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Contents Vol.34, No.10 October 2021 SILICON CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Features & Reviews 14 Detecting Gravitational Waves Despite being theorised to exist in 1905, it wasn’t until 2015 that gravitational waves were actually detected. The article details the properties of gravitational waves and the efforts to detect these ripples in space – by Dr David Maddison 61 El Cheapo Modules: 3.8GHz Digital Attenuator This self-contained 1MHz to 3.8GHz digitally programmable attenuator, with an OLED screen, can reduce a signal level by 0-31dB in 1dB steps – by Jim Rowe 70 Review: PicoScope 6426E USB Oscilloscope The PC-based PicoScope 6426E has four analog channels, 12 bits of resolution, 5GS/s sampling rate, a waveform generator and more! – by Tim Blythman Gravitational waves are ‘ripples’ in spacetime that are produced by accelerating masses. Detecting them is tricky, as it requires incredibly sensitive equipment as detailed in the article – Page 14 82 Review: Solder Master ESM-50WL Cordless Iron The Solder Master ESM-50WL from Master Instruments is the newest contender in the sphere of battery-powered soldering irons – by Tim Blythman 90 UT-P 2016 MEMS Woofer Reproducing audio signals down to 20Hz, the UT-P 2016 midrange driver is only tiny in size, not power – by Allan Linton-Smith Constructional Projects 30 Tele-com – an intercom using analog phones The “OzPlar” Tele-com is a private line automatic ringdown unit, also known as a PLAR or intercom. It lets you connect two analog telephones to communicate over short or long distances – by Greig Sheridan & Ross Herbert The Tele-com intercom provides you with an easy way to connect two analog telephones. It provides all you need to make these phones functional – Page 30 42 Two- or Three-Way Stereo Active Crossover – Part 1 Our Active Crossover can be used for two- or three-way speakers, includes muting to eliminate switching transients, a subsonic filter to protect subwoofers, and can work with the Tapped Horn Subwoofer from last month – by Phil prosser 64 SMD Test Tweezers Made with just 11 components, our Test Tweezers measure the value of SMD resistors and capacitors, plus it shows diode orientations and calculates their forward voltages; all this is displayed on an OLED screen – by Tim Blythman 76 Touchscreen Digital Preamp with Tone Control – Part 2 Introduced last month, we finish off our new Digital Preamp by describing how to build it, test it and wire it up – by Nicholas Vinen & Tim Blythman Your Favourite Columns 84 Serviceman’s Log Life on the ‘bleeding edge’ – by Dave Thompson This Two- or Three-Way Active Crossover can be powered by 2430V DC, split rail DC or low-voltage AC. It has level control for all three bands, typically draws around 150mA, and has a mono or stereo output for subwoofers – Page 42 94 Vintage Radio Reinartz 4-valve reaction radio – by Fred Lever 103 Circuit Notebook (1) Colour recognition using LEDs and an LDR (2) Battery charger with WiFi interface Everything Else 2 Editorial Viewpoint 4 Mailbag – Your Feedback siliconchip.com.au 29 Product Showcase 106 Silicon Chip Online Shop 108 Ask Silicon Chip 111 Market Centre Australia’s magazine 112 Noteselectronics and Errata 112 Advertising Index Our SMD Test Tweezers identifies resistors (10W (10W to 1MW 1MW), capacitors (1nF to 10μF), diodes & LEDs. It runs from a single lithium coin cell with around five years of standby life2021  1 – Page 64 October Cover image source: www.ligo. caltech.edu/image/ligo20160615f