INTRODr!#G: ?9- !

BONICS INTERACTIVE
www.poptronics.com OCTOBER 2002

Fo,mer Y Popular Electroiiics and Electronics

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 October 2002, Vol. 3, No. 10
ioular Electronics'

FEATURES
ÓDtronics®
BUILD AN AFFORDABLE MULTI -PROCESSOR WORKSTATION Ted, Bryan, & Scott Needleman 21
Step -by -step instructions show you how to piece together the workstation of your dreams.

BUILD THIS THEREMIN, PART I John Simonton 27

In this classic reprint from Electronics Now, learn how to create a variation of the legendary electronic instrument.

PRODUCT REVIEWS
HANDS -ON REPORT 4
We function check the TriField Natural EM Meter from AlphaLab, Inc.

GIZMO® 5
Take a look at the latest consumer electronics that range from handwriting converters to home theaters.

DEPARTMENTS
PROTOTYPE 8
Catch up on new technology and receive a primer on surface -mount construction.

COMPUTER BITS Peter Pietromonaco 12

If you think optical computing requires a prescription, then you need to read this.

SURVEYING THE DIGITAL DOMAIN Reid Goldsborough 14

Learn whether or not people are still turning to the Web for enterprise.

PEAK COMPUTING Ted Needleman 19

Motherboards are increasing in options and, believe it or not, decreasing in cost.

ALL ABOUT William Sheets and Rudolph F. Graf 33

And now, the conclusion of RC -timer circuits is presented for your reading pleasure.

O &A Dean Huster 37

Solder-slingers and circuit sultans swap solutions and suppositions.

PIC -TRONICS TJ Byers 42

Find out how to use a PIC to control a repeater A -patch for use in ham radio.

AMAZING SCIENCE John lovine 45

The ongoing saga of the bi -pedal walker continues, as the author inserts servos into the prototype.

SERVICE CLINIC Sam Goldwasser 48

Self- confessions of a cannibal: How to recognize and recover parts from junked equipment.

BASIC CIRCUITRY Charles Rakes 53

Electronic sundials offer a new twist on an ancient chronograph design.

AND MORE
EDITORIAL 2 POPTRONICS SHOPPER 61
YESTERDAY'S NEWS 3 ADVERTISING INDEX 80
NEW GEAR 57 FREE INFORMATION CARD 80A
NEW LITERATURE 59
Poptronics (ISSN 526 -3681) Published monthly by Gernsback Publications, Inc. 275 -G Marcus Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 1788. Second -Class postage paid at Hauppauge, NY and at addi-
1
1

tional mailing offices. One -year, twelve issues, subscription rate U.S. and possessions $24.99, Canada $34.81 (includes G.S.T. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No.
R 25166280), all other countries $35.99. Subscription orders payable in U.S. funds only, International Postal Money Order or check drawn on a U.S. bank U.S. single copy price $4.99.
1

Copyright 2002 by Gernsback Publications, Inc.All -ights reserved. Hands-on Electronics and Gizmo trademarks are registered in U.S. and Canada by Gernsback Publications, Inc.
Poptronics trademark is registered in U.S. and Canada by Poptronix, Inc. and is licensed to Gernsback Publications, Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Can reprint only with written permission.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to Poptronics, Subscription Dept., P.O. Box 459, Mount Morris, IL 61054 -7629

A stamped self- addressed envelope must accompany all submitted manuscripts and /or artwork or photographs if their return is desired should they be rejected. We dis-
claim any responsibility for the loss or damage of manuscripts and /or artwork or photographs while in our possession or otherwise.

As a service to readers, Poptronics publishes available plans or information relating to newsworthy products, techniques, and scientific and technological developments.
Because of possible variances in the quality and condition of materials and workmanship used by readers, Poptronics disclaims any responsibility for the safe and proper 1
functioning of reader-built projects based upon er from plans or information published in this magazine.

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 First off: In regards to last month's editorial, Arthur C. Clarke is the brilliant author/scien-

Poptronics° tisthnventor and Stanley Clarke is the legendary bassist/composer/visionary. Me not exer-
cise brain enough. Must read more periodicals and watch less cable news. Morte-La
Larry Steckler, EHE CET,
editor-in -chief and publisher Harvesting Parts
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Would you like to take part in a poll? We are asking hobbyists, such as you, three
Chris La Morte, managing editor simple questions:
Evelyn Rose, assistant editor
Maria Orlando, assistant editor 1) Where do you get most of your parts? Be specific. Are they from a particular
catalog, a particular brick -and -mortar store, or do you cannibalize from
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
trash heaps and yard sales?
TJ Byers
Reid Goldsborough
2) What are the hardest parts to come by? Is there a specific variable inductor
Sam Goldwasser you always need, but have to hunt for?
Rudolf F. Graf, KA2CWL 3) Lastly, what is the most abundant part(s) in your junk box?
Dean Huster
John !ovine Well then...if you want to participate, simply send in your answers via e -mail to
Ted Needleman editor @gernsback.com, or through the post at Parts Poll, c/o Poptronics. 275 -G
Peter Pietromonaco Marcus Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 11788. Thanks for your effort and enjoy this month's
Charles D. Rakes magazine.
Marc Spiwak
William Sheets, K2MQJ
And now for a special announcement:
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
Kathy Campbell, production manager
Michele L. Musé, prepress specialist
JUST LAUNCHED!
ART DEPARTMENT POPTRONICS has just launched a companion edition on the Web. It's called POPTRONICS Interactive

Russell C.Truelson, art director Edition and is entirely Web -based and will be updated monthly. This is a completely new concept. It's a
Michele L. Musé, graphic artist complete e- magazine each month and not simply a collection of downloadable files. You will be able to
sit and enjoy a range of articles and projects aimed at the instructional and constructional side of elec-
CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT tronics, as well as newsworthy topics. The first issues will contain a Basic Electronics Course (as well
Gina Giuliano, circulation manager as other articles). This will bring readers up to the level of understanding circuit diagrams and the oper-
ation of components. It will include a full Library of Symbols with links for each symbol. The Basic
REPRINT DEPARTMENT Electronics Course is based on the Building Block approach and as you become familiar with a range of
Maria Menichetti, Reprint Bookstore x235 "blocks," you will be able to combine them to create larger, more complex, circuits of your own design.
Other areas to be covered in the first issues include PIC microcontroller programming. Microcontrollers
are the heart of projects of the future. Projects requiring six, ten, or even fifteen discrete chips can now
BUSINESS AND EDITORIAL OFFICES
be designed around a microcontroller. These chips can be considered to be very similar to "blank chips;"
Gernsback Publications, Inc.
after you write a program and load it into the chip, the input/output pins will allow you take in informa-
275 -G Marcus Blvd.
tion and output it to LEDs, displays, and motors, etc. You can configure the chip to perform almost any
Hauppauge, NY 17881

M -F 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM EST

feature. The end result is a project you have designed yourself and with the code -protection feature of
631 -592 -6720 the chip, you will be able to market your product and prevent others from duplicating it. This is "down
Fax: 631-592-6723 the track," but is one of the paths the e- magazine will be promoting. Also included in the first issues will
President: Larry Steckler be a number of very interesting projects designed around electroluminescent emission in the form of
Vice -President: Adria Coren sheet and "tubing. Electroluminescence produces a glow suitable for background lighting of signs and
Vice -President: Ken Coren displays and with the recently invented tubular "string" or "cable" you can produce miniature effects sim-
ilar to neon. Electroluminescent material comes in all shapes and sizes and is available in more than ten
SUBSCRIPTION colors. By combining your knowledge of electronics with EL materials, you can produce flashing, run-
CUSTOMER SERVICE/ ning, and dimming signs similar to the "Las Vegas Strip. Another feature of the e- magazine is the avail-
ORDER ENTRY ability of a kit of parts for each project. Simply click the "BUY ME" button at the side of the article, and
800 -827 -0383 you will be taken to an order form.This is the first time ordering has been made so simple. No faxing,
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM EST
posting or long- distance phone calls-just a click and it's ordered! These are just some of the features
offered by the Web, and no doubt you will see lots of other advantages, too. The Web is an ideal instruc-
Advertising Sales Offices
tional medium as pages can be laid out very clearly with an almost unlimited potential for color, graph-
listed on page 80
ics, and animation. We have taken advantage of this in many ways and one feature is the "moving cir-
cuit"to show how a technical person "sees" it operating. After fixing more than 35,000 TV sets, the author
Cover by
of the Basic Electronics Course shows how he sees a circuit working and how he goes about locating a
Michele Lyn Musé fault.This type of material has never been available before, and that's why this e- magazine is an entirely
new concept. Another advantage of the Web is linking. Once you enter the address of the e- magazine in
VISIT US ON THE INTERNET AT: the address -line of your browser, all the remaining pages are just a click away. You can log onto POP -
www.gernsback.com TRONICS Interactive Edition today and see the content. Some of the pages and articles are viewable
or www.poptronics.com FREE while the content of the courses require a password. To obtain a password, you will need to sub-
scribe. A subscription costs $19.95 for 12 issues. This allows unlimited viewing and downloading.
Alternatively, you can take a two -issue trial subscription for $3.99. The content of the site will increase
with each issue; and many of the articles, tables and data sheets will be linked to keep information "at
Since some of the equipment and circuitry your finger- tips," so it's important to keep your subscription current as you will be constantly referring
described in POPTRONICS may relate to or be to the data. If you are already a subscriber to POPTRONICS, a special offer is available. Simply quote your
covered by U.S. patents, POPTRONICS disclaims POPTRONICS SUBSCRIPTION NUMBER (located on your subscription label) when subscribing and the
any liability for the infringement of such patents by
cost is $9.99 for 12 issues. A two -issue trial subscription costs $1.99. Go to: www.poptronics.com/inter
the making, using, or selling of such equipment or
circuitry, and suggests that anyone interested in active/intro.html and view the sample pages. POPTRONICS will, of course, remain in its printed for -
2 such projects consult a patent attorney. mat.The material and content of POPTRONICS and POPTRONICS Interactive Edition will be kept sepa-
rate, and if you are into electronics, you will enjoy both versions.

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AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 VST1IV' NEWS
A PEEK INTO THE GERNSBACK ARCHIVES

1900
RADIO - EER

Dateline: October 1952 (50 years ago) 1910 I;I.I:I:YI[IINII:S

Hugo Gernsback talks about "Our Electronic
Universe," in this month's Radio Electronics He 1930
describes how "the heavens are the major produc-
er of all electrons" and claims that the sun is a
gigantic radio transmitter. Interesting, huh? Another 1940
highlight is the Eidophor Projector, a theater TV sys
tern that fills a 15 -foot wide screen with a detailed,
full -color picture
picture industry.
-abreakthrough for the motion
1952

1960

Dateline: October 1972 (30 years ago)

ISSUE-4-CMANIIEi Radio Electronics reveals that domestic satel-
i-CtAAVPkE?. RECORD:
now being considered for such entities as
lites are
TAPE MOISE
Nays To Go
CAROM-WM DIOXIDE
What yost shauttl üao network television, cable TV systems, telephones,
computers, and more. Also in this issue electronic

1972 editing instruments are used for the first time by

United Press International to report live news. New
products include an electronic calculator to be assem-
bled, an automatic turntable, and a background
music system that uses a loading tape magazine.

Lou Garner's State St 5ottd State

Aaton,attc Foc Tummy -Ste. S Ste

1980 TES-A COILS

i1ir Flectroiiljs
OGTIMAZEHOM H
Dateline: October 1992 (10 years ago) OTHER MUNq
4est geat
Did you know that you can make a speaker out ham the
of flame? This issue of Popular Electronics ' the Console:

shows you how to experiment with plasma vcs4Shsw!

acoustics. Also discussed is the classic experiment by

Heinrich Hertz that proved Maxwell's theory of elec-
DHIT/Ir
tromagnetic waves. Construction articles include
;g,tat
building a baby monitor that will keep a constant I STATE'
watch on your little one, and a personal message AGE
TRDER
recorder that lets you leave a message for a family
sp ech and music
member or co-worker without paper and pen. aí lame when you

2000 tli1ent with

"SMA ACOJSTICS

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 We put this meter-the pride of
parapsychologists -to the test.
Being that it's Halloween sea- How Did You Test It? When the meter was within one
son, we decided to take a In order to test the various trans- foot, it was able to detect the
close look at one of the most ducers onboard the TriField Natural, fluctuation of both electric and RF
talked-about tools of the ghost - we used a powerful magnet from a energies. The meter seemed to be
hunting trade -the TriField Natural 17 -inch bass speaker, a cell phone, very sensitive to electricity. It was
EM Meter from AlphaLab, Inc. The and a microwave oven. The first equally as successful at tracing
verdict is in. Now, before you begin test was fun. We placed the speak- power lines within the walls of our
to moan, we didn't go poking er in a cardboard box and hid it offices.
around graveyards or haunt- Finally, the meter was used to
ed houses to test the meter; rfi7ß 0,.)szo detect a leak from our communi-
instead, we tested the meter a t
1

l ty microwave oven. We are

1 i3s+
using simple experiments
that ranged from detecting
1
1
r r
''ò happy to say that there was no
presence of microwaves within
the presence of magnetic six feet of the oven. When the
material to measuring the meter closed the gap to one foot
trace outputs of various micro- *ACV
the alarm became a high -
rtAer4M
wave ovens. The results proved pitched wail. Moral of that story is
that the TriField Natural EM simple -DO NOT sit and stare at
Meter can be used as a legit- your food as it cooks in the
imate tool, as well as employed microwave oven; otherwise, you
in much more questionable might just cook a little more than
"sciences." your leftovers.

What Does It Do? TriField Natural EM In Conclusion

The TriField Natural is an ana- Overall, the TriField Natural
log meter that can measure Meter EM Meter proves its worth as
TOP SCALE m.t9n t,c I,uiU t.)100
i ctutesios
changes in magnetism (in a or electric field (mu4+trly by 10
to got voitxJmMOr) a detection meter for elec-
range of 0 -100 microteslas) BOTTOM. rodi&nuctowavo (mW
/cm')
tricity, magnetism, and RF /micro-
that are as little as .5% of the wave. As far as its use as a ghost
Earth's own magnetic field. It detector, we'll have to leave
can also measure electricity as MAGNETIC SUM that up to you. Ironically
weak as 3 V/m (multiply the Battery Test though, debunkers have often
ELECTRIC
scale by ten to get volts/ dismissed ghost sightings as the
meter). Also, a SUM feature OFF
RADIO:
effects of a strong presence of,
caowAve
allows the user to measure you guessed it, electricity, mag-
changes in either electric or netism, and RF.
magnetic field at the same One neat feature we did notice
time. Finally, the last setting though, was the meter's capability to
available on the meter is for detect the minute electricity and
measuring RF /microwave fre- magnetism given off by certain indi-
quencies ranging from 100 kHz to among a group of boxes contain- viduals. Some people indeed have a
2.5 GHz (in mW /cm2). This setting is ing paper goods. A volunteer was magnetic persona, as we found from
invaluable to signal "sniffers" and given the meter and sent to work. It the TriField Natural tests.
even for hams who want to check only took ten minutes to find the The meter sells for $220 and is
for the presence of RF. box with the speaker magnet. available from AlphaLab, Inc. Want
The unit is powered by one 9 -volt The second test involved the to know more? Contact AlphaLab,
battery and weighs less than a can meter's ability to detect both Inc. at 808 -874 -9126, or write to
of soda pop. An audible alarm electricity and RF /microwaves. AlphaLab, Inc., Attn: David -PT,
sounds when a change is detect- While one person held the meter, 1280 South Third West, Salt Lake
ed, and this alarm can be adjusted another person dialed a cell City, UT 84101 -3049, or you can
4 for sensitivity. phone and transmitted a call. browse www. trifield. corn. P

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 Purely Flat Cinema -
Designed with stream-
lined, silver -finish cabinets,
the Flat- Screen FST Pure 36-
Style
Inch Color TV ($2299)
comes with double -baffle
Sound
stereo side speakers and It may be worth your
matching stands. Improved while to stay home and
screen geometry and watch your favorite flick if
advanced tube design cre- you're hooked up to the Mordant-Short Premiere
ate high -quality imagery with less image dis- System 300 Home Theater Speaker System ($999).
tortion and glare, while the perfectly flat screen The system consists of left and right front and
offers viewers the widest possible viewing rear satellite speakers, plus a center -channel
angle from anywhere in the room. It also
boasts digital video noise reduction, a
Portable speaker and 8 -inch powered subwoofer.
The speakers are also designed to blend
cyclone subwoofer, and a control panel
with hidden buttons.
VeloCD seamlessly for an expansive, 360 -
degree soundfield.
Toshiba American Consumer
Products, Inc., 82 Totowa Rd.,
Burner Marantz America, Inc., 1100
Maplewood Drive, Itasca, IL, 60143;
Easy to connect and use, this "go any - 630 -74 -0300; www.marantz.com.
Wayne, NJ 07470; 973 -628 -8000; I

www.toshiba.com.
where" Portable VeIoCD Burner Model FP- CIRCLE 52 ON FREE
CIRCLE 50 ON FREE
241032 $199) is great for business travelers, INFORMATION CARD
INFORMATION CARD
telecommuters, students,
and music enthusiasts
who need a high- speed,
ultra -reliable CD burner.
Measuring 7- X 5.5- X 1.25 -
inches, this compact model deliv-

Find It Fast! ers the high -performance capabilities

Prime
Always misplacing your keys,
glasses, and other personal
to match its breakthrough design, offering 24X
write, IOX rewrite, and 32X read /rip speeds
fast enough to burn a CD -R in just four minutes.
- Cinema
belongings? The "Now You Can Find It also features FireWire/IEEE -1394 connectiv-
It" Wireless RF Electronic Locater ity for use with both Windows and Mac OS- Powerful and compact, this
($49.95) can help you find these based laptops and computers. stylish Grand Cinema HT200 Dual
lost items with its universal locator TDK Electronics Corp., 901 Franklin Mode DLP Projector ($8595) is fully
system. Just attach one of the four Ave., Garden City, NY 1530; 516-535 -
1
compatible with a wide range of
RF receiver beeper discs to any object 2600; www.TDK.com. multimedia sources and is designed
you most often lose, lose it, and press CIRCLE 51 ON FREE
to complement almost any décor. Dual
modes help optimize viewing prefer-
the button on the system's portable INFORMATION CARD
radio -frequency transmitter base. ences, and two selectable resolution
When you get within 30 feet modes -16:9 wide -
of the misplaced object, its - screen standard with
a resolution of 848 x
attached disc will emit a loud .-
series of beeps. 480 pixels and 4:3 for-
The Sharper
(stores in 28 states and
Washington, DC); P.O. Box
Image
'
mat with a resolution
of 800 x 600 pixels -
offer high -quality, dis-
7031, San Francisco, CA tortion -free images.
SIM2 Seleco USA, 10108 USA Today Way, Miramar, FL,
94120 -9703; 800 -344 -4444;
www.sharperimage.com. 33025; 954 -442 -2999; www.sim2selecousa.com.
CIRCLE 54 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
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 GIZMO®
Home The
Theater Singing
In A Box Machine
Enhancing the experi-
ence of home theater,
Created for kids
and kids at heart
--
the Home-Theater -In -A- the Nickelodeon I29
Box Model HTB -80SDV ($700) is equipped with "Cinema Home Karaoke Machine
EQ" processing to improve the playback of music and ($49.99) features characters
movie soundtracks through small home -speaker systems. and songs straight from Nick, like Sponge Bob, Rugrats,
Featuring a five -disc DVD changer with MP3 audio and Rocket Power. The portable system has a CD
playback, progressive scan output, main channel stereo, microphone, demo CD, and lyrics, and is
speakers based on a two -way twin woofer
design, Dolby Digital, and more, the system Sound cast in blue, yellow, and orange with a splash
of famous Nick characters. It also has a
yields high -fidelity audio in an easy -to- built -in speaker system, AC /DC power
use package. In Styl e operation, and microphone volume and
Kenwood USA Corp., P.O. Box A perfect combination of func- echo controls.
22745, Long Beach, CA, 90801; 800- tionality and style, these Soundstage The Singing Machine Company,
536 -9663; www.kenwood.usa. Speaker Stands ($109) can be mixed and Inc., 6601 Lyons Rd., Coconut
CIRCLE 55 ON FREE matched to create 24 possibilities. Bases are Creek, FL, 33073; 954 -596 -1000;
INFORMATION CARD available in black, sil- www.singingmachine.com.
ver, dark cherry, and CIRCLE 57 ON FREE
light oak tones and INFORMATION CARD
can be paired with
black or silver heavy -
gauge aluminum risers.
The matching feet have
rubber tips for hard-
wood floors and option-
al isolation spikes for
carpeted floors. The
stands are easily assem-
bled with only a screw-
driver, and the speaker wires are run through
the risers so they are hidden.
Vantage Point Products Corp., 10233
Outdoor
Let The Palm Dr., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670;
562 -946- 718; www.vantagepoint.com.
Adventure
1

Ideal for hiking, camping, and boat -

Music Be CIRCLE 56 ON FREE
INFORMATION CARD
ing, this Night Owl Explorer ($299.95)
has a sleek, Titanium -finished, two -piece
With You body and a camera- quali-
ty 50mm objective lens.
You can listen to 1000
The range of view is
hours of music in your car
575 feet, and the field
or at home with the
of view is 628 feet at
Dension Music Player 3
1000 yards. Ergonom-
($339). This hard -disk-
ically placed opera-
based MP3 player is com-
tional buttons provide
patible with most PC mobile
easy, single- handed operation.
racks, has a WIN98 /NT/WIN2000/ME /XP- compatible file
The weather-resistant rubber-
system, a pre -configured and user -defined equaliser, and a
coated body makes it perfect for out-
large blue and white graphic LCD display. It also features
door activity in any weather.
an easy -to -use menu system and regular free software
Scientifics, 60 Pearce Ave., Tonawanda, NY 14150; 800-
updates.
728 -6999 or 716-874-9091; www.scienti ficsonline.
Dension USA, Inc., 3553 Atlantic Blvd., #318, Long
CIRCLE 59 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
6
Beach, CA, 90807; 562-595-5153; www.dension.com.
CIRCLE 58 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com
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r
CD- Writer Casual Carrying
Enabling users to This laid -back alternative to
store data quickly and corporate laptop computer
safely, the CD- Writer cases, the Nylon Notebook
Plus 935i ($49.99) is a Computer Backpack ($59.95)
versatile tool for shar- _,.,G . has a side pocket for a
ing and backing up impor- cell phone and front zip
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Writer Plus comes bundled with HP CD creation soft- book computer and adjustable, ergonomic straps that
ware, HP MusicMatch Jukebox, CD Labeler, and more. form -fit to your shoulder for all -day comfort.
Hewlett -Packard, www.hp.com. Case Logic, Inc, www.caselogic.com.

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Canon USA, www.canon.com. Optical Mouse
tool that allows users to hand -write text Now your mouse can be free! The
and then convert and store it on their PC or Cordless Optical Mouse ($49.95) offers cord-
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software lets you cut, mouse, three customiz-

copy, paste, e-mail, and able buttons, a scroll
store your data. \' wheel, and WebWheel
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Seiko Instruments USA
Inc, www.seikosmart.com. Internet surfing.
Logitech Inc., www.
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0
Gizmo is published by Gernsback Publications, Inc., 275 -G Marcus Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 1 1788. Copyright 2002 by Gernsback Publications,
Inc. Gizmo is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 7

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 A LOOK AT
TOMORROW'S TECHNOLOGY
P
Business Buzz Virtual Reality Helps Train Those
PROJECT RAINBOW
Word is around the radio tower that big Who Wear Hard Hats
names like Intel Corp, IBM, AT &T
Wireless, Verizon Communications and
Cingular are currently holding hands and ed to make the users think they are in the
talking nice as they plan a massive wire- real environment, they offer many advan-
less -web network that will be based on tages over training with real equipment.
the 802.11 standard. The talks have been Virtual Reality is ideal for the training of
code -named Project Rainbow and have operators who perform tasks that are dan-
been under way for a little less than one
gerous or hazardous. Trainees can be
year. The service would be available at
exposed to life- threatening scenarios in a
public venues such as airports, but no
safe and controlled environment. It is also
plans have been made to supply service to
an ideal tool to train operators of expensive
private residences. Planners hope that
heavy equipment, which also normally
this network would provide high -speed
broadband access to the growing num-
have high earning potential. With VR sim-
bers of handheld /portable computer ulation, it is not necessary to take the
users. equipment away from productive work for
training purposes, saving on fuel, electrici-
iPod GOES PC ty, and wear and tear. Of course, VR is the
At the recent MacWorld convention in best, and often the only way, to train for
Manhattan, Apple announced that by fall dangerous or emergency situations.
the iPod player would be compatible with
PCs running on a Windows OS. The Mining Reality
device -which retails from $299 for a The trainer t ( a head- mounted Virtual
In this initial mining application,
Reality display, while operating a piece of
2000 -song model to $499 for a 4000 - 5DT's technology involves developing
remotely controlled equipment.
song model -will soon be competing for and interconnecting a range of network-
market share against such notables as the The shovel operator trainee misses ready training simulators for surface -
Rio and the Nomad. The Apple iPod uses the dump truck and drops most of mining and underground- mining vehicles
the popular /notorious MP3 format that the load on the dump truck's roof. No and systems. While the simulators can
has become somewhat of the standard
harm done because the training was be used for individual training, they also
format for audio exchange across the
done in Virtual Reality (VR) using com- can be interconnected via a computer
Web. Web surfers can visit www.
puters and Head -Mounted Displays network so several trainees can "work"
apple.com/ipod for more information
(HMD) rather than actual, and expen- in the same virtual mine. Operators of
about the iPod.
sive, equipment. Virtual reality simula- the different simulators can interact with
SHUTTERBUGS GO WIRELESS
tors are now routinely used in training each other in the same way that they
AT &T Wireless Services Inc. has become
soldiers, sailors, and airmen to perform would work together in a real mine. The
the first wireless operator in the U.S.A. to complex tasks like flying aircraft, driving value of interaction has been well proven
offer a digital- camera option with their tanks, and firing weapons. VR is also with the Joint -Force training used by
phones. The Sony Ericsson T68i phone being used to train operators of surface - the military, where, for example, aircraft
can be outfitted with a digital- camera and underground-mining vehicles and and land vehicle simulators are net-
accessory that uses the phone's screen as other heavy equipment. Fifth Dimension worked to work together. Like the Joint -
a view finder. This new service allows Technologies (5DT) in Santa Clara, CA Force experience, Integrated Virtual
users to snap a digital photo with their is applying its experience in developing Mine (IVM) can result in better team-
phone and then send it via the wireless simulators for military tasks to train any work and big picture thinking amongst
network to an e-mail address. The Sony heavy equipment operator. operators because of the added realism.
Ericsson phone retails for $199, while the 5DT has already built a Continuous
camera attachment retails for $129. Virtual Advantage Miner (CM) VR training simulator for
Customers must subscribe both to an While these simulators are relatively its VR Coal system that enables opera-
AT &T Wireless voice -calling plan and to expensive to develop, mainly because of the tors to control a CM in a virtual under-
the mMode mobile Web service. high -quality graphics and animation need- ground coal or potash mine. Using a
8

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
HMD and a remote -control unit, the Research Notes
trainee controls the CM in the virtual
mine with controls that closely resemble DICK TRACY TECH
those of a real CM. The HMD features It looks as if wrist TVs are just around the

two miniature computer screens to view corner if companies like Cambridge

Display Technology (CDT) of the UK con-
the virtual coal mine, CM, and a shuttle
tinue their course. According to
car. The operator can work through a researchers at CDT, recent experiments
series of training scenarios that vary in with Light Emitting Polymers (LEPs) have
complexity from simple tasks to very proven successful in creating super -thin
complex and difficult ones. video screens. This research stems from
Headphones in the HMD let the oper- the discovery of p- phenylenevinylene
ator hear the different sounds in the virtu- Here is a cockpit view from a heavy piece of back in 1989. This LEP emitted a green -
al environment-for example, coal spilling equipment. yellow glow when a voltage was applied.
from an overfilled shuttle car. A head track- plete training report. After some mixing and experimenting,
scientists were able to develop a LEP that
er measures the orientation of the opera- The more ambitious 5DT IVM
also produced red and blue, allowing for
tor's head so a computer can calculate the Initiative, planned for completion by the full color resolution. Already applications,
image that the operator would view in a time of publication, incorporates several such as roll -up battlefield maps and
real mine. This image is then displayed on interconnect-able simulators. Several portable battery chargers, are being
the miniature screens in the HMD, with Surface Mining Training Simulators are dreamt -up for this budding technology.
the computer calculating a new image now up and running with fine tuning
about 30 times per second. proceeding. The range of network- GIANT OWL FOR OUTER SPACE
ready training simulators for surface Researchers and engineers are hard at
Mining For Coal mining includes (1) Haul Truck Training work at the European Southern
The VR Coal system (co- developed Simulator, (2) Electric Shovel Training Observatory (ESO) in Garching, Germany,
as they prepare to embark on a seven-
by 5DT and Sasol Coal in South Africa, Simulator, (3) Hydraulic Shovel
teen -year task. Their goal is to build the
as well as the newest version with BHP Training Simulator, and (4) Dragline
world's largest ground -based telescope,
Billiton, San Juan Mine) can be used to Training Simulator. Simulators for dubbed the OWL. The name OWL is both
train new operators or to evaluate and tracked and wheeled dozers and drilling a tribute to the keen -eyed night prowler
re -train existing operators. This system rigs will follow shortly. -Bill Siuru and a short -form of "OverWhelmingly
consists of an instructor and operator Large." The telescope's aperture will be a
computer -networked together. When an As a special treat to readers, below are a massive 100 -meters and will be con-
event occurs, or if the operator does few words from Roger Griswold over at structed of separate segments allowing
something wrong, event messages Maxim Integrated Products Inc. He has for a deformable mirror structure for res-
and /or error messages are superimposed recently been experimenting with basic sur- olution adjustments. A technology known
as Adaptive Optics will be employed in
on the instructor's view. The messages face -mount constructing techniques and he'd
order to overcome our atmosphere's blur-
are not visible to the operator; however, like to share his results with the rest ofyou
ring effect.
at the end of each training session, both garage -based developers. And so, with no
the trainee and instructor receive a corn- further delay...-Editor MARS PLANE GROUNDED
Picture the scene: It's December 17,

Prototyping with
2003-the 100th anniversary of Wilbur
and Orville Wright's Kitty Hawk flight -
and soaring through the skies of Mars is a
Surface -Mount flying wing aircraft from planet Earth.
Well, too bad. It seems as if NASA will not
Devices be funding the estimated $100 million
Mars plane for a proposed 2002 launch
Many engineers and technicians are aboard a French rocket. The flight was to
used to, and comfortable with, be part of the new Mars Micromission
prototyping electrical circuits using program, but apparently NASA will be
through -hole devices. Commonly avail- diverting funds to replace a Mars
able perforated fiberglass board and IC communications satellite instead. The
This is a virtual cockpit view as a haul truck sockets can be used with wire -wrap or "Administration" has rescheduled the flight
drives towards a shovel for loading. point -to-point wiring to successfully for 2005. 9

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 Ll
INPUT U1 OUTPUT
100uH
SV TO 30V 5V AT 1A
13,14, D03316-104
Banana 1,2,3,4 15,16 Banana
F -ORN 1+ VIN VSW F -RED

220uF
35CV220AX
/N/JXl/N D1
-JEC21QS03L
Banana
F-BLK
Banana MAX831 CWE
F -BLK
O
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Vc SENSE
8 ± c3
6 470uF
ILIM -x 10CV470AX
R1
10k
SHUT
GND
c2
0.047µF
I 5,7,10,12 Fig. 3. This is an example of a roto -tool bit use-
ful for cutting slots into copper-clad board.
Shown is the Dremel bit #194.
Fig. I. This DC-DC converter circuit is used to illustrate SMT prototyping techniques.
Note that in the circuit implemented
build most one -of-a -kind or prototype Start with a fully annotated schematic here one jumper wire is used, connect-
circuits. In the last decade, however, and gather the parts, so you have a good ing U1 -8 to the output node. The con-
Surface -Mount Technology (SMT) has idea of their relative sizes. It is also help- nection could be cut into the
become much more prevalent. In fact, ful to have the pin-configuration draw- copper-clad, but doing so would either
many newer ICs are available only in ings for any ICs in the circuit. Use blank interrupt the ground plane or force the
surface -mount packaging. Prototyping paper and two pencils of different colors trace to run under the IC, neither being
with surface -mount devices requires dif- (I use a green pencil and a regular pen- desirable. On a multi -layer circuit
ferent materials and tools than prototyp- cil) to make a rough drawing of the board, the trace would likely be placed
ing with through -hole devices, yet is in physical circuit layout. An eraser is on a different layer.
some ways it is easier once the proper essential, and quite often a few iterations
skills have been developed. are required. Make the drawing larger
The basic idea is to cut narrow slots in than life, but stay more -or-less true to
a copper -clad board, creating rectangu- scale (you don't need to be very picky
lar pads, and place the components with size, just placement). Use the
across the slots. Each rectangular pad is lighter color to draw the component
a node in the circuit. It requires copper - outlines, placing parts that share a node
clad board and a roto -type hand -held close together where practical.
grinding tool, plus a few other basic Once all the part outlines are drawn,
tools. This technique is readily used for use the darker color to draw lines sepa-
ICs with a lead pitch down to 0.05 inch- rating the different nodes of the circuit
es (1.27 mm) and, with practice, can be (Fig. 2). A typical line will go around a
used down to 0.025 inches (0.64 mm). It few IC pads, "through" a resistor, and
works well for SOICs and virtually all back around (the resistor will straddle
passive SMT components. To illustrate the line). The lines represent where cuts
this technique, I built the circuit of Fig. to the copper-clad will be made. If only Fig. 4. The cut circuit board, made using cop-
1, a 5 -W DC -DC step -down voltage straight lines and 90° turns are used, it per-clad and a roto -tool, realizes the layout
converter. makes the cutting easier. drawing of Fig. 2.

To transfer the layout to the copper-clad

board, set the board on a flat surface and
place the components on it, using the
drawing as a guide. With an awl or other
sharp object, bore a small dot into the cop-
per -clad at points corresponding to the end
of each dark line segment in the drawing.
This takes some practice because all those
little parts tend to bounce around. After all
the dots are in place, scribe lines into the
copper-clad, connecting the dots as indi-
cated by the drawing.
Now, cut the slots into the board. Use
Fig. 2. Here is the layout drawing for the SMT prototype of the circuit in Fig. 1, showing the com- a roto -tool with a small, flat tip bit (a
10 ponent outlines and the node outlines. Note that the components bridge the node outlines. Dremel bit #194 works well, see Fig. 3)

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 3rusfralian? fo, lhanks.N,1
Ntw
bun? lies, please. SIN

Satisfied customers - the key to our succe ss

that's why every new EAGLE version is based on
the feedback from our customers
that's why all our customers have access to our
highly acclaimed, comprehensive support, free of
44.6'
charge
Fig. 5: Above is the finished SMT prototype cir-
cuit board, a working version of the Fig. 1
that's why EAGLE has no hidden costs for
libraries or mcdules which prove to be
EAGLE 4.0
Schematic Capture Board Layout
schematic. indispensable after purchasing Autorouter
that's why we really Windows
to cut slots into the copper -clad along want customers to
the scribed lines. This, too, takes a litte enjoy working with of the Year 2000
Product LinuxA
EAGLE
practice. After all the slots are finished, IaMOOti. k c rpWereC!rM.m.e of M+aa.M COrGOrM,.n

go over them with a utility knife to cut that's why EAGLE is one of the top -rated -nie q. qaeMrw tr.Jpurk ann.. Tonna.
programs for schematic capture and board layou
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New Library Mar agement with 74'00
usually the worst. A once -over with
Component Browser
some Scotch -Brite adds a nice finishing Technology and 'ackage variants for
touch. Wash and dry the board, and then components
Design your owr commands via User ,'

use an ohmmeter to verify that no pad is Language .:Da'

shorted to any of its neighbors. Now, all Unlimited length for component
that's left is to install the componen_s names /values ..w sw...e..ew
Zia
Design Rules define pad /via
and test the circuit. Figure 4 shows a dimensions and shapes
photo of the slotted board, and Fig. 5 Net Classes for Autorouter and DRC
Minimum Autorouter grid: 0 02 mm
shows the finished product. SMD pads can be rounded or round
One of the nice features of this tech- Different pad shapes for To), Bottom
or Inner layers
nique is the natural ground plane that
usually emerges. If you are combining
EAGLE 4.0 Light is Freeware!
SMT and through -hole technology, You can use EAGLE Light for testing and for Liaht Standard Professional
through -hole devices can be easily non-commercial applications without charge. The Freeware
Version is restricted to boards up b half Eurocard format, layout
adapted to mount on copper -clad by with a maximum of twc signal layers and one schematic
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splaying their legs and soldering them sheet. All other features correspord to those of the Layout -
hematic 398$ 798$
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wiring. -Roger Griswold of Maxim Putoroiaer

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Hotline (561) 274 -8355, Fax (561) 274 -8218, E -Merit : info @cadsoftusa.com

17I
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CIRCLE 283 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

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Don't let the dark forcers of
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 PETER PIETROMONACO

COMPUTER /g397 mailto: computerbits@gernsback.com

OPTICAL CoMpuTiNq:
THE WAVE OF TILE FUTURE
Just think about this for a second (no computers.) "Take, for example, e -mail. Today a
pun intended!). We think of every- Ultimately, optical desktop comput- message is first converted from elec-
day time in seconds. Some sports are ers will be extremely fast, compact, tronic to photonic form and then trans-
timed in tenths and hundredths of sec- lightweight, and less expensive. They mitted over fiber -optic cables. The light
onds. In the past, computers have would be able to process information signal at the other end must then be
worked in milliseconds (thousandths), 1000 to 100,000 times faster. They converted back into electronic form for
then microseconds (millionths), and would have optimum optical storage processing by the receiving computer.
are now moving on to nanoseconds and could cruise the Internet-at the These conversions are inefficient and
(billionths). Still it just isn't fast enough speed of light. Though this would have limit the instantaneous nature of com-
for our ever -changing needs. a profound effect on critical aspects of puting. If we can find ways of storing
Present -day computers are lacking life such as aerospace and defense, it the optical message in photonic format
in efficiency due to their natural limita- would most definitely affect business and then processing those light encod-
tions. They just aren't fast enough to as well as personal life in a positive ed signals, there would be no need to
keep up with the demands of the mod- way. convert from electronic to photonic
ern Internet world. Currently, the infor- Computers that are completely opti- form. In simplified terms, this describes
mation in a computer is passed cal are still lingering in the not-so -far an optical computer-performing corn -
through copper wires. In an optical future, and it may take 10 to 15 years putations, operating, storing, and
computer, information would pass for them to appear on the consumer transmitting date -using only light."
through light beams -at the speed of market. The problem is that the mate- For many of us, it seems bizarre at
light, which is 186,000 miles per sec- rials used in optical technology require first to imagine data traveling along a
ond. That's pretty fast. (See Table 1 for way too much power to work in mass - beam of light, or a laser. However, sci-
a comparison of electronic and optical produced products. Finding the right entists conclude that optics have many
materials may take a little more time. advantages over electrons. Optics are:
Let's face it, though. Electronic corn -
puters have really improved on the Immune to electromagnetic
computing end -but optical computers interference
"leave them in the dust" at transmitting Free from short electrical circuits
information. Able to have low -loss transmission
Still ahead are quantum computers, Able to provide large bandwidth
a somewhat hypothetical concept
though a promising one. Those com-
puters are based on the laws of quan-
tum physics, and there's still much
research to be done before we reach
that milestone.

THE EFFICIENCY OF
OPTICAL COMPUTERS
To understand the efficiency of opti-
cal computers, it may be helpful to first
look at the "inefficiency" of electronic
NASA researcher Dr. Donald Frazier uses an
computers. Manjari Mehta of Information
ultraviolet blue laser shining through a quartz
Systems Research Center (ISRC) at window into a special mix of chemicals to gen-
Dr: Hossin Abdeldayem of NASA is working
with lasers as part of an optical system for pat - the University of Houston explains it erate a polymer film on the inside quartz sur-
12 tern recognition. (Photo courtesy of NASA.) best through the following comparison. face. (Photo courtesy of NASA.)

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 TABLE 1

COMPARISON OF COMPUTER CAPABILITY

PRESENT COMPUTERS OPTICAL COMPUTERS

Uses electronic circuits for computations and transfer Uses Photonic circuits
of data

Uses organic compounds like metal -free

Uses silicon chips phthalocyanine compound, polydiacetylene

Chance of short circuits No short circuits, as light beams can cross each other
without interfering with each other's data

With electronic circuits, information has to travel Light beams can travel in parallel; therefore, they can
sequentially, or one packet at a time. transfer data in parallel; and there is no limit to the
amount of data.

There is a physical limit to the distance between Though there is a physical limit, the design of the
components of a computer, which in turn limits the optical memory storage is conducive to reusing space.
processing speed.

The speed of electrons in copper wire is literally half The speed of light in photonic circuits is the speed of
the speed of light in a vacuum. light in a vacuum-the highest attainable speed.

Since circuits react to noise level, data can be Circuits are immune to noise level, so data is more
misinterpreted. accurate.

Since optical circuits use different compounds, they do

There is more heat dissipation in silicon circuits. not dissipate as much heat as silicon chips.

Silicon chips use very little power, the materials are The materials required to support photonic circuits
readily available, and almost perfectly designed. take up way too much power to work in consumer
products. More research needs to be done.

(Table 1 is derived from material from Manjari Mehta, ISRC.)

(capable of communicating several nologies introduced a lithographic sub - THE PAST, PRESENT,
channels in parallel without interfer- micron technology to further minimize AND FUTURE
ence) electronic circuits and enhance com- "Entirely optical computers are still
Capable of propagating signals puter speed. Additional miniaturization some time in the future," says Dr.
within the same or adjacent fibers of electronic components only pro- Donald Frazier at NASA, "but electro-
with no interference vides a short-term solution to the prob- optical hybrids have been possible
Compact, lightweight, and inexpen- lem. There are also physical problems since 1978." Back in the 80s, there
sive to manufacture accompanied by miniaturization that was much research in optical comput-
might affect the computer's reliability." ing. However, due to limitations on
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING One of the most amazing features of needed materials -materials that were
So why do we need computers to be optical computing is that optical data essential to making opto -chips small
so darn fast? According to Dr. Hossin processing can perform several opera- and inexpensive enough -the researchers
Abdeldayem from NASA, Terabit tions simultaneously, which will result backed off a little.
speeds, or one trillion bits, are needed in phenomenal computational power Now, in the new millennium, they
to accommodate the growth rate of the and speed. As an example, a calcula- are back with a vengeance. Mehta
Internet and increasing demand for tion that would take a conventional explains "Researchers are using new
bandwidth -intensive data streams. electronic computer more than eleven types of conducting polymers to make
"All- optical switching using optical years to complete could be performed transistor -like switches smaller and
materials can relieve the escalating by an optical computer in a single 1000 times faster than silicon transis-
problem of bandwidth limitations hour. That is absolutely mind -boggling, tors. Previously it was thought that
imposed by electronics," states Dr. and one can just imagine the unlimited light could not be trapped long enough
Abdeldayem. "In 1998, Lucent Tech- potential it holds for everything! (Continued on page 16) 13
 SURVEYING THE
REID GOLDSBOROUGH

DIGITAL mx nrnilkr: digitaldontainCigernsback.cont

ThE NET: A MESA RESOURCE

The Web is a gargantuan repository
of information. Google, the popular ..xris aeon us ex"rsres oamx:u, .,our
Internet search tool, indexes a whop-
This is Dialog.
ping three billion Web documents. You
might think that the Web contains MEYNMYd1wp,MMll14 -4 W

everything you could possibly need to

know. VS WE
Locai Langua4,
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know well that good research involves
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more than just searching the Web. Mc,
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tions used most often by knowledge gaxtooCUSTOMRS

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workers either don't have Web sites or Dialog EaMbarm .of accurate. up te,Pate
6.60. 0616.64.6
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don't make their material available on oNung butons

the Web for free, according to a study

by Outsell -a market research firm
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COMMERCIAL DATABASES
The Web can also be a source of
information that's biased, outdated, or
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start with the free Web when searching Dialog, created in 1972, is the oldest example of an information aggregator that is used by
for information. However, when the researchers to search through numerous sources of data ranging from technical and scientific to
information you need is for critical intellectual -property material.
business or academic purposes, it's
smart to then go beyond the Web. get and expensive once you got it. This oldest of the three, created in 1972 as
Libraries are traditionally sources of situation has changed somewhat in the world's first online information
information, and they still serve that recent years, with the big three com- retrieval system. It has traditionally
function well. One resource used by mercial research databases offering been strong on scientific, technical,
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database. lent with general and business news.
There are countless scenarios for THE TOP THREE LexisNexis, at www.lexis- nexis.com,
using a commercial research data- Dialog, LexisNexis, and Factiva are is a combination of Lexis (the premier
base, but three common ones are more accurately referred to as infor- source of in -depth legal and regulatory
looking for information about a possi- mation aggregators. They gather infor- information and public records) and
ble business partner, doing market mation from hundreds of third -party Nexis (a good site for general and
research on the potential customers databases and let you quickly search business news, market research, and
and existing competitors for a new through any or all of them using the company information).
product or service, and searching for same search procedures. Each ser- Factiva, at www.factiva.com, is a
Ph.D. dissertations. vice has its strengths, according to joint venture of Dow Jones and
These days, you can access com- Cindy Shamel, president -elect of the Reuters. The place to go for breaking
mercial research databases yourself, Association of Independent Information business news and global content, it
though you may not always want to. In Professionals. She runs her own combines the full text of the Wall Street
the past, the world of commercial research company, Shamel Information Journal with the Dow Jones and
research databases was a forbidding Services, in San Diego. Reuters newswires. For information
14 one, where information was difficult to Dialog, at www.dialog.com, is the about worldwide business and interna-

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 IMO

the shakeout continues, with 54 dot -

The Association uf corns failing during the first quarter of
Independent .Infirmation this year.
Professionals What's a Net entrepreneur to do?
/ammo! it¡fonrmfion businesses
An iaAnssafianal ans ciarioe o Can you still make a profitable go of it
in today's leaner- and -meaner dot -com
world? Yes, you can, according to Jim
Learn what were about, where we came from and where were going.
Check out AMP.ffiShe Newt'.
Romeo, author of the new book Net
Know How: Surviving the Bloodbath
Straight Talk from 25 Internet
-
Find out exactly what an independent information protes sonal is and the
variety of ways we serve our clrents Entrepreneurs. You just have to think
differently, and more traditionally, than
many of the still wet -behind -the -ears
Read the Code of Ethical Rashest Practice to which AIle members
subscribe digerati who created the dot-corn bubble.

Check out the benefits of membership, print membership apps tien and
,Jots Atte today.
a
SOME HELPFUL ADVICE
From talking to and writing about
PACK UP FOR PROVIDENCE and torn us May 1-4, 2703 for the 17th Annual
rf Alle Conference m Providence, Rhode Itlendl Audio tapes from these 25 dot -com entrepreneurs,
r ÇA, IFORNIA TEAMING' The 16th Annual AIIP Conference R The 2002
SCOUG Annual Spnny Meeting are now available. C.ownload an =lei
farm Romeo in a phone interview offered
and fax it in today,
five pieces of advice.
sonouncerments of upcoming exhibit locations, Roar1 of Directors
meetings, co ^sponsored meetings, and other m. e of interest to
independent information professionals 1. Strive for profit, not just market

The Association of Independent Information Projessiornals (AIIP) maintains a Web site where visi-
share. In the dot -com heyday, Net
tors can search for researchers by services, subject matter; und geographic area. entrepreneurs priced their goods or
services below cost to gain market
tional affairs, it provides material from al researcher are not wanting to do it share, create a buzz, and attract ven-
nearly a thousand non -English sources yourself and /or not having the time. ture funding. Many achieved wildly
in 118 countries and 22 languages. "You can find yourself spending so successful initial public offerings.
Each of the big three database much time searching for information Scores of millionaires were born virtu-
aggregators has material that the oth- that you don't have enough time to run ally overnight.
ers don't have. The best strategy for your business," says Penny Leidtke- The whole digitalada came crashing
any given project might be to select the Sienkiewicz, principal of the Philadelphia - down when investors demanded that
appropriate one(s) to search through. based research company On- Target Internet companies justify their sky-
Each service has different pricing Information Services. high valuations with hard earnings.
options for individuals, small business- The Web site of the Association of "Dot-corn entrepreneurs today
es, large businesses, and information Independent Information Professionals, should go back to basics," says
professionals. For individuals and at www.aiip.org, lets you search for Romeo. "The new economy is a mis-
small businesses, a pay -as- you -go researchers by services, subject mat- nomer. Its just the old economy with a
plan makes the most sense. ter, and geographic area. different look. You need to follow the
You don't pay a subscription fee, but For more on online researching, same principles that created the indus-
instead pay only for those articles or check out David Novak's Information trial revolution and built the wealth of
records you download. Searching Research FAQ, at spireproject.com/ nations."
through the databases and viewing faq. htm.
headlines are both free. Each article or 2. Minimize your expenses. It was
record you read in its entirety costs MAKING MONEY ON THE WEB the failure to do this that was the
around $3, though fees can vary wide-
ly. I've found these services very use-
ful, but if you get carried away, costs
Not only is the Internet a source of
information, but it can also be a wealth
of -well, wealth. Until the middle of
the author maintains. In the old days
two or three years ago-many Net
-
biggest culprit in the dot-corn collapse,

can escalate. 2000, the Internet economy was flying entrepreneurs started off by hiring lots
high -elevating with it the larger econ- of people before they even had any
HELP FROM THE PROS omy, not to mention the stock market market share. Lavish salaries and
Shamel mentions that the possibility and the portfolios of millions of funky perks such as Friday afternoon
of an expensive search is one reason investors. Then it all caved in. pool parties were common.
to hire a professional researcher to do During the first quarter of 2001, in Today, he believes, you better watch
the searching for you. "You need expe- the middle of the implosion, 164 your cost of operation. Expenses
rience to do cost -effective searching," Internet companies declared bankrupt- should follow revenue, not vice versa.
she says. Professional researchers cy or shut down completely, a drastic Don't spend on head count and over-
also typically bypass the Web and dial increase from the five that did so dur- head and hope you can make enough
into these database services directly, ing the first quarter of 2000, according money to cover your costs. Romeo
which gives them more advanced to Webmergers, Inc., a market argues `This is a recipe for bankruptcy."
searching options. research company in San Francisco.
Others reasons to hire a profession- Things have improved lately, though 3. Be realistic about funding. You 15

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 used to be able to attract funding from Despite the economies created by Countries like Japan and Switzerland
venture capitalists by doing little more the Internet, many people still like to are currently developing new methods
than writing a gushy business plan and see and pick up what they buy or and making technological advances in
including the word "Internet" in it. shake the hands of those they're mak- the field. Only time will tell when and
"There's still venture funding out ing deals with. "It's a matter of trust." where the first such computers will be
there for dot-coms, but it's tight," says Romeo believes that because of the on the market. P

Romeo. "These days funding is usual- trust issue, it can be easier to make a
ly given for ventures already up and success of a business -to- business Electronic Projects 1.0
running with proven track records." Web venture than a business-to-con - By Max Horsey
To fund a new dot -com today, you sumer Web venture.
A series of ten projects to build along with
have to either do it yourself or find audiovisual information to support hobbiests
"angel" investors-family members or For more advice on making money during construction. Each project is complete
friends or, perhaps, local business on the Web, from those who have with schematic diagrams, circuit and PCB
layout tiles, component lists and comprehen-
people or philanthropists you know been there and done that, check out sive text to guide the hobbyist through the
who are willing to bet the farm or part Romeo's book. It's available on project. A shareware version of CAD -
of it on your ideas. Amazon.com, which incidentally is a PACK-schematic capture and PCB design
software is also provided. Projects include a
pure -play Web business founded in reaction timer, logic probe, egg timer and
4. Don't expect overnight success. 1995 that, despite consistently stellar seven more. Get
In the dot-corn go -go days, the watch- reviews and billions of dollars in sales, your own copy of
this CD-ROM today.
word was instant gratification. Too recently reported its first profitable $75 including ship-
many people had too little patience for quarter. ping in the U.S.
the grunt work necessary for long -term Reid Goldsborough is a syndicated Order from CLAGGK
Inc., P.O. Box 12162,
success. columnist and author of the book Hauppauge, NY
You need to create a realistic busi- Straight Talk About the Information 11788. Visa, MC,
ness plan today, he explains, and Superhighway. He can be reached at Discover, OK.
monitor it over time. Give yourself reidgold@netaxs.com or www.netaxs. CLX2
enough time to achieve success. com/- reidgold/column. P

Expect to pay dues.

You also need to do market COMPUTER BITS Yours for only
research. You can't assume that if you (continued from page 13)
build it, they will come. One reason 8399
many dot -corns failed is that people to be stored. Now researchers ...have Price includes
did not come. shown that photons can be stored." shipping!
The competition is fierce, however.
5. Think twice about relying solely
HAVE A THOUSAND PUCKS FOR ONLY
on the Web. "Pure- play" Web busi-
nesses -based strictly on the Web
have a smaller chance of success than
- OPTICS AT NASA THREE AND A HALF BUCKS! That comes
to one -third of a cent per laugh. Electronics
Comics is a compilation of over 125 riotous,
NASA reports that photonics devel- outrageous and phenomenal cartoons that
those backed by a "brick and mortar"
opment is booming around the globe appeared in Popular Electronics and Elec-
physical presence. Most Web suc- tronics Now. Only $3.99-price includes
in the areas of optics and optical com-
cesses have other sources of profit, shipping. Claggk, Inc., Reprint Bookstore,
ponents for computing and other
according to the author. P.O. Box 12162, Hauppauge, NY 11788.
applications. Estimates of global tech- All payments in U.S. funds. Sorry, no orders
nology sales are upwards of $100 bil- outside U.S.A. and Canada. Check or
POINT AND CLICK lion per year worldwide -and count- money order only-send no cash. NY state
residents add applicable tax. MA04
ing.
Association of Independent Dr. Frazier states "Newer advances
Information Professionals have produced a variety of thin films Wireless & Electrical
www.aiip.org and optical fibers that make optical Cyclopedia
interconnections and devices practi- ETT1- Wireless & Electrical
David Novak's Information Research cal. We are focusing on thin films Cyclopedia $4.99. Step
FAQ back to the 1920's with this
made of organic molecules, which are reprinted catalog from the
http://spireproject.com/faq.htm more sensitive to light than inorgan- Electro Importing Company.
Antiquity displayed on every
ics. Organics can perform functions page with items priced as
Dialog such as switching, signal processing, low as 3 cents. Product
descriptions include: Radio
www.dialog.corn and frequency doubling, using less components, kits, motors
power than inorganics. Inorganics and dynamos, Leyden jars,
hot-wire meters, carbon mikes and more. The
Fattiva such as silicon used with organic perfect gift for a radio antique collector.To order
www. fattiva. com materials let us use both photons and ETT1, send $6.99 (includes s &h) in the US
and Canada to Electronic Technology Today
electrons in current hybrid systems, Inc., P.O. Box 240, Massapequa Park, NY 11762-
LexisNexis which will eventually lead to all- optical 0240. US funds only. Use US bank check or
International Money Order. Allow 6 -8
www.lexis-nexis. com computer systems." weeks for delivery. MA11
16

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AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 41Pf
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 TED NEEDLEMAN

PEAK ¡,?
rnuild: peakcomputing@gernsback.com

IT'S iN ThERE!
Maybe things have changed in the power supply (alternately) for the sys-
40 or so years that I've been tems, 512MB of DDR RAM, a 20 -GB
reading Poptronics in all of its itera- Maxtor hard -disk drive, and a 2 -GHz
tions. still think that many of you like
I Pentium 4 CPU in the Intel mobo and
to take a screwdriver and solderüng an Athlon XP1900+ in the NFORCE-
iron in your hand every once in a while. based motherboard.
That's why go back to the "heart" of a
I We ran a variety of benchmark
PC, the motherboard, so often in this suites on both configurations. Not sur-
column. Given that it usually doesn't prisingly, the Intel -based system did
take more than a half hour or so to Here is a photo of the D845GBV motherboard better on SysMark2002, which uses
replace a mobo, it's a tempting upgrade. from Thiel. Selling for around $110, this mother- applications such as DreamWeaver to
Not everyone, however, really wants board is an affirrdable foundation for a state-of- test the system performance. The
to fiddle with loads of peripheral cards. the-art system. AMD -based system, however, did bet-
That's why the integrated mother- ter on the benchmarks that primarily
boards (with video, audio, and, fre- latest core logic sets that Intel has tested video performance.
quently, Ethernet adapters contained released, the 845G. The 845 core logic
in the core logic) are still as popular as set was introduced last year and NVIDIA INSTEAD!
ever. offered support for DDR RAM, rather When you start looking at new
Core logic is the two major support than the faster, but more expensive motherboards, it seems like everyone
ICs for the CPU and memory. They RD RAM. Motherboards based on the is getting into the act. ALi (Acer Labs,
come in a two -chip set (called the 845 core logic set really jumpstarted Inc.) and VIA Technologies are two
Northbridge and Southbridge) and, Pentium4 sales. Intel hopes that pro- companies that have been offering
between the two, help handle video viding a motherboard with onboard core logic chipsets for AMD's Athlon,
and audio control and memory usage graphics and sound will help revive Duron, and Athlon XP processors.
and access. flagging PC sales. The vendor's OEM More recently, graphics vendors ATI
This time, we'll take a look at two customers, such as those listed above, and NVIDIA have joined the core logic
somewhat different approaches to pro- are the major places that Intel hopes to fray. We've yet to see any mother-
viding an integrated motherboard. sell the D845GBV. You won't have boards using ATI's core logic offering,
much trouble, however, finding this which seems to be targeted more to
INTEL INSIDE mobo at retail. the set -top box industry. NVIDIA, how-
Many people don't realize it, but We popped the D845GBV into one ever, has had moderate success with
giant chip manufacturer Intel makes of our favorite cases, an Antec with its core logic set, which it calls the
more than processors. Intel also one of the new PowerPlus power sup- NFORCE chipset.
makes core logic chipsets that support plies. The D845GBV's onboard graph- As with a standard core logic set,
its CPUs, as well as motherboards ics are nothing spectacular, but they which uses Northbridge and Southbridge
based on these core logic sets. Open are adequate. Intel calls its embedded chips, the NFORCE core logic set also
many of the first -tier PCs, such as graphics controller "Extreme Graphics" has two major chips. NVIDIA gives
Gateway, Compaq, Dell, and Hewlett - and devotes 48MB of system RAM for them somewhat different names, how-
Packard, and you'll find an Intel moth- frame buffering. Audio is SoundMAX, ever, calling them a System Platform
erboard. In most cases, you can buy which uses the AC97 code for gener- Processor (SPP) /Integrated Graphics
this very same motherboard, though ating software wave -table sound. Processor (IGP) and a Media and
you'll pay a much different price for it Audio output is only 2.1 channels, not Communications Processor (MCP).
than Dell. surround sound. The SPP /IGP does much the same
One of the newest motherboards We configured both the Intel and work as a Northbridge chip, while the
from Intel that we've tested is the AMD systems we built as similarly as IGP handles the audio and networking
D845GBV. This is based on one of the we could, using the same case and tasks. NVIDIA offers the NFORCE 19

www.americanradiohistory.com
AmericanRadioHistory.Com
 core logic set in the 415 and 420 mod- 10 /100BaseT Ethernet. You either vendor has actually announced an
els. The 420 chipset provides integrat- have to add a card to Intel's mother- NFORCE2 motherboard, so we don't
ed graphics, while the NFORCE 415 board or buy the version that incorpo- have any prices to share. An NVIDIA
foregoes this and offers only the stan- rates an Ethernet adapter. spokesperson who briefed us said that
dard AGP slot. he expected many of the mother-
Unlike Intel, NVIDIA does not actu- WHICH ONE'S FOR ME? boards based on the NFORCE2 core
ally make motherboards for resale, Neither motherboard is very expen- logic set will hit the retail market at less
though it does offer motherboard man- sive. The Intel D845GVB sells for than a hundred dollars, making this
ufacturers a reference design that they about $110, while the Micro Star core logic set even more attractive to
can modify to their particular markets. International K7N420 Pro is selling for hands -on builders. P
We tested the K7N420 Pro mother- about $140 as we write this. The $30
board from tt' cro Star International price difference is well worth it if you
(MSI). Their Web address is www.msi- want the built -in Ethernet and GeForce Get your copy of the
computers.com. This motherboard is 2 MX graphics capability. CRYSTAL SET HANDBOOK
used in a variety of popular mail -order The real distinction is what uses you Go back to antiquity and baud the

systems, as well as being available for intend to put the upgraded system to.
' oa
radios that your grandfather built.
.. _.- ..- .. Build the "Quaker Oats" type rig.
direct purchase. More business -oriented tasks don't wind coils that work and make !I
look like the 1920's! Only $10.95
The K7N420 Pro can accommodate need the highly accelerated graphics, plus $4.00 for shipping and han
most of AMD's recent CPUs, from the so the Intel motherboard may be the g- dling. Ctaggk Inc., PO Box 12162,
Hauppauge, NY 11788. USA
original Athlon to the Duron and the more desirable purchase. Also, if you Funds ONLY! USA and Canada- -
new Athlon XP+ processors. We test- are looking for all -out computational '+ ,
,., -... no foreign orders. Allow 6 -8 weeks
for delivery. MA01
ed the board with an Athlon XP1900+ performance, the Intel D845GVB pro-
CPU. This doesn't actually run at 1.9 vides support for the 533 -MHz front
GHz, but at 1.4 GHz. AMD has revived side bus, USB 2.0. It will also accept
the old "performance rating" approach the 2.53 -GHz Pentium 4, which is con- CRYSTAL SETS: VOLUME V.

pioneered by Cyrix, so the CPU's siderably more powerful and more Volume V of the Society
appellation is meant to imply that the expensive than any CPU that AMD CRYSTAL
ih, Xid , newsletter includes six
SETS.
4rery Nov.*,
''. issues ending November
v'
Athlon XP1900+ provides the same offers at the moment. 1995. Great for new
level of performance as a 1.9 -GHz On the other hand, the MSI and members to get current,
Intel Pentium 4. Sometimes it does, other NFORCE motherboards provide ii ter- those wanting a bound
copy for their reference
sometime it doesn't. It all depends on better graphics for garners and 5.1- _t
+ bookshelf, or as a gift to
what kind of application you are run- channel audio output. So if you love to get a friend started.
ning, and whether that application has fool around with the hardware, or over - Philip N.Andcsun Contents include: The
and^t^th, Design of Unpowered
been optimized for the Pentium 4's clock components (something we do
AM Receivers, Radio
new microcode. not advocate unless you are willing to Outfit in a Headset, A Crystal Set Revisited -
Of more interest than direct perfor- chance burning components), you Reconstructed, Grounded Loop -stick Tuner,
mance comparisons is the difference might be better off with the NFORCE The Matching Secret, and lots of member-
ship correspondence. 8'X x 5% paperback,
in approach that NVIDIA has taken core logic -based motherboard. $10.95 plus shipping. -Electronic Technology
with the NFORCE core logic set. As Today Inc., PO Box 240, Massapequa Park,
with Intel's 845G core logic set, the NFORCE -THE NEXT NY 11762 -0240. US funds only. Allow 6 -8
weeks for delivery. MA06
NFORCE provides integrated video GENERATION
and audio. The video, however, is the As we were finishing up this column,
GeForce2 MX video -controller core NVIDIA announced a new generation
that is offered in the add -in GeForce2 of its NFORCE core logic set, the Introducing Robotics with
video cards. It's not top -of- the -line NFORCE2. By the time this appears, Lega MindstormsTM
video (the GeForce4), but it's definite- motherboards based on this new core For Robot Lovers. Shows how to build a
ly much more oriented to the gamer logic should actually be supplanting variety of increasingly sophisticated com-
than Intel's integrated chipset. the NFORCE motherboards we looked puter-controlled robots using the brilliant
The Micro Star K7N420 Pro mother- at for this column. Lego mindstorms Robotic Invention System
board also has some other really nice These new NFORCE2 mother- (RIS). Covers the fundamental building tech-
niques needed to construct strong and effi-
features. The integrated audio con- boards should be less expensive and
cient robots. Explains to the reader how robot
troller can supply Dolby Digital 5.1 will incorporate GeForce 4MX embed-
control programs may be simply constructed
channel output with an included brack- ded graphics controllers. The on their PC screens.
et. MSI also offers an optional plug -in NFORCE2 boards will eliminate sup- Detailed building in-
",
Mtdutg -in-"'"'""
card that lets the motherboard provide port for processors that came before structions are provided Robroonrs wh

S -Video output. the Athlon XP+ and provide faster for all the robots fea- Lego Mindstorms

As with the Intel motherboard, the memory access and support. The new tured. 270 pages,
_. ..
' .7:.-4'-
71/2 x 10 5r7 in. $19.99.
MSI board has lots of USB ports, up to motherboards add USB 2.0 and IEEE
Plus $2.45 shipping .
1.
six. However, these are the older 1.1 1394 Firewire ports and dual Ethernet in U.S. Order from
ports, not the newer faster USB 2.0 ports, and they continue to provide CLAGGK Inc., P.O.
ports that Intel offers. On the other 5.1- channel audio output. Box 12162, Hauppauge,
20 hand, MSI's motherboard has built -in At the time this is being written, no NY 11788 CLX1

www.americanradiohistory.com
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 Build Your Own Affordable
Multi- Processor Workstation
TED. BRYAN, and SCOTT NEEDLEMAN

Several months ago, we featured a build -it -your- have a clean work area and a long piece of wire that
self "Monster Workstation" croject based around you can run to a ground connection. Many of the
a Tyan motherboard and dual Intel Xeon CPUs components including the motherboard can be dam-
( "Peak Computing," Poptronics, March and April aged by static electricity. We removed this ground
2002). At a bit over $4000, this project was a great wire for ease in photog-
value, especially for anyone who performs tasks that raphy, but please do
can benefit from multiprocessing, such as CAD, mod- i' ®t_
take a moment to put
eling, and even PC circuit -boa-d layout. Even some
games, especially those built
using the Quake game engine,
I :':® a grounding strap on. If
you don't want to
make your own, you
can be set to make use of can buy a 3M strap in
dual processors, if available. most computer stores
Still, four grand is a lot of for about a buck.
money. So this time around,
we'll show you how to build a Initial Preparations. We
dual processor system for know that you'll be
almost half that price. The greatly tempted to start
price difference comes from right in, but take a few
using AMD processors, rather moments to set things
than Intel's Xeon CPUs. Not up so you can experi-
only are the CPUs them- ence a smooth assembly
selves considerably less process. Even though
expensive, but the the Antec case we used
motherboard used in is nice and roomy inside,
the system costs about a you'll find it even easier
quarter of the price of the one used in our "Monster to work with if you temporarily remove the power sup-
Workstation." ply. There are only four small Philips -head screws hold-
We built our Affordable Workstation using strictly top -ing it in place. If you carefully remove these screws
of-the -line components. You can save even more, (store them where you will be able to find them
though, by cutting a few corners here, as well. We'll again), you can liff the power supply and the nest of
show you where you can safely use less expensive attached cables out of the way while you work on the
components that will save you several hundred dollars motherboard.
more while still providing eye -popping performance. Before you do anything else, remove the rear -panel
motherboard cut-out and replace it with the one that
Taking it Step -by -Step. Puffing together a high- perfor- came in the box with the ASUS motherboard. The one
mance workstation like ours is really a pretty easy task. that comes with the Antec case is a generic model,
In fact, the hard part is getting all of the components and the cutouts don't match the connectors on the
together. We recommend ASUS motherboard. This panel
that you do this before you Find out how to sa ve money and still just pops right out, and the
start. Photo 1 shows the use top -of-the -line components. replacement one snaps
workstation "before," with right in.
most of the components still in their original packag-
ing. Those of you with sharp eyes will notice that we Building The Workstation. The next step is to install the
forgot to stack the hard disk drive and keyboard/ standoffs for the motherboard. These are included in a
mouse in the photo, but we did have both of them on big bag of hardware that comes with the case. The
hand. Antec case that we used has holes in different places
Before you get started, also make sure that you for different motherboard layouts, and there aren't 21

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 ly, you can see some of the arrows we drew to point
out where standoffs needed to be installed.
The next step is to mount the CPUs. These are inserted
into the ZIF (zero insertion force) sockets on the mother-
board. A small lever on each of the sockets needs to be
lifted out the side slightly, and then up, so that the lever
is standing vertically. This unlocks the socket so that the
CPU can be inserted. Be careful when inserting the
processors. They are fragile, as well as sensitive to static
charges. The CPU pins are keyed -they only fit one way

Photo I. The ultimate "Before" picture shows most of the components in

their original packages. The hard drive and keyboard/mouse are absent.

enough standoffs supplied for you to just stick a stand-

off in every hole. The answer is to position the mother-
board in the case and use a marking pen to indicate
where standoffs need to be mounted. This is easier to
accomplish with the holes on the outside edges of the
motherboard, but with a little trial and error, you can
also correctly mark the interior holes where standoffs
also need to be mounted.
While you may be tempted to simply forego using
standoffs with the interior mounting holes of the moth- Photo 3. Take extra care in cleaning the contact point of the CPU that will
erboard, don't get lazy in this area. Some of the com- bond with the heatsink. Here a cotton swab is dipped in rubbing alcohol
and swabbed over the CPU's center

into the socket, so position the processor correctly

before puffing it into the socket. Don't force the CPU into
the socket. If the socket has been unlocked properly
and the CPU is positioned correctly, the processor will
simply drop down into the socket. If it doesn't, you need
to recheck that you've unlocked the socket and cor-
rectly positioned the CPU. When the processor is firmly
seated in the socket, push the locking lever down and
back under the retaining lip. This locks the CPU firmly into
the socket.

Photo 2. The motherboard has been mounted in the case in this photo.
Look carefully, and you'll see the hand -drawn arrows used to point out
standoff locations.

ponents mounted on the motherboard are rather

heavy; and the standoffs reduce circuit-board flex,
which, in turn, reduces the chance that a mother-
board component or solder connection will fail.
Once the standoff positions are correctly marked,
install the standoffs, and test fit the motherboard to
make sure that all of the mounting holes have a stand-
off positioned under them. Once you are certain that
all of the standoffs are correctly positioned, mount the Photo 4. Silver compounds have been found to rival the heat dissipation
motherboard to the standoffs. Photo 2 shows the ofplain thermal greases that contain Zinc Oxide or silicone -based grease.
22 motherboard mounted in the case. If you look careful- Here, some Antec Silver is used to coat the CPU.

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 ter heat transfer than simple thermal grease. Photo 4
shows the Antec Silver being applied. You want to put
enough of this on the CPU so that it completely covers
the center part of the CPU when the heatsink is applied,
but not so much that excess thermal silver compound
comes shooting out the sides of the heatsink!
Once you've applied the silver compound to both

-
CPUs, you'll need to fasten the heatsinks. You'll have to be
careful here there's only one correct direction to set
these down, and you'll need to check and make sure
that they are correctly positioned if they are to do the
right job in keeping the processors cool. The heatsinks

Photo 5. Here is a photo showing the first heatsink correctly mounted on

the processor. Another heatsink will be mounted and then both will be fas-
tened down.

The next few steps seem like overkill, but they are very
important. Before attaching the heatsink to each of the
CPUs, you must first clean the CPU and then apply a ther-
mal transfer media to the processor. Both of these steps
are important in getting the best transfer of heat from the
small area of the CPU that actually radiates the heat
build -up into the heatsink where it can be dissipated.
The first step is to make sure that the part of the
processor that contacts the heatsink is as clean as you
can get it. To do this, dip a cotton swab in medicinal
or rubbing alcohol, and swab off the top center of the Photo 7. Three peripheral cards have been inserted into the board: a PCI-
CPU, as shown in Photo 3. This will remove any oils or based USB 2.0 jack, an Intel Gigabit Ethernat card, and an NVIDIA
dirt from the manufacturing process or storage. Quadro4 750 video card.

hava small metal clips on two sides that fasten over lips on
the ZIF sockets. You'll probably have to use a screwdriver
blade to get these clips fastened, so be careful that the
screwdriver doesn't slip and gouge the motherboard.
Photo 5 shows the first heatsink correctly positioned on the
processor and motherboard. Once both heatsinks are
fastened down, plug the fan leads from each into the
proper connectors on the motherboard.

Photo 6. The third of a total of Jour DItd VI RAVI boards is shown being
inserted into the memory expansion slot of the motherboard. The chips are
sensitive to electrostatic discharge.

Next, you need to put on a healthy drop of thermal

conductive media. Most heatsinks come with "heatsink
grease," usually Zinc Oxide or a Silicone -based grease.
We usually throw these little plastic bags away and
instead use a silver compound. One of the best -known
of these is called Artic Silver, but we used Antec's formu- Photo 8. This detailed photograph shows the TEAC CD -RW being set to
lation, which also provides a 99- percent silver content. "Slave" mode. This is done so that the DVD burner can be set to
The silver -based thermal mediums provide a much bet- "Master," decreasing the failure rate of expensive DVD mis -copies. 23

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 remove some metal shielding plates that were located
under the plastic filler panels on the front of the case.
The floppy-disk drive was mounted in the position
designed to hold it, and the drive cage for the hard disk
was removed so that the hard -disk drive could be easily
mounted. Before mounting the two optical drives, we
checked to see that the TEAC CD-RW drive was set in
"Slave" mode. Photo 8 shows this being done.
Generally, the faster optical drive will be set as the
Master; but with a DVD burner, you will usually want the

Photo 9. Both optical drives are mounted on the rails provided with the
Antec case, and then they are slid into position inside the case.

The RAM is inserted next. We used four 512MB DIMMs

from Kingston Technologies. Other vendors, including
Crucial Technology, Viking, and PNY also provide DDR
RAM modules that will work well with the ASUS mother-
board. These DIMMs are sensitive to static, so be care-
ful when inserting them. The DIMMs are keyed, with a
slot that fits only the right way in the RAM socket. Take
your time, and you can't make a mistake. Photo 6
shows this process.
In Photo 7, you can see that we've inserted three
peripheral cards. This particular ASUS motherboard
does not have USB 2.0 on board, so ASUS included a
separate PCI card that adds this capability. We also
installed an Intel Gigabit Ethernet card, since we run
that version of Ethernet here. There is no onboard
Ethernet adapter on the ASUS motherboard, so you

Photo 11. Voilà! The system is complete and ready for initial power-up pro-
cedures. Be sure to take one last look around the case to spot any faux pas.

DVD burner set to this position to make sure that expen-

sive DVD +R discs aren't ruined. Photo 9 shows both opti-
cal drives mounted on the drive rails that come with the
Antec case and being slid into position.
Now Ws time to finish everything up. Photo 10 shows the
cables from the front panel being connected. There's a
diagram in the motherboard manual that shows where
you need to plug in the Power, Hard Disk LED, Reset,
Speaker, and other connectors from the case. These con-
nectors are marked, at least on the Antec case we used.
Photo 10. Following the diagram included in your motherboard manual,
carefully run the cables for each component to its appropriate jack on the Connecting them is simply a matter of plugging them into
board. the right motherboard sockets.
Next, connect the floppy -drive cable and the IDE
will need to add the appropriate adapter if you have cables from the hard -disk and optical -disc drives to
a network or broadband Internet connection. Finally, the proper connectors on the motherboard. When
the third card in the photo is the NVIDIA Quadro4 750 you are sure that everything is properly seated, con-
video card. This is mounted in the AGP slot. nect the power cables to the motherboard connec-
The next part of the process is mounting the various tors and the power connectors on all of the various
24 drives that will be used. On our Antec case, we had to drives. Photo 11 shows the system completed and

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ready for the initial power -up. Quadro4 card. Although the Quadro4 leverages off of
In the final step, we've moved in the wireless key- the GeForce4 core design, it has been optimized for
board and mouse and an LCD monitor. After we con- both 2D as well as 3D performance. Workstations
nected them, it was time to perform our initial power meant for graphic-design work offen are used in both
up. Our system booted, and we set the BIOS to boot modes. While CAD and PC circuit -board design are 2D
first from the Sony DVD +RW drive. This was necessary so applications, many modeling and ray- tracing applica-
that the Windows XP Professional CD would boot the tions are three -dimensional tasks. Substituting a video
system and proceed with the install. Installing Windows card that works well in 2D, such as the Matrox G500, an
XP Professional takes about 3/ of an hour, almost the entry-level Quadro4 200 card, or even a Quadro2
same amount of time we spent assembling it. card, if you can find one, for the Quadro4 card will
also save you some significant dollars. We also added
Saving Some Bucks. In putting together our Affordable a Gigabit over Copper Ethernet adapter card to our
Workstation, we decided to max the system out. (See system, as we are running this high -speed Ethernet
Table 1.) There are some areas, however, where you protocol in our home. A slower standard 100BaseT
can save some significant money by using lower per- Ethernet adapter should cost as little as $20.
formance parts or by eliminating components com- Finally, you can purchase a bargain keyboard and
pletely. (See Table 2.) For example, we wanted the mouse, as well as a smaller hard -disk drive. You might
convenience of really high -capacity backup and stor- be tempted to save money on the case and power
age on our system, so we included a DVD +RW drive. supply, since the Antec Performance Plus case runs
We also used an expensive TEAC 40X CD -RW drive as about $110. Searching the Internet, we came up with
a second optical drive, making it easier to do backups cases that have AMD- compliant power supplies for as
of CDs. By eliminating the DVD +RW drive and using a little as $60. While the cost difference adds up to $50
less expensive 32x CD -RW drive, you can save about or more, don't look to save money here. The Antec
$550. You might also keep the DVD +RW drive and elim- case has a high -capacity power supply with excellent
inate the CD -RW drive. The DVD +RW drive can also regulation. It also has the Extended Pentium 4 power
write CD -R and CD -RW discs, and you would save connectors, which the motherboard, although it is for
about $140. dual AMD processors, requires. A cheap power supply
We also went whole hog on the video card, an can nuke your motherboard and CPUs or, if you are
NVIDIA Quadro4 750. The real benefits of this card lucky, simply self- destruct. With two CPUs and two
don't really show up on the benchmark that we used, gigabytes of RAM, the ASUS motherboard is drawing a
which is very processor-dependent. Not all applica- fair amount of power. Using the case that we did, or
tions, even those which are highly graphical, always one of similar high quality, helps assure that your sys-
reflect the power that the video card brings to the tem will not experience any power problems. The
table. Check to see if your applications do make use Antec case is also a dream to work inside of.
of the video card's capability. If you are running an We also received our CPUs directly from AMD, so
application that does, such as AutoCAD, the extra they came without heatsinks. We could have gotten
money spent on a high-end workstation video card away with purchasing less expensive heatsinks for
like the Quadro4 750 is well worth it. about $20 each, but because excessive heat build -up
We used an NVIDIA reference design; though you can damage the CPU or, at the very least, cause your
would probably have to purchase this card from PNY, system to slow down, we went for the new Reference
the vendor that NVIDIA chose to initially produce the Series heatsinks from Antec. These have massive solid

TABLE 1

PARTS AND PRICES (AS BUILT)

COMPONENT VENDOR MODEL PRICE
Case Antec Performance Plus $109
Motherboard ASUS A7M266-D $250
CPU AMD Athlon MP2000 (two) $420
RAM Kingston Four 512MB DDR RAMs $360
Heatsinks Antec Reference Series (two) $60
Video Card NVIDIA Quadro4 750 $515
Keyboard & Mouse Logitech Cordless Freedom $80
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional $180
Hard -Disk Drive Maxtor 80GB DiamondMax $150
DVD +RW Drive Sony $499
CD -RW Drive TEAC 40x12x48 $140
Gigabit Ethernet Card Intel $120
Floppy-Disk Drive Generic $20

TOTAL $2903 25

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 TABLE 2
AN EVEN MORE ECONOMICAL CONFIGURATION
COMPONENT VENDOR MODEL PRICE
Case Antec Performance Plus $100
Motherboard ASUS A7M266 -D $250
CPU AMD Athlon MP2000 (two) Retail $420
Packaging with Heatsinks
RAM Kingston Two 512MB DDR RAMs $180
Video Card Matrox G550 $125
Keyboard & Mouse Generic Any that are on sale $20
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional $180
Hard -Disk Drive Maxtor 60GB $100
CD-RW Drive IOmagic 32x10x40 $100
100BaseT Internet Card Generic Any that are on sale $20
Floppy -Disk Drive Generic $20

TOTAL $1515

aluminum heatsinks and high -volume, high -RPM fans. tion, The second was a high -performance PC using
They also cost about twice as much as less expensive Intel's newest 2.53 -GHz Pentium 4 CPU and a mother-
models. Again, two CPUs mean twice the heat gener- board with the newest 533 -MHz front -side bus. The
ation inside the case. Thermal protection is one place video card in this system was an older GeForce2 MX.
you don't want to save money at the expense of fry- Finally, we ran the benchmarks a third time on the
ing your processors. Dual 2.2 -GHz Intel Xeon "Monster Workstation" we built
for the March and April 2002 "Peak Computing"
Start It Up! Before you rush out to build your own dual CPU columns. The results are not surprising. The TrueSpace
system, keep in mind that many typical applications get benchmark completed in 2 minutes and 32 seconds
absolutely no benefit from running on a system with more on the AMD workstation and in 2 minutes and 5 sec-
than a single CPU. With these applications, the second onds on the Intel dual -Xeon workstation. That's a pret-
CPU just sits idly by, watching its twin do all the work. Only ty close time considering that the AMD processors run
applications that are designed to run in a multi -processor somewhat slower than the Xeons and the ASUS moth-
environment will actually show a performance benefit erboard uses DDR RAM, rather than RDRAM. Of
from being run on a system such as this one. course, the actual differential between the two sys-
Keep in mind that you should also match the com- tems will vary with the specific benchmarks that you
ponents to the tasks that you expect to do. For exam- use, but the dual AMD workstation does make a good
ple, heavy graphics rendering, such as modeling and showing for the money.
CAD, really do benefit from using a video card /sub- Obviously, the dual Athlon MP workstation isn't the
system designed for that type of task. That's why we right choice for everyone. If, however, you do have
equipped our workstation with an NVIDIA Quadro4. applications (including some games), which can ben-
Be very careful about trading performance for cost efit from having two CPUs available, our dual AMD
savings. processor workstation can provide you with great per-
formance at a surprisingly affordable price. P
Putting It To The Test. To see just how much perfor-
mance you can get from an economical workstation,
we constructed two benchmarks that are workstation -
oriented. The first of these was constructed using
Caligari's TrueSpace 5.2. This is a 2D modeling and ani-
mation application and makes use of dual processors
where available.
We also intended to construct a second benchmark
using Corel Software's Bryce. Bryce is a modeling appli-
cation for creating virtual environments. Every pixel in
the Bryce screen needs to be individually rendered, an
extremely compute- intensive task. While Bryce's com-
pute- intensiveness makes it an excellent benchmark for
testing workstations, we found that it does not make use
of dual processors where available and so decided not
to use it for testing the AMD workstation.
We ran the TrueSpace benchmark on a trio of sys-
26 tems. Obviously, one was the AMD Dual CPU worksta- "Actually, it means 'unleaded fuel only'."

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 {rod`
Reprime ds Now®
Eectroric 1996
Vebruarl
JOHN SIMONTON

ince its introduction to the general public in the phones when a person entered a protected
late 1920s, the image and tone of the theremin area, were among the earliest applications of
has captured the imagination. Eyes widened at heterodyning, a principle that in one form or
the sight of a musician producing sound using only a another underlies all forms of electronic commu-
conductor's gestures. The theremin's pure tones, able nications. In fact, if Theremin's work did not pre-
to stand out without distortion against even the full for- cede the invention of the superheterodyne by
tissimo of a symphony orchestra, were like nothing
anyone had ever heard before.
Was it a hit? You bet! Theremin con-
certs were performed in front of
standing -room only crowds in halls
where

audiences were ordinarily sparse.

The place of the theremin in a
"modern" orchestra was a given for
such maestros as Leopold Stokowski,
who used one or more in numerous
concerts of the Philadelphia Orchestra during the late Edwin Armstrong in 1918, it was at least happening at
1930s. RCA thought that every cultured home would the same time.
have a theremin, but things didn't work out that way You likely already know that when two signals are
for a lot of reasons. combined in a mixer the result is a signal with new fre-
We'll talk more about these things shortly and also quency components that are the sums and differ-
look at how to build a theremin that is based on the ences of the frequencies that were in the originals, as
same heterodyning principles that were key to the well as the original themselves. This is the basic princi-
original. Theremax produces the classic sound while ple behind AM radio. For example, if 100 -kHz and 99-
adding embellishments made possible by the econo- kHz sine waves are combined in this way, the result will
my of transistors and integrated circuits. It can function be a new wave form that also has -kHz and 199-kHz
1

as a stand -alone instrument or as a gesture- sensing components. There are a couple of neat things about
controller for other musical instruments or in perfor- this -the first is that while the two original frequencies
mance art applications. are both well above the range of human hearing, as is
the sum frequency of 199 kHz, the -kHz difference is
1

The Theremin Zeitgeist. The right in the middle of what we

Aetherphon that Lev Termen hear best. The second neat
showed to a Russian physics thing is that relatively small
conference in 1920 was an changes in either of the source
adaptation of his earlier inven- signals will produce a relatively
tion, the Radio Watchman. What has this to do with large change in the difference frequency. If the 100 -
our story? Just this: Lev shortly moved to New York, kHz signal changes by 'A to 99.5 kHz, the output signal
Anglicized his name to Leon, and began calling the will halve (an octave change) to 500 Hz.
instrument by his new American surname of Theremin. All of this is important in Radio Watchmen and
And this: Both the Aetherphon and the Radio Aetherphons because the presence of a human body
Watchman, which emitted a squeal in a pair of head- can easily produce a few picofarad change in the 27

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 capacitance of a piece of wire hanging off in space. antennas on the vertical arms of the U. The most corn -
If the capacitance of the wire is part of a tuned circuit, mon was the lectern style case we've used.
the result is a small change in the resonant frequency. One of the more unusual configurations was the
In much electronic equipment, such parasitic capaci- Terpsitone, a dance plafform with theremin antennas
tance is a flaw that must be overcome through shield- spread around it so that the dancers would create the
ing, buffering oscillator circuits, and so on. Here, how- music as they danced to it. That seems to be a pretty
ever, it's the whole point. cool idea even when compared to today's world of
Here you have your basic theremin: A pair of high - hip performance art. Theremax has control -voltage
frequency oscillators is running at essentially the same and gate outputs that make it even more appropriate
frequency -one fixed and the second connected to for these kinds of applications.
a sensing antenna. As the hand of the performer For a number of reasons, the theremin never
approaches the antenna, the frequency of the sens- replaced the spinet in the parlors of America: the
ing oscillator goes down, so the frequency difference depression was not a good time to be introducing
between the two oscillators increases. The outputs of new musical instruments. Also, the RCA design was
the oscillators are combined; and a low -pass filter is one that was deemed unplayable by the leading
used to allow only the lower difference frequency to thereminist of any age, Clara Rockmore. In that
pass, which is the sound you hear. The original design, volume, and consequently articulation, were
Aetherphon was little more than this: a foot pedal was controlled by the varying power to the filaments of a
used to control the volume and a switch was provided tube. Thermal lag of the filaments meant that every-
to mute the tone completely. thing had to be played glissando -it was essentially
On the way to becoming a theremin, some impossible to add quiet spaces between notes played
changes were made. By the time the design was quickly. The theremin used by Clara Rockmore in all of
licensed by RCA in 1929, a circuit had been added so her concerts was a unit custom -made by Leon
the performer controlled the volume and could artic- Theremin that used a different approach to controlling
ulate notes with movements of his left hand relative to volume. After a single run of a couple of hundred units,
a horizontal "volume" antenna -which, interestingly RCA discontinued theremin production.
enough, was not part of a heterodyne circuit. The right Yes, and let's be honest: The biggest reason that
hand controlled pitch by its proximity to a vertical theremins have never become overwhelmingly popu-
"pitch" antenna. There were several different pack- lar is that, spooky sci -fi noises aside, they are much
age configurations for the theremin, including one more difficult to play than you might think-despite
that looked like a music stand with antennas and RCA's claim that "anyone who can hum can play
another one with a massive "U "- shaped case with one."

Theramax
© 1995 PAiA

28 Here is a full -size printed circuit board foil pattern for the Theremax.

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 Id IV

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Fig. I. This is the nutin Therenra.t schematic. All components marked vIith
an asterisk mount of the circuit board. 29

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 Well, actually, riffs like the theremin Clara and Leon
lick in Brian Wilson's "Good Vibrations"
Lev Termen, who later changed While it is said that there was a
aren't too bad, and the one in Led his name to Leon Theremin, was romantic relationship between the
Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" born in St. Petersburg, Russia, at the two, Clara eventually married a
won't take forever to master either. turn of the century. So was Clara prominent impresario of the time to
The common complaint is that Reisenberg, who later took her hus- become Clara Rockmore. This mar-
there is no tactile feedback, no band's name of Rockmore. Although riage had a very beneficial effect
keys or frets, and the pitch destiny was to join their lives, the on her career and, consequently,
response to hand position is nonlin- two didn't meet one another until on the exposure that the theremin
ear. That attitude might not get you after they both had emigrated to received. Leon married a dancer
much sympathy from violinists, but the U.S. in the late 1920s. and established an acoustical labo-
they do at least have a finger- Leon began his studies of physics ratory in New York, where he contin-
board to touch. and music composition at the ued the development of various
You've been warned. Let's see University of St. Petersburg. While electronic musical instruments.
about building one of these beasts. continuing his study of physics at the Clara spent the rest of her life in
Petrograd Physico-Technical Institute New York and gave many coast -to-
Design Analysis. The main Theremax in 1919, he became director of the coast concert tours. In the late
schematic is shown in Fig. 1. Its Laboratory of Electrical Oscillators. 1930s Leon disappeared. It isn't
In this environment, he was able to known whether he was responding
power-supply section is shown in
combine his interests in music and to the pressures of his inter -racial
Fig. 2. At the heart of the circuitry
physics to produce what is general- marriage and yearning for his
are four oscillators, two of which ly accepted as the first electronic homeland, or if his homeland was
are mixed to produce the pitch sig- musical instrument. He began yearning for him. Following the
nal and two of which are mixed to demonstrating the Aetherphon, as purges of the 1917 revolution, Russia
produce the volume -control signal. he originally called the instrument, was short of technical talent, and
If it occurs to you that one oscillator in 1920; and it is known that Lenin, some sources say he was taken
could serve as reference for both the revolutionary father of commu- involuntarily. It is typical of the
pitch and volume sensing, you nism, was among those who saw a romanticism of the theremin mythol-
have a good designer's instincts -it demonstration. Lenin may have ogy that by some accounts he was
would be more economical. been responsible for Leon's trips to kidnapped by the KGB, an organi-
Unfortunately, multiple oscillators western Europe and the USA in zation that did not exist until 1954. In
operating near the same frequen- search of cultural acceptance of any case, one morning in 1938 he
cy have a tendency to "pull" and the revolution and capital for Leon's was missing from his New York apart-
lock to exactly the same frequen- many inventions. ment and never again contacted
cy-just like the swing of multiple Clara was a musical prodigy who his wife and children or any of his
compound pendulums will tend to began playing the violin at the age associates. Now it is known that he
synchronize. It's not too difficult to of 4. The following year she was the did return to Moscow and was
minimize this tendency in a single youngest student ever admitted to involved in electronic research for
the Imperial Conservatory of Music the government until 1964 when he
pair of oscillators by physically iso-
in St. Petersburg. It is difficult to rec- retired to become a professor of
lating them from one another, oncile the time lines of various acoustics at the University of
putting guard bands around them accounts, but by 1927 she and Leon Moscow.
on a circuit board, and decoupling were both in New York after suc- In 1991, as a consequence of
them from their common power cessful independent concert tours. glasnost and with permissions
supply. However, doing so for three During this time, Clara's hand obtained by John Chowning of
oscillators, all heading for essential- muscles began to show the devas- Stanford University, Leon was able
ly the same frequency, is consider- tating effects of childhood malnutri- to return to the US for lectures and
ably more difficult. tion, which was widespread in to participate in the filming of
If the oscillators lock, there is no Russia during the transition from Steven Martin's " Theremin: An
more difference frequency, so the czarist to Bolshevik control. It Electronic Odyssey." At one of the
output goes to zero. It would be appeared that her career as a con- lectures where Leon was only to
bad enough if at the lowest notes cert violinist would soon be over. speak, he gave a spontaneous solo
the sound suddenly stopped, but She realized that the theremin was concert that was a moving perfor-
the worst part is that just prior to her only hope of continuing her mance for a man in his 95th year.
locking, the oscillators go through musical career and over a period of Clara, always proud of her appear-
an unstable region where the syn- several years she worked closely ance, is said to have had great
chronization is chaotic. Instead of with Leon to develop an instrument reservations about seeing him
that would allow her the expressive again in her old age, but she finally
just suddenly going quiet, there is a
control needed for concert work. To agreed; and they were reunited on
burst of noise first. These are very
the end of his days, Leon was never this trip.
unmusical characteristics. Having able to provide her with her great-
four oscillators allows us to offset After a brief stay in the US, Leon
est wish, a polytonic theremin returned to Moscow where he died
the frequency ranges of the pairs capable of playing more than one in 1993.
so that they do not interact. note at a time.
30 The basic oscillator is a classic

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 t
POWER R1 Hartley type as typified by transistor
+V
o.o S1' 10052
+i Q2 and associated circuitry. The
r0 LED2
POWER
Cl
100µF
C3 ^
10001.F
- R22
o
primary winding of oscillator coil L2
D1
8.2V
C2
.01
1.0K
F- -0
and capacitor 010 form a reso-
WALL -MOUNT ADAPTER
R7T nant tank circuit load for the tran-
9V DC, 100mA
2.2K / I SG
R23
1.0K
°12VR
C2o sistor, which is configured as a corn -
I 1001AF
mon -base amplifier stage. A tap on
the coil is coupled by C 11 to the
Fig. 2. A 9 -volt DC adapter provides power for the power supply shown above. input of the amplifier (the emitter of
Q2) for feedback. Resistors R7 and
R1 0 set the operating point of Q2 to
PARTS LIST FOR THE THEREMAX
provide the gain necessary to
SEMICONDUCTORS C3- 1000 -µF, 10- volts, electrolytic maintain oscillation. R8 and C8 pro-
ICI -LM339 quad comparator C5, C9, C13, C17, C39- 100 -pF, vide decoupling between the
IC2-748 op -amp ceramic -disc power supply and the oscillator to
Q1 -Q12- 2N4124 NPN transistor C6, C10- 100 -pF, NPO, ceramic -disc minimize unwanted interactions
D1 -8.2- volts, 400 -milliwatts, Zener C7, C11, C15, C19, C28, C31- 470 -pF, between the four oscillators. In this
diode ceramic -disc oscillator, and the identical one
D2-D9 -1N34A germanium diode C14, C 18-68 -pF, NPO, ceramic -disc built around Q3, the frequency is
D10-D14-1N914 silicon diode C21, C26, C32- 10-µF, 10- volts, set solely by the combination of
D15, D16-Light-emitting diode, red electrolytic 010 and the inductance of the pri-
C22, C27, C34, C37-220 -pF, ceramic - mary winding of L2. It is adjusted by
RESISTORS disc varying the ferrite slug in the oscilla-
(All resistors are '/<-watt, 5%, unless C23, C35, C36, C38 -1
-11F 10- volts, tor coil.
otherwise noted.) electrolytic The sensing oscillators, typified by
R1-100-ohms C24, C25, C30-0.1-g, Mylar the one for pitch comprising Q1
R2, R19-3300-ohms C29- 4,7 -µF, 10- volts, electrolytic and associated components, have
R3, R8, R13, R17, R69-680-ohms C40, C41-0.001 - tF, ceramic-disc a couple of tweaks. The capacitive
R4, R9, R14, R18, R48, R49, R61, R65, reactance of the tank has the
R66-56,000-ohms ADDITIONAL PARTS additional component of the
R5, R6, R20, R21-47-ohms AND MATERIALS pitch- sensing antenna, which is
R7, R12, R53-3900-ohms J1, J3, J4, J5, J6-V4-inch phone jack effectively in parallel with capaci-
RIO, R15, R22, R23, R56-1000-ohms J2 -V -inch stereo phone jack tor C6. The parasitic capacitance
R11, R16, R41, R50, R70-10,000-ohms S -SPST switch
1
of this antenna is greatly affected
R24, R25, R54, R57-1-megohm P1 -DC wall -mount adapter, 9- volts, by the presence of objects, partic-
R26, R45, R59-4700-ohms 100 -mA ularly flesh- and-blood objects. As
R27, R29, R60-470,000-ohms L1, L2, L3, L4-796 -kHz (nom.) an object approaches the anten-
R28, R67, R68-470-ohms oscillator coil na, capacitance increases caus-
R30, R33, R34, R36, R37, R38-47,000- Knobs, circuit board, wire, solder, ing the resonant frequency of the
ohms hardware, case, etc. circuit to go down.
R31, R62-39,000-ohms The sensing oscillator also pro-
R32, R63-330-ohms Note: The following items are available vides for vernier control of frequen-
R35, R46-10-megohms from PAiA Electronics, Inc., 3200 cy using potentiometer R79, which
R39, R40, R55, R58, R64 22,000-ohms Teakwood Ln., Edmond, OK 73013; allows a variable setting of the
R42-220,000-ohms 405- 340-6300; www.paia.com/paia. operating point of Ql Varying the
.

R43, R77, R78-2200-ohms Complete kit of all electronic parts operating point changes frequen-
R44-4.7 megohms including power supply, circuit board cy by increasing or decreasing the
R47-68,000-ohms and knobs less antennae and case DC current flow through the prima-
R51, R52-15,000-ohms (#9505K): $88.75 plus $7 shipping. ry of L1, which changes the perme-
R71, R72, R73, R74-100,000-ohms Case kit with pieces cut from white ability of the core slightly and con-
R75, R76-1500-ohms pine and drilled for assembly, sequently the reactance of the
R79, R80-1000-ohms, panel-mount includes hardware; formed antennae; inductor. The volume-sensing oscil-
potentiometer bottom plate; and punched, anodized, lator (built around Q4) follows this
R81, R82, R83, R84-10,000-ohms, and legended control panel (#9505C): same design.
panel-mount potentiometer $77.25 plus $12 shipping. Partial For both pitch and volume, the
R85, R86-270-ohms Case Kit *: Front panel, antennae and outputs of the reference and sens-
antennae mounting hardware only ing oscillators are taken off the sec-
CAPACITORS (#9505fPA): $28.50 plus $7 shipping. ondary windings of their respective
Cl, C20, C42- 100 -pF, 10 volts, Please NOTE: The mounting hard- transformers to buffer them from
electrolytic ware is not appropriate for metal the effects of loading by the rest of
C2, C4, C8, C12, C16, C33, C43 -0.01- cases. the circuitry. Let's consider the
µ,, ceramic disc pitch circuitry as typical, where the 31

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 oscillators are mixed in the ring that sets the control voltage avail- which adds even harmonics to the
modulator consisting of D2 -D5. The able at the PITCH CV jack. The vol- output to give the sensation of
output of the modulator consists ume CV is generated in the same being played hard. The velocity CV
almost entirely of the sum and dif- way, using the comparator built also is routed to the Schmitt trigger
ference frequencies with some around ICI -b. consisting of ICI -c and associated
small leakage at the frequencies of Potentiometer R81 allows either components. When velocity exceeds
the oscillators. The higher frequen- the sine wave at the collector of a threshold, the Schmitt changes
cies are rejected by the low -pass Q8, the square wave at the output state to provide a triggering pulse
filter consisting of R26 and C22, and of the ICI -a, or a mix of the two to to external equipment. Since many
only the audible difference fre- serve as the audio signal. At the vintage analog synthesizers initiate
quency passes. Transistor Q8 and counterclockwise end of the rota- musical events with a switch clo-
associated components comprise tion of R81, its grounded wiper sure to ground (or "S" trigger), the
a single -stage amplifier that boosts shorts out the junction of R40 and final comparator in IC1 is used as
the output of the modulator to a R42 allowing only the sine wave to an open collector to ground
more usable level, with C27 provid- pass to the next stage through C29, turned on by the gate. Both of
ing a second pole of filtering for fur- R41, and R39. At the other end of its these signals appear at the stereo
ther suppression of the higher fre- rotation, the wiper shorts out the phone jack, J2, with the gate con-
quencies. The comparable circuit sine wave. At intermediate settings, nected to the tip and the open
elements in the volume- sensing the two are mixed. This audio signal collector to the ring. A mono plug
side of the circuit should be appar- is coupled by C36 to the voltage - may be used to access the gate,
ent from inspection of the schematic. controlled amplifier or VCA. since the open collector tied to the
Pitch and volume -control volt- In the VCA, the gain of a differ- ring can be grounded with no
ages are produced in the same ential pair of transistors (Q10, Q11) problem.
way: A comparator converts the is controlled by setting the current The 8.2-volt Zener diode, D1, sta-
sine-wave difference frequency to flow through them with a third tran- bilizes the voltage from the wall -
square waves. These waves are dif- sistor, Q12. The volume CV, as set by mounted DC adapter so that
ferentiated to a string of pulses, front -panel control R83, is convert- power -line transients don't cause
which are then integrated to a ed to a current by R70. This current pitch glitches.
control voltage (CV). Consider the sets the collector current of Q12. As Next month, we'll show you how
pitch CV as typical, where the out- this current increases, the gain of to build, test, and tune Theremax. P
put of the amplifier Q8 is coupled Q10 and Ql increases as well. The
1

by C30 to the Schmitt trigger wired significant shift in DC voltage at

Audio Video Computers Electronics
around ICI -a. The inverting input of their collectors is canceled out in
-

the comparator is tied to a half -of- the differential amp built around
supply reference, VR, that comes the 748 op -amp, IC2. The output of
from R22 and R23. R38 ties the non - IC2 is coupled by C38 to J1.
IIIIOLESALH,
inverting input to VR, and R43 and The volume CV is also used to & uISCOUNrl'
R44 combine to provide a slight derive a velocity CV. Natural instru- `.,Z4i
hysteresis that speeds switching ments are sensitive to how hard
and prevents "chattering" when you play them. With MIDI instru- BUYERS
the Schmitt trigger fires. ments, this quality has come to be
The output appears across the known as velocity. In Theremax, GUIDE
load resistor, R51, and it is coupled velocity is proportional to the rate y
by C28 to R24 so that the rising of increase of volume -the "veloc- wirren wapent

edge of the square wave pro- ity" with which your hand approach- Wholesale & Discount
duces a positive -going pulse. On es the volume antenna. Changes Buyers Guide.
falling edges of the square wave, in the volume CV are coupled by #CP -1 - $19.95
Dl l becomes forward- biased and C26 through current -limiting resistor Save up to 90% off list prices. Audio and
quickly charges C28 for the next R28 to the base of the emitter-fol- video equipment and materials; electron-
pulse while also clamping to lower, Q7. When the volume CV is ic products and surplus; pro recording
ground the negative spike that decreasing, D14 forward biases to and specialty items; computers and com-
ponents. Source listings include complete
would be produced. As the fre- clamp the velocity CV to ground address, phone, fax, e-mail and website
quency increases, the constant - and provide a high- current recharge addresses. 8/ x I l", 72pp. paperback.
width pulses come closer together path for C26. Panel-mounted Send $19.95 plus $ 5.00 S&H to:
so the equivalent DC value of the potentiometer R84 serves as a load Claggk, Inc. PO Box 12162,
pulse train increases. The average resistor for the emitter follower and Hauppauge, NY 11788; Tel: 631-
value of the pulse train is recovered an attenuator for the CV. 592 -6721; Fax: 631 -592 -6723;
email: claggk @gernsback.com.
by charging C24 through D10. The The velocity CV is available at
SORRY No orders accepted out-
voltage on the capacitor is "read the front -panel jack, J3. It also side of USA & Canada. Al pay-
out" by the high- impedance emit- routes to the base of Ql in the
1 ments must be in U.S. funds.
ter follower consisting of Q5 and VCA differential pair. There it makes
32 R82, which is also the panel control the response non -symmetrical, CLX3

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ALL ABOUT...
mailto: allabout@gernsback.com WILLIAM SHEETS, K2MQJ, and RUDOLF F. GRAF, KA2CWL

NE555 Timer Circuits

The NE555 timer and its companion

devices, the NE556 dual timer and
NE558 quad timer, can be used in a
number of applications-limited only by 820K
8
your ingenuity. These versatile timers Ra
can function both as astable and as 9V
monostable devices (one -shot) and can 100K BATTERY
be triggered in several ways. With suit- Rb
able component changes, they may be ICL7555 220 S 220
customized for a particular application
or otherwise used as is. We will discuss a
IR LEDS
few circuits that feature these devices.
(6)
uF 5
1

Infrared Firefly C
The first circuit (Fig. 1), called the .01 uF
Infrared Firefly, is á marker device used
for surveillance work. It can be packaged
on a postage- stamp -sized PC board, is
designed for placing in a small box with FIG 1

an attached ceramic magnet, and runs INFRARED FIREFLY

from a 9 -volt battery. The device can be
placed in an inconspicuous spot on the volt supply, so all six LEDs draw about age current drain is approximately 40 pA
vehicle being trailed. 40 mA. While six LEDs could be con- X 10 percent or 4 mA
The Firefly generates a short pulse nected in series, a higher supply voltage The CMOS version is also advanta-
every few hundred milliseconds that dri- would be needed. The current drawn by geous when long delays are needed.
ves six infrared LEDs, which do not pro- the 7555 is very small (about 50 pA at Higher resistances and smaller capaci-
duce any visible light. There is no RF 9V) and can be disregarded, so the aver- tances can be achieved with it, as con-
carrier that might be detected with a bug
detector. A CCD camera or snooper - Ra = 150K
scope (similar to a night-vision scope) POT + 150K
"sees" the LEDs, which will appear like 100
a firefly or blinking beacon. In this way, SPEED
a vehicle can be "marked" and followed I MEG CONTROL
POT 4-- 4 8
without anything noticeable to the 9V
human eye. Naturally, visible-light BATTERY
SPKR
LEDs of suitable color(s) can be substi- 12K 16 OHM
tuted for the infrared LEDs, if desired. Rb
In this circuit, the NE555 -type device ICL7555
is actually a 7555 -type CMOS version.
Consuming negligible power, the device
drives the LEDs (two separate groups of
three series -connected LEDs). A cycle 2.2 uF
length of around % of a second works C
well, with a ten percent duty cycle. This .01 uF
cycle saves battery power, cutting the
average drain to about ten percent of
that of the LEDs if they were fully on.
Each LED string of three LEDs in FIG 2
series draws in about 20 mA with a 9- METRONOME CIRCUIT 33

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 +12 V INPUT then
680
Ra Rb = 0.105M
0 2.2 uF
4.7K and
+\ 8V OUTPUT
6.8K Ra = 8Rb = 0.84M
Rb
ICL7555 In practice, an 820 -K resistor could
V be used for Ra and a 100 -K for Rb. The
1N914B '10uf values could be increased by a factor of
10 if a 0.1 -pF timing cap was used
instead of 1 -pE Using surface-mount
C
components with a surface -mount IC
.001 uF .01 uF and LEDs, this circuit can be packaged
into a very small configuration, limited
only by the battery size. This reduction
is very close to 50% without any extra
components needed.
FIG 3 The square wave present at pin 3 is
DC -DC CONVERTER CIRCUIT fed to a rectifier and filtered to obtain a
DC bias voltage. Since very low current
tasted with the NE555, which limits (Ra + 2Rb) = 1.05M = 1050K is required (a few tenths of a mil-
resistor size to about 10 megohms. This liampere), small capacitors and large
feature allows long time delays with and resistors can be used. A frequency of
more reasonable-size components. around 50 to 100 kHz is appropriate to
In this circuit, we used a 1 -pF tanta- Duty Cycle = Rb/(Ra + 2Rb) = 0.1 minimize component size. Ra and Rb
lum capacitor for its small size, low leak- will determine the duty cycle and fre-
age, and stability. For a frequency of Then quency. Choosing C to be .001 pF (a
1.33 Hz with a ten percent (0.1) duty convenient standard value) and the fre-
cycle Rb = 0.1 (Ra) + 0.2 (Rb) quency to be 100 kHz

F= 1.4 / (Ra + 2 Rb)C or F = 1.4/(Ra + 2Rb)C

Then Ra = 8 Rb and, therefore

1.33 = 1.4/ (Ra + 2Rb)(1) substituting Ra +2Rb= 1.4/(F X C)

and Ra + 2Rb = 10Rb = 1.05M If C = .001 pF and F = 100 kHz, then

+ 12V

Rai Ra2
4 8 4 8
47K 33K

3 OUTPUT
Rb1 Rb2 2 TONE
470K ICL7555 330K ICL7555 WARBLE

LF TONE
OSCILLATOR .02 uF OSCILLATOR
Cl
2.2 uF

.01 uF 4.7K TO 16K

FIG 4
34 WARBLING TONE GENERATOR

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 + 12V

Ra2 8
33K
NC
3
OUTPUT
Rb2 2 TONE
330K ICL7555 WARBLE
2 `_7555

LF TONE
iLLATOR 2.2K .02 uF OSCILLATOR

5 .01 uF
1 5J
4.7K
2N3906 TO 16K

FIG 5
SLIDING TONE GENERATOR

_.o =1.4/(.001 x 100,000) = .0667Ra = .867R1) C = 1.4/3.33( .174) = 2.416 pF

1.4/100=.014M
or (use a 2.2 -pf 10% tantalum electrolytic)
Since Ra was set equal to 0.1Rb, 2.1
Rb = .014M, and Rb = .014/2.1 = Rb = .076 Ra = 11.5K Then
.00666M or 6.66K (close to the standard
value of 6.8K, using 6.8K for Rb), then (Closest standard value of 12K will be F = 1.4/(0.174)(2.2) = 3.657 Hz
Ra will he 680 ohms. used.)
this is
The Electronic Metronome Then
The 555 can also be used as a tone or 3.657 x 60=219.4ppm
pulse generator for various purposes. F = 1.4 /(Ra + 2Rb) C
The output can drive loads up to 100 As a check, at full resistance pot setting
mA under certain conditions. Consult and solving for C Ra + 2Rb will be 1.174M. Using C = 2.2
the manufacturer's data sheet for a pF, then
detailed explanation of maximum cur- C = 1.4/F(Ra + 2Rb)
rent and voltage ratings. A circuit of an F = 1.4/(1.174) (2.2) = 0.542 Hz
electronic metronome is shown in Fig. where C is in pF, R is in megohms, and
2. This circuit generates a variable fre- F is in Hz, or
quency pulse of from 40 to 200 pulses
per minute and drives a speaker, produc- +12 V INPUT
ing a click each cycle. Using a common-
ly available 1 -M potentiometer with a
TO
150 -K series resistor for Ra, we get a CONTROLLED
100K 10K 8
150K- 1.15M-resistance range Since the CIRCUIT
maximum frequency will be 200 Pulses
Per Minute (ppm), this frequency is 3
Rx OPTO
2.2 ISOLATOR
200/60 = 3.33 Hz. or 300 msec between 1

MEGS ICL7555
pulses. If a 20 -msec pulse is used to pro- TIME
duce a good audible click in the speaker, SET

the duty cycle at 200 ppm will be 20/300 2

or 6.67 percent. Under these conditions, 470 +

.01 uF
uF
Ra is 150K (pot set at zero resistance). START
Then Rb/Ra + 2Rb will equal .0667. As PUSH
BUTTON .01 uF
Ra is 150K with the pot set at zero
resistance GND

Rb/(Ra + 2Rb) = .0667

FIG 6
and then TIMER CIRCUIT 35

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 0.542 x 60 = 32.5 ppm output appears across Cl. Depending on invet
load, up to -8 volts DC is available for ty, mat
Therefore, the 40- to 200 -ppm range biasing purposes. If more current is generate
is covered with room to spare. needed, use smaller values of R2 and
Since frequency is inversely propor- larger values of C3. The DC voltage 555 Timt
tional to capacitance, substituting a output will not exhibit very close regula- A timer fcs,,
smaller capacitor will increase the fre- tion, but it will be good enough for the time a device Voo
quency. If we wanted a 300-Hz mini- intended bias purposes. One of the 79L in Fig. 6. By pre, /SA
mum frequency, the 2.2 -pF capacitor
can be changed by a factor of 3.33/300 =
series of regulators could regulate the
output voltage to 5 volts, if desired.
timer, devices froîi,a o
short times (light di"4"
r
0.0111 and would be .0244 pF (use .0022 This circuit could be run at low fre- enlargers, cameras, et
pF in parallel with .022 pF for standard quencies if RFI generation is a consider- ing hours (lighting
values to get 0.0242 pF, close enough). ation, as larger but still reasonable com- chargers, etc.) can be
This capacitor would give a range of 300 ponent values could be used. If C was safety reasons, an optoise
to 1500 Hz. A log taper pot is recom- made equal to 1 pF and C3 was 1000 pF, the circuit from the AC pow
mended for a smoother acting control, the circuit would run at 100 Hz with controlling a triac or solid -.
as this will make it less critical to adjust similar performance. (not shown). The circuit uses e
at the high frequency end of the range. in the monostable mode. It is it
Time Generators by a triggering pulse applied to
Voltage Converter The NE555 can be frequency modu- This voltage can be derived from a n,
The next circuit is a voltage convert- lated by another NE555 to produce ual switch of some sort (pushbutto .

er using the 555. While dedicated ICs tones whose frequency varies with time. etc.) or a logic circuit, and it must drive
for this purpose are available, the com- Pin 5 sets the threshold voltage at which this pin below 1 /3Vcc. The time interval
mon NE555 or 7555 can be used instead the internal comparator causes the inter- in this application is
for non -critical applications-without nal flip -flop to change state. Normally
troubling to obtain the specialized IC. this is 2/3 Vcc, but since the voltage is T= 1.1 RC
Figure 3 illustrates a circuit to obtain derived from an internal resistive
negative bias for an automatic gain -con- divider, it is possible to superimpose an where R = M and C = pF.
trol application. Minus 5 volts was external modulation signal on it. There are many, many other uses for
required, but +12V was the only DC Shifting this voltage will change the these timers. Consult the manufacturer's
supply available. The NE555 is set up as time on the R -C charging curve when application notes and the literature for
a square -wave oscillator of about 40- the threshold is reached, which causes a more examples and ideas for their circuit
percent duty cycle. Ideally a 50- percent change in frequency. A positive -going applications. P
duty cycle would be used in this applica- voltage lowers the frequency, a negative
tion, but without a few extra compo- raises it. Figure 4 shows how it can be
nents this is not possible. If Ra is made done. ICl generates a low -frequency .000161n.,d
YOU CAN WIND
Correction
equal to 0.1 Rb, square wave. The output voltage is used Numeri
YOUR OWN COILS?
to shift the threshold of IC2. This cir-
Duty Cycle = Rb/2.1 Rb cuit will produce alternating high and There's no trick to it except
low tones. knowing what you are do-
or 47.6 percent. A way to generate a swept tone is pre- C ing. In a unique, 106 -page
book you can become ex-
The square wave appearing at the sented in Fig. 5. The capacitor voltage is pert in winding RF, IF,
output (pin 3) is fed to C2, which cou- read with an emitter follower and shifts audio and power coils, chokes and trans-
ples it to rectifier diode D1 and filter the threshold voltage with a sawtooth. formers. Practically every type of coil is dis-
network R1 and C3. The negative DC By using waveshaping circuits and cussed and necessary calculations are given
with the mathematical data simplified for
use by anyone. Get your copy today!
NORTH COUNTRY RADIO:
A HAVEN FOR WIRELESS BUFFS

Graf and Sheets are no strangers to the pages of Gernsback. Their educational projects,
I -.Mail coupon to: 7
Electronics Technology Today, Inc.
such as the RF-Field Strength Meter and the MPX2000 FM Transmitter, can be found at P.O. Box 240
North Country Radio. Established in 1986, this company offers projects related to ama- Massapequa Park, NY 11762 -0240
teur TV transmitters /receivers, AM and FM transmitters/ receivers, video cameras, and Please send me my copy of Coil Design and
numerous other subjects. Visit the Web site at www.northcountryradio.com for more Construction Manual (BP160). enclose a check or
I

information. money order for $8.99 to cover the book's cost

and snipping -and- handling expenses. NY state
residents must add local sales tax.
Ordering Information: PO Box 53, Wykagyl Station, New Rochelle, NY 10804 -0053;
Name
Voice: 914 -235 -6611; Fax: 914 -576-6051; e -mail: Rgraf30832 @aol.com.
Address
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PO Box 200, Hartford, NY 12838 All orders must be paid in U.S. funds only. Sorry,
Voice /Fax: 518- 854 -9280 no orders accepted outside of USA and Canada.
e -mail: support @ northcountryradio.com Llease allow 6 -8 weeks for delivery. ET07
36

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Q &A
mailto: q&a@gernsback.com READERS' QUESTIONS, EDITORS' ANSWERS
CONDUCTED BY DEAN HUSTER

dow because resistors, like yarn and fab- like about this computation is that the
Varying Resistor ric, are made in batches. The compo- more resistors you have in series, the
nents within a batch will have similar lower the overall projected tolerance
Tolerances characteristics; and although they were becomes. It can be extrapolated that if
Several readers wrote to point out an manufactured such that they had an even you have enough resistors in series, the
error I made concerning the overall tol- distribution around the design center tolerance will drop to nearly zero per-
erance of several series -connected resis- value, they cannot be trusted to neces- cent. Presto: We have a standard on our
tors. My mind was on things like rise - sarily hold to that distribution ratio even hands that is equal in uncertainty to the
times of cascaded instruments when I though their values change. Carbon standard used to manufacture the resis-
stated (July 2002) that the tolerance resistors, being what they are, tend to tors. If that original standard were a pri-
would be worse than that of an individ- drift higher in value as they age. Unlike mary standard, we would then have an
ual resistor. In the case of the risetimes, the story of other electronic compo- identical "primary standard" on our
you use the square root of the sum of the nents, you cannot necessarily count on hands, although it would take a few
squares of the individual risetimes. I an even distribution about the design thousand resistors to do so. There is a
don't know what I was thinking when I value to hold over time so that you can limit to how far you can use statistics to
quickly applied that same equation to assign a tighter tolerance to a series form such a projection. Although this
the resistors. Regardless of the resistor string. That assumption would be if one computation can be applied to other dis-
values (whether they are in series, paral- goes high in value, it's likely that anoth- ciplines, I don't think it truly works with
lel, or a series -parallel combination) and er will go low-which isn't a sure thing fixed resistors. Again, all this is going to
as long as they have equal tolerances, the with carbon resistors. The statistical be subject to batch problems at the man-
tolerance of the circuit will be the toler- assumption is that if the resistor values ufacturing end.
ance of an individual resistor. change, they will randomly move up Let's examine that lead screw example
First of all, a pile of thanks is due for and/or down, yet still remain centered to see what's really happening overall. A
Gary Gustafson, Stephen Hayes, about the design value, such that if you lead screw is a lot like a 10-turn preci-
Michael Mahon, and Howard Mark, all
of whom contributed their knowledge-
able views on this topic. I love hearing
averaged the values of a thousand of the
critters, you'd end up with the original
marked value. Carbon resistors just
sion wirewound potentiometer such as a
Helipot. There are two specifications
accuracy and linearity. The 10-turn pot
-
from readers on a variety of topics. Yh'l1 don't do that. They tend to move higher has lousy overall accuracy of 5 %, but a
don't have to wait until I make a mistake in value, especially if they're the older linearity figure of 0.25 %. Whether
to write! These readers have brought up carbon -composition types. clamping across multiple threads of a
some interesting points regarding multi- Now, even after writing all that, I will lead screw or using lots of resistors in a
ple- resistor circuits. concede that while carbon -composition string, you're dependent upon one
Regarding just our original series cir- resistors will fit that description regard- thing-the accuracy of the original stan-
cuit, similar to the 5- resistor circuit in ing statistics after they're first made, car- dard. The multiple threads being used
Fig. 1, some folks will throw in a few bon -FILM resistors will likely behave a are giving you more precision in the
laws of statistics and probability to come little better because they don't have the resulting lead screw. If the original screw
up with an even lower tolerance for the clay component in their construction. had a linearity figure of 0.001 inch,
string than what an individual resistor Although the carbon still has a rotten clamping across multiple threads might
contributes. I would normally hold to temperature coefficient (tempco), chang- improve the linearity of the new screw
statistics if the subject were machining ing value with changes in ambient tem- to 0.0005 inch. If someone had messed
or cesium beam frequency standards. perature, the "clay" component of a up in making the original screw such
Does the general population of a state composition resistor probably con- that the pitch was off by 10 %, the result-
prison follow the same statistical tables tributes as much to some of the unreli- ing screw, although linear along its
on the propensity to commit crimes as able characteristics as anything. length to 0.0005 inch, will be no more
does the population of Oskaloosa, Iowa? A statistical computation was illus- accurate overall than 10 %-whether
Of course not! It's a batch problem. I trated by one reader, showing that mul- you had clamped across 5 threads or 50
hold more with Murphy's Law (nth - tiple resistors in series will exhibit a threads.
degree- sure -thing- when -you -least- lower overall tolerance than that of an Another downside to the lots-of-
need-it vs. probability) than I do statis- individual resistor. In fact, Michael resistors- make -for- better-tolerance
tics and probability when it comes to offered the excellent example of a issue also revolves around statistics and
design. If I have three resistors in series, machinist clamping across multiple probability. As the component count
I'll assume that all three could go worst threads of a lead screw to tighten the tol- increases, so does the likelihood of fail-
case and shift their full tolerance in the erance for making an even better lead ure. Ergo, a 32- resistor divider, though
same direction at the same time. My screw in order to make a better metal statistically having a better tolerance,
feeling is that statistics go out the win- lathe using a lousier lathe. What I don't will also be prone to a higher failure rate 37

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 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 original standard or the ability of the
2000 20052 20052 20052
not much harm. That same surge will
20052
f 5% t 5% 3 5% t 5% t 5% resistors to hold their value over envi- smoke a film resistor having the same
A B ronmental and age changes. Try as you value and power rating. For long -term
might, I don't believe for a minute that steady -state or average power levels, the
you're going to improve upon a 5% two types of resistors will pretty much
A g resistor tolerance by putting multiple work the same. It's the spikes and short-
R6
1K 5% resistors together, for that very rea- term overloads that you have to watch.
± 5% son alone. Another advantage of a carbon -comp
Fig. I. Both of these circuits have the same Now, whether I'm 100% right on all resistor is the old -timers' method of
resistance value, 1000 ohms. The question is- this, I cannot guarantee. My true inten- making custom value resistors. They
is one more accurate or more precise than the tion was to throw some doubt into what would select a resistor whose standard
other?
I feel is an artificially high confidence value was just higher than the actual
level in statistics and component toler- value they needed. Then they'd use a tri-
than a 4- resistor divider. ances. Have I succeeded? Would I have angular saw file to file a notch in the side
An interesting batch problem existed succeeded by using only the preceding of the resistor, filing out part of the
in the Tektronix 2213/2215 oscillo- paragraph and not wasting your time resistive cross -section. They'd file a lit-
scopes where five 510 K -ohm, + -watt with the first nine paragraphs? tle and measure the resistance until they
carbon -composition resistors were used achieved the value they needed. If they
in a series -string voltage divider in the filed too far, they had to start over with
high -voltage circuit, very much like the Resistor Types a fresh resistor. The smarter ones would
circuits we are discussing. A common Although this subject came up as part seal the wound on the resistor with sev-
problem with these resistors in this cir- of Stephen Hayes' comment concerning eral dabs of clear fingernail polish. Then
cuit is that one by one, they would that same high -voltage voltage divider, the lie would issue forth: "Yep, it's just
increase in value, anywhere from 600K I'm breaking this subject out as a sepa- like one o' them fancy one -percenters,
ohms to over 20 megohms! It might be rate item. Stephen mentioned several but a lot cheaper," and they'd build a
only one resistor in that circuit or sever- characteristic differences between car- complete item of test equipment around
al resistors that would go sour. If only bon- composition and carbon -film resis- a bunch of the things or use one to
one resistor had taken the trip, do you tors. I thought it would be good to men- replace an off-value precision resistor in
think we'd replace only that one? tion some of these differences here while their meter. The truth is that a carbon
Goodness, no! If it was a 510K-ohm, +- we're on the subject. resistor has a lousy tempco. If Melvin
watt, carbon -composition resistor, it was Fixed carbon resistors are available as shaved a resistor out in his 30- degree
replaced, even if it measured exactly two types: composition and film. It's a garage one winter, the resistor will have
510K ohms. I always replaced them with lot more difficult now to find carbon - moved outside of its intended 1% toler-
carbon -film resistors with no problems composition resistors. Allen- Bradley ance by mid-summer if not early spring.
later on. Although there may have been quit making them about ten years ago. And long -term aging will take its toll,
some high -voltage concerns where a Asian carbon -film resistors are the ones too. Carbon resistors are just not that
film resistor might perform worse than commonly available these days. There stable. That filing process that eats away
the comp resistor, the film resistors cer- are differences between the two types of a chunk of the resistor also eats away
tainly ended up being less of a problem resistor construction that you should some of the power-handling characteris-
that the original comp resistors. By the know about, and there are good and bad tics of the component. Also, the resistor
way, if you own one of those scopes and things about both that may help you becomes more fragile and easy to break.
you run out of range for adjusting the make a selection of one over the other in I've found that most carbon -film resis-
focus, I'd bet my next column paycheck your next project. You can still find car- tors will measure well within 1% of their
that those resistors are to blame if bon- composition resistors in the marked value even though they may have
they're the original comp types. Mouser Electronics (www.mousercom) a 5% tolerance. Comp resistors, even new
If all series resistors are of the same catalog. They are Asian imports just like ones back in 1970, didn't do that well.
value but have different tolerances, the all the rest, but they're composition Beware of buying "NOS" (New Old
resultant tolerance will be the AVER- resistors, nonetheless. Stock) carbon -comp resistors. They're
AGE of the individual tolerances. If the Comp resistors are made from slugs unused, maybe still in a wrapper, but
resistors are different in value and toler- of a carbon/ "clay" mixture that has an might have been made in 1953. Most of
ance, the resulting tolerance will be a outer insulating layer. As such, it has the time, if you check them with an ohm-
goofy number. I'm quite sure that it's more mass in the resistive element and meter, you'll find that they're far outside
mathematically predictable, but for what that allows a comp resistor to absorb of their specified tolerance. It seems that
we're doing here, it's a wasted effort. It short -term power surges. A film resistor the higher the marked value, the worse
would be like having a chain where no is made by depositing a carbon film on this problem is. I had to trash an entire
two links are alike. an insulating ceramic substrate with an drawer of NOS 390K-ohm resistors once
A lot of this comes down to the dif- insulating layer over the top. There's not because they had all shifted up in value by
ference between accuracy and precision. much substance to the resistive element nearly 20 %. Finding that problem had
We might have an increase in precision in a film resistor since it has very little involved some intense troubleshooting of
to 0.0001% with lots of resistors (or lots cross -sectional area. A + -watt comp a project involving one of them.
of lead screw threads), but the final accu- resistor can take a 10-watt surge for a Film resistors are also a lot cheaper
38 racy (tolerance) is still no better than the half-second or so and survive intact with than comp resistors. I've always made it

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a practice that when needing a specific metal-film resistors, which used to cost
quarter -watt film- resistor value, I'd one or two bucks each back in 1965, are Rail Gauge?
order a package of 200 rather than a now so reasonable in cost that it makes The tern "rail -to- rail" has one mean-
smaller package of 10 or just what I sense to build some circuits using them ing to model railroaders. To the elec-
need. That way, you're paying less than rather than carbon -film types. Whenever I tronics hobbyist, the term "rail -to-rail"
two cents each for them and you're build an oscillator, timer, filter, low - describes a new breed of electronics that
building up your stock. In fact, they've noise amplifier or precision-gain ampli- enhances device operation, typically
gotten so cheap that when I tear apart a fier, I'll usually use metal -film resistors aimed at lower supply voltages.
breadboarded project, it's a temptation so that the set frequencies and gains A question on this subject came up on
to just throw the resistors away with the don't appreciably drift. Along the same the Gernsback forum recently and
broken pieces of wire rather than lines, I'll use polyester -film capacitors in involved a "Q & A" circuit that was pub-
painstakingly putting each of them back the frequency- determining portions of lished in the June 2001 column in
into their proper drawer. those circuits rather than ceramic capac- response to a reader who needed a
Although not the subject of the topic, itors. The tempco of ceramic capacitors, unity-gain inverter for an automotive
I'll throw in the fact that 1% tolerance other than the NPO types, is horrible. application. The circuit, shown in Fig. 2,
needed to invert an analog signal with a
zero to +5 volt range so that the output
HOW TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTRONICS would be from +5 to zero volts instead.
On the Internet: See our Web site at Hauppauge, NY 11788; Tel: 631 -592 -6721. The question was "What's a rail -to -rail
wwwpoptronics.com for information and fides To ensure receipt of the correct material, op -amp and why do I need it in this cir-
relating to Poptronics and our former maga- readers must supply complete information on cuit?" Since these devices are becoming
zines (Electronics Now and Popular the article or issue that they wish to buy. more commonplace, I thought than an
Electronics) and links to other useful sites.
To discuss electronics with your fellow Poptronics and many other magazines are explanation was in order.
enthusiasts, visit the newsgroups sci.elec indexed in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Most op -amps and most discrete
tronics.repair, sci.electronics.components, Literature. available at your public library. amplifiers, for that matter, have a power
sci.electronics.design, and rec.radio.ama Copies of articles in other magazines can supply of a certain voltage; in this case,
teur.homebrew. "For sale" messages are per- be obtained through your public library's
we'll assume 12 volts. It may have a +12
mitted only in rec.radio.swap and misc. interlibrary loan service; expect to pay
industry. electronics. marke tpla ce. about 30 cents a page. and a -12 -volt bipolar supply or a +12-
Many electronic component manufac- volt single -ended supply. In any case, the
turers have Web pages; see the directory Service manuals: Manuals for radios, TVs, transistors in the op -amp cannot com-
at www.hitex.com /chipdir/, or try address- VCRs, audio equipment, and some comput- pletely saturate, so the output can never
es such as www.ti.com and www.motoro ers are available from Howard W. Sams &
la.com (substituting any company's name Co., Indianapolis, IN 46214; (800- 428- 7267).
quite make it all the way to either supply
or abbreviation as appropriate). Many IC The free Sams catalog also lists addresses of extreme. For instance, the popular 741
data sheets can be viewed online: manufacturers and parts dealers. Even if an op -amp with a bipolar supply can only
www.questlink.com features IC data item isn't listed in the catalog, it pays to call put out a maximum of about +11 or -11
sheets and gives you the ability to buy Sams; they may have a schematic on file
volts before ugly things start to happen.
many of the ICs in small quantities using a which they can copy for you.
credit card. You can also get detailed IC Manuals for older test equipment and At around 10 or 10.5 volts, the output
information from www.icmaster.com, which ham radio gear are available from Hi may start to get a little nonlinear and not
is now free of charge although it formerly Manuals, PO Box 802, Council Bluffs, IA follow the input waveform faithfully,
required a subscription. Extensive informa- 51502, and Manuals Plus, 130 N. Cutler resulting in distortion in an audio sys-
tion about how to repair consumer elec- Dr., N. Salt Lake, UT 84054.
tronic devices and computers can be
tem. Once the output voltage reaches
found at www.repair faq.org Replacement semiconductors: Replace- the 11- or 11.5 -volt point, the transis-
ment transistors, ICs, and other semicon- tors saturate and the voltage won't get
Books: Several good introductory electron- ductors, marketed by Philips ECG, NTE, any higher regardless of what the input
ics books are available at RadioShack, and Thomson (SK), are available through
most parts dealers (including RadioShack
wants it to do. This is the "clipping
including one on building power supplies.
An excellent general electronics text- on special order). The ECG, NTE, and SK point" of the op -amp.
book is The Art of Electronics, by Paul lines contain a few hundred parts that sub- In most instances, we don't have to
Horowitz and Winfield Hill, available from stitute for many thousands of others; a worry about the signal in those areas
the publisher (Cambridge University Press, directory (supplied as a large book and on because we design the circuit so that the
800 -872 -7423) or on special order through diskette) tells you which one to use. NTE
any bookstore. Its 1125 pages are full of numbers usually match ECG; SK numbers
output signal normally stays within rea-
information on how to build working circuits, are different. sonable limits. It's the "Mom" thing: "If
with a minimum of mathematics. Remember that the "2S" in a Japanese you don't run with the wrong people or
Also indispensable is The ARRL Handbook type number is usually omitted; a transistor go to the wrong places, you won't get
for Radio Amateurs, comprising over 1000 marked D945 is actually a 2SD945.
into trouble."
pages of theory, radio circuits, and ready -to-
build projects, available from the American Hamfests (swap meets) and local orga- Over the years, designers have been
Radio Relay League, Newington, CT 06111, nizations: These can be located by writing lowering the supply voltages in their sys-
and from ham-radio equipment dealers. to the American Radio Relay League, tems. They want their batteries to have
Newington, CT 06111; (www.arrl.org). A fewer cells; they don't want to have to
Back issues: Copies of back issues of and hamfest is an excellent place to pick up
past articles in Electronics Now, Popular used test equipment, older parts, and other
use voltage converters; and digital cir-
Electronics, and Poptronics can be ordered items at bargain prices, as well as to meet cuits can run a little faster if the output
on an "as available basis" from Claggk, Inc., your fellow electronics enthusiasts -both logic swings don't have to be as large.
Reprint Department, P.O. Box 12162, amateur and professional. Analog circuits are adversely affected by 39

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 OUTPUT marked as "rail -to -rail I/O" on data adjust the trimpot for exactly 2.5 volts at
5 -0V
sheets. the output. Simple as that. For an even
A follow -up question was "Are there better adjustment, use an input voltage
any common NExxx, LMxxx, or TLOxx that is in the center of the range where
op -amps that will work in that circuit ?" the MAP sensor will be operating. Set
As far as the common chips that you can the input at that voltage and adjust the
find at your retail electronics stores, I output for a value that is five volts minus
don't know of any. Rail -to -rail op -amps that input voltage. That way, any gain
will always have that capability noted in error will be negligible at the center of
the device description on the data sheet, the operating range where accurate
exemplified in Maxim's MAX4162, unity gain is the most important.
which is described as a "MICROPOW
ER, SINGLE -SUPPLY, RAIL -TO-
RAIL, I/O OP AMP." Rail -to -rail oper- Picture -In- Picture
ation is an important characteristic, so it QI checked the Poptronics Web site, but I
goes in the description. couldn't find information about a circuit
A third question popped up regarding to be used as a TV accessory to allow thumb-
Fig. 2. This precision, unity-gain inverter fea-
the fact that "... this circuit really won't nail pictures offive or six designated chan-
tures a rail-to -rail op -amp for full operation
over the zero-to -five volt supply range. go all the way to exactly zero or all the nels to be displayed at the bottom of the TV

this. In the "old days," an op-amp with a

12 -volt supply could swing a full 22 volts
way to exactly +5 volts. You should
design a circuit that will go all the way."
If you think about it, rarely do you have S.M., India
-
screen. Kindly enlighten or guide me to some
sources where I can find this information.

from rail -to-rail (from positive supply to to have a perfect output at an extreme.
negative supply), which was about 92% In this application, which was for a MAP AThis is a technique known as "pic-
of the available supply voltage. Today, (manifold absolute pressure) sensor on a ture -in-picture" (PIP), and there are
this same op-amp, if it could work with car, an output at one of those extremes is two or three versions of this concept.
a single 5 -volt supply, could only swing more of a failure or problem mode than Each active, full -motion "thumbnail"
from +1 to +4 volts. That's about 60% of anything. It's a moot point whether the inset picture will require a tuner, so the
the available supply voltage, limited by voltage is +4.95 or exactly 5.00 volts as more active insets you have, the more
the saturation of the transistors. To add long as everything in between the expensive the TV or accessory becomes.
insult to injury, most common op -amps extremes is linear. When Thelma and Most PIP sets that have a lot of insets
don't like to work on these lower supply Louise drove their car off the rim of the will have frozen images on the insets
voltages anyway. Grand Canyon, it didn't make much dif- that may be updated every few hundred
Enter the rail -to -rail op -amp. This ference whether they were doing 60 milliseconds. One tuner output displays
puppy is designed so that the output can mph or 120 mph -they were already the main image and the second tuner,
swing very close to the supply rails. operating at an extreme and the out- operating a lot like a scanner receiver,
Early versions could get within 0.1 volt come was the same regardless of their updates each image in sequence, having
of the supply rail. Current production speed. to electronically tune for each channel's
units can get within just a few millivolts The fourth and last question was update. The images end up looking a lot
of the rails. Now that op -amp with the "The trimpot only made a slight differ- like stop -action photography. It's tricki-
single-ended 5 -volt supply can have an ence to the output." That's true. I tend er than you might think, because to dis-
output that swings almost the full to use 1% resistors for circuits like this play each image correctly, the tuner has
amount from nearly zero to nearly +5 and really should have specified 6.19K- to wait long enough to synchronize with
volts, almost 100% of the available sup- ohm, 1% resistors for R3 and R5 in the the incoming signal so that the black bar
ply voltage. While the output is heading voltage divider rather than 6.2K -ohm, of the vertical interval doesn't pop up in
toward a rail, it's remaining linear in 5% resistors as I did originally. I've the middle of the picture.
operation all the way to the point where made that change in the schematic this I haven't had enough disposable
it hits the rail and clips. In addition, time. In either case, the lower value pot income lately to even consider walking
they're made to operate on supply volt- is there to compensate for tolerance through a big upper-end A/V store to
ages as low as 3 volts with no problems. variations in the fixed resistors of the know what's available. It's a three -hour
There are a couple of versions of rail - voltage divider. A larger value pot could trip to do that, because where I live,
to -rail op -amps. Some are rail-to -rail on have been used with a resulting larger whatever comes out of Bentonville, AR
the output only, which in most cases is range of adjustment, but that would is what I have for a selection. With the
fine. However, if you're running the have made adjustment to the exact that high- speed, frequency agile components
amplifier at unity gain or less, that will much more difficult. This way, instead that are becoming available, I don't
be a problem because the input transis- of a "coarse" control, you have a "fine" know why PIP couldn't almost be "real
tors and other transistors that drive the control that's easier to set right on. time" on the images, at least no worse
output circuit may saturate on the input A final point on the circuit was that I than a 10 frame -per- second refresh rate.
signal before the output has a chance to noticed that in the original column, I I don't suppose that the refresh rate
do anything significant. So, later ver- had never even mentioned R4, a 500- could ever be any faster than 60 per-sec-
sions of the op-amps will be rail -to -rail ohm trimpot, and how to adjust the ond divided by the number of PIP
40 input and rail -to -rail output, usually thing. With an input of exactly 2.5 volts, images, and that's only if all channels

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perfectly synchronized their frames with the wall near the bottom plate and start
5 GREAT PROJECT BOOKS
each other. I use 60 rather than 30 there, searching.
figuring that a PIP image is so small that You might take a trip to RadioShack ] BP -410 35 Opto- mew
[
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we wouldn't have to worry about inter- and tell them that if one of their portable Display Terminal Block
Projects. $6.99. If you
lacing the fields. receivers can pick up your watch signal, use terminal blocks, no
I'm not aware of any accessories or they have a sale. Get a similar watch and soldering is required to
construction articles for a project such as find a RS receiver that will tune to the make complete this series
of opto- displays that range
this. There is a point where it's actually LF (Low Frequency) or better yet, the from light- telegraphs,
less expensive to just buy eight 13 -inch VLF (Very Low Frequency) band. Hold flashing lapel badges,
TVs and tune each to a different chan- the watch right next to the antenna and magnetic detectors, plus
more advanced projects
nel, much like the Reverend Jim did on tune to an odd harmonic of the watch including a dusk detec-
one episode of Taxi. Of course, if all the oscillator (32.768 kHz times any odd tor, games, and twinkling

r
Christmas decorations.
TVs are the same brand, using the number that will get you to the low end
remote can be a bit tricky. of the receiver's band). For instance, the Firoorwierimmum [ ] BP -411 Introduction
third harmonic will be 98.304 kHz. If to Surface-Mount Devices.
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Surface Mount
Salem Watch Hunts kHz, maybe it can hear the watch at Devices tion can be easier, faster
and less costly, and even
Qls there any circuit or instrument that 98.304 kHz. I don't know how a synthe- the hobbyist can produce
would detect the low -voltage power source sized receiver will work against an accu- one-of-a-kind circuits using
of an electronic wrist watch? I have lost a rate crystal reference since you can't SMDs. PCB design, chip
control, soldering techniques
wristwatch inside a house wall. Besides a tune it "right on," but the receiver band- and specialist tools are
metal detector or a non -linear junction width should be wide enough that it'll fully covered. A complete
variety of construction
detector, is there anything else that could work if the signal is strong enough. I projects are also included.
pinpoint this electric wristwatch?-A.D., don't hold out much hope in the signal
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the back off my Casio, I couldn't get a A wealth of circuits and
AYou've lost a device that can run on a signal at the higher frequencies. circuit modules for use in
1.5 -volt battery for three years and all kinds of remote -con-
Disgusting. I can pick up the radio
trol applications are pro-
expect to find it electronically? Maybe. frequency interference from my com- vided. There are com-
That's a pretty low signal level and it's puter and monitor all over the house, plete details for 14 novel
and practical remote con -
well-shielded unless it's in a plastic case. but can't hear a watch that's sitting right trol projects. Also includ-
Most electronic watches, save the origi- on the radio. The simplest tool for find- ed are techniques for
nal Bulova Accutron, are based on a ing the watch may be a claw hammer. interfacing a PC to a
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Alarm Cirucuits. $6.99.
signal on a radio receiver? First, I "Daddy, whatcha doin' ?" "Trying to Details of inexpensive
grabbed my 10-year-old Casio all- digital find my watch, son." "Da one I put in but effective burglar alarms
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) watch, my dwesser dwawer ?" for the home construc-
tor. The circuits include
still running on its second battery, but switch-activate alarm, FM
with side buttons so corroded that they audio alarm generator,
quit working years ago. Figuring on a Writing to Q &A Modulated fiber -optic loop
alarm, Ultra-sonic break-
32,768 -Hz square wave signal, I checked As always, we welcome your ques- ing window alarm, Doppler
for the 17th harmonic at 557.056 kHz, tions. Please be sure to include: shift ultrasonic sensor
and more.
the lowest harmonic that I could tune (1) plenty of background material,
with my HF receivers. Whether using (2) your full name and address on the [ ] BP -432 Simple
my RadioShack DX -375 or my Knight - letter (not just the envelope), Sensor Terminal Block
Projects. $6.99. 35 Opto- Display
Kit R -100A, I couldn't find a signal. (3) and a complete diagram, if asking Sensors are the eyes. Term r.a Stock
Then I tried my quartz Timex with the about a circuit; and ears and noses of elec- Prpouts
tronic systems. They include
mechanical analog dial that pulses the (4) type your letter or write neatly. contact, light, heat, sound,
second hand each second (of course). No Send questions to Q &A, Poptronics, magnetic, motion, resist-
signal ... except that I did get an electro- 275 -G Marcus Blvd., Hauppauge, NY ance and voltage- operat-
ed devices. The projects
magnetic pulse of static every second if I 11788 or to g&a@gernsback.com, but do in this book show you how
held the watch within one or two inches not expect an immediate reply in these you can build all of these,
of the loop antenna in the DX -375. No and if you use terminal
pages (because of our backlog). We blocks, no soldering is
pulse heard on the R -100A. So, you have regret that we cannot give personal required. There are 31 individual projects to
some hope. If it's an analog dial watch replies. Please no graphics files larger build and use.

(mechanical, not fake LCD dial) and the than 100K. P

To order one of these Books send amount indi-
watch dropped to the bottom plate in cated plus $3.00 for shipping in the U.S. and
Canada only to Electronics Technology Today
the wall, use a portable radio tuned to a Inc., P.O. Box 240, Massapequa Park, NY
dead spot on the AM broadcast band
around 550 kHz. Hold the edge of the
radio where the loop antenna is against
BUY BONDS 11762 -0240. Payment in U.S. funds by U.S.
bank check or International Money Order.
Please allow 6 -8 weeks for delivery. MA09 41

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 PIC -ironies
manto: pic-tronics@gernsback.com TJ BYERS

Master PIC Interrupts

And Build A DIME Controller

mother taught me that it's impo-

My
LISTING 1
lite to interrupt. I can't help
myself. I must interrupt, over and over movlw 1 ;Make PORTB,O an input for the interrupt.
again. I'm referring to PIC interrupts. tris PORTB
Without them, not a lot would get done.
Interrupts are used for many things. A movlw b'11000000' ;Interrupt triggers on rising edge.
timer will generate an interrupt when its option
time expires, and data registers often
generate interrupts if they overflow bsf INTCON, INTE ;Turn on RBO interrupt.
(have more data than they can hold).
bcf INTCON, INTF ;Clear INTF flag.
The 16F628 has ten sources of inter- bsf INTCON, GIE ;Enable global interrupts.
rupt, among which are clrf keyval ;Clear the data register.
External Interrupt RBO/INT
TMRO Overflow Interrupt from an external source, like an ADC or Let's take it line by line so that you get
PortB Change Interrupts (pins 4, 5, 6, 7) decoder. The edge -triggered RBO /INT the gist of what's going on. First Port B
Comparator Interrupt port (pin 6) is a general -purpose input pin 0 (RBO) is made an input and the
USART Interrupt that generates an interrupt on either the other Port B pins are defined as outputs
CCP Interrupt rising or falling edge of an input pulse by issuing the "tris" command. The next
TMR I Overflow Interrupt when that port is enabled as an inter- line is kinda tricky, because here I call the
I :\ R2 Match Interrupt
' 1 rupt. The interrupt feature is turned on option register directly and set the inter-
by the INTE bit (Bit 4) of the interrupt rupt to trigger on the rising edge. You
An interrupt control register, labeled control register; the INTEDG bit (Bit really need to know your way around reg-
INTCON (Table 1), enables /disables 6) in the option register determines isters to do this. Another way to do this is
the interrupts, and monitors and records which edge the input triggers on. to set that register bit using the bit set
individual interrupts. Each time an As always, I'm going to teach you command (bsf). It looks like this.
interrupt is detected, a flag is set inside through example. For this exercise I've
this register -a flag that can direct your chosen a DTMF decoder that will inter- bsf OPTION, INTEDG
software to stop what it's doing to take rupt the PIC when a valid key press is ;Enable RBO/INT for rising edge
care of a more pressing task, and then go detected. See Listing 1 for part of the
back to what it was doing. Main code for that program. In fact, that's what I do in the next line
Interrupts may be enabled or disabled at
two levels: global or specific. Global inter- LISTING 2
rupts are controlled by Bit 7 of the INT-
CON register, which enables/disables all Loop
interrupts in one fell swoop. When it's not btfss PORTB,7 ;check output to see if it's high or low
wanted or convenient to use a global inter- goto Loop ;back to the beginning to see if PORTB,7 is high
rupt, individual interrupts can be enabled bsf PORTB,6 ;if it's high, turn on the LED
or disabled on a case -by -case basis. call OneSecDel ;call the one -second delay module
bcf PORTB,6 ;turn off LED
About The RBO /INT Port call OneSecDel ;call the one -second delay module
The most common use of interrupts goto Loop ;back to the beginning to see if PORTB,7 is still high
42 is to notify the PIC of incoming data

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 TABLE 1

INTERRUPT CONTROL REGISTER (INTCON)

Bit 7 Bit 6 Bit 5 Bit 4 Bit 3 Bit 2 Bit 1 Bit 0

GIE EEIE TOIE INTE RBIE TOIF INTF RBIF
Control bits Flag bits
O = Disable 0= No interrupt or change
1 = Enable 1 = Overflow, interrupt, change

to turn on the RBO interrupt. (Another Interrupt Enable flag (Bit 7), which puts ;Save W and STATUS
alternative is bsf OPTION, 6, where all other interrupts on hold until the swapf STATUS,w
the bit is called by number rather than requesting interrupt is serviced. ;Have to save STATUS w/out affecting
label.) Why mix it up, you ask? Just to The program is halted and directed to its bits
show you that there's more than one way program location 004H. That part of clrf STATUS
to skin a cat. the program is structured like this. ;Swapf doesn't change any bits.
The rest of the code is pretty straight- movwf statsv
forward. Next the interrupt flag bit org 000H
(INTF) is cleared. This has to be done ;a reset redirects program to this point I'll spare you the remainder of the
every time to ensure that the interrupt goto Main code and simply summarize its actions
bit will go high when the interrupt ;jump to Main program (you can read the well-annotated code in
occurs. Same goes for clearing the data org 004H the A- patch.asm module posted on the
register, keyval. ;an interrupt redirects the program to here Poptronics Web site: www.gernsback.com).
goto ints
Hey There! ;jump to interrupt routine PARTS LIST FOR
What we do now is wait for some- THE DTMF CONTROLLER
thing to happen. In our case, it's a signal This causes the interrupt routine to
from the DTMF decoder telling us a key run. First, the interrupt flag is cleared, SEMICONDUCTORS
has been pressed and that we should and the binary value from the decoder is IC 1-CD22204
read the value of that key. On interrupt, loaded into the appropriate registers. IC2-16F628
a flag bit associated with that interrupt is
IC3-78L05
set. In our example, this would be the ints Q 1-2N2222A
INTF flag, which is set by the rising ;A-patch key search routine
LED1-IN4001
edge of a pulse on the RBO/INT pin. bcf INTCON,1;Clear the interrupt.
The interrupt also clears the Global movwf wsave

.
RESISTORS
(All resistors are %-watt, 5% units.)
N.C. R1-270,000-ohms
J1
9V
' COM R2- 33,000 -ohms
DC
N.O. R3- 1-megohm
D
103 0 R4, R5- 1000 -ohms
78L05 RY1
C3
G 4 .01µF CAPACITORS
C2
.33µF 36
EN VDO D1

D2
1 IT C , C3- .(0I -(d'
I

C2-0.33 -uF
XEN
C4- 1500 -pF (optional)
10
X,
14 v 18
XTAL1
3.5795 MHz
o D4
13
RA2
RA3
RA1
RAO
17
ADDITIONAL PARTS
R3
D8 AND MATERIALS
3 16
J2 1 MEG
9
RA4 RA6
15 Q1
XTAL1- 3.5795 -MHz color-burst
4
SIGNAL INPUT RA5 RA7 2N2222A crystal
1.2VRMS MAX.
D
7 ANALOG
6
5
GND V. 14 R4
1K
RY1 -5
-volt DIP relay (DS2Y- S -DC5V
K IN
12 13
-DPDT 5V 2A)
RB7
0--- C1 R1 DV RBO
12
J1, J2 -2
-pin berg connector
01µF 270K IC1 RB1 RB6
R2 . CD22204 8 11
33K RB2 RB5 R5
GND
RB4
10 1K A kit of the above parts is available for
RB3
8 $35 from Futurlec, 1133 Broadway,
C4 GND Suite 706, New York, NY 10010
1500pF IC2 LEDI
(SEE TEXT]. 16F628 (wwwfuturlec.com), and includes a
programmed PIC and printed circuit
board. A programmed PIC is also
Fig. I. The A -patch consists of a DTMF decoder and a 16F628 controller. The complete schematic available separately for $12.
for the patch is shown here. 43

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 in hexadecimal format for input to the
PIC. The DV output (pin 12) goes high
when the data outputs are stable and
ready to read. This is the interrupt to
the PIC that starts the A-patch con-
troller routine. A *1 key combination
turns on the repeater, and #2 turns it off
via a relay on the RB7 (pin 13) output.
Other sequences can be used as well by
changing the program's comparison
numbers. Additional outputs can be
engaged to create multiple interrupt
3.5 INCHES routines to control various functions.
There is a piece of code I'd like to
Fig. 2. This is the foil pattern for the A -patch circuit. A kit that comes complete with a printed cir- point out that is rather unique. (See
cuit board is available from Futurlec, as noted in the Parts List. Listing 2.) It's an "On the air" flashing
LED. It uses a project -specific timer
First, the STATUS register is checked mitted (repeated) on a different frequency module that pulses the LED on and off
for data. When data is detected (loaded Normally, the repeater has to be only while the relay is engaged. I believe
from the decoder), its value is checked to monitored, which limits the hours of you'll find it self-explanatory.
see if it equals *' or ' #'. If it doesn't, the
` operation to those times the owner can For this project, I've designed a print-
register is cleared; and the program be on duty. However, it's possible to ed circuit board (Fig. 2). A full -size foil
returns to the Main code. If it's a value make the repeater autonomous by using pattern is available on the Poptronics
we're looking for, the interrupt routine what's called an autopatch (also known Web site under the file name
continues looking for our second value. as an A- patch). Using standard DTMF A_PATCH_PCB.BMP. Figure 3 is the
Again the data is either discarded or telephone tones, the autopatch can turn component placement guide. If you find
saved, depending on the outcome of the the repeater on and off upon request. the background noise excessive, adding
comparison tests. In either event, you The tones may be broadcast by the ini- the optional C4 capacitor can reduce it
are eventually returned to the Main pro- tiator's station and received by the by creating a low-pass filter with a cut-
gram, which patiently waits for the next repeater's receiver or sent via landline off frequency of 3.9 kHz.
interrupt. (telephone) to the repeater site. A kit of parts, including a pro-
In either case, these tones have to be grammed PIC and circuit board, is avail-
Project: Repeater Autopatch decoded at the repeater using an auto - able (see Parts List). I used a 9 -volt AC
It's ume to go from the classroom to patch. That's what our project does. The adapter (wall -wart) to power the circuit,
the workshop and put together our pro- tones themselves are decoded by a but you can use batteries if you wish. As
ject for this month using what we just CD22204 DTMF receiver chip, while for an enclosure, I leave that up to you.
learned. I selected a repeater autopatch. the PIC sorts the tones and reacts 'Til next month, have fun. P

A repeater is a radio "station," which accordingly. Refer to the schematic in

consists of both a transmitter and a Fig. 1 for this discussion.
receiver that's located at a high place The CD22204 contains eight band - WWW.pOpTRONICS.COM
with a good "view" of the surrounding pass filters in the DTMF sequence of
area. Its purpose is to allow radio opera- 697 Hz, 770 Hz, 852 Hz, etc. A com-
tors to talk over a hill that would other- mon TV color-burst crystal (3.5795
wise block their signal. The signal is MHz) provides the clock that operates
An introduction
received on one frequency and retrans- the filters. The decoded tones are output to Light in Electronics
Taken for granted by
An Introduction to us all perhaps, yet this
Light in book could not be read
Electronics without it, light plays
such an impressive role
in daily life that we may
be tempted to consider
just how much we
understand it. This book
makes a good start into
this fascinating and
enlightening subject. It
has been written with
the general electronics
enthusiast in mind.
To order Book #BP359 send $6.99 plus $3.00 for
shipping in the U.S. and Canada only to Electronics Technology
Today Inc., P.O. Box 240, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 -0240.
Payment in U.S. funds by U.S. bank check or International
Fig. 3. Refer to this component - placement guide when attaching the various components to the Money Order. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.
44 board during the construction phase of the project. ET08

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AMAZING SCIENCE JOHN IOVINE
maillo: amazingscience@gernsback.com

Bi -Pedal Wal Ror, Part 4

Welcome to Part Four of our bi-

pedal robot walker. For those who
are curious, the bi -pedal robot walker
should be finished next month (Part 5).
In Part 3, we left our bi -pedal walker Top
standing up with two new PIC- micro-
controller -based servomotor controllers.
I was able to improve the PIC- micro-
controller program (slightly) for the ser-
vomotor controller. Essentially, to
improve the update speed to the four
servomotors I reduced the update speed
to the LCD display. The servomotor
movements are improved, but not per-
fect. About once a second, the control
signals for the servomotors disappear
while the LCD display is updated.
When the LCD display is updated, the
servomotor signals disappear for approxi-
mately ',oth of a second.
This signal loss prevents the servo-
motors from developing their full torque
and prevents accuracy in the holding
position; however, it is a sufficient tool
to approximate a walking gait. Before we
make this improvement, let's build a
L4_11 Side
couple of feet for the bottom servomotors.

Feet
The feet provide a larger surface area
that will make it easier for the bi -ped to
balance and walk. They are attached to Bracket
the bottom U- bracket of the bottom ser-
vomotor. I arbitrarily chose to make the
footpad two inches wide by four inches
long. I cut out this size rectangle from 'A- Close Up Plastic
inch thick acrylic plastic. The location of
the servomotor bracket on the feet is
shown in Fig. 1. The bracket is not cen- Fig. 1. Here are the construction details of the acrylic footpad.
tered on the plastic foot; it is located
toward one end (considered the back). ished foot pad in Fig. 2. This will allow the U- bracket using four 4 -40 machine
Drill four '4-inch diameter holes in the the foot to lay flat against the floor. screws, nuts, and lock washers.
plastic that line up with the four holes On the prototype the corners of the The bottom of the acrylic plastic feet
on the U- bracket. Each drilled hole footpads are square, see Fig. 2. I plan to can be slippery, depending upon the sur-
must be countersunk on the bottom of round the corners of the footpads so face material the bi -pedal robot is walk-
the foot so that the machine screw head they will be less likely to catch onto ing on. I plan to glue soft rubber -sheet
will not protrude from the bottom, see something and trip the robot when gasket material to the bottom of the
side view and close -up of Fig. 1 and walking. The footpads are attached to acrylic feet to create a non -skid bottom 45

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 too weak for the task of carrying itself
plus the battery pack, we can upgrade to
the digital servomotors. I am not advo-
cating a change of servomotors at this
time, just pointing out that a viable
option exists if the standard servomotors
turn out not to be strong enough.

First Step
Manually working the servomotor
controls was far more daunting than I
anticipated. To keep things straight, I
had to clearly mark all the servomotor
Fig. 2. This illustration shows the finished footpad and its attachment to the U- bracket. switches, or I quickly became lost as to
what servo I was moving or had just
surface. If just the front and back of the bar and moved the legs closer together, moved. Keep in mind these pulse -width
gasket material is glued to the plastic see Fig. 3. The clearance between the numbers will be different for your walk-
foot, a small flat pocket is created in the two legs at their closest point was er. The numbers as stated relate to the
center section. This flat pocket is ideal reduced to approximately .250 inches. pulse -width signal provided to each
for locating a flat sensor that could be This worked out to approximately 2.5 individual servomotor. For instance, the
slid in between the gasket material and inches between the closest two mount- number 254 represents a pulse width of
the acrylic plastic. While we will not be ing holes (center to center) on the hip 2.54 milliseconds. The number 75 rep-
using any flat sensor in this robot at this bar for the 4 -40 machine screws. resents a pulse width of .75 milliseconds.
time (see below), it may become a future With the legs re- adjusted, it became In addition, I anticipate when operat-
modification. You may want to leave this possible to shift the weight from leg to ing a walking program from the micro -
option open when gluing the gasket leg and tilt the robot. Originally, I controller without the serial LCD dis-
material to the footpad. thought to use a weight sensor on each play delay, the pulse -width numbers will
foot to determine when the full weight need to be altered because the servomo-
Tilt and Balance of the robot was on one leg or the other. tors will be developing greater torque
The bi -ped needs to shift its weight While I feel this is a good idea, I don't and better position- holding capabilities.
from side to side. To do so, the robot believe it's necessary for this bi -pedal We will talk more about this next
will tilt to one side using its ankle servo- robot at this time. Those sensors will be month.
motor. When I attempted to do this, I useful when the robot's weight may The following list details the servo-
immediately found out that the legs change dynamically. motor number and its position in the
were too far apart. While this wide leg.
stance made standing more stable, it Power Supply
prevented the robot from shifting its At this point, I assumed I would build Servomotors 0 and 4 hip
weight from leg to leg. a platform to hold a 4 "C" battery pack Servomotors 1 and 5 knee
To correct this, I shortened the hip to power the bi -pedal walker. However, Servomotors 2 and 6 ankle (vertical)
I am not satisfied with the performance Servomotors 3 and 7 ankle (horizontal)
(torque) I am able to obtain from the
servomotors thus far. This appears to be Table 1 shows twenty movements
primarily due to the control program used to make the bi -pedal robot take one
and not the servomotors (at this point) complete step using the manual con-
themselves. So, instead of a platform to trollers. The numbers at the start line
hold the power supply and microcon- are the pulse width to each servomotor
troller, I will use a tethered power supply to have the robot standing in a balanced
and control cable(s) to the bi -pedal position ready to move. To keep things
walker. Later, I may decide to add the simple only one servomotor is moved at
platform to carry the batteries and con- a time. In the lines following "Start,"
troller if I see the servomotors are devel- only the servomotor that is being moved
oping sufficient torque to do so. has its pulse -width number shown in the
step. All the other servomotors' pulse -
Digital Servomotors width numbers are assumed to be hold-
This bi -pedal robot uses standard (42 ing at their preceding position.
in/oz torque) medium -size servomotors. Notice that the single -step sequence
There are digital servomotors that are ends with all the servomotor pulse -
the same size and weight as our standard width numbers at the same position as
analog servomotors that deliver 3X when the step started. This makes walk-
greater torque. This additional torque ing a matter of repeating the same sin-
Fig. 3. Above is the bi -pedal walker with nar- also requires additional electrical power. gle -step sequence over and over.
46 rower stance and a smaller hip bar If the standard servomotors prove to be I hesitate to provide the pseudo -code

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 TABLE 1
LEG MOVEMENTS
TIPS FOR MAIL ORDER
Left Leg Servomotors Right Leg Servomotors PURCHASE
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 It isimpossible for us to verify the claims of ad-
vertisers, including but not limited to product
Start 207- 201- 152- 152- 208- 199- 176- 169- availability, credibility, reliability and existence
of warranties. The following information is pro-
vided as a service for your protection. It is not
1 160
intended to constitute legal advice and readers
2 230 are advised to obtain independent advice on
3 167 how to best protect their own interests based
4 193 upon their individual circumstances and juris-
5 169 dictions.
6 215 1. Confirm price and merchandise information
7 166 with the seller, including brand, model, color or
8 201 finish, accessories and rebates included in the
9 192 price.
10 204 2. Understand the seller's return and /or refund
11 170 policy, including the allowable return period, who
12 152 pays the postage for returned merchandise and
13 189 whether there is any "restocking" or "return"
14 176 charge.
15 192 3. Understand the product's warranty. Is there
16 207 a manufacturer's warranty, and if so, is it for a
17 152 U.S. or foreign manufacturer? Note that many
18 208 manufacturers assert that, even if the product
19 199 comes with a U.S. manufacturer's warranty, if you
purchase from an unauthorized dealer, you are
20 176
not covered by the manufacturer's warranty. If
in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly. In
for this single step until I have tested it 2, 3, and 4) involve lifting the left leg and addition to, or instead of the manufacturer's war-
further and polished it up, although if moving it forward. In step 5, the robot is ranty, the seller may offer its own warranty. In
either case, what is covered by warranty, how
you want you can pretty much work it tilted back to its original position, balanc- long is the warranty period, where will the prod-
out by analyzing the pulse -width num- ing its weight on both legs. In step 6, the uct be serviced, is there a charge for service, what
bers listed above. For instance in step 1, robot tilts to the other side and so on. do you have to do to obtain service and will the
the right leg horizontal ankle servomo- product be repaired or replaced? You may want
Next Month to receive a copy of the written warranty before
tor (7) is moved from 169 to 160. This
placing your order.
corresponds to tilting the robot to one Next month, we should finish this pro-
side and shifting the robot's weight to ject. I will provide a pseudo -code listing for 4. Keep a copy of all transactions, including

the right leg. The next three steps (steps programming the bi -pedal robot to walk. 0 but not limited to cancelled check, receipt and
correspondence. For phone orders, make a note
of the order including merchandise ordered, price,

From Not -Worki order date, expected delivery date and salesper-
son's name.

to Networking! jr,,, K[ty

ETWORKfN
c
5. If the merchandise is not shipped within the
promised time, or if no time was promised, with-
Troubleshooting in 30 days of receipt of the order, you generally

Local-Area Networks! have the right to cancel the order and get a re-
fund.
Now, complete for the first Merchandise substitution without your ex-
time in one detailed booklet!. 6.
press prior consent is generally not allowed.
Gain a fuller knowledge of network
fundamentals and how they 7. If you have a problem with your order or the

developed from the early days of merchandise, write a letter to the seller with all the
main frames, from XNS to Ethernet pertinent information and keep a copy.
technology, the OSI stack for 8. If you are unable to obtain satisfaction from
interconnecting different computers,
basic and specialized test instruments, etc- Several the seller, contact the consumer protection
tough LAN case histories brings you from theory to agency in the seller's state and your local Post
the practical side of troubleshooting. Office.
cLAGGK Inc., Reprint Bookstore If, atter following the guidelines, you experi-
P.O. Box 12162, Hauppauge NY 11788
ence a problem with a mail order advertiser
Please rush my copy of "From Not -Working to Networking." I enclosed that you are unable to resolve, please let us
payment of $4.99 which includes shipping charges. U.S. -First Class.
Canada and Overseas -Surface Mail. know. Write to Advertising Department,
Name Gernsback Publications Inc., 275 6 Marcus
Blvd. Hauppauge, NY 11788
Address
City State Zip Be sure to include copies of all correspondence.
All Payments must ba in U.S. funds. Send check or money order payable to
CLAGGK Inc. -do not send cash or stamps. New York State residents add 47
applicable sales tax. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery RBSO2

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 mailto: servic ecrnsback.com
nie@ge SAM GOLDWASSER

Salvaging Treasure F rom

"Dead" Appliances

WARNING! The devices described in Web site, www.repaitfaq.org, or the safe-

this article involve the use of materials ty info in previous Poptronics issues.
and substances that are hazardous to A large percentage of equipment that
health and life. DO NOT attempt to is perfectly safe from the outside has
implement or use the information con- dangers lurking inside. In addition to
tained in this article unless you are electrical dangers, there might be sharp
experienced in the construction and sheet metal, wound -up springs, power-
safety considerations that apply to ful magnets, and other potential risks to
high -voltage devices of this nature. your outer surface integrity like CRT
Although all possible measures have implosion-just to name a few. Be careful!
been taken to ensure the accuracy of
the information Presented, neither Places To Obtain
Gernsback Publicatons Inc., nor the Here we can see four magnets that once were "Sacrificial" Equipment
two magnetrons from a microwave oven. Notice So, where do you find the equipment
author are liable for damages or that their repulsions causes them to float on the
injuries, misinterpretation of directions, from which to remove parts other than
magnetron tube.
or the misapplications of information. your basement, your attic, or those of
pancake motor. your relatives or friends? Consider
Old TV or monitor? Another mis- garage, yard, tag, estate, and other sales;
Many dead appliances, as well as take. The high- voltage power supply thrift stores (which may even have a
consumer electronic and comput- was probably good for 12 to 30 kVDc at `free' table); junk, salvage, and surplus
er equipment, contain parts and sub- 1 or 2 mA. This is useful for many high - yards (including those run by the
assemblies that are not only neat and voltage experiments, plasma globes, Department of Defense!); the town
interesting, but also are useful for vari- negative ion and ozone generators, bug dump and other landfills if they let you
ous experiments and projects. disintegrators, starters for really LARGE take things away; trash rooms of high -
I bet you tossed that big, heavy, slow HeNe lasers, etc. rise apartment complexes; the curb on
5%-inch hard drive in the garbage when In this article, we cover just a few of pick -up day, college campuses around
you upgraded, didn't you? Admit it! Did these potential goodies. the end of the Spring term; and any
you know that if it was a high- perfor- other place where perfectly good equip-
mance drive, it contained several of the Safety Considerations ment gets tossed in this throw -away
most powerful permanent magnets you The devices, equipment, circuits, and
would ever be likely to find anywhere? other gadgets described in this article
And, they would have been free! may be dangerous. Much of it deals with
That big old microwave oven? Too potentially lethal voltages. Getting elec-
bad. There are more magnets, a nice trocuted could ruin your whole day.
high -voltage power transformer, rectifi- Before thinking about experimenting
er, capacitor, an electronic or mechani-
cal timer, fans, other motors, etc.
What about that dot -matrix printer?
with anything using or producing high
voltages or connected to the AC line
even opening up a disposable camera
-
Too bad -at least two stepper motors, a that may have been laying around gath-
These are the magnet yoke assemblies from sev-
nice power supply, and various other ering dust (the capacitor can still be
eral disk drives. The large ones are from older
electronic and mechanical components. charged-arggh!), see the document: Micropolous (left) and Seagate (right) drives,
More steppers are in the floppy drives "Safety Guidelines for High Voltage while the small magnets are from modern
48 and, also, probably a regulated -speed and/or Line Powered Equipment" at my diskette drives.

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 full- height 51/4-inch high -performance
types, e.g., Seagate WREN series or
Micropolous boat anchors (the rare
earth magnets in these are wicked). (The
magnets in small drives are even
stronger but are, well, much smaller.) A
typical size for a large drive is about 1- x
1'/0- x %- inches. Since almost no one
wants such large slow drives anymore,
they are often found at swap meets or

Thce art' licon-Algil umi oil -burner ignition

transformers. The oil burner ignition is on the
yard sales for next to nothing. These
magnets are a few thousand Gauss - This photo shows various after-market replace-
about the most powerful field you're ment ignition coils that could be incorporated
left, an electronic neon sign transformer is in
the middle, and an iron transformer is on the
likely to find outside a medical MRI into high - voltage experiments. Caution and
right. scanner. Another photo shows the mag- common sense must be be used when handling
net yoke assemblies from several disk any such device.
society! drives. The large ones are from
Of course, don't overlook high -tech Micropolous (left) and Seagate (right) WARNING: The toner is a possible
flea markets, as well as ham and comput- 51/4-inch full- height high -performance health hazard. A good dust mask
er fests. Regular flea markets are usually (for their day) drives. The small ones are should be used while working on
overpriced (where do you think they get from more modern 31/4-inch drives. these. Also, do not vacuum what
the stuff? ?), but sometimes you will be Here is a quick easy experiment to try remains -static can set off a dust
able to negotiate a great price because with these powerful magnets: Slide one explosion -use wet rags or paper
they have no idea of what they are sell- such magnet over a thick aluminum towels to clean up the mess! The
ing! Yes, we are a strange bunch. plate. What do you feel? Let a 1- x 2- coating on the photosensitive drum
x 12 -inch aluminum plate drop through may also be a hazardous material.
Magnets the intact yoke from a Seagate WREN
Let's start with magnets. Two excel- series 51/4-inch full- height hard -drive Loudspeakers. Smaller or older
lent sources of magnets are described positioner. What happens? Why? What speakers use AlNiCo-type magnets,
below. These are at least as strong as the material might produce an even more which are usually in the form of a
more well -known speaker types, possi- pronounced effect? Why? cylinder (about as tall as it is wide).
bly much stronger, and generally easier For more things to do with these neat AlNiCo is an extremely hard metal
to remove. magnets, see the Neodymiumarium alloy. AlNiCo magnets are not as
Microwave oven magnetron tubes. Web site, www.netcomuk.co.ulet-una/neo powerful as ferrite or rare earth types
Go to your local appliance repair shop dym.html. and are easily demagnetized (but just
and ask-they just toss bad ones. Each Caution: Both these types are power- as easily remagnetized). Passing a
one has two ring- shaped ferrite magnets ful and will squash flesh as they suck all stack of these through the center
about 21/4- inches in diameter with a 'A- the bits off of your magnetic media! I hole of a strong ferrite magnet will
inch hole, magnetized N -S on the faces. am not kidding about the part about increase their strength dramatical-
Surplus places typically charge $3 to $6 squashed flesh-with some you actually ly -until they are separated from
each for one of these magnets. A photo need a small crowbar to pry the assem- each other! Modern loudspeakers use
shows four magnets (two magnetron's bly apart! ring- shaped ceramic ferrite magnets
worth) floating on a plastic tube. Additional Disclaimer: I will not be (similar to those in a microwave oven
Large hard -disk drives, especially responsible when your spouse or parents magnetron) glued to the pole piece
come home to find the microwave or PC (yoke) assembly within which the
missing some key components and as voice coil moves. The ferrite is
dead as a brick!

Other Sources of
Fairly Powerful Magnets
The following are other possibilities.
However, they are not likely to be near-
ly as strong!

Spent laser printer toner cartridges

where the entire developer assembly
is part of the cartridge (e.g., EPS -2
for Canon engines). These include a
The flyback transformer pictured on the left is
page -width ferrite magnet. However,
Extreme care must be taken when you attempt to from a 21 -inch monitor, while the one pictured
expect to make a mess disassembling on the right is from a 12-inch video terminal.
extract a high - voltage transformer, such as the
one pictured above, from a microwave. The volt-
the cartridge as there will still be con- Even smaller ones may be found in camcorders
siderable toner remaining inside. and mini -TVs. 49
ages involved are lethal.

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 extremely hard but very brittle, so input voltages with correspondingly Caution: Since these power supplies
care must be used to extract these reduced output. were designed for a specific purpose
from the yoke assembly. A 555 timer-based oscillator or other under specific operating conditions,
horizontal sync source may be needed as their behavior when confronted with
Permanent magnet stepper and servo well, if the system doesn't free -run at overloads or short circuits on the output
motors. These will use ferrite or rare close to the normal horizontal scan rate. will depend on their design. It may not
earth magnets usually in strange This is probably easier where the guts be pretty-as in they may blow up! Take
shapes. Note: Removing the mag- came from a monitor or terminal (since care to avoid such events and /or add
nets may result in partial demagneti- a separate TTL compatible horizontal suitable protection in the form of fast -
zation (reduction in magnetic drive input is likely to be available), but acting fuses and current -limiting to the
strength) as the rotor is part of the it should be possible to fake out a TV, as switching transistor.
magnetic circuit. Therefore, I do not well.
recommend this source. There is Depending on design, these may High -Voltage Transformers
generally no practical way of remag- require signals like 'HV Enable' and/or There are many transformers capable
netizing the strange shapes involved. a feedback or reference voltage to oper- of generating high voltages for hobby-
ate properly. Small B/W TVs, mono ist -type projects. Some operate from the
Optical (laser) pick -ups from CD computer monitors, and computer ter- AC line directly, while others require an
players, CD -ROM drives, and other minals will provide about 12 to 15 kV. interrupter or solid -state high- frequen-
optical data -storage devices. These Large B/W TVs and color TVs and cy driver.
may have some very tiny, but strong, monitors will provide 15 to 30 kV. Even Neon-sign or luminous-tube trans-
rare earth magnets in the focus and more from projection sets! formers (same thing) (10 to 15 kV at
tracking actuator. However, it seems Some larger high- performance color 15 to 60 tnA, current -limited) -Some
a shame to sacrifice the beautiful monitors may have a separate self-con- may be higher. There are also smaller
mechanics in such a device just to get tained HV module. One particular type ones. Current -limited means that the
the magnets! Caution: Tiny magnets (found in a 19 -inch Monitronix EZ transformer will deliver the rated cur-
are even more fragile than bigger series workstation monitor) is rated at 25 rent (Io) into a short circuit and produce
ones! kV, 1.1 mA (and produces several other the rated voltage (Vo) with no load. In
voltages) from a 26 -VDC, 2.5 A-power between, it is designed to produce a
High -Voltage Power Supplies supply. However, by tweaking some somewhat constant current up to a sub-
from Dead Equipment internal pots, over 30 kV is available. stantial fraction of its no -load output
There are a surprisingly large number One key advantage of using pre - voltage. This is somewhat similar to
of common consumer electronics equip- designed circuitry is that you are less being in series with a resistor equal to
ment and appliances that employ high likely to destroy power transistors and n *Vo/Io (where n may be 2 or 3 or
voltage in one form or another. other expensive parts -and I have blown more) over this range, but it's imple-

TVs, monitors, and computer ter-

minals-All contain a source of high
my unfair share.
High -voltage power supplies
These come from plasma globes, elec-
- mented without silicon as the magnetic
design of the core and windings with no
extra power dissipation. (It isn't really
voltage for the CRT. Depending on the trostatic dust precipitators, photocopiers this straightforward, but will serve as a
particular model, up to 30 kVDC or
more at 1 to 2 mA will be available
assuming the deflection/HV subsystem
- and laser printers, bug zappers, negative
ion and ozone generators, electric
fences, cattle prods, and other `common'
first approximation.)
Therefore, a short circuit on the out-
put will not blow a fuse or trip a breaker
of your sacrificial equipment is in oper- equipment. Any of these may be pressed (though the transformer will overheat if
ating condition. However, you cannot into service for your applications. Since left this way for too long). Both iron (an
(or at least should not) just string HV these HV generators are not combined actual transformer) and electronic (high -
wires from the back of the family's 35- with anything else, they are likely to be frequency inverter) types are available.
inch TV to your lab. self- contained modules and can be very The iron types are more robust and will
How much circuitry you actually easily used by themselves. However, survive repeated abuse that may destroy
need (and what you will have to add) available current from some of these the others, but they are heavy. Sources:
depends on design, but figure on the sources is generally less than from TVs Your local sign shop, demolition compa-
mainboard with the deflection drive or monitors. Details are left to the high- ny, or salvage yard. New: $100 or more.
and flyback and probably the yoke (to ly motivated student. Used: $5 to $50 or free. WARNING:
keep the system properly tuned, though Though current -limited, the available
this may not be essential). Some capac-
itance on the HV output may be need-
Plasma globes: Pulsed (not rectified
or filtered) 10 to 15 kV
current from neon -sign transformers -
especially the larger ones-is far into the
ed as well (though the ones I have tried range where lethal consequences are
were happy enough with just the stray Electrostatic dust precipitators: 5 to likely under the wrong circumstances.
capacitance of the wiring). Originally, 10 kVDC Oil -burner ignition transformers
the CRT envelope provided this capac- (8 to 10 kV at 10 to 25 mA, current -
itance. Power will either be the AC line Photocopiers and laser printers: Two limited. See description for neon -sign
(WARNING: very dangerous) or a DC outputs at 5 or 6 kVDC transformers, above.)- Sources: Your
supply typically 12 to 24 VDC. They local HVAC contractor, probably for the
50 will usually operate on somewhat lower Bug zappers: 10 kV? ?? asking, as the ignition transformers are

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thrown out along with old oil burners
when they are replaced. Of course, you
will probably have to take the entire icky
smelling disgusting burner assembly as
part of the deal. However, there will be
a nice motor and small oil pump in
there, as well. Take a look at the photo
that shows an oil- burner ignition trans- a I
former on the left, an electronic neon -
sign transformer in the middle, and an oi

iron one on the right.

rA
N U1
WARNING: Though current-limited, aN
the available current from oil -burner igni-
tion transformers is still more than enough
to kill under the wrong circumstances.
o
Both neon -sign and oil- burner igni- s co 3
Uo
tion transformers generally have center -
tapped secondaries connected to the
ri
HN
.

ut
case-which MUST be grounded (via a
three -wire cord and properly wired out- w
let) for SAFETY. Therefore, it is gener- _ _.,..
ally not possible to construct a totally H %vvv-vvw"` w M
Á tr)
isolated HV power supply with these o
o
0
frl
devices. m)n ra2
d.
Microwave oven high-voltage trans-
formers (1.5 to3 kV at 0.25 to 0.5
amps)- Sources: Dead microwave ovens a u
a> u> If1 O
(the transformer is rarely the problem). U.
Try your local appliance repair shop. 'IC
However, you will probably have to cart
away the entire oven -but other useful ,x
xH
parts inside. "
WARNING: The electrocution dan-
ger from microwave oven transformers o
cannot be overemphasized. They are not m N
ra
W
°
current-limited and, even if they were, vv Hi'
could be instantly lethal given the least o
u
excuse for a suitable path through your
body; since the rated current is a sub- H
C-1
.T.
H N
stantial fraction of an Amp at several d
w
z
thousand volts. Normally, one end of
N
the high voltage secondary is bonded to E
a
the core-which must be grounded for N
safety. However, it may be possible to dis-
connect this and construct an isolated HV 1HP
power supply (which will be only margin-
ally less dangerous).
Automotive ignition coils (25 to 75
kV-depending on model -at low
current)- Sources: Your 1997 Honda.
Ho
7
H
Just kidding. Auto repair shops or parts U
stores, salvage yards. Note the photo
that shows some (probably older) after -
I

[u
market replacement ignition coils. o
WARNING: While unlikely to be CO

UN
N
is

lethal, the HV output of an ignition coil 3

can still result in a seriously unpleasant oo rn41
rl a
shock and possible collateral damage. xn
Flyback transformers (FBTs) from 00-+
TVs, monitors, computer terminals,
or other HV power supplies-Little Fig. I. This is a schematic of a high- voltage power supply circuit. It is capable of generating up to
teeny ones in CRT-based camcorder 30 kV or more (depending on the flyback and supply voltage involved). 51

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 viewfinders and older Watchman TVs. and width, and load. None of the com- are certainly possible. The dual 555 cir-
Output from less than 3 kV to over 30 ponent values are critical. The particular cuit can be reduced to a single 555 with
kV at 1 to 2 mA, depending on model. transistor used for Q2 seemed to be zap - some loss in flexibility (unless you use
Most include a high -voltage rectifier, pier better than a common horizontal - the cute non -standard modification that
though some may use an external one or output type, but they work as well. allow independent adjustment of the
voltage multiplier (also a useful and neat The input voltage can range from high and low times -left as an exercise
device). For many hobbyist uses, the about 5 to 24 V. Using a flyback from a for the student).
only portion of the flyback that is impor- MAC Plus computer that had its bad One nice thing about running it at 24
tant will be the high- voltage winding primary winding excised, an output of VDC or less is that it is much more diffi-
(and rectifier, if present). It is a simple more than 20 kV is possible (though cult to let the smoke out of the circuit!
matter to add your own drive and feed- risky since the flyback is probably not The 5 -A power supply I was using shut
back windings on the flyback core. This rated for more than about 12 kV) from a down on several occasions due to over -
eliminates the uncertainty of determin- 24 -VDC, 2 -A power supply. Adjusting current, but the only time I blew the
ing the number of turns and wire size for the drive frequency and duty cycle chopper transistor was by accidentally
the existing windings. Sources: CRT- makes a wide range of output voltages shorting the base to collector.
based equipment tossed for failures and currents possible, depending on
NOT caused by a defective flyback. your load. Wrapup
However, sometimes even a bad fly- With the addition of a high -voltage The above represents just a small
back can be used for HV projects. This filter capacitor (.08 pF, 12 kV), this fraction of what's available for experi-
will be the case if the problem is: No one becomes a nice little helium neon laser enced scroungers. Anyone can go into a
actually buys flyback transformers for power supply, which operates on 8 to 15 store and buy parts and equipment.
experimentation! Take note of the photo VDC -depending on required tube cur- However, I consider it much more
that shows the large and the small of rent and ballast resistor. The transistor rewarding to create useful or at least
FBTs. The one on the left is from a types are not critical. Those were selected interesting devices from scrap parts.
high -performance 21 -inch workstation basically because I had them in my junk More ideas can be found on my Web
monitor; the one on the right is from a box. A TV or monitor horizontal -output site, www.repairfaq.org.
12 -inch monochrome video display ter- transistor (HOT) should be satisfactory As always, I welcome feedback of
minal. Even smaller ones may be found for the chopper, but will require a good almost any type via e-mail to sam-
in CRT-based camcorder viewfinders strong drive. The lower voltage, high - gp@repairfaq.org. Note change to my e-
and mini -TVs. current transistor I used (2SD797) has mail address: I was forced to disable the
WARNING: Flyback transformers both a higher current and higher Hfe previous address due to excess SPAM. E-
are capable of producing shocking expe- rating than typical HOTs. Even a mail to that address will result in an
riences. However, when run at high fre- 2N3055 will probably survive and not be autoreply with a Web address to use to
quencies, your first hint of bodily dam-
age may be via your sense of smell
from burning flesh. Keep clear! Note:
- too bad in the performance department.
The drive transformer is from a B/W
computer monitor (actually a video -dis-
contact me. Q

Ignition coils and flyback transformers

can generate very high voltages, but
must be driven by a pulsed or high-fre-
play terminal) and has a turns ratio of
4:1 wound on a S6-inch square by s-inch
long nylon bobbin on a gapped- ferrite
Poptronics
quency drive circuit. These cannot be
plugged into the wall socket directly!
double E core. The primary has 80 turns Interactive Edition
and the secondary has 20 turns, both of
#30 wire. Make sure you get the polari- Projects... Courses...Articles...g more
Flyback- Transformer- ty correct: The base of the switching
Driver Circuit
Here's a circuit you could build with
transistor should be driven when the
driver turns on. You should be able to
Read it on the WEB!
An e- magazine for everyone
that flyback transformer you just sal- wind a transformer similar to this in
vaged. (See Fig. 1.) This is an adjustable
who loves electronics.
about 10 minutes if a similar size (does-
high -voltage power supply capable of n't need to be exact) core is available. Aimed at teaching electronics
generating up to 30 kV or more Where the flyback includes an inter- from the beginning with courses,
(depending on the flyback and supply nal rectifier and/or you are attempting tests and interactive questions
voltage). to obtain the maximum output voltage to guarantee your success.
This circuit uses a pair of 555 timers of a specific polarity, the direction of
to provide variable-frequency, variable drive matters as the largest pulse ampli- Interesting articles and related
pulse -width drive to an inverter using a tude is generated when the switching items.
flyback transformer salvaged from a transistor turns off. Since flyback trans-
black- and -white or color TV or com- formers are not marked, you will have to Contains projects that can be
puter monitor. At very low repetition try both possible connections to the ordered directly from the page,
rates, it will produce individual sparks. drive coil. Use the one that produces by simply clicking a button.
At high rates with a low pF value, high - the higher output voltage for a given set
voltage capacitor, the output will essen- of input conditions (drive and pulse www.poptronics.com /
tially be HV DC with a specific value rate /width).
52 dependent on input voltage, pulse rate Many variations on this basic circuit
interactive

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 ntai[to: RCOTRY CHARLES D. RAKES

Sundìals or The Shadow Tells All

better half has wanted a sundial
My to the dial. Generally, the dial is divided
for her flower garden for some into twelve hour periods from 6 AM to 6
time now, and that got me thinking PM, with 12 noon in the middle.
about building an electronic version. As the sun moves across the sky, the
Quickly, to take the pressure off, I pur- shadow cast by the gnomon moves
chased my wife a very nice heavy equa- across the dial marking the hour from
torial sundial for her garden and for sunrise to sunset.
hands -on experimenting. The earth does not move at a constant
The sundial method of telling time speed while whizzing through space
dates back to before 1000 years BC. around the sun, and that's one of the rea-
Basically, all sundials indicate time by sons why sun time varies from clock time.
the sun's shadow cast on a dial marked in The sundial can be a very accurate time *Q1 PHOTOTRANSISTOR,
hours. The sun-blocking object that piece; however, our efforts will be to sim- SEE TEXT

casts the shadow is called the gnomon ulate a basic sundial's performance elec- Fig. 2. The circuit shown above turns an LED off
and usually is positioned at a right angle tronically and to have fun along the way. when the gnomon casts a shadow on the photo -
transistor. The phototransistor draws current
N
when activated by a light source -causing its
emitter to go positive, turning on Q2, and light-
2 NOON
11AM 1PM ing the LED.

2PM
LOAM PARTS LIST FOR
THE SHADOW-
9AM 3PM CASTING CIRCUIT
(FIG. 2)
SAM 4PM SEMICONDUCTORS
15°
QI- Phototransistor, (see text)
Q2-2N3904 NPN transistor
7AM 5PM LEDI-Light -emitting diode, any type
or color

E RESISTORS
6AM 6PM
(All resistors are 1/4-watt, 5% units,
unless otherwise noted.)
GNOMON R1- 10,000- to 47,000 ohms (see text)
R2 -1000 -ohms
EACH ABOUT 15° APART R3 -4700 -ohms

There are gobs of information on sundials

on the Web and in books to help in
designing a specific sundial and in obtain-
ing an accurate time readout. Believe me,
the sundial is a very interesting subject
that's worth the time to research and enjoy.

GNOMON SHAPE Avenues To Follow

Fig. I. The author's first thought was to build a basic shadow- casting sundial and use phototran- The first thought was to build a basic
sistors to indicate when light is and is not present. Here is a diagram of that basic sundial. shadow -casting sundial, see Fig. 1, and 53

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 Q1 PHOTOTRANSISTOR,
SEE TEXT

Fig. 3. This circuit allows the shadow to turn on

the LED to indicate the hour. Sun hitting QI Q1 PHOTOTRANSISTOR,
causes it to draw current, and the voltage at its SEE TEXT
collector is near ground level. Fig. 4. The use of a lower gain phototransistor is possible within this circuit. It will also work with
a high -gain phototransistor; however, it does require an additional component.
PARTS LIST FOR
THE LIGHT-ACTIVATED
CIRCUIT PARTS LIST FOR THE LOW-GAIN PHOTOTRANSISTOR
(FIG. 3) (FIG. 4)
SEMICONDUCTORS RESISTORS
SEMICONDUCTORS Q1-Phototransistor (see text) (All resistors are i4 -watt, 5% units, unless
Q 1-Phototransistor (see text) Q2, Q3-2N3904 NPN transistor otherwise noted.)
Q2-2N3904 NPN transistor LED1-Light- emitting diode, any type R1 -(See text)
LED1-Light -emitting diode, any type or color R2, R4-4700-ohms
or color R3- 10,000 -ohms
R5 -1000-ohms
RESISTORS
(All resistors are i4 -watt, 5% units,
unless otherwise noted.) and the LED. The phototransistor's to allow the LED to light when a shad-
RI -(See text) gain and the amount of light hitting it ow falls on the phototransistor.
R2-1000-ohms determine the phototransistor's collec-
R3- 10,000-ohms tor resistor value (R1). If the light level
is high or a high -gain phototransistor is
used, the value of R1 will fall near the
use phototransistors to indicate when 10K value. For less light and a lower
light is and is not present. The circle gain phototransistor, the value will run
may be any size and the gnomon's height toward the high- resistance value. The l
will depend on your latitude; however, circuit in Fig. 3 can be used to determine
start with a gnomon about as high as the the value needed for R1.
radius of the circle used for the dial and This circuit allows the shadow to turn
cut or extend as needed. on the LED to indicate the hour. Sun
Next, we'll work electronics into the hitting QI causes it to draw current, and
PLASTIC BUCKET
mix with the aid of phototransistors and the voltage at its collector is near ground OR PIPE
LEDs. If we were to place a phototran-
sistor in each hour position and feed the
output to an array of LEDs positioned
level. When the shadow is cast on Q1,
its collector current goes very low
allowing the voltage at its collector to
- SIDE VIEW
WITHA
GAP
in a similar arrangement, the shadow climb, turning on Q2, and lighting the
position could be shown by a corre- LED. The value of R1 can be deter-
spondingly positioned LED. We could mined using this circuit in both sunlight
choose to either light the LED or have it and in shadow. If the value of R1 ends up
go dark to indicate the hour. being near the high- resistance value,
The circuit in Fig. 2 turns an LED off then the following circuit in Fig. 4
when the gnomon casts a shadow on the would be a better choice.
phototransistor. The phototransistor Performing the same function, this
draws current when activated by a light circuit allows the use of a lower gain ALL MEASUREMENTS
source causing its emitter to go positive, phototransistor. It will also work with a ARE IN INCHES
turning on Q2, and lighting the LED. high -gain phototransistor; however, it
Fig. 5. Let's take the sunny -side approach to
When the light source is covered by a does require an additional component. sundial building. Picture a round slice out of an
shadow, the voltage at the phototransis- The addition of Q3 to the original cir- opaque bucket or large plastic pipe, as shown
54 tor's emitter goes low-turning off Q2 cuit in Fig. 2, inverts the output function above, with a slot cut through it, as shown.

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 SLOT
OPENING
mark on the inside of the circle in the
AT VERY middle of the sun strip and the middle of
TOP the circle.
Once this is done, the locations for
the phototransistors will all be marked.
The actual width of the sun slot will
depend on the placement and number of
phototransistors used. The slot will cast
a narrow light strip on the early and late
hours and wider strips during the mid-
day period. Some juggling of the photo -
transistors' positions and numbers will
be in order to obtain the desired results.
The number of phototransistors and
LEDs used will determine the resolu-
tion of the displayed time.
The phototransistors will be posi-
tioned around the circle to correspond
CAMERA,
TRIPOD with the sun's exposure at a given hour,
as shown in Fig. 7. The drawing shows
only five positions, where as many as 49
phototransistors may be used to increase
the readout resolution. It is also impor-
tant that each phototransistor is posi-
tioned to face the incoming light. A gen-
eral reference to the light -entry angle
can be taken from Fig. 7. The inside of
the circle should be painted a flat black
to reduce any internal reflection that
Fig. 6. To calibrate and mark each hour and half hour, mount the plastic circle on a camera tripod
could be detected by other phototransis-
with the slot at the center of the top and the axis facing north and south.
tors not in the direct light path.
After all of the phototransistors are
It is easy to estimate the time between to sundial building. Picture a round slice mounted and positioned correctly, both
the hours on a sundial by the shadow's out of an opaque bucket or large plastic sides of the circle must be made light-
position between the hour markings; pipe, see Fig. 5, with a slot cut through proof. This can be accomplished with
however, it is not so easy with the elec- it, as shown. any opaque material of your choice. For
tronic version. The slot is cut about %- inches wide, in weatherproofing, a drain hole can be
The shadow that falls on an area not line with the axis of the circle. Pick a drilled in the very bottom of the circle.
seen by a phototransistor also does not sunny day, take the cut circle out into Silicon rubber is a good material to use
light or turn off an LED. That means at the sunlight, and hold it in front of you to seal out moisture around the photo -
some time between each hour the elec- with the slot positioned straight up. Face transistors. This is an area where you
tronic sundial will not give a clue to the the north and align the circle due north, will need to spend time in order to get
sun's actual position. To overcome this so that the sun casts a bright strip across the outdoor portion of the sundial up to
deficiency, a phototransistor can be the inside of the circle. Early in the AM snuff.
placed on the half hour position between the sun will cast its light very near the
each hour -allowing a time display to top left side of the circle, and in the late The Circuitry
within a half hour. Adding phototransis- PM the strip of light will appear at the The basic circuitry for the electronic
tors and LEDs will increase the sundial's same spot on the opposite side of the cir- sundial is just that, basic. There are sev-
readout accuracy, and the low cost of cle. At noon the sun will cast a strip of eral ways to approach the design. One is
phototransistors and LEDs makes it a light at the very middle of the circle. to use a multiple of the circuits shown in
reasonable option. Actually a total of 49 To calibrate and mark each hour and Fig. 2, with transistors turning on the
phototransistors and 49 LEDs will give a half hour, mount the plastic circle on a LEDs, or to use a number of 4049
time readout at each quarter hour from camera tripod (as shown in Fig. 6) with inverting CMOS buffers, as shown in
6 AM to 6 PM. the slot at the center of the top and the Fig. 8. Either of these two methods will
axis facing north and south. Actually work, or any other scheme that performs
Another Path To Follow when the circle is positioned properly, the same function.
After much study and woolgathering, the only sun hitting the inside of the cir- The use of CMOS 4049 ICs will cut
I think the following sundial scheme will cle will be from the slot above. Just down on the number of components
be an improvement over our first rotate the circle toward the north until needed and simplify construction.
attempt. What is the opposite of the only the light from the slot shows on the In Fig. 8, the phototransistor detects
shadow cast by the gnomon? Sunlight of inner circle. At each hour and half hour the sunbeam, producing a high output at
course! Let's take the sunny-side approach from 6 AM to 6 PM, go out and make a its emitter. This high at the input of the 55

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 NOON SUN

Fqq
S'

PHOTOTRANSISTOR
HERE

4049 PIN OUT

5 4

7 6

9 10

11 12

14 15

Q1 PHOTOTRANSISTOR,
SEE TEXT

Fig. 8. Here the phototransistor detects the sun-

beam, producing a high output at its emitter.
This high at the input of the 4049 inverter pro-
duces a low at its output, lighting the LED.

PARTS LIST FOR

THE 4049 CIRCUIT
12:00
(FIG. 8)
NOON

Fig. 7. The phototransistors will be positioned around the circle to correspond with the sun's expo-
SEMICONDUCTORS
sure at a given hour. The drawing shows only five positions, where as many as 49 phototransistors ICI -4049 CMOS hex -inverting buffer IC
may be used to increase the readout resolution. Q1- Phototransistor (see text)
LED 1-Light-emitting diode, any type
4049 inverter produces a low at its out- QSD 124. Also, a few no -name, no -num- or color
put, lighting the LED. The remaining ber types were tried and most would
five inverters and their pin -out numbers work. So I suggest trying a few of the RESISTORS
are shown in the same figure. The cir- inexpensive phototransistors and select- RI -(See text)
cuit is duplicated for each time position ing the least expensive one that works. R2-2200-ohms, Vs-watt, 5% resistor
and, to keep it simple, only a one posi- Actually building an electronic sundial
don is shown. will require more mechanical skills than
The phototransistors used in my sun- electronic. But what other hobby offers tronic sundial and let me know how it
dial experiments included a Mouser so much diversity? Get out in the sun- turns out. Got to go for now.....see you
Electronic part #512 -L14G1 and #512- light and build your own working elec- here next month. Cheers!! P

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NEW LITERATURE
McGraw -Hill Dictionary Of Master Handbook of Audio Production
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 Final Cut Pro 3 Editing Workshop Small Tool Catalog
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 SUPPLEMENT TO POPTRONICS OCTOBER 2002

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#166 -By Hugo Gernsback.
Here is a collection of 21 April Rates:
Fools Articles, reprinted from
the pages of the magazines S3.00 per word (New rate for renewals. New advertisers welcome.)
they appeared in, as a 74- Minimum 15 Words
page, 8'á x 11 -inch book. The
stories were written between
1933 and 1964. Some of the
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devices actually exist today. Prepayment Meseta Sebtetal
Others are just around the corner. All are fun and Nunn
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Radio Iron, The Visi-Talkie, Electronic Razor, 30- 12 insertions in one magazine, 10% TON. COST S
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Day LP Record, Teleyeglasses and even Elec-
tronic Brain Servicing. Get your copy today. Ask
for book #166 and include $9.99 (includes ship- Please use a separate piece of paper to write your copy, or for any special
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ping and handling) in the US (First Class), Cana-
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 ADVERTISING INDEX ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES
Poptronics does not assume any responsibility for errors that may appear in the Gernsback Publications, Inc.
index below. 275 -G Marcus Blvd.
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Free Information Number Page Free Information Number Page Tel. 631-592 -6720
Abacom Lone Star Consulting
Fax: 631 -592 -6723
67 76
Larry Steckler
Active Elec. Components 71
- LT Sound 72 Publisher (ext. 201)
- Lynxmotion 72 advertising @gernsback.com
e -mail:
Alan Broadband Co. 77
M2L Electronics 78
Adria Coren
- All Electronics 72 Vice -President (ext. 208)
324 MCM Electronics CV2
- Amazon Electronics 77 Ken Coren
323 Mendelsons 67 Vice -President (ext. 267)
- Basic Micro Inc 77
296 Merrimack Valley 70
Marie Falcon
Bellin Dynamic Systems 76 Advertising Director (ext. 206)
microEngineering Labs 77
- Blue Bell Design, Inc. 76 Adria Coren
Modern Electronics 72 Credit Manager (ext. 208)
290 C &S Sales, Inc. 65
325 Mouser Electronics 62
283 CadSoft, Inc. 11 For Advertising ONLY
233 Circuit Specialists
- MyLydia, Inc 77 EAST /SOUTHEAST
73

CLAGGK, Inc.
North Country Radio 62 Marie Falcon
CV3, 32, 47 275 -G Marcus Blvd.
PAiA Electronics 77
- Classified Ads 79 Hauppauge, NY 11788
275 Parts Express CV4 Tel. 631 -592 -6720 x206
Classified Order Form 79 Fax: 631 -592 -6723
PCB 123 76 e -mail: mfalcon @gernsback.com
320 Cleveland Inst. of Electronics ...66, 75

321 Command Productions

PCB Express 76 MIDWEST/Texas/Arkansas/
63
Oklahoma
Pioneer Hill Software 67
Conitec Data Systems 72 Ralph Bergen
228 Polaris Industries 61 One Northfield Plaza, Suite 300
Consumertronics 76
219 Prairie Digital Northfield, IL 60093 -1214
74
Designtech Engineering 64 Tel. 847 -559 -0555
Progressive Concepts 62 Fax: 847 -559 -0562
EDE Spy Outlet 78
e -mail: bergenrj @aol.com
263 Ramsey Electronics 68
- Elect. Tech. Today 36, 41 PACIFIC COAST
- Scott Edwards Electronics 63
Electronix 72 Megan Mitchell
Scrambling News 76 9072 Lawton Pine Avenue
206 Electronix Express 69
Las Vegas, NV 89129 -7044
Square 1 Electronics 71, 76
EMAC, Inc. 64 Tel. 702 -240 -0184
Techniks 77 Fax: 702 -838 -6924
Engineering Express 67 e -mail: mmitchell @gernsback.com
Technological Arts 78
Global Specialties 64
322 Test Equipment Depot 74
Subscription/
220 Information Unlimited 69 Customer Service/
- Intec Automation 76
Timeline, Inc. 77 Order Entry
Tel. 800 -827 -0383
Intelligence Here
- Toroid Corporation 62
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM CST
77

Intronics 78
- UCANDO Videos 74

- JDR Computer Products

- Vision Electronics 78
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 YOUR #1 SOURCE FO PA^TS

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 Electronics CD ROMs PlCmicro programming
This great range of CD ROM learning resources will teach
you all about electronic circuits and systems and how to
tools and CD ROMs
design them.

Electronic Circuits and Components V2

provides an introduction to the principles and application of
the most common types of electronic components and how
they are used to form complete circuits. Sections on the disc
include: fundamental electronic theory, active components,
passive components, analogue circuits, digital circuits, fault
finding and the Parts Gallery.
Digital Electronics V2 details the principles and
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shift registers, fault finding and displays. The CD ROM also
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Analog Electronics is a complete learning resource
This flexible development board allows you to program 8, 18, 28, 40 pin PlCmicro
for this most difficult subject. The CD ROM indudes the usual
microcontrollers as well as test/develop code. All programming software is included
wealth of virtual laboratories as well as an electronic circuit
and several resources which allow students to learn and program PlCmicro
simulator with over 50 pre-designed analog circuits which
j
i7L r
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gives you the ultimate leaming tool. The CD provides
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microcontrollers are available - Flowcode, C for PlCmicro microcontrollers and
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m Aar systems. Flowcode is a very high level language

Electronic Projects is just that: a series of ten projects programming system for PlCmicro®
for students to build with all support information. The CD is microcontrollers based on flowcharts. Flowcode
Electronic Projects
by Max Horsey designed to provide a set of projects which will complement is a powerful language that uses macros to
students' work on the other 3 CDs in the Electronics facilitate the control of complex devices like 7-
Education Sedes. Each project on the CD is supplied with sement displays, motor controllers, and LCD
schematic diagrams, circuit and PCB layout files, component displays. The use of macros allows students to
lists and comprehensive circuit explanations. .le.vrede for PIC.eiore control highly complex electronic devices without
nn Yellers
Robotics and Mechatronics is designed to enable getting bogged down in understanding the
those with little previous experience of electronics to build programming involved. Board not included.
electromechanical systems. The CD ROM deals with all
aspects of robotics from the control systems used, the The Assembly for PlCmicro microcontrollers
transducers available, motors/actuators and the circuits to CD ROM (previously known as PlCtutor) contains
drive them. Full case study material (include the NASA Mars a complete course in programming the PIC16F84
Rover, the Milford spider and the Furby) is used to show microcontroller from Arizona Microchip. The CD
students how practical robotic systems are designed. includes a full suite of tutorials starting at basic
Digital Works is a highly interactive scalable digital concepts and progressing complex techniques
logic simulator designed to allow electronics and including interrupts. An IDE and all programming
computer science students to build complex digital tools are included. Board not included.
logic circuits incorporating circuit macros, 4000 and
74 series logic. The C for PlCmicro® microcontrollers CD
ROM is designed for students and professionals
CADPACK includes software for schematic
who need to learn how to program embedded
capture, circuit simulation, and PCB design and is
microcontrollers in C. C for PlCmicro MCUs also
capable of producing industrial quality schematics
provides all the tools needed actually program a
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circuit design and animation /simulation that will help and device programmer (via printer port).
your students understand the basic operation of Although the course focuses on the use of the
many circuits. PlCmicro® series of microcontrollers this CD
( for PINaime mirre<oMrellers
Analog Filters is a complete course in filter design br Nob Miles ROM will provide a relevant background in C
and synthesis and contains expert systems to assist programming for any microcontroller. Board not
in designing active and passive filters. included.

Order Form Please allow 6 weeks delivery.

Name:
Phone your order to us on:
Student / home Institution 631 -592 -6721
version version
Electronic Cots. & Comps. 2 $50 $99 Address: or send your order to:
Digital Electronics 2 $50 $99
Analog Electronics $50 $99 Zip: Phone' CLAGGK Inc.,
Electronic Projects $75 $159 PO Box 12162,
Robotics and Mechatronics $50 $99 Hauppage, NY 11788
Digital Works $50 $99
Card Type
Mastercard, Visa, or Discover only
CADPACK $75 $159 Expire date:
Analog Filters $75 $159
Assembly for PlCmicros $50 $159 Card number:
C for PlCmicros $50 $159
Flowcode for PlCmicros $50 $99
PlCmicro development board $159 I have enclosed my check for $: Signature:
Postage - USA $5 $5
Postage - Canada
Please charge my credit card for $:
$10 $10 CLO2
Note institution versions have increased functional' increased assessment and are licenced for use In schools and co aeons

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