TESTING SEMICONDUCTORS MADE EASY

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NOVEMBER 1999
03

NOW

Was that a truck passing by, or did the

Earth just move under your feet?
You'll know if you build the

Seismic
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Build A
Frequency Probe
It's the quick and easy
way to test the frequenc
of any circuit

Audio Gets
Easier
Learn how to
use National
new "Boomer"
audio -amplifier ICs

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A Rotary Encoder
Makes measuring the
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Vol. 70 No 11

Tj
M B E R

ON

33 A

999

THE-COV

C H N O L O.

Seismic Detector

Prototype
Blood tests without needle sticks, super -small
IC masks, verifying extraterrestrial contacts,
safer train crossings, and more.

Recent events in Turkey and elsewhere

around the world have once again shown us
that the solid Earth is not nearly as solid as
we often assume. If in light of such things you
want to keep a closer eye on the ground
under your feet, or if you want to investigate
earthquakes and similar natural phenomena,
then you'll want to build this month's cover
project. It is a computer -based seismic detector that's great in the lab, and-since it is battery powered and portable oven better in
Ron Newton
the field.

Audio Gets Easier: Using the

New LM4862
National Semiconductors' new "Boomer" audioamplifier ICs are an audio hobbyist's dream
come true; here's how to use one of them.
Michael A. Covington

EQUIPMENT REPORT
Olympus C -2000 Zoom Digital Camera.
SERVICE CLINIC
The easy way to test semiconductors.
Sam Goldwasser

Precision Audio Dummy Load

Test audio amps without using speakers.

DX LISTENING

Gary McClellan

Weird antennas of yesteryear.

Infrared -Based Rotary Encoder

This simple circuit lets you accurately measure the position of any
James J. Barbarello
rotary shaft.

Frequency Probe
A quick and easy way to measure frequency of any waveform up to 2
Skip Campisi
MHz.

?P

ANTIQUE RADIO

Troubleshooting

dead receiver.

Don Jensen

Marc Ellis

27 COMPUTER CONNECTIONS

Really bad computer "deals"

Konstantinos Karagiannis

go TECH MUSINGS
Sub -pixel secrets, diodes as RF switches, and

more.

Don Lancaster

LETTERS

NEW PRODUCTS

98

ADVERTISING INDEX

Q&A

NEW LITERATURE

98

ADVERTISING SALES OFFICE

newsworthy products, techniques, and scientific and technological

As a service to readers, ELECTRONICS NOW publishes available plans or information relating to
ELECTRONICS NOW disclaims any
developments. Because of possible variances in the quality and condition of materials and workmanship used by readers,
in this magazine.
responsibility for the safe and proper functioning of reader -built projects based upon or from plans or information published
ELECTRONICS NOW disclaims any liability for the
Since some of the equipment and circuitry in ELECTRONICS NOW may relate to or be covered by U.S. patents,
that anyone interested in such projects consult a patent
infringement of such patents by the making, using, or selling of any such equipment or circuitry, and suggests
attorney.
Inc., 500 Bi -County Boulevard, Farmingdale, NY 11735ELECTRONICS NOW, (ISSN 1067 -9294) November 1999. Published monthly by Gernsback Publications,
IPM Agreement No. 334103, authorized at Mississauga, Canada. One 3931. Periodicals Postage paid at Farmingdale, NY and additional mailing offices. Canada Post
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1999 by Gernsback Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
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POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to ELECTRONICS NOW, Subscription Dept., Box 55115, Boulder,

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&ctIVfliCS

Combined with

-f

Radio Electronics'

-S

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO THE EDITORS

OF ELECTRONICS NOW MAGAZINE

Upgrade Update
As author of the article "Controlling
Servos From a Computer" (Electronics
Now, August 1999), I would like to
update the article and make a correction.
The correction concerns my e-mail
address; it is listed incorrectly in the Part
List box. The correct address is rmoro
@compuserve.com-note that the first
letter was omitted.
The manufacturer of IC 1 has upgraded the chip, requiring an update to the
software. That software is now on the
Gernsback KIP site under the same name

(ftp.gernsback.com/pub/EN/itc23
2.txt). If you are having difficulty with
your project, re- download the updated

software.

RICARDO MORO -VIDAL

April Fool Revisited

I read the letter in the August 1999
"Letters" column on the April Fool's

An

rn

article and was reminded of an experience of many years ago. As a young

man, say 15, I was reading a then old
copy of Popular Electronics (April) and
was truly inspired with an article on
"Contra -Polar Energy," which detailed
a circuit that would reverse the physical properties of common electrical
devices. It was accompanied by a photo
of an ice tray filled with ice and sitting
on a hot plate, plus various other awe inspiring photos.
Seeing great potential in this, I
promptly wrote a letter to the editors
requesting more information. (I am sure
that this caused great hilarity when
read.) They then sent me a reply
explaining the relationship of the article
and the issue date, Boy, was my face red
upon receiving this much anticipated
reply. I still remember the event clearly
after some 37 years or so!
Keep up the humor, after all this time
when reminded of that event I get a big smile
and that tickle of humor down my back.

RICK LANE
Los Lunas, NM

NOW

Hugo Gernsback (1884-1967) founder

LARRY STECKLER, EHF, CET,
Editor-in -chief and publisher
ADRIA COREN, Vice President
KEN COREN, Vice President

Two -Cents Worth of Soldering Tips

Skip Campisi has authored the best
instructions for hand soldering that I have
ever seen in his article "How to Succeed In
Soldering" (Electronics Now, July 1999).
However, as an EE and an electronic hobbyist for over 40 years, I would like to add
my two -cents worth. First, when working
with electrostatic- sensitive semiconductors
(as most ICs today are), you must use an
iron with a grounded tip. That is why
many technicians use a soldering station
they are almost always grounded. I don't
know why, but individual pencil irons with
a three-wire cord and a grounded tip are
hard to find.
An old, old method for keeping an
iron from overheating is to rig a circuit
with an ordinary light bulb in series with
the soldering iron along with a switch that
shorts out the lamp. This keeps the iron
cool enough to reduce tip oxidation, but
still maintains an adequate soldering temperature. The lamp is switched out when
heating the iron from a cold start and also
whenever extra heat is needed. Standard
120-volt, 25 -watt, or 40 -watt lamps work
well, depending on the wattage of the iron.
Any components that have been lying
around in a junk box for a few years are
likely to have oxidized leads. Resistor
leads seem to be especially vulnerable.
Cleaning such leads with a fiberglass
brush or a small piece of extra -fine steel
wool will reduce the incidence of cold
solder joints. Keep up the good work.

MARTEN JENSEN
Redlands, CA
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Oscillator Circuits and Projects.

Test Procedures for Basic

Irving M. Gottlieb

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256 pp, paperback.

ideas in your day -to-day use of circuits

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OLYMPUS

Digital images swell

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Shutter speeds range from fi to '/800 second.
The C -2000 Zoom digital camera
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The C -2000 Zoom stores images on
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The C -2000 Zoom has an all- glass,
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camera provides the equivalent of a

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The C -2000 Zoom has a built-in
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Like most digital cameras, the C2000 Zoom can link to a PC through the
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Olympus SmartMedia cards are specially formatted to allow the camera to
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for impressive panoramic and increased
overall image resolution. Adobe Photo Deluxe image manipulation and creation
software is also included with the camera,
(Continued on page 97)

IJ
READERS' QUESTIONS, EDITORS' ANSWERS
CONDUCTED BY MICHAEL A. COVINGTON, N4TMI

+8V TO 16V
NC

One -RPM Stepper

QFor an astronomical instrument, I need
to make a stepper motor turn at exactly 1
revolution per minute (rpm). The motor is a

Mitsumi M68SP -4 unit with six wires. It

moves in 1.8-degree steps. How do I do
McA., Tucson, AZ
this?

M.

letter explains that you're

building a "barn -door tracker," a
simple gadget that lets you take long exposure photographs of the stars by
compensating for the earth's rotation.
It consists of two pieces of wood,
hinged together, with the axle of the
hinges pointed toward Polaris and
therefore parallel to the earth's axis.
The hinges gradually swing open at an
angular rate equal to the earth's rotation as the wooden panels are pushed
apart by 20- thread -per -inch screw
rotating at 1 rpm and positioned exactly 290mm from the hinge axle.
Naturally, the device can only open up
a few degrees before you have to reset
the screw, but that's enough for a time
exposure of five or ten minutes. For
details, see Astrophotography for the
Amateur, by Michael Covington, 1999
edition, pp. 120-121, or do a Web
search for "barn -door tracker" or
"Scotch mount."
Most people turn the handle of a
barn-door tracker by hand, but you've
elected to use a stepper motor.
Accordingly, this is a two -part question:
how to run a stepper motor, and how to
get the desired speed. Let's tackle the
second part first.
A stepper motor turns when its windings are energized in a specific sequence,
and by far the easiest way to do this is to
use a stepper motor driver chip such as
the Motorola MC3479P (see Fig. 1).
This chip moves the motor in either full
or half steps depending on whether pin
9 is connected to V+ or to ground. Each
step is triggered in turn by a clock pulse
on pin 7.
Since your motor makes 1.8- degree

BLACK

Cl
'00

ru

BROWN

BROWN

RED

YELLOW

ORANGE!

WHITE

CLOCK
INPUT

0-60014z

RED

GREEN!

AYour

1-

MOTOROLA'S MC3479P CAN BE USED to drive most 4-, 5-, and 6-wire stepper
motors with a minimum of additional components. To be on the safe side, don't assume
your motor's wire colors match what's shown here; check things out with an ohmmeter to
be sure.
FIG.

steps, it needs 200 pulses (or, in half-step

mode, 400 pulses) to make a complete
circle. A frequency of 400 cycles per
minute equals 6.667 cycles per second
(Hertz). Accordingly, the second part of
the task is to generate a precise 6.667 Hz clock signal.
That was the challenging part. The
easy way would be to program a micro controller to count the appropriate
number of microseconds for each cycle.
However, you requested a design using
off-the -shelf parts, and after trying lots
of combinations I came up with the
quartz -controlled circuit in Fig. 2. Here
a standard 4.9152 -MHz microprocessor

crystal is used with a CD4060

(MC14060) CMOS oscillator -divider,
which divides it down to 600 Hz. Then

two CD4017 (MC 14017) decade counters divide the frequency by 9 and by 10,
respectively. The output is a 6.667 -Hz
square wave.
Several cautionary notes: In the oscillator- divider circuit, don't use 74HC
chips (74HC4060, 74HC4017) unless
you're using a regulated 5 -volt supply. In
the motor circuit, the MC3479P can
handle a maximum of 350 mA; for heavier currents than that, you need a similar

but

chip,

different

slightly

the

SAA1042A, described in this column in

August 1996.

The color code for stepper -motor

wires seems to vary haphazardly, so use
an ohmmeter to check out your particular motor before hooking it up. If the
windings have center taps (yours do),
+6V TO 18V

C3

10

C2
20 pF

X1

V+

V+

014

R1

CLK

CO

CLK

RS

CE

09

CE

V-

V-

RS

V-

013

10

MEG
X2

8192

CO

12

6.667 Hz
OUT

RS

ts

66.67 Hz

600 Hz

4,915,200 Hz

CD4017

CD4017

CD4060

Cl
20pF

0.1

IC3

X1

4.9152
MHz

-9

10

FIG. 2 -THIS CIRCUIT GENERATES a precise 6.667 -Hz clock signal using off-the -shelf
components. The 4.1952 -MHz crystal (X1) is used in many microprocessor circuits and is
easy to find.

www.americanradiohistory.com

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For your free catalog of our programs dial

1- 800 -955 -2527

http: //www.grantham.edu

GCE

leave them unconnected. If the motor

turns the wrong way, reverse the connections to one of the windings. With a
motor that moves in 3.6- degree steps
(100 steps or 200 half-steps per full circle), you'll need to cut the clock speed in
half; you can do this by feeding IC2
from pin 3 of IC 1 instead of pin 2.
You may want to implement a "fast
reverse" mode for backing the screw out
after completing an exposure. You can
reverse the motor by connecting pin 10
of the MC3479P to ground instead of
V+, and you can get higher speeds by

feeding IC2 from one of the higher-frequency outputs of ICI (try each output
pin until you find a suitable one).
Finally, note that in continuous operation, stepper motors get warm. Use the
lowest voltage that gives adequate
torque. You can reduce the voltage to
the motor by including some silicon rectifiers (1N4001 or equivalent) in series
with the power supply; each one takes
off about 0.7 volt, and they also protect
against an accidentally reversed battery.
The MC3479P and some motors
that work well with it are available from
Jameco, 1355 Shoreway Road, Belmont,
CA 94002; Tel: 800 -831 -4242; Web:
www.jameco.com. Suitable motors are
very common in junked printers and the
like; it may be that all you need is the
chip. The ECG1857 and NTE1857 are
exact substitutes for the MC3479P.
To learn more about stepper motors,
see "Robotics Workshop" in Popular
Electronics, July 1999, pp. 64-66, 70
(available from our Reprint Bookstore)
and Doug Jones' stepper motor FAQ on
the Web at wwwcs.uiowa.edu/-jones/step.

Grantham College ofEngineering

34641 Grantham College Road
Slidell, LA 70460 -6815

Pager Transmitter?
there a way to rig a 9 -volt transmitter
activate my pager (without
going through the telephone lines or my
pager company) when a motion detector is
triggered? H.E.R., Shell Beach, CA
QIs

to directly

doesn't sound easy. You'd have to

mimic the activation code sent to
your pager by the pager company,
which may be a fairly complicated signal. Consider using a separate receiver
(such as a pocket FM radio) and building one of the FM transmitters in
Popular Electronics, July 1999, pp.
3 7-42 . On using your PC to generate
the digital codes used by pagers, see
AIt

Electronics Now, February 1998

issue, pp.

42-45.

Audio Transformer Query

I'd like

to build the intercom in your

February, 1997, issue, p. 14, but I cannot
locate an 8- ohm -to -1000-ohm audio transformer. Where can I get this transformer?
G. N. K, Ft. Worth, TX

A Use RadioShack's 1000-ohm -to -8ohm transformer (273- 1380), reversing the roles of the primary and secondary. That will work just as well.

Yourfirst step
to help yourself

better your future!

ASomehow, AM stereo has never been

the commercial success that was predicted, perhaps because the talk -radio
boom came along at about the same
time. But it hasn't died out, either.
We published an AM stereo conversion circuit in our January 1984 issue,
pages 41-46, 102, and 114 (see also the
May 1984 issue, p. 20). It used a
Motorola MC13020P chip, which is
going out of production and may be
hard to find.
You can buy a wide range of AM
stereo receivers and tuners from AM
Stereo Works (1555 State Road 207, St.
Augustine, FL 32086; Tel: 904-8105140; Web: www.stereoam.com). They
have conversion kits for existing
receivers, but they are fairly expensive
(about $90); they can also convert your
radio for you.

AM Stereo Wanted
a chip that will add
AM stereo capability to an existing AM
radio?
A. H., Lancaster, OH
Is there a circuit or

R.

www.americanradiohistory.com

Parallel 4049s; Another

Chip Quest
it possible to connect two or more elements of the MC14049 (CD4049)
buffer/inverter chip to increase the drive and
sink capability?
Also, I would appreciate any information
you can give me about the BTS629 7-pin
automotive dimmer chip. -S. B., Mirsirauga,
Ont., Canada
QIs

AYour first question is easy: Yes,

CMOS inverters (including units of

the 4049) can be paralleled to increase
their output current capacity. Connect

inputs together and outputs together. I

have sometimes paralleled all six gates
for this purpose.
I wasn't able to track down the
BTS629. The BTS prefix suggests it
may be a Siemens (now Infineon) product, but it is not in their current product
listing. Their BTS630 sounds like what
you're asking about; it is a 7 -pin, TO220- packaged power controller that uses
pulse -width modulation. That is, it
switches the power on and off very
rapidly, varying the percentage of the
time that it is on. You can get a data

from Infineon's web site

(www.infineon.com) or by writing to
Infineon Technologies AG, P.O. Box
800949, 81609 Munich, Germany. They
can also refer you to Infineon distributors in your area.

sheet

Infrared Link
need to increase the range of an
infrared-linked computer and printer. Is
it possible to transmit infrared over a fiber optic cable? Is it possible to increase the range
Ql

HOW TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTRONICS

On the Internet: See our Web site at
http: //www.gernsback.com for information
and files relating to our magazines (Electronics Now and Popular Electronics)
and links to other useful sites.
To discuss electronics with your fellow
enthusiasts, visit the newsgroups sci. elec
tronics.repair, sci.electronics.components,
sci.electronics.design, and rec.radio. amateur.homebrew. "For sale" messages are
permitted only in rec.radio.swap and
mist. industry.electronics. marketplace.
Many electronic component manufacturers have Web pages; see the directory
at http: //www.hitex.com /chipdir /, or try
addresses such as http: //www.ti.com and
http: //www. motorola.com (substituting any
company's name or abbreviation as appropriate). Many IC data sheets can be
viewed online. www.questlink.com features
IC data sheets and gives you the ability to
buy many of the ICs in small quantities
using a credit card. You can also get
detailed IC information from www.icmas
ter.com, which is now free of charge
although it formerly required a subscription. Extensive information about how to
repair consumer electronic devices and
computers can be found at www.repair
faq.org

Books: Several good introductory electronics books are available at RadioShack,

including one on building power supplies.
An excellent general electronics textbook is The Art of Electronics, by Paul
Horowitz and Winfield Hill, available from
the publisher (Cambridge University Press,
1- 800 -872-7423) or on special order
through any bookstore. Its 1125 pages are
full of information on how to build working
circuits, with a minimum of mathematics.
Also indispensable is The ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs, comprising 1000
pages of theory, radio circuits, and ready -tobuild projects, available from the American
Radio Relay League, Newington, CT
06111, and from ham -radio equipment
dealers.

Copies of past articles: Copies of past

articles in Electronics Now and Popular

Electronics (post 1994 only) are available

from our Claggk, Inc., Reprint Department,
P.O Box 4099, Farmingdale, NY 11735;
Tel: 516- 293 -3751.

Electronics Now and many other magazines are indexed in the Reader's Guide to
Periodical Literature, available at your public library. Copies of articles in other magazines can be obtained through your public
library's interlibrary loan service; expect to
pay about 30 cents a page.
Service manuals: Manuals for radios, TVs,
VCRs, audio equipment, and some computers are available from Howard W. Sams &
Co., Indianapolis, IN 46214 (1- 800 -4287267). The free Sams catalog also lists
addresses of manufacturers and parts dealers. Even if an item isn't listed in the catalog,
it pays to call Sams; they may have a schematic on file which they can copy for you.
Manuals for older test equipment and
ham radio gear are available from Hi
Manuals, PO Box 802, Council Bluffs, IA
51502, and Manuals Plus, PO Box 549,
Tooele, UT 84074.

Replacement semiconductors: Replacement transistors, ICs, and other semiconductors, marketed by Philips ECG, NTE,
and Thomson (SK), are available through
most parts dealers (including RadioShack
on special order). The ECG, NTE, and SK
lines contain a few hundred parts that substitute for many thousands of others; a
directory (supplied as a large book and on
diskette) tells you which one to use. NTE
numbers usually match ECG; SK numbers
are different.
Remember that the "2S" in a Japanese
type number is usually omitted; a transistor
marked D945 is actually a 2SD945.

Hamfests (swap meets) and local organizations: These can be located by writing
to the American Radio Relay League,
Newington, CT 06111; (http: //www.arrl.org).
A hamfest is an excellent place to pick up
used test equipment, older parts, and other
items at bargain prices, as well as to meet
your fellow electronics enthusiasts -both
amateur and professional.

www.americanradiohistory.com

of the IR relay in your Fall 1994

Electronics Hobbyists' Handbook?

G. R., Anchorage, AK

AUsing a fiber-optic cable sounds like

the easiest solution; infrared signals
should pass through it just fine. (If you
try this, write again and let us know
how well it worked.) As for the
repeater circuit, you can place the
LEDs a long way from the rest of the
device, connected by speaker wire. But
first make sure the repeater will work
with your computer. Infrared data signals are chopped (switched on and off)
at a high frequency (around 40 kHz),
to distinguish them from other sources
of infrared light, and your computer
may not be using the same frequency as
a

TV remote control.

Ultrasonic Listener Found

the July issue, a reader asked for plans
for an ultrasonic listening device.
Popular Electronics has had at least two
that I know of one in the December 1994
QIn

issue (pp.
1989 (pp.
e

74-75) and one in February

46-48, 103). Mick Palmer, by

-mail
iAThanks! The 1989 project does exactly what the reader requested.

Writing to Q&A
As always, we welcome

your questions.

The most interesting ones are answered

in print. Please be sure to:
(1) include plenty of background
information (we'll shorten your letter
for publication);
(2) give your full name and address
on your letter (not just the envelope);
(3) type your letter if possible, or
write very neatly; and
(4) if you are asking about a circuit,
include a complete diagram.

Questions can be sent to Q &A,

Electronics Now Magazine, 500 BiCounty Blvd., Farmingdale, NY

11735, or e- mailed to q &a @gernsback.com, but please do not expect an
immediate reply (because of our backlog) and please don't send graphics files
larger than 100K. Due to the volume
of mail, we regret that we cannot give
personal replies.

BY SAM GOLDWASSER

SERVICE EDITOR

Testing Semiconductors

THIS MONTH WE WILL TAKE A BREAK FROM HEAVY TROU-

BLESHOOTING TO GO OVER SOME OF THE BASIC TECHNIQUES FOR TESTING OF COMMON SEMICONDUCTORS. WHILE
FANCY TRANSISTOR TESTERS AND CURVE TRACERS HAVE THEIR
place, when you just want to know if
your horizontal output transistor is toast
or not they can be more trouble than
they are worth. Most (though not all)
failures of diodes, transistors, SCRs, and
so forth, result in unambiguous changes
to the device parameters that can be

found with very simple tests typically

using a DMM or VOM, a power supply,
and a few resistors.
In most cases, these simple tests will
identify bad silicon transistors. Gain,
frequency response, etc., are not
addressed here. While the tests can be
applied to germanium devices, these are
more likely to change characteristics, it
would seem, without totally failing.

Safety Considerations
None of the tests described here
require probing live circuits. However,
before touching, probing, or unsoldering any component, make sure the
equipment is unplugged and any large
capacitors have been safely discharged.
Not only can coming in contact with a
live circuit or charged capacitor ruin
your day, but your test equipment could
be damaged or destroyed as well.

VOMs and DMMs

Analog and digital meters behave
quite differently when testing nonlinear
devices like diodes and transistors. For
example, it is important to remember
that an analog VOM on the lowest resis-

tance range could put out too much current for smaller devices, possibly damaging them. Ironically, this is more likely
with better meters like the Simpson 260,
which can test to lower ohms (x 1 scale).
Use the next higher resistance range in
this case or a DMM, as those never drive
the device under test with significant
current. However, this can result in false
readings as the current may be too low
to adequately bias the junctions of some
power devices or devices with built -in
resistors.

Testing Diode Junctions with a

Multimeter
On the (analog) VOM, use the low
ohms scale. A regular signal diode or
rectifier should read a low resistance
(typically 2/3 scale or a couple hundred
ohms) in the forward direction and infinite (nearly) resistance in the reverse
direction. It should not read near 0
ohms (shorted) or open in both directions. A germanium diode will result in a
higher scale reading (lower resistance)
due to its lower voltage drop.
For the VOM, you are measuring the
resistance at a particular (low current)
operating point -this is not the actual
resistance that you will see in a power
rectifier circuit, for example.
On a (digital) DMM, there will usually be a diode -test mode. Using this, a
silicon diode should read between 0.5 to
0.8 V in the forward direction and open
in reverse. For a germanium diode, it

www.americanradiohistory.com

will be lower, perhaps 0.2 to 0.4 V or so

in the forward direction. Using the normal resistance ranges -any of them
will usually show open for any semiconductor junction since the meter does not
apply enough voltage to reach the value
of the forward drop. Note, however, that
a defective diode may indeed indicate a

resistance lower than infinity especially

on the highest ohms range. So, any reading of this sort would be an indication of
a bad device but the opposite is not
guaranteed.
Note: For a VOM, the polarity of the
probes is often reversed from what you
would expect from the color coding
the red lead is negative with respect to
the black one. DMMs usually have the
polarity as you would expect it. Confirm
this using a known diode as a reference.
Also, "calibrate" your meter with both
silicon and germanium semiconductors
so you will know what to expect with an
unknown device.

Transistor Testing Methodology

As with diode junctions, most digital
meters show infinite resistance for all six

Bo

NPN TRANSISTOR

PNP TRANSISTOR

-A

FIG. 1
BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR can be
modeled using diodes.

combinations of junction measurements

since their effective resistance -test voltage is less than a diode junction drop (if
you accidentally get your skin involved it
will show something between 200K and
2M ohms). The best way to test transistors with a DMM is to make use of the
"diode- test" function, which will be
described after we talk about testing
with an analog meter. Regardless of
whether you test with an analog or digital meter, if you read a short circuit (0
ohms or voltage drop of 0) or the transistor fails any of the readings, it is bad
and must be replaced. This discussion is
for out -of-circuit transistors only.
One exception to this occurs with
some power transistors, which have builtin diodes (damper diodes reverse connected across the C -E junction) and
resistors (B -E, around 50 ohms) that
will confuse these readings. If you are
testing a transistor of this type -horizontal output transistors are the most
common example-you will need to
compare with a known good transistor
or check the specifications to be sure.
There are some other cases as well. So,
if you get readings that do not make
sense, try to confirm with a known good
transistors of the same type or with a
spec sheet.
Before testing an unknown device, it is
best to confirm and label lead polarity (of
voltage provided in resistance or diode test
mode) of your meter whether it be an analog VOM or digital DMM using a known
good diode (e.g., 1N4007 rectifier or
1N4148 signal diode) as discussed below.
This will also show you what to expect for
a reading of a forward- biased junction. If
you expect any germanium devices, you
should do this with a germanium diode as
well (e.g., 1N34).
Note that this discussion assumes
that a transistor can be tested for shorts,
opens, or leakage, as though it is just a
pair of connected diodes. The equivalent diode circuits for NPN and PNP
bipolar transistors are shown in Fig. 1.
Obviously, simple diodes can be tested as well using this technique.
However, LEDs (their forward drop is
too high for most meters) and Zeners
(their reverse breakdown -Zener volt age-is too large for most meters) cannot be fully tested in this manner. Those
and other types of devices are discussed
later in this article.

Testing With an Analog VOM

For NPN transistors, lead "A"

is

black and lead "B" is red; for PNP transistors, lead "A" is red and lead "B" is
black (Note: This is the standard polarity for resistance, but many multimeters
have the colors reversed since this makes
the internal circuitry easier to design; if
the readings don't jive this way, switch
the leads and try it again). Start with lead
"A" of your multimeter on the base and
lead "B" on the emitter. You should get
a reasonable low resistance reading.
Depending on scale, this could be anywhere from 100 ohms to several thousand ohms. The actual value is not critical as long as it is similar to the reading
you got with your "known good diode
test" above. All silicon devices will produce somewhat similar readings and all
germanium devices will result in similar
but lower resistance readings.
Now move lead "B" to the collector.
You should get nearly the same reading.
Now try the other four combinations,
and you should get a reading of infinite
ohms (open circuit). If any of those
resistances is wrong, replace the transistor. Only two of the six possible combinations should show a low resistance;
none of the resistances should be near 0
ohms (shorted).
As noted above, some types of devices
include built-in diodes or resistors, which
can confuse these measurements.

Testing With a Digital DMM

Set your meter to the diode test.
Connect the red meter lead to the base
of the transistor. Connect the black
meter lead to the emitter. A good NPN
transistor will read a junction drop voltage of between 0.45v and 0.9v. A good
PNP transistor will read open. Leave
the red meter lead on the base and move
the black lead to the collector. The reading should be the same as the previous
test. Reverse the meter leads in your
hands and repeat the test. This time,
connect the black meter lead to the base
of the transistor. Connect the red meter
lead to the emitter. A good PNP transistor will read a junction drop voltage of
between 0.45 V and 0.9 V. A good NPN
transistor will read open. Leave the
black meter lead on the base and move
the red lead to the collector. The reading should be the same as the previous
test. Place one meter lead on the collector, the other on the emitter. The meter
should read open. Reverse your meter
leads. The meter should read open. This
is the same for both NPN and PNP
transistors.

www.americanradiohistory.com

-A

FIG. 2
DARLINGTON TRANSISTOR is
two transistors within a single package and
is connected as shown here.

Again, as noted, some transistors will

have built -in diodes or resistors which
can confuse these readings.

Testing Power Transistors

Power transistors without internal
damper diodes test just about like small
signal transistors using the dual diode
model, high in one direction, either B -E
or B -C. If there is a built -in damper
diode, it is across C -E junction and is
back biased under normal operating
conditions. Therefore, a reading between
C -E will also test low in one direction
and B -C will show a double diode drop
in the reverse direction.
Also, there is often a low value resistor -about 50 ohms -between B -E
when there is a built -in damper. This
will show up as a nearly zero -volt junction drop on the diode test scale of a
DMM, but such a reading does not indicate a bad part. Use the resistance scale
to confirm.

Testing Darlington Transistors

A Darlington transistor -see Fig.

-is a special type of configuration usu-

ally consisting of 2 transistors fabricated

on the same chip or at least mounted in
the same package. Discrete implementations as well as Darlingtons with more
than 2 transistors are also possible.
In many ways, a Darlington configuration behaves like a single transistor

where:
the current gains of the individual
transistors it is composed of are multiplied together and,
the B-E voltage drops of the individual transistors it is composed of are
added together.
Darlingtons are used where drive is
limited and the high gain-typically over
1000 -is needed. Frequency response is
not usually that great, however.

Testing a Darlington with a VOM or

DMM is basically similar to that of normal bipolar transistors, except that in the
forward direction, B -E will measure
higher than a normal transistor on a
VOM (but not open), and 1.2 to 1.4
volts on a DMM's diode-test range due
to the pair of junctions in series. Note
that 1.2 volts may be too high for some
DMMs, and thus a good Darlington
may test open-confirm that the open
circuit reading on your DMM is higher
than 1.4 volts or check with a known
good Darlington.

Testing Digital or Bias Resistor

Transistors
Occasionally you may find a transistor that includes an internal bias resistor
network attached to the base and emitter
so that it can be driven directly from a
digital (e.g., TTL) source; see Fig. 3.

These may be used in consumer elec-

24V DC

VOM/DMM
GND

FIG. 4 -USE THIS CIRCUIT to test Zener

diodes.

tions. Then, it is definitely dead!

Some Zeners are marked with a
JEDEC (1N) part number, others with a
couple of colored bands (e.g., for 18 volts
the bands would be brown and gray), or
a house number or house color code.
You can easily test a Zener and identify its voltage rating with a DC power
supply, resistor, and multimeter. You will
need a power supply (a DC wall adapter
or AC wall adapter with a rectifier and
filter capacitor is fine) greater than the
highest Zener voltage you want to test.
Select a resistor that will limit current to
a few mA. For example, for Zeners up to
about 20 V, you can use the circuit in
Fig. 4. This same approach applies to
other devices that exhibit a similar
behavior, such as the B -E junction of a
bipolar transistor.

Testing Unijunction and

Programmable Unijunction

Transistors
FIG. 3 -AN INTERNAL BIAS RESISTOR is
sometimes present to allow a transistor to
be driven directly from a TTL -level signal.

tronics equipment where space is critical, or for no good reason other than to
make it difficult to locate a suitable
replacement device!
The addition of Rl makes testing with
a multimeter other than for shorts more
difficult. With a VOM, you should see a
difference in the B -E and B -C junctions
in the forward and reverse directions.
However, a DMM will probably read
open across all pairs of terminals.

Testing Zener Diodes

The following applies to both testing
of Zeners for failure and determining
the ratings of an unknown device:
With a VOM, a good Zener diode
should read like a normal diode in the
forward direction and open in the
reverse direction unless the VOM
applies more than the Zener voltage for
the device. A DMM on its diode test
range may read the actual Zener voltage
if it is very low (e.g., a couple of volts)
but will read open otherwise. The most
common failure would be for the device
10 to short-read 0.0 ohms in both direc-

Unijunction Transistors (UJTs) and

Programmable Unijunction Transistors
(PUTS) are used in similar sorts of circuits, though the UJT is all but extinct.
They both exhibit a negative resistance
characteristic and can be used easily in
low to medium frequency free-running
relaxation oscillators and other trigger
type circuits.

The UJT (see Fig. 5) goes into heavy

conduction from E to B1 when E
becomes more positive than a critical
trigger voltage, VT = n x VBB + 0.6.
(Note, n, the "intrinsic standoff voltage,"
is typically about 0.6.) It continues to
conduct until the emitter current drops
+5V DC

TO SCOPE OR

Cl
01

AUDIO AMP
= 1KHz

GND

5-

FIG.
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTORS
are not that common these days, but if you
come across one this circuit can be used to
test it.

www.americanradiohistory.com

below some minimum `valley current'

value. (Sounds sort of like a thyristor,

right ?)
The PUT (see Fig. 6) is even more
like a thyristor in that the triggering
takes place when the G terminal
becomes more positive than the A
(probably plus a diode drop, 0.6 V) so
that the threshold voltage can now be set
with a voltage divider feeding the anode.
+10V DC

TO SCOPE OR

AUDIO AMP
1KHz

FIG. 6-A CIRCUIT FOR TESTING programmable unijunction transistors (PUTs) is

shown here.

Then, current flows from the G to the K

terminal. Note that its leads are even
labeled like an SCR, but it behaves sort
of backwards!
For an initial test, check between B1
and B2 (UJT) or A and K (PUT) with an
ohmmeter. The resistance should be the
same in both directions and typically a few
thousand ohms or more. A short or wildly different readings would indicate a bad
device. This doesn't prove that the device
is good-only that it hasn't blown up. A
more complete test requires a simple circuit and some means of detecting an audio
output signal. For the UJT, use the set up
in Fig. 5; for the PUT, an additional voltage divider (R3 and R4) is needed to set
the threshold as shown in Fig. 6.

Testing SCRs and Triacs

Next, let's deal with testing various
types of thyristors. For SCRs, the gate to
cathode should test like a diode (which it
is) on a multimeter. The anode to cathode and gate to anode junctions should
read open. For Triacs, the gate to main
terminal 2 (MT2) should test like a
diode junction in both directions. MT1
to MT2 and the gate to MTl junctions
should read open. For diacs and sidacs,
there is no gate terminal-resistance
should be infinite in both directions.
Note: Some thyristors will have a low
G -K/MT2 resistance but it should not
read as a short.
The real test is quite simple but will

form and stay on until the voltage crosses 0. But, again, use an isolation transformer for safety.

TEST+

R1

O+

10052

DEVICE UNDER TEST - DUT

(SCR OR TRIAC)

2W

12V DC

oFIG. 7 -IN THIS SCR/TRIAC test circuit,

limits current to its gate.

Identifying Unknown Bipolar

Transistors

R2
1K

O TESTR1

require a low voltage DC power supply

and two resistors. For Triacs, a negative
output from the supply is also desirable
to test the triggering when the gate is
negative.
To test SCRs or Triacs, use the circuit shown in Fig. 7. There, R1 is used
to limit current through the device and
R2 is used to limit current to the gate.
The 12 -VDC supply should be capable
of currents to at least 200 mA. Note that
R1 calls for a unit with a 2 -watt rating; a
/-watt unit should be sufficient for R2.
Those ratings should work for testing
most small to medium power devices.
Check the "minimum gate current" and
"holding current" specs to be sure. For
larger devices, Rl and/or R2 might need
to be smaller.
Here's the procedure:

Connect the supply as shown.

Trigger the gate from the positive
of the supply through the current limiting resistor (R2) and see that the DUT
turns on and stays on when the gate is
disconnected.
3. Open the circuit to the anode (with
the gate connected to the cathode) and
again reconnect the anode resistor. The
DUT should now be off again.
4. For Triacs, repeat steps (2) and (3)
1.

2.

with R2 supplied from a negative voltage.

If the device passes these tests, it is

behaving properly and is probably functional. However, without applying full
voltage or current, there is no way of
knowing if it will meet all specifications.
You can replace the DC supply with a
low voltage power transformer (say, 12
VAC). Use a scope to monitor the voltage across the DUT or Rl. Then, when
the gate is connected to R2, you should
see the voltage across the DUT drop to
nearly zero when it switches on partway
through the positive cycle. This phase
will be determined by the voltage and
value of R2. It should remain off for the
entire negative cycle (SCRs only) with
the gate connected and remain off all the
time with the gate connected to the

The type (NPN or PNP) and lead

arrangement of unmarked transistors
can be determined using a multimeter
and the back-to-back diode model discussed earlier. The collector and emitter
can be identified based on the fact that
the doping for the B -E junction is always
much higher than for the B -C junction.
Therefore, the forward voltage drop will
be very slightly higher -this will show
up as a couple of millivolts (sometimes
more) difference on a DM/VI's diode -test
scale or a slightly higher resistance on an
analog VOM.

limits current to the device under test, and R2

cathode.

Testing Diacs and Sidacs

Diacs and Sidacs are thyristors without a gate terminal. They depend on the
leakage current to switch them on once
the voltage across the device exceeds
their specified ratings. With an ohmmeter, they can be tested only for shorts.
Resistance should be infinite in both
directions.
However, you can test a diac or sidac
with a resistor, variable power supply
(you will need at least the rating of the
device), and a DMM. Hook them in
series as shown in Fig. 8 and monitor
across the device. With care, your variable supply can be a Variac, a 1N4007
diode, and 1 F, 200 V capacitor as
shown. The 47,000 -ohm resistor (Rl) is
used to limit the current:
CAUTION: This circuit is not isolated from the power line. I recommend

To determine the lead arrangement,

label the pins on the unknown device 1, 2,
and 3. Put the positive probe (as determined previously) of your multimeter on
pin 1. Now, measure the resistance (VOM)
or diode drop (DMM) to the other two
pins. If the positive probe is on the base of
a good NPN transistor, you should get low
resistance readings or a low diode drop to
the other two leads. The B-C resistance or
diode drop will be just slightly lower than
the B -E reading.

If one or both measurements to the

TEST+

D1

1N4007
VARIABLE AC
0 TO 140 VRMS

DEVICE UNDER
TEST - DUT

Cl
1

TEST-

FIG.

8-A

DIAC OR SIDAC is a thyristor without a gate. Use this circuit to test one.

using an isolation transformer between

the variable voltage source (Variac) and
the power line for safety. If the DUT is
rated at more than about 180 volts, you
will need to use a doubler and highervoltage capacitor, but testing is otherwise similar.
As you increase the input, the voltage
on the DUT will track it until the rated
voltage, at which point it will drop
abruptly to zero and stay there until the
voltage is reduced below its holding current. Repeat with the opposite polarity.
With a scope, testing is even easier as
you can use an AC supply directly
(remove DI and C1) and observe that
the DUT will turn on at the proper voltage on both polarities of the AC wave-

www.americanradiohistory.com

other two pins is high, put the positive

probe on pin 2 and try again. If still no
cigar, try pin 3.
If this still doesn't work, you may
have a PNP transistor-repeat with the
negative probe as the common pin.
If none of the six combinations yields
a pair of low readings-or if more than
one combination results in a pair of low
readings, your transistor is likely bad
or it is not a bipolar transistor at all!
As noted, some power transistors
have built -in base resistors or damper
diodes and will confuse these measurements. However, the lead arrangement
of these types of transistors is usually selfevident (standard TO3, TOP3, or
TO220 cases). There are also some tran-

11

sistors with series base resistors that may

prove confusing. These are relatively
rare, however.

handling these devices remember that

MOSFETs are static sensitive!

Testing MOSFETs

Electrically, LEDs (and W- emitting

diodes, strictly speaking called IREDs)
behave like ordinary diodes except that

Verify that the gate has infinite resistance to both drain and source. There is
one exception to that: FETs with protection circuitry may act like there is a Zener
shunting the gate and source terminals (i.e.,
diode drop for gate reverse bias, about 20volts breakdown in forward bias).
Connect the gate to the source. The drain
to source junction should act like a diode.
Forward bias the gate- source junction with about 5 volts. The drain source junction in forward bias should
measure very low resistance. In reverse
bias, it will still act like a diode.
The usual failure mode you are likely to
see with these devices is both a gate- source
and drain- source short: In other words,
everything connected together. Also, when

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Testing LEDs

R1

R2

500i2

51(

OUT

PHOTODIODE

their forward voltage drop is higher.

Typical values are IR: 1.2 volts; Red: 1.85
volts; Yellow: 2 volts; and Green: 2.15
volts. The new blue LEDs will be somewhat higher (perhaps 3 volts). These voltages are at reasonable forward current.
Depending on the actual technology (i.e.,
compounds like GaAsP, GaP, GaAsP/
GaP, GaAIAs, etc.), actual voltages can
vary quite a bit. For example, the forward
voltage drop of red LEDs may range at
least from 1.5 to 2.1 volts. Therefore,
LED voltage drop is not a reliable test of
color, though multiple samples of similar
LEDs should be very close. Obviously, if
the device is good, it will also be emitting
light when driven in this way if the cur-

rent is high enough.

You can test for shorts and opens with a
multimeter (but it must be able to supply
more than the forward voltage drop to show
a non-open condition). However, an LED
can be weak and still pass the electrical tests,
so checking for output is still necessary.
Therefore, even if these tests don't find a
problem, drive the LED from a DC supply
and appropriate current- limiting resistor
and observe the output For the 1R types,
you will need a suitable IR detector. See the
document `Notes on the Troubleshooting
and Repair of Hand -Held Remote
Controls" on my Web site (wwwrepair
faq.org) for a variety of options.

Testing Optoisolators and

Photo -Interrupters
Both of these classes of components
are basically similar: a light source (usually an IR LED) and photodetector
together in a single package. The optoisolator will be totally sealed with adequate separation between the two parts
to provide the specified isolation voltage
rating. The photo-interrupter (and similar devices) will provide a beam path
that can be blocked or otherwise modified by external means.
For both types, the photodetector
can be a photodiode, phototransistor,

photothyristor, or another more complex device or circuit. Refer to an optoelectronics databook or the catalog of a
large electronics distributor for specific
pinouts and specifications.
Assuming a photodiode or photo-

www.americanradiohistory.com

GND

FIG. 9-A SIMPLE CIRCUIT for testing

opto- isolators.

transistor type (most common), these

can be tested for basic functionality
pretty easily. Wire up the test circuit
shown in Fig. 9. Depressing S1 should
result in the output dropping from +5
volts to close to 0. For monitoring on a
scope, drive the LED with a pulse generator and current -limiting resistor
instead of S 1. With a photo-interrupter
type, blocking or adding a reflector to
the optical path (as appropriate) should
result in similar behavior.

Testing Thermistors
There are two types of thermistors:
Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC)
types have a resistance that increases
with increasing temperature. Negative
Temperature Coefficient (NTC) types
have a resistance that decreases with
increasing temperature.
For a small thermistor, put an ohmmeter on it and heat the device under
test with a blow dryer, heat gun, or the
tip of a soldering iron -the resistance
should change smoothly (up or down
depending on whether it is PTC or
NTC type). If the resistance changes
erratically or goes to infinity or zero, the
device is bad. However, you will need
specifications, temperature measuring
sensors, etc., to really determine if it is
operating correctly.

Wrap -Up
Next time, we will continue our discussion of semiconductor testing with
additional service -related information
and some very simple curve tracer and
in- circuit tester schematics. In a future
column, we'll discuss the specific problem of testing the laser diodes found in
CD and DVD equipment and laser
printers. Until then, check out my Web
site: www.repairfaq.org. I welcome comments (via e-mail please at sam @std
avids.picker.com) of all types and will
reply promptly to requests for information. See you next time!

LOOK

AT

TO

M O R R O W ' S

TECHNOLOGY

type
Blood Tests Without Needle Sticks
Thanks to a new electronic diagnostic aid, those annoying and even

sometimes painful finger pricks to

obtain blood samples could soon be a
thing of the past. The name of this new
medical device is the Hemoscan, and it
is being developed by a Philadelphia based company called Cytometrics.
With the Hemoscan, a probe is
placed under the tongue much like a
thermometer. The doctor or medical
technician could then immediately read
the red blood cell count and hemoglobin
levels. Results would be displayed on a
screen of the unit, which looks much
like a laptop computer. The results of
the test would also be printed out so that
they can be included in the patient's
records.

How it Works
The Hemoscan is a small, portable

instrument with a hand-held probe

attached to a computer imaging unit.
Illuminated by a light source, the device
captures reflected images of blood flowing through the tiny capillaries in the
mouth's underlying mucous membrane.
Then, using image -processing technology, the Hemoscan analyzes the different
wavelengths of reflected light to calculate the patient's hemoglobin (Hb) and
hematocrit (Hct) levels without drawing
any blood.

Benefits
There are other benefits from using
the Hemoscan besides eliminating the
FOR MORE INFORMATION

Cytometrics, Inc.
One Independence Mall
615 Chestnut Street, 17th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Web: www.cytometrics.com

WITH THE HEMOSCAN, hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels are measured by
placing the probe under the tongue and results are displayed immediately on a device that
resembles a laptop computer.

discomfort of a needle prick. This technique moves Complete Blood Count

(CBC) testing from the clinical laboratory to the point-of -care. This makes
results available immediately rather than
having to wait hours or even days for
results to come back from the laboratory. Since there is no blood drawn, the
Hemoscan eliminates the risk of exposure to AIDS and other blood -borne
diseases. Other advantages include reducing hazardous biomedical waste that has
to be disposed of and an overall savings
to the healthcare system.
Cytometrics plans to ship its first
product, the Hemoscan 1000, to FDA (Federal Drug Administration) regulated markets sometime this year. The
expected cost of the unit is $5000 and

about a dollar (the cost of the disposal

probe shield) for each test
The American Red Cross is particularly interested in using the Hemoscan
for screening blood donors. Currently,
the ARC screens all donors for anemia
prior to donation. This requires a needle
prick of the finger or ear lobe. The
Hemoscan would eliminate this needle
stick to increase efficiency as well as
decreasing discomfort and anxiety to
donors.
The company is also developing the
Hemoscan 2000 which will provide a
white blood cell count as well as measuring hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
The Hemoscan 2000 should be available
commercially within two years.
The technique of viewing and mea13

www.americanradiohistory.com

suring micro -circulatory system underlying a mucous membrane has other

applications beyond simple blood testing. This includes the diagnosis and
treatment of shock, surgical transplants,
cancer and infectious- disease cell detection, clinical chemistry, and veterinary
medicine. For example, Cytometrics is
currently developing Cytoscan, which
could be used to observe blood flow in a
variety of surgical and traumatic environments.-Bill Siuru

Raindrops Falling on
Your Head
The world's largest atoll, part of the

Republic of Marshall Islands in the

Pacific Ocean, was recently the site of a
two -month NASA-led experiment to
improve weather forecasting and longterm climate modeling. In July, more
than 200 participants traveled to the
remote atoll, Kwajalein, a chain of coral
islands that surrounds a 1000 square
mile lagoon. Experts from NASA and
other government agencies, including
NOAA and the National Science

> Pattern Recogniton

Looking for a faster computer?
How about an optical computer

that processes data streams

simultaneously and works with
the speed of light?
In
outer
space,
NASA
researchers have been able to
form optical "thin- films." By turning these thin -films into very fast
optical computer components,
scientists could improve various
computer tasks, such as pattern
DR. HOSSIN ABDELDAYEM DEMON recognition.
STRATES a pattern- recognition setup that
Dr. Hossin Abdeldayem, a
uses fast non -linear optical materials.
physicist at NASA's Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL , is working with lasers as part of
an optical system for pattern recognition. These systems can be used
for automated fingerprinting, photographic scanning, and the development of sophisticated artificial intelligence systems that can learn and

evolve.

without the satellite, these field experiments are leading to significant scientific progress in understanding precipitation

Foundation; from universities and

processes."

research institutions; and from Europe,

Canada, Australia, and Asia participated.
The experiment, called KWAJEX,
was part of a bigger NASA Tropical
Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM).
Researchers calibrated instruments on
board the mission's TRMM satellite.
Scientists throughout the world gathered detailed weather data that the satellite cannot obtain remotely -on the
ground, by airplane, ship, and balloon.
KWAJEX is the last of a series of experiments conducted as part of TRMM.
"NASA and the Japanese National
Space Development Agency launched
the TRMM satellite from which we'll
get global precipitation measurements,"
said Steve Hipskind, Chief of the
Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics
Branch at NASA's Ames Research
Center, Moffet Field, CA. "With its
radar and microwave instruments, the
satellite obtains a large -scale view of
precipitation, but with less detail than
many surface -based instruments. In contrast, ground and airborne measurements allow us to really understand the
three- dimensional structure and evolution of tropical storm systems. Even

TRMM Program Scientist Ramesh

Kakar (NASA, Washington, DC) comments that though "very remote and
logistically difficult, Kwajalein presents
the ideal location for studying oceanic
rainfall due to its location in the middle
of the Pacific and its lack of any mountains or even hills that can cause their
own small scale weather." By measuring
tropical rainfall, researchers hope to
have a better overall picture of how the
Sun's energy, which is concentrated in
the tropics, is transferred from the ocean
to the atmosphere.
The goals of the experiment are to
better understand the exact nature of
oceanic rainfall and how it differs from
the rain over land. Observations from
TRMM revealed that thunderstorms
tend to be much weaker over oceans.
Differences in the clouds and possibly
raindrops themselves must first be
understood, before credible rainfall estimates can be made worldwide.
Three aircraft and a research vessel
were also used during the experiment.
The instrumented aircraft were the DC8 "Flying Laboratory" from NASA
Dryden Flight Research Center

14

www.americanradiohistory.com

(Edwards, CA), a Cessna Citation II

from the University of North Dakota,
and a twin- engine Convair 580 from the
University of Washington, Seattle. The
DC -8 filled two roles: Firstly, it estimated satellite overpasses by flying above
clouds with the same instruments that
are aboard the TRMM satellite
radiometers and radar. Secondly, this
plane also collected data from within
clouds: It used cloud particle imagers
and sampling equipment to measure the
size of particles, as well as temperature,
density, and motion within clouds. The
newly commissioned NOAA research
vessel, The Ron Brown, made additional

observations, using meteorological

Doppler radars on board and on
Kwajalein to measure the three- dimen sional motions of cloud droplets.
NASA Ames is responsible for KWA-

JEX project management and logistics.

Ames has also managed three TRMM validation missions to Texas, Florida, and
Brazil. Research goals include setting up
long-term measuring stations at numerous
locations around the world. TRMM is part
of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, a
long-term research program designed to
study the Earth's land, oceans, air, ice, and
life as a total system, plus the effects of natural and human- induced changes on the
global environment.

co

Caution

Pains

Crossing!
On March 15, 1999, an Amtrak pas-

senger train collided with a tractor- trailer truck loaded with heavy
steel bars in Bourbonais, IL. Eleven
people died and 120 were injured in
that accident. In 1997, vehicle -train
collisions caused 1020 crew injuries
and 266 passenger injuries on Amtrak
passenger trains alone. In addition,
about 2000 motorists are seriously
injured or killed each year at grade
crossings, and such accidents cause
tens of millions of dollars in property
damage annually.
New technologies are under study by
University of Illinois researchers trying
to eliminate this kind of collision. The
College of Engineering Railroad
Program, which includes professors of
both civil and environmental engineering and of electrical and computer engineering, is conducting research on how
various applications of advanced technology -from fiber optics to steel cable
barriers -can help improve grade- crossing safety.

THIS VEHICLE ARRESTING BARRIER is

designed to stop even a speeding truck,
using a net made of one -half inch steel
cable that is lowered across a highway
when a train approaches.

Professor Fred Coleman is evaluating alternatives to the familiar white and -red crossing gate. One method is
known as the Vehicle Arresting Barrier.
Designed to stop even a speeding truck,
the net is made of one -half inch steel
cable that is lowered across a highway
when a train approaches. Three test
installations of this apparatus are in
place on the Union Pacific line used by
Amtrak trains between Chicago and St.
Louis. Coleman and investigators for

the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) are testing their performance.

Another approach is to add a second
set of gates at a grade crossing to prevent
motorists from driving around the single
gate on the right side. Coleman has
completed an analysis of the proper
design and operation of such a "four quadrant gate," and he published his
technical report this spring.
Alternative methods of warning drivers of an approaching train are also
being studied, such as installing a device
in highway vehicles similar to a speed

radar

detector.

Professor

Rahim

Benekohal is studying a device to set off

a flashing light or buzzer in the vehicle
when a moving train is nearby.
Benekohal and IDOT are also working
on systems to improve the integration of
roadway traffic signals with rail -crossing
gates.
Also being studied is the use of fiber optic technology to detect trains and
measure their speed so that the grade crossing systems can be better timed.
Current technology relies mostly on
electrical circuits running through the
rail itself to detect an approaching train.
Fiber optics might work by detecting the
weight of an oncoming train. Professor
Shun Lien Chuang is the lead researcher
on this project.
In addition to IDOT, research on
these new technologies has been funded
by the Association of American
Railroads (the trade association of major
U.S. railroads) and the Transportation
Research Board (an arm of the National
Research Council).
m

ET

-Phone Earth

Stnce Congress terminated NASA's

Search for Extra -Terrestrial

Intelligence program nearly six years
ago, numerous grass -roots organizations have been keeping SETI science
alive. SETI scientists are making
microwave and optical measurements
to determine whether humanity is
alone in the universe. According to Dr.
H. Paul Shuch, executive director of
the nonprofit society, The SETI
League, Inc., participation in SETI
research by a wide range of dedicated
amateurs is growing.

In a paper delivered at the Sixth

International Bioastronomy Conference,
Shuch argued that his colleagues in this
area of research need to clearly and
unambiguously define what constitutes
interstellar contact. "Laymen have the
time, energy, and enthusiasm to search
in ways which the professional scientific
community can not," stated Shuch.
"However, there is valid concern as to
whether those not schooled in the scientific method can do credible science.
Premature announcement of an unverified contact especially could undermine
the credibility and respectability not just
of The SETI League's Project Argus
search, but all of SETI experiments.
Thus, one of The SETI League's duties
is to educate its members in scientific

restraint."
"The question (of proof) is complicated by the fact that the general pub lic...may make only a vague distinction
between proof and faith," Shuch's paper
continues. "We must take pains to prevent such declarations of faith from
clouding the judgment of our
SETIzens."
Dr. Shuch added that there is a spectrum of view ranging from "Of course
they exist -we couldn't possibly be
alone!" to "I'll believe in the existence of
intelligent extra -terrestrials only when
one walks up and shakes my hand."
For further information, contact The
SETI League, Inc.; Web: www.setile
ague.org; e-mail: join @setileague.org;
Fax: 201- 641 -1771. The membership
hotline is 800 -TAU -SETI.

Charging Through
DNA
Aresearch team from the Georgia
Institute of Technology has proposed an explanation for how electronic

charge transfer occurs in strands of

DNA. Researchers reported that electrical charge moves through the DNA
bases by creating temporary distortions
in their structure as the strands naturally flex. The work suggests that the
charge transport process is much more
complicated than previously believed.
"It's not at all like a conductor or a
wire," said Dr. Gary Schuster, team
leader and Dean of the school's College
of Sciences. "When you inject a change
15

www.americanradiohistory.com

into DNA, the DNA responds by

changing its structure to accommodate
that charge. That change in structure
distributes the charge over several of the
base pairs in the DNA. That creates a
local distortion in the DNA." It's like the
movement of a "Slinky" toy
large
spring that compresses and expands, he
explained. Schuster added that the local
distortion, just like the Slinky toy's compression, can move in the DNA as the
structure stretches, bends, and rotates.

-a

The distortion, known as a polaron,

can carry the charge a distance of up to
a few hundred Angstroms. The charge
transfer stops when it encounters a specific pairing of the DNA structure
known as a GG step -the location
where two guanine bases exist side -byside. The charge trapped at this location

DR. VALERIE SARTOR EXAMINES DNA

sequences in the laboratory at Georgia
Institute of Technology. (Photo by Gary
Meek. Used with permission of Georgia
Institute of Technology.)

then oxidizes the guanine, causing damage that can lead to genetic mutations.
The new charge transport model,
dubbed "phonon- assisted polaron -like
hopping," could help scientists to better
understand the mechanisms by which
DNA is damaged and repaired and could
also help them to develop a technique for
reversing the damage done by oxidation.

Natural biological processes repair much

of the damage, but some damaged sections
aren't repaired fast enough to avoid further
damage and genetic mutations.
"It may be possible to intervene and
accelerate the repair mechanism or inhibit
the damage through pharmaceuticals or
procedures," Schuster stated. "That would
be important for certain people who have
diseases in which the mechanisms for
repairing DNA are inefficient"
An
experiment conducted in
Schuster's lab by Dr. Paul T Henderson
showed that the charge moves rapidly
through a duplex strand of DNA with an
efficiency independent of the base
sequence. The structural independence
and efficiency of the transport process
were unexpected and could not be
explained by existing theories of electron transport. Schuster believes two
"averaging" mechanisms inherent in the
polaron process tend to even out the
speed of the charge transport, possible
only because of the dynamic nature of

the DNA structure.

Understanding how an electrical
charge moves through DNA could also
lead to new diagnostic techniques for
identifying the DNA of disease- causing
organisms or even to finding mutated
copies of DNA. Also possible would be
mesoscale micromachines that take
advantage of the self-assembly capabilities of one -dimensional DNA "wires"
and the enzymes available to control
that assembly.
Far down the road, DNA offers
advantages over the micromachining
processes now being used. "DNA has
the amazing ability to construct itself,"
Schuster noted. "Rather than having to
build a machine atom by atom, you can
take advantage of the ability of DNA to
organize itself into complex structures.
DNA comes in prefabricated parts that
fit together, and that offers a tremendous advantage."

Behind the "Mask:"

Next -Generation
Technology
IBM and Photronics, Inc. recently
announced joint activities to speed
the development of new "mask" tech-

www.americanradiohistory.com

nologies needed to manufacture smaller,

more complex semiconductors. "As the
industry runs up against new chip manufacturing obstacles, we have to find
more creative ways to work around
them," said Michael Polcari, director,
Silicon Technology and Advanced
Semiconductor Technology Lab at IBM.
"In this case, IBM has the technology
and Photronics has the experience as a
leading commercial mask supplier.
Working together, we can help keep the
industry moving forward."
The companies plan to make the
mask technology commercially available
to the semiconductor community, helping the chip industry keep pace with
"Moore's Law." This is an industry
axiom that predicts a doubling of chip
performance every twelve to eighteen
months. Such growth is necessary to
meet the accelerating demands for computing power on the Internet, in all -pervasive computing devices, and in
e- business.
Masks act like photographic negatives in a chip manufacturing process
known as lithography, where tiny circuit
patterns are printed on chips. The
demand for better performance and
increased function drives the industry to
print millions of circuits on a single
chip -pushing the limits of today's
mask-making and lithography techniques. A number of improved or "next
generation lithography" (NGL) processes
are being explored. The development of
accompanying mask technology could
account for up to half of this cost and
effort.
Since NGL manufacturing techniques are similar enough to permit
crosscutting mask development efforts,
IBM and Photronics are developing
mask technologies that can be used with
any NGL approach. The companies
have established a "Mask Center of
Competency," located at IBM's
Burlington, VT manufacturing facility
Drawing on their experience, they will
focus not only on mask development,
but will also pursue related issues in the
use of masks that affect the productivity
of chip manufacturing. These issues
include superior circuit image placement and critical dimension control.
Photronics will manage the mask development projects and intends to make the
masks commercially available.

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www.americanradiohistory.com

BY MARC

ELLIS

Troubleshooting a Dead Receiver

APOLOGIES TO THOSE WAITING FOR THE OTHER SHOE

TO DROP ON THE PHILCO 70 RESTORATION PROJECT AS

YOU KNOW, THE SET CAME TO LIFE AND PLAYED WELL AFTER ALL

OF ITS BAKELITE BLOCK CAPACITORS WERE REBUILT, BUT IT STILL

awaits cabinet refinishing and final
touch-up alignment. Incidentally, does
anyone know the whereabouts of a
Philco alignment tool? I thought I had
one in my tool kit until I needed it for
the "70" project. Antique Electronic
Supply shows one in their catalog but
are out of stock until further notice.
The tool is nothing but a '/4 -inch
hex -nut driver made of fiber or another
non -conducting material. Metal doesn't
work-especially in critical circuits such
as the oscillator- because the metal
influences the tuning. If you can provide
one or know someone who can, write or
e -mail your price -including shipping
and handling. I've arranged to borrow
one from a friend for the current project, but would definitely like to replace
mine!
At the end of last year (SeptemberNovember to be exact), I devoted three
issues of my column (it was in Popular
Electronics then) to a short series called
"Radio Repair For Dummies." This was
a radio- repair primer in which I
reviewed the tools and resources that
should be on the beginner's workbench;
the basic cleaning, checking and housekeeping processes that can make the difference between an inoperative set and
one that works when first plugged in;
and the physical evidence that can lead
the restorer to a faulty component. The
last article in the series recommended
the wholesale replacement of all paper
and electrolytic capacitors in any radio

undergoing

a serious restoration.
Suggestions were made on how to select
and install the replacements.
Applying the simple suggestions in
those three articles to your vintage set
will give you excellent odds on coming
up with a working radio without further
troubleshooting. But, after all that, what
if the set is dead as a doornail? In this
column, we'll pick up where the original
series left off and show you how to deal
with a completely dead radio in a
methodical manner.

Click Your Way To The Trouble!

If you followed the start-up procedure in the October, 1998 column

which involved continuous monitoring
of the set's plate voltage-you know the
trouble probably does not lie in the
power -supply circuitry. But where then
do you look?

The simplest organized approach is

sometimes called signal substitution or
signal injection. And the simplest type of
signal substitution does not require a
single test instrument! All you need are
your ears and a key or a small screwdriver. You should also have a copy of the
schematic for your set. But before you
start, review the safety procedures discussed in the September, 1998 column
particularly the material on AC/DC sets
and isolation transformers.
This test method is quite crude, and
the procedure I'm about to outline may
not apply perfectly to every circuit variation you might encounter. However, it
is something you can complete in just a
few minute's time, requires only minimal technical skill, and will usually pinpoint the exact location of the circuit
problem.
Turn the set on and advance the volume control all the way. Give the tubes a
reasonable amount of time to warm up.
Now hold the key or the metal screwdriver shaft in your hand and touch the
tip to the control grid of the audio output tube (referring to your tube manual,
the control grid will be the grid closest
to the filament or cathode and might be
labeled "G1 "). The audio output tube is

THE ZENITH CHASSIS 5521 (shown without power supply) represents a simple superhet
circuit you might encounter. The arrows show the "click test" points.

www.americanradiohistory.com

the one connected to your set's loudspeaker- usually through an output

transformer.
Some larger sets have two audio -output tubes in push -pull or parallel.
(Here's where having a circuit diagram
on hand will be helpful.) If so, touch
your key to the control grid of either
tube.
If the audio-output stage is operating, you should hear a loud clicking,
probably accompanied by humming. If
no sound is heard, you've located the
defective stage. But assuming that stage
was fine, move back to the previous tube
(usually the first audio amplifier) and
touch the tip of your key to that tube's
control grid. If there is a separate triode
detector tube ahead of the first audio
tube, test there also.
A few words of caution here!
Sometimes, the control grid terminal is
a convenient "grid cap" atop the tube.
However, more often than not, it will be
located on the tube base under the chassis, sometimes partially concealed by
wiring. Check it carefully before touching it with the key or screwdriver!
There are high voltages on the leads
to other tube elements such as the plate
and (if present) screen grid. Actually,
you may also find high voltage on the
control grid if a preceding coupling
capacitor is shorted. These will only be
dangerous to you if another part of your
body is touching chassis ground -so follow the old electrician's rule of keeping
one hand in your pocket as you test!
Since tube -base terminal lugs can be
very close together, you should also take
care that the tip of your "test probe"
does not short between adjoining ones.
You could easily place a destructive high
voltage in a circuit where it doesn't
belong, thereby compounding your
problem by frying other components!
Continue click-testing your way back
through the receiver until you find a
control grid that is silent. If the set is a
superhet, you'll be working your way
through the IF stage, or stages; the
mixer stage (if the set has a separate
oscillator tube), or the converter stage (if
present-the RF
it doesn't); and
amplifier stage. If the set has a separate
oscillator tube, do not include it in this
test. By the way, the mixer or converter
is often called "the first detector."
Finding the right grid to check on a
converter or mixer stage can be confusing. However, with the help of your
handy schematic you should be able to

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THE PHILCO 87 TRF uses a simpler circuit than the Zenith superhet example. but also
uses more tubes. Note the three RF amplifiers, separate detector, and push -pull audio output. Again, the arrows show "click test" points.

locate the grid that receives the output

of the RF amplifier tube (if it is present)
or the set's antenna tuning circuit (if it is
not).
If the set is a TRF (tuned radio frequency) model, things are simpler.
There is no converter, mixer, or oscillator stage to worry about. After working
your way back past the first audio amplifier, you'll pass through two or more RF
amplifier stages before reaching the
antenna-tuning circuit.
With the click testing completed, the
trouble is now isolated between the circuit points where the click was last heard
and where the click disappeared. This is
a very small portion of the radio's circuitry, and it will, therefore, be easy to
check for defective components or other
difficulties.
Did you get through the entire procedure without finding any "silent" control grids? If so, your trouble may be in
the set's oscillator stage or the oscillator
section of its combined oscillator/mixer.
Check the voltages on that stage according to the methods outlined in the section that follows.

Finding The Problem

Once again, we'll be outlining a very
crude procedure that will be successful
in a majority of cases, but will not deal
with more subtle problems. As with
most of the procedures I talk about in
this column, I try to speak to folks who
are newcomers to the hobby and as yet
have limited experience. But keep in
mind that it isn't rare for a problem to
elude even the most advanced serviceman. Back in the days when radio servicing was a common business, reams of
print were generated by authors advising
technicians on how to deal with "tough
22 dog" problems.

See if you can figure out which

capacitor would, if leaky or shorted,
cause the voltage anomaly you found.
(Of course-gentle hint
you'd
replaced all the caps before turning on
the set you wouldn't be dealing with this
problem now!) If there is a likely candidate, you'll need to check it with your
ohmmeter -temporarily disconnecting
one end to isolate the unit from the set's
circuitry. After an initial "kick" caused
by the charging of the cap from your
ohmmeter battery, there should be virtually no resistance reading at even the
highest range of your meter.
Was the cap the problem? If so,
check the associated component that
also probably failed -perhaps a resistor
or an IF or audio-transformer primary
winding. Use a heavy helping of common sense to spot the probable failure.
At this level, troubleshooting is not
rocket science! Use your ohmmeter to
check the suspect resistor(s) for the
proper value and the winding for continuity. You'll probably have to disconnect
one end of each suspect resistor to isolate it for checking. Chances are you'll
be able to check the transformers as
wired because one end is connected only
to the tube plate and not to any other
circuitry.
If all voltages and components seem
OK, you'll want to see if there are any
gaps in the path of the signal passing
through the set. Once again, don't feel
intimidated even if your experience is
limited. Use common sense and logic! A
typical problem is an open circuit in the
coupling capacitor between the first and
second audio stages or (older sets) in the
secondary of the coupling transformer.
A less common one would be an open
IF- transformer secondary winding.
Such failures probably would cause no
detectable anomalies in your voltage
readings. Check for the open cap by
bridging a known good one across it.
Check for an open winding with your
ohmmeter. There's usually no need to
remove it from the circuit first.
I hope this short course in fixing
inoperative receivers will help you solve
most of your problems! Let me hear
about your servicing experiences. Write
me at "Antique Radio," do Electronics
Now, 500 Bi -County Blvd., Farmingdale,
NY 11735. You can also contact me via
my personal e-mail address: ellis enter
act.com. Regretfully, time limitations do
not always permit me to respond indi-

The first and most obvious thing to

do is to observe if the tube where the
trouble is localized is lit. If it is a glass
tube, a simple glance will tell you. If it is
a metal tube or a glass one encased in a
tight -fitting tube shield, check for proper voltage (refer to your tube manual) at
the tube's filament pins. Remember to
use the AC ranges of your multimeter
unless you are working with a batteryoperated set. If there is no voltage
(unlikely if the other tubes are lit), you
need to trace the filament wiring to find
out why. If there is voltage, remove the
tube and use your ohmmeter function to
make sure that there is continuity at the
tube's filament pins.
If the tube is lit, you should next
check to see if its plate and screen grid
are receiving the DC voltages they
need for proper operation. Don't
worry about the exact readings unless
you have service data telling you what
to expect at each tube pin. This is just
a crude check, but you can expect to
see voltages of over 200 at the plate,
somewhat less on the screen grid. If the
set is an AC/DC model (no power
transformer), voltages will be proportionately lower. Also check the voltage
on the control grid. There should be
no measurable amount using an ordinary multimeter.
If you find something amiss with the
voltages, study your schematic to see if
you can deduce the reason. You will
want to look at capacitors, resistors, and
any IF or audio transformers. First
check the capacitors and resistors for
obvious signs of charring or overheating. The bulk of radio failures are caused
by a shorted capacitor-which then puts
high voltage on a circuit point where it
should not be, possibly destroying other
components.

www.americanradiohistory.com

vidually.

We're Hanging Out

Your Shingle .. .

... that is, if you're a NESDA

member. Through our Internet Referral Program, consumers are able to find
NESDA Quality Servicers in their area.
But that's not all! NESDA offers technical and management seminars, group insurance and more. Stay in touch
with other servicers through NESDAnet e-mail networking. It's a great way to find hard -to -get parts, or ideas on
that repair job that won' t go away. For more information
just call. We're here to help
lots of information
your business.

National Electronics Sawica

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Making a Difference for You.

For a complete list of benefits, contact NESDA at 2708

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St., Ft. Worth TX 76109: 817 -921 -906/; www .nesda.com.

www.americanradiohistory.com

23

D X

L ST
I

E N

N G
BY DON

JENSEN

Wer Antennas of Yesteryear

LAST MONTH, WE LOOKED AT THE START OF SHORTWAVE

BROADCASTING, AND SHORTWAVE LISTENING, SOME 70
YEARS AGO. IN

THE EARLY

DAYS OF SHORTWAVE

LISTENING,

EVERYTHING WAS NEW, INCLUDING THE TECHNOLOGY. IF

there were no known truths, any "truth"
seemed worth trying. Experimentation-some of it pretty silly in today's
light-was the name of the game for
pioneer SWLs. Nowhere was that more
evident than in the design of antennas.
The most popular receiving antenna,
then as now, was the longwire. But, as
Jerome S. Berg points out in his new history of international broadcasting, On
The Shortwaves, 1923 -1945 (McFarland
& Co., Inc., Publishers) "various oddball
alternatives were available as well...."
For example, there was the Dubilier
Light Socket Aerial -"The static is
about gone, interference is reduced, and
you've done away entirely with sooty
aerials, lead-in wires, ground switches.
and lightning arresters."
Others included the Yahr-Lange
Super Ball Antenna-"Greater selectivity, volume and distance due to its conductive surface of 364 square inches."
Or the Rogers Underground Antenna
"Dig a small hole in the ground outside
a window near your set, drop the Rogers
Underground Antenna in the hole,
cover it over with dirt...and tune in on
loud, clear, steady reception!"
Foolish as some of these sound,
goofy antennas were still being touted
by some would -be experimenters
decades later. I recall reading an article
in the 1960s proposing that a lead -in
wire be clipped to the bedspring, using
the bed as a homebrew SW antenna.

And, in the 1970s, someone suggested

running a roll of aluminum foil around
the room, gluing it down, then wallpapering over it to make an "invisible

antenna." Some of these gizmos may

have been better than no antenna at all
... but not much better!
Proper grounding of the receiver also
got a lot of attention in the early years of
DXing. Berg quotes pioneer listener
Carleton Lord's tongue -in -cheek "recollections" on the subject of good
grounds:
"There was little magic in the common cold water pipe, but consider what
you could do with a 6 foot copper-plated
stainless steel rod, an old auto radiator, or

z
0
C

THE LATE ARNE SKOOG, in a 1960s photo, tuning his SW receivers. Skoog, who died in
June, was the editor of "Sweden Calling DXers," a popular program for SW listeners aired
for well over three decades by Radio Sweden.

24

www.americanradiohistory.com

on water tank. Burying such contraptions was not enough; you were supposed to dig a full -sized grave away from
the light of the full moon, drop a tea kettle to the bottom, fill the pit with a proper mixture of gravel, rock salt, peat moss,
Vigoro and top soil, then hook up an
automatic sprinkler system to moisten the
filled pit for three hours before you
turned a dial. Then you also had the U.S.
Standard ground, the 011ie Ross (renowned early listener) Ground, the inverse
counterpoise, and many others."
"One DXer," Lord claimed, "buried
100 feet of trolley wire in a 3 foot deep
trench that circled a spring, and another
night-owl (listener) tossed 500 feet of
wire into the Pacific Ocean."

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Sweden's pioneer program for SWLs.
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too 'watery' (which it often was) because
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and 2000 SWLs worldwide on the station's mailing list for this program summary. Skoog and his program introduced countless casual listeners to the
SWLing hobby.
After his death, early in the summer,
many of them wrote to the station to
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25

ABBREVATIONS
DX, DXing, DXer = Distant shortwave stations; listening to them as a hobby;
one who hunts DX radio signals.
ID = Voice identification announcement.
IS = Distinctive interval signal used as a

station identifier.
kHz = kilohertz, unit of frequency measurement.
SW, SWL, SWLing = Shortwave; shortwave listener, shortwave listening.
UTC = Universal Coordinated Time, a
standard used by most major international broadcasters and listeners. It is
equivalent to Eastern Standard Time
plus 5 hours; CST +6; MST+7 or
PST +8.

express their condolences. So strong was

Skoog's impact on this influential program that some said they well remem-

bered him reading those listening tips

on "Sweden Calling DXers." In fact,
Arne gathered much of the information
and wrote the detailed scripts, but various colleagues read them on the air.
SCDX was aired first in English,
then, in later years, in all of Radio
Sweden's language services- except,
ironically, Swedish. Skoog also was one
of the founders of the Swedish DX
Federation, and later, the European DX
Council, both organizations dedicated
to supporting SWL clubs in that part of
the world.
On the 30th anniversary of SCDX,
Arne retired, turning over the program
to a young American announcer, George
Wood, who continued as its editor and
on-the -air host for years.
But changing times and new Radio

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Sweden management led to a shifting

emphasis. The mailing list was discontinued and SCDX became a twice a
month English -only program called
MediaScan.
MediaScan can be heard every other
Tuesday at 1130 UTC on 18,960 and
21,810 kHz; at 1330 UTC on 15,240
kHz; at 0230 UTC (Wed.) on 9495 kHz,
and 0330 UTC (Wed.) on 9495 and
12,060 kHz.
The old SWDX program of SW listening tips, however, gave way to a new
format, focusing on satellite broadcasts,
computers, and general Scandinavian
media news. Although in retirement,
Skoog expressed his disapproval of this
change in focus, but to no avail. In his
later years, he concentrated his attention
on his second hobby of violin making.

Merlin's Magic Act

Just when we were getting used to
the fact that the BBC wasn't the only
international broadcasting voice from
the United Kingdom, Merlin Network
One pulled a vanishing act. MNO cut its
worldwide SW presence from a wall -towall 24 hours a day to just one hour
daily, five days a week, a few months ago.
And that single hour, 1600 to 1700
UTC, is aired on 6175 kHz, when it's
not likely to be heard well in North
America.

MNO is the programming arm of

Merlin Communications, the British
company that now owns the privatized
shortwave transmitting facilities formerly owned-and still used -by the BBC.
Merlin Network One offered a
rather wide range of music programming on shortwave that, it seemed,
should have earned it a decent audience
worldwide. All that is left on SW at this
writing is a recorded religious program.
According to Christopher England
a rather appropriate name, don't you
think -of Merlin Communications
International, the MNO broadcasts on
shortwave were intended as a program-

ming research experiment to determine

SW listening patterns. In the future,
England says, this collected data on
who's listening and where will be used to
help clients interested in reaching specific geographical targets via shortwave.
In other words, look for Merlin to
become like the handful of US commercial shortwavers and others who sell airtime to religious, political, and ideological groups for their canned programs.

26

www.americanradiohistory.com

Down The Dial

Here's our monthly list of interesting
things to tune on shortwave:
ALASKA-9615 kHz, KNLS is
heard here in English at 1329 UTC,
with ID, short features, and a religious
talk. The signal is subject to fading.
BELARUS -7210 kHz, Radio
Minsk broadcasts in English around
0200 UTC, with news, commentary,
and identification.
kHz,
RTV
GUINEA-7125
Guineene is a West African SW outlet
that signs on just before 0600 UTC,
with guitar IS, French ID, and news.
GUYANA -5950 kHz, Guyana
Broadcasting Corp. is in Guyana, a
South American country-not to be
confused with Guinea -which has a sizable population whose ethnic origins are
in India. So its not surprising that musical programming includes Hindi vocals.
Look for this one from before 0900

UTC.
ITALY-11,900 kHz, RAI in Rome
noted around 2220 UTC with a variety
of music, from ballads to jazz. It operates
in parallel on 9675 kHz.
MONGOLIA-12,015 kHz, Voice
of Mongolia is heard here at 1200 UTC,
with its tuning signal and English ID,
and then an English newscast.
NIGER-5020 kHz, La Voix du
Sahel broadcasts from Niger; and yes, it
is Niger, not Nigeria, which is a different West African country. Listen around
0430 UTC for African music and
French language announcements.
PAKISTAN-17,895 kHz, Radio
Pakistan is heard with English news,
read very slowly, from 0230 to 0244
UTC. It signs off quite abruptly a
minute later. This one operates in parallel on 15,485 kHz.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA-4890
kHz, National Broadcasting Co. is heard
on this frequency around 1000 UTC,
with English news and commentary. By
1045 UTC, programming is in one of
the local pidgin languages.
PHILIPPINES- 15,190 kHz, Radio
Pilipinas has English from 1800 to sign
off at 1930 UTC. Programming is mostly music, with occasional IDs. It also
uses 17,720 kHz at the same time.
SEYCHELLES -9770 kHz, British
Broadcasting Corp. World Service is
relayed from this transmitter site in the
Indian Ocean. It has been reported here at
0225 UTC, in English, of course, with
talks, stock market news, program preview,
and the 'World of Music" program.

COMPUTER CONNECTIONS
BY KONSTANTINOS KARAGIANNIS

COMPUTER EDITOR

Buyer Beware

SEEN ANY RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICES ON NEW COMPUTERS LATELY? THAT IS, WHILE THE BIG BOYS (NATIONAL

CHAINS AND DIRECT DEALERS) ARE SELLING PENTIUM III SYSTEMS

PRICED IN THE $1500 AND UP RANGE, IN THE NEW YORK AREA AND
elsewhere, many local ads for PHI systems in the $700 to $900 range are popping up. One of these catch your eye?
They sure caught mine. These ads
are in most every newspaper and tempt
quite a few consumers. I recently decided to find out just how these stores could
afford to offer such allegedly hot systems
at closeout prices. Something about
these bargain PIII deals seemed a little
too good to be true, and sure enough,
that was the case. These machines
turned out to be empty promises from
less-than- honest vendors.
You won't believe what these con
artists are up to. Read on to make sure
you're not made a victim next time you
go computer shopping.

for, maybe, $800. To drive the phenomenal nature of the offer home, the sys-

tem may be labeled with a name brand,

say IBM or Compaq. Wow, what a deal!
Think about the specs you just read
for a minute. What's missing? As for the
processor, a chip's a chip. If it says PIII,
then it's a PIII. Fine, but does a 450 MHz processor always run at 450 MHz?
No. You may know that the clock speed
of a CPU is dependent on a multiplier of

the system bus. A PIII 450 is designed to

run at 4.5 times the speed of the 100 MHz bus in Intel 440BX or equivalent
motherboards.
Ready for the horrid truth? For the most
part, these "bargain" machines are NOT
running on 100 -MHz motherboards!
To assemble such a dream (nightmare?) machine cheaply, these crooked
vendors are putting Pentium III chips
on outdated 66 -MHz motherboards.
The result is a crippled PIII, with a relative performance just under that of a
Pentium II at 300 MHz. As a result of
the slow motherboard, the system memory is limiting, too. As these older
boards use 66 -MHz RAM, the boosts
gained by PC-100 SDRAM memory are
lost. Cheap and slow 66 -MHz memory,
often EDO DRAM, is used instead.

Selective Truthtelling
Most every kid in the world has gotten into an argument about semantics
with Mom and Dad when it comes to
lying. Parents will claim that not telling
the whole truth is just as bad as lying,
while the child being "charged" with the
offense will stick to the notion that leaving out certain details is not the same
thing as fibbing. Take whichever stance
on this issue that you want, but when it
comes to the world of retail, holding
back certain details is downright low.
If you have an ad handy that seems to
match the too -good-to -be -true criteria,
read it carefully. Perhaps it claims a PIII
450 processor, 128MB of RAM, a 6.4GB
hard drive, and a 17 -inch monitor, all

AMONG THE SHIFTIER COMPUTER DEALERS, Intel's Pentium III processor may be the
most misused CPU ever-read our tips this month for avoiding a bum deal.

www.americanradiohistory.com

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FOR A GOOD -QUALITY REFURBISHED or bargain machine, check out Dell's Outlet
online.

Again, these are details that are left

out. The memory is listed by amount
only, and the processor according to its
"labeled" clock speed.
So right off the bat, you have a
machine that will likely be buggy (the
PIII will not "play nice" with the older
chipset used in the inferior motherboards), and much slower than you'd
expect from the newest class of Intel
chip.
But it keeps on getting worse. The
hard drive could have a horrifically
slow access speed and may be a refurbished unit. The 17 -inch monitor will
likely turn out to be a 0.39 -mm(!)
pitch unit-practically a step above
one of those old-fashioned Lite-Brite
toys when it comes to graininess. In
one case, I asked one of these shifty

vendors how much it would cost to

upgrade from such a terrible display
to a .28 -mm 15 inch monitor, and he
said quite calmly that it would be $69.
Think about the ramifications of having to pay to upgrade to a smaller monitor.
We've looked at the misrepresented
facets of a typical bargain system so far.
But what about the details you never
even read of? Expect such a system to
have a 16X or 20X CD -ROM (a $5 item
nowadays). Count on the video to be a
28 mere 1MB integrated system (capable of

displaying only 256 colors at a decent

resolution and incapable of playing most
modern games). And the modem? If the
system has one, it will likely be of the
quality that should disconnect you about
every ten minutes or so.
Now ... ready for the final kicker? In
these "bargain" systems, many of the
parts just described, as undesirable as
they are, are not even new! That's right,
SOME WEB SITES OFFERING
RELIABLE REFURBISHED
MACHINES
DAMARK International
Web: www.damark.com
Great prices on refurbished name -brand
computers, as well as numerous other
gadgets and gizmos.

Dell
Web: www.dell.com /outlet/index.htm
Contains some of the most cutting -edge
refurbished deals around.

Egghead
Web: www.egghead.com
Click on "liquidation & refurbished" to
search their changing selection.
IBM
Web: refurbishedpcs .financing.ibm.com
While some machines may be a bit old,
the prices are worth checking.

www.americanradiohistory.com

to add insult to quality-injury, many

components being used in these
machines are refurbished or repaired,
being salvaged from older PCs. However, because these parts and motherboard were once used in, say, an IBM
machine and are now contained in a new
(or relatively new) case from the same
manufacturer, the computer can be sold
as an IBM. Of course, the dealer couldn't put a model number on the machine,
because that really would be fraud. For
this reason, the too-good -to -be-true ads
just say the company name, only adding
to the appeal of the system.
Know what you're buying. Ask what
components are really in the system. Be
wary of dealers who won't let you look
inside. One such dealer had the nerve to
tell me he wouldn't even let me look at
the back of the case, let alone inside.
Nice, huh? Would you buy a computer
from such a shifty salesperson with so
much to hide? I don't think so. There
are enough reputable places to shopstick to them.

Refurbished Is Not Always A

Dirty Word
For the sake of fairness, it is important to point out that not all systems in
the refurbished category are bad buys.
Many companies, direct- marketinggiant Dell and IBM included, have
extensive selections of refurbished
machines at great prices. In most cases,
these were just returned because buyers
decided they couldn't pay for them, or
because one component was faulty and
replaced. Dell's refurbished buys even
have the same warranty that a new system would have, giving you a safe way to
save some money.
You may even be able to save money
by buying a refurbished PC through an
independent distributor. Just make certain of two things when doing so. For
one, check that the system in question
has its original specifications. That is,
buy a Compaq model XYZ, but not a
system just referred to as a refurbished
Compaq. Second, be sure that your
refurbished system comes with a warranty. Saving $300 or so isn't a great idea
if it will mean twice as much in parts
replacement and labor down the road.
That about wraps it up for this month.
If you'd like to get in touch, you can send
e -mail to [email protected] or
snail -mail to Computer Connections,
Electronics Now, 500 Bi -County Blvd.,
Farmingdale, NY 11735.

NEW PRODUCTS

111111111

USE THE FREE INFORMATION CARD FOR FAST RESPONSE

inside and outside temperatures, and

black -ice warnings. All three V5000
units come standard with a large digital
compass LCD readout that displays
both numeric and cardinal points, have
a back -light for easy viewing at night,
and feature simple electronic calibration. The compasses also include
"SMART" sensor features, such as an
auto shut -off when the car is not in use
for ten minutes, magnetic distortion
detection and correction elements that
tell when the compass reading may be
affected by an outside source, and a
multiple trip log that stores information for up to three trips.

Speech Recognition Nit

CIRCLE 338 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

THE VOICE DIRECT SPEECH RECognition Kit is an ideal development

tool to apply speech recognition to
everyday household electronics. With
Voice Direct, items like TV remote
controls, alarm clocks, microwaves,
toys, motors, telephones, and numerous other common household appliances can come to life using voice
commands.
The kit can support slave -mode
operation for developers who want to
customize their applications. It is a
development tool designed for anyone
from high- school students and beyond
to electronic hobbyists to engineers.
Using a speaker- dependent (user trained) speech-recognition module, the
unit can learn to recognize up to 15
words or phrases in any language that
lasts up to 3.2 seconds. The module is
powered by the Voice Direct speechrecognition processor.
The speech -recognition kit comes
complete with the assembled Voice
Direct module (which contains a microphone pre- amplifier, serial EEPROM,

and oscillator), a microphone element,

speaker, (3) microswitches, (2) 100k
resistors, and a quick setup guide. A 5volt ( 10 %) /50mA power source,
hookup wire, 0.1 -inch headers, and 3by 3 -inch prototyping board are needed

for installation.
The Voice Direct Speech Recognition
Kit has a suggested retail price of $49.95.
SENSORY, INC.
521 East Wendell Street
Sunnydale, CA 94089-2164

408 -744 -9000

Fax: 408 -744 -1299
Tel:

Web: www.Sensorylnc.com

Smart Automobile
Compass

DESIGNED TO GIVE DRIVERS

essential trip information, the V5000

CIRCLE 339 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Each V5000 Series compass comes

with a fully adjustable mounting bracket
that rotates 180 degrees and can be
attached with heavy -duty suction cups.
The compasses operate on two AAA batteries for over 250 hours or with an
optional 12 -volt lighter adapter power
cord (standard in some models).
The suggested retail prices range from
$79.95 for the V5000 basic model to
$129.95 for the fully- loaded V5000TA.
PRECISION NAVIGATION, INC.
5550 Skylane Blvd., Ste. E
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Tel: 707-566 -2260
Fax: 707 -566-2261
Web: www.precisionnay.com

Series Multi- Sensor Vehicle Compasses

use state -of-the -art sensor technology

to provide a variety of readouts: directional and altimeter readings, digital

clock, automatic trip timer, trip logs,

www.americanradiohistory.com

Pen Multimeter

IDEAL FOR TROUBLESHOOTING

logic and general AC/DC circuits, the

29

Craftsman Pen Multimeter with Logic

Test is an autoranging DMM with
Data Hold and Range Hold functions.
Among its other functions are DC and
AC voltage up to 500 volts, DC and
AC current, resistance, logic test for
indicating digital threshold levels, and
audible continuity and diode tests. The
pen point makes it easy to touch component leads, PC board traces, tie
points, IC points, and other small
devices. The safety probe tips can be
stored when not in use.

convergence control allows the user to

converge on objects near or far, and the
Stereo-Optix, technology provides the
camcorder with the needed parallax view
to create a true stereoscopic image. Best
of all, 3 -D content can be viewed on a
standard TV.
The Nu -View SX -2000 elctro -optical adapter has a suggested retail price of
$399.95.
3-D VIDEO, INC.
418 Chapala Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Tel: 888 -883 -3843 or 805- 963 -5990
Fax: 805- 963 -9770
Web: www.3- dvideo.com

Pattern Generator
CIRCLE 340 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Measurements are displayed on a

large, 3200-count, high- contrast LCD
with bargraph. Auto power off, and
overload- and low- battery- indication
are also featured. The Pen Multimeter
with Logic Test includes case, extra
fuses, manual, and test lead with alligator clip.
The Craftsman Pen Multimeter with
Logic Test has a list price of $44.99.
SEARS ROEBUCK, INC.
Tel: 800 -390 -8792 (information) or
800-377 -7414 (sales)

THE PORTABLE PC SCAN PAY' ERN

Generator, Model LT 1607, is only a little larger than a paperback book; and it
meets the test -signal needs of most computer monitors, handling NTSC and
Y/C monitors as well. Designed for both
bench and field use, the instrument uses
simple controls to call up raster formats
for VGA, SVGA, XGA, MAC13, MAC
16, and MAC 19 computer monitors.
The raster can be set to white, yellow,
cyan, green, magenta, red, blue, and

LEADER INSTRUMENTS CORP.

380 Oser Avenue
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Tel: 800 -645-5104 or 516 -231 -6900
Fax: 516- 231 -5295
Web: www.leaderusa.com
Test Accessory Kits
THESE THREE NEW TEST ACCES
sory kits feature different combinations
of DMM test accessories for use with
Amprobe's most popular meters (the
AM -50, AM -71, AM90, and AM-1200
Series). Ideal for field use, these kits
contain a wide variety of test accessories,
ranging from: sets of test probes, both'
Maxigrabber and large alligator test
clips, an extended tip adapter, flexible
test leads, and spade lugs to modular

electrical probes with durable stainless,

steel tips.

black.

CIRCLE 343 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Electro -Optical Adapter

THE NU -VIEW SX -2000 IS AN ELECtro- optical adapter that when attached
to practically any camcorder, produces
stereoscopic three- dimensional (S3D)
video recordings. A threaded optical
adapter is first attached to the cam-

CIRCLE 341 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

corder's filter threads, providing a stable

optically aligned bayonet mount. Once
it's attached to the camcorder, the auto
focus, auto exposure, zoom, and white
balance camera functions are performed
as usual.

After they are connected together,

the camcorder is used in a normal man30 ner to view and record. A simple, single

CIRCLE 342 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Among the test signals are color bars,

circle /crosshatch, window, and computer characters. The unit outputs composite NTSC and Y/C feeds for adjustments of very large- screen displays and
video walls. Selectable auto pattern
sequencing is also available.
The suggested retail price for the
model LT1607 is $995.

www.americanradiohistory.com

Kits are offered with either a large

briefcase, shoulder pack, or tri -fold
pouch for a variety of test environments,
including plant maintenance, electrical,
HVAC, automotive, and field repair.
The test accessories are safely stored in
multiple zippered and Velcro -enclosed
compartments that also provide easy and
convenient access. Constructed from
durable material, the briefcases and
shoulder packs are designed so that the
test accessories can be stored with the
meter.
The suggested retail prices range
from $49 for the Basic Test Companion Kit and $89 for the shoulder pack
to $189 for The Deluxe Test Companion Kit (IP9020), which is pictured here.
POMONA ELECTRONICS
1500 E. Ninth St.
Pomona, CA 91766
Tel: 909-623 -3463
Fax: 800 -444-6785
Web: www.pomonaelectronics.com

(fine, normal, or basic), the camera can

record 8, 17, and up to 35 images in 1800
x 1200 mode; or 47, 90, and up to 142
images in 640 x 480 mode.
The camera is equipped with both a

Experimenter's Board

THE PIC -Xl IS THE FIRST PRE assembled experimenter's platform for the
Microchip Technology PlCmicro microcontrollers. It provides an assembled testbed
containing most of the circuitry commonly
used with PlCmicros: 5 -volt power supply, a
crystal-controlled oscillator that includes
jumpers, a reset circuit, as well as additional
application circuits. The PIC -X1 can run
programs written in assembler, C, and
PicBasic or PicBasic Pro, and allows the resident PlCmicro to be reprogrammed on the
fly (with a flash device) using programmers
that support this feature.

CIRCLE 344 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Application circuits indude a switch

matrix, potentiometers, LEDs, LCD module, serial EEPROMs, real-time clock,
temperature sensors, servo connectors,
RS232 and RS485 interfaces, IR interface,
speaker, and a prototyping area. Designed
to work with 40 -pin PlCmicros, it may be
jumpered to work with smaller devices.
The PIC-Xl is available in either bare
PCB, kit, or assembled form; and it comes
bundled with a parts list, schematic, and
PicBasic Pro example programs.
The suggested retail price for the
standard assembled version is $199.95.
Educational pricing is lower.

MICROENGINEERING LABS,

CIRCLE 345 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

and for VGA, SVGA, and XGA. It has a

horizontal scanning range up to 50kHz,
three color temperature settings, and
custom memory settings for black level,
contrast, geometry, and masking.
The AF3.0HD offers multiple inputs
for digital, analog, and HDTV, plus
color difference signals, VGA, S -video
(Y/C), and composite inputs. Two
remote controls, a built -in stereo audio
amplifier, and two speakers are bundled
with the monitor.
The AF3.0HD HDTV monitor has a
suggested retail price of $4100.

PRINCETON GRAPHIC
SYSTEMS
2801 South Yale Street

Santa Ana, CA 92704

Tel: 800-747 -6249 or 714 - 751 -8405
Fax: 714- 751 -5736

555 Taxter Road

Elmsford, NY 10523
Tel: 800- 800 -FUJI
Web: www.fujifilm.com

DC

Power Supply

A SINGLE-OUTPUT, VARIABLE 50volt DC output (0-5A) power supply, the

Model 5050S offers short- circuit and overload protection and provides fully isolated
outputs. Ideal for lab, service, industrial,
and educational uses, the Model 5050S has
constant voltage/constant current modes,
load/line regulation, and ripple specs.

Web: www.prgr.com

Digital Mini- Camera

SMALL ENOUGH (3.1 BY 3.8 BY 1.3
inches) to fit into a shirt pocket, the MX2700 Digital Camera is a double- megapixel model that lets photographers instantly
see the images they want to shoot. The 2.3million pixel MX-2700 features a 3mm
equivalent lens with macro capability.
Depending on the compression selected

INC.

CIRCLE 347 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Both fine and coarse voltage controls

are available, along with indicators for constant voltage and current as well as for
overload operation. The three -digit red
LED display indicates both current and
voltage output. The unit operates at
100/120/220/230V and has a power consumption of 420VA.
The 5050S variabel output
supply sells for $651.

Box 7352
Colorado Springs, CO 80933
Tel: 719-520 -5323

Fax: 719 -520-1867

Web: www.melabs.com

HDTV Monitor

WHILE STILL COMPATIBLE WITH

the NTSC signal, the AF3.0HD HDTV
monitor is the first direct -view 16:9
aspect -ratio monitor to display all
HDTV formats. The 30 -inch viewable
HDTV monitor includes six preset
memories for DTV- resolution formats

precision, 2 -inch polysilicon color LCD

monitor with 130,00 pixels and an optical viewfinder, and it has video output
and serial ports for computer connection. Automatic playback, a digital 2.5 X
telephoto mode, and the multi-frame
playback that enables nine images to be
viewed at once on the LCD are all features of the MX -2700.
The MX -2700 Digital Camera has a
suggested retail price of $699.
FUJI PHOTO FILM U.S.A., INC.

m
m

HC PROTEK
154 Veterans Drive
Northvale, NJ 07647
Tel: 201 - 767-7242
Fax: 201 - 767 -7343
CIRCLE 346 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com

Web: www.hcprotek.com

31

The Electronics Industry

is looking for a lot

of good people!

your chance to get in on the ground floor as an

Associate CET. Is your job title "Electronics Service
Technician?" Would you like to have that title? You can
prove you qualify for the title with a CET Associate Certificate. It can be your career door -opener and begin your
rapid advancement!
Here is

Proof Positive
that you are a Certified
Electronics Technician

A technician or student of electronics with less than a

total of four years of basic experience may take the Associate Level Exam. The exam is the basic electronics
portion of the full- credit CET exam. The 75- question,
multiple- choice test covers basic electronics, math, DC
and AC circuits, transistors and semiconductors, instruments, measurements and troubleshooting. A successful
Associate CET will receive a wall certificate valid for
four years and is eligible to join ISCET as an Associate
Member. ISCET is the International Society of Certified
Electronics Technicians.

The ISCET Computer-Aided Associate-Level Study

Guide prepares you for the Associate CET Certificate by
randomly selecting sample questions with appropriate
diagrams, provides multiple- choice answers, grades the
test and provides a summary of your strong and weak
points.
Diskette requires IBM computer or compatible with VGA color monitor, 3.5 -in. drive and

Prepare yourself for the 75- question

CET Associate Examination. Model
examinations provide the technician
with a study program and introduction
to the actual examinations. The model
examinations are automatically graded in decimal numbers and bar graphs
that can be outputted on your printer.
The questions for each exam are selected randomly from a loaded data
base -no two exams are exactly the
same. When you answer a question,
the correct answer is displayed and an
explanation is given. From the printouts you will determine whether you
need more practice and in which topic
areas, or if you are ready to take the
real test and continue to promote your
electronics career today!

for the CET Computer-Aided Study Guide on a 3.5 diskette. I am

enclosing $39.95 (price includes U.S. shipping and handling) in U.S.

funds. Canadians and overseas add $6.00 per order for shipping.

MasterCard Expire Date _/

US or International Money Order

Card No.

Signature
Name (Please Print)

Address
State

Zip

New York residents add local sales taxes. Do not send cash. Checks drawn on US Bank and
International Money Orders in US funds only. Credit card users may telephone or FAX orders. Telephone 516- 293 -3751 or FAX 516- 293 -3115. Price subject to change. Allow 6 to 8
weeks for delivery.

32 L

CB06

Associate -Level Study Guide

YES, I want to step up to a career in servicing. Here is my order

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Computer Software Program

ISCET Computer-Aided

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CLAGGK INC. CET Computer -Aided Study Guide Offer

PO Box 4099, Farmingdale, New York 11735

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www.americanradiohistory.com

Listen to the Earth with

this Seismic Detector

RON NEWTON

If you live in a seismically active

area, you are no doubt aware

of the "non- permanence" of the

ground that you are standing on.
Did you ever wonder if you have
just felt a small earthquake, or was it
only a passing truck? Perhaps you
would like to explore the concept
of volcanic eruption predictions.
The human body can detect a
seismic event of about 2.5 or
above on the Richter scale. A seismograph would be nice, but who
can afford to have reams and
reams of paper spewing out on the
floor day after day? Besides, commercial seismographs are very
expensive instruments and most
are not portable.
To the rescue comes the Seismic
Detector presented here, a portable
and paperless device that is inexpensive and versatile. In addition to
seismometers, the basic circuit can
be used with other transducers
such as LVDTs, differential pressure
sensors, and accelerometers to
name a few. Even with the use of
expensive low -power components,

Want to find out what's

happening underfoot? You
can do just that with this
inexpensive unit.
the cost for parts is currently about
$40; lower-cost standard components can be used if battery life is
not a concern.
Design Features. Several features
of the Seismic Detector contribute
not only to its low cost but its usefulness as a geologist's instrument.
Sensitivity is less than 2 on the
Richter scale. At that level, it will be

able to detect and record seismic

events that we wouldn't notice. Up
to eight separate one -minute events
can be recorded and stored by the
unit. Once an event has been
detected and recorded, a light emitting diode indicates that a seismic event has taken place and is
stored in the system's memory.
The Seismic Detector can be

www.americanradiohistory.com

PC for real -time

monitoring of seismic events. That
does not mean, however, that the
Seismic Detector is restricted to any
area that has a convenient wall
outlet. Designed for portability and
use in the field, it can run for about
one year on a fresh set of batteries.
Since it can collect data that might
occur months apart, the date and
time of each event is also stored by
the unit.
Naturally, the computer interface
can also be used for downloading
any stored information for plotting
and analysis.

connected to a

Circuit Description. The schematic

diagram of the Seismic Detector is
shown in Fig. 1; follow it during the
following discussion.
The heart of the system is SEN 1, a
vibration transducer. Manufactured
by Geophone for use by the oil
industry, it is a small can measuring
inch in diameter by 1.3 inches in
height. It has a natural frequency of
10 Hz. If you open up a sensor, you'll
find that it consists of little more
1

33

IC6

LT1004C2-2.5

R7

-6V
R6

Si

R4

100K

RESET

10K

eee
+5V

R8

1C4

24C65

100K

Cl

18pF

R2
1K

R7

IC2
4

17

16

4.7K

R1

470e

15

LT1077CN8

11

12

Nks LEDI

R5

T
W

14

Ic1
PIC16C71

+5V

-6V

+5V
R3

XTAL1
4.194 MHz

100K
6

SENI I)

C2
18pF

C3
33pF

T 10K

RS232 SENSE

S2-a

O7r

IC5

RS232 RECEIVE

LT1121CZ-5

_L
81

6V

C4
1/16

16

12

RS232 TRANSMIT

10

15

JI

13

IC3

LT1181ACN
C8

82

C6
.1

6V

<04-

-6V

S2-b

C5

C7

.1

Fig. 1. Using lowpower components to extend its battery life to a year of continuous operation, the
Seismic Detector can store eight separate seismic events. Enough memory is provided for a minute's
worth of samples per event
16 samples per second.

-at

than a coil with a magnet suspended by a spring. When the sensor

shakes, the magnet moves up and
down within the coil. As everyone
remembers from basic electricity,
an electric current is generated
when a conductor passes through
a magnetic field. The sensor uses
that effect to generate an AC volt-

age when it is moved. The intensity

and shape of the AC signal is related directly to the amount of vibrational shock detected.
The output from SEN1 is very
weak; IC2 amplifies it 100 times to
boost the Seismic Detector's sensitivity. The amplified signal is applied
to one of the inputs of IC1, a

PIC16C71. That particular micro controller features an on -board 8bit analog -to- digital converter. There
is a limitation on the input signal to

the A/D converter -it cannot go

negative, making measuring an AC

waveform a bit difficult. The solution
is to raise the voltage level of the
signal so that it doesn't exceed the
input specifications of the 16C71.
Take another look at IO2; it is set up
as a summing amplifier. A 2.5-volt
offset is added to the sensor signal
by using a precision reference
diode, IC6. That voltage is at the
halfway point on the A/D converters limits (128 on a 0 -255 scale).
Thus, a negative voltage will read
TO J1

fe

5r

5.eh
2

3
2

0
oo
9-PIN

FEMALE
CONNECTOR

Fig. 2. This cable connects the Seismic Detector

to a PC for downloading the recorded data as
well as setting up the unit.

34 Here's the foil pattern for the Seismic Detector.

www.americanradiohistory.com

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''
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35

www.americanradiohistory.com

If you choose to use a PC board,

a foil pattern for a single -sided
board has been included here.
Alternatively, an etched and drilled
board is available from the source
given in the Parts List.
Before beginning assembly, note
that ICI must be programmed with
the software that runs the Seismic
Detector. The software for the
Seismic Detector can be downloaded from the Gernsback FTP site
(ftp.gernsback.com /pub /EN /seis
mic.zip). If you do not have access
to a PIC programmer, a pre-pro-

SENI

IC6

-J-

-05-C6

I8 I2

-C3-R7-

-R4-

C7

-CB-

Fig. 3. The Seismic Detector is a simple circuit that fits on a small single-sided board. Only two

jumpers are needed.

0 and 127; positive voltages will be between 129 and 255.

The frequency of XTAL1 was chosen so that together with the software that is programmed into IC 1,
precise timing lengths can be generated. For example, IC samples its
analog /digital converter 16 times
per second. If the reading is less
than 123 or over 133, the software
turns on LED 1, which will flash every
15 seconds. One minute's worth of
readings are stored in IC4, a serial
memory chip. After a total of eight
events, the system is set to "go to
sleep" without taking any more
readings no matter what happens.
Due to the nature of how I04 stores
information, no data will be lost if
power is lost. However, the unit will
not take any more readings even if
power is restored.
A bi -polar power supply is need ed because of IC2. The positive side

between

36

supplied by four D -size batteries

and is regulated to 5 volts by 105, a
low -power voltage regulator. A set
of four AA cells provides the negative voltage for IC2.
Communications to a PC is handled by IC3, an RS232 interface
chip. To conserve power, IC only
activates I03 when an adapter
cable is plugged into J1. That
adapter cable, shown in Fig. 2,
shorts pins 3 and 4 of J1 together;
IC watches for that condition. The
Seismic Detector uses a 9600 -baud
rate to keep it compatible with the
oldest of PCs.
is

grammed chip can be purchased

from the source given in the Parts
List, but download the software
anyway. That package includes the
PC software for reading back the
information that the Seismic Detector
has collected.
Start construction by placing the
D -cell battery holder upside down
with the wires to the left. Mount the
AA -cell battery on the right side of
the D -cell holder using doublesided tape or other suitable adhesive; the wires for both battery holders should face the same way.
Place the PC board on the left
side of the D -cell battery holder.
Mark the four locations where
screws will hold the PC board to the
holder. Drill those holes in the holder
and set it aside.
If you are using a PC board that
has been purchased from the
source given in the Parts List or
have etched one from the foil pat-

Construction. The Seismic Detector's

circuit is simple enough to build on
a piece of perfboard using stan-

dard

construction

techniques.

However, using a PC board makes

for a neater appearance and eliminates most wiring errors.

www.americanradiohistory.com

Fig. 4. The Seismic Detector relies on a vibration sensor that is used by the oil industry for

exploration.

wire to the negative -voltage input.

On the D -cell wires, the red goes to
the positive -voltage input and the
black to ground.
The transducer is connected to
the board in a similar way; a strain relief hole is next to the pads for the
transducer wires. That hole is much
smaller -use two different colors of
wire -wrap wire. Twist the leads
together and keep their length less
than 12 inches to prevent any elec-

A pair of square wire -wrap posts

should be installed where SEN will
1

Fig. 5. The completed Seismic Detector is a

compact, self-contained unit.

tern, use the parts -placement diagram shown in Fig. 3 to locate the
various components. Note that
there are two jumpers; they can be
made from scrap pieces of component lead. In general, start with
the smallest components and work
your way up to the larger devices.
Before soldering any polarized
components, be sure to double check their orientation. Burned
semiconductors let you know that
they have been installed backwards by releasing a puff of smoke
and a unique odor that is unlike
Earth.
any other smell on
Electrolytic
capacitors, when
installed the wrong way, have a
way of failing that is -in a single

word-"thrilling!"

be connected to the board. The

integrated circuits can be soldered
directly to the board; sockets can
be used, but they might cause reliability problems after the Seismic
Detector has been out in the field
for several months exposed to
extremes of temperature and
humidity. Note the orientation of
104; it is the reverse of the other
chips.

want to consider a
socket for IC 1, especially if you are
using the re- programmable version
and might replace the program
with one of your own design. Again,
reliability and upgradability are the
two features that you must choose
between when it comes to the use
of IC sockets.
When the board is done, look
over your work carefully for poor
soldering or missing, backwards, or
misplaced components.
Note that there is a large strain relief hole next to J1. Run the battery wires through that hole and
solder them to the appropriate
pads. The red wire from the AA batteries goes to ground and its black
You might

tromagnetic interference (EMI). The

wiring method used in the author's
prototype is shown in Fig. 4.
Mount the board to the back of the
battery holder using standoffs, screws,
and nuts. That completes assembly of
the Seismic Detector itself.
Cut one end off of a modular 4-

telephone handset
cord. Strip and tin the wires on the
cut end. Following the schematic
diagram shown in Fig. 3, connect
the wires to a 9 -pin connector. Use
an ohmmeter or continuity tester if
you are unsure as to which wire
goes to which connector pin. The
transmit line goes to pin 2 and the
receive line to pin 3. Twist the
ground and RS232 sensor wires
together and solder them to pin 5.
conductor

40

20

16

k.

rt11I111ol..Y.1.1.111,..rr..r.

-20

-40
0

10

20

30

40

50

TIME (SECONDS)
6. An example of recorded data from the Seismic Detector
occurred in Carson City, NV on October 30, 1998.

Fig.

is this

plot of an earthquake that

www.americanradiohistory.com

37

Boston and New York! Remove the

cord from Jl and LED1 should blink
on and off indicating that it is arming. Once LED1 goes out, it is
armed. Tap the table and LED1
should go on indicating that it is
taking data. Tap the table several
times for about one minute. You
can turn Si off; the unit will retain its

PARTS LIST FOR THE SEISMIC DETECTOR

SEMICONDUCTORS
IC -PIC 16C71 microcontroller, integrated circuit
IC2 -LT 1077CN8 op -amp, integrated
circuit
IC3-LT1181ACN RS -232 driver, integrated circuit
IC4-24C65 serial EEPROM, integrated
circuit
IC5- LT1121CZ -5 low-power 5 -volt
regulator, integrated circuit
IC6-LT 1004CZ -2.5 micropower 2.5volt reference, integrated circuit
LED1- Light-emitting diode, red
1

RESISTORS
(All resistors are 'Is -watt, 5% units.)
RI --470 -ohm
R2-1000 -ohm
R3 -4700 -ohm
R4, R5- 10,000 -ohm
R6R8- 100,000 -ohm

CAPACITORS

Cl, C2- 18 -pF, ceramic -disc

C3- 33 -pF, ceramic -disc

16 -WVDC, electrolytic

C5 C8- 0.1 -4F, polyester

you need to use a 25 -pin connector, pins 2 and 3 are reversed;
pin 7 is used for ground.
As a final touch, put a drop of
red fingernail polish on the side of
S2 next to the battery wires. That will
be a reminder as to which position
is the "on" position. The completed
Seismic Detector, with batteries
loaded, is shown in Fig. 5.
If

ADDITIONAL PARTS
AND MATERIALS
BI, B2-6 -volt battery
modular telephone connector, PCmount
SEN1-Seismic vibration transducer (see
text)
XTAL1 -4.194 -MHz crystal
9- or 25 -pin connector, four D -cell battery holder, four AA -cell battery holder, wire hardware, etc.

JI-

data.

Note: The following items are available

from Tahoe Chemical R &D; Tel: 702885 -8842; E -mail: sjnewt @aol.com:
Pre -programmed ICI, $10; etched and
drilled PC board, $15. Please add $5
for shipping and handling within US
and Canada. NV residents must add
appropriate sales tax.
SEN! is available from: All Electronics,
PO Box 567, Van Nuys, CA 914080567; Tel: 800-827 -5432; item GP -1;
and from Geo Space Corporation,
7334 N. Gessner, Houston, TX
77040; Tel: 713 -939-7093; Web:
www.geospacecorp.com; item
GS -20DM.
such as WindowsNT, Windows2000,
and OS /2. At any rate, running the
software from a plain DOS prompt is
best to avoid any interference
Windows might cause while accessing the serial ports.
Make sure that S2 is off; place
the batteries into their holders. With
the Seismic Detector resting on a
table, turn it on; LED1 should light.

Connect the adapter cable to J

and the serial port of your computer. The LED should turn off. Start the
seismic.exe program and select
the serial port that you have the
Seismic Detector connected to.
Once you reach the main menu,
type "C" for real time. Tap the table
and you should see the data
change. When SEN is at rest, the
data should be centering on 128.
Now we'll test the unit's recording ability. Type "D" to clear the
Seismic Detector's memory, and
then type "E" for field recording. Hit
the enter key to accept the default
delay of one minute. Note that the
Seismic Detector can be set for a
delay of up to 255 minutes -that's
four hours and 15 minutes, the
approximate driving time between
1

Testing. One of the files in the download package is seismic.exe; that is

the PC program for setting up and
collecting data from the Seismic
Detector. It is a DOS -based program;
it will run under Windows95 and
Windows98; compatibility might be a
problem with other operating systems

38

www.americanradiohistory.com

Downloading. Plug the adapter

cable into J1 and turn the unit on.
At the main menu of the PC program, type "B" to choose the store to -disk option, then type "A ".
Collection will automatically stop
when all of the available data is
downloaded. Once you are satisfied that you have stored the data
you want, you can erase the memory as detailed above.
The data files can be read into
any spreadsheet. Both Lotus 123
and Excel work well. The first large
number is the date and its decimal
is the time that the seismic event
took place. The following data is
seismic data. Use the spreadsheet's
graphing function to display the
data. An example of graphing a
seismic event is shown in Fig. 6. That
event took place in Carson City, NV
on October 30, 1998 at 1:53 AM.
That data file, as well as a text file
with further information on using
the Seismic Detector, is a part of
the full software package that you
downloaded.
Field Use. For simple seismic sensing in a building, set the unit down
on its D batteries on a concrete
floor in an area where it won't be
disturbed. Place SEN next to it. The
unit can be turned off without disturbing SEN 1.
When studying volcanoes or
doing other outdoor work, place
the unit into a plastic container
with a waterproof screw or snap
cover. Fix SENT to the bottom using
double -sided tape; hold the batteries in place with rubber bands or
foam rubber. Bury the container to
prevent vandalism and retrieve the
data later. Remember that when
you go back to dig it up, the shovel
will cause the last recorded event!
Don't forget to turn off the power
when transporting the Seismic
S2
Detector.
1

Any

electronic device that

makes sound in a speaker

at least if the sound is more than
digital beeps -needs an audio
amplifier Until now, the most popular IC for driving small speakers has
been the LM386, introduced in 1975
by National Semiconductor. Figure
shows a typical circuit. Compared
to the discrete- component circuits
that preceded it, the LM386 was a
godsend; it could deliver 0.2 watt
into an 8 -ohm speaker from a 9 -volt
supply without an output transformer.
But the LM386 wasn't perfect. As
Fig.
shows, it requires large electrolytic capacitors, which add bulk
and cost to the circuit and can distort the sound as they age, Further,
the input impedance of the LM386 is

This new "Boomer" audio amp

from National Semiconductor
is easier to use, offers better
performance, and needs fewer
bulky external components than
anything previously available.

very high, making it prone to oscillation if the inputs aren't carefully separated from the outputs. Its voltage
gain of 20 (or 200 with one capacitor
added) is a bit too high for line-level
input (1V RMS) and contributes to
the oscillation problem.
Twenty years went by, and National
Semiconductor has recently introduced a new line of easy-to -use
"Boomer" audio amplifiers. The handi-

www.americanradiohistory.com

is the LM4862, which is

available in both surface-mount and
DIP packages with the same pinout
(LM4862M and LM4862N respectively).
It can deliver 0.675 watt into an 8-ohm
speaker at 1% total harmonic distortion. (At slightly lower power levels, distortion is appreciably less.) What's
more, it has automatic thermal shutdown to protect it from damage if
overloaded, and it operates from a single 5-voit supply. The inpui impedance
is relatively low and user settable, so the
risk of oscillation is much lower.

est of these

Inside the Chip. Figure 2 shows

what's inside the device. The
the speaker differentially, cpplying opposite waveforms
to the two terminals
configura- 39
LIM4862 drives

-a

REMOVE FOR
GAIN =20

+9V

Cl

C2
220

----i 10F

TI

AUDIO IN

4
C5
0.05

R1

10K

C6

VOLUME

-t.

C3
0.01

+C4
220
F

R2
1052

PLACE CLOSE
TO IC1

OPTIONAL
(FOR STABILITY)
Fig.

1.

The classic LM386 audio amplifier needs six capacitors, three

tion often called BTL (bridge -tied

load). Either side of the speaker
can go to +5V, while the other side

goes to

of them electrolytic.

OV. Thus,

produce

the amplifier can

volts of swing from a 5volt supply. That's enough for room10

filling volume with a 4 -inch full range speaker.

The supply voltage can range
from 2.7 to 5.5 volts; naturally, the
amplifier can deliver more power if
the supply voltage is near the high
end of the range. You can power the
LM4862 from two or three 1.5 -volt cells
or a regulated 5-volt supply. (Do not
use a 6 -volt battery; it exceeds the
maximum rating.) Total current consumption ranges from 5 mA when
quiet to about 250 mA at maximum
volume. Power -supply ripple rejection
is excellent, better than 50 dB when
C2 = 1F.

Using the Chip. A typical amplifier

circuit is shown in Fig. 3. It's simple
and does not require electrolytic
capacitors; that keeps the cost
down and ensures high -fidelity
audio. Actually, C2, the bias bypass

+3-5V
C3
0.1

R2

I(

22K220K

'VW
Cl
AUDIO 0.33
IN

R1

22K

E AMr.

LM4862

INOUT+

IN+

SPKR

10K
10K

8S2

is/N.
50K

OUTBIAS

50K

SHUTDOWN

40

GND

Fig. 2. The new LM4862 needs fewer external components and is less prone to oscillation than the
LM386.

www.americanradiohistory.com

The speaker impedance must

be at least 8 ohms. You can use a
16 -, 32 -, or 64 -ohm speaker, but
you'll get considerably less power
out. If you must ground one side of
the speaker, drive the other side
through a capacitor as shown in
Fig. 5, you'll get only a quarter as
much power as if the speaker were
driven differentially.

C4
(SEE

TEXT)

I(

R2

22K-220K

IC1

AUDIO

LM4862

Cl

R1

;33

22K

IN

IN

OUT+

SPKR

IN+

OUT

812

The shutdown (SHDN) pin disables

the amplifier, bringing both outputs
low and cutting power consumption
to less than
micro-ampere (yes,
microampere), when connected to
+5V. The shutdown pin is grounded in
normal use. You can use it to implement a "mute" button without putting
a switch in the signal path, or even
wire it to a headphone jack to silence
the speaker when headphones are
plugged in.
The bias pin is the output of a
voltage divider built into the chip.
Its purpose is to hold the positive
inputs of both op -amps at half the
supply voltage so that they can
operate with a single supply. You
can also use the bias pin to bias
one or two additional op -amps as
shown in Fig. 6.
The bias pin should be bypassed
to ground by a capacitor between
0.1 and 1.0 F. Larger values
improve ripple rejection and suppress the "thump" when the amplifier is turned on.
1

V+

BIAS
C2
0.1
1

Fig. 3.

SHDN GND

+3 -5V
(5.5V MAX.)
C3
0.1

typical circuit using the LM4862. Place C3 as close to the IC as possible.

capacitor, can be a tantalum electrolytic; the audio signal doesn't

pass through it. Also, a 100 -F electrolytic in parallel with C3 is a good
idea when using batteries or a
poorly regulated power supply.
The voltage gain is equal to
2(R2 /R1) and should not exceed
HIGH
FIDELITY

LOW
GAIN
(A = 2)

(20- 20,000

POWER
SAVING
(150- 20,000

Hz)

Hz)

R1=22K

R1=22K

R2 = 22K

R2 = 22K

Cl = 0.33

Cl = 0.05

C2 = 1.0 F
C4 OMITTED

C2 = 0.1 F
C4 OMITTED

R1

HIGH
GAIN
(Av = 20)

= 22K

R1

= 22K

R2 = 220K

R2 = 220K

Cl = 0.33
C2 = 1.0 F

C2 = 1.0 F

C4=22pF

C4=22pF

C1=0.05

R2

LM4862

IN- OUT+
IN+

OUT

5. How to drive a grounded circuit. The

balance of the circuit is shown in Fig. 3.

Fig.

as

R1 = 4.7K and R2 = 4.7K to 47K.

Figure 4 gives component values

for some typical amplifiers. Note in

particular that you can save battery power, as well as component
cost, by cutting the bass response
when driving a small speaker that
wouldn't reproduce low frequencies anyhow.

Some Applications. The LM4862

teams up well with other low- voltage
ICs. For example, Fig. 7 shows an
experimental AM radio based on
the Plessey (formerly Ferranti) ZN414
TRF receiver chip. On the breadboard, this circuit gave high -fidelity

Fig. 4. Here are some component values for

variations of the circuit in Fig. 3.

quality is best when R2 =

and the gain is 2. (That's exactly
what you need to drive a speaker
from
-volt line -level or headphone-level audio.) When the gain
is higher than about 5, R2 should be
bypassed by a small capacitor
(C4) to prevent oscillation. A 5 -pF
capacitor will do the job, but a 22pF capacitor will probably be easier to find; do not use values larger
than 32 pF. If the input signal is coming from a low- impedance source,
you can use smaller resistors, such
20; sound
R1

IN

OUT+

IN+

OUT

BIAS

V+

SHDN GND

Fig.

6. You

can use the bias pin, pin

2, to

bias one or two external op -amps as shown here.

www.americanradiohistory.com

41

+5V

R2

220K
R5

R6
100K

2.7K
R3
100K
VOLUME

C6
0.01

LM4862

Cl

R1

0.1

22K
IN

OUT+

SPKR

IN+

OUT

8L2

L1

30 TURNS

R4

C4

#28 WIRE

1K

0.1

V+

BIAS

4 IN. DIA.

C2
0.1

+5V

SHDN GND

C3

0.,

7. When the LM4862 is combined with the Plessey (Ferranti) ZN4 /4 receiver chip, the result
is a simple, high -quality AM receiver

Fig.

reception of local AM stations.

Like other amplifiers, the LM4862
makes a fine oscillator. Figure 8
shows a classic op -amp square-

Figure 9 shows a Wien bridge that

produces a low- distortion sine wave.
In the last circuit, a 1.5 -volt, 15 -mA
light bulb (RadioShack 272 -1139)

R1

IC1

22K

LM4862

LOGIC LEVEL
INPUTS

t-

?
t
1

+5V

R3
0 TO 10006

IN-

OUT+

IN+

OUT

TO LIMIT
VOLUME
/

SPKR

Cl
+5V

IN

OUT+

IN+

OUT-

BIAS

V+

SHDN

GND

MOTOR
(5V 0.2A)

+5V
BIAS

V+ 6

SHDN GND

0.1

INPUTS
10K

I-1

0.1

Cl

LM4862

SHDN

IN-

MOTOR
ACTION

+5V

ANY

STOP

OV

OV

RUN FORWARD

OV

+5V

RUN BACKWARD

PRESS TO
SOUND

C2

0.,

Fig. 8. This squarewave oscillator produces a

loud 1 -kHz tone in the speaker

wave oscillator that can serve as a

loud siren -at least twice as loud as
any conventional 5 -volt circuit.
Ri
47

R3
0 TO 10000

TO LIMHT
VOLUME

SKR

tiny "grain -of- wheat" light bulb is the

feedback regulator in this circuit for a Wien -

Fig.

42

9. A

bridge oscillator.

Fig. 10. The oscillators in Figs. 8 and 9 can be

pushbutton controlled as shown here.

serves as the regulating element in

the feedback loop. As current
increases, the bulb heats up and its

resistance increases, cuffing feedback and stabilizing the oscillator.

The bulb does not actually glow visibly in normal operation. Resistor R1 is
closely matched to the bulb and will
require a different value if a different
kind of bulb is used.
To make either of the oscillators
sound at the press of a button or to
use them for Morse code practice,
add a momentary- contact switch
that grounds the shutdown pin as
shown in Fig. 10. The 10K resistor is
needed because the shutdown pin
has no internal pull -up; if unconnected, it "floats" to a random voltage and the LM4862 operates very
erratically.
Finally, a speaker isn't the only

www.americanradiohistory.com

Fig. 11. Using the LM4862 as a bi- directional

motor controller.

thing the LM4862 can drive differentially. It also makes a fine full bridge bi- directional driver for small
motors. Figure 11 shows a circuit
that was breadboard -tested with a
6 -volt tape- recorder motor (running on 5 volts, of course). In this circuit, the inputs of the LM4862 are
compatible with CMOS logic outputs, making computer control
easy to implement.

Availability. One potential problem

with the chip for hobbyists is that it
is not that widely available. National
does provide free samples to engineers and sometimes others. For
more information, see their Web site

at www.national.com. It is also
available from traditional full -line
distributors such as Newark Electronics

(www.newark.com).

Equipment for
Audio Technicians:
Test

Precision Dummy Load

Spruce up your test bench with
a dummy load for testing amplifiers
without the need for speakers.

consumer audio, musical- instrument, or

professional -sound equipment, you
probably know that good test
equipment makes your work easier
and faster. The ability to do a repair
job quickly and efficiently is especially important if you are being
paid for your efforts. The ability to
service more audio equipment
If you work with

GARY McCLELLAN

faster translates into making more

money.
Unfortunately, most of the really
helpful audio test equipment is
hard to find because only a few
it is made
specialty stores offer it
at all Once such piece of gear is an
eight -ohm, 320 -watt dummy load.
As you probably know, a dummy

-if

load is temporarily connected in

place of speakers for testing an
amplifier. A dummy load offers a
safe, practical way to test for power
output, distortion, and hum or noise
output after the amplifier has been
repaired. It can accommodate
anything from a simple five-watt
guitar amplifier to the 300 -watt units
used in professional sound systems.
Obviously, a dummy load is a
useful test -bench accessory. The
funny thing is that if you want one,
you'll have to build it: for some reason, commercial dummy loads are
not available as off-the -shelf products. Thankfully, the parts are readily available and the work is easy.

How It Works. The Dummy Load is

a simple device, as you can see
from the schematic diagram in Fig.

1. It uses a series /parallel combination of 16 power resistors to make

up a value of 8 ohms. Using 20 -watt
units, the Dummy Load has the ability to dissipate 320 watts of power.
To calculate the resulting value of a
series /parallel resistor network, first
add all of the series -resistor values

www.americanradiohistory.com

together, and treat those results as

large resistors in parallel. In the
Dummy Load, the four strings of
series resistors configuration takes
advantage of low -cost, widely available resistors. Consider the
alternative of obtaining two 250 watt resistors and connecting them

43

J3

J4

R1-R16-6S2, 20-WATT, NONINDUCTIVE

T1

BR1

12V AC
J

Ovo
s1

120V AC

Fig. 1. The Dummy Load is simply a set of resistors that dissipate energy while testing an amplifier under load without having to hook up a speaker
much noisier option! Using several resistors
in a series/parallel arrangement lowers the cost of the unit as well it increases the accuracy; multiple resistors tend to cancel out tolerance differences between different resistors.

-a

a pair of Vishay /Dale 4ohm 250 -watt resistors currently

cost over $108 from industrial distributors. Not only is that cost prohibitive, it is almost impossible to
acquire the components if you are
a hobbyist. The cost of the resistors
in the Dummy Load is only about
$24, and they can easily be found
in series:

locally.

44

Note that the resistors specified

are non -inductive units that are
specifically designed for audio
applications. The special construction of those devices insures that
the load impedance doesn't rise
with frequency, which would affect
the power output of the amplifier.
That consideration is especially
important if you are going to do
any testing at 20 kHz.
Other benefits of the series /parallel configuration include improved
precision and reasonably fail -safe
protection. Resistance errors tend
to average out, resulting in a total
value closer to 8 ohms when compared to a single resistor. For example, the author's prototype measured 8.06 ohms. In terms of fail -safe
protection, consider what would
happen if a single resistor burns out.
If that happens, the load increases

to 10.6 ohms but it doesn't go open

circuit. That feature is essential
when testing tube amplifiers where
an open circuit at full -power output
will destroy an expensive output
transformer.
A pair of banana jacks, J3 and
J4, is used to connect the Dummy
Load to an amplifier. Additional
monitoring jacks (J1 and J2) are
provided for a distortion analyzer

and oscilloscope. Note that the

ground sides of those monitoring
jacks are connected to J4; keep
that in mind when you are connecting the Dummy Load to a
piece of equipment.
At high power levels, the resistors
get quite hot. A built -in fan keeps
the resistors cool during any periods of high -power testing. A simple
source of 12 -volt power (T1) is rectified by BR1 and used to power a
12 -volt DC "boxer" -type fan, Switch
S1 turns the fan on and off.
Building the Dummy Load. The
Dummy Load is easy to build. With a
little bit of luck, you might have all
of the necessary parts available in
your "junk drawer." Here are some
suggestions for "fine- tuning" the
Dummy Load to better suit your

www.americanradiohistory.com

needs and available parts.

If you don't need the 320-watt
power-handling capability, you can
use three rows of three resistors; the
power rating will be 120 watts -fine
for the majority of consumer stereo
and musical- instrument amplifiers.
Any case can be used that's
large enough to hold all of the
parts and is made of metal. A metal
cabinet is required for fire -safety reasons. An example of using a suitable
cabinet comes from one technician
who used the finned -heatsink cabinet from an old automotive stereo
amplifier. The internal circuitry was
removed and a new end panel
made from scrap aluminum.
If you are using resistors from your
junkbox or other surplus source, you
might have to spend some time
with a hand -held calculator until
you find a series /parallel combination that yields 8 ohms. It's important to use power resistors marked
"non- inductive." However, if you are
not overly concerned with qualitative measurements as done by
high -end testing labs, conventional
resistors don't have enough inductance at the standard -kHz test
frequency used in most service
facilities to cause serious errors.
If you can't find the screw- mounted insulated posts that will hold the
resistors in place, use terminal strips.
Do not mount the resistors on a PC
board; the board could burn and
produce dangerous fumes. The fan is
a common unit that can be removed from an old personal -com1

puter power supply.

The author's prototype is shown
in Fig. 2. As you can see from the
photo, the resistors are arranged in

PARTS LIST FOR THE

DUMMY LOAD
BRI -50 -volt, 6-amp bridge rectifier
J1, J2 -BNC jacks, panel-mount
J3, J4 -Banana jacks or 5 -way binding
posts
RIR1 6-8-ohm, 20 -watt non -inductive
resistors
S1-Single-pole, single -throw switch
T1 -12 -volt AC, 400 -mA transformer
12 -volt DC fan, aluminum case,
rubber feet, wire fan guard, insulated
tie points, rubber grommets, wire,
hardware, etc.

nected to its neighbor, resulting is a

set of four resistors in series.
Wire J1 and J2 to J3 and J4 with
short pieces of hookup wire. When
wiring the resistors to J3 and J4, use
heavy -gauge wire; 16-gauge should
be considered a safe minimum. As
suggested in Fig. 1, do not "bus" the
resistor branches together and use
a single wire to connect to J3 and
J4; that will cause measurement
errors.

Fig. 2. The Dummy Load is built in a metal

housing with a fan for forced -air cooling. Each
resistance string is wired to the output jacks
individually.

eight rows of two resistors per row.

inch
Space the rows at least
apart. Drill mounting holes for the
insulated mounting posts that will
hold the resistors in the top of the
case -24 are needed. The jacks as
well as S1 are mounted on the
front. A suitable hole for the fan's
power -supply cord is needed in the
back of the unit. The back of the
case will also need several ventilation holes. The fan and its power
supply are mounted on the base
plate near the front.
Once all of the holes are drilled
or cut and deburred, clean the
cabinet, paint it, and apply labeling as desired. The author's unit
sports a "distressed" finish that was
done with a wire brush chucked in
an electric drill then cleaned and
coated with a clear lacquer spray.
When the case's finish is dry,
install the components. Make sure
that none of the jacks are grounded to the cabinet. Mount the 24
insulated posts or terminal strips.
The fan should be positioned so
that the airflow will draw cold air
through the bottom of the cabinet
and push it through the resistors
and out the back of the unit. Finally,
mount BR1 and Ti.
When installing the resistors, be
sure that the body is suspended in
space between the terminals. That
insures good airflow around the
resistors, reducing heat buildup.
Note how every other row is con1

Pass the power-cord wire through

the grommet and wire the cooling
circuit (S1, Ti, BR1, and the fan).
Leave about eight inches of wire
between S1 and T1 so that it is easier to work on the Dummy Load
when it is opened up.
With construction complete,
check your work for errors and correct any that are found. Mistakes to
watch for include unsoldered connections, cold -solder joints, shorts
between adjacent connections,
and incorrectly installed parts.
Close the case and the Dummy
Load is ready for testing and use.

Testing the Dummy Load. Before

using the Dummy Load, it is wise to
make a few tests. Plug the unit in
and verify that the fan runs when S
is closed. Measure the resistance
across J1, J2, and between J3 and
J4. The reading must be 8 ohms.
Measure the resistance between
the cabinet and either J or J2;
those jacks must be completely isolated. If those checks pass, the
Dummy Load is ready for use. If not,
recheck the wiring and repair any

Basic Amplifier Testing

Although amplifier test methods are
beyond the scope of this article, here
is a simple continuous- power-measurement procedure to get you
started:
1.

Increase the audio oscillator level until

a slight flattening of the waveform
peaks appears. That point represents
roughly 3% Total Harmonic Distortion
(THD). Record the voltage across the
load on the analyzer's AC voltmeter.
Turn the oscillator level to zero immediately after you finish the measurement.

2. Calculate the power output using the

formula P =I x 28. Subtract 10% from

that value. Record that value as the

rated power output.

oscillator level for the rated

power output and measure the distortion. Record the distortion and voltage
across the lead. Turn the oscillator
level to zero.

3. Adjust the

4. If desired, you may measure hum and

noise by disconnecting the audio oscillator, shorting the amplifier input, and
noting the voltage reading on the analyzer's AC voltmeter. Then calculate
the difference in dB using the formula:

dB(loss) =20 Log E rated

power/E hum noise

faults.

want to make some

patch cables for easy connection
between the Dummy Load and the
amplifier under test. A four-foot
length of 12 -gauge two- conductor
power cable makes for a rugged
You might

test lead. If you work with musical instrument amplifiers, attach a ' /4inch phone jack to one end and
suitable connectors for mating with
J3 and J4 on the other. You can
make several types of patch
cables for whatever type of equipment you'll be working with; for

example, heavy -duty spade lugs

for professional equipment or
stripped and tinned wire ends for
consumer audio equipment. It is a
good idea to color code the two

www.americanradiohistory.com

wires so that you can tell which

lead should be connected to J4,

and in turn to the measuring equipment's ground.

Dummy Load. The

Dummy Load is easy to use once
you understand some of the basics
of testing amplifiers under load.
Using the

Connect the amplifier output to J3

and J4 with appropriate patch
cables. Be sure that the ground
connection on the amplifier goes
to J4. If you are testing an amplifier
with a bridging output, you must
isolate the distortion analyzer and
oscilloscope from ground. Otherwise, one side of the amplifier will
be shorted to ground through the
instrument power cords, damaging
the amplifier. Use ground -isolated
or battery- operated instruments.
Alternatively, you can temporarily
install 3 -wire adapter plugs on the
instrument power cords to "float"
their grounds.
Connect a distortion analyzer to
either J1 or J2 and an oscilloscope

45

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or noise levels.
While the Dummy Load is a simple and rugged instrument, a few
suggestions are in order to help you
get a long life out of it and to avoid
costly equipment mishaps. When
testing solid -state amplifiers, check
the output with a DC voltmeter

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before connecting the Dummy

Load. If the reading is over 200 mV
DC, correct the problem before
going any further. When testing,
tube amplifiers, always connect
the Dummy Load before turning on
the power. If you don't, there is a
possibility of damaging the amplifier's output transformer -a rather
costly mistake! Be sure to use the 8ohm tap on the amplifier for maximum power output.
If you use a digital multimeter as
an AC voltmeter instead of a distortion analyzer, be aware that the
accuracy on most units degrades
above 500 Hz. That will be a problem if you try to perform frequency
response testing on the amplifier.
Check your DMM manual to be

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to the other BNC jack. Turn on the

fan and power up the amplifier.
Adjust an audio oscillator for kHz
and turn the output level to zero.
Connect it to the amplifier's input.
You are now ready to measure
power output, distortion, and hum

156 How To Make

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Finally, remember that the

Dummy Load is intended for shortterm testing. Do not run the unit at
full power over 5 minutes at a time,
or any time with the fan turned off.
If you do, the resistors might overheat, change value, and burn up. S2

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www.americanradiohistory.com

AN INFRAREd-BASEd
ROTARY ENCOdER
Measure the position of any rotary shaft.

here are times when you need

to know the position of a rotary
device like a potentiometer or a
wind vane.You could do that by linking the device's shaft to a commercially- available encoder, but that
approach has some drawbacks. The
mechanics of connecting the encoder and shaft might be awkward
or difficult; in some cases, it's impossible. Encoders are not the easiest
components to find, and they are a
bit pricey when you do.
Luckily, there's another approach

JAMES J. BARBARELLO

that's mechanically simple and

uses readily available, cheap parts.
That approach uses an Infrared (IR)
LED as a light source and an IR phototransistor to detect the IR light.
The theory is simple: point the
source at the detector. The IR energy from the source will cause the
base -emitter junction of the detector to conduct. If the IR is blocked,
the detector shuts off. Slipping a
perforated piece of common
paper (which, by the way, doesn't
transmit IR energy) on the shaft that
we want to monitor together with
the encoder electronics creates a
simple and low -cost rotary encoder.
Any PC can read both the position
and direction of a shaft. What's
more, we're not restricted to rotary
position sensing, as you'll see.

sources DI and D2 respectively. The

current, set by the resistors, is about
11 mA. Their outputs physically shine
on detectors Ql and Q2. Pull -up
resistors R2 and R3 have the same
function as a standard inverting

and direction encoder is the

encoder disk's cutout pattern.
Shown in Fig. 2, it creates four dis-

/
o

11

IN

IC1

OUT

78L05

Rl

8 -13

Theory of Operation. Figure shows

the schematic diagram for the IR
Encoder. The circuit requires 5 volts
DC, which is provided by IC 1. That
regulator can be eliminated if you
have an available source of regulated 5 -volt power. As shown, any unregulated 8-13-volt DC source,such as a
9 -volt battery or a DC wall transformer, can be used. Capacitors Cl
and C2 provide filtering.
Resistors R1 and R4 feed infrared

transistor stage.
The key to making such a simple
circuit into an accurate position

VOLTS
DC

Cl ;IC
1/16

GND

C2 7C
1/16

3300).

10o
R2

100K

R3
100K

R4

3300
19

Q1

02

IRD300

IRD300

o
0
o
0

o0
o

o
o

oo
D2

TLN100

o
o
o
o
o
J1

Fig. I. The Infrared Encoder circuit is very simple. An infrared diode shines on a phototransistor.
Anything opaque that blocks the infrared light turns the transistor off.

www.americanradiohistory.com

47

Fig. 2. The pattern for the encoder disc is divided into four "zones.- The pattern is shaped so
that only one sensor changes state at a time.

tinct zones. Note that both Ql and

Q2 are positioned next to each
other. As the pattern passes over
the sensors, zone A blocks Ql but
not Q2. As the pattern continues to
move to the left, Q2 will be blocked
as well (zone B). In zone C, Ql
becomes unblocked. Finally, zone D
unblocks both sensors. The pattern
is repeated at a similar spacing to
the pattern shape; all four zones
should be the same width.

Another important aspect of the

pattern zones is that they are correctly sized to the diodes and phototransistors being used. The specified units have a 0.125 -inch diameter. The zone size should not be
much below 0.08 -inch to let
enough infrared light through for
reliable sensing. You should also
have enough length to the pattern
in order to compensate for any misadjustment; double the sensor's
diameter should be plenty.

The shape of the pattern is key to

determining in which direction the
pattern is moving. Let's say that
both Ql and Q2 are blocked (zone
B). If the pattern moves to the left,
Ql becomes unblocked first; Q2
will be first if the pattern moves to
the right. At any "starting" position, it
is easy to determine which direction the pattern is moving by simply
noting which sensor changes state.
If you open up an old computer
mouse, you'll find that the sensing
technique is similar.
Positioning, on the other hand, is
"relative" rather than "absolute." If
you begin at a known starting position, you have to keep track of how
many pattern pulses have been
generated and in which direction;
not a difficult job for any computer
program. Note that we can get four
times the positioning information
out of the pattern since there are
four distinct zones to the pattern. If
we have an encoder disc with 16
patterns, we can determine the position of the disc to one part in 64.

Construction. Building the IR Encoder

consists of making an encoder disc,
fabricating the circuit, installing the
encoder disk on the device's shaft,
and aligning the circuit to the disc.
You can lay out your own encoder-disc pattern from the information provided above, or simply
make a photocopy of Fig. 3. The
disc should be 21/4 inches in diameter. The center shaft- mounting area
is designed for a 1/4 -inch shaft,
but it can be adjusted to suit
the shaft on which it will be
installed.
Paste the disc pattern on a
piece of stiff cardboard (index card material will do) and cut out
the sixteen equally-spaced blackpattern areas with a pair of scissors or a sharp modeller's knife.
The shaft hole should be cut a bit
smaller than necessary to allow
for a press fit onto the shaft.
The circuit can be built on a
piece of perfboard using standard construction techniques.
A suggested layout is shown in
2'/.- INCHES
Fig. 4. The only point to keep in
Fig. 3. Here is a sample pattern for the encoder disc. It mind is that the diodes and
phototransistors should be
is designed to fit onto a /-inch shaft. Any stiff paper or
index card will work well, as long as the chosen mater - aligned so that they point at
48 ial blocks infrared light.
each other. Be careful to

www.americanradiohistory.com

R4---a

O--a

14143

a
Y

11101

ji

**la

g-R2-a

--

o-

n
D2

D1

a--R,-

0 0 0

R3

19

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

Fig. 4. The two boards for the IR Encoder can

be built from perfboard; the positions of Dl, D2,
QI, and Q2 should be the same on both boards.

check the polarities of the semiconductors before installing them;

if one device is installed backwards
you will have fits trying to figure out
why the circuit doesn't work!
You can check out the operation of the diode by connecting it
in series with a 330 -ohm resistor to a
5-volt DC source. You should be
able to measure a 1.2-volt drop

across the diode. If not, reverse the

diode and try again. To test the
transistor, connect a 100,000-ohm

PARTS LIST FOR

THE IR ENCODER
SEMICONDUCTORS
ICI -78L05 5 -volt regulator, integrated
circuit
Q1, Q2- IRD300 infrared phototransistor (Jameco 112176 or similar)
D1, D2 -TLN 100 infrared diode
(Jameco 112150 or similar)
RESISTORS
(All resistors are 1/4 -watt, 5% units.)
Rl, R4-330 -ohms
R2, R3- 100,000 -ohms

ADDITIONAL PARTS AND

MATERIALS
C1, C2 -1- xF, 16 -WVDC, electrolytic
capacitor
J1 -25 -pin male connector
8 -13 -volt DC power supply, wire,
index-card material, hardware, etc.

sistor pairs are in the same relative

position as shown in Fig. 2 and the

CI)

IU
w

z
M

unit points directly at the shaft.

'

QU

zJa

Testing. A test program has been

included in Listing 1; it is designed
to run under Qbasic or Quick Basic.
Connect the IR Encoder to your
PC's parallel port and power supply. Position the potentiometer shaft
so that a portion of the encoder
disc is blocking the diodes. Run the
application. The program will say
that it is "Waiting... ". When you
move the potentiometer shaft so
that a cutout is directly over the
diode /transistor pairs, the "Waiting"
message will be erased and one of
the 16 position markers will change
to a large white rectangle. As you
rotate the shaft, the computer's
position indicator will follow suit.

Understanding the Software. The

program in Listing is liberally commented to help make its logic
understandable. Let's focus on a
few of the more important portions.
Loop01 waits for the encoder
disc to be positioned so that both
transistors are conducting. When
that condition is been met, loop02
is entered. There, the status of the
module is obtained and stored in
variable x. If there has been no
change (x = xold), execution jumps
to loop03 where the keyboard is
checked to see if the user wants to
exit the program. If no keypress is
found, execution loops back to
loop02 for another look.
When a change has been
detected, the program looks to see
if the previous value was 128 (indicating the previous sample was a
1

.=1

Fig. S. The IR Encoder should be mounted on a plate for testing. An old potentiometer is mounted
in the center hole; it makes an inexpensive shaft on a bearing.

resistor between 5 volts DC and the

transistor's collector; connect the

to

ground.
transistor's emitter
Monitor the voltage across the
transistor's collector-emitter leads; it
should be at least 4 volts. When an
energized diode is pointed at the
phototransistor at a distance of
about 1/6 inch, the collector- emitter
voltage should drop substantially.
Depending on how you are holding the two devices, the voltage
drop can be anywhere between
0.1 and volt. If you don't get those
results, reverse the transistor leads
and try again.
If you want to start by building a
"demonstrator" unit before incorporating it into another project, a
simple mounting base made from
Masonite or another suitable material should be used. Suggested
1

dimensions are shown in Fig. 5.

A 1/2 -inch threaded spacer for a
4 -40 machine screw secures the two
boards together and keeps them a
fixed distance apart. One of the

screws goes through the slot in the

mounting plate. Use a non-conducting washer to keep the lower board

off of the mounting plate. With the
two boards assembled, carefully
adjust the position of each diode
and transistor to make sure that they
are not skewed to the left or right
with respect to each other. Each
diode and transistor should be as
vertical as possible. The final assembly should look like Fig. 6.
Connect the circuit to a suitable
power supply and wire up a connector as shown in Fig. 1. The connector wires should be long enough
to reach your PC's parallel port.

Mount any standard potentiometer in the 3/8 -inch hole so its

shaft is on the top of the base. For a
more effective demonstration, disassemble the potentiometer and
modify the inside so the shaft can
turn continuously. Push the encoder
wheel onto the potentiometer's
shaft. Adjust the position of the circuit boards so that the diode /tran-

www.americanradiohistory.com

SCREW
SPACER
NONCONUCTING

WASHER

MOUNTING
PLATE

+5
tn
...;LAI- SCREW
1

`-v-i
TOJt

6. Mount the two boards together with a

threaded spacer and screws. The diodes and
transistors need to be aligned with each other

Fig.

exactly. Note that the bottom screw mounts the

Encoder to the mounting plate.

49

LISTING
REM ** Encoder Demonstration
REM ** ENCODER.BAS
REM ** V990222
REM
CLS DEF SEG = 64: DEFINT P, X
ado = 888: adi = 889
DIM x(16), y(16)
LOCATE 1, 15: PRINT "ENCODER MODULE DEMONSTRATION (Press ANY Key
to Exit)"
LOCATE 2, 1: PRINT STRING$(80, 220)
:

`Define the X and Y Locations of the

Encoder's Rotary Display.
x(1) = 7: y(1) = 40
x(2) = 8: y(2) = 47
x(3) = 10: y(3) = 52
x(4) = 12: y(4) = 54
x(5) = 14: y(5) = 55
x(6) = 16: y(6) = 54
x(7) = 18: y(7) = 52
x(8) = 20: y(8) = 47

x(9)= 21:y(9) =40

REM Pin 11 is INP (AD1) AND 128 (with

Pin 11 response inverted).
REM So, get INP(AD1) AND 192, which is
the combination of both. Then,
REM Marker = 128. To Left of Marker =
192. To Right of Marker = 0
REM In- Between Encoder Disk cutouts =
64

LOCATE 14, 35: PRINT "Waiting..:

loop0l

REM * * * ** Loop Until Marker (128) Found.

a$ = INKEY$: IF a$ <> "" THEN END
x = (INP(ad1) AND 192): IF x <> 128 THEN
GOTO loop0l
LOCATE 14, 35: PRINT SPACE$(10):
LOCATE x(1), y(1): PRINT CHR$(pon);
xold = 128: positionold = 1

x(12)
x(13)
x(14)
x(15)
x(16)

= 16: y(12) = 26
= 14: y(13) = 25
= 12: y(14) = 26
= 10: y(15) = 28
= 8: y(16) = 33

x =

(INP(ad1) AND 192)

`No Change from Previous Sample. Go

Back for Another.

IF x = xold THEN GOTO loop03

IF xold = 128 THEN

direction = 0
IF x = 0 THEN direction = -1
IF x = 192 THEN direction =
END IF

Otherwise, if Previous Sample Was To

the Left of Marker (192),
and Direction is CounterClockwise ( -1),
Decrement Position by 1.
'

ELSEIF (xold = 192) AND (direction = -1)

THEN
position = positionold - 1: IF position = 0
THEN position = 16

'Store Sample As Previous and Re -Draw

Circle and Block
xold = x
LOCATE x(positionold), y(positionold):
PRINT CHR$(poff)
LOCATE x(position), y(position): PRINT
CHR$(pon)
positionold = position

loop03:
1

'Check For Keypress Signaling Desire to

FOR i = 1 TO 16
LOCATE x(i), y(i): PRINT CHR$(poff);

'If Current Sample is Not the Marker, Try

NEXT i

Again.

a$ = 1NKEY$: IF a$ <> "" THEN END

REM * * * ** Logic For Obtaining Position and

Direction.
REM
REM Pin 10 is INP(AD1) AND 64.

IF x <> 128 THEN xold = x: GOTO loop03

'No Keypress, so Go Back for More.

'Marker Found.

LOTO loop02

End

titititititititititititititititi
Fig.

7.

The IR Encoder is not restricted to rotary applications,- this pattern can be used for a

linear

arrangement.
If that condition exists, the
direction is determined. If the current value is 0, the direction is set to
-1. If it is 192, the direction is set to
+1. If that condition doesn't exist,
then the current value is stored as
the previous value and the program again goes to loop03 to
check for a keypress.

marker).

50

ELSE
xold = x: GOTO loop03
END IF

poll =111: pon

'Display the 16 Points of the Rotary

Encoder Disk.

THEN position =

'Get A Sample

'If Previous Sample Was the Marker,

Determine Which Direction

219

IF (xold = 0) AND (direction = 1) THEN

position = positionold + 1: IF position = 17

If Neither Condition Exists, No

Movement In Position.

'Poff is Lower Case "o". Pon is a Graphics

Block.
=

'

loop02:
REM * * * ** Main Loop

x(10) = 20: y(10) = 33

x(11)= 18:y(11) =28

If Previous Sample Was To the Right of

Marker (0), and
Direction is Clockwise (1), Increment
Position by 1.
'

If the current value is 128 (indicating a marker) and the previous

value wasn't, the program proceeds to the code following the

"Marker Found" remark. The

IF.. THEN...

statements identify in which

direction the shaft moved and
increment or decrement accordingly
The complete source code (less
ELSE

www.americanradiohistory.com

remarks) is only 55 lines long.

Without setting up variables for displaying the position on the screen.
the code that remains is only 35
lines long. You can use that code as
the basis for your own applications.
Obviously, the results that you get
depend strongly on the alignment of
the diodes and transistors, and the
position of the module on the base.
Experiment with all of those variables
for the best results. In actuality,
there's no reason why the encoder
has to be used with a round
encoder disc, You can use the same
cutout areas spaced linearly to
make a linear movement encoder
"strip." Such a strip is shown in Fig. 7.52

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speaker is good quality and has room filling volume. These are blue in color and feature a tuning LED, power LED, charge switch, built it
dynamo crank, built in solar panel, AM /FM switch, tuning control knob, volume control
carry strap, built in extendable antenna and a battery compartment for 2AA batteries (no
included and not needed -for backup use only). Brand new in retail box- nothing else to
a

(?UG02110

This radio is great for emergencies, camping, vacation travel, remote living, etc. It does not require
batteries to operate because it has built in nicad re-

buy. Makes

111

Aid

priees expire

11

-30 -99

For Phone Orders Call: 800-445 -0697

or Fax Your Orders to: (480) 661 -8259
For a Free Catalog Call: 800-445 -0697
e- mail: goidmine-elec @goldmine- elec.com
Foreign catalog request: send $5.00
Minimum Order: $1r (plus min. $5 Shipping and Handling). We accept MasterCard,

Visa and personal checks however we cannot accept personal checks on orders
outside the U.S. Minimum Foreign Order Amount: $50 (plus a minimum $10 55H)

CALL, E -MAIL, WRITE OR FAX US FOR YOUR FREE COPY OF OUR

96 PAGE CATALOG CONTAINING ALMOST 5,000 PRODUCTS!
'V 171M111

This is the
coil head assembly from a
small metal

locator.

ALL-WEATHER

It

"00 ea.

speaker (can be bypassed if desired). ,

Features a 2 3/8" ceramic magnet and
a 4" x 6" frame. Impedance 4Q. Brand new with
dust cover. Sorry, power rating unknown.

$2.00 ea.
AB MOD POT
High quality Allen Bradley Mod

Pots with standard panel

mount 3/8" bushing and panel
mount nut. Features screwdriver, adjust shaft and gold plated
pins for hookup. AB pad 170MIN024S.
G1544

$1.00 ea.

MODEL 70MIN024S104A (100K) G1545

$1.00 ea.

MODEL 70MIN024S103U (10K)

Pertect for high pow

%
f-

and high power

transmitters or power supplies. Made of solid anodized (gold color) aluminum. Size is 8" Long x 4 3/4"
Wide x 1 1/4" Thick. Predrilled for 6 T13 e al case
semiconductors. Brand new!

G1547

G1540

$15.95 ea.

SCHAFFNER
High quality heavy duty
EMI filter is rated
110/250VAC 50- 60HZQ12amps. Brand new. Size
5 1/8" x 2 3/16" x 1 3/4 ".

lar capacitor to allow a certain

frequency range to pass into the

er audio amplifiers

Brand new!

LINE FILTER

Made for use in many cars, this speaker features a built in 220uF 25V bipo-

GIANT T03
HEAT SINK

High quality 3 conductor grounded 14 gauge heavy duty blue power cord made by West
Marine Dockmates34. Repels moisture, s abrasion
resistant and resists deterioration from the sun. Flexible high quality power cord for all dock -side power
needs is rated AWG 14/3 SJTW -A 15amp 125V. Has 3
prong male on one end and 3 prong femae on other.

FN2080 -12 -06

DELCO AUTO SPEAKER

G1549

MARINE POWER
CORD

consists of a
7 1/16" plastic head which has a coil assembly inside connected
to a 4 lead + shield flexible insulated cord. Head has
a 16" aluminum pole attached by means of a wing
nut. Sorry, no specs or data available. Removed
!ram new equipment by a manufacturer who only
wanted the metal locator main circuit board and case.

G1543

50FT

Unique

COIL ASSEMBLY

$10.00 ea.

WOW!

G1546

$3.49 ea.

SAFETREE HEAT
SENSOR ALARM
ORNAMENT

This is one of the neatest

products we have seen in
years. This holiday ornament made by Quorum is
also a heat sensitive alarm that you can hang on your
Christmas Tree. If there is a fire, the Safetree will
em t a VERY LOUD (90 dBA per meter minimum
alarm when it detects a temperature above 122 F. The
unit features very sophisticated IC and transistor circuitry driving a loud Piezo Buzzer. The Safetree Heat
Sensor Alarm Ornament operates 24 hours a day for
21 days on one 9 -volt battery (not included). This
attractive ornament is the perfect addition to your
hone for this holiday season. The ornament is silver
in color and is about 2 1/2" in diameter. Brand new
in manufacturer's box, complete with instructions. We
are offering this unique holiday item at an extremely
low price. Hurry and get yours today!

69880

Aga.

SMALL 12VDC
10AMP RELAY
Small 12VDC relay by MSD Inc.
features SPST 10amp 250VAC contacts. Size only 3/4" L x 3/8" H x
15/32" W. Sealed case. Brand new high quality.

G1541

$1.95 ea.

.431

'

$1.50 ea.

CALLER ID

BLOWOUT
These are used, good condition
caller ID units with a large LCD
display which shows name and
phone of caller (Unless blocked
or out of area). Stores into on up
to 72 callers. Operates on one 9V
battery (not included). Call phone company to start
caller ID service if you don't already have it. Hurry,
don't miss out on this value!

G1550 SALE! $2.00 ea.

"AS IS" CORDLESS

TELEPHONE WITH
CALLER ID

OUR TINIEST MOTOR

These are brand new
motors made for the

"vibrator" function in pagers. The holy is only

9/16" long x 1/4" dia. Attached to the shaft is a
"D" shaped weight, which you can insert into the
center of a small plastic wheel, and you have a drive
unit for a tiny robot that you can power from . e. r
ing aid battery, a solar cell, etc.

G1552 $1.49 ea. 100/$100. rr_

Sale! $2.95 ea.

RING SHAPED
RARE EARTH COBALT
SUPER MAGNET

This 11/16" Dia O.D. with 3/16" Dia. I.D.

Super Magnet is only 1/16 thick yet is
very powerful for its size. Worth much more than our price!

i G1548

Wow! '

High tech cordless phone stores up

to 50 names and numbers on the
built in caller ID display. We do not
test them and we do not have any instructions for use so
we are selling them "as is" only. Uni s are m ssing battery,
phone antenna and a 9V 150ma adapter for the base unit
Please no returns. These were probably $210 phones'

G1551

White

)8

SALE!

$5.95

THE ELECTRONIC GOLDMINE: PO BOX 5408 SCOTTSDALE AZ 85261

TOLL REE ORDER LINE: 800 -445 -0697 FAX: (480) 661 -8259 ALL OTHER CALLS: (480) 451 -7454
CIRCLE 241 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com

57

ALFA
ELECTRONICS
HIGH QUALITY TEST EQUIPMENT
I t/1(/

Visit

www.alfaelectronics.com for complete info

Call 1

-800 -526_ -2532

5
CAP-IS ($49.95): 3% digit, O.lpF20mF, 9 Ranges, 0.1pF resoluti
zero adjustment

DMM-11199

($179.00): nue tms, AC/DC (VA), O,

bar graph, free,, cpc., dBm, logic, diode
DMM -23T ($99.95): 4% digit, the nns, high resol
(10V, I OnA, 10m0), IiFE, diode, confin.
MM-21 ($74.95): AC/DC (V, A), Frog, cont.,
Capas, Induct, O, bFE, diode, duty cycle
DMM -122 ($59.95): DC/AC(V,A), 0, hFE, diode
capacitance, Eroe, logic, continuity
DMM -123 ($44.95): DMM + capacitance,
DC/AC(VA). O, hFE, diode, continuity
DMM -10 ($19.95): 3% digit, DC/AC V, t1, hFE,
diode, signal comfit(+3V, -0.SVW.,5O%duty)

PS-303 ($159.00) 30V/3A

PS-305 ($219.95) 30V /5A
PS-8112 (5399.95) 60V /5A

up

ttY

da.

_.

ce or Trac

OS-620 5324.95

OS-626C 5599.95

Readout a Causer new

Dual CH / Delay sweep
Built -in delay Ivre

Const volt, current mode

.r

variable out 0-30V,0.3A

One fixed SV ,3A output
Auto track, serial, parallel

ALT trigger, Hold-Off

Z-axis inpu t,CH I output

4 analog

or

PC-3030

digital display

($499.95)

.-

87-1I1 $325.00
92B-III $1,445
9411-$1 $1,695
91B-III $2,095
105B
$2,495
1234II $1,130
863E
$555
86711
$740

operation

(PS -8102

& PS -8103 only)

PS-802 (t399.93) 30V/3A/30V/3A

PS-8103 ($489.9
30V/SA/30V/SA

PS-0203

eik

Single Output

AC Current
DC/AC Current Probe $79.95
Mini AC Clamp
$59.95
AC Clamp w /temp
$89.95
DC/AC Clamp
$109.95
Thermometer $69.9$- $89.95
IRThennometer
$189.95
Sound Level Meter $169.95
Tachometer $169.95- $219.95
EMF Tester
$69.95
Pressare Meter
$299.95
Wan Meter
$129.95
High Voltgas Probe
$59.95
H Meter
$79.95
t Meter
$79.9$-$89.95

AUDIO /RF /FUNCT. GEN.

90-41

150MHz sinewaves in 8 ranges

9C- 4162AD($229.95) with 6 digit counter
Ardis GeaarMse AG-2601 ($124.95) 10H
1 MHz, 0-8Vpp sine, 0-10Vpp squuewave
AG- 2643AD ($229.95) wkh 6 digit counter
Irumetisa Gessrater PG-2100A($154.95)
0.2Hz-2MHz,5mV -20Vw
PG-2103 ($329.95) Swap 0.SHa5MHz

5) 30V/3A/30V/3A
.9 30V/5A/30V /5A

Pro. rammable

$173.00

71-111 $195.00

el to double current output

.Most economical scope

Dual CH/X -Y operation
I mV/div sensitivity
Z-axis mputCHI output
TV syn, ALT trigger

77-III

Triple Output

1s

pled

Outut

Triple

75-II1 $155.00

PS-8200 ($I79.95 ) 30V/3A

PS -8201 (S239.95) 30V/SA
lt & GMred Diso(gr
PS-1610 ($289.00) 16V/10A PS -8300 ($199.95) 30V/3A
PS-8107 ($399.95) 30V/I OA PS -8301 ($259.95) 30V /SA

20 MHz Scope Cursor Readout

.9

0.1H -I OkH, 0.1pF -10mF, m0IOMO, Q Factor, seeiai/paralleL

120Hz/IkHz testing mode.
C-1200 (0129.95): 1.250Hz
Handheld, 8 digits display, 1
accuuary, sensitivity 5mV (1
350MHz 30mV 440MHz

current, constant vo tage m

Short Circuit and overload protected
Anistor Maos DiwMv
Pleat Vo&L Ana/oi Curren

AN:4.

70-III $ 99.00
73-III :123.00

LCR -24 (SI19.95): 0.11-1-200H,

0.1pF- 2000F, 0.010-20M1,
diode test New Model.
LCR-131D ($219.95): autonlge,

Single Output DC Power Supplies

for Order and Free Catalog

:illik

i.;a`:'<;%

::::';.

Ir

Const voltage :cu rent moo Auto terialiparall.(PPT ser) FG-81128C ($209.95)
DM-80340179.95)31/2 dgl
Voltage regulation <0.0I% Auto track (PT series),
0.02Hz-2MHz w/counter
AC/DV(VA),C.O,diode
IEEE -488.2 and SCPI
S'rudSauR}i/PulxlRamp
Current regulation <0.2%
DM- 8044($339.95) 33A dgl
P9-1830 ($198.95) 18V/3A compatible command set PG-802241GG ($209.95)
ACV to 50kHz, true ems
PPS- 1160 G ($ 1349.95)111V/6A 0.02Hz-2MHz w/cotmter
P9 -1850 ($214.95) 18V/SA
PP8- 3635G(S1,149.959avOJA PY'.8030 ($449.95) Sweep DM- 8055G($889.95)S hdgt
P5-1131 D(5214.95)18V/3A PPT- 11300($1,499.95)1 S V/3A 0.05Hz-5MHz
0.006% accuracy, GPIB
w/counter
PS1151 $244.95 18V /SA PPTa615G(51,499.95)36v1.5
INT/EXT AM/FM mod
dB
L min/max
a

ALFA ELECTRONICS
P.O. BOX 8089
PRINCETON. NJ 08543 -8089

TEL: (800)526 -2532 I (609) 897 -1135

FAX: 609 -897 -0206
E -mail:

[email protected]

Call/Write /Fax/Email for FREE CATALOG

Visa, MC, AMEX, COD, PO Accepted. OEM Welcome.

1

Year Warranty (2 Years for GW lnstek)

CIRCLE 213 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

RF Data Modules
AM Transmitter
Sub Miniature module

SAW Controlled

No adjustable components
Low current - 2.5mA
2.5 -12Vdc

Supply

418MHz

or 433MHz

Range up to 300ft
CMOS/TTL data input

7xIIx4mm!

AM -TX I -xxx .... S12.60

PCB Artwork
FICEinnrtim Made Easy!
PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN SOFTWARE
Layout

For Windows and DOS

- Schematic - Circuit Simulation

Autorouting

AM Receiver

III

*Compact Hybrid Module

2kHz

Very stable
CMOS/TrL output

*Sensitivity -105dBm

Patented Laser Trimmed

5 Vdc, 0.8m (HRR6)

18 and 32 bit version available

Ripup and Retry Router in Advanced Pkg.

data rate

38x12x2mm

AM-HRR6-xxx... S16.33

FM Transceiver

Only

Up
Up
5V

23 x 33 x I

lmm

to 40,000bps data rate

to 450ft. range.

operation

418MHz or 433MHz FM

RS232 Transceiver
3wire

.5V CMOS logic interface

Fast ImSenable
Power saving feature
*Carrier Defeo output
BiM -xxx -F
$87.36

RS232 interface
9.2Kbps half duplex
418MHz or 433MHz FM
7.5- 15Vdc, 20mA

sup to 400ft, range

TX/RX

CYPHERNET.... SI39.30

Status LED's

I/4 wave ant. on board

User

58 x

data packetizing
40 x 15mm

AM Transmitter
Range up

to 250ft.

Low current. 4mA typ.

Up to 4kHz data rate

SAW controlled stability

Wide supply range 2 -14V Small: 17 x Imm
CMOS/ITL input
AM -RTS-xxx .... S12.10

Copper Flooding for Building Ground Areas

Gerber and Excellon Output
Create Negative & Positive Printouts
Create Single or Multi Layer Boards
Create artwork from the Schematic
Analog and Digital Simulation available
Make boards up to 32" x 32"
Parts Libraries - Silk Layers - Solder Mask

For the Professional and Hobbyist!

Download DEMO

Windows

www.pcboards net

LAYOUTpgm. starts et

Windows Pkg.

layout -schematic- router

DOS pcb layout - $49.95

t
58

,fJl

TECHNOLOGIES

Free

call: (416)236 3856

fax: (416)236 8866

www.abacom -tech.com
MasterCard / VISA

Call or Write for Full Product Line, Prices d Free Demo

PCBoards
2110 14th Ave. South
Birmingham, AL 36206

www.americanradiohistory.com

(800)473 -7227
Fax

Phone

(205)933 -2954
(205)933-1122

www. web -tronics. com

www. web -tronics. com

Fantastic DMM Offer!

2G Hz RF Field

Don't let this price fool you This meters a digital

multimeter designed for engineers and hobbyists. Equipped
with 5 functions and 19 ranges. Each test position is quickly
and easily selected with a simple cum of the
FUNCTION / RANGE selector rotary switch. Rubber
Boot Included!
Display: 3 -1/2 Digit LCD, 21mm Figure Height with
Automatic Polarity

Strength Analyzer
Protek

NLY

$19

unra

cc

Temperature Ranges:
Operating: 0 C to 40 C (32 F to 104F)
Storage: -10 C to 50 C (14 F to 122F)
Power: 9V Alkaline or Carbon -Zinc Battery
(NEDA 1604)
Low Battery Indication: BAT on Left of LCD Display
Dimensions: 1g8mm(L) x 87mm(W) x 33mm thick
Net Weight 400g

Tuning
LED Backlight LCD (192x192
dots)
Built -In Frequency Counter
Hand-Held ant Battery Operated
All Functions are Menu Selected
RS232C for PC Interface and

#9300G

Printer

Get All the Specs From Our Web Site

Station with
Ceramic

See the

HRH-

"hora drive and accessories" for more details and pictures.

#3201

Auto door on the outer frame

ABS material of outer frame, High
efficiency cooling fan

+eb site /r:

Worldwide patent pulling function

handle
CE Approved
Coating iron bottom cover

ONLY

For IDE interface

For I" high 3.5" HDD

-.`1

Adjustment
3 Conductor
Grounded Power
Cord
250C-480C SR -97
(470 F -900 F)
Fast Heating Feature

Not compatible with our RH 10

sara.a

Engine
all Works
includes
tl Y
That Re0p5Added Constan

New Ite

with

$59.

12 Volt

189.0

2I mm(D)x58.5mm(L)

$79

VMPS -718A

Power Input

$69. $59.00
s

Our Most Sophisticated OMM

#6504 - 40MHz
$

devalued against U.S. dolla

Take advantage of GREAT

LATEST
DESIGNS!

prices while they last!

mrinellIMMIL

32mmx32mmx30m
Color CCD with

$689

VMCW -H12A
32mmx32mmxl9mm,
Color CCD with pinhole

lens, pre-wired cabling for

video /audio, 12V DC
Power Input

149.00 $139.00
5

or more

video/audio, I 2V DC
Power Input

Auro Power OFFP'Keep ON" Mode

Fused 20A Input with
Warning Beeper
Back Light
Data Hold /Run Mode
Safety Design UL 1241 & VDE -0411

Protective Holster
Silicon Test Leads

CIRCUIT SPECIALISTS, INC.

Bandwidth

6506

6510

6504

or more
NDVg
--

ONLY
Regt
More
Details on
our
Web Site

PROTEK 506,

6502

20MHz
40MHz
100MHz
60MHz
1mV/Div
1mV /Div
1mV/Div
1mV/DIV
to 5V/Div
to 5V /Div
to 5V/Div
to 5V /Div
0.1pS /Div
0.2S/Div
0.1S/Div
Max Sweep Rate
2nS /Div
to 0.25/Div
to 0.2S /Div to 0.2S/Div l0 0.55 /Div
ALT -MAG
ALT-MAG
YES
ALT -MAG
Delay Sweep
YES
YES
YES
YES
Ved. Mode Trig.
seperator circuit provides stable Cursor Readout
NO
NO
NO
NO
triggering of video signals.TV-H (TV line CRT Volts
2KV
10KV
10KV
12KV
synchronizing feature) and TV -V (TV
Marne synchronizing frequency) are automatically switched by the Time/Div front-panel control.The user can view parallaxfree waveform measurements on the large 6" rectangular CRT that Includes an illuminated internal 8x10 Div graucule.

Vert Sensitivity

3000 Series Digital RIO Bench Power Supplies

Single Output f-High Performance Triple Output

`a 4-Low Cost

$69.00 $59.03

K Type Temperature Probe Included

Pulse Sign I for Logic
& Aud ble Test
Continuity/Diode Test
Logic Test

Part No.

hese deluxe HC Prorek oscilloscopes

provide the features and accuracy that
serious technicians and engineers need
as prices well below what you may have
expected.These dual -trice, dual- channel,
scopes have Alt -Mag sweeps and provide
simultaneous display of normal and
magnified traces. An internal sync

netyj

VMPS -250A

2Smmx25mmx I Smm,
B/W CCD with pinhole
Inns, re-wired cabling for

We Sold

saYttll.

For More Information See www- web- tronics.com

#6510 - 100MHz

#6506 - 60MHi

5149 $139.
or more

Over 700 Last Year,

232 Interface & Software, 3-3/4 Digit, 4000 Cou n 4 Aut o-Ran g in g

Mode
Decibel Measurement
Cap and Ind. Measurement
Temperature Mode (C/F)

Alternate Trigger
Internal Sync Seperator Circuit
Ah-Mag Sweep
Delay Sweep (6510)

standard lens, prewired cabling for

video/audio, 12V DC Power

or more

trot

Asia's currencies are

on

var eideolaudio, I 2V DC

a^Y

on the Web

yMCW -HttA

Lens
All Include Audio
All Include Pre -Wired Cable Harness for
Audio, Video & Power
12V Regulated Power Supply Required
(120mA typical power consumption)
0.1 LUX Rating (BAN), 1 LUX (color)
CCD Area Image Sensor for Long
Camera Life
Back Light Compensation Circuit
Built-In Electronic Auto Iris Lens
Specs
Detailed
the Web
25mmx2Smmx30mm,
BIM1 CCD with standard
lens, pre-wired cabling

129.

Detailed Specs

Amazing Oscilloscope Offers

..

Ultra Miniature Design

Black & White Versions Only 25mm x
25mm
Color Versions Only 32mm x 32mm
Available in Standard Lens or Pinhole

True RMS Mode

IOMHz Frequency Counter
Time Mode with Alarm.
Clock, and Stop Watch
Dual Display
IO Location Memory
Min. Max.Avg and Relative

any qty.

Standard lens
with audio

any qty.

Series 6500 Deluxe

20MHz/40MHz/60MHz/I00MHz
Dual -Trace Oscilloscopes

-.,r 69.00., qty

Design for Small

Smaller and Better!

with RS
with Analog Bargraph

Go

Protek

B&W with audio

Mini CCDs (B /W & Color)

Sensational

VM3010A
33mmx33mmx32mm

$99.00

any qty.
$59.00

any qty.

21mm(D)x5Smm(L)

NEW
'
Observation Cameras.

mmx24mm

Standard tens
with audio,
Angie board

12V, reverse mirror

image feature

VMBLT1020A

Built-In Electronic Auto Iris for Auto

Light Compensation
No Blooming, No Burning
0.1 Min Lux Illumination (BIM), 1 Lux
Min Lux Illumination (color)

32mmx32mmx25mm
Standard lens with audio,

VMBLT1020W

9tY.

CCD Area Image Sensor

for Long Camera Life

129.00

VM3011A

$49.00

8 &W Weatherproof

20mm(D)083mm(L)

Pinhole lau
with audio

VM1036A

VMBLT3025W

VM1030A

VM3010PA
33mmx33mmxlSmm

Low Power Consumption

1 Lux Illumination
Built-In Electronic Auto Iris for
Auto Light Compensation
Internal Synchronization
12 Volts
400 TV Lines

audio, 12V

42mmx42mmx25mm
Standard lens with
audio, 12V with back
light compensation

Digital Color, Weatherproof

Housing
Extrememly Low
Power Consumption

Cameras

30mmx30mmx26mm
Standard lens with

VM1035A

y qty.

(-COLOR CCD Mini Board

$49.00yqty.

Cameras

11

LEDs, 12V

Pinhole lens with

audio, 2V

Details at www.web-tronics.com

Business
Since 1971

infra-red

model.

dash

In

VMCB21
mmx38.Smmxlgmm

ASIC CCD Area Image Sensor

Extremely Low Power Consumption
0.5 Lux Min Illumination
Built -In Electronic Auto Iris for Auto
Light Compensation
Detgiled Specs on the Web
VM1030PA-B
30mmx30mmx2smm

BBuullletaCCD
Smart and
A0dlptal

Lae

Novg0te

CCD B &W Board Cameras

$49.00

& RH2O
series. Compatible with our RH17-IDE

;,1't for9et

Extra Tip Options

Aeoiloble.See Web!

For More Info See www.webtronics.com

co

Removable Hard Drive Rack with

Auto Door And Cooling Fan

s^y

Heating Element fo:

More Accurate Temp

$1495

This product can be used with any 3 -I/2 IDE

City.
hard drive up to I" high. It includes an
electronic keylock or safe removal and
insertion. Made of ABS 707 fireproof plastic.
Use this product to protect sensitive hard drive
10C -IDE
data, rake your hard drive between work and
home or even set up different users with their own hard drives that they physically
Insert every Ume they use a PC. Other models available from C.S.I. include RH 10
series and RH2O series, which are interchangeable within the same interface design
(IDE or SCSI). Other Models are Available. see www. web-frowns.
under

Signals May Be Measured

PLL Tuning System for Precise
Frequency Measurement and

23C

/Auto -Temp Solder

529

2.060MHz
Narrow Band FM (NFM),Wide
Band FM (WFM),AM and Single
Side Band (SSE) Modulated

5 C RHQS%

ONLY

For IDE/Ultra DMA Hard Driv

We Sold Over 14,000 in 1998!

ONLLLLLL-

FrequencyRangee. 100KHHe to

Blank

Least
TemertrefoGuaranteed

www.web-tronics.com
Removable Hard Drive Rack

High stability digital read -out bench power supplies featuring constant
voltage and current outputs. Short- circuit protection and current limiting
protection is provided.The dual output versions can be used in both serial
voltage and parallel current configurations to double maximum outputs.
Highly accurate LED accuracy and stable
line regulation make the 3000 series the
perfect choice for lab and educational use.
Line Regulation:

2x 10

AS
LOW AS

co

+I ma

LED Accuracy: Voltage 1% +2 digits

Current I.5% +2 digits
Wave Line Noise: SI mvrms
Dimensions: 291mm x 158mm x 136mm (CSI3003 & CSI3010)
365mm x 265mm x 64mm (CS13003 -3 & 3005-53)
I

`---I,la

CSI3003:
0.30v0 -3amp Digital RIO Bench PS, Ix I0.. +5mv Load Regulation $99.00 5/$89.00
$149.00 515139.00
CSI3010:
0.30v10-10amp Digital R/O Bench PS, 1x10' +30mv Load Regulation
CSI3003.3: Triple Output 2x(0.30v/O- 3amp) +Sv, 3amp Fixed,
+5mv
Regulation
$239.00 5/$219.00
1x10 Load
CS13005 -3: Triple Output, 2x(0.30n10 -Samp) +5v, 3amp Fixed,
$269.00 515249.20/
Regulation
I x
0 1+25mv Load
I

3000 Series Suppllet

W111

BecomeAvallableApproximately September S,1999. OrdenAre BeingTeken NOW

1

to
to
to
m
Fo-

C)

O
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tn

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220 S. Country Club Dr. , Mesa, AZ 85210 800 -528- 1417/480-464- 2485/FAX: 480 -464 -5824
CIRCLE 332 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com

59

SUPER CIRCUITS

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60

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EP -PIC (16C5x,61.62x.71,84) $49.95
EP-PIC64 (62-5.72-4)
539.95
EP- PIC12(12C50x)
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EP- PIC17(17C4x)
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orders: 1 -800- 433 -6600
info: 207 -549 -3401
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dealer inquiries:

[email protected]

World's Smallest
TV

Transmitters

We call them the

'Cubes'.... Perfect
video transmission
from a transmitter
you can hide under
a quarter and only as thick as a stack of four pennies- that's a
nickel in the picture! Transmits color or B &W with fantastic quality
- almost like a direct wired connection to any TV tuned to cable
channel 59. Crystal controlled for no frequency drift with performance that equals law enforcement models that cost hundreds
more! Basic 20 mW model transmits up to 300' while the high
power 100 mW unit goes up to 1/4 mile. Audio units include sound
using a sensitive built-in mike that will hear a whisper 15 feet
away! Units run on 9 volts and hook -up to most any CCD camera.
Any of our cameras have been tested to mate perfectly with our
Cubes and work great. Fully assembled - just hook-up power and
you're on the air!
$89.95
C2000, Basic Video Transmitter Cube
$149.95
C-3000, Basic Video & Audio Transmitter Cube
C -2001, High Power Video Transmitter Cube
C -3001,

High Power Video

-ati::

&

Audio Transmitter Cube

FM -100, Pro FM Stereo Transmitter Kit

$249.95

$229.95

FM-100WT, Fully Wired High Power FM- 100

$399.95

Top quality Japanese Class 'A CCD

array, over 440 line line resolution, not

the o0-spec arrays that are found on many other cameras. Don't
single chip cameras which have
the
cheap
CMOS
be fooled by
1/2 the resolution, 1/4 the light sensitivity and draw over twice the
current! The black & white models are also super IR (Infra -Red)
sensitive. Add our invisible to the eye, IR -1 illuminator kit to see
in the dark! Color camera has Auto gain, white balance, Back
Light Compensation and DSP! Available with Wide -angle (80) or
super slim Pin -hole style lens. Run on 9 VDC, standard 1 volt p -p
video. Use our transmitters for wireless transmission to TV set, or
add our IB -1 Interface board kit for audio sound pick-up and super
easy direct wire hook -up to any Video monitor, VCR or TV with
A/V input. Fully assembled, with pre -wired connector.

IB -1, Interface Board Kit

FM-25, Synthesized FM Stereo Transmitter Kit

.... $129.95

$34.95

CFM, Matching Case and Antenna Set

FMAC, 12 Volt DC Wall Plug Adapter

$14.95

Broadcast Band 88-108 MHz Kit

FR-6, 6 Meter FM Ham Band Kit
FR-10, 10 Meter FM Ham Band Kit
FR -146, 2 Meter FM Ham Band Kit

$24.95

$34.95

$34.95

$34.95
$34.95
$34.95
$29.95
$14.95

Tiny FM Transmitters
Gosh, these babies are tiny - that's a
quarter in the picture! Choose the unit
that's best for you. FM -5 is the smallest
tunable FM transmitter in the world, picks
up a whisper 10' away and transmits up
to 300'. Runs on tiny included watch battery, uses SMT parts. FM-4 is larger,
more powerful, runs on 5-12 volts, goes up to a mile. FM4,5 operate in standard FM band 88-108 MHz. FM -6 is crystal controlled in
2 meter ham band, 146.535 MHz, easily picked up on scanner or
2 meter rig, runs on 2 included watch batteries. SMT (surface
mount) kits include extra parts in case you sneeze & loose a part!
FM -4MC, High Power FM

$17.95

FM -5,

$19.95
$39.95
$69.95

Binocular Special
Wow, did we nab a deal on
these first rate binoculars!
Absolutely identical to a
famous big name brand here
in Rochester, NY - but without
'heir name. Well made with
fully coated optics, super nice
rubber armored housing over
hi -alloy aluminum, includes
lens cleaner cloth, neck lanyard and carry case. 4 styles: root prism 10x25 (10 power,
25 mm), 10x25 high performance roof prism ruby coated
objective lens model for demanding use in bright sun,
10x25 high -end BAK-4 lens porro prism ruby coat with TacGrip housing, and Ultra -View 10x50 porro prism ruby coats.
First quality, yet at a close -out price on the exact same
units as the 'Trademarked' units - but at half price!

BNO-M, 8x21 Mini Monocular

BNO.1,10x25 Roof Prism Binoculars
BNO-1EX, 10x25 Ruby Coated Porro Prism
BNO-2, 10x25 TacGrip Ruby Coat Porro Prism
BNO-6, 10x50 Ultra -View Ruby Coat Porro Prism

$14.95

$24.95
$29.95
$59.95
$69.95

FM -10A, Tunable FM Stereo Transmitter Kit

$29.95

Transmitter Kit
World's Smallest FM Transmitter Kit
FM -6, Crystal Controlled 2M FM Transmitter Kit
FM -6, Fully Wired & Tested 2M FM Transmitter

No drift, microprocessor synthesized!

Excellent audio quality, connect to CD
player, tape deck or mike mixer and
you're on-the -air. Strapable for high or
low power! Runs on 12 VDC or 120
VAC. Kit includes case, whip antenna, 120 VAC power adapter - easy one evening assembly.

$14.95

$69.95
$129.95

AR-1, Airband 108.136 MHz Kit

HFRC-1, WWV 10 MHz (crystal controlled) Kit

Matching Case Set (specify for which kit)

Transmitters

$24.95

$69.95

Imagine the fun of tuning into aircraft a hundred miles away, the local police/fire department, ham operators, or how about Radio
Moscow or the BBC in London? Now imagine
doing this on a little radio you built yourself in just an evening! These popular little
receivers are the nuts for catching all the action on the local ham,
aircraft, standard FM broadcast radio, shortwave or WWV National Time Standard radio bands. Pick the receiver of your choice,
each easy to build, sensitive receiver has plenty of crystal clear
audio to drive any speaker or earphone. Easy one evening
assembly, run on 9 volt battery, all have squelch except for shortwave and FM broadcast which has handy SCA output. Add our
snazzy matching case and knob set for that smart finished look.

FR- 220, 220 MHz FM Ham Band Kit

SR -1, Shortwave 4.11 MHz Band Kit

FM Stereo Radio

Lower cost altemative to our high performance transmitters. Great value, tunable
over FM band, plenty of power and manual
goes into great detail about antennas, range
and FCC rules. Handy kit for sending music
thru house and yard, ideal for school projects too - you'll be
amazed at the exceptional audio quality! Runs on 9V battery or power from 5 to 15 VDC. Add our matching case
and whip antenna set for a nice 'pro' look.

Mini Radio Receivers

FR -1, FM

Professional synthesized FM
Stereo station in easy to use
handsome cabinet. Most radio
stations require a whole equipment rack to hold all the features we've packed into the
FM -100. Set freq with Up/Down buttons, big LED display.
Input low pass filter gives great sound (no more squeals or
swishing from cheap CD inputs!) Limiters for max 'punch' in
audio -without over mod, LED meters to easily set audio
levels, built-in mixer with mike, line level inputs. Churches,
drive -ins, schools, colleges find the FM -100 the answer to
their transmitting needs, you will too. Great features, great
price! Kit includes cabinet, whip antenna, 120 VAC supply.
We also offer a high power export version of the FM -100
that's fully assembled with one watt of RF power, for miles
of program coverage. The export version can only be
shipped outside the USA, or within the US if accompanied
by a signed statement that the unit will be exported.

$179.95

CCD Video Cameras

CCDWA-2, B&W CCD Camera, wide -angle lens

CCDPH -2, B &W CCD Camera, slim fit pin -hole lens
CCDCC -1, Color CCD Camera, wide -angle lens
IR -1, IR Illuminator Kit for B&W cameras

Super Pro FM
Stereo Transmitter

$9.95

RF Power Booster
y,r
Add muscle to your signal, boost power
up to 1 watt over a freq range of 100 KHz
for
to over 1000 MHz! Use as a lab amp
.=
signal generators, plus many foreign
users employ the LPA -1 to boost the
power of their FM transmitters, providing
radio service through an entire town. Runs on 12 VDC. For
a neat finished look, add the nice matching case set.
LPA-1, Power Booster Amplifier Kit
CLPA, Matching Case Set for LPA -1 Kit
LPA -1WT, Fully Wired LPA -1 with Case

Station
Broadcast
Antenna

$39.95
$14.95
$99.95

FM

For maximum perfor-

mance, a good antenna

is needed. Property tuned and matched antenna is fully
PVC enclosed for weather protection and rugged use. Vertical or horizontal mounting, 'F' style connector, 5' long.
TM -100, Tm -Match FM Station Antenna Kit

Transmitter
Operates in standard AM broadcast
band, set to clear channel in your
area. AM-25 'pro' version is synthesized for stable, no-drift
frequency and is salable for high power output where regulations allow, typical range of 1 -2 miles. Entry-level AM-1
has tunable transmit oscillator, runs FCC maximum 100 mw
power, expected range 1/4 mile. Both accept line -level
inputs from tape decks, CD players or mike mixers, run on
12 volts DC. Pro AM-25 includes AC power adapter, matching case and bottom loaded wire antenna. Entry -level AM-1
has an available matching case and knob set for a finished,
professional look. High level modulation for low distortion.
$129.95
AM -25, Professional AM Transmitter Kit
$29.95
AM -1, Entry level AM Radio Transmitter Kit
$14.95
CAM, Matching Case Set for AM -1

www.americanradiohistory.com

MFMT1, World's Smallest FM Radio

PFMR -1, Pager Style LCD Clock & FM Radio

$11.95
$12.95

Speech Descrambler
Decode all that gibberish! This is the
popular descrambler / scrambler that
you've read about in all the Scanner
'
and Electronic magazines. Speech
inversion technology is used, which is
compatible with most cordless phones
and many police department systems,
hook it up to your scanner speaker terminals and you're in
business. Easily configured for any use: mike, line level
and speaker output/inputs are provided. Also communicate
in total privacy over telephone or radio, full duplex operation - scramble and unscramble at the same time. Easy to
build, all complex circuitry contained in new custom ASIC
chip for clear, clean audio. Runs on 9 to 15VDC. Our
matching case set adds a professional look to your kit.
$39.95
SS -70A, Speech Descrambler/Scrambler Kit
$14,95
CSS, Custom Marching Case and Knob Set
$79.95
SS-70AWT Fully Wired SS -70A with Case
$9.95
AC12.5, 12 Vott CC Wall Plug Adapter

')

Call for our Free Catalog

See our complete catalog and order

on -line with our secure server at:

www.ramseyelectronics.com

$39.95

AM Radio

CIRCLE 266 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Everyone who sees one of these babies

says they just gotta have one! Super
cute tiny FM radios have automatic
scan/search tuning, comfortable ear bud
earphones and we even include the battery. The pager style unit looks like a
shrunken pager and even has an LCD clock buitt-in. You
will be amazed at the crystal clear amazing sound! That's a
quarter in the picture for size comparison - pretty tiny, huh?

RAMSEY ELECTRONICS, INC.

793 Canning Parkway

Victor, NY

14564

Order Toll -free: 800 -446 -2295

Sorry. nc tech info. or order status at this number

For Technical Info. Order Status

Call Factory direct: 716 -924 -4560
N.stv'Ard

DISCOVER

ORDERING INFO Satisfaction Guaranteed. Examine for 10 days,

not pleased, return in original fore for refund. Add $6.95 for ship-

if

ping, handling and insurance. Orders under $20, add $3.00. NY resicents add 7% sales tax. Sorry, no CODs. Foreign orders, add 20%
for surface mail or use credit card and specify shipping method.

61

Sales

CALL TOLL FREE

(800) 292 -7711

Orders Only

Look For Other

Monthly Specials
On O
Our a si e

Wbt

www.cs-sales.com
Excellence in Service
Power Supplies
Miscellaneous

Se Habla Espanol

Elenco Ouad Power Supply

Elenco Power Supply Kit

Model XP -720K

Model XP -581

1.5VDC

579.95

-- 1.5VDC

4
4 DC

fixed

-5V

Vanable

-2

:. 3A

5-

122 ;4 14. -12V

20V

$54.95

-44,

-+.

Fns

XP -720 Fully

2A

Assembled

$19

$85

Elenco DC Power Supply

95

Model SPL -603

Elenco Model MX -9300

Four Functions in One

Electronic
Playground and
Learning Center
Contains Over 50
Experiments

--15VDC

5VDC @ 3A
6.3VAC @ 1A 8.
12.6VAC center
tapped @1A

Fully Regulated DC Power

Supplies In One Unit

voltages

15VDC @

1A

Elenco Model EP-50

95

Elenco Model XK -150

$79

Digital /Analog
Trainer

3A O.30VDC
The SPL-603 Is a solid -state DC power supply
providing the exact output voltage no matter what
current you use It contains one fully regulated
power supply. The variable voltage is capable of
delivering 0 -30V at up to 3A. The output is precisely held to the desired output voltage by a special regulating circuit. Output fully protected from

maw

Features:

$450

One instrument with four test and measuring

MN

$8995 ;

systems:

Sii<

1.3GHz Frequency Counter

2MHz Sweep Fu-tction Generator

av

Digital Multimeter
Digital Triple Power Supply

Ideal for Schools

overload.

- 0 -30V

@ 3A. 15V

@ 1A, 5V @2A

Generators & Counters

Elenco Sweep Function Generator
w/ built -In frequency counter

Function 1.3GHz Universal Counter

Elenco Model F -1300

10

Model GF -8036

Multifunction
Counter

Frequency.05Hz 1.3GHz

3 Ranges
Period - Can read 60Hz to 60 000000
Totalize - Counts to 199.999.999
RPM 3 to 2090994 RPM
Duty Cycle
Mus-01v AVG with Time
Slop -watch set .2 sec. to 100 hrs.
Math Functions
Timer - 2 sec. lo 99 days
Pulse W ldth - 0.1 ms to 66666 Sma

$225
Elenco RF Generator with Counter
-

150kHz)

Features internal AM mod.

of 1kHz, RF output 100MV 35MHz. Audio output 1kHz

0.2Hz to 20MHz
AM 8 FM modulation

$119.95

(analog, w/o counter)

10MHz Model 4017

5MHz Model 4011

Kit Corner
Model AK -700

Radio Control Car Kit.

Pulse/Tone
Telephone Kit

Solderless
Functions
Radio Control
7

Transmitter Included

Model AM /FM -108K

AM /FM

$29.95
Guaranteed Lowest Prices
UPS SHIPPING: 48 STATES 5 o
OTHERS CALL FOR DETAILS
IL Residents add 8.25% Sales Tax
62

$99

10Hz - 2.5GHz
Ultra sensitive

. -.._.

:! /

synchronous
detector

bar graph and RF

strength.
3 Channels

-.-

Measures Frequency, Period,

Data Hold, Relative, Memory
(min., max.. average).
High

BK P;EC7SP:.T1

Sensitivity,
Controlled.

Microprocessor

Features
10
digit
display.
and RF signal strength

e rgraph9ment

Includes antenna. NICad battery. and

AC adapter

Model XK -700

Model AK-870

Transistor
Radio Kit
w/ Stand

F -2800

Elenco Digital / Analog Trainer

over 100 kits available

$24.95

$319
$249

Model

1875

$445

Burst Operation
External Frequency counter to
30MHz
Linear and Log sweep

$225

SG 9000

$189

B &K 20MHz Sweep /Function Generator

with Frequency Counter
Model 4040

Model SG -9500

@ 1V RMS.

B&K Model

=1R

'225

This sweep function generator with counter is an instrument capable of generating square. dangle. and sine waveforms, and TTL.
CMOS pulse over a frequency range from 0.2Hz to 2MHz.

(100kHz

Elenco Handheld
Universal
Counter
10Hz - 2.8GHz

9595

Elenco's newest advanced

Digital / Analog Trainer is specially designed for school projects. It is built on a single PC
board for maximum reliability. It
includes 5 built -in power supplies, a function generator w/
continuously sine, triangular
and square waveforms, 1,560
tie point breadboard area.
Tools and meter shown optional. (Mounted in a professional
tool case made of reinforced
metal).
XK-700
XK -700K - Kit
Assembled &
Tested

$189.95

$159.95

C &S SALES, INC.

150 W. CARPENTER AVENUE
FAX:

WHEELING, IL 60090
847 541 -9904 847 541 -0710

CIRCLE 322 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com

Made in USA

15 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

2 YEAR FACTORY

WARRANTY

PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

SAME DAY
SHIPPING

Sales

C &S

CALL OR WRITE
FOR OUR

FREE
64 PAGE CATALOG!

Excellence in Service
Digital Multimeters
Elenco LCR & DMM
Model LCM -1950

$39.95
11

12 Functions
Freq. to 4MHz
Inductance
Capacitance
and Much More

Elenco Model M -1005K

95

Series

Signal Output Function

Digit Display

B &K

$9995

Model 878

True RMS of high speed

signals
Computer Interface and
software
Frequency to 200KHz
Capacitance to 40pF
Large 3 3/4 LCD display

Auto /manual

Captures and displays

range

max, min. 8 avg.

Relative % to reference
Three hold system
Analog bar graph
and pointer
Audible continuity
Auto power of
Unit Indicator
Diode test

Many features
with Q factor
High Accuracy

M-1000B (Assembled)

TEKK Radios

Oscilloscopes
2

(limited qty.)

Elenco Model 6100

$219.95

3 1/2 Digit LCD

Transistor Test
Diode Test

Free Dust Cover and

II

$289

w/ Stat Functions

Test
3 1/2

Series

(limited qty.)

Dual -Display LCR Meter

18 Ranges

Temperature to 750C
DC Volts 0 - 20V
Frequency up to 15MHz
Diode /Audible Continuity

II

$179

Digital
Multimeter Kit

2000M11

with

increased noise releclion.

Model M -2750 - $24.95

(9 functions)

$14

Features high performance

AC/DC
voltage and current
measurement, frequency, duty cycle,
resistance, conductance, and capacitance measurement.

Lo-Ohms range, a 40U

range with Fluke's proprietary
Zero
Calibration, otters 0.01

resolution

87111

$299

ranges

frequency
Built -in
counter of voltage Input
from 1Hz to over 20kHz.

specs.

Capacitance .1 pF to
20F
Inductance 1yH to 20H
Resistance .0111 to

$185

from 99.99nF to 9999pF.

Beeper
Diode Test
Transistor rest
Meets UL-l244 safety

$99.9$

Fluke

79111
Capacitance

Function:

Freq. to 20AHz
Cap. to 204F
AC/DC Voltage
AC/DC Curent

$69
Elenco Model LCR -1810

Fluke

Elenco Model M -1740

(800) 445 -3201

Probes

Both Models
Available
In Yellow,
Blue & Black

Pro-Sport FRS Two-Way Radio

Model PRO -SPORT+

Talk up to
2

miles!

Model PRO SPORT

S -1325
S -1330
S -134C

S-1345
S -136C
S -1390

25MHz
25MHz
40MHz
40MHz
60MHz
100MHz

Dual Trace
Delayed Sweep
Dual Trace
Delayed Sweep
Delayed Sweep
Delayed Sweep

$325
$439
$475
$569
$749
$995

DIGITAL SCOPE SUPER SPECIALS

DS -203
DS -303
DS -603

20MHz /1OMs /s Analog /Digital

40MHz /20Ms /s Analog /Digital

60MHz/20Ms /s Analog/Digital

Guaranteed Lowest Prices

UPS SHIPP'NG: 48 STATES 5%
OTHERS CALL FOR DETAILS
IL Residents add 8.25% Sales Tax

SEE US ON THE WEB

$695
$995
$1295

1/2 Watt Output, 14

Channels.
TX LED Indicator.
Removable Belt Clip.
Highly Water Resistant.
Economy Type
No License Required!

Model PRO -SPORT +

$68.00 each or
2 for $109.95

$79.00 each or
2 for $149.95

1/2 Watt Output, 14 Channels.

TX & RX LED/LCD Indicators.

Large LCD Display.

38 Privacy (CTCSS) Tones.
Plus All Features of Pro-Sport
Model.

Elenco Technician Tool Kit

Model TK-1500 $
28 tools plus a DMM (M- 1000B)
contained in a large flexible tool

case with a handle ideal for

everyone on the go.

C &S SALES, INC.

155 W. CARPENTER AVENUE
WHEELING. IL 60090
FAX' X47) 541 -9904 (847: 541-0710

www.cs- sales.com
CIRCLE 322 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com

15 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

2

YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY

reICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

63

Any waveform you want!

Synthesized Signal Generator

...

New
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EVEN AS YOU READ THIS. countless individuals and firms are

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ff

THE

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ULTIMATE IN "BUG" DETECTION EQUIPMENT

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A

The CSD-18

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1

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"FLASHING" LED WARNS YOU INSTANTLY!

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And,, for

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DETECTS THE LATEST "SUPER-BUGS"

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THE ONE "BUG" TO FEAR MOST!

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TELEPHONE RECORDING DEVICES
SERIES & PARALLEL PHONE TRANSMITTERS
"INFINITY', MICRO -WAVE AND "LASER" BUGS
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While most individuals are now somewhat guarded in their

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Literally
many technical publications for as little as $30.
thousands of these devices are now in the hands of
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In response to this ever -growing threat, a uniquely engineered
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In other words, If ANYONE ... ANYWHERE ... Is utilizing the
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CSD -18

495

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(C) 1995

Great Southern Security

513 Bankhead Highway
Carrollton, GA 30117

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HARDWARE INTERRUPTS
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LONG WORD INSTRUCTION - FRIENDLY SYMMETRIC ARCHITECTURE .

Serial Control and Measurement

Microcontroller Boards and Interfaces

These boards include voltage regulation. 64K -bit

Some interfaces available:

$49 -$99
-4 and 8 channel analog zero and span cct

LOW POWER...

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S45
UTI PIC Micro Trainer This system gives you
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based designs. includes a 64K-bit non -volatile E'
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UTI Control Trainer Real world interface for
the trainer series, with inputs and outputs for
measurement and control. analog cond. relays.
buffered dig f10 and more.
$69
JCM Cybugl kit. a great little robot kit for the
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$32
Prototyping breadboard to fit the above

UTI -1

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aw

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::

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ppli twin *I In
Are you interested in Microprocessors & Embedded
eses
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eses
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Examples

Include:

Measuring Temperature
Using a Photocell to Detect Light Levels
Making a Waveform Generator
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Interfacing and Controlling Stepper Motors
Scanning Keypads and Writing to LCD/LED Displays
Bus Interfacing an 8255 PPI
Using the Primer as an EPROM Programmer
DTMF Autodialer & Remote Controller (New!)

The PRIMER is only $119.95 in kit form. The PRIMER Assembled & Tested is $169.95. This trainer
can be used stand alone via the keypad and display or connected to a PC with the optional upgrade
($49.95). The Upgrade includes: an RS232 serial port & cable. 32K of battery backed RAM, &
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visit our web site: www.mvsweb.com

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11

www.americanradiohistory.com

1985

1998

12
Or SERVICE

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NEW, SHARP, YH -7B50, COLOR CCD CAMERA

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State of the art 'ironless" type, mini motor type M11- 210 -54 -0
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MOTORIZED IOX ZOOM, SURVEILLANCE LENS

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73

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website

831 -7562

recorded signals can also be sent to a PC via a serial interface.

Runs from 9V bat ery or external source. Auto, internal and

J111/1111114
iii

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AB- 1244/GRC MAST KIT, 12 aluminum alloy on steel sections

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1016 E. Eureka - Box 1105
Lima, OH 45802
VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER
Address Dept. ES

333kS/s

16 -bit versions. Great for test

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FLASH EPROMS 2RF.29C.29EE.29F1. EEPROMS (2816 -22 8(.0101. NVRAMS 112XX.X2210/12)
8 PIN SERIAL EEPROMS (24. 25. 85. 93. 95. 80011 A) PIA'S ER1400/1458657 AND ERS901
BIPOLAR PROMS 72S8251. FPGA CONFICURATORS 117('XXXI
MICROCONTROLLERS (874X. 8755. 87C5XX. 870755. 89('5X)
ATMEL MICROS. (8 -401 PIN 89CX051. 89SXXXX (AYR) 90SXXXX
PIC MICROS R. 18. 28. 40 PIN (12CXXX- 16CXXX. I6FXX. 17C)
MOTOROLA MICROS 10870503 V2,03, 681-1C703, 681-1C711)
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form sturdy, lightweight 30 ft

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ea 36 and 42 ft guy ropes, 4 guy
stakes. 2 guy rings plus 2.5
pound sledge hammer. Part of
0E- 254 /GRC antenna set; 30 lb
sh. New. $139.50 plus shpg.

RS232 -422/485 converters, self-powered, opto-isolated

I2C adapter beards for PC communication with 120 bus

mini dataloggars for events, voltages, pressures, etc.

Enviromon tenperature and environment netwk logger
thermocouple and thermistor adapters for PC ports.
BASIC -progranmable BASIC -TIGER controller modules
PCI framegrabbers - switch between 2 inputs locked!
lowcost A/D acapters turn your PC into a display scope

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Block out selected outgc ing calls. Bypass
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$35

Digital I/O -

Turn on /off relays. Sense switch transistions, button presses, 4x4 matrix
decoding using auto-debounce and repeat
$32

Analog Input

8 Input pins. 12 -bit plus sign self -calibrating ADC. Returns

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Home Automation (X -1 O)

- Connects between a TW523 and your serial

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Block out selected incoming calls. Calls

identified using Caller ID data.
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Touch -Tone Input

Decodes DTMF tones used to dial telephones and

sends them to your serial port. Keep a log of all outgoing calls. Use with the
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$34
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Voice/Fax 850 -863 -5723

IR Remote

Control Receiver

Learns and responds to the data patterns

emitted by standard
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controls used by TVs, VCRs, Stereos, etc.
Lets you control all your electronic projects
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remote, and can be configured for either
'toggle' or 'momentary' action.
$32

DTMF Decoder /Logger

Caller ID - Decodes the caller ID data and sends

it to your serial port in a

pre -formatted ascii character string. Example: '12/31 08:45 850 -863 -5723
Weeder, Terry <CR >'. Keep a log of all Incoming calls. Block out unwanted
callers to your BBS or other modem applications.
$35

Po- K it

Phone Line Transponder

individual output pins are controlled with
buttons -7 on your touch -tone phone.
Automatically answers telephone and
7

waits for commands. Monitor room noises

with built in mic. 'Dial -Our pin instructs
unit to pick up phone and dial user entered
number(s). Password pro ected.
$48

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Keep track of all numbers dialed or entered

from any phone on your line. Decodes all
touch -tones and displays them on a 16
character LCD. Holds the last 240 digits in a
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receiver's speaker terminals for off-air
decoding of repeater codes, or numbers
dialed on a radio program.
$55

APPc

PARTS

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Sony Color Video Camera
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EACH
DC AMMETERS
0 -100 mA DC PMD -100MA $12.00
$12.00
PMD -1A
0 -1A DC
$12.00
PMD -5A
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$12.00
PMD -15A
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PMD -30V

EACH
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AC AMMETERS CAT #
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PMA -15A
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EACH
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CAT# VC-1100

or more $85.00 each

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00

AIWA

each

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for $22.50 100 for $200.00

500 for $875.00 ($1.75 each)

10

3000 MCD ULTRA -BRIGHT I

RED LED
Everlight # 383URC- 2/TR1 -C(R)
Red, "Ultra- bright" T 3/4 LEDs
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are 5 mm diameter water -clear
LEDs that light bright red at 20
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AT# LED -50

2 for $100

100 for $35.00

1000 for $250.00

ORDER TOLL FREE

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Great sounding, great -looking set of AIWA
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speaker has two channels with two separate
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they were designed had separate outputs for
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the center -angled speakers sound good when
connected in parallel with the front -facing channel. Titan silver and charcoal. Removable front
grills. 9.75" wide X 11" deep X 12.25" high.

00

SONY Hi -8 Top quality,

metal particle 120 minute
video cassettes. Used
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bulk- erased. Each
cassette has its own
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CAT # VCU -8

110 for $28.00

(G)

$15 each

"HI -8" Video Cassette

"Surround"

Bookshelf Speakers

Pittman # GM8212C127-R2.
Small, powerful gearhead motor. 187:1 ratio.
No load specs: 40 RPM @ 19.1 Vdc, 130 mA.
24 RPM @ 12 Vdc, 160 mA. Overall dimensions 3" long X 1.37" diameter. 0.185" (3/16 ")
diameter X 0.75" long shaft. A brass 0.56"
diameter gear with 16 cogs is fastened to the

$250

CAT# DCM -131

$7 each

CAT# LCD -46

I
10 for 560.00

11.5 Volt Mini- Vibrating Motor

Tiny 1.5 Volt motor with offset -weighted
shaft. Typically found in pocket pagers
and cell phones for vibrating alert signal.
Operates on 1.5 Volts, 80 mA. Motor
body is 0.28" dia. x 0.67" long. Shaft is
0.03" (1 mm) dia. x 0.16" long.

CATALOG.
Outside the
U.S.A.
send $3.00
postage.

Optrex # DMC 20434 -CEM

(PWB 20434 -CEM)
5 x 8 dot format.
viewing area.
3" x
3.88" x 2.38" module.
Removed from new
equipment. May have fe t padding on metal
bezel. 14 pin single row header is pre- attached.
Spec/hook -up sheet included.

40 RPM Gearhead Motor

Free 96

20 Character X 4 Line LCD

Sony# CCX- Z11/S1.

Brand new color video
camera with audio.
Ideal for surveillance
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Good -looking,
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only 3.5" X 2.33" X 1.05 ".
Adjustable lens. On -off
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last.

CALL, WHITE, FAX

or E-MAIL For

QUALITY

$499-5

CAT # SK -72

Small Irregular Neodymium

100 for $250.00

We

Small arc shaped neodymium magnets

with a shiny finish. Sizes vary. The
smallest are 0.39" long x 0.15" x 0.085" thick.
Some are slightly larger.
I

CAT# MAG -49

100 for $17.00
I

4 for $1 00

1-800-826-5432
FAX (818) 781 -2653

INFO (818) 904-0524

www.allelectronics.com
E -MAIL [email protected]

Accepted by Mail
Mastercard, American Express or Discover Checks and Money Orders
NO MINIMUM ORDER All Orders Can Be Charged to Visa,
United
Tax NO C.O.D Shipping and Handling $5.00 for the 48 Continental
Sales
State
include
California
must
of
California
State
Orders Delivered in the
Prices Subject to change without notice.
Quantities Limited
Canada Must Pay Full Shipping
and
P.R.
Hawaii,
Alaska,
including
OTHERS
ALL
States

MANUFACTURERS -

pair

Purchase EXCESS INVENTORIES... Call, Write, E -MAIL

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79

New
and
Pre
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Test Equipment
Goldstar

Pre -Owned Oscilloscope Specials

Tektronix
Tektronix
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Tektronix
Tektronix

Spectrum Analyzer
Avcom PSA -37D
Satellite Downlink
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Model OS -5100

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Built -in DC Block &
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Dual- Channel, High Sensitivity
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100 MHz

475

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250 MHz

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SIMCHECKII PLUS
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Fluke Model 87111 $319.00111

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Building

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tiny 2" x 2" stackable 68HC11 microcontroller module

plugs into solderless breadboard like a chip
download programs via you PC serial port
use assembler or BASIC (both included)
32K SRAM plus 8K or 32K EEPROM
RS232, 5V regulator, 8MHz xtal
8K Starter Package #MC11SP8K
US$75.00
32K Starter Package #MC11SP32K
US$89.00
Motor driver board and accessories available.

Technological
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Phone: (416) 963 -8996
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Build or adapt CNC mills, CNC routers, Robots, Etc.

Includes: 3 Stepping motors (70 oz/in 200 steps /rev).
External board (connects to parallel port of a PC). Power
supply Cables, Manual and the MAXNC drive software,
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For more information,
phone or write to:

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6730 West Chicago
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Chandler, AZ 85226
Ph (602) 940 -9414
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needs for the
This is all you need to know for your soldering and desoldering
Professional Technician, Engineer, Manufacturer or Experimenter.

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81

ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY TODAY INC.

P.O. Box

240

Massapequa Park, NY 11762

INVENTY

LMllT SALE

FREE GIFT $15

With any order over

(while supplies last)

BP07
BP37

....100 Radio Hookups

....50 Projects Using Relays, SCR's

ALL CANADIAN CHECKS MUST CLEAR THROUGH AN AMERICAN BANK

and Triacs

$3.00

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Projects for Radio Amateurs and S.W.L.S

$5.99

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Practical Electronic Timing

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BP48 ....Electronic Projects for Beginners

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BP56 ....Electronic Security Devices

Electronic Projects for Your PC

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Circuit Source Book

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Circuit Source Book 2

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Electronic Music Learning Projects

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A Beginners Guide to TTL Digital

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A Beginners Guide to CMOS Digital ICS

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BP334

Magic Electronic Projects

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BP355

A Guide to the World's Radio Stations

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BP359

An Introduction to Light in Electronics

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Electronic Projects for the Garden

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The Superhet Radio Handbook

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Electronic Projects for Experimenters

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BP374

Practical Fibre-Optic Projects

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BP64 ....Semiconductor Technology Elements of Elect Book 3

BP74 ....Electronic Music Projects

BP76

....Power Supply Projects

BP78 ....Practical Computer Experiments

BP88

....How to

Use OP Amps

....Electronic Timer Projects

BP103 ...Multi- Circuit Board Projects
BP93

BP112

...A

BP114

...The Art of Programming the 16K ZX81

...The Pre -Computer Book

BP115

Z -80 Workshop Manual

BP124 ...Easy Add -On Projects for the Spectrum, ZX81 & ACE
BP148 ...Computer Terminology Explained
BP154
BP156

...An
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45 Simple Electronic Terminal Block Projects

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BP379

30 Simple IC Terminal Block Projects

Introduction to QL Machine Code

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Practical Electronic Model Railways Projects

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Introduction to MS-DOS

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Fault- Finding Electronic Projects

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Electronic Project Building for Beginners

$3.99

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BP393

Practical Oscillator

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$3 99

BP394

BP245 ...Digital Audio Projects

An Introduction to PIC Microcontrollrs

$3 99

BP396

BP248 ...Test Equipment Construction

Electronic Hobbyists Data Book

$3 99

BP401

Transistor Data Tables

BP256

...An

BP264

...A Concise

BP267

...How

Intro to Loudspeakers and Enclosure Design

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BP411

A Practical Intro to Surface Mount Devices

Advanced User's Guide to MS -DOS

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Practical Remote Control Projects

to Use Oscilloscopes and Other Test Equipment

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PCP107

Digital Logic Gates and Flip -Flops

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PCP112

Digital Electronics Projects for Beginners

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BP272 _Interfacing PCS and Compatibles

...An

$6.99
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...A Prac Ref Guide to Word Pro Amstrad PCW8256/PCW8512

BP190 ...More Advanced Electronic Security Projects

BP290

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CS

Introduction to MSX Basic

BP187

BP232

Intro to Amateur Communications Satellites

$5.99

PCP114

BP297 ...Loudspeakers for Musicians

Advanced MIDI Users Guide

$6 99

$10.99

ETTI

BP299 ...Practical Electronic Filters

Wireless & Electrical Cyclopedia

$6 99

$4.99

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LIQUID CRYSTAL DuSi,LAYS

240x64 dot LCD with built -in controller.

AND 4021 ST-EC. Unit is EL back -Iii.

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$49mor 2

$7.00
$10.00
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$10.00
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16x1
16x1 (q. amt.)
16x2

16x2
16x4

(Ig. char.)

5V power required

20x2
20x4
20x4 pg.
24x2
32x4

The huilt -jn controller allows you to do text and graphic).

char.)

SONY Miniature Color LCD Display (LCX005BKB)

.2 for $20.00

40x2
40x4
4x2

$20.00

6" VGA
L

MIL

7 inch Amber $25.00

inch Amber $25.00
9 inch Amber or Green $25.00

5" COLOR MONITOR $39.K'

320

12 VDC

On

Operation

Standard Interface Connector

9" COLOR SVGA MONITOR $179.""

POs

4 INCH LCD MONITOR

$69

60 Hz Vert. Sync. Freq.

15.75 KHz Horiz. Freq.

Frame Conshudion

for

CGA & Hercules Compatible

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Mfr. Somtron

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Fully Enclosed

- Tilt and

swivel ype.

BAR CODE

MAGNETIC CARD READER

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keypanel with full alpha20 character dot matrix display with full alpha-numeric copse ility
numeric entry separate 7.5 VDC/0.5 Amp power supply standard telephone interface extension cord
lithium battery and Bat-cane speaker.
Includes:

HP bar code wand (HBCS 2300) $19.00

L)s'

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frequency for
supplies and voltage synthesizer, tunable front end, and interface assembly (which includes power
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Ability in do 40 and 80 column.

Horizontal frequency 15Khz.

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cell site. The

These transceivers were designed for operation in an AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service)
20 MHz bandwidth of the transceiver allows it to operate on all 666 channels allocated. The transmit
A digital
channels are 870.030 -889.980 MHz with the receive channels 45 HM2 below those frequencies.
sel ett receivers
Each unit contains two independent
the selected
to
synthesizerejs
one
with
the
Indicator (RSSI) circuit to select
Signal Strength Ini
demodulate voice and data with a Receive Signal
an external power
the best signal strength. The transmitter provides a 1.5 watt modulated signal to drive
back panel.
amplifier. channel selection is accomplished with a 10 bit binary input via a connector on the
MHz reference
Other interface requirements for operation are 26 VDC (unregulated) and an 18.990
the digital synthesizer. The units contain independent boards for receivers, exciter,

owth

$25

-E roc l cr. s.etal TTL

Cores with pinout. 12V at 1.4 Amp input

Flat Faceplate
acepla

$10.00
$20.00
$20.00
$15.00
$15.00

lei O N ITORS

Ira

4'IA I. SITE TRANS(-1;1N I: R

QfiQe

Hitachi
Epson
Optrex
Epson
Optrex

480x128
256x128
240x128 (backlit)
240x64
160x128

$25.00
$20.00
$15.00
$10.00

LCD 640X480, Sanyo

y LMDK55 -22

No
5

sin

price

Mfr,
Epson
Panasonic
Toshiba
ALPS

640x400 (bacldil
640x200
480x126 (backlit)

$29"

Delta Da
CM (0.55 inch) Diagonal Full Color Display Built In Horizontal and Vertical Drivers
& PAL F rmat
Pattern for High Picture Quality - 537 dols (H) x 222 dots (V) Compatible with NTSC
Voltage
Excellent
Input
12 VDC Operation with -1 to +17 V ROB Signal and Driver
acid Sync Inputs
Pin Outs and
Display for Virtual Reality Projects, Viewfinders, and Miniature Test Equipment Displays
Specification Included Unit Requires Clock, Synchronization and Video
1.4

$600

Built-in C -MOS LCD driver 8 controller Easy 'microprocessor interface 98 ASCII character
generator Certain models are backlit, a4 for more info.

640x480(backlit

Il

BIOS is PC/AT compatible

interface
and alphanumeric-serial
Graphics
p
t?

og0

welcome. Foreign orders require special handling Prices subject to

change without notice. 201 restocking fee for returned orders

from
Unit has a backup Ni -Cd battery system in case of power failure (5 min. backup time) and lockable
laptop floppy
cover to prevent floppy drive access. Mounting / interface provisions for standard 3.5"
and 2.5 inch hard drives. Comes with very comprehensive manual.

$8.00
$8.00

40x1

$15.00
$10.00
$10.00
$10.00

checks

}.11x1) care. Ideal for embedded operations

('unspkn enhanced Intel 286SX.33 hexed computer in ultra msdl 19.7/81. t 6-7811s
Parallel optical
3 serial ports plus dedicated printer port
or Orr a second computer. Features include: One 16 bit LSA slot
and port lists standard SLMM up to 32 MB
conpkd adapter port Built in IBM PC /AT keyboard pmt On board VGA video

for $89.e

Alphanumeric-parallel
p $10.00 interface
32x2

VIAc1 ER CORNER
l.MBmomeoa 4846 COMPI TER 50i4"."

for $H)9.' or

Minimum shipping and handling charge

$20 00

for
not respl
CA esidents :add 8.25%styles tax. W
COO
r.
lypogrophi<ol errors. All merchandise subject to prior sole. Phone orders

Over 14 years and 31,000 customers and still growing

OEM INQUIRIES WELCOME

Minimum Order

TIMELINE INC.

2539 W. 237th Street, Bldg. F, Torrance, CA 90505

Order desk only. USA: (800) 872.8878 CA: (800) 223.9977
L.A. & Technical Info: (310) 784.5488 Fox (310) 784.7590

$49.00

Compact 11.4" x 3.8" x 1.4") TIT active matrix LCD color monitor including
fluorescent backlight. Analog RGB and composite sync input with switchable
horizontal / vertical viewing. Low power consumption and long life backlight make
it ideal for security and door phone use. Single 8 VDC supply and good resolution
allow mobile operations or use with laptops. Standard ribbon cable - Molex
connector interface. Complete specifications included.

NTSC C O M P O S I T
4" LCD MONITOR $ 69

CIRCLE 275 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

DATA ACQU1SMON

1 JNERa

AFFORDABLE PLUG -IN BOARDS FOR PC's ISA BUS

39

2C55 ppt
24 or 48 TTL UO

Channel 8-Bit

0to5 Von Input

14 TTL aO lines
Analog Output
400KHz Sampling

16-Bit

',aaKHx Sampling

'n Up The Pace P IC

IC'n

'

$ 119

Channel 12-Be

xt,

x5, riel

Programmable
Channel gain
100KHa
Sampling rte

$34.95

NE IN!
PIC'' TeChnlgtleS -

http:llwww.Bsof.com
$ales @Bsof.com

Intermediate

$34.95

8-pin PICS
Timer 1, timer 2 and the capture/compare/PWM (CCP) module
Talking to a PIC with a PC using a terminal program
Test equipment and data logger experiments

httpJ /www.sq -1.com

Ordering Is Available

Sae Table Of Contents:

On -Line Product Catalog

g t Our Web Site

Secure

Orlin

$5 for 2 books, $6 for 3 books

1 book,
visa MC, AMEX, MO, Check
CA residents please add 7.25% CA sales tax
PIC and MPLAB are trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc.
+

E -Mail:

BSOFT Software, Inc.

'

Intermediate

Counters

TTL Output lins

Selectable Clock
Frequency Input

Channel 12-Be
o to 5 Volt input
optional bl -polar
racIme 1300KH2
Sampling rte
24 TTL i/0 lines

$4 s/h In US for

CQUARS

COLUMBUS, OH 43207
FAX 614-497-9971
PHONE 614-491-0832 `
444 COLTON ROAD

$29.95

ANA201 Analog

$ 79

PIC'' _Beginner

81TL Input lines

Counter

ANA200 Analog I/O

$ 79

3 18 -Bit

8 Channel 8-Bit
0 to 5 Von input

Kb

LEARN ABOUT PIC MICROCONTROLLERS

Lines option
Selectable
Address

DIG200 Counter I/O

5 89

Analog/Counter...

..... -...

Books

Base

Digital 10

ANA100 Analog VO

PIC n

Voice

ELECTRONICS

P.O. Box 501, Kelseyville, CA 95451

FAX (707) 279 -8883
(707) 279-8881
Web Site: httpJZwww.sq -1.com
E-Mail

83

[email protected]

J
www.americanradiohistory.com

CLASSIFIED
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
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New! Jerrold and Pioneer wireless test units

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each, quantity pricing available please call
KEN ERNY ELECTRONICS 24 hour order
and information hot line 516 -389 -3536.
PAY TV AND SATALLrTE DESCRAMBLING
2000 EDITION. All new. All the latest satellite fixes, schematics, blockers, activators
etc. for cable and satellite $16.95. Complete
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CABLE DESCRAMBLING, New Secret

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CB Radio Modifications! Frequencies, kits,
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COMPUTER HARDWARE
ROBOT Module. Security Robot Kit. Free
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ROBOTICS Box 138, Boston, NY 14025

EDUCATION
LEARN ELECTRONICS. HOME STUDY.
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AWESOME KITS: Ion Propulsion Motor,
Stepper Driver, Solar Robot, Scrolling Clock
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work, DirecTV, C /Ku -band, including 4DTV.

Parts Upgrades Accessories! SKYVISION
- 800 -543 -3025. International 218- 739 -5231
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DSS Hacking: How to construct and program smart cards, with pic 16C84, PCB layout. Complete DSS system schematics,
$16.95. Software $25. CABLETRONICS
Box 30502R Bethesda MD 20824.

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CABLE DESCRAMBLERS, including activators for all Jerrold Dp5-CFT 22 xx's and SP's.
Lowest single or lot prices. Also, RFT Dams

programmers $175 each, cell phones $25 each, DSS satellite dish card readers and programmers $125 each, credit
card readers $250 each, Cable T.V. notch filters 50 cents
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PicC C Compiler,

$59

for Microchip's PIC microcontrollers

Supports PICfSC55x, 18C8x, 16C82x, 18CBx, 18C92x PIC families

SnXC C Compiler

$59

Supports ScenlX a18ac and sx28ac microcontrollers

Both compilers based on
ANSI C standard. Arrays, unions,
structures, pointers, strings, function calls, if, for, switch, while,
interrupt vectors, in -line assembler code, 8 & 16 bit sanables, etc.
Outputs Intel Hex format and assembly code. Code optimizer
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DebugiDE Debugger $79

source level debugger for PicC and SnXC compilers. Integrated
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BUY BONDS

USE ELECTRONICS NOW CLASSIFIEDS

READ BY ELECTRONIC BUYERS AND SELLERS AND TRADERS
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLACING YOUR AD!
HOW TO WRITE YOUR AD

TYPE or PRINT your classified ad copy CLEARLY (not in all

capitals) using the form below. If you wish to place more than one

ad, use a separate sheet for each additional one (a photo copy of
this form will work as well). Place a category number in the space
at the top of the order form (special categories are available). If
you do not specify a category, we will place your ad under miscellaneous or whatever section we deem most appropriate.

We cannot bill for classified ads. PAYMENT IN FULL MUST

ACCOMPANY YOUR ORDER. We do permit repeat ads or
multiple ads in the same issue, but in all cases, full payment must

accompany your order.

If you use a Box number you must include your permanent

address and phone number for our files. ADS SUBMITTED
WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION WILL NOT BE
ACCEPTED.
For firms or individuals offering Commercial products or Services. Minimum 15 Words. 5% discount for same ad in 6 issues
within one year; 10% discount for same ad in 12 issues.Boldface
(not available as all caps), add .40 per word additional. Entire ad
in boldface, add 20 %. Tint screen behind entire ad, add 25 %.
Tint screen plus all boldface ad, add 45 %. Expanded type ad,
add $4.00 per word.

WHAT WE DO
The first word and company name of each ad are set in bold caps
at no extra charge. No special positioning, centering, dots, extra
space, etc. can be accommodated.

A copy of your ad must be in our hands by

the 13th of the fourth month preceding the date of issue ( i.e. Sept
issue copy must be received by May 13th). When normal closing
date falls on Saturday, Sunday or Holiday, issue closes on preceding work day. Send for the classified brochure.

RATES
Our classified ad rate is $2.50 per word. Minimum charge is
$37.50 per ad per insertion (15 words). Any words that you want
set in bold are each .40 extra. Indicate bold words by underlining.
Words normally written in all caps and accepted abbreviations are
not charged anything additional. State abbreviations must be post
office 2 -letter abbreviations. A phone number is one word.

Ads not received by our closing date will run in the next issue. For
example, ads received by November 13 will appear in the March
issue that is on sale January 17. ELECTRONICS NOW is published monthly. No cancellations permitted after the closing date.
No copy changes can be made after we have typeset your ad. NO
REFUNDS, advertising credit only. No phone orders.

General Information:

DEADLINES

CONTENT
All classified advertising in ELECTRONICS NOW is limited to electronics items only. All ads are subject to the
publishers' approval. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT OR EDIT ALL ADS.

AD RATES:

$2 50 per word. Minimum $37 50

Send you ad payments to:

ELECTRONICS NOW 500 Bi- County Blvd, Farmingdale, NI 11735 -3931

CATEGORIES
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570 - Plans- Kits-Schematics

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270
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210 -- CB- Scanners

240 Components

630
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85

RETAILERS THAT SELL OUR

MAGAZINE EVERY MONTH
Arizona

Minute Man Electronics

37111 Post St., Suite

Circuit Specialists, Inc.

220 S. Country Club Dr.
Bldg 2
Mesa, AZ 85210

Fremont, CA 94536
Orvac Electronics
1645 E Orangethorpe Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92631

California
All Electronics
14928 Oxnard Street
Van Nuys, CA 91411

California Electronics
221 N. Johnson Ave.
El Cajon, CA 90202
Electr pics Plus, Inc.
823 -4h' Street
San Rafael, CA 94901

Electronics Warehouse
2691 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92501
Ford Electronics
8431 Commonwealth Ave
Buena Park, CA 90621

HSC Electronics
6819 S. Redwood Drive
Cotati, CA 94931

HSC Electronics
4837 Amber Lane
Sacramento, CA 95841

San Mateo Elec. Supply

16 W. 42nd Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94403

Gateway Electronics
8123 -25 Page Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63130

King of the Road Elec.

409 E. Center Rd.
Kokomo, IN 46902

New Jersey

Maryland

Lashen Electronics Inc.

21 Broadway
Denville, NJ 07834

Whitcomm Electronics
105 W. Dakota 106
Clovis, CA 93612

Massachusetts

LNL Distributing Corp.

235 Robbins Lane
Syosset, NY 11791

Colorado

Electronic Hook-Up
104 Main St.
Milford, MA 01757

Unicorn Electronics
Valley Plaza
Johnson City, NY 13790

Centennial Electronics
2324 E. Bijou
Colorado Sps., CO 80909

U -Do -It Electronics

40 Franklin Street
Needham, MA 02194

Ohio

Connecticut

Michigan

Philcap Electronic Suppliers

275 E. Market Street
Akron, OH 44308

Cables & Connectors

2198 Berlin Turnpike
Newington, CT 06111

Computers Galore and

Oregon

Electronic Service Prod.

437 Washington Avenue
North Haven, CT 06473

Wholesale Electronics
77 McCullough Dr. Ste. 10
New Castle, DE 19720

Illinois

JK Electronics

BB &W Inc.
2137 S. Euclid Ave.
Berwyn, IL 60402

Metro Electronics
1831 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

ACRO Electronics Corp.

1101 W. Chicago Ave.
East Chicago, IN 46312

Mark Elec. Supply Inc.

11215 Old Baltimore Pike
Beltsville, MD 20705

Inland Electronic Suppliers

1012 N. Carpenter Rd.
Modesto, CA 95351

6395 Westminster Blvd.

Westminster, CA 92683

Missouri

Say-On Electronics
13225 Harbor Blvd.
Garden Grove, CA 92643

Delaware
Halted Specialties Co.
3500 Ryder Street
Santa Clara, CA 95051

Indiana

Tri State Elex

200 W. Northwest Hwy.
Mt. Prospect, IL 60056

More
3510 N. Elm St. #283688
Jackson, MI 49201

Norwest Electronics
33760 Plymouth Rd.
Livonia, MI 48150
Purchase Radio Supply
327 East Hoover Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
The Elec. Connection
37387 Ford Road
Westland, MI 48185

Minnesota

New York

Norvac Electronics
7940 SW Nimbus Avenue
Beaverton, OR 97005

Texas
Computers Electronics Etc.
110 E. Medical Center Blvd.
Webster, TX 77598
Electronic Parts Outlet
3753 B Fondren
Houston, TX 77063
Tanner Electronics
1301 W Beltine
Carrollton, TX 75006

Acme Electronics
224 Washington Avenue N.
Minneapolis, MN 55401

If you'd like to sell our magazine in your store,

please circle 210 on free information card
or
86

Contact Christina Estrada at (516) 293 -3000 ext 223

www.americanradiohistory.com

FREQUENCY PROBE
Build this simple analog
instrument to test the
frequency of almost any
type of waveform

SKIP CAMPISI

Have you ever wanted to

make a quick check on the
operating frequency of a circuit
but realized that it wasn't worth the
effort to set up your multi-function
frequency counter? Perhaps your
counter can only handle 5 -volt
logic or small -signal RF waveforms,
but nothing in between.
If you often find yourself in that
situation, the Frequency Probe presented here is just the tool that
you're looking for. This instrument is
a handheld device that is powered
by a single 9 -volt battery and uses
an analog meter as the display. Of
course, you won't get the resolution
of a digital display, but accuracy is
better than 5 %; more than enough
in most situations. As a bonus, it is
very economical and can be
assembled for about $30.
This self- contained unit can measure the frequency of any type of
waveform from about DC to beyond
2 MHz as long as the input waveform
crosses the input threshold voltage
(about 1.0 volt). The maximum swing
on the input signal is 30 volts. Any
waveform shape within that range
can be read -including standard
logic level signals.
The Frequency Probe has six
basic ranges: 50 Hz, 500 Hz, 5000 Hz,
50 kHz, 500 kHz,

and 5000

kHz. Small

toggle switches are used to select

the range; there is simply no room
for rotary switches in a probe
design of this type. The unit is constructed with standard, off-the -shelf
components, available from many
different sources such as Radio Shack, Tech America, or Mouser
Electronics, to name a few.

About the Circuit. Looking at the

Frequency Probe's schematic diagram, shown in Fig. 1, note that only
four ICs and a handful of passive
components are used. Power from
a standard 9 -volt battery is regulated to 5 volts by IC2. The total current drain is about 10 to 15 mA.
An input signal applied to J1 is
converted to a squarewave by ICI.
Diodes Dl and D2 set the 1.0-volt
threshold; D2 also provides reverse -

voltage protection. A few millivolts

of hysteresis provided by R2 helps
yield a stable output from signals
with a slow rise time such as ramps
or sinewaves. Note that the specifications for the LM311 being used
allow its inputs to swing above the
power -supply voltage (up to 30
volts above ground) without damage to the device. That might not
be true for devices made by manufacturers other than National
before
Semiconductor -check

www.americanradiohistory.com

substituting a compatible part from

another vendor.
The "heart" of the Frequency
Probe is IC4, an LM2917N tachometer chip; it converts any input frequency to an output voltage.
Because I04 has its own built -in hysteresis "flip- flop" circuit, waveforms
that are more or less symmetrical are
best. Pulse inputs with a duty cycle of
less than 10% or greater than 90% will
have large output errors.
To cure that problem, IC3 is
included to divide down the pulses
depending on the settings of S2.
With S2 in the "Hz" position, the signal is divided by two and by 2048 in
the "kHz" position. No matter how
short or long the duty cycle is, the
input waveform to IC4 is always a
squarewave, allowing a pulse train
of any duty cycle to be measured.
The full -scale range (50, 500, or
5000) is selected by S3; S2 selects
whether the scale is in Hz or kHz. The
output voltage from IC4 is directly
applied to M1 for frequency display.

With an internal series resistance of

500 ohms on M1 the 2.5 -volt full scale output from IC4 will be at the
meter's limit; R9 protects M1 from
excess current in case of overload.
The value of C6 is a compromise
between response time and output
ripple. On the lowest settings, you 87
,

PARTS LIST FOR THE

FREQUENCY PROBE
SEMICONDUCTORS
ICI -LM311 comparator, integrated
circuit (National Semiconductor)
IC2 -78L05 low -power 5 -volt
regulator, integrated circuit
IC3-CD4040 12 -stage binary counter,
integrated circuit
IC4-LM2917 frequency -to- voltage
converter, integrated circuit
D1- IN4148 silicon diode
D2- 1N5711 Schottky diode

-1

ADDITIONAL PARTS
AND MATERIALS
B1
-volt battery
JI -RCA phono jack, panel -mount
M1-Analog panel meter, 0-5 mA
S1-Single -pole, single -throw, switch
S2-Single pole, double -throw, toggle
switch
S3- Single -pole, double -throw,
center -off toggle switch
Enclosure, ground clip, battery clip, IC
sockets, probe needle, wire, hardware,

-9

etc.

might see Ml's needle vibrate

slightly on readings below 5 Hz. If
you want a more stable reading,
you can increase C6's value for less
ripple. Of course, that will increase
the response and settling time of
the Frequency Probe.
Calibration is set by R8, which
alters the time constant of IC4's
88 charge pump. The 2.4% error intro-

.1

1
R1
D1

R9

R2

3.9K

1N4148

C3

3.3K

5000
R4

D2

1K

-a_
12

IC1

05

LM311

.001

I7

Hz

C4

11

15

CD4040

C6

78L05

3.3/16

9V

16
G

10/167

10

IC3

C9

IC4

LM2917

10

11

IC2

S2
o

o
KHz

81

500
S3

1N5711

R3
10K

470

.01

50

+0.6V

RESISTORS
(All resistors are 1/4 -watt, 5% units,
unless otherwise noted.)
R1-3900 -ohm
R2- 3300 -ohm
R3, R5, R6- 10,000 -ohm
R4 -1000 -ohm
R7- 150,000-ohm
R8- 100,000-ohm potentiometer,
single turn
R9-47 ohm
CAPACITORS
C1, C7
-F, 16 -WVDC, solid
tantalum, electrolytic
C2, C8- 0.I -F, ceramic-disc
C3-0.01 -RF, polyester, 5%
C i 0.1 -11F, polyester, 5%
C5- 0.001 -11F, polyester, 5%
C6- 3.3 -11F, 16 -WVDC, solid tantalum,
electrolytic
C9- 10 -F, 16 -WVDC, electrolytic

c2

+5
o

C7
1/16

85
10K

R6
10K

^-VM+

R8

100K

R7
150K

1M
+

C8

M1

0-5mA
+5

1. The Frequency Probe changes any waveform to a squarewave and converts it to a current
that is read out on a standard panel meter

Fig.

duced by IC3 when in the "kHz" setting is just barely noticeable on the
miniature -inch meter used for Ml
To get the best overall accuracy,
C3, C4, and C5 should be selected
to match each other in exact
decade multiples.
1

Construction Tips. Since the Frequency Probe is capable of measuring very high-speed input pulses,
a compact and neat layout with
short signal leads is not only recommended, but also almost mandatory. No foil pattern for an etched
board is available; the Frequency
Probe can be built on perfboard
using standard construction techniques. To help you locate the corn ponents as close to each other as
possible, Fig. 2 illustrates the component locations as used in the
author's prototype. While you don't
have to follow that suggested
arrangement, it is known to give
good performance.
Any probe -like enclosure that can
hold all of the circuitry needed for the
Frequency Probe can be used; just
be sure that it is large enough. The
internal arrangement of the author's
prototype, shown in Fig. 3, uses a

www.americanradiohistory.com

RadioShack 270 -1804 project enclois a good idea to do all of the

mechanical construction first before
wiring the board. With the chassis laid
out, it is much easier to locate and
drill the mounting holes for the board
before the components are installed
and wired.
sure. It

probe needle itself is made

'/a -inch diameter piece of
brass or steel rod that is 3/4 -inch long.
File one end to a point and round off
The

from a

the other end for easy insertion into

do that quickly and easily, you
can mount the rod in a power drill or
lathe and grind it to shape. The finished probe tip should look like the
one shown in Fig. 4.
Obviously, any signal being
applied to the Frequency Probe
must be referenced to the
Frequency Probe's ground. A simple length of wire with a small alliJ1. To

gator clip soldered to the end is

connected to any convenient
ground point on the Frequency
Probe, A ground lug mounted in
the case near J1 makes it easy to
tie all of the ground wires together.
You can attach the ground clip, the
shield of J 1, the negative side of B 1,
the negative lead of M 1, and, of

-RI-

GROUND
CLIP

D2

-R2-

RI

IC1

Jl

D1

- R3-

-C8-

Fig. 3. With a properly -sized case, the

Frequency Probe has a compact arrangement.
Note how BI is strapped down between two
posts, S2, and S3. A ground lug near JI makes
a convenient point to tie all of the ground connections together -especially the external
ground clip.

O
G

-C9-

IC3

-C3-05

-C2

-C1-

-C6IC4
S3

-o

-C7-

C4

-R6-R5-

-R9

CENTER
OFF

-R7-

probe tip is easy to make by filing down

brass or steel rod. Rounding
off the back end makes the probe needle easy to
insert into JI. Not only does it fit securely into
JI, it can he removed in order to make a direct
cable connection to the Frequency Probe.
Fig. 4.

a piece

S2

of'/-inch

Fig. 2. While the Frequency Probe is a simple circuit, connections must he kept short. The author's
pertboard layout shown here has resulted in a prototype that has a top end almost double the predicted results.
TO ICl

course, the ground connection

from the board to that lug.
Once the Frequency Probe is built,
inspect your work carefully for any
errors. With the probe tip inserted into
Jl and a fresh 9 -volt battery installed,
you're ready to calibrate the unit.

Set Up and Calibration. With power

turned on with Sl, use a voltmeter to
check for +5 volts at the output pin of
IC2. If you do not get that reading,
shut off the power immediately and
correct the problem. If that reading is
within 10%, check for +0.6 volts at pin
2 of IC and about +2.5 volts at pin 11
of IC4. If those voltages are also within about 10% or so, the Frequency
Probe should work properly.
Set R8 at about mid -position and
apply a known input frequency
that is within the Frequency Probe's
range to J1. The frequency should
be suitable for displaying a reading
of between 40-80% of full scale on
1

M1; the signal should have an

amplitude that is between 1.0 and

30 volts. If you want, you can
remove the probe needle and
apply the signal directly through a
coaxial cable with an RCA -style
phono plug.
Set S2 and S3 to accommodate
the input frequency and adjust R8
so that M1 displays correctly. You
might want to try a few different
frequencies in different ranges for
best overall accuracy. The absolute
maximum input frequency that the
Frequency Probe can handle
depends on the waveshape and
the input voltage, which affects the
ultimate speed of IC1. You can
expect a display of about 2 MHz
before response falls off at higher
frequencies. The author's prototype
is able to function reliably at about
double that frequency. Of course it
goes without saying, "Your mileage
may vary!"

www.americanradiohistory.com

Fig. 5. By adding a second jack and capacitor,

the Frequency Probe can sport an AC- coupled
input as well as the standard input through JI.

The probe -needle /clip -lead input

scheme works extremely well for
most situations. If you need a direct
cable input to J1, it is a simple matter to remove the probe needle
and connect a length of coaxial
cable (such as RG -58) with a shielded phono plug on the end. If your
input signal is riding on a DC voltage outside of the triggering range
(or over the maximum input voltage) of the Frequency Probe, use a
0.l -F capacitor of suitable working
voltage in series with J1. If you want,
you can install a second phono
jack next to J1 with that series
capacitor installed in parallel with
J1 for an optional "AC" coupled

input. See Fig. 5.

S2

89

TECH MUSINGS
BY DON LANCASTER

$ubPxel Secrets, Diodos as

RF

Switches, and More

THERE SURE ARE SEVERAL LIVELY DISCUSSIONS NOW
GOING ON IN THE SCI.ENERGY.HYDROGEN NEWSGROUP

New Tech Lit section at the end of this

article. But first, let's turn to some interesting "new" developments in video displays.

ON THE INTERNET PROPONENTS FEEL THAT SOLAR ELECTRIC

PANELS GENERATING COMPRESSED HYDROGEN GAS ARE THEIR
way to go for "energy independent" personal vehicles. Sadly, they seem to positively refuse to look at all the fundamental
numbers or even at the extensive work that
has gone before, but accuse those trying to
help of being "too negative" or "getting
paid by the oil companies ".

Well, in the first place, not one net

watt of non -hydro solar electricity has
ever been generated! The energy costs
of the research, making up the cells, supporting the cells, interfacing them, and
paying for your land, time, and labor
involved have yet to even remotely
approach break even.
The inherent low -efficiency limits of
today's cells make hitting break even a
daunting task. Only recently has the
energy efficiency of cell manufacturing
even been addressed. Thus, all of today's
solar cells are paid for by oil or gasoline
in disguise.
The magic break-even number is
somewhere around a fully burdened
eight cents per kilowatt hour. So far,
solar electricity is far too valuable to
waste on hydrogen apps. The energy in
electricity is also of a much higher
"quality" than in hydrogen because you
can do more things with it and do so a
lot more efficiently. Thus, changing
from solar electric back to hydrogen can
be a giant step in the wrong direction
down the "energy" chain.
Further, there simply is not enough
gross energy storage (3.5 watt hours per

STP liter) in hydrogen gas to let you

safely and cheaply gain enough vehicle
range to be useful. You are talking hundreds of feet, not miles
least when
"unliquified" at sane pressures. Decent

-at

storage remains the crucially limiting

hydrogen problem.
Two key points that I might have
mentioned a time or two before: 1) An
hour in the library (or on the Web) is
worth a month of lab time. And 2) science works by standing on the shoulders
of giants. So, ignoring what has gone
before is sheer lunacy, especially in fields
with hundreds of years of history.
Realistic personal transportation
alternatives are now at www.rmi.org and
maybe at www.homepower.com. More
on hydrogen can be linked at my
www.tinaja.com/h2 gas0l .html.
There is a very exciting new hydrogen storage development-one that just
might make it all happen. We'll tell you
where to find out more about it in our
NEED HELP?
Phone or write all your US Tech
Musings questions to:
Don Lancaster
Synergetics

Box 809 -EN

Thatcher AZ, 85552
Tel: 520 -428 -4073
US email: [email protected]

Web page: http: //www.tinaja.com

90

www.americanradiohistory.com

Sub -Pixel Resolution

The old original Apple II computer
used a sneaky display trick that could be
called sub -pixel resolution to get double
the apparent screen content in certain
hi -res modes. For instance, a green halfpixel and a purple half-pixel could be
combined into a full white pixel. Details
on this could be found way on back in
my Enhancing Your Apple II, Vol I, plus
numerous other places. Variations on
this trick have recently been rediscovered and promise to very much improve
the apparent small text legibility of both
laptops and dynabooks. In fact, sub -pixel
positioning just may be the "enabling
technology" to finally blow traditional
print media out of the water, especially
when it is combined with other tricks.
Microsoft calls their "new" take on
sub -pixel tricks ClearType. The critics
promptly re- labeled it HypeType. But
you are certain to see lots of variants
coming up. Apple II pioneer Steve
Gibson has his outstanding tutorial and
sample Web site up on sub -pixel schemes

at grc.corn/cleartype.htm, including
freebie interactive software demos you
can explore for yourself and links to
other sub -pixel sites.
One older way of improving your
display resolution is by anti- aliasing.
With anti -aliasing as it typically is done,
you create a weighted average of adjacent pixels using a low -pass filtering
process. Replacing all the blacks and
whites with varying gray levels allows
the text to be shown in a more pleasing
manner. The artifacts created by a sampling are usually at rather high frequen-

When ANTI -ALIASING, each pixel gets replaced with a weighted average of
adjacent bits according to a rule matrix such as...

new from

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la MI
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Anti -aliasing works quite well to remove the 'jaggies' out of graphics, but tends
to blur and lighten smaller text. Anti -aliasing is easily done late in the display
process and is largely independent of content.

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When GRAYSCALING, each pixel gets replaced with the amount of gray that
each individual pixel represents. Special and often custom bitmapped fonts are
required for the obvious grayscaling benefits.

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PostScript Tutorial /Cookbook
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Understanding PS Programming
PostScript: A Visual Approach
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Thinking in PostScript
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Type 1 Font Format
Acrobat Reference
Whole works (all PostScript)
Technical Insider Secrets
I

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(520) 428 -4073
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grayscaled

ANTI -ALIASING AND GRAYSCALING are two older methods to improve small
FIG.
text appearance on most video displays.

FREE

anti -aliased

cies. Spatial low -pass filtering thus

favors the original content.
As Adobe Acrobat has shown us, an
anti- aliasing often improves the legibility and appearance of smaller text, but
often at the cost of getting somewhat
gray and blurry. Figure 1 shows us the
basics of anti- aliasing. In general, normal spatial low -pass anti- aliasing is great
for taking the "jaggies" out of graphic
images but only so -so and fuzzy for
improving small text.

Grayscaling
There can be other sneaky ways to
improve screen legibility. The main
problem with anti- aliasing is that it is
general spatial low -pass filtering after
the fact. It's fast and cheap, but done late
in the process, thus it always blurs and
smears because no more information
content is made available in the process.
But what happens if you instead
match each pixel only to its wanted
internal data beforehand -replacing
each intended pixel with that fraction of
gray (or other color) it is intended to
optimally represent? Figure 1 also lets
you compare that grayscaling alternative
against bitmapping and after -the -fact
low pass filter anti- aliasing. As you can

www.americanradiohistory.com

see, the Palatino improvement at ten

points is dramatic. But hand -crafted and
bitmapped fonts are required for truly
optimum results.
What got me started on this is that I
was retouching a bitmap image for my
new www.tinaja.com/bargO l .html surplus bargain Web page and noted that
the word PULL can be shown legibly
with a 2 x3 dot matrix! Start with an
accurate character. To do grayscaling,
optimally overlay the accurate character
onto an n by m matrix. Calculate the
exact energy in each matrix block.
Replace that part of the character with
the equivalent gray. Since the eye can
resolve up to 64 bits of gray information,
you are providing up to 64 times the
information before quantizing into pixels. Your screen now has lots more information that it can work with.
Raw PostScript is amazingly adept at
this sort of thing, especially its little
known infili operator. The font capture
and gray -scale coding can be automated,
and this technique should work with
most color combinations. Character sets
will often have to be generated ahead of
time to specific resolution sizes. One big
advantage would be platform independence. This should work better with

91

fonts optimized for low resolution

screens-such as Stone.
Apparently I am not the only one
playing with pixels. One grayscaling
variant is known as hand anti -aliased
fonts. Demos are at www.airwindows.
com/shareware/fonts/index.html. There
somewhat oversized fonts are retouched
and then downcoded into appropriate
grays.

Sub -Pixel Secrets

The "new" sub-pixel scheme in Fig.
2 can end up quite simple. If you have a
display in which you can individually
and separately address single and
sequential red, blue, and green elements,
and if you know the exact sequence of all
those elements, then you can increase
your apparent display resolution in one
direction.
The sub -pixel trick works because
the eye is much better at seeing detail
than it is color. The small text-quality
improvement on a typical laptop is stunning, though at the cost of display limits
and special drivers.
As you can clearly see, combining
sub -pixel techniques with grayscaling is
a potent combination. But there are lots
of "gotchas" to be aware of.
The idea applies mainly to LCD displays. No way is yet known to use a stock
CRT monitor, nor is one likely to be
found. Why? because the electron beam
usually addresses many phosphor dots at
once, and the multiple blue dots are not
particularly left or right of the other colors.

You have to know the exact LCD

color stripe sequence and match your
software to it. Most LCDs are now
RGB, but a few are BGR.
The resolution improvement only
works in one direction. You'll want this
to be horizontal, because most character
details, bolding, italics, and kerning are
all horizontal sensitive.
Thus, you are currently limited to
landscape displays -unless someone
builds a portrait-specific triad- rotated
LCD display. You are also mostly limited to black text on a white background.
There could be some color fringing, but
it is apparently not too bad and almost
certainly can be reduced by sneaky tricks
or special displays.
You do not end up tripling the resolution because of positioning considerations. A doubling is more reasonablebut it sure looks better.
You are also restricted to specific text
sizes that all must be carefully matched
to the display resolution, at least for the
finer print. But that is not necessarily a
serious problem in a book-viewer type
of machine.
Some color fringing is created by
sub -pixel techniques. On the left side of
each black font character in RGB
sequence, chances are that blue may be
weak or missing, thus giving you a possible orange fringe. On the right side,
chances are that red is weak or missing,
giving you aqua. Such modest LCD sub pixel color fringing can probably be
minimized by going to special displays

With SUBPIXEL techniques, each individual red, green, or blue pixel sub
element gets treated as an individually addressable and position sensitive
entity. As you can see, the apparent resolution improvement is dramatic.
Especially when combined with custom grayscaled fonts.

The concept works because the eye is much better at resolving brightness than
color. Subpixel techniques apply mainly to landscape LCD displays used for
laptops and dynabooks. Exact color sequence must be known and matched.

bitmapped

subpixel

subpixel +
grayscaled

FIG. 2-"NEW" SUBPIXEL SCHEME promises to dramatically improve small text on certain LCD displays. Individually addressable color elements of a known sequence is
92 required.

www.americanradiohistory.com

ULTRASONIC BOOKS
1996 IEEE International Ultrasonics
Symposium (FEFCS IEEE)
Clinical Sonography: A Practical Guide

(Roger Sanders)
Diagnostic Ultrasound (Stewart Bushong )
Fundamentals of Ultrasonic
Nondestructive Eval... (L. Schmerr)
Handbook on the Ultrasonic Examination

of Aus... (Am Weld Soc)

Micromachined Ultrasound Proximity
Sensors (Mark Hornung)
Nondestructive and Ultrasonic Testing for
Aircraft (FAA Staff)
Piezolectric Actuators and Ultrasonic
Motors (Kenji Uchino)
Power Sonic and Ultrasonic Transducer
Design (B. Hamonic)
Three -Dimensional Ultrasound (Thomas
Nelson)
Transducers for Sonics and Ultrasonics
(M. McCollum)
Ultrasonic Bioinstrumentation (Douglas
Christensen)
Ultrasonic Communication by Animals
(Gillian Sales)
Ultrasonic Instruments and Devices (R.
Thurston)
Ultrasonic Liquid Atomization (Harvey
Berger)
Ultrasonic Measurements for Process
Controls (L. Lynnworth)
Ultrasonic Measurement Methods (R.
Thurston)
Ultrasonic Methods of Non-Destructive
Testing (J. Blitz)
Ultrasonic Motors: Theory and
Applications (S. Ueha)
Ultrasonic Sensors for Chemical and
Process... (R. Asher)
Ultrasonic Transducer Materials (Oskar
Mattiat)
Ultrasound: Biological Effects and
Potential... (A. Williams)
For more details, see
www.tinaja.com/amlink01.html

whose color sequence shifts by one pixel

on each horizontal line. Sort of a triple
"super-PAL" mono mode.
Adobe has been strangely silent so
far, but we can expect sub -pixel plug -ins
for their Acrobat products. There is also
an obvious but very expensive solution
of increasing the display resolution, but
it makes the most sense to make each
portion of every pixel count the utmost
before you demand more of them.
The PostScript code used to create
these demos is up on my Web site
(www.tinaja.com) in MUSE 141.PSL
You could easily explore these concepts
further on your own. Consulting and
code services are also available. See
www.tinaja.com/infoOl.html.

as a 1N914. Since this is a plot of current

small signal slope =

5.2 Q at 5 mills

c
o

small signal slope =

52 Q at 0.5 mills

voltage
FIG. 3-ON ITS "KNEE ", the slope of an ordinary diode is given by 26/i in milliamperes.
Thus, a half mil DC current causes the diode to look like a 52 -ohm resistor to very small
RF signals.

Diodes as RF Switches
I've gotten several Help Line calls
and e-mails on this topic, so it is time for
an update and review. There's all sorts of
times when you might like to turn a RF
signal on or off, switch between two or
more RF signals, activate a trap, change
your channels or bands, or adjust RFsignal levels. These days, we have all
sorts of options. Stock CMOS 4016 or
4066 analog switches can perform well
at lower frequencies. Try my CMOS
Cookbook or Maxim for details.

We also have new mid-frequency bus

switch variations from Cypress, IDT,
Pericom, Quality, and others. Get more
info from wwwquestlink.com. Lots of ads
for fancy and ready -to -go microwave
switches and attenuators appear in trade
journals such as lreless Product News,
Wireless Design is' Development, RF Design,
or Microwaves & RF.
But plain old diodes can also still be
used here, as can their improved offspring. Figure 3 shows us the forward
curve of an ordinary silicon diode such

control
voltage "B"
matched
PIN diodes
O

input

rf

output

control
voltage "A"

4-

SIMPLIFIED SCHEMATIC of a high -performance PIN -diode RF switch or attenuator. The P- network arrangement gives a constant input and output impedance. Control
voltages must be carefully set for best results.
FIG.

www.americanradiohistory.com

versus voltage, the slope at any point will

also be the equivalent resistance. At one
mil, the equivalent small -signal resistance of a silicon diode is roughly 26/i
where i is the current in milliamperes.
Thus, any DC current of half a mil
makes a diode look like a 52 -ohm resistor to very small AC signals. The higher
the current, the lower the apparent RF
resistance.
The trick is to set up two paths: A
signal path that accepts low -level RF
signals and is capacitively coupled, and a
DC- coupled bias path that turns the
diode on or off. Resistors or inductors
are used in the bias path to only lightly
load the signal path. Capacitors block
the bias currents in the signal path. The
diodes are largely "off" with zero current, and they act as fixed resistors with
carefully set bias currents of a few milliamperes.
These days, there's an even better
device known as a PIN diode. PIN
diodes are diodes that are purposely
designed to have exceptionally long carrier lifetimes and slow reverse recovery
times. As such, they make useful current- controlled resistors for VHF and
microwave apps. They are low in cost,
and the bias current sets the resistance
down to a fraction of an ohm. But do
observe that PIN diodes are largely useless below 10 megahertz.
As with a regular diode, you set up an
AC RF path and a DC biasing path. If
you are sneaky, the diode's package
capacitance can be resonated out or
included as part of a filter.
Useful devices include the 1N5719
and others from Hewlett- Packard, or
the BA582, BAT18, and friends from
Infineon (who apparently used to be
Siemens). With the BAT18 device, RF
resistance at five mils is less than half an
ohm. Recovery time is 100 nanoseconds.
Once again, the intentionally long
PIN effective carrier lifetime does not
change much on a RF cycle, making for
a seemingly constant controlled resistance at RF, which is what PIN diodes
are all about. Diodes may be combined
into "L," "P," or "T" arrangements for
more loss or better impedance matching. A simplified schematic for a multiple PIN -diode P attenuator is shown in
Fig. 4. When properly designed, P
attenuators offer a constant input and
output impedance.
Use of two pairs of symmetrical
back-to -back diodes can reduce the non- 93

NAMES AND NUMBERS

AEMC Instruments
99 Chauncy St.
Boston, MA 02111

www.maxim-ic.com

(800) 343 -1391

www.aemc.com

Hwy 178 N
Flippin, AR 72634
(870) 453 -2261

Alpha Industries

www.microplastics.com

20 Sylvan Road
Woburn, MA 01801
(781) 935 -5150

www.alphaind.com

Micro Plastics

JI Morris Co.
394 Elm St.
Southbridge, MA 01550
(508) 764-4394

Cypress Semiconductor
3901 N First St.
San Jose, CA 95134

(408) 943 -2600

www.cypress.com

Digital Content Creator

Pericom Semiconductor
2380 Bering Drive
San Jose, CA 95131
(408) 435 -1100
www.pericom.com

201 E Sandpoint Ave. Ste. 600

Santa Ana, CA 92707

(714) 513 -8400
www.dccmag.com

Pasternack Enterprises

Energy User News

www.pasternack.com

1350 E Touhy Ave.

Des Plaines, IL 60018
(847) 390 -2120

Pico Technology

www.energyusernews.com

PO Box 16759
Irvine, CA 92623
(949) 261 -1920

149 -151 St Neots Rd.

Hardwick, Cambridge CB3 7QJ, UK

44 (0) 1954 211716

Hanser Gardner
6915 Valley Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45244
(888) 527 -8803
www.hansergardner.com

Hewlett- Packard
PO Box 10301
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(415) 857 -1501

www.hp.com
IDT

2975 Stender Way

Santa Clara, CA 95054
(800) 345-7015
www.idt.com

Infineon Technologies
1730 North First St.
San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 501 -6000

www.infineon.com

Maxim Integrated Products

120 San Gabriel Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(408) 737 -7600

linearity and distortion. Control voltages (and their diode currents) have to
be carefully adjusted to work together to
get the correct attenuation and impedance. The attenuation can range from
very little loss up to 70 decibels. See the
Alpha Industries application note A
94 Wideband General Purpose PIN Diode

www.picotech.com

Print On Demand Business

445 Broad Hollow Rd.
Melville, NY 11747
(800) 308 -6397
www.podb.com

Quality Semiconductor
851 Martin Ave.

Santa Clara, CA 95050

(408) 450 -8063
www.qualitysemi.com

Rohm Corporation
2150 Commerce Drive
San Jose, CA 95131
(408) 433 -2225
www.rohm.com

Synergetics
Box 809
Thatcher, AZ 85552
(520) 428 -4073

www.tinaja.com

Attenuator.
The same circuit makes a rather nice
RF switch simply by going from minimum to maximum attenuation. Note
that advanced construction and measurement skills are required for this simple and cheap circuit.
I have some great prices on digitally

www.americanradiohistory.com

programmable 0.5 to 30 dB PIN diode

RF atteunator blocks up at my
www.tinaja.com/bargps01.html. These
are a part of some specialized military
artery link receivers. These also include
multiple -stage broadband microwave
amplifiers, analog PIN attenuators, and
fiber -optic interface parts. These are
real parts bonanzas and great project
starters.

Some Books on Ultrasonics

I've gathered together a few useful
books on ultrasonics as this month's
resource sidebar. It seems there are great
bunches of medical ultrasound books, so
I've included only a modest sampling of
these many titles. More details are up at
www.tinaja.com/amlink01.html.

New Tech Lit

As promised at the beginning of this
month's column, a major real -world
breakthrough in hydrogen storage
appears as "High H2 Uptake by Alkali Doped Carbon Nanotubes under
Ambient Temperature and Moderate
Pressure" By Lin, Chen, Wu, and Ti in
Science, Vol. 285, July 2, 1999, pages 9193. The magazine's Web site is www.sci
encemag.org. If you are not an AAS
member, reprints are $5 per download.
Or $10 for 24 hour guest access to their
entire page full of reprints and abstracts.
Carbon nanotubes are very good at
accepting and storing hydrogen. But
keeping them stable and getting them to
give most of their hydrogen back simply
and safely have been huge problems.
You might search the Web under
"Rodriguez" and "Hydrogen" for interesting earlier work.
From Maxim, there's a new full -line
data catalog CD on their analog switches, regulators, interface, A/D, D /A, and
bunches more. Check out their new
MAX1644 regulator. From Rohm,
there's a similar CD on all sorts of
intriguing consumer electronics chips.
A new line of current -measuring
instruments is available from AEMC
Instruments. One pricey source for just
about any test cable, connector, or adaptor is Pasternack Enterprises. They have
a free mini- catalog available.
From Pico Technology, there are free
demos on virtual- instrumentation software used for data acquisition, temp and
humidity, I/O conditioning, and for
environmental monitoring.
Insider technical books on plastics
(Continued on page 97)

NEW LITERATURE

and in Canada.

applications, astronomical images, plus a

list of hardware and software resources
and a list of Web sites for the amateur
astronomer.

Theater Systems

Astronomer's Computer Companion

Applications For Electronic

by Gordon McComb

by Jeff Foust

Displays: Technologies and

Installing Home Theater: The

Complete Guide to Buying,

Installing and Maintaining Home

sound to interference from outside

sources. This book ( #62 -2319) is available at RadioShack stores nationwide

and Ron LaFon

No Starch Press
555 De. Haro Street, Suite 250
San Francisco, CA 94107

Master Publishing, Inc.

7101 N. Ridgeway Avenue
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Tel: 847 - 763 -0916
Web: www.masterpublishing.com

415- 863 -9900

Fax: 415- 863 -9950
Tel:

$6.99
This easy -to -read book provides a complete guide to understanding all aspects
of home theater. It begins by defining
home theater, describes the components
needed, what components can be reused, what needs to be new, and what
equipment is necessary. In addition, the
author covers the differences among TV

Requirements
by Sol Sherr

Wiley-Interscience

Web: www.nostarch.com

$34.95
This first guide to locating and using
astronomy resources on a personal computer introduces basic astronomy concepts. Simultaneously, it shows readers
how to use computer-based resources to
enhance their sky watching.

sets and AV receivers and the latest

advances in TV sets, including the tran-

sition to digital TV and the wide- screen

format.

John Wiley it Sons

605 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10158
Tel: 212 -850-6366
Web: www.wiley.com

$69.95
Emphasizing the options that are available for finding the best match between
application requirements and display
technologies, this resource provides
invaluable information and guidance. It
is designed for everyone from manufacturers and design engineers to technicians in the computer and entertainment
industries.

RadioSha<k

Installing
Home Theater

Everytninq You Ncea to Pian. au.pn. In

Your Home Tncate. SYtan ta

.+.

The sound system required for a true

theater -like experience in the home is
thoroughly explained -speaker types,
where they should be in the room, and
AV receivers.

There are also useful dia-

grams on hooking components together,

wiring tips, suggestions for room design
and ergonomics, and guidance on hometheater equipment maintenance. Several
easy-to-use charts help readers troubleshoot common problems from no

The authors sort through the "astronomical" number of Internet sites on the
subject and present them in an organized and usable format. They discuss
astronomy software and how to use it
effectively. The book's included CDROM contains animations, shareware
Key technical aspects are discussed.
is thorough coverage of display
specifications; design, photometric, and
visual parameters; and human -interface
requirements. The author covers output
devices and systems, including CRT and
FPD monitors, hard -copy devices, and
large -screen systems; and data-processing systems. In addition, he discusses
computer graphics, CAD /CAE, multi-

There
To order books
in this maga-

zine or, any book in print. Please call

anytime day or night: (800) BOOKS NOW (266 -5766) or (801) 261 -1187 ask
for ext. 1454 or visit on the web at

http://www.BooksNow.com/electronicsnow.htm.
Free catalogs are not available.

www.americanradiohistory.com

95

media, virtual reality, and entertainment

applications, among other topics.

Tel: 800- 366 -2665 or 781- 904 -2500

Fax: 800 -446-6250 or 781- 904 -2620
Web: www.bh.com /newnes

$39.95
The Digital IC Gallery
by Clement S. Pepper
Prompt Publications
Howard W Sams & Company
2647 Waterfront Parkway, East Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46214 -2041
Tel: 800 -428 -7267
Fax: 800 - 552-3910

Underlying audio techniques and equipment is a world of electronics that determines the quality of sound. Anyone
involved in designing, adapting, and
using digital and analog audio equipment needs an understanding of electronics for greater control over recorded
or reproduced sound.

Web: www.hwsams.com

$39.95
experimenter or hobbyist, it is difficult to discover the full range of
devices appropriate for your intended
application. Vendor catalogs often contain only a partial listing, and often only
the best sellers are shown. However,
with this book in hand, readers can identify digital devices in the TTL and
CMOS logic families.
As an

1101111111111

AUDIO
I

INN=

ELECTRONICS

MEIN

other information regarding adjust-

The second edition of this useful

book includes new material in a wide ranging survey of the field. The latest
developments are covered: digital radio
and TV, Nicam 728, and the latest
Dolby noise -reduction systems. Numerous
schematics and diagrams accompany the
text.
ts_aeaer

APROh1Pl

Encyclopedia of Electronic

The author has compiled a comprehensive study of the latest semiconductors, complete with logic and connection diagrams, truth tables, functional
descriptions, and performance data.
Along with chapters on digital IC basics
and gate logic, there's a glossary, as well
as descriptions of the differing technologies used by various manufacturers. An
appendix also lists numerous manufacturers' data books. If you work with or
experiment with IC devices, this book
will be very helpful on your workbench.
Audio Electronics
by John Linsley Hood
Newnes, Butterworth -Heinemann
225 Wildwood Avenue
96 Woburn, MA 01801

the -job use, this encyclopedia presents

over 1000 state -of-the art electronic and
integrated- circuit designs. Organized
alphabetically by circuit type, this allnew collection includes the latest
designs from industry leaders such as
Advanced Micro Devices, Motorola,
Teledyne, General Electric, and others.
Each circuit is accompanied by a
brief explanation of its operation and

Circuits, Volume 7
Graf and William Sheets

by Rudolph F.

McGraw -Hill
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Tel: 800- 2MCGRAW
Web: www.book.mcgraw-hill.com.

$39.95
Designed for quick reference and on-

To order books
in this maga-

zine or, any book in print. Please call

anytime day or night: (800) BOOKS NOW (266 -5766) or (801) 261 -1187 ask
for ext. 1454 or visit on the web at

http://www.BooksNow.com/electronicsnow.htm.
Free catalogs are not available.

www.americanradiohistory.com

ments or alignment. Included are diagrams and schematics for circuits used in
power supplies, computers, and amplifiers, among others. An invaluable reference tool, this book also offers a cumulative index that covers all the circuits
presented here and in each of the previous six volumes.

Fibre Channel for Mass Storage

Ralph H. Thornburgh
Prentice Hall
One Lake Street
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Tel: 800-282 -0693
Web: www.phptrcom

$45
Mastering Fibre Channel enables users
to scale storage systems from gigabytes
to terabytes and to improve perfor

4300'W

To order books

in this maga-

zine or, any book in print. Please call

anytime day or night: (800) BOOKS NOW (266-5766) or (801) 261 -1187 ask
for ext. 1454 or visit on the web at

http://www.BooksNow.com/electronicsnow.htm.
Free catalogs are not available.

mance simultaneously -all without disrupting systems or networks. This

Hewlett- Packard (H -P) Professional
Book (Web: www.hp.com/go/retail
books) walks readers step -by-step through
the basics of this next -generation technology and demonstrates how to deploy
H -P's advanced Fibre Channel products
to solve enterprise storage problems.
The author introduces H -P's state of-the -art Fibre Channel product family,
beginning with Tachyon, the industry's
first Fibre Channel controller fully integrated on a single chip. H -P's adapters
for K -, T-, D- and V-Class Enterprise
Servers and parallel clusters; hubs; disk
arrays; SCSI multiplexers; and more are
thoroughly covered. There is also a preview of the future of Fibre Channel
faster fiber rates, hunt groups, multicast
groups, and classes of service.

TECH MUSINGS
(continued from page 94)
are published by the Hanser Gardner
folks. Ultra -small nuts, screws, taps and
dies can be found at J. I. Morris. Almost
any variety of plastic fastener is sold by
Micro Plastics.

Our featured trade journals for this

month are Digital Content Creator, Print
on

Demand Business, and Energy User

News.

For most individuals most of the

time, any involvement with patents is
virtually certain to end up as a net loss of
your time, energy, money, and sanity.
Find out why along with lots of proven
real -world alternatives in my Case
Against Patents package per www.tina
ja.com/synlib01.html or my nearby
Synergetics ad. Also check into my new
Webmastering Secrets and similar
InfoPacks.
Latest Web -site additions now up at
www.tinaja.com include scads of GPS
and navigation stuff, columns on new
antenna resources, and more great surplus bargains. Besides great techie items,
you will find everything from Micro-

nesian flags to water -soluble swimsuits to

Y2K wilderness survival land to Kinetron
II medieval torture chambers to germ
warfare kits. There are online auctions,
too.
As usual, most of the referenced items
are in our Names and Numbers or
Ultrasonic Books sidebars. Always check
those first before you call our no- charge
US help line or e-mail me at don@tina
ja.com as per the nearby box. Let's hear
from you.
cm

EQUIPMENT REPORT
(continued from page 4)
as is software for downloading images from

the camera. All software supports both

Windows and Macintosh computers.
This impressive list of features is
packed into a digital camera that has a
film- camera -like look and feel, with
dimensions of 4.2 inches wide by 2.9 inches high by 2.6 inches deep and a weight of
only 10.7 ounces. The C-2000 Zoom has
a street price of $999, and lower.

P -330

Photo Printer

One of the nicest things about all

Olympus digital cameras, including the
C -2000 Zoom, is that they can print
directly to the Olympus P -330 photo
printer. Olympus' first-generation photo
printer, the P -300, could connect directly to most Olympus digital cameras,
without needing a computer, and print
glossy 4- x 5.5 -inch photos with the
touch of a single button. The printer
could also be connected to the parallel
port on a PC to make prints from any
digital images, including Internet downloads and images edited on a computer.
The quality of the prints rivaled 35mm
prints. The latest photo printer from
Olympus, the P -330, produces the same
great prints as the P-300, but with far
greater flexibility.
The P -330 is a dye -sublimation
printer that makes 4- x 5.5 -inch prints
only, in 24 -bit color (16.7 million colors)
at a rate of about 2 minutes per page. It
can print up to 30 copies of a single
image at once or print up to 16 thumbnails on a single sheet. The printer uses
special ribbon cartridges and glossy
printing sheets that come 60 to a pack
along with a new ribbon cartridge for
about $40, making these prints cheaper
than Polaroids -and the quality is better, especially when you're printing the

www.americanradiohistory.com

ECL/TTL/PECL
INSTRUMENT-LIKE FUNCTIONS
COMPONENT-LIKE PRICES
www. pulseresearchlab .comlproductsltlt/default.h

2.1- megapixel source images provided

by the C -2000 Zoom.
Like the P-300, the P -330 can print
directly from Olympus digital cameras
and from PCs through the parallel port
and Macs through the serial port. But
the P -330 photo printer also has a video
output so that it can be connected to a
TV set and a slot that accepts
SmartMedia cards.
Now there is no need even to connect
the camera to the printer, thus avoiding
cables altogether. One simply removes
the SmartMedia card from the camera
and slips it into the P -330. Images are
then reviewed on the TV screen and
printed by pressing a button on the P330. Images stored on a SmartMedia
card can also be "dog- eared" while still
in the camera, so that they will print on
the P -330 without the user having to
connect the printer to a TV set or needing to see them at all.
The P -330 printer is also a Smart Media card reader, allowing images or other
data stored on SmartMedia cards to be
transferred to a PC via the parallel port,
but only for Windows users. Another
neat feature of the P -330 is that it has a
video input. With the printer connected
to a TV set, any frame from the incoming video signal can be grabbed and
printed. This allows still prints to be
made from videotape, a video camera,
DVD or whatever. The P-330 costs
$449.
For more information on the
Olympus C -2000 Zoom digital camera
or the P -330 digital printer, contact the
manufacturer, Olympus America, Digital
& Imaging Systems Group (Two Corp- Z
orate Center Dr., Melville, NY 117473157; Tel: 516-844-5000 or 800 -347-4027; Q
Fax: 516 -844 -5262; Web: www.olym
pus.com/digital) directly or circle 15 on z
8
the Free Information Card.

Don't lose sight

of Glaucoma.

liE

NATIONAL

EYE
HEALTH

EDUCATION
PROGRAM

97

ADVERTISING INDEX

ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES

Electronics Now does not assume any responsibility for errors that may appear in
the index below.

Free Information Number

Page

Free Information Number

Page

Abacom Technology

58

Keware Technologies

74

ABC Electronics

74

KNS Instruments

60

Lynxmotion

74

213

Alfa Electronics

58

214

All Electronics

79

Allison Technology

60

54

MCM electronics

Amazon Electronics

76

251

Mendelsons

66

Andromeda Research

78

306

Merrimack Valley Systems

70

Antique Radio Classified

52

236

Micro 2000

53

microEngineering Labs

52

Modern Electronics

66

Mondo- tronics

66

Mouser Electronics

52

MSC Electronics

77

Arrow Technologies

52

Brand Electronics

60

Bsoft Software, Inc.

83

322

C&S Sales, Inc.

62

133

CircuitMaker

332

Circuit Specialists

CLAGGK, Inc.

M2L Electronics
327

318

CV2

CV3

59

NESDA

23

3, 25, 32, 46

PC Boards

58

....35

Pioneer Hill Software

71

54

222

Polaris Industries

68

Computer Monitor Maintenance

66

315

Prairie Digital

74

Connecticut microComputer

71

264

Print (Pace)

75

Conitec

12

266

Ramsey Electronics

61

283

Resources Unlimited

73

334

RobotikitsDirect

51

Saelig Co. LLC

78

Securetek

Cleveland Inst. of Electronics

Command Productions

58

Cooks Institute

234

Dalbani

67

EDE Spy Oultet

77

Gernsback Publications, Inc.

500 Bi-County Blvd.
Farmingdale, NY 11735-3931
Tel. 516-293-3000
Fax: 516-293-3115
Larry Steckler
Publisher (ext. 201)
e -mail: [email protected]

Adria Coren
Vice President (ext. 208)

Ken Coren
Vice -President (ext. 267)

Marie Falcon
Advertising Director (ext. 206)

Adria Coren
Credit Manager (ext. 208)

For Advertising ONLY

EAST /SOUTHEAST
Megan Mitchell
9072 Lawton Pine Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89129 -7044
Tel. 702 -240 -0184
Fax: 702 -838 -6924
e -mail: [email protected]

MIDWEST/Texas/Arkansas/
Oklahoma
Ralph Bergen
One Northfield Plaza, Suite 300
Northfield, IL 60093 -1214
Tel. 847 -559 -0555
Fax: 847 -559 -0562
e -mail: [email protected]

Electronic Goldmine

57

76

82

PACIFIC COAST

Electronic Tech. Today

Sil Walker

60

Emac Inc.

70

Square

83

Engineering Express

76

Anita Bartman

Super Circuits

60

335

Foley -Belsaw

72

Techniks

76

General Device Instruments

77

Technological Arts

80

Telulex

64

Hutch Looney & Assoc., Inc.

6310 San Vicente Blvd. Suite 360
Los Angeles, CA 90048 -5426
Tel. 323 -931 -3444 (ext. 227)
Fax: 323 -931 -7309
e -mail: [email protected]

241

Electronics

Grantham College of Eng.

Graymark

312

56

333

Test Equipment Depot

80

Joe Shere

Great Southern Security

65

275

Timeline

83

National Representative

Home Automation

71

Unbound

70

331

Howard Electronics

81

282

Velleman

55

Howard Electronics

52

310

Visitect Inc.

64

Information Unlimited

56

170

Wavetek Corp.

21

Intec Automation

77

Weeder Technologies

78

77

World Star Technologies

77

76

World Wyde

329

Intelligence

2 Inc.

Intelligent Products

138

Interactive Image Technologies ..CV4

Intronics

319

IVEX Design

69

J &M Microtek, Inc

76

71

76, 77

XX Box

26

Zagros Robotics

52

Zorin

76

Electronic Shopper
P.O. Box 169

Idyllwild, CA 92549 -0169

Tel. 909 -659 -9743
Fax: 909 -659 -2469
email: [email protected]

Megan Mitchell
National Representative
9072 Lawton Pine Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89129 -7044
Tel. 702 -240 -0184
Fax: 702 -838 -6924
email: mmitchell @gernsback.com

Customer Service
1- 800 -999 -7139

7:00 AM

98

www.americanradiohistory.com

6:00 PM M -F MST

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Wien ordering. please provide this code:

SOURCE CODE: ENS64

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Ult-a compact, measures only 1;4" square
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Regular price $79.95

Audio

Amplifier
Module
Great for a variety

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prototype applications *Fully potted
plastic enclosure Accepts line level input
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Operates on 6- 16VDC, 800mA
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Pocket DMM
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Perfect for field use 3'14 digit, 3200 count

AKRO-MILS
Tote Container with Lid

Measures only 2W' (W) x

Regalar price $25.25

Steel pin hinge Provisions for using a

padlock Dimensions: 2155" (W) x 15" (D) x
17" (H) Gray color
Regular price $17.95

'

display Analog bar graph AC/DC

voltage to 450V Resistance to 30Mohm

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"

(H) x 4

(L)

10MHz Oscilloscope

Industrial grade Stackable construction

Ideal for the student or hobbyist *Norm,

auto, TV, sync and external triggering
Operates on 115/230VAC, 50/60Hz
Includes test lead

FREE
iterature
Order #53 -571

o
DYNAVOX Shielded Titanium
Great

Tweeter

for home

theater and multimedia

voice coil 50W/100W

applications 1"
RMS /max power capacity 1.5KHz -20KHz
response SPL 94dB 1W/1 Bohm
Regullar price $17.95

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Shielded 5" Woofer

Great for home theater and multimedia

applications Aluminum cone Rubber

surround 11.6 oz. magnet 1" voice coil
50W/100W RMS /max power capacity
45Hz -15KHz response SPL 87dB
1W/1M Fs 45Hz 8ohm
Regular price $13.50

ELECTRONICS
MCM
650 CONGRESS PARK DR.
CENTERVILLE. OH 45459
A PREMIER FARNELL Company

SOURCE CODE: ENS64

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