Silicon ChipContents - July 2020 SILICON CHIP
  1. Outer Front Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Publisher's Letter: The paperless office... and working from home
  4. Feature: Subtractive Manufacturing by Dr David Maddison
  5. Review: A 100kHz - 500MHz digital RF Power Meter by Jim Rowe
  6. Project: The all-new Colour Maximite 2 by Geoff Graham & Peter Mather
  7. Review: Low-cost pocket DAB+ receiver. Is it any good? by Jim Rowe
  8. Project: Ol' Timer II by Tim Blythman
  9. Serviceman's Log: Well-designed thoughtlessness by Dave Thompson
  10. Feature: Vintage Workbench by Alan Hampel
  11. Project: Infrared Remote Control Assistant by John Clarke
  12. Project: Digital/Touchscreen RCL Substitution Box, Part 2 by Tim Blythman
  13. PartShop
  14. Vintage Radio: Loewe's 1927 OE333: simplicity itself by Ian Batty
  15. Product Showcase
  16. Market Centre
  17. Advertising Index
  18. Notes & Errata: H-field Transanalyser, May 2020; Nutube Guitar Overdrive & Distortion Pedal, March 2020; Super-9 FM Radio, November-December 2019; Ultra Low Noise Remote Controlled Stereo Preamp, March-April 2019
  19. Outer Back Cover

This is only a preview of the July 2020 issue of Silicon Chip.

You can view 39 of the 112 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 "The all-new Colour Maximite 2":
  • Colour Maximite 2 PCB [07107201] (AUD $10.00)
  • Colour Maximite 2 front & rear panels (PCB, AUD $10.00)
  • Colour Maximite 2 software and documentation (Free)
  • Colour Maximite 2 PCB pattern (PDF download) [07107201] (Free)
  • Colour Maximite 2 front and rear panel cutting diagrams and front panel artwork (PDF download) (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • The all-new Colour Maximite 2 (July 2020)
  • The all-new Colour Maximite 2 (July 2020)
  • The Colour Maximite 2 – part two (August 2020)
  • The Colour Maximite 2 – part two (August 2020)
Items relevant to "Ol' Timer II":
  • Ol' Timer II PCB [19104201] (AUD $5.00)
  • PIC16F1455-I/SL programmed for the Ol' Timer II [1910420A.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $10.00)
  • DS3231 real-time clock IC (SOIC-16) (Component, AUD $7.50)
  • WS2812 8x8 RGB LED matrix (Component, AUD $12.50)
  • Ol' Timer II laser-cut case pieces and spacer (PCB, AUD $7.50)
  • Firmware and source code for the Ol' Timer II word clock (Software, Free)
  • Ol' Timer II PCB pattern (PDF download) [09104201] (Free)
Items relevant to "Vintage Workbench":
  • Tektronix T-130 LC Meter Supplemental Materials (Software, Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Vintage Workbench (June 2020)
  • Vintage Workbench (June 2020)
  • Vintage Workbench (July 2020)
  • Vintage Workbench (July 2020)
  • Vintage Workbench (August 2020)
  • Vintage Workbench (August 2020)
Items relevant to "Infrared Remote Control Assistant":
  • Infrared Remote Control Assistant PCB (Jaycar case version) [15005201] (AUD $5.00)
  • Infrared Remote Control Assistant PCB (Altronics case version) [15005202] (AUD $5.00)
  • PIC16F1459-I/P programmed for the Infrared Remote Control Assistant [1500520A.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $10.00)
  • Firmware and source code for the Infrared Remote Control Assistant [1500520A.HEX] (Software, Free)
  • Infrared Remote Control Assistant PCB patterns (PDF download) [15005201-2] (Free)
  • Infrared Remote Control Assistant panel artwork and drilling templates (PDF download) (Free)
Items relevant to "Digital/Touchscreen RCL Substitution Box, Part 2":
  • Touchscreen RCL Box resistor PCB [04104201] (AUD $7.50)
  • Touchscreen RCL Box capacitor/inductor PCB [04104202] (AUD $7.50)
  • PIC32MX170F256B-50I/SP programmed for the Touchscreen RCL Box (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $15.00)
  • Micromite LCD BackPack V3 complete kit (Component, AUD $75.00)
  • Firmware (HEX) files and BASIC source code for the Touchscreen RCL Box [RCLBox.hex] (Software, Free)
  • Touchscreen RCL Box PCB patterns (PDF download) [04104201-2] (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Our new RCL Subsitution Box has touchscreen control (June 2020)
  • Our new RCL Subsitution Box has touchscreen control (June 2020)
  • Digital/Touchscreen RCL Substitution Box, Part 2 (July 2020)
  • Digital/Touchscreen RCL Substitution Box, Part 2 (July 2020)

Purchase a printed copy of this issue for $10.00.

Contents Vol.33, No.7 July 2020 SILICON CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Features & Reviews Subtractive Manufacturing is an intriguing subject! There are some incredible machines out there . . . or it could be as simple as a sculptor with a block of stone!     – Page 10 10 Subtractive Manufacturing Long before we started “building stuff” with 3D printing, Subtractive Manufacturing was producing incredibly complex equipment – and it continues today. You start with a block of material and chip away . . . by Dr David Maddison 27 Review: A 100kHz - 500MHz digital RF Power Meter This tiny (59 x 57mm) prebuilt module from Banggood in China costs less than $50 posted to Australia/NZ but gives a very good account of itself – by Jim Rowe 42 Review: low-cost pocket DAB+ receiver. Is it any good? DAB+ Radio is now in all capitals and still expanding. We check out an imported lowcost DAB+ receiver with inbuilt SD card reader. We were impressed! – by Jim Rowe Constructional Projects 30 The all-new Colour Maximite 2 Australia’s world-wide phenomenon continues! The new Colour Maximite 2 is low in cost, easy to build – but is seriously useful. It offers a 480MHz, 32-bit processor, 9MB of RAM and 2MB of flash memory – by Geoff Graham and Peter Mather Banggood’s <$50 RF Power Meter represents really good value for money, as our tests found. It covers from 100kHz to 500MHz – Page 27 44 Ol’ Timer II It’s a clock with a difference: no hands, no digital numbers to read. This one actually spells out the time in words. It’s more than different – it’s unique! – by Tim Blythman 76 Infrared Remote Control Assistant Chances are all those remote controls are starting to get out of control! Here’s a great way to combine functions and save frustration – by John Clarke 90 Digital/Touchscreen RCL Substitution Box, Part II Based on a Micromite BackPack, our new digital RCL box will be a great addition to your test gear. Here’s how to put it together and use it – by Tim Blythman Your Favourite Columns 61 Serviceman’s Log Well-designed thoughtlessness – by Dave Thompson 68 Vintage Workbench Tektronix T130 LC Meter, Part 2 – by Alan Hampel 84 Circuit Notebook (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Novel method of GPS-locking an oscillator USB privacy dongle emulates keyboard Running Micropython on an ESP32/ESP8266 Multi-output –5 to 12V supply Digital soldering iron timer with relay 100 Vintage Radio Loewe’s1927 OE333: simplicity itself – by Ian Batty Everything Else 2 Editorial Viewpoint    106 4 Mailbag – Your Feedback 111 98 SILICON CHIP ONLINE SHOP   112 siliconchip.com.au 105 Product Showcase    112 Ask SILICON CHIP Market Centre Note and Errata Advertising Index Wow! A new colour Maximite: it’s the ideal way to get into single board computing. It won’t break the bank and is easy to build! – Page 30 Are those cheap imported DAB+ receivers any good? We were pleasantly surprised with this one – which also plays SD cards! – Page 42 It’s a clock quite unlike anything you’ve seen before! Ol’ Timer II very cleverly spells out the time – Page 44 Take charge of all your infrared remote controllers with the IR Control Assistant. You decide what you want to control – Page 76 www.facebook.com/siliconchipmagazine