MORE KITS! Check ’em out at www.ozitronics.com MicroZed Computers...............59,87 KIT ASSEMBLY Prime Electronics...........................7 NEVILLE WALKER KIT ASSEMBLY & REPAIR: • Australia wide service • Small production runs • Specialist “one-off” applications Phone Neville Walker (07) 3857 2752 Email: flashdog<at>optusnet.com.au ELECTRONIC KIT ASSEMBLY and repair. Gold Coast area. Contact Geoff (07) 5522 6862. Harbuch Electronics.....................57 Hy-Q International........................59 Instant PCBs..............................104 Jaycar ....... 49-56,59,66-67,104,IFC JED Microprocessors................5,59 Microgram Computers....................3 National Instruments....................85 Ozitronics..............................84,104 Quest Electronics..................59,103 Radiometrix..............................OBC RCS Radio.................................102 RF Probes....................................84 Silicon Chip Back Issues........ 94-95 Silicon Chip Binders.....................64 Silicon Chip Bookshop........... 96-97 SC Car Projects Book................IBC Silicon Chip Subscriptions...........89 NOW AVAILABLE FROM Silvertone Electronics................103 Speakerbits................................103 Switchmode Power Supplies........83 www.siliconchip.com.au Taig Machinery...........................103 Telelink Communications........59,61 VAF Australia................................83 WIA..............................................59 Project Reprints – Limited Back Issues –Limited One-Shots If you’re looking for a project from ELECTRONICS AUSTRALIA, you’ll find it at SILICON CHIP! We can now offer reprints of all projects which have appeared in Electronics Australia, EAT, Electronics Today, ETI or Radio, TV & Hobbies. First search the EA website indexes for the project you want and then call, fax or email us with the details and your credit card details. Reprint cost is $8.80 per article (ie, 2-part projects cost $17.60). SILICON CHIP subscribers receive a 10% discount. We also have limited numbers of EA back issues and special publications. Call for details! visit www.siliconchip.com.au or www.electronicsaustralia.com.au 104  Silicon Chip ____________________________ PC Boards Printed circuit boards for SILICON CHIP projects are made by: RCS Radio Pty Ltd. Phone (02) 9738 0330. Fax (02) 9738 0334. siliconchip.com.au