Silicon ChipMarket Centre - March 2013 SILICON CHIP
  1. Outer Front Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Publisher's Letter: Wind farms are now recognised as a serious health issue
  4. Feature: Oscium Test Instrument Add-Ons For The iPad by Nicholas Vinen
  5. Project: High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.2 by Nicholas Vinen
  6. Project: Infrasound Detector For Low Frequency Measurements by Allan Linton-Smith & Ross Tester
  7. Feature: We Test Some New Hearing Aids by Ross Tester
  8. Project: Automatic Points Controller For Model Railways by Jeff Monegal
  9. Project: Capacitor Discharge Unit For Twin-Coil Points Motors by Jeff Monegal
  10. Project: Control Relays Via The Internet With Arduino by John Boxall
  11. Feature: Programmable Systems on a Chip (PSoC) by Nicholas Vinen
  12. Project: AAA-Cell LED Torch Driver by John Clarke & Ross Tester
  13. Vintage Radio: Seyon 2D 2-valve "wireless" and an old single-valve receiver by Rodney Champness
  14. Subscriptions
  15. PartShop
  16. Order Form
  17. Market Centre
  18. Advertising Index
  19. Outer Back Cover

This is only a preview of the March 2013 issue of Silicon Chip.

You can view 20 of the 96 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.

Items relevant to "High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.2":
  • CLASSiC DAC main PCB [01102131] (AUD $20.00)
  • CLASSiC DAC revised main PCB [01102134] (AUD $25.00)
  • dsPIC33FJ128GP306T-I/PT programmed for the CLASSiC DAC v1.02 [0110213B.hex] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $25.00)
  • Red & White PCB-mounting RCA sockets (Component, AUD $4.00)
  • SMD parts for the CLASSiC DAC (Component, AUD $80.00)
  • CLASSiC DAC front & rear panels [01102132/3] (PCB, AUD $20.00)
  • Firmware for the CLASSiC DAC [0110213B.HEX] (Software, Free)
  • CLASSiC DAC main PCB pattern (PDF download) [01102131] (Free)
  • CLASSiC DAC front and rear panel PCB patterns (PDF download) [01102132/3] (Free)
  • CLASSiC DAC front & rear panel artwork (PDF download) (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.1 (February 2013)
  • High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.1 (February 2013)
  • High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.2 (March 2013)
  • High Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.2 (March 2013)
  • High-Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.3 (April 2013)
  • High-Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.3 (April 2013)
  • High-Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.4 (May 2013)
  • High-Performance CLASSiC DAC; Pt.4 (May 2013)
Items relevant to "Infrasound Detector For Low Frequency Measurements":
  • Prechamp: 2-Transistor Preamplifier PCB [01107941] (AUD $5.00)
  • Champ: Single Chip Audio Amplifier PCB [01102941] (AUD $5.00)
Items relevant to "Automatic Points Controller For Model Railways":
  • Automatic Points Controller PCB [JWM-0812/09103131] (AUD $15.00)
  • "Frog" Relay PCB [09103133] (AUD $5.00)
  • TCRT5000 Reflective Optical Sensor (Component, AUD $2.50)
  • Automatic Points Controller PCB patterns (PDF download) [09103131-2] (Free)
  • Frog Relay PCB pattern (PDF download) [09103133] (Free)
Items relevant to "Capacitor Discharge Unit For Twin-Coil Points Motors":
  • Capacitor Discharge PCB for Twin-Coil Points Motors [09203131] (AUD $7.50)
  • Capacitor Discharge Unit (CDU) PCB pattern (PDF download) [09203131] (Free)
Items relevant to "AAA-Cell LED Torch Driver":
  • AAA LED Torch Driver PCB [16102131] (AUD $5.00)
  • AAA-Cell LED Torch Driver PCB pattern (PDF download) [16102131] (Free)
MARKET CENTRE Cash in your surplus gear. Advertise it here in SILICON CHIP C O N T R O L S Tough times demand innovative solutions! Vast range of SEMICONDUCTORS We stock the broadest range of Semiconductors as used in Consumer Electronic Equipment. As well as all the common types, we have in stock many hard to find and obscure Semis. Competitive prices. ELNEC IC PROGRAMMERS High quality Realistic prices Free software updates Large range of adaptors Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2k/XP CLEVERSCOPE USB OSCILLOSCOPES 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 Made in Australia, used by OEMs world-wide splat-sc.com IMAGECRAFT C COMPILERS FOR SALE 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 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 SOLAR PANELS LOW COST: full range 5W to 250W, eg: 40W/12V Poly $69, 130W/12V $169, 190W/24V $165, 200W/12V $225, 250W/24V $225, 230W Poly $190. AGM Batteries: 7AH $19.50, 9AH $24.50, 20AH $52.50, 55AH $129, 105AH $199, 220AH $399. (03) 94705851 or (03) 9478 0080 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 PCBs & Micros: Silicon Chip Pub­ lications can supply PCBs and prosiliconchip.com.au Visit us at www.starcomponents.com.au ANSI C compilers, Windows IDE AVR, TMS430, ARM7/ARM9 68HC08, 68HC11, 68HC12 GRANTRONICS PTY LTD www.grantronics.com.au grammed micros for all recent (and some not so recent) projects described in the magazine. See the SILICON CHIP PartShop advert in this issue. Phone (02) 9939 3295 or email silicon<at> siliconchip.com.au WANTED CIRCUIT & DESIGN IDEAS: SILICON CHIP pays up to $60 for Circut Notebook items or you could win a $150 gift voucher from Hare & Forbes. WANTED: EARLY HIFIs, AMPLIFIERS, Speakers, Turntables, Valves, Books, Quad, Leak, Pye, Lowther, Ortofon, SME, Western Electric, Altec, Marantz, McIntosh, Tannoy, Goodmans, Wharfedale, radio and wireless. Collector/ Hobbyist will pay cash. (07) 5471 1062. johnmurt<at>highprofile.com.au 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 for up to 20 words plus 85 cents for each additional word. Display ads in Market Centre start at $110.00. All prices include GST. 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 phone Glyn (02) 9939 3295 or 0431 792 293. March 2013  95 Advertising Index A To Z Electronix.......................... 55 ADM Instruments......................... 61 Altronics................................catalog Blamey & Saunders Hearing........ 11 Emona Instruments................. 15,57 Grantronics................................... 95 Hare & Forbes............................. 2-3 High Profile Communications....... 95 Instant PCBs................................ 95 Jaycar .............................. IFC,45-52 Ask SILICON CHIP . . . continued from p94 a pause feature plus the rate change. Perhaps the Fast Clock published in December 1996 would be suitable. It is a small circuit that drives a standard sweep hand clock. The speed is adjustable from 4.5 to 8.5 times normal but changing the series resistor (820Ω to 220kΩ) that connects to the trimpot will allow a wider adjustment range. Additionally, changing the 150nF timing capacitor will alter the overall rate. Adding a pause feature would be as simple as including a switch in the connection to the clock motor. One disadvantage of the clock is that it is not 24 hour. However, the clock rate could be made slower so it takes 24 hours (model railway time) for the hour hand to rotate 360°. The clock face could then be remarked to show 24 hours rather than 12 hours. Note that the PCB for this project is no longer available but the circuit is quite simple with only two ICs and you could easily build it on a piece of Veroboard. Converting a 3-wire speed sensor I own a 2001 VH Ford Transit van with a 2.3-litre petrol engine and a 5-speed manual gearbox. I have just converted the van to automatic, using a Jatco 4-speed overdrive box from a 1986 Nissan Pintara. This gearbox has a 3-wire VDO speed sensor whereas the Transit’s manual box had a 2-wire speed sensor (like a single magnet with a toothed disc in box). I know nothing about all this but from what I have read the 3-wire sensor is a “Digital Square Wave Pulse” 96  Silicon Chip 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 and the 2-wire sensor is an AC sinewave device. I went to my local Jaycar store but they couldn’t help me with anything to convert the digital signal to a sinewave. Do you know of any way of doing this with some sort of a kit? I would appreciate any help with this problem. (N. C, Caboolture, Qld). • To convert the digital output of the 3-wire sensor to an AC signal, connect one lead of a 10µF NP (non-polarised) capacitor to the output of the sensor. The other lead from the capacitor will provide the AC signal and should be referenced by connecting a 10kΩ resistor between this AC signal and chassis. It’s not necessary to convert to a sinusoidal wave shape since an AC square wave signal will be suitable. Note that the VDO speed sensor will require power to its positive lead (+5V or +12V, depending on its requirements), while its GND lead must be connected to chassis. The output will be an open-collector transistor (which is located internal to the speed sensor). This will require a 1kΩ or similar value pull-up resistor from the output lead to the positive supply. Temperature switch for fan control I wish to switch on a series of small fans (65V <at> 50mA) when the temperature on a heatsink reaches approximately 60°C. I do not require Keith Rippon................................. 95 KitStop.......................................... 40 LED Sales.................................... 95 Low Energy Developments.......... 95 Microchip Technology............... OBC Mikroelektronika............................. 7 Oatley Electronics...................... IBC Ocean Controls............................ 12 Quest Electronics......................... 95 Radio, TV & Hobbies DVD....... 40,77 RF Modules.................................. 96 RMS Parts.................................... 73 Rohde & Schwarz........................ 13 Sesame Electronics..................... 95 Silicon Chip Binders........... 10,16,29 Silicon Chip Order Form............... 89 Silicon Chip Partshop................... 88 Silicon Chip Subscriptions........... 87 Splat Controls............................... 95 Star Components......................... 95 Truscotts Electronic World............ 95 Wiltronics..................................... 8,9 Worldwide Elect. Components..... 96 anything too precise or complex. Have you published any such circuits, possibly using the LM335Z? I see that Jaycar sells a Temperature Switch kit which may be based on one of your designs. (A. R., via email). • The Temperature Switch is a SILICON CHIP design sold as a kit by Jaycar and this can be used. Or just use a 60°C thermostat (Jaycar Cat. ST-3821) that opens its contacts at 60°C and re-closes at 40°C. Other temperature switch point thermostats are also available SC from Jaycar. siliconchip.com.au