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 Do You Eat, Breathe and Sleep TECHNOLOGY?
Opportunities for full-time and part-time positions all over Australia & New Zealand
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We pride ourselves on the technical knowledge of our Reta¡l 0perati0ns Manager - Jaycar Electronics Pty ltd
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û Knowledge of electronics, part¡cularly at component level

P0 Box 107, Rydalmere, NSW 2116
Email: iobs@iaycarcom,au
Feqture¡
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tr
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n Mav have worked ¡n some retail already (not obligatoryl. At last, a fair-dinkum electric vehicle conversion using a S-phase induction
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Have energf enthusiasm and a pers0nality that eniovs
helping people. motor. And it's fully road-registered - by Leo Simpson
! Apprec¡ates an opponunity fotfulure advancement.
58 Digital Radio ls Coming,Pt.4
Final article ìn the series describes the signal formats, compares DAB+ and

RFMA
DRM and looks at su¡table antennas for DAB+ reception - by Alan Hughes , High Voltage Smart
Battery Capacity Meter - Page 20.
*r#,?9.iJ,|'Î;.åäfll?ii? 84 VoiceMe: A Vo¡ce-Activated Remote Control
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91 Tech Support: The View From The Other Side
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amps and much more.
Y¡u'll find many mtrre te¡hnical
titles in the SllIGOll GlllP
rEfEFEncc bookshop
les lO2 D lO3 ¡f this issue
to4 StLtco¡rt Cntp
Audio Oscillator -
Page 68.
30 Circuit Notebook
(1) One-ln-Five Timer; (2) External USB Supply For \POD Totich; (3) Remote
Do you have a good Control Extender For Foxtel; (4) Electronic Mousetrap; (5) 4-20mA Current
circuit idea? lf so, Loop Tester; (6) Tester For Rotary Encoders; (7) Floating eurrent Source;
sketch it out, wrlte (8) Modified Vehicle Voltage Monitor; (9) 20-LED Chaser'Uses SCR Flipflop
a brief description 44 Serviceman's Log
of its operation & send it to us.
Dumbed down but stimulated by Rudd-bucks - by the Serviceman
Provided your idea is workable
& original, we'll publish it in 82 Salvage lt
Gather up those discarded monitors before it's too late
Circuit Notebook & you'llmake
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TOI for a good circuit idea or you The AWA 693P 3-Band 9-Transistor Portable - by Rodney Champness
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-m
Silicon Ghip Publications, Deþqrtmentt
P0 Box 139, Collaroy, l{SW 2097.
Order Form
Ask Silicon Chip
www. s i I ic onch ip. co m. a u
Notes & Errata
Market Centre

Pu b I isher & Ed ito r-i n-ChieÍ
Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD
Production Manager
Greg Swain, B.Sc. (Hons.)
lechnical Editor
John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.)
Technical StaÍl
Ross ïester
Jim Rowe, 8.4., B.Sc
Mauro Grassi, B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D
Photography
Ross Tesler
Beader Services
Ann Morris
Adverlising Enquiries
Glyn Smilh
Phone (02) 9939 3295
Mobile 0431 752293
glyn@siliconchip.com.au
Begular Contributors
Brendan Akhursl
Rodney Ghampness, VK3UG
Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK
Stan Swan
SlLlC0N CHIP is published 12 times
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Phone (02) 9939 3295.
Fax(021 9939 2648.
E-mail: silicon@siliconchip.com.au
tssil 1030-2662
. continued on pøge 45
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from SC, EA, ETl, HE, AEM &others. Ph Western Austral¡a, New Zealand Australia

I (02) 97 38 0330. sales @ rcsradio.com. Northern Terr¡tory

(08) 9437 2550
(64) 4 570 2480 ACT. NSW. OLD, SA, TAS, VIC
{1 I 300 853 407
au; www.rcsradio.com.au
I Suburb/town Postcode
@ As ilen¡ Technolq¡es. lnc 2009

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 Letters and emails should contain complete name, address and daytime phone number. Letters to
the Editor are submitted on the condit¡on that Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd may ed¡t and has the
right to reproduce in electronic form and communicate these letters.This also applies to submissions
to'Ask SILICON CHIP" and "Circuit Notebook".
Time-keeping query on
School Zone Speed Aleil
With reference to the School Zone
Speed Alert project, the worst-case
crystal accuracy of +o ppm will pro-
duce atime error of approximatelyfive
minutes over a school term. I do not
know how much leniency is applied
regarding the starting and finishing
times for school zones but a 5-minute
error may result in one incurring a fine
and loss of points,
Maybe your readers would be wise
to check the Speed Alert's time at the
beginning of arrd halfway through each
school term.
Col Hodgson,
Mount Elliot, NSW.
Comment: there is a reference to "trim-
ming the crystaL" on pzge 41 of the
article. This covers your point.
Morc light needed
on black boxes
Many years ago, I used to bry Radio
ù Hobbies magazine in an attempt to
work out what happens in the "magic
black box". Over the years, I learned
about radio, audio and power sup-
plies. Later came computers and pro-
gramming (in Basic) and now that
l{ot all GPS satnavs need
constant 3-satellite recept¡on
In-car navigation comes in two
versions: satellite reception only
or satnav with GPS and speed data
comparison. Both need about three
satellites for triangulation initially
to determine the vehicle's position.
The in-car GPS receivers fi.rst in-
troduced into Australia by Philips
are not blacked out by satellite net-
work shadow areas like city build-
ings; car parks, valleys and under
thunderstorms. They continue to
operate well, utilising a microproc-
essor computer in the unit, which
processes extra data from a simple
gyro and electrical pulses from the
speedo.
Sntco¡rt Catp
I am retired, modern electronics as
described in your excellent magazine
but I always seem to be chasing that
"magic black box".
It has only just dawned on me that
this is the reason that I have frowned
on microprocessors in your projects.
Granted, it is often easy to understand
the circuits and they are easy to build.
But what happens in the little black
box?
Stan Swan's excellent articles help
a bit, However, it didn't occur to me
what was missing from these projects
until the GPS Synchronised Clock
article in the March issue. This gave a
great description of how the program
works.
How about a little more on this side
of the hobby? Perhaps snippets on the
program, how it was designed or how
to think out the basics of the program.
Even the odd routine and other demys-
tifying techniques would make these
projects more interesting.
David Lloyd,
Clare, S,{.
Comment: in recent times we have at-
temptedtø give a Lot more information
ab out what happ ens insi de micro s. F or
example, consider the extensive de-
Advanced GPS units like this
process all this information to know
the direction and speed of the car,
comparing it with the satellite data
and inbuilt maps for more accurate
indication. In practice, I did find
some inaccuracy once in a heavy
rainstorm but generally it was un-
stoppable.
The Philips system worked so
well there was an instance when
the antenna plug was accidentally
disconnected and the unit contin-
ued to work for a few days with no
satellite reception. Of course, units
with this technology are superior but
more expensive.
Kevin Poulter,
Dingley, Vic,
scription in the Car Scrolling Display
project December 2008 to February
2009) and the Audio Millivoltmeter
inthe March 2009 issue.
DAB+ has an exc¡t¡ng
futu¡e in Australia
I write in response to a letter to the
editor with the headline "D,A.B On The
Wane Inthe UK" fromDavidWilliams,
Hornsby, NSW, in the May 2009 edi-
tion SLICON CHIP.
People often compare Australia's
digital radio switch-on with the UK,
without fuIly understanding that there
are fundamental differences in the
digital radio models in each country.
In Australia, incumbent broadcasters
hold the digital radio licences and
multiplexes a¡rd have invested in their
digital future. In the UK, a multiplex
operator owns the digital radio licence
and individual commercial broadcast-
ers then pay an annual fee to transmit
the digital signal. This obviously adds
costs to any digital radio model in
the UK.
The UK did not have the best start a
little over 10 years ago but to be fair, it
is only in the past three to four years
that the UK market has introduced a
unifled ongoing marketing message
ftom the BBC and the commercial
radio sector working together, with
affordable receivers and better bit rates
for better audio quality.
Figures released on 7th May 2009
by Rajar in the UK show DAB digital
radio ownership is up 19% year on
year, with 32% of adults, more than 16
million people, now living in a DAB
household. That's nearly one third of
the UK's adult population and DAB
radios continue selling at more than
a million a year.
We have learnt much from the UK
experience. Firstly, the DAB+ technol-
ogy Australia is launching is far supe-
rior a¡rd more spectrum-efficient than
the older DAB technology introduced
siliconchip.com.au
SI],¡GO]I CHIP'S PERFORMAIIGE EIEG.
TROlllCS FOR GARS Pubtished 2oo4
lf you ever wanted to performance from your car, this is the
book you need. 160 pages of technical background to give
you a thorough understanding then 16 specialised proiects
to build to make your car really perform, including engine
modifiers and controllers, instruments and switches/t
timers
AC MAGHII{ES
By Jim Lowe Published 2006
Applicable to Australian trades-level courses including NE10
AC Machines, NE12 Synchronous Machines and the AC part
NE30 Electric M0t0r C0ntrol and Protection.
Covering polyphase induction motors, single-
phase motors, synchronous machines and
polyphase motor starting. 160 pages in paperback.
PIG MlCR0COilTR0ttERS: know it all
tl By diJasio, Wilmshurst, lbrahim, Morton, Bates,
Smith, Smith and Hellebuyck
PIC
L irii
-L rN'Rl': I r" )
The best of subjects Newnes authors have written over the
., I l:; past few years, combined in a one-stop maxi reference.
Covers introduction to PlCs and their programming in As-
sembly, PICBASIC, MBASIC & C.
More than 900 pages paperback.
ROBOT BUIIDER'S GOOKBOOK
. By Owen Bishop Published21}7
The PIC microcontroller throughout provides a painless
introduction to programming. lt's a book for first-t¡me and
advanced robot builders and those studying at higher educa-
tion levels in this fascinating field. Has companion website
to download programs. 374 pages in paperback
IIEW]IES GUIDE TO TETEUISIO]I
& UIDEO TEGHI{OIOGY
By KF lbrahim 4th Edition (Published 2007)
It's back! Now in a new edition provides a full and comprehen-
sive coverage of video and televis¡on technology including HDW
and DVD. Starts with fundamentals so is ideal for students but
covers in-depth technologies such as blu-ray, DLB Digital
W, etc so is also pelect for engineers.
600+ pages in paperback
PRAGTIGAT UARIABTE SPEEII IIRIVES
A]III POWER ETEGTRO]IICS
by Malcolm Barnes. 1st Ed, Feb 2003.
An essential reference for engineers and anyone who wishes
to design or use variable speed drives for induction motors.
As reviewed in Srucou CHrp September 2003. 288 pages.
TV Al{D H0BBIES April 1939 to March 1965
- Every art¡cle to enjoy once aga¡n 0n DVD-ROM!
This remarkable archival collection spans nearly three decades of
Australia's own 'Radio and HobbiesTRadio TV and Hobbies'. Every
article has been scanned into PDF format - ready t0 read at your
leisure on your computer (obviously, a computerÐVD-R0M reader
' is required along with Acrobat Reader 6 or later). For history buffs,
it's worth its weight in gold. For vintage radio enthusiasts, what could
be better? For anyone interested in electronics, this is one which you
ilUSfhave in your collection! llB: Does not play 0n audio DUD players.
t0fE: ALL PßICES ABE PLAS P&P - AUSTÐAUA ùtLY: $7.00 ne¡
.ALL
TITLES SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. PRICES VALID IOR MONTH
UIIIEO SGRAMBTI]IG & IIESGBAMBLI]IG
FOR SATEIIITE & GABTE TV
by Graf & Sheets -2nd Edition
Ever wondered how they scramble video on cable and satel-
lite W? This book tells you! Encoding/decoding systems
(analog and digital systems), encryption, even schematics
and details of several encoder and decoder circuits for
experimentation. For both the hobbyist and the professional.
290 pages in paperback.
AUIIIO POWER AMPTIFIER DESIG]I
HAllllB0OK by Douglas Self 4th Edition 2006
fleduced in prlce lrnn prcv¡lus edition! From one of the
most respected audio authorities. New 4th edition is more comp-
rehensive than ever - now with new chapters on Class D ampli-
fiers and DC servos. Now even bigger - 465 pages in
See the review in Sept.2006 issue.
SELF flil AUDIfl by Douslas Self 2nd Edition 2006
A collection of 35 classic magazine articles offering a depend-
able methodology for designing audio power amplifiers in a way
that ¡mþroves performance at every point without significantly
increasing cost. lncludes compressors/limiters, hybrid bipolar/
FET amps, electronic switching and more.
474 pages in paperback.
PR0GRAMM|]{G 1 6-b¡r MlGR0Col{-
TROILERS lil C sv LucidiJasio (2007)
Subtitled Learning to Fly the PIC 24, A Microchip insidertells
all on the newest, most powerful PlCs ever! Condenses typical
introductory'fluff' focusing instead on examples
lhat show how to solve common, real-world desi
quickly. lncludes handy checklists. FREE
includes source code in C, the Microchip C30
piler, and MPLAB SlM. 400 pages paperback.
CD-RoM incl
HA]IDS.OlI ZIGBEE
By Fred Eady, Published 2007
We asked our Zigbee guru, Telelink's Jack Chomley,
t0 comment on this book and he said 'wow! Ïhis one is right up
_ñ
to date'. A lot 0f it is pretty in-depth but, according to Jack, if
you want to learn all about Zigbee you'd go a long way
to find a better reference than this one.
336 pages in paperpback.
AUIIIO ETEGTROlIICS
By John Linsley Hood. Second edition 1999.
For anyone involved in designing, adapting and using analog
and digital audio equipment. Covers tape recording, tuners
and receivers, preamplifiers, voltage amplifiers, audio power
amplifiers, compact disc technology & digital audio, test &
containing over 1000 classic prolects, sourced from
Scientific American over the past 73 years - and coverin¡
every field 0f science. This new'Dr Shawn' edition is the
latest version - it's said to be even more user friendly
with much more information and data. Runs
browser (on Win2000 or later).
National Sc¡ence Teachers Association (
o¡de¡: llZ - $12.00 PEB B00lC BESI 0F WùßLD 018.00
AtL PRICES INCLUDE GSI
ISSUE ONLY.

MIGROGOI{TROIIER PROJECTS IlI G Ar{AroG ETECTR0ilTCS
THE 8051 by Dogan lbrahim. Published 2000.
Through graded proiects introduces the fundamentals of
m¡crodlectronics, the 8051 family, programming in C and
the use of a C compiler. Provides an interesting, enjoy-
able and easily mastered alternative to more theoretical
textbooks. 178 pages in paperback.
TU AGROSS AUSTRATIA
Edited by Kaz Bielecki - 4th Edition 2007
Essential information for anyone travelling Australia, or
¡ust wanting to know the channels, polarity and location
of all television transmitters and translators from coast to
coast. Plus coverage maps, tv transmitter dala . . . every-
thing you need to know in the one place for the first time!
RF GIRCUIT IIESIGI{
by Chris Bowick, Second Edition, 2008.
A new edition of the classic RF circuit design book. RF
CìRCUIT circuit design is now more important that ever in the
Oesìgt^' wireless world in which we live. ln most of the wireless
devices that we use there is an RF component - this
book tells how to design and integrate in a very
practical fashion. 244 pages in paperback.
PRAGTIGAT RF HA]IDBOOK
by lan Hickman 4TH ED|TION 2006
The latest guide to RF design for engineers, technicians, stu-
dents and enthusiasts. Covers key topics in RF: analog design
principles, transmission lines, couplers, transformers, ampli-
fiers, oscillators, modulation, transmitters and receivers,
propagation & antennas. 279 pages in paperback.
AIIAIOG TECH]IIQUES WITH
IIIGITAT I]ITERFACI]IG
by T H Wilmshurst- Published 2001.
Covers all the analog electronics needed in a wide range of
higher education programs: first degrees in electronic engi-
neering, experimental science course, MSc electron¡cs and
electronics units for HNDs. Supported by numerous worked
examples and experimental exercises. 312 pages paperback.
ETEGTRIC MOTORS A]III I¡RIUES
By Austin Hughes - Third edition 2006
Brand new edition of this amæingly popular book. lntended
for non-specialist users of electric motors and drives, filling
the gap between academic texts ahd general 'handbooks'.
Explores all of the widely-used modern types of motor and
drive including conventional & brushless DC, induction
m0t0rs, steppers, seryos, synchronous and reluctance.
384 pages, soft cover
$0tAR SUGCESS - Getting it right
Covers the ramifications of lighting, fridges and freezers,
air conditioning, washing machines and driers and much
more on solar systems; also covers solar basics and how
to conduct an energy audit. As reviewed in Srucou CHrp
November 2008. 112 pages.
PRACTICAT GUIDE TO SATEIIITE TV
By Garry Cratt - New 7th Edition 2008
We've had other satellite TV books in the past but they have
all had a lot of useless (to this part of the world) overseas
stutf. ïhis one is written in Australia, for Australian conditions
by one of Australia's foremost satellite W experts. lf there
is anything you wanted to know about setting up a satellile
TV system, (including what you can't do!) it's sure to be
covered in this 176-page paperback book
By lan Hickman. 2nd edition 1999.
Essential reading for electronics designers and students
alike. lt will answer quest¡ons about core analog theory and
Many of the circuits taken from lan Hickman's
magazine articles. 294 pages in soft cover.
POIIIIER SUPPTY COOKBOOK
by Marty Brown. 2nd edition 2001.
An easy-to-follow, step-by-step text for a wide variety of power
supplies. All described in simple language. Anyone with a
basic knowledge of electronics can create a very complicated
power supply design. 265 pages in paperback.
SWITGHII|G POl¡llER SUPP. A to Z
by Sanjaya Maniktala. Published 2006.
Theoretical and practical aspects 0f controlling and
measuring electromagnetic interference in switching
supplies. lncludes flow-charts for building
DC-DC converters and their magnetlc com-
ponents under typical wide-input supply
503 pages in hard cover.
CD-R0M included.
PLAYERS A]{D IIRIUES
by K.F. lbrahim. Published 2003.
A guide to DVD technology and applications, with particular
focus on design issues and pitfalls, maintenance and repair.
ldeal for engineers, technicians, students of consumer
electronics and sales and installation staff. As reviewed in
Silicon Chip February 2004. 319 pages in paperback.
PIC lll PRACTIGE by D w smith.
2nd Edition - published 2006
Based on popular short courses on the PlC, for
professionals, students and teachers. Can be used
at a variety of levels. An ideal introduction to the
world of mlcrocontrollers. 255 pages in
PER$O]IAL I]ITRODUCTORY GOURSE
By John Morton 3rd edition 2005.
A unique and practical guide to getting up and running
with the PlC. ll assumes rio knowledge of microcontrollers
- ideal introduction lor sludents, teachers, technicians
and electronics enthusiasts. Revised 3rd edition focuses
enlirely on re-programmable flash PlCs such as'16F54,
16F84 12F508 and12F675.226 pages in paperback.
SOLAR THAT REAttY WORKS - GAbiNS,
Motoúomes, 5th Wheelerc, Gamperuans
by Collyn Rivers. 2nd edition
All the information you need for successful solar installation
in mobiles.An expert on getting the modt out of solar systems,
Collyn Rivers dispels many of the myths and helps you get il
right when there is no mains power available.
As reviewed in Srucoru Cnp November 2008. 82 pages.
lmproved direction
indicator f or Bailpower
I would like to thank Sntcou Cræ
and Altronics for the Railpower
controller, as published in the Sep-
tember and October 2008 issues.
It proved easy to build, especially
for someone like myself who has
rudimentary electronic knowledge.
It works very well as a controller.
Putting it together presented a few
problems but these were found to be
self-inflicted. One glaring problem
arose after the unit was completed
and that was that there is no way of
knowing in which direction a loco
will travel until it actually moves.
The indicating arrow on the LCD
panel is the only indication, as the
LED illumination is governed by the
voltage output to the tracks.
Study of the circuit and judicious
use of the multimeter showed a volt-
age of 5V across pins 7 & I of IC1
which varied plus/minus dependent
on the direction oftravel, as selected
via the pushbutton.
LED1 was disconnected from its
location between Q1/3 & Qzl4. A
220C) resistor was soldered to one
Ieg of LEDI. which was then con-
nectedbetween pirrs 7 & B of IC1. The
in the UK, resulting in better sound
quality at lower bit rates.
We have also planned for indoor
coverage - the UK experience was
based on plans for mobile reception
and thus was hampered by poor recep-
tion and poor signal quality.
In Australia, the deployment of
digital radio is supported by the entire
industry - commercial, ,tBC and SBS
and community broadcasters. This is
completely different to the UK where
the BBC commenced broadcasting
some years before the commercial
sector and there was a distinct lack of
a united approach,
Our industry-wide marketing and
communications campaign has begun
and commercial digital radio services
have switched on in Perth and other
capital cities throughout May. The
ABC and SBS are targeting lune/July.
On 6th August, all commercial net-
works, as well as the ABC and SBS,
will take part in a national simultane-
siliconchip.com.au
direction of travel is now indicated
even when the unit is first turned
on and the LED stays lit at all times,
indicating in which direction travel
will be, even after the Stop button
is pressed and the loco is stationary.
,{ll functions work as designed.
All I need now is a decent steam
engine chuff-chuff and diesel engine
sound unit to add to my locos.
Ted Hanson,
Maryborough Qld.
Comment: as you point out, the LCD
panel does show track direction
but the direction LEDI is probably
misnamed and should have been
"Track" because it shows the relative
track voltage according to brigþtness
POtl'ER
with the colour change only visible
when the voltage rises sufficiently.
The idea of a second more notice- dcommunltl
able direction indicator is good and
dlsl¡nd¡
the connection of LEDT betweenpins
7 and B of IC7 is the way to go but lnm
with a 470Q resistor instead of 220O.
We published a SteamSound
Simulator project in the October
7991 issue. A steam train whistle
and diesel horn was published in
luly 1994. Finally, a díesel sound
simulator was published in the De-
cember 7992 issue.
ous flve-state capital listener event.
The radio industry worldwide is
working on digital radio receiver pro-
files and single-chip technology that
will allow a digital radio to receive all
the Eureka L47 rnodes, DAB+, DAB
and DMB audio.
foan Warner,
Chief Executive Officer,
Commercial Radio Australia.
lnteÍerence suppression
in amplifier power supply
With reference to the item headed
"Amplifi er Causes Radio Interference"
on page B9 of the March 2009 issue,
I was involved with interference sup-
pression as a profession for some years, Gontact U$ for $olutlons to YOUR
I believe that placing a 1OnF capacitor
across each diode in the power supply
block should reduce or eliminate the
interference thatN. H. is experiencing. P0 Box lt8, Gleenwood tIA 692f
Ifthat is not 100% successful try ad- Ph:08 9fl8 1995 F¡x 08 9ll8 8ll0
ditional similar capacitors across some endl:
of the other power diodes in the lower
JUNE 2009
 powered sections of the amplifier,
Mailbag: continued I've always had success with sup-
pression where the diodes have been
noisy iri the AM ba¡rd. As you go lower
Running games in frequency, the interference gets
on old computers worse, I suspect that some diodes are
With reference to the Servicema¡'s Log story in the February 2009 issue more prone to create noise than some
on old computers, the ESS sound cards of old were nothing but trouble. other diodes - to do with the sudden
Even when they worked the sound quality was not very good and there transition from non-conduction to
was always a lot of background noise. Getting them to work in DOS was conduction.
always diffrcult but in Windows they gave little trouble (if you ignored It could be interesting to do a
the DOS set-up altogether). number of controlled experiments
The solution is to chuck it out and get a Sound Blaster 16 or Sound to determine the best method that is
Blaster 16 pro; the most compatible sound card on Earth, even now. As applicable to silence diodes. lt may
far as running old software and games is concerned, if your old computer be worthwhile giving N. H. an oppor-
still works, you have room for it and the quality is acceptable, then keep tunity to try my suggestion. If it fails,
using it by a¡ry means. It would only be landfill if you didn't. When it he can remove the capacitors.
does break dor¡¡n and if it's a hardwa¡e failure it's probably not worth Rodney Champness,
Mooroopna, Vic.
repairing, even ifyou can do it yourself.
If you want to keep playing your old games on a new machine, there Comment: it is tuue thatthis technique
are a few options. The most obvious one is to see if tlere is a new version
worked quite well in high-voltage
transmitterc and transceivers but we
that works on later hardware.
have found it makes little dífference
If there is a "remake" of the old game that works on new machines, they
in high-power audio amplifiers,
are usually greatly enhanced in the graphics and sound areas and (in my
In fact, adding capacitors acîoss
opinion) are better than the original as long as they kept the story and play
the rectifier diodes can actually make
the same. It is surprising the number of old games that have been remade,
the interference worse! Perhaps it
usually by a separate fan base, not the original creator. is related to the much higher peak
Another approach is to use a virtual machine. A virtual machine (or rectifier currcnts involved in audio
virtual operating system) is another operating system running on a parent powü amplifiers and the fact that
operating system. Normally, the virtual operating system is totally unaware the frequencies of interest are usually
it is running in a virtual environment ald is thus 100% compatible. The much lower.
most famous of these is VM-Ware (http://www.vmware.comf but it is not
free. They do have a foee VMPlayer which can run a virtual machine built Diagrams would better describe
by some one else, Why is this useful? A third party application, VMX- software functions
builder, ca¡r be used to build a custom machine. See: http://sanbarrow. As an avid microcontroller sup-
com,/vmxbuilder.HTML porter, I am always interested to see
Microsoft has one too at: http://www.Microsoft.com./windows/prod- new microcontroller applications and
ucts/winfamily/virtualpc/overview.mspx) but it was not free until re- SucoN Cmp never fails to intrigue me
cently when they released it as a service pack: http://www.Microsoft. with excellent projects.
com/downlo ads/details. aspx?F amilyld=2$C}7D 22-6EB S - 4,{,0 9 -A 7 F 7 - However, as superb as the projects
F6C7A1FOOOB5&displaylang-en are, I feel as a professional magazine,
The best totaliy free and open sourced virtual machine would be Vir- you are missing one of the fundamen-
tualB ox from http;//www.virtualbox. org/ tals of technicãl project documenta-
Finally, for a lot of old games you do not need a fuIl virtual machine tion: software diagrams!
to run them; you c¿ì.n use an emulator. There were a lot of the point ald To explain my position, I am a
click style adventure g¿ìmes released in the early 90s that used tfie same former electrician, recently graduated
engine - these were mostly by Sierra and Lucas Arts, The engine used was electrical engineer, and now a Ph.D
dissected and recreated as an emulator to run on almost aly operating student in electrical engineering. As
system ever made, even the Nintendo DS. I was quite astounded to play part of the university, I supervise
one of my favourite games ['The Day Of The Tentacle') on my DS with full "Microcontroller Systems " Iab groups,
animation, sound effects ald speech. The engine was called "Scumm" ald teaching second year students how to
the emulator is called "ScummVM" : http:/Âvww.scummvm.org/ design, write, debug and run micro-
The best DOS emulator would be DOSBox: http://www.dosbox.com/, I controller projects.
have found this emulator even more compatible with DOS applications One of the first skills our students
and games than DOS itself. You can play almost any DOS game on XP are taught in "Microcontroller Sys-
ald even on Vista, tems" is how to document their soft-
Philip Chugg, ware using shucture diagrams (in fact
Launceston, Tas. we use it as a combined documenting/
design tool). I believe SucoN Cmp
Stttco¡rt Cutp siliconchip.com.au
Another thing to consider is that the
6BkO resistor to Q7's base may be too
large if the 12VAC supply is on the low
re&ffi
side. Tryreducing this resistor to 47kf), Temperature Probe For Hot Water two 5W resistors shown on the
You can certainly remove the refer- System, March 2009: the text for parts overlay (Fig.10, page 42) as
ence signal from pin 4 and just run thisCircuitNotebookitemonpage 4.7O should both be 4.7k4. The
the clock fiom the BMHz crystal but 76 has the instructions for calibrat- photograph, parts list and circuit
the long-term time-keeping won't be ing VR1 & VRz transposed, show these correctly as 4.7kÇ1,
as good, In addition, pin 13 for IC2f on
As a final thought, is there any leak- 230VAC 10,{ Full-Wave Motor the circuit (Fig.9, page 40) should
age on the board from BD6B2 tralsis- Speed Controller, May 2009: the be labelled as pin 15.
tors Q1 & Q5 to the base of Q7? This
might have developed when the clock
was in storage. specialist advised me that to properly it possible to create a version that can
clean injectors they should be pulsed- run on 6V instead?
IF transformers while in the ultrasonic cleaner. I was I o',,rm a BuickRoadmaster from 1948
advised by one of the Jaycar sales with an original Sonomatic tube radio
in Aussie Three people that the Peak Hold Injector but there are no stations to tune in. It
I have partly completed construc- Adaptor was suitable for this. Is this would be so nice to be able to drive
tion of the Aussie Three valve radio so or is there something more suitable about and listen to some golden oldies
from the January 2008 issue. The available to do this job? Will the Peak on the original radio. Arr MP3 player
information supplied with my IF/ Hold Injector Adaptor have to be modi- and this AM transmitter in the glove
OSC coil packs (Jaycar-LF1050) says fled for this role? compartment would be a blessing.
that the yellow coils are first IFT and The injectors are from a 1985 Cordia Maybe it's possible to make a de-
the blacks are third IFT. However, tle Tu¡bo whichhas done 150,000km. The vice/adaptor to slave in the output
from the AM transmitter directly to
circuit on page 63 ofthe January 2008 maximum duty cycle for the injectors
issue shows "black" for first IFT and for this model is only 50%. (C. C., via the antenna input on the car radio, [P.
"yellow" for second IFT. email). E,, Linkoping, Sweden).
o The peak hold injector adaptor is o
Your advice would be appreciated. We assume you are referring to the
(T. G., via email). not suitable for driving injectors. This "Little lim" AM Transmitter from the
o The designations 1st, 2nd and 3rd project converts the peak hold signal January 2006 issue of Stt tcoN Crm.
IF transformers refer to the differ- that drives some injectors into a stable You shouldbe able to runthe circuit
ence in the coils between the second square wave signal that's suitable for from 6V if you change REG1 from a
winding and the tapping ratios. For measuring the injector duty cycle, 781,2 1,2V regulator to a zener diode
the Aussie Three, the black slug coil To drive the injectors, use the Motor regulator circuit. Remove REG1 and
is more suited to the 1st IF stage, with Speed Control published in November connect a 10Q 0.5W resistor between
the yellow best for the second. 2008 (laycar Cat, KC-S382). Set the the IN and OUT terminal positions on
Follow the published circuit rather drive duty cycle to less than 50%. the PC board that were originally for
than the designations shown on the REG1. Then connect a 6.2V 1W zener
IF coil pack. diode (1Na735) between the OUT
AM transmitter to position and the GND position for
Pulser for fuel suit old car radio the original REGL (the diode's anode
I read the article in SILtcou Crm connects to GND, while the cathode
iniector cleaning about building this little AM trans- connects to the OUT terminal).
I recently purchased an ultrasonic mitter which has a range of just a few You can couple the antenna signal
cleaner from faycar. A fuel injection metres. The thing is, it runs on 12V. Is directly to the radio's antenna. SC
StLtcoN Cnte magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage.
All such projects should be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely.
Feaders are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the instructions in the articles. When
working on these proiects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with maíns AC
voltages or high voltage DC. lf you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other
high voltages, you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability
for damages should anyone be kilfed or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SlLlcoN
CHte magazine.
Devices or circuits described ¡n StLtcoN Cnre may be covered by patents. Slucot¡ CHIP disclaims any liability for the
infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such equipment. StLtcoN Cxlp also disclaims any
liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government regulations and by-laws.
Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to
the Trade Practices Act 1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable.
siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 9S
 ffiIHFffiEffirc[7dtr{b
Having read your Publisher's plethora of add-on goodies aimed
Letter in the lanuary 2009 edition at the go-faster, turbo-powered,
of Sucots Cmp, I agree that in the fu el-injected petrol consumers. Can
present economic climate we are you please now come up with a
unlikely to see mass-produced versatile, affordable project for an
electric vehicles in Australia in efficient electric motor controller
the foreseeabÌe future. Even those incorp orating regenerative braking?
vehicles touted as imminent are A great follow-up article would be
likely to be out of realistic financial a mains-powered battery charger,
viability for the majority of Austral- designed for overnight charging of
ians when compared to the flood of an electric vehicle battery pack.
relativeÌy cheap imports, both petrol What can you come up with to
and diesel. satisfy the purists amongst your
Here lies the challenge! I, for one, readers, those who want to give it
would love to do my or,rm conversion a go to help cut emissions without
and already have a suitable donor waiting for the industry moguls to
vehicle, old enough (read "clas- catch up? (J. 8., Beetaloo Valley,
sic") to be very lightweight and not SA).
complicated by such hindrances as o There is little chancethatwewill
ADRs, power brakes and steering, ever do such a project, ulless we had
requirements to have heating, and a sponsor with very deep pockets.
adesign which was reliable and safe
would be a major engineering project
requiring a very big investment.
The major car manufacturers
could be expected to devote millions
of dollars to a reliable speed control-
ler for an plectric vehicle. We are not
in that league.
We also have serious concerns
about the safety and reliability of
many amateur EV conversions.
Adding a heavy (hundreds of kg)
battery pack to an old vehicle is
a major engineering exercise. Not
only must the battery pack be very
securely anchored (and ventilated)
but it also should not prejudice the
handling andbraking of the vehicle.
Nor should it prejudice the crash-
worthiness of the vehicle or present
additional risk in the event of a
Power cons¡derat¡ons for
the Tempmaster Mk.2
It is interesting to see how far
the current requirements could be
reduced for the Tempmaster Mk,2.
Starting with the passive compo-
nents, I}Jle 2.7k{2,3.3kO and 500Q
trimpot resistive divider will draw
O.77nA, roughly 2O"/o of the total
current of 3.8m,{. Increasing these
values by a factor of 10 or even 100
will significantly drop the total cur-
rent. ICla has an input bias of 25nA
so the voltage drop across these
higher value resistors (2.5mV per
100kO) should not be a problem. In
"C" mode it might be necessary to
alter the positive feedback since it
is now summed with a set voltage
with higher impedance.
Further reduction in current ca¡
FRONT PAN
active high, Thus the "H" and "C"
modes would be swapped.
The last component to consider is
the sensor. For a 2.BV sensor read-
ing there is 2,2Y across the 5.6kO
resistor connected to it, giving
0.4m4. An alternative is the LM19,
a 3-terminal device with a current
drain of only 10¡rA that can operate Cosl
off a 5V supply. However, the LM19 and
output decreases with temperature,
with the datasheet showing it vary-
ing from 1.8639V at 0"C to 1,515V
at 30'C. Thus voltages of 1.84064 to
'1..64293 correspond to the range of Fabrication in 1, 3 or 7 days
tlte Tempmaster.
This could be accommodated
by interchanging the "H" and "C"
modes and altering the resistive di- FTTT-
vider a¡d trimpot to give a slightly Sample price: --
wider range (0,2V compared to USD43.78 plus S&H

even seat belts falthough I firmly
believe in these as a¡r essential ald
currently fitted after-market acces-
sory).
What is lacking and not appar-
ently available commercially in
Australia is a suitable DIY motor
controlìer, How about it? Your
engineering staff have produced a
1N4004 diodes (cathode to positive
supply, anode to negative supply)?
Also, to prevent electrolytic effects
decaying the water level probes, can
I install 1OpF DC blocking capacitors
on the ground probe or on all probes?
[W. F., via email).
¡ The circuit should work without
modification. lust change the relay to
a heavy duty one such as the ]aycar
SY-4042. You can use the same 12V
supply to power both the circuit and
the pump.
Using 1O¡.LF capacitors in series with
the probes as you propose would pre-
vent circuit operation.
Mesmeriser
clock problem
I am having a problem with the time
keeping of my Mesmeriser LED Clock
(Stt Icoru Cim,lune 2005). When it was
first built it was flne for 18 months.
Then it was put away (batteries out)
for 3/4 months during renovations and
when it was put back into service, it
The largest DC speed controller
we have ever produced is rated at
about 1kW aT24V DC (SnrcoN CHn,
March a April 2008), By contrast, tlre
speed controller for a typical EV con-
version wilÌ require abattery pack of
120V or more and might have a peak
rating of 50kW or more, ie, current
of more than 400,A.. Producing such
gained about one hour per day.
On checking the circuitry, I found
the 100H2 reference signal applied
to the base of the 8C547 was varying
dramaticaÌly, eg, 99,96H2 (measured
with a Fluke 8060,\ multimeter) for
the first 35 seconds, 125H2 for the next
10 seconds and L52H2 for the last 15
seconds (times varied slightly but are
within five seconds). This was aÌso
measured between pin 4 and pin 20
of the microcontroller with the same
results. T};'e 12Y AC plugpack is a
5OHz +0.5H2. On the cathode side of
the 1N4007 (D1) there was OHz.
I plugged into different power cir-
cuits through house, turned off lights
and electronic devices and removed
compact fluorescent globes to check
interference/stray harmonics to no
avail. I got a loan ofa Critec electronic
faxguard interference/surge protector
which also didn't help. I tried a long
extension cord whichdidn't help.
I have replaced the bridge rectifier,
the 6BkQ resistor and the 8C547 tran-
sistor, none of which have helped. I
crash. The thought of several hun-
dred kilograms of battery loose and
flying forward inside the cabin in
the event of a crash is quite stark! It
could easily be fatal for the driver
and passengers.
The EV conversion featured in
this month's issue is the first that we
have seen that meets these criteria.
have fitted a 4,TkQ resistor between
the anode of D1 (1N4007J and the earth
end of the 3.3kQ resistor which has
made a diff'erence - it still gains but on
a random basis; it kept good time for
two hours and then gained five min-
utes and then good time again - weird!
I am wondering whether a 100H2
oscillator feeding asignal to the 8C547
should be inserted into the clock?
I would need guidance with this;
should the pin 4 reference signal be
removed and let the thing time off the
onboard BMHz crystal? Hoping you
can enlighten me with this frustrating
problem. (M.C., via email),
o As you sayJ your problem is really
weird, You havc replaced all the ob-
vious suspect components, however,
you might be on the right track in
increasing the loading on the bridge
rectifier with yor-u addition of a 4,7kQ
resistor. The rectified waveform froTn
a bridge rectifier can certainly be
"wonky" if there is insufficient load-
ing. Perhaps you should try reducing
it to 1kO,
be obtained by using more recent
ICs. For instance, an LM2936-5.0
has a maximum quiescent cunent
of 15pA at 100¡rA load over supply
voltages from B-24V. Compare this
with the LÌli4723 standby current
of 1.3m4 (typical) ranging to 4mA
(maximum).
The LM393 comparator d¡aws
0.4m4 which is good for a wide
voltage range comparator. A single
channel LM397 could reduce this to
around 0.2BmA but is only available
in
a SOT-23 package.
A better device, also SOT-23, is
I}:'e LMY7271. This has a current
of ropA however is restricted to a
maximum of 5V on any pin. Thus
the relay driver would need to be
modified. The LMV727L can source
and sink current so an NPN transis-
tor on the 0V side of the relay could
be driven. This would change the
logic of the comparator with it now
should be documenting the software
as not just a text explanation but as a
graphical diagram. I know personally
that this will greatly aid my under-
standing in what is exactly happening
in the microcontroller, as I'm sure it
will with others.
I would even suggest that it would
improve your readers' programming
ability by providing a graphical foun-
dation for proper program structure
0.L7V) with a somewhat lower
minimum voltage (1.64V compared
lo 2.75Y). The trimpot wiper would
be best connected to the other end
of the trimpot to maintain the ro-
tational "sense" for increasing the
temperature setting,
Thus, changing the resistors, volt-
age regulator and sensor as above
should result in a reduction of
around 2.3rnA, giving a total current
of 1,5m4. If the SoT-2J LMvTzrL
device was used, then adding up the TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD
staldby currents gives a total under
the most exnerienced
lopn. The weak link in all of this is
now the 12V power supply.
Toroidal ÍransÍormer
Dr Alan Wilson,
Glen lris, Vic.
Comment: we agree thatthe curÍent
drain can rcduced by raising the
value of the resistors in the voltage
divider. Howeve\ your suggested
alternative ICs are much more dif-
ficult to obtain.
Manufacturers of the of¡ginal
and flow (reading someone else's un¡lange Toro¡dal Transformer
code certainly doesn't help the new - in stoclr from 'l5uA t0 l000uA
students at universityl), virtually anyth¡ng made to order!
I realise space within your articles is - uPs, power cond¡t¡on¡ng and
limited but I believe a well-construct- surge suppress¡on t00
ed structure diagram or state diagram
could cut down the space required to Rlllalgell l0cllll0hgi0$ nr
describe software function (at least
for smaller projects). These diagrams Pn: foa 0570 20õ5 rar:
are not difficult to read. Perhaps you
could even run a section on construct-
UED:

98 StucoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009


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Mailbag: continued
Browns Gas needs
lots of power
With reference to the letter in
the April 2009 issue, about using
"Brolvn's Gas" to improve car fuel
economy, anyone who remembers
high-school chemishy or makes the
effortto lookup Wikipediawill find
thathoweveryou do it, ittakes more
energy to create a lihe ofhydrogen
(or the mythical "Brown's Gas" or
oxy-hydrogen) than is recovered by
burning it. So however it is done,
r¡lless you have a source of free or
very low cost energy, you lose.
At 100% efñciency, it takes about
1.44h (amF.hour) of electricity to
produce a litre of gas. To produce
two litres per minute would take
about 3004 from a car battery/
alternator!
ing structure and state diagrams, one
issue prior to using them.
For more information on state dia-
grams, Wikipedia gives a good descrip-
tion and a number of examples and
information on the actual structure
diagram software we use canbe found
at: http ://www aaee.com. au/confer-
ences/paper s/2OO5 lP aper/Paper60.pdf
|onathan Currie,
Auckland, NZ.
Comment: we agree that diagrams
can be good for showing program
structure but as you sty, space is a
big constraint. And while it may not
be obvious, we aheady have major
investment in praducing all the other
diagrams in the magazine - there is a
limit to how much time and space we
can devote to each article.
llo easy subst¡tutes available for
many ¡ncandescent lamps
Nowhere have I seen any reference
to the lamps used in the multitude
of fridges, ovens and microwaves be-
ing phased out. Only incandescent
Iamps can withstand the heat inside
an oven and fluorescent tubes do not
work at the low temperatures inside
refrigerators.
In very cold conditions, compact
fluorescents (CFLs) are very dim un-
Also, if you try to generate hydro-
gen or oxy-hydrogen by electrolysis
using a 12V battery as tìe source,
youwill wait foreve¡ unless you first
add salt or acid or something to turn
itinto agood elecbolyte.If you don't
believe me, hy it!
I suspect tì.at those people who
claim to generate and use these
gases in tJreir cars are actually just
slowly pulling tÏe water out of the
container as a vapour due to the en-
gine vacuum, otherwise their water
container would never get empty.
Unfortunately, with the internet,
there is no easy way to validate the
claims of the charlatans and ratbags
who propagate tìis sort of rubbish
to sell their kits or plans.
Rod Cripps,
Parkdale, Vic.
less they c¿n warm up. Only special-
ised CFLs can dim in chandeliers and
"mood" Iight fittings and do not have
the "candle" and other decorative
shapes used either.
Outside security lamps use halogen
spot lamps ald what about the mul-
titude of incandescent halogen down
lights across homes and shops?
Most commercial outside lighting
is by halogen lights which are in-
candescent with a gas added in their
envelope, Are they also banned?
Has Peter Garrett ever giventhought
to all this or are all his advisors clerical
and non-technical stafff It would seem
so. By all means replace the staldard
Iight globe but a blanket ban on all
incandescent lighting has not been
properly assessed,
Bram Hester,
San Remo, NSW.
Relays still have their place
I with the comments about a
agree
renaissance of relays, in the letter by
KenMoxham (pagez,March 2oo9). in
the early 1970s I worked for a company
that had the contract to build the stage
manager's desks for the four theatres
of the Opera House,
Switch banks in each desk control-
Ied all of the lighting for that theatre. If
siliconchip.com.au
MffiEffiflsM0ffimr¡hrrsHd
I value your opinion regarding
how hot components should oper-
ate and some ways to achieve lower
temperatures to give products a life
span somewhat longer than the
usual 12-months warranty.
In summer, my living room tem-
perature often reaches 33"C which
results in my applia¡ces (TV VCR,
CD player, monitor, etc) becoming
uncomfortably hot to the touch. The
top of my set-top box reaches 45oC
and the CPU heatsink runs at 5BoC.
Most of the electrolytic capacitors
in it are rated at 105'C but a few are
onlyrated at B5'C and I know a chain
is only as strong as its weakest link.
I once abandoned a TV repair
when I found that almost every
electrolytic capacitor (zz in all) had
corrosion holes which I believe are
caused by high temperatures.
My friends have a computergames
console which has been stood on
end to operate, as in the horizontal
position it becomes very hot, and
This should also have a remote control
extender so that you can use a remote
control to change the program selec-
tion of your STB while watching the
program on al analog set in another
room,
There are several such UHF trans-
mitter/receivers available, Jaycar cur-
rently have their Cat. AR-1836 avail-
able at $76.95 and this is also available
with an extra receiver (Cat. AR-1837
$44.S5), so you could run two analog
sets with this set-up plus another TV
next to the STB itself,
Mind you, if your analog sets do not
have audio/video inputs, you would
then need an RF modulator to take the
A/V signals from the UHF receiver and
feed them to the analog TV's antenna
input; ie, it all gets a bit involved.
laycar have an RF modulator: Cat,
LM-3872 (mono $18.95) or LM-3873
(stereo $24.95).
Yes, it is possible to have a coax
cable or CatS cable routing the ,t/V
signals around the house, In fact, we
published an A/V to twisted pair (Cat5)
transmitter/receiver in the October
1996 issue. Alternatively, you could
use a component video to CatS balun,
such as Jaycar's Cat,QC-3683,
siliconchip.com.au
elsewhere a computer freezes on
hot days.
in the past, I have improved the
cooling by removing the outer cas-
ings and drilling hundreds of 5mm
holes through them, But clearly this
increases the danger of shock when
the appliance has power.
I have considered winding a few
turns around the switchmode trans-
former to provide power for a fan,
However, I am unsure of the diodes
and flltering needed by the circuit to
control the fan speed, and any pos-
sible overload on the switchmode
circuit,
I have been using a contact type
thermometer to check temperatures,
and have been thinking of purchas-
ing a Non-Contact Dual Laser Ther-
mometer which I hope will quickly
detect hot capacitors, transistors
etc. Is this a good choice? (,{. F.,
Chinderah, NSW).
o In an ideal world, most compo-
nents would run cool to the touch
However, if you consider the cost of
a UHF or cable set-up, you might find
that it is cheaper to buy more STBs
which can be fed from the antenna
points you presently may have for
your analog TVs.
Ultimately, there is no need to panic.
It looks as though the ultimate switch-
off for analog TV signals maybe a few
years away yet, depending on where
you live, By that time, one or more of
your analog sets may have died ald
been replaced. Digital TVs, DVRs arrd
STBs continue to get cheaper.
Temperature controller
for a reptile tank
I am looking for something to con-
trol the temperature in a reptile tank.
Would the Co olmaster Fridge/Freezet
Temperature Controller do the job? If
not, is there any otler kit that wiII do
the job? (8, C., Rutherford, NSW).
o The Tempmaster Mk.2 (Srucox
CHtp, February 2009) or the earlier
Coolmaster (þne 2005) wouldbe suit-
able to control the temperature in a
reptile tank.
If you require a higher temperature
setting than 19'C (we suspect this
and only a few key power supply and
output stage components wouldrun
hot. These days that is just wishful
thinking and a lot of gear runs very
warm or hot. There is not much you
can do about it except to make sure
that ventilation around the appli-
ance is not restricted and that it is
not exposed to direct sunlight.
Do not even think about winding
tums around switchmode tralsform-
ers. They nn at very high fiequen-
cies (not 5OHz) and any such "mods"
are likely to prejudice reliability,
You can certainly use a non-con-
tact thermometer to check operating
conditions for components but even
if you discover hot components, un-
Iess a fault has occurred, it is likely
that the circuit (whatever it might
is operating as intended. Nor
beJ
can you dive in and make circuit
changes willy-nilly because that
will void anywarranty and possibly
lead to other problems. There is no
simple solution.
would be necessaryJ, then the 3.3kQ
resistor in series with trimpotVRl can
be increased to 3.9kf) to allow a higher
voltage (temperature) adjustment to
3.1V or 40'C.
Cheap pump
controller
My mother a¡rd I have three mobile
air-conditioners in our house and
I need to modifu the "Cheap Pump
Controller" in the Circuit Notebook of
August 2005, page 7 2,for emptying the
condensate through a thin PVC hose
out the window for each unit.
I will be using a small windscreen
washer pump instead of an aquarium
pump, due to the size, shape ald outlet
of the water reservoir.
The circuit needs to be modified to
use a 12V relay, since the 12V pump
requires up to 1,54 but on the other
side of relay the 555 timer might find
that current too much for it to handle.
Can I therefore use one 12V power sup-
ply to power both the punp controller
circuitry and the 12V pump motor via
the relay?
In order to protect each circuit ftom
I install four
reversing currents, do
JUNE 2009 97
 ASK SILICON CHIP
Copper strip for
inverter transformer
I want to build the 6ooW DC-DC
Converter (Sntcox CHII, October &
November 19S6). The primary of the
transformer is made from 0.315mm
copper strip. There is also a strap made
from 0.6mm copper strip.
Could you please advise me if there
is a company that suppiies sheet cop-
per in small quantities, as used by
hobbyists? (2. F,, via fax),
o The copper strip can be obtained
from any model shop that has sup-
plies for model aircraft, model cars,
etc. They usually have a stand with
various copper, brass and aluminium
cross-sections.
Shadows on VU
display module
I have just completed a second
digital VU meter (Sntcoll CHn, May
2007) with the display module con-
nected to the PC board via 40mm
lengths of rainbow cable to facilitate
fitting to a 2005 Studio preamp 1U
rack-mounting case. All voltages are
present and conductivity has been
established between the 14 solder
connections on the display unit and
their points of origin on the PC board.
There are many dark shadows [al-
anyone else experienced this? (D. G.,
via email).
o Our guess is that the shadows are
caused by the added lead lengtl be-
tween the LCD module and PC board
and the stray coupling between the
leads, Try separating the strands of the
ribbon cable. Some terminating resis-
tors of say 1kO between the ENable
(pin 6) of the module and ground and
the RS (pin a) and ground may help.
Or you may also need the resistors at
the data lines (Dz, D6, D5 & D4),
The shadows might be minimised
by adjusting the contrast control, VR3.
Alternatively, you could build it as
described in the original instructions.
If that fixes the fault, you know where
the trouble lies.
Programmable
ignition question
I have been looking at buying a kit
for the Programmable Ignition Sys-
tem published in the March, April &
I|;4ay 2OO7 issues. I want to use it on
a Holden 186 and have a Bosch dizzy
from a later model motor for it, It has
a reluctor pickup which triggers an
inbuilt ignitor, Can the ignition be used
to trigger the existing ignitor unit? (D,
M., via email),
a \
There are two possibilities with
your existing system. There is either
coil driver is all in the same housing
as the reluctor.
If you have separate units, more
than likely the output from the pro-
grammable ignition can be used to
trigger the existing ignition module
(ignitor). The output may require in-
verting (a way to do this is described
in the articlesJ if the module fires on
a negative-going signal rather than a
positive-going signal.
For a combined reluctor and ignitor,
set up the programmable ignition for
points and use the ignitor output as
the trigger input for the programmable
ignition. The ignition coil driver that
was designed as part of the program-
mable ignition would then be required
to drive the coil.
How to connect digital
TV to multiple sets
With the increase in digital chan-
nels, etc, would it be possible to
compose a detailed article on ways
that some of the older sets people have
in their bedroom, kitchen, etc could
be connected to the digital signal?
Perhaps some of your very smart con-
tributors could develop a kit that could
carry the signäl via the antenna cable.
I know you touched on the subject
a couple of months ago but a simple
detailed explanation would certainly
solid-state relays had been used there
would have been the risk that the radar
pulses from passing ships (less than
100 metres away) could trigger some
of the relays and upset the lighting.
So all relays were mechanical
throughout the four theatres. The
system has worked well ever since.
Dave feanes,
Tweed Heads, NSW.
Antenna earth¡ng
is desirable
We recently had an extra room add-
ed to the house which required a TV
point, This and the purchase of a HD
LCD TV prompted me to replace the
motley collection of cable and splitters
of my distribution system which over
the years had grown from lhe original
single point to five.
I rewired in RG6, with F connectors took a ride. I am very pleased.
llew lease on l¡fe
and cast alloy splitters. The improve- for old bike I have included a picture of the
ment in reception was amazing. One bike. As you can see the connection
I know nothing about electronics
of the old splitters had failed on one is temporary. All I need now is the
but my wife is very good at build-
output and the S-year old Akai TV ing PC boards. Today I tested the correct size box to finish it up nicely.
in that room had used a rabbit's ears CDI module for small petrol motors Thanks for helping to extend the life
antenna, When I connected this to the
new system we had 50Hz hum on all
(Su.tcoN Cnn, May 2008) on my of these old engines.
.Rickman-Zundapp 125 vintage MX Sterling Gaudill,
radios in the house. When I unplugged
bike. It started on the first kick and I New |ersey, USA.
the fly-lead from the wall socket, I felt
a tingle when I touched the shroud.
I measured the voltage to earth with find the cause but it made me think plugs, the shield on the antenna cable
my Fluke DMM, It was 1 L OVAC and as about the lack of any earthing on the was earthed by its connection to the
it could supply no current, the source antenna system. earthed chassis. Now the whole sys-
was obviously high impedance. I have In the days before live chassis, tem floats above earth so that ifa fault
not had time the look at the TV yet to switchmode supplies and 2-pin mains connects it to a dangerous voltage,
I \ ) I \ I
¡
I ?l H T \ , r \ l. I f-
I

most 50% of the area), making the peak a separate reluctor and separate igni- help non-technical people like me, [D.
only indicators not to easy to see, Has tion coil driver (ignitor) orthe ignition L., via email),
o Many people are in your situation,
wffiffi@M@ffi with perhaps four or more analog sets,
wanting to access the programs from
a single set-top box (STB). The real
As long-term SnrcoN Crm reader
a o The main determinant of sound problem is thatno matterwhat scheme
I would like to ask some advice. quality in a CD player (or a DVD is used, RF or cable, you will only be
able to watch one program at a time, GW GDS-102225MH2 RIGOL DS-1052E 50MHz 11028 10(.
As CD players use minimal analog player) is the quality of the DAC
stages, does the resultant audio qual- (digital-to-analog converterl. These on all sets, So if you have two or more ,25MHz Bandwidth,: Ch ) 50Ml z Bandwi th,2 Ch iandwidth, 2
ity depend on these only? vary enormously from brand to people in the home who wantto watch ) 250MS/s Real Time Sampling > l GS/s Real Time Sampling ¡l Time Sam
There is such a myriad of (lesser brand and fiom one PC or laptop different programs simultaneously, ) USB Device & SD )ard SIot ) USB Device, USB Host & PictBridge :e, USB Hos le
will
quality) program sources (MP3, to another.
DVD, etcJ, so does it matter? Could A quality dedicated CD player
you need more than one set-top
box or a DVR, or a digital TV set with
0lllY 59 | csr ¡n"
0l1Y $8 I ¡n" csr frlY $1, :G ST
a computer CD drive extract as good foom Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha or
its own tuner. Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth
quality audio as say a dedicated other top brand-name will give far As far as getting the set-top box
name-brand CD player, eg, Denon, better sound quality than any PC or program to the other analog sets is f":,:1,':ll";1:" Hi%%i'.%'.T"'
EMONfr
Marantz, etc? (R, R., McCrae, Vic), laptop CD/DVD drive. concerned, the best way appears to fo,,*'.?tråå"*""j;io",T%u'%%% '"",
*ff:i:ilîJ"f,ji
be a UHF transmitter/receiver set-up,

96 stucoN cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009


JOIN THE TECHNOLOGY
AGE NOW
w¡th
PICAXE
Developed as a teaching tool,
the PICAXE is a low-cost "brain"
for almost any project
Easy to use and understand,
professionals & hobbyists can
be productive within minutes.
Free software development
system and low-cost in-circuit
programming.
Variety of hardware, project
boards and kits to suit your
application.
Digital, analog, RS232,
1-WirerM, SPI and l2C.
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Applications include:
Datalogging
Robotics
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Farming & agriculture
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Colour sensing
Fun games
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Fax 1300 735 421
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10 SntcoN Cntp
Mailbag: continued
Vintage battery
festofatlon
I though I might share a way to
preserve the original look and feel of
a 276-P battery to run my favourite
1960s HMV transistor radio.
Recently, I was fortunate to find
an old battery and I rebuilt it using
high-quality alkaline D cells. Some
might say, why not use rechargeables
but these batteries have such a long
there is no path to cause a protective
device, fuse, circuit breaker, etc, to
operate, I am planning to connect the
metal housing of one of the splitters
to my house protective earth, so as to
provide this path.
Phil Andrews,
Adelaide, SA.
Disappointment with
USB printer switch
with the USB
I am a bit disappointed
Printer Switch published in the April
2009 issue. Mechanical data switching
technology has been available forever
- we used to have one 20 years ago for
two computers running one parallel
port printer, It annoyed us tlen, so we
upgraded to one that detected a signal
and changed automatically.
I thought that with today's avail-
ability of cheap programmable chips it
would be easy (and probably cheaper)
to make an automatic one than to
hook up a big switch, Most people
just change the USB cable over and
shelf life that I typically get three to
four years before replacement is due.
The only points to note are to not
glue the top flap down; it is held
in place by the radio battery plug,
I use thin polystyrene packing to
eliminate the possibility of shorting
between the female plug arrd the
batteries.
Andrew Prest,
Sunshine, Vic.
even if they did
decide to manually
switch, they probably, wouldn't go to
the expense of using a PC board and
just wire point-to-point.
That project really does belong in
the 1960s and in popular mechanics,
not in an electronics magazine. I am
sure most (all?) readers already know
how to wire up a switch!
Gary Lindsay,
Otaki Beach, NZ.
Comment: it is true that we could have
come up with a morc complicated
electronic version but we wanted to
keep the cost down.
Electric car owners should be
forced to haue home solar powel
Mitsubishi has announced that they
were going to produce their iMiEV
electric car in Australia, see http://
tinyurl.com-/cx4mob
If we are going to have battery-
powered cars, rechargeable from home
power supplies, we should also put
into place compulsory home solar
siliconchip.com.au
April 2002:Automatic Single-Channel Light Dimmer, Pl.1: Water Level
lndicatori lvlultiple-0utput Bench Power Supply; Versatile l\4ullÈMode
Timer;6-Channel lR Remote V0lume Control, Pt.2.
May 2002: 32-LED Kni0htrider; The Battery Gua rdian (Cuts Power When
the Battery Voltaqe Drops)t stereo Headphone Amplifier: Automatic
Single-Channel Light Dimmeri Pt.2; Stepper l\4otor Controller.
August2002: Digital
Logic Probe; Digital
Test lnstruments: D
Seplember 2002: 12V tluorescent Lamp lnverlert 8-Channel lnfrared
Remote Control, 5o-Watt DC Electronic Load; Spyware - An Update.
0ct0ber 2002: Speed Controller For universal l\4otors; PC Parallel Port
Wizard; Cable Tracer; AVR ISP Serial Programmer:30 TV.
November 2002: SuperCharger F0r NiCd/NiMH Batteries, Pt.1;
WindOws-Based EPR0M Programmer, Pt.1 ; 4-Digit Crystal-Controlled
Tim¡ng l\4odule
December 2002: Receiving TV From Satellites; Pt 1; The Micromitter
Stereo FM Transmitter; Windorvs-Based EPRoM Programmer, Pt2;
SuperohargerForNiCd/Ni¡¿1H Batteries; ft 2; SimpleVHF F¡,/AM Rad¡0
January 2003: Bece¡v¡ng TV From Satellites, Pt 2; SC480 50W
RMS Amplifier ¡rodule, Pt 1; Gear lndicatOr For Cars; Active 3-Way
Crossover For Speakers
Febrrary 2003: PortaPal PA System, Pt.1; SC480 50W RMS Amplifier
¡¡odule, Pt.2t Windows-Based EPR0IV Pr0grammer, Pt.3i Fun W¡lh
The PICAXE, Pt 1 Pt.1; Rolling Code Security Systém Pt.2: Build A UV L¡ghl Box For
March 2003: LED LiOhting For Your Car; PeltierEffect Tinn¡e C0oler;
PortaPal PA System, Pt.2; 12V SLA Batlery Float Charger; Lillle Dy-
namite Subri 00fer; Fun With The PICAXE, Pt.2 (Shop 0oor ¡rinde0.
April 2003:Video-Audio Boosle ;Telephone
Draller For Burglar Alarms;Thr CAXE, P1.3
(Heartbeat Simulator); Electric as.
May 2003: WidgyboxGuitaf D¡stoftion Effects unit: 10lvHz Big Blaster
Subwoofer; Pr¡nter P0rt Simulator; PICAXE, Pt.4 (lVotor Controller),
June 2003: PICAXE, Pt.s; PICAXE-Controlled Telephone lnteÍcomi
PICAXE-o8 Porl Expansion; Sunset Switch For Security & Garden
Lighling; Diqital React¡on ljmer; Adjustable DC-DC Converter For Cars;
LOng-Range 4-Channe¡ UHF Remote C0ntrol
July 2003: SmârtC erlJp Auto lvlains
Swilch;A'Smarl" S ContinuityTester;
PICAXE Pl.6- Dala
& Checkerboard: R
PIC Programmer
August 2003: PC lnkared Remote Receiver (Play DVDS & MP3s 0n
Y0ur PC Via Rem0te Control)t D¡gital lnstrument Display For Cars,
Pt 1 | Home-Brew Weatherproof 2 4GHz WiFi Antennas; PICAXE Pl 7
Seplemher 2003: R0bot Wars; Krypton Bike Liqht; PIC Proqrammerl
Cutrent Clamp Meter Adapter For DMMs; PICAXE Pt 8 - A Data Loggerl
Diqital lnstrument Dis0lav For Cars, P|.2.
oclober 2003: PC Board Design, PÌ.1 | JV80 L0udspeaker Systemt A
Dirt Cheap, High-Cutrent Power Supply: L0w-Cost 50¡ilHz Frequency
Meter; L0ng-Range 1 6-Channel RemOte C0ntrol System
November 2003: PC Board Design, Pt 2; 'l2AX7 Valve Audi0 Pream-
plifier:0ur Best Ever LED Torch; Smart Radi0 ¡rOdem F0r ¡/icr0c0n-
lr0llers; PICAXE Pt 9; Programmable PIC-POwered Timer
December 2003: PC Board Design, Pt.3; VHF Receiver For Weather
Satellites; Linear Supply For Luxeon 1 W Star LEDs; 5V l\¡eter Calibration
Standardt PIC-Based Car Battery Monitor; PICAXE Pt.10.
January 2004: Studio 350W Power Amplifier Module, Pt 1; High-
Efficiency Power Supply For 1W Star LEDst Antenna & RF Preamp
F0r Weather Satellites; Lapei lvl¡croph0ne Adaptor For PA Systemsl
PICAXE-1 8X 4-Channel Datal0gger, Pt
'1;
2 4GHZ Aud¡o/Video L¡nk
February 2004: PC Board Design, Pt 1; Supply Rail N40nil0r tor PCs;
Studio 350W Power Amplifier l\40dule, Pt 2; ShOrted Turns Tester F0r
Line 0utput Transf0rmerst PICAXE-'l8X 4-Channel Datal0gger, Pl 2
March 2004: PC Board Design, Pt 2; Build The QuickBrake For lncreased
Driving Safely; 3V-9V (or more) DC-DC Converter; ESR lveter ¡/k 2,
Pt.1; PICAXE-1 8X 4-Channel Datalogger, Pt.3.
April2004: PC Board Design, Pt 3; LoudspeakerLevel ¡relerForHome
Theatre Systems; 0og Silencer; Mixture Display F0r Carsi ESB l\4eter
lvlk 2, Pt 2t PC/PICAXE lnterface For UHF Rem0te Control
May 2004: Ampl¡fier Testing With0ut High-Tech Gear; C0mp0nent Video
T0 BGB C0nverter; StarpowerSw¡tchinq Supply F0r Luxe0n Star LEos;
Wireless Parallel Port; Poor l\4an's Metal Locat0r
June 2004: Dr Video ¡¡k 2 Video Stabiliser; Build An RFID Security
Module; Simple Fridge-Door A¡arm; Courtesy Light Delay For Carsl
Automatino PC Power-Up; Upgraded Software For The EPRoM
Programmet
July 2004: Silenc¡ng A Noisy PC; Versat¡le Battery Proteclor; Appliance
Energy l\4eter, Pt.1; A Poor Man's Q Meter; Begulated H¡gh-Voltage
Supply ForValveAmplifiers: Remote Control ForA lvlodel Train Lay0ut
Augusl 2004: V¡deo F0rmats: Why Bother?: VAF'S New DC-X Generation
lV Loudspeakers; Video Enhancer & Y/C Separalor; Balanced ¡¿licro-
phone Preamp: Appliance Energy l\¡eter, Pl,2t 3-State Logic Probe
Seplember2004:Voice Over lP (VolP) For Beginnerst WiFry- Cooking
Up 2.4GHzAntennas; Bed Wetling Alert; Bu¡ld a Programmable Roboti
Another CFL lnverter
0ctober 2004: The Humble "Trann¡e" Turns 50; S¡/lS Controlier, Pl 1;
RGB To C0mponent Vide0 C0nverter; LJSB Power lniector; Remote
Controller For Garage Doors & Gates.
l,lovember 2004: 42V Car Electrical Syslems; USB-Conlrolled Power
SuJitch (Etrata Dec.2004)t ChargerFor Deep-Cycle 12V Batteries, Pt.1,
Driveway Sentry: SMS Controller, Pt 2; PICAXE lR Rem0te Control
Derember 2004: Build A Windmill Generatot Pt1;20W Amplifier
¡¡l0dulet Charger For Deep-Cycle 1 2V Batteries, Pt.2; Solar-Powered
Wireless Weather Station; Bìdirectional ¡rotor Speed Controller
January 2005: Wjndmill Generator, Pt.2; Build AV8 Doorbelli lR Remote
Conkol Checker; 4-Minute Shower T¡mert The Prawnlitet Sinom Says
Game; VAF DC-7 Generation 4 K¡t Speakers
February 2005: Windmill Generator, Pt.3; USB-Controlled Electro-
cardiographt TwinTen Stereo Amplifiert lnductance & 0-Factor Meter,
Pt.1; A Yagi Ant€nna For UHF cBt $2 Battery charger
Marc
ming
tor, Pt.4: Sports
ctance & o-Fac
Loop UV EPRO¡i1 Era
0ver athe & Drill Pre
April 2005: Inslal¡ Your own ln-Car Video (Beversing ¡/onitor), Build
A Ml0l Ïheremin, Ft.1; Bass Extender For Hifi Syslems: Sports Score-
board, Pt.2; SMS Controller Add-ons; A $5 Variable Power Supply.
May 2005: Getting lntoWi-Fi, Pl.1 ì Build 445-Second Voice Recorderi
W¡reless lVicrophone/Audio Link; llllDl Theremin, Pt.2: Sports Score-
board, Pt.3: Aut0mat¡c Stopwatch Timer
June 2005: Wi-F¡, Pt 2;The MesmeriserLED Clock; coolmaster Fridoe/
Freezer Iemperature Controlleri Alternat¡ve Power Regular; PICAXE
colour Recognition System: AVR200 Single Board computer, Pt.1.
July 2005: Wi-Fi, PÌ.3: Remote-Controlled Automat¡c Lamp Dimmer;
Serial Stepper Motor Controllert Salvag¡ng & Using Thermostats:
[Jnwired Modems & External Antennas
Augusl 2005: Mudlark 4205 Valve Stereo Amplifier, Pt.lt Pr0gram-
mable Flexil¡mer; Carbon lvlonox¡de Alert; Serial LCD Drivert Enhanced
Sports Scoreboardt Salvaging Washing lvlaching Pressure Sv/itches
Seplember 2005: Build Your own Seismograph; Bilge Sniff er For Boats;
VolP Anal0g Ph0ne Adapt0rt ¡/lud¡ark 4205 Valve Stere0 Amplifier,
Pl 2: PICAXE in Schools, Pt 4
ocl0ber 2005: A L00k At Google Earthi Dead Simple USB Break0ut
BOx; Sludio Series Stereo Preamplifier, Pt 1; V¡deo Reading Aid For
Vision lmpaired PeOple: Simple Alcohol Level Meter; Ceilinq Fan Timer
l,lovember 2005: G00d 0ual¡ty Car Sound 0n The Cheap; Pt.1 | PICAXE
ln Schools, Pt.5; Studi0 Ser¡es Stereo Headphone Amplifiert Build A
MlDl Drum Kit, Pt.1; Serial I/0 Controller & Analog Sampler.
December2005:Good0ualityCarSound0nTheCheap:Pt.2t Building
The Ult¡mate Jukebox, Pt.1; Universal H¡gh-Energy lqnition System,
Pt 1; Remote LED Annunciator For0ueue Control; Build A l\4lDl Drum
Kit, Pl 2; 4331\IHz Wireless Data Communication
January2006:PocketTENSUnitForPain Rel¡ef;"1¡ttleJ¡m"AM Badi0
Transmittert Universal High-Energy lgniti0n System, Pt.2; Building The
lJlt¡mate Jukebox, Pt.2: MlDl Drum Kit, Pt.3: Picaxe-Based 433¡/lHz
Wireless Thermometeri A Human-Powered LED Torch
Bu
February 2006: P0-Controlled ¡Pods
& MP3 Players; Picde-Powered splayl
Buil
Build A MlDl Drum Kit, Pt.4t .3.
March 2006: The Electronic Camerâ, Pt 1; Pc-contr0lled BurqlarAlarm
System, Pt.2; Low-Cost Intercooler Water Spray Controller; AVR ISP
S0cketBoard; Build A Low-Cosl Lar0e Display Anem0meter.
April 2006: The Electronic Camera, Pt.2; Studi0 Series Remole Conlrol
lvlodule (For A Stereo Preamplif¡er); 4-Channel Aud¡o/Vìdeo Selectorì
Unìversal Hioh-Energy LED Lighting System, Pt. f i P¡cile Goes Wire-
less, Pt 1 (Using the 2 4GHz XBee Modu¡es)
May 2006: Lead-Ac¡d Battery Zapper j Universal High-Energy LED
Liqhting Syslem, Pt.2; Passive Direct lnjection (Dl) Box For l\4uslciansi
Picaxe Goes Wireless, Pt.2: B00st Your XBee's Range Us¡ng Simple
Antennas; lmproving The Sound 0f Salvaged Loudspeaker Systems,
June 2006: Pocket A/V Test Pattern Generator; Two-Way SPDIF-lo-
Toslink Dioital Audio Converter, Build A 2.4GHz Wireless A/V L¡nkt A
High-Curent Battery Charger For Almost Nothing
July 2006: Mini Theremin Mk.2, Pt.1; Programmable Analog 0n-0ff
Controller: Studio Ser¡es Stereo Preampl¡fi€rt Stop ThOse Zaps From
Double-lnsulated Equipment
Augusl 2006: Picaxe-Based LED Chaser Clock; Magnetìc Cartr¡dge
Preampl¡fier; An Ultrasonic EavesdropDeri ¡iini Theremin l\4k 2, Pt 2
September 2006: Thomas Alva Edison -
Genius, Pt.1; Transferr¡ng
Y0ur LPs To CDs & MP3s: Turn an Old Xbox lnto A $200 Mult¡media
Player: Picaxe Net Seruer, Pt.1; Build The Galactic V0icet Aquarium
Terñperature Alarm; S-Video To Composite Video C0nverter
0clober 2006: Thomas Alva Edison - Genius, Pl 2t LED Tachomeler
With Dual Displays, Pt.1; UHF Prescaler For Frequency Counlersl
lnfrared Rem0le Control Extender; Picaxe Net Servet Pl.2t Easy-To-
Bu¡ldl2VDigitalTimerlvlodule; BuildASuperBlcycleLightAlternator
Nov
Rell
LED
Decemher 2006: Bringing A Dead Cordless Drill Back To L¡fe: C0rd-
less Power T00l Charger C0ntroller; Build A Radar Speed Gun, Pt.2;
Heartbeat CPR Tra¡ning Beeper; Super Speedo Cofieclot; 12124V
Auxiliary Battery Controller; Picaxe Net Server, Pt 3
January 2007: Versatile Temperature Switch; Intelligent Car AiF
Conditioning Controlleri Bemote Telltale For Garage 0o0rs: lntelligent
1 2V Charger For SLA & Lead-Acid Batterìes
February 2007: Remote Volume Control & Preamplifier lvlodule, Pt.1;
SimpleVariable Boost Control ForTurbo carst Fuel cut Defealer ForThe
Boost Control; Low-Cost 50MHz Frequency ¡/eter, Mk 2
March 2007: Programmable lgnition System F0r cars, Pt 1; Remote
Volume Control & Preamplif¡er lllodule, Pt 2; GPS-Based Frequency
Reference, Pt l: Simple Ammeler & V0ltmeter
April 2007: The Proposed Ban 0n lncandescent Lamps; High-Power
R€versible DC Nlotor SDeed Controllert Build A Jacob's Ladder; GPS-
Based Frequencv Referènce, Pt.2t Progrâmmable lgnition System For
Cars. Pt.2t Dual'PICAXE lnfrared Data Communication.
M
ul
m
M
June 2007: 20W Class-A Ampl¡Í¡er ¡¡odule, Pt.2; Knock Detector
For The Pro0rammable lqnit¡on: 4-lnDUt [I¡xer With Tone Controls;
Frequency-Aitivated Switõh For Carst Simple Panel i¡eters Revisited.
JulI,2007:HowT0CutY0urGreenhouseEmissi0ns, Pl.1;6-DigitNixìe
Cloôk. Pt.1: Tânk Water Level lndicalor; A PID Temperature Controller,
20W Class-A Stereo Amplifier: Pt.3: lvlaking Panels For Proiects.
Auousl 2007: How T0 Cut Your Greenhouse Emissions, Pt.2; 20W
Cla-ss-A Stereo Amplìlier; Pt.4; Adaptive Turbo Timer; Subwoofer
Controller: 6-Digit N¡x¡e Clock, Pt.2.
SeDtember 2007: The Art 0f Lon0-Dislance WiFi; Fast Charger F0r
NilùlH & Nicad Batteries; Simple Data-Logging WeatherStâtion. Pt.1:
20W Class-A Stereo Amplif¡er; Pt 5
oclober 2007: oVD Players -
How Good Are They For HiFi Audi0?:
Electronic Nouqhts & crosses Game; PlCProbe Logic Probe: Rolling
Code Security System, Pt.1, Simple Data-Logging Weâther Stati0n,
Pt.2; AM Loop Antenna & Amplif¡er
November 2007: Your own Home Recording Sludio; PIC-Based
Waler Tank Levei Meter, Pt.1: Playback Adaptor For CD-R0¡l Drives,
Makin0 PC Boards.
December 2007: Sign eakers; lR Audio Head-
phone Link; Enhanced qqlq ?l0-Based ryatgr-
Pt.2
iank Level Meter; CD-ROM Drivest Pt.2.
January2008: Plc-Conlrolled Sw¡mmlng P00l Alarm; Emergency l2V
L¡0ht¡n0 Contr0ller; Bu¡ld The "Aussie-3" Valve AM Radio: The Minispot
4SSkHtModulated osc¡llator; waterTank Level l\4eter, Pt.3 -The Base
Stationi lmprov¡ng The Water Tank Level Meter Pressure Sensor
tebruary 2000: UHF Remote-Controlled Mains Switchl IJHF Remote
lvlainsSwilchTransm¡tter;A PIB-Triggered l/ainsSw¡tchl Shift lnd¡Ët0r
& Rev Limiter For Cars; ¡/¡n¡ Solar Battery Charget
I I2c Bus - A Quick
u Controllet Pt.1: A
h Pc-lo-lz0 lnlerface
e 0uartz Clocks.
A¡ri I 2008: How To Get lnto Dioital W, Pt.2; Charge Controller For 1 2V
Lèad-Acld 0r SLA Batteries; Safe Flash Tr¡gger For Digital Cameras;
12V-24V High-Cutrent DC lvotor Speed C0ntroller, Pl.2; Two-Way
Stereo Headphone AdaptoL
Mav 2008: ReDlacement CDI Module F0r Small Petrol l\4otors:
High-Accuracy bigitâl Lc Meter; Low-Cost dsPlc/PlC Programmer;
Hi0h-Curent Adiustable Voltaoe Regulator
June 2000: DSP Musicolour Light Show, Pt.'1; PIC-8ased Flex¡timer
Mk.4: USB Power lnlector For External Hard Drivest Balanced/l.Jnbal-
anced Converter ForAudio S¡gnals, A 0uick'n'Easy D¡gital Slide Scan-
ner: Altitude 3500-SS Stere0 Valve Amplifier Reviewed
Julv 2008: DSP Musicolour Light Show, Pt 2; A PIC-Based ¡iusical
Tun'ing Aid; Balanced M¡c Preamp For PCs & MP3 Players: Bridge
Adaptor For Stereo Power Amplifiers.
Auqust 2008: Ultra-LD lMk.2 200W Power Amplifìer Module, Pt.1l
Plânet Jup¡ter Rece¡vert LED Strobe & Contactless Tach0meter, Pt.1;
DSP [¡usicolour Light Show, Pt.3: Printing ln The Third Dimensi0n.
SeDtember 2008: Railpower Model Tra¡n ContrOllel Pt.1; LED/Lamp
Flasher: Ultra-LD Mk.2 200W Power Amplifier ¡r0dule, Pt.2; DSP Mu-
sicolour Light Show, Pt 4; LED Strobe & Contactless Tachometer, Pt 2
0cl0ber 2008: USB Clock With LCD Readout, Pt 1; Digital RF Level &
Power ¡reter; Multi-Purpose Timer; Railpower Model Train Controller,
Pt 2t Picaxe-08[4 433Mhz Datä TransceiveL
November 2008:12V Speed ControlleriLamp Dimmer; USB Clock
With LCD Read0ut, Pt.2; Wideband A¡rFuel lvl¡xture Display Unit;
lrDA lnterface BOard For The DSP Musicolour; The AirNav RadarBox
December 2008: Versatile Car Scrolling Display, Pt.1 ì Test The salt
Content 0f Your Sw¡mming Pool; Build A Brownout Detector; SitÌple
Voltaqe Switch For Car Sensors
January 2009: Dual Booting With Two Hard Disk Drives; USB-Sensing
Mains Power Switcht Bemote Ma¡ns Belay lvlk.2: A¡il Broadcast Band
Loop Ant€nnat CarScrolling Display, Pt 2i 433lVHzUHF Bemote Switch
tebruary 2009: Digital Rad¡o ls Coming, Pt.1; Tempmaster Elec-
lron¡c lhermoslat ¡rk.2; 10A Universal Motor Speed Controller lvlk.2;
Programmable Time Delay Flash Triggert Car Scrolling Display, Pt 3 q
o
Õ
March 2009: Rev¡ving 0ld Laptops W¡th Puppy Linuxì Dlgilal Radio
c\
ls Cominq, Pt.2: A GPS-Synchronised Cl0ckt Theremin lvlk.2; Build A
DiOilal Au,Cio lvlillivoltmeter; Learn¡ng ab0ut Picaxe Microcontrollers. ÈJ
3
April 2009: Diaital Radi0 ls Comin0, Pt.3; Wireless Networking With
Ubuntu & Puppy Linux; Remote-Control¡ed Lamp Dimmer; School Zone
Speed Alert, USB Printer Share Sw¡tcht Microcurent D¡¡M Adaptol
k, -Wave
V ecking H
P nuator
w totrax. U
zo
PLEASE NoTE: ¡ssues not Iisted have sold oul All l¡sled issues äre ¡n
P
J
(,/)

January 1994: 3A 40V Variable Power Supply; S0lar Panel Sw¡tchinq
Regulator; Printer Status lndicatort lMini Drill Speed C0ntr0ller; Step-
per Motor Controller; Active F¡lter Design; Engìne Manågement, Pt 4
February 1994:90-Second ¡/essage Recorder; 12-24oVAC 200W ln-
verter; 0.5W Aud¡o Amplif iert 3A 40V Adiustable Povrer Supply; Engine
Management, Pt 5; A¡rbags ln cars - How They W0rk
March 1994: lntell¡gent IR Remole Conlroller; 50W (1M3876) Audi0
Amplif¡er Module; Level Crossing Detector For Model Ba¡lv/ays: Voice
Activâted Switch For FM lvlicrophones: Engine ¡/lanagement, Pt.6.
April way Level Crossings; Dual
Supp
Tank
Preamplifiert Digital Water
May 1994: Fast Charger For Nicad Batteries: lnduction Ba¡ance l\4elal
Locator: lvlulti-Channel lnfrared Remole Control; Dual Electronic Dicei
Simple Servo Driver Circuits; Eng¡ne Management, Pt I Februarv 1997: PC-C0ntrolled l\4Oving lllessaoe Displayt Compuler
June 1994: A C00lant Level Alarm For Your Car: 8o-Metre AI\¡/CW
Transmitter For Amateurs: Converling Phono lnputs To L¡ne lnputsi
PC-Based N¡cad Battery l\4on¡tori Engine Management, PÌ.9.
July1994: Build A4-Bay Bow-T¡e tJHFTVAntenna; Preohamp 2-Tran-
s¡slor Preamplifier: Steam Tra¡n Wh¡stle & Diesel Horn Simulalor,6V
SLA Battery Charger; Electronìc Engine Management, Pt 10
Aügust1994: High-Power Dimmer F0r lncandescent Lights; Dual D¡ver-
sityTuner For FM M¡crophones, Pt.lt Nicad Zapper (F0r Resutrecting
Nicad Batter¡es): Electronic Engine lvlânagement, ft.11.
September 1994: Aulomatic Discharger F0r Nicad Batteries; ¡iliniVox
V0ice 0perated Relay, AM Rad¡o ForWeather Eeacons; Dual Diversity
Tuner F0r FM Mics, PÎ.2; Electronic Engine l\¡anagement, Pt.12.
0ctober 1994: How Dolby Sutround S0und Workst Dual Ba¡l Variable
Power Supply; Talking Headlight Reminder; Electr0nic Bållasl For
Flu0rescent Lights; Electfonic Engine lvlanagement, PÌ.13
November'f994: Dry Cell Battery Rejuvenatori Novel Alphânumetr
ic Clock; 80-¡/ DSB Amateur Transmittert 2-Cell Nicad DischâroeL
December 1994: Car BurglarAlarm; Three-Spot Lov/ Distorti0n Sine-
wave 0scillator; Cl¡fford - A Pesky Electronic Crickel; Bemote COntr0l
System for l\¡odels, Pt 1; lndex to Vol 7
January 1995: Sun Tracker ForSo¡ar Panels; Battery Saver ForTorchesl
Dual Channel UHF RemOte Control; Stereo lV¡crophone Preampl¡fieL
February 1995: 2 x 50W Slereo Amplifier Module; Digital Effects Unit
F0r Musicians: 6-Channel LCD Thermometer; Wide Range Flecl roslal¡c
Loudspeakers, Pt 1; Rem0te C0ntrol System For Models, Pt 2
March 1995: 2 x 50W Stere et
Range
FM Receivers; Wide
luminatorForcoD Cam€rast
April Pt.l; Bâlanced l\4ic Preamp & Line
Filter pl¡fier, Pt.2t Wide Bange Eleclrostat¡c
L0ud Decoder For Radio Remote Control.
May I995: Gu¡tar Headphone Amplif ier; F¡/l Râdio Tra¡ner, Pt.2; Transis-
tor/¡¡osfetTester For 0MMs: A 1 6-Channel Decoder F0r Radio Remote
Conlrol: lntroduction To Satellite TV.
June l9g5: Build A Satellite TV Receiver; Train Detector For Model
Bailways: I W Aud¡o Ampl¡fier Trainer; Lorv-Cost Vide0 Secur¡ly System;
Multi-Channel Badio Control Transmitter For ¡¡odels, Pt.1.
July 1995: Eleclric Fence Controllert How To Run Two Trains 0n A
Sin0le Track (lnci. Lights & Sound); Selting Up A Satellite TV Ground
Stati0n: Build A Reliable Door ¡/¡nder
August 1995: Fuel injector Mon¡tor For Cars; Build A Gain-Controlled
Microphone Preamplif¡er: ldentify¡ng IDE Hard Disk Drive Parameters.
September 1995: BailpOwer Mk.2 Walkâround Throttle For l\4odel Rail-
ways, Pl.1; Keypad Combination Lock: BuildAJacob's Ladder Display.
0ctober 1995: 3-Way Loudspeaker System; Railpower Mk.2 Walk-
around Throttle For Model Ba¡lways, Pt.2; Build A Nicad Fast Charger
Novemberlg95: lvlixture Display F0rFuel lnjected Cars; CBïransverter
For The 80lV Amateur Band, Pt.1: P¡B lilovement Detector
May 1996: H¡gh Voltage lnsulation Tester: Knightrìder LED Chaser;
Simple lntercom Uses 0ptical Cablei Cathode Ray OscillOscopes, Pt.3.
o) June 1996: Stereo Simulator (uses delây chip)t Build A Rope L¡ght
o Remìnder
o Chaser; Low ohms Tester For Your DM¡r: Automat¡c 104 8attery
c\ Charger
Èd July 1996: VGA Digital 0scilloscope, Pt.1; Remote Conk0l Extender
\\
¿ F0r VCRst 2A SLA Battery Charger; 3-Band Parametrìc EqualiseL
Auqnst 1996: intr0ductionto IGBTs; Electronic Starter For Flu0rescent
Lamps; VGA 0scilloscope, Pt.2; 350W Amplifier Module; Masthead
Ampl¡fier For TV & FM; Cathode Ray 0sc¡lloscopes. Pt.4.
À.
U
u
I
f1:
Just fill in and mail the hanhy order fom in lhis issue; or fax (02) 9939
ÉJ
2648; or call (02) 9939 3295 and quote your cred¡t card number. Pdce:
õ $49.50 each (¡nchding GST) in Australia 0r $413 eaoh overseas. Pilces
include postage and packing. Email: silicon@s¡liconch¡p.Gom.au
Fence Controllert Bass Cube Subwoofer; Programmable Ïherm0stav
Thermometert Build An lnlrared Senlry: Bev Limiter For Cars.
Mav 1999: The Line Dancer Bob0t: An X-Y Table With Stepper l\4ot0r
Coritrol. Pt 1: Three Electric Fence Testers: Carb0n Monoxide Alarm.
June fggg: FIM RadioTunerCard ForPCs; X-YTable With Stepper¡r0t0r Reply from the designet this oven. It most certainly
C0ntrol, Pt 2; Programmable lgnition Tim¡ng Module For Cars, Pt'l
of the UV oven does work and it works very
SeDlember 1 996: VGA 0scillOscope, Pl.3; lR Stere0 Headphone Link,
Pt.j: HF Amaleur Radi0 Receiver: Cathode Ray oscilloscopes, P1.5. Julv 1999: Bu¡ld A 000 Silencer:10uH to 19.99mH lnductance lvleleri Having read the letters of com- well indeed.
Audi0-Video Transmitier: Proorammabie lon¡tion Timing Module F0r
october 1996: Send Video Sìgnals 0ver Twisted Pair Cablet 600W Cars, Pt.2t XYZ Table With Stepper lvl0t0r Contfol, Pt.3. plaint about my conversion of a Peter Laughton also writes
DC-DC Converter For Car H¡fi SVStems, Pl.1, lR Stereo Headphone
Link, Pt.2: Mult¡-Channel Radì0 Conlrol Transmitter, Pt.8. Au0usl 1999: Rem0le Modem C0tìtroller; Daytime BunninO Lights F0r microwave oven to a UV light box inthe February 2009 Mailbag
Novemberl996:8-Channel Stereo ¡¡ixer, Pt 1; Low-Cost Fluorescent
Caisi Buìld A PC ¡/0nitor Checkert Sw¡tching Temperature Conlr0llerl
XYZTable W¡th Stepper Motor Conlr0l, Pt.4r Electric Light¡ng, Pt.14. (Stttcott Csp, October 2008) in re- of concerns with the green/
Lìght lnverter; Repairing Domestic Light D¡mmers
SeDtemberlggg ;Voice Directspeech cent months, I should li]<e to offer yellow wiring, and while
December 1996: Aclive Filter For CW Beception; Fast Clock Reðognition lVod nce Meterl XYZ Table
the following statement for your again, I acknowledge his
F0r Railwav lvlodellers, Laser Pistol & Electronic Targeli Build With Stepper Mo ed Can Coolet
A Sound Level Meter; 8-Channel Slereo Mixer, Pt.2; lndex To Vol.9. readers' information. letter with respect to the
oclober l9g9: Bu¡ld The Railpower M0del Train Controiler, Pt-!
anel For ¡,4ultiple Smoke Alarms, Pt.1ì Build Semiconductor Curve Tracer; Àuton0mouse The Robot, Pt.2; XYZ I fully acknowledge and accept wire colour, I stand by -y
Iable W¡th Stepper ¡¡otor Control, Pt 6; lntroducing Home Theatre
mputer C0ntrolled Dual Power Supply, Pl.1 |
{l\4onitors Eight TemPeratures).
that my use of green/yellow wire in comments that the device is
November 1999: Sett¡ng Up An Email Seruer; Speed Alarm For Cars,
this device was a bad call on my part. perfectly safe - even with the
Pt.1: LED Chr¡stmas Treõ; lntercom Slalion Expaiìdert Foldback Loud-
C0ntrolléd Dual Power Supply, Pt.2; Alerl-A-Phone Loud Sounding sDeaker Svstem; Ra¡lpower Model Train ContrOller, P1.2.
However, colour of wire not with- "wrong" colour code. Yes, I
Telephone Alârm; Control Panel F0r Mu¡tiple Smoke Alarms, Pt.2.
Decemberlggg: Solar Panel Regulator, PC Powerhouse (gives +1?V
stalding, the device is electrically should not have used green/
March 1997: 175W PA Amplil¡er: Signalling & Lighting For +9V, +6V & +5V rails)i Forlune F¡nder Melal L0cat0rl Speed Alarm For
Fâilways; Jumb0 LED Clocki Calh0de Ray 0scjlloscopes. Pt.7
l\4Odel
Cars, Pl.2; Ra¡lpowe¡ Model Train C0nlroller, Pt.3l lndex To V01.12. safe. All connections are insulated, yellow wire but all connec-
h No lcs; Dìgitai Vollmeter For Cars, Januarv 2000: S0rin0 ReverberatiOn lvlodule; An Audio-V¡deo Test the wire is 10,A. and mains-rated and tions that have anything to
reo Amplifiers; Model Train Controller,
Cathode Bay oscilloscopes, Pt.8.
Generaíor' Parâlldl Po"rt lnlerface cardi Telephone 0fl-Hook lnd¡cator.
there is even plastic under all the do with the live parts are
Februarv 2000: Multi-SecloÍ Sorinkler Conlroller: A Dìo¡tal Voltmeter
starters a¡td mains terminal blocks, well insulated and labelled and won't wite like this again for anY
1997: ForL¡ght Systems; Tratfic Lights-Ihin F0r YouiCar; Safety Switch Checkert S¡ne/Squar€ Wav¡ 0scillator
project. But if I may offer one rhe-
Mav For
ln
A Niodel wriler - lt Writes lvlessaoes ln as outlined in the article. Your so I still don't see this as being the
Look torical question in closing to all
Air; A 2; Cathode Ray oscilloscopes, Pt.g. March2000: l00WAmplifier[Iodule, Pt.1; ElectronicWindVaneWith
16-LED Dìsplay; Build A Glowplug Drivet
readers, who are complaining, are massive problem that some of your
June 199i: Pc-controlled Thermometer/Thermostati TV Pattern
Generalor, Pt.1; Aud¡0/RF S¡gnal Tracer; High-Current Speed C0ntr0l- Mav 2000: Ultra-LD Stereo Ampl¡fier, Pt.2; LED Dice (With PIC [¡icr0- writing as if I had used bare exposed readers suggest that it is. those who still have a Problem and
ler For 12Vl24V Motorst Manual Conlrol C¡rcuit F0r Stepper lvlolors. coniroller): 504 M0tor Speed C0ntroller For Models.
copperwire withno insulation at all! Finally, |ohn Hunter covers just are jumping up and down at this
Julv 1997: lnfrared Remote V0lume Control; A Flexible lnlerlace Card June 2000: Aulomatic Ra¡n Gauge; Parallel Port VHF FM Receiverl
about everything else I wa¡rted to very moment as they read this: "Do
FoaPCs; Po¡nts Controiler FOr M0del Ra¡iways; Colour fV P¿ttern Switchm0de Power Supply (1,23V t0 40V) Pt. f; CD Compressor JeffThomas writes in the Decem-
Generalor, Pt.2; An ln-Line lllixer F0r Radio Conlr0l Receivers.
Julv 2000: Movino l\4essage D¡splay; C0mpact Fluorescent Lamp Driverl ber 2008 Mailbag of all sorts of hor- say in April 2oo9 Mailbag. In par- you know what the word Pedantic
0clober 1997: 5-Dig¡t Tachometeri Central Locking For Your Car; PC- lvlu'sicians' Lead Tester: Switchm0de Power Sup0lv. P1.2.
rors associated with this project, not ticular, I refer to his paragraphs on means?".
C0ntrolled 6-Channel Voltmeterì 500W Audio PovJer Amplifier, Pt.3.
Auqusl 2000: Therem¡n; Spinner (writes messages in 'thin'air")i just the wiring - he seems to hate the being realistic, using commonsense Graeme Rixon,
Pro:xim¡ty Switch' Slructured Cabling For Computer Networks.
and that I am the only one who will
November 1997: Heavy Duty 104 240VAC Motor Speed Controllerl
Easv-To-Use Cable & Wir¡no Íesleri Build A Musical D00rbell; Beplac- very concept itself and every aspect Mosgiel, NZ.
ing Îoam Speaker Surrounds; Underslanding Êlectric Lighting P1.1. SeDlember 2000: STr¡mming Pool Alarm; 8'Channel PC Relay Board;
Fuél ¡rixlure D¡splay For Cars. Pl.1; Prot0boards - The Easy Way lnto of it! He almost goes so far as to say ever work on tle r¡nit. I would like Comment: we thought it was great
0ecember 1997: Speed Alarm tor Cars; 2-Ax¡s Robot With Gr¡pper: Eleclronics, Pt.1; Cybug The Solar Fly.
that the project will not work as an to thank him for defending my idea ptoject concept. lust temember: it
Step0er MOtor Driver With 0nboard Buffer: Power Supply For slepper
lVloior Cards; understanding Electrjc Lighting Pt.2, Index T0 Vol.1 0. 0ctober 2000: Gu¡tar Jammert Breath Testert Wand-Mounted lnspec-
tìon Cameraì Subwoofer For Cars; Fuel ¡/ixture Display, Pt.2. exposure method at all, and bringing some logical thinking is easier to criticise an ideathan to
Januarv1998: 4-Channel 12V0C or 12VAC Lìghlshow, Pt.1 ; Command To him and others with similar to the colour-code issue. come up with an original concePt.
N0vember 2000: Santa & Rudoll Chrissie Display; 2-Channel Guilar
tor
Control'For Model Ra¡lways, Pl.1; Pan Controller For CCD Cameras.
Preamplifier, Pt. l; Message Bank & Missed call Alerl; Protoboards - views, I ask you to have a look at So, in summary: YES you are all We would hate to have contributots
The Easy Way lnto Electronics, Pt.3.
quite correct - I should not have from submitting article
lR ll- February 1 998: Telephone Exchange Simulator For Testing; Command s
, Pt.3. Control For Model Bailways, Pt,2i 4-Chânnel Llohtshow, Pt.2. the accompanying high-res photo discourage d
De ngForsharedlnternetAccess;Wh¡le
because they might be criticised'
ADril 1998: Automatic Garage Door 0pener, Pl.1; 40V 8A Adiustable LE mpl¡l¡er, Pt.2 (Digital Reverb); Dr¡vìng which shows the results of using used green/yellow wire a¡rd NO, I
Power Supplv, Pt.1t Pc-Conlrolled 0-30kHz S¡newave Generator; An ndex To Vol.1 3.
Underslanding Electric Lighting; Pt.6.
Janüaru 2001: How To Transfer LPs & TaDes To CD: The LP Doctor -
Mav 1998: 3-LE0 Loo¡c Probe; Gara0e Door 0pener, Pt.2; Command Clean U'p Clicks & Pops, Pl.1: ArbitraryWaveform Generator; 2-Channel
Guìtar Preamplifier, Pt.3: PIC Programmer & TestBed.
Coritrol System, Pt.4; 40V 8A Adjustable Power Supply, Pt.2.
systems for purchasers of these cars. Anthony Albanese, did not state that When and if electric cars do go on
Februaru 2001: An Easv Wav T0 ¡rake PC Boards; L¡l Pulser Train
June 1998: Troubleshooting Your PC, Pt.2: Ljnìversal High Energy
l0nition System: The Roadies' Friend Cable T€steI Universal Stepper Controllér' A MlDl lnteríace Éor PCs; Build The Bass Blazer; 2-Melre At least the power from these would the car would actually be made in sale in Australia, a requirement fot
Groundplane Antenna; LP Doctor- Clean Up Clicks & Pops, Pt.2.
Motor Coñtroller; C0mmand Control For Model Railways, Pt.5.
offset some of the power consumed Australia, While Mitsubishi maY be the prospective purchasers of the cars
Julv 1998: Troubleshoolino Your PC, Pl.3; 1sWCh Class-A Aud¡O
Am'0|¡fier. Pt.1' Simple Charqer For 6V & 12V SLA Batleries; Auto-
March 2001: Makinq Photo Res¡sl PC Boards; Big-D¡gil 1224 Hour
clock: Parallel Porl Flc Proorammer & checkerboardl Protoboards - by recharging these cars and help putting the iMiEV into low-level pro- to also install a home solar sYstem
mai¡c SemìconductorAnalysér; [Jnderslanding Electric Lighling, Pt.8. fhe Easy Way lnto Electronics, Pt.5: A S¡mple MlDl Expansion Box.
cut emissions from coal-fired power duction later this year, it is not ever would put the kiss of death on them.
Au0usl 1998: Troubleshootin0 Your PC, Pl.4; l/0 Card With Data LOg- ADril 2001: A GPS ¡¿lOdule For Your PC; Dr Video - An Easy-To-Build
Vide0 Stabiliser: Tremol0 [Jnit For Musicìans; ¡rinimìtter FM Stereo
stations. going to be made in Australia. It is In any case, many purchasers of these
gin-g: Beat Tr¡ggered Strobe; iswich Class-A Stereo Amplil¡er, P1.2.
Transmitter; Intelligent Nicad Battery Charger
fohn Vance, slated for initial release in lapan in tiny electric vehicles are likely to be
Se[lemher 1998: Troubleshootinq Your PC, Pt.5; A Bl0cked AiFFilter
Alarm: Waa-Waa Pedal lor Guitãrs; Jacob's Ladderi Gear Change May 2001: l2V M¡ni Stereo Amp To via email, 2010. Mitsubishi ceased all manufac- inner-city dwellers who live in high-
Buiid: PowerPak - A lllulti-Voltao T0
rise apartment blocks and there's no
lndicator F0r Cars; Capacity lndicat0r For Rechargeable Batteries.
SharéAn lnternetoonnection, Pt.1l Ul. Comment: this v,as just a bit of " spin" ture in Australia in 2008. In fact, we
0clober 1 998: AC Millivoltmet€r, Pt.1; Pc-controlled stress-0-Metef;
June 2001: LJniversal Battery Charqer, Pt.1; Phonome - Call, Lislen by the Federul Government but to be have doubts whether the iMiEV will prospect of them installing a ho e
Versat¡le Electronic G uitar Limiter; 1 2V Trickle Charger For Float Condi
tions; Adding An External Battery Pâck To Your Flashgun ln & Switch Devices 0n & 0ff; Low--Cost Automalic Camera Sw¡lcher;
Using Linux To Shâre An lnternet Connection, Pt 2. fair, the Federal Transport Minister, ever go on sale in Austrulia. solar system. C
l¡ovemher'1998: The Christmas Star; A Turbo Timer For Cars; Bu¡ld
A Poker ¡ilachine, Pt 1 i F¡/l Transmitter For lvlusicians; Lab 0uality AC Julv 2001: The Hearll\4ate Heart Rate Mon¡tor; Do Not D¡slurb Tele-
ohtíne Timer: Pic-Toc - A Simple Alarm cl0ck: Fasl Universal Eattery
io. Component Spec¡alists
Millivoltmeter, Pt 2; lmprov¡ng AM Radi0 Reception, Pt 1
Charoer, Pt.2; Backing Up Y0ur Email.
December 1998: En0¡ne lmmobiliser Mk.2: Thermocouple Adaplor
For Dl\4Ms: Reoulated 12V DC Pluqpack: Build A Poker Machine, P1.2, Bo
August 2001: Dl piifier lvlodulel
:
Heãdlight Moduler Using
lmproving AM'Radio Recepl¡on, Pt.2t M¡xer Module For F3B Gliders.
Linux To Share An Speaker drivers - tweeters to 18" subwoofers - plus k¡ts
*
I
. Ca pacitors, term na ls, *'.,.:";5""åO.lj
;-" ,Ðfl
January 1999: High-Voltage Megohm Tester; A Look At The BASIC i
Stamp; Bargraph Ammeter For Cars; Keypad Eng¡ne lmmob¡l¡ser seolember 2001: Mak¡no ¡rP3s: Bu¡ld An ¡jlP3 Jukebox, Pt.1; PC-
Cohtrolled Mains Swìtch:?ersonal Noise S0urce For Tinnitus; 0irec-
t¡0nal Microphone; [Jsing LinuxTo Share An lnternetConnection, Pt.4.
March 1 999: Bu¡ld A Di0ital Anemometer; DIY PIC Programmer; Build
An Aud¡o Compressortiow-Distort¡on Audio Signal Glnerator, Pt.2.
November 2001: U ltra-LD 1 0 Pt.1 ; Neon
April 1999: Getting Started With Linux; Pt2; High-Power Electric Tube ¡rodulator For Cars; Au ieri Build A
audio Parts
Short Message Becorder Pla
Januarv 2002: Touch And/Or Rem0te-Controlled Light 0immer, Pt 1;
soundlabs . Much more online or phone (O2) 4627-8766
A cheab 'n'Easv ¡rotorbike Alarm; 100W ichannel stereo Amplifier,
Pt.3i Build A Ráucous Alarm; FAQS 0n The MP3 Jukebox.
Februarv 2002: 1o-Channel lR Remole Control Receiver; 24GHz
Hi0h-PoíverAud¡o-Video Link; Touch And/0r Remole-Controlled Lighl
www.sou nd I a bsgrou p.co
DiÉìmer, Pt.2; Booting A Pc wilhout A Keyb0ard; 4-Way Event llmer.
March 2002: ¡¡iohty Midget Aud¡o Amplilier Modulel 6-Chânnel
lR Rem0te Volumie Óontrol-, Pt.1; RIAA Pre-Amplifier For ¡¡agnetic siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 7'1,
Cartridgest
'12124V lntelligent solar Por"Jer Battery Charger
Rt last, a fair-dinkum electric uehicle
tronuer-sion using an induction motor r r r
a managers who work with the product
By LEO SIMPSON
Or the customer who called in say-
ing he had given out his fax number
arrd people are faxing him and he's not
getting any of the faxes. So after a bit
of trouble shooting it was confirmed
that the fax machine was working
flne - he had given out the wrong fax
number!"
And if they can't help?
Microsoft has'escalation engineers'
who deal with more critical support
issues. There's also agroup ofprogram
groups to ready our service infrastruc-
ture when new products are released
or updated.
Given that the company supports
a wide range of customers, questions
land on everyday use ofits products,
as well as very technical questions
from customers who deploy the sys-
tems on a large scale.
Typical questions include installing
updates and configuration issues.
One customer had an ongoing,
nagging problem when their serv-
ers malfunctioned every evening at
around the same time, Sensing the
urgency in the case, Microsoft clis-
patched an engineer and flew him to
the customer site to take a closer look
at the problem.
Call centre operators often have to deal with a mix of home users, hobbyists, prosumers, and professionals. Typical caller
questions include assistance with installation, help on how to use a specific feature, dealing with error messages and
issues when a feature fails to work as expected.
siliconchip.com.au
While there were no visible system
errors or malfunctions, they finally
found the air-conditioning unit au-
tomatically shut off in the evening
and the server performances were
disrupted by the high heat and hu-
midity.
In these days of integration with AV
products, connection between brands
is relatively straightforward. They
mate relatively easily across common
connectors but where the trickiness
comes in is probably more in the com-
puter space which is where a customer
has got a Sony VAIO laptop and they
are trying to hook it up to an HP printer
or a BeÌkin modem or something like
that... that's where it becomes a little
bit harder for tech support,
Improving the breed
The major benefit of running tech
support call centres, apart from happy
customers, is that the feedback from
callers is a valuable resource, ready
to be mined in the pursuit of product
development.
For one, Adobe's product manage-
ment teams ensure that customer
feedback is considered in new product
releases and that customers' reported
issues are part ofthe planning process
for future versions.
Who You Gonna Gall?
So your selup has gone bung, frozen,
flaþlined, dealt a mortal blow by a caüse
unknown. You have to call Help H0.
Once you've made the decision to call
lech supporl, make sure you have the f0l-
lowing informalion on hand:
.Device name and model.
¡ Serial numbel.
¡ lf the device is compuler-based, whal
operuting syslem it is using.
. What other devices are linked.
. And finally, allow enouglt time to ma*e
tie call and get an answer.
In Canon's case, customer feedback
is channelled to the marketing team
who send that back to Canon in ]apan
and that feeds back into R&D.
Sony captures feedback on every
call that comes in to the call centre,
Any comment, whether it be the
manual, the packaging, anything is
passed back to the regional head in
Singapore every month.
So, it seems those long waits for an
operator to respond are worthwhile
in the long term and can sometimes
lead to an improvement in the breed...
a TV set, DVD recorder, digicam,
software etc. st
IUNE 2009 93

fllliii'm' ffiRlfriffiüsr¡ffiffitþ ililllllus¡'fl¡'
You may f ind the long wait for a tech
support operator sometimes stressful
... but what about the operator?
Adobe admits thatthe role of a tech
support operator "can be a high-pres-
sure job," so they try to mitigate this
impact, even atthe recruiting process,
by assessing the motivational 'fit' of
an applicant. lf this indicates someone
does not cope well under pressure,
then they are likely not going to be a
successful operator.
0nce on the job, Adobe attempts to
put fun into work and reduce stress
level, by running 'events' that range
from holding fun competitive games
during their breaks and asking staff
to arrive at work in costume.
Also admitting the stressful nature
of the job, Sony compares it to the
stress levels of aircraft controllers.
The company recruits "people who
really want to help customers. The
only thing that would ever stress
one of them out is if they get a really
angry customer. Then they can take
a couple of minutes off after that call
and go and have a chat with their
team leader.
Microsoft admits that by the time a
customer calls them, they must have
encountered difficulties with their
products or systems and are probably
desperate for a fix.
Their customer service and sup-
port teams have to handle different
challenges with various levels of com-
plexity and they have to tap on a wide
range of capabilities to balance the
demands that come with the job. They
all acquire deep technical expertise,
strong problem solving ability, com-
munication skills and cross-culture
knowledge and understanding.
Sony believes they have the right
levels of support for them now. Tech
support staff have access to the
information to do their jobs quite ef-
fectively, so they're not scared of what
the next call will be and whether they'll
know the solution or not ...
The truth is, no-one who is calling
a call centre, is calling just to say
everything is 0K.
92 Stuco¡tt Crutp
A different sort ofchallenge is faced
by Microsoft, with its mix of globally-
used operating system and office soft-
ware plus hardware products.
Sony
,\ team of four product specialist
engineers at Sony's head office inter-
act with the various designer factory
groups. Then a further six branch tech
support people, in each ofthe capital
cities, between the service centres,
service providers, Sony and the cus-
tomer during business hours.
This covers devices like digital
cameras, camcorders, TVs, VAIO com-
puters etc.
Sony's approach differs in that it
uses two front line caÌl centres and
from there calls can be bounced off
to the various other service centres.
Sony's Tim Simons explains that "if
it can't be resolved over the phone or
via the Internet then access to a knowl-
edge base is made. This is growing ail
the time."
Training
For Adobe, training of operators
can take anywhere from four to eight
weeks. Even then, past the initial train-
ing there is ongoing education on
regularbasis. This is mostly computer-
based training and, depending on the
detail and importance of the new in-
formation, can also be instructor lead.
Training covers new tooÌs, processes,
software skills etc or new product
information or upgrade releases,
Canon's company training is "quite
intensive". Recruits start off with
about a two-day induction training
program, a sort of 'welcome to Canon',
emphasising ihe 'quality first' ap-
proach, Then they get an overview
of all Canon products, followed by a
buddy system where they'lÌ sit with
exp erienced operators, watching them
deal with callers.
In general, Microsoft adheres to
20-70-10 rule as guiding principies for
training: 20% instructor-led, 7Oo/" on
the job and lOo/o mentoring.
Before every major product launch,
a set of well-designed readiness rou-
tines are put in place to equip opera-
tors with all the knowÌedge, skiÌl and
tools necessary to serve customers.
Tech support staff receives addition-
al educational training courses as well
asinternal technical conferences.
Sony begins with a two-week in-
duction, including some system and
phone training, followed by product ack in the December 2008 issue we reported on the
training and then further customer Australian EÌectrical Vehicle -Association's field day
service training, Then they go into held in October. We commented that all the vehicle
a so-called 'nursery group' for four conversions on display appeared to be based on DC motors
to six weeks, dealing with a limited with wound fields and ratings up to about 70kW.
product range. But we have always felt that the ideal conversion should
induction motor, as in hybrid electric
be based on a 3-phase
More going on líne for help
vehicles and in larger commercial electric vehicles as well
Regardless of their level - begin- as modern diesel locomotives.
So when we heard that Malcolm Faed was engaged in
ner or advanced - any user can face a
challenges and need heip, so need to conversion which would use an industrial grade 3-phase
make a call to tech support. induction motor and matching drive (the inverter), we
It would be very hard to place an watched his internet blog with keen interest, lust recently |ust to prove the point, here's the rego sticker, placed just a
average time for a phone call. More he has completed it and is now happily driving a registered couple of months ago. It shows a gross vehicle mass (GVM)
and more customers are submitting eÌectric vehicle on Sydney's roads. He dropped into our of a little over two tonnes,
their questions online versus a phone offices to show it off.
call. For one particular application, It is based on a Toyota Hilux Xtracab utility, a rugged the side of the tray body, used for battery charging.
91.o/" of all issues were handled via commercial vehicÌe with an aluminium tray body with Perhaps another clue, if you see the black Hilux pulled
the phone with only B% online plenty of space for the battery bank. To look at the finished up next to you in traffic, is that you won't hear the motor
nine months later the phone calÌs- vehicle, the conversion looks surprisingly straightforward rr-rnning - because it isn't! That is not to say that the motor
had fallen to 63%, with 37% online. although Malcolm would have undoubtedly spent hun- is silent because once it is above walking speed, the motor
Customers are incleasingly preferring dreds of hours thinking about each step in the process can cer-tainly be heard - and nor is it particuìarly quiet.
to go onÌine for assistance, with com- before actually doing it. But before we get too
panies focusing considerable efforts The conversion can be summarised as having a whop- far ahead, let's discuss
on making more tools and information ping orange induction motor mounted in the now very spa- more of the basics of
available there. cious engine bay ald the battery bank and inverter system the conversion. The
monnted on the lear tray under a large canopy. battery bank consists
Tricky Questions With the bonnet down and the canopy closed, the onÌy of so rzV 20,\h sealed
Typical questions inclucle assist- cLue that this might be an electric vehicle is the plastic lead acid cells giving
ance with instaÌÌation, help on how cover for a standard 23OVAC mains 3-pin male socket on a total battery supply
to use a specific featule, dealing with
a error messages and issues wÌren a
feature fails to work as expected, often
when interacting with a second party
product, be it hardware or software, :È
One of the trickier questions re- zol æ
ceived frequently is when a customer
calls in and states that they need to
reset their password; this becomes
tricky since some customers have a
hard time explaining which password
they wish to reset!
Ocasionally slightly off beat queries
are received; for instance a call frorn a
I
customer "I purchased a very powerful
PC do you have software powerful
- for it?"
enough
And then there are customers call
the support number by mistake. One
a example is a customer who called and
started complainiúg about the amount
of their phone billl"
Some of the tricky ones are where
customers do caÌl in with a realÌy
old product - iike the query about
a veteran eÌectronic StarWriter 60
typewriter.
Occasionally a customer caÌls in
and they'll lattle off a model number
which tech support hasn't heard of.
When they check the data base, they Unlike today's petrol engines shoe-horned into the bay, this under-hood shot,shows a lot of space, even with a grunty
find out it's not even one of their 3-phase industrial motor. It has an electric fan fitted because the internal cooling just isn't enough at low engine speeds,
products! lnset top right is the ratings plate for the ASEA motor, It's showing its age but can still be read.
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 13

On the face ofit, this electric vehicle conversion is pretty
simple. The execution proved to be a tad more difficult!
rail of 600V. This is fed to a Danfoss VI:lso|z fiequency
converter intended to drive 3-phase induction motors up
to 4BkW (peakl.
Now the cunning aspect of Malcolm's conversion is that
it feeds the 600V DC directly to the VLT5042 converter.
Why is this cunning? Because when used normally, the
VI:15O42 is fed with 3-phase 41SVAC which is then inter-
nally rectified by a 6-diode bridge to obtain SB6V DC and
it is this DC which is then converted to variable frequency,
variable voltage AC.
What Malcolm has done is to bypass the internaÌ 3-phase
bridge rectifier and feed the frequency converter with DC
from the batteries instead,
The 600V battery supply is split into +300V rails and so
there are ihree supply leads into the VLT5042 converter:
+300V 0V & -300V,
For charging from 230VAC, the battery bank is split
into L2 banks of four (+eV) and one bank of two (24V)
and these balks are charged by 13 intelligent switchmode
chargers. Each night the battery bank is charged using
Mal Faed drying offthe electronics while we took photos of his EV conversion on a (very!) wet day. This is looking across
the battery bank with the Danfoss Vl:15O42 controller under his right elbow.
74 StLtco¡r¡ Cutp
off-peak electricity, so the cost of energy for this vehicle
is particularly low.
Total capacity of the battery bank is 12 kilowatt-hours
a¡rd this gives a driving range of about 40km - fairly modest
but adequate for MaÌcolm's short daily commute.
Most readers will be aware that the speed of an induc-
tion motor is more or less locked to the frequency of the
AC driving voltage. Hence, a 4-pole induction motor con-
nected to a 50Hz mains supply will normally run at about
1440 RPM; slightly less than the so-called synchronous
speed of 1500 RPM.
IncidentalÌy, the synchronous speed of an induction
motor can be calculated using the formula:
n -- 120Í
P
where n = RPM, f = frequency and P = number of poles
of the motor.
Similarly, a 2-pole induction motor will run at about
2BB0 RPM, again slightly less than the synchronous speed
of g0oo RPM. The difference between the motor speed and
synchronous speed is knor,rm as "slip" andthis is dependent
on the load on the motor (or the torque produced).
Hence, in order to drive the motor over a wide range of
RPM, the fiequency converter must have a similarly wide
output. In the case of the Danfoss VLT5042 used here, the
drive lrequency is configured to vary from 0,5H2 to 132}{2
and the voltage must also be varied, from quite low at low
fiequencies up to a maximum of 415V (s-phase AC) at 5OHz
and then fixed for higher frequencies.
The VLT5042 is able to work in open or closed-loop mode
In the first pqrt of this story in May Stucor,t Crup Barfie Smith
a¡rd has a speed pickup input. On Malcolm's conversion tipped us into the maelstrom of the funny yqrns about Tech Support.
the speed pickup is a toothed wheel on the output shaft
of the motor and a Hall Effect sensor. At this stage though, Now he gets serious and investigqtes how the major compqnies
hqndle the tloods of enqufuÍes and queries that rqin upon enterprises
brqve enough to mqrket their producfs... and daring enough to back
them up with help and comlort for the buying publÍc.
ech support can be confront- the development teams during prod- leaders are based in the company's
ing for the caller. It can also be uct development; information gained North Ryde NSW centre. Over many
a challenge for the operator at from the beta-testing stages of the years Canon has built up an informa-
the call centre. , , but the feedback from product; then the continuously-added tion base that can also be accessed by
the buying public can be worth every product information gathered after the callers; much of this has come from
cent of the centre's operational cost product hits the market. Canon Japan. In addition to that, an
in the way it channels into the hearts Backing this is an on-line knowl- internal knowledge base swells every
and minds of the customer. edge base providing customers with time a customer calls, possibly with
To get a feel for the business I spoke the appropriate information to resolve a unique problem and a unique solu-
to a number of companies: Adobe, their own issues. Adobe feels the best tion... this is documented and added
Canon, Microsoft and Sony. tech support resolution it can provide to the knowledge base
is the one that does not involve the
Adobe customer contacting ,A.dobe at all! Microsoft
Adobe's Asia Paciflc area provides Based in Singapore, Microsoft's Cus-
support in English, Mandarin, Can- Canon tomer Service ald Support provides
tonese and Korean. Canon Australia support every more thal
100 services, including tech
Adobe operators can access an inter- consumer product the company has support. Backing this up is a mix of
nal knowledge base to assist them with ever made (and sold in AustraliaJ. resources in Australia, in the form of
both technical and other information Some of that dates back a long time, so customer service, support and field
to resolve customer questions. they have customers ringing in with a engineering teams, Asia-Pacifl c caìlers
Adobe describe this as a "living doc- product that might have been last sold can access care hot lines operating in
ument", compiled from three sources: in the early 90s. 10 languages around 14 countries in
core product knowledge derived from Twenty operators and two team the Asia Pacific region.
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 9L
 up by the loop-stick antenna. How-
Photo Gallery: Astor Jl'l Dual-Wave Receiuer ever, when the shield that normally
sits between the IF amplifier and the
Ìoop-stick was put back in place, this
instability disappeared. This shield
piece is held in place with three metaÌ
thread screws and is bonded with flex-
ible straps to adjoining metalwork to
ensure effective shielding.
Having completed tle alignment, aÌl
the trimmer adjustments were sealed
in position using cÌear nail polish. In
addition, the adjustment slugs inside
the various coiÌs were secured using
a drop of bees wax (this can be easiÌy
broken free if adjustment is needed
later on). Â better method is to secure
the cores using some very thin rubber-
core "string" (for want of a better
name). Unfortunately I've been unable
to source any ofthis rubber-core string
in recent years.
Final tweaks
The voiume and tone controls were
NICKNAMED'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE" after its smooth arch shape, both noisy in operation. This is a com-
the Astor JN dual-wave receiver was housed in an attractive, dark-chocolate mon problem with old sets. This was
bakelite cabinet with a faint embedded pattern. lts copious size enabled solved by giving them both a squirt of
Astorto enclose a quality chassis with power and performance comparable Inox contact cleaner, In addition, the
to a radiogram, so this model is on most enthusiasts'must-have list. dial-drive pulleys and the reduction
An unusual feature is the roll-tuning dial. The station tuning is a normal drive were each given a drop of oil
linear action but turn the thumbnail dial and the stations from another state to ensure smooth operation. I do this
appear. lts interesting to note that the Victorian dial also has Devonport using an oil-filÌed hypodermic syringe
shown, such was the performance of the chassis with an external wire with a needle attached so that I can get
antenna (there was also Iower electrical interference in the 1950s). the oil where it needs to be (the tip of
The valve line-up was as follows: 2x 6U7G, 6JBGA, 686G, 6V6GT/G and the needle is ground square to avoid
SY3GT/G. Photograph by Kevin Poulter for the Historical Radio Socíety of
accidental "jabs").
Australia. wwwhrsa.net.au; phone (03) 9539 1117. Despite the se['s age, none of the
resistors or capacitors required re-
placement. The paper capacitors may
well have been leaky but this is not
To do this, I tuned to the iow-fre- First, I tuned to the high-frequency usuaÌly a problem in tralsistor circuits
quency end of the tuning range and end of the dial and peaked the trim- due to their low impedances and low
moved my fingers close to the tuned mers on each tuned circuit. However, operating voÌtages.
winding on the loop-stick. The set's I initialÌy couldn't peak the trimmer Finally, the leather/leatherette cabi-
performalce immediately improved, on the loop-stick, as this was the one net was spruced up using a dark tan
which indicated that the coil needed without its adjustment cap. Fortu- shoe polish. This produced quite a rea-
to be moved towards the centre of the nately, that was easily solved by sub- sonable finish although there was no
Ioop-stick to increase its inductance. stituting one from a spare trimmer in way to repair the damaged Ìeatherette
This is easier said than done, as my junk box.
you first have to remove the "gunk" With the substitute cap in place, I Summary
holding the coil in position. This was was then able to peak this trimmer. ln summary, this radio is easy to
done using a sharp hobby knife, after The RF stage couÌd be peaked as well. work on and adjust. Its performance
which the coil was moved along the I then tuned from each end of the dial is quite good and during the early
loop-stick to peak the performance. to the other, readjusting the coiÌs and 1960s, it would have been one of the
The coil was then secured in this new trimmers until there was virtually no best transistor sets avaiÌable.
position. interaction between the adjustments. This set was probabÌy AWAs first
The RF coil was aÌso peaked at multi-band transistor portable and
this time, I use an old plastic knitting Instability they did a really good job. It doesn't
needle as an alignmenttool, filed down The setwas nowworking quite well use a PC board but is still a well-made
so that it has a screwdriver tip at one except for some instability at about set, built to valve construction stand-
end (a metal screwdriver would affect 91OkHz. This was caused by the sec- ards. In short, it is well worth having
the tuning). ond harmonic of the IF being picked in a colÌection. sc
90 StLtcoN Cntp siliconchíp.com.au
QUICK FAGTS
Vehicle: 1992 Toyota Hilux Extra Cab. 2WD (RN90R)
Range: 35km to 70% discharge - hilly terrain (Collaroy to Terrey Hills return)
Deeper discharges will significantly affect the life of the batteries.
Gharge time: 1 - 5 hours depending 0n distance travelled.
Cost to run: 1.39É/km (off-peak 1 electricity tariff); 4.90ikm (peak electricity tariff)
Battery cost -10ø per km. (Total 1 1 .39 to 14.90ikm)
for servicing Total 18 lo 28Êlkm
Compared to petrol, 13É per km - 1l/'l00km @$1.18/l Add 5 to 150/km
1
Efficiency: Hilly terrain - battery to wheels: 238Wh/km
Flat terrain - battery to wheels: 200Wh/km
Performance: Peak power - 35kW at wheels (48kW electrical)
Peak torque - 1615Nm at wheels. Peak motor torque 315Nm
Originally: Power 75kW @ 4800 RPM; Torque 185Nm @ 2800 RPM
Gonverted we¡ghl: 1544k9 (0riginalweight 1250k9; GVM IGross Vehicle Mass] 2050k9)
Molol nominal: 1skw / 99Nm, ASEA, aluminium frame, 3-phase induction motor.
Motor peak: -48kW / -350Nm
Braking: Regenerative and original vacuum ass¡sted hydraulic.
Controller: Danfoss VLT5042 3-phase lnverter (aka Variable Speed Drive / VSD). Provides regenerative braking.
Battelies: 50 x 20Ah (@ 2hr rate) Greensaver SLA
Banery energy: 12kwh
Ghargers: 13 x 2.54 switch-mode smart chargers
Top speed: 75km/h on flat
Modifications: . Manual steering
. Electric heater
.5:125:1 differential
the VLTS042 is being used in open-loop mode, with the
motor speed pickup being connected for speedo operation
only, Even though it's road registerecl and drivable, it's still
a work-in-progress!
The VLT5042 uses a bank of high-voltage insulated
gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) in a 6-way bridge to give a
3-phase drive to the 4-pole motor which is delta-connected.
The motor is a second-hand ABB unit r,r¡ith a nameplate
rating of 15kW at 415VAC. That might seem low but re-
member that such a motor can deliver at least three times
its rated power for short periods.
The motor sits in the engine bay of the Toyota HiÌux in
virtually splendid isolation, The only modification is that
it has been fitted with a standard 12V radiator fan which
is controlled by a thermostatic switch on the motor body.
The fan replaces the internal fan, which was ineffective at
ì.ow speeds and too noisy at the higher speeds the motor
is now required to run at.
Even so, the 12V fan does not cut in frequently and
would only be expected to be running when the HiÌux is
climbing a steep hill.
The motor drives the differentiaÌ of the Hilux directly;
there is no intermediate gearbox. However, Malcolm has
increased the diff ratio to 5.L25:1. to obtain a better hill
climbing capability - necessary for his Sydney northern
beaches'location. Top speed is about 75km/h.
Engine braking & regeneration The large knob in the foreground is the Forward/Ì.[eutral/
One aspect of this conversion which is not immediately Reverse switch, with the Danfoss keypad and display. It
obvious is that the combination of the Danfoss VLT5042 and is not possible to inadvertently throw the car into reverse
the 3-phase motor can provide substantial engine braking, while under way. This is prevented by a key interlock
dependent on the throttle setting. The engine braking is an which must be used to change motor direction.
siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 15
 The set's owner was uncertain as
to whether or not it was working, so
I obtained a couple of 6V 509 lantern
batteries, slipped them into their hold-
ers and switched the set on. Well, the
set did work but its performance was
woeful. It was quite insensitive, pick-
ing up very few stations, and its audio
output was quite distorted. In short, it
sounded rather sick so it was time for
some troubleshooting
I began by measuring the voltages
around the front-end of the set but
could only get 5-6V where I should
have been measuring close to 12V. As
a result, I checked the batteries and
found that one was open circuit, even
though it was brand new!
With a good battery fitted in its
place, the set sounded much more like
it should. The distortion had gone but
it was still not performing at all well
in terms of sensitivity. As a result, I
checked the alignment of the IF am-
plifier stages but found that they were
near enough to spot on.

RF alignment
It was a different story with the RF
This shot shows the L2V battery (right corner) which provides power to all the ancillaries. Above it is the blue vacuum and converter stages andthe oscillator
reservoir, included so that the vacuum pump, adjacent to the power brake booster, does not cycle frequently. The vacuum tuned circuits. A cursory examination
pump is fitted with a gauge - iust to show it is working. Centre right of the photo (circled) is the throttle potentiorneter. revealed that one Philips trimmer ûas
The pot is 10kO (linear) and provides 60' ofrotation. missing its adjustment cap, an extra
capacitor had been fitted across the
inherent function of induction motor slip, whereby when to runthe alcillaries such as the vehicle's instrumentation, broadcast-band oscillator coil and the
the motor is being "over-run" by the drive shaft (as when windscreen wipers a¡rd washers and lighting. core of the oscillator coil was sitting
coasting down a hill), the motor is effectively generating This is provided by a 1 2V SLA battery, identical to those much further out of the coil than I
reverse torque. sitting in the rear tray. It is charged by a pair of switch- would have expected.
But since the motor is being driven by the rear wheels, it mode regulators, one of which is connected to the +300V This all indicated that the front-end
also provides worthwhile regeneration, delivering signifl- rail while the other is connected to the -300V rail, Both had been tweaked by someone who
cant cunent to the batteries on long downhill runs. their floating outputs are connected in parallel to charge clearly didn't know what they were
The battery charging evidently takes place via the sub- the battery. doing.
strate reverse diodes in the IGBTs, ,t meter inside As well as lighting, it also provides power to The oscillator tuned circuit on each
the vehicle monitors the battery drain and the a l-2V vacuum pump which runs the power of the shortwave bands appeared to be
regeneration. brake booster, It also drives a 12V blower reasonably accurate, so I first concen-
Regeneration is a particular advan- for the ceramic core heater. The heater trated on aligning the RF and antenna
tage of using a 3-phase motor and one is run from the 600V supply and circuits. First, a Leader (LSG11) signal
which cannot easily be provided in provides demisting for the wind- generator was pressed into service to
conversions using series DC motors, determine the tuning range on each My first suspect here was padder end (this has to be done sevetal times,
Ultimately, a¡ AC conversion such There is no air-conditioning band. That done, I then adjusted capacitor C16. Perhaps its value had as each adjustment interacts with the
as this shouldbe very quietbecadse for the driver and passengers each coil and trimmer capacitor for changed or maybe the wrong one had other). However, because the rest of
the motor is not subject to the high though,,. That might be in a best signal (or maximum noise). ,{nd been fitted. As a result, I disconnected the RF and antenna circuits were so
lrequency pulse drive normally subsequent EV conversion per- what an improvement that made - the one leg of CrG and tested it on the badly out of tune, I had to use a very
employed in DC conversions. haps. performance on the shortwave bands capacitalce range of my multimeter. high output from the signal generator
The 3-phase sinewave is synthe- was now quite good. It gave the correct value so that theory in order to force signals through the
sised by higher frequency switch- Driving it According to the service informa- bit the dust, set during this procedure.
mode pulsing so high frequency Driving the converted Hilux is a tion for this set, the broadcast band is Next, I removed the extra capacitor Now that the oscillator was tuning
whistling is evident from outside bit of an artbecausethe tluottle and normally aligned first. However, Ileft that had been installed across Ct4. I correctly, it was time to look at the
the vehicle. braking response needs to be learned. it until last as it appeared to have more then adjusted the oscillator circuit so other tuned circuits for the broadcast
If you're too hard on the throttle, the problems than the shortwave bands. that it covered the correct range. This band. The location of the antenna coil
Ancillaries motor slip goes to a high value and it The tuning range was well out a¡rd is done by adjusting the coil at the low- on the loop-stick antenna had not been
AII electric vehicle conversions loses power. stations were appeiling in the wrong frequency end of the dial and the trim- altered since the setwas manufactured
need to provide a 12V battery supply Not something you see every day! Having said that, the vehicle evident- locations on the dial, mer capacitor at the high-ftequency but I decided to check it all the same.
16 Stuco¡'t Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 B9
 stabilise the quiescent current against
variations in temperature. Germanium
transistors are particularly sensitive to
heat and wilÌ draw considerably more
current as the transistor junction tem-
perature rises unless precautions are
taken. Ifthe currentrises to any extent,
a runaway situation can occur where
more and more current is drawn until
the transistor finally destroys itself,
The emitter-collector junction of
VT7 & VTB drive the speaker's voice
coil, the other side of which goes to
the centre tap of the power supply. As-
suming that the output transistors and
their base bias networks are matched,
then there wiÌl be no curtent through
the loudspeaker when no audio signal
is present.
At least, that's the ideal situation.
In practice, there will always be some
current through the speaker's voice
coil but this will be very small if there
are no faults in the class-B amplifier
output stage.
ly has adequate power to keep up with other traffic and is
no slouch when climbing hills. However the battery drain
goes up alarmingly at these times, rapidly reducing the
available capacity. On the level, the car trickles along.
Where it is disconcerting is that the motor is not as
smooth as you would expect and has significant vibration
conducted through the cabin - almost a cogging effect.
This is probably a consequence of the motor being sol-
idly mounted to the chassis without any rubber mounts
to provide isolation. Perhaps that might be a later modi-
fication.
When climbing hills the motor also becomes quite
strident - surprisingly so. We measured a peak of zAdBA
inside the cabin, Of course, Iarge 3-phase industriaÌ motors
are never silent; it is just that you are seldom aware that
they produce any noise since it is norrnally drowned out
by the machinery they are driving.
Overall, we are very impressed with this EV conversion.
Not only is it the first using an induction motor but Mal-
colm's choice of vehicle is very appropriate, It is a strong
commercial vehicle and should provide good protection
in the event of a crash. Even if it rolled over, you could
fairly confident that the battery pack would be securely
held in place. Having back seats, it also provides for four
occupants, something that most prior conversions using

the tuned antenna loop-stickwinding. plifier. The resulting AGC is directly

This is intended to prevent ma¡itime
radio transmissions close to 455kJfz
from breaking through into the IF
amplifier stage.
RF transistor VT1 (2N3 70) amplifies
the input signal from the antenna and
passes it via further tuned circuits to an
autod¡me converter stage based on VT2
(2N370), The output from this stage is
then applied to the first IF transformer
and thence to a 2-stage IF amplifier
consisting of transistors VT3 & VT4
(2N218). Both stages are neutralised
by C33 & C40 respectively.
From there, the signal passes to a
detector and AGC diode (MRa), after
which the detected signal is fed to
VT5 (2N218). This stage acts as both
an ÂGC amplifier and first audio am-
appÌied to VT3 and VT1 and also from
VT3 to the first two IF transformers
via MR3 to control the gain through
the amplifier.
The detected audio signal at the
emitter of VT5 is fed through an RF
choke (L2) to filter out any remaining
IF signals in the audio. The audio is
then applied via voÌume control R27
and tone control R2B to audio driver
stage VT6 (2N408).
VT6 is turn feeds a driver trans-
form.er with three windings, One goes
to the colÌector Ìead of VT6, while the
other two drive the base leads of output
transistor pair VT7 and VTB (2N270).
As shown, these two output transis-
tors are wired in series and each has
a thermistor in its base-bias circuit to
Conversely, when audio is applied
to the transistors, one will draw more
conventional cars cannot provide. sc
I
a
I
current while the other will be cut off Much more detail can be found on Malcolm's EV Blog:
This view shows 10 of the 13 individual battery chargers.
and will draw no culrent. This means http ://a4x4kiwi.blogspot.com/
that the DC voltage at the junction of
the transistors and the speaker can
varybetweennearly 0V and -12Vwith
reference to the chassis with the vol-
ume control set for maximum output.
This in turn means that the ampli-
fier side of the speaker coil can vary
between -6V and +6V with reference to
the other side ofthe speaker voice coil
(which is connected to the midpoint of
the battery pack). Of course, at normal
listening Ìevels, the voltage excursions
are much less severe.
Finally, to reduce the distortion
in the class-B output stage, negative
feedback is applied to the base of VT6
via a 100kO resistor (R40).

The overhaul
My flrst impressions of this set
when it was loaned to me was that it
had had a hard life. The leatherette,
leather surfaces and the metal grill of
the cabinet alÌ showed signs of wear,
The first job in the restoration was
to remove the chassis from the cabinet.
¡¡Zlq cdlEcrm ot This proved to be quite easy. First, the
2NrF tr omcÌo@
2N370 back of the set is removed by undoing
35ø a single screw' The batteries are then
removed, after which you undo three
screws from the base of the cabinet
and unplug the internal whip antenna, This shot show the Danfoss V[.I5O24 frequency converter with the top cover removed. In the foreground you can see the
A label on the inside-back of the set gives some basic service information, The chassis and battery holder are two 13.8V 25,{' switchmode power supplies which are used to charge the 12V ancillary battery. They occuþy the space
including the transistor types and locations plus the dial-cord arrangement, then simply slid out of the cabinet, originally taken up by the 4L5V 3-phase rectifier filters.
BB StttcoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 77
,o*=nc Grk drcksmilh Talk to the Techxperts
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TUs XE¡ffi YfB F

Bench Style Function Generator This multi-purpose 3MHz sweep

function generator is ideal for education, production, and R&D users.
Features ó output wâveforms, a pulse generator and a sweep generator.
3-15V Regulated 25 Amp Heavy Duty DC Power Supply Supplied with adjustable tilt handle, mains lead, and a detailed
Heavy-duty 3-15V linear power supply, 254 continuous rating at 15V lnstruction Manual. Not ranged at all stores, but can be ordered in. f
and lower current at lower output voltages- Custom DSE version SPECIFICATIONS 4
with extensive overload protection, rugged Tri-filar transformer Frequency: 0.5H2-3MHz (2.5MHz Ramp & Pulse) in six steps oc
windings, high-temperature transformer components, 504 bridge Output waveform: Sine, Square, Triangle, Positive Pulse
C¿
rectifier, thermal protection circuitr¡ rear-panel mains circuit breaker, and Negative Pulse
and solidly constructed metal housing. L¡mited store stock only, not Min output: No Load O.'lV p-p; 50 Ohms load 0.05V p-p vl¡ loll.r chq.¡¡. will hovc llZ
ond t23 rrplocrd bY o 1500
availablethrough Mail order orWeb orders. D38OO Other outputs: Synchronous, sweep synchronous 0182ó chn vorioblc n¡i¡lq Ccdc
No. ó20015. fh¡¡ cohpor.nl lr
cd¡u,lôd ol th. lcctw dút¡ng
ñônùloclu.. ond ¡hocld ¡ct b€
louched ¡n lår ñ.1d,
n o xi:l ,;.¡¿_

Fig.1.: the circuit is a conventional B-transistor superhet design, with transistor VTt functioning as an RF amplifier
stage, VT2 as the converter, VT3 & VT4 as IF amplifiers and VT5-VTB as the audio stages. Diode MR4 is the detector,

stages used first-generation germa- their life is quite good in this set and is These are attached to the inside of the
Lab Power Supply 3-30V DC 20Amp
nium transistors. It also used an somewhere in the region of hundreds panel along with a map of the world
This effìcient switch-mode power supply provides internal telescopic antenna but there of hours. with the various time zones listed.
adjustable 3V to 30V DC output, 204 maximum are also terminals on the rear so that The set is quite a good performer on
continuous current, low ripple and noise output, an external antenna and earth can be Tuning range shortwave too, thanks to the inclusion
and a compact case with an integral cooling fan.
PRO-70 Butane Soldering lron The lroda A fixed I 3.8V output sw¡tch can be selected connected for improved performance. The tuning range of this set is quite of a radio frequency (RF) stage in the
PRO-70 cordless butane-powered solderin g to over-ride the front panel voltage selection, In addition, terminals are provided useful, particularly for those living front-end. In fact, this receiver can be
iron is simple to use, with an internal tank that allowing simple powering of high power car
provides up to 120 minutes of operâtion at audio and radio transmítting equipment.
to allow a portable turntable to be in more remote areas. As well as the considered a serious replacement for
mid-setting. Ready to use in 20-30 seconds Features large LED front-panel metering and connected to the audio input of the broadcast band ((530-1650kH2), there the much earlier 7-band AWA valve
after ignit¡on. Requires butane gas. Not carried heavy-duty banana sockets. Not carried at all receiver, are also two shortwave bands covering receivers.
at all stores, but can be ordered in. T1104 stores, but can be ordered ¡n. 017ó5
The Ìatter feature was probably rare- 2-6MHz and 6-1BMHz.
Ìy used. Battery powered turntables of Normally, portable receivers which Circuit details
that era were thin on the ground and cover these latter ranges have rather The circuit (see Fig.1) is really quite
their quality Ìeft much to be desired. direct tuning. This can make tuning conventional for a set of that era. As
to shortwave stations rather diffrcult shown, the antenna input consists
Lantern batteries but this problem has been solved in the of a network that allows the use of
Power for the set is derived from AWÂ 693P. In this set, the dial-drive either the in-built telescopic antenna
two 509 lantern batteries connected in is a 2-speed type. Once the station has or an external long-wire antenna on
series to give a 12V supply. In addition, been roughly tuned, it is then tuned all bands.
the junction of the two batteries pro- in the opposite direction. This engages On the broadcast band, a loop-stick
Orygen Free Copper vides a centre-tap for the audio output the "slow-motion" reduction tuning antenna is used most of the time but
Speaker Cable Higtr conductivity, stage, so that it could be used without mechanism, allowing the station to be connecting a long-wire antenna ca¡r
low loss Fig I Orygen Free an output transformer. However, this easily fine-tuned. boostthe performance of the loop-stick
DPDT 104 Relay Heavy Low Loss OFC Speaker Copper (OFC) cable with ultra-
duty silver alloy plated contacts Cable Low loss OFC (orygen flex translucent PVC insulation,
meant that the speaker had to be a non- It's interesting to note that lifting the in difficult reception areas. Note that
(30V DC, 24OV AC rated), 12V free copper) 14 AWG speaker and tinned copper conductors on standard type with a 45-ohm voice coil front cover of the receiver to access the broadcast band input also has a
coil, Double Pole Double Throw cable with a super flexible PVC one side of the Fig I flex to aid in to match the transistor output stage. the controls reveals the Royal Flying series tuned intermediate frequency
(double changeover switching sheath. Suitable for medium to polarity identifi cation. Conductors:
contacts) relay. high power installations - 1ó8 30 x 0.12mm OFC, cross-sectional
Because of the size of the batteries, Doctor Service shortwave frequencies. (IF) rejection circuit (L1, C6) across
Full details online at: conductors x 0.12mm, 1.9mm2 area: 0.34mm2. Price per metre.
www.dicksmith.com.au P8o1 4 cross sectional area. W2O1ó w2008 siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 87

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ITIRANSISTORS WERE introduced

The
I i.rto domestic radios in Australia Carbon Monoxide Alarm Kit C"rbon Hi-Energy lgnition Kit A Universal High-

693P 3.-,BaHd
around 1958. I can actually remember
the first transistor set that I owned, a
pocket Sony.
By today's standards, this set was
a poor performer and was only sr,rit-
able for receiving stations in the near
vicinity. Its main drawbackwas that it
. . . the transition from valves to transistors generated a fair amount of noise due to
the germanium transistors usecl.
By about 1960, Australian manu-
facturers were producing quite rea-
sonabÌe transistor radios. However,
although Japanese sets were by then
using PC boards (of greatly varying
quality), Australian manufacturers
took longer to make the transition. In
fact, some AustraÌian manufacturers
didn't use PC boards until weÌÌ into
the early 1960s.
As a result, some early Australian-
made transistor sets were built just
Iike valve sets, with components
wired point-to-point. Some even used
sockets for the transistors, just as valve
sets used sockets. However', AustraÌian
manufacturers did eventually move
over to PC boards - the benofits of us-
ing PC boards were simply too great
to ignore, especiaÌly in terms of cost
and ease of assembly.
VIPER-MICROBRIC Robotic System
Buìld the Viper by following the instructions
or create your own design and program him
to behave the way you want! The system is
completely solderless, requiring nothing môre
than a screwdriver to assemble Uses BASIC
programming language (requires PC running
Windows 95. 98, ME, or XP). K1800
Siren penerator Kit Select e¡ther
police,åmbulance or fire engine sirens
or with a sl¡ght alterâtion, a machine-gun
firinþ sound. Supplied with components,
PCB, battery holder and speaker. SC
1'll93. K5s14
monoxide (CO) is an insidious poison which can
be lethal This circuit has a two-level CO alert,
with momentary or toggle relay operation
Supplied w¡th all specif¡ed components,
hardware, PCB, a pre-punched and screened
metal panel, plastic case and a small satellite
PCB for mounting the CO sensor remotely
Requires 12V power source. SC 8/05. K4ó14
Digital Tachometer Kit With a four-digit
display, this tachometer works w¡th ign¡t¡on
systems on 4, ó and 8-cylinder motors.
Supplied with components, PCBs and LED
displays Requires 12V power source. SC 8/91.
K3241
Steam Whistle Kit Creates two-chord steam
whistle sounds, w¡th easy trimpot adjustments of
sound parameters. Supplied with components.
PCB and mini speaker. EA6/96 K3o21
Energy Electronic lgnition System designed
to work with a variety of input triggers. lt
employs a high temperature micro-controller
(1óF88 E-P) to control the switching trans¡stor
and sense the trigger signal. lncl. all specified
components, hardware, PCB, and metal diecast
box for "points" ignition sensor systems, plus
a comprehensive instruction manual SC 12105
K3305
Loudspeaker Level Meter Kit Perfect
for precisely adjusting speaker levels when
sett¡ng up a home theatre system, w¡th
built-in microphone and 10 LED bargraph
display. Supplied with PCB and all necessary
components. SC 04/04. K5624
Diesel Sound Simulator Kit Easy
to build and f¡ts inside most locomotÌves.
Takes its power from the rails. Supplied
w¡th components , PCB (27 x 'l20mm) and
mini speaker. SC 12/92. K3o3o

The AWA 693P

The AWA 693P B-transistor radio
featured here is one such Australian-
made set that used vaìve-radio con-
struction techniques. It is a well-made
Points Controller Kit operate your
model railway points remotely. Connects
to hobby style twin solenoids (not
supplied). Components and PCB only
Requires 12 - 15V power source. SC7/97
K3031
Mini Vox Kit eu¡ld your own tiny voice-
activated relay Great where hands-free operation
is required. Supplied with components and PCB.
Requires 12V DC power source. SC 9/94. K3038
Universal Power Supply Kit can
be used in â vâr¡ety of ways as either a
single or dual supply. Designed so that
constructors can obtain many different
voltages Power source required. SC 8/88.
K3435

3-bald receiver that was marufactured

some time around 1960.
In keeping with the era, it is housed Eneroize¡ Eneelzer
in a wooden cabinet covered with
The AWA 693P is an impressive 3-band leather and leatherette. It is similar
Energi To Go
lnstant Mobile
1 Hour Charger
with 4 x AA
B-transistor set that was manufactured by in size to the valve receivers it was Phone Charger NiMH 2450mAh
intended to replace and was no light- lnstantly charge your Batteries Recharge
AWA in Australia during the early L960s. weight either, tipping the scales at a mobile phone. Powers
most NOKIA and
your AA or AAA
rechargeable batteries
It doesn't use a PC board but instead heÍ\y 7.2kg (ie, about the same as a
vaÌve set).
SAMSUNG mobile
phones. lncludes 1 x
in only one hourl 4
individual charging Ouality RF Video Modulator
Wireless 5.8GHz AV Sender
New 5.8GHz technology gives
employs point-to-point wiring, iust like Inside, the circuit used two second-
phone charge¡ 2 x
Energizer Lithium AA
channels. lncludes
4xA high capacity
Converts Vdeo and Audio signals
ínto a UHF W RF output. Output
you a clearer picture w¡th less
chance of ínterference from 2.4GHz
generation PNP germanium transis-
the valve radios of that era. tors for the criticai RF and autodyne
batteries, 2 x Nokia
Tips and 1x Samsung
2450mAh Energizer
rechargeable NiMH
impedance 75 ohms, channel
adjustable, last channel memory
equipment such as cordless phones
and wireless networks. PAUNTSC
Tip. S9129 batteries. 54408 Scart in /Composite in. For use compatible. lncludes lR remote
converter stages, while all the other
$34t *6S* with CCD cameras, video games
and other video devices. lncludes
extender, 2 x RCA AV cables, 2 x

äîr"åÍi:å:r
and a PC -'"I'r1
86 sntcoN cutp siliconchip.com.au AC adaptor. 11507

Terms and conditions: Offers start 2515/09 and end 30/ó/09 or while tocks last
No rainchecks. No layby. Offers may not be available in some reseller or franchise stores www.dicksmiTh com ou

The VoiceMe main unit [above) with its Extender
unit at left, We imagine that the majority of
people will not have much use for the extendel as the
main unit does everything it can - without buttons!
We tried sevelal remote controls but
'tlute sotrncl'. The
hacl no sLrccess r,r¡ith
rroice command r,r,as lecor-clecl ancl the
IR cocle \ /as slrpposeclllr ls6.t,tit.¿
according to the beep, which acknor,ttl-
edges acceptance of the IR cocle.
Nor,v that ]/ou can commancl Voice-
Me you nr;cd to select its response
to ,yort, ranging fi'orn '1tss sir/ma'am'
through 'r,r,hat can I do fol J/ou' to a lot
of fancy sounds.
We chose 'hor,r, can I help you', Thus
the voice seqlrence is 1'011 addless
'Black Box' r,r'hich responds r,r,ith 'Hor¡-
can I help you'? You respond r,vith
'Listen to amplifiel'.
If Iro11t rroi"" command is recognised
the pre-recorcled command is lepeated
back to you, then the IR slgnal is
output. If voul command is not lecog-
nised, \'ou are ignored.
Testing
When said'black bor' it respond-
l,r,e
help rrou?' 'Listen to
ecl r,r.ith'hor,r, can I
amplifier'' turned the arnplifier on and
'louder rrolume' or'make souncl softer"
increased or decreased the r-olume br,
2clB (the amoluìt programmecl for the
remote contlol).
' lv{ute sor,rnd' r-eplaved the lecorclecl
corlmancl rnute sound but dicl not af-
siliconchìp.com.au
fect the volume.
Eventuallv after several tries r,r'e got
'shut off sound' to r'r'ork saiisfactorih'.
Obrriouslt, r,vhat vou actuallv sav is
irreler.ant. .A.s long as it is recognised.
the IR signal shor-rlcl be accepted.
To re-program the IR code t'ou have
to clelete the command. re-record it and
then sr,rpph, the IR cocle once again,
So far even'thing seenecl to r,vork as
claimecl. Nor,r, fol the big test! Voicelr.4e
rt'as installed in a lor-rnge room. r,r'hich
has a TEAC Hlgh Definition clecoder,
an LG Home Theatre svstem ancl an LG
Plasma screen.
'Tuln Teler,'ision on' seemecl an ap-
propriate command. The individual
devices rvere then programmed into
VoiceMe. It accepted the three po\\¡er-
on IR slgnals, beeping aftel each r,r'as
lecognisecl,
We r,r'ere initiallv rvolliecl u,hether.
r,r'ith the VoiceMe sitting in the sane
plane and abor.e the units. the IR
output rt,ould leflect off the r,r'alls ar-rd
actnate the units.
Oul lt orries r,vele justifiecl: it reftlsecì
to operate at t\lro metres clistance from
me br-rt for a clifferent reason - ntv
voice u¡as not lond enongh to trigger
the response, lvloving it mucìr closel,
so that it n'as abont lm clistant. al-
lorvecl it to lecognise coumaucls,
Ii sr.,'itchecl on the Plasma screen
ancl the TEAC decoder but reftrsecl
to turn on the souucl svsten. The
rer.note \\'as an LG 671OCDAPO1B.
\Ve cleleted the cotlmaud and re-
recordecl it ancl the three remote
signals. Again thele rvere three
beeps of acceptance but onh' trvo
runits porvered on, Holvever, it
rvorked on the thircl trr'. so dott't
give upl
An interesting otttcome
u'as that rve did not ltse
\/oiceMe for a cor-iple of
-"r'eeks ancl lvhen I began
using it again it hacl tlou-
ble recognising the 'Bìack
Box'command.
The instructions sav to
recolcl rvitl-r "regular toue. speed
and volume". Yor-r tencl to raise I'onl
voice r'vhen vou issue att instluctiou
but rr.ith sufficient practice rve believe
von could address it in a norural con-
versational voice.
We dicì not test the RF rer.note con-
trol. \Vho u.auts another lel.uote? The
main fturction of VoiceMe is to do a'rvav
u'ith remotes!
Hon'ever. aftei'all the problems rve
had rcith different lentotes ancl rvith
getting the mute function to rvork
"l'ith
the amplifier, thele l'as one tlaior
ploblem in attempting to get it tlained
so mv mother coulcl ttse it. Her voice
u'as sirr-iplv too soft!
So r,rnless the prospective "nser" is
able to speak fairlv loudh' and pre-
ciseh'. \/oiceMe lvill have difficultt'.
To suln r-rp:Voicelvle is an interesting
der,ice r,vith enormous potential. If vor-r
can train it sltccessfullr', it r,r,ill let you
leìegate all vour pushbutton IR reurotes
ancl simph' state vorir cotlmancls.
Nolr,. I rvondel if it could also be
trained to get me a beer rvhen the
clicket is on?
Wbere from, how much?
VoiceMe is ar,ailable fi-om Micro-
glant Compltters for 5389 inclr,rcìing
GST, For further inforrnatiot.t. contact
Microg,ranr (wrvw.mqram,com.au) al
3/7 Tumbi Creek Road, Berkeler'\¡ale
NS\V 2261. Plrone 1BOO 625 7777. ,
JLtxE 2009 85

VoiceMe ís a voice-activated remote control. It csn be used to control up to
ten functÍons on your TV DVD pløyer, Home Theatre system or whatever
and ìt cqn have up to four separate users. If you are one of those who often
loses remote controls, ìt could be an attractìve option.
WH"l"#î::riïriï:r
if
more advantageous the prospective
user is blind, elderly, quadriplegic or
otherwise handicapped and unable to
use conventional remote controls,
In fact, the potential for this device
seems almost unlimited for these peo-
ple. And since one of my relatives is
blind, I was particularly keen to see if
it would suit that situation,
echargeable batteries are
expensive, regardless of what
type they are or where they are
used. To obtain absolute maximum
life from them, it is very important
to charge and discharge them prop-
erly - and that requires very careful
monitoring,
Because you can't be there continu-
ously watching meters, it is essential
that you have the equipment that can.
And that's where this very smart bat-
tery capacity meter comes in.
fust take a look at the features panel
below and you'll have to agree: it is
very smart!
It uses a heavy-duty shunt to moni-
Iights whenever a button is tor charge and discharge currents. AII
pressed.
Three '{AA cells power
this unit. In the majority
the readings are shown on a backlit
2-line LCD panel and the various
modes - and there are many to choose
of situations we assume from - are simply selected by press-
that the Extender will only ing a button on an alphanumeric
be used by a person who has keyboard.
nÒt trained VoiceMe. A USB connection allows you to
log the battery voltage, battery capac-
Getting it working ity, charge current and many other
Now to the nitty grittyl The unit readings. We show you how data can
comes with the ability to distinguish
be imported into a spreadsheet and
graphed on your PC.
An audible alarm warns you when
the remaining battery capacity drops
below a preset percentage. You can
then disconnect the load to protect
the battery, either manually or auto-
matically via an optional heavy-duty
relay. The latter will then reconnect
the load after the battery voltage rises
to a preset safe level.
It can be used with all types of lead
acid batteries, including SLA (Sealed
Lead Acid), deep discharge, etc, or
with virtually any type of nickel-
metal-hydride (NiMH) and nickel-
cadmium (Nicad) batteries, as long as
they are 9V or more.
Circuit Operation
The circuit of the Battery Capacity
Meter is shown in Fig.1 and is based
around a PIC1 BF2 5 5 0 microcontroller
(IC1) which incorporates a USB inter-
By Mauro Grassi
face. The micro drives the 2-line LCD
panel and polls the alphanumeric
keypad to respond to buttons being
pressed.
The circuit runs from a 5V rail,
derived from an LM2574HV-5 high-
voltage step-down regulator, REG1.
REGI is a buck switch-mode regulator
that produces 5V from an input voltage
range of around 7-60V. The HV suffix
in the part number refers to the 60V
version of the regulator.
The regulator works with a mini-
mum of external components: a 22Op,H
inductor (L11, a Schottky diode (DB)
and alarge electrolytic bypass capaci-
tor on the output ofthe regulator at pin
1 (the 5V rail).
REG1 also incorporates a nice
feature, the ON/OFF input at pin 3,
When this pin is low, the regulator
is enabled; when high, it is disabled.
This pin is pulled up by a 10kO resis-
tor meaning that the regulator is off
by default, providing no power to the
rest ofthe circuit.
There are two ways that the regula-
tor can be turned on or kept on by

VoiceMe main unit

The unit has two modes of opera-
tion: voice control or via an RF (radio
frequency) remote, As you can see
from the photograph the unit only
has four buttons. Each button selects
a user (t-+).
It also has an inf¡ared receiving
window in front of the buttons and IR
emitting windows to the left, right and
rear. Each window has two IR LEDs.
Finally, there is an electret microphone
under a hole at the apex of tle dome.
Power for the unit comes from a 9V
300m4 DC plugpack or it can be used
with four AA cells which are fitted
into a compartment underneath the
unit. The unit apparently saves all
comma¡ds in non-volatile memory,
so loss of power (ie, when you change
batteriesJ does not result in any loss
of commands.
VoiceMe extender
The VoiceMe Extender RF remote
control has fourbuttons corresponding
to those on the main unit, plus mode
and mute.
The iPodlike circle at the top allows
channel up and down with the left a¡d
right symbols and volume decrease and
increase with the top and bottom sym-
bols. A red LED at the top right corner
the voices ofup to four different users,
with each user having a repertoire of
30 commands or at the other extreme,
one user with 120 commands or any
combination in between,
Pressing any of the four buttons on
VoiceMe wilÌ trigger the device into
issuing a ìist of 11 functions. This is
called manual setup and is the default
metlod.
The 11 functions are listed on the
setup chart in the 4-page manual. Un-
less you plal to use t}re remote control,
ftlnctions six, eight, nine and ten can
be ignored, as these are only relevant
to that device.
Selecting a name
The first step is to decide what you
are going to call the device. R2D2 and
C3PO were possible but black box
won the day, even though it is silver
and grey.
We pressed the left front button
again and as soon as 'train keyword'
was spoken we pressed it again. If
you have already entered a keyword
it gives you the opportunity to change
it, If you take no action the keyword
remains, otherwise you overwrite the
old keyword with a new one.
We decided to initially test VoiceMe
using an amplifrer which had a remote
control with the ability to turn the
amplifier on and off, mute and raise
and lower the volume. A single-page
instruction sheet recommends using
commands of three to four syllables as
keywords or commands, in order to get
better recognition results.
Recording commands
The next step was to record some
commands. Each time you do this you
are asked to repeat the command and
evidently the software is doing some
fancy analysis. Most remotes use the
same command to turn a device on
and off but we decided the command
'listen to amplifier' would be used for
the on function and 'turn off' to do
this.'Louder volume' ald'make sound
soft er' are self-explanatory.
We found commalds like 'volume
up'ald'volume down'were too simi-
lar and could not readily be differenti-
ated by the device. Whether this was
due to my voice or the device, I can't
say. Press a¡rd release the button and
wait until it steps to 'train command'
then push it again, 'Listento amplifier',
'turn off', 'louder volume' and 'make
sound softer' were recorded along with
the IR codes for each action.
ffiFffi
.
High Voltage (9-60V)and High Current (-804) range
o Display Up to 12 different readings: Battery Voltage (V), Battery Capacity in Amp.hours (AH), watt-hours (WH)
or percentage (%), Load Current (A), Charge Current (A), Net Current (A), Circuit Current (mA), Time
Remaining (D:H:M), Charge/Discharge Cycles, Load (W), Relay Current (mA)
o Backlit LCD Display with variable brightness and timeout period (to stop backlighting)
. USB 2.0for Data Logging
o Data Logging with RLE Compression can l0g up to four readings at any one time, transfer to PC and import
into spreadsheet, create graphs
. Uses Peukeft's Law for discharging Lead Acid batteries, with customisable constant and charging efficiency
sett¡ng
a Suitable for all Lead Acid (including deep cycle) and NiMH & Nicad batteries
a Automatically detects top of charge (Lead Acid) or bottom & top of charge (Nicad/NiMH):
o Lead Acid: determines top of charge by detecting trickle current and cell voltage
o Nicad & NiMH: detects discharge end-point by detecting falling voltage and low cell v0ltage
a Audible Capacity Alarm
a Fail-safe shut down on under-voltage
a Overload protection with soft fuse (requires external relay)
o Under-voltage protection (with optional relay)
o Keeps track of number of charge/discharge cycles
a Persistent settings and hierarchical menu system
a One-time software calibration using only a DMM
o Customisable averag¡ng for all readings
a Standby mode when small load or charge current to save power
o Housed in a rugged plastic case

84 Smco¡'t Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 21

 transistors and any ICs, unless you are
Eø
o_ abLe to identify ones that you particu-
ó
u
À oJ
Ìarly want.
È .. =cÉ
8Év !i'o
tr o
@
H- aË.(ú l{eck board
l >,!-t
.E.u G bi -.^ Don't overlook the neck board. This
will be in a tin-plate shielding cage and
gúË ã E will accommodate an array of well-
>,-t ã È made vertical or horizontal tdmpots,
h '"-¡ o¡ 9
high-voliage video transistors wiihbig
ËEËiË
:!1 ?3I flag heatsinks, more power resistors
N mounted on long legs and various
tP.E I ¡ toroids used for suppression purposes.
I oo irI We would not bother trying to sal-
N vage the passive components on the
@ [EEE,:
(!ËöR# neck board as they will have been
E ¿d ¡.-Vl
G subjected to a lot of heat and voltage
-'¡
Ègã*/
stress over the years.
sËËiE
(J ø ! -a
It goes without saying that any sal-

;;:a!
;¡ gõ1s
vaged components should be tested
before they are re-used - some might
be quite marginal such as leaky capaci-
èbol¡làì€ tors and resistors that have drifted high
iiãÉÉñ
in value. Some pots and trimpots will
also tend to be dodgy, as their wipers
p ËäËÞ E Ë ã
tend to make poor or intermittent
contact as they get older.
o
e There's lots to salvage inside an old CRT monitor, including aluminium heat- So what else is worth saving? What
sN^ sinks of all shapes and sizes, trimpots, capacitors, semiconductors and high- about the degaussing coil around the
uoì power resistors. Don't forget the tinplate shielding around the neck board. picture? In fact, the set we dismantled
(.,
had two degaussing coils, one around
are worth salvaging, even if you don't in getting bits off, But if you want to the main body of the CRT near the
want the semis themselves. A lot of the remove Ìots of plastic and electrolytic metal frame and a smaÌler one néar
power diodes are mounted with long capacitors, the heat gun will apply too the yoke. The Ìarger one could perhaps
Ìeads (to give them plenty of ventila- much heat over too big an area and be pressed into service, together with
lå>
o*9 tion) so they can be easily removed while you concentrating on just
a-re a plastic tuning capacitor, to make an
simply by clipping ihem off close to one component, others may weÌÌ be ,4.M loop antenria (see Stan Swan's
JH the board, damaged. article on this subject in the January
AÌso mounted well off the PC board Remember that each small plastic 2008 issue).
L
tr
o oc were a lot of metal fiÌm power resistors capacitor you salvage is probably Don't forget any useful screws,
o o
of about 2-walf rating. These should worth an average of 50 cents and the nuts, washers, lockwashers, brackets
IH it-' IH
rc not have drifted much in value so they larger electrolytics maybe worth quite and other small pieces of hardware,
/vlÀ-l'
\ are probably worth saving too, merely a few dollars. The main electrolytic Any metal bits that you are not going
o clipping them off the board. The bigger reservoir capacitor on the board was to save should go into your regular
wirewound resistors are also worth a 33OpF can type rated at 400V. This recycling bin.
Ê
E removing. is quite a valuable component if you
Don't hoard too much
F
E Removing the parts
are going to build a high-voìtage power
While you might be keen to
suppiy. save
- To remove the multitude of capaci- If you are into restoring vintage good components, remember that you
tors and the bigger semiconductors, radios you need to grab as many of can have too much of a good thing,
you will need a large soidering iron, the capacitors as you can, particularly Organise your saved bits into parts
=Ð
C preferably one rated at 60W or more. those with the higher voÌtage ratings. bins or jars with a marked range of
You don't want to be fiddling around This main board had dozens of capaci- values. There is no point in having
È with a small temperature controlled tors that were worth saving. lots of recycled parts if you cannot
Éf
C¡ iron with a small tip - it will take If you want a selection of multi- easily access them when you have a
forever to get even a smail number of coloured hook-up wire, don't neglect particular need.
É
E
bits off the board. The process here the various cable assemblies, Most When you have salvaged the parts
F is to heat aÌl leads of the component of the transformers probably are not you need, put the rest in your garbage
h simuÌtaneousÌy, as quickly as possible. worth saving, as they will usually bin. You can do this with a clear con-
o
É In a previous Salvage-It article, the be special high-frequency types with science, knowing that you have saved
z author suggested using a heat gun ferrite cores. many useful and often expensive com-
o
LJ erÞ
<-
L- tr
<+ CâÑ to get tÌre bits off PC boards. That is '\lso not worth bothering with will ponents from the tip, to see useful life
é
OK if you are being highly selective be all the small resistors, small plastic in another application, SC

22 StLtcoN Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 83

 DSq lvoge lt!
Gather up those discarded nnonitors
now - before it's too late
There ls a massive change happening in Australian offices and
homes at the moment: CRT monitors are being discarded in their
thousands in a wholesale changeover to LCD monitors. This
represents a great chance to get a big stock of useful components
but you need to do it now because CRT monitors will become a
rarity within the next few years.
[DOSSIBLY YOU HAVE seen lols
I of monitors being thrown out in
the streets during your local council
clean-ups, Lots of computers are be-
ing thrown out as weII. But while the
computers themselves might present
limited possibilities for salvaging
parts, CRT monitors, particularly the
older ones, are atreasure trove ofgood
components.
Consider also that many CRT moni-
tors being thrown out are still working
perfectly. Their owners have simply
upgraded and because they don't want
to keep them in the garage or wherever,
they are being tossed out. So if you
pick up a monitor from a council street
clean-up, the chances are that all of its
components are still quite OK.
Even our own office at SucoN CHIP
has made an almost complete switch
to LCD monitors during the last year,
so we had a good range of old CRT
monitors, some dead, some nearly
dead fwith worn-out picture tubes)
and some relegated to standby, just in
case a monitor failed and we needed
a quick substitute. So we only had to
take a few steps out to the warehouse to
pick a random candidate for this story,
The one we picked was probably
well over 10 years old and a very
good 17-inch [diagonal) monitor in its
day. And it was destined for the tip,
along with a couple of very larye 2L-
a2 Snrco¡rt Cutp
inch monitors and a bunch of others
which were dead. I must admit that I
hate throwing this stuff out, because
I k¡ow that it once represented some
of the finest technology that money
couldbuy. Now, it is just old stuff that
takes up space.
Down to wolk
,A.nyhow, it was out with the tools
and down to work. Removing the cabi-
netbackwas simple, with justa couple
of screws and a few clips to unlatch.
Before that though, we pulled off the
swivel base which incorporated a USB
input and output. We pulled this apart
arrd found a welÌ-shielded PC board
which had provision for more inputs
- just why it was there was a mystery.
However, these were perfectly good
USB sockets which could be pressed
into service for some future project.
Having removed the back off the
cabinet, you have to wonder if this
might have a use. We racked our
brains and could only come up with
two possibilities: waste paperbasket
a capacitors can be safely removed
or as plant holder in a garden pond.
They have a lot ofventilation slots so
they cannot be used as conventional
plant pots unless lined with plastic;
perhaps readers can come up with
some other uses, If so, we would like
to hear about them.
We also removed four screws to
remove the front escutcheon from the
picture tube frame. This incorporates
three small PC boards. One board
has two potentiometers (brightness &
contrast) with push-on knobs, another
board has miniature pushbuttons and
the third, the on-off switch assembly,
has a miniature pushbutton switch
and LED. All of these could be useful
to have in your junk-box,
Then we pulled the main board off
the picture assembly - a few screws
and clips did this but it was still
tethered by numerous leads to the
neck-board assembly and to the pic-
ture tube via the EHT connector and
earthing leads. Well, there is no need
to desolder any other these - iust clip
them off with side cutters.
And what a magnificent resource
is the main PC board! Measuring 370
x 290mm, it literally had hundreds
of components. Not all are worth sal-
vaging, since it would take too much
time and many would be damaged by
desoldering. However, virtually all the
as
can the relays and a number of toroidal
inductors.
Heatsinks
Many of the discrete semiconduc-
tors such as power transistors also
have very useful clip, flag and ex-
truded aluminium heatsinks which
siliconchip.com.au
the circuit. Diodes D1 and D2 form a
wired AND gate connected to pins 1
& 7 of IC1 and the pushbutton switch
S1. So the reguÌator can be turned on
by pressing switch 51 on the front
panel or turned on by the microcon-
troller using the digital output at pin
7 (RAs).
So to turn on the circuit, you press
S1 and the microcontroller starts run-
ning its software, after a power-on
reset (PORJ. One of the first things
the microcontroller does is bring pin
7low, to keep REG1 on.
Note that 5L is also used for bring-
ing the meter out of standby or to reset
the software fuse after an overload
condition,
The 16-key alphanumeric keypad
has its rows and columns scanned by
the micro. Diodes D3 to D6 prevcnt
the associated column lines Irom be-
ing shorted if two keys from the same
row are pressed simultaneously. This
is important because the four lines
are also used to write data to the LCD
panel (in 4-bit mode) and we don't
Fig.2:demonshatin8 the broad operation of tìe Smart Battery Capqcity Meter.
It is essentially a very low resistance (lmO!) between the battery charger and
want this data scrambled inadvert- the battery, with the ability to cut offpower if certain parameters are not met.
ently.
Transistors Q1 & Q2 are connected back on key presses and other system a computer, the USB power connec-
as inverting buffers to drive an ex- events. tion passes through a voltage divider
ternal relay and they are controlled The backlight of the LCD is con- consisting ofthe 1kQ and 11OkQ resis-
by pin 6 of the microcontroller. Q2 trolled by a pulse width modulation tors into pin 18 of IC1. This is used to
is a 83374 NPN transistor rated at (PWM) output of the micro via a sense when a USB cable is attached or
BOV and B00mA, Note that if you are second 2N7ooo FET, Q4, to vary the disconnected.
driving the relay from more than 12V brightness. It is dimmed up and down The Schottky diode (D7) also allows
you will need a dropping resistor, The as required by the firmware. the circuit to be powered directly from
optional relay can switch off the load the USB port,
if an over-current or under-voltage USB interface
condition occurs, We will say more The USB data lines are connected Shunt resistor
on this later, straight through to the type B con- The charge and discharge cunents
A 2N7000 FET, Q3, is used to drive nectot. to the battery (or battery bank) are
a piezo I¡tzzer to give audible feed- When connected to a USB port on monitored by a one milliohm (1mO)
Edge-on, you can not only see in detail the LmQ shunt, used by the meter to monitor voltage and current but also the
method of mounting the PC board to the underside of the case lid.
siliconchip,com.au IUNE 2009 23
 o-" 0rdet FormÆax lnvoice
PtY Ltd
År . .t3 Silicon Chip Publications
CABIT.: l-li .. . UNDER LCD ABN 49 003 205 490
TIE l-l¡ o o=
^\
?i. .6 r a .u oo www.sil¡conch¡p. com.au PO BOX 139, COLLAROY NSW 2097
l.t^a .-
a-
99 eMAIL: silchip@silic0nch¡p.c0m.au
t¿l
:c) Phone (02) 9939 3295 Fax (02) 9939 2648
EE YOUR DETAITS
CONÏRAST

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og-@- (PLEASE PFINT)
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Method of Payment: tr EFT (ring or email for details) D Cheque/Money Order D Visa Card D Master Card

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.¿-CON3----. Y0UR 0RDER (Sltl00il GHIP SUBSCRIBERS QUALIFY FOR 10% D|SC0U]{T (except subsctiptions!}
I SIMPIY TICI( THE IIEMS RE|IUIREIT - DftII'I FfIRGET T|l FIIT II{ IIEIAII.S ABOVE. WE'TI WllRI( THE TOIAT OUT FOR YllU ANII SEÍ{II YflU A BECEIPI UI'ITH YflUB OBOER

r' x 4 KEYPAD

Fig.S: the component overlay for the

aaaaaaaa
meter- everything except 51 is on
tl.a
I
I board, including the two SMD ICs on
J [_ _ _ r
a the reverse side [shown at left),
+lC3
æ= oa For this reason we have included
+lC2 a low-pass filter consisting of a 1kf¿
(/ æ= resistor and 4.7nF capacitor in the
output of each amplifier. The 1kQ
will protect the internal pro-
resistors
100,A. shunt resistor in series
with the positive Ìead to the
battery (see the diagram of
Fig.2).
The voltage developed
across the shunt is fed to two
MAX40B0 high-side differential am-
plifiers which both a have a gain of
60. These feed two anaÌog to digital
inputs on the micro, pins 2 & 3.
Note that the two high-side ampli-
fiers have their inputs cross-connected
across the shunt resistor. This means
that IC2 senses load current from the
battery while IC3 senses charge cur-
rent. The outputs of both IC2 & IC3
range fiom 0V to 5V for a current of
B3A through the 1mO shunt.
For higher currents, say up to
the 1004 rating ofthe shunt or even
higher in an overload condition, the
output of the high-side amplifier will
go proportionally higher and will ex-
flere's another view inside the case, this time showing ihe connections to the
ceed the 5V input limit for the micro, 1mO shunt and the multi-way connector on the case end.
24 Stuco¡t Cutp siliconchip.com.au credit card details copy)with
 This photograph of the completed PC board is the same size as Fig.3 opposite, while the two
SMDs on the underside are inset at right. Obviously there are several resistors and links
underneath the keypad which must be soldered in before the keypad is fitted. The photo below
shows the completed meter PC board sitting inside the plastic case - it roughly occupies this
position but is held in place by four Nylon screws through the lid into Nylon spacers.

SUBSERIPTIO]I PRIGTS ilUSI RISE OII JU1Y I! tection diodes of the micro.
A2}llllHzquartz crystal (X1) is used
ceramic 15pF capacitors provide the
correct loading for the crystal.
1OkO together
with 100nF fil-
We'ue ,neucLged. to hold. our. subscríptíon pt íces for three Uears - ún¿l üs Uou to derive the system clock for the mi- Finally, a 10Q resistor is used to ter capacitors are connected to pins
crocontroller as well as the USB clock sense the current drawn by the circuit 4 & 5 of IC1 and read the battery
know, etterqthíng has rísen, murlced.lg sínce then. Sad.lg, ute tnu,st u.lso íncneu'se using an internal PLL stage. The two itself. Two voltage dividers, 12OkÇ) and voltage and the cutrent drawn by the
our pú.íces to,o.. But íf gou subscribe befone itruly 7 (or ret eta an exístíng sub- circuit.
scríptíon) gou'll pag the old. príce - eúen. íf gou renew lon two Uears! Construction
The Battery Capac-
ity Meter is built on a
REMEMBER: single-sided, 177mm x
. a one vear subscr¡ption means you get two issues FREE* each year and i logmm PC board coded
. a two year subscription means you get almost FIVE issues FREE* over 2 years \ 04206091.
worth $20 per year! \ Beginby installing the
AllD WE PIGK UP THE POSTAGE, DIRECT T0 Y0UR MAltB0X - that's*
\ wire links, There are 13
Compared to over-the-counter prices (Austraìia)

Et<isúfuig suþscrîþers: VES, geu Gsn Fenew new snd Iecß frt 2OOg prîGes antil úhe
end efr gean ,suþ,sGr1îpihicn. Uhoú Geuld ífsue gea úhreagh 2011, 2Ol2 eF euen 29lg!
ing pliers. You can
' straighten the wire by
pulling itusing avyse
and pliers.
Once the links are
in, continue with the
resistors. These are
of different values
and you should check

JUNE 2009 25
 As might be seen, multiplying a number greater than 192
by 341 will result in a¡r overflow of the valuesl Likewise,
dividing by 4096 may result in loss of accuracy as no frac-
tional part is retained.
To improve the accuracy of the maths, allow'one decimal
place and also avoid overflow within the PICAXE maths, we
have introduced a factor. This factor is a variable number
defined to keep the intermediate results as large as possible
+5V
which will help minimise error.
Our variable called Axefactr [short for "PICAXE factor")
GND
is a value determined as follows:
+3.3V
BAIT Axefactr - (offset- Soh) / 19 + 1
fluùilil'ITY SETSOB
Lo (vl
BATT
HI M
This number will calculate correctly with the PICAXE,
The result will be a number Irom 1 to 64 inclusive. Using , ASEII ITT THIS
TO this factor and multiplying the early part of the calcula-
BATTERY
tion by 10 makes it possible to extract 1 decimal place ( if
requiredJ, at the completion of the calculation.
RH10(%)= (((offset - Soh) / 19) + 1) . 10) * Sens /
(4096 / Axefactr)
This awkward calculation needs to be broken over severaL
lines of code in the PICAXE. To save on the limited number
of variables available to the PICAXE chips, some are reused
for a new variable part way through the calculation.
After all the number crunching and formula tweaking,
just a single PICAXE-0BM input pin (here 3) suffrces for
eventual reading of this final value, with a SERTXD show-
ing %RH readings on the Editors FB terminal.
The code shown at Ieft can also be downloaded from
.Infutu¡e,
Fig. : wiring diagram for the completed project. The (optional) relay shown bottom left is we plan to extend use of this humidity module with the
not shown on the circuit diagram but will disconnect power if battery voltage falls below HopeRF 433 l|i4lHz wireless data transceivers.
TO LOAD +VE a preset value - a "must have" feature if you walt to protect valuable batteries! Article resources a¡d references can be linked to, from
TO BATTERY +VE
5t
them with a DMM before soldering or None of the laycar backlit modules pin strips to the keypad and the LCD
refer to the resistor colour code table allow you to turn off the backlight so module. These will plug in later. Refer
- or bothl the Jaycar unit we have specified does to the photos for guidance. Sen r Performanoe Specifications and
The next thing to do is to solder in not have a backlight. The B-pin socket for REG1 and the
the eight diodes. These are of two dif- Suitable LCD module connectors 2B-pin socket for IC1 can be soldered
Paramelerc Min Typ Max Units
ferent types
- there are six 1N4148 sig- need to be made, by cutting a 40-pin in next, making sure that they are cor-
nal diodes ald two 1N5819 Schottky IC socket to size. A single 16-pin con- rectly oriented, Resolution 0.3 0.08 0.05 ol
to
types, The part numbers are marked on nector is required for the Altronics The next thing to do is to solder Accuracy 3 o/o

the body. Make sure that they are in- LCD module, while the Jaycar LCD in the three 2-way terminal blocks.
stalled with the correct orientation by module needs two 7-pin connectors, They should face outwards from the Repealabilily -03 0.3 o/o

referring to the component overlay of which mount parallel to fand touch- PC board to allow cable connection, Uncerlainty 2 ol
TO
Fig.3 (a stripe indicates the cathode). ing) each other. The 6-way right-angled header (used
You have two options when it comes While you're about it, you should for calibration) ca¡r also be installed Response Iime I s
to the LCD module. You ca¡r use the Al- also cut a¡r B-pin connector for the key- now. Hysleresis 1
o/o

tronics 2-70L3 or the Jaycar QP-5515. pad to go into. Solder in both the ap- Solder in the two transistors and the
\¡Ve recommend using the Altronics propriate LCD and keypad sockets, two FETs. With their pins oriented in lnterchangea bi I ity Fuy nterchangeable
LCD because it has a backlight which Now that the sockets are soldered the triangular pattern, these can only Humidity Range 1 99
ot
to
can be turned off. in, you can solder the corresponding go in one way. SAW Devices
Temperature range -10 +60 "C
M3 x 25mm NYTON SCREWS
Working vollage 27 33 V
Distributed in Australia by
3

Stabilig versus lime per year

:llie rillëjj 5im i;iliëit ijy lii

1o/o

\9'' LONG M3 TAPPED 9mm LONG M3 TAPPED Power consumplion pA

120 150 180
CASE UD
0ulput Flequency Range 5.0 6.5 10 kHz Phone: 1300 735 420 Fax: 1300 735 421
Here are the manufacturer's specifications for the HH10D
-- Humidity Module. All it needs are supply and data output
lines to interface with the PICAXE.
Fig.S: here's how the PC board "hangs" under the case lid.
26 StLtcox Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 79
 Then solder in the capacitors, mak-
Don't you just love how PICAXEs ing sure the polarised electrolytics are Parts list - Battery Gapacity Meter
make circuitry so simple? The HopeRF correctly oriented.
HHIOD Humidity Module interfaces The large 63V electrolytic mounts
dirctly with PICAXE chips, albeit with its body parallel to the PC board 1 PC board, code 04206091, 177 x 1 09mm
with a bit of fiddling around with surface, with its leads bent down 90" 1 Sealed polycarbonate case, 222x146 x 55mm (Jaycar HB-6220)
programming to overcome some of the 1 LCD 16 x 2 module (Altronics 2-70'13 (preferred), Jaycar QP-5515)
lower-end PICAXE chips' limitations.
to allow lid clearance - see photo.
You can solder the crystal next, as 122Û¡fi inductor (Jaycar LF-1276, Altronics L-6625)
Note the supply voltage in this circuit 'l2OMHz crystal (Jaycar RO-5299)
- 3V instead ofthe usual 4.5V - even well as the inductor. The inductor
though the PICAXE is quite happy at mounts horizontally and is secured to 1 mini PCB piezobuzzet 7.6mm pin spacing (Jaycar AB-3459, Altronics
the higher voltage, such would make the PC board using a cable tie. Don't s-6104)
short work of the HH10D (absolute 4 t/o rely on the solder joins to hold it in 1 1mÇl 1004 Current Shunt (Jaycar OP-5414)
PINS
maximum 3.3.V as shown in the spec pIace. 1 40-pin lC socket (to be cut for lC1 and LCD mount¡ng)
table below). The variable resistor, which is used 1 28-pin lC socket (0.3mm)
$-c, PlcAxt HuillllIIY sElls0n to set the contrast of the LCD screen, 1 8-pin lC socket
can go in next. 32-way mini PCB terminal blocks - 5mm spacing (Jaycar HM-3173,
NOT be Íun on dny more than 3.3V - a supply value that low to a high state within a given time period, can readily Continue by soldering in the type B Altronics P-2O32A)
fortunately PIC,\XE-OBMs still readily work with, help here. This makes use of the frequency of a signal be- USB socket and the piezo buzzer. Both 1 0.1" 6-way right-angled header pin (Jaycar HM-3426, Altronics P-5516)
For testing, two AA 1.5V cells should hence be suitable ing of course the number of such cycles per second (recall must be oriented correctly. 1 0.1" 6-way header plug (Jaycar HM-3406, Altronics P-54761
to supply the entire reading setup, f=1.1T), so simply COUNTing the HH10D signal for 1 second The keypad plugs in to the B pin 1 16-key alphanumeric keypad (Jaycar SP-0772, Altronics 5-5383)
For breadboard or soldered prototype mounting, the should give the frequency. socket and is secured to the PC board 1 dome pushbutton switch or equiv. (Jaycar SP-0656, Altronics S-1084) (S1)
module's 5-pin SIP header terminaÌ strip connectors may From the HH10D module datasheet we are given the using eight M3 Nylon 5mm screws 1 6 way terminal barrier, panel mount (Jaycar HM-3168, Altronics P-2206)
better suit being resoÌdered fiom the other side of their following formula to calculate the Relative Humidity as a and four 9mm M3 Nylon spacers. Be- 1 USB Type B vertical socket (Farnell 1076666)
holder PC boa¡d, as this then allows the capacitive sensor percentage value: cause it is rather difficult to buy Smm 4 Nylon screws M3 25mm
to be more conveniently mounted away from other circuitry Nylon screws, you'Il probably need to 12 Nylon screws M3 12mm
RH(o/o)= (offset-Soh) * sens/212 14 tapped Nylon spacers 3mm x 9mm (Jaycar HP-0926, Altronics H-1333)
and upright into clear air. do what we did: cut them down from
Ensure the correct module connections are being used Substituting the calibration values extracted from the 1Zmm types. The four mounting holes 2 M3 12mm screws with washers and nuts (for terminal barrier mounting)
if this simple modification is made! Right-angle SIP strips sample module gives: on the keypad may need to be gnlarged 5 cable ties (1 for L1, remainder for cable dressing)
could also be used for vertical mounting - the exact choice . to fit the screws, using either a drill or 1 gold-plated metal body banana socket [black ring] - for GND terminal
RH(%)= (7709-Soh) 34114096 (Jaycar PT-0431)
depends on your application. a tapered reamer.
The output signal on the pin Fsul (called Soh in the However, a few minor problems experienced with Once that is done, you can install the 1 1m length tinned copper wire (for the links)
datasheet formula) is a frequency of approximately 6-BkHz PICAXE maths now arise: LCD module. The Altronics module 1 l Ocm length 24x 0.2mm insulated hookup wire (for PC board connection)
which varies as the humidity level varies. . only integer (whole number) maths are performed is secured using four Nylon L2mm I 1m length of hookup wire or 200mm rainbow cable (for connecting CON4)
The PICAXE COUNT command, which rapidly counts . the largest number held by a word variable [W) is 65535 M3 screws and two 9mm M3 Nylon Heavy-duty cable to suit charger current with suitable eyelets for shunt
the number of times a designated inpui pin changes fiom a . it does not support brackets for precedence. spacers, The ]aycar module uses Semiconductors
four mounting screws and spacers 1 PlCl 8F2550-l/SP microcontroller programmed with 0420609A. hex (lC1 )
instead. (Farnell: 9321250)
#PICAXE O8M You should now insert REG1 into 1 LM2574HVN-5.0 5V voltage regulator (REG1 ) (Farnell 9489916)
'Sample HopeRF HH10D humidity module program for June 2009 SiChip its socket but leave IC1 (the microcon-
'Ref resou rces => www.picaxe.orconhosting. net. nzy'hopehum.htm 2 MAX4OSO-SASA+ high side current sense amplifiers (1C2, lC3) (Farnell
.IO DEFINITIONS troller) out for the moment. 1379747)
SYMBOL humid - 3 Surface mount devices
1 8C556 PNP transistor (Q1)
1 BC337A NPN transistor (Q2)
,VARIABLE DEFINITIONS Now flip the PC board to the copper 2 2N7000 FETs (Q3, A4)
SYMBOL axefactr =b2 side. The two differential amplifiers 61N4148 diodes (D1-D6)
SYMBOL Soh =W2 'w2 = b5:b4 [IC2 and IC3) are soldered directly to 2 1N5819 Schottky diodes -(D7, D8)
SYMBOL diff =w3 'w3 = b7:b6 the copper side ofthe PC board. They
SYMBOL RH =w4 'w4 = b9:b8 are surface-mount devices so you will Gapacitors
need a flne tipped soldering iron and 'l 470¡F 16V electrolytic
'CONSTANTS -strictly need to be read vial2C for each module, but can be assumed close some solder wick (for removing any 1 47O¡F 63V electrolytic
SYMBOL Offset =7709 'HH10D offset calibration constant - a second module has 340 solder bridges). 1 10pF 16V electrolytic
SYMBOL Sens -341 'HH10D sensitivity calibration constant - a second module has 7762
In each case, you should orient the 2 100nF monolithic
.MAIN PROGRAM IC over its pads - refer to the compo- 2100nF MKT
nent overlay and photos to determine 2 4.7nF MKI
Main:
'read the frequency (ie cycles in 1 second) the correct orientation - then one-at-a- 21SpF ceramic
COUNT humid, 1000, Soh
diff=Offset-Soh time, secure each IC with a clothes peg Resistors (0.25W, 1%)
axefactr=diff/19+1 'factor prevents number roll over error if >65535 and solder pins 1 and 2 flrst to anchor 2 12oka 1 110ko 3 10ko 6 1ko 5 470a
RH = 10 - Diff / axefactr - Sens 'int. result (x10 gives possible 0.1 resolution) the IC. Remove the peg, then proceed 1 Skotrimpot (VR1)
axefactr = 4096 / axefactr 'a factor to prevent number roll over error to solder pin 5 followed by the rest of
RH = RH /axefactr 'final value for RH% the pins - refer to photo. Repeat for Optional Parts for external relay
RH=RH/10 'divide by 10 (for now) as just whole integer RH% ihe other IC. horn relay 150412VDC SPDT (Jaycar SY-4073)
SEROUT 1, N2400, ("RH% =', #RH)
With the exception of installing IC1, 1N4004 diode
PAUSE 5OOO 'wait for 5 seconds until next reading gold-plated metal body banana socket [red stripe] for load terminal
GOTO Main
that compÌetes the construction of the -
PC board. (Jaycar PT-0430)

7B StttcoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 27

 Ñ+

d
U
:h
ô
E
E
I By Wayne Geary
ó
.-S $ l+3+t 5
o and Stan Swan
l¡ I

+
I

.G

sheet does indicate that the EEPROM ¡È¡ ¡ ¡ *Q

external address pins are configured Eì¡û¿¡ tf ¡ ¡ *fll
É
u to address 01.
tr While the HH10D datasheet indi-
ã
ô cates that there are three calibration ¡¡ ¡ É l¡ l¡
E
E
values, only two are in fact used: * ¡O
q
o . The Sensitivity value is stored in * ¡I
EEPROM locations 10 and 11 'lñ *E É-
Ø
g . The Offset vaÌue is stored in ¡ rÈ ú(-
o
- EEPROM locations 12 and 13.
Here is an example of the program .f
lines required to use a PICAXE with :
inbuilt I2C communications bus. This -:-
has been written using commands that Almost any classic PICAXE layout could be u*d, ,irr"" onty u rirrgt. -ãrrito.ing
any PICAXE X, X1 or X2 type chip wire is needed! Here'sa hybrid PC board and breadboard approach, with the
can use. PICAXE-OBM mounted on a trimmed AXE02L protoboard, That TO-92 package
is a 7BL03C low power 3V regulator. Although PICAXEs are more tolerant,the
I2CSLAVE %1 01 0001 0, i2cfast,
HHL0D must not be supplied any more than 3,3V.
i2cbyte
q
u READI2C 10, b0, bl, b2, b3 b0 = 01, bl = $$, b2 = 30 and b3 For users without IzC capable
ro g.
=29 PICAXEs at hand, it may be tolerable
LJ
DEBUG
to just use values approximating ours -
= From these byte values we can deter-
= The PICAXE DEBUG command testing of several HH10D units showed
=
z mine the calibration values as:
willdisplay theses byte variables in most modules were close in value to
Sensitivity (Sens) = 1 * 256 + 85
ro
f z a Programming Editor window for these anyway.
I a However cross-checks against read-
I zU recording. = 341
Those experienced with the PICAXE ings from a knor'rm good weather station
ô
=
I chips will know that word variables Offset Value = 30 * 256 + 29 = (or even a classic dual thermometer
I

I
(w) use the byte variable (bJ with the
odd number as the Least Signiflcant
Byte (LSB) and the byte variable with
the even number as the Most Signifi-
cant Byte (MSB) The HH10D humidity
module however has the even location
Fig.6r drilling/cutting detail for the case lid, to which attaches the PC board, The cutout dimensions for as the LSB and the odd location
the LCD readout suit the recoÍrmended Altonics module. If you use the alternate faycar module, the the MSB.
cutout will ueed to be amended to suit. Use the PC board overlay as a guide, as it has the faycar module
As an example, using the above Ìines
position indicated and is also accurately located by the four mounting screws. Incidentally, the front
panel artwork can be downloaded from www.siliconchin.com.au, along with the PC board pattern. of program, we might see the byte vari-
ables in decimal format as:
2B StucoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au
7709
It's suggested you make a note of
these calibration values, perhaps print-
ing them on a small label to stick to the
rear side of the smallhumiditymodule
PCB. An example is given below:
as
"wet and drybulb" hygrometer) could
aid later fine tuning calibration.
Humidity Module connection
and output.
Once the calibration data is read, the
HH10D humidity module is very easy
to use. Of the 5 connections only three
are required for VDD supply (3V), Gnd
(0V) and FOUT (Soh).
Notethatthe 3V rutedmodule must
JUNE 2009 77
 lrt Before installing the PC board in the case, you should
d tô
!lLJ =ø connect a 9-60V battery to CON3 (to the "BÄTT+" and
= 1
"GND" terminals with correct polarity), HoId 51 do'¡¡n
ô I
N and check the +5V rail (pin 1 of REG1J is close to 5V.
E
qE If it is, you can disconnect power and install IC1 in its
.{ I
socket. If it is not, there is something wrong and you
ü
5
I should disconnect power immediately and recheck your
o I
soldering and component placement,
!
I

ú I Installing in the case

u +Ñ+l
llJ
I
You can see how the PC board is installed in its case
ã I by referring to the photographs. It is actually mounted in
ô 'l
E the lid, with three connectors that mate with terminals [or
Recent StttcOw CHIP articles on HopeRF 433MHz dqts. transceivers ho.ve IE
the current shunt) installed on the sides of the case,
ó In the top right hand corner of the PC board there is
drawn our qttention to other monitoring modules mqde by thÍs Chinese Ø
5 a Z-way terminal block that connects to SL mounted on
o the lid of the case.
fÍrm. Amongst their offerings is a well-priced and calibrated humìdity 1o
!

The pair of 2-way terminal blocks on the bottom left

sensor, the HH1,0D, ThÍs hs.s shown itself capable of extremely simple N
ú
u corner of the PC board accept power and connect to the
LJ
current shunt (note that one of the GND connections is not
interfacing to even the humblest PICAXE, although factory calibration I 2 =
ô used), as shown in Fig.4. Finally, the 6-way right angled
o
values fïrst need readÍng vÍq an Pc-level PICAXE such as the L8X. É.
Ê
qE
header forming CON4 is for calibration and connects to
o the panel mount 6-way terminal barrier on the Ieft side
of the case, as shown in the photograph, The connecting
cable can be made from a 20cm length of rainbow cable
A
Lr
entific dual "wet and dry bulb" ther-
mometers, with simple instruments
based around this latter approach still
element linked to two on-board ICs.
The first is an M24C01 EEPROM which
is used to hold two factory calibration
3+l
5
o
I or similar lengths of individual hookup wire.
The external GND connection, a gold-plated, metal-
numerous environmental situations capable ofvery good results. related values required to calculate the body banana socket with black polarity ring, is on the left
arise when humidity insights can be Although inconvenient, a couple relative humidity as a percentage. side of the case, Exact position is unimportant.
rd
crucial. of similar thermometers and a moist The second IC is a humble CMOS E
Follow the drilling guide in Fig.6 to make the required
Relative humidity (RH) Ievels range cotton shoelace can readily give do- 555 timer whose output signal varies holes on the Ieft and bottom sides of the case.
=
from a bone dry 0% to 100% (when it-yourself RH insights, in ftequency with the change in capaci- = The current shunt mounts on the bottom side of the case
the air is so saturated that dew forms). Themoistbulb cools as the evaporat- tance as the humidity level changes. =
z and the holes shown are appropriate for the specifred 1mO
Although temperature dependant, ing watertakes thermal energy fiom it, Of course, such an RC oscillator is a zØ .o current shunt fiaycar QP-5414), If you use anotlter cu¡rent
a s{ shunt, you may need to modify the hole positions.
human comfort levels typically range with the degree of "wet" temperature classic 555 application, although the zU I
between 40-60% RH. drop being inversely related to the frequency is usually altered by resistor I The two terminals of the current shunt then connect
Drier air may cause skin conditions, RH. variation. ô
=
I
I to the right-hand 2-way terminal block in the bottom
I I left corner of the pC board (CON3), Make sure you con-
static discharges and thirst due to (Refer to www.picaxe.orconhosting.
excessive sweating, Higher RH levels net.nzlhumtable.jpg for the resulting Accessing the EEPROM nect them the right way around as shown in Fig.4. If
Fig.7: drilling detail for
are associated with food spoiling, dis- wet/dry tablesl. calibration data the case body - the front you don't, you will get strange readings for the load and
ease, moulds and human discomfort, Electronic humidity measuring has The EEPROM requires an I2C com- side at left, with the holes charge curtents.
due to an inability for perspiration to predictably developed, being normally munications bus to reacl the calibration for the 1mQ shunt a¡d the Important Note: you should use a 10cm length of 24x
evaporate, now done with specialised capacitors, data but as these are fixed values, the left side ofthe case above, 0.2mm multi-strand hookup wire to connect the BATT+
In contrast plants may wilt in dry since an exposed and porous dielectric data needs only be read once. with the holes for the terminal to the shunt, The software takes into account
air (and hence usually favour higher slowly changes its moisture content If you only have a small PICAXE-
I
multi-way terminal block the resistance of this 10cm length,
I
humidity levels) but food preservation, in response to humidity levels in sur- OBM then tedious "bit-bashing" may -l and the ground terminal. Once the PC board is installed in the case you can
be needed to read the two calibration Exact position isn't as screw on the lid,
equipment storage and crop drying rourr-ding air, If used in an RC oscillator
important as the relative That completes construction of the Smart Battery
best suits low RH levels. circuit, small frequency changes can values, Larger PICAXE chips (such positions of the holes to
Naturally the likely onset of rain be linked to the altered capacitance as the 1BXJ however handle IzC com- Capacity Meter.
each other.
may be associated with a rise in the value, mands directly and just a few lines of Next month we'll run through the rather extensive
atmospheric RH levels too - a tech- code will display these constants via setup and calibration procedure, But don't let that scare
nique used by many home weather Humidity module a DEBUG screen. you - it only has to be done once! sc
stations. The HopeRF HH10D relative hu- The HopeRF datasheet does not
Relative humidity is classically midity sensor module, available from give the EEPROM I2C slave address, Resistor Colour Godes
measured by techniques ranging from Microzed and Futurlec for around which is the same as other EEPROM
paper and hair stretching to more sci- $13, utilises a capacitive-type sensor and FRAM chips, however their data- il0. Ualue 4-Band Gode (1%) S.Band Gode (1%)
tr 2 121kd¿ brown red orange brown brown red black red brown
(Left): an enlarged photo of the HopeRF HHL0D tr 1 1 10kO brown brown orange brown brown brown black red brown
humidity measureing module, with the physical tr 3 10kO brown black orange brown brown black black red brown
component layout shown at right. The same module tr 7 1kO brown black red brown brown black black brown brown
can be seen from the opposite side in the breadboard
layout on the opposite pãge. Note the label fixed to the
tr 5 470a yellowviolet brownbrown yellowviolet black black brown
A '2 10O brown black blackbrown brown black black gold brown
back ofthe PC board - this is explained in the text. HopeRF HHI 0D HUMIDÍIY SENSOR - COMPONENI SIDE

siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009


GIRCU]ITI DYOTTEBOOK
Interesting circuit ideas which we have checked but not built and tested. Contributions from
readers are welcome and will be paid for at standard rates.
ï ing to scroll or open and close panes,
One-in-five
timer
This timer circuit provides an out-
put cycle which is on fo¡ one minute
and off for five-minutes.
The 7555 timer (IC1) produces a
positive pulse about once every 60s
to clock a 4017 divider (IC2). The '0'
output of IC2 is high for 60 seconds
and drives Q1 and the relay during
this period. On the next clock signal
from IC1, the '1' output goes high
and the '0' output goes low a¡d the
relay is off.
T}:.e'2','3' and '4' outputs suc-
cessively go high after each clock
pulse from IC1. On the sixth pulse,
the '5' output goes high, resetting
External USB supply
for iPOD touch
This USB supply is capable of feeding an iPOD or
other device which require the D+ and D- signals in
order to accept a charge. It comprises a low dropout
regulator (REGI) to provide the 5V supply and two
resistive dividers to provide the D+ and D- lines,
It needs to be wired to a suitable USB socket,
feff Teasdale, Christchurch, NZ. ($30)
30 StLtco¡'t Crutp
rN4r48
---
the 4O1.7 counter and the '0' output
goes high again.
IC1 is connected as an astable
oscillator with the 100pF capacitor
charged and discharged via a 470kQ
resistor. The threshold and trigger
inputs at pin 6 and 2 monitor the
capacitor voltage.
When the capacitor charges to
2/3rds ihe supply, the pin 3 output
goes low to discharge the capacitor.
When the capacitor discharges to
1/3rd the supply, the pin 3 output
goes high to charge the capacitor. So
the pin 3 output goes high (rzV) and
low (0V) repeatedly as it charges and
discharges the capacitor.
The pin 3 output of IC1 clocks the
4017 divider via a 1kQ resistor and
RLYI I2V
rN4004
100pF capacitor to slow down the
rise time of the zsss timer output.
This prevents multiple clocking of
The 4O1.7 counter at the positive edge
of the clock signal.
The '5' output from IC2 connects
to the reset input via a 1N4148 diode
(D1) and lokQ resistor. The 56pF
capacitor provides a reset delay
while this capacitor charges up via a
high output from the '5' output. The
resulting high signal on the reset in-
put of IC2 causes the '5' output to go
low again. The reset signal remains
high until the capacitor discharges
via the 1OkQ resistor. This ensures a
sufficient reset pulse for IC2,
fohn Clarke,
Sntcotl CIilP.
REGI 2940CT6
siliconchip.com.au
The world's fastest
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The ioDrive Duo, which doubles the
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Express-based ioDrive storage solution, is
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Based on PCI Express x8 or PCI Express
2.0 x4 standards, which can sustain up to 20
gigabits per-second of raw throughput, lhe
ioDrive Duo can easily sustain 1 .5 Gbytes/
sec 0f read bandwidfh and nearly 200,000
read l0PS.
Contact:
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Tel: 1800 674 935 Fax: (02) 9798 3668
Website: www.p¡xel.com.au
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,\gilent have expanded
their digital-storage oscillo-
scope (DSO) portfolio with
six new models that comprise
its next-generation 1000
Series.
These new scopes offer
bandwidths between 60 MHz
and 200MHz and deÌiver
features normally found on
more expensive scopes. They
are available with two or four
channels and each comes in a
package that is just 125mm deep and
weighs alound 3kg.
They offer a bright LCD display
with a sharper image which is visible
from a much wider viewing angle thal
competitive scopes. And with up to
2Okpis of memory per channel, the
1000 Series allows engineers to use
the fulI sampÌe rate of the scope up to
eight times longer than other scopes
in its class.
They can dispÌay 23 automatic
measurements - up to 21 simultane-
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Everything you need to work ef-
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JUNE 2009 75
 DTil PDr
eroa
-f
I
toou'

A
220a
ï'00Fr
REGI 7812

OK, so what's a Wurli-Gig? Lowest sleep current

According to the people atAlhonics, replacement, nanowatt XLP micros
the 'soon to be famous' WurliGig is the Not only
greatest time and labour-saving device doestheWur-
PA speaker installers will ever see. li-Gig save on
The Wurli-Gig is a two-part speed installation | 220k
fixing bracket which cuts the instal- time, it also rok Ërol
lation time of a horn (PA) speaker by saves on fasteners so on an installation
about 70% - a cost saving of around of 50 horns, Altronics claim atotal sav- 4.7nF
lr
- 4.7nF
$10 per horn. ing of between $500 and $600. OV
Designed to work with the Redback Removal of the horn from the
C-2053 and C-2056 horn speakers, the bracket is just as easy and quick with Microchip Technology's next-gener-
bracket fixes to walls with a couple a simple unlock-and-twist action, ation low-power PIC microcontroller
of wall plugs and allows the horn Retail price of the ,{ustialian-made (MCU) families with nanoWatt XLP
to be simply Wurli-Gig bracket is $8.65 (Cat C2052) eXtreme Low Power Technology has
clipped in but is significantly less in quantity. non-inverting input of IC1 via a 1nF about 15 metres of light-dutyfrgure-8
place, with-
sleep currents as low as 20n4. Remote control capacitor. The capacitor values in cable. The circuit is powered with a
Contact: Three new eight- and 16-bit MCU
out removing
Altronic llistfibutorc Pry ttd families join three other recent B-bit extender for Foxtel the circuit were cñosen to limit the 12V plugpack which delivers about
the horn from famiÌies that are all part of Microchip's This remote control extender was frequency response below 34WIz. 16V DC.
P0 Box 8350, Perth Busn Centre, WA 6849
itsbracketand nanoWatt XLP portfolio, providing designed to work with the Foxtel IQ The output of the second op The receiver is quite sensitive and
1300 780 999 Far: 1300 790 999
subsequent designers with a rich and compat- remote controller. Most other remote amp, IC2, has its negative excur- will receive reliably at distances of
Website: www.altron¡Gs.com.au
ible low-power migration path that control extenders, including those sion clamped by diode D1 and the over four metres. However, if the
includes on-chip peripherals for USB published by Sntcox Crm, will not positive peaks drive transistor Q1 distance between the remote and
Gonvert any LGD into a touch screen and mTouch sensing solutions work with the Foxtel remote. which in turn drives IR LED2 and the receiver is too close, the receiver
MicroGram's USB Tablet Attachment is tip. You then simply move the transceiver NanoWatt XLP Technology's key The circuituses two 741 op amps, red LED1. The latter gives a visible overloads and becomes unreliable.
an innovative pen ínput device providing full from your notebook screen to what you plan advaltages are: sleep currents down to each with a gain of 23, giving a total indication that the circuit is receiv- If necessary, the receiver sensitivity
tablet function with simple installation. to write on and you can now produce hard 20n4, real-time clock currents down gain of over 500. The 40kHz signal ing and transmitting a signal, can be reduced by decreasing the
The device is a webcam-sized receiver c0pies 0f your draw¡ngs and written text while to 500n4 ¿imd watchdog timer curtents from the Foxtel remote is detected The IR LED is located near the 22Ok{¿ fe edback resistors.
that sits on the top of a laptop's screen and simultaneously creat¡ng a digital copy. down to 400n4. The vast majority of by the 8P104 photodiode (Jaycar IR receiver on the Foxtel IQ set-top fack Holliday,
captures movement through a special tablet It's compatible with MicrosoftWindows XP Iow-power applications require one or ZD-1.947) and is applied to the u¡it and connectedto this circuitvia Nathan, Qld. ($40)
pen. The tablet pen has standard stylus-type and Vista and works with multiple software more of these features.
functionality like a applications such as Photoshop, lllustrator, The three new nanoWatt XLP MCU
p ressu re-se n sitive PDF, Microsoft Outlook, Stic[y Note and families include the four-member, 16- I
I
tip and side but- more, making it possible to draw, write, bit PIC24F16KA family. This family t
tons to duplicate the sketch, and illustrate. enables applications to run for more
mouse buttons. You don't even have to touch the pen to than 20 years from a single battery.
The stylus can the screen - it works 0n the air, just like the The six-memberPIC1BF46J11 and the
also be r€placed Nintendo Wii! six-member PIC1BF46J50 B-bit MCU
with an ink{illed families feature typical sleep currents
of less than 20n4.
The general-purpose PIC18F46I11
MCUs provide up to 64KB of Flash pro-
gram memory and the peripheral set of
a typical 64- or BO-pin device in only
28 or 44 pins, while the PIC1BF46f50
devices add integrated fulÌ-speed USB
laycar Electronics has opened its 1Oth store in Victoria and SZth store across 2,0 to enable connectivity for embed-
Australia and New Zealand, ded applications requiring remote compliments of Peak Electronic Design
The 380m2 open-plan store, managed by lohn Dundas, is at 315 Warragal fleld upgrades or the downloading Each month, the best contribution Ltd www.peakelec,co.uk
Road, Cheltenham and will be open seven days a week, It has plenty of customer of data. published will entitle the author to So nowyou have even more reasons
parking and also has disabled access. As you can see, we pay good money choose the prize: an LCR40 LCR meter, to send that brilliant circuit in. Send it to
I
Jaycar Electronics has recently opened a number of stores in various areas Contact: for each of the "Circuit NotebooK'items a DCA55 Semiconductor Component Srlrcoru CHtp and you could be a winner.
Microchip Technology Australia I
of Australia and saw Cheltenham as an opportunity to add to its stable of You can either email your idea to
I published in Stucon CHrp. But now there Analyser, an ESR60 Equivalent Series
stores. P0 Box 260, Epping, NSW 1710. Resistance Analyser or an SCR100 silchip@siliconchip.com.au or post it
I are four more reasons to send in your
For the latest product information call 1BOO O22 BBB or visit www.jaycar. Tel:(02) 9868 6733 Far(02) 9868 6755 I circuit idea. Thyristor & Triac Analyser, with the to PO Box 139, Collaroy, NSW 2097.
com.au. Website: www. m¡Groch¡p. comlxlp t_
74 Stttcotrt Cutp www. si I i con c h ip. co m. a u siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 31

Electronic
mousetrap
This circuit is added to an or-
dinary mouse trap to make it very
sensitive.
Ordinary spring-loaded mouse-
traps can often have tlre bait taken by
mice without being sprung. Trying
to make the trigger more sensitive
often results in the trap being very
difficult to set and making it quite
risky to human fingers!
This circuit solves that problem
by making the trap very sensitive
and never failing to catch a mouse
when it touches the bait. It is easy
to set into the bargain, In brief, the
trigger rod is replaced by a trigger
plate which is actuated by a thread
pulled by a small motor.
A hair-trigger wire above the bait
is positioned so that the mouse can-
not help touching it when it takes a
nibble. The hair trigger is shown on
the circuit as switch 51 and when it
is closed, it pulls up the base of Qz
which then turns on Q1. In fact, they
both then latch into full conduction
and Q2 also pulls the negative side
of the 470pF capacitor down which
then charges via the base oftransis-
tor Q3, turning it on. This turns on
Q4 which drives the motor.
4-2OnA
IN/OIJT
4-2OmA current
loop tester
This very simple current loop
tester consists of a couple of 9V
batteries (connected in series), a
potentiometer, a forward/reverse
switch (S1) and a double-pole centre
off switch (S2).
It is not meant for calibration pur-
poses but can force a current through
32 stLtcot¡ cutp
After five seconds or so, the 47}¡tF
capacitor is fully charged and base
current for Q3 ceases to flow. Hence,
Q3 & Q4 turn offa¡rd the motor stops.
In the meantime, the mouse should
be caught fast.
O OFF 9V BATTERY 9V BATTERY
r--lt*lr--{
a loop to test an instrument and also
monitor the loop current. It can also
simulate a high loop resistance, de-
pending on the setting of VR1,
The multimeter should be set to a
suitable DC current ralge to monitor
the current.
Peter Laughton,
Tabulam, NSW. ($35)
Diode D1 discharges the 470¡rF
capacitor when the power is turned
off. The circuit is powered from two
AA celÌs.
Richard van Wegen,
Hawthorndene, SA,
Tester for
rotary encoders
Incremental rotary encoders are
a common industrial device with
a slotted disk and optical sensors.
Most devices have internal PNP tran-
sistors and deliver about 2500 pulses
per revolution from two channels.
The two channel outputs are out
of phase to enable rotation direc-
tion sensing. There is also a third Z
channel which produces one short
duration zero point pulse per turn.
This circuit allows testing of the
encoders by making the pulse chan-
nels verifiable by the human eye.
T}re 4o1.7 ICs are used as dividers.
Their carry outputs (pin 12) are
cascaded and three LEDs provide
indication that 5-L0, 50-100 and
500-100 pulses have been counted.
siliconchip.com.au
Farts LEst
1 plastic case, 79 x 1 17 x 24mm,
lAtE CHECKED the Digital Audio Oscillator on our Audio Precision Test Altronics H-8971 (suPPlied
VY set and the results aie shown in Fig.7. Keep in mind, though, that it is drilled & screen-printed)
not intended as a high-precision instrument.
1 16x2 LCD with blue backlight,
For the sinewave output, we measured the THD+N (Total Harmonic Distor- Altronics Z-7006
tion + Noise) over the frequency range with four different bandpass filters 2 PC-mount RCA sockets
- see Fig.7. The typical THD+N figure was around 3% which is higher than 1 28-pin 0.3-inch machined lC
most amplifier and speaker sets. socket
'l 16-way PO-mount FFC/FPC
While this is not enough to worry about, it means you cannot use this oscil-
lator in precision applications, where low distortion is paramount. lt's quite connector, Altronics P-451 6
'1 1OkO horizontalSmm trimPot
good enough, however, for most troubleshooting tasks.
(vRl)
Figs.3-6 on the facing page show screen grabs of the four different wave-
forms that can be selected. The f requency accuracy is within +47o across the
1 1kA log pot (9mm PC-mount),
Altronics R-24808
whole range from 1OHz to 30kHz.
3 PC-mount pushbutton
switches, Altronics S-1 094
1 2-pole 4-position PC-mount
slide switch, Altronics SX-2040
4 M3 x 9mm Nylon spacers
8 M3 x 6mm Nylon screws
1 9V battery snap connector
Semiconductors
1 programmed Atmel ATmegaS-
1 6Pl microcontroller (lCl )
1TL072 dual op amp (lC2)
1 78105 regulator (REG1)
1 1N4004 silicon diode (D1)
Capacitots
1 220¡rF 16V
1 100¡-rF 16V
1 10¡rF 16V
1 4.7p.F 16V
1 1pF'16V NP
2 100nF MKT polyester
1 10nF MKT polyester
Resistors (1%, 0.25W)
1 120kO 1 10kO
4 100ko 1 2.2ko
Fig.7: the sinewave THD+N vs Frequency for four different filter combinations. 1 47kA 1 1kO
The filters range from <1.oHz - >500kHz), <10H2 - 22kflz , <loHz - 30kHz and I 30ko 1 180c¿
<7o}lz - B0kHz. The distortion is less with a more restrictive filter. 7 1skQ 1 100ç)
(2 ) Is there between 7 -B .4V at the cath- x 6mm Nylon screws. The module's Where To Buy a Kit
ode of diode D1? If there isn't, then you flexi connector is then plugged into This Digital Audio Oscillator was
may have D1 in the wrong way around. CON3 on the PC board. designed by Altronics who own the
(3) If the voltage is still
incorrect,
double-check the PC board assembly.
The PC board can now be mounted
inside the case and secured using the
design copyright. A complete kit of
parts is available f rom Altronics for
In particular, check for incorrect com- four Phillips-head 1Omm screws sup- $89.00 (Cat. K-2543).
ponent orientation and for incorrectly plied with the kit. When doing this, The kit includes the PC board, the
placed parts. Check also for dry solder make sure that the two battery-clip machined case and all specified
joints on the underside of the board. wires pass underneath the PC board components (including a pre-
Assuming that REGl's output is a¡rd into the battery compartment - see programmed microcontroller) but
correct, switch off and plug IC1 into photo. The top ofthe case can then be does not include a battery.
its socket (notched end to the right). fitted into position and secured using
The LCD module can then be installed. the two Phillips-head lBmm screws.
To do this, mount the LCD module Your Digital Audio Oscillator is now monitoring its output with a scope or
in position on the PC board using four complete and ready for use. You can failing that, feeding its output into an
M3 x gmmNylon spacers and eightM3 check that it is working properly by audio amplifier system. sc
siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 73

:::i AgilenrTechrolog¡ss TUE APfl 2l
Fig.3: this oscilloscope screen grab shows a lkHz sinewave
(yellow trace), as captured at the output. The distortion
waveform for THD+N fblue trace) can also be seen, as well
as the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) of the distortion. Note
that the highest distortion peak is at the lower harmonics.
':::: AgilEntT€cftnologies ll-E APfi 21 1 l:09;51 2009
Fig.5: this shot shows the square wave output from the
unit at around 1kHz, There is a 2"/" overshoot on the rising
edge of the waveform but little droop, Droop will only be
apparent at low frequencies in the tens ofHertz.
Frequency Range: 10-2OOHz in 1 OHz steps, 200H2-1 kHz in 100H2 steps
& 1-30kHz in 500H2 steps
Amplitude Ranges: 0-20mV 0-200mV & 0-1V RMS (output amplitude
adjustable within the selected range)
Waveforms: sine, square, triangle & sawtooth
Frequency Accur acy : +47o
Total Harmonic Dislortion + Noise: approximately 3%
Output connectors: 2 x RCA parallel mono outputs
Power supply: 9V alkaline battery
Current drain: 25mA
72 StLtcoN Crutp
'tLE
I l:251 1 200s Ag¡lent Technolog¡es APB 21 1l:11:07 20û9
.4.
Fig.4: an oscilloscope screen grab of a triangular wave at
around 1kHz. This shows that the waveform is very close
to linear on the rising and falling slopes although there
is some very slight drooping discernible at the waveform
troughs,
'tUE APF 21 ll:10:36 2009
i::: AE¡lsÍtl€côrologio¡
Fig.6: a sawtooth waveform at a nominal 10kHz. As
shown, the actual frequency is 10.4kHz and the RMS
value is also indicated. Note: this screen grab was
obtained with the unit at full level on the 1V range.
Note also that the LCD module is not
attached at this stage.
Initial tests
To test the assembly, first connect
a 9V alkaline battery to the battery
clip, then switch on and use a DMM
to check the voltage between the OUT
terminal of REG1 and the body of ei-
ther RCA socket. You should measure
close to 5V and this voltage should also
be present on pin 7 of IC1's socket.
If this voltage is correct, you can
jump to the final installation section, If
not, you should disconnect power im-
mediately and perform a few checks:
(1) Are you using a fresh 9V battery?
siliconchip.com.au
Floating current source has
wide supply voltage range
This floating current source reguÌates the current
through itself to a close tolerance over a wide range of
supply voltages. The minimum supply voltage is around
2.5V and the maximum supply voltage is limited only
by the breakdown voltages of the components.
TÏansistor Q1, in conjunction with resistor R1 and di-
odes D1 & D2, forms a current source. The current through
Q1 is limited to approximately Vs¡/R1, Improved im-
munity to supply voltage va¡iations is achieved by the
use of a second current source, formed by transistor Q2
resistor R2 and diodes D3 & D4. This regulates the bias
current of D1 and D2. In turn, the regulated current fiom
the collector of Q1 biases D3 and D4.
Resistor R3 provides initial bias for Q1 to help the
circuit start, since both transistors wouÌd otherwise be off
at power-up. The exact value of R3 is not critical except
that at the maximum supply voltage it must not conduct 2.3nÁ.
more than the current programmed by R2.
Because the bias currents in the circuit are regulated, BC5A7 ,8C557
it is possible to calculate the programmed current as a Dl-D4:lN4l48 2'6nA+/-1%
fi.rnction of R1 and R2 to a reasonable degree of accuracy
using the known characteristics of the diodes ald transis-
tors used. As a rule of thumb, however, the programmed
current is Vss/Rt + Vs¡/R2. With the component values shown, the programmed
The choice of bias currents for the diodes does not current is 3,6m4, regulated to within 1o/" for supply
appreciably affect the degree of regulation. This allows voltage variations between 2.5V arrd 35V, This is split,
the designer to select values for R1 and R2 that split the with R1, Q1, D3 and D4 passing 3.3m while D1, D2,
current between the left and right sides of the circuit in -
Q2, R3 and R2 pass the remaining 0.3m4.
a proportion that enables the most economical choice Ândrew Partridge,
of components. Toowoomba East, Qld. ($+o)
D2 lN4l48
This will prove that the encoder which can be hard to view on a scope
producing the correct pulses. because of its short duration.
LED1 (5-10 pulse) is especially feffTeasdale,
useful for counting the Z pulse Ch¡istchurch, NZ. ($40)
siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 33

$s AUI0il0IlUE U0LIAGE
Modified vehicle
voltage monitor
The popular Vehicle Voltage
Monitor project featured in the May
2006 issue can display voltages over
three ranges, specifically 0-1V 0-5V
and g-16V. It can be used to moni-
tor an oxygen sensor (0-1V), other
vehicles sensors such as airflow and
MAP sensors (0-5V) or monitor the
vehicle's battery voltage (9-16V).
Gomlmg Dog-Eerodfl
Are your Srucou Gxrr copies getting damaged 0r dog-eared iust
lying around in a cupboard 0r 0n a shelf? Gan you quickly find
a part¡Gular ¡ssue that you need t0 refer to?
Keep your Gop¡es of Sn¡con
aMáy-s auailible with these
Available Aust, only. Price: $413.95 plus $7 p&p per order (includes GST). Just fill in
and mail the handy order form in this issue; or fax (02) 9939 2648; or call (02) 9939
3295 and quote your credit card number.
Stuco¡rt Cutp
02 03 0A 05 0ó 07 08 09
il0lllÏ0B rMoD*'D FoR24vsysTErús)
However, it was not designed to
work in vehicles with 24V batteries.
The LM39L4 has a maximum rat-
ing of 25V and since most lead-acid
batteries can rise to 29V or more
when charging, some changes are
required to limit the supply voltage.
To do this, Ihe 22Q ohm resistor
supplying the original 16V zener
diode for the supply to the LED
anodes and V+ for IC1 is changed
to 390Q 0.5W and zener diode ZD1
CH e, secure and
h binders
010
1K3 IN = BAR DISPLAY
lK3 OUf = DOT DISPLAY
RANGE rKl tx2
0- IV OUT OUT
0-5v N OUT
l8-32V OUT N OUT
'I 25Mo
R2-
lnpul volbge ronge (mox) - I .25V
is changed to a 20V 1W type. This
Iimits the voltage to ICl to 20V.
The input divider is changed so
that when link LKz is in place, the
division shows a nominal full range
on the LED display when there is
33V at the input. For this change,
the 91kf) resistor is changed to 47kQ.
These changes now mean that the
voltage ranges are 0-1V 0-5V and
1.8-32V, as set out in the table.
Srlrcox Crup.
t tr
siliconchip.com.au
CON1 & CON2 which are connected
in parallel.
Construction
The Digital Audio Oscillator is built
on a double-sided PC board measur-
ing 76 x 6Zmm. Fig.2 shows the parts
layout.
Begin by carefulÌy inspecting the PC
board for hairline cracks and for shorts
between adjacent tracks. It will be rare
to find any probÌems but such checks
are easier done at this stage than later
on, when all the parts are in place.
Once you have inspected the board,
start the assembly by installing the
resistors. Table 1 shows the resistor
colour codes but it's aiso a good idea
to check them using a DMM as some
colours can be difficult to distinguish.
The diode can then be instalÌed, taking
care to orientate it exactly as shown on
K4 the parts layout diagram.
N
Voltage regulator REG1 in the TO-92
package can be soldered in next, It can
N
only go in one way! Don't force the
body down too close to the PC board
or yoì-r may damage its connecting
leads, It should ideally sit about 7mm
off the board. The PC board is secured inside the case using metal screws that go into
integral mounting posts. Note that the battery leads are run under the PC
The non-polarised MKT capacitors
board and into the battery cornpartment via a slot in the back wall.
are installed next, followed by the
polarised electrolytic capacitors. Make
sure the latter are orientated correctly.
Note also that the electrolytic capaci- directÌy soldered io the PC board and edge and this must go to the right as
tors must all be installed so that they goes in with its notched end towards shown on the component overlaY.
sit flush with the PC board, to ensure switch 54. Be sure not to apply too The last thing to do is to solder in
they don't later foul the lid of the case. much heat at any one time to its pins, the battery clip lead. The red lead goes
A 2B-pin IC socket is used for the mi- as this could damage it. to the +9V PC pad, while the black
crocontroller and this can be insialled The LCD connector (CON3) can lead goes to the negative (-) pad. These
now, Be sure to orientate it with its now be soldered in, followed by po- pads are located at the top of the PC
notched end to the right, as indicated tentiometer VR1, the two RCA sockets board, immediately to the left of the
on Fig.2. Leave IC1 out for the time (CON1 & CONz), the2P4T switch (S4J two RCÂ sockets.
being - its plugged in later on, after and trimpot VR1. Follow these with That completes the PC board as-
some basic checks of the supply rail the three pushbutton switches (S1-S3) sembly, apart from plugging in IC1.
have been performed. making sure that they are orientated As mentioned earlier, that's done
ICz ('tLO72) is next on the list. It's correctly. Note that each has a straight only after making a few basic checks.
ffitþ f ßBffir Gdbü Godæ
tr N0. Value
s
4-Band Code (1%) 5-Band Code (1%)
tr 1 120kO brown red yellow brown brown red black orange brown
tr 4 100kO brown black yellow brown brown black black orange brown
tr 1 47kA yellow violet orange brown yellow violet black red brown
tr I 30kO orange black orange brown orange black black red brown
brown green orange brown
tr
tr
7
1
15kO
10kO brown black orange brown
brown green black red brown
brown black black red brown
tr
1
1
2.2kA
1kO
red red red brown
brown black red brown
red red black brown brown
brown black black brown brown
tr 1 1800 brown grey brown brown brown grey black black brown
tr 1 '100ç¿ brown black brown brown brown black black black brown
siliconchip.com.au TUNE 2009 71
 .a a a a
s4 {sx20401
.a a a a
processed by the internal software.
This sets the waveshape (sine, squile,
triangle or sawtooth) and the ftequen-
cy and displays the result on a 16x2
LCD module.
As shown, the microcontroller
drives the 16x2 LCD module using its
PCO-PC5 digital output lines. Trimpot
VR1 sets the display contrast, while
power for the LCD is derived directly
from the +5V raiÌ. The 47kO resistor
and 10nF capacitor on pin 1 of IC1
reset the microcontroller at switch on.
D-to-A converter
'\s well as the LCD module, the
microcontroller aÌso drives a digital-
to-analog (D/A) converter via iis PB0-
PB7 digital output lines. This D/A
converter is made up of a R-2R Ìadder
network and has B-bit resolution. In
This side-on view shows how the LCD module is secured to the PC board
using Nylon spacers and screws.
70 St,tcot¡ Cntp
a
a
Fig.Z: follow this parts tò build the digital audio oscillator. Be
sure to install the capacitors and semiconductors with the
correct polarity and note the orientation of switches S1-S3.
this case, R = 15kQ and there are seven
15kQ resistors and nine 3OkQ resistors
in the ladder network.
The output of any N-stage R-2R
network is given by:
Vour=D¡xV/2N
where V6u1 is the output voltage, D¡
is the digital value as an N-bit number
and V is the supply rail.
In our case, N = B (so 2N = 256), V
= 5 and D¡ is given by bits PB7 (MSb)
to PB0 (LSb) which are digital outputs
of IC1. The accuracy of such a DAC
is constrained by the accuracy of the
resistors. Note that, in this case, Lo/"
resistors are used throughout.
The output ofthe DAC is AC-coupled
to op amp stage IC2a (TLO72) via a 1pF
non-polarised (NP) capacitor. This op
amp stage,has its non-inverting input
biased to half-supply by two 100ke)
resistors and is wired as a unity-gain
buffer stage.
Attenuator
IC2a's output appears at pin 1 and
is AC-coupled to an attenuator stage
(switch S4b and associated parts) via
a 10pF capacitor and 1Okf¿ resistor. As
shown, the signal is fed to the wiper of
switch S4b which selects the output
level range.
In operation, S4b selects a divider
consisting of the 10kQ resistor and
either a 12Oke¿, 2,2kfl' or 1BOQ resistor
to GND, in parallcl with the two 100kf)
bias resistors for IC2b. These selections
correspond to the 1V 200mV and
2OmV amplitude ranges, respectively.
Selecling the 120kO resistol pro-
vides the 1V range, while selecting
the 2.2kQ resistor provides the 200mV
range. The 1B0Q resistor gives the
2OmV range.
Output buffer
The output of the divider is AC-
coupled to op amp output stage ICZb,
this time via a 4.7pF capacitor. This
op amp is also biased to half-supply
using two 100kQ resistors and also
operates as a unity-gain buffer stage.
Its output signal at pin 7 is fed via a
22Op.F capacitor and series 100Q resis-
tor to potentiometer VR2 which sets
the output level.
The resulting signal at VR2's wiper
is then fed to RCA output sockets
siliconchip.com.au
I N¿',ì
.:pr:
20-LED chaser uses
SCR flipflop
lust when you thought there could
not possibly be another variation ofa
4017 LED chaser, here is another but
with the addition of a quirky flipflop
using two SCRs. Each SCR controls
a string of 10 LEDs.
Most of the circuit is a standard
4017 chaser. IC1 is a 555 timer con-
nected in astable mode and its out-
put frequency is set by capacitor C1
and the 33OkO and t0okQ resistors.
ICl clocks lhe 401,7 (ICz) at its pin 14
input, Each of the 10 4017 outputs
is connected to the anodes of two
LEDs as shor,rm but their catlodes are
connected to one of the two SCRs.
When power is applied to the
circuit, the gate of SCR1 is pulled
high via 10nF capacitor C3 and it
siliconchip.com.au
¿8
I N¿t 48
switches on so that LED1 can light
(also turned on by pin 3 of ICz). The
4o'17 fhen runs through 10 clock
puises, successively lighting LEDs2-
10. On the 11th clock pulse, pin 3
of ICZ goes high and pulls the gate
of SCR2 high via 1OnF capacitor C4.
SCR2 now pulÌs the anode of SCR1
low via 100nF capacitor C5. This
turns SCR1 off and now LEDs11-20
can successively turn on.
Note that when SCR2's gate was
pulled high to turn it on, capacitor
C3 also pulled the gate of SCR1 high
but since it was already on, it could
not change its state.
At the 21st clock pulse, pin 3 of
IC2 will again go high and the gates
of both SCRs will be pulled high via
capacitors C4 &C4. This time, SCR1
turns on and pulls the anode of SCR2
low via capacitor C5, turning it off.
LEDsl-10 then run through their
sequence. This cycle continues, with
SCR1 and SCR2 alternately robbing
each other of anode cur¡ent so that
they are turned off, the same as in
a flipflop, Resistors R1 & R2 are in-
cluded to provide sufficient holding
current for the SCRs.
The value of C1 can be reduced
to speed up the cycling action as
required. If you make the first 10
LEDs red and the second set green,
and arrange them in one circle of
alternating colours, you can have
a colour-changing ring, if the clock
speed is sufficiently fast.
If all the LEDs are same colour and
arranged as two concentric rings, t}re
rings will appeil to pulse, if flashed
suffrciently fast.
A. f . Lowe,
Bardon, Qld. (Sss)
JUNE 2oog 35
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Based on the Globalsat EM-40S GPS module, this compact xs8 Ë(J
o(!
ø_o
(!-.

GPS receiver/driver board mates with the 6-digit display

described in Pt.L to form a self-contained GPS clock. It can HO
.9o.tr
ø¡i -.
also be housed separately and used to provide NMEA 0L83 0i
.. Þ¡
time and date information to a PC, via a serial port. 11 ø
.,
ã'P
i!ã
() () b o a 6 'i'i o,
tTtHE 6-DIGIT GPS Clock Display self-contained GPS Clock simply by as "GPS Clock" to process and display Ê õÉ
I described in last month's issue of building a GPS receiver and display - see panel.
the data €
h
SIucoN Curp was originally conceived driver module into the same enclo- Éf
as an attachment for the author's GPS- sure. And by taking advantage of one How it works <rd
Based Frequency Reference (March- of the low-cost GPS receiver modules As mentioned above, the heart of -l
J !!Ê
May 2OO7). The idea was that since currently available, this couldbe done the new driver board is the Global- H
-NO{b
P9PP -
CÐ .P-v
the NMEA 0183 stream of GPS time, surprisingly cheaply - with the com- Sat EM-408 "GPS Engine" module. aD
t\o CÐ q¡i
date and navigational data was avail- plete clock costing less than $200. Not This module was also used in Geoff t- E'
able from the GPS receiver in the bad for a clock offering you very close Graham's GPS-Synchronised Analog ego
-@ ct
I
Frequency Reference, we'd provide to "atomic time" (and updated every CÌock, described in the March 2009 k
E Ê ¡b
Et
a "smart" display unit to receive this second), wouldn't you say? ÊE
issue.
ôôôôôô
!NQAFO --t Þo(Ë
data stream, extract the time informa- So that's the story behind the little The EM-408 is quite small, measur- ÀdÀcÈd
Éú
tion and display it in either its native GPS Clock Driver board described ing just 36.4 x 35.4 x B.3mm, DesPite J
this, it includes a built-in microwave
Éf -N
Jú
UTC form or converted to local time. here, Its main application is to con- lr
r flo
However, before the design was vert last month's 6-Digit Display into "patch" antenna and is very sensitive oe{ CÐ
published, we realised that it would a self-contained GPS clock. Alterna- (-159dBm). This allows it to operate !l I Ð^
reliably indoors using just the patch
z E
Iìu
also be of interest to many more people tively, it can be used to feed the GPS/ À
l õ
than those who had built the GPS- NMEA 0183 data stream into a PC via artenna, without requiring an exter- ,c¡-Þ èo r!
Based Frequency Reference. That's a standard serial port. You can then nal antenna or cabling. The current 'cttY t¡. Ë

because it could be turned into a fully use a freeware software program such drain is also surprisingly modest, at

36 StucoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2oog

 l2v Dc
INR'f

IPÀTCH ANÏENNA)
1 VRI
5k

NMEA

o
TO
Dts
foRrcl

DB9T
Dl-Ð4:1N4004 + sOCKEf
.--------------
AK
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8C338

ffi GL0CK llRlUIR USlllS [ttl'408 0P i nICIIUIR ,Ð #

Fig.1.: the circuit uses an EM-408 GPS receiver module and an adiustable LM317T regulator to provide a 3.3V supply.
The ouþut from the GPS module appears at pin 4 and is inverted by transistor Q1 to drive the display board.

just 44mA continuous from a 3.3V

supply rail. Farts L[st
Do you need to test audio equipment, including amplifiers and As a result, all we have to do to use it

speakers, in the field and in the workshop? If so, you could use as a cÌock driver is to provide it with a
sollrce of 3.3V DC power pÌus a simple
this compact and inexpensive digital audio oscillator. It can buffer stage to interface its NMEA 0183
data stream output to the serial data
produce sine, square, triangle and sawtooth waveforms in the input of the clock display (or a PC).
1 PC board, code 07106091,122
x 57mm
Capacitors
1 1000¡rF 16V RB electrolytic
1 GlobalSat Technology EM-408 '1 100¡rF 16V RB electrolytic
GPS Engine module with cable
(Altronics K-1131)
1 100nF monolithic ceramic

frequency range from 1.OHz-ïOkHz and features three output Fig.1 shows the circuit details. 1 short length of double-sided Besistors (0.25W 1%)

ranges: 20mV 200mV & Lv.
rftHIS COMPACT HAND-HELD dig-
I itut audio oscillalorwilì allow yoî
to quickly test wiring and to diagnose
faults in audio systems. It is ideal for
testing amplifier and speaker set-ups
and is portable and easy to use.
To use it, you simply select one
of four waveforms - sine, square,
triangle or sawtooth - and set it to a
frequency between 1OHz and 3OkHz.
The digitally synthesised waveform
is then available at the two RCA out-
puts. These two outputs are in parallel
and are doubled-up simply for your
convenience. It means you can test
a stereo amplifier and speaker set
simultaneously.
Turning to the Iront panel, there is a
4-position slide switch that selects one
of three levels for the output signal:
20mV 200mV and 1V. Each selected
level can be continuously varied down
to zero with the "Level" control.
There are also three pushbuttons on
the front panel. The two on the right
increase or decrease the frequency
of the output waveform. The output
frequency and the waveform type are
shown on a blue backlit LCD screen.
Pressing the "Wave" button on the
left while at the same time pressing
the "Down" button on the right Ìets
you scroll through the four different
waveform types: sine, square, triangle
and sawtooth. It's that easyl
Circuit details
Fig.1 shows the circuit details. It
uses an Atmel microcontroller (IC1) to
implement most of the features.
The unit is powered from a single
9V battery. As shown, the +9V rail
is fed via reverse polarity protection
diode D1 to one pole of a 2P4't (2-pole
4-throw) switch, S4a. In three of the
four positions, the switch feeds the
resulting +8.4V rail on D1's cathode
to voltage regulator REGl.
REG1, in turn, outputs a +5V rail
which is used to power the micro-
controller, while the +8.4V rail from
diode D1 is used to power op amps
IC2a & IC2b,
In operation, IC1 monitors pushbut-
tons switches S1-S3. These switches
are respectively connected to digital
inputs PD?-PD which have weak
internal pull-ups. When a switch, is
pressed, the relevant input is puiled
Ìow and this is detected by IC1 and
In operation, the driver board oper-
ates from the same +L2Y DC supply
used for the display board via its own
3.3V regulator circuit (REG1). REG1
is an LM317T adjustable regulator
and is configured in standard fash-
ion, with trimpot VR1 used to set the
output voltage to 3.3V as required by
the EM-408. Diodes D1-D3 provide
both supply polarity protection and
an additional 1.BV voltage drop lrom
the 12V source to reduce the power
dissipation of REG1,
Diode D4 protects REG1 from re-
verse cunent damage.
,\s shown in Fig.1, the EM-408's
Vcc input (pin 5) is connected to the
+3.3V line, while the En input (pin 1)
is pulled high via a 1kf) resistor to the
same line, to enable it. Also pulled up
via a 1kO resistor is the Rx input (pin
3), which is provided on the EM-408 to
allow it to be fed with NMEA setting-
adhesive foam tape
1 PC-mount 2.5mm DC connector
(optional - see text)
1 PC-mount DB9F connector
(optional - see text)
1 M3 x 6mm long M3 pan-head
screw
4 M3 x 30mm screws, countersink
head
9 M3 nuts
1 5kO horizontal trimpot (VR1)
Semiconductors
1 LM317T adjustable regulator
(REG1)
1 8C338 NPN transistor (Q1)
4 1N4004 diodes (D1-D4)
up commands in some applications.
We don't need to do this in the
present project, because it comes set
up to do what we want by default
1 10ko 1 430e)
3 1kO 1 240A
Where To Get The EM-408
The EM-408 GPS Engine module
is available in Australiaf rom Altronics
for $99.00 (Cat. K-1 131).
Another source for the EM-408 is
SparkFun Electronics of Boulder,
Colorado, USA. Their website is at
www.sparkfun.com and payment
can be made using most popular
credit cards. At the time of writing,
they were offering the EM-408 GPS
module for US$64.95 plus US$3.40
for handling and shipping to Sydney
(check prices to other cities).
ie,it supplies the NME,A. data stream
at 4800bps and also supplies the
$GPRMC sentence we need to extract
- the time.

6B StLtco¡rl Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2OO9 37

 r2v Dc
EFGI
\43177
Fig.2r install the parts on the PC board as shown here. Note that CON1 (the
DC socket) and CON2 (the DBF9 connector) are botl left out if you intend
installing '\is board in the same case aɡ the display board (see Fig.3),
is attached using double-sided adhesive foarn tape.
The NMEA data stream emerges board coded 07106091 and measuring
from the EM-408 at its Tx output (pin 1.22x57mm. This board has cut-outs in
4) and is then fed to a simple inverting each corner so that it can be housed in
buffer stage based on transistor Q1. a standard UB3-size (reo x 0s x 44mml
The inverted signal appearing at Q1's utility box, if you want to build it as a
collector is then fed to the serial input separate unit.
of the display board (or to the serial Fig.2 shows the assembly details,
port of a PC), either directly or via a Note that there's provision to mount
DBgF socket and serial cable. both a 2. 5mm DC input socket (CON1)
and a DBgF socket (CON2) on the
Board assembly board. However, these are fitted only
The assembly is straightforward if you intendbuilding a¡ external unit.
with all parts, including the EM-408 Leave these parts out if the moduÌe is
GPS module, installed on a small PC to be mounted in the clock case [it's
tr No. Value 4-Band Gode (1%)
tr 1 10kO brown black orange brown
tr 3 1kO brown black red brown
tr 1 430C) yellow orange brown brown
tr 1 24Oa red yellow brown brown
This close-up view shows how the
EM-408 is connected to the PC board
via the 5-way interface cable supplied
with the module - see text.
wired directly to the display board).
The optional link shown just to the
right of trimpot VR1 can also be left
out, as it's not needed for this particu-
lar project.
Begin the assembly by installing the
resistors, followed by trimpot VR1 and
the 100nF monolithic capacitor. Table
1 shows the resistor colour codes but
it's also a good idea to check each one
using a multimeter before installing it.
Note the 1OkQ resistor that's second to
the left from transistor Q1 - be sure to
install it in its correct location.
The two electroÌytic capacitors can
now go in, taking care to fit them with
the correct orientation. Follow these
with the four diodes (D1-D4), then
instalÌ transistor Q1 and regulator
REG1. As shown, the latter is installed
with its leads bent down at right an-
gles about 6mm fiom its body, so that
they go through their matching holes
in the board.
Secure REG1's metal tab to the board
using an M3 x 6mm screw and nutbe-
fore soldering its leads. Don't solder its
leads first. If you do, the solder joints
could be stressed as its tab is bolted
down and this could lift (or crack) the
board tracks.
Check that the diodes, transistor Q1
and the regulator are all installed with
the correct orientation,
Fitting the EM-408
The EM-408 GPS engine module
5-Band Code (1%)
brown black black red brown
brown black black brown brown
yellow orange black black brown
red yellow black black brown
socket (take care with the orientation).
The detector boarcl is then ready to be
mounted behind the lid of the UB3
box.
The first step is to drill and ream
out the various holes in the base and
lid, as shown in Fig.3. That done, fit
the front panel label and cut out the
holes using a sharp hobby knife, then
secure the board to the lid using four
M3 x 15mm tapped spacers and eight
M3 x 6mm machine screws.
Note that you'll need to remove the
upper nut from the ferrule of switch
S1 before doing this, so the ferrule can
pass up through its matching hole in
the lid. Once the board is in place,
the nut can be replaced and threaded
down against the top of the lid. The
Iower nut and lockwasher can then be
threaded up against the underside of
the lid, using a small spanner.
The next step is to fit a small square
of red "IR transparent" film inside the
box behind the single 5mm hole at the
PD1 end. It can be helcl in place using
a couple ofnarrow strips oftransparent
tape, one on either side.
A short "light hood" is now be at-
tached to the photodetector (PD1) end
of the box. This must cover the Smm
hole and be as close as possible to
concentric with it.
The hood itself can be fashioned
from a 3Omm length of 12mm diameter
brass tubing (see photos) or from a
simil,ar length of opaque (preferably
black) PVC conduit. Whichever you
use, it's simply glued to the end of
the box using 5-minute epoxy cemr;rtt.
Now for the final assembly. First,
connect the battery snap lead to the
terminal pins on the underside of the
board, then place the battery in the
bottom ofthe box and fasten it in place
using either a small aluminium "U"
bracket or a strip ofgaffer tape. Finally,
lower the lid and PC board assembly
into the box before fitting the screws
to hold everything together.
Trying it out
No adjustments are required, so you
can try it out simply by plugging the
power cable from the IR Source into
CON2 on the Detector unit and turning
on power switch S1.
If the Detector's Ìight hood is now
aÌigned with the output from the IR
Source (or any other source of IRradia-
tion), LED4 should immediately begin
glowing. If it does, block the end of the
hood with your thumb or a small piece
b#*
- .. tT
Above: the Detector
board is secured to
the lid of the UBe
case using four M3 x
15mm tapped spacers
and eight M3 x 6mm
machine screws
Left: a "light hood"
is fitted to the end of
the Detector unit to
preveDt interference
frorr shay IR light
sources,
of opaque material and check that the the two together. This simply involves
LED immediately switches off. connecting the Detector's trigger out-
The same thing should happen if put to the "external trigger contacts"
you turn the IR Source away lrom the input (CONa) of the deÌay unit.
Detector or if you simply block the By the way, the Beam Break Trigger
beam with your hand or some other Unit should give reliable triggering
small opaque object. If this happens, with the IR Source unit placed up to
then your Beam Break Trigger Unit a metre or so from the Detector box
is probably working correctly and is in normal room Ìighting. This "beam
ready for use. length" range canbe extended consid-
If you're going to be using it in erably in dark (eg, night-time) condi-
conjunction with the Time Delay Pho- tions but in bright sunlight it wilÌ be
toflash Trigger unit, aLì that remains is shortened due to the relatively high
to make up a suitable cable to connect level of IR in the ambient light. sc
fl s mentioned in the afticle, the Beam Break Trigger can also be used to trigger an
Ëlelectronic flash directly, rather than via the Time Delay Photoflash Trigger. To do
this, trigger output C0N3 is simply c0nnected to the photoflash via a suitable cable.
However, when you're makìng up this cable, make sure that the p0sitive side lead
from the flash input is connected to the centre contact of the plug that goes io C0N3. lf
the polarity is reversed, M0SFET Q3 in the Beam Break Trigger Unit could be damaged.
The procedure is to first use your DMM to check the polarity 0f the v0ltage at the
end 0f the cable that's plugged into the flash unit (ie, with the flash unit powered up
and ready for triggering). 0nce that's done, you'll then know which way ar0und to
connect the cable to the plug that goes to C0N3 0n the Detector unil.
While you're checking the polarity 0f the cable leads, make a note of the actual
v0ltage itself . lf it is below 60V, lhat w0n't be a problem. Gonversely, if it's higher
than 60V, you'll need to replace the 2N7000 M0SFET with one having a higher
voltage rating - such as a lRF540N.

3B StucoN Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 67

 t0 I

Oo oo Fig.3
GPS
the c
to connect the
ard. Note that
at the back of the 0
display boa¡d (not at the front, as shown here for
I
I

I
vt
{¡
clarity).
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yÐ Ë;'
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RECEMNG END
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Ë8 830

t
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@o oO
!-¡ | 4 IMAIN DISPIAY BOARDI

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--+I
--t-
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I I
I I
I I

I I AII DIMENSIONS IN MIIIIMETRES

I I
HOGS A: 3mm DlAlvlEtER
I I
HOtfS B: 5mm DIAMEIER
I I
HOll C: ó.5mm DIAMEIER
I
I
I
I
e HOIES D: lOmm DIAMEIER
I HOIfS E: 3mm DlA, COUNTERSUNK
I I
I I
I I ooooo ooooo ooooo
I I
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IR lED END
OF UBs BOX
@ @
eI

o o Xlfi-n
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is next on the list. This is attached to
TRIGGER OI'TPUT END OF UB3 BOX
BOTTOM OF UBs BOX
POWER CABI.E END OF UB5 BOX
the top of the PC board using a strip of
double-sided adhesive foam tape and
Fig.3: these drilling diagrams for the UB3 & UB5 boxes can be either be copied a¡d used directly as templates or you can must be orientated as shown in Fig,2,
mãrk the holes ouimanually using the measurements indicated. Also shown are the two front-panel artworks, They can However, before fitting it in place, you
either be copied and used direct or downloaded from the SILICON CHIP website and printed out. have to make the interconnections
between it and the PC board.
As supplied, the EM-408 comes with
a matching 5-way interface cable. This
is about 25mm long and is fitted at each
end with a mini S-way SIL plug, one
of which is plugged into a matching
socket on the GPS module itself.
For this application, you have to
cut the cable in half and then use one
half to make the connections between
the module and the PC board. Remove
about 4mm of insulation fiom the frve

66 stLtcoN crutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 39

 CABIT TO
coNl
(MATES
WITH
coN2
ú BELOW)
!ll¡r
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An infrared transparent filter is fitted to

I
U ú û I
receiving (PD1) end of the UBS box, while a 30mm x l2mm-diametéF"l
;UÈ It
11
U
;Y d
É
u
4
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hood" (eg, brass or plastic tubing) is attached to the outside ofthe case.
È l() al ¿
= iN q
ô MOVING
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ô
!_
It
lv?
l6

+L

Follow this photo and the parts layout

diagram [Fig.2) at right to build the Detector PC board.

Ø
U
d
the lid. A full-size artwolk is sÌrown solder the battery clip leads to them.
:
LJ

in Fig,3 and is also available for down-
ã
= load from the SIl-lcoN CHIP website.
z ll
Ø
z tl
3 |
Detector board assembly
õ There are more conponents on the
zU -9--1 Detector board but its construction is
= still straightforwarcl - see Fig.2. Install
J
the resistors first, taking care to use the
correct r¡aLue at each location. Table
1 shows the resistor colour codes but
it's also a good idea to check each
one using a digital muLtimeter before
soldeling it in place.
Follor¡' these parts with the metal-
lised polyester capacitors, then fit the
two electrolytic capacitors. The latter
are polarised, so be sure to orientate
them as shor,rtn. The two PC board
Fig.4: follow this dritling diagram to mount both the GPS driver module and the display board in the same case. terminal pins used to make the battery
The semi-círcular notchãs alõng one edge of the lid and along the top of the base can be made using rat-tail files of connections can then be fitted. Note
the correct diameter. (Note: if you intend mounting just the display board in the case, using the drilling diagram that both pins are fitted on the copper
published in Pt.1 last month).
side of the board, to make it easier to
Sr.rritch 51 and connectors CON2 &
CON3 are next on the list, followed
by an B-pin socket for IC1. Be sure to
orientate the socket with its notched
end towalds the adjacent 100nF ca-
pacitor, to guide you r,r,hen plugging
in IC1 itself later on.
Transistor Q1, photodetector PD1,
MOSFET Q2 and LED4 can now all go
in, again iaking care to orientate them
correctl¡2. Note that PD1 is mounted
vertically with its curved side facing
outwards and r.r,ith the centre of its
body about Smm above the PC board. TO FLASH, ErC [rO EMITTERS)
LED4 should also be mounted velti-
cally, with the bottom of its bod1. about Fig.2: install the parts on the two PC
1.2mm abor¡e the board (this ensures boards as shown on this layout diagram.
LED4 (green) on the Detector board is
that it will protrude slightly from its
mounted vertically but be sure to bend
matching hole in the box lid after as- the leads ofIR LEDsl-3 through 90"
sembÌy), before installing them on the IR Source
The Detector board can now be
board - see text & photo.
completed by plugging IC1 into its

40 Sil,tcoN Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 65


Farts Est
lR Source Unit
'l PC board, code 13'l 06092, 57
x 26mm
1 UB5 jiffy box, 82 x 53 x 31mm
4 6mm long untapped spacers
4 M3 x 12mm screws, counter-
sink head
4 M3 hex nuts
1 Nylon cable tie, 75mm long
1 2m length of light-duty figure-8
cable
1 3.5mm mono jack plug, cable
type (CON1)
3 Smm lR LEDs (LEDs1-3)
1 820C) resistor
Detector Unit
1 PC board, code 13106091,
122 x 58mm
1 UB3 jiffy box, 129 x 68 x 44mm
1 SPDT mini toggle switch (S1)
1 PC-mount 3.5mm stereo jack
(coN2)
1 PC-mount 2.5mm concentric
plus (CON3)
4 M3 x 1Smm tapped spacers
8 M3 x 6mm machine screws,
pan head
2 1mm PC board terminal pins
1 9V battery clip lead
1 8-pin DIL lC socket
1 30mm length of 12-15mm
diameter black PVC conduit
or brass tubing
1 piece of lR-transparent red
film, approx. 16mm square
1 9V battery snap connector OR
1 x 4-way AA cell holder plus
1 x 2-way AA cell holder - see
text
Semiconductors
1 1M358 dualop amp (lC1)
1 8C338 NPN transistor (Q1)
'l 2N7000 N-channel MOSFET
(o2)
1 lR photodetector (PD1) (Jaycar
ZD-1948 or similar)
1 5mm green LED (LED4)
Gapacitors
The IR Source board carries the three infrared LEDs (LEDs1-3) plus an B2oÇ)
cu¡rent-limiting resistor. It's mounted inside a UBS case on 6mm untapped
spacers and derives its power from the Detector unit.
15m,\ (beam present) and smA (beam
interrupted).
Construction
As shown by the photos, the two
units which make up the Beam Break
Trigger are each housed in a small jiffy
box, The IR Source circuit is built on
a small PC board coded 13106092 (57
x 26mm), while the Detector parts are
installed on a larger PC board coded
13106091 (122 x SBmm).
Start the assembly by building the IR
Source board - see Fig,2. This should
take you just a few minutes since there
are only four components to install -
the three infrared LEDs and the B20Q
current-limiting resistor.
Be sure to orientate the three IR
LEDs correctly as shown in Fig.2.
In addition, these three LEDs must
be fitted with their leads bent down
by 90o, so they face out ofthe end of
the box when the board is mounted
inside. In particuì.ar, note that the
centre LED (LEDz) is fitted wiih its
Tah[e fs Resflstor Golour Godes
,*ë
body relatively low down near the
board, while the two outer LEDs are
fitted higher and with their leads bent
inwards towards LED2. This is done
so that they form a triangular group,
to provide a reÌatively compact beam
source (see photo).
Once these parts are in, install the
power cabÌe by soldering its leads to
the +9V and 0V and pads. The cable
is then anchored using a smaÌl Nylon
cabÌe tie wìrich passes through the two
3mm holes on either side.
Having completed the board, it can
be mounted inside its UB5 jiffy box
on four 6mm long untapped spacers
and secured using four M3 x 12mm
countersunk head screws and nuts. As
shown in the photos, the IR LEDs face
outwards through a 1Omm hole in one
end of the box, while the power cable
exits via a small notch filed in the top
at the opposite end. Fig.3 shows where
to drill the holes in both boxes.
Finally, complete the IR Source unit
by attaching the front paneÌ label to
leads and tin them before soldering
them to the PC board. Be sure to feed
the leads through the board holes in
the correct sequence and note that
the wire with the grey insulation goes
into the uppermost hole (marked "1"
on Fig.2).
After they have all been soldered,
plug the end of the cable into the
matching socket on the end of the
EM-408 module. This is done withthe
module orientated socket-end-down
and roughÌy vertical with respect to
the board. Take care to ensure that
the plug and socket mate correctly -
they're very small and are polarised.
Once the connection is made, fit
the strip of double-sided adhesive
foam to the underside of the EM-408.
That done, remove the protective tape
from the outer surface of the adhesive
foam and carefully swing the module
down so that it rests on the top of the
PC board. During this process, be sure
to Ìeave a small amount of slack in the
cable so that the plug isn't pulled out
of its socket.
Once the module is in the cot'Lect
position (see photo), press it clown
gently to ensure that the adhesive
foam "grabs".
Finally, if you intend installing the
board into a separate case, fit the DC
socket (CONI) and the DBFg socket
(CON2). Conversely, leave these parts
out if the module is going to be in-
stalled in the same case as the display
board.
That's it - the module is now com-
pìete.
Setting up
This simply involves adjusting trim-
pot VR1 to set the output of reguiator
REGI to 3 .3V to give the correct suppÌy
voltage for the EM-408 GPS module.
To do this, first set VR1 to mid-range
Television E Uideo
TEchnolo0y - by KF tbrahim
25mm uNTAppED
then apply power from an external 12V
DC source. If you're not using the DC
socket, simply connect the supply's
positive to D1's anode. The negative
lead goes to the outside copper earth
pattern.
Next, use your DMM (set to a suit-
able DC voltage range) to monitor the
output from REG1 (eg, at its metal tab
or at the lower end of any of the 1kQ
resistors). With VR1 set to mid-range,
this should be close io 3.3V but may
be either slightly lower or higher than
this figure. Adjust VR1 to set the volt-
age from REG1 as close as possible to
the correct 3.3V.
The driver board assembly is now
finished and can be fitted into either
the clock display enclosure or a sepa-
rate UB3 jiffy box.
Drilling the case
We'll assume here that you want
to fit the GPS driver module into the
same case as the display board. If so,
the first step is to connect a 200mm
length of 3-way ribbon cable to the
Practical Guide fo
Satellite fU - ¡tt Garry Gratt
Fig.5: here's how the two PC boards
are mounted inside the case,
,roar* \-otspLni rc ioeno
TO REAR (
/
IUPPER CENTREì vrA 4
/ -ATTACHED
tsr HEAD M3 scRa
module's external wiring points - see
Fig.3. The other end of this cable goes
to the main display board but leave this
end disconnected for the time being.
Having attached the cable, the driver
module and its associated display
board can be installed in the case.
Fig.4 gives the case drilÌing details. As
shown, four holes must be drilied in
the base (towards the top) and these
are used to mount the driver module.
They should be all be countersunk [ie,
on the outside of the case) using an
over-size drill.
In addition, you have to cut notches
along the mating edges of the top and
bottom halves of the enclosure (these
provide access to the DC socket a¡d the
switches on the display board), These
notches are best made using rat-tail
files of the correct diameter, although
it may be also possible to drill them if
the two halves of the case are secured
together.
Note that aÌl these holes are in
quite different positions from those
shown in Fig,4 last month (ie, for the
every
bookshop pages in
Bf Gircuit llesign
- by Chris Bowick

470pF 16V RB electrolytic
220pF 16V RB electrolytic
1 00nF metallised polyester
1 0nF metallised polyester
Resistors (0.25W 1%)
No. Value 4-Band Code (1%) 5-Band Code (1%) New edition has a full and compre-
hensive guide to video and W tech-
The book written bv an Aussie for
Aussie conditions. Everything you
A new edition of this classic RF design
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64 StLtco¡tt Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 47

Fig.6: "GPS Clock" frorn TimeTools
shows UTC time plus longitude and
latitude.
IF Y0UR PC has a serial port, then you
lcan feed the NMEA 0183 data stream
from this GPS driver module directly into
it and install software f rom the lnternet to
display GPS time.
Two useful programs are ÊPS Clock
rom Time Tools (freeware) and GPS Tine
f
And Test from BrigSoft (shareware but
free to try for 30 days). Download them
f rom http:/irtrww.timelools.co.ullatomic-
"display only" enclosure), Note also
that you don't need to make a cutout
to provide access to the DBgF socket
in this version, since the driver board
cable is wired directly to the back of
the main board.
Final assembly
Fig.5 shows the final assembly
details. The new GPS driver board
assembly is attached to the base of
the enclosure using four M3 x 10mm
countersunk-head machine screws,
with four M3 nuts used as short
spacers and another four nuts used to
hold the board in place,
To allowplenty of "breathing space"
between the driver board ard the main
display board (especially to provide
some clear space above the EM-408's
patch antennaJ, in this version the
main board is mounted much further
forward than in the "display only"
version. This is achieved by mounting
42 stLtco¡¡ cutp
Fig.7: "GPS Time ,{,nd Test" synchronises your PC's clock to the GPS
signal at preset intervals down to as low as one minute. Both programs
also show the incoming NMEA data sentences.
clocllfVgps-clock.htm and f rom htlp:i/
www.abstime.com
Each does a slight different job. For
example, GPS Clock(Fig.6) shows the UTC
time, along with the date, your longitude
and latitude and the NMEA sentences.
By contrast, GPS Time And Test (see
Fig.7) synchronises your PC's existing
clock to the correct local time (ie, the
clock is locked to the GPS time signal
it on 25mm-long untapped spacers,
These sit on the existing moulded
mounting pillars in the case and the
assembly secured using M3 x 30mm
machine screws.
Unfortunately, it's quite tricky to fit
with
the mainboard into the enclosure
the 25mm spacers simply sitting on
the moulded pillars. However, there
is an easy way around this and that is
to glue the spacers to the tops of the
pillars using 5-minute epoxy cement
- see Fig.5.
This is done by first "clamping"
each spacer to its pillar using a 3Omm
screw ald flat washer. That done, you
can appiy a small "fillet" of epoxy
around the bottom of each spacer to
hold it inposition. Leave the assembly
for a few hours to allow the epoxy to
set reasonably well before removing
the screws and flat washers.
Once the cement attaching the
spacers has set, the three leads from
but displays local time). Other informa-
tion displayed includes the time before
and after synchronisation plus the NMEA
sentence containing both the time and the
co-ordinates for latitude and longitude. You
can also set the synchronisation interval
and set various COM port properties.
There's a lot more GPS software (both
freeware and shareware) out there on the
lnternet. Check it out for yourself.
the GPS driverboard canbe connected
to the main display board. Note that
these leads should be soldered to the
rear of the main board, rather than to
the ftont of the board as shown (for the
sake of cÌarity) in Fig.3. If you prefer,
you can fit PC stakes to the tltree wiring
points (from the copper side) to accept
the lead terminations.
The assembly cannowbe completed
by securing the display board in posi-
tion using the M3 x 3Omm screws and
then fitting the clear lid to the case,
Applying power
You wiII need a 12V DC 300m4
plugpack to power the unit. When
this is connected, the displays should
light up immediately and initialÌy
show "0000".
After a short time (anywhere up to
about 40s), the EM-408 GPS engine
shouldbegin sending the NMEA 0183
data sentences to the clock display.
siliconchip.com.au
coNl
\
----+
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oB.Éct
BRFåICNG
BEAAA
ffi 'BTIiI BRTIK'TRIGOER UIIII
Fig.l: the infrared beam is generated by LEDs 1-3 and picked up by photodetector diode PD1. Op arnp ICLb functions
as a current.to-voltage converter while ICla is wired as a non-inverting amplifier. The latter drives transistor QL &
Mosfet Q2 to briefly switch the trigger ouþut when the IR beam is interrupted.
LED which lights when the IR beam is
beingreceived. This makes the lining-
up process easy.
Both parts of the project run from
a 9V battery fitted inside the Detector
unit's box. The total current drain is
about 15mA which means that the
battery should be either a set of six
AA (1.5V) alkaline cells or a single
high-energy 9V lithium battery. A
standard 9V zinc-carbon or alkaline
battery is not up to the job, as its life
would be too short.
Circuit details
Take a look now at Fig.1 for the
circuit details. There's really not a
great deal in either part ofthe circuit.
In fact, the IR Source unit is nothing
more than three IR LEDs connected in
series a¡d with an B20Q series resistor,
This resistor limits the current from
the 9V supply (and thus the current
through the IR LEDs) to about 7.5m4.
Power is derived fiom the battery
in the Detector unit via a cable fitted
with a 3.5mm jack plug (CONl). This
mates with CON2 on the detector unit.
In the Detector unit, the IR beam
from the Source unit normally falls on
PD1, an IR photodetector diode. This
photodetector is connected between
ground and the inverting input fpin
6) of op amp IClb (an LM35B).
siliconchip.com.au
Op amp IClb is connected as a LED4 to be used as a guide when
current-to-voltage converter. Its pin 7
output sits somewhere between +L,7y
and +4.0V when the IRbeam is present
but rests close to +1.0V when no IR
light is falling on PD1. This "dark"
output voltage of +1.0V is basically
set by the voltage divider formed by
the 22kQ and 2.7kQ resistors, with the
220¡ß capacitor providing filtering.
This is used to directly bias pin 5 of
IClb and to bias pin 2 of ICla via a
1kO resistor.
The output at pin 7 of IClb is fed to
the non-inverting input (pin 3) of IC1a,
which is conflgured as a non-inverting
amplifrer with a voltage gain of 47L,
Because of this very high gain, ICla
acts very much like a comparator, Its
pin 1 output sits at over +BV when the
IR beam is present but falls to 0V when
there is no IR light falling on PD1 (ie,
the IR beam is interrupted).
ICla's output in turn drives the
base of transistor Q1 via a 1OkQ resis-
tor. As a result, Q1 is turned on or off
depending on whether the IR beam is
present or not. When the IR beam is
present, Q1 is on and when the beam
is interrupted, Q1 turns off,
LED4 and iis series 1kf) resistor form
the collector load of Q1, This means
that LED4 lights when Q1 is on and
turns off when Q1 is off. This allows
I
lining-up the Source's IR beam with
PD1, as described previously.
Switching the trigger output
Because Q1 is switched on when
the IR beam falls on PD1, iis collector
voltage is normally held do'vvn to about
0.4V. However, if the beam is inter-
rupted, Q1 turns off and its collector
voltage rises to nearly +9V.
This sudden voltage change is used
to switch on Q2, a 2N7000 MOSFET
which is used as an output switch
across triggering output CON3. As
shown, a 1OnF coupling capacitor and
Q2's 1OkQ gate resistor form a simple
differentiating circuit. This results
in Q2 being switched on only briefly
when Q1's collector voltage rises when
the beam is interrupted, The 100C)
resistor in series with the coupling
capacitor is there to suppress any
possible oscillation during switch-on
or switch-off,
That's about it, apart from power
switch 51 and the 47opF and loonF
capacitors which decouple the supply
rail voltage to keep it constant.
The
current drain of the detector circuit
varies between about 7.5m,A. when the
IR beam is present and 1.5m4 when
it is interrupted, so the total battery
drain for both sections varies between
JUNE 2009 63
 By JIM R0WE

É€ æ I
F

Here's an easy-to-build accessory for the Time Delay Photoflash

Trigger described in our February 2009 issue. It triggers the delay
unit and your photoflash in response to an object interrupting an -
invisible beam of infrared (IR) lÍght. Alternatively, it can be used tË
on its own to directly trigger a photoflash.

FEW MONTHS ago (in February
.fLzoos), we described a "Time De-
^
lay Photoflash Trigger", This unit was
triggered by a sudden sound picked up
by an electret microphone. It then im-
mediately opened the cameta's shutter
and then flred the photoflash shortly
after, depending on the delay period
programmed into the unit.
Using sound pick-up in this man-
ner is a popular and effective method
of triggering a flash for "stop motion"
and otherkinds ofspecial effects pho-
tography, However, in addition to the
electret mic input, we also gave the
delay unit a second "contact closure"
input, so that it could be triggered us-
ing other techniques. Which was just
as well, because as soon as the delay
unit was published we started getting
rèquests for a light beam trigger,
This simple "Beam Break Trigger
Unit" is the result of those requests.
It's mainly intended as an alternative
triggering front-end for the Time Deiay
Photoflash Trigger and is connected to
the latter's "contacts" input. However,
it can also be used to trigger a photo-
flash unit directly if you don't need the
programmable time delay capabilities.
Note, however, that using the unit
to directly trigger the flash has one
important limitation. Unlike the Time
Delay Photoflash Trigger, it doesn't
also trigger the shutter. This means tlat
you have to open the shutter manually
before the infrared beam is interrupted
(eg, at night or in a darkened studio).
The new project is in two parts: (1)
an IR Source unit which produces the
IRbeam and [z) a Detector unit which
monitors the IR beam and closes its The DC power socket and pushbutton switches on the display board are accessed via holes in the side ofthe case
(note; the DB9M connector is not necessary on the main board if mounting the GPS driver board internally).
output trigger contacts briefly if the
beam is interrupted. These two units
are linked with an interconnecting
cable which supplies the Source unit The unit will then display either UTC hours for eastern Australia), This is are retained even if the power is inter-
with power, time, local standard time for eastern done by pressing buttons 34 (hours rupted.
By the way, if you're already won- Australia or daylight saving time increment) and S5 (minutes incre- Note also that if the power is inter-
dering how you accurately line up for Eastern Australia, as selected by ment), as described last month in Pt.1. rupted, the clock will automatically
the Source and Detector units when switches S1-S3. The clock will then show the correct start displaying the correct time within
the IR light beam is invisible to the If you live in a different time zone local time for your location. 30-40s when power is subsequently re-
human eye, wonder no more. That to eastern Australia, then it's a simple Note that any changes you make to applied. It all depends how quicklythe
problem has been solved by providing matter to program in a different offset the offset lrom UTC time are stored EM-408 GPS module begins receiving
the detector unit with a visible green from UTC (the default offset is +10 in the micro's on-board memory and data foom a GPS satellite. SC

62 StLtco¡tt CutP siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 43

 DIRECION+ A Yagi antenna is

SER\ruCEWSLOG
| IRANSMITTER lN lHlS

cope
E
a good choice for

leve
E I
o -
DAB+ reception.A
I simple 3-element
beam suitable for
INSULÀIID
digital TV should Mixed Signal Oscilloscope
/ BIOCK
tl be adequate in most + Mixed signal triggers
3ólmm areas, If you want + $pectrum analysis
to try making one + Symbolic maths
300f): 75c¡
BAI.UN yourself (and it's not + Custom units
that hard!), follow + Copy & paste
Items Govered This Month
l

In this job, it's all too easy to put in a lot of these dimensions. + Signal generator
+ USB or Ethernet
effort for nothittg. I encountered a couple of r NEC PX42VP4G PlasmaTV
+ 8M samples storage
+ 100 MHz sampling
such jobs recently but then I was stimulated
TOTAI- DIPOI,.E

¡ Sansui 66cm LCDTV (SAN LENGTH 722mm

+ 10,12 or 14 bit dual ADC

by our glorious leader. All is well, I think. 2601 )

One of the more alarming trends in
the service business (at Ìeast, for me)
is that the exact nature of many faults
can no longer be determined. Factors
such as cost, time and new technol-
ogy often conspire to prematurely
terminate fault-finding procedures.
The result is that faults are increas-
ingly being resolved by replacement
at module level.
In the 1950s and 1960s we had
valve jockeys and now, regretfully, we
are being "dumbed-down" to board
jockeys. That's progress, I guess, and
all we ca¡r do is carry on ald look as
42VP4G plasma set that would inter-
mittently cut out on bright screens.
Naturally, it had to come back to the
workshop to be repaired and then
soak tested.
These large-screen flat-panel TV sets
can tie up a lot ofresources just getting
them onto the workbench. First, you
need two people to carry them and you
also need a large station wagon or van
so that they can be kept upright during
transportation (the display panel is
particularly fragile). Then, when you
flnally get the unit into the workshop,
you have to lay it carefully down on
o Pioneer PDP503G 127cm
Plasma TV
. Thomson Speedtouch 536
ADSL2 Modem
that you can see what is on the screen.
Of course, if you have the money,
time and inclination, you can get a
special jig that will hold a plasma or
LCD at any angle you require. How-
ever, the diminishing returns from this
profession mean that costs have to be
kept to a minimum and so most of us
use large benches and lots ofsponges.
I'm not going to even spend my 900
boom is aimed at the transmitter, with the longest element
away from the transmitter.
Do not connect these antennas to the downlead used for
TV reception. This is likely to produce broken up pictures
and sound in digital TV programs and may cause patterning
to alalog TV reception.
So you need to use a sepilate down lead to the DAB+ radio
réceiver - almost certainly 75Cl coaxial cable. As with all
coax, you get what you pay for - and if you're in a low signal
area, you're going to need high quality, low-loss type,
MATV systems will need a separate channel amplifier to
control the signal level and fi.lter out TV signals picked up
by the above antenna.
What's available? Zooming in on one
As far as we can tell, there are currently no local antenna tn

huppy as we can,
These thoughts were triggered rec-
ently when I was called out to
wealthy suburb to attend an NEC PX
three or more large soft sponges with
gaps in between.
a These gaps are there to allow a mir-
ror to be slid between the sponges, so
Rudd-bucks on one but I do appreciate models available to receive the whole DAB+ band, incÌud-
being stimulated all the same. ing chalnels 13,A. - 13F; however some manufacturers
Because of the intermittent nature have indicated they will probably gear up when demand
ofthe fault, I initially decided to try to picks up.
"accelerate" its appearance by gently We have found one imported antenna, the Spanish-made
heating the switchmode power supply Ikusi DAB030, which does cover the whole DAB band. It's
with a hairdryer. Unfortunately, this available through Ikusi Australia distributors, Contact Ikusi
seemed to have the opposite effect as on (03) 9720 8000 or visit their website (see below).
the fault never appeüed. I then tried Some suitable antennas for the lower section of the band
using freezer to see if that would do include:
the trick but that didn't work either. Hills DYa -DYL4
Well, to cut a long story short, a Matchmaster 03-DR3004 - 03-DR301B
whole week went by and despite run- Fracarro BLV4F, BLVOF
ning tlre set all day every day, there was
no sign of the fault. And by now, the
client's wife was beginning to phone,
clearly impatient for the set's return.
Out of time
OK, so I had run out of time. The
question now was what to do?
Well, there were several options:
[1) return the set as it was, (2) take
a punt and replace the most likely
culprits in the power suppÌy, such as
the electrolytic capacitors or (3) install The Ikusi DAB030, shown at Sydney:02 9896 7150 Brisbane: 07 33766277
a new power supply for $550 plus! I right, covers the whole DAB+ Perth: 08 9321 2899 National: 1300 853 407
explained these options as clearly as band fiom 175 to 240MHz. As

- SO MOST OF US Us'q- LARGI

BENCHES & LOTS OF SPONGES
I could to the client and she assured
me that she understood the situation,
far as we can tell, it's the only
one which currently does so. www.cleverscope.com
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 61

Notes & Errata
The text on page 12 of the April
2009 issue on COFDM multiple
carriers refers to column data be-
ing "fed into an analog to digital
converter (DAC)." It should read
Digital to Anølog Converter
(DfC,C).
Also Fig.2 on page 12 of the
same issue is a generic functional
diagram. As a result the DAC is
shown feeding the Inverse Fast
Fourier Transfer. In reality, the
IFFT is done digitally, so the DAC
will be fed from the IFFT instead
of feeding it.
Fig 3. A a-QAM only allows four
conditions shor,rm as purple dots.
Note all of the s conditions have
the highest power signal from the
tower.
This gives the best signal reli-
ability but at the expense of a low
data rate of transmission.
The purple dots are also part
of 16 and 64 QAM. 6a-QAM's
maximum radiated power is the
same as 4-QAMbutthe minimum
radiated power is 18 dB lower. So
you transmit much mo¡e data but
it is more likely to be affected by
noise.
And Fig.4 on page 13 shows
ADCs following the IFFT. In fact,
the chip manufacturer controls the
location of the ADCs. QAM de-
modulation can be done digitally
or in aaalog then digitised.
So a single high speed ADC can
digitise the IF signal orthe Q,tM de-
modulation canbe performed prior
to the Fast Fourier Transform.
Finally, a DAB+ OFDM makes
the signal on each carrier 1.536
times longer than when a single
carrier is used. Since the pulse is
so much longer it ca¡ be sampled
more tìa¡r once.
This is a similar technique to
eliminating contact bounce on
computer keyboards, A change
of state is detected and is then re-
checked on the next sample period
to ensure the first sample was not
an ellor.
Once the consecutive samples
are identical, any fr:rther samples
can be ignored until the next
change of state. Hence delayed
signals can be ignored.
60 SILIC)N CHIP
Eventually, after speaking to her hus-
band, she gave me the go-ahead for
Coverage area Region (<100km radius)
Terrain affected
Local to >2,000km
Regardless of terrain
option two. Puilisnen's lclfen
Replacing the electros in the power .. . cÛnllnaeú ff0n 0age2
Number of programs per channel <9 1 or <4 speech supply was fairly routine and I also
0perating Frequencies 174 - 240MHz (Band 3) 0.5265 - 1.6065MH2, spent some time looking for dry joints, be reduced. There are two ways to do this. The first is to reduce or stop
1,450 - 1,500MH2 2.3 - 2.495MH2 (MF) especially to surface-mounted com- burning fossil fuels, particularly in power stations. The second is so-called
5.9 - 26.1MHz (HF) ponents, Unfortunately, I didn't have geosequeshation whereby the carbon dioxide produced in the power station
Possible channels 22(83) +22(L) 69 MF,221 HF
a circuit diagram, so I was unable to is separated from the other exhaust gases going up the stack (ie, nitrogen
identify the current-sensing circuit and water vapour) and then pumped underground. It turns out that this
Repeaters Depends on area and Not required
components and concentrate on that process is extraordinarily difflcult.
terrain area. This circuit typically involves One way to do it might be to cool the smokestack gases sufËciently (to
DAB+ Modes Four modes: Four levels up to h¡gh using a low-value resistor in the main -78.5"C) so that the carbon dioxide solidifres (to dry ice). Or you could
Single Frequency speed moving receiver B+ circuit and shuts the set down if cool the gases sufficiently to separate the water and then compress it suf-
DRM Robustness modes Networks, Cable and and long periods the current goes too high, ficiently to liquef,i the carbon dioxide and allow the gaseous nitrogen to
two frequency bands allowed for reflections. separate out. Or another scheme that has been suggested is for the power
Audio Sample rates 24ksample/s SBR 24ksample/s SBR
Gods not smiling stations to burn the coal with oxygen rather than air - so that we don't
Sound Ouality Full audio frequency
A week later, after more extensive have the problem of removing the nitrogen.
Full audio frequency
tests, I reinstalÌed the set in the client's
range using sBR range using sBR Whatever scheme is used, geosequestration will use enormous amounts
home and crossed my fingers. Unfor-
Parametric Stereo Yes Yes of energy; perhaps 40% or more than is currently needed to generate elec-
tunately, the gods were not smiling on
Maximum bit rates 64 - 72kbls (18 - me because she subsequently phoned
tricity, Isn't this insane? We wa¡t to get rid of carbon dioxide but we have
1152kb/s thus allowing
to mine heaps more coal and burn it to do so. On the other hand, Austral-
multiple channels 20kHz channel width) four days later to tell me, very coolly,
ians mustn't use nuclear power (which generates very little greenhouse
Audio Superframe 3 Audio Units 10 Audio Units that she had stopped the cheque. She
gas) because that has all sorts of radioactive nasties. Never mind that a
wasn't exactly rude but there was
The main differences between DAB+ and DRM are the frequencies used and large proportion ofthe electricity generated by western countries already
plenty of "hoity-toity" snotty-nosed
therefore the coverage. DRM operates on much lower frequencies which offer comes from nuclear power stations.
attitude. There's nothing like doing
significantly greater range than DAB+. This can be both fblessing and a curse! I should note that the term "geosequestration" now seems to have been
business with someone who thinks so
highly of you! replacedby "ca¡bon capture and storage (CCS) technologies" which seems
Australia. However, it's not the only phB shows the frequency schedule. Ânyway, she told me that the set to imply that there are lots of ways of doing it. The Federal Government
one. Youmayhaveheard of DRM (Dig- They are using a 1OkHz-wide cha¡rnel lasted four hours before doingl pre- proposes to spend lots of money promoting CCS - this is just more woolly
ital Radio Mondiale) which is a system and ruggedness mode B. The audio is cisely the same thing as before. lust my thinking. And to think that Australia might take a lead with CCS and then
used in several overseas countries. 64-level QAM. The sound is mono, luck, I thought - I have the set for two sell it other countries that bu¡n lots of coal just beggars the imagination.
The table below shows the similari- Radio Australia has been experi- weeks and cannot fault iU she has it for Just how gullible do we think they are?
ties and differences. menting at their Brandon, Qld site four hours and it fails, That's Murphy It is time that we called a halt on all this fear-mongering about global
The DAB+ and DRM transmission with a low-powered HF DRM signal. at his pernicious best. warming and greenhouse gases. The fact is that no matter how many so-
systems are very similar except for I reminded her that I had empha- called experts forecast that the polar icecaps will melt completely (they
the fìequency bands used. The main Standards sised that repairing the power supply might) and sea levels will rise, we just don't know if this will happen or
advantage of DRM is that there will be Australian Standard 49 43 .1. -zOO9 would be something of a gamble but it how rapidly it might happen. Nor do we really know if global warming
reception regardless of location, not DAB+: ETSI TS 102 563 didn't cutmuchice. And evenif ithad, is wholly or partially caused by human activity.
only for fixed installations but also in DAB: ETSI EN 300 401 the fact was that the set was still faulty By all means let us stop wasting fossil fuels, particularly oil We need
moving vehicles. DRM: ETSI ES 201 sBO" and I was obliged to give it another go. to conserve oil for the future. And by all means let us accelerate moves to
This would allow high quality When I called to pick it up, her use more solar power, nuclear power, geothermal power or whatever. But
sound regardless of location. DRM Antennas for digital radio husband was there and he was much let us not be panicked into enormously expensive moves to reduce carbon
could also be used by Radio Australia On portable and clock radios, etc, more relaxed and logical about things. dioxide when we don't really know if it's a problem or not.
for international transmissions. DAB+ channels 5A - l3F will use the After some discussion, he decided
Australia has 45 transmitter sites same antennas. as currently used - a to go for option three (ie, replace the Next time you see some politician or climate expert pontificating about
with a FM transmitter with a radi- telescopic rod, a wire or an antenna power supply) and hang the expense, global warming, ask yourself, "Do they even understandbasic chemistry?"
ated power of 20kW. These sites each made up of the headphone leads. And so that's how this annoying And remember, "carbon pollution" is not the problem!
cover a regional area and are ideal The optimum lengths for FM re- intermittent fault was flnally fixed,
ception arc 767mm: for DAB+ Ch
Leo Simpson
for DAB+. It's the sort of repair that's all part
Four high-powered DRM sites could 5A - 13F, 362mm and for DAB+ Ch of the "dumbing-down" trend in the
cover all of Australia with state-based LA - LW 2}4mm.
programs for national broadcasters. The coverage area of DAB+ cha¡lels
There are at least 246 sites which 5A - 13F is similar to that of digital TV
could be replaced by the four sites. channels 6 - 1.2 (ie, 175 To 224MHz;
Radio New Zealand International VHF Band s), An experienced electronics technician is required to repair & overhaul
has beenbroadcasting DRM since 2006 However, in weak signal areas a switchmode power supplies in our modern Hornsby workshop. Email
and because of the low foequency, vertically-polarised Band 3 Yagi-Uda your application to:
these signals are often receivable antenna (ie, mounted so that the ele-
in Australia (particularly the east ments are verticalJ should give reliable ELECT BO N I CS SPEC/ALISIS
SWITCHM0DE P0WER SUPPLIES PTY ITD Osil s4 0rB ebg 0s0]
coast). reception. TO INDUSTBY AND DEFENCE
2077.
1/37 Leighton Place, Hornsby, llSW Phone (02) 9476 0300
The website www.rnzi.com/index. A Yagi should be mounted so that its ema¡l: mart¡n.griffith@switchmode.c0m.au webpage: wwlt .sw¡tchm0de.c0m.au
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au 2009 45
JUNE
 Senqfie@milamus [,og
By Andrew Partridge
THIS STORY BEGAN when I received a
I
call one morning from my friend Nick to
say that he had just switched on his laptop
to be greeted with a message that a network
cable was unplugged. As a result, there was
no connection to the internet and he urgently
needed this working again so that he could
check on a share trade later that day.
I stafted by
asking some questions to
: ærffinM and a quick check showed that their ESR
readings were all high at between 2.8o and
MEDIA RELEASE
7.7o.By contrast, allthe other electrolytics l May 2oo9
on the PC board were fine, with low ESR
readings.
commercial rodio
Using the frequency range on my mul- australia
timeter, I found that the 470pF capacitors
have a 100H2 signal across them, while the
Perth first to switch on digital radio
1000pF capacitors, which sit either side of
modem being faulty, so I asked Nick to a small toroidal inductor on the PC board,
drop it in so that I could take a look at it. have around 20kHz across them. Clearly, the
ln the meantime, I would lend him a spare 470pF units were smoothing the recl¡fied AC
modem while I either repaired his or found output of the plugpack, while the 1000¡rF
a replacement. units were on the secondary side of the
When Nick arrived with the modem, I switchmode power supply.
checked lhe output of ils 1SVAC plugpack. Given the different operating conditions
It was fine, so I connected the modem to my forthe two different sets of capacitor values,
own ADSL line. lt immediately displayed an I was somewhat surprised that all six were at

narrow down the problem. He had been alternating red-green power LED and failed an almost identical state of bulge. The best
using the internet the night before without to connect. explanation I can think of for this is that the
any problems and nothing had changed in At this point I told Nick that his modem capacitors deteriorated mainly due to heat
his set-up. The laptop is connected to the was definitely faul$ and hinted that this build-up in the low-profile case. This case
ADSL modem via an ethernet cable, so I was might be an opportunity for him to upgrade has a generous grid of ventilation holes in its by Alan Hughes
spared the agony of debugging a wireless to one with a wireless router. That way, he base but none at all in lhe top seclion where "The switch on of digital radÍo is a culmination
connection over the phone. could use his laptop anywhere around the the electrolytic capacitors are located (and of
I then asked Nick whether the pattern of house. His response was that his laptop is where venlilation is most needed). audio units are also in error the signal will be faded out. Government, the
used with an external keyboard and monitor I removed the six bulging electrolytic A fade in is performed by the decoder when the data error Media Authority
lights 0n the modem, atwo year old Thomson
capacitors and lested them with a capaci- rate drops. Errors in the Parametric Stereo signal are cam- rs, the ABC ancl
Speedtouch 536, seemed normal and he told in his office and so he wasn't at all interested
ouflaged by assuming that the sound source is stationary.
sus, together rvith retailers and manufacturers
me that the power LED was alternating be- in a wireless connection. tance meter. They were all well down in of digilal radios to ensure a comprehensive and
tween red and green every five seconds or so. ln normal circumstances, the modem capacitance, the 470pF unils measuring coordinated switch.gr, o{ a compètIng new
Data organisation way
The manual for the modem says that a would be declared a write-off . Howeve¡ since between 99¡rF and 108¡rF and the 1000pF of listening to radio," said Ms Wainer. "
steady red power LED indicates a selltest it still suited Nick's needs and I wasn't charg- units measuring 90pF and 127pF. An Audio Unit Data Block consists (in time order) of
failure and so I wasn't yet convinced that the ing for mytime, lfigured there was nothing to Replacing these capacitors fixed the the folÌowing:
alternating red-green power LED indicated a lose so I cracked open the case. When I did, problem. Nick's modem now worked on my . Header: two bytes of error correction, one byte ofprogram
fault with the modem. ln view of this, I talked my attention was immediately drawn to four ADSL connection and seemed even faster characteristics, 14 bytes to identif,z which audio unit it is
Nick through some basic tests to eliminate 470pF 25V and two 1000¡rF 6.3V electrolytic than my own modem. The final step before in an audio superframe and a CRC check. Cyan, purple,
both the phone line and the ethernet cable capacitors in the power supply section. The returning it to Nick was to drill a grid of
from consideration. Nick then called Bigpond tops of all six were bulging slightly, a sure ventilation holes in the top of the modem's r fl Data: consi
to ensure that there was no problem at the sign that they were faulty. case immediately above the power supply ariable lengt
exchange. Closer examination revealed that they circuitry, to reduce the likelihood of any f uture ¡ lls the decod IO days the
At that stage, everything pointed to the were all CapXon brand units rated at 105'C heat-related failu res. in various sized steps. etestmode
. The filters with the loudest signal which is not masked weratnight
by another loud adjacent frequency, The difference in
amplitude is added to the data.
. A Spectral Band Replication signal.
. A Pãrametric Stereo signal to indicate the direction of
the sound and the nature of the reverberation,
This remarkable collection of PDFs covers every issue of R & H, as it was known from the beginning (April ¡ 3 x 10 bits of Reed-Solomon error correction data Shown
1939 - price sixpence!) right through to the final edition of R, TV & H in March 1965, before it disappeared
pale blue.
forever with the change of name to EA.
The advantage ofhaving five blocks of synchronisation
Perth 4 May
For the lirst timeêver, complete and in one handy DVD, every article and every issue is covered. Melbourne-llMay
lf you're an old timer (or even young timerl) into vintage radio, it doesn't get much more vintage than this. is that when the receiver is searching for a program it will
spend less time waiting for the transmitter jdentifi.cation
Adelaide - ls May
lf yoú're a student of històry, this árchive gives an extraordinary insight into the amazing breaÌthroughs made Brisbane - 25 May
in radio and electronics teóhnology following the war years. And speaking of the war years, R & H had some and can synchronise faster during tuning and after a noise
of the best propaganda imaginable! burst.
Sy.dney - 30 May
Even if you're just an electronics dabbler, there's something here to interest you. Each program has an Audio Superframe in a sequence
ABC andSBS are expectedto commence
Please note: this archive is in PDF format on DVD for PC. Your computer will need a DVD-ROM or up to nine programs. Some Audio Superframes can be seruices throughout June/July.
digilal
DVD-recorder (not a CDI) and Acrobat Reader 6 or above (free download) to enable you t0 view this replaced with data in a block the same size if the broad-
archive. This DVD is NOT playable through a standard AJV-type DVD player. casters wish to do so.
tror further informaflon on digital radio visit:
Exclugive t_o¡ ¡¡ERE'S ]rO15 TO ORDER yOUR COPY: Comparison of DAB+ and DRM r,r,,wr,v. digitalradioplus. com. au
We've been concentrating on the DAB+ digital radio
' Plaase haE yourcrodll câ¡d handy! I Don't l0rg0l lo ¡ncludt yolr namc, standard because it is the system now being introduced to

siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009

Sntcon Cntp
 -TO TÉLL ÌAE? VÉRY COOLLY? THAT
s,HL HAD STOPPÉD THI CHÉQUI,,
In thìs final Ínstqlment we discuss the signal formqts and gÍve a
comparÍson of DAB+ qnd DRM. Also included is a brief cüscussion servicing industry but what else can you do in such
of antennqs suitqble for DAB+ reception. situations?
Unfortunately, due to the earlier abortive repair, I
didn't make any money out of that job. Thank heavens
for those 900 Rudd-bucks.
EAS,ILY BU'LD
noise, particularly impulse noise, Im- to the data being sent. So the addi- Sansui LCD TV
YOUR OWN HTGH
Difu :",",*rr"i+Hiï#'Jtîi pulse noise is generated by lightning
strikes, electrical switching, arcing
tional error correction data can be
used to correct errors in the main
Another incident involved a 66cm Sansui LCD TV
(model SAN 2601) withvery similar symptoms,Inthis END SPEAKER
picture quality
tion at all,
is no
or there recep- power line insulators, arcing in brush
motors and unsuppressed ignition .
signal.
Detected Cyclic Redundancy Check
instance, the set was intermittently not starting and/or
the controls, including the remote, were not working,
SYSTEM AND
Perhaps we should qualify this by systems in petrol motors. enables the detection but not the By the time I got to look at this set it had already SAVE MONEY
saying that when you are on the brink So for digital radio it is important correction of the main signal. So been looked at by others. They had replaced the electros Professionally Designed and engineered
of signal failure, digital TV can be to get reliable reception otherwise the when an error is detected the errors in the power supply but this had made no difference. in Australia using Peerless speakers
plagued with partial pixellation of the sound will have annoying gaps in it. are conceaÌed as described below. There were no service manuals or circuits available which are known and respected across
picture and loud clicking in the sound . Interleaving is shuffling the data in that I could flnd, so it looked like this job was going the globe. Remarkable Cross-over design,
as it drops in and out. Errors in'digital radio built using the highest grade components
time, The advantage of interleaving to be tricky. designed to give maximum clarity and
So under a variety ofreception con- systems means that a burst of noise is dis- Initially, I spent some time checking the outputs from responsiveness for voice and
ditions, there is no gradual reduction The effects of errors are: tributed over a much greater range the power supply and then I discovered something tonal reproduction.
of sound and picture quality. . Corrected Errors are not detectable of bytes so that error correction rather unusual, When the set was actually working
To produce the designed quality by the listener. B% of the transmit- and detection is more likely to be correctly and you switched it to standby, all voltage For More lnfo Please visit:
there must be adequate signal and no ted signal is mathematicaÌly related effective. outputs from the power supply remained fully on, www. wa g n e r. net. a u /s pe a ke rs
. Dúferential Grey Code Absolute What was happening was that the control proces- w ww. d - s-t. co m. a u/s pea ke r k its
numbers are not transmitted, the sor was switching the set "off" [or rather to standby)
amount of change is transmitted so it looked as though it was fully off. However, the We Have Everything You Need to
instead, so if one value is 7 and power supply was remaining on. It reminded me of
the next value is 0 the number 7 is my old mum who, when she wanted to turn a TV set
Get the Job Done!
We stock everything you need for your Audio Visual installation
converted into grey code. For any off, would start with the knob nearest her and turn it
including HDMI & RCA lnterconnect, Plasma / LCD TV Wall Brackets,
number change in Grey Code only anticlockwise. She would do this to each control in Speaker cabling, Plugs & Connectors, Tools and Soldering
A single Audio Superframe, Five blocks of synchronisation, transmitter one-bit changes in the byte. So if turn, turning the volume, brightness and contrast dovrn
identification and Fast Information Channel data, shown in black, white and Equipment, Plus Lots More!! View our Catalogue online.
the Grey decode detects more than until there was no sound or picture. She then assumed
grey have been inserted,
one bit change in a byte, that byte that the set was "off"!
is detected as aÌÌ error. Anyway, I could see tlat there was a control volt-
For example, a change between 7 age (SBJ going into the power supply that should be
to 0: switching at least part of it on and off. However, it
wasn't having the desired effect, This suggested that
DecimalT, binary 111, Grey Code 100
the power supply itself was crook but I couldn't prove
Decimal 0, binary 000, Grey Code 000
that this was the only fault. Other possibilities included
ll[Êiilililililililililililililfi iiriirilililililililililririililil1iliililil1t a microprocessor fault or perhaps a faulty reset line
r
1il1ilil1ill1ilililfi ifl lililIIilil1ililililfi ilililililililill111ilililil
Error Concealment was causing the whole control circuit to clam up in
The decoder will use the previous confusion (rather like my mind!J.
Three ,A.udio Units short'n in three rows. This is a single Audio Superframe, two audio units to guess the values for Before I could even get an angle on the problem,
which contains 120ms of audio a corrupted audio unit. If subsequent the client bombarded me with the usual questions of
58 Stuco¡¡ Catp siliconchíp.com.au siliconchip.com.au
 JTAGMaster Senqflo@mnam's [og -
Boundary Scan Tester
and
JTAG training Kit.
Test PLD, FPGA using lndustry
Standard Test Access Port and
Boundary scan architecture
(rEEE 1149.1)
ú t ^rnhowto ùd - THIDÉLUGI HAD
FLOODÉD THI LOUNGÉ
flt Earnhow to detect far¡lG & SAÍURAT -D THI TV",,
ú tt rnhow to program JTAG devices
For more information contact cost, cost and cost. And he walted an
TekMark Australia Pty Ltd at 02 9911 3888 answer right then and there, Well how
or email enquiries@tekmarkgroup.com long is a piece of string?
Given time, I could have told him
but for the present I could only guess.
Based on this, the set was condemned
and the client ended up buying a new
one. Sensing that thiã was one job
that could well turn out to be a time-
consuming loss-maker, I wasn't going
to argue.
Of course, I didn't make any money
QUALITY PCB & SERVICE out of that job either. So Kevin's lar-
gesse came in handy once again.
PROTOTYPE TO PRODUCTION
The wet Pioneer plasma
instant online quote
Two days after a particularly heavy
shopping cart ordering system downpour in our suburb, I got a call
lrom a lady in strife with her TV, Her
Ghina competitive prices
problem was that her set-up, aPioneer
free electrically test PDP503G 'L27cm plasma TV and an
accompanying multimedia box, wasn't
working,
Despite my prompting, she wasn't
able to describe the fault(s) but she
it was down to the rainstorm
knew
we had just had. She was also rather
distraught at what had happened and
wanted me to call in as soon as pos-
sible.
wb hÍpIM.plb@tl,Ø When I arrived, I could understand
E.ûa¡l sdæ(tryEad.@m
her distress. The roof of her house
Tel +8ê571.€,7013819
had sprung a leak arrd the deluge had
Fü +&57147036705
Add Gucul Road, Hangzhou, Ch¡na flooded the lounge and saturated the
No 76
TV. In fact, water was still leaking out
of the back of the plasma!
Now I know Moses managed to
roll back the water in the Red Sea but
48 SIUC)N CHIP
ffinM
I
there was nothing could do right
then. Instead, I got the loi back into
the workshop as soon as I could a¡d
removed the covers to dry the elec-
tronic circuitry with fans a¡d heaters.
Surprisingly it still looked pretty
dry inside, the wet parts being mainly
along the bottom and sides. After a
couple of days, I figured it was about
dry enough to switch it on and see if
any damage had occurred.
Well, the good news was that it
didn't explode into flames or go bang.
The bad news was that there was no
picture, no sound and no OSD (on-
screen displayJ. Instead, the screen
Iit up white and a green LED came on.
Unplugging the multimedia box and
switching on the plasma panel gave an
. E01 error, This proved that the panel
itself and its driver circuitry were OK,
so the problem was somewhere inside
the multimedia box.
I next examined the PDP-R03G
multimedia box which has all the ,{V
switching. Initially, with the cover
off, all looked OK but removing the
main PC board immediately revealed
the problem. The water had already
corroded the surface-mounted compo-
nents underneath, especially around
the high-density ICs.
And that meant that the unit was a
write-off. A replacement motherboard
for this multimedia box is rather ex-
pensive, so it's really not worth fixing
ald is one for the client's insurance
company. sc
siliconchip.com.au
Op Amps for Everyone
Edited by Bruce Carter & Ron Mancini. 3rd edition published 2009 by Elsevier
lnc.615 pages, 192x234, paperback.lsBN 978 1 85617 505 0 $95.00
FFlhe third edition of this well-
I known Texas Insttuments'book
I nut been considerably ex-
panded. As a bonus, it is considerably
cheaper tlan the previous edition.
,\t the outset, this is not a book for
the beginner, It is intended for de-
signers and technicians who already
have at least some familiarity with op
amps and how to use them. With over
600 pages, the text covers the subject
exhaustively. There is quite a lot of
reliance on formulas and g'laphs to
discuss various parameters, so if you
are not at home with equations, this
might not be the book for You, On the
other hand, it is very readable ald if
you are content to skip over the for-
mulas, you can still learn a great deal
from the associated graphs, of which
there are lots,
There are 25 chapters in all Plus a
lot of appendices at the back which
feature many useful sample circuits'
Ifyou are a bit rusty on basic circuit
theory, you will find that chapter two
gives usefuIrevision ontopics such as
voltage dividers, Thevenin's theorem,
Superposition and basic transistor
operation.
Chapter 3 is devoted to basic oP amP
configurations such as inverting and
non-inverting op amps, adders and
differential amplifiers, with a section
onvideo ampliflers which are a special
case of non-inverting ampliflers. Also
discussed are capacitors and complex
feedback networks.
Chapter 4 covers the topic of single
supply op amps, a subject that is more
complicated than you might think.
With careful attention to biasing,
single supply op amps can Perform
almost as well as those with balanced
supply rails,
Chapter 6 is devoted to feedback
and stability theory while chapter 7
covers non-ideal op amp equations
and both of these must be regarded as
fairly heavy going.
www. si I ico nc h i P. com. au
Chapter B is perhaPs the most im-
portant topic in the book, devoted to
voltage feedback op amp comPensa-
tion. Without frequency comPensa-
tion of some sort, all voltage feedback
amplifiers will be unstable. Anyone
who designs with op amPS needs to
be familiar with this chaPter,
Chapter 9 is devoted to current feed-
back amplifiers. These sacrifrce the
precision of voltage feedback ampli-
fiers but gain much wider bandwidth
and slew rate capability. TheY are
mainly used for applications above
100MHz, Chapter 10 compares voltage
and current feedback ampliflers,
Chapter 11 covers the toPic of fuIIY
differential amplifiers and this may
be a puzzle to many readers since all
voltage feedback op amps are inher-
ently differential, with inverting and
non-inverting inputs, However, the
original op amps (which used valves
or transistors) also had differential
(or balanced) outputs. The discussion
leads to instrumentation amplifiers
and then to various forms of differen-
tial filters. Also covered are the Texas
Instruments' differential amplifiers
with their "voltage output common
mode (levelJ" pin,
Chapter 12 is on alother verY im-
portant topic, that of op amP noise
theory and applications, When You
think about it, the task of any op amp
circuit designer is'to arrange matters
so that the signal range of the circuit
is comfortably above the "noise floor"
but below that at which overload oc-
curs. That seems self-evident but a lot
of modern consumer audio equipment
barely gets by,
Chapter 13 is on understanding oP
amp parameters and again, this is most
important. There are myriad param-
eters soit is a long chapter.
Chapter 14 leads into instrumen-
tation and discusses sensors while
chapter 15 is on interfacing to analog
to digital convertets (ADCs). Chapter
16 is on wireless communication and
the op amps used for intermediate
frequencies (IF) which are typically
below 25}il}Jz. ChaPter 17 carries on
the theme with op amPs for RF design
- a discipline which used to involve
discrete devices only.
Chapter 1B discusses interfacing
digital to analog converters (DACs) to
loads such as inthe audio output stag-
es of CD and DVD players. It includes
a comprehensive look at the various
types of DAC and covers DAC errors
and curent and voltage boosters.
Chapter 19 is on sinewave oscilla-
tors while chapter 20 is on active frlter
Beginners" followed by "High Speed
Filter Design" in chaPter 22.
Chapter 23 is a subject close to
my heart, on "Circuit Board LaYout
Techniques" a¡d the author makes the
profound statement that the board "is
ã component of the op amp design".
We would extend that to saY that the
PC board is avital component of every
maly cir-
circuit design, We have seen
cuits let down by bad board laYout.
Chapter 24 is verY relevant to
modern circuit design - on designing
Iow voltage op amp circuits, Finally,
chapter 25 is on common application
mistakes.
In summary, this is a very comPre-
hensive coverage ofthe subject. Ifyou
can only afford one book on oP amp
design, this is the one to get' It is on sale
from the SILIcoN Cun bookshop. sc
IUNE 2009 57
 ì
I

From Monday lst June to Tüesday glh June 2009 each

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desperale l0r the space and lhese discontinued (but slill good)
items needs lo be cleared lo free up space for lhe new
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xc-4809 $99.00 $49.00 GH-r880 æ4.95 $1r.95 $13.00 .
xc-4/30 $1.95 xc{215 $19.95 $i.95 $12.m 2 x crossovers
xc-5033 $12.95
$1.35
$4.95 P¡llol,/ xc-0252 $t9.95 $9.95 $10.m . 2 x grilles
xc-4844 $19.95 $9.95 $10.00 uare w th PSU Afl-1788 $99.95 $ì9.95 $60.m . Tweeter: Ribbon type
YN-8092 $139.m $s9.00 $80.00 AR-1783 $9.S5 $4.95 $5.00
YN-8242 $5.95 $2 95 tiì.00 Dats & femp Fns xc-m68 st4.95 $16.95 $18.00 with neodymium magnet
YN-8244 $9.95 $4.95 $5.00 xc4272 $29.95 $11.95 $18.00 These flowmeters provide simple DC output pulses in proportion to supply Frequency response: 3kHz
!/Jc-7524
$13.95 $5.9s $8.m lnput GE-4090 $34.95 $16.95 $18.00 .Woofer/mid: 65-40kHz
wc-7526 319.95 $8.95
S11.00 xc-0185 $29.95 $12.S5 $17.00 voltage and fluid flow which makes interfac¡ng easy Both have impellers
n-6015 $17.50 $/.S5 $9.55 GH-l490 $29.95 $14.95 $15.m made kom acetal and sla¡nless steel shafls, so w¡ll work with low viscosity Frequency response: 70Hz - 4k1z L mited Stock
Yr{0r7 ü3.95 $11.95 $12.00 GE-4082 üS.95 $9.95 $20.00 fluids Two types:
Wds $299
Yr-6011 $t.Ss $4.95 $5.00 GH-1107 $39.95 $13.95 $26.00
xc-4788 p.95 m.75 î2.20 GH-1102 ß4.95 $14.95
xc-4900 $9.95 U.95 $7.m Gï-3137 $:t9.95 $19.95 Hall Type 1,5 - 25 litres per minute CaI ZD-1200 $49 95
xc-4904 $9.95 $3.s5 $6.00 xc-0197 $69.95
xc-0278 $49.95
$34.95 Reed Switch 0 6 - I litres per minute Cal.7D-1202 $49,95 ELEtr]-RENrc FLEW
S0eaker Aclive Amol¡lied D€6K00 E203 with PSU
YN-8301 $139.00 $69.00 $70.m
xc-5180 $99.m $49 00 $50.00 GE-4076 $6S.S5 $34.95
$19 95
$:]5.00 Completely self-contained, this unit only measures RATE METER
Sb€akerAcl¡ve Anblilied Desklob for iPod? w¡lh PSU xc-5184 $69.9s frì4 95 $35.00 GH-l924 $24.95 Sil.95 $13.00 For full specifications, see page 29 of our 60 x 40mm and ¡ncludes a full LCD information display.
Si{¡lch uS82 Manùal Share xc-4862 $s9.95 $29 95 GT-3298 $29.95 $14.95 $15.00 2009 Catalogue or on the webs¡le It's supplied wjth a reed switch and piezo alarm. lt operates from 2 x AM
GT-3296 p9.95 $14.95 $15.m
$30.00
xc-4968 S1æ.95 $64.9s

@
VolP Wireless USB Phone with LCD and Recharge¿ble S65.00
GT-3214 $69.95 $34.95 $5.m batteries and a battery holder ¡s included. When used ¡n conjunction with the .'
GT-3265 $29.95 $14.95 $15.00 FS-300AH D¡g¡tal Flowmeter l}allD-12021, ìt will count down (in litres) : a
LA-5370 $593.00 $24900 $350.m
Gl-3218 M935 $19.95 $30.00 from a predetermined volume, for example 500 litres. When 500 litres have
PlR, Reed Srvilch & lR Remole LA-5400 $49.95 $19.95 $30.00
GH-1ffi8 $19.95 $9.95 $10.00 gone through the flowmeter an alarm will sound, The alarm signal can
0c-3429 Sig.gs S19.95 s40.m D¡ffuser & Beads GH-1043 U4.95 $11.9s $13.m
deo/Aud¡o w¡th BNC-RCA Adaotor 0c-3424 S5.00 M5.00 $50.00
GG-23U $59.95 $27.9s $32.00 be used to lrigger another slave device As il goes up t0 99,500 litres,
n¡th 71x lR LEDS, Fan & He¿l{ir - 24V0C 0c-3386 $f19.95 s44.95 $55.00
,ver & Soltrtilre GE-409r $24.95 $11.95 $13.m il could be used in larger-scale applications such as ¡rrigation 0rjust to
Colour Co r ShaDe 0c-3555 $64.00 $105.00 Hubs & Record Function GE-4099 $14.95 $6.95 $8.m
let you know $/hen it's lime t0 clean a filter. lt also reads flow rate, will
Colour Do nsor 0c-3æ0 $119.00 $180.00
Colour Do ntrol 0c-3497 $239.00 $260.m remember dala and operate in time mode. An unbelievably
Colour Pro Hi-Res 480TVL Panason¡c Sensor 0c-3810 $199.00 $9900 $100.00 fantastic product! Full data sheet & instructions included.
0c-3518 p99.00 $14900 $150.00 . PCB/LCD size: 60(L) x 40(W)mm
0c-3626 $99.m $119.00 $18000
t.A-5312 $29.95 $11 95 $18.00
0c-36t4 $s99.m $289.00 $310.m

Maroochydore Ph (07) 5479 35 I I

Mermaid Beach Ph (07) 552ó 6722 Practice amps with enough HEW f.0ßAT r0N
Townsville ?h (071 4772 5022 volume for the odd garage jam. They have a and keep them chilled in this
Blacktown NSW
Arbury ft' (s?) qs?r ót:g :l;',Hn"' il Í31ì 3iH iSii
Alexmdria Ph (02) 9ó99 4ó
Undemood Ph (07) 3841 4888 Christchurch
Dunedin
Ph
Ph
(03) 379 ló62
(03) 471 7934
headphone jack s0 yOu can play until your
lingers bleed without upsetting
/ capacity of 1 81, holding
up to 6 wine bottles and
Frankston lltlgl) ?19! !!99 Glenfield Ph (09) 444 4ó28
Banksrown ,n 1or¡ trot zeií Belconnen Ph (02) ó253 5700 Hamilton the neighbours uses Peltier lhermoeleckic

!r".r.t*" ï'Ìqli 26te?.ÍZ

Bondi lunction Ph (02) 93ó9 38vv
iï:ï- 4130
;l Í33ì;ï3å;999
Mãiuourn" ior¡ rccr zoro
ffi Hastings
Manukau
Ph
Ph
Ph
107) 84ó 0177
(0ó) 87ó 0239
109) 2ó3 ó241
.
.
6' speaker
modules lo cool the wine
bottles 18 degrees below

Mitlr'Æ
en
Brcokvale Ph (02) eeos
i;ö;'i iü ior¡ raro rort Hobart Ph (03) ó272 9955 Headphone jack ambienI temperature.
Campbelltown Ph (02) 4ó20 7l . CD inout
Erina en 1oz¡ lros ríi springvale Ph (03) 9547 1022
.
GoreHill Ph (o2l 9439 47í/; Sunshine Ph (03) 9310 s0óó
Adelaide Ph (08) 8231 7355 .
Switchable distorlion
. Power consumplion: 56W
Ny'ains powered
Hornsby Ph (02) 9476 622l Thomastown Ph (03) 94ó5 3333 Clovelly Park Ph (08) 827ó ó901 o Dimensions; 250(W) . 245(W) x 380(H) x
Liverpool

Fgtrar
x
Ph (02) 9821 3100
l{ewcætle Ph (02) 4965 3f99 Aspley Ph (07) 38ó3 0099 315(H) x 205(D)mm 510(D)mm
Penrith Ph (02) 4721 8337 Caboolture Ph (07) 5432 3152 MaddinRton Ph (08) 9493 4300 Shop 2,102 Sunnyhoft nd
Ph (02) 8832 3l2l ,Cairns ?h (O7l 4041 6t47 Midland Ph (08) 9250 8200
Ph: (02) 9678
ilSW 21/18
9ffi9
Ph 102) 9267 1614 lpswich Ph (07) 3282 5800 Northbridse Ph (08) 9328 8252 50W Guitar Amplifier also available $199 CS-2556
Ph (02) 953 I 7033 Mackay Ph (07) 4953 0ó I I Rockingham Ph (08) 9592 8000 Prices valid to 23rd June'09
 EET READY TE WATEH THE FtrtrTY
PAPER GENE PA DRIVERS s.ElGHZ WIRELESS AV SENDER
US¡B E¡UITAR &, MItrREPHONE Send audio & video signals around the house from practically any HDMI EABLEs' DoN'T E¡ET RIPPeD EFF!
ldeal for DIY PA bins 0r replacement drivers Wilh
aluminium kames, high efficiency and power handling
AUDIT] INTERFAtrE video source - DVD, VHS, set-top box, cable TV etc Operaling 0n We kn0w that our HDN/l leads are just as good as any on the market' which can cost up l0
Simple, passive single unbalanced input audio the 5 BGHz band keeps it fíee from intederence on the 2 4GHz 10xmOre Butd0n'ttakeourwordforit,choiceN/agazinedidafull reviewthatincludedour
capacity, these drivers offer exceptional value.
interface for home rec0rding or webcasting lt band & an external 0mnidirecli0nal antenna provides adequale Concord HD\41 cables - see www,choice,com au
10" PA Driver Power: 15OWRMS Cat CG-2381 $99
works on PC or lvlac, requ¡res no dr¡vers 0r setup transmission range and search for "Dìgital AV Calrles Rip'Ofi' for the
12'PA Driver Power:200WRMS Cat CG-2383 $119
and is powered by the USB port full online article We offer two ranges of HDN/I
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12,, F|-JLL RANGE E¡PEAKER . 6.5mm jack input, USB output . External lR extender

Rated at 300 watts RMS this wide range speaker is

. 48kHz converters for high quality audi0 . Compact size

ideally suited for use as a foldback speaker on stage

. Powered by USB . Transmission range: 100m
o Size: 100(L) x 28(Dia)mm o Frequency: 5.725 - 5 875GHz Sensitivity: 80dBm
0[ as reinforcement in an ex¡stìng system The box '
. Power:7.SVDC, 500mA. 120(L) x 88(\^4 x 34(H)mm
features an eight-ohm, 1 2" sub-woofer for rumbling
bass and a horn tweeter to give crisp, clear mid UE¡ B G¡UITAR,/MItr,/LINE AUDIE INTERFAtrE Exlra receiver available Cat AR-.1 881 $79 95
range and high frequencies WQ-7402 Concord 3.0 metres ruo'u
s.ElE¡HZ MATRIX AV S¡ENDER WITH REMOTE Lengths up to I 0m also available,
DIEITEEH
Allows you t0 watch or record one s0urce in one r00m while you transmit a different
source t0 another room You can watch, record or transmit a composite video source or
. Frequency Response: 40Hz to 1 8 RF from your TV in any combinati0n, ¡t transmits
. Box Size: 650(W) x 330(H) x 440(D)mm
¡
Mic, guitar and RCA ìnputs with gain controls on the 5 SGHz band for minimal inlerference
5 INPUT REMETE
wds 1169
.
BCA oulputs for analogue recordtng and spare receivers are avaìlable for transmitt¡ng HDMI E¡WITtrHER
.Headph0ne oulput with level contJol to multiple rooms The switcher also has five dig¡tal :
. USB cable included audio inputs (optical and coaxial),
USE MIDI INTERFAtrE EABLE l
. wh¡ch are switched in unison with
Connect any lvllDl device to your computer: keyboards, controllers, I
I . Size:
.1 .10(L)
x 70(],/V) x 50(H)mm .
Remote control for transmitter and receiver
Transmission range: 1 00m the HDlVll channels The sw¡tcher is fully - - - -::
instruments, sound cards, samplers, drum machines etc L
o Sensitivity: '80dBm HDCP compl¡ant and c0mes wìth an ¡nfrared remote control. lt has a
Plug and play, no software oÍ dr¡vers requlred.
MIDI in and MlDl out connectors, I' WIRELISS MItrREPHENES . Video inpuYoutput: gain control to c0mpensate for long cable runs
. RCA or SCART Includes mains adaptor

.
I & DUAL EHANNEL UHF o Power supply: 9VDC, 400m4
Cable length 2m
DIVERSITY REtrEIVER . Dimensions: 270(W) x 170(D) x 50(H)mm was$119
A two-channel system supporting two separate 5,8GHz Wireless Receìver
microph0nes Each channel has a separately also available AR-1 883 $99 HDMI EXTENDER
FIAVE FOC MAtrHINE balanced XLR output, A single This HDMI extender equal¡ses and b0osts your HDl,/l
Add¡lional Fog
This unit produces clouds of white fog on unbalanced (mixed) line output is als0 s¡gnal so that you æn run æble up to 50 metres long
Ju¡ce- 1 litre
demand. Fantaslic for use with laser light available The system includes two 4 WAY AV STEREE DISTRIBUTIEN AMPLIFIER . resolulion
shows, mirror balls and other party
At 1212 receiver
microphones añd batteries, Designed to split a stereo A/V signal across 4 channels
lighting. Mains powered. $17 9s unit and plugpack. -.y
_.1 r imaoe or sound quality.
without loss of image oualitv. You can wire any
¿ GA
voil woüld
r00m where you aud¡o & video from
t0 access audio
would like to . lrp to 1.6Gb
. Wireless range: 60m a central source, You can also use it t0 record t0 up t0 o HDMI v.l 3 compliant
o Frequency response: 40Hz - 1 SkHz .
four sources at the same time. 1 2VDC operated Dimensions: 6B(L) x 40(W) x 18(H)mm
. 210mm w¡de Wasô219 Lrnrited Stock Mains plugpack and input cable included. Was i54.95

ã,np** video input 1-3vpp; zb ohms LISTEN TO THE S¡EUNDS

. Stereo audio input -20d8; 25k ohms ldeal for karaoke, this pa¡r of active speakers are excellent

EXTRA LARGE Y READ . 4 x Composite v¡deo outputs lVpp output; 75 ohm multimedia speakers or any applicat¡on where you need a PA
ALARM trLEGK WITH I.5'' SHAKE A\,1/AKE ALARM ELEtrK . I
4 x Stereo audio outputs . RCA lnput oulput co tors function as well as music
ÞIE;ITAL PHOTE VIEWER ldeal for those wanting t0 get up early without disturbing their LED ALARM ELOtrK . Size: 1 76(!V) x 90(H) x 25(D)mm LII\IITED ST Was $79'95
.t
partner, alternatively, you can also just set the buzzer alarm and This LED alarm clock is incredibly simpìe t0 use you won't .
Take your memoíes wilh you when you 5OWRMS
go without lhe vibrating sensati0n even need t0 read the instructions t0 set it! The extra large .2xmicinputs
travel, Pocket sized, lh¡s ¡s the ideal travelling
red number display is excellent for tired eyes, making reading UE¡El DIEITAL TV TUNER .
companion Use the included Photo Viewer Watch high definiti0n digital lV on your desktop or laptop Simple t0 sel up and use, jusl Echo effect on mic inputs
o AC adaptor & v¡brator included the lime easy at night or .
software to download and edìt your photos Remole control wilh volume & delay
connect lhe USB stick, plug in the antenna, install the softlvare and away yOu g0
lhen vie,/v lhem in sl¡desh0w 0r single
from a distance, This would . Each enclosure measures
be a great alarm clock lor
an older person or the
. Software \,vith time shifting and scheduled recording
630(H) x 130(W) x 295(D)mm
.
guest bedroom.
I .
.
Supports kee-to'air DTV in many countries
Compatible wlth Wìndows Xq MCE & Vista
Anlenna, cable and soft¡¡/are included
Was 9169
o Display size: l40mm x 50mm b
o Dimensions: 80mm height, 190mm width, F
800mm depth (base) Several other rnodels avarlable tn slore
o Power: 240V mains power including XC-48ô1 E XC-4887 WasSn.!Æ MPEE¡.4 PLAYTR & REMETE
or 1 x gV battery (use SB-2423)
DIEITAL TV E¡ICNAL
S¡TRENETH INDItrATER
RevorE Etrrureou Err-Rc¡AD Elecrel VENItrLEs¡ Take the guesswork out of installing your Digital TV antenna
to get lhe best signal With this handy little signai strength
Don't be fooled by the price tag, these are serious ¡ndicator, you get a clear visual LED indiætion 0t the signal
1 :1 0 scale electric off-road remote conlrol racing
Gr-3672
2.4ÊHZ 3 EHANNEL strength coming from your antenna as you adjust the
cars! Each is constructed around a lightwe¡ght Rtr trAR REMETE position and d¡rection. N0 more yelling from lhe roof t0 the
hardened plastic chassis and features front and Never worry about having the right crystal again You living rooml
rear fully adjustable independent suspension can save all of your models and setups in one . Colour may vary from that shown
w¡th 0il-dampened shock absorbers, full-time kansmìlter, and recall lhem with a couple of bulton ¡ Size: 80(L) x 66(W) x 32(H)mm
shaft-driven 4WD w¡th front and rear geared differenlials,

X3:H'i',iå'îl'Ji:lii :iÉ.$'"1'.1iSåi'.3iflåìå' r'"'i3i;i'n, \!

torque RC540 brushed motor. To add serious tyre-shredd¡ng, wheel-standing
pushes. Each model memory has fully programmable
features such as lhrottle and steerìng curves, ABS,
traclion control, steedng limits and much, much
more. Available as a transm¡tter and receiver system
'
2.4ÊHZ AV SENDER/RECEI\/ER
Send your audio and video all over the house vrirelesly on lhe
AM/FM WOEIO BAND REtrEIVER
A truly portable wold radio that ¡s designed lor functionality and ease of use.
11 covers the standard AM/FM bands as well as the short wave bands
2.4GHz band. ljse your cable ry CD, DVD remote t0 change
h UPgrade GT-3675. that includes: 2 4GHz transmitter, receiver and servo
channels, volume and settings from lhe rece¡ver end of this 2.4GHz kom 2,300kH2 to 22,000kH2. The tuner uses phase locked
battery holder.
system Even send surveillance camera images t0 another part 0f loop (PPL) techn0logy which ensures rOck-steady, drift free
a
the building. All withoul the need to run c¿bles Features a phase- reception. This is an excellent radio that will perform well for
2.4GHz3 channel RC car remote DC-1500 $199 yeafs t0 come.
locked loop (PLL) electronic circuit lhat conslantly adjusts, l0cking
1 GT-3670 $249
onto any sìgnal and avoiding any reception dr¡ft Wasî76.$
. Approx 1 90mm wìde
Truck $269
Additional 2 GH|3 channel rece¡vers are available . Requires 2 x AÀ batteries
1:10 Electric Monster GT-3672 Spa¡c BetÆiver ava¡lable CdL An-1837
separately (Cat DC-l502) $79,95 Was $59,9!i
{G Gar ESC/Motor Upgrade GT-3675 $249 DC-1 500 waswgî rl0w939.95 SaveSS
 SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE
RETRE ED PLAYER REMoTE EENTREL 1..43 E¡ ZENE ALARM wtrH Z \ry|RE Tecx¡loL_oev MoToRtrYtrLE ALARM
\^/ITH IPED@ DEtrKING E¡TATIf]N StrALE TuegO MEDEL EARS This advanced eight zone alarm syslem is easy to set-uD and provides a high
level of user secur¡ty lnstallation is simplified by the use of a unique non-
Features a waterproof control unil, siren,
Smart and stylish design that will suit the h0me or off¡ce, this un¡l Choose a Fenari F50GT, Fenari FXX, l,¡'lercedes C-Class DTM or Mini Cooper S and remote controls, s0 it can handle the
polar¡sed two-wire technology See website for fu¡l deta¡ls, weather extremes. The alarm is triggered by
fealures a CD player, AM/FM rad¡o, alarm clock, USB port, full Convertible to test out your driving abilities around the off¡ce 0r home These
function remote control and an iPod@ docking station little wonders are 1 :43 scale factory endorsed replicas of some 0f the most
CaT.lA-5477 Wastl4g a shock sensor, which is mounted inside the
What more could you ask fol stylish vehicles ava¡lable They feature full funct¡on¡ng controls including
I Extra lB Receiver LA-5478 Extra Keyfob LA-5479 control unit, as ¡s the ¡mmobjliser relay. A
foMard, back, left, right & 1urb0. The front headlights ,/v¡ll light up as you Add up to hvo remote readers to flashÌng LED also acts as a deterrent .G[eat features
onal keyfob remoles
. CD, CD-R, CD-RW accelerate and the taillights when you brake The vehicles all contain an internal allow acces through f[ont and so each family
MP3 & WMA Ni-MH battery that is recharged via their d¡splay base, With two d¡fferent frequencies back doors or even garage. lheir own remote.

.
compatible
. Suitable for ages B+
Was Q9.95 Now î24,95 Save î5 919.95 Savet¡ Limiied Sto
Recharges
iPod@ batteries . Each model requires 6 x M batteries (Use SB-2333)
. Measures: Savellow SEtrURITY EAMERA ELEARANtrE SALE
340(L) x 270(D) GT-3290 1:43 Fenari F50GT 27MHz $24.95 $14.95 $10
x 172(H)mm GT-3291 1 :43 Fenari FXX 40lvlHz $24 $1 4 35
$1 0 95
GI-3252 1 .43 Mini Cooper S Convertible 27lrlHz $29,95 $1S.95 $10
was î199 GT-3294 1:43 [4ercedes C-Class DTM 40MHz $29,95 $19.95 $10 Limlted Stock
audio capture. The camera can be plugged into mains power w¡th the
L¡m¡led Stock ¡Poda not included
included plugpack or via the gV battery attachment, also
BASS E¡HAKER included lt has infrared LED's bu¡lljn for night vision.
Was Aow Save
NITRE FUELED 4WD Rtr EARS 4 EHM ZsWRMS . lP Camera with 6 x lR LEDs QC-3396 00 $1 99,00 $50
These ørs G0l They are bu¡lt around a strong yet l¡ghtweight Supplied with one camera & receiver $249
aluminium alloy chasis and powered by a sl¡ck, 0 1B cubic inch
Literally feel the bass! Works like a speaker, but instead
Was 9229
5.BGHz Wireless Cl\40S Camera & Receiver Kit 0C-3520 s269,00 $199 00 $70
dual speed engine that winds out lo an incredible t0
of a cone it has a steel mass that transmits ajolt 0f 5 SGHz Wireless Clr/OS c¿mera t0 suit 0C-3570 QC 3571 $179,00 $149 00 $30
28,000rpm,
energy to give an interactive feel lo your home cinema
2.4ÊHz WIRELEs¡s WEATHERpRooF 5 SGHz Wireless CN/OS lR Camera & Receiver Kit QC-3522 $299 00 $249 00 SsO
QC-3572 $1 99,00 $1 49 00 $50
or sound system, Use single 0r multiple
. Nitro.tueled. IR trELoUR EAMERA
5.8GHz Wireless Clr/OS Camera for 0C-3573
. 400mm long units to give bass a new meaning. 5 BGHz Wireless lR Clr/OS Camera 0C-3525 $1 69 00 $1 29,00 $40
. Recommended for ages 1 2+ Wasæ!n
See website for full specificaljons Suits 2.4GHz Wireless Camera Receiver 2 4GHz tr/ini Wireless CMOS Colour CameraKit QC-3b69 $199 00 $149,00 S50
Wds 139,95 Limited Stock QC 3584, Th¡s camera is switchable 2 4GHz Transm¡tterfor Video Cameras 0C-3594 $69.95 $59.95 $10
$99 95 $79 s5 $20
Was 6399 between channel 1, 2, 3 or 4 on the
Es¡D E¡AFE S¡ELDER REWOET STATIEN 4 Channel Wireless Receiver for 2.4GHz Cameras 0C-3568
Complete solder rework station for pr0duction and service use The temperature is easily
receiver Easy & cost effect¡ve solution 2.4GHz lVini Wireless Colour Video Camera - Audio OC-3b95 $16S 00 $129 00 $40
adjusted in l"
increments with simple up/down buttons and the soldering/rework functions
to a multi camera installation 2 4GHz Wireless Audio Video Modules , Transmitter 0C,3598 $19 95 $14 95 $5
can be opeated independently of each other. Suitable f0r lead-Ïree s0loer'
2.4GHz Wireless Audio Video Modules - Receiver 0C-3599 $29 95 $24 95 $5
. 510 x 582 pixei resolution
. Celsius and Fahrenheit display . Buillin microphone for audio monitoring
Lim ted Stock
. M¡croprocessor conlrolled o I00m transmission distance
E|LUETEETH HEADPHENEE¡
.2xbacklitLCDS . lR illuminator for low light use
PARKING ASSIST SYsTev w¡TH REARVIEW EAMERA
. Dig¡tal temperature d¡splay . Effective night vision range: Zm Was û149
This parking assist system ¡nlerfaces with a wired factory or
Extremely lightweight & comfortable to wear, these will work w¡th any Bluetooth compatible . aftermarket \iideo display system and overlays the distance
device such as PC, mobile phones of PDA. Not only does it allow you to listen t0 .
Microprocessor conkolled
Soldering pencil / Hot air blowet in melres l0 an object and a proximity diagram
cryslal clear audio but it has a slide out microphdne for use as a i
hands free communicaüon. Wilh an 0nboard lithium-ion
'> . Power:60W (heating power 130W) {¡, onto lhe video feed The l 1 5" w¡de angle CCD
. Temperature range: 1 60 - 480'C
battery, charging is via the . Capacity: 24 litreVmin max
. . 13mm fìalpack nozle,
Range: 10m
o Sensitivity: '74+l- 4dB I 2mmnoule,4mm nozle
. Operation Ime: 8-9 hou -2.5 hours Was 1369 Was û349

FINEER EIEATS MIXER MAT ELASSItr BIKE ENGINE BHINDER THE ROE|ET 1EO/o Err EUR F¿ANGE Ef F SiINE WAVE I
I
Two pumping sets of samPle E¡TYLE USB PT]RT ALARM ELEtrK Take your creature comforts with you when you go bush or on any road trip
beats to m¡x into thousands of \^/ITH 3 HUBS Bhender is a robot clock and makes the Two versions available:
as these inverters will produce mains power from y0ur vehicle's battery
A 1 50W inverter will run some laptops, lights, small TVs and recharge
different DJ tracks, Select It looks like a Norton twin from perfect workplace companion and will hold
your notes, ph0tos, or messages w¡lhout
.Colour Dome Ki[ Cat QC-3264 balteries lnverters 300W and above will also run pOwer tools,
and play along to one of four lhe '60s and when you hit o Outdoor lP56 rated Colour Kit
different backing tracks or the k¡ck slarter it shakes, complaint His head is a m¡n¡ analogue
Cat QC-3266 lluorescents & larger style TVs, i.
plug in your MP3 player to rattles and makes all the alarm clock so he can remind you
play along to your favourite right noises, complele with geâr when it's time for lunchl Power Voltage 0A! Was Now Save
songs Record and Playback Your change sounds The only thing
o Size: 90 x 40x 160mm
150W 12VDC to 230VAC Mt-5102 $54 95 $49 45 $5.50
own mixes and plug in either mising is the oil leaksl Was î129 300W l2VDC to 230VAC Mt-5104 $84.95 $76.45 $8 50
headphones for privale listen¡ng or a set of
.
Wastl4.95 400W 12VDC to 230VAC ¡/t-51 06 $1 55 $1 39 50 $1 5 50
speakers to play to an audience
¡ Cable provided for MP3 connection .
3 x USB 2.0 ports 400W 24VDC to 230VAC Mt-5107 $149 $134 10 $14 90
.
Measures:115(L) 600W 12VDC to 230VAC f/r-5108 $249 $22410 52490
Headphone jack x BS(WJ x 120(H)mm Lrm¡ied Stock
. Requires 4 x AAA bafteries lÍas î59.#
. Un¡t measures: 260mm(L) Wasß4,95 EEMPUTER EENNEeT WEATHER DY¡.¡e,vo E¡ADEET EHAREER
EiMS EoMMUNITATERS¡ AtrTIvE SPEAKERS STerIo¡¡ WITH WIRELES¡S s¡ENSEREì Charge your gadgets on the gol Recharge your mobile
USEl E¡REENHOUSE 'lle outdoor sensors will transm¡t up to 60 metres til the receiver, which has phone, iPod@, PDA o
Simply sow your seeds, install Send and receive text YtrUR FER IPOD@ full clock and calendar functtons and shows w¡nd direction, chill factor and winding the crank. A
-.- lhe software, plug inlo your -- messages with all your Dæk your iPod6 and be free of wires, tool for camping &
'r- Ùsri io'tã'iolå vòri fr¡ends up to 10m away Perfect wtìile bavelling, at your desk or
-- Ì computer do all the work.
Growth chart, calendar and
with these fantastic lR
communicators. No mobile
even in tlìe kitchen vrhile doing
'lhe
4 speåkeß
people on the move.

the dishes
':\ diary funct¡ons remind phone and no bills! The produæ a high quality sound . 2 minute cranking for 4 m¡nute mobile Ialkline I
,: \ you to water and fertilise devices are lighlwejght and hat won't disappoint. You can . Dimensions: 1129[¡x 47(lÎlx 23(D)mm Was 929.95
your planls. can be cl¡pped onto your mnnæt il to CD players,
belt. They feature discrete computeß or any audìo
text not¡fication as well as emilting devìce wjüì a
calculator, calendar and alarm clock 3.5mm sodct. WEATHER STATICINS
The transmission range is 4.5 metròs We have plenty of other weather stations in-store
(mar 10 metres) Note: iPod€ not included
Call in to one of our stores and have a look. Was I'low Save
ftw Wìreless Weather Station w¡th Computer lnterface XC-0332 $299.00 69.00
$1 $1 30
o Sold as a pair Wast79,95 Wireles Weather Station with Doorbell XC-0336 $99.9s $69 95 $30 I

. Requires 6 x MA batteries Wealher station With Coloured Display & Pro.jection XC-0340 $99 95 $49,95 $50 | . Includes LED torchlioht & bafieries
Wasfl9.95 Colour Wealher Station with Digital Ph0t0 Vje,¿ver XC.0344 $9S 35 $74.95 $25 [ . B0rr long was$z4.gs
Lrmiled Slock
 DIY PRE]JEtrT5 & KITS
AUToRANG¡ING PEtrKET DM M
Pockelsized DMMs have come a
long way. They are proDer tesl

EENTRELLED MAINS s¡wITtrH DMX RELAY EENTRT]L KIT instruments wodhy of serious
Control a relay with the DMX512 protocol lt is consideration as well as an excellent
RGf Glfpil¡øæFcônlüym actually a bus-controlled power driver The relay range of features This un¡t has an
C0mmercial remote c0nf0l mains switches are available but these
will be activated when the DN4X value of the easy one finger dial select0r on the
are generally limited to a range of less than 20m This UHF
set channel equals 1 40 or more front leaving your other hand Íree.
system will operate up t0 200m and is perfect for remote
and turns off when the value is 1 20
power control systems etc The switch can be activated
or less Team it with KC-5482 to . Fixed leads
using the included hand held controller or our KC-546,1 . Shockproof
make a computer controlled
waler tank level sensor base slali0n . Case included
automation system, Kit contains
Kit supplied with case, screen prinled PCB,
RF modules and all eleclrOnic c0mponents
DMX-5.1 2, XLR plug, PCB and all . Auto poweroff BATTERY, EHAREER &
specified components. $59.95 ALTERNATER TEE¡TERS
TEMPM,A,STER KIT MKI I DMX EENTREL DIMMER KIT HEATSHRINK ASS¡ERTMENT TRADE PAtrK
These handy devices quickly indicate the condition ol your car 0r lruck
ßelec ltag¡åêFcùnBrtzm This kit will drive resistive l0ads like incandescent lamps and mains voltage halogen
All the heatshrink the technician, tradesman or serious
battery charger or alternator. They use 3 LEDs to indicate battery and
charge under engine on/engine 0ff c0nditions.
Wanl to cOnvert an old chest freezer into an lighting, Short form k¡l contains XLR socket, PCB and all specified components,
hobby user will ever need. The pack contains 1 60
energy-efficient fridge or beer keg fidge? 0r .
51 2 un¡que addresses, selectable with DIP sw¡tch
Compact and l¡ghtweight, they include 600mm leads lvith crocodile
lengths of different sizes in a handy storage case
convert a spare standard kidge into a wine .
Status LED for power and enor detection
clips, and an inbuilt magnet to secure the unit wh¡le taking
cooler? These are just two of the jobs this low- o Toroidal filtering for low noise measurements.
. . 1.smm: 40 x black, 10 x red, 10 x clear . Dimensions: 120(L) x 33(W) x 20(D)mm
cost and easyìo build electronic thermOstat kit Stand alone mode for testing
. . 2.5mm: 25 x black, 5 x red, 5x clear
will do. lt can also be used to control 1 2V fr¡dges or freezers, as well as Load capacily: 1 000 W @ 230V o 3mm; 17 x black, 4 x red, 4 x clear Available in
heaters in hatcheries and fish tanks, lt controls the fridge/freezer or healet (54)or500W@115V 1 2 or 24V versions:
o 5mm: 14 x black, 3 x red, 3 x clear
direclly via their power cables, so there's n0 need 10 modify the ¡nternal . Power lnput: 1 1 5/230 VAC ¡ 6mm: 6 x black, 2 x red, 2 x clear QP-225812U Wasttz.W QP-225924V Wastt2.ß
wiring ShortJorm kit contains PCB, sensor and all specif¡ed components, . Dimensions: 150(L) x 60(W) x 45(H)mm . 10mm: 6 x black, 2 x red. 2 x clear
You'll need to add your own 240V GPO, switched IEC socket and case.
¡ Case size: 205(L) x 110(tlv) x 35(H)mm

DELUXE S¡ELAR EI)UtrATIENAL KIT

A series 0f d0-¡t-yourself experiments to acquire lhe basic knowledge KEYtrAsE MINI ,READIES'
of solar energy. Supplied with a solar panel which incorporates
UE¡El EXPERIMENTERIS DRIVER S¡ET EABLE TESTER
lnterface your computer t0 the real world. There are five digital and lwo variable gain
3 x 1.5V cells for series or parallel connecti0n. Handy set of mini bits and dr¡ver in a The heavy gauge metal case of this versatile cable tester will
analogue inpuTs Eìght digital and two analogue
The k¡t comes complete w¡th: - outputs are available Supplied with all
convenient key-s¡zed slorage case. wilhstand just about anything he road or the 'roadie' øn throw
. .
Solar cell module l\¡usical unit Supplled with 12 bits: at it. Enables quick, convenient and reliable cont¡nuity testing of
.
o Small DC motor Wire with motor clips c0mp0nents, silk screened PCB, assembly . Flat: 1.5,2,2,5nn the most popular types of cables,
. .
4 jumper wires Nuls & plastic spanner
manual, and software, . Phill¡ps: 1.5, 2,2,5nn
. Colour spinner discs ¡
Plastic lamp o Ton: T5, T7, TB, Tg. T10 . Bequires 1 x 9V battery
. Paper aeroplane & bird models WastlT,!þ . 102(W) x 45(H) x 142(D)mm
o Plastic turntables .
Plaslic fan sp¡nner Wasf69.%
. 14 page solar energy booklet . .
5 Digital inputs 2 Analogue inputs with variable gain and integraled counters
.
.
Analogue input range 0 to 5VDC . I Open collector digilal outputs
2 Analogue outputs PWM or 0 lo 5VDC . 0n-board test butt0ns for inputs and LED
AU-rEMETIVE AccEsSERIEs
. USB powered . Win9SSE or above (Not NT)
BRIDEE MEDE ADAPT
AVR IEìP S¡ERIAL PREEìF¿AMMER KIT Powee EABLES . Buv A Fuu Roll & S.qve
FER STEREE AMPLIFIERs¡ n¡fã: SËGor ftñp frlagE# l¡cbbcrãþ2 Z EERE AUTo EABLE Powee EABLES
15 amp 2/26 x 0.3mm.
Program, erase and rewrite the program and dala memory in Pefect for hi-power spotlights as well as
ely - Red/Black figure 8 aulo cable.
your AVR microprocessor without even removing it from audio installations. Also available in black.
are no - ldeal for most automotive wiring
done by the application circuit, This kit c0nnects to the computer
serial port, uses royaltyJree software available on the
kit before the signals are fed to the stereo amp, ldeal for say, using a slereo
amp as an occasional PA amp for social functions or using an old
Internet and allows you t0 program a multitude 0f micros
Roll Length
wH-3079
1 00 Metres Sold Per Metre BåX- W[-3333 sordperMeùe
in the AVR 8-bit RISC famìly (see website for full lisling).
amplifier to drive a sub-woofer in a home theatre
Kit supplied w¡th PCB, jiffy box with sìlk'screened fur tech data see calalogue
Kit supplied with silk screened PCB and all specified
lid and all eleclronic comp0nents,
c0mponents, Requires balanced (+/ ) power supply,

ULTRA.LOW DIE¡TERTIEN Oual¡ty Oxygen Free Copper Pro

I 3sWRMS¡ AMPLIFIER MEDULE Sedes RCA audio leads with
fd strcü cl4r lagde A[g[¡sf 2lm moulded gold plugs and central
This ultra low dist0rtion amplif¡er module uses the new ThermalTrak power Z4EV I EA DELU lead w¡rq for remote switching of
transislors and is largely based on the high-performance Class-A amplifier. S¡PEED EONTRELLER KIT car ampi, or for grounding on
Th¡s improved circuit has no need for a quiescent cunent adjustment 0r a fefr Sücs Ð f¡gaiËA0rt 2003
secure even if üieves have lhe keys,
Hi-Fi home syslems. Cable is figure
Vbe multiplier transistor and has an exceptionally low This deluxe kit prov¡des full speed confol from near zero t0 . 8 blue colour with an 0D of 6mm each
Metallic water resistant LCD
figure, Kit supplied with PCB and all maximum RPlVl, good speed regulation under load, very sm00th side. Plugs are gold plated and moulded to
transmitters w¡th lithium battery
electronic compOnents, Heat sink & low speed operation & is rated for devices Úp to 2300W. lt also . he cable. Each lead has two RCA oluos
plugs on each end,
FSK technology, range up to 3000m
has soft-start to eliminate the kick from larger power t00ls & has r Valet mode meùe WA-1068 $12.95
0.5
.Output Power: 135WR[/S into Sohms and 200WRMS ¡nto 40hms inlerference suppression filtering, fuse protecti0n and over-current . Out of operat¡ng range waming metre WA-1070 $14.95
1.5
. Frequency Response at 1W: 4Hz to 50kHz protect¡on with limiting, . Spare remote: LA-9017 $99 2.5 metre WA-1072 $17.95
. Harmonic Distortion: <.0080,6 fom 20Hz Io 20kHz . overlay PCB & all componenls. o Machined case included 5.0 metre WA-1076 $23.95

MItrREMITTER E¡TEREE FM DIGITAL FUEL ADJUSTER 1&Z FARADEAPATIToRS

TRANSMITTER KIT
neftG SüiÐ clqr tagazfræ Dcceíúcr ãn-2
This is the third generation 0f this k¡t and is far more
stable and compact than the original. You can connect
your CD or MP3 player to the lviicromitter and listen to
your music all over the house through any FI/ radio.
Using a surface mount BH1 41 7F processor, this model
crystal locked to a preselected frequency to eliminale
(equqlcy drift, Supplied with revised PCB with solder mask &
n* Pcrftlüancc trê.ù!.tcs fûrcars - SfliGoí @ ilagulÉ ftËf,calials ReseoNsE I OtrtrWRMS LINKABLE WITH LEf) DISPLAY
Gives you complete control of the airlfuel ratio at 1 28 points MENEBLEBK EAR Aveu¡nge These hold a reserve charge which is available in
across the entire engine load range and provides incredible Monslrous, eardrum-perforating power. You also get variable bass
microseconds if needed, eliminating clipping and
mapping res0lution and brilliant drivability. It uses the boost, adjustable phaæ shift, low pass filter and master/slave
distortion producing consequences of wiring loom
Handheld Digilal Controller - KC-5386 (available operabon. optional remote bass gain controller,
voltage drops. Handy voltage display readout and
separately) s0 there is n0 need for a
laptop, Supports both static and
indicator LEDs included. ^
is ! real time mapping, Kit supplied with ¡ Power @ 1 ohm mono 14.4V:1000WRMS RU-6752 1 Farad: Wasttl9
l!r- a quality solder masked PCB with overlay, . Power @ 2 ohms mono 14.4V: 600WRMS 1 50(H) x BsC/ú) x 85(D)mm

machined case wilh processed panels, programmed micro & all . Power @ 2 ohms linkable, dual mono i4.4V: iBOOWRMS
silk-screened lid & all eleckonic comp0nents,
Wasîtlôg RU-6751 2 Farad: Wasttæ
170(H) xB5(W)x85(D)mm
 DIY PRE]JEtrT5 & KITS
AUToRANG¡ING PEtrKET DM M
Pockelsized DMMs have come a
long way. They are proDer tesl

EENTRELLED MAINS s¡wITtrH DMX RELAY EENTRT]L KIT instruments wodhy of serious
Control a relay with the DMX512 protocol lt is consideration as well as an excellent
RGf Glfpil¡øæFcônlüym actually a bus-controlled power driver The relay range of features This un¡t has an
C0mmercial remote c0nf0l mains switches are available but these
will be activated when the DN4X value of the easy one finger dial select0r on the
are generally limited to a range of less than 20m This UHF
set channel equals 1 40 or more front leaving your other hand Íree.
system will operate up t0 200m and is perfect for remote
and turns off when the value is 1 20
power control systems etc The switch can be activated
or less Team it with KC-5482 to . Fixed leads
using the included hand held controller or our KC-546,1 . Shockproof
make a computer controlled
waler tank level sensor base slali0n . Case included
automation system, Kit contains
Kit supplied with case, screen prinled PCB,
RF modules and all eleclrOnic c0mponents
DMX-5.1 2, XLR plug, PCB and all . Auto poweroff BATTERY, EHAREER &
specified components. $59.95 ALTERNATER TEE¡TERS
TEMPM,A,STER KIT MKI I DMX EENTREL DIMMER KIT HEATSHRINK ASS¡ERTMENT TRADE PAtrK
These handy devices quickly indicate the condition ol your car 0r lruck
ßelec ltag¡åêFcùnBrtzm This kit will drive resistive l0ads like incandescent lamps and mains voltage halogen
All the heatshrink the technician, tradesman or serious
battery charger or alternator. They use 3 LEDs to indicate battery and
charge under engine on/engine 0ff c0nditions.
Wanl to cOnvert an old chest freezer into an lighting, Short form k¡l contains XLR socket, PCB and all specified components,
hobby user will ever need. The pack contains 1 60
energy-efficient fridge or beer keg fidge? 0r .
51 2 un¡que addresses, selectable with DIP sw¡tch
Compact and l¡ghtweight, they include 600mm leads lvith crocodile
lengths of different sizes in a handy storage case
convert a spare standard kidge into a wine .
Status LED for power and enor detection
clips, and an inbuilt magnet to secure the unit wh¡le taking
cooler? These are just two of the jobs this low- o Toroidal filtering for low noise measurements.
. . 1.smm: 40 x black, 10 x red, 10 x clear . Dimensions: 120(L) x 33(W) x 20(D)mm
cost and easyìo build electronic thermOstat kit Stand alone mode for testing
. . 2.5mm: 25 x black, 5 x red, 5x clear
will do. lt can also be used to control 1 2V fr¡dges or freezers, as well as Load capacily: 1 000 W @ 230V o 3mm; 17 x black, 4 x red, 4 x clear Available in
heaters in hatcheries and fish tanks, lt controls the fridge/freezer or healet (54)or500W@115V 1 2 or 24V versions:
o 5mm: 14 x black, 3 x red, 3 x clear
direclly via their power cables, so there's n0 need 10 modify the ¡nternal . Power lnput: 1 1 5/230 VAC ¡ 6mm: 6 x black, 2 x red, 2 x clear QP-225812U Wasttz.W QP-225924V Wastt2.ß
wiring ShortJorm kit contains PCB, sensor and all specif¡ed components, . Dimensions: 150(L) x 60(W) x 45(H)mm . 10mm: 6 x black, 2 x red. 2 x clear
You'll need to add your own 240V GPO, switched IEC socket and case.
¡ Case size: 205(L) x 110(tlv) x 35(H)mm

DELUXE S¡ELAR EI)UtrATIENAL KIT

A series 0f d0-¡t-yourself experiments to acquire lhe basic knowledge KEYtrAsE MINI ,READIES'
of solar energy. Supplied with a solar panel which incorporates
UE¡El EXPERIMENTERIS DRIVER S¡ET EABLE TESTER
lnterface your computer t0 the real world. There are five digital and lwo variable gain
3 x 1.5V cells for series or parallel connecti0n. Handy set of mini bits and dr¡ver in a The heavy gauge metal case of this versatile cable tester will
analogue inpuTs Eìght digital and two analogue
The k¡t comes complete w¡th: - outputs are available Supplied with all
convenient key-s¡zed slorage case. wilhstand just about anything he road or the 'roadie' øn throw
. .
Solar cell module l\¡usical unit Supplled with 12 bits: at it. Enables quick, convenient and reliable cont¡nuity testing of
.
o Small DC motor Wire with motor clips c0mp0nents, silk screened PCB, assembly . Flat: 1.5,2,2,5nn the most popular types of cables,
. .
4 jumper wires Nuls & plastic spanner
manual, and software, . Phill¡ps: 1.5, 2,2,5nn
. Colour spinner discs ¡
Plastic lamp o Ton: T5, T7, TB, Tg. T10 . Bequires 1 x 9V battery
. Paper aeroplane & bird models WastlT,!þ . 102(W) x 45(H) x 142(D)mm
o Plastic turntables .
Plaslic fan sp¡nner Wasf69.%
. 14 page solar energy booklet . .
5 Digital inputs 2 Analogue inputs with variable gain and integraled counters
.
.
Analogue input range 0 to 5VDC . I Open collector digilal outputs
2 Analogue outputs PWM or 0 lo 5VDC . 0n-board test butt0ns for inputs and LED
AU-rEMETIVE AccEsSERIEs
. USB powered . Win9SSE or above (Not NT)
BRIDEE MEDE ADAPT
AVR IEìP S¡ERIAL PREEìF¿AMMER KIT Powee EABLES . Buv A Fuu Roll & S.qve
FER STEREE AMPLIFIERs¡ n¡fã: SËGor ftñp frlagE# l¡cbbcrãþ2 Z EERE AUTo EABLE Powee EABLES
15 amp 2/26 x 0.3mm.
Program, erase and rewrite the program and dala memory in Pefect for hi-power spotlights as well as
ely - Red/Black figure 8 aulo cable.
your AVR microprocessor without even removing it from audio installations. Also available in black.
are no - ldeal for most automotive wiring
done by the application circuit, This kit c0nnects to the computer
serial port, uses royaltyJree software available on the
kit before the signals are fed to the stereo amp, ldeal for say, using a slereo
amp as an occasional PA amp for social functions or using an old
Internet and allows you t0 program a multitude 0f micros
Roll Length
wH-3079
1 00 Metres Sold Per Metre BåX- W[-3333 sordperMeùe
in the AVR 8-bit RISC famìly (see website for full lisling).
amplifier to drive a sub-woofer in a home theatre
Kit supplied w¡th PCB, jiffy box with sìlk'screened fur tech data see calalogue
Kit supplied with silk screened PCB and all specified
lid and all eleclronic comp0nents,
c0mponents, Requires balanced (+/ ) power supply,

ULTRA.LOW DIE¡TERTIEN Oual¡ty Oxygen Free Copper Pro

I 3sWRMS¡ AMPLIFIER MEDULE Sedes RCA audio leads with
fd strcü cl4r lagde A[g[¡sf 2lm moulded gold plugs and central
This ultra low dist0rtion amplif¡er module uses the new ThermalTrak power Z4EV I EA DELU lead w¡rq for remote switching of
transislors and is largely based on the high-performance Class-A amplifier. S¡PEED EONTRELLER KIT car ampi, or for grounding on
Th¡s improved circuit has no need for a quiescent cunent adjustment 0r a fefr Sücs Ð f¡gaiËA0rt 2003
secure even if üieves have lhe keys,
Hi-Fi home syslems. Cable is figure
Vbe multiplier transistor and has an exceptionally low This deluxe kit prov¡des full speed confol from near zero t0 . 8 blue colour with an 0D of 6mm each
Metallic water resistant LCD
figure, Kit supplied with PCB and all maximum RPlVl, good speed regulation under load, very sm00th side. Plugs are gold plated and moulded to
transmitters w¡th lithium battery
electronic compOnents, Heat sink & low speed operation & is rated for devices Úp to 2300W. lt also . he cable. Each lead has two RCA oluos
plugs on each end,
FSK technology, range up to 3000m
has soft-start to eliminate the kick from larger power t00ls & has r Valet mode meùe WA-1068 $12.95
0.5
.Output Power: 135WR[/S into Sohms and 200WRMS ¡nto 40hms inlerference suppression filtering, fuse protecti0n and over-current . Out of operat¡ng range waming metre WA-1070 $14.95
1.5
. Frequency Response at 1W: 4Hz to 50kHz protect¡on with limiting, . Spare remote: LA-9017 $99 2.5 metre WA-1072 $17.95
. Harmonic Distortion: <.0080,6 fom 20Hz Io 20kHz . overlay PCB & all componenls. o Machined case included 5.0 metre WA-1076 $23.95

MItrREMITTER E¡TEREE FM DIGITAL FUEL ADJUSTER 1&Z FARADEAPATIToRS

TRANSMITTER KIT
neftG SüiÐ clqr tagazfræ Dcceíúcr ãn-2
This is the third generation 0f this k¡t and is far more
stable and compact than the original. You can connect
your CD or MP3 player to the lviicromitter and listen to
your music all over the house through any FI/ radio.
Using a surface mount BH1 41 7F processor, this model
crystal locked to a preselected frequency to eliminale
(equqlcy drift, Supplied with revised PCB with solder mask &
n* Pcrftlüancc trê.ù!.tcs fûrcars - SfliGoí @ ilagulÉ ftËf,calials ReseoNsE I OtrtrWRMS LINKABLE WITH LEf) DISPLAY
Gives you complete control of the airlfuel ratio at 1 28 points MENEBLEBK EAR Aveu¡nge These hold a reserve charge which is available in
across the entire engine load range and provides incredible Monslrous, eardrum-perforating power. You also get variable bass
microseconds if needed, eliminating clipping and
mapping res0lution and brilliant drivability. It uses the boost, adjustable phaæ shift, low pass filter and master/slave
distortion producing consequences of wiring loom
Handheld Digilal Controller - KC-5386 (available operabon. optional remote bass gain controller,
voltage drops. Handy voltage display readout and
separately) s0 there is n0 need for a
laptop, Supports both static and
indicator LEDs included. ^
is ! real time mapping, Kit supplied with ¡ Power @ 1 ohm mono 14.4V:1000WRMS RU-6752 1 Farad: Wasttl9
l!r- a quality solder masked PCB with overlay, . Power @ 2 ohms mono 14.4V: 600WRMS 1 50(H) x BsC/ú) x 85(D)mm

machined case wilh processed panels, programmed micro & all . Power @ 2 ohms linkable, dual mono i4.4V: iBOOWRMS
silk-screened lid & all eleckonic comp0nents,
Wasîtlôg RU-6751 2 Farad: Wasttæ
170(H) xB5(W)x85(D)mm
 SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE
RETRE ED PLAYER REMoTE EENTREL 1..43 E¡ ZENE ALARM wtrH Z \ry|RE Tecx¡loL_oev MoToRtrYtrLE ALARM
\^/ITH IPED@ DEtrKING E¡TATIf]N StrALE TuegO MEDEL EARS This advanced eight zone alarm syslem is easy to set-uD and provides a high
level of user secur¡ty lnstallation is simplified by the use of a unique non-
Features a waterproof control unil, siren,
Smart and stylish design that will suit the h0me or off¡ce, this un¡l Choose a Fenari F50GT, Fenari FXX, l,¡'lercedes C-Class DTM or Mini Cooper S and remote controls, s0 it can handle the
polar¡sed two-wire technology See website for fu¡l deta¡ls, weather extremes. The alarm is triggered by
fealures a CD player, AM/FM rad¡o, alarm clock, USB port, full Convertible to test out your driving abilities around the off¡ce 0r home These
function remote control and an iPod@ docking station little wonders are 1 :43 scale factory endorsed replicas of some 0f the most
CaT.lA-5477 Wastl4g a shock sensor, which is mounted inside the
What more could you ask fol stylish vehicles ava¡lable They feature full funct¡on¡ng controls including
I Extra lB Receiver LA-5478 Extra Keyfob LA-5479 control unit, as ¡s the ¡mmobjliser relay. A
foMard, back, left, right & 1urb0. The front headlights ,/v¡ll light up as you Add up to hvo remote readers to flashÌng LED also acts as a deterrent .G[eat features
onal keyfob remoles
. CD, CD-R, CD-RW accelerate and the taillights when you brake The vehicles all contain an internal allow acces through f[ont and so each family
MP3 & WMA Ni-MH battery that is recharged via their d¡splay base, With two d¡fferent frequencies back doors or even garage. lheir own remote.

.
compatible
. Suitable for ages B+
Was Q9.95 Now î24,95 Save î5 919.95 Savet¡ Limiied Sto
Recharges
iPod@ batteries . Each model requires 6 x M batteries (Use SB-2333)
. Measures: Savellow SEtrURITY EAMERA ELEARANtrE SALE
340(L) x 270(D) GT-3290 1:43 Fenari F50GT 27MHz $24.95 $14.95 $10
x 172(H)mm GT-3291 1 :43 Fenari FXX 40lvlHz $24 $1 4 35
$1 0 95
GI-3252 1 .43 Mini Cooper S Convertible 27lrlHz $29,95 $1S.95 $10
was î199 GT-3294 1:43 [4ercedes C-Class DTM 40MHz $29,95 $19.95 $10 Limlted Stock
audio capture. The camera can be plugged into mains power w¡th the
L¡m¡led Stock ¡Poda not included
included plugpack or via the gV battery attachment, also
BASS E¡HAKER included lt has infrared LED's bu¡lljn for night vision.
Was Aow Save
NITRE FUELED 4WD Rtr EARS 4 EHM ZsWRMS . lP Camera with 6 x lR LEDs QC-3396 00 $1 99,00 $50
These ørs G0l They are bu¡lt around a strong yet l¡ghtweight Supplied with one camera & receiver $249
aluminium alloy chasis and powered by a sl¡ck, 0 1B cubic inch
Literally feel the bass! Works like a speaker, but instead
Was 9229
5.BGHz Wireless Cl\40S Camera & Receiver Kit 0C-3520 s269,00 $199 00 $70
dual speed engine that winds out lo an incredible t0
of a cone it has a steel mass that transmits ajolt 0f 5 SGHz Wireless Clr/OS c¿mera t0 suit 0C-3570 QC 3571 $179,00 $149 00 $30
28,000rpm,
energy to give an interactive feel lo your home cinema
2.4ÊHz WIRELEs¡s WEATHERpRooF 5 SGHz Wireless CN/OS lR Camera & Receiver Kit QC-3522 $299 00 $249 00 SsO
QC-3572 $1 99,00 $1 49 00 $50
or sound system, Use single 0r multiple
. Nitro.tueled. IR trELoUR EAMERA
5.8GHz Wireless Clr/OS Camera for 0C-3573
. 400mm long units to give bass a new meaning. 5 BGHz Wireless lR Clr/OS Camera 0C-3525 $1 69 00 $1 29,00 $40
. Recommended for ages 1 2+ Wasæ!n
See website for full specificaljons Suits 2.4GHz Wireless Camera Receiver 2 4GHz tr/ini Wireless CMOS Colour CameraKit QC-3b69 $199 00 $149,00 S50
Wds 139,95 Limited Stock QC 3584, Th¡s camera is switchable 2 4GHz Transm¡tterfor Video Cameras 0C-3594 $69.95 $59.95 $10
$99 95 $79 s5 $20
Was 6399 between channel 1, 2, 3 or 4 on the
Es¡D E¡AFE S¡ELDER REWOET STATIEN 4 Channel Wireless Receiver for 2.4GHz Cameras 0C-3568
Complete solder rework station for pr0duction and service use The temperature is easily
receiver Easy & cost effect¡ve solution 2.4GHz lVini Wireless Colour Video Camera - Audio OC-3b95 $16S 00 $129 00 $40
adjusted in l"
increments with simple up/down buttons and the soldering/rework functions
to a multi camera installation 2 4GHz Wireless Audio Video Modules , Transmitter 0C,3598 $19 95 $14 95 $5
can be opeated independently of each other. Suitable f0r lead-Ïree s0loer'
2.4GHz Wireless Audio Video Modules - Receiver 0C-3599 $29 95 $24 95 $5
. 510 x 582 pixei resolution
. Celsius and Fahrenheit display . Buillin microphone for audio monitoring
Lim ted Stock
. M¡croprocessor conlrolled o I00m transmission distance
E|LUETEETH HEADPHENEE¡
.2xbacklitLCDS . lR illuminator for low light use
PARKING ASSIST SYsTev w¡TH REARVIEW EAMERA
. Dig¡tal temperature d¡splay . Effective night vision range: Zm Was û149
This parking assist system ¡nlerfaces with a wired factory or
Extremely lightweight & comfortable to wear, these will work w¡th any Bluetooth compatible . aftermarket \iideo display system and overlays the distance
device such as PC, mobile phones of PDA. Not only does it allow you to listen t0 .
Microprocessor conkolled
Soldering pencil / Hot air blowet in melres l0 an object and a proximity diagram
cryslal clear audio but it has a slide out microphdne for use as a i
hands free communicaüon. Wilh an 0nboard lithium-ion
'> . Power:60W (heating power 130W) {¡, onto lhe video feed The l 1 5" w¡de angle CCD
. Temperature range: 1 60 - 480'C
battery, charging is via the . Capacity: 24 litreVmin max
. . 13mm fìalpack nozle,
Range: 10m
o Sensitivity: '74+l- 4dB I 2mmnoule,4mm nozle
. Operation Ime: 8-9 hou -2.5 hours Was 1369 Was û349

FINEER EIEATS MIXER MAT ELASSItr BIKE ENGINE BHINDER THE ROE|ET 1EO/o Err EUR F¿ANGE Ef F SiINE WAVE I
I
Two pumping sets of samPle E¡TYLE USB PT]RT ALARM ELEtrK Take your creature comforts with you when you go bush or on any road trip
beats to m¡x into thousands of \^/ITH 3 HUBS Bhender is a robot clock and makes the Two versions available:
as these inverters will produce mains power from y0ur vehicle's battery
A 1 50W inverter will run some laptops, lights, small TVs and recharge
different DJ tracks, Select It looks like a Norton twin from perfect workplace companion and will hold
your notes, ph0tos, or messages w¡lhout
.Colour Dome Ki[ Cat QC-3264 balteries lnverters 300W and above will also run pOwer tools,
and play along to one of four lhe '60s and when you hit o Outdoor lP56 rated Colour Kit
different backing tracks or the k¡ck slarter it shakes, complaint His head is a m¡n¡ analogue
Cat QC-3266 lluorescents & larger style TVs, i.
plug in your MP3 player to rattles and makes all the alarm clock so he can remind you
play along to your favourite right noises, complele with geâr when it's time for lunchl Power Voltage 0A! Was Now Save
songs Record and Playback Your change sounds The only thing
o Size: 90 x 40x 160mm
150W 12VDC to 230VAC Mt-5102 $54 95 $49 45 $5.50
own mixes and plug in either mising is the oil leaksl Was î129 300W l2VDC to 230VAC Mt-5104 $84.95 $76.45 $8 50
headphones for privale listen¡ng or a set of
.
Wastl4.95 400W 12VDC to 230VAC ¡/t-51 06 $1 55 $1 39 50 $1 5 50
speakers to play to an audience
¡ Cable provided for MP3 connection .
3 x USB 2.0 ports 400W 24VDC to 230VAC Mt-5107 $149 $134 10 $14 90
.
Measures:115(L) 600W 12VDC to 230VAC f/r-5108 $249 $22410 52490
Headphone jack x BS(WJ x 120(H)mm Lrm¡ied Stock
. Requires 4 x AAA bafteries lÍas î59.#
. Un¡t measures: 260mm(L) Wasß4,95 EEMPUTER EENNEeT WEATHER DY¡.¡e,vo E¡ADEET EHAREER
EiMS EoMMUNITATERS¡ AtrTIvE SPEAKERS STerIo¡¡ WITH WIRELES¡S s¡ENSEREì Charge your gadgets on the gol Recharge your mobile
USEl E¡REENHOUSE 'lle outdoor sensors will transm¡t up to 60 metres til the receiver, which has phone, iPod@, PDA o
Simply sow your seeds, install Send and receive text YtrUR FER IPOD@ full clock and calendar functtons and shows w¡nd direction, chill factor and winding the crank. A
-.- lhe software, plug inlo your -- messages with all your Dæk your iPod6 and be free of wires, tool for camping &
'r- Ùsri io'tã'iolå vòri fr¡ends up to 10m away Perfect wtìile bavelling, at your desk or
-- Ì computer do all the work.
Growth chart, calendar and
with these fantastic lR
communicators. No mobile
even in tlìe kitchen vrhile doing
'lhe
4 speåkeß
people on the move.

the dishes
':\ diary funct¡ons remind phone and no bills! The produæ a high quality sound . 2 minute cranking for 4 m¡nute mobile Ialkline I
,: \ you to water and fertilise devices are lighlwejght and hat won't disappoint. You can . Dimensions: 1129[¡x 47(lÎlx 23(D)mm Was 929.95
your planls. can be cl¡pped onto your mnnæt il to CD players,
belt. They feature discrete computeß or any audìo
text not¡fication as well as emilting devìce wjüì a
calculator, calendar and alarm clock 3.5mm sodct. WEATHER STATICINS
The transmission range is 4.5 metròs We have plenty of other weather stations in-store
(mar 10 metres) Note: iPod€ not included
Call in to one of our stores and have a look. Was I'low Save
ftw Wìreless Weather Station w¡th Computer lnterface XC-0332 $299.00 69.00
$1 $1 30
o Sold as a pair Wast79,95 Wireles Weather Station with Doorbell XC-0336 $99.9s $69 95 $30 I

. Requires 6 x MA batteries Wealher station With Coloured Display & Pro.jection XC-0340 $99 95 $49,95 $50 | . Includes LED torchlioht & bafieries
Wasfl9.95 Colour Wealher Station with Digital Ph0t0 Vje,¿ver XC.0344 $9S 35 $74.95 $25 [ . B0rr long was$z4.gs
Lrmiled Slock
 EET READY TE WATEH THE FtrtrTY
PAPER GENE PA DRIVERS s.ElGHZ WIRELESS AV SENDER
US¡B E¡UITAR &, MItrREPHONE Send audio & video signals around the house from practically any HDMI EABLEs' DoN'T E¡ET RIPPeD EFF!
ldeal for DIY PA bins 0r replacement drivers Wilh
aluminium kames, high efficiency and power handling
AUDIT] INTERFAtrE video source - DVD, VHS, set-top box, cable TV etc Operaling 0n We kn0w that our HDN/l leads are just as good as any on the market' which can cost up l0
Simple, passive single unbalanced input audio the 5 BGHz band keeps it fíee from intederence on the 2 4GHz 10xmOre Butd0n'ttakeourwordforit,choiceN/agazinedidafull reviewthatincludedour
capacity, these drivers offer exceptional value.
interface for home rec0rding or webcasting lt band & an external 0mnidirecli0nal antenna provides adequale Concord HD\41 cables - see www,choice,com au
10" PA Driver Power: 15OWRMS Cat CG-2381 $99
works on PC or lvlac, requ¡res no dr¡vers 0r setup transmission range and search for "Dìgital AV Calrles Rip'Ofi' for the
12'PA Driver Power:200WRMS Cat CG-2383 $119
and is powered by the USB port full online article We offer two ranges of HDN/I
. 8 channel for minimal ¡nterference
12,, F|-JLL RANGE E¡PEAKER . 6.5mm jack input, USB output . External lR extender

Rated at 300 watts RMS this wide range speaker is

. 48kHz converters for high quality audi0 . Compact size

ideally suited for use as a foldback speaker on stage

. Powered by USB . Transmission range: 100m
o Size: 100(L) x 28(Dia)mm o Frequency: 5.725 - 5 875GHz Sensitivity: 80dBm
0[ as reinforcement in an ex¡stìng system The box '
. Power:7.SVDC, 500mA. 120(L) x 88(\^4 x 34(H)mm
features an eight-ohm, 1 2" sub-woofer for rumbling
bass and a horn tweeter to give crisp, clear mid UE¡ B G¡UITAR,/MItr,/LINE AUDIE INTERFAtrE Exlra receiver available Cat AR-.1 881 $79 95
range and high frequencies WQ-7402 Concord 3.0 metres ruo'u
s.ElE¡HZ MATRIX AV S¡ENDER WITH REMOTE Lengths up to I 0m also available,
DIEITEEH
Allows you t0 watch or record one s0urce in one r00m while you transmit a different
source t0 another room You can watch, record or transmit a composite video source or
. Frequency Response: 40Hz to 1 8 RF from your TV in any combinati0n, ¡t transmits
. Box Size: 650(W) x 330(H) x 440(D)mm
¡
Mic, guitar and RCA ìnputs with gain controls on the 5 SGHz band for minimal inlerference
5 INPUT REMETE
wds 1169
.
BCA oulputs for analogue recordtng and spare receivers are avaìlable for transmitt¡ng HDMI E¡WITtrHER
.Headph0ne oulput with level contJol to multiple rooms The switcher also has five dig¡tal :
. USB cable included audio inputs (optical and coaxial),
USE MIDI INTERFAtrE EABLE l
. wh¡ch are switched in unison with
Connect any lvllDl device to your computer: keyboards, controllers, I
I . Size:
.1 .10(L)
x 70(],/V) x 50(H)mm .
Remote control for transmitter and receiver
Transmission range: 1 00m the HDlVll channels The sw¡tcher is fully - - - -::
instruments, sound cards, samplers, drum machines etc L
o Sensitivity: '80dBm HDCP compl¡ant and c0mes wìth an ¡nfrared remote control. lt has a
Plug and play, no software oÍ dr¡vers requlred.
MIDI in and MlDl out connectors, I' WIRELISS MItrREPHENES . Video inpuYoutput: gain control to c0mpensate for long cable runs
. RCA or SCART Includes mains adaptor

.
I & DUAL EHANNEL UHF o Power supply: 9VDC, 400m4
Cable length 2m
DIVERSITY REtrEIVER . Dimensions: 270(W) x 170(D) x 50(H)mm was$119
A two-channel system supporting two separate 5,8GHz Wireless Receìver
microph0nes Each channel has a separately also available AR-1 883 $99 HDMI EXTENDER
FIAVE FOC MAtrHINE balanced XLR output, A single This HDMI extender equal¡ses and b0osts your HDl,/l
Add¡lional Fog
This unit produces clouds of white fog on unbalanced (mixed) line output is als0 s¡gnal so that you æn run æble up to 50 metres long
Ju¡ce- 1 litre
demand. Fantaslic for use with laser light available The system includes two 4 WAY AV STEREE DISTRIBUTIEN AMPLIFIER . resolulion
shows, mirror balls and other party
At 1212 receiver
microphones añd batteries, Designed to split a stereo A/V signal across 4 channels
lighting. Mains powered. $17 9s unit and plugpack. -.y
_.1 r imaoe or sound quality.
without loss of image oualitv. You can wire any
¿ GA
voil woüld
r00m where you aud¡o & video from
t0 access audio
would like to . lrp to 1.6Gb
. Wireless range: 60m a central source, You can also use it t0 record t0 up t0 o HDMI v.l 3 compliant
o Frequency response: 40Hz - 1 SkHz .
four sources at the same time. 1 2VDC operated Dimensions: 6B(L) x 40(W) x 18(H)mm
. 210mm w¡de Wasô219 Lrnrited Stock Mains plugpack and input cable included. Was i54.95

ã,np** video input 1-3vpp; zb ohms LISTEN TO THE S¡EUNDS

. Stereo audio input -20d8; 25k ohms ldeal for karaoke, this pa¡r of active speakers are excellent

EXTRA LARGE Y READ . 4 x Composite v¡deo outputs lVpp output; 75 ohm multimedia speakers or any applicat¡on where you need a PA
ALARM trLEGK WITH I.5'' SHAKE A\,1/AKE ALARM ELEtrK . I
4 x Stereo audio outputs . RCA lnput oulput co tors function as well as music
ÞIE;ITAL PHOTE VIEWER ldeal for those wanting t0 get up early without disturbing their LED ALARM ELOtrK . Size: 1 76(!V) x 90(H) x 25(D)mm LII\IITED ST Was $79'95
.t
partner, alternatively, you can also just set the buzzer alarm and This LED alarm clock is incredibly simpìe t0 use you won't .
Take your memoíes wilh you when you 5OWRMS
go without lhe vibrating sensati0n even need t0 read the instructions t0 set it! The extra large .2xmicinputs
travel, Pocket sized, lh¡s ¡s the ideal travelling
red number display is excellent for tired eyes, making reading UE¡El DIEITAL TV TUNER .
companion Use the included Photo Viewer Watch high definiti0n digital lV on your desktop or laptop Simple t0 sel up and use, jusl Echo effect on mic inputs
o AC adaptor & v¡brator included the lime easy at night or .
software to download and edìt your photos Remole control wilh volume & delay
connect lhe USB stick, plug in the antenna, install the softlvare and away yOu g0
lhen vie,/v lhem in sl¡desh0w 0r single
from a distance, This would . Each enclosure measures
be a great alarm clock lor
an older person or the
. Software \,vith time shifting and scheduled recording
630(H) x 130(W) x 295(D)mm
.
guest bedroom.
I .
.
Supports kee-to'air DTV in many countries
Compatible wlth Wìndows Xq MCE & Vista
Anlenna, cable and soft¡¡/are included
Was 9169
o Display size: l40mm x 50mm b
o Dimensions: 80mm height, 190mm width, F
800mm depth (base) Several other rnodels avarlable tn slore
o Power: 240V mains power including XC-48ô1 E XC-4887 WasSn.!Æ MPEE¡.4 PLAYTR & REMETE
or 1 x gV battery (use SB-2423)
DIEITAL TV E¡ICNAL
S¡TRENETH INDItrATER
RevorE Etrrureou Err-Rc¡AD Elecrel VENItrLEs¡ Take the guesswork out of installing your Digital TV antenna
to get lhe best signal With this handy little signai strength
Don't be fooled by the price tag, these are serious ¡ndicator, you get a clear visual LED indiætion 0t the signal
1 :1 0 scale electric off-road remote conlrol racing
Gr-3672
2.4ÊHZ 3 EHANNEL strength coming from your antenna as you adjust the
cars! Each is constructed around a lightwe¡ght Rtr trAR REMETE position and d¡rection. N0 more yelling from lhe roof t0 the
hardened plastic chassis and features front and Never worry about having the right crystal again You living rooml
rear fully adjustable independent suspension can save all of your models and setups in one . Colour may vary from that shown
w¡th 0il-dampened shock absorbers, full-time kansmìlter, and recall lhem with a couple of bulton ¡ Size: 80(L) x 66(W) x 32(H)mm
shaft-driven 4WD w¡th front and rear geared differenlials,

X3:H'i',iå'îl'Ji:lii :iÉ.$'"1'.1iSåi'.3iflåìå' r'"'i3i;i'n, \!

torque RC540 brushed motor. To add serious tyre-shredd¡ng, wheel-standing
pushes. Each model memory has fully programmable
features such as lhrottle and steerìng curves, ABS,
traclion control, steedng limits and much, much
more. Available as a transm¡tter and receiver system
'
2.4ÊHZ AV SENDER/RECEI\/ER
Send your audio and video all over the house vrirelesly on lhe
AM/FM WOEIO BAND REtrEIVER
A truly portable wold radio that ¡s designed lor functionality and ease of use.
11 covers the standard AM/FM bands as well as the short wave bands
2.4GHz band. ljse your cable ry CD, DVD remote t0 change
h UPgrade GT-3675. that includes: 2 4GHz transmitter, receiver and servo
channels, volume and settings from lhe rece¡ver end of this 2.4GHz kom 2,300kH2 to 22,000kH2. The tuner uses phase locked
battery holder.
system Even send surveillance camera images t0 another part 0f loop (PPL) techn0logy which ensures rOck-steady, drift free
a
the building. All withoul the need to run c¿bles Features a phase- reception. This is an excellent radio that will perform well for
2.4GHz3 channel RC car remote DC-1500 $199 yeafs t0 come.
locked loop (PLL) electronic circuit lhat conslantly adjusts, l0cking
1 GT-3670 $249
onto any sìgnal and avoiding any reception dr¡ft Wasî76.$
. Approx 1 90mm wìde
Truck $269
Additional 2 GH|3 channel rece¡vers are available . Requires 2 x AÀ batteries
1:10 Electric Monster GT-3672 Spa¡c BetÆiver ava¡lable CdL An-1837
separately (Cat DC-l502) $79,95 Was $59,9!i
{G Gar ESC/Motor Upgrade GT-3675 $249 DC-1 500 waswgî rl0w939.95 SaveSS
 ì
I

From Monday lst June to Tüesday glh June 2009 each

Jaycar Store will have il's own Gar Park Sale. We are
desperale l0r the space and lhese discontinued (but slill good)
items needs lo be cleared lo free up space for lhe new
producls lhal are 0n tñeir way t0 our relail sl0res.

Items will sell fast and stock is LIMITED - ACT N(lW to avoid disappointment sony - N0 Rainchecks

tal $139.95 $5495 ${ISOO Fluoresæ¡t ïuh mW 240V Elackliohl - 2' sL-3151 $17.35 $3.95 $14.00
AC-1644 $89.95 M4.95 $45.00 Fluorescenl ]ube 26W 240V Blue W - 2' st-3155 $19.S5 $8 95 $11.00
Aß-1856 $149.95 $69.95 $80.m Fluoresænl Tuh 5W lj-Shaoed l0 suil ST-3035 sr-3036 $8.95 $3.95 $5.00
up to 22kg cvi-2812 $99.95 $49.95
$6.95
$50.00 Globe for Torcì SI-3335 sr-3336 $0.m $0.25 m.55
Car Boom Box 8' Subr{oofer w¡th Amp, Crossovers, and Cable
LT-32r0
cs-2275
s14.95 $8.00 ted sr-3179 $49.95 $24.95 $25m
$199.95 $89.95 $110.00 sL-2828 $79.9s frì9.95 S40.00
Car Soeaker Grilles 10' w¡th 6 Blue LEDS - Sold Each AX-3s74 $r4.95 $4 50 $10.4s sL-2826 $49.95 $24.9s $25 00 Everythinq you need for a professional surveillance inslallalion. Perfect for An effect¡ve yet simple
Câse bD - 60 D¡sh - Silver Alüminium AR-1498 $12.95 $595 $7.m sT-3167 $14.95 S6.95 $8.00
Case DVD - Pack of 3 - Bleckflastic AR-1490 $3.95 $1 75 $2.20 sL-2868 $5.95 95 $4.00
S1
retarlers, small wareh0uses 0r seri0us home securìly installations This k¡t is station that features a ceramic
$8.50 built around our lalest H.264 professi0nal standalone digìtal v¡deo rec0rder
Crossover
IV
cx-2606 $17.50 $9.00 Liohl CCFL Tube 100mm uV . sL-2865 $6.95 95 $4.00
M
heat¡ng element to provide precise
qioital ble B¿tlery Anl & PSU 0Ì\4-3775 u99.m $149.00 $150.00 CCFL Tuh lnverler for 300mm Tubes SL-288X sþ2888 $i.95 95 $5.00
$2 with mullistream networkìng, DVD backup and VGA output temperature control. The soldering
taf0h0fìes
FMAudio A
AA-207t
0M-3780
$39.95
S9.9s
$19.95
$34.95
$20.00
$35.00
st-2885 $9.95 95 $6.m $3 We have also ¡ncluded genu¡ne CCD cameras, cabling, iron weighs just 45 grams which
sT-3885 $19.95 $9.95 $10 m
FM Tr¿nsmitter Slereo 4Ch for MtB/CD/MD Afi-31 10 $9.95 $14.95 $15.m sT-3290 $39 95 $r7 95 $22.00 installalion hardware makes ¡t ideal for comlortable use
Soìitler 4 AC-1696 $99.00 $149.00 $150.00 sT-3350 p4.95 $11.95 $t3.00 .
Bracket t 0M-3757 $14.95 $6.9s $8.00 sT-3318 $39.95 $17 95 $22.00 Temperature Range:
Monitor Screen l2VDC with lR Remote 0M-3749 $249.00 sT-3186 $49.95 $18.95 $31.00 200"c- 480"c
7" lcili lR Remote 0M-3764 $149.00 sT-3405 $7.95 $3.95 S4.m . Power coûsumplion: 50W
Screen Cle¿nerwilh Hold€r
, S-Viq€o plug lo Pluo l 8m
AR-l419
l/l0-7265
$9.9s sT-3400 $8.00 $3.50 $4.50
qLD 4510 . Operating voltage: 240VAC
u1.95 $9.9s sT-3333 S59.95 $18.95 59 Beerhuilum nd .l40mm
0nenl lunef AR-1799 $249.95 $r1s.95 $130.00 sT-3334 $89.95 S29.S5
$4r.00
Ph:07 5/ß2 3152
. Control unit: long
AR-1847 $59.95 $29.9s $30.00 sl-3338 $129.95 $54.95
AM-4020 g5.m $20.00
AC-1604 $6.S5 p.gs $25.00
M.00
sT-3354 $49.35 $24.95
sï-3289 $12.95 $4 95
AC-1602 $1æ.00 $45.00 $84.m sT-3360 $14.95 $6.95 $8.00
ACl600 $119.00 $45.00 $74.00 sT-3127 $69.95 $34.95 $35.00
ACl677 $19.9s $7 95 $12.00
cs-2458 $s9.9s $49.95 $50,00
cï-1932 $6.9s Everything you need to install a good qualily
$14.95
$5.95
$8.00 wìlh Keych¿¡n 0¡/-i293 $39.95 $19 95 $20.00 Package includes: Normaily$j,7l'
AC-1656
AC{673
$16.95
$28.85 $13.85
$11.00
S15.m
GG-2304 $995 S3.95 S6.00
. 1 x 0V.3044 8ch Professional Standalone H.264 DVR
spljt system in your car PiVil/KevlaÉ composite cones for maximum rigidity and response Ribbon
GG-2319 $2995 $14.95 $15.00 tvveeters for crisp highs Separate crossovers with screw terminals lvlounting hardware included
GH-1260 $1195 $695 $8.m o 4 x 0C-3492 0utdoor lR CCD Cameras
xc-4/00 $9.95 $5.95 $4.00 GH-r236 $24.95 $11.S5 $13.00 . 4 x 0C-3291 Indoor Dome CCD Cameras Each kit contains:
xc-4974 $09.95 $41.95 GE-4066 $89.95 $34.95 $55.00
r Camera power supply, cable and installat¡on hardware
xc-5196 04.95 $8.95 GE-4061 $69.95 $34.95 S35.00 c 2 xwooÍer/ midrange drivers
xc-4059 $9S.95 $49.95 GT-3096 e9.95 $14 95 $15.00 .2xribbontweeters
xc-4809 $99.00 $49.00 GH-r880 æ4.95 $1r.95 $13.00 .
xc-4/30 $1.95 xc{215 $19.95 $i.95 $12.m 2 x crossovers
xc-5033 $12.95
$1.35
$4.95 P¡llol,/ xc-0252 $t9.95 $9.95 $10.m . 2 x grilles
xc-4844 $19.95 $9.95 $10.00 uare w th PSU Afl-1788 $99.95 $ì9.95 $60.m . Tweeter: Ribbon type
YN-8092 $139.m $s9.00 $80.00 AR-1783 $9.S5 $4.95 $5.00
YN-8242 $5.95 $2 95 tiì.00 Dats & femp Fns xc-m68 st4.95 $16.95 $18.00 with neodymium magnet
YN-8244 $9.95 $4.95 $5.00 xc4272 $29.95 $11.95 $18.00 These flowmeters provide simple DC output pulses in proportion to supply Frequency response: 3kHz
!/Jc-7524
$13.95 $5.9s $8.m lnput GE-4090 $34.95 $16.95 $18.00 .Woofer/mid: 65-40kHz
wc-7526 319.95 $8.95
S11.00 xc-0185 $29.95 $12.S5 $17.00 voltage and fluid flow which makes interfac¡ng easy Both have impellers
n-6015 $17.50 $/.S5 $9.55 GH-l490 $29.95 $14.95 $15.m made kom acetal and sla¡nless steel shafls, so w¡ll work with low viscosity Frequency response: 70Hz - 4k1z L mited Stock
Yr{0r7 ü3.95 $11.95 $12.00 GE-4082 üS.95 $9.95 $20.00 fluids Two types:
Wds $299
Yr-6011 $t.Ss $4.95 $5.00 GH-1107 $39.95 $13.95 $26.00
xc-4788 p.95 m.75 î2.20 GH-1102 ß4.95 $14.95
xc-4900 $9.95 U.95 $7.m Gï-3137 $:t9.95 $19.95 Hall Type 1,5 - 25 litres per minute CaI ZD-1200 $49 95
xc-4904 $9.95 $3.s5 $6.00 xc-0197 $69.95
xc-0278 $49.95
$34.95 Reed Switch 0 6 - I litres per minute Cal.7D-1202 $49,95 ELEtr]-RENrc FLEW
S0eaker Aclive Amol¡lied D€6K00 E203 with PSU
YN-8301 $139.00 $69.00 $70.m
xc-5180 $99.m $49 00 $50.00 GE-4076 $6S.S5 $34.95
$19 95
$:]5.00 Completely self-contained, this unit only measures RATE METER
Sb€akerAcl¡ve Anblilied Desklob for iPod? w¡lh PSU xc-5184 $69.9s frì4 95 $35.00 GH-l924 $24.95 Sil.95 $13.00 For full specifications, see page 29 of our 60 x 40mm and ¡ncludes a full LCD information display.
Si{¡lch uS82 Manùal Share xc-4862 $s9.95 $29 95 GT-3298 $29.95 $14.95 $15.00 2009 Catalogue or on the webs¡le It's supplied wjth a reed switch and piezo alarm. lt operates from 2 x AM
GT-3296 p9.95 $14.95 $15.m
$30.00
xc-4968 S1æ.95 $64.9s

@
VolP Wireless USB Phone with LCD and Recharge¿ble S65.00
GT-3214 $69.95 $34.95 $5.m batteries and a battery holder ¡s included. When used ¡n conjunction with the .'
GT-3265 $29.95 $14.95 $15.00 FS-300AH D¡g¡tal Flowmeter l}allD-12021, ìt will count down (in litres) : a
LA-5370 $593.00 $24900 $350.m
Gl-3218 M935 $19.95 $30.00 from a predetermined volume, for example 500 litres. When 500 litres have
PlR, Reed Srvilch & lR Remole LA-5400 $49.95 $19.95 $30.00
GH-1ffi8 $19.95 $9.95 $10.00 gone through the flowmeter an alarm will sound, The alarm signal can
0c-3429 Sig.gs S19.95 s40.m D¡ffuser & Beads GH-1043 U4.95 $11.9s $13.m
deo/Aud¡o w¡th BNC-RCA Adaotor 0c-3424 S5.00 M5.00 $50.00
GG-23U $59.95 $27.9s $32.00 be used to lrigger another slave device As il goes up t0 99,500 litres,
n¡th 71x lR LEDS, Fan & He¿l{ir - 24V0C 0c-3386 $f19.95 s44.95 $55.00
,ver & Soltrtilre GE-409r $24.95 $11.95 $13.m il could be used in larger-scale applications such as ¡rrigation 0rjust to
Colour Co r ShaDe 0c-3555 $64.00 $105.00 Hubs & Record Function GE-4099 $14.95 $6.95 $8.m
let you know $/hen it's lime t0 clean a filter. lt also reads flow rate, will
Colour Do nsor 0c-3æ0 $119.00 $180.00
Colour Do ntrol 0c-3497 $239.00 $260.m remember dala and operate in time mode. An unbelievably
Colour Pro Hi-Res 480TVL Panason¡c Sensor 0c-3810 $199.00 $9900 $100.00 fantastic product! Full data sheet & instructions included.
0c-3518 p99.00 $14900 $150.00 . PCB/LCD size: 60(L) x 40(W)mm
0c-3626 $99.m $119.00 $18000
t.A-5312 $29.95 $11 95 $18.00
0c-36t4 $s99.m $289.00 $310.m

Maroochydore Ph (07) 5479 35 I I

Mermaid Beach Ph (07) 552ó 6722 Practice amps with enough HEW f.0ßAT r0N
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Blacktown NSW
Arbury ft' (s?) qs?r ót:g :l;',Hn"' il Í31ì 3iH iSii
Alexmdria Ph (02) 9ó99 4ó
Undemood Ph (07) 3841 4888 Christchurch
Dunedin
Ph
Ph
(03) 379 ló62
(03) 471 7934
headphone jack s0 yOu can play until your
lingers bleed without upsetting
/ capacity of 1 81, holding
up to 6 wine bottles and
Frankston lltlgl) ?19! !!99 Glenfield Ph (09) 444 4ó28
Banksrown ,n 1or¡ trot zeií Belconnen Ph (02) ó253 5700 Hamilton the neighbours uses Peltier lhermoeleckic

!r".r.t*" ï'Ìqli 26te?.ÍZ

Bondi lunction Ph (02) 93ó9 38vv
iï:ï- 4130
;l Í33ì;ï3å;999
Mãiuourn" ior¡ rccr zoro
ffi Hastings
Manukau
Ph
Ph
Ph
107) 84ó 0177
(0ó) 87ó 0239
109) 2ó3 ó241
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.
6' speaker
modules lo cool the wine
bottles 18 degrees below

Mitlr'Æ
en
Brcokvale Ph (02) eeos
i;ö;'i iü ior¡ raro rort Hobart Ph (03) ó272 9955 Headphone jack ambienI temperature.
Campbelltown Ph (02) 4ó20 7l . CD inout
Erina en 1oz¡ lros ríi springvale Ph (03) 9547 1022
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GoreHill Ph (o2l 9439 47í/; Sunshine Ph (03) 9310 s0óó
Adelaide Ph (08) 8231 7355 .
Switchable distorlion
. Power consumplion: 56W
Ny'ains powered
Hornsby Ph (02) 9476 622l Thomastown Ph (03) 94ó5 3333 Clovelly Park Ph (08) 827ó ó901 o Dimensions; 250(W) . 245(W) x 380(H) x
Liverpool

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Ph (02) 9821 3100
l{ewcætle Ph (02) 4965 3f99 Aspley Ph (07) 38ó3 0099 315(H) x 205(D)mm 510(D)mm
Penrith Ph (02) 4721 8337 Caboolture Ph (07) 5432 3152 MaddinRton Ph (08) 9493 4300 Shop 2,102 Sunnyhoft nd
Ph (02) 8832 3l2l ,Cairns ?h (O7l 4041 6t47 Midland Ph (08) 9250 8200
Ph: (02) 9678
ilSW 21/18
9ffi9
Ph 102) 9267 1614 lpswich Ph (07) 3282 5800 Northbridse Ph (08) 9328 8252 50W Guitar Amplifier also available $199 CS-2556
Ph (02) 953 I 7033 Mackay Ph (07) 4953 0ó I I Rockingham Ph (08) 9592 8000 Prices valid to 23rd June'09
 JTAGMaster Senqflo@mnam's [og -
Boundary Scan Tester
and
JTAG training Kit.
Test PLD, FPGA using lndustry
Standard Test Access Port and
Boundary scan architecture
(rEEE 1149.1)
ú t ^rnhowto ùd - THIDÉLUGI HAD
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flt Earnhow to detect far¡lG & SAÍURAT -D THI TV",,
ú tt rnhow to program JTAG devices
For more information contact cost, cost and cost. And he walted an
TekMark Australia Pty Ltd at 02 9911 3888 answer right then and there, Well how
or email enquiries@tekmarkgroup.com long is a piece of string?
Given time, I could have told him
but for the present I could only guess.
Based on this, the set was condemned
and the client ended up buying a new
one. Sensing that thiã was one job
that could well turn out to be a time-
consuming loss-maker, I wasn't going
to argue.
Of course, I didn't make any money
QUALITY PCB & SERVICE out of that job either. So Kevin's lar-
gesse came in handy once again.
PROTOTYPE TO PRODUCTION
The wet Pioneer plasma
instant online quote
Two days after a particularly heavy
shopping cart ordering system downpour in our suburb, I got a call
lrom a lady in strife with her TV, Her
Ghina competitive prices
problem was that her set-up, aPioneer
free electrically test PDP503G 'L27cm plasma TV and an
accompanying multimedia box, wasn't
working,
Despite my prompting, she wasn't
able to describe the fault(s) but she
it was down to the rainstorm
knew
we had just had. She was also rather
distraught at what had happened and
wanted me to call in as soon as pos-
sible.
wb hÍpIM.plb@tl,Ø When I arrived, I could understand
E.ûa¡l sdæ(tryEad.@m
her distress. The roof of her house
Tel +8ê571.€,7013819
had sprung a leak arrd the deluge had
Fü +&57147036705
Add Gucul Road, Hangzhou, Ch¡na flooded the lounge and saturated the
No 76
TV. In fact, water was still leaking out
of the back of the plasma!
Now I know Moses managed to
roll back the water in the Red Sea but
48 SIUC)N CHIP
ffinM
I
there was nothing could do right
then. Instead, I got the loi back into
the workshop as soon as I could a¡d
removed the covers to dry the elec-
tronic circuitry with fans a¡d heaters.
Surprisingly it still looked pretty
dry inside, the wet parts being mainly
along the bottom and sides. After a
couple of days, I figured it was about
dry enough to switch it on and see if
any damage had occurred.
Well, the good news was that it
didn't explode into flames or go bang.
The bad news was that there was no
picture, no sound and no OSD (on-
screen displayJ. Instead, the screen
Iit up white and a green LED came on.
Unplugging the multimedia box and
switching on the plasma panel gave an
. E01 error, This proved that the panel
itself and its driver circuitry were OK,
so the problem was somewhere inside
the multimedia box.
I next examined the PDP-R03G
multimedia box which has all the ,{V
switching. Initially, with the cover
off, all looked OK but removing the
main PC board immediately revealed
the problem. The water had already
corroded the surface-mounted compo-
nents underneath, especially around
the high-density ICs.
And that meant that the unit was a
write-off. A replacement motherboard
for this multimedia box is rather ex-
pensive, so it's really not worth fixing
ald is one for the client's insurance
company. sc
siliconchip.com.au
Op Amps for Everyone
Edited by Bruce Carter & Ron Mancini. 3rd edition published 2009 by Elsevier
lnc.615 pages, 192x234, paperback.lsBN 978 1 85617 505 0 $95.00
FFlhe third edition of this well-
I known Texas Insttuments'book
I nut been considerably ex-
panded. As a bonus, it is considerably
cheaper tlan the previous edition.
,\t the outset, this is not a book for
the beginner, It is intended for de-
signers and technicians who already
have at least some familiarity with op
amps and how to use them. With over
600 pages, the text covers the subject
exhaustively. There is quite a lot of
reliance on formulas and g'laphs to
discuss various parameters, so if you
are not at home with equations, this
might not be the book for You, On the
other hand, it is very readable ald if
you are content to skip over the for-
mulas, you can still learn a great deal
from the associated graphs, of which
there are lots,
There are 25 chapters in all Plus a
lot of appendices at the back which
feature many useful sample circuits'
Ifyou are a bit rusty on basic circuit
theory, you will find that chapter two
gives usefuIrevision ontopics such as
voltage dividers, Thevenin's theorem,
Superposition and basic transistor
operation.
Chapter 3 is devoted to basic oP amP
configurations such as inverting and
non-inverting op amps, adders and
differential amplifiers, with a section
onvideo ampliflers which are a special
case of non-inverting ampliflers. Also
discussed are capacitors and complex
feedback networks.
Chapter 4 covers the topic of single
supply op amps, a subject that is more
complicated than you might think.
With careful attention to biasing,
single supply op amps can Perform
almost as well as those with balanced
supply rails,
Chapter 6 is devoted to feedback
and stability theory while chapter 7
covers non-ideal op amp equations
and both of these must be regarded as
fairly heavy going.
www. si I ico nc h i P. com. au
Chapter B is perhaPs the most im-
portant topic in the book, devoted to
voltage feedback op amp comPensa-
tion. Without frequency comPensa-
tion of some sort, all voltage feedback
amplifiers will be unstable. Anyone
who designs with op amPS needs to
be familiar with this chaPter,
Chapter 9 is devoted to current feed-
back amplifiers. These sacrifrce the
precision of voltage feedback ampli-
fiers but gain much wider bandwidth
and slew rate capability. TheY are
mainly used for applications above
100MHz, Chapter 10 compares voltage
and current feedback ampliflers,
Chapter 11 covers the toPic of fuIIY
differential amplifiers and this may
be a puzzle to many readers since all
voltage feedback op amps are inher-
ently differential, with inverting and
non-inverting inputs, However, the
original op amps (which used valves
or transistors) also had differential
(or balanced) outputs. The discussion
leads to instrumentation amplifiers
and then to various forms of differen-
tial filters. Also covered are the Texas
Instruments' differential amplifiers
with their "voltage output common
mode (levelJ" pin,
Chapter 12 is on alother verY im-
portant topic, that of op amP noise
theory and applications, When You
think about it, the task of any op amp
circuit designer is'to arrange matters
so that the signal range of the circuit
is comfortably above the "noise floor"
but below that at which overload oc-
curs. That seems self-evident but a lot
of modern consumer audio equipment
barely gets by,
Chapter 13 is on understanding oP
amp parameters and again, this is most
important. There are myriad param-
eters soit is a long chapter.
Chapter 14 leads into instrumen-
tation and discusses sensors while
chapter 15 is on interfacing to analog
to digital convertets (ADCs). Chapter
16 is on wireless communication and
the op amps used for intermediate
frequencies (IF) which are typically
below 25}il}Jz. ChaPter 17 carries on
the theme with op amPs for RF design
- a discipline which used to involve
discrete devices only.
Chapter 1B discusses interfacing
digital to analog converters (DACs) to
loads such as inthe audio output stag-
es of CD and DVD players. It includes
a comprehensive look at the various
types of DAC and covers DAC errors
and curent and voltage boosters.
Chapter 19 is on sinewave oscilla-
tors while chapter 20 is on active frlter
Beginners" followed by "High Speed
Filter Design" in chaPter 22.
Chapter 23 is a subject close to
my heart, on "Circuit Board LaYout
Techniques" a¡d the author makes the
profound statement that the board "is
ã component of the op amp design".
We would extend that to saY that the
PC board is avital component of every
maly cir-
circuit design, We have seen
cuits let down by bad board laYout.
Chapter 24 is verY relevant to
modern circuit design - on designing
Iow voltage op amp circuits, Finally,
chapter 25 is on common application
mistakes.
In summary, this is a very comPre-
hensive coverage ofthe subject. Ifyou
can only afford one book on oP amp
design, this is the one to get' It is on sale
from the SILIcoN Cun bookshop. sc
IUNE 2009 57
 -TO TÉLL ÌAE? VÉRY COOLLY? THAT
s,HL HAD STOPPÉD THI CHÉQUI,,
In thìs final Ínstqlment we discuss the signal formqts and gÍve a
comparÍson of DAB+ qnd DRM. Also included is a brief cüscussion servicing industry but what else can you do in such
of antennqs suitqble for DAB+ reception. situations?
Unfortunately, due to the earlier abortive repair, I
didn't make any money out of that job. Thank heavens
for those 900 Rudd-bucks.
EAS,ILY BU'LD
noise, particularly impulse noise, Im- to the data being sent. So the addi- Sansui LCD TV
YOUR OWN HTGH
Difu :",",*rr"i+Hiï#'Jtîi pulse noise is generated by lightning
strikes, electrical switching, arcing
tional error correction data can be
used to correct errors in the main
Another incident involved a 66cm Sansui LCD TV
(model SAN 2601) withvery similar symptoms,Inthis END SPEAKER
picture quality
tion at all,
is no
or there recep- power line insulators, arcing in brush
motors and unsuppressed ignition .
signal.
Detected Cyclic Redundancy Check
instance, the set was intermittently not starting and/or
the controls, including the remote, were not working,
SYSTEM AND
Perhaps we should qualify this by systems in petrol motors. enables the detection but not the By the time I got to look at this set it had already SAVE MONEY
saying that when you are on the brink So for digital radio it is important correction of the main signal. So been looked at by others. They had replaced the electros Professionally Designed and engineered
of signal failure, digital TV can be to get reliable reception otherwise the when an error is detected the errors in the power supply but this had made no difference. in Australia using Peerless speakers
plagued with partial pixellation of the sound will have annoying gaps in it. are conceaÌed as described below. There were no service manuals or circuits available which are known and respected across
picture and loud clicking in the sound . Interleaving is shuffling the data in that I could flnd, so it looked like this job was going the globe. Remarkable Cross-over design,
as it drops in and out. Errors in'digital radio built using the highest grade components
time, The advantage of interleaving to be tricky. designed to give maximum clarity and
So under a variety ofreception con- systems means that a burst of noise is dis- Initially, I spent some time checking the outputs from responsiveness for voice and
ditions, there is no gradual reduction The effects of errors are: tributed over a much greater range the power supply and then I discovered something tonal reproduction.
of sound and picture quality. . Corrected Errors are not detectable of bytes so that error correction rather unusual, When the set was actually working
To produce the designed quality by the listener. B% of the transmit- and detection is more likely to be correctly and you switched it to standby, all voltage For More lnfo Please visit:
there must be adequate signal and no ted signal is mathematicaÌly related effective. outputs from the power supply remained fully on, www. wa g n e r. net. a u /s pe a ke rs
. Dúferential Grey Code Absolute What was happening was that the control proces- w ww. d - s-t. co m. a u/s pea ke r k its
numbers are not transmitted, the sor was switching the set "off" [or rather to standby)
amount of change is transmitted so it looked as though it was fully off. However, the We Have Everything You Need to
instead, so if one value is 7 and power supply was remaining on. It reminded me of
the next value is 0 the number 7 is my old mum who, when she wanted to turn a TV set
Get the Job Done!
We stock everything you need for your Audio Visual installation
converted into grey code. For any off, would start with the knob nearest her and turn it
including HDMI & RCA lnterconnect, Plasma / LCD TV Wall Brackets,
number change in Grey Code only anticlockwise. She would do this to each control in Speaker cabling, Plugs & Connectors, Tools and Soldering
A single Audio Superframe, Five blocks of synchronisation, transmitter one-bit changes in the byte. So if turn, turning the volume, brightness and contrast dovrn
identification and Fast Information Channel data, shown in black, white and Equipment, Plus Lots More!! View our Catalogue online.
the Grey decode detects more than until there was no sound or picture. She then assumed
grey have been inserted,
one bit change in a byte, that byte that the set was "off"!
is detected as aÌÌ error. Anyway, I could see tlat there was a control volt-
For example, a change between 7 age (SBJ going into the power supply that should be
to 0: switching at least part of it on and off. However, it
wasn't having the desired effect, This suggested that
DecimalT, binary 111, Grey Code 100
the power supply itself was crook but I couldn't prove
Decimal 0, binary 000, Grey Code 000
that this was the only fault. Other possibilities included
ll[Êiilililililililililililililfi iiriirilililililililililririililil1iliililil1t a microprocessor fault or perhaps a faulty reset line
r
1il1ilil1ill1ilililfi ifl lililIIilil1ililililfi ilililililililill111ilililil
Error Concealment was causing the whole control circuit to clam up in
The decoder will use the previous confusion (rather like my mind!J.
Three ,A.udio Units short'n in three rows. This is a single Audio Superframe, two audio units to guess the values for Before I could even get an angle on the problem,
which contains 120ms of audio a corrupted audio unit. If subsequent the client bombarded me with the usual questions of
58 Stuco¡¡ Catp siliconchíp.com.au siliconchip.com.au
 Senqfie@milamus [,og
By Andrew Partridge
THIS STORY BEGAN when I received a
I
call one morning from my friend Nick to
say that he had just switched on his laptop
to be greeted with a message that a network
cable was unplugged. As a result, there was
no connection to the internet and he urgently
needed this working again so that he could
check on a share trade later that day.
I stafted by
asking some questions to
: ærffinM and a quick check showed that their ESR
readings were all high at between 2.8o and
MEDIA RELEASE
7.7o.By contrast, allthe other electrolytics l May 2oo9
on the PC board were fine, with low ESR
readings.
commercial rodio
Using the frequency range on my mul- australia
timeter, I found that the 470pF capacitors
have a 100H2 signal across them, while the
Perth first to switch on digital radio
1000pF capacitors, which sit either side of
modem being faulty, so I asked Nick to a small toroidal inductor on the PC board,
drop it in so that I could take a look at it. have around 20kHz across them. Clearly, the
ln the meantime, I would lend him a spare 470pF units were smoothing the recl¡fied AC
modem while I either repaired his or found output of the plugpack, while the 1000¡rF
a replacement. units were on the secondary side of the
When Nick arrived with the modem, I switchmode power supply.
checked lhe output of ils 1SVAC plugpack. Given the different operating conditions
It was fine, so I connected the modem to my forthe two different sets of capacitor values,
own ADSL line. lt immediately displayed an I was somewhat surprised that all six were at

narrow down the problem. He had been alternating red-green power LED and failed an almost identical state of bulge. The best
using the internet the night before without to connect. explanation I can think of for this is that the
any problems and nothing had changed in At this point I told Nick that his modem capacitors deteriorated mainly due to heat
his set-up. The laptop is connected to the was definitely faul$ and hinted that this build-up in the low-profile case. This case
ADSL modem via an ethernet cable, so I was might be an opportunity for him to upgrade has a generous grid of ventilation holes in its by Alan Hughes
spared the agony of debugging a wireless to one with a wireless router. That way, he base but none at all in lhe top seclion where "The switch on of digital radÍo is a culmination
connection over the phone. could use his laptop anywhere around the the electrolytic capacitors are located (and of
I then asked Nick whether the pattern of house. His response was that his laptop is where venlilation is most needed). audio units are also in error the signal will be faded out. Government, the
used with an external keyboard and monitor I removed the six bulging electrolytic A fade in is performed by the decoder when the data error Media Authority
lights 0n the modem, atwo year old Thomson
capacitors and lested them with a capaci- rate drops. Errors in the Parametric Stereo signal are cam- rs, the ABC ancl
Speedtouch 536, seemed normal and he told in his office and so he wasn't at all interested
ouflaged by assuming that the sound source is stationary.
sus, together rvith retailers and manufacturers
me that the power LED was alternating be- in a wireless connection. tance meter. They were all well down in of digilal radios to ensure a comprehensive and
tween red and green every five seconds or so. ln normal circumstances, the modem capacitance, the 470pF unils measuring coordinated switch.gr, o{ a compètIng new
Data organisation way
The manual for the modem says that a would be declared a write-off . Howeve¡ since between 99¡rF and 108¡rF and the 1000pF of listening to radio," said Ms Wainer. "
steady red power LED indicates a selltest it still suited Nick's needs and I wasn't charg- units measuring 90pF and 127pF. An Audio Unit Data Block consists (in time order) of
failure and so I wasn't yet convinced that the ing for mytime, lfigured there was nothing to Replacing these capacitors fixed the the folÌowing:
alternating red-green power LED indicated a lose so I cracked open the case. When I did, problem. Nick's modem now worked on my . Header: two bytes of error correction, one byte ofprogram
fault with the modem. ln view of this, I talked my attention was immediately drawn to four ADSL connection and seemed even faster characteristics, 14 bytes to identif,z which audio unit it is
Nick through some basic tests to eliminate 470pF 25V and two 1000¡rF 6.3V electrolytic than my own modem. The final step before in an audio superframe and a CRC check. Cyan, purple,
both the phone line and the ethernet cable capacitors in the power supply section. The returning it to Nick was to drill a grid of
from consideration. Nick then called Bigpond tops of all six were bulging slightly, a sure ventilation holes in the top of the modem's r fl Data: consi
to ensure that there was no problem at the sign that they were faulty. case immediately above the power supply ariable lengt
exchange. Closer examination revealed that they circuitry, to reduce the likelihood of any f uture ¡ lls the decod IO days the
At that stage, everything pointed to the were all CapXon brand units rated at 105'C heat-related failu res. in various sized steps. etestmode
. The filters with the loudest signal which is not masked weratnight
by another loud adjacent frequency, The difference in
amplitude is added to the data.
. A Spectral Band Replication signal.
. A Pãrametric Stereo signal to indicate the direction of
the sound and the nature of the reverberation,
This remarkable collection of PDFs covers every issue of R & H, as it was known from the beginning (April ¡ 3 x 10 bits of Reed-Solomon error correction data Shown
1939 - price sixpence!) right through to the final edition of R, TV & H in March 1965, before it disappeared
pale blue.
forever with the change of name to EA.
The advantage ofhaving five blocks of synchronisation
Perth 4 May
For the lirst timeêver, complete and in one handy DVD, every article and every issue is covered. Melbourne-llMay
lf you're an old timer (or even young timerl) into vintage radio, it doesn't get much more vintage than this. is that when the receiver is searching for a program it will
spend less time waiting for the transmitter jdentifi.cation
Adelaide - ls May
lf yoú're a student of històry, this árchive gives an extraordinary insight into the amazing breaÌthroughs made Brisbane - 25 May
in radio and electronics teóhnology following the war years. And speaking of the war years, R & H had some and can synchronise faster during tuning and after a noise
of the best propaganda imaginable! burst.
Sy.dney - 30 May
Even if you're just an electronics dabbler, there's something here to interest you. Each program has an Audio Superframe in a sequence
ABC andSBS are expectedto commence
Please note: this archive is in PDF format on DVD for PC. Your computer will need a DVD-ROM or up to nine programs. Some Audio Superframes can be seruices throughout June/July.
digilal
DVD-recorder (not a CDI) and Acrobat Reader 6 or above (free download) to enable you t0 view this replaced with data in a block the same size if the broad-
archive. This DVD is NOT playable through a standard AJV-type DVD player. casters wish to do so.
tror further informaflon on digital radio visit:
Exclugive t_o¡ ¡¡ERE'S ]rO15 TO ORDER yOUR COPY: Comparison of DAB+ and DRM r,r,,wr,v. digitalradioplus. com. au
We've been concentrating on the DAB+ digital radio
' Plaase haE yourcrodll câ¡d handy! I Don't l0rg0l lo ¡ncludt yolr namc, standard because it is the system now being introduced to

siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009

Sntcon Cntp

Notes & Errata
The text on page 12 of the April
2009 issue on COFDM multiple
carriers refers to column data be-
ing "fed into an analog to digital
converter (DAC)." It should read
Digital to Anølog Converter
(DfC,C).
Also Fig.2 on page 12 of the
same issue is a generic functional
diagram. As a result the DAC is
shown feeding the Inverse Fast
Fourier Transfer. In reality, the
IFFT is done digitally, so the DAC
will be fed from the IFFT instead
of feeding it.
Fig 3. A a-QAM only allows four
conditions shor,rm as purple dots.
Note all of the s conditions have
the highest power signal from the
tower.
This gives the best signal reli-
ability but at the expense of a low
data rate of transmission.
The purple dots are also part
of 16 and 64 QAM. 6a-QAM's
maximum radiated power is the
same as 4-QAMbutthe minimum
radiated power is 18 dB lower. So
you transmit much mo¡e data but
it is more likely to be affected by
noise.
And Fig.4 on page 13 shows
ADCs following the IFFT. In fact,
the chip manufacturer controls the
location of the ADCs. QAM de-
modulation can be done digitally
or in aaalog then digitised.
So a single high speed ADC can
digitise the IF signal orthe Q,tM de-
modulation canbe performed prior
to the Fast Fourier Transform.
Finally, a DAB+ OFDM makes
the signal on each carrier 1.536
times longer than when a single
carrier is used. Since the pulse is
so much longer it ca¡ be sampled
more tìa¡r once.
This is a similar technique to
eliminating contact bounce on
computer keyboards, A change
of state is detected and is then re-
checked on the next sample period
to ensure the first sample was not
an ellor.
Once the consecutive samples
are identical, any fr:rther samples
can be ignored until the next
change of state. Hence delayed
signals can be ignored.
60 SILIC)N CHIP
Eventually, after speaking to her hus-
band, she gave me the go-ahead for
Coverage area Region (<100km radius)
Terrain affected
Local to >2,000km
Regardless of terrain
option two. Puilisnen's lclfen
Replacing the electros in the power .. . cÛnllnaeú ff0n 0age2
Number of programs per channel <9 1 or <4 speech supply was fairly routine and I also
0perating Frequencies 174 - 240MHz (Band 3) 0.5265 - 1.6065MH2, spent some time looking for dry joints, be reduced. There are two ways to do this. The first is to reduce or stop
1,450 - 1,500MH2 2.3 - 2.495MH2 (MF) especially to surface-mounted com- burning fossil fuels, particularly in power stations. The second is so-called
5.9 - 26.1MHz (HF) ponents, Unfortunately, I didn't have geosequeshation whereby the carbon dioxide produced in the power station
Possible channels 22(83) +22(L) 69 MF,221 HF
a circuit diagram, so I was unable to is separated from the other exhaust gases going up the stack (ie, nitrogen
identify the current-sensing circuit and water vapour) and then pumped underground. It turns out that this
Repeaters Depends on area and Not required
components and concentrate on that process is extraordinarily difflcult.
terrain area. This circuit typically involves One way to do it might be to cool the smokestack gases sufËciently (to
DAB+ Modes Four modes: Four levels up to h¡gh using a low-value resistor in the main -78.5"C) so that the carbon dioxide solidifres (to dry ice). Or you could
Single Frequency speed moving receiver B+ circuit and shuts the set down if cool the gases sufficiently to separate the water and then compress it suf-
DRM Robustness modes Networks, Cable and and long periods the current goes too high, ficiently to liquef,i the carbon dioxide and allow the gaseous nitrogen to
two frequency bands allowed for reflections. separate out. Or another scheme that has been suggested is for the power
Audio Sample rates 24ksample/s SBR 24ksample/s SBR
Gods not smiling stations to burn the coal with oxygen rather than air - so that we don't
Sound Ouality Full audio frequency
A week later, after more extensive have the problem of removing the nitrogen.
Full audio frequency
tests, I reinstalÌed the set in the client's
range using sBR range using sBR Whatever scheme is used, geosequestration will use enormous amounts
home and crossed my fingers. Unfor-
Parametric Stereo Yes Yes of energy; perhaps 40% or more than is currently needed to generate elec-
tunately, the gods were not smiling on
Maximum bit rates 64 - 72kbls (18 - me because she subsequently phoned
tricity, Isn't this insane? We wa¡t to get rid of carbon dioxide but we have
1152kb/s thus allowing
to mine heaps more coal and burn it to do so. On the other hand, Austral-
multiple channels 20kHz channel width) four days later to tell me, very coolly,
ians mustn't use nuclear power (which generates very little greenhouse
Audio Superframe 3 Audio Units 10 Audio Units that she had stopped the cheque. She
gas) because that has all sorts of radioactive nasties. Never mind that a
wasn't exactly rude but there was
The main differences between DAB+ and DRM are the frequencies used and large proportion ofthe electricity generated by western countries already
plenty of "hoity-toity" snotty-nosed
therefore the coverage. DRM operates on much lower frequencies which offer comes from nuclear power stations.
attitude. There's nothing like doing
significantly greater range than DAB+. This can be both fblessing and a curse! I should note that the term "geosequestration" now seems to have been
business with someone who thinks so
highly of you! replacedby "ca¡bon capture and storage (CCS) technologies" which seems
Australia. However, it's not the only phB shows the frequency schedule. Ânyway, she told me that the set to imply that there are lots of ways of doing it. The Federal Government
one. Youmayhaveheard of DRM (Dig- They are using a 1OkHz-wide cha¡rnel lasted four hours before doingl pre- proposes to spend lots of money promoting CCS - this is just more woolly
ital Radio Mondiale) which is a system and ruggedness mode B. The audio is cisely the same thing as before. lust my thinking. And to think that Australia might take a lead with CCS and then
used in several overseas countries. 64-level QAM. The sound is mono, luck, I thought - I have the set for two sell it other countries that bu¡n lots of coal just beggars the imagination.
The table below shows the similari- Radio Australia has been experi- weeks and cannot fault iU she has it for Just how gullible do we think they are?
ties and differences. menting at their Brandon, Qld site four hours and it fails, That's Murphy It is time that we called a halt on all this fear-mongering about global
The DAB+ and DRM transmission with a low-powered HF DRM signal. at his pernicious best. warming and greenhouse gases. The fact is that no matter how many so-
systems are very similar except for I reminded her that I had empha- called experts forecast that the polar icecaps will melt completely (they
the fìequency bands used. The main Standards sised that repairing the power supply might) and sea levels will rise, we just don't know if this will happen or
advantage of DRM is that there will be Australian Standard 49 43 .1. -zOO9 would be something of a gamble but it how rapidly it might happen. Nor do we really know if global warming
reception regardless of location, not DAB+: ETSI TS 102 563 didn't cutmuchice. And evenif ithad, is wholly or partially caused by human activity.
only for fixed installations but also in DAB: ETSI EN 300 401 the fact was that the set was still faulty By all means let us stop wasting fossil fuels, particularly oil We need
moving vehicles. DRM: ETSI ES 201 sBO" and I was obliged to give it another go. to conserve oil for the future. And by all means let us accelerate moves to
This would allow high quality When I called to pick it up, her use more solar power, nuclear power, geothermal power or whatever. But
sound regardless of location. DRM Antennas for digital radio husband was there and he was much let us not be panicked into enormously expensive moves to reduce carbon
could also be used by Radio Australia On portable and clock radios, etc, more relaxed and logical about things. dioxide when we don't really know if it's a problem or not.
for international transmissions. DAB+ channels 5A - l3F will use the After some discussion, he decided
Australia has 45 transmitter sites same antennas. as currently used - a to go for option three (ie, replace the Next time you see some politician or climate expert pontificating about
with a FM transmitter with a radi- telescopic rod, a wire or an antenna power supply) and hang the expense, global warming, ask yourself, "Do they even understandbasic chemistry?"
ated power of 20kW. These sites each made up of the headphone leads. And so that's how this annoying And remember, "carbon pollution" is not the problem!
cover a regional area and are ideal The optimum lengths for FM re- intermittent fault was flnally fixed,
ception arc 767mm: for DAB+ Ch
Leo Simpson
for DAB+. It's the sort of repair that's all part
Four high-powered DRM sites could 5A - 13F, 362mm and for DAB+ Ch of the "dumbing-down" trend in the
cover all of Australia with state-based LA - LW 2}4mm.
programs for national broadcasters. The coverage area of DAB+ cha¡lels
There are at least 246 sites which 5A - 13F is similar to that of digital TV
could be replaced by the four sites. channels 6 - 1.2 (ie, 175 To 224MHz;
Radio New Zealand International VHF Band s), An experienced electronics technician is required to repair & overhaul
has beenbroadcasting DRM since 2006 However, in weak signal areas a switchmode power supplies in our modern Hornsby workshop. Email
and because of the low foequency, vertically-polarised Band 3 Yagi-Uda your application to:
these signals are often receivable antenna (ie, mounted so that the ele-
in Australia (particularly the east ments are verticalJ should give reliable ELECT BO N I CS SPEC/ALISIS
SWITCHM0DE P0WER SUPPLIES PTY ITD Osil s4 0rB ebg 0s0]
coast). reception. TO INDUSTBY AND DEFENCE
2077.
1/37 Leighton Place, Hornsby, llSW Phone (02) 9476 0300
The website www.rnzi.com/index. A Yagi should be mounted so that its ema¡l: mart¡n.griffith@switchmode.c0m.au webpage: wwlt .sw¡tchm0de.c0m.au
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au 2009 45
JUNE
 DIRECION+ A Yagi antenna is

SER\ruCEWSLOG
| IRANSMITTER lN lHlS

cope
E
a good choice for

leve
E I
o -
DAB+ reception.A
I simple 3-element
beam suitable for
INSULÀIID
digital TV should Mixed Signal Oscilloscope
/ BIOCK
tl be adequate in most + Mixed signal triggers
3ólmm areas, If you want + $pectrum analysis
to try making one + Symbolic maths
300f): 75c¡
BAI.UN yourself (and it's not + Custom units
that hard!), follow + Copy & paste
Items Govered This Month
l

In this job, it's all too easy to put in a lot of these dimensions. + Signal generator
+ USB or Ethernet
effort for nothittg. I encountered a couple of r NEC PX42VP4G PlasmaTV
+ 8M samples storage
+ 100 MHz sampling
such jobs recently but then I was stimulated
TOTAI- DIPOI,.E

¡ Sansui 66cm LCDTV (SAN LENGTH 722mm

+ 10,12 or 14 bit dual ADC

by our glorious leader. All is well, I think. 2601 )

One of the more alarming trends in
the service business (at Ìeast, for me)
is that the exact nature of many faults
can no longer be determined. Factors
such as cost, time and new technol-
ogy often conspire to prematurely
terminate fault-finding procedures.
The result is that faults are increas-
ingly being resolved by replacement
at module level.
In the 1950s and 1960s we had
valve jockeys and now, regretfully, we
are being "dumbed-down" to board
jockeys. That's progress, I guess, and
all we ca¡r do is carry on ald look as
42VP4G plasma set that would inter-
mittently cut out on bright screens.
Naturally, it had to come back to the
workshop to be repaired and then
soak tested.
These large-screen flat-panel TV sets
can tie up a lot ofresources just getting
them onto the workbench. First, you
need two people to carry them and you
also need a large station wagon or van
so that they can be kept upright during
transportation (the display panel is
particularly fragile). Then, when you
flnally get the unit into the workshop,
you have to lay it carefully down on
o Pioneer PDP503G 127cm
Plasma TV
. Thomson Speedtouch 536
ADSL2 Modem
that you can see what is on the screen.
Of course, if you have the money,
time and inclination, you can get a
special jig that will hold a plasma or
LCD at any angle you require. How-
ever, the diminishing returns from this
profession mean that costs have to be
kept to a minimum and so most of us
use large benches and lots ofsponges.
I'm not going to even spend my 900
boom is aimed at the transmitter, with the longest element
away from the transmitter.
Do not connect these antennas to the downlead used for
TV reception. This is likely to produce broken up pictures
and sound in digital TV programs and may cause patterning
to alalog TV reception.
So you need to use a sepilate down lead to the DAB+ radio
réceiver - almost certainly 75Cl coaxial cable. As with all
coax, you get what you pay for - and if you're in a low signal
area, you're going to need high quality, low-loss type,
MATV systems will need a separate channel amplifier to
control the signal level and fi.lter out TV signals picked up
by the above antenna.
What's available? Zooming in on one
As far as we can tell, there are currently no local antenna tn

huppy as we can,
These thoughts were triggered rec-
ently when I was called out to
wealthy suburb to attend an NEC PX
three or more large soft sponges with
gaps in between.
a These gaps are there to allow a mir-
ror to be slid between the sponges, so
Rudd-bucks on one but I do appreciate models available to receive the whole DAB+ band, incÌud-
being stimulated all the same. ing chalnels 13,A. - 13F; however some manufacturers
Because of the intermittent nature have indicated they will probably gear up when demand
ofthe fault, I initially decided to try to picks up.
"accelerate" its appearance by gently We have found one imported antenna, the Spanish-made
heating the switchmode power supply Ikusi DAB030, which does cover the whole DAB band. It's
with a hairdryer. Unfortunately, this available through Ikusi Australia distributors, Contact Ikusi
seemed to have the opposite effect as on (03) 9720 8000 or visit their website (see below).
the fault never appeüed. I then tried Some suitable antennas for the lower section of the band
using freezer to see if that would do include:
the trick but that didn't work either. Hills DYa -DYL4
Well, to cut a long story short, a Matchmaster 03-DR3004 - 03-DR301B
whole week went by and despite run- Fracarro BLV4F, BLVOF
ning tlre set all day every day, there was
no sign of the fault. And by now, the
client's wife was beginning to phone,
clearly impatient for the set's return.
Out of time
OK, so I had run out of time. The
question now was what to do?
Well, there were several options:
[1) return the set as it was, (2) take
a punt and replace the most likely
culprits in the power suppÌy, such as
the electrolytic capacitors or (3) install The Ikusi DAB030, shown at Sydney:02 9896 7150 Brisbane: 07 33766277
a new power supply for $550 plus! I right, covers the whole DAB+ Perth: 08 9321 2899 National: 1300 853 407
explained these options as clearly as band fiom 175 to 240MHz. As

- SO MOST OF US Us'q- LARGI

BENCHES & LOTS OF SPONGES
I could to the client and she assured
me that she understood the situation,
far as we can tell, it's the only
one which currently does so. www.cleverscope.com
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 61
 By JIM R0WE

É€ æ I
F

Here's an easy-to-build accessory for the Time Delay Photoflash

Trigger described in our February 2009 issue. It triggers the delay
unit and your photoflash in response to an object interrupting an -
invisible beam of infrared (IR) lÍght. Alternatively, it can be used tË
on its own to directly trigger a photoflash.

FEW MONTHS ago (in February
.fLzoos), we described a "Time De-
^
lay Photoflash Trigger", This unit was
triggered by a sudden sound picked up
by an electret microphone. It then im-
mediately opened the cameta's shutter
and then flred the photoflash shortly
after, depending on the delay period
programmed into the unit.
Using sound pick-up in this man-
ner is a popular and effective method
of triggering a flash for "stop motion"
and otherkinds ofspecial effects pho-
tography, However, in addition to the
electret mic input, we also gave the
delay unit a second "contact closure"
input, so that it could be triggered us-
ing other techniques. Which was just
as well, because as soon as the delay
unit was published we started getting
rèquests for a light beam trigger,
This simple "Beam Break Trigger
Unit" is the result of those requests.
It's mainly intended as an alternative
triggering front-end for the Time Deiay
Photoflash Trigger and is connected to
the latter's "contacts" input. However,
it can also be used to trigger a photo-
flash unit directly if you don't need the
programmable time delay capabilities.
Note, however, that using the unit
to directly trigger the flash has one
important limitation. Unlike the Time
Delay Photoflash Trigger, it doesn't
also trigger the shutter. This means tlat
you have to open the shutter manually
before the infrared beam is interrupted
(eg, at night or in a darkened studio).
The new project is in two parts: (1)
an IR Source unit which produces the
IRbeam and [z) a Detector unit which
monitors the IR beam and closes its The DC power socket and pushbutton switches on the display board are accessed via holes in the side ofthe case
(note; the DB9M connector is not necessary on the main board if mounting the GPS driver board internally).
output trigger contacts briefly if the
beam is interrupted. These two units
are linked with an interconnecting
cable which supplies the Source unit The unit will then display either UTC hours for eastern Australia), This is are retained even if the power is inter-
with power, time, local standard time for eastern done by pressing buttons 34 (hours rupted.
By the way, if you're already won- Australia or daylight saving time increment) and S5 (minutes incre- Note also that if the power is inter-
dering how you accurately line up for Eastern Australia, as selected by ment), as described last month in Pt.1. rupted, the clock will automatically
the Source and Detector units when switches S1-S3. The clock will then show the correct start displaying the correct time within
the IR light beam is invisible to the If you live in a different time zone local time for your location. 30-40s when power is subsequently re-
human eye, wonder no more. That to eastern Australia, then it's a simple Note that any changes you make to applied. It all depends how quicklythe
problem has been solved by providing matter to program in a different offset the offset lrom UTC time are stored EM-408 GPS module begins receiving
the detector unit with a visible green from UTC (the default offset is +10 in the micro's on-board memory and data foom a GPS satellite. SC

62 StLtco¡tt CutP siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 43


Fig.6: "GPS Clock" frorn TimeTools
shows UTC time plus longitude and
latitude.
IF Y0UR PC has a serial port, then you
lcan feed the NMEA 0183 data stream
from this GPS driver module directly into
it and install software f rom the lnternet to
display GPS time.
Two useful programs are ÊPS Clock
rom Time Tools (freeware) and GPS Tine
f
And Test from BrigSoft (shareware but
free to try for 30 days). Download them
f rom http:/irtrww.timelools.co.ullatomic-
"display only" enclosure), Note also
that you don't need to make a cutout
to provide access to the DBgF socket
in this version, since the driver board
cable is wired directly to the back of
the main board.
Final assembly
Fig.5 shows the final assembly
details. The new GPS driver board
assembly is attached to the base of
the enclosure using four M3 x 10mm
countersunk-head machine screws,
with four M3 nuts used as short
spacers and another four nuts used to
hold the board in place,
To allowplenty of "breathing space"
between the driver board ard the main
display board (especially to provide
some clear space above the EM-408's
patch antennaJ, in this version the
main board is mounted much further
forward than in the "display only"
version. This is achieved by mounting
42 stLtco¡¡ cutp
Fig.7: "GPS Time ,{,nd Test" synchronises your PC's clock to the GPS
signal at preset intervals down to as low as one minute. Both programs
also show the incoming NMEA data sentences.
clocllfVgps-clock.htm and f rom htlp:i/
www.abstime.com
Each does a slight different job. For
example, GPS Clock(Fig.6) shows the UTC
time, along with the date, your longitude
and latitude and the NMEA sentences.
By contrast, GPS Time And Test (see
Fig.7) synchronises your PC's existing
clock to the correct local time (ie, the
clock is locked to the GPS time signal
it on 25mm-long untapped spacers,
These sit on the existing moulded
mounting pillars in the case and the
assembly secured using M3 x 30mm
machine screws.
Unfortunately, it's quite tricky to fit
with
the mainboard into the enclosure
the 25mm spacers simply sitting on
the moulded pillars. However, there
is an easy way around this and that is
to glue the spacers to the tops of the
pillars using 5-minute epoxy cement
- see Fig.5.
This is done by first "clamping"
each spacer to its pillar using a 3Omm
screw ald flat washer. That done, you
can appiy a small "fillet" of epoxy
around the bottom of each spacer to
hold it inposition. Leave the assembly
for a few hours to allow the epoxy to
set reasonably well before removing
the screws and flat washers.
Once the cement attaching the
spacers has set, the three leads from
but displays local time). Other informa-
tion displayed includes the time before
and after synchronisation plus the NMEA
sentence containing both the time and the
co-ordinates for latitude and longitude. You
can also set the synchronisation interval
and set various COM port properties.
There's a lot more GPS software (both
freeware and shareware) out there on the
lnternet. Check it out for yourself.
the GPS driverboard canbe connected
to the main display board. Note that
these leads should be soldered to the
rear of the main board, rather than to
the ftont of the board as shown (for the
sake of cÌarity) in Fig.3. If you prefer,
you can fit PC stakes to the tltree wiring
points (from the copper side) to accept
the lead terminations.
The assembly cannowbe completed
by securing the display board in posi-
tion using the M3 x 3Omm screws and
then fitting the clear lid to the case,
Applying power
You wiII need a 12V DC 300m4
plugpack to power the unit. When
this is connected, the displays should
light up immediately and initialÌy
show "0000".
After a short time (anywhere up to
about 40s), the EM-408 GPS engine
shouldbegin sending the NMEA 0183
data sentences to the clock display.
siliconchip.com.au
coNl
\
----+
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oB.Éct
BRFåICNG
BEAAA
ffi 'BTIiI BRTIK'TRIGOER UIIII
Fig.l: the infrared beam is generated by LEDs 1-3 and picked up by photodetector diode PD1. Op arnp ICLb functions
as a current.to-voltage converter while ICla is wired as a non-inverting amplifier. The latter drives transistor QL &
Mosfet Q2 to briefly switch the trigger ouþut when the IR beam is interrupted.
LED which lights when the IR beam is
beingreceived. This makes the lining-
up process easy.
Both parts of the project run from
a 9V battery fitted inside the Detector
unit's box. The total current drain is
about 15mA which means that the
battery should be either a set of six
AA (1.5V) alkaline cells or a single
high-energy 9V lithium battery. A
standard 9V zinc-carbon or alkaline
battery is not up to the job, as its life
would be too short.
Circuit details
Take a look now at Fig.1 for the
circuit details. There's really not a
great deal in either part ofthe circuit.
In fact, the IR Source unit is nothing
more than three IR LEDs connected in
series a¡d with an B20Q series resistor,
This resistor limits the current from
the 9V supply (and thus the current
through the IR LEDs) to about 7.5m4.
Power is derived fiom the battery
in the Detector unit via a cable fitted
with a 3.5mm jack plug (CONl). This
mates with CON2 on the detector unit.
In the Detector unit, the IR beam
from the Source unit normally falls on
PD1, an IR photodetector diode. This
photodetector is connected between
ground and the inverting input fpin
6) of op amp IClb (an LM35B).
siliconchip.com.au
Op amp IClb is connected as a LED4 to be used as a guide when
current-to-voltage converter. Its pin 7
output sits somewhere between +L,7y
and +4.0V when the IRbeam is present
but rests close to +1.0V when no IR
light is falling on PD1. This "dark"
output voltage of +1.0V is basically
set by the voltage divider formed by
the 22kQ and 2.7kQ resistors, with the
220¡ß capacitor providing filtering.
This is used to directly bias pin 5 of
IClb and to bias pin 2 of ICla via a
1kO resistor.
The output at pin 7 of IClb is fed to
the non-inverting input (pin 3) of IC1a,
which is conflgured as a non-inverting
amplifrer with a voltage gain of 47L,
Because of this very high gain, ICla
acts very much like a comparator, Its
pin 1 output sits at over +BV when the
IR beam is present but falls to 0V when
there is no IR light falling on PD1 (ie,
the IR beam is interrupted).
ICla's output in turn drives the
base of transistor Q1 via a 1OkQ resis-
tor. As a result, Q1 is turned on or off
depending on whether the IR beam is
present or not. When the IR beam is
present, Q1 is on and when the beam
is interrupted, Q1 turns off,
LED4 and iis series 1kf) resistor form
the collector load of Q1, This means
that LED4 lights when Q1 is on and
turns off when Q1 is off. This allows
I
lining-up the Source's IR beam with
PD1, as described previously.
Switching the trigger output
Because Q1 is switched on when
the IR beam falls on PD1, iis collector
voltage is normally held do'vvn to about
0.4V. However, if the beam is inter-
rupted, Q1 turns off and its collector
voltage rises to nearly +9V.
This sudden voltage change is used
to switch on Q2, a 2N7000 MOSFET
which is used as an output switch
across triggering output CON3. As
shown, a 1OnF coupling capacitor and
Q2's 1OkQ gate resistor form a simple
differentiating circuit. This results
in Q2 being switched on only briefly
when Q1's collector voltage rises when
the beam is interrupted, The 100C)
resistor in series with the coupling
capacitor is there to suppress any
possible oscillation during switch-on
or switch-off,
That's about it, apart from power
switch 51 and the 47opF and loonF
capacitors which decouple the supply
rail voltage to keep it constant.
The
current drain of the detector circuit
varies between about 7.5m,A. when the
IR beam is present and 1.5m4 when
it is interrupted, so the total battery
drain for both sections varies between
JUNE 2009 63

Farts Est
lR Source Unit
'l PC board, code 13'l 06092, 57
x 26mm
1 UB5 jiffy box, 82 x 53 x 31mm
4 6mm long untapped spacers
4 M3 x 12mm screws, counter-
sink head
4 M3 hex nuts
1 Nylon cable tie, 75mm long
1 2m length of light-duty figure-8
cable
1 3.5mm mono jack plug, cable
type (CON1)
3 Smm lR LEDs (LEDs1-3)
1 820C) resistor
Detector Unit
1 PC board, code 13106091,
122 x 58mm
1 UB3 jiffy box, 129 x 68 x 44mm
1 SPDT mini toggle switch (S1)
1 PC-mount 3.5mm stereo jack
(coN2)
1 PC-mount 2.5mm concentric
plus (CON3)
4 M3 x 1Smm tapped spacers
8 M3 x 6mm machine screws,
pan head
2 1mm PC board terminal pins
1 9V battery clip lead
1 8-pin DIL lC socket
1 30mm length of 12-15mm
diameter black PVC conduit
or brass tubing
1 piece of lR-transparent red
film, approx. 16mm square
1 9V battery snap connector OR
1 x 4-way AA cell holder plus
1 x 2-way AA cell holder - see
text
Semiconductors
1 1M358 dualop amp (lC1)
1 8C338 NPN transistor (Q1)
'l 2N7000 N-channel MOSFET
(o2)
1 lR photodetector (PD1) (Jaycar
ZD-1948 or similar)
1 5mm green LED (LED4)
Gapacitors
The IR Source board carries the three infrared LEDs (LEDs1-3) plus an B2oÇ)
cu¡rent-limiting resistor. It's mounted inside a UBS case on 6mm untapped
spacers and derives its power from the Detector unit.
15m,\ (beam present) and smA (beam
interrupted).
Construction
As shown by the photos, the two
units which make up the Beam Break
Trigger are each housed in a small jiffy
box, The IR Source circuit is built on
a small PC board coded 13106092 (57
x 26mm), while the Detector parts are
installed on a larger PC board coded
13106091 (122 x SBmm).
Start the assembly by building the IR
Source board - see Fig,2. This should
take you just a few minutes since there
are only four components to install -
the three infrared LEDs and the B20Q
current-limiting resistor.
Be sure to orientate the three IR
LEDs correctly as shown in Fig.2.
In addition, these three LEDs must
be fitted with their leads bent down
by 90o, so they face out ofthe end of
the box when the board is mounted
inside. In particuì.ar, note that the
centre LED (LEDz) is fitted wiih its
Tah[e fs Resflstor Golour Godes
,*ë
body relatively low down near the
board, while the two outer LEDs are
fitted higher and with their leads bent
inwards towards LED2. This is done
so that they form a triangular group,
to provide a reÌatively compact beam
source (see photo).
Once these parts are in, install the
power cabÌe by soldering its leads to
the +9V and 0V and pads. The cable
is then anchored using a smaÌl Nylon
cabÌe tie wìrich passes through the two
3mm holes on either side.
Having completed the board, it can
be mounted inside its UB5 jiffy box
on four 6mm long untapped spacers
and secured using four M3 x 12mm
countersunk head screws and nuts. As
shown in the photos, the IR LEDs face
outwards through a 1Omm hole in one
end of the box, while the power cable
exits via a small notch filed in the top
at the opposite end. Fig.3 shows where
to drill the holes in both boxes.
Finally, complete the IR Source unit
by attaching the front paneÌ label to
leads and tin them before soldering
them to the PC board. Be sure to feed
the leads through the board holes in
the correct sequence and note that
the wire with the grey insulation goes
into the uppermost hole (marked "1"
on Fig.2).
After they have all been soldered,
plug the end of the cable into the
matching socket on the end of the
EM-408 module. This is done withthe
module orientated socket-end-down
and roughÌy vertical with respect to
the board. Take care to ensure that
the plug and socket mate correctly -
they're very small and are polarised.
Once the connection is made, fit
the strip of double-sided adhesive
foam to the underside of the EM-408.
That done, remove the protective tape
from the outer surface of the adhesive
foam and carefully swing the module
down so that it rests on the top of the
PC board. During this process, be sure
to Ìeave a small amount of slack in the
cable so that the plug isn't pulled out
of its socket.
Once the module is in the cot'Lect
position (see photo), press it clown
gently to ensure that the adhesive
foam "grabs".
Finally, if you intend installing the
board into a separate case, fit the DC
socket (CONI) and the DBFg socket
(CON2). Conversely, leave these parts
out if the module is going to be in-
stalled in the same case as the display
board.
That's it - the module is now com-
pìete.
Setting up
This simply involves adjusting trim-
pot VR1 to set the output of reguiator
REGI to 3 .3V to give the correct suppÌy
voltage for the EM-408 GPS module.
To do this, first set VR1 to mid-range
Television E Uideo
TEchnolo0y - by KF tbrahim
25mm uNTAppED
then apply power from an external 12V
DC source. If you're not using the DC
socket, simply connect the supply's
positive to D1's anode. The negative
lead goes to the outside copper earth
pattern.
Next, use your DMM (set to a suit-
able DC voltage range) to monitor the
output from REG1 (eg, at its metal tab
or at the lower end of any of the 1kQ
resistors). With VR1 set to mid-range,
this should be close io 3.3V but may
be either slightly lower or higher than
this figure. Adjust VR1 to set the volt-
age from REG1 as close as possible to
the correct 3.3V.
The driver board assembly is now
finished and can be fitted into either
the clock display enclosure or a sepa-
rate UB3 jiffy box.
Drilling the case
We'll assume here that you want
to fit the GPS driver module into the
same case as the display board. If so,
the first step is to connect a 200mm
length of 3-way ribbon cable to the
Practical Guide fo
Satellite fU - ¡tt Garry Gratt
Fig.5: here's how the two PC boards
are mounted inside the case,
,roar* \-otspLni rc ioeno
TO REAR (
/
IUPPER CENTREì vrA 4
/ -ATTACHED
tsr HEAD M3 scRa
module's external wiring points - see
Fig.3. The other end of this cable goes
to the main display board but leave this
end disconnected for the time being.
Having attached the cable, the driver
module and its associated display
board can be installed in the case.
Fig.4 gives the case drilÌing details. As
shown, four holes must be drilied in
the base (towards the top) and these
are used to mount the driver module.
They should be all be countersunk [ie,
on the outside of the case) using an
over-size drill.
In addition, you have to cut notches
along the mating edges of the top and
bottom halves of the enclosure (these
provide access to the DC socket a¡d the
switches on the display board), These
notches are best made using rat-tail
files of the correct diameter, although
it may be also possible to drill them if
the two halves of the case are secured
together.
Note that aÌl these holes are in
quite different positions from those
shown in Fig,4 last month (ie, for the
every
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64 StLtco¡tt Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 47
 CABIT TO
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(MATES
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;UÈ It
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Follow this photo and the parts layout

diagram [Fig.2) at right to build the Detector PC board.

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the lid. A full-size artwolk is sÌrown solder the battery clip leads to them.
:
LJ

in Fig,3 and is also available for down-
ã
= load from the SIl-lcoN CHIP website.
z ll
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Detector board assembly
õ There are more conponents on the
zU -9--1 Detector board but its construction is
= still straightforwarcl - see Fig.2. Install
J
the resistors first, taking care to use the
correct r¡aLue at each location. Table
1 shows the resistor colour codes but
it's also a good idea to check each
one using a digital muLtimeter before
soldeling it in place.
Follor¡' these parts with the metal-
lised polyester capacitors, then fit the
two electrolytic capacitors. The latter
are polarised, so be sure to orientate
them as shor,rtn. The two PC board
Fig.4: follow this dritling diagram to mount both the GPS driver module and the display board in the same case. terminal pins used to make the battery
The semi-círcular notchãs alõng one edge of the lid and along the top of the base can be made using rat-tail files of connections can then be fitted. Note
the correct diameter. (Note: if you intend mounting just the display board in the case, using the drilling diagram that both pins are fitted on the copper
published in Pt.1 last month).
side of the board, to make it easier to
Sr.rritch 51 and connectors CON2 &
CON3 are next on the list, followed
by an B-pin socket for IC1. Be sure to
orientate the socket with its notched
end towalds the adjacent 100nF ca-
pacitor, to guide you r,r,hen plugging
in IC1 itself later on.
Transistor Q1, photodetector PD1,
MOSFET Q2 and LED4 can now all go
in, again iaking care to orientate them
correctl¡2. Note that PD1 is mounted
vertically with its curved side facing
outwards and r.r,ith the centre of its
body about Smm above the PC board. TO FLASH, ErC [rO EMITTERS)
LED4 should also be mounted velti-
cally, with the bottom of its bod1. about Fig.2: install the parts on the two PC
1.2mm abor¡e the board (this ensures boards as shown on this layout diagram.
LED4 (green) on the Detector board is
that it will protrude slightly from its
mounted vertically but be sure to bend
matching hole in the box lid after as- the leads ofIR LEDsl-3 through 90"
sembÌy), before installing them on the IR Source
The Detector board can now be
board - see text & photo.
completed by plugging IC1 into its

40 Sil,tcoN Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 65

 t0 I

Oo oo Fig.3
GPS
the c
to connect the
ard. Note that
at the back of the 0
display boa¡d (not at the front, as shown here for
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is next on the list. This is attached to
TRIGGER OI'TPUT END OF UB3 BOX
BOTTOM OF UBs BOX
POWER CABI.E END OF UB5 BOX
the top of the PC board using a strip of
double-sided adhesive foam tape and
Fig.3: these drilling diagrams for the UB3 & UB5 boxes can be either be copied a¡d used directly as templates or you can must be orientated as shown in Fig,2,
mãrk the holes ouimanually using the measurements indicated. Also shown are the two front-panel artworks, They can However, before fitting it in place, you
either be copied and used direct or downloaded from the SILICON CHIP website and printed out. have to make the interconnections
between it and the PC board.
As supplied, the EM-408 comes with
a matching 5-way interface cable. This
is about 25mm long and is fitted at each
end with a mini S-way SIL plug, one
of which is plugged into a matching
socket on the GPS module itself.
For this application, you have to
cut the cable in half and then use one
half to make the connections between
the module and the PC board. Remove
about 4mm of insulation fiom the frve

66 stLtcoN crutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 39

 r2v Dc
EFGI
\43177
Fig.2r install the parts on the PC board as shown here. Note that CON1 (the
DC socket) and CON2 (the DBF9 connector) are botl left out if you intend
installing '\is board in the same case aɡ the display board (see Fig.3),
is attached using double-sided adhesive foarn tape.
The NMEA data stream emerges board coded 07106091 and measuring
from the EM-408 at its Tx output (pin 1.22x57mm. This board has cut-outs in
4) and is then fed to a simple inverting each corner so that it can be housed in
buffer stage based on transistor Q1. a standard UB3-size (reo x 0s x 44mml
The inverted signal appearing at Q1's utility box, if you want to build it as a
collector is then fed to the serial input separate unit.
of the display board (or to the serial Fig.2 shows the assembly details,
port of a PC), either directly or via a Note that there's provision to mount
DBgF socket and serial cable. both a 2. 5mm DC input socket (CON1)
and a DBgF socket (CON2) on the
Board assembly board. However, these are fitted only
The assembly is straightforward if you intendbuilding a¡ external unit.
with all parts, including the EM-408 Leave these parts out if the moduÌe is
GPS module, installed on a small PC to be mounted in the clock case [it's
tr No. Value 4-Band Gode (1%)
tr 1 10kO brown black orange brown
tr 3 1kO brown black red brown
tr 1 430C) yellow orange brown brown
tr 1 24Oa red yellow brown brown
This close-up view shows how the
EM-408 is connected to the PC board
via the 5-way interface cable supplied
with the module - see text.
wired directly to the display board).
The optional link shown just to the
right of trimpot VR1 can also be left
out, as it's not needed for this particu-
lar project.
Begin the assembly by installing the
resistors, followed by trimpot VR1 and
the 100nF monolithic capacitor. Table
1 shows the resistor colour codes but
it's also a good idea to check each one
using a multimeter before installing it.
Note the 1OkQ resistor that's second to
the left from transistor Q1 - be sure to
install it in its correct location.
The two electroÌytic capacitors can
now go in, taking care to fit them with
the correct orientation. Follow these
with the four diodes (D1-D4), then
instalÌ transistor Q1 and regulator
REG1. As shown, the latter is installed
with its leads bent down at right an-
gles about 6mm fiom its body, so that
they go through their matching holes
in the board.
Secure REG1's metal tab to the board
using an M3 x 6mm screw and nutbe-
fore soldering its leads. Don't solder its
leads first. If you do, the solder joints
could be stressed as its tab is bolted
down and this could lift (or crack) the
board tracks.
Check that the diodes, transistor Q1
and the regulator are all installed with
the correct orientation,
Fitting the EM-408
The EM-408 GPS engine module
5-Band Code (1%)
brown black black red brown
brown black black brown brown
yellow orange black black brown
red yellow black black brown
socket (take care with the orientation).
The detector boarcl is then ready to be
mounted behind the lid of the UB3
box.
The first step is to drill and ream
out the various holes in the base and
lid, as shown in Fig.3. That done, fit
the front panel label and cut out the
holes using a sharp hobby knife, then
secure the board to the lid using four
M3 x 15mm tapped spacers and eight
M3 x 6mm machine screws.
Note that you'll need to remove the
upper nut from the ferrule of switch
S1 before doing this, so the ferrule can
pass up through its matching hole in
the lid. Once the board is in place,
the nut can be replaced and threaded
down against the top of the lid. The
Iower nut and lockwasher can then be
threaded up against the underside of
the lid, using a small spanner.
The next step is to fit a small square
of red "IR transparent" film inside the
box behind the single 5mm hole at the
PD1 end. It can be helcl in place using
a couple ofnarrow strips oftransparent
tape, one on either side.
A short "light hood" is now be at-
tached to the photodetector (PD1) end
of the box. This must cover the Smm
hole and be as close as possible to
concentric with it.
The hood itself can be fashioned
from a 3Omm length of 12mm diameter
brass tubing (see photos) or from a
simil,ar length of opaque (preferably
black) PVC conduit. Whichever you
use, it's simply glued to the end of
the box using 5-minute epoxy cemr;rtt.
Now for the final assembly. First,
connect the battery snap lead to the
terminal pins on the underside of the
board, then place the battery in the
bottom ofthe box and fasten it in place
using either a small aluminium "U"
bracket or a strip ofgaffer tape. Finally,
lower the lid and PC board assembly
into the box before fitting the screws
to hold everything together.
Trying it out
No adjustments are required, so you
can try it out simply by plugging the
power cable from the IR Source into
CON2 on the Detector unit and turning
on power switch S1.
If the Detector's Ìight hood is now
aÌigned with the output from the IR
Source (or any other source of IRradia-
tion), LED4 should immediately begin
glowing. If it does, block the end of the
hood with your thumb or a small piece
b#*
- .. tT
Above: the Detector
board is secured to
the lid of the UBe
case using four M3 x
15mm tapped spacers
and eight M3 x 6mm
machine screws
Left: a "light hood"
is fitted to the end of
the Detector unit to
preveDt interference
frorr shay IR light
sources,
of opaque material and check that the the two together. This simply involves
LED immediately switches off. connecting the Detector's trigger out-
The same thing should happen if put to the "external trigger contacts"
you turn the IR Source away lrom the input (CONa) of the deÌay unit.
Detector or if you simply block the By the way, the Beam Break Trigger
beam with your hand or some other Unit should give reliable triggering
small opaque object. If this happens, with the IR Source unit placed up to
then your Beam Break Trigger Unit a metre or so from the Detector box
is probably working correctly and is in normal room Ìighting. This "beam
ready for use. length" range canbe extended consid-
If you're going to be using it in erably in dark (eg, night-time) condi-
conjunction with the Time Delay Pho- tions but in bright sunlight it wilÌ be
toflash Trigger unit, aLì that remains is shortened due to the relatively high
to make up a suitable cable to connect level of IR in the ambient light. sc
fl s mentioned in the afticle, the Beam Break Trigger can also be used to trigger an
Ëlelectronic flash directly, rather than via the Time Delay Photoflash Trigger. To do
this, trigger output C0N3 is simply c0nnected to the photoflash via a suitable cable.
However, when you're makìng up this cable, make sure that the p0sitive side lead
from the flash input is connected to the centre contact of the plug that goes io C0N3. lf
the polarity is reversed, M0SFET Q3 in the Beam Break Trigger Unit could be damaged.
The procedure is to first use your DMM to check the polarity 0f the v0ltage at the
end 0f the cable that's plugged into the flash unit (ie, with the flash unit powered up
and ready for triggering). 0nce that's done, you'll then know which way ar0und to
connect the cable to the plug that goes to C0N3 0n the Detector unil.
While you're checking the polarity 0f the cable leads, make a note of the actual
v0ltage itself . lf it is below 60V, lhat w0n't be a problem. Gonversely, if it's higher
than 60V, you'll need to replace the 2N7000 M0SFET with one having a higher
voltage rating - such as a lRF540N.

3B StucoN Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 67

 l2v Dc
INR'f

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1 VRI
5k

NMEA

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Dl-Ð4:1N4004 + sOCKEf
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8C338

ffi GL0CK llRlUIR USlllS [ttl'408 0P i nICIIUIR ,Ð #

Fig.1.: the circuit uses an EM-408 GPS receiver module and an adiustable LM317T regulator to provide a 3.3V supply.
The ouþut from the GPS module appears at pin 4 and is inverted by transistor Q1 to drive the display board.

just 44mA continuous from a 3.3V

supply rail. Farts L[st
Do you need to test audio equipment, including amplifiers and As a result, all we have to do to use it

speakers, in the field and in the workshop? If so, you could use as a cÌock driver is to provide it with a
sollrce of 3.3V DC power pÌus a simple
this compact and inexpensive digital audio oscillator. It can buffer stage to interface its NMEA 0183
data stream output to the serial data
produce sine, square, triangle and sawtooth waveforms in the input of the clock display (or a PC).
1 PC board, code 07106091,122
x 57mm
Capacitors
1 1000¡rF 16V RB electrolytic
1 GlobalSat Technology EM-408 '1 100¡rF 16V RB electrolytic
GPS Engine module with cable
(Altronics K-1131)
1 100nF monolithic ceramic

frequency range from 1.OHz-ïOkHz and features three output Fig.1 shows the circuit details. 1 short length of double-sided Besistors (0.25W 1%)

ranges: 20mV 200mV & Lv.
rftHIS COMPACT HAND-HELD dig-
I itut audio oscillalorwilì allow yoî
to quickly test wiring and to diagnose
faults in audio systems. It is ideal for
testing amplifier and speaker set-ups
and is portable and easy to use.
To use it, you simply select one
of four waveforms - sine, square,
triangle or sawtooth - and set it to a
frequency between 1OHz and 3OkHz.
The digitally synthesised waveform
is then available at the two RCA out-
puts. These two outputs are in parallel
and are doubled-up simply for your
convenience. It means you can test
a stereo amplifier and speaker set
simultaneously.
Turning to the Iront panel, there is a
4-position slide switch that selects one
of three levels for the output signal:
20mV 200mV and 1V. Each selected
level can be continuously varied down
to zero with the "Level" control.
There are also three pushbuttons on
the front panel. The two on the right
increase or decrease the frequency
of the output waveform. The output
frequency and the waveform type are
shown on a blue backlit LCD screen.
Pressing the "Wave" button on the
left while at the same time pressing
the "Down" button on the right Ìets
you scroll through the four different
waveform types: sine, square, triangle
and sawtooth. It's that easyl
Circuit details
Fig.1 shows the circuit details. It
uses an Atmel microcontroller (IC1) to
implement most of the features.
The unit is powered from a single
9V battery. As shown, the +9V rail
is fed via reverse polarity protection
diode D1 to one pole of a 2P4't (2-pole
4-throw) switch, S4a. In three of the
four positions, the switch feeds the
resulting +8.4V rail on D1's cathode
to voltage regulator REGl.
REG1, in turn, outputs a +5V rail
which is used to power the micro-
controller, while the +8.4V rail from
diode D1 is used to power op amps
IC2a & IC2b,
In operation, IC1 monitors pushbut-
tons switches S1-S3. These switches
are respectively connected to digital
inputs PD?-PD which have weak
internal pull-ups. When a switch, is
pressed, the relevant input is puiled
Ìow and this is detected by IC1 and
In operation, the driver board oper-
ates from the same +L2Y DC supply
used for the display board via its own
3.3V regulator circuit (REG1). REG1
is an LM317T adjustable regulator
and is configured in standard fash-
ion, with trimpot VR1 used to set the
output voltage to 3.3V as required by
the EM-408. Diodes D1-D3 provide
both supply polarity protection and
an additional 1.BV voltage drop lrom
the 12V source to reduce the power
dissipation of REG1,
Diode D4 protects REG1 from re-
verse cunent damage.
,\s shown in Fig.1, the EM-408's
Vcc input (pin 5) is connected to the
+3.3V line, while the En input (pin 1)
is pulled high via a 1kf) resistor to the
same line, to enable it. Also pulled up
via a 1kO resistor is the Rx input (pin
3), which is provided on the EM-408 to
allow it to be fed with NMEA setting-
adhesive foam tape
1 PC-mount 2.5mm DC connector
(optional - see text)
1 PC-mount DB9F connector
(optional - see text)
1 M3 x 6mm long M3 pan-head
screw
4 M3 x 30mm screws, countersink
head
9 M3 nuts
1 5kO horizontal trimpot (VR1)
Semiconductors
1 LM317T adjustable regulator
(REG1)
1 8C338 NPN transistor (Q1)
4 1N4004 diodes (D1-D4)
up commands in some applications.
We don't need to do this in the
present project, because it comes set
up to do what we want by default
1 10ko 1 430e)
3 1kO 1 240A
Where To Get The EM-408
The EM-408 GPS Engine module
is available in Australiaf rom Altronics
for $99.00 (Cat. K-1 131).
Another source for the EM-408 is
SparkFun Electronics of Boulder,
Colorado, USA. Their website is at
www.sparkfun.com and payment
can be made using most popular
credit cards. At the time of writing,
they were offering the EM-408 GPS
module for US$64.95 plus US$3.40
for handling and shipping to Sydney
(check prices to other cities).
ie,it supplies the NME,A. data stream
at 4800bps and also supplies the
$GPRMC sentence we need to extract
- the time.

6B StLtco¡rl Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2OO9 37

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Based on the Globalsat EM-40S GPS module, this compact xs8 Ë(J
o(!
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(!-.

GPS receiver/driver board mates with the 6-digit display

described in Pt.L to form a self-contained GPS clock. It can HO
.9o.tr
ø¡i -.
also be housed separately and used to provide NMEA 0L83 0i
.. Þ¡
time and date information to a PC, via a serial port. 11 ø
.,
ã'P
i!ã
() () b o a 6 'i'i o,
tTtHE 6-DIGIT GPS Clock Display self-contained GPS Clock simply by as "GPS Clock" to process and display Ê õÉ
I described in last month's issue of building a GPS receiver and display - see panel.
the data €
h
SIucoN Curp was originally conceived driver module into the same enclo- Éf
as an attachment for the author's GPS- sure. And by taking advantage of one How it works <rd
Based Frequency Reference (March- of the low-cost GPS receiver modules As mentioned above, the heart of -l
J !!Ê
May 2OO7). The idea was that since currently available, this couldbe done the new driver board is the Global- H
-NO{b
P9PP -
CÐ .P-v
the NMEA 0183 stream of GPS time, surprisingly cheaply - with the com- Sat EM-408 "GPS Engine" module. aD
t\o CÐ q¡i
date and navigational data was avail- plete clock costing less than $200. Not This module was also used in Geoff t- E'
able from the GPS receiver in the bad for a clock offering you very close Graham's GPS-Synchronised Analog ego
-@ ct
I
Frequency Reference, we'd provide to "atomic time" (and updated every CÌock, described in the March 2009 k
E Ê ¡b
Et
a "smart" display unit to receive this second), wouldn't you say? ÊE
issue.
ôôôôôô
!NQAFO --t Þo(Ë
data stream, extract the time informa- So that's the story behind the little The EM-408 is quite small, measur- ÀdÀcÈd
Éú
tion and display it in either its native GPS Clock Driver board described ing just 36.4 x 35.4 x B.3mm, DesPite J
this, it includes a built-in microwave
Éf -N
Jú
UTC form or converted to local time. here, Its main application is to con- lr
r flo
However, before the design was vert last month's 6-Digit Display into "patch" antenna and is very sensitive oe{ CÐ
published, we realised that it would a self-contained GPS clock. Alterna- (-159dBm). This allows it to operate !l I Ð^
reliably indoors using just the patch
z E
Iìu
also be of interest to many more people tively, it can be used to feed the GPS/ À
l õ
than those who had built the GPS- NMEA 0183 data stream into a PC via artenna, without requiring an exter- ,c¡-Þ èo r!
Based Frequency Reference. That's a standard serial port. You can then nal antenna or cabling. The current 'cttY t¡. Ë

because it could be turned into a fully use a freeware software program such drain is also surprisingly modest, at

36 StucoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2oog

 .a a a a
s4 {sx20401
.a a a a
processed by the internal software.
This sets the waveshape (sine, squile,
triangle or sawtooth) and the ftequen-
cy and displays the result on a 16x2
LCD module.
As shown, the microcontroller
drives the 16x2 LCD module using its
PCO-PC5 digital output lines. Trimpot
VR1 sets the display contrast, while
power for the LCD is derived directly
from the +5V raiÌ. The 47kO resistor
and 10nF capacitor on pin 1 of IC1
reset the microcontroller at switch on.
D-to-A converter
'\s well as the LCD module, the
microcontroller aÌso drives a digital-
to-analog (D/A) converter via iis PB0-
PB7 digital output lines. This D/A
converter is made up of a R-2R Ìadder
network and has B-bit resolution. In
This side-on view shows how the LCD module is secured to the PC board
using Nylon spacers and screws.
70 St,tcot¡ Cntp
a
a
Fig.Z: follow this parts tò build the digital audio oscillator. Be
sure to install the capacitors and semiconductors with the
correct polarity and note the orientation of switches S1-S3.
this case, R = 15kQ and there are seven
15kQ resistors and nine 3OkQ resistors
in the ladder network.
The output of any N-stage R-2R
network is given by:
Vour=D¡xV/2N
where V6u1 is the output voltage, D¡
is the digital value as an N-bit number
and V is the supply rail.
In our case, N = B (so 2N = 256), V
= 5 and D¡ is given by bits PB7 (MSb)
to PB0 (LSb) which are digital outputs
of IC1. The accuracy of such a DAC
is constrained by the accuracy of the
resistors. Note that, in this case, Lo/"
resistors are used throughout.
The output ofthe DAC is AC-coupled
to op amp stage IC2a (TLO72) via a 1pF
non-polarised (NP) capacitor. This op
amp stage,has its non-inverting input
biased to half-supply by two 100ke)
resistors and is wired as a unity-gain
buffer stage.
Attenuator
IC2a's output appears at pin 1 and
is AC-coupled to an attenuator stage
(switch S4b and associated parts) via
a 10pF capacitor and 1Okf¿ resistor. As
shown, the signal is fed to the wiper of
switch S4b which selects the output
level range.
In operation, S4b selects a divider
consisting of the 10kQ resistor and
either a 12Oke¿, 2,2kfl' or 1BOQ resistor
to GND, in parallcl with the two 100kf)
bias resistors for IC2b. These selections
correspond to the 1V 200mV and
2OmV amplitude ranges, respectively.
Selecling the 120kO resistol pro-
vides the 1V range, while selecting
the 2.2kQ resistor provides the 200mV
range. The 1B0Q resistor gives the
2OmV range.
Output buffer
The output of the divider is AC-
coupled to op amp output stage ICZb,
this time via a 4.7pF capacitor. This
op amp is also biased to half-supply
using two 100kQ resistors and also
operates as a unity-gain buffer stage.
Its output signal at pin 7 is fed via a
22Op.F capacitor and series 100Q resis-
tor to potentiometer VR2 which sets
the output level.
The resulting signal at VR2's wiper
is then fed to RCA output sockets
siliconchip.com.au
I N¿',ì
.:pr:
20-LED chaser uses
SCR flipflop
lust when you thought there could
not possibly be another variation ofa
4017 LED chaser, here is another but
with the addition of a quirky flipflop
using two SCRs. Each SCR controls
a string of 10 LEDs.
Most of the circuit is a standard
4017 chaser. IC1 is a 555 timer con-
nected in astable mode and its out-
put frequency is set by capacitor C1
and the 33OkO and t0okQ resistors.
ICl clocks lhe 401,7 (ICz) at its pin 14
input, Each of the 10 4017 outputs
is connected to the anodes of two
LEDs as shor,rm but their catlodes are
connected to one of the two SCRs.
When power is applied to the
circuit, the gate of SCR1 is pulled
high via 10nF capacitor C3 and it
siliconchip.com.au
¿8
I N¿t 48
switches on so that LED1 can light
(also turned on by pin 3 of ICz). The
4o'17 fhen runs through 10 clock
puises, successively lighting LEDs2-
10. On the 11th clock pulse, pin 3
of ICZ goes high and pulls the gate
of SCR2 high via 1OnF capacitor C4.
SCR2 now pulÌs the anode of SCR1
low via 100nF capacitor C5. This
turns SCR1 off and now LEDs11-20
can successively turn on.
Note that when SCR2's gate was
pulled high to turn it on, capacitor
C3 also pulled the gate of SCR1 high
but since it was already on, it could
not change its state.
At the 21st clock pulse, pin 3 of
IC2 will again go high and the gates
of both SCRs will be pulled high via
capacitors C4 &C4. This time, SCR1
turns on and pulls the anode of SCR2
low via capacitor C5, turning it off.
LEDsl-10 then run through their
sequence. This cycle continues, with
SCR1 and SCR2 alternately robbing
each other of anode cur¡ent so that
they are turned off, the same as in
a flipflop, Resistors R1 & R2 are in-
cluded to provide sufficient holding
current for the SCRs.
The value of C1 can be reduced
to speed up the cycling action as
required. If you make the first 10
LEDs red and the second set green,
and arrange them in one circle of
alternating colours, you can have
a colour-changing ring, if the clock
speed is sufficiently fast.
If all the LEDs are same colour and
arranged as two concentric rings, t}re
rings will appeil to pulse, if flashed
suffrciently fast.
A. f . Lowe,
Bardon, Qld. (Sss)
JUNE 2oog 35

$s AUI0il0IlUE U0LIAGE
Modified vehicle
voltage monitor
The popular Vehicle Voltage
Monitor project featured in the May
2006 issue can display voltages over
three ranges, specifically 0-1V 0-5V
and g-16V. It can be used to moni-
tor an oxygen sensor (0-1V), other
vehicles sensors such as airflow and
MAP sensors (0-5V) or monitor the
vehicle's battery voltage (9-16V).
Gomlmg Dog-Eerodfl
Are your Srucou Gxrr copies getting damaged 0r dog-eared iust
lying around in a cupboard 0r 0n a shelf? Gan you quickly find
a part¡Gular ¡ssue that you need t0 refer to?
Keep your Gop¡es of Sn¡con
aMáy-s auailible with these
Available Aust, only. Price: $413.95 plus $7 p&p per order (includes GST). Just fill in
and mail the handy order form in this issue; or fax (02) 9939 2648; or call (02) 9939
3295 and quote your credit card number.
Stuco¡rt Cutp
02 03 0A 05 0ó 07 08 09
il0lllÏ0B rMoD*'D FoR24vsysTErús)
However, it was not designed to
work in vehicles with 24V batteries.
The LM39L4 has a maximum rat-
ing of 25V and since most lead-acid
batteries can rise to 29V or more
when charging, some changes are
required to limit the supply voltage.
To do this, Ihe 22Q ohm resistor
supplying the original 16V zener
diode for the supply to the LED
anodes and V+ for IC1 is changed
to 390Q 0.5W and zener diode ZD1
CH e, secure and
h binders
010
1K3 IN = BAR DISPLAY
lK3 OUf = DOT DISPLAY
RANGE rKl tx2
0- IV OUT OUT
0-5v N OUT
l8-32V OUT N OUT
'I 25Mo
R2-
lnpul volbge ronge (mox) - I .25V
is changed to a 20V 1W type. This
Iimits the voltage to ICl to 20V.
The input divider is changed so
that when link LKz is in place, the
division shows a nominal full range
on the LED display when there is
33V at the input. For this change,
the 91kf) resistor is changed to 47kQ.
These changes now mean that the
voltage ranges are 0-1V 0-5V and
1.8-32V, as set out in the table.
Srlrcox Crup.
t tr
siliconchip.com.au
CON1 & CON2 which are connected
in parallel.
Construction
The Digital Audio Oscillator is built
on a double-sided PC board measur-
ing 76 x 6Zmm. Fig.2 shows the parts
layout.
Begin by carefulÌy inspecting the PC
board for hairline cracks and for shorts
between adjacent tracks. It will be rare
to find any probÌems but such checks
are easier done at this stage than later
on, when all the parts are in place.
Once you have inspected the board,
start the assembly by installing the
resistors. Table 1 shows the resistor
colour codes but it's aiso a good idea
to check them using a DMM as some
colours can be difficult to distinguish.
The diode can then be instalÌed, taking
care to orientate it exactly as shown on
K4 the parts layout diagram.
N
Voltage regulator REG1 in the TO-92
package can be soldered in next, It can
N
only go in one way! Don't force the
body down too close to the PC board
or yoì-r may damage its connecting
leads, It should ideally sit about 7mm
off the board. The PC board is secured inside the case using metal screws that go into
integral mounting posts. Note that the battery leads are run under the PC
The non-polarised MKT capacitors
board and into the battery cornpartment via a slot in the back wall.
are installed next, followed by the
polarised electrolytic capacitors. Make
sure the latter are orientated correctly.
Note also that the electrolytic capaci- directÌy soldered io the PC board and edge and this must go to the right as
tors must all be installed so that they goes in with its notched end towards shown on the component overlaY.
sit flush with the PC board, to ensure switch 54. Be sure not to apply too The last thing to do is to solder in
they don't later foul the lid of the case. much heat at any one time to its pins, the battery clip lead. The red lead goes
A 2B-pin IC socket is used for the mi- as this could damage it. to the +9V PC pad, while the black
crocontroller and this can be insialled The LCD connector (CON3) can lead goes to the negative (-) pad. These
now, Be sure to orientate it with its now be soldered in, followed by po- pads are located at the top of the PC
notched end to the right, as indicated tentiometer VR1, the two RCA sockets board, immediately to the left of the
on Fig.2. Leave IC1 out for the time (CON1 & CONz), the2P4T switch (S4J two RCÂ sockets.
being - its plugged in later on, after and trimpot VR1. Follow these with That completes the PC board as-
some basic checks of the supply rail the three pushbutton switches (S1-S3) sembly, apart from plugging in IC1.
have been performed. making sure that they are orientated As mentioned earlier, that's done
ICz ('tLO72) is next on the list. It's correctly. Note that each has a straight only after making a few basic checks.
ffitþ f ßBffir Gdbü Godæ
tr N0. Value
s
4-Band Code (1%) 5-Band Code (1%)
tr 1 120kO brown red yellow brown brown red black orange brown
tr 4 100kO brown black yellow brown brown black black orange brown
tr 1 47kA yellow violet orange brown yellow violet black red brown
tr I 30kO orange black orange brown orange black black red brown
brown green orange brown
tr
tr
7
1
15kO
10kO brown black orange brown
brown green black red brown
brown black black red brown
tr
1
1
2.2kA
1kO
red red red brown
brown black red brown
red red black brown brown
brown black black brown brown
tr 1 1800 brown grey brown brown brown grey black black brown
tr 1 '100ç¿ brown black brown brown brown black black black brown
siliconchip.com.au TUNE 2009 71

:::i AgilenrTechrolog¡ss TUE APfl 2l
Fig.3: this oscilloscope screen grab shows a lkHz sinewave
(yellow trace), as captured at the output. The distortion
waveform for THD+N fblue trace) can also be seen, as well
as the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) of the distortion. Note
that the highest distortion peak is at the lower harmonics.
':::: AgilEntT€cftnologies ll-E APfi 21 1 l:09;51 2009
Fig.5: this shot shows the square wave output from the
unit at around 1kHz, There is a 2"/" overshoot on the rising
edge of the waveform but little droop, Droop will only be
apparent at low frequencies in the tens ofHertz.
Frequency Range: 10-2OOHz in 1 OHz steps, 200H2-1 kHz in 100H2 steps
& 1-30kHz in 500H2 steps
Amplitude Ranges: 0-20mV 0-200mV & 0-1V RMS (output amplitude
adjustable within the selected range)
Waveforms: sine, square, triangle & sawtooth
Frequency Accur acy : +47o
Total Harmonic Dislortion + Noise: approximately 3%
Output connectors: 2 x RCA parallel mono outputs
Power supply: 9V alkaline battery
Current drain: 25mA
72 StLtcoN Crutp
'tLE
I l:251 1 200s Ag¡lent Technolog¡es APB 21 1l:11:07 20û9
.4.
Fig.4: an oscilloscope screen grab of a triangular wave at
around 1kHz. This shows that the waveform is very close
to linear on the rising and falling slopes although there
is some very slight drooping discernible at the waveform
troughs,
'tUE APF 21 ll:10:36 2009
i::: AE¡lsÍtl€côrologio¡
Fig.6: a sawtooth waveform at a nominal 10kHz. As
shown, the actual frequency is 10.4kHz and the RMS
value is also indicated. Note: this screen grab was
obtained with the unit at full level on the 1V range.
Note also that the LCD module is not
attached at this stage.
Initial tests
To test the assembly, first connect
a 9V alkaline battery to the battery
clip, then switch on and use a DMM
to check the voltage between the OUT
terminal of REG1 and the body of ei-
ther RCA socket. You should measure
close to 5V and this voltage should also
be present on pin 7 of IC1's socket.
If this voltage is correct, you can
jump to the final installation section, If
not, you should disconnect power im-
mediately and perform a few checks:
(1) Are you using a fresh 9V battery?
siliconchip.com.au
Floating current source has
wide supply voltage range
This floating current source reguÌates the current
through itself to a close tolerance over a wide range of
supply voltages. The minimum supply voltage is around
2.5V and the maximum supply voltage is limited only
by the breakdown voltages of the components.
TÏansistor Q1, in conjunction with resistor R1 and di-
odes D1 & D2, forms a current source. The current through
Q1 is limited to approximately Vs¡/R1, Improved im-
munity to supply voltage va¡iations is achieved by the
use of a second current source, formed by transistor Q2
resistor R2 and diodes D3 & D4. This regulates the bias
current of D1 and D2. In turn, the regulated current fiom
the collector of Q1 biases D3 and D4.
Resistor R3 provides initial bias for Q1 to help the
circuit start, since both transistors wouÌd otherwise be off
at power-up. The exact value of R3 is not critical except
that at the maximum supply voltage it must not conduct 2.3nÁ.
more than the current programmed by R2.
Because the bias currents in the circuit are regulated, BC5A7 ,8C557
it is possible to calculate the programmed current as a Dl-D4:lN4l48 2'6nA+/-1%
fi.rnction of R1 and R2 to a reasonable degree of accuracy
using the known characteristics of the diodes ald transis-
tors used. As a rule of thumb, however, the programmed
current is Vss/Rt + Vs¡/R2. With the component values shown, the programmed
The choice of bias currents for the diodes does not current is 3,6m4, regulated to within 1o/" for supply
appreciably affect the degree of regulation. This allows voltage variations between 2.5V arrd 35V, This is split,
the designer to select values for R1 and R2 that split the with R1, Q1, D3 and D4 passing 3.3m while D1, D2,
current between the left and right sides of the circuit in -
Q2, R3 and R2 pass the remaining 0.3m4.
a proportion that enables the most economical choice Ândrew Partridge,
of components. Toowoomba East, Qld. ($+o)
D2 lN4l48
This will prove that the encoder which can be hard to view on a scope
producing the correct pulses. because of its short duration.
LED1 (5-10 pulse) is especially feffTeasdale,
useful for counting the Z pulse Ch¡istchurch, NZ. ($40)
siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 33

Electronic
mousetrap
This circuit is added to an or-
dinary mouse trap to make it very
sensitive.
Ordinary spring-loaded mouse-
traps can often have tlre bait taken by
mice without being sprung. Trying
to make the trigger more sensitive
often results in the trap being very
difficult to set and making it quite
risky to human fingers!
This circuit solves that problem
by making the trap very sensitive
and never failing to catch a mouse
when it touches the bait. It is easy
to set into the bargain, In brief, the
trigger rod is replaced by a trigger
plate which is actuated by a thread
pulled by a small motor.
A hair-trigger wire above the bait
is positioned so that the mouse can-
not help touching it when it takes a
nibble. The hair trigger is shown on
the circuit as switch 51 and when it
is closed, it pulls up the base of Qz
which then turns on Q1. In fact, they
both then latch into full conduction
and Q2 also pulls the negative side
of the 470pF capacitor down which
then charges via the base oftransis-
tor Q3, turning it on. This turns on
Q4 which drives the motor.
4-2OnA
IN/OIJT
4-2OmA current
loop tester
This very simple current loop
tester consists of a couple of 9V
batteries (connected in series), a
potentiometer, a forward/reverse
switch (S1) and a double-pole centre
off switch (S2).
It is not meant for calibration pur-
poses but can force a current through
32 stLtcot¡ cutp
After five seconds or so, the 47}¡tF
capacitor is fully charged and base
current for Q3 ceases to flow. Hence,
Q3 & Q4 turn offa¡rd the motor stops.
In the meantime, the mouse should
be caught fast.
O OFF 9V BATTERY 9V BATTERY
r--lt*lr--{
a loop to test an instrument and also
monitor the loop current. It can also
simulate a high loop resistance, de-
pending on the setting of VR1,
The multimeter should be set to a
suitable DC current ralge to monitor
the current.
Peter Laughton,
Tabulam, NSW. ($35)
Diode D1 discharges the 470¡rF
capacitor when the power is turned
off. The circuit is powered from two
AA celÌs.
Richard van Wegen,
Hawthorndene, SA,
Tester for
rotary encoders
Incremental rotary encoders are
a common industrial device with
a slotted disk and optical sensors.
Most devices have internal PNP tran-
sistors and deliver about 2500 pulses
per revolution from two channels.
The two channel outputs are out
of phase to enable rotation direc-
tion sensing. There is also a third Z
channel which produces one short
duration zero point pulse per turn.
This circuit allows testing of the
encoders by making the pulse chan-
nels verifiable by the human eye.
T}re 4o1.7 ICs are used as dividers.
Their carry outputs (pin 12) are
cascaded and three LEDs provide
indication that 5-L0, 50-100 and
500-100 pulses have been counted.
siliconchip.com.au
Farts LEst
1 plastic case, 79 x 1 17 x 24mm,
lAtE CHECKED the Digital Audio Oscillator on our Audio Precision Test Altronics H-8971 (suPPlied
VY set and the results aie shown in Fig.7. Keep in mind, though, that it is drilled & screen-printed)
not intended as a high-precision instrument.
1 16x2 LCD with blue backlight,
For the sinewave output, we measured the THD+N (Total Harmonic Distor- Altronics Z-7006
tion + Noise) over the frequency range with four different bandpass filters 2 PC-mount RCA sockets
- see Fig.7. The typical THD+N figure was around 3% which is higher than 1 28-pin 0.3-inch machined lC
most amplifier and speaker sets. socket
'l 16-way PO-mount FFC/FPC
While this is not enough to worry about, it means you cannot use this oscil-
lator in precision applications, where low distortion is paramount. lt's quite connector, Altronics P-451 6
'1 1OkO horizontalSmm trimPot
good enough, however, for most troubleshooting tasks.
(vRl)
Figs.3-6 on the facing page show screen grabs of the four different wave-
forms that can be selected. The f requency accuracy is within +47o across the
1 1kA log pot (9mm PC-mount),
Altronics R-24808
whole range from 1OHz to 30kHz.
3 PC-mount pushbutton
switches, Altronics S-1 094
1 2-pole 4-position PC-mount
slide switch, Altronics SX-2040
4 M3 x 9mm Nylon spacers
8 M3 x 6mm Nylon screws
1 9V battery snap connector
Semiconductors
1 programmed Atmel ATmegaS-
1 6Pl microcontroller (lCl )
1TL072 dual op amp (lC2)
1 78105 regulator (REG1)
1 1N4004 silicon diode (D1)
Capacitots
1 220¡rF 16V
1 100¡-rF 16V
1 10¡rF 16V
1 4.7p.F 16V
1 1pF'16V NP
2 100nF MKT polyester
1 10nF MKT polyester
Resistors (1%, 0.25W)
1 120kO 1 10kO
4 100ko 1 2.2ko
Fig.7: the sinewave THD+N vs Frequency for four different filter combinations. 1 47kA 1 1kO
The filters range from <1.oHz - >500kHz), <10H2 - 22kflz , <loHz - 30kHz and I 30ko 1 180c¿
<7o}lz - B0kHz. The distortion is less with a more restrictive filter. 7 1skQ 1 100ç)
(2 ) Is there between 7 -B .4V at the cath- x 6mm Nylon screws. The module's Where To Buy a Kit
ode of diode D1? If there isn't, then you flexi connector is then plugged into This Digital Audio Oscillator was
may have D1 in the wrong way around. CON3 on the PC board. designed by Altronics who own the
(3) If the voltage is still
incorrect,
double-check the PC board assembly.
The PC board can now be mounted
inside the case and secured using the
design copyright. A complete kit of
parts is available f rom Altronics for
In particular, check for incorrect com- four Phillips-head 1Omm screws sup- $89.00 (Cat. K-2543).
ponent orientation and for incorrectly plied with the kit. When doing this, The kit includes the PC board, the
placed parts. Check also for dry solder make sure that the two battery-clip machined case and all specified
joints on the underside of the board. wires pass underneath the PC board components (including a pre-
Assuming that REGl's output is a¡rd into the battery compartment - see programmed microcontroller) but
correct, switch off and plug IC1 into photo. The top ofthe case can then be does not include a battery.
its socket (notched end to the right). fitted into position and secured using
The LCD module can then be installed. the two Phillips-head lBmm screws.
To do this, mount the LCD module Your Digital Audio Oscillator is now monitoring its output with a scope or
in position on the PC board using four complete and ready for use. You can failing that, feeding its output into an
M3 x gmmNylon spacers and eightM3 check that it is working properly by audio amplifier system. sc
siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 73
 DTil PDr
eroa
-f
I
toou'

A
220a
ï'00Fr
REGI 7812

OK, so what's a Wurli-Gig? Lowest sleep current

According to the people atAlhonics, replacement, nanowatt XLP micros
the 'soon to be famous' WurliGig is the Not only
greatest time and labour-saving device doestheWur-
PA speaker installers will ever see. li-Gig save on
The Wurli-Gig is a two-part speed installation | 220k
fixing bracket which cuts the instal- time, it also rok Ërol
lation time of a horn (PA) speaker by saves on fasteners so on an installation
about 70% - a cost saving of around of 50 horns, Altronics claim atotal sav- 4.7nF
lr
- 4.7nF
$10 per horn. ing of between $500 and $600. OV
Designed to work with the Redback Removal of the horn from the
C-2053 and C-2056 horn speakers, the bracket is just as easy and quick with Microchip Technology's next-gener-
bracket fixes to walls with a couple a simple unlock-and-twist action, ation low-power PIC microcontroller
of wall plugs and allows the horn Retail price of the ,{ustialian-made (MCU) families with nanoWatt XLP
to be simply Wurli-Gig bracket is $8.65 (Cat C2052) eXtreme Low Power Technology has
clipped in but is significantly less in quantity. non-inverting input of IC1 via a 1nF about 15 metres of light-dutyfrgure-8
place, with-
sleep currents as low as 20n4. Remote control capacitor. The capacitor values in cable. The circuit is powered with a
Contact: Three new eight- and 16-bit MCU
out removing
Altronic llistfibutorc Pry ttd families join three other recent B-bit extender for Foxtel the circuit were cñosen to limit the 12V plugpack which delivers about
the horn from famiÌies that are all part of Microchip's This remote control extender was frequency response below 34WIz. 16V DC.
P0 Box 8350, Perth Busn Centre, WA 6849
itsbracketand nanoWatt XLP portfolio, providing designed to work with the Foxtel IQ The output of the second op The receiver is quite sensitive and
1300 780 999 Far: 1300 790 999
subsequent designers with a rich and compat- remote controller. Most other remote amp, IC2, has its negative excur- will receive reliably at distances of
Website: www.altron¡Gs.com.au
ible low-power migration path that control extenders, including those sion clamped by diode D1 and the over four metres. However, if the
includes on-chip peripherals for USB published by Sntcox Crm, will not positive peaks drive transistor Q1 distance between the remote and
Gonvert any LGD into a touch screen and mTouch sensing solutions work with the Foxtel remote. which in turn drives IR LED2 and the receiver is too close, the receiver
MicroGram's USB Tablet Attachment is tip. You then simply move the transceiver NanoWatt XLP Technology's key The circuituses two 741 op amps, red LED1. The latter gives a visible overloads and becomes unreliable.
an innovative pen ínput device providing full from your notebook screen to what you plan advaltages are: sleep currents down to each with a gain of 23, giving a total indication that the circuit is receiv- If necessary, the receiver sensitivity
tablet function with simple installation. to write on and you can now produce hard 20n4, real-time clock currents down gain of over 500. The 40kHz signal ing and transmitting a signal, can be reduced by decreasing the
The device is a webcam-sized receiver c0pies 0f your draw¡ngs and written text while to 500n4 ¿imd watchdog timer curtents from the Foxtel remote is detected The IR LED is located near the 22Ok{¿ fe edback resistors.
that sits on the top of a laptop's screen and simultaneously creat¡ng a digital copy. down to 400n4. The vast majority of by the 8P104 photodiode (Jaycar IR receiver on the Foxtel IQ set-top fack Holliday,
captures movement through a special tablet It's compatible with MicrosoftWindows XP Iow-power applications require one or ZD-1.947) and is applied to the u¡it and connectedto this circuitvia Nathan, Qld. ($40)
pen. The tablet pen has standard stylus-type and Vista and works with multiple software more of these features.
functionality like a applications such as Photoshop, lllustrator, The three new nanoWatt XLP MCU
p ressu re-se n sitive PDF, Microsoft Outlook, Stic[y Note and families include the four-member, 16- I
I
tip and side but- more, making it possible to draw, write, bit PIC24F16KA family. This family t
tons to duplicate the sketch, and illustrate. enables applications to run for more
mouse buttons. You don't even have to touch the pen to than 20 years from a single battery.
The stylus can the screen - it works 0n the air, just like the The six-memberPIC1BF46J11 and the
also be r€placed Nintendo Wii! six-member PIC1BF46J50 B-bit MCU
with an ink{illed families feature typical sleep currents
of less than 20n4.
The general-purpose PIC18F46I11
MCUs provide up to 64KB of Flash pro-
gram memory and the peripheral set of
a typical 64- or BO-pin device in only
28 or 44 pins, while the PIC1BF46f50
devices add integrated fulÌ-speed USB
laycar Electronics has opened its 1Oth store in Victoria and SZth store across 2,0 to enable connectivity for embed-
Australia and New Zealand, ded applications requiring remote compliments of Peak Electronic Design
The 380m2 open-plan store, managed by lohn Dundas, is at 315 Warragal fleld upgrades or the downloading Each month, the best contribution Ltd www.peakelec,co.uk
Road, Cheltenham and will be open seven days a week, It has plenty of customer of data. published will entitle the author to So nowyou have even more reasons
parking and also has disabled access. As you can see, we pay good money choose the prize: an LCR40 LCR meter, to send that brilliant circuit in. Send it to
I
Jaycar Electronics has recently opened a number of stores in various areas Contact: for each of the "Circuit NotebooK'items a DCA55 Semiconductor Component Srlrcoru CHtp and you could be a winner.
Microchip Technology Australia I
of Australia and saw Cheltenham as an opportunity to add to its stable of You can either email your idea to
I published in Stucon CHrp. But now there Analyser, an ESR60 Equivalent Series
stores. P0 Box 260, Epping, NSW 1710. Resistance Analyser or an SCR100 silchip@siliconchip.com.au or post it
I are four more reasons to send in your
For the latest product information call 1BOO O22 BBB or visit www.jaycar. Tel:(02) 9868 6733 Far(02) 9868 6755 I circuit idea. Thyristor & Triac Analyser, with the to PO Box 139, Collaroy, NSW 2097.
com.au. Website: www. m¡Groch¡p. comlxlp t_
74 Stttcotrt Cutp www. si I i con c h ip. co m. a u siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 31

GIRCU]ITI DYOTTEBOOK
Interesting circuit ideas which we have checked but not built and tested. Contributions from
readers are welcome and will be paid for at standard rates.
ï ing to scroll or open and close panes,
One-in-five
timer
This timer circuit provides an out-
put cycle which is on fo¡ one minute
and off for five-minutes.
The 7555 timer (IC1) produces a
positive pulse about once every 60s
to clock a 4017 divider (IC2). The '0'
output of IC2 is high for 60 seconds
and drives Q1 and the relay during
this period. On the next clock signal
from IC1, the '1' output goes high
and the '0' output goes low a¡d the
relay is off.
T}:.e'2','3' and '4' outputs suc-
cessively go high after each clock
pulse from IC1. On the sixth pulse,
the '5' output goes high, resetting
External USB supply
for iPOD touch
This USB supply is capable of feeding an iPOD or
other device which require the D+ and D- signals in
order to accept a charge. It comprises a low dropout
regulator (REGI) to provide the 5V supply and two
resistive dividers to provide the D+ and D- lines,
It needs to be wired to a suitable USB socket,
feff Teasdale, Christchurch, NZ. ($30)
30 StLtco¡'t Crutp
rN4r48
---
the 4O1.7 counter and the '0' output
goes high again.
IC1 is connected as an astable
oscillator with the 100pF capacitor
charged and discharged via a 470kQ
resistor. The threshold and trigger
inputs at pin 6 and 2 monitor the
capacitor voltage.
When the capacitor charges to
2/3rds ihe supply, the pin 3 output
goes low to discharge the capacitor.
When the capacitor discharges to
1/3rd the supply, the pin 3 output
goes high to charge the capacitor. So
the pin 3 output goes high (rzV) and
low (0V) repeatedly as it charges and
discharges the capacitor.
The pin 3 output of IC1 clocks the
4017 divider via a 1kQ resistor and
RLYI I2V
rN4004
100pF capacitor to slow down the
rise time of the zsss timer output.
This prevents multiple clocking of
The 4O1.7 counter at the positive edge
of the clock signal.
The '5' output from IC2 connects
to the reset input via a 1N4148 diode
(D1) and lokQ resistor. The 56pF
capacitor provides a reset delay
while this capacitor charges up via a
high output from the '5' output. The
resulting high signal on the reset in-
put of IC2 causes the '5' output to go
low again. The reset signal remains
high until the capacitor discharges
via the 1OkQ resistor. This ensures a
sufficient reset pulse for IC2,
fohn Clarke,
Sntcotl CIilP.
REGI 2940CT6
siliconchip.com.au
The world's fastest
solid-state drive
The ioDrive Duo, which doubles the
slot capacity of Fusion-io's successful PCI
Express-based ioDrive storage solution, is
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With the ioDrive Duo, it is now possible to
get previously unheard-of levels of perform-
ance, protecti0n and capacity utilisation from
a single server. Performance for multiple
ioDrive Duos scales linearly, allowing any
enterprise to scale performance to six gi-
gabytes per-second of read bandwidth and
over 500,000 read l0PS by using just four
ioDrive Duos.
Based on PCI Express x8 or PCI Express
2.0 x4 standards, which can sustain up to 20
gigabits per-second of raw throughput, lhe
ioDrive Duo can easily sustain 1 .5 Gbytes/
sec 0f read bandwidfh and nearly 200,000
read l0PS.
Contact:
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Tel: 1800 674 935 Fax: (02) 9798 3668
Website: www.p¡xel.com.au
Agilent's new 1000 series economy scopes
,\gilent have expanded
their digital-storage oscillo-
scope (DSO) portfolio with
six new models that comprise
its next-generation 1000
Series.
These new scopes offer
bandwidths between 60 MHz
and 200MHz and deÌiver
features normally found on
more expensive scopes. They
are available with two or four
channels and each comes in a
package that is just 125mm deep and
weighs alound 3kg.
They offer a bright LCD display
with a sharper image which is visible
from a much wider viewing angle thal
competitive scopes. And with up to
2Okpis of memory per channel, the
1000 Series allows engineers to use
the fulI sampÌe rate of the scope up to
eight times longer than other scopes
in its class.
They can dispÌay 23 automatic
measurements - up to 21 simultane-
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ously - including measurements from
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(03) 921 0 5555 Fax: (03) 921 0 5899
Ph (02) 9476 5854 Fax (02) 9476 3231
Website: www.agilent.com
JUNE 2009 75
 lrt Before installing the PC board in the case, you should
d tô
!lLJ =ø connect a 9-60V battery to CON3 (to the "BÄTT+" and
= 1
"GND" terminals with correct polarity), HoId 51 do'¡¡n
ô I
N and check the +5V rail (pin 1 of REG1J is close to 5V.
E
qE If it is, you can disconnect power and install IC1 in its
.{ I
socket. If it is not, there is something wrong and you
ü
5
I should disconnect power immediately and recheck your
o I
soldering and component placement,
!
I

ú I Installing in the case

u +Ñ+l
llJ
I
You can see how the PC board is installed in its case
ã I by referring to the photographs. It is actually mounted in
ô 'l
E the lid, with three connectors that mate with terminals [or
Recent StttcOw CHIP articles on HopeRF 433MHz dqts. transceivers ho.ve IE
the current shunt) installed on the sides of the case,
ó In the top right hand corner of the PC board there is
drawn our qttention to other monitoring modules mqde by thÍs Chinese Ø
5 a Z-way terminal block that connects to SL mounted on
o the lid of the case.
fÍrm. Amongst their offerings is a well-priced and calibrated humìdity 1o
!

The pair of 2-way terminal blocks on the bottom left

sensor, the HH1,0D, ThÍs hs.s shown itself capable of extremely simple N
ú
u corner of the PC board accept power and connect to the
LJ
current shunt (note that one of the GND connections is not
interfacing to even the humblest PICAXE, although factory calibration I 2 =
ô used), as shown in Fig.4. Finally, the 6-way right angled
o
values fïrst need readÍng vÍq an Pc-level PICAXE such as the L8X. É.
Ê
qE
header forming CON4 is for calibration and connects to
o the panel mount 6-way terminal barrier on the Ieft side
of the case, as shown in the photograph, The connecting
cable can be made from a 20cm length of rainbow cable
A
Lr
entific dual "wet and dry bulb" ther-
mometers, with simple instruments
based around this latter approach still
element linked to two on-board ICs.
The first is an M24C01 EEPROM which
is used to hold two factory calibration
3+l
5
o
I or similar lengths of individual hookup wire.
The external GND connection, a gold-plated, metal-
numerous environmental situations capable ofvery good results. related values required to calculate the body banana socket with black polarity ring, is on the left
arise when humidity insights can be Although inconvenient, a couple relative humidity as a percentage. side of the case, Exact position is unimportant.
rd
crucial. of similar thermometers and a moist The second IC is a humble CMOS E
Follow the drilling guide in Fig.6 to make the required
Relative humidity (RH) Ievels range cotton shoelace can readily give do- 555 timer whose output signal varies holes on the Ieft and bottom sides of the case.
=
from a bone dry 0% to 100% (when it-yourself RH insights, in ftequency with the change in capaci- = The current shunt mounts on the bottom side of the case
the air is so saturated that dew forms). Themoistbulb cools as the evaporat- tance as the humidity level changes. =
z and the holes shown are appropriate for the specifred 1mO
Although temperature dependant, ing watertakes thermal energy fiom it, Of course, such an RC oscillator is a zØ .o current shunt fiaycar QP-5414), If you use anotlter cu¡rent
a s{ shunt, you may need to modify the hole positions.
human comfort levels typically range with the degree of "wet" temperature classic 555 application, although the zU I
between 40-60% RH. drop being inversely related to the frequency is usually altered by resistor I The two terminals of the current shunt then connect
Drier air may cause skin conditions, RH. variation. ô
=
I
I to the right-hand 2-way terminal block in the bottom
I I left corner of the pC board (CON3), Make sure you con-
static discharges and thirst due to (Refer to www.picaxe.orconhosting.
excessive sweating, Higher RH levels net.nzlhumtable.jpg for the resulting Accessing the EEPROM nect them the right way around as shown in Fig.4. If
Fig.7: drilling detail for
are associated with food spoiling, dis- wet/dry tablesl. calibration data the case body - the front you don't, you will get strange readings for the load and
ease, moulds and human discomfort, Electronic humidity measuring has The EEPROM requires an I2C com- side at left, with the holes charge curtents.
due to an inability for perspiration to predictably developed, being normally munications bus to reacl the calibration for the 1mQ shunt a¡d the Important Note: you should use a 10cm length of 24x
evaporate, now done with specialised capacitors, data but as these are fixed values, the left side ofthe case above, 0.2mm multi-strand hookup wire to connect the BATT+
In contrast plants may wilt in dry since an exposed and porous dielectric data needs only be read once. with the holes for the terminal to the shunt, The software takes into account
air (and hence usually favour higher slowly changes its moisture content If you only have a small PICAXE-
I
multi-way terminal block the resistance of this 10cm length,
I
humidity levels) but food preservation, in response to humidity levels in sur- OBM then tedious "bit-bashing" may -l and the ground terminal. Once the PC board is installed in the case you can
be needed to read the two calibration Exact position isn't as screw on the lid,
equipment storage and crop drying rourr-ding air, If used in an RC oscillator
important as the relative That completes construction of the Smart Battery
best suits low RH levels. circuit, small frequency changes can values, Larger PICAXE chips (such positions of the holes to
Naturally the likely onset of rain be linked to the altered capacitance as the 1BXJ however handle IzC com- Capacity Meter.
each other.
may be associated with a rise in the value, mands directly and just a few lines of Next month we'll run through the rather extensive
atmospheric RH levels too - a tech- code will display these constants via setup and calibration procedure, But don't let that scare
nique used by many home weather Humidity module a DEBUG screen. you - it only has to be done once! sc
stations. The HopeRF HH10D relative hu- The HopeRF datasheet does not
Relative humidity is classically midity sensor module, available from give the EEPROM I2C slave address, Resistor Colour Godes
measured by techniques ranging from Microzed and Futurlec for around which is the same as other EEPROM
paper and hair stretching to more sci- $13, utilises a capacitive-type sensor and FRAM chips, however their data- il0. Ualue 4-Band Gode (1%) S.Band Gode (1%)
tr 2 121kd¿ brown red orange brown brown red black red brown
(Left): an enlarged photo of the HopeRF HHL0D tr 1 1 10kO brown brown orange brown brown brown black red brown
humidity measureing module, with the physical tr 3 10kO brown black orange brown brown black black red brown
component layout shown at right. The same module tr 7 1kO brown black red brown brown black black brown brown
can be seen from the opposite side in the breadboard
layout on the opposite pãge. Note the label fixed to the
tr 5 470a yellowviolet brownbrown yellowviolet black black brown
A '2 10O brown black blackbrown brown black black gold brown
back ofthe PC board - this is explained in the text. HopeRF HHI 0D HUMIDÍIY SENSOR - COMPONENI SIDE

siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009

 Ñ+

d
U
:h
ô
E
E
I By Wayne Geary
ó
.-S $ l+3+t 5
o and Stan Swan
l¡ I

+
I

.G

sheet does indicate that the EEPROM ¡È¡ ¡ ¡ *Q

external address pins are configured Eì¡û¿¡ tf ¡ ¡ *fll
É
u to address 01.
tr While the HH10D datasheet indi-
ã
ô cates that there are three calibration ¡¡ ¡ É l¡ l¡
E
E
values, only two are in fact used: * ¡O
q
o . The Sensitivity value is stored in * ¡I
EEPROM locations 10 and 11 'lñ *E É-
Ø
g . The Offset vaÌue is stored in ¡ rÈ ú(-
o
- EEPROM locations 12 and 13.
Here is an example of the program .f
lines required to use a PICAXE with :
inbuilt I2C communications bus. This -:-
has been written using commands that Almost any classic PICAXE layout could be u*d, ,irr"" onty u rirrgt. -ãrrito.ing
any PICAXE X, X1 or X2 type chip wire is needed! Here'sa hybrid PC board and breadboard approach, with the
can use. PICAXE-OBM mounted on a trimmed AXE02L protoboard, That TO-92 package
is a 7BL03C low power 3V regulator. Although PICAXEs are more tolerant,the
I2CSLAVE %1 01 0001 0, i2cfast,
HHL0D must not be supplied any more than 3,3V.
i2cbyte
q
u READI2C 10, b0, bl, b2, b3 b0 = 01, bl = $$, b2 = 30 and b3 For users without IzC capable
ro g.
=29 PICAXEs at hand, it may be tolerable
LJ
DEBUG
to just use values approximating ours -
= From these byte values we can deter-
= The PICAXE DEBUG command testing of several HH10D units showed
=
z mine the calibration values as:
willdisplay theses byte variables in most modules were close in value to
Sensitivity (Sens) = 1 * 256 + 85
ro
f z a Programming Editor window for these anyway.
I a However cross-checks against read-
I zU recording. = 341
Those experienced with the PICAXE ings from a knor'rm good weather station
ô
=
I chips will know that word variables Offset Value = 30 * 256 + 29 = (or even a classic dual thermometer
I

I
(w) use the byte variable (bJ with the
odd number as the Least Signiflcant
Byte (LSB) and the byte variable with
the even number as the Most Signifi-
cant Byte (MSB) The HH10D humidity
module however has the even location
Fig.6r drilling/cutting detail for the case lid, to which attaches the PC board, The cutout dimensions for as the LSB and the odd location
the LCD readout suit the recoÍrmended Altonics module. If you use the alternate faycar module, the the MSB.
cutout will ueed to be amended to suit. Use the PC board overlay as a guide, as it has the faycar module
As an example, using the above Ìines
position indicated and is also accurately located by the four mounting screws. Incidentally, the front
panel artwork can be downloaded from www.siliconchin.com.au, along with the PC board pattern. of program, we might see the byte vari-
ables in decimal format as:
2B StucoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au
7709
It's suggested you make a note of
these calibration values, perhaps print-
ing them on a small label to stick to the
rear side of the smallhumiditymodule
PCB. An example is given below:
as
"wet and drybulb" hygrometer) could
aid later fine tuning calibration.
Humidity Module connection
and output.
Once the calibration data is read, the
HH10D humidity module is very easy
to use. Of the 5 connections only three
are required for VDD supply (3V), Gnd
(0V) and FOUT (Soh).
Notethatthe 3V rutedmodule must
JUNE 2009 77
 Then solder in the capacitors, mak-
Don't you just love how PICAXEs ing sure the polarised electrolytics are Parts list - Battery Gapacity Meter
make circuitry so simple? The HopeRF correctly oriented.
HHIOD Humidity Module interfaces The large 63V electrolytic mounts
dirctly with PICAXE chips, albeit with its body parallel to the PC board 1 PC board, code 04206091, 177 x 1 09mm
with a bit of fiddling around with surface, with its leads bent down 90" 1 Sealed polycarbonate case, 222x146 x 55mm (Jaycar HB-6220)
programming to overcome some of the 1 LCD 16 x 2 module (Altronics 2-70'13 (preferred), Jaycar QP-5515)
lower-end PICAXE chips' limitations.
to allow lid clearance - see photo.
You can solder the crystal next, as 122Û¡fi inductor (Jaycar LF-1276, Altronics L-6625)
Note the supply voltage in this circuit 'l2OMHz crystal (Jaycar RO-5299)
- 3V instead ofthe usual 4.5V - even well as the inductor. The inductor
though the PICAXE is quite happy at mounts horizontally and is secured to 1 mini PCB piezobuzzet 7.6mm pin spacing (Jaycar AB-3459, Altronics
the higher voltage, such would make the PC board using a cable tie. Don't s-6104)
short work of the HH10D (absolute 4 t/o rely on the solder joins to hold it in 1 1mÇl 1004 Current Shunt (Jaycar OP-5414)
PINS
maximum 3.3.V as shown in the spec pIace. 1 40-pin lC socket (to be cut for lC1 and LCD mount¡ng)
table below). The variable resistor, which is used 1 28-pin lC socket (0.3mm)
$-c, PlcAxt HuillllIIY sElls0n to set the contrast of the LCD screen, 1 8-pin lC socket
can go in next. 32-way mini PCB terminal blocks - 5mm spacing (Jaycar HM-3173,
NOT be Íun on dny more than 3.3V - a supply value that low to a high state within a given time period, can readily Continue by soldering in the type B Altronics P-2O32A)
fortunately PIC,\XE-OBMs still readily work with, help here. This makes use of the frequency of a signal be- USB socket and the piezo buzzer. Both 1 0.1" 6-way right-angled header pin (Jaycar HM-3426, Altronics P-5516)
For testing, two AA 1.5V cells should hence be suitable ing of course the number of such cycles per second (recall must be oriented correctly. 1 0.1" 6-way header plug (Jaycar HM-3406, Altronics P-54761
to supply the entire reading setup, f=1.1T), so simply COUNTing the HH10D signal for 1 second The keypad plugs in to the B pin 1 16-key alphanumeric keypad (Jaycar SP-0772, Altronics 5-5383)
For breadboard or soldered prototype mounting, the should give the frequency. socket and is secured to the PC board 1 dome pushbutton switch or equiv. (Jaycar SP-0656, Altronics S-1084) (S1)
module's 5-pin SIP header terminaÌ strip connectors may From the HH10D module datasheet we are given the using eight M3 Nylon 5mm screws 1 6 way terminal barrier, panel mount (Jaycar HM-3168, Altronics P-2206)
better suit being resoÌdered fiom the other side of their following formula to calculate the Relative Humidity as a and four 9mm M3 Nylon spacers. Be- 1 USB Type B vertical socket (Farnell 1076666)
holder PC boa¡d, as this then allows the capacitive sensor percentage value: cause it is rather difficult to buy Smm 4 Nylon screws M3 25mm
to be more conveniently mounted away from other circuitry Nylon screws, you'Il probably need to 12 Nylon screws M3 12mm
RH(o/o)= (offset-Soh) * sens/212 14 tapped Nylon spacers 3mm x 9mm (Jaycar HP-0926, Altronics H-1333)
and upright into clear air. do what we did: cut them down from
Ensure the correct module connections are being used Substituting the calibration values extracted from the 1Zmm types. The four mounting holes 2 M3 12mm screws with washers and nuts (for terminal barrier mounting)
if this simple modification is made! Right-angle SIP strips sample module gives: on the keypad may need to be gnlarged 5 cable ties (1 for L1, remainder for cable dressing)
could also be used for vertical mounting - the exact choice . to fit the screws, using either a drill or 1 gold-plated metal body banana socket [black ring] - for GND terminal
RH(%)= (7709-Soh) 34114096 (Jaycar PT-0431)
depends on your application. a tapered reamer.
The output signal on the pin Fsul (called Soh in the However, a few minor problems experienced with Once that is done, you can install the 1 1m length tinned copper wire (for the links)
datasheet formula) is a frequency of approximately 6-BkHz PICAXE maths now arise: LCD module. The Altronics module 1 l Ocm length 24x 0.2mm insulated hookup wire (for PC board connection)
which varies as the humidity level varies. . only integer (whole number) maths are performed is secured using four Nylon L2mm I 1m length of hookup wire or 200mm rainbow cable (for connecting CON4)
The PICAXE COUNT command, which rapidly counts . the largest number held by a word variable [W) is 65535 M3 screws and two 9mm M3 Nylon Heavy-duty cable to suit charger current with suitable eyelets for shunt
the number of times a designated inpui pin changes fiom a . it does not support brackets for precedence. spacers, The ]aycar module uses Semiconductors
four mounting screws and spacers 1 PlCl 8F2550-l/SP microcontroller programmed with 0420609A. hex (lC1 )
instead. (Farnell: 9321250)
#PICAXE O8M You should now insert REG1 into 1 LM2574HVN-5.0 5V voltage regulator (REG1 ) (Farnell 9489916)
'Sample HopeRF HH10D humidity module program for June 2009 SiChip its socket but leave IC1 (the microcon-
'Ref resou rces => www.picaxe.orconhosting. net. nzy'hopehum.htm 2 MAX4OSO-SASA+ high side current sense amplifiers (1C2, lC3) (Farnell
.IO DEFINITIONS troller) out for the moment. 1379747)
SYMBOL humid - 3 Surface mount devices
1 8C556 PNP transistor (Q1)
1 BC337A NPN transistor (Q2)
,VARIABLE DEFINITIONS Now flip the PC board to the copper 2 2N7000 FETs (Q3, A4)
SYMBOL axefactr =b2 side. The two differential amplifiers 61N4148 diodes (D1-D6)
SYMBOL Soh =W2 'w2 = b5:b4 [IC2 and IC3) are soldered directly to 2 1N5819 Schottky diodes -(D7, D8)
SYMBOL diff =w3 'w3 = b7:b6 the copper side ofthe PC board. They
SYMBOL RH =w4 'w4 = b9:b8 are surface-mount devices so you will Gapacitors
need a flne tipped soldering iron and 'l 470¡F 16V electrolytic
'CONSTANTS -strictly need to be read vial2C for each module, but can be assumed close some solder wick (for removing any 1 47O¡F 63V electrolytic
SYMBOL Offset =7709 'HH10D offset calibration constant - a second module has 340 solder bridges). 1 10pF 16V electrolytic
SYMBOL Sens -341 'HH10D sensitivity calibration constant - a second module has 7762
In each case, you should orient the 2 100nF monolithic
.MAIN PROGRAM IC over its pads - refer to the compo- 2100nF MKT
nent overlay and photos to determine 2 4.7nF MKI
Main:
'read the frequency (ie cycles in 1 second) the correct orientation - then one-at-a- 21SpF ceramic
COUNT humid, 1000, Soh
diff=Offset-Soh time, secure each IC with a clothes peg Resistors (0.25W, 1%)
axefactr=diff/19+1 'factor prevents number roll over error if >65535 and solder pins 1 and 2 flrst to anchor 2 12oka 1 110ko 3 10ko 6 1ko 5 470a
RH = 10 - Diff / axefactr - Sens 'int. result (x10 gives possible 0.1 resolution) the IC. Remove the peg, then proceed 1 Skotrimpot (VR1)
axefactr = 4096 / axefactr 'a factor to prevent number roll over error to solder pin 5 followed by the rest of
RH = RH /axefactr 'final value for RH% the pins - refer to photo. Repeat for Optional Parts for external relay
RH=RH/10 'divide by 10 (for now) as just whole integer RH% ihe other IC. horn relay 150412VDC SPDT (Jaycar SY-4073)
SEROUT 1, N2400, ("RH% =', #RH)
With the exception of installing IC1, 1N4004 diode
PAUSE 5OOO 'wait for 5 seconds until next reading gold-plated metal body banana socket [red stripe] for load terminal
GOTO Main
that compÌetes the construction of the -
PC board. (Jaycar PT-0430)

7B StttcoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 27

 As might be seen, multiplying a number greater than 192
by 341 will result in a¡r overflow of the valuesl Likewise,
dividing by 4096 may result in loss of accuracy as no frac-
tional part is retained.
To improve the accuracy of the maths, allow'one decimal
place and also avoid overflow within the PICAXE maths, we
have introduced a factor. This factor is a variable number
defined to keep the intermediate results as large as possible
+5V
which will help minimise error.
Our variable called Axefactr [short for "PICAXE factor")
GND
is a value determined as follows:
+3.3V
BAIT Axefactr - (offset- Soh) / 19 + 1
fluùilil'ITY SETSOB
Lo (vl
BATT
HI M
This number will calculate correctly with the PICAXE,
The result will be a number Irom 1 to 64 inclusive. Using , ASEII ITT THIS
TO this factor and multiplying the early part of the calcula-
BATTERY
tion by 10 makes it possible to extract 1 decimal place ( if
requiredJ, at the completion of the calculation.
RH10(%)= (((offset - Soh) / 19) + 1) . 10) * Sens /
(4096 / Axefactr)
This awkward calculation needs to be broken over severaL
lines of code in the PICAXE. To save on the limited number
of variables available to the PICAXE chips, some are reused
for a new variable part way through the calculation.
After all the number crunching and formula tweaking,
just a single PICAXE-0BM input pin (here 3) suffrces for
eventual reading of this final value, with a SERTXD show-
ing %RH readings on the Editors FB terminal.
The code shown at Ieft can also be downloaded from
.Infutu¡e,
Fig. : wiring diagram for the completed project. The (optional) relay shown bottom left is we plan to extend use of this humidity module with the
not shown on the circuit diagram but will disconnect power if battery voltage falls below HopeRF 433 l|i4lHz wireless data transceivers.
TO LOAD +VE a preset value - a "must have" feature if you walt to protect valuable batteries! Article resources a¡d references can be linked to, from
TO BATTERY +VE
5t
them with a DMM before soldering or None of the laycar backlit modules pin strips to the keypad and the LCD
refer to the resistor colour code table allow you to turn off the backlight so module. These will plug in later. Refer
- or bothl the Jaycar unit we have specified does to the photos for guidance. Sen r Performanoe Specifications and
The next thing to do is to solder in not have a backlight. The B-pin socket for REG1 and the
the eight diodes. These are of two dif- Suitable LCD module connectors 2B-pin socket for IC1 can be soldered
Paramelerc Min Typ Max Units
ferent types
- there are six 1N4148 sig- need to be made, by cutting a 40-pin in next, making sure that they are cor-
nal diodes ald two 1N5819 Schottky IC socket to size. A single 16-pin con- rectly oriented, Resolution 0.3 0.08 0.05 ol
to
types, The part numbers are marked on nector is required for the Altronics The next thing to do is to solder Accuracy 3 o/o

the body. Make sure that they are in- LCD module, while the Jaycar LCD in the three 2-way terminal blocks.
stalled with the correct orientation by module needs two 7-pin connectors, They should face outwards from the Repealabilily -03 0.3 o/o

referring to the component overlay of which mount parallel to fand touch- PC board to allow cable connection, Uncerlainty 2 ol
TO
Fig.3 (a stripe indicates the cathode). ing) each other. The 6-way right-angled header (used
You have two options when it comes While you're about it, you should for calibration) ca¡r also be installed Response Iime I s
to the LCD module. You ca¡r use the Al- also cut a¡r B-pin connector for the key- now. Hysleresis 1
o/o

tronics 2-70L3 or the Jaycar QP-5515. pad to go into. Solder in both the ap- Solder in the two transistors and the
\¡Ve recommend using the Altronics propriate LCD and keypad sockets, two FETs. With their pins oriented in lnterchangea bi I ity Fuy nterchangeable
LCD because it has a backlight which Now that the sockets are soldered the triangular pattern, these can only Humidity Range 1 99
ot
to
can be turned off. in, you can solder the corresponding go in one way. SAW Devices
Temperature range -10 +60 "C
M3 x 25mm NYTON SCREWS
Working vollage 27 33 V
Distributed in Australia by
3

Stabilig versus lime per year

:llie rillëjj 5im i;iliëit ijy lii

1o/o

\9'' LONG M3 TAPPED 9mm LONG M3 TAPPED Power consumplion pA

120 150 180
CASE UD
0ulput Flequency Range 5.0 6.5 10 kHz Phone: 1300 735 420 Fax: 1300 735 421
Here are the manufacturer's specifications for the HH10D
-- Humidity Module. All it needs are supply and data output
lines to interface with the PICAXE.
Fig.S: here's how the PC board "hangs" under the case lid.
26 StLtcox Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 79
 This photograph of the completed PC board is the same size as Fig.3 opposite, while the two
SMDs on the underside are inset at right. Obviously there are several resistors and links
underneath the keypad which must be soldered in before the keypad is fitted. The photo below
shows the completed meter PC board sitting inside the plastic case - it roughly occupies this
position but is held in place by four Nylon screws through the lid into Nylon spacers.

SUBSERIPTIO]I PRIGTS ilUSI RISE OII JU1Y I! tection diodes of the micro.
A2}llllHzquartz crystal (X1) is used
ceramic 15pF capacitors provide the
correct loading for the crystal.
1OkO together
with 100nF fil-
We'ue ,neucLged. to hold. our. subscríptíon pt íces for three Uears - ún¿l üs Uou to derive the system clock for the mi- Finally, a 10Q resistor is used to ter capacitors are connected to pins
crocontroller as well as the USB clock sense the current drawn by the circuit 4 & 5 of IC1 and read the battery
know, etterqthíng has rísen, murlced.lg sínce then. Sad.lg, ute tnu,st u.lso íncneu'se using an internal PLL stage. The two itself. Two voltage dividers, 12OkÇ) and voltage and the cutrent drawn by the
our pú.íces to,o.. But íf gou subscribe befone itruly 7 (or ret eta an exístíng sub- circuit.
scríptíon) gou'll pag the old. príce - eúen. íf gou renew lon two Uears! Construction
The Battery Capac-
ity Meter is built on a
REMEMBER: single-sided, 177mm x
. a one vear subscr¡ption means you get two issues FREE* each year and i logmm PC board coded
. a two year subscription means you get almost FIVE issues FREE* over 2 years \ 04206091.
worth $20 per year! \ Beginby installing the
AllD WE PIGK UP THE POSTAGE, DIRECT T0 Y0UR MAltB0X - that's*
\ wire links, There are 13
Compared to over-the-counter prices (Austraìia)

Et<isúfuig suþscrîþers: VES, geu Gsn Fenew new snd Iecß frt 2OOg prîGes antil úhe
end efr gean ,suþ,sGr1îpihicn. Uhoú Geuld ífsue gea úhreagh 2011, 2Ol2 eF euen 29lg!
ing pliers. You can
' straighten the wire by
pulling itusing avyse
and pliers.
Once the links are
in, continue with the
resistors. These are
of different values
and you should check

JUNE 2009 25
 o-" 0rdet FormÆax lnvoice
PtY Ltd
År . .t3 Silicon Chip Publications
CABIT.: l-li .. . UNDER LCD ABN 49 003 205 490
TIE l-l¡ o o=
^\
?i. .6 r a .u oo www.sil¡conch¡p. com.au PO BOX 139, COLLAROY NSW 2097
l.t^a .-
a-
99 eMAIL: silchip@silic0nch¡p.c0m.au
t¿l
:c) Phone (02) 9939 3295 Fax (02) 9939 2648
EE YOUR DETAITS
CONÏRAST

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og-@- (PLEASE PFINT)
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.¿-CON3----. Y0UR 0RDER (Sltl00il GHIP SUBSCRIBERS QUALIFY FOR 10% D|SC0U]{T (except subsctiptions!}
I SIMPIY TICI( THE IIEMS RE|IUIREIT - DftII'I FfIRGET T|l FIIT II{ IIEIAII.S ABOVE. WE'TI WllRI( THE TOIAT OUT FOR YllU ANII SEÍ{II YflU A BECEIPI UI'ITH YflUB OBOER

r' x 4 KEYPAD

Fig.S: the component overlay for the

aaaaaaaa
meter- everything except 51 is on
tl.a
I
I board, including the two SMD ICs on
J [_ _ _ r
a the reverse side [shown at left),
+lC3
æ= oa For this reason we have included
+lC2 a low-pass filter consisting of a 1kf¿
(/ æ= resistor and 4.7nF capacitor in the
output of each amplifier. The 1kQ
will protect the internal pro-
resistors
100,A. shunt resistor in series
with the positive Ìead to the
battery (see the diagram of
Fig.2).
The voltage developed
across the shunt is fed to two
MAX40B0 high-side differential am-
plifiers which both a have a gain of
60. These feed two anaÌog to digital
inputs on the micro, pins 2 & 3.
Note that the two high-side ampli-
fiers have their inputs cross-connected
across the shunt resistor. This means
that IC2 senses load current from the
battery while IC3 senses charge cur-
rent. The outputs of both IC2 & IC3
range fiom 0V to 5V for a current of
B3A through the 1mO shunt.
For higher currents, say up to
the 1004 rating ofthe shunt or even
higher in an overload condition, the
output of the high-side amplifier will
go proportionally higher and will ex-
flere's another view inside the case, this time showing ihe connections to the
ceed the 5V input limit for the micro, 1mO shunt and the multi-way connector on the case end.
24 Stuco¡t Cutp siliconchip.com.au credit card details copy)with
 DSq lvoge lt!
Gather up those discarded nnonitors
now - before it's too late
There ls a massive change happening in Australian offices and
homes at the moment: CRT monitors are being discarded in their
thousands in a wholesale changeover to LCD monitors. This
represents a great chance to get a big stock of useful components
but you need to do it now because CRT monitors will become a
rarity within the next few years.
[DOSSIBLY YOU HAVE seen lols
I of monitors being thrown out in
the streets during your local council
clean-ups, Lots of computers are be-
ing thrown out as weII. But while the
computers themselves might present
limited possibilities for salvaging
parts, CRT monitors, particularly the
older ones, are atreasure trove ofgood
components.
Consider also that many CRT moni-
tors being thrown out are still working
perfectly. Their owners have simply
upgraded and because they don't want
to keep them in the garage or wherever,
they are being tossed out. So if you
pick up a monitor from a council street
clean-up, the chances are that all of its
components are still quite OK.
Even our own office at SucoN CHIP
has made an almost complete switch
to LCD monitors during the last year,
so we had a good range of old CRT
monitors, some dead, some nearly
dead fwith worn-out picture tubes)
and some relegated to standby, just in
case a monitor failed and we needed
a quick substitute. So we only had to
take a few steps out to the warehouse to
pick a random candidate for this story,
The one we picked was probably
well over 10 years old and a very
good 17-inch [diagonal) monitor in its
day. And it was destined for the tip,
along with a couple of very larye 2L-
a2 Snrco¡rt Cutp
inch monitors and a bunch of others
which were dead. I must admit that I
hate throwing this stuff out, because
I k¡ow that it once represented some
of the finest technology that money
couldbuy. Now, it is just old stuff that
takes up space.
Down to wolk
,A.nyhow, it was out with the tools
and down to work. Removing the cabi-
netbackwas simple, with justa couple
of screws and a few clips to unlatch.
Before that though, we pulled off the
swivel base which incorporated a USB
input and output. We pulled this apart
arrd found a welÌ-shielded PC board
which had provision for more inputs
- just why it was there was a mystery.
However, these were perfectly good
USB sockets which could be pressed
into service for some future project.
Having removed the back off the
cabinet, you have to wonder if this
might have a use. We racked our
brains and could only come up with
two possibilities: waste paperbasket
a capacitors can be safely removed
or as plant holder in a garden pond.
They have a lot ofventilation slots so
they cannot be used as conventional
plant pots unless lined with plastic;
perhaps readers can come up with
some other uses, If so, we would like
to hear about them.
We also removed four screws to
remove the front escutcheon from the
picture tube frame. This incorporates
three small PC boards. One board
has two potentiometers (brightness &
contrast) with push-on knobs, another
board has miniature pushbuttons and
the third, the on-off switch assembly,
has a miniature pushbutton switch
and LED. All of these could be useful
to have in your junk-box,
Then we pulled the main board off
the picture assembly - a few screws
and clips did this but it was still
tethered by numerous leads to the
neck-board assembly and to the pic-
ture tube via the EHT connector and
earthing leads. Well, there is no need
to desolder any other these - iust clip
them off with side cutters.
And what a magnificent resource
is the main PC board! Measuring 370
x 290mm, it literally had hundreds
of components. Not all are worth sal-
vaging, since it would take too much
time and many would be damaged by
desoldering. However, virtually all the
as
can the relays and a number of toroidal
inductors.
Heatsinks
Many of the discrete semiconduc-
tors such as power transistors also
have very useful clip, flag and ex-
truded aluminium heatsinks which
siliconchip.com.au
the circuit. Diodes D1 and D2 form a
wired AND gate connected to pins 1
& 7 of IC1 and the pushbutton switch
S1. So the reguÌator can be turned on
by pressing switch 51 on the front
panel or turned on by the microcon-
troller using the digital output at pin
7 (RAs).
So to turn on the circuit, you press
S1 and the microcontroller starts run-
ning its software, after a power-on
reset (PORJ. One of the first things
the microcontroller does is bring pin
7low, to keep REG1 on.
Note that 5L is also used for bring-
ing the meter out of standby or to reset
the software fuse after an overload
condition,
The 16-key alphanumeric keypad
has its rows and columns scanned by
the micro. Diodes D3 to D6 prevcnt
the associated column lines Irom be-
ing shorted if two keys from the same
row are pressed simultaneously. This
is important because the four lines
are also used to write data to the LCD
panel (in 4-bit mode) and we don't
Fig.2:demonshatin8 the broad operation of tìe Smart Battery Capqcity Meter.
It is essentially a very low resistance (lmO!) between the battery charger and
want this data scrambled inadvert- the battery, with the ability to cut offpower if certain parameters are not met.
ently.
Transistors Q1 & Q2 are connected back on key presses and other system a computer, the USB power connec-
as inverting buffers to drive an ex- events. tion passes through a voltage divider
ternal relay and they are controlled The backlight of the LCD is con- consisting ofthe 1kQ and 11OkQ resis-
by pin 6 of the microcontroller. Q2 trolled by a pulse width modulation tors into pin 18 of IC1. This is used to
is a 83374 NPN transistor rated at (PWM) output of the micro via a sense when a USB cable is attached or
BOV and B00mA, Note that if you are second 2N7ooo FET, Q4, to vary the disconnected.
driving the relay from more than 12V brightness. It is dimmed up and down The Schottky diode (D7) also allows
you will need a dropping resistor, The as required by the firmware. the circuit to be powered directly from
optional relay can switch off the load the USB port,
if an over-current or under-voltage USB interface
condition occurs, We will say more The USB data lines are connected Shunt resistor
on this later, straight through to the type B con- The charge and discharge cunents
A 2N7000 FET, Q3, is used to drive nectot. to the battery (or battery bank) are
a piezo I¡tzzer to give audible feed- When connected to a USB port on monitored by a one milliohm (1mO)
Edge-on, you can not only see in detail the LmQ shunt, used by the meter to monitor voltage and current but also the
method of mounting the PC board to the underside of the case lid.
siliconchip,com.au IUNE 2009 23
 transistors and any ICs, unless you are
Eø
o_ abLe to identify ones that you particu-
ó
u
À oJ
Ìarly want.
È .. =cÉ
8Év !i'o
tr o
@
H- aË.(ú l{eck board
l >,!-t
.E.u G bi -.^ Don't overlook the neck board. This
will be in a tin-plate shielding cage and
gúË ã E will accommodate an array of well-
>,-t ã È made vertical or horizontal tdmpots,
h '"-¡ o¡ 9
high-voliage video transistors wiihbig
ËEËiË
:!1 ?3I flag heatsinks, more power resistors
N mounted on long legs and various
tP.E I ¡ toroids used for suppression purposes.
I oo irI We would not bother trying to sal-
N vage the passive components on the
@ [EEE,:
(!ËöR# neck board as they will have been
E ¿d ¡.-Vl
G subjected to a lot of heat and voltage
-'¡
Ègã*/
stress over the years.
sËËiE
(J ø ! -a
It goes without saying that any sal-

;;:a!
;¡ gõ1s
vaged components should be tested
before they are re-used - some might
be quite marginal such as leaky capaci-
èbol¡làì€ tors and resistors that have drifted high
iiãÉÉñ
in value. Some pots and trimpots will
also tend to be dodgy, as their wipers
p ËäËÞ E Ë ã
tend to make poor or intermittent
contact as they get older.
o
e There's lots to salvage inside an old CRT monitor, including aluminium heat- So what else is worth saving? What
sN^ sinks of all shapes and sizes, trimpots, capacitors, semiconductors and high- about the degaussing coil around the
uoì power resistors. Don't forget the tinplate shielding around the neck board. picture? In fact, the set we dismantled
(.,
had two degaussing coils, one around
are worth salvaging, even if you don't in getting bits off, But if you want to the main body of the CRT near the
want the semis themselves. A lot of the remove Ìots of plastic and electrolytic metal frame and a smaÌler one néar
power diodes are mounted with long capacitors, the heat gun will apply too the yoke. The Ìarger one could perhaps
Ìeads (to give them plenty of ventila- much heat over too big an area and be pressed into service, together with
lå>
o*9 tion) so they can be easily removed while you concentrating on just
a-re a plastic tuning capacitor, to make an
simply by clipping ihem off close to one component, others may weÌÌ be ,4.M loop antenria (see Stan Swan's
JH the board, damaged. article on this subject in the January
AÌso mounted well off the PC board Remember that each small plastic 2008 issue).
L
tr
o oc were a lot of metal fiÌm power resistors capacitor you salvage is probably Don't forget any useful screws,
o o
of about 2-walf rating. These should worth an average of 50 cents and the nuts, washers, lockwashers, brackets
IH it-' IH
rc not have drifted much in value so they larger electrolytics maybe worth quite and other small pieces of hardware,
/vlÀ-l'
\ are probably worth saving too, merely a few dollars. The main electrolytic Any metal bits that you are not going
o clipping them off the board. The bigger reservoir capacitor on the board was to save should go into your regular
wirewound resistors are also worth a 33OpF can type rated at 400V. This recycling bin.
Ê
E removing. is quite a valuable component if you
Don't hoard too much
F
E Removing the parts
are going to build a high-voìtage power
While you might be keen to
suppiy. save
- To remove the multitude of capaci- If you are into restoring vintage good components, remember that you
tors and the bigger semiconductors, radios you need to grab as many of can have too much of a good thing,
you will need a large soidering iron, the capacitors as you can, particularly Organise your saved bits into parts
=Ð
C preferably one rated at 60W or more. those with the higher voÌtage ratings. bins or jars with a marked range of
You don't want to be fiddling around This main board had dozens of capaci- values. There is no point in having
È with a small temperature controlled tors that were worth saving. lots of recycled parts if you cannot
Éf
C¡ iron with a small tip - it will take If you want a selection of multi- easily access them when you have a
forever to get even a smail number of coloured hook-up wire, don't neglect particular need.
É
E
bits off the board. The process here the various cable assemblies, Most When you have salvaged the parts
F is to heat aÌl leads of the component of the transformers probably are not you need, put the rest in your garbage
h simuÌtaneousÌy, as quickly as possible. worth saving, as they will usually bin. You can do this with a clear con-
o
É In a previous Salvage-It article, the be special high-frequency types with science, knowing that you have saved
z author suggested using a heat gun ferrite cores. many useful and often expensive com-
o
LJ erÞ
<-
L- tr
<+ CâÑ to get tÌre bits off PC boards. That is '\lso not worth bothering with will ponents from the tip, to see useful life
é
OK if you are being highly selective be all the small resistors, small plastic in another application, SC

22 StLtcoN Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 83


VoiceMe ís a voice-activated remote control. It csn be used to control up to
ten functÍons on your TV DVD pløyer, Home Theatre system or whatever
and ìt cqn have up to four separate users. If you are one of those who often
loses remote controls, ìt could be an attractìve option.
WH"l"#î::riïriï:r
if
more advantageous the prospective
user is blind, elderly, quadriplegic or
otherwise handicapped and unable to
use conventional remote controls,
In fact, the potential for this device
seems almost unlimited for these peo-
ple. And since one of my relatives is
blind, I was particularly keen to see if
it would suit that situation,
echargeable batteries are
expensive, regardless of what
type they are or where they are
used. To obtain absolute maximum
life from them, it is very important
to charge and discharge them prop-
erly - and that requires very careful
monitoring,
Because you can't be there continu-
ously watching meters, it is essential
that you have the equipment that can.
And that's where this very smart bat-
tery capacity meter comes in.
fust take a look at the features panel
below and you'll have to agree: it is
very smart!
It uses a heavy-duty shunt to moni-
Iights whenever a button is tor charge and discharge currents. AII
pressed.
Three '{AA cells power
this unit. In the majority
the readings are shown on a backlit
2-line LCD panel and the various
modes - and there are many to choose
of situations we assume from - are simply selected by press-
that the Extender will only ing a button on an alphanumeric
be used by a person who has keyboard.
nÒt trained VoiceMe. A USB connection allows you to
log the battery voltage, battery capac-
Getting it working ity, charge current and many other
Now to the nitty grittyl The unit readings. We show you how data can
comes with the ability to distinguish
be imported into a spreadsheet and
graphed on your PC.
An audible alarm warns you when
the remaining battery capacity drops
below a preset percentage. You can
then disconnect the load to protect
the battery, either manually or auto-
matically via an optional heavy-duty
relay. The latter will then reconnect
the load after the battery voltage rises
to a preset safe level.
It can be used with all types of lead
acid batteries, including SLA (Sealed
Lead Acid), deep discharge, etc, or
with virtually any type of nickel-
metal-hydride (NiMH) and nickel-
cadmium (Nicad) batteries, as long as
they are 9V or more.
Circuit Operation
The circuit of the Battery Capacity
Meter is shown in Fig.1 and is based
around a PIC1 BF2 5 5 0 microcontroller
(IC1) which incorporates a USB inter-
By Mauro Grassi
face. The micro drives the 2-line LCD
panel and polls the alphanumeric
keypad to respond to buttons being
pressed.
The circuit runs from a 5V rail,
derived from an LM2574HV-5 high-
voltage step-down regulator, REG1.
REGI is a buck switch-mode regulator
that produces 5V from an input voltage
range of around 7-60V. The HV suffix
in the part number refers to the 60V
version of the regulator.
The regulator works with a mini-
mum of external components: a 22Op,H
inductor (L11, a Schottky diode (DB)
and alarge electrolytic bypass capaci-
tor on the output ofthe regulator at pin
1 (the 5V rail).
REG1 also incorporates a nice
feature, the ON/OFF input at pin 3,
When this pin is low, the regulator
is enabled; when high, it is disabled.
This pin is pulled up by a 10kO resis-
tor meaning that the regulator is off
by default, providing no power to the
rest ofthe circuit.
There are two ways that the regula-
tor can be turned on or kept on by

VoiceMe main unit

The unit has two modes of opera-
tion: voice control or via an RF (radio
frequency) remote, As you can see
from the photograph the unit only
has four buttons. Each button selects
a user (t-+).
It also has an inf¡ared receiving
window in front of the buttons and IR
emitting windows to the left, right and
rear. Each window has two IR LEDs.
Finally, there is an electret microphone
under a hole at the apex of tle dome.
Power for the unit comes from a 9V
300m4 DC plugpack or it can be used
with four AA cells which are fitted
into a compartment underneath the
unit. The unit apparently saves all
comma¡ds in non-volatile memory,
so loss of power (ie, when you change
batteriesJ does not result in any loss
of commands.
VoiceMe extender
The VoiceMe Extender RF remote
control has fourbuttons corresponding
to those on the main unit, plus mode
and mute.
The iPodlike circle at the top allows
channel up and down with the left a¡d
right symbols and volume decrease and
increase with the top and bottom sym-
bols. A red LED at the top right corner
the voices ofup to four different users,
with each user having a repertoire of
30 commands or at the other extreme,
one user with 120 commands or any
combination in between,
Pressing any of the four buttons on
VoiceMe wilÌ trigger the device into
issuing a ìist of 11 functions. This is
called manual setup and is the default
metlod.
The 11 functions are listed on the
setup chart in the 4-page manual. Un-
less you plal to use t}re remote control,
ftlnctions six, eight, nine and ten can
be ignored, as these are only relevant
to that device.
Selecting a name
The first step is to decide what you
are going to call the device. R2D2 and
C3PO were possible but black box
won the day, even though it is silver
and grey.
We pressed the left front button
again and as soon as 'train keyword'
was spoken we pressed it again. If
you have already entered a keyword
it gives you the opportunity to change
it, If you take no action the keyword
remains, otherwise you overwrite the
old keyword with a new one.
We decided to initially test VoiceMe
using an amplifrer which had a remote
control with the ability to turn the
amplifier on and off, mute and raise
and lower the volume. A single-page
instruction sheet recommends using
commands of three to four syllables as
keywords or commands, in order to get
better recognition results.
Recording commands
The next step was to record some
commands. Each time you do this you
are asked to repeat the command and
evidently the software is doing some
fancy analysis. Most remotes use the
same command to turn a device on
and off but we decided the command
'listen to amplifier' would be used for
the on function and 'turn off' to do
this.'Louder volume' ald'make sound
soft er' are self-explanatory.
We found commalds like 'volume
up'ald'volume down'were too simi-
lar and could not readily be differenti-
ated by the device. Whether this was
due to my voice or the device, I can't
say. Press a¡rd release the button and
wait until it steps to 'train command'
then push it again, 'Listento amplifier',
'turn off', 'louder volume' and 'make
sound softer' were recorded along with
the IR codes for each action.
ffiFffi
.
High Voltage (9-60V)and High Current (-804) range
o Display Up to 12 different readings: Battery Voltage (V), Battery Capacity in Amp.hours (AH), watt-hours (WH)
or percentage (%), Load Current (A), Charge Current (A), Net Current (A), Circuit Current (mA), Time
Remaining (D:H:M), Charge/Discharge Cycles, Load (W), Relay Current (mA)
o Backlit LCD Display with variable brightness and timeout period (to stop backlighting)
. USB 2.0for Data Logging
o Data Logging with RLE Compression can l0g up to four readings at any one time, transfer to PC and import
into spreadsheet, create graphs
. Uses Peukeft's Law for discharging Lead Acid batteries, with customisable constant and charging efficiency
sett¡ng
a Suitable for all Lead Acid (including deep cycle) and NiMH & Nicad batteries
a Automatically detects top of charge (Lead Acid) or bottom & top of charge (Nicad/NiMH):
o Lead Acid: determines top of charge by detecting trickle current and cell voltage
o Nicad & NiMH: detects discharge end-point by detecting falling voltage and low cell v0ltage
a Audible Capacity Alarm
a Fail-safe shut down on under-voltage
a Overload protection with soft fuse (requires external relay)
o Under-voltage protection (with optional relay)
o Keeps track of number of charge/discharge cycles
a Persistent settings and hierarchical menu system
a One-time software calibration using only a DMM
o Customisable averag¡ng for all readings
a Standby mode when small load or charge current to save power
o Housed in a rugged plastic case

84 Smco¡'t Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 21


The VoiceMe main unit [above) with its Extender
unit at left, We imagine that the majority of
people will not have much use for the extendel as the
main unit does everything it can - without buttons!
We tried sevelal remote controls but
'tlute sotrncl'. The
hacl no sLrccess r,r¡ith
rroice command r,r,as lecor-clecl ancl the
IR cocle \ /as slrpposeclllr ls6.t,tit.¿
according to the beep, which acknor,ttl-
edges acceptance of the IR cocle.
Nor,v that ]/ou can commancl Voice-
Me you nr;cd to select its response
to ,yort, ranging fi'orn '1tss sir/ma'am'
through 'r,r,hat can I do fol J/ou' to a lot
of fancy sounds.
We chose 'hor,r, can I help you', Thus
the voice seqlrence is 1'011 addless
'Black Box' r,r'hich responds r,r,ith 'Hor¡-
can I help you'? You respond r,vith
'Listen to amplifiel'.
If Iro11t rroi"" command is recognised
the pre-recorcled command is lepeated
back to you, then the IR slgnal is
output. If voul command is not lecog-
nised, \'ou are ignored.
Testing
When said'black bor' it respond-
l,r,e
help rrou?' 'Listen to
ecl r,r.ith'hor,r, can I
amplifier'' turned the arnplifier on and
'louder rrolume' or'make souncl softer"
increased or decreased the r-olume br,
2clB (the amoluìt programmecl for the
remote contlol).
' lv{ute sor,rnd' r-eplaved the lecorclecl
corlmancl rnute sound but dicl not af-
siliconchìp.com.au
fect the volume.
Eventuallv after several tries r,r'e got
'shut off sound' to r'r'ork saiisfactorih'.
Obrriouslt, r,vhat vou actuallv sav is
irreler.ant. .A.s long as it is recognised.
the IR signal shor-rlcl be accepted.
To re-program the IR code t'ou have
to clelete the command. re-record it and
then sr,rpph, the IR cocle once again,
So far even'thing seenecl to r,vork as
claimecl. Nor,r, fol the big test! Voicelr.4e
rt'as installed in a lor-rnge room. r,r'hich
has a TEAC Hlgh Definition clecoder,
an LG Home Theatre svstem ancl an LG
Plasma screen.
'Tuln Teler,'ision on' seemecl an ap-
propriate command. The individual
devices rvere then programmed into
VoiceMe. It accepted the three po\\¡er-
on IR slgnals, beeping aftel each r,r'as
lecognisecl,
We r,r'ere initiallv rvolliecl u,hether.
r,r'ith the VoiceMe sitting in the sane
plane and abor.e the units. the IR
output rt,ould leflect off the r,r'alls ar-rd
actnate the units.
Oul lt orries r,vele justifiecl: it reftlsecì
to operate at t\lro metres clistance from
me br-rt for a clifferent reason - ntv
voice u¡as not lond enongh to trigger
the response, lvloving it mucìr closel,
so that it n'as abont lm clistant. al-
lorvecl it to lecognise coumaucls,
Ii sr.,'itchecl on the Plasma screen
ancl the TEAC decoder but reftrsecl
to turn on the souucl svsten. The
rer.note \\'as an LG 671OCDAPO1B.
\Ve cleleted the cotlmaud and re-
recordecl it ancl the three remote
signals. Again thele rvere three
beeps of acceptance but onh' trvo
runits porvered on, Holvever, it
rvorked on the thircl trr'. so dott't
give upl
An interesting otttcome
u'as that rve did not ltse
\/oiceMe for a cor-iple of
-"r'eeks ancl lvhen I began
using it again it hacl tlou-
ble recognising the 'Bìack
Box'command.
The instructions sav to
recolcl rvitl-r "regular toue. speed
and volume". Yor-r tencl to raise I'onl
voice r'vhen vou issue att instluctiou
but rr.ith sufficient practice rve believe
von could address it in a norural con-
versational voice.
We dicì not test the RF rer.note con-
trol. \Vho u.auts another lel.uote? The
main fturction of VoiceMe is to do a'rvav
u'ith remotes!
Hon'ever. aftei'all the problems rve
had rcith different lentotes ancl rvith
getting the mute function to rvork
"l'ith
the amplifier, thele l'as one tlaior
ploblem in attempting to get it tlained
so mv mother coulcl ttse it. Her voice
u'as sirr-iplv too soft!
So r,rnless the prospective "nser" is
able to speak fairlv loudh' and pre-
ciseh'. \/oiceMe lvill have difficultt'.
To suln r-rp:Voicelvle is an interesting
der,ice r,vith enormous potential. If vor-r
can train it sltccessfullr', it r,r,ill let you
leìegate all vour pushbutton IR reurotes
ancl simph' state vorir cotlmancls.
Nolr,. I rvondel if it could also be
trained to get me a beer rvhen the
clicket is on?
Wbere from, how much?
VoiceMe is ar,ailable fi-om Micro-
glant Compltters for 5389 inclr,rcìing
GST, For further inforrnatiot.t. contact
Microg,ranr (wrvw.mqram,com.au) al
3/7 Tumbi Creek Road, Berkeler'\¡ale
NS\V 2261. Plrone 1BOO 625 7777. ,
JLtxE 2009 85
 drcksmtlh Talk to the Techxperts

ITIGREIIIBTE SAUIIIGS UUITH UP IO 751/,IÍÍ IHESE KIT$

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n$full fffn

ITIRANSISTORS WERE introduced

The
I i.rto domestic radios in Australia Carbon Monoxide Alarm Kit C"rbon Hi-Energy lgnition Kit A Universal High-

693P 3.-,BaHd
around 1958. I can actually remember
the first transistor set that I owned, a
pocket Sony.
By today's standards, this set was
a poor performer and was only sr,rit-
able for receiving stations in the near
vicinity. Its main drawbackwas that it
. . . the transition from valves to transistors generated a fair amount of noise due to
the germanium transistors usecl.
By about 1960, Australian manu-
facturers were producing quite rea-
sonabÌe transistor radios. However,
although Japanese sets were by then
using PC boards (of greatly varying
quality), Australian manufacturers
took longer to make the transition. In
fact, some AustraÌian manufacturers
didn't use PC boards until weÌÌ into
the early 1960s.
As a result, some early Australian-
made transistor sets were built just
Iike valve sets, with components
wired point-to-point. Some even used
sockets for the transistors, just as valve
sets used sockets. However', AustraÌian
manufacturers did eventually move
over to PC boards - the benofits of us-
ing PC boards were simply too great
to ignore, especiaÌly in terms of cost
and ease of assembly.
VIPER-MICROBRIC Robotic System
Buìld the Viper by following the instructions
or create your own design and program him
to behave the way you want! The system is
completely solderless, requiring nothing môre
than a screwdriver to assemble Uses BASIC
programming language (requires PC running
Windows 95. 98, ME, or XP). K1800
Siren penerator Kit Select e¡ther
police,åmbulance or fire engine sirens
or with a sl¡ght alterâtion, a machine-gun
firinþ sound. Supplied with components,
PCB, battery holder and speaker. SC
1'll93. K5s14
monoxide (CO) is an insidious poison which can
be lethal This circuit has a two-level CO alert,
with momentary or toggle relay operation
Supplied w¡th all specif¡ed components,
hardware, PCB, a pre-punched and screened
metal panel, plastic case and a small satellite
PCB for mounting the CO sensor remotely
Requires 12V power source. SC 8/05. K4ó14
Digital Tachometer Kit With a four-digit
display, this tachometer works w¡th ign¡t¡on
systems on 4, ó and 8-cylinder motors.
Supplied with components, PCBs and LED
displays Requires 12V power source. SC 8/91.
K3241
Steam Whistle Kit Creates two-chord steam
whistle sounds, w¡th easy trimpot adjustments of
sound parameters. Supplied with components.
PCB and mini speaker. EA6/96 K3o21
Energy Electronic lgnition System designed
to work with a variety of input triggers. lt
employs a high temperature micro-controller
(1óF88 E-P) to control the switching trans¡stor
and sense the trigger signal. lncl. all specified
components, hardware, PCB, and metal diecast
box for "points" ignition sensor systems, plus
a comprehensive instruction manual SC 12105
K3305
Loudspeaker Level Meter Kit Perfect
for precisely adjusting speaker levels when
sett¡ng up a home theatre system, w¡th
built-in microphone and 10 LED bargraph
display. Supplied with PCB and all necessary
components. SC 04/04. K5624
Diesel Sound Simulator Kit Easy
to build and f¡ts inside most locomotÌves.
Takes its power from the rails. Supplied
w¡th components , PCB (27 x 'l20mm) and
mini speaker. SC 12/92. K3o3o

The AWA 693P

The AWA 693P B-transistor radio
featured here is one such Australian-
made set that used vaìve-radio con-
struction techniques. It is a well-made
Points Controller Kit operate your
model railway points remotely. Connects
to hobby style twin solenoids (not
supplied). Components and PCB only
Requires 12 - 15V power source. SC7/97
K3031
Mini Vox Kit eu¡ld your own tiny voice-
activated relay Great where hands-free operation
is required. Supplied with components and PCB.
Requires 12V DC power source. SC 9/94. K3038
Universal Power Supply Kit can
be used in â vâr¡ety of ways as either a
single or dual supply. Designed so that
constructors can obtain many different
voltages Power source required. SC 8/88.
K3435

3-bald receiver that was marufactured

some time around 1960.
In keeping with the era, it is housed Eneroize¡ Eneelzer
in a wooden cabinet covered with
The AWA 693P is an impressive 3-band leather and leatherette. It is similar
Energi To Go
lnstant Mobile
1 Hour Charger
with 4 x AA
B-transistor set that was manufactured by in size to the valve receivers it was Phone Charger NiMH 2450mAh
intended to replace and was no light- lnstantly charge your Batteries Recharge
AWA in Australia during the early L960s. weight either, tipping the scales at a mobile phone. Powers
most NOKIA and
your AA or AAA
rechargeable batteries
It doesn't use a PC board but instead heÍ\y 7.2kg (ie, about the same as a
vaÌve set).
SAMSUNG mobile
phones. lncludes 1 x
in only one hourl 4
individual charging Ouality RF Video Modulator
Wireless 5.8GHz AV Sender
New 5.8GHz technology gives
employs point-to-point wiring, iust like Inside, the circuit used two second-
phone charge¡ 2 x
Energizer Lithium AA
channels. lncludes
4xA high capacity
Converts Vdeo and Audio signals
ínto a UHF W RF output. Output
you a clearer picture w¡th less
chance of ínterference from 2.4GHz
generation PNP germanium transis-
the valve radios of that era. tors for the criticai RF and autodyne
batteries, 2 x Nokia
Tips and 1x Samsung
2450mAh Energizer
rechargeable NiMH
impedance 75 ohms, channel
adjustable, last channel memory
equipment such as cordless phones
and wireless networks. PAUNTSC
Tip. S9129 batteries. 54408 Scart in /Composite in. For use compatible. lncludes lR remote
converter stages, while all the other
$34t *6S* with CCD cameras, video games
and other video devices. lncludes
extender, 2 x RCA AV cables, 2 x

äîr"åÍi:å:r
and a PC -'"I'r1
86 sntcoN cutp siliconchip.com.au AC adaptor. 11507

Terms and conditions: Offers start 2515/09 and end 30/ó/09 or while tocks last
No rainchecks. No layby. Offers may not be available in some reseller or franchise stores www.dicksmiTh com ou
,o*=nc Grk drcksmilh Talk to the Techxperts
1Þ"c
www, d ic ksnn ilh , corn , o u 'W:e"@;
út€3

úd d Élü|xrEÈ Ërat
*cnq 6cdùst þr^rÛ¡
OOO@ Ërr^xÁ'Ms
Úfi. sÊlEcrco r¡ æord.
TUs XE¡ffi YfB F

Bench Style Function Generator This multi-purpose 3MHz sweep

function generator is ideal for education, production, and R&D users.
Features ó output wâveforms, a pulse generator and a sweep generator.
3-15V Regulated 25 Amp Heavy Duty DC Power Supply Supplied with adjustable tilt handle, mains lead, and a detailed
Heavy-duty 3-15V linear power supply, 254 continuous rating at 15V lnstruction Manual. Not ranged at all stores, but can be ordered in. f
and lower current at lower output voltages- Custom DSE version SPECIFICATIONS 4
with extensive overload protection, rugged Tri-filar transformer Frequency: 0.5H2-3MHz (2.5MHz Ramp & Pulse) in six steps oc
windings, high-temperature transformer components, 504 bridge Output waveform: Sine, Square, Triangle, Positive Pulse
C¿
rectifier, thermal protection circuitr¡ rear-panel mains circuit breaker, and Negative Pulse
and solidly constructed metal housing. L¡mited store stock only, not Min output: No Load O.'lV p-p; 50 Ohms load 0.05V p-p vl¡ loll.r chq.¡¡. will hovc llZ
ond t23 rrplocrd bY o 1500
availablethrough Mail order orWeb orders. D38OO Other outputs: Synchronous, sweep synchronous 0182ó chn vorioblc n¡i¡lq Ccdc
No. ó20015. fh¡¡ cohpor.nl lr
cd¡u,lôd ol th. lcctw dút¡ng
ñônùloclu.. ond ¡hocld ¡ct b€
louched ¡n lår ñ.1d,
n o xi:l ,;.¡¿_

Fig.1.: the circuit is a conventional B-transistor superhet design, with transistor VTt functioning as an RF amplifier
stage, VT2 as the converter, VT3 & VT4 as IF amplifiers and VT5-VTB as the audio stages. Diode MR4 is the detector,

stages used first-generation germa- their life is quite good in this set and is These are attached to the inside of the
Lab Power Supply 3-30V DC 20Amp
nium transistors. It also used an somewhere in the region of hundreds panel along with a map of the world
This effìcient switch-mode power supply provides internal telescopic antenna but there of hours. with the various time zones listed.
adjustable 3V to 30V DC output, 204 maximum are also terminals on the rear so that The set is quite a good performer on
continuous current, low ripple and noise output, an external antenna and earth can be Tuning range shortwave too, thanks to the inclusion
and a compact case with an integral cooling fan.
PRO-70 Butane Soldering lron The lroda A fixed I 3.8V output sw¡tch can be selected connected for improved performance. The tuning range of this set is quite of a radio frequency (RF) stage in the
PRO-70 cordless butane-powered solderin g to over-ride the front panel voltage selection, In addition, terminals are provided useful, particularly for those living front-end. In fact, this receiver can be
iron is simple to use, with an internal tank that allowing simple powering of high power car
provides up to 120 minutes of operâtion at audio and radio transmítting equipment.
to allow a portable turntable to be in more remote areas. As well as the considered a serious replacement for
mid-setting. Ready to use in 20-30 seconds Features large LED front-panel metering and connected to the audio input of the broadcast band ((530-1650kH2), there the much earlier 7-band AWA valve
after ignit¡on. Requires butane gas. Not carried heavy-duty banana sockets. Not carried at all receiver, are also two shortwave bands covering receivers.
at all stores, but can be ordered in. T1104 stores, but can be ordered ¡n. 017ó5
The Ìatter feature was probably rare- 2-6MHz and 6-1BMHz.
Ìy used. Battery powered turntables of Normally, portable receivers which Circuit details
that era were thin on the ground and cover these latter ranges have rather The circuit (see Fig.1) is really quite
their quality Ìeft much to be desired. direct tuning. This can make tuning conventional for a set of that era. As
to shortwave stations rather diffrcult shown, the antenna input consists
Lantern batteries but this problem has been solved in the of a network that allows the use of
Power for the set is derived from AWÂ 693P. In this set, the dial-drive either the in-built telescopic antenna
two 509 lantern batteries connected in is a 2-speed type. Once the station has or an external long-wire antenna on
series to give a 12V supply. In addition, been roughly tuned, it is then tuned all bands.
the junction of the two batteries pro- in the opposite direction. This engages On the broadcast band, a loop-stick
Orygen Free Copper vides a centre-tap for the audio output the "slow-motion" reduction tuning antenna is used most of the time but
Speaker Cable Higtr conductivity, stage, so that it could be used without mechanism, allowing the station to be connecting a long-wire antenna ca¡r
low loss Fig I Orygen Free an output transformer. However, this easily fine-tuned. boostthe performance of the loop-stick
DPDT 104 Relay Heavy Low Loss OFC Speaker Copper (OFC) cable with ultra-
duty silver alloy plated contacts Cable Low loss OFC (orygen flex translucent PVC insulation,
meant that the speaker had to be a non- It's interesting to note that lifting the in difficult reception areas. Note that
(30V DC, 24OV AC rated), 12V free copper) 14 AWG speaker and tinned copper conductors on standard type with a 45-ohm voice coil front cover of the receiver to access the broadcast band input also has a
coil, Double Pole Double Throw cable with a super flexible PVC one side of the Fig I flex to aid in to match the transistor output stage. the controls reveals the Royal Flying series tuned intermediate frequency
(double changeover switching sheath. Suitable for medium to polarity identifi cation. Conductors:
contacts) relay. high power installations - 1ó8 30 x 0.12mm OFC, cross-sectional
Because of the size of the batteries, Doctor Service shortwave frequencies. (IF) rejection circuit (L1, C6) across
Full details online at: conductors x 0.12mm, 1.9mm2 area: 0.34mm2. Price per metre.
www.dicksmith.com.au P8o1 4 cross sectional area. W2O1ó w2008 siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 87

Promotion from 25l5lO9 Io 3Ol6109

 stabilise the quiescent current against
variations in temperature. Germanium
transistors are particularly sensitive to
heat and wilÌ draw considerably more
current as the transistor junction tem-
perature rises unless precautions are
taken. Ifthe currentrises to any extent,
a runaway situation can occur where
more and more current is drawn until
the transistor finally destroys itself,
The emitter-collector junction of
VT7 & VTB drive the speaker's voice
coil, the other side of which goes to
the centre tap of the power supply. As-
suming that the output transistors and
their base bias networks are matched,
then there wiÌl be no curtent through
the loudspeaker when no audio signal
is present.
At least, that's the ideal situation.
In practice, there will always be some
current through the speaker's voice
coil but this will be very small if there
are no faults in the class-B amplifier
output stage.
ly has adequate power to keep up with other traffic and is
no slouch when climbing hills. However the battery drain
goes up alarmingly at these times, rapidly reducing the
available capacity. On the level, the car trickles along.
Where it is disconcerting is that the motor is not as
smooth as you would expect and has significant vibration
conducted through the cabin - almost a cogging effect.
This is probably a consequence of the motor being sol-
idly mounted to the chassis without any rubber mounts
to provide isolation. Perhaps that might be a later modi-
fication.
When climbing hills the motor also becomes quite
strident - surprisingly so. We measured a peak of zAdBA
inside the cabin, Of course, Iarge 3-phase industriaÌ motors
are never silent; it is just that you are seldom aware that
they produce any noise since it is norrnally drowned out
by the machinery they are driving.
Overall, we are very impressed with this EV conversion.
Not only is it the first using an induction motor but Mal-
colm's choice of vehicle is very appropriate, It is a strong
commercial vehicle and should provide good protection
in the event of a crash. Even if it rolled over, you could
fairly confident that the battery pack would be securely
held in place. Having back seats, it also provides for four
occupants, something that most prior conversions using

the tuned antenna loop-stickwinding. plifier. The resulting AGC is directly

This is intended to prevent ma¡itime
radio transmissions close to 455kJfz
from breaking through into the IF
amplifier stage.
RF transistor VT1 (2N3 70) amplifies
the input signal from the antenna and
passes it via further tuned circuits to an
autod¡me converter stage based on VT2
(2N370), The output from this stage is
then applied to the first IF transformer
and thence to a 2-stage IF amplifier
consisting of transistors VT3 & VT4
(2N218). Both stages are neutralised
by C33 & C40 respectively.
From there, the signal passes to a
detector and AGC diode (MRa), after
which the detected signal is fed to
VT5 (2N218). This stage acts as both
an ÂGC amplifier and first audio am-
appÌied to VT3 and VT1 and also from
VT3 to the first two IF transformers
via MR3 to control the gain through
the amplifier.
The detected audio signal at the
emitter of VT5 is fed through an RF
choke (L2) to filter out any remaining
IF signals in the audio. The audio is
then applied via voÌume control R27
and tone control R2B to audio driver
stage VT6 (2N408).
VT6 is turn feeds a driver trans-
form.er with three windings, One goes
to the colÌector Ìead of VT6, while the
other two drive the base leads of output
transistor pair VT7 and VTB (2N270).
As shown, these two output transis-
tors are wired in series and each has
a thermistor in its base-bias circuit to
Conversely, when audio is applied
to the transistors, one will draw more
conventional cars cannot provide. sc
I
a
I
current while the other will be cut off Much more detail can be found on Malcolm's EV Blog:
This view shows 10 of the 13 individual battery chargers.
and will draw no culrent. This means http ://a4x4kiwi.blogspot.com/
that the DC voltage at the junction of
the transistors and the speaker can
varybetweennearly 0V and -12Vwith
reference to the chassis with the vol-
ume control set for maximum output.
This in turn means that the ampli-
fier side of the speaker coil can vary
between -6V and +6V with reference to
the other side ofthe speaker voice coil
(which is connected to the midpoint of
the battery pack). Of course, at normal
listening Ìevels, the voltage excursions
are much less severe.
Finally, to reduce the distortion
in the class-B output stage, negative
feedback is applied to the base of VT6
via a 100kO resistor (R40).

The overhaul
My flrst impressions of this set
when it was loaned to me was that it
had had a hard life. The leatherette,
leather surfaces and the metal grill of
the cabinet alÌ showed signs of wear,
The first job in the restoration was
to remove the chassis from the cabinet.
¡¡Zlq cdlEcrm ot This proved to be quite easy. First, the
2NrF tr omcÌo@
2N370 back of the set is removed by undoing
35ø a single screw' The batteries are then
removed, after which you undo three
screws from the base of the cabinet
and unplug the internal whip antenna, This shot show the Danfoss V[.I5O24 frequency converter with the top cover removed. In the foreground you can see the
A label on the inside-back of the set gives some basic service information, The chassis and battery holder are two 13.8V 25,{' switchmode power supplies which are used to charge the 12V ancillary battery. They occuþy the space
including the transistor types and locations plus the dial-cord arrangement, then simply slid out of the cabinet, originally taken up by the 4L5V 3-phase rectifier filters.
BB StttcoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 77
 The set's owner was uncertain as
to whether or not it was working, so
I obtained a couple of 6V 509 lantern
batteries, slipped them into their hold-
ers and switched the set on. Well, the
set did work but its performance was
woeful. It was quite insensitive, pick-
ing up very few stations, and its audio
output was quite distorted. In short, it
sounded rather sick so it was time for
some troubleshooting
I began by measuring the voltages
around the front-end of the set but
could only get 5-6V where I should
have been measuring close to 12V. As
a result, I checked the batteries and
found that one was open circuit, even
though it was brand new!
With a good battery fitted in its
place, the set sounded much more like
it should. The distortion had gone but
it was still not performing at all well
in terms of sensitivity. As a result, I
checked the alignment of the IF am-
plifier stages but found that they were
near enough to spot on.

RF alignment
It was a different story with the RF
This shot shows the L2V battery (right corner) which provides power to all the ancillaries. Above it is the blue vacuum and converter stages andthe oscillator
reservoir, included so that the vacuum pump, adjacent to the power brake booster, does not cycle frequently. The vacuum tuned circuits. A cursory examination
pump is fitted with a gauge - iust to show it is working. Centre right of the photo (circled) is the throttle potentiorneter. revealed that one Philips trimmer ûas
The pot is 10kO (linear) and provides 60' ofrotation. missing its adjustment cap, an extra
capacitor had been fitted across the
inherent function of induction motor slip, whereby when to runthe alcillaries such as the vehicle's instrumentation, broadcast-band oscillator coil and the
the motor is being "over-run" by the drive shaft (as when windscreen wipers a¡rd washers and lighting. core of the oscillator coil was sitting
coasting down a hill), the motor is effectively generating This is provided by a 1 2V SLA battery, identical to those much further out of the coil than I
reverse torque. sitting in the rear tray. It is charged by a pair of switch- would have expected.
But since the motor is being driven by the rear wheels, it mode regulators, one of which is connected to the +300V This all indicated that the front-end
also provides worthwhile regeneration, delivering signifl- rail while the other is connected to the -300V rail, Both had been tweaked by someone who
cant cunent to the batteries on long downhill runs. their floating outputs are connected in parallel to charge clearly didn't know what they were
The battery charging evidently takes place via the sub- the battery. doing.
strate reverse diodes in the IGBTs, ,t meter inside As well as lighting, it also provides power to The oscillator tuned circuit on each
the vehicle monitors the battery drain and the a l-2V vacuum pump which runs the power of the shortwave bands appeared to be
regeneration. brake booster, It also drives a 12V blower reasonably accurate, so I first concen-
Regeneration is a particular advan- for the ceramic core heater. The heater trated on aligning the RF and antenna
tage of using a 3-phase motor and one is run from the 600V supply and circuits. First, a Leader (LSG11) signal
which cannot easily be provided in provides demisting for the wind- generator was pressed into service to
conversions using series DC motors, determine the tuning range on each My first suspect here was padder end (this has to be done sevetal times,
Ultimately, a¡ AC conversion such There is no air-conditioning band. That done, I then adjusted capacitor C16. Perhaps its value had as each adjustment interacts with the
as this shouldbe very quietbecadse for the driver and passengers each coil and trimmer capacitor for changed or maybe the wrong one had other). However, because the rest of
the motor is not subject to the high though,,. That might be in a best signal (or maximum noise). ,{nd been fitted. As a result, I disconnected the RF and antenna circuits were so
lrequency pulse drive normally subsequent EV conversion per- what an improvement that made - the one leg of CrG and tested it on the badly out of tune, I had to use a very
employed in DC conversions. haps. performance on the shortwave bands capacitalce range of my multimeter. high output from the signal generator
The 3-phase sinewave is synthe- was now quite good. It gave the correct value so that theory in order to force signals through the
sised by higher frequency switch- Driving it According to the service informa- bit the dust, set during this procedure.
mode pulsing so high frequency Driving the converted Hilux is a tion for this set, the broadcast band is Next, I removed the extra capacitor Now that the oscillator was tuning
whistling is evident from outside bit of an artbecausethe tluottle and normally aligned first. However, Ileft that had been installed across Ct4. I correctly, it was time to look at the
the vehicle. braking response needs to be learned. it until last as it appeared to have more then adjusted the oscillator circuit so other tuned circuits for the broadcast
If you're too hard on the throttle, the problems than the shortwave bands. that it covered the correct range. This band. The location of the antenna coil
Ancillaries motor slip goes to a high value and it The tuning range was well out a¡rd is done by adjusting the coil at the low- on the loop-stick antenna had not been
AII electric vehicle conversions loses power. stations were appeiling in the wrong frequency end of the dial and the trim- altered since the setwas manufactured
need to provide a 12V battery supply Not something you see every day! Having said that, the vehicle evident- locations on the dial, mer capacitor at the high-ftequency but I decided to check it all the same.
16 Stuco¡'t Cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 B9
 up by the loop-stick antenna. How-
Photo Gallery: Astor Jl'l Dual-Wave Receiuer ever, when the shield that normally
sits between the IF amplifier and the
Ìoop-stick was put back in place, this
instability disappeared. This shield
piece is held in place with three metaÌ
thread screws and is bonded with flex-
ible straps to adjoining metalwork to
ensure effective shielding.
Having completed tle alignment, aÌl
the trimmer adjustments were sealed
in position using cÌear nail polish. In
addition, the adjustment slugs inside
the various coiÌs were secured using
a drop of bees wax (this can be easiÌy
broken free if adjustment is needed
later on). Â better method is to secure
the cores using some very thin rubber-
core "string" (for want of a better
name). Unfortunately I've been unable
to source any ofthis rubber-core string
in recent years.
Final tweaks
The voiume and tone controls were
NICKNAMED'SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE" after its smooth arch shape, both noisy in operation. This is a com-
the Astor JN dual-wave receiver was housed in an attractive, dark-chocolate mon problem with old sets. This was
bakelite cabinet with a faint embedded pattern. lts copious size enabled solved by giving them both a squirt of
Astorto enclose a quality chassis with power and performance comparable Inox contact cleaner, In addition, the
to a radiogram, so this model is on most enthusiasts'must-have list. dial-drive pulleys and the reduction
An unusual feature is the roll-tuning dial. The station tuning is a normal drive were each given a drop of oil
linear action but turn the thumbnail dial and the stations from another state to ensure smooth operation. I do this
appear. lts interesting to note that the Victorian dial also has Devonport using an oil-filÌed hypodermic syringe
shown, such was the performance of the chassis with an external wire with a needle attached so that I can get
antenna (there was also Iower electrical interference in the 1950s). the oil where it needs to be (the tip of
The valve line-up was as follows: 2x 6U7G, 6JBGA, 686G, 6V6GT/G and the needle is ground square to avoid
SY3GT/G. Photograph by Kevin Poulter for the Historical Radio Socíety of
accidental "jabs").
Australia. wwwhrsa.net.au; phone (03) 9539 1117. Despite the se['s age, none of the
resistors or capacitors required re-
placement. The paper capacitors may
well have been leaky but this is not
To do this, I tuned to the iow-fre- First, I tuned to the high-frequency usuaÌly a problem in tralsistor circuits
quency end of the tuning range and end of the dial and peaked the trim- due to their low impedances and low
moved my fingers close to the tuned mers on each tuned circuit. However, operating voÌtages.
winding on the loop-stick. The set's I initialÌy couldn't peak the trimmer Finally, the leather/leatherette cabi-
performalce immediately improved, on the loop-stick, as this was the one net was spruced up using a dark tan
which indicated that the coil needed without its adjustment cap. Fortu- shoe polish. This produced quite a rea-
to be moved towards the centre of the nately, that was easily solved by sub- sonable finish although there was no
Ioop-stick to increase its inductance. stituting one from a spare trimmer in way to repair the damaged Ìeatherette
This is easier said than done, as my junk box.
you first have to remove the "gunk" With the substitute cap in place, I Summary
holding the coil in position. This was was then able to peak this trimmer. ln summary, this radio is easy to
done using a sharp hobby knife, after The RF stage couÌd be peaked as well. work on and adjust. Its performance
which the coil was moved along the I then tuned from each end of the dial is quite good and during the early
loop-stick to peak the performance. to the other, readjusting the coiÌs and 1960s, it would have been one of the
The coil was then secured in this new trimmers until there was virtually no best transistor sets avaiÌable.
position. interaction between the adjustments. This set was probabÌy AWAs first
The RF coil was aÌso peaked at multi-band transistor portable and
this time, I use an old plastic knitting Instability they did a really good job. It doesn't
needle as an alignmenttool, filed down The setwas nowworking quite well use a PC board but is still a well-made
so that it has a screwdriver tip at one except for some instability at about set, built to valve construction stand-
end (a metal screwdriver would affect 91OkHz. This was caused by the sec- ards. In short, it is well worth having
the tuning). ond harmonic of the IF being picked in a colÌection. sc
90 StLtcoN Cntp siliconchíp.com.au
QUICK FAGTS
Vehicle: 1992 Toyota Hilux Extra Cab. 2WD (RN90R)
Range: 35km to 70% discharge - hilly terrain (Collaroy to Terrey Hills return)
Deeper discharges will significantly affect the life of the batteries.
Gharge time: 1 - 5 hours depending 0n distance travelled.
Cost to run: 1.39É/km (off-peak 1 electricity tariff); 4.90ikm (peak electricity tariff)
Battery cost -10ø per km. (Total 1 1 .39 to 14.90ikm)
for servicing Total 18 lo 28Êlkm
Compared to petrol, 13É per km - 1l/'l00km @$1.18/l Add 5 to 150/km
1
Efficiency: Hilly terrain - battery to wheels: 238Wh/km
Flat terrain - battery to wheels: 200Wh/km
Performance: Peak power - 35kW at wheels (48kW electrical)
Peak torque - 1615Nm at wheels. Peak motor torque 315Nm
Originally: Power 75kW @ 4800 RPM; Torque 185Nm @ 2800 RPM
Gonverted we¡ghl: 1544k9 (0riginalweight 1250k9; GVM IGross Vehicle Mass] 2050k9)
Molol nominal: 1skw / 99Nm, ASEA, aluminium frame, 3-phase induction motor.
Motor peak: -48kW / -350Nm
Braking: Regenerative and original vacuum ass¡sted hydraulic.
Controller: Danfoss VLT5042 3-phase lnverter (aka Variable Speed Drive / VSD). Provides regenerative braking.
Battelies: 50 x 20Ah (@ 2hr rate) Greensaver SLA
Banery energy: 12kwh
Ghargers: 13 x 2.54 switch-mode smart chargers
Top speed: 75km/h on flat
Modifications: . Manual steering
. Electric heater
.5:125:1 differential
the VLTS042 is being used in open-loop mode, with the
motor speed pickup being connected for speedo operation
only, Even though it's road registerecl and drivable, it's still
a work-in-progress!
The VLT5042 uses a bank of high-voltage insulated
gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) in a 6-way bridge to give a
3-phase drive to the 4-pole motor which is delta-connected.
The motor is a second-hand ABB unit r,r¡ith a nameplate
rating of 15kW at 415VAC. That might seem low but re-
member that such a motor can deliver at least three times
its rated power for short periods.
The motor sits in the engine bay of the Toyota HiÌux in
virtually splendid isolation, The only modification is that
it has been fitted with a standard 12V radiator fan which
is controlled by a thermostatic switch on the motor body.
The fan replaces the internal fan, which was ineffective at
ì.ow speeds and too noisy at the higher speeds the motor
is now required to run at.
Even so, the 12V fan does not cut in frequently and
would only be expected to be running when the HiÌux is
climbing a steep hill.
The motor drives the differentiaÌ of the Hilux directly;
there is no intermediate gearbox. However, Malcolm has
increased the diff ratio to 5.L25:1. to obtain a better hill
climbing capability - necessary for his Sydney northern
beaches'location. Top speed is about 75km/h.
Engine braking & regeneration The large knob in the foreground is the Forward/Ì.[eutral/
One aspect of this conversion which is not immediately Reverse switch, with the Danfoss keypad and display. It
obvious is that the combination of the Danfoss VLT5042 and is not possible to inadvertently throw the car into reverse
the 3-phase motor can provide substantial engine braking, while under way. This is prevented by a key interlock
dependent on the throttle setting. The engine braking is an which must be used to change motor direction.
siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 15

On the face ofit, this electric vehicle conversion is pretty
simple. The execution proved to be a tad more difficult!
rail of 600V. This is fed to a Danfoss VI:lso|z fiequency
converter intended to drive 3-phase induction motors up
to 4BkW (peakl.
Now the cunning aspect of Malcolm's conversion is that
it feeds the 600V DC directly to the VLT5042 converter.
Why is this cunning? Because when used normally, the
VI:15O42 is fed with 3-phase 41SVAC which is then inter-
nally rectified by a 6-diode bridge to obtain SB6V DC and
it is this DC which is then converted to variable frequency,
variable voltage AC.
What Malcolm has done is to bypass the internaÌ 3-phase
bridge rectifier and feed the frequency converter with DC
from the batteries instead,
The 600V battery supply is split into +300V rails and so
there are ihree supply leads into the VLT5042 converter:
+300V 0V & -300V,
For charging from 230VAC, the battery bank is split
into L2 banks of four (+eV) and one bank of two (24V)
and these balks are charged by 13 intelligent switchmode
chargers. Each night the battery bank is charged using
Mal Faed drying offthe electronics while we took photos of his EV conversion on a (very!) wet day. This is looking across
the battery bank with the Danfoss Vl:15O42 controller under his right elbow.
74 StLtco¡r¡ Cutp
off-peak electricity, so the cost of energy for this vehicle
is particularly low.
Total capacity of the battery bank is 12 kilowatt-hours
a¡rd this gives a driving range of about 40km - fairly modest
but adequate for MaÌcolm's short daily commute.
Most readers will be aware that the speed of an induc-
tion motor is more or less locked to the frequency of the
AC driving voltage. Hence, a 4-pole induction motor con-
nected to a 50Hz mains supply will normally run at about
1440 RPM; slightly less than the so-called synchronous
speed of 1500 RPM.
IncidentalÌy, the synchronous speed of an induction
motor can be calculated using the formula:
n -- 120Í
P
where n = RPM, f = frequency and P = number of poles
of the motor.
Similarly, a 2-pole induction motor will run at about
2BB0 RPM, again slightly less than the synchronous speed
of g0oo RPM. The difference between the motor speed and
synchronous speed is knor,rm as "slip" andthis is dependent
on the load on the motor (or the torque produced).
Hence, in order to drive the motor over a wide range of
RPM, the fiequency converter must have a similarly wide
output. In the case of the Danfoss VLT5042 used here, the
drive lrequency is configured to vary from 0,5H2 to 132}{2
and the voltage must also be varied, from quite low at low
fiequencies up to a maximum of 415V (s-phase AC) at 5OHz
and then fixed for higher frequencies.
The VLT5042 is able to work in open or closed-loop mode
In the first pqrt of this story in May Stucor,t Crup Barfie Smith
a¡rd has a speed pickup input. On Malcolm's conversion tipped us into the maelstrom of the funny yqrns about Tech Support.
the speed pickup is a toothed wheel on the output shaft
of the motor and a Hall Effect sensor. At this stage though, Now he gets serious and investigqtes how the major compqnies
hqndle the tloods of enqufuÍes and queries that rqin upon enterprises
brqve enough to mqrket their producfs... and daring enough to back
them up with help and comlort for the buying publÍc.
ech support can be confront- the development teams during prod- leaders are based in the company's
ing for the caller. It can also be uct development; information gained North Ryde NSW centre. Over many
a challenge for the operator at from the beta-testing stages of the years Canon has built up an informa-
the call centre. , , but the feedback from product; then the continuously-added tion base that can also be accessed by
the buying public can be worth every product information gathered after the callers; much of this has come from
cent of the centre's operational cost product hits the market. Canon Japan. In addition to that, an
in the way it channels into the hearts Backing this is an on-line knowl- internal knowledge base swells every
and minds of the customer. edge base providing customers with time a customer calls, possibly with
To get a feel for the business I spoke the appropriate information to resolve a unique problem and a unique solu-
to a number of companies: Adobe, their own issues. Adobe feels the best tion... this is documented and added
Canon, Microsoft and Sony. tech support resolution it can provide to the knowledge base
is the one that does not involve the
Adobe customer contacting ,A.dobe at all! Microsoft
Adobe's Asia Paciflc area provides Based in Singapore, Microsoft's Cus-
support in English, Mandarin, Can- Canon tomer Service ald Support provides
tonese and Korean. Canon Australia support every more thal
100 services, including tech
Adobe operators can access an inter- consumer product the company has support. Backing this up is a mix of
nal knowledge base to assist them with ever made (and sold in AustraliaJ. resources in Australia, in the form of
both technical and other information Some of that dates back a long time, so customer service, support and field
to resolve customer questions. they have customers ringing in with a engineering teams, Asia-Pacifl c caìlers
Adobe describe this as a "living doc- product that might have been last sold can access care hot lines operating in
ument", compiled from three sources: in the early 90s. 10 languages around 14 countries in
core product knowledge derived from Twenty operators and two team the Asia Pacific region.
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 9L

fllliii'm' ffiRlfriffiüsr¡ffiffitþ ililllllus¡'fl¡'
You may f ind the long wait for a tech
support operator sometimes stressful
... but what about the operator?
Adobe admits thatthe role of a tech
support operator "can be a high-pres-
sure job," so they try to mitigate this
impact, even atthe recruiting process,
by assessing the motivational 'fit' of
an applicant. lf this indicates someone
does not cope well under pressure,
then they are likely not going to be a
successful operator.
0nce on the job, Adobe attempts to
put fun into work and reduce stress
level, by running 'events' that range
from holding fun competitive games
during their breaks and asking staff
to arrive at work in costume.
Also admitting the stressful nature
of the job, Sony compares it to the
stress levels of aircraft controllers.
The company recruits "people who
really want to help customers. The
only thing that would ever stress
one of them out is if they get a really
angry customer. Then they can take
a couple of minutes off after that call
and go and have a chat with their
team leader.
Microsoft admits that by the time a
customer calls them, they must have
encountered difficulties with their
products or systems and are probably
desperate for a fix.
Their customer service and sup-
port teams have to handle different
challenges with various levels of com-
plexity and they have to tap on a wide
range of capabilities to balance the
demands that come with the job. They
all acquire deep technical expertise,
strong problem solving ability, com-
munication skills and cross-culture
knowledge and understanding.
Sony believes they have the right
levels of support for them now. Tech
support staff have access to the
information to do their jobs quite ef-
fectively, so they're not scared of what
the next call will be and whether they'll
know the solution or not ...
The truth is, no-one who is calling
a call centre, is calling just to say
everything is 0K.
92 Stuco¡tt Crutp
A different sort ofchallenge is faced
by Microsoft, with its mix of globally-
used operating system and office soft-
ware plus hardware products.
Sony
,\ team of four product specialist
engineers at Sony's head office inter-
act with the various designer factory
groups. Then a further six branch tech
support people, in each ofthe capital
cities, between the service centres,
service providers, Sony and the cus-
tomer during business hours.
This covers devices like digital
cameras, camcorders, TVs, VAIO com-
puters etc.
Sony's approach differs in that it
uses two front line caÌl centres and
from there calls can be bounced off
to the various other service centres.
Sony's Tim Simons explains that "if
it can't be resolved over the phone or
via the Internet then access to a knowl-
edge base is made. This is growing ail
the time."
Training
For Adobe, training of operators
can take anywhere from four to eight
weeks. Even then, past the initial train-
ing there is ongoing education on
regularbasis. This is mostly computer-
based training and, depending on the
detail and importance of the new in-
formation, can also be instructor lead.
Training covers new tooÌs, processes,
software skills etc or new product
information or upgrade releases,
Canon's company training is "quite
intensive". Recruits start off with
about a two-day induction training
program, a sort of 'welcome to Canon',
emphasising ihe 'quality first' ap-
proach, Then they get an overview
of all Canon products, followed by a
buddy system where they'lÌ sit with
exp erienced operators, watching them
deal with callers.
In general, Microsoft adheres to
20-70-10 rule as guiding principies for
training: 20% instructor-led, 7Oo/" on
the job and lOo/o mentoring.
Before every major product launch,
a set of well-designed readiness rou-
tines are put in place to equip opera-
tors with all the knowÌedge, skiÌl and
tools necessary to serve customers.
Tech support staff receives addition-
al educational training courses as well
asinternal technical conferences.
Sony begins with a two-week in-
duction, including some system and
phone training, followed by product ack in the December 2008 issue we reported on the
training and then further customer Australian EÌectrical Vehicle -Association's field day
service training, Then they go into held in October. We commented that all the vehicle
a so-called 'nursery group' for four conversions on display appeared to be based on DC motors
to six weeks, dealing with a limited with wound fields and ratings up to about 70kW.
product range. But we have always felt that the ideal conversion should
induction motor, as in hybrid electric
be based on a 3-phase
More going on líne for help
vehicles and in larger commercial electric vehicles as well
Regardless of their level - begin- as modern diesel locomotives.
So when we heard that Malcolm Faed was engaged in
ner or advanced - any user can face a
challenges and need heip, so need to conversion which would use an industrial grade 3-phase
make a call to tech support. induction motor and matching drive (the inverter), we
It would be very hard to place an watched his internet blog with keen interest, lust recently |ust to prove the point, here's the rego sticker, placed just a
average time for a phone call. More he has completed it and is now happily driving a registered couple of months ago. It shows a gross vehicle mass (GVM)
and more customers are submitting eÌectric vehicle on Sydney's roads. He dropped into our of a little over two tonnes,
their questions online versus a phone offices to show it off.
call. For one particular application, It is based on a Toyota Hilux Xtracab utility, a rugged the side of the tray body, used for battery charging.
91.o/" of all issues were handled via commercial vehicÌe with an aluminium tray body with Perhaps another clue, if you see the black Hilux pulled
the phone with only B% online plenty of space for the battery bank. To look at the finished up next to you in traffic, is that you won't hear the motor
nine months later the phone calÌs- vehicle, the conversion looks surprisingly straightforward rr-rnning - because it isn't! That is not to say that the motor
had fallen to 63%, with 37% online. although Malcolm would have undoubtedly spent hun- is silent because once it is above walking speed, the motor
Customers are incleasingly preferring dreds of hours thinking about each step in the process can cer-tainly be heard - and nor is it particuìarly quiet.
to go onÌine for assistance, with com- before actually doing it. But before we get too
panies focusing considerable efforts The conversion can be summarised as having a whop- far ahead, let's discuss
on making more tools and information ping orange induction motor mounted in the now very spa- more of the basics of
available there. cious engine bay ald the battery bank and inverter system the conversion. The
monnted on the lear tray under a large canopy. battery bank consists
Tricky Questions With the bonnet down and the canopy closed, the onÌy of so rzV 20,\h sealed
Typical questions inclucle assist- cLue that this might be an electric vehicle is the plastic lead acid cells giving
ance with instaÌÌation, help on how cover for a standard 23OVAC mains 3-pin male socket on a total battery supply
to use a specific featule, dealing with
a error messages and issues wÌren a
feature fails to work as expected, often
when interacting with a second party
product, be it hardware or software, :È
One of the trickier questions re- zol æ
ceived frequently is when a customer
calls in and states that they need to
reset their password; this becomes
tricky since some customers have a
hard time explaining which password
they wish to reset!
Ocasionally slightly off beat queries
are received; for instance a call frorn a
I
customer "I purchased a very powerful
PC do you have software powerful
- for it?"
enough
And then there are customers call
the support number by mistake. One
a example is a customer who called and
started complainiúg about the amount
of their phone billl"
Some of the tricky ones are where
customers do caÌl in with a realÌy
old product - iike the query about
a veteran eÌectronic StarWriter 60
typewriter.
Occasionally a customer caÌls in
and they'll lattle off a model number
which tech support hasn't heard of.
When they check the data base, they Unlike today's petrol engines shoe-horned into the bay, this under-hood shot,shows a lot of space, even with a grunty
find out it's not even one of their 3-phase industrial motor. It has an electric fan fitted because the internal cooling just isn't enough at low engine speeds,
products! lnset top right is the ratings plate for the ASEA motor, It's showing its age but can still be read.
siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009 13
Rt last, a fair-dinkum electric uehicle
tronuer-sion using an induction motor r r r
a managers who work with the product
By LEO SIMPSON
Or the customer who called in say-
ing he had given out his fax number
arrd people are faxing him and he's not
getting any of the faxes. So after a bit
of trouble shooting it was confirmed
that the fax machine was working
flne - he had given out the wrong fax
number!"
And if they can't help?
Microsoft has'escalation engineers'
who deal with more critical support
issues. There's also agroup ofprogram
groups to ready our service infrastruc-
ture when new products are released
or updated.
Given that the company supports
a wide range of customers, questions
land on everyday use ofits products,
as well as very technical questions
from customers who deploy the sys-
tems on a large scale.
Typical questions include installing
updates and configuration issues.
One customer had an ongoing,
nagging problem when their serv-
ers malfunctioned every evening at
around the same time, Sensing the
urgency in the case, Microsoft clis-
patched an engineer and flew him to
the customer site to take a closer look
at the problem.
Call centre operators often have to deal with a mix of home users, hobbyists, prosumers, and professionals. Typical caller
questions include assistance with installation, help on how to use a specific feature, dealing with error messages and
issues when a feature fails to work as expected.
siliconchip.com.au
While there were no visible system
errors or malfunctions, they finally
found the air-conditioning unit au-
tomatically shut off in the evening
and the server performances were
disrupted by the high heat and hu-
midity.
In these days of integration with AV
products, connection between brands
is relatively straightforward. They
mate relatively easily across common
connectors but where the trickiness
comes in is probably more in the com-
puter space which is where a customer
has got a Sony VAIO laptop and they
are trying to hook it up to an HP printer
or a BeÌkin modem or something like
that... that's where it becomes a little
bit harder for tech support,
Improving the breed
The major benefit of running tech
support call centres, apart from happy
customers, is that the feedback from
callers is a valuable resource, ready
to be mined in the pursuit of product
development.
For one, Adobe's product manage-
ment teams ensure that customer
feedback is considered in new product
releases and that customers' reported
issues are part ofthe planning process
for future versions.
Who You Gonna Gall?
So your selup has gone bung, frozen,
flaþlined, dealt a mortal blow by a caüse
unknown. You have to call Help H0.
Once you've made the decision to call
lech supporl, make sure you have the f0l-
lowing informalion on hand:
.Device name and model.
¡ Serial numbel.
¡ lf the device is compuler-based, whal
operuting syslem it is using.
. What other devices are linked.
. And finally, allow enouglt time to ma*e
tie call and get an answer.
In Canon's case, customer feedback
is channelled to the marketing team
who send that back to Canon in ]apan
and that feeds back into R&D.
Sony captures feedback on every
call that comes in to the call centre,
Any comment, whether it be the
manual, the packaging, anything is
passed back to the regional head in
Singapore every month.
So, it seems those long waits for an
operator to respond are worthwhile
in the long term and can sometimes
lead to an improvement in the breed...
a TV set, DVD recorder, digicam,
software etc. st
IUNE 2009 93

January 1994: 3A 40V Variable Power Supply; S0lar Panel Sw¡tchinq
Regulator; Printer Status lndicatort lMini Drill Speed C0ntr0ller; Step-
per Motor Controller; Active F¡lter Design; Engìne Manågement, Pt 4
February 1994:90-Second ¡/essage Recorder; 12-24oVAC 200W ln-
verter; 0.5W Aud¡o Amplif iert 3A 40V Adiustable Povrer Supply; Engine
Management, Pt 5; A¡rbags ln cars - How They W0rk
March 1994: lntell¡gent IR Remole Conlroller; 50W (1M3876) Audi0
Amplif¡er Module; Level Crossing Detector For Model Ba¡lv/ays: Voice
Activâted Switch For FM lvlicrophones: Engine ¡/lanagement, Pt.6.
April way Level Crossings; Dual
Supp
Tank
Preamplifiert Digital Water
May 1994: Fast Charger For Nicad Batteries: lnduction Ba¡ance l\4elal
Locator: lvlulti-Channel lnfrared Remole Control; Dual Electronic Dicei
Simple Servo Driver Circuits; Eng¡ne Management, Pt I Februarv 1997: PC-C0ntrolled l\4Oving lllessaoe Displayt Compuler
June 1994: A C00lant Level Alarm For Your Car: 8o-Metre AI\¡/CW
Transmitter For Amateurs: Converling Phono lnputs To L¡ne lnputsi
PC-Based N¡cad Battery l\4on¡tori Engine Management, PÌ.9.
July1994: Build A4-Bay Bow-T¡e tJHFTVAntenna; Preohamp 2-Tran-
s¡slor Preamplifier: Steam Tra¡n Wh¡stle & Diesel Horn Simulalor,6V
SLA Battery Charger; Electronìc Engine Management, Pt 10
Aügust1994: High-Power Dimmer F0r lncandescent Lights; Dual D¡ver-
sityTuner For FM M¡crophones, Pt.lt Nicad Zapper (F0r Resutrecting
Nicad Batter¡es): Electronic Engine lvlânagement, ft.11.
September 1994: Aulomatic Discharger F0r Nicad Batteries; ¡iliniVox
V0ice 0perated Relay, AM Rad¡o ForWeather Eeacons; Dual Diversity
Tuner F0r FM Mics, PÎ.2; Electronic Engine l\¡anagement, Pt.12.
0ctober 1994: How Dolby Sutround S0und Workst Dual Ba¡l Variable
Power Supply; Talking Headlight Reminder; Electr0nic Bållasl For
Flu0rescent Lights; Electfonic Engine lvlanagement, PÌ.13
November'f994: Dry Cell Battery Rejuvenatori Novel Alphânumetr
ic Clock; 80-¡/ DSB Amateur Transmittert 2-Cell Nicad DischâroeL
December 1994: Car BurglarAlarm; Three-Spot Lov/ Distorti0n Sine-
wave 0scillator; Cl¡fford - A Pesky Electronic Crickel; Bemote COntr0l
System for l\¡odels, Pt 1; lndex to Vol 7
January 1995: Sun Tracker ForSo¡ar Panels; Battery Saver ForTorchesl
Dual Channel UHF RemOte Control; Stereo lV¡crophone Preampl¡fieL
February 1995: 2 x 50W Slereo Amplifier Module; Digital Effects Unit
F0r Musicians: 6-Channel LCD Thermometer; Wide Range Flecl roslal¡c
Loudspeakers, Pt 1; Rem0te C0ntrol System For Models, Pt 2
March 1995: 2 x 50W Stere et
Range
FM Receivers; Wide
luminatorForcoD Cam€rast
April Pt.l; Bâlanced l\4ic Preamp & Line
Filter pl¡fier, Pt.2t Wide Bange Eleclrostat¡c
L0ud Decoder For Radio Remote Control.
May I995: Gu¡tar Headphone Amplif ier; F¡/l Râdio Tra¡ner, Pt.2; Transis-
tor/¡¡osfetTester For 0MMs: A 1 6-Channel Decoder F0r Radio Remote
Conlrol: lntroduction To Satellite TV.
June l9g5: Build A Satellite TV Receiver; Train Detector For Model
Bailways: I W Aud¡o Ampl¡fier Trainer; Lorv-Cost Vide0 Secur¡ly System;
Multi-Channel Badio Control Transmitter For ¡¡odels, Pt.1.
July 1995: Eleclric Fence Controllert How To Run Two Trains 0n A
Sin0le Track (lnci. Lights & Sound); Selting Up A Satellite TV Ground
Stati0n: Build A Reliable Door ¡/¡nder
August 1995: Fuel injector Mon¡tor For Cars; Build A Gain-Controlled
Microphone Preamplif¡er: ldentify¡ng IDE Hard Disk Drive Parameters.
September 1995: BailpOwer Mk.2 Walkâround Throttle For l\4odel Rail-
ways, Pl.1; Keypad Combination Lock: BuildAJacob's Ladder Display.
0ctober 1995: 3-Way Loudspeaker System; Railpower Mk.2 Walk-
around Throttle For Model Ba¡lways, Pt.2; Build A Nicad Fast Charger
Novemberlg95: lvlixture Display F0rFuel lnjected Cars; CBïransverter
For The 80lV Amateur Band, Pt.1: P¡B lilovement Detector
May 1996: H¡gh Voltage lnsulation Tester: Knightrìder LED Chaser;
Simple lntercom Uses 0ptical Cablei Cathode Ray OscillOscopes, Pt.3.
o) June 1996: Stereo Simulator (uses delây chip)t Build A Rope L¡ght
o Remìnder
o Chaser; Low ohms Tester For Your DM¡r: Automat¡c 104 8attery
c\ Charger
Èd July 1996: VGA Digital 0scilloscope, Pt.1; Remote Conk0l Extender
\\
¿ F0r VCRst 2A SLA Battery Charger; 3-Band Parametrìc EqualiseL
Auqnst 1996: intr0ductionto IGBTs; Electronic Starter For Flu0rescent
Lamps; VGA 0scilloscope, Pt.2; 350W Amplifier Module; Masthead
Ampl¡fier For TV & FM; Cathode Ray 0sc¡lloscopes. Pt.4.
À.
U
u
I
f1:
Just fill in and mail the hanhy order fom in lhis issue; or fax (02) 9939
ÉJ
2648; or call (02) 9939 3295 and quote your cred¡t card number. Pdce:
õ $49.50 each (¡nchding GST) in Australia 0r $413 eaoh overseas. Pilces
include postage and packing. Email: silicon@s¡liconch¡p.Gom.au
Fence Controllert Bass Cube Subwoofer; Programmable Ïherm0stav
Thermometert Build An lnlrared Senlry: Bev Limiter For Cars.
Mav 1999: The Line Dancer Bob0t: An X-Y Table With Stepper l\4ot0r
Coritrol. Pt 1: Three Electric Fence Testers: Carb0n Monoxide Alarm.
June fggg: FIM RadioTunerCard ForPCs; X-YTable With Stepper¡r0t0r Reply from the designet this oven. It most certainly
C0ntrol, Pt 2; Programmable lgnition Tim¡ng Module For Cars, Pt'l
of the UV oven does work and it works very
SeDlember 1 996: VGA 0scillOscope, Pl.3; lR Stere0 Headphone Link,
Pt.j: HF Amaleur Radi0 Receiver: Cathode Ray oscilloscopes, P1.5. Julv 1999: Bu¡ld A 000 Silencer:10uH to 19.99mH lnductance lvleleri Having read the letters of com- well indeed.
Audi0-Video Transmitier: Proorammabie lon¡tion Timing Module F0r
october 1996: Send Video Sìgnals 0ver Twisted Pair Cablet 600W Cars, Pt.2t XYZ Table With Stepper lvl0t0r Contfol, Pt.3. plaint about my conversion of a Peter Laughton also writes
DC-DC Converter For Car H¡fi SVStems, Pl.1, lR Stereo Headphone
Link, Pt.2: Mult¡-Channel Radì0 Conlrol Transmitter, Pt.8. Au0usl 1999: Rem0le Modem C0tìtroller; Daytime BunninO Lights F0r microwave oven to a UV light box inthe February 2009 Mailbag
Novemberl996:8-Channel Stereo ¡¡ixer, Pt 1; Low-Cost Fluorescent
Caisi Buìld A PC ¡/0nitor Checkert Sw¡tching Temperature Conlr0llerl
XYZTable W¡th Stepper Motor Conlr0l, Pt.4r Electric Light¡ng, Pt.14. (Stttcott Csp, October 2008) in re- of concerns with the green/
Lìght lnverter; Repairing Domestic Light D¡mmers
SeDtemberlggg ;Voice Directspeech cent months, I should li]<e to offer yellow wiring, and while
December 1996: Aclive Filter For CW Beception; Fast Clock Reðognition lVod nce Meterl XYZ Table
the following statement for your again, I acknowledge his
F0r Railwav lvlodellers, Laser Pistol & Electronic Targeli Build With Stepper Mo ed Can Coolet
A Sound Level Meter; 8-Channel Slereo Mixer, Pt.2; lndex To Vol.9. readers' information. letter with respect to the
oclober l9g9: Bu¡ld The Railpower M0del Train Controiler, Pt-!
anel For ¡,4ultiple Smoke Alarms, Pt.1ì Build Semiconductor Curve Tracer; Àuton0mouse The Robot, Pt.2; XYZ I fully acknowledge and accept wire colour, I stand by -y
Iable W¡th Stepper ¡¡otor Control, Pt 6; lntroducing Home Theatre
mputer C0ntrolled Dual Power Supply, Pl.1 |
{l\4onitors Eight TemPeratures).
that my use of green/yellow wire in comments that the device is
November 1999: Sett¡ng Up An Email Seruer; Speed Alarm For Cars,
this device was a bad call on my part. perfectly safe - even with the
Pt.1: LED Chr¡stmas Treõ; lntercom Slalion Expaiìdert Foldback Loud-
C0ntrolléd Dual Power Supply, Pt.2; Alerl-A-Phone Loud Sounding sDeaker Svstem; Ra¡lpower Model Train ContrOller, P1.2.
However, colour of wire not with- "wrong" colour code. Yes, I
Telephone Alârm; Control Panel F0r Mu¡tiple Smoke Alarms, Pt.2.
Decemberlggg: Solar Panel Regulator, PC Powerhouse (gives +1?V
stalding, the device is electrically should not have used green/
March 1997: 175W PA Amplil¡er: Signalling & Lighting For +9V, +6V & +5V rails)i Forlune F¡nder Melal L0cat0rl Speed Alarm For
Fâilways; Jumb0 LED Clocki Calh0de Ray 0scjlloscopes. Pt.7
l\4Odel
Cars, Pl.2; Ra¡lpowe¡ Model Train C0nlroller, Pt.3l lndex To V01.12. safe. All connections are insulated, yellow wire but all connec-
h No lcs; Dìgitai Vollmeter For Cars, Januarv 2000: S0rin0 ReverberatiOn lvlodule; An Audio-V¡deo Test the wire is 10,A. and mains-rated and tions that have anything to
reo Amplifiers; Model Train Controller,
Cathode Bay oscilloscopes, Pt.8.
Generaíor' Parâlldl Po"rt lnlerface cardi Telephone 0fl-Hook lnd¡cator.
there is even plastic under all the do with the live parts are
Februarv 2000: Multi-SecloÍ Sorinkler Conlroller: A Dìo¡tal Voltmeter
starters a¡td mains terminal blocks, well insulated and labelled and won't wite like this again for anY
1997: ForL¡ght Systems; Tratfic Lights-Ihin F0r YouiCar; Safety Switch Checkert S¡ne/Squar€ Wav¡ 0scillator
project. But if I may offer one rhe-
Mav For
ln
A Niodel wriler - lt Writes lvlessaoes ln as outlined in the article. Your so I still don't see this as being the
Look torical question in closing to all
Air; A 2; Cathode Ray oscilloscopes, Pt.g. March2000: l00WAmplifier[Iodule, Pt.1; ElectronicWindVaneWith
16-LED Dìsplay; Build A Glowplug Drivet
readers, who are complaining, are massive problem that some of your
June 199i: Pc-controlled Thermometer/Thermostati TV Pattern
Generalor, Pt.1; Aud¡0/RF S¡gnal Tracer; High-Current Speed C0ntr0l- Mav 2000: Ultra-LD Stereo Ampl¡fier, Pt.2; LED Dice (With PIC [¡icr0- writing as if I had used bare exposed readers suggest that it is. those who still have a Problem and
ler For 12Vl24V Motorst Manual Conlrol C¡rcuit F0r Stepper lvlolors. coniroller): 504 M0tor Speed C0ntroller For Models.
copperwire withno insulation at all! Finally, |ohn Hunter covers just are jumping up and down at this
Julv 1997: lnfrared Remote V0lume Control; A Flexible lnlerlace Card June 2000: Aulomatic Ra¡n Gauge; Parallel Port VHF FM Receiverl
about everything else I wa¡rted to very moment as they read this: "Do
FoaPCs; Po¡nts Controiler FOr M0del Ra¡iways; Colour fV P¿ttern Switchm0de Power Supply (1,23V t0 40V) Pt. f; CD Compressor JeffThomas writes in the Decem-
Generalor, Pt.2; An ln-Line lllixer F0r Radio Conlr0l Receivers.
Julv 2000: Movino l\4essage D¡splay; C0mpact Fluorescent Lamp Driverl ber 2008 Mailbag of all sorts of hor- say in April 2oo9 Mailbag. In par- you know what the word Pedantic
0clober 1997: 5-Dig¡t Tachometeri Central Locking For Your Car; PC- lvlu'sicians' Lead Tester: Switchm0de Power Sup0lv. P1.2.
rors associated with this project, not ticular, I refer to his paragraphs on means?".
C0ntrolled 6-Channel Voltmeterì 500W Audio PovJer Amplifier, Pt.3.
Auqusl 2000: Therem¡n; Spinner (writes messages in 'thin'air")i just the wiring - he seems to hate the being realistic, using commonsense Graeme Rixon,
Pro:xim¡ty Switch' Slructured Cabling For Computer Networks.
and that I am the only one who will
November 1997: Heavy Duty 104 240VAC Motor Speed Controllerl
Easv-To-Use Cable & Wir¡no Íesleri Build A Musical D00rbell; Beplac- very concept itself and every aspect Mosgiel, NZ.
ing Îoam Speaker Surrounds; Underslanding Êlectric Lighting P1.1. SeDlember 2000: STr¡mming Pool Alarm; 8'Channel PC Relay Board;
Fuél ¡rixlure D¡splay For Cars. Pl.1; Prot0boards - The Easy Way lnto of it! He almost goes so far as to say ever work on tle r¡nit. I would like Comment: we thought it was great
0ecember 1997: Speed Alarm tor Cars; 2-Ax¡s Robot With Gr¡pper: Eleclronics, Pt.1; Cybug The Solar Fly.
that the project will not work as an to thank him for defending my idea ptoject concept. lust temember: it
Step0er MOtor Driver With 0nboard Buffer: Power Supply For slepper
lVloior Cards; understanding Electrjc Lighting Pt.2, Index T0 Vol.1 0. 0ctober 2000: Gu¡tar Jammert Breath Testert Wand-Mounted lnspec-
tìon Cameraì Subwoofer For Cars; Fuel ¡/ixture Display, Pt.2. exposure method at all, and bringing some logical thinking is easier to criticise an ideathan to
Januarv1998: 4-Channel 12V0C or 12VAC Lìghlshow, Pt.1 ; Command To him and others with similar to the colour-code issue. come up with an original concePt.
N0vember 2000: Santa & Rudoll Chrissie Display; 2-Channel Guilar
tor
Control'For Model Ra¡lways, Pl.1; Pan Controller For CCD Cameras.
Preamplifier, Pt. l; Message Bank & Missed call Alerl; Protoboards - views, I ask you to have a look at So, in summary: YES you are all We would hate to have contributots
The Easy Way lnto Electronics, Pt.3.
quite correct - I should not have from submitting article
lR ll- February 1 998: Telephone Exchange Simulator For Testing; Command s
, Pt.3. Control For Model Bailways, Pt,2i 4-Chânnel Llohtshow, Pt.2. the accompanying high-res photo discourage d
De ngForsharedlnternetAccess;Wh¡le
because they might be criticised'
ADril 1998: Automatic Garage Door 0pener, Pl.1; 40V 8A Adiustable LE mpl¡l¡er, Pt.2 (Digital Reverb); Dr¡vìng which shows the results of using used green/yellow wire a¡rd NO, I
Power Supplv, Pt.1t Pc-Conlrolled 0-30kHz S¡newave Generator; An ndex To Vol.1 3.
Underslanding Electric Lighting; Pt.6.
Janüaru 2001: How To Transfer LPs & TaDes To CD: The LP Doctor -
Mav 1998: 3-LE0 Loo¡c Probe; Gara0e Door 0pener, Pt.2; Command Clean U'p Clicks & Pops, Pl.1: ArbitraryWaveform Generator; 2-Channel
Guìtar Preamplifier, Pt.3: PIC Programmer & TestBed.
Coritrol System, Pt.4; 40V 8A Adjustable Power Supply, Pt.2.
systems for purchasers of these cars. Anthony Albanese, did not state that When and if electric cars do go on
Februaru 2001: An Easv Wav T0 ¡rake PC Boards; L¡l Pulser Train
June 1998: Troubleshooting Your PC, Pt.2: Ljnìversal High Energy
l0nition System: The Roadies' Friend Cable T€steI Universal Stepper Controllér' A MlDl lnteríace Éor PCs; Build The Bass Blazer; 2-Melre At least the power from these would the car would actually be made in sale in Australia, a requirement fot
Groundplane Antenna; LP Doctor- Clean Up Clicks & Pops, Pt.2.
Motor Coñtroller; C0mmand Control For Model Railways, Pt.5.
offset some of the power consumed Australia, While Mitsubishi maY be the prospective purchasers of the cars
Julv 1998: Troubleshoolino Your PC, Pl.3; 1sWCh Class-A Aud¡O
Am'0|¡fier. Pt.1' Simple Charqer For 6V & 12V SLA Batleries; Auto-
March 2001: Makinq Photo Res¡sl PC Boards; Big-D¡gil 1224 Hour
clock: Parallel Porl Flc Proorammer & checkerboardl Protoboards - by recharging these cars and help putting the iMiEV into low-level pro- to also install a home solar sYstem
mai¡c SemìconductorAnalysér; [Jnderslanding Electric Lighling, Pt.8. fhe Easy Way lnto Electronics, Pt.5: A S¡mple MlDl Expansion Box.
cut emissions from coal-fired power duction later this year, it is not ever would put the kiss of death on them.
Au0usl 1998: Troubleshootin0 Your PC, Pl.4; l/0 Card With Data LOg- ADril 2001: A GPS ¡¿lOdule For Your PC; Dr Video - An Easy-To-Build
Vide0 Stabiliser: Tremol0 [Jnit For Musicìans; ¡rinimìtter FM Stereo
stations. going to be made in Australia. It is In any case, many purchasers of these
gin-g: Beat Tr¡ggered Strobe; iswich Class-A Stereo Amplil¡er, P1.2.
Transmitter; Intelligent Nicad Battery Charger
fohn Vance, slated for initial release in lapan in tiny electric vehicles are likely to be
Se[lemher 1998: Troubleshootinq Your PC, Pt.5; A Bl0cked AiFFilter
Alarm: Waa-Waa Pedal lor Guitãrs; Jacob's Ladderi Gear Change May 2001: l2V M¡ni Stereo Amp To via email, 2010. Mitsubishi ceased all manufac- inner-city dwellers who live in high-
Buiid: PowerPak - A lllulti-Voltao T0
rise apartment blocks and there's no
lndicator F0r Cars; Capacity lndicat0r For Rechargeable Batteries.
SharéAn lnternetoonnection, Pt.1l Ul. Comment: this v,as just a bit of " spin" ture in Australia in 2008. In fact, we
0clober 1 998: AC Millivoltmet€r, Pt.1; Pc-controlled stress-0-Metef;
June 2001: LJniversal Battery Charqer, Pt.1; Phonome - Call, Lislen by the Federul Government but to be have doubts whether the iMiEV will prospect of them installing a ho e
Versat¡le Electronic G uitar Limiter; 1 2V Trickle Charger For Float Condi
tions; Adding An External Battery Pâck To Your Flashgun ln & Switch Devices 0n & 0ff; Low--Cost Automalic Camera Sw¡lcher;
Using Linux To Shâre An lnternet Connection, Pt 2. fair, the Federal Transport Minister, ever go on sale in Austrulia. solar system. C
l¡ovemher'1998: The Christmas Star; A Turbo Timer For Cars; Bu¡ld
A Poker ¡ilachine, Pt 1 i F¡/l Transmitter For lvlusicians; Lab 0uality AC Julv 2001: The Hearll\4ate Heart Rate Mon¡tor; Do Not D¡slurb Tele-
ohtíne Timer: Pic-Toc - A Simple Alarm cl0ck: Fasl Universal Eattery
io. Component Spec¡alists
Millivoltmeter, Pt 2; lmprov¡ng AM Radi0 Reception, Pt 1
Charoer, Pt.2; Backing Up Y0ur Email.
December 1998: En0¡ne lmmobiliser Mk.2: Thermocouple Adaplor
For Dl\4Ms: Reoulated 12V DC Pluqpack: Build A Poker Machine, P1.2, Bo
August 2001: Dl piifier lvlodulel
:
Heãdlight Moduler Using
lmproving AM'Radio Recepl¡on, Pt.2t M¡xer Module For F3B Gliders.
Linux To Share An Speaker drivers - tweeters to 18" subwoofers - plus k¡ts
*
I
. Ca pacitors, term na ls, *'.,.:";5""åO.lj
;-" ,Ðfl
January 1999: High-Voltage Megohm Tester; A Look At The BASIC i
Stamp; Bargraph Ammeter For Cars; Keypad Eng¡ne lmmob¡l¡ser seolember 2001: Mak¡no ¡rP3s: Bu¡ld An ¡jlP3 Jukebox, Pt.1; PC-
Cohtrolled Mains Swìtch:?ersonal Noise S0urce For Tinnitus; 0irec-
t¡0nal Microphone; [Jsing LinuxTo Share An lnternetConnection, Pt.4.
March 1 999: Bu¡ld A Di0ital Anemometer; DIY PIC Programmer; Build
An Aud¡o Compressortiow-Distort¡on Audio Signal Glnerator, Pt.2.
November 2001: U ltra-LD 1 0 Pt.1 ; Neon
April 1999: Getting Started With Linux; Pt2; High-Power Electric Tube ¡rodulator For Cars; Au ieri Build A
audio Parts
Short Message Becorder Pla
Januarv 2002: Touch And/Or Rem0te-Controlled Light 0immer, Pt 1;
soundlabs . Much more online or phone (O2) 4627-8766
A cheab 'n'Easv ¡rotorbike Alarm; 100W ichannel stereo Amplifier,
Pt.3i Build A Ráucous Alarm; FAQS 0n The MP3 Jukebox.
Februarv 2002: 1o-Channel lR Remole Control Receiver; 24GHz
Hi0h-PoíverAud¡o-Video Link; Touch And/0r Remole-Controlled Lighl
www.sou nd I a bsgrou p.co
DiÉìmer, Pt.2; Booting A Pc wilhout A Keyb0ard; 4-Way Event llmer.
March 2002: ¡¡iohty Midget Aud¡o Amplilier Modulel 6-Chânnel
lR Rem0te Volumie Óontrol-, Pt.1; RIAA Pre-Amplifier For ¡¡agnetic siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 7'1,
Cartridgest
'12124V lntelligent solar Por"Jer Battery Charger

JOIN THE TECHNOLOGY
AGE NOW
w¡th
PICAXE
Developed as a teaching tool,
the PICAXE is a low-cost "brain"
for almost any project
Easy to use and understand,
professionals & hobbyists can
be productive within minutes.
Free software development
system and low-cost in-circuit
programming.
Variety of hardware, project
boards and kits to suit your
application.
Digital, analog, RS232,
1-WirerM, SPI and l2C.
PC connectivity.
Applications include:
Datalogging
Robotics
Measurement & instruments
Motor & lighting control
Farming & agriculture
lnternet server
Wireless links
Colour sensing
Fun games
Distributed in Australia by
Microzed Computers
Pty Limited
Phone 13OO 735 42O
Fax 1300 735 421
wûvw.m¡crozed.com.au
10 SntcoN Cntp
Mailbag: continued
Vintage battery
festofatlon
I though I might share a way to
preserve the original look and feel of
a 276-P battery to run my favourite
1960s HMV transistor radio.
Recently, I was fortunate to find
an old battery and I rebuilt it using
high-quality alkaline D cells. Some
might say, why not use rechargeables
but these batteries have such a long
there is no path to cause a protective
device, fuse, circuit breaker, etc, to
operate, I am planning to connect the
metal housing of one of the splitters
to my house protective earth, so as to
provide this path.
Phil Andrews,
Adelaide, SA.
Disappointment with
USB printer switch
with the USB
I am a bit disappointed
Printer Switch published in the April
2009 issue. Mechanical data switching
technology has been available forever
- we used to have one 20 years ago for
two computers running one parallel
port printer, It annoyed us tlen, so we
upgraded to one that detected a signal
and changed automatically.
I thought that with today's avail-
ability of cheap programmable chips it
would be easy (and probably cheaper)
to make an automatic one than to
hook up a big switch, Most people
just change the USB cable over and
shelf life that I typically get three to
four years before replacement is due.
The only points to note are to not
glue the top flap down; it is held
in place by the radio battery plug,
I use thin polystyrene packing to
eliminate the possibility of shorting
between the female plug arrd the
batteries.
Andrew Prest,
Sunshine, Vic.
even if they did
decide to manually
switch, they probably, wouldn't go to
the expense of using a PC board and
just wire point-to-point.
That project really does belong in
the 1960s and in popular mechanics,
not in an electronics magazine. I am
sure most (all?) readers already know
how to wire up a switch!
Gary Lindsay,
Otaki Beach, NZ.
Comment: it is true that we could have
come up with a morc complicated
electronic version but we wanted to
keep the cost down.
Electric car owners should be
forced to haue home solar powel
Mitsubishi has announced that they
were going to produce their iMiEV
electric car in Australia, see http://
tinyurl.com-/cx4mob
If we are going to have battery-
powered cars, rechargeable from home
power supplies, we should also put
into place compulsory home solar
siliconchip.com.au
April 2002:Automatic Single-Channel Light Dimmer, Pl.1: Water Level
lndicatori lvlultiple-0utput Bench Power Supply; Versatile l\4ullÈMode
Timer;6-Channel lR Remote V0lume Control, Pt.2.
May 2002: 32-LED Kni0htrider; The Battery Gua rdian (Cuts Power When
the Battery Voltaqe Drops)t stereo Headphone Amplifier: Automatic
Single-Channel Light Dimmeri Pt.2; Stepper l\4otor Controller.
August2002: Digital
Logic Probe; Digital
Test lnstruments: D
Seplember 2002: 12V tluorescent Lamp lnverlert 8-Channel lnfrared
Remote Control, 5o-Watt DC Electronic Load; Spyware - An Update.
0ct0ber 2002: Speed Controller For universal l\4otors; PC Parallel Port
Wizard; Cable Tracer; AVR ISP Serial Programmer:30 TV.
November 2002: SuperCharger F0r NiCd/NiMH Batteries, Pt.1;
WindOws-Based EPR0M Programmer, Pt.1 ; 4-Digit Crystal-Controlled
Tim¡ng l\4odule
December 2002: Receiving TV From Satellites; Pt 1; The Micromitter
Stereo FM Transmitter; Windorvs-Based EPRoM Programmer, Pt2;
SuperohargerForNiCd/Ni¡¿1H Batteries; ft 2; SimpleVHF F¡,/AM Rad¡0
January 2003: Bece¡v¡ng TV From Satellites, Pt 2; SC480 50W
RMS Amplifier ¡rodule, Pt 1; Gear lndicatOr For Cars; Active 3-Way
Crossover For Speakers
Febrrary 2003: PortaPal PA System, Pt.1; SC480 50W RMS Amplifier
¡¡odule, Pt.2t Windows-Based EPR0IV Pr0grammer, Pt.3i Fun W¡lh
The PICAXE, Pt 1 Pt.1; Rolling Code Security Systém Pt.2: Build A UV L¡ghl Box For
March 2003: LED LiOhting For Your Car; PeltierEffect Tinn¡e C0oler;
PortaPal PA System, Pt.2; 12V SLA Batlery Float Charger; Lillle Dy-
namite Subri 00fer; Fun With The PICAXE, Pt.2 (Shop 0oor ¡rinde0.
April 2003:Video-Audio Boosle ;Telephone
Draller For Burglar Alarms;Thr CAXE, P1.3
(Heartbeat Simulator); Electric as.
May 2003: WidgyboxGuitaf D¡stoftion Effects unit: 10lvHz Big Blaster
Subwoofer; Pr¡nter P0rt Simulator; PICAXE, Pt.4 (lVotor Controller),
June 2003: PICAXE, Pt.s; PICAXE-Controlled Telephone lnteÍcomi
PICAXE-o8 Porl Expansion; Sunset Switch For Security & Garden
Lighling; Diqital React¡on ljmer; Adjustable DC-DC Converter For Cars;
LOng-Range 4-Channe¡ UHF Remote C0ntrol
July 2003: SmârtC erlJp Auto lvlains
Swilch;A'Smarl" S ContinuityTester;
PICAXE Pl.6- Dala
& Checkerboard: R
PIC Programmer
August 2003: PC lnkared Remote Receiver (Play DVDS & MP3s 0n
Y0ur PC Via Rem0te Control)t D¡gital lnstrument Display For Cars,
Pt 1 | Home-Brew Weatherproof 2 4GHz WiFi Antennas; PICAXE Pl 7
Seplemher 2003: R0bot Wars; Krypton Bike Liqht; PIC Proqrammerl
Cutrent Clamp Meter Adapter For DMMs; PICAXE Pt 8 - A Data Loggerl
Diqital lnstrument Dis0lav For Cars, P|.2.
oclober 2003: PC Board Design, PÌ.1 | JV80 L0udspeaker Systemt A
Dirt Cheap, High-Cutrent Power Supply: L0w-Cost 50¡ilHz Frequency
Meter; L0ng-Range 1 6-Channel RemOte C0ntrol System
November 2003: PC Board Design, Pt 2; 'l2AX7 Valve Audi0 Pream-
plifier:0ur Best Ever LED Torch; Smart Radi0 ¡rOdem F0r ¡/icr0c0n-
lr0llers; PICAXE Pt 9; Programmable PIC-POwered Timer
December 2003: PC Board Design, Pt.3; VHF Receiver For Weather
Satellites; Linear Supply For Luxeon 1 W Star LEDs; 5V l\¡eter Calibration
Standardt PIC-Based Car Battery Monitor; PICAXE Pt.10.
January 2004: Studio 350W Power Amplifier Module, Pt 1; High-
Efficiency Power Supply For 1W Star LEDst Antenna & RF Preamp
F0r Weather Satellites; Lapei lvl¡croph0ne Adaptor For PA Systemsl
PICAXE-1 8X 4-Channel Datal0gger, Pt
'1;
2 4GHZ Aud¡o/Video L¡nk
February 2004: PC Board Design, Pt 1; Supply Rail N40nil0r tor PCs;
Studio 350W Power Amplifier l\40dule, Pt 2; ShOrted Turns Tester F0r
Line 0utput Transf0rmerst PICAXE-'l8X 4-Channel Datal0gger, Pl 2
March 2004: PC Board Design, Pt 2; Build The QuickBrake For lncreased
Driving Safely; 3V-9V (or more) DC-DC Converter; ESR lveter ¡/k 2,
Pt.1; PICAXE-1 8X 4-Channel Datalogger, Pt.3.
April2004: PC Board Design, Pt 3; LoudspeakerLevel ¡relerForHome
Theatre Systems; 0og Silencer; Mixture Display F0r Carsi ESB l\4eter
lvlk 2, Pt 2t PC/PICAXE lnterface For UHF Rem0te Control
May 2004: Ampl¡fier Testing With0ut High-Tech Gear; C0mp0nent Video
T0 BGB C0nverter; StarpowerSw¡tchinq Supply F0r Luxe0n Star LEos;
Wireless Parallel Port; Poor l\4an's Metal Locat0r
June 2004: Dr Video ¡¡k 2 Video Stabiliser; Build An RFID Security
Module; Simple Fridge-Door A¡arm; Courtesy Light Delay For Carsl
Automatino PC Power-Up; Upgraded Software For The EPRoM
Programmet
July 2004: Silenc¡ng A Noisy PC; Versat¡le Battery Proteclor; Appliance
Energy l\4eter, Pt.1; A Poor Man's Q Meter; Begulated H¡gh-Voltage
Supply ForValveAmplifiers: Remote Control ForA lvlodel Train Lay0ut
Augusl 2004: V¡deo F0rmats: Why Bother?: VAF'S New DC-X Generation
lV Loudspeakers; Video Enhancer & Y/C Separalor; Balanced ¡¿licro-
phone Preamp: Appliance Energy l\¡eter, Pl,2t 3-State Logic Probe
Seplember2004:Voice Over lP (VolP) For Beginnerst WiFry- Cooking
Up 2.4GHzAntennas; Bed Wetling Alert; Bu¡ld a Programmable Roboti
Another CFL lnverter
0ctober 2004: The Humble "Trann¡e" Turns 50; S¡/lS Controlier, Pl 1;
RGB To C0mponent Vide0 C0nverter; LJSB Power lniector; Remote
Controller For Garage Doors & Gates.
l,lovember 2004: 42V Car Electrical Syslems; USB-Conlrolled Power
SuJitch (Etrata Dec.2004)t ChargerFor Deep-Cycle 12V Batteries, Pt.1,
Driveway Sentry: SMS Controller, Pt 2; PICAXE lR Rem0te Control
Derember 2004: Build A Windmill Generatot Pt1;20W Amplifier
¡¡l0dulet Charger For Deep-Cycle 1 2V Batteries, Pt.2; Solar-Powered
Wireless Weather Station; Bìdirectional ¡rotor Speed Controller
January 2005: Wjndmill Generator, Pt.2; Build AV8 Doorbelli lR Remote
Conkol Checker; 4-Minute Shower T¡mert The Prawnlitet Sinom Says
Game; VAF DC-7 Generation 4 K¡t Speakers
February 2005: Windmill Generator, Pt.3; USB-Controlled Electro-
cardiographt TwinTen Stereo Amplifiert lnductance & 0-Factor Meter,
Pt.1; A Yagi Ant€nna For UHF cBt $2 Battery charger
Marc
ming
tor, Pt.4: Sports
ctance & o-Fac
Loop UV EPRO¡i1 Era
0ver athe & Drill Pre
April 2005: Inslal¡ Your own ln-Car Video (Beversing ¡/onitor), Build
A Ml0l Ïheremin, Ft.1; Bass Extender For Hifi Syslems: Sports Score-
board, Pt.2; SMS Controller Add-ons; A $5 Variable Power Supply.
May 2005: Getting lntoWi-Fi, Pl.1 ì Build 445-Second Voice Recorderi
W¡reless lVicrophone/Audio Link; llllDl Theremin, Pt.2: Sports Score-
board, Pt.3: Aut0mat¡c Stopwatch Timer
June 2005: Wi-F¡, Pt 2;The MesmeriserLED Clock; coolmaster Fridoe/
Freezer Iemperature Controlleri Alternat¡ve Power Regular; PICAXE
colour Recognition System: AVR200 Single Board computer, Pt.1.
July 2005: Wi-Fi, PÌ.3: Remote-Controlled Automat¡c Lamp Dimmer;
Serial Stepper Motor Controllert Salvag¡ng & Using Thermostats:
[Jnwired Modems & External Antennas
Augusl 2005: Mudlark 4205 Valve Stereo Amplifier, Pt.lt Pr0gram-
mable Flexil¡mer; Carbon lvlonox¡de Alert; Serial LCD Drivert Enhanced
Sports Scoreboardt Salvaging Washing lvlaching Pressure Sv/itches
Seplember 2005: Build Your own Seismograph; Bilge Sniff er For Boats;
VolP Anal0g Ph0ne Adapt0rt ¡/lud¡ark 4205 Valve Stere0 Amplifier,
Pl 2: PICAXE in Schools, Pt 4
ocl0ber 2005: A L00k At Google Earthi Dead Simple USB Break0ut
BOx; Sludio Series Stereo Preamplifier, Pt 1; V¡deo Reading Aid For
Vision lmpaired PeOple: Simple Alcohol Level Meter; Ceilinq Fan Timer
l,lovember 2005: G00d 0ual¡ty Car Sound 0n The Cheap; Pt.1 | PICAXE
ln Schools, Pt.5; Studi0 Ser¡es Stereo Headphone Amplifiert Build A
MlDl Drum Kit, Pt.1; Serial I/0 Controller & Analog Sampler.
December2005:Good0ualityCarSound0nTheCheap:Pt.2t Building
The Ult¡mate Jukebox, Pt.1; Universal H¡gh-Energy lqnition System,
Pt 1; Remote LED Annunciator For0ueue Control; Build A l\4lDl Drum
Kit, Pl 2; 4331\IHz Wireless Data Communication
January2006:PocketTENSUnitForPain Rel¡ef;"1¡ttleJ¡m"AM Badi0
Transmittert Universal High-Energy lgniti0n System, Pt.2; Building The
lJlt¡mate Jukebox, Pt.2: MlDl Drum Kit, Pt.3: Picaxe-Based 433¡/lHz
Wireless Thermometeri A Human-Powered LED Torch
Bu
February 2006: P0-Controlled ¡Pods
& MP3 Players; Picde-Powered splayl
Buil
Build A MlDl Drum Kit, Pt.4t .3.
March 2006: The Electronic Camerâ, Pt 1; Pc-contr0lled BurqlarAlarm
System, Pt.2; Low-Cost Intercooler Water Spray Controller; AVR ISP
S0cketBoard; Build A Low-Cosl Lar0e Display Anem0meter.
April 2006: The Electronic Camera, Pt.2; Studi0 Series Remole Conlrol
lvlodule (For A Stereo Preamplif¡er); 4-Channel Aud¡o/Vìdeo Selectorì
Unìversal Hioh-Energy LED Lighting System, Pt. f i P¡cile Goes Wire-
less, Pt 1 (Using the 2 4GHz XBee Modu¡es)
May 2006: Lead-Ac¡d Battery Zapper j Universal High-Energy LED
Liqhting Syslem, Pt.2; Passive Direct lnjection (Dl) Box For l\4uslciansi
Picaxe Goes Wireless, Pt.2: B00st Your XBee's Range Us¡ng Simple
Antennas; lmproving The Sound 0f Salvaged Loudspeaker Systems,
June 2006: Pocket A/V Test Pattern Generator; Two-Way SPDIF-lo-
Toslink Dioital Audio Converter, Build A 2.4GHz Wireless A/V L¡nkt A
High-Curent Battery Charger For Almost Nothing
July 2006: Mini Theremin Mk.2, Pt.1; Programmable Analog 0n-0ff
Controller: Studio Ser¡es Stereo Preampl¡fi€rt Stop ThOse Zaps From
Double-lnsulated Equipment
Augusl 2006: Picaxe-Based LED Chaser Clock; Magnetìc Cartr¡dge
Preampl¡fier; An Ultrasonic EavesdropDeri ¡iini Theremin l\4k 2, Pt 2
September 2006: Thomas Alva Edison -
Genius, Pt.1; Transferr¡ng
Y0ur LPs To CDs & MP3s: Turn an Old Xbox lnto A $200 Mult¡media
Player: Picaxe Net Seruer, Pt.1; Build The Galactic V0icet Aquarium
Terñperature Alarm; S-Video To Composite Video C0nverter
0clober 2006: Thomas Alva Edison - Genius, Pl 2t LED Tachomeler
With Dual Displays, Pt.1; UHF Prescaler For Frequency Counlersl
lnfrared Rem0le Control Extender; Picaxe Net Servet Pl.2t Easy-To-
Bu¡ldl2VDigitalTimerlvlodule; BuildASuperBlcycleLightAlternator
Nov
Rell
LED
Decemher 2006: Bringing A Dead Cordless Drill Back To L¡fe: C0rd-
less Power T00l Charger C0ntroller; Build A Radar Speed Gun, Pt.2;
Heartbeat CPR Tra¡ning Beeper; Super Speedo Cofieclot; 12124V
Auxiliary Battery Controller; Picaxe Net Server, Pt 3
January 2007: Versatile Temperature Switch; Intelligent Car AiF
Conditioning Controlleri Bemote Telltale For Garage 0o0rs: lntelligent
1 2V Charger For SLA & Lead-Acid Batterìes
February 2007: Remote Volume Control & Preamplifier lvlodule, Pt.1;
SimpleVariable Boost Control ForTurbo carst Fuel cut Defealer ForThe
Boost Control; Low-Cost 50MHz Frequency ¡/eter, Mk 2
March 2007: Programmable lgnition System F0r cars, Pt 1; Remote
Volume Control & Preamplif¡er lllodule, Pt 2; GPS-Based Frequency
Reference, Pt l: Simple Ammeler & V0ltmeter
April 2007: The Proposed Ban 0n lncandescent Lamps; High-Power
R€versible DC Nlotor SDeed Controllert Build A Jacob's Ladder; GPS-
Based Frequencv Referènce, Pt.2t Progrâmmable lgnition System For
Cars. Pt.2t Dual'PICAXE lnfrared Data Communication.
M
ul
m
M
June 2007: 20W Class-A Ampl¡Í¡er ¡¡odule, Pt.2; Knock Detector
For The Pro0rammable lqnit¡on: 4-lnDUt [I¡xer With Tone Controls;
Frequency-Aitivated Switõh For Carst Simple Panel i¡eters Revisited.
JulI,2007:HowT0CutY0urGreenhouseEmissi0ns, Pl.1;6-DigitNixìe
Cloôk. Pt.1: Tânk Water Level lndicalor; A PID Temperature Controller,
20W Class-A Stereo Amplifier: Pt.3: lvlaking Panels For Proiects.
Auousl 2007: How T0 Cut Your Greenhouse Emissions, Pt.2; 20W
Cla-ss-A Stereo Amplìlier; Pt.4; Adaptive Turbo Timer; Subwoofer
Controller: 6-Digit N¡x¡e Clock, Pt.2.
SeDtember 2007: The Art 0f Lon0-Dislance WiFi; Fast Charger F0r
NilùlH & Nicad Batteries; Simple Data-Logging WeatherStâtion. Pt.1:
20W Class-A Stereo Amplif¡er; Pt 5
oclober 2007: oVD Players -
How Good Are They For HiFi Audi0?:
Electronic Nouqhts & crosses Game; PlCProbe Logic Probe: Rolling
Code Security System, Pt.1, Simple Data-Logging Weâther Stati0n,
Pt.2; AM Loop Antenna & Amplif¡er
November 2007: Your own Home Recording Sludio; PIC-Based
Waler Tank Levei Meter, Pt.1: Playback Adaptor For CD-R0¡l Drives,
Makin0 PC Boards.
December 2007: Sign eakers; lR Audio Head-
phone Link; Enhanced qqlq ?l0-Based ryatgr-
Pt.2
iank Level Meter; CD-ROM Drivest Pt.2.
January2008: Plc-Conlrolled Sw¡mmlng P00l Alarm; Emergency l2V
L¡0ht¡n0 Contr0ller; Bu¡ld The "Aussie-3" Valve AM Radio: The Minispot
4SSkHtModulated osc¡llator; waterTank Level l\4eter, Pt.3 -The Base
Stationi lmprov¡ng The Water Tank Level Meter Pressure Sensor
tebruary 2000: UHF Remote-Controlled Mains Switchl IJHF Remote
lvlainsSwilchTransm¡tter;A PIB-Triggered l/ainsSw¡tchl Shift lnd¡Ët0r
& Rev Limiter For Cars; ¡/¡n¡ Solar Battery Charget
I I2c Bus - A Quick
u Controllet Pt.1: A
h Pc-lo-lz0 lnlerface
e 0uartz Clocks.
A¡ri I 2008: How To Get lnto Dioital W, Pt.2; Charge Controller For 1 2V
Lèad-Acld 0r SLA Batteries; Safe Flash Tr¡gger For Digital Cameras;
12V-24V High-Cutrent DC lvotor Speed C0ntroller, Pl.2; Two-Way
Stereo Headphone AdaptoL
Mav 2008: ReDlacement CDI Module F0r Small Petrol l\4otors:
High-Accuracy bigitâl Lc Meter; Low-Cost dsPlc/PlC Programmer;
Hi0h-Curent Adiustable Voltaoe Regulator
June 2000: DSP Musicolour Light Show, Pt.'1; PIC-8ased Flex¡timer
Mk.4: USB Power lnlector For External Hard Drivest Balanced/l.Jnbal-
anced Converter ForAudio S¡gnals, A 0uick'n'Easy D¡gital Slide Scan-
ner: Altitude 3500-SS Stere0 Valve Amplifier Reviewed
Julv 2008: DSP Musicolour Light Show, Pt 2; A PIC-Based ¡iusical
Tun'ing Aid; Balanced M¡c Preamp For PCs & MP3 Players: Bridge
Adaptor For Stereo Power Amplifiers.
Auqust 2008: Ultra-LD lMk.2 200W Power Amplifìer Module, Pt.1l
Plânet Jup¡ter Rece¡vert LED Strobe & Contactless Tach0meter, Pt.1;
DSP [¡usicolour Light Show, Pt.3: Printing ln The Third Dimensi0n.
SeDtember 2008: Railpower Model Tra¡n ContrOllel Pt.1; LED/Lamp
Flasher: Ultra-LD Mk.2 200W Power Amplifier ¡r0dule, Pt.2; DSP Mu-
sicolour Light Show, Pt 4; LED Strobe & Contactless Tachometer, Pt 2
0cl0ber 2008: USB Clock With LCD Readout, Pt 1; Digital RF Level &
Power ¡reter; Multi-Purpose Timer; Railpower Model Train Controller,
Pt 2t Picaxe-08[4 433Mhz Datä TransceiveL
November 2008:12V Speed ControlleriLamp Dimmer; USB Clock
With LCD Read0ut, Pt.2; Wideband A¡rFuel lvl¡xture Display Unit;
lrDA lnterface BOard For The DSP Musicolour; The AirNav RadarBox
December 2008: Versatile Car Scrolling Display, Pt.1 ì Test The salt
Content 0f Your Sw¡mming Pool; Build A Brownout Detector; SitÌple
Voltaqe Switch For Car Sensors
January 2009: Dual Booting With Two Hard Disk Drives; USB-Sensing
Mains Power Switcht Bemote Ma¡ns Belay lvlk.2: A¡il Broadcast Band
Loop Ant€nnat CarScrolling Display, Pt 2i 433lVHzUHF Bemote Switch
tebruary 2009: Digital Rad¡o ls Coming, Pt.1; Tempmaster Elec-
lron¡c lhermoslat ¡rk.2; 10A Universal Motor Speed Controller lvlk.2;
Programmable Time Delay Flash Triggert Car Scrolling Display, Pt 3 q
o
Õ
March 2009: Rev¡ving 0ld Laptops W¡th Puppy Linuxì Dlgilal Radio
c\
ls Cominq, Pt.2: A GPS-Synchronised Cl0ckt Theremin lvlk.2; Build A
DiOilal Au,Cio lvlillivoltmeter; Learn¡ng ab0ut Picaxe Microcontrollers. ÈJ
3
April 2009: Diaital Radi0 ls Comin0, Pt.3; Wireless Networking With
Ubuntu & Puppy Linux; Remote-Control¡ed Lamp Dimmer; School Zone
Speed Alert, USB Printer Share Sw¡tcht Microcurent D¡¡M Adaptol
k, -Wave
V ecking H
P nuator
w totrax. U
zo
PLEASE NoTE: ¡ssues not Iisted have sold oul All l¡sled issues äre ¡n
P
J
(,/)
 ASK SILICON CHIP
Copper strip for
inverter transformer
I want to build the 6ooW DC-DC
Converter (Sntcox CHII, October &
November 19S6). The primary of the
transformer is made from 0.315mm
copper strip. There is also a strap made
from 0.6mm copper strip.
Could you please advise me if there
is a company that suppiies sheet cop-
per in small quantities, as used by
hobbyists? (2. F,, via fax),
o The copper strip can be obtained
from any model shop that has sup-
plies for model aircraft, model cars,
etc. They usually have a stand with
various copper, brass and aluminium
cross-sections.
Shadows on VU
display module
I have just completed a second
digital VU meter (Sntcoll CHn, May
2007) with the display module con-
nected to the PC board via 40mm
lengths of rainbow cable to facilitate
fitting to a 2005 Studio preamp 1U
rack-mounting case. All voltages are
present and conductivity has been
established between the 14 solder
connections on the display unit and
their points of origin on the PC board.
There are many dark shadows [al-
anyone else experienced this? (D. G.,
via email).
o Our guess is that the shadows are
caused by the added lead lengtl be-
tween the LCD module and PC board
and the stray coupling between the
leads, Try separating the strands of the
ribbon cable. Some terminating resis-
tors of say 1kO between the ENable
(pin 6) of the module and ground and
the RS (pin a) and ground may help.
Or you may also need the resistors at
the data lines (Dz, D6, D5 & D4),
The shadows might be minimised
by adjusting the contrast control, VR3.
Alternatively, you could build it as
described in the original instructions.
If that fixes the fault, you know where
the trouble lies.
Programmable
ignition question
I have been looking at buying a kit
for the Programmable Ignition Sys-
tem published in the March, April &
I|;4ay 2OO7 issues. I want to use it on
a Holden 186 and have a Bosch dizzy
from a later model motor for it, It has
a reluctor pickup which triggers an
inbuilt ignitor, Can the ignition be used
to trigger the existing ignitor unit? (D,
M., via email),
a \
There are two possibilities with
your existing system. There is either
coil driver is all in the same housing
as the reluctor.
If you have separate units, more
than likely the output from the pro-
grammable ignition can be used to
trigger the existing ignition module
(ignitor). The output may require in-
verting (a way to do this is described
in the articlesJ if the module fires on
a negative-going signal rather than a
positive-going signal.
For a combined reluctor and ignitor,
set up the programmable ignition for
points and use the ignitor output as
the trigger input for the programmable
ignition. The ignition coil driver that
was designed as part of the program-
mable ignition would then be required
to drive the coil.
How to connect digital
TV to multiple sets
With the increase in digital chan-
nels, etc, would it be possible to
compose a detailed article on ways
that some of the older sets people have
in their bedroom, kitchen, etc could
be connected to the digital signal?
Perhaps some of your very smart con-
tributors could develop a kit that could
carry the signäl via the antenna cable.
I know you touched on the subject
a couple of months ago but a simple
detailed explanation would certainly
solid-state relays had been used there
would have been the risk that the radar
pulses from passing ships (less than
100 metres away) could trigger some
of the relays and upset the lighting.
So all relays were mechanical
throughout the four theatres. The
system has worked well ever since.
Dave feanes,
Tweed Heads, NSW.
Antenna earth¡ng
is desirable
We recently had an extra room add-
ed to the house which required a TV
point, This and the purchase of a HD
LCD TV prompted me to replace the
motley collection of cable and splitters
of my distribution system which over
the years had grown from lhe original
single point to five.
I rewired in RG6, with F connectors took a ride. I am very pleased.
llew lease on l¡fe
and cast alloy splitters. The improve- for old bike I have included a picture of the
ment in reception was amazing. One bike. As you can see the connection
I know nothing about electronics
of the old splitters had failed on one is temporary. All I need now is the
but my wife is very good at build-
output and the S-year old Akai TV ing PC boards. Today I tested the correct size box to finish it up nicely.
in that room had used a rabbit's ears CDI module for small petrol motors Thanks for helping to extend the life
antenna, When I connected this to the
new system we had 50Hz hum on all
(Su.tcoN Cnn, May 2008) on my of these old engines.
.Rickman-Zundapp 125 vintage MX Sterling Gaudill,
radios in the house. When I unplugged
bike. It started on the first kick and I New |ersey, USA.
the fly-lead from the wall socket, I felt
a tingle when I touched the shroud.
I measured the voltage to earth with find the cause but it made me think plugs, the shield on the antenna cable
my Fluke DMM, It was 1 L OVAC and as about the lack of any earthing on the was earthed by its connection to the
it could supply no current, the source antenna system. earthed chassis. Now the whole sys-
was obviously high impedance. I have In the days before live chassis, tem floats above earth so that ifa fault
not had time the look at the TV yet to switchmode supplies and 2-pin mains connects it to a dangerous voltage,
I \ ) I \ I
¡
I ?l H T \ , r \ l. I f-
I

most 50% of the area), making the peak a separate reluctor and separate igni- help non-technical people like me, [D.
only indicators not to easy to see, Has tion coil driver (ignitor) orthe ignition L., via email),
o Many people are in your situation,
wffiffi@M@ffi with perhaps four or more analog sets,
wanting to access the programs from
a single set-top box (STB). The real
As long-term SnrcoN Crm reader
a o The main determinant of sound problem is thatno matterwhat scheme
I would like to ask some advice. quality in a CD player (or a DVD is used, RF or cable, you will only be
able to watch one program at a time, GW GDS-102225MH2 RIGOL DS-1052E 50MHz 11028 10(.
As CD players use minimal analog player) is the quality of the DAC
stages, does the resultant audio qual- (digital-to-analog converterl. These on all sets, So if you have two or more ,25MHz Bandwidth,: Ch ) 50Ml z Bandwi th,2 Ch iandwidth, 2
ity depend on these only? vary enormously from brand to people in the home who wantto watch ) 250MS/s Real Time Sampling > l GS/s Real Time Sampling ¡l Time Sam
There is such a myriad of (lesser brand and fiom one PC or laptop different programs simultaneously, ) USB Device & SD )ard SIot ) USB Device, USB Host & PictBridge :e, USB Hos le
will
quality) program sources (MP3, to another.
DVD, etcJ, so does it matter? Could A quality dedicated CD player
you need more than one set-top
box or a DVR, or a digital TV set with
0lllY 59 | csr ¡n"
0l1Y $8 I ¡n" csr frlY $1, :G ST
a computer CD drive extract as good foom Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha or
its own tuner. Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth
quality audio as say a dedicated other top brand-name will give far As far as getting the set-top box
name-brand CD player, eg, Denon, better sound quality than any PC or program to the other analog sets is f":,:1,':ll";1:" Hi%%i'.%'.T"'
EMONfr
Marantz, etc? (R, R., McCrae, Vic), laptop CD/DVD drive. concerned, the best way appears to fo,,*'.?tråå"*""j;io",T%u'%%% '"",
*ff:i:ilîJ"f,ji
be a UHF transmitter/receiver set-up,

96 stucoN cntp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au IUNE 2009


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Stuco¡,t Cutp
Mailbag: continued
Browns Gas needs
lots of power
With reference to the letter in
the April 2009 issue, about using
"Brolvn's Gas" to improve car fuel
economy, anyone who remembers
high-school chemishy or makes the
effortto lookup Wikipediawill find
thathoweveryou do it, ittakes more
energy to create a lihe ofhydrogen
(or the mythical "Brown's Gas" or
oxy-hydrogen) than is recovered by
burning it. So however it is done,
r¡lless you have a source of free or
very low cost energy, you lose.
At 100% efñciency, it takes about
1.44h (amF.hour) of electricity to
produce a litre of gas. To produce
two litres per minute would take
about 3004 from a car battery/
alternator!
ing structure and state diagrams, one
issue prior to using them.
For more information on state dia-
grams, Wikipedia gives a good descrip-
tion and a number of examples and
information on the actual structure
diagram software we use canbe found
at: http ://www aaee.com. au/confer-
ences/paper s/2OO5 lP aper/Paper60.pdf
|onathan Currie,
Auckland, NZ.
Comment: we agree that diagrams
can be good for showing program
structure but as you sty, space is a
big constraint. And while it may not
be obvious, we aheady have major
investment in praducing all the other
diagrams in the magazine - there is a
limit to how much time and space we
can devote to each article.
llo easy subst¡tutes available for
many ¡ncandescent lamps
Nowhere have I seen any reference
to the lamps used in the multitude
of fridges, ovens and microwaves be-
ing phased out. Only incandescent
Iamps can withstand the heat inside
an oven and fluorescent tubes do not
work at the low temperatures inside
refrigerators.
In very cold conditions, compact
fluorescents (CFLs) are very dim un-
Also, if you try to generate hydro-
gen or oxy-hydrogen by electrolysis
using a 12V battery as tìe source,
youwill wait foreve¡ unless you first
add salt or acid or something to turn
itinto agood elecbolyte.If you don't
believe me, hy it!
I suspect tì.at those people who
claim to generate and use these
gases in tJreir cars are actually just
slowly pulling tÏe water out of the
container as a vapour due to the en-
gine vacuum, otherwise their water
container would never get empty.
Unfortunately, with the internet,
there is no easy way to validate the
claims of the charlatans and ratbags
who propagate tìis sort of rubbish
to sell their kits or plans.
Rod Cripps,
Parkdale, Vic.
less they c¿n warm up. Only special-
ised CFLs can dim in chandeliers and
"mood" Iight fittings and do not have
the "candle" and other decorative
shapes used either.
Outside security lamps use halogen
spot lamps ald what about the mul-
titude of incandescent halogen down
lights across homes and shops?
Most commercial outside lighting
is by halogen lights which are in-
candescent with a gas added in their
envelope, Are they also banned?
Has Peter Garrett ever giventhought
to all this or are all his advisors clerical
and non-technical stafff It would seem
so. By all means replace the staldard
Iight globe but a blanket ban on all
incandescent lighting has not been
properly assessed,
Bram Hester,
San Remo, NSW.
Relays still have their place
I with the comments about a
agree
renaissance of relays, in the letter by
KenMoxham (pagez,March 2oo9). in
the early 1970s I worked for a company
that had the contract to build the stage
manager's desks for the four theatres
of the Opera House,
Switch banks in each desk control-
Ied all of the lighting for that theatre. If
siliconchip.com.au
MffiEffiflsM0ffimr¡hrrsHd
I value your opinion regarding
how hot components should oper-
ate and some ways to achieve lower
temperatures to give products a life
span somewhat longer than the
usual 12-months warranty.
In summer, my living room tem-
perature often reaches 33"C which
results in my applia¡ces (TV VCR,
CD player, monitor, etc) becoming
uncomfortably hot to the touch. The
top of my set-top box reaches 45oC
and the CPU heatsink runs at 5BoC.
Most of the electrolytic capacitors
in it are rated at 105'C but a few are
onlyrated at B5'C and I know a chain
is only as strong as its weakest link.
I once abandoned a TV repair
when I found that almost every
electrolytic capacitor (zz in all) had
corrosion holes which I believe are
caused by high temperatures.
My friends have a computergames
console which has been stood on
end to operate, as in the horizontal
position it becomes very hot, and
This should also have a remote control
extender so that you can use a remote
control to change the program selec-
tion of your STB while watching the
program on al analog set in another
room,
There are several such UHF trans-
mitter/receivers available, Jaycar cur-
rently have their Cat. AR-1836 avail-
able at $76.95 and this is also available
with an extra receiver (Cat. AR-1837
$44.S5), so you could run two analog
sets with this set-up plus another TV
next to the STB itself,
Mind you, if your analog sets do not
have audio/video inputs, you would
then need an RF modulator to take the
A/V signals from the UHF receiver and
feed them to the analog TV's antenna
input; ie, it all gets a bit involved.
laycar have an RF modulator: Cat,
LM-3872 (mono $18.95) or LM-3873
(stereo $24.95).
Yes, it is possible to have a coax
cable or CatS cable routing the ,t/V
signals around the house, In fact, we
published an A/V to twisted pair (Cat5)
transmitter/receiver in the October
1996 issue. Alternatively, you could
use a component video to CatS balun,
such as Jaycar's Cat,QC-3683,
siliconchip.com.au
elsewhere a computer freezes on
hot days.
in the past, I have improved the
cooling by removing the outer cas-
ings and drilling hundreds of 5mm
holes through them, But clearly this
increases the danger of shock when
the appliance has power.
I have considered winding a few
turns around the switchmode trans-
former to provide power for a fan,
However, I am unsure of the diodes
and flltering needed by the circuit to
control the fan speed, and any pos-
sible overload on the switchmode
circuit,
I have been using a contact type
thermometer to check temperatures,
and have been thinking of purchas-
ing a Non-Contact Dual Laser Ther-
mometer which I hope will quickly
detect hot capacitors, transistors
etc. Is this a good choice? (,{. F.,
Chinderah, NSW).
o In an ideal world, most compo-
nents would run cool to the touch
However, if you consider the cost of
a UHF or cable set-up, you might find
that it is cheaper to buy more STBs
which can be fed from the antenna
points you presently may have for
your analog TVs.
Ultimately, there is no need to panic.
It looks as though the ultimate switch-
off for analog TV signals maybe a few
years away yet, depending on where
you live, By that time, one or more of
your analog sets may have died ald
been replaced. Digital TVs, DVRs arrd
STBs continue to get cheaper.
Temperature controller
for a reptile tank
I am looking for something to con-
trol the temperature in a reptile tank.
Would the Co olmaster Fridge/Freezet
Temperature Controller do the job? If
not, is there any otler kit that wiII do
the job? (8, C., Rutherford, NSW).
o The Tempmaster Mk.2 (Srucox
CHtp, February 2009) or the earlier
Coolmaster (þne 2005) wouldbe suit-
able to control the temperature in a
reptile tank.
If you require a higher temperature
setting than 19'C (we suspect this
and only a few key power supply and
output stage components wouldrun
hot. These days that is just wishful
thinking and a lot of gear runs very
warm or hot. There is not much you
can do about it except to make sure
that ventilation around the appli-
ance is not restricted and that it is
not exposed to direct sunlight.
Do not even think about winding
tums around switchmode tralsform-
ers. They nn at very high fiequen-
cies (not 5OHz) and any such "mods"
are likely to prejudice reliability,
You can certainly use a non-con-
tact thermometer to check operating
conditions for components but even
if you discover hot components, un-
Iess a fault has occurred, it is likely
that the circuit (whatever it might
is operating as intended. Nor
beJ
can you dive in and make circuit
changes willy-nilly because that
will void anywarranty and possibly
lead to other problems. There is no
simple solution.
would be necessaryJ, then the 3.3kQ
resistor in series with trimpotVRl can
be increased to 3.9kf) to allow a higher
voltage (temperature) adjustment to
3.1V or 40'C.
Cheap pump
controller
My mother a¡rd I have three mobile
air-conditioners in our house and
I need to modifu the "Cheap Pump
Controller" in the Circuit Notebook of
August 2005, page 7 2,for emptying the
condensate through a thin PVC hose
out the window for each unit.
I will be using a small windscreen
washer pump instead of an aquarium
pump, due to the size, shape ald outlet
of the water reservoir.
The circuit needs to be modified to
use a 12V relay, since the 12V pump
requires up to 1,54 but on the other
side of relay the 555 timer might find
that current too much for it to handle.
Can I therefore use one 12V power sup-
ply to power both the punp controller
circuitry and the 12V pump motor via
the relay?
In order to protect each circuit ftom
I install four
reversing currents, do
JUNE 2009 97
 ffiIHFffiEffirc[7dtr{b
Having read your Publisher's plethora of add-on goodies aimed
Letter in the lanuary 2009 edition at the go-faster, turbo-powered,
of Sucots Cmp, I agree that in the fu el-injected petrol consumers. Can
present economic climate we are you please now come up with a
unlikely to see mass-produced versatile, affordable project for an
electric vehicles in Australia in efficient electric motor controller
the foreseeabÌe future. Even those incorp orating regenerative braking?
vehicles touted as imminent are A great follow-up article would be
likely to be out of realistic financial a mains-powered battery charger,
viability for the majority of Austral- designed for overnight charging of
ians when compared to the flood of an electric vehicle battery pack.
relativeÌy cheap imports, both petrol What can you come up with to
and diesel. satisfy the purists amongst your
Here lies the challenge! I, for one, readers, those who want to give it
would love to do my or,rm conversion a go to help cut emissions without
and already have a suitable donor waiting for the industry moguls to
vehicle, old enough (read "clas- catch up? (J. 8., Beetaloo Valley,
sic") to be very lightweight and not SA).
complicated by such hindrances as o There is little chancethatwewill
ADRs, power brakes and steering, ever do such a project, ulless we had
requirements to have heating, and a sponsor with very deep pockets.
adesign which was reliable and safe
would be a major engineering project
requiring a very big investment.
The major car manufacturers
could be expected to devote millions
of dollars to a reliable speed control-
ler for an plectric vehicle. We are not
in that league.
We also have serious concerns
about the safety and reliability of
many amateur EV conversions.
Adding a heavy (hundreds of kg)
battery pack to an old vehicle is
a major engineering exercise. Not
only must the battery pack be very
securely anchored (and ventilated)
but it also should not prejudice the
handling andbraking of the vehicle.
Nor should it prejudice the crash-
worthiness of the vehicle or present
additional risk in the event of a
Power cons¡derat¡ons for
the Tempmaster Mk.2
It is interesting to see how far
the current requirements could be
reduced for the Tempmaster Mk,2.
Starting with the passive compo-
nents, I}Jle 2.7k{2,3.3kO and 500Q
trimpot resistive divider will draw
O.77nA, roughly 2O"/o of the total
current of 3.8m,{. Increasing these
values by a factor of 10 or even 100
will significantly drop the total cur-
rent. ICla has an input bias of 25nA
so the voltage drop across these
higher value resistors (2.5mV per
100kO) should not be a problem. In
"C" mode it might be necessary to
alter the positive feedback since it
is now summed with a set voltage
with higher impedance.
Further reduction in current ca¡
FRONT PAN
active high, Thus the "H" and "C"
modes would be swapped.
The last component to consider is
the sensor. For a 2.BV sensor read-
ing there is 2,2Y across the 5.6kO
resistor connected to it, giving
0.4m4. An alternative is the LM19,
a 3-terminal device with a current
drain of only 10¡rA that can operate Cosl
off a 5V supply. However, the LM19 and
output decreases with temperature,
with the datasheet showing it vary-
ing from 1.8639V at 0"C to 1,515V
at 30'C. Thus voltages of 1.84064 to
'1..64293 correspond to the range of Fabrication in 1, 3 or 7 days
tlte Tempmaster.
This could be accommodated
by interchanging the "H" and "C"
modes and altering the resistive di- FTTT-
vider a¡d trimpot to give a slightly Sample price: --
wider range (0,2V compared to USD43.78 plus S&H

even seat belts falthough I firmly
believe in these as a¡r essential ald
currently fitted after-market acces-
sory).
What is lacking and not appar-
ently available commercially in
Australia is a suitable DIY motor
controlìer, How about it? Your
engineering staff have produced a
1N4004 diodes (cathode to positive
supply, anode to negative supply)?
Also, to prevent electrolytic effects
decaying the water level probes, can
I install 1OpF DC blocking capacitors
on the ground probe or on all probes?
[W. F., via email).
¡ The circuit should work without
modification. lust change the relay to
a heavy duty one such as the ]aycar
SY-4042. You can use the same 12V
supply to power both the circuit and
the pump.
Using 1O¡.LF capacitors in series with
the probes as you propose would pre-
vent circuit operation.
Mesmeriser
clock problem
I am having a problem with the time
keeping of my Mesmeriser LED Clock
(Stt Icoru Cim,lune 2005). When it was
first built it was flne for 18 months.
Then it was put away (batteries out)
for 3/4 months during renovations and
when it was put back into service, it
The largest DC speed controller
we have ever produced is rated at
about 1kW aT24V DC (SnrcoN CHn,
March a April 2008), By contrast, tlre
speed controller for a typical EV con-
version wilÌ require abattery pack of
120V or more and might have a peak
rating of 50kW or more, ie, current
of more than 400,A.. Producing such
gained about one hour per day.
On checking the circuitry, I found
the 100H2 reference signal applied
to the base of the 8C547 was varying
dramaticaÌly, eg, 99,96H2 (measured
with a Fluke 8060,\ multimeter) for
the first 35 seconds, 125H2 for the next
10 seconds and L52H2 for the last 15
seconds (times varied slightly but are
within five seconds). This was aÌso
measured between pin 4 and pin 20
of the microcontroller with the same
results. T};'e 12Y AC plugpack is a
5OHz +0.5H2. On the cathode side of
the 1N4007 (D1) there was OHz.
I plugged into different power cir-
cuits through house, turned off lights
and electronic devices and removed
compact fluorescent globes to check
interference/stray harmonics to no
avail. I got a loan ofa Critec electronic
faxguard interference/surge protector
which also didn't help. I tried a long
extension cord whichdidn't help.
I have replaced the bridge rectifier,
the 6BkQ resistor and the 8C547 tran-
sistor, none of which have helped. I
crash. The thought of several hun-
dred kilograms of battery loose and
flying forward inside the cabin in
the event of a crash is quite stark! It
could easily be fatal for the driver
and passengers.
The EV conversion featured in
this month's issue is the first that we
have seen that meets these criteria.
have fitted a 4,TkQ resistor between
the anode of D1 (1N4007J and the earth
end of the 3.3kQ resistor which has
made a diff'erence - it still gains but on
a random basis; it kept good time for
two hours and then gained five min-
utes and then good time again - weird!
I am wondering whether a 100H2
oscillator feeding asignal to the 8C547
should be inserted into the clock?
I would need guidance with this;
should the pin 4 reference signal be
removed and let the thing time off the
onboard BMHz crystal? Hoping you
can enlighten me with this frustrating
problem. (M.C., via email),
o As you sayJ your problem is really
weird, You havc replaced all the ob-
vious suspect components, however,
you might be on the right track in
increasing the loading on the bridge
rectifier with yor-u addition of a 4,7kQ
resistor. The rectified waveform froTn
a bridge rectifier can certainly be
"wonky" if there is insufficient load-
ing. Perhaps you should try reducing
it to 1kO,
be obtained by using more recent
ICs. For instance, an LM2936-5.0
has a maximum quiescent cunent
of 15pA at 100¡rA load over supply
voltages from B-24V. Compare this
with the LÌli4723 standby current
of 1.3m4 (typical) ranging to 4mA
(maximum).
The LM393 comparator d¡aws
0.4m4 which is good for a wide
voltage range comparator. A single
channel LM397 could reduce this to
around 0.2BmA but is only available
in
a SOT-23 package.
A better device, also SOT-23, is
I}:'e LMY7271. This has a current
of ropA however is restricted to a
maximum of 5V on any pin. Thus
the relay driver would need to be
modified. The LMV727L can source
and sink current so an NPN transis-
tor on the 0V side of the relay could
be driven. This would change the
logic of the comparator with it now
should be documenting the software
as not just a text explanation but as a
graphical diagram. I know personally
that this will greatly aid my under-
standing in what is exactly happening
in the microcontroller, as I'm sure it
will with others.
I would even suggest that it would
improve your readers' programming
ability by providing a graphical foun-
dation for proper program structure
0.L7V) with a somewhat lower
minimum voltage (1.64V compared
lo 2.75Y). The trimpot wiper would
be best connected to the other end
of the trimpot to maintain the ro-
tational "sense" for increasing the
temperature setting,
Thus, changing the resistors, volt-
age regulator and sensor as above
should result in a reduction of
around 2.3rnA, giving a total current
of 1,5m4. If the SoT-2J LMvTzrL
device was used, then adding up the TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD
staldby currents gives a total under
the most exnerienced
lopn. The weak link in all of this is
now the 12V power supply.
Toroidal ÍransÍormer
Dr Alan Wilson,
Glen lris, Vic.
Comment: we agree thatthe curÍent
drain can rcduced by raising the
value of the resistors in the voltage
divider. Howeve\ your suggested
alternative ICs are much more dif-
ficult to obtain.
Manufacturers of the of¡ginal
and flow (reading someone else's un¡lange Toro¡dal Transformer
code certainly doesn't help the new - in stoclr from 'l5uA t0 l000uA
students at universityl), virtually anyth¡ng made to order!
I realise space within your articles is - uPs, power cond¡t¡on¡ng and
limited but I believe a well-construct- surge suppress¡on t00
ed structure diagram or state diagram
could cut down the space required to Rlllalgell l0cllll0hgi0$ nr
describe software function (at least
for smaller projects). These diagrams Pn: foa 0570 20õ5 rar:
are not difficult to read. Perhaps you
could even run a section on construct-
UED:

98 StucoN Cutp siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009

 powered sections of the amplifier,
Mailbag: continued I've always had success with sup-
pression where the diodes have been
noisy iri the AM ba¡rd. As you go lower
Running games in frequency, the interference gets
on old computers worse, I suspect that some diodes are
With reference to the Servicema¡'s Log story in the February 2009 issue more prone to create noise than some
on old computers, the ESS sound cards of old were nothing but trouble. other diodes - to do with the sudden
Even when they worked the sound quality was not very good and there transition from non-conduction to
was always a lot of background noise. Getting them to work in DOS was conduction.
always diffrcult but in Windows they gave little trouble (if you ignored It could be interesting to do a
the DOS set-up altogether). number of controlled experiments
The solution is to chuck it out and get a Sound Blaster 16 or Sound to determine the best method that is
Blaster 16 pro; the most compatible sound card on Earth, even now. As applicable to silence diodes. lt may
far as running old software and games is concerned, if your old computer be worthwhile giving N. H. an oppor-
still works, you have room for it and the quality is acceptable, then keep tunity to try my suggestion. If it fails,
using it by a¡ry means. It would only be landfill if you didn't. When it he can remove the capacitors.
does break dor¡¡n and if it's a hardwa¡e failure it's probably not worth Rodney Champness,
Mooroopna, Vic.
repairing, even ifyou can do it yourself.
If you want to keep playing your old games on a new machine, there Comment: it is tuue thatthis technique
are a few options. The most obvious one is to see if tlere is a new version
worked quite well in high-voltage
transmitterc and transceivers but we
that works on later hardware.
have found it makes little dífference
If there is a "remake" of the old game that works on new machines, they
in high-power audio amplifiers,
are usually greatly enhanced in the graphics and sound areas and (in my
In fact, adding capacitors acîoss
opinion) are better than the original as long as they kept the story and play
the rectifier diodes can actually make
the same. It is surprising the number of old games that have been remade,
the interference worse! Perhaps it
usually by a separate fan base, not the original creator. is related to the much higher peak
Another approach is to use a virtual machine. A virtual machine (or rectifier currcnts involved in audio
virtual operating system) is another operating system running on a parent powü amplifiers and the fact that
operating system. Normally, the virtual operating system is totally unaware the frequencies of interest are usually
it is running in a virtual environment ald is thus 100% compatible. The much lower.
most famous of these is VM-Ware (http://www.vmware.comf but it is not
free. They do have a foee VMPlayer which can run a virtual machine built Diagrams would better describe
by some one else, Why is this useful? A third party application, VMX- software functions
builder, ca¡r be used to build a custom machine. See: http://sanbarrow. As an avid microcontroller sup-
com,/vmxbuilder.HTML porter, I am always interested to see
Microsoft has one too at: http://www.Microsoft.com./windows/prod- new microcontroller applications and
ucts/winfamily/virtualpc/overview.mspx) but it was not free until re- SucoN Cmp never fails to intrigue me
cently when they released it as a service pack: http://www.Microsoft. with excellent projects.
com/downlo ads/details. aspx?F amilyld=2$C}7D 22-6EB S - 4,{,0 9 -A 7 F 7 - However, as superb as the projects
F6C7A1FOOOB5&displaylang-en are, I feel as a professional magazine,
The best totaliy free and open sourced virtual machine would be Vir- you are missing one of the fundamen-
tualB ox from http;//www.virtualbox. org/ tals of technicãl project documenta-
Finally, for a lot of old games you do not need a fuIl virtual machine tion: software diagrams!
to run them; you c¿ì.n use an emulator. There were a lot of the point ald To explain my position, I am a
click style adventure g¿ìmes released in the early 90s that used tfie same former electrician, recently graduated
engine - these were mostly by Sierra and Lucas Arts, The engine used was electrical engineer, and now a Ph.D
dissected and recreated as an emulator to run on almost aly operating student in electrical engineering. As
system ever made, even the Nintendo DS. I was quite astounded to play part of the university, I supervise
one of my favourite games ['The Day Of The Tentacle') on my DS with full "Microcontroller Systems " Iab groups,
animation, sound effects ald speech. The engine was called "Scumm" ald teaching second year students how to
the emulator is called "ScummVM" : http:/Âvww.scummvm.org/ design, write, debug and run micro-
The best DOS emulator would be DOSBox: http://www.dosbox.com/, I controller projects.
have found this emulator even more compatible with DOS applications One of the first skills our students
and games than DOS itself. You can play almost any DOS game on XP are taught in "Microcontroller Sys-
ald even on Vista, tems" is how to document their soft-
Philip Chugg, ware using shucture diagrams (in fact
Launceston, Tas. we use it as a combined documenting/
design tool). I believe SucoN Cmp
Stttco¡rt Cutp siliconchip.com.au
Another thing to consider is that the
6BkO resistor to Q7's base may be too
large if the 12VAC supply is on the low
re&ffi
side. Tryreducing this resistor to 47kf), Temperature Probe For Hot Water two 5W resistors shown on the
You can certainly remove the refer- System, March 2009: the text for parts overlay (Fig.10, page 42) as
ence signal from pin 4 and just run thisCircuitNotebookitemonpage 4.7O should both be 4.7k4. The
the clock fiom the BMHz crystal but 76 has the instructions for calibrat- photograph, parts list and circuit
the long-term time-keeping won't be ing VR1 & VRz transposed, show these correctly as 4.7kÇ1,
as good, In addition, pin 13 for IC2f on
As a final thought, is there any leak- 230VAC 10,{ Full-Wave Motor the circuit (Fig.9, page 40) should
age on the board from BD6B2 tralsis- Speed Controller, May 2009: the be labelled as pin 15.
tors Q1 & Q5 to the base of Q7? This
might have developed when the clock
was in storage. specialist advised me that to properly it possible to create a version that can
clean injectors they should be pulsed- run on 6V instead?
IF transformers while in the ultrasonic cleaner. I was I o',,rm a BuickRoadmaster from 1948
advised by one of the Jaycar sales with an original Sonomatic tube radio
in Aussie Three people that the Peak Hold Injector but there are no stations to tune in. It
I have partly completed construc- Adaptor was suitable for this. Is this would be so nice to be able to drive
tion of the Aussie Three valve radio so or is there something more suitable about and listen to some golden oldies
from the January 2008 issue. The available to do this job? Will the Peak on the original radio. Arr MP3 player
information supplied with my IF/ Hold Injector Adaptor have to be modi- and this AM transmitter in the glove
OSC coil packs (Jaycar-LF1050) says fled for this role? compartment would be a blessing.
that the yellow coils are first IFT and The injectors are from a 1985 Cordia Maybe it's possible to make a de-
the blacks are third IFT. However, tle Tu¡bo whichhas done 150,000km. The vice/adaptor to slave in the output
from the AM transmitter directly to
circuit on page 63 ofthe January 2008 maximum duty cycle for the injectors
issue shows "black" for first IFT and for this model is only 50%. (C. C., via the antenna input on the car radio, [P.
"yellow" for second IFT. email). E,, Linkoping, Sweden).
o The peak hold injector adaptor is o
Your advice would be appreciated. We assume you are referring to the
(T. G., via email). not suitable for driving injectors. This "Little lim" AM Transmitter from the
o The designations 1st, 2nd and 3rd project converts the peak hold signal January 2006 issue of Stt tcoN Crm.
IF transformers refer to the differ- that drives some injectors into a stable You shouldbe able to runthe circuit
ence in the coils between the second square wave signal that's suitable for from 6V if you change REG1 from a
winding and the tapping ratios. For measuring the injector duty cycle, 781,2 1,2V regulator to a zener diode
the Aussie Three, the black slug coil To drive the injectors, use the Motor regulator circuit. Remove REG1 and
is more suited to the 1st IF stage, with Speed Control published in November connect a 10Q 0.5W resistor between
the yellow best for the second. 2008 (laycar Cat, KC-S382). Set the the IN and OUT terminal positions on
Follow the published circuit rather drive duty cycle to less than 50%. the PC board that were originally for
than the designations shown on the REG1. Then connect a 6.2V 1W zener
IF coil pack. diode (1Na735) between the OUT
AM transmitter to position and the GND position for
Pulser for fuel suit old car radio the original REGL (the diode's anode
I read the article in SILtcou Crm connects to GND, while the cathode
iniector cleaning about building this little AM trans- connects to the OUT terminal).
I recently purchased an ultrasonic mitter which has a range of just a few You can couple the antenna signal
cleaner from faycar. A fuel injection metres. The thing is, it runs on 12V. Is directly to the radio's antenna. SC
StLtcoN Cnte magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage.
All such projects should be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely.
Feaders are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the instructions in the articles. When
working on these proiects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with maíns AC
voltages or high voltage DC. lf you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other
high voltages, you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability
for damages should anyone be kilfed or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SlLlcoN
CHte magazine.
Devices or circuits described ¡n StLtcoN Cnre may be covered by patents. Slucot¡ CHIP disclaims any liability for the
infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such equipment. StLtcoN Cxlp also disclaims any
liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government regulations and by-laws.
Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to
the Trade Practices Act 1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable.
siliconchip.com.au JUNE 2009 9S

MIGROGOI{TROIIER PROJECTS IlI G Ar{AroG ETECTR0ilTCS
THE 8051 by Dogan lbrahim. Published 2000.
Through graded proiects introduces the fundamentals of
m¡crodlectronics, the 8051 family, programming in C and
the use of a C compiler. Provides an interesting, enjoy-
able and easily mastered alternative to more theoretical
textbooks. 178 pages in paperback.
TU AGROSS AUSTRATIA
Edited by Kaz Bielecki - 4th Edition 2007
Essential information for anyone travelling Australia, or
¡ust wanting to know the channels, polarity and location
of all television transmitters and translators from coast to
coast. Plus coverage maps, tv transmitter dala . . . every-
thing you need to know in the one place for the first time!
RF GIRCUIT IIESIGI{
by Chris Bowick, Second Edition, 2008.
A new edition of the classic RF circuit design book. RF
CìRCUIT circuit design is now more important that ever in the
Oesìgt^' wireless world in which we live. ln most of the wireless
devices that we use there is an RF component - this
book tells how to design and integrate in a very
practical fashion. 244 pages in paperback.
PRAGTIGAT RF HA]IDBOOK
by lan Hickman 4TH ED|TION 2006
The latest guide to RF design for engineers, technicians, stu-
dents and enthusiasts. Covers key topics in RF: analog design
principles, transmission lines, couplers, transformers, ampli-
fiers, oscillators, modulation, transmitters and receivers,
propagation & antennas. 279 pages in paperback.
AIIAIOG TECH]IIQUES WITH
IIIGITAT I]ITERFACI]IG
by T H Wilmshurst- Published 2001.
Covers all the analog electronics needed in a wide range of
higher education programs: first degrees in electronic engi-
neering, experimental science course, MSc electron¡cs and
electronics units for HNDs. Supported by numerous worked
examples and experimental exercises. 312 pages paperback.
ETEGTRIC MOTORS A]III I¡RIUES
By Austin Hughes - Third edition 2006
Brand new edition of this amæingly popular book. lntended
for non-specialist users of electric motors and drives, filling
the gap between academic texts ahd general 'handbooks'.
Explores all of the widely-used modern types of motor and
drive including conventional & brushless DC, induction
m0t0rs, steppers, seryos, synchronous and reluctance.
384 pages, soft cover
$0tAR SUGCESS - Getting it right
Covers the ramifications of lighting, fridges and freezers,
air conditioning, washing machines and driers and much
more on solar systems; also covers solar basics and how
to conduct an energy audit. As reviewed in Srucou CHrp
November 2008. 112 pages.
PRACTICAT GUIDE TO SATEIIITE TV
By Garry Cratt - New 7th Edition 2008
We've had other satellite TV books in the past but they have
all had a lot of useless (to this part of the world) overseas
stutf. ïhis one is written in Australia, for Australian conditions
by one of Australia's foremost satellite W experts. lf there
is anything you wanted to know about setting up a satellile
TV system, (including what you can't do!) it's sure to be
covered in this 176-page paperback book
By lan Hickman. 2nd edition 1999.
Essential reading for electronics designers and students
alike. lt will answer quest¡ons about core analog theory and
Many of the circuits taken from lan Hickman's
magazine articles. 294 pages in soft cover.
POIIIIER SUPPTY COOKBOOK
by Marty Brown. 2nd edition 2001.
An easy-to-follow, step-by-step text for a wide variety of power
supplies. All described in simple language. Anyone with a
basic knowledge of electronics can create a very complicated
power supply design. 265 pages in paperback.
SWITGHII|G POl¡llER SUPP. A to Z
by Sanjaya Maniktala. Published 2006.
Theoretical and practical aspects 0f controlling and
measuring electromagnetic interference in switching
supplies. lncludes flow-charts for building
DC-DC converters and their magnetlc com-
ponents under typical wide-input supply
503 pages in hard cover.
CD-R0M included.
PLAYERS A]{D IIRIUES
by K.F. lbrahim. Published 2003.
A guide to DVD technology and applications, with particular
focus on design issues and pitfalls, maintenance and repair.
ldeal for engineers, technicians, students of consumer
electronics and sales and installation staff. As reviewed in
Silicon Chip February 2004. 319 pages in paperback.
PIC lll PRACTIGE by D w smith.
2nd Edition - published 2006
Based on popular short courses on the PlC, for
professionals, students and teachers. Can be used
at a variety of levels. An ideal introduction to the
world of mlcrocontrollers. 255 pages in
PER$O]IAL I]ITRODUCTORY GOURSE
By John Morton 3rd edition 2005.
A unique and practical guide to getting up and running
with the PlC. ll assumes rio knowledge of microcontrollers
- ideal introduction lor sludents, teachers, technicians
and electronics enthusiasts. Revised 3rd edition focuses
enlirely on re-programmable flash PlCs such as'16F54,
16F84 12F508 and12F675.226 pages in paperback.
SOLAR THAT REAttY WORKS - GAbiNS,
Motoúomes, 5th Wheelerc, Gamperuans
by Collyn Rivers. 2nd edition
All the information you need for successful solar installation
in mobiles.An expert on getting the modt out of solar systems,
Collyn Rivers dispels many of the myths and helps you get il
right when there is no mains power available.
As reviewed in Srucoru Cnp November 2008. 82 pages.
lmproved direction
indicator f or Bailpower
I would like to thank Sntcou Cræ
and Altronics for the Railpower
controller, as published in the Sep-
tember and October 2008 issues.
It proved easy to build, especially
for someone like myself who has
rudimentary electronic knowledge.
It works very well as a controller.
Putting it together presented a few
problems but these were found to be
self-inflicted. One glaring problem
arose after the unit was completed
and that was that there is no way of
knowing in which direction a loco
will travel until it actually moves.
The indicating arrow on the LCD
panel is the only indication, as the
LED illumination is governed by the
voltage output to the tracks.
Study of the circuit and judicious
use of the multimeter showed a volt-
age of 5V across pins 7 & I of IC1
which varied plus/minus dependent
on the direction oftravel, as selected
via the pushbutton.
LED1 was disconnected from its
location between Q1/3 & Qzl4. A
220C) resistor was soldered to one
Ieg of LEDI. which was then con-
nectedbetween pirrs 7 & B of IC1. The
in the UK, resulting in better sound
quality at lower bit rates.
We have also planned for indoor
coverage - the UK experience was
based on plans for mobile reception
and thus was hampered by poor recep-
tion and poor signal quality.
In Australia, the deployment of
digital radio is supported by the entire
industry - commercial, ,tBC and SBS
and community broadcasters. This is
completely different to the UK where
the BBC commenced broadcasting
some years before the commercial
sector and there was a distinct lack of
a united approach,
Our industry-wide marketing and
communications campaign has begun
and commercial digital radio services
have switched on in Perth and other
capital cities throughout May. The
ABC and SBS are targeting lune/July.
On 6th August, all commercial net-
works, as well as the ABC and SBS,
will take part in a national simultane-
siliconchip.com.au
direction of travel is now indicated
even when the unit is first turned
on and the LED stays lit at all times,
indicating in which direction travel
will be, even after the Stop button
is pressed and the loco is stationary.
,{ll functions work as designed.
All I need now is a decent steam
engine chuff-chuff and diesel engine
sound unit to add to my locos.
Ted Hanson,
Maryborough Qld.
Comment: as you point out, the LCD
panel does show track direction
but the direction LEDI is probably
misnamed and should have been
"Track" because it shows the relative
track voltage according to brigþtness
POtl'ER
with the colour change only visible
when the voltage rises sufficiently.
The idea of a second more notice- dcommunltl
able direction indicator is good and
dlsl¡nd¡
the connection of LEDT betweenpins
7 and B of IC7 is the way to go but lnm
with a 470Q resistor instead of 220O.
We published a SteamSound
Simulator project in the October
7991 issue. A steam train whistle
and diesel horn was published in
luly 1994. Finally, a díesel sound
simulator was published in the De-
cember 7992 issue.
ous flve-state capital listener event.
The radio industry worldwide is
working on digital radio receiver pro-
files and single-chip technology that
will allow a digital radio to receive all
the Eureka L47 rnodes, DAB+, DAB
and DMB audio.
foan Warner,
Chief Executive Officer,
Commercial Radio Australia.
lnteÍerence suppression
in amplifier power supply
With reference to the item headed
"Amplifi er Causes Radio Interference"
on page B9 of the March 2009 issue,
I was involved with interference sup-
pression as a profession for some years, Gontact U$ for $olutlons to YOUR
I believe that placing a 1OnF capacitor
across each diode in the power supply
block should reduce or eliminate the
interference thatN. H. is experiencing. P0 Box lt8, Gleenwood tIA 692f
Ifthat is not 100% successful try ad- Ph:08 9fl8 1995 F¡x 08 9ll8 8ll0
ditional similar capacitors across some endl:
of the other power diodes in the lower
JUNE 2009
 Letters and emails should contain complete name, address and daytime phone number. Letters to
the Editor are submitted on the condit¡on that Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd may ed¡t and has the
right to reproduce in electronic form and communicate these letters.This also applies to submissions
to'Ask SILICON CHIP" and "Circuit Notebook".
Time-keeping query on
School Zone Speed Aleil
With reference to the School Zone
Speed Alert project, the worst-case
crystal accuracy of +o ppm will pro-
duce atime error of approximatelyfive
minutes over a school term. I do not
know how much leniency is applied
regarding the starting and finishing
times for school zones but a 5-minute
error may result in one incurring a fine
and loss of points,
Maybe your readers would be wise
to check the Speed Alert's time at the
beginning of arrd halfway through each
school term.
Col Hodgson,
Mount Elliot, NSW.
Comment: there is a reference to "trim-
ming the crystaL" on pzge 41 of the
article. This covers your point.
Morc light needed
on black boxes
Many years ago, I used to bry Radio
ù Hobbies magazine in an attempt to
work out what happens in the "magic
black box". Over the years, I learned
about radio, audio and power sup-
plies. Later came computers and pro-
gramming (in Basic) and now that
l{ot all GPS satnavs need
constant 3-satellite recept¡on
In-car navigation comes in two
versions: satellite reception only
or satnav with GPS and speed data
comparison. Both need about three
satellites for triangulation initially
to determine the vehicle's position.
The in-car GPS receivers fi.rst in-
troduced into Australia by Philips
are not blacked out by satellite net-
work shadow areas like city build-
ings; car parks, valleys and under
thunderstorms. They continue to
operate well, utilising a microproc-
essor computer in the unit, which
processes extra data from a simple
gyro and electrical pulses from the
speedo.
Sntco¡rt Catp
I am retired, modern electronics as
described in your excellent magazine
but I always seem to be chasing that
"magic black box".
It has only just dawned on me that
this is the reason that I have frowned
on microprocessors in your projects.
Granted, it is often easy to understand
the circuits and they are easy to build.
But what happens in the little black
box?
Stan Swan's excellent articles help
a bit, However, it didn't occur to me
what was missing from these projects
until the GPS Synchronised Clock
article in the March issue. This gave a
great description of how the program
works.
How about a little more on this side
of the hobby? Perhaps snippets on the
program, how it was designed or how
to think out the basics of the program.
Even the odd routine and other demys-
tifying techniques would make these
projects more interesting.
David Lloyd,
Clare, S,{.
Comment: in recent times we have at-
temptedtø give a Lot more information
ab out what happ ens insi de micro s. F or
example, consider the extensive de-
Advanced GPS units like this
process all this information to know
the direction and speed of the car,
comparing it with the satellite data
and inbuilt maps for more accurate
indication. In practice, I did find
some inaccuracy once in a heavy
rainstorm but generally it was un-
stoppable.
The Philips system worked so
well there was an instance when
the antenna plug was accidentally
disconnected and the unit contin-
ued to work for a few days with no
satellite reception. Of course, units
with this technology are superior but
more expensive.
Kevin Poulter,
Dingley, Vic,
scription in the Car Scrolling Display
project December 2008 to February
2009) and the Audio Millivoltmeter
inthe March 2009 issue.
DAB+ has an exc¡t¡ng
futu¡e in Australia
I write in response to a letter to the
editor with the headline "D,A.B On The
Wane Inthe UK" fromDavidWilliams,
Hornsby, NSW, in the May 2009 edi-
tion SLICON CHIP.
People often compare Australia's
digital radio switch-on with the UK,
without fuIly understanding that there
are fundamental differences in the
digital radio models in each country.
In Australia, incumbent broadcasters
hold the digital radio licences and
multiplexes a¡rd have invested in their
digital future. In the UK, a multiplex
operator owns the digital radio licence
and individual commercial broadcast-
ers then pay an annual fee to transmit
the digital signal. This obviously adds
costs to any digital radio model in
the UK.
The UK did not have the best start a
little over 10 years ago but to be fair, it
is only in the past three to four years
that the UK market has introduced a
unifled ongoing marketing message
ftom the BBC and the commercial
radio sector working together, with
affordable receivers and better bit rates
for better audio quality.
Figures released on 7th May 2009
by Rajar in the UK show DAB digital
radio ownership is up 19% year on
year, with 32% of adults, more than 16
million people, now living in a DAB
household. That's nearly one third of
the UK's adult population and DAB
radios continue selling at more than
a million a year.
We have learnt much from the UK
experience. Firstly, the DAB+ technol-
ogy Australia is launching is far supe-
rior a¡rd more spectrum-efficient than
the older DAB technology introduced
siliconchip.com.au
SI],¡GO]I CHIP'S PERFORMAIIGE EIEG.
TROlllCS FOR GARS Pubtished 2oo4
lf you ever wanted to performance from your car, this is the
book you need. 160 pages of technical background to give
you a thorough understanding then 16 specialised proiects
to build to make your car really perform, including engine
modifiers and controllers, instruments and switches/t
timers
AC MAGHII{ES
By Jim Lowe Published 2006
Applicable to Australian trades-level courses including NE10
AC Machines, NE12 Synchronous Machines and the AC part
NE30 Electric M0t0r C0ntrol and Protection.
Covering polyphase induction motors, single-
phase motors, synchronous machines and
polyphase motor starting. 160 pages in paperback.
PIG MlCR0COilTR0ttERS: know it all
tl By diJasio, Wilmshurst, lbrahim, Morton, Bates,
Smith, Smith and Hellebuyck
PIC
L irii
-L rN'Rl': I r" )
The best of subjects Newnes authors have written over the
., I l:; past few years, combined in a one-stop maxi reference.
Covers introduction to PlCs and their programming in As-
sembly, PICBASIC, MBASIC & C.
More than 900 pages paperback.
ROBOT BUIIDER'S GOOKBOOK
. By Owen Bishop Published21}7
The PIC microcontroller throughout provides a painless
introduction to programming. lt's a book for first-t¡me and
advanced robot builders and those studying at higher educa-
tion levels in this fascinating field. Has companion website
to download programs. 374 pages in paperback
IIEW]IES GUIDE TO TETEUISIO]I
& UIDEO TEGHI{OIOGY
By KF lbrahim 4th Edition (Published 2007)
It's back! Now in a new edition provides a full and comprehen-
sive coverage of video and televis¡on technology including HDW
and DVD. Starts with fundamentals so is ideal for students but
covers in-depth technologies such as blu-ray, DLB Digital
W, etc so is also pelect for engineers.
600+ pages in paperback
PRAGTIGAT UARIABTE SPEEII IIRIVES
A]III POWER ETEGTRO]IICS
by Malcolm Barnes. 1st Ed, Feb 2003.
An essential reference for engineers and anyone who wishes
to design or use variable speed drives for induction motors.
As reviewed in Srucou CHrp September 2003. 288 pages.
TV Al{D H0BBIES April 1939 to March 1965
- Every art¡cle to enjoy once aga¡n 0n DVD-ROM!
This remarkable archival collection spans nearly three decades of
Australia's own 'Radio and HobbiesTRadio TV and Hobbies'. Every
article has been scanned into PDF format - ready t0 read at your
leisure on your computer (obviously, a computerÐVD-R0M reader
' is required along with Acrobat Reader 6 or later). For history buffs,
it's worth its weight in gold. For vintage radio enthusiasts, what could
be better? For anyone interested in electronics, this is one which you
ilUSfhave in your collection! llB: Does not play 0n audio DUD players.
t0fE: ALL PßICES ABE PLAS P&P - AUSTÐAUA ùtLY: $7.00 ne¡
.ALL
TITLES SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. PRICES VALID IOR MONTH
UIIIEO SGRAMBTI]IG & IIESGBAMBLI]IG
FOR SATEIIITE & GABTE TV
by Graf & Sheets -2nd Edition
Ever wondered how they scramble video on cable and satel-
lite W? This book tells you! Encoding/decoding systems
(analog and digital systems), encryption, even schematics
and details of several encoder and decoder circuits for
experimentation. For both the hobbyist and the professional.
290 pages in paperback.
AUIIIO POWER AMPTIFIER DESIG]I
HAllllB0OK by Douglas Self 4th Edition 2006
fleduced in prlce lrnn prcv¡lus edition! From one of the
most respected audio authorities. New 4th edition is more comp-
rehensive than ever - now with new chapters on Class D ampli-
fiers and DC servos. Now even bigger - 465 pages in
See the review in Sept.2006 issue.
SELF flil AUDIfl by Douslas Self 2nd Edition 2006
A collection of 35 classic magazine articles offering a depend-
able methodology for designing audio power amplifiers in a way
that ¡mþroves performance at every point without significantly
increasing cost. lncludes compressors/limiters, hybrid bipolar/
FET amps, electronic switching and more.
474 pages in paperback.
PR0GRAMM|]{G 1 6-b¡r MlGR0Col{-
TROILERS lil C sv LucidiJasio (2007)
Subtitled Learning to Fly the PIC 24, A Microchip insidertells
all on the newest, most powerful PlCs ever! Condenses typical
introductory'fluff' focusing instead on examples
lhat show how to solve common, real-world desi
quickly. lncludes handy checklists. FREE
includes source code in C, the Microchip C30
piler, and MPLAB SlM. 400 pages paperback.
CD-RoM incl
HA]IDS.OlI ZIGBEE
By Fred Eady, Published 2007
We asked our Zigbee guru, Telelink's Jack Chomley,
t0 comment on this book and he said 'wow! Ïhis one is right up
_ñ
to date'. A lot 0f it is pretty in-depth but, according to Jack, if
you want to learn all about Zigbee you'd go a long way
to find a better reference than this one.
336 pages in paperpback.
AUIIIO ETEGTROlIICS
By John Linsley Hood. Second edition 1999.
For anyone involved in designing, adapting and using analog
and digital audio equipment. Covers tape recording, tuners
and receivers, preamplifiers, voltage amplifiers, audio power
amplifiers, compact disc technology & digital audio, test &
containing over 1000 classic prolects, sourced from
Scientific American over the past 73 years - and coverin¡
every field 0f science. This new'Dr Shawn' edition is the
latest version - it's said to be even more user friendly
with much more information and data. Runs
browser (on Win2000 or later).
National Sc¡ence Teachers Association (
o¡de¡: llZ - $12.00 PEB B00lC BESI 0F WùßLD 018.00
AtL PRICES INCLUDE GSI
ISSUE ONLY.
 NflARKETCENVTRE Cash in your surplus gear. Advertise it here in Sn-rcox Curp
More is hetter.
fr-rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl Agilent's new 1000 Series oscilloscope is engineered to give you more scope than you
I CIASSI FI EO ADVER1Iil NE RAÍES thought you could afford.
I Advertising rates for these pages: Classified ads: $29.50 (incl. GST) for up to 20 !
I words plus 85 cents for each additional word. Display ads: $54.50 (incl. GST) per I
I column centimetre (max. 1Ocm). Closing date: 5 weeks prior to month of sale. I
I
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I
I I
I I
I I
I
I o Build test instruments to cheek fud
I injector duty cycle, fuel mixtures and
brake & temperature
I
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siliconchip.com.au www. si I iconch ip. com. au JUNE 2009 103
 Do You Eat, Breathe and Sleep TECHNOLOGY?
Opportunities for full-time and part-time positions all over Australia & New Zealand
Jaycar Electron¡cs is a rapidly growing, Austral¡an Why not do something you love and get paid for it? Please
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û Knowledge of electronics, part¡cularly at component level

P0 Box 107, Rydalmere, NSW 2116
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Feqture¡
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58 Digital Radio ls Coming,Pt.4
Final article ìn the series describes the signal formats, compares DAB+ and

RFMA
DRM and looks at su¡table antennas for DAB+ reception - by Alan Hughes , High Voltage Smart
Battery Capacity Meter - Page 20.
*r#,?9.iJ,|'Î;.åäfll?ii? 84 VoiceMe: A Vo¡ce-Activated Remote Control
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91 Tech Support: The View From The Other Side
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30 Circuit Notebook
(1) One-ln-Five Timer; (2) External USB Supply For \POD Totich; (3) Remote
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a brief description 44 Serviceman's Log
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Dumbed down but stimulated by Rudd-bucks - by the Serviceman
Provided your idea is workable
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3/8" x 19 Mlo x l,smm s48.ao
5t32" 9.ao fl-or o)
O852) 522.00 çrrro¡ s24,zo tlol l)
Ml2 x 1.75mm $48.40 |r113) 3116" .112"