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311 views88 pagesNuts and Volts 2022-02
Uploaded by
Al KCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
/ 88
PROJECTS @ THEORY @ APPLICATIONS © CIRCUITS @ TECHNOLOGY
uae eau EVERYTHING FOR ELECTRONICS
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The BIRTH
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10 MAG eS AGAZINI
VAN SY Ve C1 WSN
TAAOWN) cee pe te LACT 08 Vintage Tek
The isolation transformer is designed to isolate you from
a potentially hot {i., 125 VAC) chassis that is connected
directly to the power mains. This article reviews the proper
configuration of the isolation transformer for working with
vintage electronic gear.
bby Bryan Bergeron
12 Finding the Outside Foil Lead
In years past, non-polarized capacitors would often have
a striped end on the capacitor tube or a stripe marking
on the capacitor body indexing with one of the leads. The
purpose of the stripe is evident if we look at some of the
Old “waxies” that were actually marked "Outside Foil End”
(on one end of the capacitor tube. So, why did that matter?
And does it still matter today?
bby Chris Poli ADZCS
18 Build a DIY Heart Sound Analyzer
Using Your Laptop
Listening to the heart (cardiac auscultation) is a frequent
first step in diagnosing heart disorders. Here, we describe
a very inexpensive system for digital cardiac auscultation
(digital phonocardiography) using a Windows laptop
computer, freely downloadable software, and a low-priced
USB microphone.
‘by D. John Doyle
25 Build a Three-Way Antenna
Switch and Display
This article describes a homebrew project in which a two-
channel DC wireless receiver and transmitter are used to
4 MISWOS 2022!ssu0-2
remotely select one of three antennas (two dipoles and a
wideband vertical}; switch a balun between the dipoles;
and perform all this from the comfort of a ham shack. A
second wireless receiver is used in a display to indicate the
selected antenna.
bby Stan Ekiert K3KKH
32 Build an Electronic Tic-Tac-
Game
‘The game ofTic-Tac-Toe has been around for centuries.
With all the electronic games kids play with today,
unlikely that you'll see “gamers” stampeding to play
an old pencil and paper version. So, let's update the old
classic a bit to make ita little more attractive to the "blue
screen” generation - young and old,
by Roger Secura
CONDENSER Of
CAPACITY 06 DEVELOPING
PERSPECTIVES,
Vintage Instruments for
Vintage Repair?
22 NV WEBSTORE
40 Turn a Typewriter Into a Printer
| bought a Smith-Corona PWP 7808 typewriter from Good
Will for under $20.The daisy wheel print quality was
perfect and it included a self-contained word processor.
However, there was no way to use it as a printer. | decided
to emulate » membrane keyboard with an Arduino Nano
Every, so that either an added serial port or the existing
keyboard could input text.
1 by Lee Schafer
50 Build an LED Amusement Park at
Home
While brainstorming project ideas for our microcontroller
class at Cornell University, we realized that we all
particularly missed visiting amusement parks during the
COVID-19 pandemic. So, we decided to build something
that would bring some of the excitement of those parks
into the lab. In particular, we thought that using LEDs
on an LED strip would be a creative and exciting way to,
visually simulate different rides.
1 by Jenny Wen, Jasmin An, and Aratrika Ghatak
24 NEW PRODUCTS
82 TECH FORUM
85 AD INDEX
86 BENCH & BUILDER
56 The Birth of the Integrated
cuit
The creation of the integrated circuit (IC) stands as one of
Raisin nse maa
wi i }
Subscription Information
2279 Eagle Glen Parkway #112481
Corona, CA 92883
Call (800) 783-4624 or go to www.nutsvolts.com
Subscribe + Gift « Renewal + Change of Info
Formore details on subscribing, see our ad on Page 85,
CL ltt
eaesaaqion
the most important inventions of mankind. Today, nearly all
modern products use this chip technology. In this article,
‘we'll look back on this period that launched the serious,
development of integrated circuits.
I by George R. Steber
G65 Adventures in Battery-Land —
Part2
In Part 1 of this series, we discussed measuring project
power needs and battery options, and showed ways to
define and estimate battery service-hour life. While it's
no surprise that bigger batteries provide longer service
life, Part 2 explores some ways to more efficiently use
battery power to maximize that battery life
1 by Edward Andrews
72 Restoration of a Vintage
Telefunken Gavotte 8U AM/SW/FM
Receiver
This is the second Telefunken receiver we've covered
in our restoration series, in part because it's a classic
and in part because refurbishing it isn’t a task for
beginners. Because of the density of components,
use of point-to-point wiring, and “hidden” capacitors,
recapping is a significant — but well worth it —
challenge.
B by Bryan Bergeron
2o22issue2 MUBNVOLTS 5 by Bryan Bergeron, Editor
DEVELOPING
PERSPECTIVES
Vintage Instruments for
Vintage Repairs?
—
f you've been following my
series of refurbishing tube-
type receivers, you may have
noticed that | don’t rely on digital
oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers,
and other modern equipment when it
comes to diagnosing and tuning the
receivers, The only exception is the
signal source. | use a modern digitally
synthesized waveform generator to
create IF and signal frequencies for
tuning the signal chain. That's only
out of necessity because I haven't
found a suitable analog source to
refurbish and add to my classic tool
arsenal
For my receiver refurbishing
projects, the majority of diagnostic
and alignment tools consists of a few
vintage instruments:
© MUTBIVOUS 2022/8402
+ Simpson 260 Analog Volt
Ohmmeter (VOM), citca 1950
+ Hickok 600A Tube Checker, circa
1960
t Signal Tracer, circa 1955
+ Heathkit 11 or Sprague T0-6
Capacitor Checker and Reformer,
Circa 1962 and 1964, respectively
Why not pull out a modem scope
digital multimeter and save time
checking the signal path? One reason
is that time isn’t the issue. '™m not
running a repair shop where time on
the bench is lost income.
For me, refurbishing a vintage
radio is about the process, not the
end result. As such, !'m not in any
rush to get things up and running.
Without the pressure of profit or unit
NUTS VOLTS
PUBLISHED BY
T&L Publications, In.
CONTACT
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‘seaninutsvolts.com
EDITOR
Bryan Bergeron
[email protected]
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Edward Andrews George Steber
Christopher Pri John Doyle
Jenny Wen amine An
Aatika Ghatak ‘Roger Secura
Stan Ekion Lee Schater
Copyright © 2022
byT&L Publications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
[Al atvorising Is subect 10 publaners spooal
fara thalragencie gre 1 Incarinty ad protect
expense osing tom adoring placed in Nts &
M2481 Coronn,CAS2883. turnover, | enjoy the hunt for spare
tubes, the hours of sanding and then
applying lacquer to the cabinet, and
using the tools specified in the user
‘manual for maintaining and repairing
the electronics.
’m not looking for the quick fix.
'd rather spend a day pouring over an
ld schematic, becoming intimately
acquainted with the underlying design
philosophy. Why triple conversion
and not dual conversion? Why isolate
ne part of the chassis from another?
Why use a selenium rectifier over a
tube?
Sometimes, it simply makes
sense to use a particular piece of
Vintage gear because it’s the best or
only option. For example, consider
my Knight signal tracer (shown in
the photo) which was designed
to support the repair of tube-type
receivers.
‘The assembled kit, which |
purchased on eBay and refurbished
= the focus of an upcoming article —
is essentially a receiver without the
tuned circuits. The five-tube 13 Ib
device provides the following:
+ AF and RF Amplifier
Noise Locator
Wattmeter
Audio Amp
Output Transformer
Output Speaker
Output Indicator
B+ Source
Demodulator/Preamp for Scope
‘and Vacuum Tube Voltmeter
(VTVM) Monitoring
Most of these functions are linked
to the green fluorescent magic eye
display in the upper left of the device
The Knight signal tracer
seamlessly supports the diagnosis and
maintenance of a tube-type receiver.
Think there’s a problem with the
audio circuit in your receiver? Simply
touch the probe of the signal tracer
to the demodulator out. A nice, clear
audio tells you that, in fact, there’s,
something wrong in the audio amp
circuit — probably a defective tube or
capacitor.
Need a speaker for the radio
audio output but it’s connected to the
‘cabinet which is stored elsewhere?
Simply use the speaker terminals
‘on the signal tracer. Think there's a
problem with the HV power supply?
Disconnect the internal HV power
in the receiver and use the HV (B+)
source in the signal tracer.
The common denominator in
all my vintage gear — whether an
instrument or an end-use appliance
is the use of high voltage tube
circuitry. I’s assumed that you'll
be working with and around high
voltage. You can forget about using
ESD straps and floor mats, miniature
lead sets designed for 3.5 VDC solid
state circuits, and scantily clad wire
wrap connections.
The dance with vintage
electronics is one of respect, with no
or very little direct contact. Assume
every circuit is alive and lethal, stay on
your toes, and enjoy the ride, NW
ER te
Spring is here... Don't spend your time trying to find tools for your
inl-yausg@]5 9 DL -t-1[¢] 0)
We've got it right here. Now get outside!
Free PCB Design
SOFTWARE
2or2iissve2 MISIVONS 7 Vintage Tek
AIM ELC CM CNY Ce a)
ye 1. Line isolation transformers from my workbench,
If you've been following along with my vintage tube-type radio restoration
series, you've read me repeatedly referring to a power input system composed
of an isolation transformer, Variac™, and current limiter. The Variac (or variable
autotransformer) and current limiter are used to protect the radio or other
electronics under test from overvoltage and overcurrent. The isolation transformer
is designed to isolate you from a potentially hot (i.e., 125 VAC) chassis that is
connected directly to the power mains. This article reviews the proper configuration
of the isolation transformer for working with vintage electronic gear.
& mmBveES 2072R0s.02 Post comments on this article at www.nutsvolts.com/maga:
The Hardware IN ouT
Let's start with concrete examples of line
isolation transformers. From left to right in Figure
Hot bot
) Neutra i | Neutral
‘a modified 15 amp Xentek boat anchor; and a Lv
Tare an unmodified one amp BK Precision unit
modified, newly purchased 2.1 amp Tripp-Lite unit
An ordinary 3-to-2 prong adapter (which doesn’t round
provide line isolation) is shown at the bottom center ee eer minis
rece )- Schematic ofa typical commercial line isolation
‘The BK Precision unit weighs about 3 Ib, the (rameformnes,
large white Xentek about 55 Ib, and the black Tripp- IN OUT,
Lite unit about 12 Ib
When used specifically to isolate the technician cs cat
from a potentially hot radio chassis, the BK Precision »)
will work asis because the input and output circuits sar sou
ate completely isolated, You can see the non- L_
polarized two-pin output plug in Figure 1.
Both the Xentek boat anchor and the somewhat Geund
flimsy Tipp-Lite required minor modifications to
serve as isolation transformers, as Ill describe below.
Before we make the mods, let's review the science.
Houre 3. schemai
sf modified line isolation transformer. Note the
input ground pin does not extend to the output.
The Science
The schematic of a typical line isolation transformer
that you can purchase from Amazon is shown in Figure 2.
It consists of a 1:1 transformer with 120 VAC across hot
and neutral. More importantly, the ground lead of the input
is connected to the ground lead of the output.
In addition, the neutral lead on the output winding as
well as an electromagnetic Faraday shield between primary
and secondary are tied to ground,
While this configuration may minimize noise transfer
from the mains to the output, there is a shock hazard for
someone who is grounded that touches the hot lead.
Figure 3 shows a modified line isolation transformer
that provides true isolation between input and output
Regardless of how the primary circuit is configured relative
to ground, the secondary circuit is completely isolated from
the primary and, by extension, from ground.
You could touch the hot or neutral line from
the transformer secondary, or the chassis of a radio
connected directly to one of the secondary leads without
experiencing a shock. The only hazard is coming between
both the hot and neutral on the secondary.
The “ods
It’s easy enough to modify a line isolation transformer
configured like Figure 2 to the configuration in Figure 3,
For example, if you have a Tripp-Lite isolator, first locate the
Figure 9. Replacing the Tripp-Lte’s three-prong grounded outlet
with a two-prong ungrounded outlet. common ground connection as in Figure 4. Remove any
wire that runs from the ground connection to the output
Variable Bulb
Isolator —Autotransformer Limiter
connection, Next, extract the grounded dual three prong
outlet and replace it with a dual two-prong outlet that isn’t
grounded (Figure 5)
Because the standard three-prong AC outlet provides
a direct connection to ground, you could end up with
the potentially hazardous situation depicted in Figure 2
By removing the three;prong fixture from the output, you
remove the possibilty of positioning yourself between
ground and hot or neutral
Now, let’s turn to modifying the boat anchor (Figures
68). The Xentek was an eBay purchase for $98 (including
shipping) which is less than | paid for the Tripp-Lite 3. The
modification required to reach the configuration shown
Figure 2 was to replace the three-prong 220 VAC outlet
with a two-prong 125 VAC outlet,
Although not necessary, | added a power switch and
a slow blow 15A fuse to the primary circuit as shown in
Figures 6 and 7. The fuse and on/off switch are no-brainer
safety features.
Figure 8 shows the output side of the isolation
transformer. As you can see, the secondary is completely
free from the ground wire, which | didn’t use. You can see
the end result of my work on the secondary in Figure 1
per Use
Remember, this configuration of isolation
transformer is specific to working with vintage
radio circuits that don’t employ a power
o-125vAC.
125VAC py Lg SlotsA transformer, but instead connect directly to the
ee toRadio power mains
10 MTSIVOS 2022/ssue-2
Figure 9 shows the configuration of
isolation transformers as part of my AC supply
system that | use to test and run vintage radios and other vintage tube equipment
Figure 10 shows the two other
elements of the 15A power delivery
chain that enable me to safely test
hot-chassis radios: a Variac and a
homebrew current limiter. As noted
earlier, these two elements are
intended to prevent the radio from
bursting into flames. The isolation
transformer is meant to save my
skin, NW
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2022 1e importance of knowing which lead is connected to
the outside foil begins to become apparent when we
look at just how the capacitor is connected in-circuit
(see Figure 2). When properly installed, the capacitor
will be oriented in such a manner that the outside foil lead
is connected to the lowest impedance (usually the ground)
side of the circuit. As the Figure 2 schematic shows, the
vast majority of capacitors have one lead tied directly to
chassis ground.
The capacitor can and will behave as an antenna,
“receiving” RF signals that are present in the vicinity.
Having the outside foil grounded tends to shunt off any
such received signals to ground rather than allowing them
to enter the working circuit in the form of unwanted and
interfering noise.
Unfortunately, many modern capacitors are no longer
marked, and very often when a capacitor does have a
siripe, it’s not related to the outside foil marking and must
therefore not be used as a connection guide. Instead, it’s
up to the builder to determine which lead is the outside foil
12 SIONS 2022/1s5u0-2
inding the
By Chris Prioli AD2CS
lead and to assemble the circuit in accordance with that,
determination.
A recent discussion with an engineer at Cornell
Dubilier regarding their linois Capacitor MWR series of
metalized polyester film capacitors confirmed that the
MWR capacitors are not marked as to the outside foil lead,
regardless of what markings may be on the body of the
capacitor. Now, | already suspected that, which is why 1
called him to begin with.
What | mostly wanted from him was his,
recommendation as to test frequencies, voltages, and
loads. See, | had developed my own methodology for
identifying the outside foil lead (which is the real purpose
Of this article) and I was seeking validation for my method,
It used to be that I could easily determine the outside
{oil lead of a capacitor simply by connecting the capacitor
to an oscilloscope and watching the display as | held the
cap in my fingers. 'd use a piece of coax with a BNC
connector at one end to fit the ‘scope input jack and a
pair of alligator clips — one red (center conductor) and In years past, non-polarized capacitors would often have
a striped end on the capacitor tube, or a stripe marking on
the capacitor body indexing with one of the leads. While
not a polarized capacitor in the electron flow sense, these
capacitors did indeed have a “polarity” which would often
need to be observed for best performance. The purpose of the
stripe is evident if we look at some of the old “waxies” that
were actually marked “Outside Foil End” on one end of the
capacitor tube (see Figure 1). Yes.
You read that right. The stripe on
the capacitor body indicated which
device lead was connected to the
outside foil within the capacitor. So,
why did that matter? And does it still
matter today? Read on, MacDuff!
Figure 1 Outside foil end marking #1
Figure 2 - Heathkit T-3
schematic diagram,
2o2zilssue-2 MMSIVOUS 13 Figure 3 ~ Alligator clips on coaxial cable.
cone black (shield braid) for easy differentiation - on the
other end (see Figure 3). Set the ‘scope to a low voltage
setting; about 2 mY or 5 mV per division should be fine.
Set your time base to a fast speed. You can adjust it later
to get a clearly defined and visible trace. Now, connect
the capacitor between the two alligator clips, and holding
the capacitor between your thumb and forefinger, look at
the trace on the ‘scope. Adjust the time base as necessary
to get a clean trace, and then note the amplitude of the
waveform displayed (Figure 4)
ae in
poser iea oeieT
Figure 4 ~ Greater amplitude signal trace.
14 WTSIVONS 2022,I55u
Why Bother?
Many folks in electronics — hobbyists and technicians alike
— have quite possibly never given a second thought to the
installation orientation of a “non-polarized” capacitor. So,
why is this a “thing” now?
In realty, it has tong been of considerable importance and,
in fact, engineers have long relied on the shielding effect
of such capacitors to help reduce inherent hum or buzz in
the audio circuits af a wide variety of electronic equipment.
What has brought it to the forefront recently is the current
trend of reconditioning or refurbishing vintage electronic
‘equipment — especially vacuum tube equipment.
‘As we open up some of this older equipment and begin
replacing the original wax and paper capacitors — which
‘are well past their "best by* date — we can find ourselves
with audio equipment with annoying hum that we can't
‘seem to get rid of easily. However, it may be (and often
is) just as simple as reversing the orientation of the
replacement capacitors so as to connect their outer foil or
shielded end to the Lower impedance point inits circuit,
Wouldnt it be a lot easier if we knew which way to install
the capacitors in the first place?
Your body is serving as a big hum antenna, feeding
the hum signal through your fingers, and then inductively
coupling it into the capacitor where the ‘scope can
measure it. After noting the trace amplitude, reverse the
relative position of the capacitor in the alligator clips and
‘once again look at the trace. One of these two waveforms
will be of a lesser amplitude than the other, and this is the
one that interests us (Figure 5).
When you have determined which waveform has
the lower amplitude, carefully note which ‘scope lead is
connected to which capacitor lead. The way this
works is actually quite simple. The capacitor lead
that is connected to the ‘scope common or coax
shield braid (black alligator clip) side when the
trace amplitude is at its lowest is the capacitor lead
connected to the outer foil. | generally score these
leads with a Sharpie® marker once I track them
down
So far, this is pretty simple and straightforward,
right? Not so quick, Rick! Some of the newest
capacitors on the market (such as the MWR series
mentioned earlier) are produced using a so-called
“noninductive wrapping” technique or process.
What this means is that the test method described
above — which relies on inductive coupling of the
hum signal into the capacitor — will not work with
these capacitors.
As a result, I had to find another way to identify the shielding lead of the capacitor because, yes,
it does stil matter — especially when refurbishing
older equipment that relied on capacitor shielding to
limit noise or hum in the system. One such device is,
the Heathkit T-3 Aural/Visual Signal Tracer that I'm
currently refurbishing
In sum total, the T-3
types and quantities:
Uses the following capacitor
+ 0.005 pF 600V ~ five pieces
+ 0.02 uF 600V - one piece
+ 0.05 uF 600V ~ four pieces
+ 10 pF 25V - one piece
+ 20 uF/20 uF/20 u/20 uF 450V
|
|
one piece
Let’s look a litle bit closer at this, starting at the
bottom of the list. That last capacitor on the list is a
foursection can-type electrolytic filter capacitor used
in the T-3’s power supply. Many years ago, | had the
need to replace this capacitor, and at the time I could only
find a 20-20-10-10 can as the closest replacement (Figure
6).1 wanted to remain with the can-style filter rather
than installing four discrete devices, so | went ahead and
installed it. However, it always bothered me because its
use did result in some hum in the audio. The hum was very
slight, but knew that it was there and it just irked me.
Thirty-some years down the road, I'm able to get an
almost exact 20/20/20/20 capacitor. | say almost because
this replacement is rated at a slightly higher 475 volts than
the original 450 volts,
Next is the only other polarized capacitor in the T3.
It’s @ 10 pF 25V axial aluminum electrolytic type (Figure 7)
and was an easy find for replacement, so is being replaced
with an exact match.
Let’s move on to the three remaining values. The
originals were all wax and paper capacitors (Figure 8)
Figure 8 ~ Original “waxie" capacitor.
ro}
Sed
a
Creuse
a a aa 3
ery Por} Coa
Figure 5 ~ Lesser amplitude signal trace.
Figure 6 - Existing mul
i-section electrolytic “can’ capacitor,
SOMDENSER ail
CAPACITY
Figure 7 - Original axial electrolytic capacitor.
2o2zylssue-2 MMSIVOUS 15 ~Wr wv
Figure 9 - Test SuDC 10KH2
circuit for SINE WAVE
rnon-inductive
capacitors.
SWAP LEADS TO COMPARE FOR NOISE.
|<$ |
DEVICE UNDER TEST
which are wellknown for becoming leaky as they age, thus
passing DC instead of blocking it. These capacitors act
more like resistors than capacitors when they get some age
on them.
The original waxies are all of values that are not so
common today. The 600 volt rating is also no longer a
common value. After some thought and research, | settled
(on metallized polyester film capacitors rated at 630 volts. |
chose 0.0047 LF to replace the 0.005 UF waxies, 0.047 UF
in place of the 0.05 UF ones, and 0.022 pF in place of the
lone 0.02 uF capacitor used
Installation of the can capacitor is simple enough.
The can is marked with shaped icons at each of the four
section terminals; actually, at three of the four. This is a
Figure 10 - Testing arrangement for non-inductive capacitors.
16 WTSIVOUS 2022/ssv0-2
standard means of identifying which terminal goes to
which section as to the values of those sections.
In this case, because all the sections are of the same.
value, i's really moot. However, the capacitor is still
marked with the usual square, triangle, and “D” or closed
ue
Asis the norm, the legend is on a label on the side
of the capacitor, and each of the terminals is labeled on
the end insulator right next to the terminal, The terminal
tend of the can has four mounting tabs by which it’s
secured into its mounting wafer, which is itself secured to
the chassis by machine screw and hex nut combinations,
ach of the tabs are engaged into a slot in the wafer
and are then either twisted or folded over to secure the
capacitor to the wafer. I’s also generally advisable to
solder at least one of the tabs to ensure a good ground
for the capacitor shell
The axial electrolytic capacitor is clearly marked as
to its negative end, so installation of this one is also quite
simple. It’s placed parallel to a 47002 resistor between
the cathode (pin 8) of the 12A6 audio output vacuum
tube and ground. As such, the negativemarked end of this
capacitor is connected to the unit chassis, which is done at
the ground eyelet of the 1246 tube socket.
It must be noted that the original Ilinois Condenser
electrolytic capacitor that’s installed has its positive end
marked, and the pictorial that is provided in the T-3 manual
shows a striped end on that capacitor — but the stripe is at
the positive end.
So, now we come to the troublemakers: the
film capacitors. Not knowing at the time about the
manufacturing process that produces “nominductive
wrapping.” | attempted to determine the outside foil end
using the old standby oscilloscope method described
previously. Needless to say, it didn’t work.
Thinking over that process, though, | decided that for
some reason the inductive coupling was not happening.
That being the case, | figured that | could pass a signal
through the capacitor from my signal generator and use
the ‘scope in the same manner.
Unfortunately, that didn’t work right out of the box
either. Iwas using a 5V sine wave at 10 kHz, which
simply showed a basically clean sine wave through the
capacitor in both directions.
So, | added a series resistance of 100KQ2 and ran
the test again. This time, | got useful results in that
when connected in one direction, the trace was a clean
waveform, but in the other direction the waveform was
very noisy.
Figure 9 shows a diagrammatic representation of the
test setup, while Figure 10 depicts the test setup in use.
Eureka! | was on to something, so I decided to seek out
some validation.
made a call to CDE and spoke with an engineer who started off by stating that there is no way to
tell which is the outside foil end by looking at the
capacitors, and that the information printed on
the capacitor bodies was printed in the opposite
direction with every other capacitor off the line
The printing reversed with each capacitor that
went by, so it was impossible to determine the
outside foil on one capacitor and then assume that
all its “twins” in a given lot were the same. In reality
the odds were that any given batch would have half
of each printing direction
He went on to describe a test circuit that was
essentially the same as what | had developed and
used, which would produce a clean waveform in one
direction and a noisy one in the opposite direction.
He said that any voltage up to the working voltage
was acceptable, so long as the current was limited to
a level that the capacitor could handle in accordance
with the datasheet values.
He recommended a frequency of anywhere
from 5 kHz up to 15 kHz, and he said that the
polarity of the least noisy waveform would indicate
the polarity of the capacitor.
Of course, there is no “outside foil” on these
capacitors. Instead, the polarity would indicate
which end is the shielded end. | had my validation
just like that! Almost as an afterthought, he did
say that capacitors with the shield end marked
are available from CDE as special-order items,
with certain specific minimum order piece counts
applied.
Armed with the knowledge that my test method
was valid and reliable, I went through the bags of
polyfilm capacitors that | had boug
the T-3 refurb and identified the shielded
end of each one, marking that end of each A
capacitor with my trusty Sharpie.
Figures 11 and 12 show the results of ae
this testing method, with Figure 11 showing
the noisy trace and Figure 12 its clean ie
counterpart. In Figure 13, it's obvious how
I marked the capacitors after testing each
All that remains now is to actually
install them, together with a polarized line ee
cord and a full set of replacement resistors Figure 13 - Marked polyfilm capacitors,
for all the value-wandering aged carbon
composition resistors that are currently in place in the T:3.
Post comments on this article and find any associated
files and/or downloads at www-nutsvolts.com/magazine/
issue/2022/02,
2022/ssue-2 MMSIVOUS 17 By D. John Doyle
Listening to the sounds emitted from the heart using a stethoscope
(auscultation) is a frequent first step in cardiac
iagnosis (Figure 1). Cardiac
auscultation is often followed by echocardiography (ultrasound examination
and imaging of the heart) when the auscultatory findings are abnormal.
However, the limited reliability of ordinary auscultation in the hands of
ordinary clinicians and the expense and awkwardness of echocardiography
may make it desirable to develop a more advanced approach to cardiac
auscultation using computer-based techniques (digital phonocardiography).
1 this article, ll show you how through the addition
Jof an inexpensive USB (Universal Serial Bus) miniature
microphone one can convert an ordinary stethoscop,
and a Windows laptop computer into a phonocardiogram
idvanced features
trieval, low-pa
ack at
system (heart sound analyze
such as phonocardiogram stor
and highpass waveform filtering, and signal pla
selectable speeds with pitch preservation,
18 MMBWWOUS 2022/ssu02
To convert a Windows laptop computer into a
phonocardiogram system, you only need to add two
elements. The first is the needed software (Audacity,
discussed below) and the second is an easily constructed
USB stethoscope that plugs into the USB port of the laptop
computer.
To construct the USB stethoscope, you begin by Post comments on this article and find any associated files and/or downloads
‘at www.nutsvolts.com/magazine/issue/2022/02.
MFIGURE I. 7 7
Stylized/conceptual ane ee
phonocardiogram Normal
(heart sound) samples
corresponding to several
cardiac conditions. Image
(Credit: Used under 2 Creative
‘Commons License. By c
Madhero88 - Own work, CC
BY-SA 3.0, hetps:licommons.
wikimedia.orgiwfindex.
obtaining a USB lavalier
microphone (Figure 2)
and connecting it to a t
stethoscope head via {
a short piece of tubing
(Figure 3). Once the
assembly is plugged into
the laptop’s USB port,
itwill be necessary to ensure that the new microphone is
recognized. To do this under Windows 10, you must go to
the Windows “Settings” menu and select the “Sound” tab.
With successful registration of the new microphone, you
should see something akin to the information displayed in
Figure 4.
The Audacity Software
Package
Diastole! systole |
Central to this project is the Audacity software
package. Audacity isa particularly well-supported and,
wellocumented open source digital audio editor and
II FIGURE 3.The miniature electret microphone shown in
Figure 2 acoustically connected to a 3M Littman Classic Il SE
stethoscope head via a short piece of tubing. Hobbyists with
a limited budget will likely find that the use of a stethoscope
head removed from an ordinary stethoscope costing under
$10 will do just fine.
Atrial |
Mitral regurgitation #
‘otic regurgitation
I FIGURE 2. This miniature electret microphone
‘with an integral USB interface was purchased on
‘eBay for under $10, including shipping (hetps:!/
-www.ebay.comlitm/224786847| 74thash=item345,
6571 5c6:g-AEAAOSwOVIh3tON).When used for
phonocardiography applications, the lapel clip and.
the foam microphone cover are discarded and the
is attached to a stethoscope head via a short
piece of tubing (Figure 3).
recording application available for the Windows, Mac
OS/OS X, and Linux operating systems. It can be freely
downloaded at https://www.audacityteam.org, Figure 5
shows a brief musical passage (Beethoven's Symphony No.
5 in C Minor) being processed using Audacity.
Although Audacity has an almost overwhelming array
of features and options, three classes of features found
in the “Effect” menu are likely to be of special interest to
phonocardiographers
Input
Choose your input device
Microphone (AKS37I
‘Some apps are using custom input settings. You can personalize
Device properties
Test your microphone
FIGURE 4.Screenshot of part of the Sound portion
of the Settings menu in Windows 10. In the case of the
microphone shown in Figures 2 and 3, the device goes by
the name AK5371, but a different name might be expected
‘when using a different USB microphone. The “Test your
microphone” feature displayed on the bottom of the panel
allows users to watch the bar graph amplitude change as
they speak into the microphone under test.
2o22ylssue-2 MMBIVOTS 19 IFIGURE 5. Screenshot of the Audacity audio software package displaying the first portion
of Beethoven's famous Symphony No. 5 in C Minor. This powerful, free, open source software
package offers numerous features for processing audio signals — many of which are of
potential value for phonocardiography applications.
[3] three digital fitering
options (Low-Pass Filter,
HighPass Filter, and Notch
Filter,
One final feature
known as “Change Tempo”
that may captivate some
users is the ability 10
change the speed of a
recording without changing
the sound pitch — a
feature of potential value
in listening to heart sounds
in patients with a fast heart
rate (tachycardia).
A YouTube video
demonstrating the
basics of using Audacity
is available at https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=LQ7n9pA0qc0.
These include: [1] the Amplify feature that scales the | Sample Recording
signal; [2] the Normalize feature that “normalizes” the
signal to a chosen maximum amplitude (e.g., 0 dB); and, Figure 6 shows a sample phonocardiogram recording
bdhdh dtd led tell
CEE
| obtained with the USB
stethoscope placed over
the second left intercostal
space adjacent to the
sternal border (pulmonic
valve area).
The top portion
of Figure 6 shows
13.3 seconds of the
phonocardiogram
recording, comprising
approximately 16 cardiac
cycles.
Investigators wanting
to “zoom in” ona portion
of the recording so as,
to be able to examine
it ect ap |
fot}
i
MI FIGURE 6. Sample phonocardiogram reco
ing obtained under breath-holding (apneic) conditions. The recording is from
‘me with the USB stethoscope placed over my second left intercostal space adjacent to the sternal border (pulmonic valve
area)-Top: First 13.3 seconds of the recording. Middle:““Zoomed in” portion of the above phonocardiogram showing the first
3.3 seconds of the recording, making the first and second heart sounds somewhat more distinct. Bottom; First 3.3 seconds
of the recording after high-pass filtering (200 Hz, 6 dB/octave roll off) and normalization. Notice
helps make the separate heart sounds more distinct.
20 MASONS 2022/6sue-2
how this filtering operation events more closely can easily do so with the Audacity
waveform “zoom” feature.
As illustrated in the middle panel of Figure 6, the
zoomedin phonocardiogram now shows only the
first 3.3 seconds of the recording, making the first and
second heart sounds somewhat clearer.
Finally, the bottom of Figure 6 shows the same 3.3
seconds of the recording after high-pass filtering (200
Hz, 6 dB/octave roll off) and normalization. Notice
how this high-pass filtering operation helps make the
separate heart sounds even more distinct.
a ul r A
ua
Heth
Color Spectrographic Hh 1
Analysis of the hy i
Phonocardiogram I he |: i
It will be of interest to some readers that additional
signal processing techniques have been described that
might be applied to phonocardiograms collected using
the described system.
As an example, color spectrogram analysis of
tn
i
i
INFIGURE 7.The color spectrogram of the phonocardiogram
signal shown in Figure 6 obtained using the Spectrogram 6
software package. Note that the specific image obtained will
phonocardiogram signals allows phonocardiography to ideeanlstaidy ty ftia anabp puronatans Chosen Cagee ee
be carried out in the frequency domain. size, frequency resolution, maximum and minimum spectrum
Figure 7 shows the phonocardiogram presented levels, and chosen upper and lower frequency band limits). Red
in Figure 6 analyzed in this manner using the areas indicate the strongest signal levels, blue areas the weakest
Spectrogram16 software package, available as a free nonzero levels: BLACK < BLUE < GREEN
