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Contents SILICON CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Vol.26, No.2; February 2013 Features 12 Replace Your Halogen Down-lights With LEDs Got lots of 12V halogen down-lights? Is your electricity bill killing you? Maybe you should think about replacing those power hungry halogens with some efficient 10W and 13W multi-LED units – by Leo Simpson High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.1– Page 22. 16 The Historic Rubicon Hydroelectric Scheme It’s not well known like the Snowy Mountains Scheme but the Rubicon Hydroelectric Scheme once supplied almost 17% of Victoria’s electricity – by Dr David Maddison 80 Review: The XR-450M UHF Handheld Transceiver It’s tiny, it’s waterproof, it’s programmable, it packs a punch . . . it’s the XR450M UHF handheld transceiver from HB Wireless – by Ross Tester Pro jects To Build 22 High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.1 This high-performance stereo digital-to-analog converter is built on a single PCB and boasts three TOSLINK inputs, three S/PDIF inputs and a USB audio input. It also offers playback from an SD card – by Nicholas Vinen 28 Do-It-Yourself Seismograph With Tsunami Alarm Revised design has improved damping, an audible tsunami alarm and includes details of revised software – by Dave Dobeson Do-It-Yourself Seismograph With Tsunami Alarm – Page 28. 38 Mobile Phone Loud Ringer Ever missed an important call because you and your mobile were separated, perhaps while you were working outside? This device picks up the vibration of the mobile phone ringing and triggers a loud piezo siren – by John Clarke 60 Improved Jacob’s Ladder The high-voltage sparks climb up the vertical wires, snapping and snarling as they go. It looks and sounds spectacular and is easy to build – by Leo Simpson 74 Accurate GPS 1pps Timebase For Frequency Counters Get maximum accuracy from your new 12-Digit 2.5GHz Frequency Counter (or other counters) by adding this GPS 1pps Timebase. It can be built directly into the counter or used as a separate module – by Jim Rowe Special Columns 54 Serviceman’s Log A tale of two tablets: both dropped, both fixed 70 Circuit Notebook (1) 10Hz-100kHz Function Generator Uses MiniMaximite Display; (2) Rail-ToRail Power Amplifier For Non-Audio Use; (3) Recycling A Floppy Drive For Use As A Mini Polishing Machine Mobile Phone Loud Ringer – Page 38. 82 Vintage Radio More Philips Twins – the Dutch 209U and the Australian 112A Departments    2 Publisher’s Letter   4 Mailbag 21 Subscriptions siliconchip.com.au 53 Product Showcase 88 90 95 96 Partshop & Order Form Ask Silicon Chip Market Centre Notes & Errata Accurate GPS 1pps Timebase For Frequency Counters – Page 74. February 2013  1