Silicon ChipAOShop - May 2026 SILICON CHIP
  1. Contents
  2. Publisher's Letter: Product codes should be specific to the hardware
  3. Feature: Net Work by Alan Winstanley
  4. Feature: Max’s Cool Beans
  5. Feature: The Fox Report
  6. Feature: Teach-In 2026 by Mike Tooley
  7. Project: SSB Shortwave Receiver by Kosina, VKEBAR
  8. Feature: Circuit Surgery by Ian Bell
  9. Project: 433MHz Transmitter Module by TIM BLYTHMAN
  10. Feature: AUDIO OUT by Jake Rothman
  11. Project: Tool Safety Timer by Phil Prosser
  12. Feature: Techno Talk by Max the Magnificent
  13. Project: Power Electronics by Andrew Levido
  14. Feature: Techno Talk by Max the Magnificent
  15. PartShop
  16. Advertising Index
  17. Market Centre
  18. Back Issues

This is only a preview of the May 2026 issue of Practical Electronics.

You can view 0 of the 80 pages in the full issue.

Articles in this series:
  • Power Electronics Part 1: DC-DC Converters (April 2026)
  • SSB Shortwave Receiver (May 2026)
  • Power Electronics Part 3: Isolated DC-DC Converters (June 2026)
  • Power Electronics Part 4: AC-DC Converters with Rectifiers (July 2026)
  • Power Electronics Part 5: power factor correction & EMI fifiltering (August 2026)
  • Power Electronics Part 5: power factor correction & EMI fifiltering (September 2026)
  • Power Electronics Part 5: power factor correction & EMI fifiltering (October 2026)
  • Power Electronics Part 5: power factor correction & EMI fifiltering (November 2026)
Articles in this series:
  • Max’s Cool Beans (January 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (February 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (March 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (April 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (May 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (June 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (July 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (August 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (September 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans: Weird & Wonderful Arduino Projects (October 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (November 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (December 2025)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (January 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (February 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (March 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (April 2026)
  • AOShop (May 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (June 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (July 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (August 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (September 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (October 2026)
  • Max’s Cool Beans (November 2026)
Articles in this series:
  • Circuit Surgery (April 2024)
  • STEWART OF READING (April 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (May 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (June 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (July 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (August 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (September 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (October 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (November 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (December 2024)
  • Circuit Surgery (January 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (February 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (March 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (April 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (May 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (June 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (July 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (August 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (September 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (October 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (November 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (December 2025)
  • Circuit Surgery (January 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (February 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (March 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (April 2026)
  • AUDIO OUT (May 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (June 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (July 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (August 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (September 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (October 2026)
  • Circuit Surgery (November 2026)
Articles in this series:
  • Techno Talk (February 2020)
  • Techno Talk (March 2020)
  • (April 2020)
  • Techno Talk (May 2020)
  • Techno Talk (June 2020)
  • Techno Talk (July 2020)
  • Techno Talk (August 2020)
  • Techno Talk (September 2020)
  • Techno Talk (October 2020)
  • (November 2020)
  • Techno Talk (December 2020)
  • Techno Talk (January 2021)
  • Techno Talk (February 2021)
  • Techno Talk (March 2021)
  • Techno Talk (April 2021)
  • Techno Talk (May 2021)
  • Techno Talk (June 2021)
  • Techno Talk (July 2021)
  • Techno Talk (August 2021)
  • Techno Talk (September 2021)
  • Techno Talk (October 2021)
  • Techno Talk (November 2021)
  • Techno Talk (December 2021)
  • Communing with nature (January 2022)
  • Should we be worried? (February 2022)
  • How resilient is your lifeline? (March 2022)
  • Go eco, get ethical! (April 2022)
  • From nano to bio (May 2022)
  • Positivity follows the gloom (June 2022)
  • Mixed menu (July 2022)
  • Time for a total rethink? (August 2022)
  • What’s in a name? (September 2022)
  • Forget leaves on the line! (October 2022)
  • Giant Boost for Batteries (December 2022)
  • Raudive Voices Revisited (January 2023)
  • A thousand words (February 2023)
  • It’s handover time (March 2023)
  • AI, Robots, Horticulture and Agriculture (April 2023)
  • Prophecy can be perplexing (May 2023)
  • Technology comes in different shapes and sizes (June 2023)
  • AI and robots – what could possibly go wrong? (July 2023)
  • How long until we’re all out of work? (August 2023)
  • We both have truths, are mine the same as yours? (September 2023)
  • Holy Spheres, Batman! (October 2023)
  • Where’s my pneumatic car? (November 2023)
  • Good grief! (December 2023)
  • Cheeky chiplets (January 2024)
  • Cheeky chiplets (February 2024)
  • The Wibbly-Wobbly World of Quantum (March 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Wait! What? Really? (April 2024)
  • Techno Talk - One step closer to a dystopian abyss? (May 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Program that! (June 2024)
  • Techno Talk (July 2024)
  • Techno Talk - That makes so much sense! (August 2024)
  • Techno Talk - I don’t want to be a Norbert... (September 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Sticking the landing (October 2024)
  • Techno Talk (November 2024)
  • Techno Talk (December 2024)
  • Techno Talk (January 2025)
  • Techno Talk (February 2025)
  • Techno Talk (March 2025)
  • Techno Talk (April 2025)
  • Techno Talk (May 2025)
  • Techno Talk (June 2025)
  • Techno Talk (July 2025)
  • Techno Talk (August 2025)
  • Techno Talk (October 2025)
  • Techno Talk (November 2025)
  • Techno Talk (December 2025)
  • Techno Talk (January 2026)
  • Techno Talk (February 2026)
  • Techno Talk (March 2026)
  • Techno Talk (April 2026)
  • Techno Talk (May 2026)
  • Techno Talk (May 2026)
  • Techno Talk (June 2026)
  • Techno Talk (July 2026)
  • Techno Talk (August 2026)
  • Techno Talk (September 2026)
  • Techno Talk (October 2026)
  • Techno Talk (November 2026)
Articles in this series:
  • Techno Talk (February 2020)
  • Techno Talk (March 2020)
  • (April 2020)
  • Techno Talk (May 2020)
  • Techno Talk (June 2020)
  • Techno Talk (July 2020)
  • Techno Talk (August 2020)
  • Techno Talk (September 2020)
  • Techno Talk (October 2020)
  • (November 2020)
  • Techno Talk (December 2020)
  • Techno Talk (January 2021)
  • Techno Talk (February 2021)
  • Techno Talk (March 2021)
  • Techno Talk (April 2021)
  • Techno Talk (May 2021)
  • Techno Talk (June 2021)
  • Techno Talk (July 2021)
  • Techno Talk (August 2021)
  • Techno Talk (September 2021)
  • Techno Talk (October 2021)
  • Techno Talk (November 2021)
  • Techno Talk (December 2021)
  • Communing with nature (January 2022)
  • Should we be worried? (February 2022)
  • How resilient is your lifeline? (March 2022)
  • Go eco, get ethical! (April 2022)
  • From nano to bio (May 2022)
  • Positivity follows the gloom (June 2022)
  • Mixed menu (July 2022)
  • Time for a total rethink? (August 2022)
  • What’s in a name? (September 2022)
  • Forget leaves on the line! (October 2022)
  • Giant Boost for Batteries (December 2022)
  • Raudive Voices Revisited (January 2023)
  • A thousand words (February 2023)
  • It’s handover time (March 2023)
  • AI, Robots, Horticulture and Agriculture (April 2023)
  • Prophecy can be perplexing (May 2023)
  • Technology comes in different shapes and sizes (June 2023)
  • AI and robots – what could possibly go wrong? (July 2023)
  • How long until we’re all out of work? (August 2023)
  • We both have truths, are mine the same as yours? (September 2023)
  • Holy Spheres, Batman! (October 2023)
  • Where’s my pneumatic car? (November 2023)
  • Good grief! (December 2023)
  • Cheeky chiplets (January 2024)
  • Cheeky chiplets (February 2024)
  • The Wibbly-Wobbly World of Quantum (March 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Wait! What? Really? (April 2024)
  • Techno Talk - One step closer to a dystopian abyss? (May 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Program that! (June 2024)
  • Techno Talk (July 2024)
  • Techno Talk - That makes so much sense! (August 2024)
  • Techno Talk - I don’t want to be a Norbert... (September 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Sticking the landing (October 2024)
  • Techno Talk (November 2024)
  • Techno Talk (December 2024)
  • Techno Talk (January 2025)
  • Techno Talk (February 2025)
  • Techno Talk (March 2025)
  • Techno Talk (April 2025)
  • Techno Talk (May 2025)
  • Techno Talk (June 2025)
  • Techno Talk (July 2025)
  • Techno Talk (August 2025)
  • Techno Talk (October 2025)
  • Techno Talk (November 2025)
  • Techno Talk (December 2025)
  • Techno Talk (January 2026)
  • Techno Talk (February 2026)
  • Techno Talk (March 2026)
  • Techno Talk (April 2026)
  • Techno Talk (May 2026)
  • Techno Talk (May 2026)
  • Techno Talk (June 2026)
  • Techno Talk (July 2026)
  • Techno Talk (August 2026)
  • Techno Talk (September 2026)
  • Techno Talk (October 2026)
  • Techno Talk (November 2026)
AOShop Ge semiconductors Small-signal PNP transistors NKT214F, OC57, OC59, 2N1377, 2N525 £1.00 Low-noise PNP transistors GET106 £2.50 Small power PNP transistors AC153, AC153K, AC188 £1.50 Small power NPN transistors AC176, AC141K £2.00 High-voltage PNP transistors OC77, CV7001 £1.50 TO3 PNP power transistors OC22, CV7054 (OC23), OC25, OC35, OC36, AD143, AD149, AD161, AD162 £2.00 AD140 £3.50 AD149, AD161/2 matched pair £5.00 RF PNP transistors OC41, OC42, 2SA12, 2SA53,AF124, AF178, GET872A £1.50 NPN transistors OC139, OC140, ASY73 £2.00 Diodes CV7049 (OA10), CG92 (OA91) £0.50 Si semiconductors Diodes ZC5800 RF Schottky £0.20 Low-noise silicon transistors BFW16A, 2SC3071, 2SC3068, 2SA1016K, 2SC2362K, 2SA970BL £1.50 2SC2204, 2SD655, BC550C £0.50 ZTX651 £0.30 ZTX751 £0.50 RF transistors (suitable for Theremin) BF199 £0.50 Audio power MOSFETs Exicon 10N20, 10P20 £6.50 Hitachi 2SJ99, 2SK343 £3.50 Hitachi 2SJ56, 2SK176 £8.50 JFETs BFW11, BFW10, TIS73L, J177, J113, U1994, U1898, 2SJ176, J201 £1.00 J175, J176, J112, J111, 2N3820, 2N5457, BF244, 2N5460, J230 £0.60 Small power output/driver transistors 2SB649A, D669A, 2SA1208, 2SC2910, MJE253G, MJE243G, 2SA1725, 2SC4511 £1.20 BD139,BD140, BD135, BD136, BD435, BD436, MPSA63, BCV46 £0.50 MOSFETs ZVP2106A £0.30 Dual-gate 3SK45, BFS28 £1.50 Metal-cased transistors BCY71 £0.30 Amplifiers LM318 high-speed op amp £0.35 µA709 metal-cased op amp £2.00 5534H metal-cased op amp £3.00 LM384, TDA2030A, TDA2050V £1.50 TAA435 (Mullard power amp driver for AD161/AD162) £1.20 Synthesiser ICs The home for specialist audio, analogue and historic components – provided by Jake Rothman, PE’s Audio Out columnist. The AOShop is your best bet for classic analogue ‘NOS’ (new old stock) components, including all parts for Audio Out projects and designs. CA3280 VCA/VCF £4.00 LM13600/ LM13700 VCA/VCF £2.00 CA3086 transistor array £1.00 PT2399 echo/delay £1.50 Dual transistors 2N2639, 2N2223, 2N2910 (NPN) £4.00 E401 (JFET Moog) £4.00 2SK2145-Y dual JFET £0.80 2N5564 JFET £8.00 HN3C51F, HN3A51F £1.00 DMMT3904/6, HN1A01F, HN1C01F £0.50 Loudspeakers PE Mini-Monitor Volt PE165 6.5-inch woofer (each) £85 Morel MDT29 tweeter (each) £25 Kit pair of PE165/MDT29 plus Volt crossover parts and PCBs £299 Monacor DT-28N tweeter (each) £35 Vifa 19mm BC20SC15-04 tweeter (each) £15 Volt crossover inductors 1.2mH, 1.5mH, 2mH, 2.7mH, 0.5mH (tapped at 0.3mH) (each) £5.85 Fully assembled and tested high-quality speaker prototypes – ask for details LS3/5As and other similar speaker systems (pair) £200-£350 Fully tested reclaimed speakers Vifa BC14 5-inch woofer (each) £10 Vifa TC26 1-inch tweeter (each) £10 Low-price speakers Philips 4-inch 4070 £2.00 EMI 10x6-inch, 30Ω Alnico £7 64mm 64Ω neodymium £1.20 Capacitors Note ‘10/63’ denotes ‘10µF 63V’. Polyester 3.3/100, 4.7/250, 4.7/63 £1.00 5.6/63, 8.2/63, 10/63 £2.00 Mullard ‘Mustard’ C296 0.22/400 £2.00 Polycarbonate Axial 2.2/63 1%, 4.7/160, 6.8/63 £1.00 Radial 6.8/160V, 10/63 £2.00 Reclaimed 22/63 £2.00 Polystyrene Philips 1% 4.7nF/160, 6.2nF/500, 12nF/63, 22nF/63, 110nF/63, 24nF, 2nF £1.00 RIFA 1% 100nF/100, Suflex 90.9nF 0.5% £2.00 Suflex 2.5% 10nF/63 (rad. or ax.) £0.50 Radiation resistant Siemens cellulose acetate MKL 2.2/25 £0.80 Electrolytic – Mullard blue 017 series 10/25, 22/25, 100/10 £0.50 150/40, 470/40, 1000/40 £1.00 Tantalum – axial metal cased 22/50, 47/35, 68/25, 100/20, 120/10, 150/16, 220/10, 330/6 £2.00 22/35, 33/35, 47/20, 68/15, 100/10, 150/6 £1.25 4.7/50, 6.8/35, 10/25, 10/35, 22/15 £1.00 That/dbx 2180 VCA/VCF £6.00 CA3080 VCA/VCF (vocoder) £2.80 Practical Electronics | May | 2026 Axial moulded-case tantalum Kemet axial 6.8/10 £0.30 Kemet radial 33/10 £0.40 STC radial 100/20 £1.50 Tantalum bead 22/50 £1.00 470/3 £2.00 680/6.3 £3.00 Wet tantalum 220/25 axial £3.20 Castanet button 140/30, 470/3 £3.20 Hughes 540/10 £3.20 Bipolar Hermetic bipolar tantalum 16/35 £3.20 Elcap axial 10/50 £0.50 Generic radial 100/16, 470/35, 100/ 63, 22/35, 4.7/35, 220/16 £0.50 Philips solid-aluminium (axial) 121/123 47/16 £1.00 330/6.3 £2.00 100/35 £4.00 Philips Pearl 122 series (radial) 10/16 £0.30 Silvered mica (radial) 1nF/500 1% £1.00 Trimmer capacitors Vishay plastic-film 4-40pF £0.80 Vishay plastic-film 5.5-45pF £1.00 Vishay plastic-film 5-80pF £1.20 Vishay plastic-film 10-250pF £2.00 Mica 1-12pF, 2-40pF £1.00 Audio transformers and inductors Eagle transformers LT44, LT722 driver, LT700, LT723 500Ω output £2.50 LT30 500mW output £3.50 5:1 interstage (fuzz box) £1.50 Repanco T/T3 splitter transformer £4.00 CH2 5mH RFC £2.00 Balanced output transformer Vigortronix 600Ω VTX-101-007 £10 Vigortronix 600Ω VTX-101-3001 £10 Vigortronix 600Ω VTX-101-3002 £15 Gardners 150Ω £10 Reclaimed BBC LL74/MPC nickel core 600Ω £12 Low-level 1:1 600Ω (modem) £2 Reclaimed mic input transformer £15 Inductors 82µH, 4.7mH, 100µH, 270µH, 10µH, 14µH (low Z) £0.50 4-inch ferrite rod with MW and LW windings £3.00 Special resistors Bourns wire-wound trimmer 5kΩ 3059 JM panel-mount £2.00 Thermistor RA53, R13 £4.00 A13 £2.00 Thermistor CZ1, CZ6 £1.50 Holco H2 2.2MΩ 1W, 1% £1.00 Welwyn 1GΩ 2W £1.00 5k Bourns 3321H cermet trimmer £0.50 Potentiometers Bourns 81 25kΩ lin cermet £2.00 25kΩ lin, 5kΩ lin cond. plastic £3.00 Bourns 91 10k dual-gang lin or log £10.00 Plessey moulded-track 5kΩ log with switch £3.00 50kΩ A/log £3.00 Mil 250kΩ lin dual £5.00 Alpha 16mm 4.7kΩ A/log £0.80 220kΩ A/log £0.80 10kΩ lin centre-detent dual-gang £1.50 Allen Bradley J series/Honeywell 10kΩ lin 1 million cycles £5.00 Blore Edwards AB 45 dual 5kΩ A/log with switch £3.50 Alps RK9 dual-gang 5kΩ RD law £4.00 Alps 50k log tapped motor. stereo £5.00 BI P260 500kΩ log conductive plastic 1 million cycles £2.00 Colvern wire-wound 100kΩ or 50kΩ dual-gang 3W £5.00 Mil Spec hermetic 10Ω £8.00 Miscellaneous PCBs All-pass Filter PCBs (three) £4.00 .. Rotary Switch (AO0626ROT) £1.50 .. Pot Board (AO0626POT) £1.50 Silent Stomp Switch (pair) £4.00 Penta-fuzz Bender (PE, Feb26) £3.00 Pre-driver (PE, Jan26) £3.00 Pre-driver jack bd (PE, Jan26) £1.50 Fuzz Box (PE, Nov25) £3.00 Fuzz Box jack bd (PE, Dec25) £1.50 Dual JFET Buffer (PE, Oct25) £2.00 Mosfet Buffer (PE, Oct 2025) £2.00 Dual Mosfet Buffer (PE, Oct25) £2.00 Cascode Amp (PE, Sep 2025) £2.00 Cascode PS (PE, Sep 2025) £2.00 Pocket Theremin (EPE, 1996) £2.00 Elysian Theremin (EPE, 1996) £6.00 Synth VCF, VCO (EPE, 2017) £3.00 48V PSU (EPE, 2019) £3.00 SMT dual transistor adapter £0.40 Relays STC hermetic 4190 24V DPDT £4.00 Switches Blore Edwards/Plessey MH1 4-pole 3-way £3.00 Elma 01 2-pole 6-way £6.00 3PDT guitar pedal stomp switch £2.50 Valves EC88, PCL84 £3.00 Contact Jake Rothman Manchester House Market Street, Craven Arms Shropshire SY7 9NN (visit by appointment) +44 (0)1597 829102 jrothman1962<at>gmail.com Minimum order £5.00 inc post Payment PayPal, bank transfer, cheques (payable to “J Rothman”, UK pounds only). No VAT payable Postage Small Jiffy bag £2.99 Small package £4.99 Big boxes and overseas at cost – ask for a quote 53