Silicon ChipMarket Centre - October 2012 SILICON CHIP
  1. Outer Front Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Publisher's Letter: The attractions of electric cars
  4. Feature: Electric Remotely Piloted Aircraft . . . With Wings by Bob Young
  5. Feature: HAARP: Researching The Ionosphere by Dr. David Maddison
  6. Project: LED Musicolour: Light Up Your Music, Pt.1 by Nicholas Vinen
  7. Project: Reverse Loop Controller For DCC Model Railways by Jeff Monegal
  8. Project: The Nick-Off Bad Cat Deterrent by Greg Swain and Nicholar Vinen
  9. Project: Colour MaxiMite Microcomputer, Pt.2 by Geoff Graham
  10. Project: Wireless Remote Control For The Barking Dog Blaster by Ross Tester
  11. Vintage Radio: The Philips twins: the Dutch BX462A & the Australian model 115 by Rodney Champness
  12. PartShop
  13. Order Form
  14. Book Store
  15. Market Centre
  16. Advertising Index
  17. Outer Back Cover

This is only a preview of the October 2012 issue of Silicon Chip.

You can view 21 of the 104 pages in the full issue, including the advertisments.

For full access, purchase the issue for $10.00 or subscribe for access to the latest issues.

Articles in this series:
  • Radio Control (November 1996)
  • Radio Control (November 1996)
  • Radio Control (February 1997)
  • Radio Control (February 1997)
  • Radio Control (March 1997)
  • Radio Control (March 1997)
  • Radio Control (May 1997)
  • Radio Control (May 1997)
  • Radio Control (June 1997)
  • Radio Control (June 1997)
  • Radio Control (July 1997)
  • Radio Control (July 1997)
  • Radio Control (November 1997)
  • Radio Control (November 1997)
  • Radio Control (December 1997)
  • Radio Control (December 1997)
  • Autopilots For Radio-Controlled Model Aircraft (April 1999)
  • Autopilots For Radio-Controlled Model Aircraft (April 1999)
  • Model Plane Flies The Atlantic (May 1999)
  • Model Plane Flies The Atlantic (May 1999)
  • Tiny, Tiny Spy Planes (July 1999)
  • Tiny, Tiny Spy Planes (July 1999)
  • 2.4GHz DSS Radio Control Systems (February 2009)
  • 2.4GHz DSS Radio Control Systems (February 2009)
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: An Australian Perspective (June 2010)
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: An Australian Perspective (June 2010)
  • RPAs: Designing, Building & Using Them For Business (August 2012)
  • Flying The Parrot AR Drone 2 Quadcopter (August 2012)
  • Multi-Rotor Helicopters (August 2012)
  • Multi-Rotor Helicopters (August 2012)
  • Flying The Parrot AR Drone 2 Quadcopter (August 2012)
  • RPAs: Designing, Building & Using Them For Business (August 2012)
  • Electric Remotely Piloted Aircraft . . . With Wings (October 2012)
  • Electric Remotely Piloted Aircraft . . . With Wings (October 2012)
Items relevant to "LED Musicolour: Light Up Your Music, Pt.1":
  • LED Musicolour PCB [16110121] (AUD $25.00)
  • dsPIC33FJ128GP802-I/SP programmed for the LED Musicolour [1611012A.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $25.00)
  • LED Musicolour front & rear panels [16110122/16110123] (PCB, AUD $20.00)
  • LED Musicolour Firmware (HEX/C - zipped) [1611012A.HEX] (Software, Free)
  • LED Musicolour PCB pattern (PDF download) [16110121] (Free)
  • LED Musicolour front & rear panel artwork (PDF download) [16110122/16110123] (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • LED Musicolour: Light Up Your Music, Pt.1 (October 2012)
  • LED Musicolour: Light Up Your Music, Pt.1 (October 2012)
  • LED Musicolour: Light Up Your Music, Pt.2 (November 2012)
  • LED Musicolour: Light Up Your Music, Pt.2 (November 2012)
Items relevant to "Reverse Loop Controller For DCC Model Railways":
  • DCC Reverse Loop Controller PCB [09110121] (AUD $10.00)
  • PIC12F675-I/P programmed for the DCC Automatic Reverse Loop Controller [0911012A.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $10.00)
  • PIC12F675-I/P programmed for the DCC Block Switch [0911012B.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $10.00)
  • Pair of ZXCT1009 Current Shunt Monitor ICs for DCC Reverse Loop Controller project (Component, AUD $10.00)
  • Firmware (HEX) files for the DCC Automatic Reverse Loop Controller [0911012A and 0911012B] (Software, Free)
  • DCC Reverse Loop Controller PCB pattern (PDF download) [09110121] (Free)
Items relevant to "The Nick-Off Bad Cat Deterrent":
  • Nick-Off! Proximity Alarm PCB [03110121] (AUD $5.00)
  • Nick-Off! Proximity Alarm PCB pattern (PDF download) [03110121] (Free)
  • Nick-Off! Proximity Alarm front panel artwork (PDF download) [03110122] (Free)
Items relevant to "Colour MaxiMite Microcomputer, Pt.2":
  • Colour Maximite PCB [07109121] (AUD $17.50)
  • Colour MaxiMite Firmware, Documentation and Demo software (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Colour MaxiMite Microcomputer, Pt.1 (September 2012)
  • Colour MaxiMite Microcomputer, Pt.1 (September 2012)
  • Colour MaxiMite Microcomputer, Pt.2 (October 2012)
  • Colour MaxiMite Microcomputer, Pt.2 (October 2012)
Items relevant to "Wireless Remote Control For The Barking Dog Blaster":
  • ETD29 transformer components (AUD $15.00)
  • Barking Dog Blaster panel artwork (PDF download) (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Barking Dog Blaster: Shut That Annoying Mutt Up! (September 2012)
  • Barking Dog Blaster: Shut That Annoying Mutt Up! (September 2012)
  • Wireless Remote Control For The Barking Dog Blaster (October 2012)
  • Wireless Remote Control For The Barking Dog Blaster (October 2012)

Purchase a printed copy of this issue for $10.00.

MARKET CENTRE Cash in your surplus gear. Advertise it here in SILICON CHIP C O N T R O L S Tough times Battery Packs & Chargers ELNEC IC PROGRAMMERS High quality Realistic prices Free software updates Large range of adaptors Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2k/XP demand innovative solutions! CLEVERSCOPE USB OSCILLOSCOPES Siomar Battery Engineering www.batterybook.com Phone (08) 9302 5444 Made in Australia, used by OEMs world-wide splat-sc.com IMAGECRAFT C COMPILERS FOR SALE SOLAR PANELS LOW COST: Full range 5W to 250W – eg, 190W/24V $195, 200W/12V $249, 250W/24V $249. (03) 9470 5851. chris<at>lowenergydevelopments.com.au www.lowenergydevelopments.com.au 544 High St, Preston 3072 Melbourne. PCBs MADE, ONE OR MANY. Any format, hobbyists welcome. Sesame Electronics Phone (02) 8068 2713. sesame<at>sesame.com.au www.sesame.com.au LEDs! Nichia, Cree and other brand name LEDs at excellent prices. LED drivers, including ultra-reliable linear driver options. Many other interesting and hard-to-find electronic items! www.ledsales.com.au questronix.com.au – audiovisual experts solve home, corporate security and devotional installation & editing woes. QuestAV CYP, Kramer TVone (02) 4343 1970 or sales<at>questronix. com.au PCBs & Micros: Silicon Chip Pub­ lications can supply PCBs and programmed micros for recent (and some not so recent) projects described in the magazine. Phone (02) 9939 3295 or email silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au WANTED CUSTOMERS WANTED: Truscotts Electronic World – large range of semiconductors and passive components for industry, hobbyist and amateur projects including Drew Diamond. 27 The Mall, South Croydon, Melbourne. Phone (03) 9723 3860. www.electronicworld. com.au KIT ASSEMBLY & REPAIR KEITH RIPPON KIT ASSEMBLY & REPAIR: * Australia & New Zealand; * Small production runs. Phone Keith 0409 662 794. keith.rippon<at>gmail.com ADVERTISING IN MARKET CENTRE Classified Ad Rates: $29.50 (incl. GST) for up to 20 words plus 85 cents for each additional word. Display ads: $54.50 (incl. GST) per column centimetre (max. 10cm). Closing date: 5 weeks prior to month of sale. To book, email the text to silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au and include your name, address & credit card details, or fax (02) 9939 2648, or phone (02) 9939 3295. siliconchip.com.au 2 x 100MSa/s 10bit inputs + trigger 100MHz bandwidth 8 x digital inputs 4M samples/input Sig-gen + spectrum analyser Windows 98/Me/NT/2k/XP ANSI C compilers, Windows IDE AVR, TMS430, ARM7/ARM9 68HC08, 68HC11, 68HC12 GRANTRONICS PTY LTD www.grantronics.com.au Issues Getting Dog-Eared? Keep your copies safe with these handy binders REAL VALUE AT $14.95 PLUS P & P Price: $A14.95 plus $10.00 p&p per order (includes GST). Buy five & get them postage free! Available only in Aust. Silicon Chip Publications, PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach 2097 Fill in and mail the handy order form in this issue; or fax (02) 9939 2648; or phone (02) 9939 3295 and quote your credit card number. October 2012  103 Advertising Index Altronics.........................loose insert Dyne Industries............................ 11 EAV Technology........................... 44 Element14...................................... 7 Emona Instruments...................... 47 Gooligum Electronics................... 99 Grantronics................................. 103 Harbuch Electronics..................... 73 Ask SILICON CHIP . . . continued from p101 240VAC charger at work or misplace it. Obviously a unit like this could be used with any mobile phone as the car charger lead is the only special component needed, which every mobile phone user probably already has. A plugpack type unit like this is available in England. Car cigarette lighter sockets are only “ live “ with the key in the ignition in the accessories position which I don’t like to do. (B. G., via email). • That seems like an odd request. After all, 240VAC phone chargers are very cheap and compact. Why go to the bother of making a dedicated 13.8V supply with a cigarette socket just so you can plug in your DC charger? LED problem in Remote Control Extender I purchased the kit for the Infrared Remote Controller (S ILICON C HIP , June 2006) from Jaycar Electronics. I appreciate that their warranty only extends to parts but having carefully assembled it, the circuit does not work and I conclude that either a component has failed or the design is faulty. I have powered the circuit with 9V DC. The voltage across is ZD1 is about 5.1V. The acknowledge LED does not flash when an IR remote control is used. I have tried it with Samsung, Panasonic and Sky Remotes but to no avail. It looks to me that the input sensing circuit is not working. I would appreciate your advice as to how I should proceed. (D. S., via email). • It is likely that LED1 has been in104  Silicon Chip Hare & Forbes.............................. 83 DOWNLOAD OUR CATALOG at www.iinet.net.au/~worcom WORLDWIDE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS PO Box 631, Hillarys, WA 6923 Ph: (08) 9307 7305 Fax: (08) 9307 7309 Email: worcom<at>iinet.net.au Instant PCBs.............................. 103 Jaycar .............................. IFC,49-56 Keith Rippon............................... 103 Kitstop.......................................... 10 LED Sales.................................. 103 CIRCUIT IDEAS WANTED: we pay up to $60 for Circuit Notebook items or you could win a $150 gift voucher from Hare & Forbes. Silicon Chip Publications, PO Box 139, Collaroy 2097. stalled with incorrect polarity. The flat of the LED should not be facing IC1. In order for the circuit to work, trimpot VR1 must be adjusted for the correct carrier frequency as described in the testing section. In addition, the IRLED (LED2) must be wired to CON1 SC with the correct polarity. Notes & Errata Induction Motor Centrifugal Switch Over-ride, Circuit Notebook, September 2012: there is an error with this circuit. When changing motor speeds, the run LED (in the controller) flickers and in some cases retriggers the 555 (IC1). To fix this, the 10nF capacitor across the 10MΩ resistor should be changed to a 4.7μF electrolytic and connected via a 1N4148 series diode to pin 10 of the PIC (anode to pin 10). The positive side of the electrolytic goes to the cathode. Also when using this circuit, it is best not to set the motor speed below about 25% as the LED can go out completely and retrigger the 555. Low Energy Developments........ 103 Microchip Technology..................... 5 Mikroelektronika........................... 21 Mouser Electronics................... OBC National Instruments...................... 3 Ocean Controls............................ 77 Quest Electronics....................... 103 Radio, TV & Hobbies DVD............ 73 RF Modules................................ 104 Sesame Electronics................... 103 Silicon Chip Binders................... 103 Silicon Chip Bookshop............... 102 Silicon Chip Order Form............... 97 Silicon Chip Partshop................... 96 Silicon Chip Subscriptions........... 87 Siomar Battery Engineering....... IBC Soltronico..................................... 10 Splat Controls............................. 103 Trio Smartcal................................ 95 Truscotts Electronic World.......... 103 Vicom Pty Ltd............................... 43 Wiltronics..................................... 8,9 Worldwide Elect. Components... 104 siliconchip.com.au