Fullscreen HTML5Med Res (??MB)HTML4

Is there a feasible way for me to achieve a robust, hard-wearing result? (S. M., Adelaide, SA) ● We have some information on making front panel (and other) labels on our website: siliconchip.au/Help/ FrontPanels In summary, you have a few options. Because the Hand Controller lid is clear, you could print the label out onto stiff photo paper and place it on the underside of the lid so that it can be seen through the lid. Cut the switch holes out with a craft knife. It may need to be held in place with double-sided tape or a smear of clear non-acid cure silicone sealant (roof and gutter type) between the inside of the lid and the top of the paper. Another method is to print as a mirror image onto overhead projector film using a type suitable for your printer (laser or inkjet). These are clear and, Advertising Index Altronics.................................25-28 Dave Thompson........................ 111 Digi-Key Electronics...................... 3 Emona Instruments.................. IBC Hare & Forbes..........................OBC Jaycar................... IFC, 9, 12-13, 35, ................................. 79, 89, 93, 107 Keith Rippon Kit Assembly....... 111 Lazer Security........................... 111 LD Electronics........................... 111 LEDsales................................... 111 Microchip Technology.................. 7 Mouser Electronics....................... 4 SC Pico W BackPack................ 110 Silicon Chip PDFs on USB....... 109 Silicon Chip Shop............ 104-105 Silicon Chip Subscriptions........ 29 The Loudspeaker Kit.com............ 6 Tronixlabs.................................. 111 Wagner Electronics..................... 85 Next Issue: the September 2023 issue is due on sale in newsagents by Monday, August 28th. Expect postal delivery of subscription copies in Australia between August 25th and September 13th. 112 Silicon Chip with the reverse image, the printed side is placed face down on the panel and adhered using non-acid-cure silicone sealant. Squeegee the film flat onto the lid but don’t remove too much sealant, and ensure there is an even coverage over the entire film. When cured, cut the switch holes out with a craft knife. Since the Hand Controller lid is clear, coloured silicone such as grey should be used to provide contrast to the printed label. Alternatively, print the front panel artwork (but not as a mirror image) onto an A4-sized Avery “Heavy Duty White Polyester – Inkjet” sticky label that is suitable for inkjet printers or a “Datapol” sticky label for laser printers. Cut out the holes and display opening with a sharp craft knife. These labels are available from: • www.blanklabels.com.au • averyproducts.com.au The first of those also has instructions and interesting information. For Avery labels, visit siliconchip. au/link/ably For Datapol labels, visit siliconchip. com.au/l/aabx Avery also has “Heavy Duty White Polyester – Laser” labels. We haven’t tried them, but we think they might be even better than the above, and they are available from Officeworks for both inkjet (siliconchip.au/link/ ablz) and laser printers (siliconchip. au/link/abm0). Help to identify an old EA project I want to get some information on an old project, possibly from Electronics Australia. It is a load-controlled mains switching box. Unfortunately, I have lost the information about it over the years. A load is connected to a ‘master’ mains socket, and the master load current operates a relay, which then enables several ‘slave’ mains outlets. On the top side, there is a 10W 10kW resistor, two 1W 82kW resistors, what looks like a bridge rectifier using discrete 1N5xxx diodes, a couple of smaller diodes, a couple of half-watt resistors, a 47μF 63V capacitor and a couple of small-signal transistors. On the bottom side of the board, all I can make out is “79”; the first part of the board part number was cut off when the relay was mounted on the board. Australia's electronics magazine Can you find any information about this project? I would like to try to increase its switching-on sensitivity. Keep up the good work with Silicon Chip. I started reading RTV&H in high school and am now semi-retired! I still buy the magazine each month. I have seen a lot of changes over the intervening years. (G. M., North Epping, NSW) ● EA published several mains slave switches, eg, in the January 1990 and January 1992 issues but none that match your description. For example, none include a 10kW 10W resistor. Despite an exhaustive search of the Silicon Chip, EA & ETI indexes and archives, we haven’t found an article on the device you described. We could have missed it, or it could be from another source. We assume a bridge rectifier is used to conduct current flow for the master appliance supply, and the voltage across it (about 1.2VAC) is filtered with a resistor and capacitor to provide a base drive to a transistor. We assume that drives another transistor for more current gain to drive the relay. In that case, the sensitivity can’t easily be increased. We suspect the bridge rectifier diodes are 1N5404 500V 3A types, and the 10W resistor is used to reduce the voltage applied to the relay from the mains, possibly via a 1N4004 (1A) diode so it is supplied with DC. Vintage Radio query on HMV Consort I remember a refurbishment of an HMV “Consort” in the Vintage Radio section. Can you please point me to the article? My neighbour wants his little portable repaired if possible. As far as I can see, apart from restringing the dial, it’s just a broken ferrite rod antenna. I love your articles; keep up the good work. (D. H., Greenwood, WA) ● We don’t have any record of publishing a Vintage Radio article on an HMV “Consort”. We have published around a dozen articles on various HMV radios; you can find them by putting “HMV” in the “Name” field and clicking “Search” on the following web page: siliconchip.au/Articles/ ContentsSearch You may be thinking of Radio Waves magazine, October 2011, which had an article on the HMV Consort by Ian Malcolm. SC siliconchip.com.au