Contents
Vol.33, No.12
December 2020
SILICON
CHIP
www.siliconchip.com.au
Features & Reviews
12 Automotive Electronics, Part 1
Cars have improved drastically over the last few decades. Much of this
improvement is due to the expansion and integration of electronics such as the
engine control unit, infotainment, cruise control etc – by Dr David Maddison
36 Making PCBs with a Laser Engraver or Cutter
PCB prototypes are pretty cheap to order online, apart from postage, but it’s
a long wait if you only want one or two boards. Using a laser cutter can be an
inexpensive way to etch your own boards – by Andrew Woodfield
48 A Closer Look at the RCWL-0516 3GHz Motion Module
Leading on from the short introduction we did on this module in February
2018, we take a more detailed look about the operation of this device and what
modifications you can make to it – by Allan Linton-Smith
Cars are constantly becoming more
advanced and complex due to the
inclusion of electronic systems.
Let’s take a look at the various
electronic systems that are used
today – Page 12
76 El Cheapo Modules: Mini Digital Volt/Amp Panel Meters
A surprising number of low-cost miniature panel meters have come onto the
market lately. They display voltage and current (and sometimes more), with this
article focusing on the DC variants – by Jim Rowe
Constructional Projects
26 Power Supply for Battery-Powered Vintage Radios
For most vintage radios, A & B batteries are extremely difficult to obtain. This
power supply lets you use common Li-ion or LiPo cells to provide the A & B
supplies for battery valve sets with HT in the range of 24-135V and LT of 1.22.5V – by Ken Kranz & Nicholas Vinen
44 Dual Battery Lifesaver
This simple project helps protect rechargeable batteries from being drained if
a device is left switched on. It works with devices that run from a single battery,
or two separate batteries like our Supply above – by Nicholas Vinen
This Power Supply makes it easy
to modernise your battery-powered
vintage radio sets. It uses Li-ion or
LiPo cells and supplies a wide-range
of high tension (HT) and low tension
(LT) voltages – Page 26
68 Balanced Input Attenuator for the USB SuperCodec Pt2
Following on from the description of how the Input Attenuator add-on for our
USB SuperCodec works, here’s how to assemble and test it – by Phil Prosser
90 Flexible Digital Lighting Controller – part three
In the next part of the series, we’ll show you how to use RGB LEDs with the
Lighting Controller and in conjunction with mains lighting – by Tim Blythman
Your Favourite Columns
61 Serviceman’s Log
A brush with disaster – by Dave Thompson
Here’s a low-cost and relatively
simple way to make your own PCBs
using a laser engraver or cutter –
Page 36
85 Circuit Notebook
(1) Automatic tyre inflator/deflator
(2) ‘Infinite’ impedance AC source
(3) Controlling model railway points with a servo
100 Vintage Radio
1928 RCA Radiola 60 superhet – by Dennis Jackson
Everything Else
2 Editorial Viewpoint
4 Mailbag – Your Feedback
98 Silicon Chip Online Shop
siliconchip.com.au
106 Product Showcase
107 Ask Silicon Chip
111 Market Centre
112
Noteselectronics
and Errata
Australia’s
magazine
112 Advertising Index
Our new Dual Battery Lifesaver can
be used to protect two separate
batteries from being drained by
wayward devices – Page 44
December 2020 1
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