=rom tie Pub ishers of

sonRadio- Electro-iics ROW -6 TIMES A YEAR 43784

Electron
TI-E MAGAZINE THE ELEC'RONICS ACTIVIST!
6
$2 50 U.S.
$2.95 CANADA.
JANUARY. FEBRUARY
19E6

One -Evening
NEW: DataCard PROJECTS
Teerout file -card information Anyone Can
Start your collection tray! Build

Give the unknown DIP a name!

DIGITAL
CRIBBAGE
BOARD
A 17th century card game
that's gone digital!

Discover what and how

impor :ant it is for
getting the sigral out

Before & After Clock

Displays time the way
you say t!

7
.
GERMSBACF".
LA -,N
 THE ANSWER
TEK DUAL TRACE OSCILLOSCOPES BY ANY MEASURE

Now! Tek quality and expert advice

are just a free phone call away!
The industry Vertical sys- Perform delayed Front panel laid
standard in CRT Display controls tem provides sweep measure- Stable hands -off out by function
performance. are flexible and measurement ments accurately triggering. P -P for ease of use.
Crisp, easy -to- easy to use. Sep- assurance. Flat and easily. Both AUTO detects sig- Color coding aids
read, bright CRT; arate intensity transient response sweeps can be nal peaks, then the user in opera-
14kV accelerating controls reduce and high accuracy displayed alter- sets the trigger tion. Functions
potential, provides blooming in alter- ensures true nately making dif- level for you. Dis- and modes are
high writing rate nate sweep mode. reproduction of ferential measure- play asynchronous placed logically.
and small spot Focus tracking your signals. Fast ments easy and signals using All nomenclature
size. Full size 8x10 minimizes control risetime and high accurate (1 %). VERT MODE trig- is clearly labeled,
cm display for adjustment and bandwidth is well An interlocking gering. Indepen- and protected
measurement BEAM FIND elimi- suited for a variety SEC /DIV control dent TV field and behind a scratch -
accuracy. nates confusion. of measurement. simplifies set -up line selection. less Lexan surface.

Our direct order line gets have the bandwidth for digital
you the industry's leading and analog circuits. The sensitivity
price/performance portables... for low signal measurements. The
and fast answers from experts! sweep speeds for fast logic fami- manual, two 10X probes, 15-day
The 60 MHz single time base delay lies. And delayed sweep for fast, return policy and worldwide ser-
2213A, the 60 MHz dual time base accurate timing measurements. vice backup.
2215A and the 100 MHz dual time All scopes are UL Listed and CSA
base 2235 offer unprecedented approved. Order toll free:
reliability and affordability, plus the You can order, or obtain 1- 800 -426 -2200,
industry's first 3 -year warranty* literature, through the Tek
on labor and parts, CRT included. National Marketing Center. Tech-
Ask for Rick.
InOregon, call collect:
The cost: just $1275 for the nical personnel, expert in scope
2213A, $1525 for the 2215A, applications, will answer your (503) 627 -9000.
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these low prices, there's no Direct orders include comprehen- P.O. Box 1700
scrimping on performance. You sive 3 -year warranty *, operator's Beaverton, OR 97075

TéJctronbco COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE

Copyright m 1985, Tektronix, Inc. All rights reserved. #TTA- 439 -3. tPrice F.O.B. Beaverton. OR. '3 -year warranty includes CRT.
CIRCLE 718 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
 Volume 3, No. 1 January /February 1986

SPECIAL PROJECT-BUILDERS
16 -PAGE SECTION
Budget Project Parade
Budget projects parade-page 53
53 Multi- purpose Flashing LED
56 Electronic Dice
59 A Simple Amplifier
62 Home and Car Alarm
65 Integrated Shortwave Receiver
67 Electronic Siren

FEATURES
Digital cribbage board -page 23
Identifying Unknown IC's-let the chip's "signature" detect its
function and type
SWR -what it means in practice
Assemble a Computer Monitor from a Kit -we check out the
Heathkit HVM -122A 12 -inch monitor
Digital Fundamentals-Understanding counters and shift
registers
Inside Oscilloscopes -Application rules you should know
Before and after clock -page 45

PROJECTS YOU CAN BUILD

Digital Cribbage Board-modern day computer scoring for an
old card game
Before and After Clock -see the time as you tell it
Adjustable Timer-the beginning of many new projects
Telephone Remote Control System -let the touch -tone
signals trip in -house switches
Quicky Telephone Tester-are your lines polarized correctly?
Power-Supply Balance Indicator -the test -bench designer's
tool Identifying unknown IC's -page 32

SPECIAL COLUMNS
Saxon on Scanners -some good news and some bad news
Jensen on DX'ing- Listen to the lands of the tango, cumbia,
mariachi, and huayno
Friedman on Computers-what a hard -disk system can do Telephone BSR system -page 69
for your personal computer

DEPARTMENTS
Editorial -you're eyeballing a collector's item
Letter Box -we get letters
New Product Showcase-consumer goodies we all can use
Bookshelf-from tomes to catalogs
1
 EDITORIAL PAGE
Volume 3, No.1
JANUARY/
The Magazine for the Electronics Activist! FEBRUARY 1986

You're eyeballing a collector's item!

Ifs a new year for Hands -on Electronics and were bringing to our readers a more exciting
magazine! Let me tell you about some of the highlights.
The people at Dick Smith Electronics cooperated with the editors of Hands -on Electronics
in the generation of a special 16 -page construction section in this issue. The projects presented
are some of the most often requested by builders of the editors and Dick Smith Electronics. We
put them all together in one special section. All project parts are available in kit form making the
building experience enjoyable and brief. Turn to page 53.
In this issue you find the first of a series of FactCards prepared for the project builder. They are
located right after page 38. Clip these valuable cards and save them. More will follow each
issue. In time your card collection will be an invaluable asset and will find its place on your
workbench.
There are two projects in this issue that are real sleepers. They may become the most talked
about projects in 1986. They are the Digital Cribbage Board (page 23) and Telephone Remote
Control System (page 69). In fact you'd best hang on to this issue; don't lend it to friends. The
Editor is forecasting a sell out, and that includes office copies, too!

Julian S. Martin, KA2GUN

Editor

Composition and interior design by Cover photography by

Mates Graphics Walter Herstatt

BUSINESS AND EDITORIAL OFFICES

Gernsback Publications, Inc.
Brian C. Fenton, associate editor 200 Park Ave. S., New York, NY 10003
212/777 -6400
Byron G. Wels, K2AVB, editor and associate Chairman of the Board: M. Harvey Gernsback
Carl Laron, associate editor President: Larry Steckler
Ruby M. Yee, production manager
Hugo Gernsback (1884 -1967) founder Robert A. W. Lowndes, production NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES
M. Harvey Gernsback, editor -in -chief associate (For Advertising Inquiries Only)
Larry Steckler, CET, publisher Karen S. Tucker, production assistant Joe Shere
Art Kleiman, editorial director Geoffrey S. Weil, production assistant 1507 Bonnie Doone Terrace
Julian S. Martin, KA2GUN, editor Jacqueline P. Cheeseboro, circulation director Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
714/760-8697
JI!1
Robert A. Young, associate editor Arline R. Fishman, advertising coodinator

Hands -on Electronics, (ISSN 0743 -2968) Published by- monthly (Jana "Feb., March April. May Ju n e. July Aug., Sept. Oct. Nov Dec. by Gernsback
) back
Publications. Inc.. 200 Park Avenue South, New York. NY 10003 Second -Class postage pending at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices One -year.
six issues. subscription rate U.S.A. and possessions $14.00. Canada $17.00, all other countries $21.00. Subscription orders payable in U.S. funds only,
international postal money order or check drawn on a U.S.A. bank. U.S. single copy price $2.50. c 1985 by Gernsback Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Printed in U.S.A.

Postmaster Please send address changes to Hands -On Electronics, Subscription Dept.. P.O. Box 338, Mount Morris, IL 61054.

Astamped self- addressed envelope must accompany all submitted manuscripts and or artwork or photographs if their return is desired should they be rejected.
We disclaim 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, Hands -on- Electronics 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, Hands-on -
Electronics disclaims any responsibility for the safe and proper functioning of reader-built projects based upon or from plans or information published in this
magazine.
2
 Build Circuits Faster
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Introducing the plug -in world of AP accommodate most DIPs and discrete
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 DOS
Vintage Radio Kit the "Build an Antique Shortwave Re- A Blink May Be a Boo!
Help! Is there someone or some corn - ceiver" (Reinartz 2) that appeared in the My baby has a small teddy bear and
pany that sells a kit of parts for the Spring 1985 issue of Hands -on Elec- I'd like to replace the eyes with a pair of
Vintage Radio published in your Fall tronics, should shortwave fans be inter- alternately -flashing LED's. Have you got
1984 ( #2) issue of Hands -on Elec- ested! a schematic can use? I

tronics? R.T., Fresno, CA

I repeat -Heeelp! M.B., Richboro, PA 5V -15V Yes, but first a brief word. Childrer
Yes! First, many readers write to us for are usually afraid of the dark, because
plans on the "1920-Style Wireless Re- they are unable to orient themselves. A
ceiver" (we called it the Unidyne) that small night light, kept in the same place
were published in the above issue. The all the time, eliminates that fear. Also,
issue is still available, although the sup- when you add the LED eyes to that teddy
ply is limited. You can obtain your back bear, don't be surprised if everybody
issue by writing to our New York office. else says it's cute; but the youngster
Be sure to include $4.00 for the issue suddenly becomes afraid of it. That kind
and $1.00 for postage and handling. of thing has happened more than once!
A kit of parts is available from Tech -
nicraft Electronics by writing to them at For Better Hold Ups
338 Katoomba Street, Katoomba your Summer edition, 1985, page
In
N.S.W. 2780, Australia. Send two Inter- 74, the story "Put Your Telephone on
national Reply Coupons for a response Hold" makes mention of 48 -volts DC ori-
on their latest prices and information on ginating at the telephone exchange. In
other vintage radio kits. my area, that voltage is 52.5 -volts DC.
The above information holds true for The voltage at my telephone is 51.7. I

24ocrgA/4 I
rr
yin$ Volume
Fun Way assumes you
1
Metal/
Basic Pipe Locator
1

know absolutely nothing! Amplifier Extremely handy tor loca-

ltW pipes, wires, etc in walls
It will show you what the Use to make the intercom before dnlhng noies So,-
components look like, (project 18) or use as a prlsmglyecircuit for such
how to connect them into genera' purpose amplifier. a simple circuit
the circuit. even how to
go on with further experi-
Flasher t.
Really handy, good sound
output too.
Catgut
Cat
oo
$650
Cat 6.2633

ments with your circuits

when they are finished.
Cat B -2600 Intercom
$495 Build your own intercom 8
use it around the home.
Practical simple to build
with the intercom amplifier
Make it as the latest to elec- above (Project 101
$65o

tronic jewellery, or a burglar Cat K -2638 Mono Organ

DICK SMITH'S Volume 2 warning light etc Thechoice
is yours and ft's easy!
$
895 Snazzy little circuit uses
the back of the PCB as the
Fun Way Volume 2 takes Cat K -2621 keyboard, Play e tune - it's
over where Fun Way 1
Shortwave easy

FUN WAY finishes, with 20 exciting

new projects to try out.
But these projects are
Receiver
You will be able to tune a
Cat K-2626
79$
different! They're all built LED Dice variety of short wave sta-

INTO sx.
the modern way- on print-
ed curcu it boards. Which
means, of course. all
-1
tions or, with simple modifi-
cations, emergency services
and amateurs etc Easy and
fun It. build.
components are solder-
Cat K -2640
$695
ELECTRONICS ed into

$695 Touch Switch

those
Join the thousands of people, young Cat B-2605 Eve wondered
and old, who have discovered Dick j. buttons orked"
this touch switch yourself
Smith's Fun Way Into Electronics. and you'll be able to work d
Electronics should be fun, but for too Volume 3 out Variety of functions
explained.
often. R is presented as a difficult myster- The logical progression Cat K -2628
ious subject. Even books for beginners for those who have work- $550
have not been successful presented
I ed through Fun Way Ding
as successful in breaking down this Volt and 2. Its for the
barrier. Dick Smith Electronics chang- mom advanced hobbyist Home/ Dong Doorbell
ed all that with the Fun WaySeries. From
because Fun Way Volume Electronic Ves it actually sounds like
the very basics of Fun Way One through
3 projects are all based
Siren Car Alarm a great old fashioned door.
bell But it's electronic: and
on integrated Circuits. Very practical! You could
to the advanced projects of Fun Way Cat B -2610 Just what you need with use this alarm to protect you can build it'
Three, electronics is dealt with In a fun
way that's really easy to understand &
the alarm! Also makes a your home and property!
great sound effects circuit - U ses a ny of the normal alarm
Cat K -2622
$4 SO
and Fun Way 2 tells you triggering devices include
most of all enjoyable! what to do! These kits do NOT
Cat K -2635
Cat K -2636 $ instructions All information
Fun Way
5495 is published in
2, which is necessary
tae
construction can begin on
any kit.

ORDER TOLL FREE 1 -800 -332 537

 iw-

dropped the voltage an additional 4 Auto Battery/Alternator Monitor good that only one of them will be re-
volts; and now have a nice hold feature Update quired-most likely the latter one.
built into the telephone set itself. One Recently, a reader who had built the The published diagram shows the
other fact, a Radio Shack 276 -1067 Auto Battery /Alternator Monitor project Mode pin (9) connected to either pin 11
works equally well in place of the (page 49, Spring 1985) experienced a for a dot display or to pin 3 for a graph
SK3638 SCR. tried both. I problem. He built three (3) units at the display. Try pin 9 floating for the dot dis-
H.K., Caldwell, ID same time and all three appear to have play, andjumpered to pin 3 for the graph
At the consumer end of the line the DC the same problem: it would appear that a mode. Pin 11 connection is used only
voltage across the line should be a nomi- difference in vendors of the LM3914 and when cascading more than one LM3914
na/48 -volts DC. We received several let- a variation in lead lengths in the vehicles for 20 or more dots.
ters about this telling that the voltage may be creating a situation whereby Another problem is that the LED's po-
varied from 41- to 56- volts. What good is more than one LED will be lit at the same larities are shown reversed in Fig. 5 di-
a standard if you can't deviate? time even when in the "Dot Mode" of agram. The pictorial wiring in Fig. 4
operation. All the units work fine on the shows them wired correctly.
Almost Like Remote Control bench, but they begin to act up when Check for RFI generation by tuning
know it's an old problem in basic elec-
I placed into the car. the car radio to a quiet spot on the upper
tricity, how to wire an upstairs lamp so it D.D., Skokie, IL end of the AM band with the engine run -
can be controlled from a downstairs ping and the Monitor operating. There
switch and an upstairs switch. want to I The unit does have a tendency to should be no interference when the
use the same kind of set -up to control a break into parasitic oscillation and above capacitors are added.
different electrical circuit.Can you save would, under certain circumstances,
me some head-knocking? cause more than one LED to light at Learn by Degree
B.G., Dallas, TX
. 0
LAMP
once. The first red LED would be lit very
dimly if viewed in darkness. That prob-
lem has been traced to poor filtering on
In your Letter Box column in the Sum-
mer 1985 issue of Hands -on Electronics,
you offered advice to an individual who
TO
AC the input line. Install a5 -10µF tantalum was interested in obtaining an elec-
LINE capacitor across the pins where the volt- tronics engineering degree through
age is supplied to the IC. The same home study. While your answer did fit the
SPOT SPOT effect can be had by a 1 -1.LF capacitor question, think it could be improved
I

You weren't very specific, but here's from pin 5 to the common (V-) lead. Both upon. The University of the State of New
the circuit I think you're looking for changes may be made, but chances are (Continued on page 18)

Binary Bingo FUN WAY ONE

Universal
VALUE PACK
Timer Projects 1 - 10
Enables you to build any
of the first ten Projects
¿yVoG .3 in Fun Way One. And
because the
components are not
soldered, they are all
Cricket reusable so you can
s too hard? Time them build any other of the
with this great little timer. It
E9 project it's a
A great school
first ten projects, too.
really works- set it fora few $550 fun game - but even more it
Cat K -2600
seconds to 15 minutes! demonstrates binary num-
Cat K-2824 bers very well. And they're
the basis of all computers!
C'mon, Guvnor - leave the It seems pretty simple to
LED Level Display auto alone. That's the Fun play but try it!
Way 3 Minder telling vil- . . .

Hook it up to your stereo

and it can warn you of dan-
Here's a ton of fun! Hide
the cricket when the lights lains that It is looking after
Cat K-2668 41995
gerous overloads. Looks the car! It's actually doing $
pretty nifty too - the LEDs
go out it starts chirping.
much more- makes a greet
FUN WAY ONE
Turn the lights on or make e

i Cat K -2637 A.
light up in time to the music! noise and it stops. Makes it 'lights on' warning and
'door open' warning as well
VALUE PACK
$
8 so hard to find!! It really is
infuriating!
Cat K-2863 S95
as a pseudo burglar alarm.
Cat K -2660 $795
Projects 11 - 20
/1
Contains the more
specialised components
required to complete the
Morse Two-up Mini Synth last ten projects (11 -
®h,® U1' PokeYlth
It's a real beauty, this one'. a 20) in Fun Way One.
Note: you will also need

d
Code Trainer this real 'live' musical synthe-
s
1>e siser - and it's live because the 1 - 10 kit above to
Youll heve dpnY risk build these projects.
You can turn this audible it uses YOU as the note
alarm into just about any - Cat K -2610
yg generator! You get an
thing requiring sound Even = losing vrhkht1no amazing range of control
for Morse code- and it's tun Prol one
dlgitsl hMa the over the sound.
to learn! Cat K -2623
bendilog citrt- Cat K-2669
Australia's 'national game'
armedh
teaches Y y $1995
LED Counter Module has finally been converted
to electronics. And you don't
cults 266Zo
CatK j/rv/
Aperfect introduction to the have to find any King
world of integrated circuits.
George pennies! Simulates
And this useful counter can
be used for a huge variety
$795 the throw, the spin and the FUN WAY THREE
of counting applications final result. Come in spinner!
Cat K -2639
or just for fun! Cat. K -2661 a
$
kits in the
Wireless Mic. Mini Buy this kit with
two of the most popular
Mini the book FREEI
Just like Transmits in
Color Organ And what velue. boo k ... and we throw in project (known to his
movies!
spy monies!
any standard FM radio in
to *6so
7
Stereo Amp Your very own disco colour
Fun Way Three
both the Electronic
Cricket
s the Miniature
Yes, you get a bonus, the
another room or next door,
etc. You can really hear it
Cat K -2631 Want an amplifier for your
organ - but ours is battery friends as
Hj togetherivalued
a i2ä9Ó, and as
all! 'walkie' stereo or radio?
operated - so it's much Fun Way projectboo k itself at no extra charge!!
safer than mains devices! Fun Way Three
Don't be tied to 'phones: Cot K-2670
Connect it to your radio,
Pocket Transistor Radio use this project and listen
in comfort! Or you can build
cassette or stereo fora real
Building this small set will this into a mini PA amplifier.
lightshow!
Cat K -2664
teach you a lot about the
fundamentals of radio. And 4795 Cat K -2667 $
1495
then you'll have fun using it
too' Cat K -2627
$2495
TOLL FREE 1 -800-332 537
 -N-..- A -Eim 1:1 1-]

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_\__. h
Automatic Digital SWR /Wattmeter to indicate the antenna matching con -
The MFJ -818 automatic, digital SWR/ dition: Green for good, yellow for not very
wattmeter has bright- orange LED digits good, and red for a mismatched con
on the SWR display. But more impor- dition.
tantly, this SWR /wattmeter is automatic, The MFJ-818 meter, which measures
eliminating three steps in reading SWR: only 5 % x 41/4 x inches, carries a one 1

switching to set, setting the meter needle year unconditional warranty, and retails
for full -scale deflection, and switching for only $89.95. In addition, if you order
back to SWR to read. The meter reads directly from MFJ, you get a 30-day
SWR 1:1 to 1:9.9 directly and in- money back guarantee. If not completely
stantaneously. There is no need to adjust delighted, send the product back within
the SWR set knob! 30 days for full refund, less shipping.
The MFJ -818 can be charged to your
Visa or Mastercard account if you wish to
order over the phone. Call 800/647 -1800
° toll -free, or write to: MFJ Enterprises,
Inc., P-O. Box 494, Mississippi State,
MS 39762. .,

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Locking Leads For DMM
The MFJ -818 reads up to 200 -watts of TPI has eliminated the nuisance of test ments. Its silver-plated contacts minimize
RF output on its LED bargraph display. leads accidentally disconnecting from the thermal EMF and contact resistance. The
The 12 -bar display indicates the on -air meter. A thumb screw expands the banana LTL1000 also features rubber shielded ba-
power level instantly and correctly to plug inside the meter jack for a tight, nana plugs for maximum safety, and soft
show instantaneous peak power. The unit secure connection. The LTL1000 is ideal and flexible cables that have strain reliefs
features a tri -color indicator that lights up for low-voltage and resistance measure- at both ends. Ratings are 1000 -volts rms

f1MB8,g7q, 'Economy Soldering Iron

>
`:,,¿: General purpose main powered iron that s ideal for all those
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with hints on soldering.
3n0
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blt
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The eretiact bengce¡,Nhwh
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oteawéry with -3205
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5595
' tip will reach into places others
won't1 Cat T-3570 rrY//

tt
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0 K'
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j
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Y11N
The helping hand when yu need n pU5 C
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EAF AND
CP1P PP AND
N1
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SAN JOSE: 4980 Stevens Creek Blvd, Ph:(408) 241 2266
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 and 10-A continuous current. It's priced at user memory, which is expandable to 416 Two Compact Radar Detectors
$15. For more information, write to Test kilobytes. Uniden has added two compact radar
Probes, Inc., P.O. Box 2113, La Jolla, CA Built into WORKS are several business detectors to their line. The model RD 9,
92038: Tel. 800/368 -5719; in California, programs: including PLAN, a subset of measuring only 4.2 x 2.76 x 0.71-
800/643 -8382. Microsoft's Multiplan; WORD, a subset inches, may be the smallest self-contained
of the powerful word processor WORD by radar detector currently on the market. It
Lap Computer Microsoft; FILE, a recently developed

the°
is very sensitive. and features separate X-
The portable ZP -150 lap computer, a Data Base Management System (DBMS);
diskless unit from Heath, is being offered CALENDAR an appointment secretary;
as a fully assembled computer product. It TELCOM, a telecommunications pro -
weighs only 7.7 pounds and has an LCD gram complete with auto -dialing ca-
(Liquid Crystal Display) screen built into pability, and BASIC, a large subset of
its flip top. It is the first lap computer to popular programming language GW-
use Microsoft WORKS, a ROM -based BASIC. In addition to the ROM -based
software package developed by Microsoft
Corporation, which is compatible with
MS -DOS machines. The ZP-150 has 224
kilobytes of ROM and 32 kilobytes RAM
business software, the ZP-I50 has a paral
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modem. The unit is powered by ten AA
alkaline batteries, which allow 8 -10 hours and K-band LED and audio indicators.
of operation. An AC -power converter is The RD 9 also features Electronic Data
supplied for use on standard 117 -VAC Interference Terminator (E.D.I.T.) cir-
lines. cuitry, which assures accurate radar signal
The portable ZP-150 lap computer, detection by helping to eliminate er-
1
priced at $995.00 and available through roneous signal interference. Housed in a
1rr Heath Company and 64 Heath /Zenith pocket -sized carrying case, the dual-con-
computers and electronics stores nation- version, superheterodyne radar detector
wide, is just one of over 400 products can be installed in almost any size vehi-
offered in the latest Heathkit Catalog. For cle.
your free copy of the Heath catalog, write A two -position highway /city selector
to Heath Company, Dept. 150 -586, Ben- switch allows the user to select unfiltered
CIRCLE 748 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD ton Harbor, MI 49022. (Continued on page 8)

/1
ROY THEOF KO OR moo in/
8010775 LED The Dick Smith

Negative Ion Generator

0ye T ch
Don't spend a fortune buying
a tachometer - build your own
and save! Displays engine
Home Alarm
What a superb kii This highly developed design oilers
features which you'd normally find only on units costing
speed in an analog form in an more. FEATURES
You've heard all about Negative Ion Generators and
illuminated row of LED's. In- o Security key operation for both alarm function and box
their benefits. now buy the kit and find out what its all
about. Many commercial structions included - a great access
run the 2 instant and six delay sectors. capable of handling
kit! Cat K -3240*

34
our kit is safe- it runs on 1 2V DC, which also means
normally open or normally closed in any mix
$ 95
avY511 995 wid
that you can put one in your car! Kit includes exclusive
o Inbuilt mains power supply with battery backup
Dick Smith emitter heed, power peck end tough moulded
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plastic case.
Cat K -3335* * also capable of driving telephone diallers, strobes. etc.
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Complete kit including case and all electronics.
Cat K-3424 * *
411
i/
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SailP
W u In Wedetetmi'
have
IC9
ded
astat'
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Masthead Amp
rTV
VCR Theft Alarm
That VCR sitting on top of your TV set is a
To assist Don't put up with lousy TV
Vo
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for an entire house.

ßs39
FM bards Includes 110V sup-
Cat K-3423 sac
ply in Price.
Cat K -3232

$2995

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Eit A NOW D/N cf*//A Cti? Plfareci7oyf
I The Ultrasonic Detector
Economy The problem with 99% of car alarms is that they
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Car Alarm
This alarm senses the
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95
voltage drop in your car's
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Cat K -3251 **
d
protect your property inside the car. Silent ultra-
sonic rays detect any movement and trigger the

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L
USE WITH YOUR EXISTING ALARM
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ORDER TOLL FREE 1 -800 -332 537

 MUST LIQUIDATE PUBLIC NOTICE
We are authorized liquidators of
New Products Showcase
(Continued /rom page 7)
consumer products that must be sensitivity for highway travel or filtered
AT FAR BELOW DEALER COST! quickly sold by manufacturers at
drastic price reductions for many sensitivity for urban travel. A single three-
reasons, such as
position switch permits selection of either
Computer Products Discontinued lines. Last year's
models. Distributor surplus. Can-
celled orders. Out -of- season
products. Tailends of inventories.
audible or visual, or combined alert when
radar is detected. The unit may be either
Whatever the reason for the liq- visor- or dash- mounted. A power cord
uidation, you are assured of fine supplied with the RD 9 can be used for
quality at money saving low
prices! Supplies are limited. either positive or negative- ground vehi-
Famous U.S. Brand Order now!
cles. Its suggested retail price is $269.00.

Dot Matrix The other unit, the RD 35, also features

E.D.I.T. circuitry and, like the RD 9, is
protected by a I2 -month warranty. The
PRINTER RD 35 is lightweight, compact and offers
state -of-the art features and quality. Be-
Factory reconditioned!
cause of technology efficiencies inherena
Factory warranty!
in its design, it is priced at only $139.95.
Compatible The RD 35 may be either dash- or visor-
with C64, mounted and warns the operator by sound
SX64, VIC20, and a red warning light when X- and K-
Educator 64, band police radar signals are detected. Its
Plus /4 and C16 E.D.I.T. superheterodyne circuitry is de-
signed to virtually eliminate false -alarm
Here's a great opportunity to sources, such as nearby microwave relay
add a fine quality printer to your stations, radar door openers, and aircraft
Personal Computer...at a BIG SAVINGS! and boat weather radar systems.
Now you can get neat, clean printouts of reports, For more information on the RD 9 aad
correspondence, mailing lists, charts, inventories,
RD 35, write to Uniden Corp. of Amer-
financial figures...or anything else you have in
computer memory. And it all comes out at the ica, 6345 Castleway Court, Indianapolis,
speed of 60 characters per second. IN 46250.
LINE FEED SPACING:6 lines per inch in character
These are factory reconditioned units that look and
work as good as brand new. And they're backed by
mode or 8 lines per inch selectable. 9 lines/inch in Audio Video Cable
graphic mode.
the manufacturer's standard new product warranty!
LINE FEED SPEED: 5 lines per second in charac-
Hitachi recently introduced the latest in
Sorry, we're NOT permitted to print the famous ter mode. 7.5 lines per second in graphics mode. its line of audio /video cable, which is said
brand name in this ad. But we can "tell all" if you PAPER FEED: Friction feed (Tractor feed is option- to offer superior reproductive quality. The
phone us Toll-Free: 1-800-328-0609. al. Available from dealers nationwide.) cable uses linear -crystal /oxygen -free cop-
PRINT METHOD:Bi- directional impact dot matrix. PAPER WIDTH: 41/2" to 81/2" width. Up to 10" with per (LC -OFC), a recent audio /video tech-
CHARACTER MATRIX: 6 x 7 dot matrix. optional tractor feed. nology development from Hitachi. The
CHARACTERS: Upper and lower case letters, MULTIPLE COPIES: Original, plus two.
numerals and symbols. All PET graphic characters. SIZE: 13 "W x 8 "D x 31/4" H. WEIGHT: 81/2 lbs.
GRAPHICS: 7 vertical dots, maximum 480 col-
umns. Dot addressable.
Mfr. List When New $199.95
CHARACTER CODES: CBM ASCII code.
PRINT SPEED: 60 characters per second.
MAXIMUM COLUMNS: 80 columns.
Liquidation
Price Now Only $119
Item H- 796 -63831 -00 Ship, handling: $7.00
CHARACTER SPACING: 10 per inch.
Price subject to change after 60 days. Sales outside
FCC Approved! continental U.S. are subject to special conditions. Please call CIRCLE 744 ON
Factory
New!
or write to inquire.
Credit card customers can
order by phone, 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
iii xlmw.cra
FREE INFORMATION CARD

90 Toll -Free: 1- 800 -328 -0609

day

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No delays in orders paid by check.

MODEM Warranty rC.O.M.B.

Direct Marketing Corp. Item H -796
Liquidation due to manufacturer's overproduction. The 1 14605 28th Ave. N. /Minneapolis, MN 55441 -3397
modem plugs into Commodore 64K or SX64, so you
Send t'3e- followingItems. IMinnesotaresidentsadd6 %salestax.
linear -crystal cable provides dramatically
can access new worlds of information on a subscription I Allow weeks for delivery. Sorry, C.O.D.) lower distortion and reduced signals loss
basis. Has modular jacks for quick
q hookupp to phone.
p Dot Matrix Printer(s) Item H- 796 -83831 -00 at $119 each
Works on TouchTone and Rotary (Pulse) systems (not! plus 57 each for shipping and handling. compared to conventional cable. One crit-
PBX). Super intelligent software, completely menu- -64K Modern(s) Item H- 796 -63646 -00 at S19 each plus $4
each for shipping and handling. ic claims that using the cable is equivalent
driven. 30K software buffer. Auto dial, auto answer.
Price includes FREE trial subscription to over 521 to upgrading a full level in loudspeaker
My check or money order is enclosed. (No delays in
database services. l processing orders paid by check, thanks to Telecheck.) quality.
Mfr. List: $124.95 l Charge to my: MasterCard® VISA Hitachi researchers suspected that a
Liquidation Price 1$4.00 Acct. No.
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
Exp major source of distortion and signal loss
Item H- 796 -63646 -00 Ship, handling: I
Name
lay in the boundaries between crystals,
Address
which act as a gap that electrical impulses
have to cross. One way to minimize the
C.O.M.B. City
problem, they reasoned, was simply to

J
Direct Marketing Corp. State Zip
Authorized Liquidator Phone reduce the number of crystals. To do so,
14605 28th AVENUE NORTH
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55441 -3397 Sign here
(Continued on page 18)

8
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 By Barmard de Backus

ULTRA -MINIATURE D.P.S.T. LIGHTED

5 VDC RELAY , ROCKER SWITCH
Fuptsu s 115par rocker
FBR211NED005M20 snap mounts
High sensrtrvlty
COIL 120 ohms
$1.25 each 'Orange lenshole.
x 14e"
In

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10 for 510.00
CONTACTS. amp 1 contact. I,

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MINIATURE TOGGLE SWITCHES

ALL ARE RATED 5 AMPS @ 125 VAC
S.P.D.T. S.PD.T. S.PD.T.
Multi- Circuit Board Projects
(on -on) (on-on) (on- off -on) By R.A. Penfold
PC style Solder lug Solder lug
non -threaded
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terminals terminals The Multi- Circuit Board Project
S1.00 each 51.00 each
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10 for $700 1 10 for $9.00
100 for $80.00
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book contains information that allows
the reader to build 21 fairly-simple
13.8 VDC REGULATED POWER SUPPLY electronic projects; all of which may
///////////// These are solid state, fully regulated 13.8 vdc
y power supplies. Both feature 100% solid state be constructed on the same specially
construction, fuse protection, and L.E.D. power
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components are used in each design so
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C T.S.
8 ohms coil
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EDGE
interested consumers will all find it a
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GRADE CONNECTORS valuable tool for learning and as
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41/2 $3.00
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components, it is possible to make any well as microprocessors and
TI SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY, of the projects by re -using the computers.
Compact, well -regulated switching power supply components and printed- circuit board. The book's initial chapter explains
designed to power Texas Instruments computer
equipment.
INPUT 14 - 25 vac @lamp
vim l': -1-
-

S-r'li á.
-

n R Each project comes with a circuit basic semiconductor theory, how

OUTPUT 12 vdc @350 ma
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óG l$ description, circuit diagram, semiconductor devices operate and
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-Svtl% @200 ma component layout diagram, parts list, what they do in a circuit, giving the
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560 high. segment L E D read
7

outs Mount n 24 Din DIP socket

CND -5148 red c c 75c each
l
sl I -, .,,!i'' c
- a .
- (published by Bernard Babani
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presented.
The authors of Basic Electronics
DL -527 red. c a 75e each 11 6
II
available through Electronics Technology combined their many
STANDARD JUMBO
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RED 1010,51.50
4

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size 51.00 each e

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TOLL FREE ORDERS dDANTIT1ES LIMITED technology based on integrated Linear IC Equivalents and Pin
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Bookshelf BLOWN any GOOD
(Continued from page 12)
the original Linear IC Equivalents
book, shows the equivalents and pin
connections, as well as the country of How to live
p.c. TACE S
origin, manufacturer, and functions of with someone
popular user-orientated selections of who's living
with cancer.
linear integrated circuits. It includes
European, American, and Japanese LATELY?
devices manufactured by Advance
When one person gets
Micro Devices, Analog Devices, cancer. everyone in the family
suffers.
Fairchild, Harris, Intersil, ITT, Nobody knows better than
Motorola, NEC, National we do how much help and
understanding is needed. That's
Semiconductor, Philips, Precision why our service and rehabili-
tation programs emphasize
Monolithics, RCA, Raytheon, the whole family, not just the
Siemens, Sescosem, SGS -Ates, cancer patient.
Among our regular service,
Silicon General, Signetics, Sprague, we provide information and
guidance to patients and families
REPLACE
Siliconix, Teledyne, AEG -Telefunken, transport patients to and from
THEM FAST
treatment, supply home care
items and assist patients in their
Linear IC return to everyday life WITH
Equivalents Life is what concerns us. The
life of cancer patients The lives of CIRCUIT -FIX
and Pin their families. So you can see we
Connections are even more than the research
organization we are so well The CF -1 CIRCUIT -FIX' KIT lets you repair or modify printed circuits in
known to be. minutes. Just put an adhesive copper foil sheet in the patented clamp and
cutter guide, adjust the trace width (.013 "minimum) and cut a perfect copper
strip every time. Kit includes clamp -guide, knife, copper foil, 154 assorted
diameter donuts and instructions. The CF -1 is stocked by many electronic
parts distributors, or order direct. Price includes shipping. Minimum order.
No one faces cancer alone.
$20.00. NJ and CA residents must add state sales tax to order total.
AMMAN CANKER SOCIETY CF -1 CIRCUIT -FIX'" Kit $23.50
CF -2 306 Assorted Adhesive Copper Donuts 4.30
CF -3 2 Sheets Adhesive Copper Foil. 3 %" x 10" 4.30
DATAK'S COMPLETE CATALOG lists hundreds of printed circuit products
and art patterns. Also contains dry transfer letter sheets and electronic title
sets for professional looking control panels. WRITE FOR IT NOW!
CIRCLE 725 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
The DATAK Corporation 65 71st Street Guttenberg, NJ 07093
Toshiba and Texas Instruments, as well CIRCLE 710 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
as Pro Electron numbered devices. The
author's selection was made based on nicest synopsis of Z80 assembly
his own experience of usefulness and language published to date. The text
practicality to hobbyist, designers and was prepared especially for hobbyists
service engineers, etc. and experimenters, novice or
A key is provided to show how to experienced. Powerful Projects with
use the tables; but it must be Your Timex/Sinclair shows you how to
remembered that with some of the build creative electronic projects in
equivalents shown, there may be slight your home.
differences between the types listed in Beginning with the basic, the author
the first column and those listed in the clearly explains all the wiring
last five columns of the tables. Those techniques and components you'll

f
differences might be in dimensions, in need to control external devices with
dissipations, or in some other your computer. You'll learn how to
mechanical or electrical characteristic.
Therefore, it is recommended that if One tree can make
the conditions under which the 3,000,000 matches.
replacement IC operate are critical,
reference should be made to the eff,
...
appropriate manufacturer's literature .``
before a final replacement choice is
made.
Linear IC Equivalents and Pin
Connections (published by Bernard
Babani Publishing Ltd, London,
England) is available from Electronics
Technology Today, P.O. Box 240,
Massapequa, NY 11762 -0240. It sells CIRCLE 731 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
for $12.50 plus $1.00 for postage and
construct simple yet powerful control
handling.
circuits, build an interface connector, One match can burn
assemble a weather station, build your 3,000,000 trees.
Powerful Projects with Your Timex/ own robot, construct a speech
Sinclair synthesizer for your robot, and more! SÄBteT9Q
Ó A
By Jim Stephens The text will help you develop a solid
You will find in this book the (Continued on page 18)

15
 anazinc
DEVICES
PERSONAL DEFENSE AND PROPERTY PROTECTION
P UTILIZE SPACE AGE TECHNOLOGY.
By Mark Saxon
CAUTION THESE DEVICES CAN BE HAZARDOUS AND MAY SOON
H
A
BE ILLEGAL.
POCKET PAIN FIELD GENERATOR
Assembled.........
IPG50
$64.50
-
S IPG5 Plans _.. $8.00 IPG5K Kit/Plans $44.51
o PHASOR PAIN FIELDCROWDCONTROLLER -PPF10

ON SCANNERS
Assembled $250.00
R PPF1 Plans $15.00 PPF1 K...Kit/Plans.. $175.00
S BLASTER - Provides a plasma discharge capableof puncturing
a can 100.000 WATT PULSE.
Produces a
BLS10 ASSEMBLED $89.50
BLS1 .. PLANS .. $10.00 BLS1K KTI /PLANS $69.50

About cops, Portland, MARS, tow trucks,

. .

PLASMA STUN GUN - Very intimidating and affective 5 to 10

feet 100,000 VOLTS
$99.50
trains, and other scanner topics!
ITM10 ASSEMBLED
1TM1 .. PLANS .. $10.00 ITM1K .. KIT /PLANS $69.50

L
RUBY LASER RAY GUN Intense visible red beam burns and
welds hardest of metals. MAY BE HAZARDOUS.
-
A
RUB3Al1 Parts Available for Completing Device$15.00
CARBON DIOXIDE BURNING, CUTTING LASER Pro - -
SCANNER FOLKS KEEP MAKING THE unit covering 30 to 50
S daces a continuous beam of high energy MAY BE HAZARDOUS. headlines, although all of the news isn't MHz, 118 to 136 MHz,
LCS. All Parts Available for Completing Device $15.00
E
R
VISIBLE LASER LIGHT GUN produces intense red beam for - that good. 146 to 174 MHz and 450
sighting, spotting, etc Hand held complete.
LGU3 .Plans..$1Ò.00 (Kit & Assembled Units Available)
One of the more interesting items to to 512 MHz.
S IR PULSED LASER RIFLE Produces 15 -30 watt infra -red - recently show up tells of "Junior" Bel - Individual channel
pulses at 200 -2000 per sec.
LRG3 All Parts A Diodes Available ..$10.00 lomy of Muncie, IN. This guy's an enthu- lock -out switches tem-
BEGINNERS LOW POWER VISIBLE LASER Choice st
-
red. yellow, green provides an excellent source of monochromatic
- siastic scanner user and keeps his scanner porarily skip over un-
light tuned in on the pulse of his community. wanted channels. LED's
LHC2 .. Plans $5.00 LHC2K.......Kit.. $34.50
PHONE - Allows user to call his premises and listen
While monitoring his local police fre- indicate which channel is
SSNOOPER
in without phone ever ringing quency he overheard a national police being monitored. The
E SNP20.... Assembled... $89.50
HX -750 comes with an
`. SNP2. Plans 59 00 SNP2K Plans /Kit. .$59.50 bulletin issued by the police in Madeira
LONG RANGE WIRELESS MIKE - Miniature device clearly Beach, FL. They were looking for an auto AC adapter /charger, a
u well over one mile Super sensitive, powerful
rugged flexible rub-
FT7 MFT1K Plans /Kit. _.$49.50 theft suspect who was also wanted for
R
I
Plans $7
WIRELESS TELEPHONE TRANSMITTER Transmits both
sides of phone conversation over one mile, shuts oft automatically
- questioning in a murder. berized antenna and a
T
VWPM5 Plans $8.00 VWPMSK Plans /Kit ..$39.50 .

Bellomy thought the suspect's name wire antenna. A built -in

TALK & TELL AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE RECORDING
Y DEVICE
TAT20.
-
Great for monitoring telephone use.
Assembled $24.50
had a familiar ring, it was a name that was speaker is provided, but
TAT2 Plans $5.00 TAT2K Plans /Kit $14.50 identical to that of his 20 year old nephew you can plug in an ear-
Our phone is open for orders anytime. Technicians are available 9 -11 who was visiting Muncie from Florida. phone.
a.m. Mon -Thurs for those needing assistance or information. Send
Bellomy drove over to the Muncie PD
,

$1.00 for catalog of hundreds more similar devices. Send check, cash,
MO. Visa, MC. COD to INFORMATION UNLIMITED
DEPT RB P 0 Box 716. Amherst. N H 03031 Tel 603 -673 -4730
.
station house and asked the Captain if it CIRCLE 742 ON
was his nephew that they were seeking. FREE INFORMATION CARD
CIRCLE 712 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
After hearing Bellomy's description, the
police agreed that it was, indeed, just the

upp
-A
SONGGOßo gas
man they wanted.
What could be easier -Bellomy told
the Captain that the suspect was "out in
the car." The police promptly arrested the
Operation is by means of four AA bat-
teries; it can also run from its external 6-
volts DC, plug -in power pack.
The HX -750 uses plug -in crystals;
Ito
QdQ
Hov M ode
t "" g9
$5p0*
young man who was being sought by the
Florida agency!
On the darker side of the headlines, a
that's why, at a suggested list price of only
$159.95, Regency can offer so much for
such a reasonable tab. A keyboard -pro-
°5ç
r...

o M sum O :
VHF enthusiast with a powerful transmit- grammable receiver offering less frequen-
ter tuned it to a frequency where it didn't cy coverage than the HX -750 would cost
d
0. G 1
belong a few months ago. about twice as much! Nice going, Regen-
3\\a\d`I
r 9\-\ fleas PFOVid o\
v+
Police in Portland, Oregon, reported cy!
Pe`'°1d os Yso baç / °; a that they were looking for the wiseguy See the HX -750 at your nearest Regen-
cOF\UF\_\e9 SI P \0F
\as5ete
...... who spent about an hour deliberately jam- cy dealer.
eo °Fil\de °i e,_060_
\\° °`s \\- +,
+ .:
ming the communications of that city's
0 C t3
OF
Bureau of Emergency Communication. Want To Monitor MARS?
\o\a\ ,k\\0,'3\\ e v°
\F\c\O. ç
\9 \ra\ They knew it was no accident because It's not too difficult to hear MARS on
0
iiA,00"\-s
0---\ o0\FO\.jG,k
pG the intruder was using rather salty lan- your scanner. No, not the red planet with
cove
guage not normally encountered on the all of the imaginary canals. This MARS is
\P- '
Fly F\\sr
ed pO y,T2
air. Furthermore, he was identifying his the Military Affiliate Radio System, an
S°\\d
GasSelle E AEA PU e -
jamming station as Radio Free Portland. emergency communications system run
PN Luckily, the prankster's antics took by volunteer operators who are usually
Ca\\écl$
aO \OFF\a
to
o y \e \e
05/4'
,-`
place during a usually quiet period for the licensed Hams. MARS comes in three
FAleF
WI PPPOVEt)
$eG oFds te0 \ \lie victimized agency: no critical calls were different versions, Army, Navy and Air
CpOO a a \5
sk ske
FGA

44 delayed or lost because of the jamming. Force, and the frequencies used span the
Op
1a». ,7 ,
' Op\\30, POO A tip of the Hands -on hat to "Junior" entire shortwave and scanner spectrum
50005 Yl\ei\ Bellomy, and a knock in the noggin' to with Voice, CW, and RTTY traffic.
glop
lA li \Heil Poi\`°
+5

any and all connected with the operation Army MARS stations appear to be es-
VOxve ge,\ vó\- and of Radio Free Portland; may their antenna pecially plentiful and they offer much
\\d Náya\\Y sOé\\ <he4g5* $, \SP. shrivel and truly wither. good listening. On the VHF low band,
ss\ 1 look for these stations on 40.95, 46.79,

'
SO
ab
\ed
ao\0 d 1. Usk
11)\
.

aP
et
aV
otde`d c
Handy Hand -Held 49.79 and 49.93 MHz.
cosh o\
pFe
FP- F°o d 0r e0 d
5a.
Regency Electronics notes that their When it comes to the high band, check
Sp+PO0 ea- M' gwC «iheP íP93, y GPII HX -750 scanner is a 6- channel hand -held out 143.415, 143.99, 148.65, and 150.625
COFd`'lot
Pdotde5
Pe enlG
O
_ad..0.nc,
s Oea
''
SA
L0ct.,\Ntß0. y2ß.
e2\
0:01
ge9.as,91
16
CIRCLE 711 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
MHz. Frequency 143.99 MHz is a rather
active repeater output frequency (the talk -
in frequency is 148.01 MHz).
CABLE -TV 11,111M-..
sl
Hooked On Hooks
This time of the year there's plenty of
activity on the channels used by those BEAT ANYONE'SR ICES!
PRICES!
commercially engaged in relieving auto
emergencies. The action primarily con- MATCH OR WHOLESALE
WE'LL ÉTAIL

7
sists of dispatching tow trucks ( "hooks,"
as they are called in the trade) to the scen- ADVERTISED
es of dramatic accidents or simple vehicle

BONANZA!
failures from "natural causes" (like over-
heating, broken axles, failed brakes,
etc.).
Reader Willis Jones of Terre Haute, IN
(there's a 50 -cent bet riding on whether or SINGLE
not anybody's ever called him "Indiana ITEM 10 -UNITT
PRICE PRICE
Jones ") says that he'd give anything to RCA 36 CHANNEL CONVERTER (CH. 3 OUTPUT ONLY) 29.95 18.00 ea.
find out what frequencies are normally
used by the tow trucks. Well, Indy -, err,
I mean, Willis, we'll gladly take that nifty
PIONEER WIRELESS CONVERTER (OUR BEST BUY)
LCC -58 WIRELESS CONVERTER
88.95
92.95
72.00 ea.
76.00 ea.
JERROLD 450 WIRELESS CONVERTER (CH. 3 OUTPUT ONLY) 105.95 90.00 ea.
ark in exchange for that information, but SB ADD -ON UNIT
if you've already disposed of it then keep
us in mind next time!
BRAND NEW
MINICODE (N -12)
-
TRIMODE UNIT FOR JERROLDS
109.95 58.00 ea.
Call for specifics
109.95 58.00 ea.
We like to seek out these dispatches and
MINICODE (N -12) VARISYNC 119.95 62.00 ea.
operations on 150.815, 150.83, 150.845, MINICODE VARISYNC W /AUTO ON -OFF 179.95 115.00 ea.
150.86, 150.875 and 150.89 MHz. Auto
M -35 B (CH. 3 OUTPUT ONLY) 139.95 70.00 ea.
clubs offering such services to their re-
M -35 B W /AUTO ON -OFF (CALL FOR AVAILABILITY) 199.95 125.00 ea.
spective members normally operate on
MLD- 1200 -3 (CALL IF CH. 2 OUTPUT)
150.905, 150.92, 150.935, 150.95,
150.965, 452.525, 452.55, 452.575 and
INTERFERENCE FILTERS CH. 3
JERROLD 400 OR 450 REMOTE CONTROLLER
- 109.95
24.95
29.95
58.00 ea.
14.00 ea.
18.00 ea.
452.60 MHz. It's a good bet to tune those
ZENITH SSAVI CABLE READY (DEALER PRICE BASED ON 5 UNITS)
frequencies when the weather changes
from bad to terrible; snow storms, sudden
SPECIFY CHANNEL 2 or 3 OUTPUT
225.00 185.00 ea.
Other products available Please Call -
down pours, rapid freezing, and the like.
Here's a bit of scanner-related trivia Quantity Item Output Price TOTAL
Channel Each PRICE
connected with tow trucks. In many metro
areas, some of the hook owners are just a
shade on the unscrupulous side and ride
around in their vehicles monitoring scan-
ners tuned to the above listed frequencies.
When they hear a report intended for an- California Penal Code #593 -0 forbids us SUBTOTAL
other hook, they try to rush to the scene from shipping any cable descrambling unit Shipping Add.
first and beat out the hook for which the to anyone residing in the state of California. $3.00 per unit
message was intended! The scanners used COD & Credit
Prices subject to change without notice-
Cards -- Add 5%
for that type of monitoring are usually PI FASF PRINT TOTAL
hand -held portables, and such a device is
commonly known in the trade as a Name
"mouse" (because of its appearance with Address City
the whip antenna). State Zip Phone Number ( I

Leo Farnsworth of Texas has a gripe. ' Cashier's Check C; Money Order E COO E Visa IT Mastercard
Seeking to obtain several needed scanner
Acct # Exp. Date
frequencies, he reports that he went to the
local outlet of an electronics chain store Signature
and picked up a frequency directory FOR OUR RECORDS:
promising all manner of frequencies in-
cluding railroad and aircraft listed. Sez
DECLARATION OF AUTHORIZED USE -
I, the undersigned, do hereby declare under
penalty of perjury that all products purchased, now and in the future, will only be used on cable
Leo, when he got it home he realized that TV systems with proper authorization from local officials or cable company officials in
accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
the book was a sheep in wolf's clothing,
having only very sparse and spotty
coverage in all areas rather than the in-
Dated: -. _ - _ Signed

depth.coverage implied.
The two frequencies he wanted most Pacific Cable Company, Inc.
were those of the Texas State Railroad
Commission and also NASA's aero-
73251/2 RESEDA BLVD., DEPT. #_ RESEDA, CA 91335
nautical operations in El Paso. Leo wrote (818) 716 -5914
No Collect Calls (818) 716 -5140
(Continued on page 18) IMPORTANT: WHEN CALLING FOR INFORMATION
Please have the make and model # of the equipment used in your area. Thank You

17
 New Products Showcase tains an impurity called copper oxide, Letters
which forms barriers between the copper (Continued from page 5)
(Continued from page 8)
they developed a technique that produces crystals, making distortion and signal loss York offers a variety of associate and
oversize copper crystals called, logically even worse. bachelor's degrees through its Regents
enough, "giant crystals." Then they de- Linear-crystal/oxygen -free copper ca- College. Those include: AS, Computer
vised a copper extrusion process that bles are made only by Hitachi Cable, Ltd Information Systems; AS, Electronics
stretches the giant crystals until they are (U.S. patent pending). The LC -OFC ca- Technology; BS, Computer Information
thousands of times longer than usually ble is available for a wide variety of audio Systems; BS, Computer Technology;
made. and video applications (at prices starting and BS, Electronics Technology. The
LC -OFC cable also makes use of a at $28.00 for a pair for stereo intercon- degrees may be earned through a wide
purer grade of copper, known as oxygen - necting cables and $2.50 per foot for variety of methods.
free copper (OFC). Ordinary copper (like speaker cable) through audio/high- M.S., Springfield, OH
the kind used in so- called "monster" ca- fidelity outlets throughout North Amer- One reader called to tell us that she is
bles that are currently on the market), con- ica. enrolled in a Cleveland Institute of Tech-
nology (CIE) course that will reward her
with an Associate in Applied Science
Degree in Electronics Engineering Tech-
nology when completed.

Get every issue! Bookshelf

(Continued from page 15)
SUBSCRIBE understanding of computer electronics
while you're building those enjoyable
TODAY! projects. As an added bonus, this how -
to book gives you detailed instructions
Use the order for doing those projects with the TS
2068, 1500, and 100 computers.
form below. Jim Stephens is an educator and a
devoted electronics hobbyist. A
resident of Nashville, Tennessee, he
YOU CAN HAVE THE NEXT SIX ISSUES of has worked with the Tennessee
Hands -on Electronics delivered directly to
your home for only $14.00. We pay the postage.
Department of Education for the past
If you want the next twelve issues, you can even ten years. Stephens constructed his
save two dollars off the newsstand price. Get own microcomputer in 1978 and has
twelve issues for $28.00 published numerous articles in such
popular magazines as
tronics-SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE NOW AVAIL- Microcomputing, Sync, Timex/Sinclair
IF YOU'RE THE KIND OF READER that
doesn't want to wait, you can order your next ABLE! User, Radio- Electronics, and Run
copy of Hands -on Electronics now. Hands -on EVERY ISSUE OF Hands -on Electronics Magazine.
Electronics is crammed full of electronic proj- will continue to contain a variety of construction
Scott, Foresman and Company,
ects that you won't be able to wait to build for articles to suit every taste. In addition, feature
articles on electronics fundamentals, test equip- 1900 East Lake Avenue, Glenview, IL
yourself. You can expect top -notch digital proj-
ects, fun -to -play electronic games, valuable ment and tools will round out each issue, Of 60025. Paperback, 228 pages, $12.95.
add -on computer projects, BCB and shortwave course, Hands -on Electronics will continue to
receivers, photographic darkroom gadgets, de- provide new product and literature listings to
vices to improve your car's performance, test keep you up to date on the latest developments Saxon on Scanners
equipment ideas. and more in every issue of in electronic technology.
GET IN ON THE ACTION! Order your next
(Continued from page 17)
Hands -on Electronics.
issue of Hands -on Electronics today. Use the to us for help and we, in turn, looked up
TO HELP YOU TO BE SURE that you don't convenient order coupon below. Be sure to send
check or money order -no cash!
the wanted frequencies in several refer-
miss any future issues of Hands -on Elec-
ence guides in our own library, Rail Scan
and Air Scan.
Hands -on Electronics SUBSCRIPTION The Texas State Railroad Commission
want to be sure don't miss any issues. Send me the next six issues of Hands-on Electronics for
I I
operates on 39.94 MHz; NASA in El Paso
$14.00. Postage is free in U.S. For Canada add $3.00. Foreign add $7.00 is on 121.75 MHz. Long ago we realized
want to be sure I don't miss any issues and want to save $2.00 too. Send me the next twelve
I
that some of the frequency directories of-
issues of Hands -on Electronics for $28.00. Postage is free in U.S. For Canada add $6.00. Foreign fered by chain stores were satisfactory for
add $14.00. beginners and those with a very casual or
Allow 6 -8 weeks for the first issue to arrive. passing interest in scanners, but those ref-
Please print erences were a waste of time and money
for hobbyists pursuing scanner use on a
serious level.
Detach and mail today to:
(Name) For directories oriented more towards
HANDS -ON ELECTRONICS
SUBSCRIPTION DEPT. the serious scanner user, request a free
P.O. BOX 338 catalog from CRB Research, P.O. Box 56-
(Street Address)
MOUNT MORRIS, IL 61054 GP, Commack, NY 11725. They publish
AHOA6 the Rail Scan and Air Scan directories
L
(City) (State) (Zip)
J mentioned above and also offer many
other books and guides for scanner and
shortwave enthusiasts.
Tune you in next time around!

18
 WITH CIE,
THE WORLD OF ELECTRONICS
CAN BE YOUR WORLD, T00.
Look at the world as it was 20
years ago and as it is today.
START WHERE YOU
Now, try to name another WANT, GO AS FAR AS
field that's grown faster in
YOU WANT.
those 20 years than electron- CIE's broad range of entry,
ics. Everywhere you look,
intermediate, and advanced
level courses in a variety of
you'll find electronics in
action. In industry, aerospace, career areas gives you many
business, medicine, science, options. Start with the Career
government, communications Course that best suits your
-you name it. And as high talents and interests and go as
far as you want -all the way,
technology grows, electronics will
if you wish, to your Associate in
grow. Which means few other fields,
if any, offer more career opportunities,
Applied Science Degree in Elec-
tronics Engineering Technology. But
more job security, more room for ad-
wherever you start, the time to start is
vancement-if you have the right skills.
now. Simply use the coupon below to
INDEPENDENT STUDY send for your FREE CIE catalog and
SPECIALISTS NEED
BACKED BY PERSONAL complete package of career information.
SPECIALIZED TRAINING.
It stands to reason that you learn ATTENTION. Or phone us at 1-800-321-2155
(in Ohio, l- 800 -362 -2105). Don't wait,
anything best from a specialist, and CIE We believe in independent study
because it puts you in a classroom of ask for your free catalog now. After all,
is the largest independent home study
there's a whole world of electronics out

EN'
school specializing exclusively in one. So you can study where and when
electronics, with a record that speaks for you want. At your pace, not somebody
there waiting for you.
itself. According to a recent survey, 92% else's. And with over 50 years of
of CIE graduates are employed in experience, we've developed proven
electronics or a closely related field. programs to give you the support such
When you're investing your time and study demands. Programs that give you
money, you deserve results like that. the theory you need backed with prac-
tical experience using some of the most Cleveland Institute of
sophisticated electronics tools available Electronics, Inc.
anywhere, including our Microprocessor 1776 East 17th Street
Training Laboratory with 4K of random Cleveland, Ohio 44114
access memory. Of course, if you ever 216 -781 -9400
have a question or problem, our
instructors are only a phone call away. A half century teaching electronics.

F MIMEO M
MIMIM O
lECleveland
M M M -- I Institute of Electronics, Inc.
RP

I 1776 East 17th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44114

YES...I want to learn from the specialists in electronics -CIE. Please send me my FREE
I CIE school catalog, including details about CIE's Associate Degree program, plus my
FREE package of home study information.

I Print Name
Address

City State Zip

Age Area Code /Phone No.
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MAIL TODAY!
 r ELECTRONIC
LCOMPONENTS By Don Jensen

ON DX'INC
Listen to the lands of the tango,
cumbia, mariachi, and huayno
IN THE PAST FEW COLUMNS, WE'VE Dutch, respectively, are the predominant
taken an overview of the world, continent tongues. Many native-born citizens of the
by continent, looking at the different southern tier of South American countries
countries and their shortwave stations. have German, Italian, even Japanese as
MANUFACTURERS OF QUALITY This time we complete the global their first language. Additionally, there
ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS junket by turning our eyes -make that are many who speak the various Indiar
BATTERY CLIPS & HOLDERS
CABLE SETS CONNECTORS CAPACITORS ears!-toward Latin America. and Creole languages.
DISPLAYS LEDs FUSES JACKS IL PLUGS Shortwave listeners, like other nor - SWL's soon find that there is no single
KNOBS LAMPS POTENTIOMETERS teamericanos, tend to think of Latin type of music typical of Latin America.
RF COILS RELAYS
SEMICONDUCTORS
RESISTORS
SPEAKERS America as being right next door. But like The Argentine tango, the Colombian
SWITCHES
TEST EQUIPMENT TRANSFORMERS TOOLS many other of our perceptions of the cumbia, the Mexican Mariachi, the Peru-
WIRE A CABLE world, that is only partly correct. vian huayno-they're no more alike then
OVER 15,000 DIFFERENT ITEMS IN STOCK! Certainly, Mexico, Cuba, and the Cen- Mozart and Madonna!
Salar end Order Dark
Open Iron 6.00a .
(PST)
Phan and Mad
Orders Welcome tral American nations are our southern What that all means is that when it
TRIMS COD.
Maae.Cha
S,so.
sse
Cantons Mailed
Outside USA neighbors. But Latin America also in- comes to listening to the shortwave sta-
(Open A «ousts ...wettable) Send $2.00
cludes countries such as Argentina, Bra- tions of Central and South America, and
zil, and Chile -far more distant than we their off-shore islands, there is a tremen-
MOUSER ELECTRONICS may realize. dous variety of programming awaiting
11433W00DSIDE AVE.. SANTEE. CA 92071'
New York, for instance, is closer to you.
PHONE (619) 449-2222 TWA 910 - 331 -1175
Moscow than it is to Rio de Janeiro. From Unfortunately, beginning shortwave
San Francisco it's about 5,000 miles to listeners tend to shy away from those sta-
CIRCLE 714 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Tokyo, but nearly 6,000 to Santiago, tions. There are hundreds of Latin stations
Chile. A beeline from Chicago to Istanbul on the bands, but compared to most of the
is shorter than one between the Windy powerhouse broadcasters of Europe and
Get City and Buenos Aires! Asia, most are relatively low powered.
professional In the common stereotype, a Latin
country is purely Spanish in language and
Signals, typically, aren't as big and boom-
ing.
quality at home. flavor. But in fact, Brazil, the largest
South American country, is Portuguese -
Also, the majority -but no means
all-of those Latin voices operate on the
speaking; and in French Guiana, Guyana, so- called Tropical Bands; the SW chan-
and Surinam, French, English, and (Continued on page 102)

SAYING GOOD -BY TO OLD FRIENDS

KeproClad is the quick, easy and inexpen- HCJB

sive approach to home production of
quality printed circuit boards. Minimum
investment required. 1
CLAYTON
Complete package.
KeproClad comes HOWARD
packaged-pre-sensi-
tized negative acting
dry film photoresist.
Extremely rugged
yet holds fine lines. HELEN
Available in two sizes with one or two - HOWARD
sided copper foil. Developer included.
For your local distributor write or call:
1.800- 325 -3878 l-314-343-1630 (in Missouri)

Helen and Clayton Howard sent this farewell card to many of their
listeners when they retired from the staff of HCJB in Quito, Ecuador,
in 1984. Clayton served the station for 43 years. Both Howards were
Kepro Circuit Systems. Inc.
familiar to listeners as hosts of the popular "DX Party Line" program.
630 Axminlster Drive, Fenton, MO 63026 -2992

22 CIRCLE 713 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

 can]
Jar uary-February
12.86

CRIBBAGE BOARD
The Digital Cribbage Board may not improve your game, but it will
make scorekeeping quicker and a lot mere fun than a board and pegs!

IN THE CARO GAME CALL-7.-D CRIBBAGE,

sccrekeeping requires a counter (sco
keeper) that lot only tal ies total purls,
bu: also shows the point count of the last
Dlay entered. Our Digi al Cribbaze
Counter fills those requirerrents and isa
pleasure to ese. Of cou se the winners
sm le and the losers stil say "hurry Lr
4
and deal," tut the Digital Cribbage
Board verifies to both players that
each entry is correct.
Since the scorekeepet s com-
posed of two identical cìcuits to
accommodate two players, only
one circuit is shown s:.he-
matically in Fig. 1. However,
keep in mind that two suci cir-
cu ts are needed and are ar-
raiged side-by-side n opposite
dnections on the printec-circuit foil pat:err.
Wen the board is placed between too co-
pcsing players, each play- has one haf
(turn page,

Photo by Wai-er Herstatt

 of the board facing him while he is still able to view his The Circuit
opponent's score on the other half. The input pulses from the count pushbutton switch, Si, are
Each circuit is composed of two separate counters with the conditioned by a debounce circuit consisting of U6 -d (% of a
score count being fed into both. One counter, a two -digit unit hex Schmitt trigger) and fed to the pin 9 inputs of two
capable of counting to ninety nine, registers play points. That CD4518 dual up- counters, U2 and U8. Both U2 and U8 are
counter, which resets to zero before entering each new play, configured so that one of its internal counters counts units
displays the last play count entered. The other, a three -digit while the other serves as a decade (tens) counter. After a
counter, counts to one hundred and ninety-nine, and is reset count of ten, the units counters of U8 and U2 feed one pulse
only at the start of a new game. The second counter shows into their respective decade counters via AND gates U5 -a and
total points for all points entered during the game. +6V U5 -c.
DIS1 - DIS 5
With low cost in mind, the circuit was constructed of all HP5062-7653
R7-R36
CMOS integrated circuits (IC's). Inexpensive computer -type 16 16 10052 3
DIS5
keyboard switches were used for the COUNT, PLAN 11 7 13
R7
1

CLEAR, and game RESET controls. The controls and 12

a f
ib
12 13 ' 9
readouts were mounted directly on the circuit board V4/.
13 2 11 10
U9
for simplicity, but could easily be remotely located 14 6 CD4511
Nosh e' a:

by wiring between components and board. The

1
DECODER/
DRIVER d

readouts are modulated with a 50% duty cycle 9 8

3
CC
squarewave to reduce the current drain of the read- US-a 14
1M 11
df

9 CC
14

outs to a level that makes battery operation feasible. U8

R13

CD4518 2 10 1/4 8L6V0

DUAL CD4081 = 16 DIS4
UP- COUNTER 3 7
a
7 13
15
7 2 U7
eb I
6 CD4511
DECODER' d I
12 13 DRIVER
e'
f CC
3
U5 -b 14
9 CC
11
1/4 R20
11 CD4081 8
7
U6-c +6V DIS3
1 6 CD4584 o R21 /0
0
3
-- -WV-- 13

14 R 22
U4 -a
CD4013
D -TYPE

S3 FLIP -FLOP 3
R5 Q1 C
GAME 2.2 K 2N3903
START CC
Fig. 1 -The Digital Cribbage Board +6v +6V R2
is made up two identical circuits O 1 O 2.2K
that share only one common 16 = 16 DIS2
component, C4; therefore, only +6V
11 13
R23
one -half of the circuit is shown.
The circuit's low power, CMOS
construction makes battery 2
t R6
2.2K
12
13 2 U3
CD4511
12

11
...
.-.
13
10
C
14
operation practical. DECODER/
10
d'
DRIVER 9
=
7
2 e
C4 13 15
U6-cl
100 R3 1/6 CD4554 U5-c 14 il
220K
U2 1/4 R29
C 04518 CD4081 8 0+6VI4
DUAL 16 DIS1

,3
C2 UP- COUNTER R30
3
0 .05
13
a
4 1
12
COUNT
o b
5 2 11 10
U1
Si
6 CD4511
VN
10 8 d
DECODER/ 1hh
DRIVER 9 A M
15 2
144
15 14 11

O V 1ti

-
g CC
R36
o
RESET U6 e
R4 6 CD4584
C3 S2 1

2.2K
.05

U6-a
1/6804584
3 i 4 U6
1'6 C04584

24
 Fig. 2 -Foil pattern for the
Digital Cribbage Board's
printed circuit is shown
full -scale. Note that if the
pattern were cut down
the center, you'd have
two identical circuit -
board patterns.

The counter circuit that's made up of U2 and the decoder/ two segments used to indicate the number "1" on DIS3.
driver chips UI and U3 constitute the two digit PLAY counter. Pushbutton switch S3 clears counter U8 and resets flip-flop
Pushbutton switch S2 clears the play counter before entering U4 to start a new game.
each new play count. The counter circuit comprised of U8 The inverting Schmitt triggers, U6-a and U6 -b, make up a
along with decoder/drivers U7 and U9 and flip -flop U4 make squarewave generator with a 50% duty cycle. The output of
up the three -digit total point counter. The flip -clop was used that generator is coupled through U6 -e to the blanking inputs
instead of another counter to indicate one hundred. The of U I and U3. The generator output is also fed to the blanking
output of U4 is coupled to Ql, which acts as a driver for the inputs of U7 and U9 through U6 -f. That squarewave signal

PARTS LIST FOR DIGITAL CRIBBAGE BOARD

SEMICONDUCTORS CAPACITORS
DIS1 DIS5 -HP- 5082 -7653, 7- segment, common - C1- 0.02 -µF, 25 -WVDC, electrolytic
cathode display (Jameco Electronics) C2. C3- 0.05 -µF, 25 -WVDC, electrolytic
Q1- 2N3903 NPN silicon bipolar transisto- C4- 100 -p.F, 16-WVDC, electrolytic
U1. U3, U7, U9- CD4511 BCD to 7- segment decoder.
ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
driver, integrated circuit
U2, U8-CD4518 dual up- counter, integrated circuit
S1 S3- Normally open pushbutton switch
NOTE: Two of each semiconducting, resistive, and ca-
U4- CD4013 dual D -type flip-flop, integrated circuit pacitive components listed above, except C4 (only one
U5- CD4081 quad two -input NAND gate, integrated cir- required), are needed to assemble the project.
cuit
Printed -circuit material, 4 C- or D -cell batteries and hold-
U6- CD4084 hex Schmitt trigger, integrated circuit er; or 6 -volt, 200 -mA plug -in wall power supply, en-
RESISTORS closure, wire, solder, hardware. etc.
(All resistors are '%4 watt, 5% units) The Digital Cribbage Board's printed- circuit board, part
R1- 100,000 -ohm No. CR -7, is available from Electronics Enterprises
R2, R4 R6 2200 -ohm (priced at $14.95, plus $1.50 for postage and handling),
R3-220,000-ohm 3305 Pesanta Way, Livermore, CA 94550. Please allow
R7R36-100 -ohm 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.

25
 I
I

RB- Es ski
ZS tRZ
-R14- -R7-
-Rf9- DIS4 DIS5 -R13-
-J- LILIS3
-r-
-R22-
- R21-
IJ
--R10-
R9-
C31
-r --
Iir

-J-
l I

RÌ5 -R18- -R 16- -R12- En

{

zn f
l f1
-R17- -R20- R11-
r
-v-
I

r
r
Fig. 3 -The parts layout J
I
-r- r-
for the Digital Cribbage U7 U8
J
1 U9
-9ZH- -t£H-
Board shows that two J -LZa- -£EH-
-5z8-
matching circuit boards
.._ ZSH-
1

01 -sza- asea ISIU -9£H- I

make up the entire proj- 1

-8ZH- -IEH- CH
ect. Component designa- D J II -5£H-
-OCR-
1

-szH-
tions are duplicated in
each half. That means
-R2- J
III J J
{
I ;

1
I

R1 -9H- ri
that two ill's, two U2's, --J- - Cl

...
T
r
and so on are needed to s- U4 J
} U5 U6
C4 9n
complete the project. The
1

only component that's .N!

not mirrored in each half
-R6-
-R30- -R23- f f
of the circuit is C4, which -R35- -R24- II
1 I 1

is a filter that is common -R31- - R28-

to both halves. The
R3
I -R36- DIS1 DIS2 - R29 -
dashed lines indicate - R32 - -R25--
-R33- -R27-
jumper connections that -R34- -R26- 6n 8n
are located under compo- -J- -J- r

nents.

U1 U2
I

I£3
-r---r-
-Z18-
-OZH-
-918-
-Ltd -
-918-
J
-018-
1

-6H-
-J -
I

-J -
i
i 1

I -£18- SSI0 ES10

-LH-
tR4
C2 1 S2 S3 -88-

*
+6v

cND

modulates the seven-segment readouts, reducing the current

drain of the readouts by about 50 %. Display DIS3 was not
Y310 a1100 modulated because it only illuminates two segments on
counts over one hundred.
TOTAL POINTS
Construction
In order to lay out the circuit on a single -sided printed -
circuit board, many wire jumpers were used. Double -sided
PLAY Ald board with plated- through holes would simplify and speed
construction, but the cost of double -sided boards make wire
jumpers more economically desirable. You may make your
own board from the foil pattern shown in Fig. 2, or purchase
INIOd 101 the etched, tinned, and drilled board from the supplier given
in the Parts List.
COUNT CLEAR RESET
Figure 3 gives the location of the components on the
4111 II printed- circuit board. Note that the layout is divided in half
by a dashed line. Each half is identical; therefore, component
designations are duplicated on each half of the board and that
condition is reflected in the Parts List, where the parts given
are only for half the board. When purchasing the compo-
nents, all except C4 (a 100 -11F unit common to both circuits
and located at the center dividing line of the board) are
multiplied by two. In other words, two Ul's, two U2's, and so

A piece of red plastic about 1/2-inch thick covers the PC board. Hole=
are drilled to align with the pushbuttons and white lettering added

26
 TABLE 1
CRIBBAGE SCORING COMBINATIONS AND TERMS GETTING INTO CRIBBAGE
The game of Cribbage, which dates back to about the
Card Values 17th century, has several variations -five card, six card,
and sewn card. However, we will only concern ourselves
Ace 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K with th- most basic form, five -card. Table gives the the
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 10 10 scoring combinations and terms used in the game. Crib-
bage is usually played to 61 points or pegs (but may also be
Scoring Combinations played _0 121); the first player to reach that figure wins. If,
Term when cne player reaches that score, the other has not yet
Meaning Pegs
scored 31 or more (91 when the winning score is 121), he is
Pair Two cards of the same rank 2
said tobe in the lurch or simply lurched. A more colorful
Pair Royal Three cards of the same rank 6 word used is skunked!
Double Pair Four cards of the same rank 12 Play starts by determining which player gets first deal
Royal by a cat of the cards; low card deals first (Ace being the
Run Three or more cards in sequence 1 /card lowest, Either player may shuffle, but the dealer must
Flush Three or more cards of the same 1 /card shuffle Iast. Five cards, one at a time, are dealt to each
suit player face down; the first going to the non- dealer. The
Fifteen Any two or more cards totaling 15 2 non -dealer immediately pegs (advances his peg on the
(i.e.: 5-Q, 7 -8, A -8 -6, etc.) scoreboard unique to Cribbage) three for last-but only
For Last To non -dealer in five -card game 3 on the first deal of a new game. If he fails to do so before
only the play begins, he loses those pegs. Each player then
His Heels To dealer only if Jack is turned up 2
His Nob
discards two cards face down, forming a crib of four. The
For holding Jack of the same suit 1

as the starting card

crib b-longs to the dealer at the end of that deal, and any
Go
scoring combinations that are found in the crib are added
For playing last card toward 31 1

If exactly 31
to the dealers point tally. Thus, in his own interest, the
2
non -staler attempts to discard the least combinable cards
that hr can imagine.
on. When populating the board, do one side, then flip the In addition, there is aplay -off in which each player lays
down a card and announces cumulative total of the cards
board around and do the other.
played. First, the non -dealer cuts the cards and the dealer
Start construction by mounting and soldering all the re- turns up the first card of the bottom half of the deck, let's
sistors. Clip off the excess resistor leads, but do not throw say a deuce. Then, the first player lays down a card,
them away. Those short lengths of leads provide an adequate perhaps a 3 and announces. The game continues with the
supply of wire jumpers. Next, make all the jumper connec- next player discarding another card, let's say a 10 this time,
tions; some of them, those indicated by dashed lines, are announcing 15 for 2 (he then pegs to holes), and so on to a
located under components DIS4, U2, U4, U6, U7, U9, and total 3f 31 points or less. Points are scored for making a
Si. After all the jumpers are in place, mount the balance of total of 15 and 31, for the last play without exceeding 31,
the components. and fur any scoring combinations that may be made be-
As always, exercise care when handling the CMOS chips tween both players' cards along the way. Finally, the non -
dealer scores for combinations contained in his own cards.
to prevent electrostatic damage to the components. Pins 3 and
And the dealer scores for his own cards as well as those
6 of DIS1, and pins 9 and 14 of DIS2 were clipped off. Those contained within the crib.
pins are not used and eliminating them simplifies the circuit - What we've attempted to do here is give some of the
board layout. most basic rules of Cribbage. For a better under standing
The power supply chosen will depend on whether a "carry of the game, you might want to pick up a copy of The
around" portable or an AC- powered device is desired. The Pend uin. Book of Card Garnes by David Parlett (published
power supply chosen, which should output 6 volts with a by Panguin Books).
current of at least 150 milliamperes, will dictate the final
enclosure size. Four C- or D -type cells can furnish adequate
power for a portable model. Or a small plug -in wall power
supply can be used to power the circuit from any 117 -VAC
outlet. A third option would be using rechargeable batteries 4111V

and a charging supply (several of which have been presented 13S38 I:lY310 iNn4J
in past issues of Hands -on Electronics and Radio Elec- TOTAL POINTS
tronics).
When your Digital Cribbage Board is complete, and you
sit down across the table from your opponent, you will
definitely find that keeping score is effortless, faster, and a lot PLAY AHld
more fun than the conventional Cribbage board and pegs.
You may still lose the game -sorry to say, we still haven't
figured out how to make every one a winner. But, at least the
S1NIOd 1t11O1
circuit helps to cut down on the problem of scorekeeping.
COUNT CLEAR RESET

The author's prototype is housed in a simple wooden enclosure,

without an internal power supply. Instead, the author opted
to use a wall-mounted power supply like those used for
TV-games and calculators.

27
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A subsidiary of Zenith Electronics Corporation IL J
CIRCLE 719 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
 0w to Identify
Every IC has its own signature, or DIP-ature. A logical
exploration of characteristics will uncover the chip's
function and help you give it a proper name!
[DONE OF TODAY'S BEST SURPLUS BUYS IS THE LOADED sistive connection between two terminals reads approx-
printed- circuit board. The experimenter can buy a board imately the same in both directions.
containing a dozen or more digital It's and other useful parts For the purpose of an explanatory example, refer to Fig, 2
for less than a dollar. Usually the IC's alone are worth several which illustrates a completed signature chart for an unknou n
times the price of the board. Unfortunately.. many of the best IC. In Fig. 2 there are twelve circled boxes, six above the
boards are passed up by the hobbyist because the IC's are not diagonal and six below The circled number in row 5, column
marked with recognizable industry- standard numbers. There 3 has its mirror image on the opposite side of the diagonal in
is a solution to the problem of unmarked IC's. Row 3, Column 5. The resistance is 7000 ohms in both
This article describes a way to make TTL, DTL, and even directions; therefore, it is a terminal -to- terminal resistance.
RTL IC chips sign in once they are removed from the board. That fact is noted to the right of the chart (Fig.2), along with
The IC signature shows you which pin is Vcc and which is the other resistance value and identified as Step 1. The re-
ground. The IC signature tells you which pins are probably maining terminal pairs show grossly different resistance mea-
output terminals. And it requires nothing more than a piece of surements in opposite directions, indicating the presence of
paper and an ohmmeter. After that, a few voltage and current one or possibly several semiconductor junctions in the path.
measurements and you should know what kind of IC you've It is highly unlikely that a TTL IC, or for that matter any
got. Here's how it works. linear IC, would contain 6 identically valued terminal -to-
An IC signature is an array of resistance readings derived terminal resistances. Maybe the IC is RTL or DTL?
from the IC and displayed in an organized way. The x 100
range of an ohmmeter is used. (Be sure that you know which Step 2
ohmmeter lead is positive; some ohmmeters change polarity Disregard all circled boxes and scan the signature to locate
when switching from volts to ohms especially in the low -ohm the row with the lowest resistance readings-Row 4 in this
ranges.) case. That characteristic uniquely identifies pin 4 as the
The signature is obtained by recording the resistances substrate connection of the IC or, in other words, the most
between all terminal pairs of the IC. Use the signature chart negative terminal of the IC.
shown in Fig. 1. Connect the ohmmeter's positive lead to pin Scan across Row 4 for the lowest uncircled reading -in this
1, and move the negative lead sequentially through the re- case it is the 750 -ohm reading in Column 11. That distinctiive
maining pins (3, 4, 5, etc.). Record the measured resistance reading tells us that pin 11 is the Vcc terminal of the IC.
across the top row of the signature chart. A resistance mea- Record those numbers in the place provided at the right of the
surement of over several hundred thousand ohms does not chart -Step 2, Fig. 2.
convey very much useful information, so there is no need to The other uncircled low-resistance readings in the ground
record it-put a dash through the box instead. row usually identify transistor collectors; i.e., output termi-
Move the positive lead to pin 2 and fill in the second row of nals. That is an important clue to be used later.
the signature chart (Fig. 1) by moving the negative lead to pin
1, 3.4..., etc. Continue in the same manner until every row of
Step 3
the signature chart is completed. If that is done properly, you Before proceeding to the identification of other terminals
should have as many rows in your chart as there are IC pins. we measure L. Apply a low voltage, say 3.6 volts (RTL.
The steps that follow show how to use the completed supply voltage). to the IC through a milliammeter or multi-
signature to identify your IC. meter preset to read in the 100-milliampere range. The
positive voltage goes to the Vcc terminal (in this case pin 11)
Step 1 and the return connects to the IC substrate (in this case pin 4).
Examine the signature chart, that you generated from an
unknown IC, and circle each terminal -to- terminal resistor
you can tell which ones those are because each purely re-
- To Protect the IC and the equipment, place a 120 -ohm
resistor in series with the current meter. A dead short in the IC
(Continued on page 36,

32
 Q0 By Kenneth H. Reoorr

VCC = PM GND=PM 1CC = PM

NEGATIVE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 18

10

12

Fig. 1 -This form is used

13 to record all resistances

between terminal pairs of
tie unknown IC up to
14
16 -pins in size. Copy it
on a Xerox machine so
15 that you'll have a supply
of signature charts.
16
In fact, should your
Xerox copier provide
enlargements, go for
a larger -size term and
make your nota- taking easier.
VOLTS
TO GND

mA TO
Vcc (RES)

mA TO
GNU

33
 F
A
S
T
`b
E
A
S AT THE PUSH OF

Y JUST ONE BUTTON !

RED OPEN LIGHT means the emitter circuit of the horiz output stage
THE MARK III is open (no ground path).

HV CIRCUIT SCANNER YELLOW SHORT LIGHT means the flyback primary, HV multiplier,
vertical output, horiz driver, and R -B -G color output stages are not
shorted. Instead, a circuit that normally draws a small amount of cur-
* Checks the horiz output circuit for open / shorts,
rent is shorted (i.e. the tuner, IF, AGC, video chroma, matrix, vertical o
* Checks the flyback, yoke, PC, and HV mult,
horiz oscillator).
* Checks all scan derived B + sources,
* Checks all circuits that rely on scan derived B+ voltage, RED SHORT LIGHT means either the flyback, the HV multiplier, the
* Checks for open safety capacitor, vertical output, horiz driver or one of the RB -G output transistors s
* Checks the emitter circuit of the horiz output, shorted.
THEN, GREEN NORMAL LIGHT means the TV set's entire flyback circuit s
* Provided the green normal light is lit, the Mark III will safely power totally free of shorts. It also means that it is safe to power up the TV set
up the TV set so that you can "look" for open circuits by examining with the "run" button so that you can look for open circuits by observ-
the picture on the CRT. ing the symptoms on the CRT screen.
* Circumvents all start up and horiz drive related shut down circuits.
FEATURES: All start up circuits and all horiz drive related shut down
circuits are automatically circumvented by the Mark Ill during all test
APPLICATIONS: The Mark Ill will analyze the horiz, flyback, hi- and run functions. During the test function all flyback secondary output
voltage, scan derived B + sources, yoke, pin cushion, HV multiplier cir- is limited to approx 80% of normal. 2nd anode voltage is limited to ap-
cuits in any TV set that employs either an NPN transistor or a single prox 5 KV.
SCR for its horiz output device. This applies to any age, any model, any
This means all circuits that are not shorted will have some 80% of their
chassis, any brand - - - including Sony.
normal B+ voltage during the "test" phase. It also means that any
shorted circuit will have zero DC volts on it. This feature makes any
In brief, the "test" function scans for shorts, the "run" function
short easy to isolate.
permits you to observe any "open" circuits via the symptoms that ap-
pear in the CRT screen.
The MARK III sells for only $59500
HOOK UP: Simply remove the set's horiz output device and replace
it with the scanner's interface plug. No wires to disconnect, no other
The money you are now spending for unnecessary
connections required (not even a ground connection). flybacks alone will easily pay for your Mark Ill. Why
not order yours today!
MISTAKE PROOF: No damage will result if an error is made during
hook up. The scanner simply won't turn on until the error is corrected. Visa and Mastercharge Welcome !

Diehl Engineering 6661 Canyon Drive "F" Amarillo, TX 79110

Phone: (806) 359 -0329 or (806) 359 -1824
PUSH THE TEST BUTTON Just one of the four lights will lite.
* Checks the horiz output stage for opens / shorts, READ THE DC VOLTAGE METER THEN,
* Checks flyback, yoke, PC, and HV mult,
PUSH THE TEST BUTTON
* Checks all scan derived B+ sources,
If themeter comes up to, or, falls back to, factory specified DC collec-
* Checks for open safety capacitors
tor voltage, the LV regulator circuit is working. If it fails to do so, it is not
* Checks for open ground path for horiz output stage
working!
* Checks for open primary LV supply,
* Checks for error in interface connections, RED "B + RUN" LIGHT means that the B + source that normally
* Checks for proper LV regulation, keeps the horiz osc / driver circuits running after the start up B + pulse
* Checks for proper start up circuit operation, has been consumed has become open.
* Checks for shorted horiz driver transistor,
* Checks the operation of the horiz osc / driver circuits, GREEN "B+ RUN" LIGHT means that the B+ resupply voltage
* Checks B + "run" supply for the horiz osc / driver circuits, (scan derived) is being provided. All is normal if all three lights are now
* Checks all circuits in the TV set that rely on scan derived B +, green.
* Automatically circumvents all start up circuits and horiz drive
related shut down circuits. The scan circuit short detector in the Mark V is identical in all ways to
that which is used in the Mark Ill. Operation is also identical. Both units
are virtually indestructable when simple directions are followed. Both
units carry a full year's warranty against defects in materials and
HOOK UP: (Identical to Mark Ill) workmanship (parts and labor). Either unit can be easily repaired by
OPERATION: Turn the Mark V on, turn the TV set on, then, simply look almost any technician in his own shop.
at the lights.
RED "HOOK UP" LIGHT means that you have made an error in hook
If the green "circuits clear" light is now lit
up. No damage has been done, correct the problem then continue. It isnow safe to push the "run" button and examine the symptoms that
RED "EMITTER" LIGHT means that the ground path for horiz output appear on the CRT screen, for the purpose of isolating any "open" cir-
stage is open. Correct the problem then continue. cuits.
RED "B + OPEN" LIGHT means that the primary LV supply in the TV
set is open. Correct the problem then continue. Except for hook up and CRT filament warm up time, this test can easily
be completed in two to five seconds!
No "top row lights" equals normal.

Look at the middle row of lights The Mark V sells for only $995°°
RED "START UP" LIGHT means that the start up circuit in the TV set
is not working (no start up pulse).
Stop losing money on start up/ shut down scan
GREEN "START UP" LIGHT means the start up circuit in the TV set is
derived B+ problems; order your Mark V today!
working normally. Yes, it is 100% accurate. Even on Zenith's single
pulse start up circuit!

RED "HORIZ DRIVE" LIGHT with a green start up light means that Visa and Mastercharge Welcome !

the horiz driver transistor in the TV is shorted (E to C).

Diehl Engineering 6661 Canyon Drive "F" Amarillo, TX 79110
GREEN HORIZ DRIVE LIGHT means that the horiz oscillator and
Phone (806) 359 -0329, or (806) 359 -1824
driver circuits are operational.
 3TO5 =7K(- RTL.}
3 TO 8 -7Kn MC 7171 .8
5 TO 8 = 7KIL
3 ro (4= '11c1L
5 Tß14 =7Kn-
5rof4 =7k

3,578,14-OUTPUTS
1,2,62,7,9,10,12
AND 13- INPUrs

3 C7OES LOW W+}EN

1 OR 2 OR. BOTH
CzO F}tCi+-I,

5 GOES LOW WHEN

(o OR 7 O12 ßOTI-!
GO 141614.
$ 00E5 LOW w HE1J » 6
9 OR. to O1Q Bork
60 1-ff ere.
14 C7OE5 1-OW WIfEN
12 OR 13 OR. 80T7-t
co H10fi.
D£VECE 15 QvAD5 2
INPUT NOR GATE IC.,

3 v Ü -1 F'F'..ic'(

-_3,b ;bND 3.l0 - yC C b

1.4 1.4 GN D - 4 +! 14 14

1 D iGNll' 1-0

Fig. 2- Completed signature chart for an unknown IC. The IC turned out to be a quad. 2 -input NOR gate.

will only draw 30 mA (milliamperes). Remove the resistor voltage indicate outputs in the high state (for a logic chip).
and re- connect the current meter only when it is clearly safe Thus, pins 3, 5, 8, and 14 are likely candidates for output
to do so. Most standard TTL gates draw between 2 to 4 mA: terminals. (You will recall in Step 2 that those are the same
Thus, a quad NAND or NOR would draw 12 to 15 mA. In the terminals that were suggested as outputs by their low readings
case at hand, there was no current flow at all. DTL or TTL in Row 4.)
would have shown some current --so again the evidence sug- .A voltage less than 0.2, but greater than zero, usually
gests RTL. indicates logic outputs in the low state. None of those appear
A third clue: If there is a normal current flow, raise the in Fig. 2.
voltage to 5 volts, measure, and record Ic, in the space Now is the time to remove and reapply power to the IC. Do
provided at the right of the IC signature chart. that several times, each time comparing the voltage at each
suspected output to its original recorded value. Often a flip -
Step 4 flop will reveal itself by changing the state of one or more of
Remove the milliammeter and apply the selected voltage its outputs. A simple gate will never change state in response
directly between the Vc, and ground pins. Measure volts -to- to that little trick. The IC in Fig. 2 did not change state so I
ground, mA -to Vec (through a 330 -ohm resistor) and mA-to- assumed it was not a flip -flop.
ground for each pin of the IC. Record the measured values in Voltages from about 1.8 down to 0.8 usually indicate TTL
the rows at the bottom of the signature chart. or DTL inputs. The fact that there are no such voltages in the
The "volts -to- ground" row generally identifies all inputs "volts -to- ground" row of Fig. 2 was certainly a surprise to
and outputs. Voltages from about 2.2 volts up to the applied me, but it did lead to a pretty solid conclusion: If the IC is not
 Fig. 3-Signature chart for
a TTL 7400 quad 2 -input
NAND IC. All but a few
TTL IC's have this
typical two -row signature.

there should be four identical re-

sistors to Vcc- -one from each output.
And that implies we should read
twice the pull -up resistor value be-
tween any two outputs. In that case,
the circled 7000 ohm values in the
signature point to 3500 ohm pull -ups
in each output. With a Vcc of 3.6
volts applied, grounding any output
6l.
through the current meter should
cause a current flow of just about 1

mA. And that's what we got! List the

-

outputs and inputs on the signature

chart.
defective, then it is not TTL or DTL. Step 5
Currents in the low state should read 10 to 20 mA when The symmetrical pattern of resistances in the signature and
measured between the output and Vcc. Currents in the high the strong evidence for four independent outputs with logic -
state can read anywhere from 2 to 30 mA when measured level voltages pretty much rules out any linear IC. Resistive
between the output and ground if the IC is TTL. As an pull -up could be DTL, but DTL inputs are active low and our
example of typical TTL signature, Fig. 3 shows the signature IC is active -high. After reviewing all the evidence I felt there
chart for a 7400 TTL quad 2 -input NAND IC. was absolutely no doubt that this device was RTL. That
Input currents for RTL, DTL, and TTL fall between 0.8 conclusion was recorded in Fig. 2.
mA and 2.0 mA. In Fig. 2, all the probable inputs draw 1.4
mA referenced to V« and nothing referenced to ground. That Step 6
verifies that they are inputs and shows they are active (draw We now manipulate the inputs and observe the output
current) when the input is pulled high. RTL is active -high. responses to determine what kind of logic device we have.
DTL and TTL are active low. Since there appear to be twice With Vcc applied, we connect a voltmeter from ground to a
as many inputs as outputs, the chart suggest that our IC is a terminal thought to be an output. Ground the inputs one at a
quad gate of some sort. It is reasonable to conclude that pins time, noting the change, if any, in the metered output. If that
I, 2,'6, 7, 9, 10, 12, and 13 are inputs. output does not change state for any grounded input, repeat
The bottom row of the chart shows that the outputs provide the procedure, this time connecting one input at a time to Vcc
only mA to ground despite the fact that the voltage measured
1
instead of ground. In this example it happened that pin 3 went
at those terminals is 3.6. That suggests an internal pull -up low when either pin or pin 2 was pulled high (to Vcc). None
1

resistor connected to the output terminal (see Fig.4). If that is of the other outputs responded to changes in pin or pin 2.
1

so, and the device is a quad gate (which seems very likely), That indicates that pins and 2 are inputs to one gate whose
1

37
 A LOGIC- FAMILY TREE

Mention is made in this article of the RTL (Resistor- of RTL devices because they increase the time needed to
Transistor Logic), DTL (Diode- Transistor Logic) fam- charge and discharge the input capacitance of the output
ilies. Of the three, TTL is the only one that is still in transistor.
common use, but a look at its predecessors is worthwhile. Typically, RTL has a switching speed on the order of 50
(Refer to Fig. 4.) nanoseconds and operates at a 3.6 -volt supply.
As advances in technology have made it possible to The next phase in IC evolution was DTL. That family
construct more complicated devices on a silicon chip, we substitutes diodes for the resistors used in RTL. The di-
have been able to take advantage of their sophistication to odes provide better isolation at the inputs and, because of
create faster and more elaborate logic families. their low forward resistance, make it possible for DTL
All three of those logic -family IC's work by causing circuits to switch more rapidly than their RTL equivalents.
their output transistors to go into saturation (a condition DTL has a typical switching speed of 25 nanoseconds
where no amplification takes place-only conduction), and requires a four-volt supply.
but differ in the way input signals are processed to bring Finally, TTL uses multi- emitter transistors in the input
about that state. stage. The base -collector junction of those transistors is
RTL was the first IC logic -family to find widespread never fully off, meaning that a state of saturation can be
use. Each input line going to the output transistor contains reached considerably more quickly than with either RTL
a resistor. Its purpose is to reduce the amount of current or TTL.
consumed by the device and to isolate the logic -gate Switching speeds for simple TTL IC's are frequently
inputs. The input voltage passed through the resistors under 10 nanoseconds. TTL uses a five -volt supply.
drives the output stage into saturation, making the collec- While it is still possible to find RTL and DTL IC's on the
tor voltage of the output transistor drop and causing the surplus market, the TTL family is now the dominant one.
output to go "low." Its two most common forms are standard TTL and "LS"
The resistors, though, slow down the switching speed (Low -power Schottky) TTL.

output appears on pin 3. That procedure is continued until all techniques, I would have tried exercising two, or even three,
inputs and outputs are related in some way. Truth tables can inputs at a time and I would have begun to search for a
be consulted to identify the gates. The device turned out to be possible "enable" or "inhibit" input. The more complicated
a quad, 2 -input NOR gate. devices require a little ingenuity and some intelligent guess-
The relationships between the inputs and outputs and the work.
conclusion as to the type of device I was dealing with are
listed in Fig. 2 as Step 6.
Step 7
Had the device not responded at all to any of the above Use the results of Step 6 to draw the schematic diagram of
the IC. At that point the device could be used in the average
TTL hobby project without needing to know any more about it.
OUTPUTS SUBSTRATE
VCC
DIODE But, if you feel compelled to assign a number to your IC, it's
N l'/P
time to consult the IC data books. That's what I did.
- - -i

IN
Step 8
It took quite a while to locate a Motorola IC book con-
IN
taining RTL data sheets. The electronics department at the
OUTPUT
local college was good enough to let me look through their
copy. If you need that kind of assistance, let me urge that you
INPUT PROTECTIVE SUBSTRATE
make the local college your first stop. I wish I had -it
would
DIODES D10DE have saved a lot of time.
DTL The Motorola book had 256 pages of RTL data --whew!
vcc Fortunately the plastic -case style of my IC eliminated two of
the three RTL sections. The index of the remaining section
IN
listed only two IC's that were quad 2 -input NOR gates. The
IN collector pull -up resistors of the first IC type were nominally
IN 640 ohms. The collector resistors in the second IC type were
/$P nominally 3600 ohms. Bingo! (We measured 3500 ohms in
INPUT PROTECTIVE Step 4-not bad!).
DIODES SUBSTRATE
DIODE
The device is without a doubt an MC717P /817P, and all the
information on that data sheet applies to this IC. I am unable
RTL
vcc to differentiate further between the 717P and its higher -
performance counterpart the 817P. Since the safer move is to
OUTPUT assume that the more restricted temperature range applies, I
N, SUBSTRATE declared the device placed under inspection to be a Motorola
DIODE
1N
P1 RTL IC, type MC717P. (Continued on page 101)
} SUBSTRATE Fig. 4 -Five typical logic input and output circuits are
P} DIODE
presented here. Use these circuits along with your resistance
IN .1 measurements to determine the logic family of the unknown IC.

38
 WHAT IT MEANS IN PRACTICE
SWF
When amateurs get together, and the talk turns to antennas,
it is not long before the magic phrase "SWR" is heard.
Just what is SWR and how important is it in practice?
By Philip Watson, VK2ZPW*

lT IS AN UNFORTUNATE FACT THAT SWR, ALONG WITH But, that risk aside, we should make every endeavor to
antenna and transmission line theory in general, is one of the present the correct load to the transmitter simply to ensure
most misunderstood subjects in the whole of amateur radio. that it delivers the maximum power for which it was de-
It boasts as many myths and old wives tales as does pregnan- signed. On the other hand, there is little to be gained by
cy and childbirth, some of them perpetuated by supposedly simply feeding that energy into a resistor; it will radiate very
reputable text books. little of the RF energy and waste virtually all of it as heat.
In trying to get a mental picture of what is, admittedly, an So we replace the resistor with an antenna and, fairly
extremely complex subject, it is often a help to start with a obviously, this antenna should look (to the transmitter) like a
1 theoretically perfect situation, against which we can compare 50 -ohm resistor if it is to deliver maximum power. Assuming
the usually imperfect practical situation. the antenna is resonant at the transmitter frequency, and fed at
the right point, it will look like a resistor. If it is not resonant it
The Antenna will exhibit either a capacitive or inductive component, ac-
Let's start with the antenna. In any transmitter installation, cording to which way it is off resonance.
ÍE the antenna has to satisfy two basic requirements. One is to Assuming that the antenna is resonant, the next question
radiate the RF energy fed to it by the transmitter in the most concerns the value of resistance it presents to the transmitter.
efficient manner possible. The other is to present the trans- And this is where the going gets tough because, in other than
mitter with the correct load in order that the transmitter may a very few clearly defined cases, that is very largely an
deliver the level of RF power which the designer intended. unknown or, at best, guesstimated value.
While both are important, the second requirement is, in We can, for example, nominate the resistance at the center
many ways, the more important one. Suppose we have a of a half-wave dipole (Fig. 1A) as being in the region of 72
typical commercial transmitter designed to deliver 10 watts ohms, while a folded version of the half-wave dipole (Fig. 1B)
into a 50 -ohm load. If we connect a non -reactive, 50 -ohm will have four times that impedance, or 288 ohms (often
resistor directly across the antenna terminals or socket at the rounded off to 300 ohms). A number of factors can cause
set, and energize the transmitter, it will deliver 10 watts to the minor variations to those values, such as the diameter of the
resistor, which will appear as heat. elements, relative to their length, space between folded di-
If we were to substitute some other value of resistor a pole elements, etc.
number of things could happen. The most likely one is that A more controversial value is that for the popular quarter-
the transmitter would no longer deliver its 10 watts. By how wave ground plane (Fig. IC). For years value has been stated,
much it would fall short would depend on the error in the load in many popular amateur textbooks, that the impedance is
value and the design and tolerance of the particular transmit- approximately half the value of the simple dipole, or 36 ohms
ter output stage. (in fact, various values have been quoted between 30 and 36
Another possibility, again depending on the output stage ohms). That figure appears to have been based on a the-
design, is that it would try to deliver more than its rated oretically calculated value for a quarter-wave radiator work-
power, but run into overload in the process, and destroy the ing against an infinitely large, perfectly conducting ground
output circuit and other circuit sections as a result. For- plane.
tunately, most commercially designed transmitters are well Some of those text books even went so far as to describe
protected in this regard, but there is no point in taking matching devices which would match that value to the popu-
unnecessary risks. lar 50 -ohm coax cable and transmitter load requirements. As
*Original story appeared in Electronics Australia, November, 1984 edition, and anyone who has tried to make one of those matching systems
reappears here by permission. work, or who has attempted to confirm that 50 -ohm value
41
 shield it, while we need to put the transmitter in a convenient
DELUXE VERSA indoor working location, some distance away. Those prac-
tical considerations are always self defeating; however, they
'7.4:7!;!;;Z'
M4T%Ubf.. .b..,.., ..
% .
can be minimized.
And, to couple the two together, we need a special kind of
cable; one that will convey the transmitter output to the
antenna with minimum loss and which, in itself, will not
radiate any significant amount of that energy into a shielded
CIRCLE 746 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD environment, where much of it would be wasted.
Here's a view of today's combination SWR meter and There are two types of cable commonly used by amateurs,
antenna matcher with added features. This MFJ product the open -wire line and the coaxial cable. The open -wire dne
is the 949 -C Deluxe Versa Tuner. It uses a cross -needle can be homemade, has very low losses, and can be made to
meter that reads foward power, reflected power. and
SWR simultaneously on either 30 or 300 -watt scales.
have any impedance characteristic over a wide range. On the
other hand it can be awkward to install and is much less
with an impedance bridge will testify, the real -life ground popular than it once was.
plane, using four quarter-wave radials, is a vastly different Coaxial cable is a commercial product, with somewhat
device. higher losses, and is commonly available in two popular
Strangely enough, the true situation has been known for impedance values: 50 and 72 -ohm. It is reasonably flexible
many years. At least as early as 1962 when it was stated that and relatively easy to install. For most of our discussion we
the radiation resistance of a ground quarter -wave antenna is will assume the use of coaxial cable, although most of the
35 ohms, but that of a ground -plane is less than 20 ohms. points would be just as valid for open -wire lines.
More recently other authorities have been emphasizing that
same point but, unfortunately, old ideas die hard, and the Characteristic Impedance
point needs to be emphasized a good deal more strongly if the Undoubtedly the most important single characteristic of a
error is to be corrected. coaxial cable, for the beginner to understand, is its charac-
But that is a separate argument. The point we set out to teristic impedance -typically 50 or 72 -ohm. That is not an
make is that, apart from those few simple designs, it is easy concept to grasp and the beginner may have to content
exceedingly difficult to nominate the feed point impedance of himself with accepting some basic statements at their face
an antenna. We do know the general effect of many design value, at least initially.
factors; that, for example, the addition of director or reflector Coaxial cable consists of two conductors, one within the
elements to a dipole will lower the impedance. But by how other, and insulated from each other. A common form uses
much is another matter. solid or stranded wire as the central conductor, copper braid
So we are faced with the situation that the impedance of all as the outer conductor, and a polythene insulating material
but the simplest antenna systems is largely an unknown between them.
quantity. With experience we can make a rough estimation The characteristic impedance is a factor of the inductance
that it will be between this and that figure, or below some of the two conductors, relative to the capacitance between
other figure, but beyond that we must resort to some form of them, per unit length. Those factors, in turn, are determined
measurement or suck-it- and-see approach. by the physical characteristics of the components; the induc-
tance by the cross sectional area of the conductors, and the
SWR Meters capacitance by their area relative to each other, the distance
One such approach involves the use of a standing -wave- between them, and the dielectric constant of the insulating
ratio meter, or SWR meter. But it would be premature to go material. The length of the line is not a factor.
into details at this stage. We need to talk about SWR in some The effect of that inductance /capacitance relationship is to
detail first. establish an equally firm relationship between the voltage and
So far we have considered only those situations where a current of RF energy travelling up the line. That relationship
resistor or an antenna -which looked like the same re- is exactly the same as would have occurred across and
sistor-was connected directly across the transmitter output through a pure resistor having the same value (say 50 ohms)
terminals. Apart from a few special cases, feeding an antenna as the characteristic impedance of the cable.
in that manner is not very practical. We need to locate the It may help to grasp this concept if one is to visualize a very
antenna as high as possible and clear of objects which might short burst of RF energy transmitted up the line; so short that
4 7252 X/4

A
2052
288t'

B C
Fig. 1 -Three basic antennas for which the feed -point impedances are known with reasonable accuracy. The quarter -wave
dipole (A) has an approximate impedance of 72 -ohms; the quarter -wave folded dipole (B), approximately 288 ohms: and the
quarter -wave ground plane antenna (C), a bit less than 20 ohms. If you differ on the last impedance, refer to the text.

42
its trailing edge has left the transmitter long before its leading But it is essential to keep one very important point in mind
edge has reached the load at the far end. Thus, something in at this stage of the discussion. the existence of standing
the manner of a fired projectile, or even a thrown tennis ball, it waves, in itself, is only a secondary problem. It is a useful
is in a kind of limbo; while influenced initially by the manner measurement only because it tells us whether the transmitter
of its launch its subsequent movement is largely a factor of its is being correctly loaded or not and that our efforts should be
environment. And it knows nothing about what lies in store directed to correcting this aspect of the problem. Whether we
for it at the end of its journey. correct the SWR in the process may not even matter. Let us
We can carry the analogy a little further. If the tennis ball consider a practical example.
ultimately hits a brick wall it will bounce off (or be reflected) Suppose an SWR meter reading indicates that there is a
simply because the brick wall represents a gross mismatch to serious mismatch between antenna and cable. We have two
the manner in which energy is stored in the moving ball. A options: either fit some kind of matching device between the
softer object such as a bale of hay, may well have absorbed all antenna and the cable so that the antenna now looks like the
the energy with no bounce (or reflection). correct value, or fit a matching device between the transmitter
The same applies to our burst of RF energy. When it and the cable so that the transmitter sees a correct load.
reaches the end of the cable it will need to meet exactly the In theory the first option is the preferred one, since we not
right load if all its energy is to be dissipated in that load. And only present the transmitter with its optimum load, but we
it doesn't take much imagination to conclude that the load eliminate the standing waves at the same time. In practice the
should look like (in that case) a 50 -ohm resistor that exhibits second option may well be very much more practical and
no reactance whatsoever. convenient. It will have achieved the same primary objective
If it encounters any other value then only part of the energy of loading the transmitter correctly and in many cases the
will be absorbed by the load, and the remainder will be SWR can be ignored.
reflected down the line in the direction of the transmitter. And But what happens to the RF energy reflected by an antenna
that is what creates what are called standing waves on the which does not match the cable? If it is sent back down the
transmission line. line, is it not wasted? No, it isn't. The practical situation is
that the transmitter presents a gross mismatch to the line, and
Standing Waves deliberately so. Its (source) impedance is kept as low as
In greater detail, the standing waves are actually peaks of possible in order that as little as possible of the RF energy it
voltage between the conductors, or peaks of current through generates is wasted as heat in the final stage.
the conductors, which occur at regular intervals along the So the reflected RF energy encounters that gross mismatch
line. They occur at those points where (say) the voltage of the and is promptly reflected up the line again to the antenna,
outgoing energy encounters voltage of reflected energy where the major proportion of it is radiated and a minor
which is exactly in phase with it. Similarly for the current proportion reflected. After a couple of such journeys virtually
peaks. all of the energy will have been radiated. (In typical audio
The position of each peak is fixed and will always be one -
half wavelength away from its neighbor. Exactly between 10
each peak, one-quarter wavelength away, will be a dip or 8
voltage minimum, and it is the ratio between those two
voltages which constitutes our standing wave ratio or SWR. SWR = 15
(Note: wavelengths in coaxial cable will be physically shorter
than in free space, according to the characteristics of the SWR = 10

insulating material. A factor of 0.66 is typical, commonly SWR = 7

referred to as the velocity factor.)
In the theoretically perfect situation, where the cable is SWR = 5
correctly terminated, all the energy is absorbed by the load,
there will be no reflected wave, and the voltage and current SWR = 4

values will remain essentially constant along the length of the

line. Such a situation is said to constitute a flat line. SWR = 3

By now the reason for our interest in the SWR should be

apparent. Because it occurs only if there is a mismatch, and
its value is directly related to the degree of mismatch, its
measurement provides a very useful suck -it -and -see ap-
proach to ensuring that the transmitter is presented with its SWR = 2

correct load.
In greater detail, an SWR of 2 to I will mean that the load is
in error, relative to the cable impedance, by this ratio. But it
cannot indicate in which direction the error lies. Assuming a
50 -ohm cable the 2 to error could mean that the load is half
I SWR = 1.5

(25, ohms) or twice (100 ohms) the correct value. Note,

however, that the relationship is true only when the load is
0.1
purely resistive. 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.8 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10
Considering all the foregoing, and with the benefit for LINE LOSS WHEN MATCHED (dB)
hindsight, one wonders whether the term SWR, to some Fig. 2 -The graph indicates the amount of additional loss, due
extent, might be misleading; and that some other term, like o SWR, which occurs for various values of cable loss when the
mismatch ratio, might not have been a better choice. cable is correctly terminated to a resistive, matching load.

43
 transmission systems the time delays involved are not impor- antenna. Stay away from trick solutions.
tant. In a TV transmission system they can be significant, and So, after all that, what is the role of the SWR meter? Well,
more careful designing is necessary to avoid transmitting it obviously isn't the universal answer to all antenna/trans-
ghosts. ) mission line problems. On the other hand, if it is the only
instrument available it can be quite useful. An important
Cable Losses point to realize is that, while it can indicate that there is
In fact, there is a flaw in the previous argument. We can something wrong with a particular set -up, it cannot indicate
only assume that no energy is wasted if we ignore the inherent what is wrong.
losses in the cable. All cables have some losses, and those Thus an antenna may present the wrong load for a number
increase with frequency. For example, a popular foam -filled of reasons. It may not be resonant, the design may be wrong
coax, RG -8 /U, has a loss of 0.9- dB /30- meters at 30 MHz or may have been misinterpreted by the constructor, or the
which rises to 3.5- dB /30- meters at 400 MHz. The presence matching device (if one is used) may be incorrect. Alter-
of such losses means that any signal which has to traverse the natively, the cable impedance may be other than that claimed.
line more than once will suffer additional losses on each (There is the story about the dishonest electronics surplus
excursion. dealer who could supply either 50 -ohm or 75 -ohm cable at a
So we have to concede that, in practice, standing waves do very attractive price, both off the same reel!)
create some loss. But how much, and how important is it? If In other words, when the SWR meter indicates that there is
we assume a 3 -dB loss in a cable system which is correctly something wrong, the important thing is to make a systematic
terminated (no standing waves), then an SWR of 3 to 1 will approach to finding out what it is. For example, terminating
add a further 1 -dB loss. The graph in Fig. 2 indicates the the cable in a good dummy load having the same resistance
additional loss for a wide range of basic cable losses and will quickly indicate whether or not the cable is at fault. If it is
SWR values. not, the antenna is the next obvious suspect.
At 450 MHz, using RG -8 /U cable, with a run approaching Exactly what needs to be done, or can be done, to change
30 meters, a loss of 3 dB could be expected and, if it had to be the antenna's impedance will, of course, depend on the
tolerated, than anything which would minimize further losses particular type of antenna and what is physically convenient
would be worth considering. That is a case where, all else or practical. But, whatever the approach, the SWR meter can
being equal, correction at the antenna might be preferable to be used to monitor the effect of the changes or adjustments
that at the transmitter. that are required.
At lower frequencies losses become less important. At 150 Finally, one more controversial point. Just where should
MHz, RG -8 /U wastes only 2- dB /30- meters (an additional the SWR meter be connected in the line: at the transmitter end
0.8 dB for a 3:1 SWR); and a 30 MHz, 0.9dB (plus 0.48 dB or the antenna end? Some authorities are adamant that it
for ,3:1 SWR). should be at the antenna end, while others are equally em-
So, hopefully, that should put the SWR problem into some phatic that the precaution isn't necessary.
kind of perspective. But there are other misconceptions While, in theory, it can be shown that the antenna is the
which we might perhaps comment upon. One is that the right place to make this measurement, the practical situation
reflected energy finds its way back into the final stage and is that that is seldom a very convenient, or even feasible,
overheats it. Wrong! arrangement. So, in practice, most people tend to make it at
It is true that a transmitter working into a transmission line the transmitter end. When an antenna tuning unit, or other
with a high SWR may show signs of distress. But the distress matching device is used at the transmitter, fitting the meter
is not due to the SWR; rather it is due to the incorrect load at between the two is a perfectly legitimate way of determining
the antenna into which the transmitter is trying to work. when the tuning unit is presenting the correct load to the
transmitter.
Cable Length? The main objection to measurements made at the transmit-
Another popular untruth claims that the length of the cable ter end is that the cable losses will mask the true ratio, the
is critical; that it must be an exact multiple of a half wave- forward signal having been attenuated before it was reflected,
length long if the transmitter is to be properly loaded (and the and the reflected signal attenuated again on the way back.
standing waves eliminated) even when the antenna is present- Depending on the severity of the losses, the user may obtain a
ing a proper load. reading below what he has set as an acceptable maximum
The truth is that, if the load is correct, then that value will when, in fact, the true value is appreciably higher.
be seen at the other end of the cable regardless of its length. If ' Unfortunately, cable losses become worse as the frequency

the load is incorrect, then that value will be seen at half- increases and, in the 420 -450 MHz (70 -cm) band that prob-
wavelength intervals along the cable. But since it is wrong lem could be very real. So, be prepared to work at the antenna
anyway there seems little point in trying to reproduce it. unless the coax line can be kept short. In cases like that it is
In fact, in such circumstances, the length of the line can be sometimes better to move the transmitter close to the antenna,
critical for a quite different reason. Between the half wave- and use a much shorter line.
length points the cable will exhibit a range of impedances,
one of which may match the transmitter. So, by adjusting its Summing Up
length the cable may be made to act as a matching trans- The most important characteristic of an antenna system is
former, and load the transmitter correctly. to present the transmitter with its optimum load. An SWR
But don't try to do it using the SWR meter because altering measurement can indicate whether that is happening and, if
the line length will have no effect on the SWR. If that trick is not, the degree of error. It is valuable primarily for that
to be used other measurements must be used, such as that reason, the standing waves being relatively unimportant.
from a field strength meter at a fixed distance from the So let's keep things in perspective.

44
BEFORE AN AFTER CLOCK

A clock that talks your language; it displays time the same way that you say it!
By Al Plavcan
DOVER THE YEARS, MANY CLOCK VARIATIONS HAVE BEEN gle NAND Schmitt trigger, before being sent to the divider
created: everything from the grandfather type of centuries chain. After being divided, that signal is fed to the clock
past, to the present-day digital devices. Well, in this article input of the up/down counters.
we'll be looking at yet another clock -a digital one -but, The counter outputs are then fed to a set of seven- segment
with a twist. LED display decoder /drivers, which drive four LED mod-
Instead of displaying time in the conventional way, it ules. The up/down counters also control several lamps that
displays time in the manner in which it is spoken: "9 are used to illuminate the other non -LED displays. Decoding
O'clock," "20 before 10," "10 after 5," and so on. (Hence is performed at the hour and half-hour to control the up /down
its name, the "Before and After Clock. ") Aside from this counters and light the appropriate display. Zero blanking is
clock's being unusual, It also has some practical applications. included to eliminate leading zeros.
By placing it next to an analog clock, it can be used to teach In operation, the minutes display advances to a full count
the little ones to tell time. It
might also prove useful in MIN 10'S /MIN HRS 10'S/HRS
places such as a radio or TV
station, where time is an- LED
DIS 1
LED
DIS 2
LED
DIS 3
LED
DIS 4
nounced continually.
How It Works
In the circuit for the Before
and After Clock, the 60 -Hz
clocking signal is picked off
the AC line and fed to a squar-
ing circuit, comprised rrf a sin- U1 U2 U3 U10
DECODER DECODER DECODER HRS
DRIVER DRIVER DRIVER LATCH
A

CLOCK
ThRO
IN
BLANKING
O

J19-U23 U4 U5 U6
E-VIDER UP /DN UP /DN UP /ON
CHAIN COUNTER COUNTER COUNTER

12 :30 E--

DECODE
Fig. 1-Block diagram of the Before and After Clock
outlining the operation of the circuit. The circuit uses a AF14 TER UP /DN RESET
4% digit display, which means that the 10's of hours LATCH
seven- segment readout can display either a one or zero
only. BEFORE I-
DECODE
I1

O'CLOCK 45
 of nine, then resets to zero and begins to count up again. derived from the 60 -cycle line frequency through a resistor
When the minutes display shows a zero, the ten's of minutes network made up of R36, R37 (in the power-supply circuit).
display lights showing a 1, as the minutes display continues That signal is fed to U19, a hex Schmitt trigger, which shears
the count. That process is repeated until the count reaches 30; off the rounded peaks of the signal to produce a squarewave
at that time, the Clock begins to count down, going from 29 suitable for driving the dividers that follow.
to zero. At zero, the hours display lights showing the hour That squarewave signal is sent to U20 and U21 where it's
and the after-the -hour count begins again until the next hour divided by 60-U20 is set up to divide by ten and U21 to
is decoded. divide by six -resulting in a frequency of one cycle per
second at the output of U21. That point is tapped off and fed
The Big Picture to three switches on the rear panel and routed to the inputs of
Turning to Fig. 2, a schematic diagram of the Before and U4, U5, and U6. (More on that later.)
After Clock, let's take a look at the overall view of what is The output of U21 is also fed to U22 and U23 where, it is
really happening in the circuit. Timing for the circuit is farther divided so that a signal frequency of one pulse per

DIS1 DIS2
MINUTES 10'S OF MINUTES

CC CC

+12V

R22 R23
e) d lc 4.7K 4.7K lc
R1-R7 R8-R1.
A B C D E F G 1K A B F G 1K

+12V
0
R7

D1
1N914
r
-
D2
1N914-
03
1N914
3'
D4
1N914
+1o2VR8 7 Ss7f
R14

121110 91514
TO COMMON
SET
1
13 12 1110

U1
9 1514
5 F- 1613
U2
3 C1 4511
(U22, PIN 14) 4511
l 14
Si 7 6 4
U7
41 7 12 6
4072
3
+12V 6 1114 2 S2 4
7
0
5
U4 8,3,12
6 11 14 2 3.4.5.8, 9
13 15 4510 13,5,9 90
15
16 U23
C5 4018 8,10,15 U5
4 16 10 16 12,13
11 4510
14 2
TO COMMON 10
SET o
+12V
+12V 6 +12V (U22, PIN 14)
+12V
U22
T1.6 4018 8,10,15

COMMON
+12V °SET
0 6 +12V
1/4 4001
U21
16 40 8 8,10,15
2
R26
14 12 4.7K
+12V 11
0 13 11
13 10
U20 9
16 4018 8,10,15
2
1/6 4049
141 3

4
+12V 9 10
0

U11 U12
2 14 4/6 4049 4012

8
U19
1/6 4049
C6 4093 7
14 15
.1

CLOCK
IN

Fig.2-Complete schematic, excluding the power supply, of the Before and After Clock.
Clocking for the circuit is provided via a resistive network, made up of R36 and R37, located in
the power-supply circuit. The circuit's almost completely integrated circuit construction
makes it a snap to build, using the foil patterns provided. Note that the numerical sequence of
the resistors and capacitors has been broken by the exclusion of F27, R29, R31, R33, and C2
from the final layout.

46
minute is now arriving at the input of U4 (pin 15). Up /down inputs to U12 -a cause pin 13 of U12 -a to go low. That's the
counter U4 sends timing information to U1, a seven- segment zero decode for minutes. Pins 8 and 9 of U14 -d go to U5 pin
display decoder /driver, which then lights the display, DIS1, to 11 and U5 pin 6, respectively. When those two pins are high

show the minutes count. (at the count of 3), pin 10 of U14-d goes low. That is the 10's of
The pin -4 output of U4 is fed to the input of U5 at pin 15, minutes decode of 3. Thus pin 13 of U13 -a is low (zero
where the signal is divided still farther and used to feed U2, decode) and pin 10 of U14 -d is low (10's of minutes decode of
another display decoder/driver. That decoder /driver's output 3).
feeds the 10's of minutes display, DIS2. The decoding neces- Those signals are now fed to U14 -c pins and 2 through 1

sary to control the up /down counting is tapped off the Q inverters U1l -e and UlI -f. U14 -c pins and 2 are now high, 1

outputs of U4 and U5, and processed through Ull, U12, and causing pin 3 to go low. That point is the 30- minute decode.
UI4. Several things happen at this time. First, Q2 is turned on
When the Q outputs of U4 (pins 6, 11, 14, 2) are all low, through U17 -c, causing I2 to light showing ":30" on the front
their Inverted outputs (through U11) is fed to U12 -a. All high panel.

DIS3 01S4
HOURS 10'S OF HOURS

CC
1

515 -R21
1K
A B C D, E F G Qs BI Ç
RK5
12
+12V 2N2222 CC# 12V

+12V15ytR21
3 SS
07

r
13 12 11 101 9 15 14 +12V
16 5 o
4 U3
4511

+12V
U17-c
14 1/6 4049
10

15
12 11 12
9
7
U10 U8-e
US 4044 1/6 4049
3
S3 4510 4 10
5
TO COMMON 10
SET
IÚ22, PIN 14) U8
1/6 4049
+12V

+12V
TO D6 o R34 CB
10K .001
+12V

O'CLOCK
16 13 14 15
Qi Q2 12 03 13
D5
2142222

12V
2N2222
® +12V
0
R30
10K
V
1N34
2N2222

BEFORE ]
10 U18-a
1/2 4528
11

R28 L:30 ] 121 81

4.7K 06

10= -
5 12
1N34 4 +12V 835
AU17-a +12V 0
Q4 o C9
+1211 TO Q1 2N2222
11 1/6 4049 I AFTER 001
11 COLLECTOR 16 2
12 1

1M
R32
13 16
4.7 K
6 U18-b L
1/24528 Ir
U15 13
4044 5] Bj
2
3

o
y
=
5 16 +12V
4
10

14 8
o +12
U17
U14
2/6 4049
4011 +12V
C3
7 .1 +12V

47
 TO U19 PIN 1 Fig. 3- Schematic diagram of the power supply for the Clock
(CLOCK INPUT) circuit. Note that, aside from the resistor network (R36 and
R36 R37 R37), which provides timing for the Clock, there is nothing
100K 82K +12V
unusual about it. Although a bridge rectifier is shown,
(REGULATED)
there is no reason why discrete diodes cannot be substituted.

T1
With the "BEFORE" lamp still lit and the counter count-
ing down, the count continues until the hour is reached. At
117
VAC
the hour, the Q outputs of Ul and U2 are all low. the seven -
PLI segment display would show "00" (if it were not blanked).
The minute's zero decode at signal U12 -b, pin 13 and the 10's
of minutes' zero decode signal at pin of U7 are respectively
1

fed to pins 2 and of U13 -a.

1

That causes pin 3 of U13 -a to go high, causing Q1 to turn on

and light the "O'CLOCK" lamp, I1. The clock now reads
At the same time, the cathodes D2 and D3 are pulled to " O'CLOCK." At the same time, D6 goes low, inhibiting
ground, causing pin 4 of both Ul and U2 to go low and blank the "BEFORE" lamp for one count. At the end of the hour
the seven-segment. Also pin 13 of U15 goes high, forcing pin decode, U12 -b pin goes low causing U15 pin 4 to reset. Pin
1

2 of U17 -a to go low. turning Q4 off. The signal at pin 13 of 13 of U15 goes low causing U17 pin 2 to go high, causing I4 to
U15 is also fed to Q3 is turned on causing the display to show light so that "AFTER "is displayed on the front panel. Also
"BEFORE." (Note that it will be blanked for one count pin 10 of both U4 and U5 goes high causing them to start
through D5 to avoid having I3, "BEFORE," and 12, ":30." counting up. Pin 4 of U17 -b goes high and causes U18 -b, the
on at the same time). one -shot multivibrator, to trigger the preset /enable inputs of
At the next count, the display showing ":30" goes out and U4 and U5. (Those counters had been preset to a "1" on U4
"BEFORE" lights and remains on for the next half hour. The and a "0" on U5).
clock now reads "29 BEFORE" the next hour, whatever that Thus, after Il, the "O'CLOCK" lamp, has gone out, the
happens to be. (Note that D5 and D6 must be germanium next display will be "1 AFTER _." (Leading zero blanking is
diodes to effectively inhibit.) A low from U17 -a pin 2 is fed to used on U2 to permit the readout to display "01 AFTER ") .

pin IO of both U4 and U5, causing those units to count down. Whenever the Q outputs of U5 are all low, U7 -a pin is low, 1

Thus, the first 30 minutes of the hour has been decoded, and which pulls the cathode of D4 to ground, blanking the seven -
the Clock now begins to decode (count) the next half hour. segment display.

o 0 0000000 0 o 0000000 000 0

O0000r1000 0 OOO0000000 0 OOOooTo1o1o00 0000 0
0
oobbb o A oobbboa, oobbboa,e 0 0 0 00
1° 0 1 t o
00
ot j O° eo

0
o 8
I o-- 01 o
o
0
0 g o Oo4 040
i°
o o ó. O 0
cc

o
o
O
O 0

ó o

I
d
na71
o
0, o I,
e o

0
0
o
0 0 ó o- o
o
m O

o
0
0
0
o 0 r_
b0 0
o
d
o ro
0
O 0 o o 0 o s 1 oo O
v o o 0 40 °
Fig. 4 -Foil pattern for the solder side of the Before and After Clock's double -sided, printed- circuit board.
If you etch your own board using this pattern and the one shown in Fig. 5, be sure that the two line up properly.

48
 S1 S2 S3 An overhead view of the Clock's printed- circuit board mounted in
its housing. At the top, note that the power -supply components,
including the resistor network (R36 and R37) and excluding the
power transformer (T1), are mounted on a barrier terminal strip.

Pin 1 of U9 -b goes low, causing the U8 -e pin 12 to go high

through U10. That turns on Q5 and a "1" is displayed on the
hours readout. Thus, we've now gone from a 9 to a 10.
The count continues until the hours and 10's of hours
readout displays 12. On the next hour count, the clock must
PRINTED
CIRCUIT
display a 1 (for O'clock). With the 10's of hours counter (U6)
1

BOARD outputting a high at pin 11, the next count causes U6 pin 6 to
go high, which then causes U9 -a pin 13 to go low and U10 pin
9 to go high. After inversion in U8 -e, Q5 is turned off and the
10's of hours readout goes out.
At the same time, U9 -a pin 13 also causes pin 10 of U10 to
go low. That, in turn, triggers U18 -a pin 11 and causes a
positive -going pulse (from pin 10) to be sent to U6 pin 1,
preset enable. U6 had been preset to a 1, so a 1 is shown on the
display.

Power Supply
From that point, the count continues until ":30" appears Figure 3 shows a schematic of the recommended power
and then repeats. One more thing happens at ":30." The 10's supply. You'll notice that there's nothing spectacular about it.
of hours counter (which is only an up counter) gets a pulse In fact, except for the tap off the secondary of the power
from U16 -b pin 13 through inverter U17 -c pin 15. At a count transformer, it just like what you'd expect to find in any other
of ten, the ten's of hours display lights and the hours readout construction project. The tap off the secondary feeds a volt-
then changes to the next hour. For example, if it was "29 age- divider network. That network is used to attenuate (or
AFTER 9;" then "9:30;" then "29 BEFORE 10." lower) the voltage from the transformer to a level low enough
With the 10's of hours counter at nine, the next count, a to be used by the counting circuits. It is from that signal that
"0," is decoded by U9 -b through U8 -a, U8 -b, U8 -c, U8 -d. the clocking frequency is obtained.

0-
o 0
ó u0
0 ó
0 "o b "o a0 °o0 b o ó0 b0 Y
00
0o o
0 s0 0 0o0 0
s0 0
0
0 0 00
0 00 00 ° o
0 /o
o0
o
o°
0
o
0 0
O
0
o°-o
0
o 0
4
d 0
0-000
p
0
0
4
00
o 0
0
0 0 o
00 fo
4° 00 04 v 0
I-o
0
0 0 0 0
0 -0 m I.
0+
1

O
c O O
o

ó
O o°
b
O
O
O
ó0 o
O
O o
o+
o
s
o
Q N.?

O
O
o-b o- o 0 0ais
0
O o o bq 00 0o 4

Oi0 0 0-°
o
0-0 o bo
O
o 0 0
171.

O O
o
o- 0
q07`.
o
O
O
o
eo
Oo
O 8
\
8 O

ó
O O
o o O b
o 0 0 O
o--0 Cr 0 o o O

'
CO
o °
o--r
p
°-o oo Ó-O °-°0---0
0/o 0 0
o
°ó o 622,
.

O O
L
o
Q
o 0° oo o
g
,

o ° 0 0 0
o 0
o o m 0 0-ol o=0 o o0 lo, o °°
op-0
I o0 ° o0 O
o
04
. -O
o
Ó0 4 a' OOPO4 c5" 0 OEM

O
O

O-0 0
o
O O
O
0
0 O

Ó o
O 4
O
° 8

1 Ó0°b0000O v boo 0)
O
bovo 00

0
0 0 0

7113
OOIÌ %IIIIII
0
b
0010
IIIIIII
._°
00 00Ó1-0
IIIIIII 6 °°°0 o

Fig. 5 -Full -scale foil pattern for the component side of the Clock's printed- circuit board. If
you decide to etch your own board, contact transfer film may be used to lift the patterns directly from
the page. It's also a good idea to add markers to the film to ensure accurate alignment PC board foils.
 8.
-R22- _R34

TC
10B/HF
L®

C)-o +12V
TO
COMMON
SET +12V

V o+12V
U20

o G00

S1
HOURS
SET
CLOCK IN TO COMMON SET
(U21, PANS 1 AND 6)

Fig. 6-Parts layout for the Clock circuit's double -sided board. Note that all IC's, with
the exception of the top four, have their U- shaped notch facing the top of the card. Pay
strict attention to the orientation of IC's, diodes, transistors, and any other polarized
component. Also note that the power -supply components are not included on this board.

You may be wondering why the clocking signal is being the figure for the + 12 -volt power supply (as it is not included
picked off prior to rectification. Consider that the AC line in the printed- circuit board layout), the seven -segment dis-
frequency is 60 Hz, and that the bridge rectifier puts out a plays, and time set switches, Sl S3. In the author's prototype
positive -going pulse during both the positive and negative (see top view of the unit), the power supply was built on a
transition of the input wave. That means that when the input is barrier terminal strip using point -to -point wiring.
positive, a positive -going wave appears at the output and In building that portion of the unit, refer to Fig. 3 as a guide
when the input goes negative, the bridge outputs a positive on how it should be wired, but not until housing for the unit
wave. Thus, the frequency of the signal at the output of the has been prepared. Prepare the cabinet that is the to house the
bridge rectifier is 120 Hz and would require more division Before and After Clock by first cutting out suitable holes in
than is used in the Before and After Clock circuit. the front panel, following the front -panel visor template of
Fig. 7, for the "BEFORE," "AFTER," "O'CLOCK,"
Construction ":30" lamps, and the seven- segment displays. Then, using
Building the Before and After Clock is rather straightfor- that template, prepare the visor through which those lamps
ward, whether you purchase the printed- circuit board from will glow.
the supplier given in the Parts List, or etch your own board. If One way to make the visor is to make an overlay of Fig. 7
you'd prefer to etch your own board, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show and simply paste it on a small piece of clear plastic. To make
the foil pattern for the Before and After Clock's double -sided the overlay, you can take a photocopy of the figure and either
printed- circuit board. But since the board is double sided, have an acetate film made of it, or use Lift -it film to transfer
you may want to go the easy route. the diagram to the plastic.
After you've obtained the board, the rest is simple. For the Once that's done, mount the chassis components, wire up
most part, all you have to do is stuff the printed- circuit board the power supply, and then mount and connect the printed -
with integrated circuits, and a few assorted other compo- circuit board according to Fig. 6. After the Before and After
nents, as Fig. 6 shows. Just be careful that the integrated Clock is completely wired and all connections checked for
circuits, diodes, transistors, and so on are properly oriented. accuracy, it's time to try it out.
Integrated circuits of the "B" series are recomi ended.
Once the board has been populated and all )mponents
,
Use
checked for correct orientation, bring out wires : shown in Now that you've finished the construction, the next step is

50
 Fig. 7 -The template for the front -
panel may be lifted from the page
with contact transfer film (or it
can be copied on acetate by a photo
shop) and glued to a small piece of
Plexiglas. This bezel is needed
to produce the desired effect.

to turn it on and set the time. You may have a minor problem tion.) Set the minutes first, 10 of minutes next, then the hours,
with some 4012's. The hours display should change only at using the 3 time -set switches. No problems should be in-
":30." If it changes at 19 minutes (counting down), a .001 µF curred in accomplishing this.
capacitor connected from U16, pin 13 to ground should clear To change from "BEFORE" to "AFTER," step the min-
up the problem. utes past the hour. To change from "AFTER" to "BE-
The first thing to do after applying power is to run each FORE," step the minutes past the half hour. As a novelty, this
number through a "0" to clear. (Note: The 10's of minutes clock is a unique addition to any mantle, and is sure to be a
display will go past a 3 when clearing, but not during opera- conversation piece.

PARTS LIST FOR THE BEFORE AND AFTER CLOCK

SEMICONDUCTORS U24- LM340 -12 (or LM7812) positive 12 -volt, A volt-

BR1 -1 -A, 50 -Ply, fuliwave bridge rectifier (Radio Shack
1

age regulator
No. 276 -1161 or similar)
D1D4 -1N914 silicon diode RESISTORS
D5, D6 --1N34 germanium diode (All resistors 1/4 -watt, 5% fixed resistors)
DIS1 DIS4- Seven- segment, common- cathode, LED R1 R21, R25 -1000 -ohm
display (FND -503 or Radio Shack 276 -1647) R22R24, R26, R28, R32 -4,700-ohm
Q1 Q5-2N2222 NPN general -purpose silicon tran- R30, R34, R35- 10,000 -ohm
sistor R36- 100,000 -ohm
U1 U3-45118 BCD -to -7-segment latch /decoder /driv- R37- 82,000 -ohm
er, integrated circuit
U4 U6 -4510B presettable up /down counter, inte- CAPACITORS
grated circuit 25 -WVDC ceramic disc
U7-4072B dual four -input OR gate, integrated circuit C8, C9- .001 -1.LF,
25 -WVDC ceramic disc
U8, U11, U17 -40498 hex buffer/converter, integrated C10- 1000 -µF, 35 -WVDC electrolytic
circuit ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
U9, U12, U16 -4012B dual four -input NAND gate, inte- I1 -14 -12 -volt, 25 -mA, incandescent lamps (Radio
grated circuit Shack #272-1141)
U10, U15-4044B quad three -state R/S latch, integrated S1 -53 -SPOT toggle switch
circuit T1- Step -down power transformer: 117 -VAC primary;
U13-4001B quad two -input NOR gate, integrated circuit 12- volts, 1 -A secondary
U14 -4011B quad two -input NAND gate, integrated cir- Cabinet, hardware, printed- circuit materials, bezel ma-
cuit terial, line cord with molded plug, wire, solder, etc.
U18 -45288 dual monostable multivibrator, integrated
circuit A printed- circuit board, part No. RW501 (with plated -
U19-4093B quad two -input NAND Schmitt trigger, inte- through holes and reflowed solder), for the Before and
grated circuit After Clock is available for $27.00, plus $2.00 postage
U20 U23 -4018B presettable divide-by -N counter, in- and handling from Danocinths, Inc., P.O. Box 261, West-
tegrated circuit land, MI 48185. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.

51
 Build and checkout this...

ADJUSTABLE
TIMER
With just a little imagination, this simple timing circuit
can be made to control any number of elaborate functions.
By Warren Baker

WHEN IT COMES TO DESIGNING ANYTHING ELECTRONIC They allow you to stop the timing cycle at any point.
these days, you are almost sure to need some form of timing Once the RESET switch, Si, makes contact, the timer
circuit. Well, for almost any timing function, the amazing remains in that state until the START switch, S2, is pressed.
little NE555 oscillator /timer is nearly unmatched in its field. When either switch is activated, LEDI (READY) and the TIME
One need only consider simplicity of design, ease of assem- indicator, LED2, keep track of the situation. Although not
necessary, the two light- emitting diodes should be of dif-
ferent colors -say, red for READY and green for TIME-for
S1
+6V
R3
1K T
RESET

o-
C3 PARTS LIST FOR THE ADJUSTABLE TIMER
20 1
C1-10 -µF, 25 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor
C2 -0.01- µF,15 -WVDC ceramic disc capacitor
LED
READY
1
C3-20 -11F, 15 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor
LED1 -Jumbo green light -erritting diode
LED2 -Jumbo red light -emitt ng diode
R1 R4-1000 -ohm, 1/4-watt, fixed resistor
LOUT
S1, S2- Normally -open, SPST pushbutton switch
U1 -NE555 oscillator timer integrated circuit
Cabinet, pre- etched printed- circuit material, 6 -volt bat-
LED2
TIME tery, 8 -pin DIP socket, harcware, etc.

R4
1K
1 -Note the simplicity of the Adjustable Timer. A
S2 C2
START 01
Fig.
single resistor, R1 (a 2.5- Megohm potentiometer), makes
the timing of the circuit continuously adjustable.
t= 1.1 X R1C1
t = TIME
/ = FREQUENCY /OUT = t
1

ease of interpretation as shown in Fig. 1. You may have other

ideas, so follow your own dictates.
bly, and low cost to see why that unit, as a circuit-building As outlined, the Adjustable Timer is set up to be built on a
block, is hard to beat. The timing circuit described below solderless breadboard system. The physical layout has been
exemplifies each of the NE555's capabilities in an easily- aided by use of a solderless breadboard. One nice thing about
duplicated circuit that may even serve a useful purpose in using such a system is that a pre- printed paper overlay of the
your own design projects. board can be used to map out the circuit, making all changes
in the layout as necessary. Then, using that paper version as a
Simple Timing Circuit template, you can transfer your final layout to some form of
A quick glance at the schematic diagram in Hg. will 1 permanent board, if desired.
reveal the ease with which the unit may be assembled. The
circuit is, for the most part, of the textbook variety; yet, there Putting It Together
are a couple of features added for the user's benefit. One of A pre- etched phenolic circuit board, having the same basic
those additions, light- emitting diodes (LED's), indicate to pattern as the solderless breadboard and the layout sheet, can
the user at a glance what the status of the circuit is at any be used to permanently mount the circuit. When parts are
given moment. The switches are a second added feature. (Continued on page 103)

52
 THE
PROJECT
PARADE
Here are 5 popular projects that are goof-proof!
Build them tonight and put them to use tomorrow.
LITHE PROJECTS CONTAINED IN THIS SPECIAL SECTION OF magazine. For example: TR is the symbol used for a tran-
Hands -on Electronics have been carefully selected for their sistor in this section instead of Q. The reason for this change
universal appeal and many applications in the home, office,- is to permit the Parts Lists and diagrams to coincide with the
workshop, factory; in fact, anywhere people go! printed material supplied by Dick Smith Electronics.
The projects are based on those selected by the Editor from We have provided more information, instructions, and
the Dick Smith Electronics catalog, assembled and reported diagrams than we normally would do because it is the inten-
in detail in the section. Since the parts are supplied in kit tion of this section to encourage neophyte and novice builders
form, their availability is assured should you not be able find to get totally involved with their hobby. The old pros are
them in your junkbox or to purchase them locally. The parts urged to read a bit faster and plug in the soldering iron
designations are not consistent with those usually used in this immediately. Happy soldering!

MULTI-PURPOSE
FLASHING LED
This simple circuit can be used in almost any application;
everything from warning indicators to jewelry to decorative
window ornaments, anything else that you can think of!
THE MULTI- PURPOSE FLASHING LED
project can be used as a simple warning
indicator -outside a darkroom door, for
example. Or it can be used to warn a thief
that your car is fitted with a burglar alarm,
even if it really isn't! Or, if you're so
inclined, you can turn this little circuit
3V TO 12V
into the latest in electronic jewlery. The BATTERY
board has been designed to wear as a
Fig. 1 -The circuit is really
brooch or pendant: So why pay $50 or
more when you can make your own? simple and the only problem
that might be encounted has to
How It Works do with the polarity of the
components: Over half of them
When power is applied (refer to Fig. 1), are polarized! It will operate
capacitors Cl and C2 start to charge to the from a very wide voltage range.

53
 supply voltage via the base -emitter junc-
tions of TRI and TR2. That charging cur- PARTS LIST FOR THE MULTI-PURPOSE LED FLASHER
rent tries to turn both the transistors on.
But both cannot turn on at the same time, LED1 -Jumbo red light- emitting diode
as we will see in a moment. By a com- TR1, TR2- DS548, ECG123A, 2N2222, 2N2222A, or similar NPN
bination of component tolerance, one of transistor
the two transistors will turn on first. R1-330 ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor
By the time the transistor has turned on R2, R3- 47,000- ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor
(let's assume it to be TRI) the capacitors R4-560 -ohm, Y4-watt, 5% fixed resistor
have reached a reasonable state of charge. 16 -WVDC tantalum capacitor
They could have quite a few volts across C2- 10 -µF, 16-WVDC tantalum capacitor
them. So the positive end of the capacitors
would be a few volts positive with respect ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
to the negative ends. Battery snap, solder, hookup wire, 9 -volt battery or other 9 -volt DC
As you can see, the positive ends of the source, optional LED identical to LED1, suitable mounting board
capacitors are connected to the transistor or printed- circuit board of correct design (The Dick Smith K-2621
collectors, with their negative ends to the Flasher Kit contains the printed circuit).
opposite transistor's base. When TRI Order the Flasher Kit of parts, K-2621 for $2.95 from Dick Smith
turns on, its collector voltage drops to a Electronics. Telephone 1- 800/332 -5373, and tell them you saw it in
low level-probably around 1 volt. But Hands -on Electronics.
wait; the capacitor connected to that point
has a potential of 6 volts. What happens
here? Because the capacitor has resistance chosen, a link (jumper wire) must be sol- One use for this type of circuit is as an
in series, it cannot discharge imme- dered in the opposite position labeled alarm indicator, let's say, for your car.
diately. So whatever voltage the positive LINK. You've probably seen those rather expen-
end becomes, the negative end must go Position and solder TRI and TR2. If sive auto alarms systems with a flashing
another 6 volts below that again! If the you are unsure about your soldering abil- lights to warn thieves away. This flashing
collector of TR1 goes to 1 volt, the nega- ity, use a heatsink on the transistor leads to LED can be used for exactly the same
tive end of Cl must go to around minus 5 prevent overheating. Solder in the battery purpose: and you don't even have to have
volts! wires, again taking care with polarity. an alarm! You might consider combining
As the negative end of Cl is connected There's not much good getting everything this project and a Car Alarm to produce a
to the base of TR2, it turns off, and it else right if the battery is reversed! The complete system.
remains in that state while CI discharges positive (red) lead goes to the end of the When connecting the circuit to your
through Rl, the LED, and R2. printed-circuit board with the LED on it; auto's electrical sytem, no circuit modi-
Eventually Cl discharges, and TR2 can the negative (black) lead goes to the end fications are needed for 12 -volt operation,
then turn on via R2. As soon as that hap- with the transistors on it. The printed - because this circuit is designed to operate
pens, C2's negative end drops down to circuit board has been designed to accom- over a wide voltage range. Just wire the
-5 volts, turning off TRI. Capacitor C2 modate two LED's, but at the moment, we positive lead to the car battery's positive
need only one. Thus, a link (mentioned terminal (or other convenient 12 -volt
eventually discharges, allowing TR1 to
turn on again, turning off TR2. That cycle earlier), made from a short length of cut source), and the negative lead to the car's
continually repeats as long as power is component lead, is used to jumper out the chassis (assuming a negative ground vehi-
applied. As there is an LED in series with extra LED position. cle). Unless your car battery's charge is
TRI, every time TRI turns on, the current Go over the board, checking all compo- pretty low, it won't hurt to leave the LED
flowing through it must also flow through nents, battery connections, etc. If you're flashing all the time.
the LED: Thus it flashes, giving us one satisfied that everything is correct, con- Darkroom Warning Indicator: This cir-
flash for each cycle. nect the battery and the LED should start cuit makes a great little warning for
A second LED can be connected in to flash, immediately. If it doesn't, dis- darkrooms, etc, with the flashing LED
series with TR2's collector, giving two connect the battery, and recheck every- meaning "stay out!" Because it might be
flashes per cycle. The rate at which flash- thing component, soldered joint, and inconvenient to change batteries all the
ing occurs is governed by the value of wire. (It may be that your battery is dead ?) time, you may wish to power the circuit
resistors R2 and R3, and capacitors Cl from a plug -in battery eliminator (wall -
and C2. Varying the value of any or all of Putting It to Good Use mounted, DC power supply). Figure 3
those components will vary the circuit A circuit such as this has several uses. shows full connection details.
speed. + 3 -12 VDC

Putting It Together
Obtain the parts specified in the Parts
List; there is a low -priced kit available.
LED1p + LINK
Mount the components as shown in the
parts -placement diagram, Fig. 2. Place
and solder the resistors and capacitors
first, taking care to observe the capacitors'
polarity. Make sure that all components
R1
R3 +

R4
+

_C1 _TT rl
R2
Fig. 2 -The printed-circuit
board can be made with one
LED, as shown, or twin LED's
(see text). The printed-
are "dressed" (neatly positioned) before C C
circuit board can also be
soldering them in place. Mount the LED; B B cut Into a circular shape,
the anode (positive) lead is the longer of allowing it to be worn as
the two and goes towards the outer edge of TR1 E "E TR2 a brooch, badge, or pendant.
the PC board. The LED can be soldered in
place as shown, or tacked to the opposite
side (see photo). Which ever side is -3-12 VDC

54
 .

value resistor to get sufficient LED bright-

ness. Values as low as 100 ohms should be
satisfactory; remember, however, that the
lower the resistor, the heavier the current
drain on the battery.
Other modifications you can make to
your flasher include the altering of the
LED's on/off times. With the capacitors
values shown, the on time is much shorter
than the off time. If those capacitors are
made equal, the on/off times of the LED's Fig. 5-A same -size pattern of the LED
will be equal. (Watch the capacitor polar- flasher board for electronic jewelry.
ity!) Cut the circle shape with a hacksaw,
If you want to use the Flasher as an and finish off with a file.
alarm device, we assume that you will
want to protect it in a box. The PC board your collar. The badge itself can be held
supplied with the kit has been designed to on by a tab of double -sided adhesive tape
fit into the smallest slotted Zippy box, see (available from most stationary and other
Fig. 4 (Dick Smith Cat. H -2755) with stores), or a normal pin clasp glued to the
plenty of room for the battery. If that box back of the board.
is used, we would assume further that you Another suggestion is to mount the
will want to include an on/off switch. brooch on a gold chain, and use the chain
Once again, Figure 3 gives the details. itself to carry power down to the board.
Making electronic jewelry: A printed -cir- Obviously, the two halves of the chain
cuit pattern has been provided, that's would have to be insulated from each
larger than the circuit board supplied with other. Another idea we've seen is to have
the kit, for those who want to make elec- the circuit worn behind a jumper or tee -
tronic jewelry (see Fig. 5). The extra size shirt, with the LED's poked through fine
is to allow room behind the main printed holes between the strands of fabric. That
circuit for batteries. The smaller board idea looks really neat if the jumper or
isn't big enough. Figure 6 shows the teeshirt has a design or pattern on it that
printed- circuit pattern needed for battery can be worked in with the LED's!
Fig. 3-The diagrams illustrate how to mounting on the electronic jewelry. The However, the most logical idea -as far
add an on /off switch or a socket for an
external wall mounted DC power supply to
pattern can be copied and etched.
You may have noticed that all the tracks
as convenience goes -is to actually
mount the batteries on the back of the
your projects. The same wiring can be on the printed-circuit board are crowded
used for almost any battered powered board itself. (Use small silver oxide or
project. In a, a 9-volt snap-on into a small circle in the middle of the mercury batteries, the type used in watch-
battery connector is shown without a board. Normally, that would be taboo, es.) The drawing and photos should give
switch. The solid black lead is negative and bare -board material should be avoid- you a good idea of how to make up your
in all cases. b shows how to add an ed. Obviously, there is a reason for that! own brooch or badge.
on /off switch. The red lead, or positive, We have designed the board that way so Once you've made up your printed-cir-
is broken by the switch (only the center that the circular pattern can be cut out cuit board, you must decide whether
and one of the outside terminals are (with a fine hacksaw and filed down) al- you're going to leave it as is, or just have
used). In c, an 3.5 -mm socket re- lowing the printed circuit to be used as a
places the switch. The socket auto- the LED's showing. The second method
brooch or badge. Electronic jewelry is all certainly protects the components, but is
matically cuts off the battery if wired
as shown. The wiring scheme in d the rage overseas, and is now being seen much more involved. It normally means
allows for greater power supply flex- elsewhere. However, the prices have been going through a process called "potting,"
ibility: Both the battery snap and socket very high; now you can make your own at in which the components are set in a clear
for external power are included with the a fraction of the cost! or translucent liquid that turns hard after a
switch controlling the power supplied. There are a number of ways you can time. Normally a mold is used to form a
assemble and wear the circuit. Perhaps the desired shape: When the mold is removed,
So far, we've shown a basic single -LED easiest way is to connect fine wires and the potting compound has taken the shape
flasher: But (as has been mentioned), the hide the battery in your pocket or behind of the mold. If the potting compound sets
printed- circuit board was designed to op-
erate with either one or two LED's. If you
wish to add a second LED, simply con-
nect it in place of the link, with the anode
(the longer lead) going to the track con-
nected to the positive supply. Why not use
a green LED in the second position, so the
indicator would alternately flash red and
green?
If you do connect a second LED, the
560-ohm resistor should be reduced to the Fig. 4 -There is
same value as in series with LEDI, for plenty of room inside
c._
roughly equal brightness. We've shown a the smallest Zippy
box for the printed z
330 -ohm resistor in series, which is fine -n
circuit. A hole is m
for 9 or 12 -volt operation. If you want to drilled in the front m
operate the circuit from a lower supply panel for the LED to co
voltage, you might want to use a lower poke through. co
rn

55
 /
Circular version of flasher
Fig.6- Details for making an PCB, assembled with one or
on -board power supply for use two LEDs.
in electronic jewelry is shown.
Three additional boards of the Insulation tape to prevent
same shape and size, etched as short -circuiting.
shown are required.
Screw glued onto PCB.

Circular PCB with pattern cut

out as shown; copper side
clear, all the components can be seen in- down.
side. (It normally sets as clear as glass!)
Other compounds set with a "haze, "so Circle of cardboard or blank
all that can be seen coming from them is PCB material, to hold
the glow of the LED's. Sometimes the batteries in position.
whole board seems to glow, if the LED's 3 'silver oxide' watch
are set far enough down in the compound. batteries, two with positive
The compound is non -conductive; so side up, one with negative
once it sets, there are no problems with side up.
short circuits. Potting compound is avail-
able from most hobby shops: Simply ex- Matching nut glued to blank
plain what you want to do and you should area in centre of PCB.
get the right material. As for a mold,
various things can be used -bottle tops, Circular PCB (same as above)
with copper side up.
paper cups, etc.-or you can even make
your own mold from plaster of paris if you
want to achieve some unusual shape. In our simple flasher, we didn't fit an portant that the slots are oriented correctly
When potting, you must be careful that on/off switch: rather, we used the negative to each other: if you had X -ray eyes and
the potting material does not "ooze" lead from the batteries to connect with a could look through the assembly, the slots
down into the battery compartment and small hook soldered to the negative con- would form a "Y" pattern.
stop conduction between the battery and nection point on the main printed circuit. If the printed- circuit boards are as-
the printed circuit. Another thing that can There are other ideas you could try, of sembled and the battery polarities ori-
stop good contact is small breaks in the course. A pin clasp glued to the back of ented as shown, you shouldn't have any
copper traces; we coated (tinned) both the rear printed- circuit board which, problems. The supply assembly can be
battery boards with solder to prevent the when closed, completes the circuit. glued to the back of the flasher board, or it
copper from tarnishing, which also We have barely scratched the surface of can be held on by the wire connecting the
bridges any gaps in the traces. this exciting subject: the limit is your own positive supply to the flasher. The supply
An opposite problem to that is un- imagination! is turned on and off by screwing and un-
wanted connections (short circuits) be- This is one way to make a brooch or screwing the rearmost PC board so that
tween components of the battery holders. badge with its own battery supply glued to contact is made or broken with the bat-
The screw head can short onto or between the back! The batteries are "sandwiched" teries.
the traces of the printed circuit, so we between two circular printed- circuit This is just one idea: of course, there
covered the head of the screw with insula- boards. A slot is cut into the boards so that are many other ways to go. For other
tion tape before assembly. The nut on the when they are placed together (copper ideas, why not have a look at some elec-
back battery printed- circuit board is not facing in) with the batteries sandwiched tronic brooches in a modern jewelry shop.
soldered to the copper; it is glued to blank between, the batteries are connected in See how their brooches are made, and
board to prevent short circuits. series, giving a 4.5-volt supply. It is im- copy them.

ELECTRONIC
DICE

Imagine an electronic die that not only "rolls," and displays the
result, but turns off automatically! And if you wish, you can build two
dice into the same box for games such as Backgammon, Monopoly, etc.!
56
 I]ó Fig. 1 -The circuit is very simple: but take
D1
P61 1N4001
o 16
LEO 1 care with the CMOS IC and the LED's. Note
C3 especially that LED2, LED4, and LED6 are
R1
A
3

2
; 2
4.7µF oriented differently from LED1, LED3, and LED5!
-16V
22K 15
1C2
O SLED

O
3
2 DECADE
COUNTER 7 LED 9VOLT
IC1
---
6
TIMER
555
14 4017
111~ 4
0
LED
K
1R3
BATTERY

7 5
13

Cl LED E
.022µF
C2
1M B
R2
33µF 220K TR1
7_10 DS548

LITHE ELECTRONIC DICE CIRCUIT IS GREAT 9 VOLT BATTERY

for those who enjoy the fun and excite- 'THROW' SWITCH
ON /OFF
ment of casino gambling. This article tells
SWITCH
you how to wire up one "dice, "or die
(that is the singular word); and two dice
(dice is a plural word).
How It Works
Refer to Fig. 1. When the pushbutton
switch (PB1) is pressed, power is supplied
to Cl via R1. Cl gradually charges, until a
certain voltage is reached, causing IC1 to Fig. 2 -The printed- circuit
conduct, supplying a pulse to IC2, as it for the Electronic Dice is
shown with all
discharges Cl. Capacitor Cl then starts to components installed and
charge again, repeating the process. off -board connections
The combination of RI, Cl, and IC1 made. If you follow this
form a relaxation oscillator-every time a example, you should have
pulse occurs, the circuit "relaxes," ready no trouble in getting the
to start over. LEDI LED2 LED LED LED LED6 circuit to work the first
IC2 is a counter, which simply detects 3 4 5 time out.
the pulses supplied by IC1 and counts
them. It shows how many pulses it has to stay on indefinitely (wasting the bat- releasing the button at a certain time to
counted by causing an LED to glow repre- tery), a separate circuit causes the LED to obtain a certain number.
senting that number. That IC can, in fact, go out after a short time. That circuit con- Increasing the value of RI and/or Cl
count to ten; however, we want it to count sists of D1, C2, TRI, and its associated will causes the speed to slow down, due to
up to six. So instead of causing an LED to resistors. Whenever PB1 is pressed, C2 the longer charging time required. Wired
glow on the seventh pulse, the pin that charges via D1. That allows TRI to turn as a flashing broach, with Cl now valued
would be used for that purpose (pin 5) is on. When the button is released, the at 3.3 -µF and a jumper across switch
connected to another pin (pin 15), which charge on C2 is bled off through R2 and PB1, the LED's will flash slowly in se-
causes the counter to reset to zero, ready the base /emitter junction of TRI. After a quence as long as the battery is connected.
to start counting again. short time, the current through the tran-
The counter keeps counting as pulses sistor becomes too small to keep it con- Putting It Together
continue to arrive. When the push button ducting, so it turns off and the LED is The first thing that you'll need is to
is released, the oscillator stops and no extinguished. obtain a printed- circuit board and compo-
more pulses are output by the timer. The With the .022 -µF capacitor shown, the nents in the values given in the Parts List.
counter then shows the number to which it LED's flash in sequence so quickly that You may choose to make your own board
has counted during the time the PB1 was they all appear to be on at once (although and then go hunting for the parts, or order
depressed. dimly). That's necessary so that anyone a complete kit from the supplier given in
Because, it is not desirable for the LED using the die will not be able to cheat by the Parts List.

PARTS LIST FOR THE ELECTRONIC DICE

D1- 1N4001 -A, 50 -PIV rectifier dio de
1 C3-4.7 -µF, 16 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor
LED1- LED6- Miniature red LED PB1-Momentary contact pushbutton switch
IC1 -555 timer /oscillator, integrated circuit
IC2-4017 decade counter, CMOS ntegrated circuit i ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
TR1- DS548, 2N2222, or similar N PN transistor Printed -circuit material, 9 -volt transistor battery or some
R1- 22,000 -ohm, 1/4 -watt, 5% fixed resistor other DC power supply, battery snap, hook -up wire,
R2- 220,000 -ohm, 1/4 -watt, 5% fixed resister solder, etc.
R3- 1000-ohm, Y4 -watt, 5% fixed re sistor
C1- .022 -µF ceramic or polyester capacitor (dice). For A complete Electronic Dice kit (not including 9 -volt bat-
jewelry use 3.3- µF,10 -WVDC electrolytic not supplied tery) catalog No. DSFW2 K-2625 priced at $4.95, is
in basic kit) available from Dick Smith Electronics, P.O. Box 8021,
C2- 33 -µF, 10-WVDC electrolytic capacitor Redwood City, CA 94063.

57
 Mount the components as shown in the noting that pin 1 (marked with the small method of mounting the second die avoids
parts -placement diagram, Fig. 2; resistors circular indentation on top) is connected the second pushbutton-and, indeed, a
and capacitors first, being careful to to the negative track on the circuit board. few other components -by "sharing"
mount C2 and C3 capacitors the right way, Turn the circuit board over and carefully some of the functions between the two
because they are polarized. If you are solder each of the pins to the pads, mak- Dice, as shown in Fig. 4.
building the broach, Cl is also an elec- ing sure that you don't run solder between Obviously, we cannot share the os-
trolytic and requires the same caution as the pads. cillator components or the counter, as we
C2 and C3 in mounting. It is possible that Solder one wire to the pushbutton would simply get a duplicate reading be-
in some cases you will have an axial -lead switch; then connect and solder the free tween the two dice. So two individual
electrolytic to mount on the circuit board. ends to the circuit board, at the position oscillators and counters are provided, giv-
If there is space provided between the marked PB1. You are now ready to con- ing two completely random numbers.
holes, you can mount it flat as you would a nect and solder the battery snap wires; (Because of the "tolerance" of compo-
resistor; but if there is not, the unit may be take care to see that you have the red nents, the two oscillators will run at dif-
mounted in an upright position. Take ex- positive lead going to the pad marked ferent speeds, even though we use
tra care that you get the polarity right. " + ," and black negative to the pad components of nominally the same val-
Solder the six LED's in place, making marked " -." After checking to make ue.)
sure that they are properly oriented -re- sure that all components are correctly in- To build the dual dice, you will need to
member that the short lead is the cathode serted and soldered, connect the battery; build two kits. The first is exactly as we
(K) also marked by the flat side of the then check the circuit by pressing PB1. have discussed (you could use your single
LED. Keep all the LED leads at the same All LED's should appear to come on di- die if you wish). The second is virtually
length to facilitate mounting in a suitable mly; one should come on brightly when identical, except that D1, C2, and C3, as
enclosure. Place DI in position and, once you release the button, then slowly die well as the wires to the switch and battery,
you are sure that it's correctly oriented out. Figure 3, shows the circuit and the are left out. Where shown in figure 5,
(the banded end nearest TR1's mounting slotted project box in which it will be jumper the two boards together with short
pads), solder it in place. Install TR1, mov- housed. The panel has holes drilled to lengths (about 30 -mm or so) of hook -up
ing with caution, and solder it in place. accommodate the those components that wire. Those jumpers should go from the
Note that the base of TR1 connects to R2. are to be mounted there. component side of the second board to the
The 4017 integrated circuit is a CMOS trace side of the first. It is fairly easy to
device and therefore static -sensitive. It is What To Do Next solder to the copper pads just be careful
supplied stuck into special conducting It is very easy to add a second die circuit that you don't bridge (short) two pads
foam, which shorts out all the pins and for games such as Backgammon, Monop- together.
prevents damage from static charges. oly, etc, where two dice are normally All that remains is to connect the bat-
Leave it in the foam until you are actually thrown at one time. Of course, you could tery and push the button. Both rows of
ready to solder it in place. Insert ICI into simply build a second die circuit (identi- LED's should come on dimly (as above),
the holes on the printed-circuit board. cal to the first) and press both buttons at with one LED in each row glowing bright-
Make sure it is the right way around by one time; but that's inconvenient. Our ly when you release the button. Both

Fig. 3-A single Dice printed -circuit board fits easily

into the Zippy box; along with the battery. If you want
to add a jack so the circuit can be powered from an
external supply, wire the jack in place of or across
(in parallel with) the battery connector.

Fig. 4-Wire the double LED Dice as shown. Note that in

making the double unit, there are a number of components
that not needed on the second board.

58
 Fig. 5. -1Vvo Dice PC boards fit easily into the box.
The addition of the extra board is the only difference
between this figure and Fig. 3.

LED's should then die out at about the

same rate.
If you wish to mount the dual dice in a
project box, you will have to drill a second
row of holes, as shown in Fig. 5. The
second board mounts three slots behind
the first to allow the LED's to line up. (You
may need to lay over capacitor Cl to allow
for the close spacing. That gives plenty of
room for the battery to lie in front of board
1 when both boards are in the box.

A
SIMPLE
AMPLIFIER
This easy-to -build amplifier circuit has several useful applications,
ranging from audio amplification to electronic troubleshooting!
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PROJECTS
R1
for the electronics hobbyist is the audio 10K
TR3
;s2R.42K
amplifier. After all, an audio amplifier is DS548 8 OHM
SPEAKER
particularly useful. As well as the more .- R5
obvious uses, it can be used to trou- C3
bleshoot other projects (and we'll show .01µF
D1
_C5 á¡II
you how). T11 T.047pF
1 N 914 T2
Amplifiers are one of the most common C6
+ 9V
TR2 BATTERY
of all electronic circuits; every piece of 10pF DS548
470NF
16V
communication and entertainment equip- INPUT < RV1 TR1 OS548 NO

ment has at least one! But they all work in 10K DS548 C4

much the same way, taking a very small

} + 100µF

electrical signal (one too small to be of R2

R3
68K
much use) and adding power to it to pro- 1K

duce a much larger signal. Well, the Sim- .o-

ple Amplifier can be made at a relatively Fig. 1 -In the Amplifier circuit, RV1 is used as a volume control
low cost, and still prove more useful than That component allows you to adjust the amount of signal presented to the
its price indicates. amplifier; thus, you can raise or lower the volume at will.

How It Works They are merely DC blocking capacitors, enough to drive a loudspeaker. They can
RV1, the VOLUME control (see Fig. 1), which prevent any direct current flowing be regarded as preamplifiers.
selects a certain proportion of the applied through the potentiometer from entering The varying output current of TR2 must
audio signal to be amplified. Capacitors the audio circuit. TRI and TR2 amplify pass through the primary winding of Tl.
CI and C2 do not impede the audio signal: the audio level significantly, but not A varying voltage is, hence, induced in

59
 the secondary of T1-which, as you may cycle, that arrangement is much more plifier is to obtain a printed-circuit board
have noticed, is split in half. Two separate efficient than using a single transistor to and the necessary parts. The board may be
currents flow in the secondary; each are do the same job. Thus, the output power purchased from the supplier given in the
identical to the other, but opposite in of that type of circuit is greater than that of Parts List, or you can make your own.
phase. That means that at any given in- a single transistor circuit. Capacitor C5 is However, if desired, perforated con-
stant, the two voltages are of the same connected between the two transistors to struction or experimenter's board may be
magnitude, but opposite in polarity: One minimize distortion, which can occur as used.
is so many volts above zero, while the one transistor turns off and the other turns Assuming that you have purchased the
other is an equal amount below zero (a on. kit, mount and solder the components as
negative voltage). If that sounds con- Both TR3 and TR4 are connected to the shown in Fig. 2, the parts- placement di-
fusing, don't let it worry you. Phase rela- positive supply via half the winding of agram- resistors and capacitors first, tak-
tionship is quite an involved subject; it T2 -so the current flowing through them ing great care to ensure that Cl, C2, C4,
will all come to you eventually! must also flow through the transformer. and C6 are correctly oriented. When
What those out -of-phase currents do, Unlike T1, where two out -of-phase cur- mounting the two audio transformers, be
however, is the secret behind this type of rents were induced in the transformer very careful to ensure that you have the
audio -amplifier circuit. Audio signals are from a single -input signal, T2 induces a correct one in the correct place, and facing
alternating current; that is, they follow a single- output current in its secondary in the right direction. Note that the coup-
fixed cycle. On the first half cycle, the from two out -of-phase currents in its pri- ling transformer has three wires on each
voltage from the top end of the trans- mary. That output is enough to drive a side, but that only two are used on the
former might be going positive, and the loudspeaker. This type of circuit is called primary side; the spare one should be bent
voltage from the bottom end going nega- a push -pull amplifier, as in the first half upward and out of the way.
tive. In the next half cycle, the roles are cycle one transistor pushes, then in the The output transformer has three wires
reversed; the top end goes negative, while second half cycle the other pulls. (one center tap) on the primary side and
the bottom end goes positive. only two on the secondary or output side.
As you may remember, an NPN tran- Putting It Together Although they look very similar, those
sistor needs to have a positive voltage (of The fist step in building the Simple Am- transformers are definitely not inter-
at least 0.6-volt or so) applied to its base changeable! Once the transformers are in
before it can conduct. Obviously, if the place, solder the diode in, again ensuring
voltage from T1 is negative during any that it's correctly oriented. Carefully
half-cycle, the transistor does not con- place the four transistors so that their
duct. But during the next positive half leads contact the right pads and solder
cycle, the transistor that was off, turns on them in using a heatsink to prevent
as the waveform swings positive (and vice damage from overheating.
versa). Next connect and solder the speaker
In fact, R4 and Dl keep the transistors wires to the board and then to the speaker,
just about conducting, so that the moment making sure that you do not damage the
the signal voltage swings positive they speaker by overheating. Solder the wires
conduct, immediately. Because each tran- from the battery snap to the board, mak-
sistor can be driven harder during its half ing sure that they are correctly polarized:
8 -OHM LOUDSPEAKER
i.e., red to positive ( +) and black to
INPUT SOCKET negative (- ). Clip off all excess wire
neatly, making sure that all of the soldered
connections are properly made. Finally,
check all components to ensure correct

ON /OFF SWITCH

9 -VOLT
BATTERY
10K OHM POTENTIOMETER

Fig. 2 -This diagram should make construction and component orientation a snap. If so desired,
a jack may be placed in parallel with the batteries so that an external power supply may be used.

60
 PARTS LIST FOR THE SIMPLE AUDIO AMPLIFIER
C1- 10 -µF, 16 -WVDC, electrolytic capacitor Ti -Audio coupling transformer, 3000 -ohm to 3000 -
C2 -10 µF, 16 -WVDC, electrolytic capacitor ohms
C3- 0.01 µF, 16 -WVDC ceramic disc capacitor T2 -Audio output transformer, 1000 -ohm to 8 -ohm
C4- 100µF, 16 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor (center trapped).
C5- 0.047-1.LF, 16 -WVDC ceramic disc capacitor
C6- 470 -µF, 16 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
D1- 1N914, small signal, silicon, switching diode Printed -circuit material, 8 -ohm loudspeaker, 9 -volt tran-
R1- 10,000 -ohm, 1/4 -watt, 5% fixed resistor sistor battery, battery snap, enclosure, solder, hook-
R2 -68,000 -ohm, 1/4 -watt, 5% fixed resistor up wire, etc.
R3- 1000-ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor
R4 -2200-ohm, 1/4 -watt, 5% fixed resistor A complete kit of parts (minus the 9 -volt battery), catalog
R5-22 -ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor No. DSFW2 K-2630, for the Simple Amplifier circuit is
RV1- 10,000-ohm, trimmer potentiometer available from Dick Smith Electronics, P.O. Box 8021,
TR1, TR2, TR3, TR4- DS548, or 2N2222 NPN silicon Redwood, CA 94063, priced at $6.50:Tel.
transistor 1- 800/332 -5373.

polarity and position before connecting

the battery.
To test the Simple Amplifier, connect
the battery and short a wire across the
input terminals. That should produce a
clicking sound in the speaker. The next
step is to find a suitable enclosure for the
amplifier. The kit's printed circuit has
been made to slot sideways into a Zippy
box, as shown in Fig. 3. There is enough
room in the box for the speaker and bat-
tery, too. We have shown the amplifier
with a standard potentiometer instead of
Fig.3 -The Amplifier
the trimmer supplied with the kit, the
standard unit is convenient if the circuit is circuit can be placed
in a small slotted box and
to be mounted in a box. We have included wired, as shown, with the
an audio input socket and a power switch speaker, volume control,
to allow for easy on/off operation once the and input jack mounted
circuit is placed in an enclosure. If you to the lid of the box.
wish to run your amplifier from a plug -
pack adaptor, a socket can be wired in
parallel with the battery, as indicated by ON /OFF
the dashed line in Fig. 3. If everything SWITCH
9V BATTERY
works as it should, it is time to put the
Amplifier to use.
Applications TO SPEAKER
One rather useful application of the
Amplifier circuit's in an electronic mega- \V1
phone. It will be necessary to remove the
8 -ohm loudspeaker from the output of the NEW 100S2
amplifier, and instead fit it to the input.
TUNING CAPACITOR RESISTOR
" m nu unnnmmumnumol
ir
Connect a horn speaker (Dick Smith Cat.
C -2705 or similar) to the output termi-
nals, and speak into the original speaker,
which is now functioning as a micro-
phone. Your voice will be amplified, just
as in a megaphone. It's as simple as that.
Another use for the circuit is to hook it
up to a pocket transistor radio. A speaker TO VOLUME CONTROL
is much more convenient than an ear- Fig. 4 -By connecting the input of the Amplifier to a signal
phone! Refer to Fig. 4. Start by removing source, in can be used in many applications; for instance, as
the wires to the earphone socket from the an audio amplifier in a radio or intercom system.
printed- circuit board and, in their place,
solder a 100-ohm resistor. The two wires with 3.5 -mm plugs on each end. the only modification to the circuit. It may
to the socket are then re- soldered to the A further refinement is to place both the appear that a battery lead has been left off
circuit board each one pad to the right of radio and Amplifier's printed circuit in the the Amplifier board; however, the black
their previous position: They now connect same box, running from the same battery, ground lead is jumpered from the radio
to the collector of TR1 and the negative and wired directly together to so that no board to the Amplifier.
supply. sockets are involved, as shown. When You can also use the Amplifier circuit
The two sockets can be connected to- wiring the portable radio and amplifier to make a signal tracer to troubleshoot
gether via a short twin "jumper lead" together, note that the 100-ohm resistor is other audio projects, or equipment-for

61
 Fig. 5-The signal tracer probe can be
nothing more than a plug, connected to Fig. 6-By connecting the Amplifier's input to a probe, you can trace
a length of wire, or probe tips may be back through a circuit (say an audio amplifier) until the point where a signal
soldered to the free end. is picked up, thus allowing the circuit to be used as signal tracer.

example, a stereo amplifier that works in A word of warning! This amplifier is to it (say around 350 mm or so). Solder the
one channel, but not in the other. Where is ideal for use as a signal tracer in 99% of other end of the lead to the center pin of a
the fault? By connecting the input to the the solid -state (transistorized/IC etc.) cir- 3.5 -mm plug (see Fig. 5). Another length
amplifier to a probe, you can trace the cuits you are likely to come across. of wire connects the barrel of the 3.5mm
circuit back from the speaker toward the However, it is not suitable for a lot of plug to an insulated alligator clip (black is
input of the dead channel, until you find vacuum-tube circuits. Apart from that, the best color, but it really doesn't matter).
the point where the signal is picked up. vacuum -tube circuits contain a lot of high Plug the lead into your audio Amplifier
Obviously, the fault is somewhere in that voltages; if you're not careful, you might (see Fig. 6) and connect the alligator clip
vicinity. Then, using your multimeter, you get zapped! Keep away from such circuits, to the negative supply (ground) of the
can compare components and voltages for safety's sake. Of course, you should circuit to be tested. Your probe can then
between the good channel and the dead also keep well clear of any power supply be touched onto various points of the cir-
one to identify the component or compo- or mains wiriñg in transistor circuits, too! cuit to see what signal is present: any
nents that need replacing- simple, isn't To build a signal tracer, all you need do signal will be amplified by the audio am-
it? is make a probe and solder a length of wire plifier and heard through the speaker.

HOME
AND CAR
ALARM
A burglaralarm can help you save money, not only by
foiling thieves, but through lower insurance premiums!
['CRIME IS ON THE INCREASE! CARS ARE Key switches are normally installed on when the Alarm is armed. If any of the
stolen and homes are illegally entered. or near the front door of the house or, in sensors are opened, or if the intruder tries
The Home and Car Alarm could stop your the case of a car, on the door or fender. to cheat by cutting a wire, the Alarm trig-
property from becoming the next target on Inside the house, connected to any vul- gers instantly. Any warning device con-
the list! It is extremely easy to build, and nerable door or window, are sensor nected (such as a bell, siren, etc.) sounds
should prove very reliable. It has features switches that detect any opening. The for around five minutes. After which, it
found in professional alarm systems cost- sensors are usually magnetic reed switch- turns off and the circuit resets so that your
ing hundreds of dollars. The Alarm es, which we'll explain later. neighbors aren't annoyed by the noise!
doesn't have complicated timing circuits When you leave the house, you make There also is a secondary normally-
and setting procedures like many others. sure that all windows and doors are lock- open circuit in the Alarm that you can use
What's more, it's simple to operate, be- ed, then turn your key in the switch. The with under-carpet pressure mats, or con-
cause it is controlled by a key switch just circuit is then "armed," ready to detect nect as a bedside panic switch in case an
like the ignition switch in a car-you turn any intruders. The main alarm circuit is a intruder has gained entry by a method that
the key one way and the switch is on, back normally-closed type, meaning that a has failed to trigger the door or window
the other way and it's off. small current flows through the sensors switches. Another feature of the Alarm

62
circuit is that it operates normally from KEY SWITCH
the main supply via an adaptor. And, if for
some reason, the power should fail (either R2 R3
. o-
02
4.7 1N4002
accidentally or intentionally), a battery ;R1 100K
9- 12 VOLT

ri
MEG
stand-by circuit comes into action so that N/C '220K C2 POWER
SWITCHES .01µF INPUT
the Alarm is not disabled. Only the legiti-
mate user can turn it off via the key
switch. :
N/C
How It Works SWITCHES
IN4002 RLY
Power for the circuit shown in Fig. 1 is 1

derived from two sources: a wall- mounted TRI 2 X 22µF 9 -12 VOLT
DC power supply and a battery back -up 0S548 TANTALUM BATTERY
(LARGE
should the main supply fail or be tam- TYPE)
pered with by an intruder. So long as the Fig. 1-The complete schematic diagram for the Home and Car Alarm shows
voltage from the adaptor is equal to or that the sensors can be wired in two ways; the Input that enters the
greater than the battery voltage, the bat- circuit through the base of TR1 is series connected. But, the other
tery is kept isolated by D2. As a diode input, fed directly through C2 to the timer circuit (IC1) is wired in
needs at least 0.6-volts between its anode parallel; thus, the builder has a choice of wiring schemes.
and cathode to turn on (with the anode the
more positive), it does not allow any cur- of parts is available from the supplier nent to be placed and soldered to the
rent to flow from the battery while the given in the Parts List. You may also board. It is done last to reduce the risk of
main supply is operational. That prolongs choose to etch your own circuit board, or thermal damage. Insert the integrated cir-
battery life. build the circuit on experimenters or per- cuit into the holes on the board until the
When power is turned on, via the key forated construction board. The choice is little shoulders on the pins prevent it from
switch, the circuit is armed. No action yours. Once you have everything that you going any farther and make sure it's cor-
occurs because the IC shorts out C3 and need, construction can begin. rectly oriented by noting that pin I
C4, preventing them from charging. The Mount the components as shown in the (marked with a circular indentation) is
normally- closed switches between TR1's parts placement diagram, Fig. 2-
solder connected to the ground trace on the
base and emitter stop TRI from turning the resistors and capacitors first, taking board. Then turn the board over and care-
on. The circuit remains in that state until extra care to mount C3 and C4 (the two fully solder each of the pins to the pads
triggered. If one of the normally-closed tantalum units) the right way, as they are making sure that you don't run solder
window or door switches open, TR1 im- polarized. The small " + " sign marks the between the pads. Inspect the connections
mediately turns on, taking the collector positive lead positions. Make sure that all to make sure you've soldered them all
voltage to some low level. the components are positioned neatly and without shorting out any of the pads -and
If, on the other hand, one of the nor- correctly dressed before soldering them that's it.
mally -open switches is closed (by an in- in. Next, position and solder RLYI after Solder on the battery snap wires to the
truder stepping on a pressure mat, for ensuring that you have it correctly ori- points indicated in Fig. 3, taking care to
example), the collector of TRI is con- ented, that is simplified by its five pins, see that they have the correct polarity-
nected directly to the negative supply which only line up one way. red (positive) to the pad marked " + " and
(even though TRI itself remains off). In Moving right along, position diodes Dl black to the negative pad marked " -."
either event, the sudden reduction in the and D2, taking care to see that they are Before you connect the battery, check
voltage at the collector causes a similar correctly polarized. Remember, the cath- again to be certain that all the components
voltage drop to be transmitted to ICl via ode (K) is the banded end and corre- are in the right place, correctly oriented,
C2, which immediately triggers the IC sponds to the bar in the circuit diagram. and soldered properly. Clip off any excess
into conduction, causing current to flow Solder them in, taking care not to overheat wire or lead.
in the relay. That, in turn, causes the relay them. TRI is next; care must again be Connect the battery and test the circuit
contacts to close, allowing whatever taken to ensure correct polarity with the by bridging the key- switch pads. That
Alarm device that's connected to its con- base connecting to Cl. Solder the tran- should cause the relay to operate as the
tacts to operate. sistor in, using a heatsink to prevent normally closed (NC) contacts would still
When the IC fires, the short circuit damage from overheating. be open. (We haven't connected them
across C3 and C4 is removed and they The 555 timer, ICI, is the last compo- yet.) The relay will stay activated for about
begin to charge through R3. After a delay
of around 5 minutes, the voltage across
the capacitors rises above the threshold
voltage of pins 6 and 7, and the IC is
forced off. Thus, the relay drops out, and
the Alarm device stops. The Alarm dura-
tion may be reduced by reducing the val-
ues of R3, C3, and C4, or increased by
increasing them.
If a door or window has been left open,
the Alarm will not retrigger, thus obeying
noisé laws. However, if the window, door, Fig. 2 -By follow-
etc. is closed and subsequently reopened, ing this layout, you
the Alarm will be triggered. should have no
problem Installing
the components In
Construction Details the right positions,
The first thing that we have to do is to with the proper po-
get a printed- circuit and all the parts. A kit larization.

63
 alkaline
power cell
Stand -by batteries
Key Switch alkaline
powercell Two 9V alkaline batteries wired
Mount on or near front door
in parallel are recommended.
Switches alarm on and off

3.5mm adaptor socket

Accepts plug from mans
adaptor. 9V type if 9V
batteries are used.

Fire Bell
The simplest type of alarm
device. If polarised, connect
in manner shown.
Wire link
Siren module may be used
Trf- instead of fire bell.
r,

t)7`
Reed Switch & Magnet
Mount reed switch on frame,
magnet on window so they
align with each other when Pressure Mat
window is closed. Place under carpet or rug
(Normally closed loop) in doorway, etc., where
intruder is likely to walk.
Any number of additional sensors may be (Normally open loop)
connected: N.C. types in series
N.O. types in parallel

Fig. 3 -When connecting the controls, power, ringer, and sensor follow this outline. The pressure mat is
connected to the board at the position in the schematic diagram that's shown with paralleled switches.

5 to 7 minutes, and then deactivate if the

circuit is working correctly.
Applications
First of all, you must decide what use
(home or auto) your Alarm will be put to.
Different connections are required for
each purpose.
For a Home -Alarm system, the next
step is to place the Alarm circuit in a
protective case. In a normal Home -Alarm
installation, the Alarm "works" are nor-
mally hidden away for security (in a cup-
board or closet, for example). We Fig. 4 -The Alarm circuit can be
assembled the prototype into a project box placed in a suitable box, along with
with two terminal strips on the lid to allow its two -battery power supply. Then
for easy connection of the sensor wires. terminal strips can be mounted on
The circuit is easily mounted in a project the outside of the enclosure to allow
box as shown in Fig. 4, which further for easy connection to the sensors.

PARTS LIST FOR THE HOME AND AUTO ALARM

C1-0.01 -11F, 16 -WVDC polyester capacitor R5- 47,000 -ohms, Y watt, 5% fixed resistor
C2-0.01 µF, 16 -WVDC polyester capacitor TR1 -DS548 or 2N2222, NPN silicon transistor
C3, C4- 22 -1.LF, 16 -WVDC tantalum capacitor ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
C5- 0.01 µF, 16 -WVDC polyester capacitor Printed -circuit material, 8 -ohm speaker, two 9 -volt, al-
D1, D2- 1N4002, -A, 100 -PIV rectifier diode
1
kaline batteries or some other 9-12 -volt DC source,
IC1 -555 timer/oscillator, integrated circuit
solder, hook -up wire, etc.
R1- 220,000 -ohm, 1/4 watt, 5% fixed resistor
R2- 100,000 -ohm, Y watt, 5% fixed resistor A complete kit (catalog No. DSFW2 K-2635) of parts is
R3- 4.7-Megohm,'/4 watt, 5% fixed resistor available, priced at $6.50, from Dick Smith Electronics,
R4- 100,000 -ohm,'/4 watt, 5% fixed resistor P.O Box 8021, Redwood City, CA 94063.

64
 TO POINT SHOWN TO
MANUAL LIGHT
SWITCH - ON CIRCUIT DOOR SWITCHES

OFF
p

INTERIOR
LIGHT
12VOLT CAR 12V CAR
BATTERY C2 i BATTERY
INDIVIDUAL .01µF
DOOR R5
I SWITCHES
R4 41K
100K

REVISED POSITION 2 X 22µF

TANTALUM

Fig 5-Wiring scheme for installing the Alarm in an auto. The Fig. 6 -The schematic diagram for the Auto Alarm
dotted line represents the wire that connects the sensors to circuit differs from the circuit in Fig. 1, in that, it only has
the Alarm circuit at the open end of R2 and the pushbutton one sensor input, and no socket is provided for an
switches represent the sensors located at various openings. alternate power source.
simplifies things, since no mounting extra long life. However, there is plenty of micro switches, thermal switches, metal-
hardware is required. room if you wish to place two standard 9- lic window tape, etc., may all be used in
A four-way block at one end connects to volt transistor-radio type batteries (in par- the loop. The important thing to re-
the sensing loops (represented by the allel) inside the case. For longest life, member is that all normally- closed de-
switches in Fig. 5), while a six -way at the alkaline batteries are recommended. vices are connected in series.
other end connects to the battery, key The sensing devices themselves can be In the normally -open loop (see Fig. 5),
switch, and signaling device. A separate any of a large number of types specifically such things as pressure mats, panic
3.5 -mm socket is fitted to the case to ac- designed for that purpose. In the nor- switches, trap switches, etc. are con-
commodate the plug of an external power mally- closed loop, one might find tiny nected in parallel. If the circuit is to be use
supply. magnetic reed -switches buried in, or as a car Alarm, it will require the certain
We have shown the Alarm system screwed to, the window sill or door post, components be left out: the modified
powered by a plug -in power supply and which are held closed by a small magnet schematic diagram is shown in Fig. 6.
backed up by a battery in case of a power on the window or door itself. If a window Remember that whatever Alarm device
failure. The battery can be an external or door opens, the magnet moves away you choose, it should have its own battery
type, such as a large 12 -volt unit, to give and the switch opens. Alternatively, back -up if operated from an AC adaptor.

INTEGRATED
SHORTWAVE
RECEIVER
Keep tabs on the world with this budget receiver
IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO TUNE IN ON signals are fed via capacitor C2 to a tuned is then fed to the first of the amplification
the world with your own shortwave re- circuit (consisting of Ll and CV1) that stages. Along the way, the RF component
ceiver! Well, you can with this project. attenuates much of the lower frequencies. of the half waveform is filtered out, as it's
It's simple to build, and uses a CMOS The tuned circuit acts like a short circuit to no longer needed, leaving only the audio
integrated circuit to provide enough am- all frequencies except one. Varying the signal.
plification to drive a loudspeaker. With it, tuning capacitor alters the range of fre- ICI is of a type normally regarded as a
you can tune in shortwave broadcasts from quencies that are attenuated. So as far as "digital" (having found its greatest use in
other countries, listen to amateurs talking 99% of the signals picked up by the anten- digital circuits such as computers), and is
to each other, and learn Morse code. na are concerned, that is the end of the used in a completely different way than
What's more, you'll be able to tell every- road. normal. In our circuit, we use it as an
one you made it yourself. Current derived from the RF signal that amplifier. That unit consists of four indi-
has not been rejected by the tuned circuit vidual circuits (we're using only three).
How It Works then passes through a diode detector (Dl). Each one increases the level of the signal
Figure I is a schematic diagram of the The detector chops off half the waveform until the final stage, where it has been
Shortwave Receiver. Radio waves of all (otherwise the two halves would cancel increased to a point that's sufficient to
frequencies are picked up by the antenna, each other out). The clipped waveform, drive a loudspeaker.
and are amplified by TRI. The amplified which contains all the audio information, While at that point, the signal level is of

65
 ANTENNA

Viv
C1
001µF

R2 C10 +
1K D1 C8 10NF 470µF
C2 C3 C5
16V
R1
47K 10pF
0A91
,5
.0047pF

C6
12

N
0022pF
8,13
10V

9 VOLT
'BATTERY
.0022pF
CV1 NM. VR1 VK VN
60- 500K 1
R6 C9 R7
R4
160pF '20 MEG + C4 20MEG 220pF 10MEG

TRI
R3 M 10µF C7
220pF 8E2
1MEG -10V
DS548
T i SPEAKER

*2 x 10MEG IN SERIES

Fig. 1 -The signal picked up by the antenna is fed across a tuned circuit, which attenuates unwanted frequencies,
to three series connected amplifier stages to provide sufficient drive current for the speakers.

sufficient magnitude to drive a speaker, Notice that only two of the three terminals device is static sensitive, do not remove it
that would not make the IC very happy: It are actually used. Next solder in T1, leav- from the special conducting foam packag-
wants to work into a load with a reason- ing the center tap on the 1000 -ohm side ing until you are ready to mount it. Do not
ably high impedance (resistance). So the unconnected; bend it up and out of the touch the pins of the IC, either; carefully
output of ICI -c is fed through a 1000-ohm way, or snip it off. remove the foam and place the integrated
to 8 -ohm matching transformer, TI, to the Connect and solder Dl, the signal di- circuit into the correct mounting holes.
speaker. ode, making sure that its properly polar- Neatly clip off the excess wire, making
ized- remember that the banded end is sure that all of the soldered connections
Putting It Together the cathode (K). Then position and solder are properly made. Check all components
Using Fig. 2 as a guide, begin assem- TRI (watch the orientation), using a heat - to ensure correct position and polarity be-
bling the circuit. Place and solder the sink on the leads to prevent thermal fore connecting the battery. Connect the
resistors and capacitors first, taking extra damage. Make a coil by winding 18 turns battery and tune the radio by varying CV1
care that C4, C10, and Cll, are properly of plastic coated hookup wire around the until you pick up a station.
oriented. Note: To obtain R4 and R6 (the case of a plastic ballpoint pen, or some-
thing similar, and solder the leads to the What To Do Next
two 20- megohm resistors), wire two 10-
megohm resistors in series. There is room pads marked Ll so that it is parallel with Because the slightest bump to the coil
allowed for two resistors in those posi- the tuning capacitor. The combination of will cause the receiver to "drift" from the
tions on the printed- circuit board. Make the coil and capacitor form the tuned cir- tuned station, the circuit should be
sure that all the components are posi- cuit. mounted in some form of protective case.
tioned neatly and are properly dressed be- Solder on the battery snap and speaker The circuit has been designed to allow no-
fore soldering them in. Connect the leads. The speaker is not polarized but the holes mounting in a slotted project box.
470,000-ohm trimmer potentiometer battery is, so take care to make sure its The power switch and volume -control po-
(RV I) to the circuit in the position shown. leads are correctly connected; the red tentiometer are mounted on the front pan-
Note that Fig. 2 shows a 500,000-ohm (positive) lead goes to the pad marked el of the box. You can also fit a socket on
chassis -mounted potentiometer in that " + " and the black lead to the negative the front panel for an external wall -
position to allow the circuit to be tuned pad marked " -
" Do not connect the
. mounted DC power supply.
once placed inside a project box. Next, battery! Now insert and solder the CMOS When the circuit board is placed in the
solder in the variable capacitor, CV1. integrated circuit (ICI) in place. As that slotted box, the shaft of the tuning capaci-

PARTS LIST FOR THE INTEGRATED SHORTWAVE RECEIVER

C1- 0.001 -11F ceramic disc capacitor R3- 1- Megohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor
C2 -10 -pF ceramic disc capacitor R4, R6- 20- Megohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor
C3-0.0047 -1.1F polyester capacitor R5-4700 -ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor
C4 -10-µF electrolytic capacitor
10 -WVDC R7- 10- Megohm, Y4 -watt, 5% fixed resistor
C5-0.0047 -1.1,F polyester capacitor RV1-470,000 -ohm, trimmer potentiometer
C6, C8- 0.0022 -1F polyester capacitor -1000 -ohm to 8 -ohm audio impedance matching
T1
C7, C9- 220 -pF ceramic disc capacitor transformer
C10 -10 -1F 10 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor TR1- DS548, or 2N2222 NPN silicon transistor
C11-470 -11F 16 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
CV1 -60-160 -pF tuning capacitor Printed -circuit material, enclosure, 8 -ohm loudspeaker,
D1 -0A91, 1N34, 1N60, 1N270 or almost any signal 9 -volt transistor-radio battery, battery snap, solder,
diode hookup wire, etc.
IC1 -4007 CMOS, dual complementary -pair inverter,
integrated circuit A complete kit of parts (battery not included) is available
L1 -(see text)
from Dick Smith Electronics, P.O. Box 8021, Redwood
R1-47,000 -ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor City, CA 94063, priced at $6.95. When ordering refer
R2- 1000 -ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor to catalog No. DSFW2 K-2640. Tel.: 1-800/332-5373.

66
 tor falls into just the right place so that the
tuning knob can be screwed on through
the hole in the front panel. The perfor-
mance of the set is only as good as the
antenna and ground system to which it's 8-OHM LOUDSPEAKER
connected: For that reason, we have
shown terminals for both the antenna and TUNING CAPACITOR
ON/OFF SWITCH
ground connections on the front panel. 9 91.1.iRli.11llllllllll Illllllli

The frequency range of your receiver

(with the 18 -turn coil) is approximately 11
to 35 MHz. By substituting an 80 -turn
coil, the range of the receiver becomes TR

GROUND TERMINAL
around 6 to 11 -MHz. Even more turns will
reduce the range even further. R4' & R6. SEE TEXT
Alternatively, you can try changing the
variable capacitor to see what bands you 500K
POTENTIOMETER
can cover. While other variable capacitors
ANTENNA TERMINAL
may not fit in the box, or even on the
printed circuit, you can connect them via
short lengths of wire. If you wish, you can
VOLT BATTERY
even try putting in a fixed value capacitor 9

(equal in value to the variable types and up

to a few hundred picofarads) and connect
a small trimmer capacitor in parallel to Fig. 2 -The printed circuit board for the Shortwave Receiver is shown with
give you very fine tuning. the components installed; by following that layout, you should have
no problem putting the circuit together.

ELECTRONIC
SIREN
This simple electronic siren can be incorporated into
your home -brew circuits as a warning or signaling device.
ELECTRONIC SIRENS HAVE MANY PRAC- The oscillation frequency of IC2 is par- ICI is also connected as an oscillator,
tical applications. As a warning device or tially dependent on values of R3 and C2- but it runs much slower than IC2; around 1
other type of signal, it's hard to beat a change either one's value and IC2's output Hz. Each time the IC triggers, the voltage
siren! This simple circuit simulates the frequency also changes. Another factor at pin 3 goes high. As pin 3 is connected
"hee -haw" sound that modern police si- that governs the frequency of oscillation is to pin 5 of IC2, this forces IC2 to change
rens make. But you're not stuck with that the magnitude of voltage fed to pin 5 of its note. That gives the "hee -haw" sound
racket because it can be tailored to pro- IC2. If a voltage of varying magnitude is of the Siren. (Later we'll show a couple of
duce other sounds, as well. Further, you fed to pin 5, the internal circuitry of the IC ways to change the sound produced by the
can add a horn speaker to this project to is forced to reset at a different rate, chang- oscillator, if you want to do some experi-
make a first rate burglar-alarm siren. ing the frequency. menting.)
How It Works
Fig. 1 -The heart of Siren
The Siren is a good example of how circuit consists of two
R4

electronic circuits can control one an-

other. In the Siren circuit (see Fig. 1),
555 timer/oscillators,
with one controlling the 2
jE1 4
4.752
1W
sw1
there are two oscillators, one of which other to get the desired ICI IC2
switches the other to produce the charac- affect.
6
TIMER ? R2 TIMER
7

10K
teristic "hee -haw" sound. The oscillator 5 555 3
Ak 5 555 3 HORN 19V-12V
based on IC2 is responsible for producing SPEAKER IBATTERY
the sound. Its output is connected to the R1
R3 TRI C3 + MP

10K i1
base of TRI, which amplifies it to drive 100K BO 140 100µF
16V
the speaker. Resistor R4 is included in the + c1
circuit to limit the current through TRI to m47µF C2
.0047µF
a safe and reasonable level. 6V
T
67
 Construction
First you'll need a suitable printed-cir-
cuit board of your own design and the
parts. Another option is to use perfboard
or pre- etched experimenters board. 9 VOLT BATTERY
However, a complete kit is offered by the
supplier given in the Parts List. Check off
the components against the list to make
EXTERNAL
sure they are all there and are the correct POWER
types and values. Assuming that you've SOCKET
ON /OFF SWITCH 8 OHM LOUDSPEAKER
purchased the kit, mount the components
as shown in Fig. 2. Place and solder the
resistors and capacitors first, taking extra
care with Cl and C3 as they are elec-
trolytic and therefore polarized. Make
sure that all components are positioned
neatly and properly dressed before solder-
ing them in place.
A
Next mount TR1 in the correct place IIIITR7

and with the correct polarity, taking par- Fig. 2 -The Electronic
Siren's
I

ticular care because it will fit either way. printed circuit layout is shown
Notice that the emitter (E), collector (C) with the components' correct
and base (B) are clearly marked on the orientation. C2
transistor; match them up with the correct
pin holes in the board. Solder the tran-
sistor in, using a heatsink to prevent
damage from overheating. properly soldered. Clip off all excess wire alarm relay can be used to switch the Siren
Now move on to the integrated circuits, and leads. Then connect the battery to the on. Simply remove the switch, and con-
ICI and IC2. Those may be the first IC's Siren; it should make the characteristic nect the "normally open" relay contacts.
you have ever attempted to solder in, but if "hee -haw" sound. Obviously, there are a host of other uses
you follow the steps and you will find that not involving security systems. For exam-
it's not too difficult. Insert the IC into the What To Do Next ple, if you have a phone that's difficult to
holes on the circuit board until the little The circuit should be placed, along hear outside the house, why not place a
shoulders on the pins prevent it from with a small speaker, on/off switch, and sound -operated switch close to the phone
going farther, making sure that it's cor- extension power socket, in a project box. and connect it to the Siren circuit with a
rectly oriented with pin 1 (marked with a The slotted enclosure shown allows the horn speaker outside where you can hear
small circular indentation) connected to circuit to be mounted without the use of it? Such an arrangement doesn't require
the negative bus, which is common to Cl. hardware. The external power socket is a that a physical connection be made to the
Then turn the board over and carefully good idea, particularly if you have a se- phone or wiring.
solder each of the pins to the pads, mak- rious security usage in mind. While it will The "hee -haw" Siren sound may not be
ing sure you don't bridge the pads. operate for a reasonable time on the 9 -volt everyone's cup of tea, especially in ap-
Inspect the connections to make sure transistor radio battery, an external supply plications, like a remote -telephone ringer.
you've soldered them all without shorting is a much better proposition (even if it is It is easy to change the circuit to produce
out any of the pads. Then do the same for only a much larger battery!) two other sounds for other applications.
IC2 (pin 1 of IC2 also goes to the negative The Siren is shown with a small 8 -ohm Removing Cl (or including a switch so it
bus that joins C2 and the collector of speaker (which makes enough noise to can be switched in and out of circuit)
TR 1). Connect and solder the speaker drive anyone mad!). However, if you are stops the "hee -haw" sound so the Siren
wires to the board at the pads marked using the Siren in an application where a gives a single tone. You might also try
SPKR and then solder the other ends to lot of noise is needed (in an alarm, for connecting an electrolytic capacitor from
the speaker. Solder on the battery snap example), you would be much better off pin 5 of IC2 to ground. Depending on the
wires, again taking care to see that you replacing the small 8 -ohm speaker with a value you choose (say 10 -1000 µF), the
have them correctly polarized -red horn speaker. Horn speakers are highly Siren produces a variety of different
(positive) to the pad marked " + " and efficient compared to the normal type. sounds. Or you can alter the speed of the
black to the negative pad, marked " - ." A further modification you may care to Siren by increasing or decreasing the val-
Before you connect the battery, make make involves replacing the switch. If you ue of Cl , which has the affect of increas-
certain that all of the components are in are using the Siren in conjunction with an ing and decreasing the lengths of the
the right place, correctly oriented, and alarm of some sort, the contacts of the "hees" and "haws," respectively. U

PARTS LIST FOR THE ELECTRONIC SIREN

C1-47 -p,F, 25 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
C2-0.0047 -p,F, 25 -WVDC polyester capacitor Printed-circuit materials, enclosure, 9 -volt transistor -
C3- 100 -µF, 25 -WVDC electrolytic capacitor type battery (or other 9 -volt DC source), hook -up wire,
IC1, IC2 -555 timeroscillator, integrated circuit solder, switch, etc.
R1, R2- 10,000- ohm, 1/4 -watt, 5% fixed resistor
R3- 100,000 -ohm, 1/4-watt, 5% fixed resistor A complete kit of parts (not including battery) is available
R4 -4.7 -ohm, 1 -watt, 5% fixed resistor from Dick Smith Electronics, P.O. Box 8021, Redwood
SPKR1 -8 -ohm loudspeaker City, CA 94063, priced at $4.95. When ordering, refer to
TR1-BD140, or ECG -185 PNP silicon transistor catalog No. DSFW2 K -2636.

68
TELEPHONE REMOTEICONTROL
SYSTEM

Ell' BECAME RATHER OBVIOUS TO ML AFTER A FENN MON MIS Flow It Works
that the problem with owning and operating a BSR Control The Telephone Remote -Control System is used with the
Center System was to decide where to locate the command standard telephone and remote-control modules, like the
console so that it would be easily accessible when I needed it. ones listed below. The Control System may also be used in
My first unit was placed on the night stand next to my bed. I conjunction with an existing alarm system to turn on all lights
could easily turn indoor or outdoor lights on if I heard any when the alarm sounds. The Control System operates when
noises in the middle of the night. Later, I decided to expand the telephone is taken off-hook and a pre- programmed access
my system and control my stereo receiver -a great idea if code is entered, followed by the device number to be turned
you're in the bedroom when you want to turn the stereo on or (xi or off. The Control System transmits control signals over
off. I happen to live in a Dutch Colonial house with the stereo existing house wiring to remote-control modules. Those sig-
receiver located in my studio, which is located on a different nals cause the remote -control modules to turn lights and
floor at the opposite end. appliances on and off.
What I needed was a control system that would allow me Four types of remote-control modules exist that can be
the same capability as the BSR Command Console, but used with the Control System. They are:
conveniently accessible without purchasing more control Wall Switch Module -Replaces standard wall light
units. Besides, my wife thinks computer-oriented equipment switch. It is capable of switching incandescent lamps rated at
belongs in the cellar or in a computer room -not a part of the up to 500 watts on and off.
house decor. Three -way Wall Switch Module -Replaces 3 -way up-
Well, what I decided was that since most families have two stairs /downstairs switches. It turns incandescent lamps rated
to three telephones in their homes, why not use them to their at up to 500 watts on and off.
fullest potential? Let each telephone be a control unit; and as Lamp Module-When plugged into a wall outlet, it
you add more phones to your home, you would automatically turns incandescent lamps rated at up to 300 watts on and off.
add a control unit at no additional cost. Also, with the advent Wall Receptacle Module-Replaces the standard wall
of cordless telephones, you would be getting wireless re- receptacle. It turns appliances rated at up to 15 amperes, or
mote-control of lights and appliances -here again at no addi- 113 -HP AC motors, or 500 -watt lamps on and off.
tional expense. Imagine what all that would cost you if you One remote- control module is required for each lamp or
purchased these items separately in the marketplace! Well, I appliance that you want to control. When the Control System
figured that if I were going this far, I might as well provide a is used to control appliances, an extra precaution should be
built-in security feature that would automatically turn all taken. For example, if an electric heater is turned on by
lights on when the existing in -house alarm system was en- remote control while clothing is draped over it, a fire could
abled. The lights would remain on until the alarm system was result. Please keep that in mind and be alert to potential
secured or reset. All of the above has been implemented in problems like the one mentioned. That will help you get the
what 1 call the Telephone Remote- Control System. most convenience and pleasure from your Control System.

More than just another remote -control system, this project

makes use of existing telephone installations in your home
to manage the modules and switches in your BSR-10 system

6 s
 TABLE 1-SWITCH SETTINGS FOR HOUSE CODES TABLE 2- SWITCH SETTINGS FOR ACCESS CODES

Switch Settings Switch Setting

S1 S2 S3 S4 House Code S5 S6 S7 Access Code
ON ON ON ON A ON ON ON 1

ON ON ON OFF B ON ON OFF 2
ON ON OFF ON C ON OFF ON 3
ON ON OFF OFF D ON OFF OFF 4
ON OFF ON ON E OFF ON ON 5
ON OFF ON OFF F OFF ON OFF 6
ON OFF OFF ON G OFF OFF ON 7
ON OFF OFF OFF H OFF OFF OFF 8
OFF ON ON ON I

OFF ON ON OFF J
OFF ON OFF ON K power cord from the 117 -volt AC outlet.
OFF ON OFF OFF L 2. Select your new house code. (Remember to set all
OFF OFF ON ON M remote -control modules to the same house code.)
OFF OFF ON OFF N
OFF OFF OFF ON O
OFF OFF OFF OFF P 3. Insert the plug of the Control System's AC power cord
into a 117 -volt AC outlet.

About the System Circuit Description

The Telephone Remote-Control System is under micro- The Telephone Remote -Control System can be dividkd
computer control and requires some minor programming into four sections. Those include the power supply, processor,
prior to use. The system is equipped with a seven-bit switch telephone interface and the RF oscillator. The schematic
to eliminate interference with numbers or area codes fre- diagram of the power supply and RF oscillator is shown in
quently dialed and to avoid transmitting or receiving signals Fig. 1.
to or from a neighbor's system. The power supply is configured as a full -wave rectifier
While referring to a photo showing the 7- section DIP consisting of a center-tap transformer Tl, diodes D4 and D5,
switch (S1 -S7), select and set your own code as follows. Each capacitors Cl and C2, and voltage regulator U5. The voltage
of the seven switches can be set in either of two positions: ON regulator is in its simplest form and provides + 5 -volts DC to
or oFF. To set the switches, use the tip of a ballpoint pen. all the integrated circuits. Even though the maximum average
Push them up to turn them ON and down to turn them OFF. power dissipated is below that required for no heat -sink
The four switches closest to U6 select one of the 16 operation of the voltage regulator, a heat sink has been
possible house codes. Their settings are used to represent designed onto the printed- circuit board to provide a thermal
house code letters (A through P) as shown in Table 1. safety margin.
The three switches closest to Kl select one of the eight The RF oscillator is basically an astable, or free -running,
possible access codes. Their settings represent different ac- multivibrator designed to operate at 120 kHz. The two
cess codes as shown in Table 2. Sprague high -voltage, high -current Darlington NPN tran-
sistor-array drivers (shown diagrammatically as inverter driv-
More About the Access Codes ers U4 -a through U4 -d) are R C coupled; the output of the
The access code is actually a 2 -digit number. The first second stage is coupled back to provide the input to the first
number is already programmed into your Control System and stage. When the first stage is saturated, it serves to cut off the
is always the number 2. The second number you must pro- second stage and vice -versa. With all the circuit elements the
gram. Carefully select a number that will not normally inter- same value, the operation of the multivibrator will be sym-
fere with local numbers or exchanges frequently dialed. If metrical (equal intervals).
you decide to change your access code, follow the procedure The RF oscillator is controlled by the processor, U1, (to be
below. discussed shortly) using two inverters (U4-e and U4 -f) that
1. Disconnect the plug of the Control System's AC power are connected to the multivibrator inputs (U4 -a through U4-
cord from the 117 -volt AC outlet. d). The RF oscillator is disabled when the processor outputs a
2. Select your new access code. logic high on its output Port 2 pin 38 to input B in Fig. 1. The
3. Insert the plug of the Control System's AC power cord RF oscillator is coupled to the AC power line using a Sprague
into a 117 -volt AC outlet. pulse transformer, T2, and capacitor C3. It is that 120 -kHz
frequency superimposed onto the AC power lines, occurring
More About the House Codes at the right time in the correct format of on -off cycles that
There are sixteen house codes to choose from. The letters control the BSR remote- control modules. The right time is
A through P are used. The house code selected on the Control established when the signal is transmitted within 100 -200
System and the remote -control modules must be the same. microseconds after zero cross is detected. (Zero cross occurs
For instance, if the Control System's house code is set to A, when the AC signal crosses its average DC level.) That
then all the remote -control modules must have their house - synchronization is provided as an input to the processor via
code selectors set to A in order to receive the control signals transistor Ql circuitry shown in Fig. 2. An active low signal
transmitted from the Control System. If you decide to change signifies a zero cross of the AC line voltage. The transmit
your house code on the Control System, perform the follow- format required (see Fig. 3) is a bit more involved.
ing procedure. There exist two types of operations. You can talk to remote -
1. Disconnect the plug of the Control System's AC control modules individually, or address specific remote-

70
 02
1N4148
N
117 -VAC

D3
1N4148
N

D4
1N4001 U5
LM341 P-5 +5V
+5 -V RER

^
C2
C1 C
4 47
2200
5
I
05 R2
Ti 1N4001 2005

R3
10052

C3
.47 7 >10 -9
10

1/7-UL

T2
(ONE OF
3 WINDINGS)

+5V

R4
10012
1M

R5
1001Z
5 12
1M

Fig. 1 -Power supply andRF oscillator circuit combine to produce the voltages and signals necessary to operate the
Control System's circuitry. 7Wo diodes, D4 and D5 form a fullwave rectifier circuit. A signal, picked off the
anodes of D2 and D3, is fed to the base of 01 located on the control circuit board to form the zero -cross detector.

control modules all at one time (i.e.; ALL LIGHTS ON). The then it's compliment form during the next % AC cycle after
first consists of transmitting a sync identifier, followed by the zero cross is detected. As an example, if you were to transmit
house code; then the unit number waiting 50 milliseconds; house code A, the format would be as shown in Fig. 4.
then transmitting another sync identifier, followed by the The processor circuitry shown in Fig. 2 consists of single -
house code, and then the command code. The whole process component microprocessor U1, erasable programmable read -
takes about 416 milliseconds. The second operation consists only memory chip (or EPROM) U3, and an address latch U2.
of transmitting a sync identifier, followed by the house code, The microprocessor, U1, is a 40 -pin package that contains an
then the command code; then the cycle is repeated again. 8 -bit CPU, 64 bytes of RAM (of which 32 bytes are actually
That transmission takes about 366 milliseconds. user available), 27 UO lines, and an 8 -bit timer /event counter.
Table 3 lists the house codes and Table 4 lists the unit All instructions are either one or two bytes long and can be
numbers and command codes that will work for the Tele- executed in one or two cycles. Thus, using a 6 -MHz crystal,
phone Remote -Control system.
The sync identifier is required at the beginning of each TABLE 3 -HOUSE CODES
transmission and consists of the bit pattern 1110. In all cases,
a "one" is transmitted as 3 bursts of 120 kHz lasting 1 House Code Bit Pattern House Code Bit Pattern
millisec in duration and separated by 1.6 millisec. All that A 0110 I 0111
takès place in % AC cycle (8.3 millisec). A "zero" is trans- B 1110 J 1111
C 0010 K 0011
mitted as no burst of 120 kHz in a 1/2 AC cycle. (Therefore the D 1010 L 1011
sync identifier takes 4 1/2 AC cycles, or approximately 32 E 0001 M 0000
milliseconds). F 1001 N 1000
In contrast to the sync identifier, all remaining bit patterns G 0101 0 0100
are transmitted in their true form during the first % AC cycle, H 1101 P 1100

71
 21 12

U3 18
2718
2 EPROM 20
+5V o
âáá
N C) to
:z
CO LLS
z á"laáá
v C1 N 01
CÌ
C) er L[l Co
E>

CV

Fig. 2 -The Control System's

LC, CO m N CO cn
priinted- circuit board is con-
ócdoá drd"U2 nected to the telephone line
74LS373 10 through an opto- coupler, U6,
8-81T LATCH 11 which provides isolation between
Q N a
Q Q O p Q Q t0
r.
Q Q`
1lf
CLIC
the two circuits while allowing
a r CO v CO them to interact in the manner
described (see text). The cir-
cuit is controlled by a micro-
processor, which taps into the
+5V data stored in EPROM U3 to
perform the desired task.

+5V

J_ ALARM TERMINALS
CO v C,) 310K
(SHORT CIRCUIT TURNS
06
c:
J 1N4148
ON ALL LIGHTS)
0 X
C.F-.y
r
a Q

CO P. e N
+5V
0
lh N C,
M C7
V CO CO cn

01 41 CO
40 C,
N
a
CV
o. a n.N
Ñ c. a erV
O.
m m O] m
ooaoQOQ;QPSEN
et
co to co R10
4.7K
+5V o AAA
Ui R14
nee C1 8035 -6 ALE 10K
.01 MICROPROCESSOR
'NN1-
20
Q K1
N COIL
a
R7
01
+5V ()--f
4.7K 2N2222A 02
410 2N2222A
7...
'

R6 OPTO- +5V
4.7
_ C9 10K ISOLATOR - I

U6 4N33 R8

-
18pF
+5V +5V 4.7K
E5
o

t R9
51052
I

K1
CONTACTS

R15
01 43052
1N4148
PHONE LINE
E3 1311
43052

1
R12 R13
OUTPUT
5152 5152
E4 J

instructions can be carried out in 2.5 microseconds or 5.0 trois the RF oscillator.
microseconds, respectively. Of the 27 I/O lines available, The microprocessor (U1) ALE and PSEN outputs are con-
DB7 -DBO are dedicated as a data bus providing information trol lines and are connected to U2 and U3 respectively. The
from the program memory. Port reads the 7 -bit switch to 1 ALE line stands for Address Latch Enable and will occur
determine the house code and access code programmed in the once during each cycle. The PSEN line, Program Store
unit. Port 2 lower bits contain the upper address bits of the Enable is an active low signal and occurs during an external
program counter and is connected to the program memory program memory fetch instruction.
chip addresses A8 -A10. Pin 37 is connected to the alarm The microprocessor (UI) has two input lines that can be
circuitry and when enabled (active low) will turn on all sampled and action taken via dedicated conditional jump
remote- control light modules. Pin 38 is an output and con- instructions. The first of those signals, TO, is used to detect a

72
 I- 50 MILLISEC
r1 1 I 1 01 O 1 I 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 BIT PATTERN

SYNC HOUSE UNIT SYNC HOUSE COMMAND 1 2 3 4 5 6 AC CYCLES

IDENTIFIER CODE NUMBER IDENTIFIER CODE CODE
SYNC HOUSE CODE =A
IDENTIFIER
416 MILLISEC

SYNC HOUSE COMMAND SYNC HOUSE COMMAND Fig. 4-This diagram shows the bit patterns and where they
IDENTIFIER CODE CODE IDENTIFIER CODE CODE occur during the AC cycle. Note that the house code is pre-
ceded by a four -bit sync identifier, 1110. That pattern is
366 MILLISEC transmitted as three bursts of 120 kHz with a duration of 1
milisecond (during half cycles of 8.3 milliseconds) with the
Fig. 3 -These block illustrations indicate the sequence of zero indicated as an absence of the 120 -kHz burst during the
events that occur during the two types of operation. The upper final half cycle. The total time of that transmission is about
diagram shows what happens when a single module is addressed. 32 milliseconds. The house code, on the other hand, is trans-
The lower is the sequence that occurs when addressing multiple mitted in its true form during the first half cycle followed
individual modules (see text for clarification). by its compliment during the second half.

zero crossing, which is a pre- condition requirement prior to ments if assembled properly. Even the relay chosen, K1, is an
transmitting to the remote -control modules. The second sig- FCC-approved component and I urge that it not be substituted
nal, T1, monitors the telephone line and provides ring /dial unless by another qualified, FCC -approved relay.
information to the microprocessor for processing. Relay Kl and resistors R11 and R15 (Fig. 2) form part of the
The telephone interface uses an opto- isolator, which con- interface and are primarily used to temporarily fool the tele-
nects to terminal Tl on the microprocessor and is used to phone network into seeing an off-hook condition after the
monitor and record dialing pulses and the ring signal without access code has been entered. Remember that the telephone
introducing any harm or disturbances to the telephone line. network identifies dial pulses by current interruptions. With
With the phone line properly connected, the forward dynamic R11 and R15 ohms across the telephone line, any number can
impedance of the 4N33 LED (light- emitting diode), is con- be dialed and the microprocessor can then process dial pulses
siderably lower than the resistance value of R12 and R13. with no telephone network interference. That state remains
Lifting the phone from the cradle places approximately 300- valid for approximately 20 seconds; then the telephone net-
ohms resistance across the line, causing 20 milliamperes of work injects a vocal message that informs you that you have
line current to flow. dialed a wrong number or "Please hang up and re- dial."
Since dial pulses are a quick succession of line-current Refer to Fig. 5. Anyway, without that part of the interface, it
interruptions, most of the current flows through the LED, would be very difficult for the Control System to differentiate
causing + 5- volts -to- ground pulses at terminal Tl of the same dial pulses from telephone network interference.
duration. With the phone in its cradle, on -hook, the incoming
ring signal is approximately 20 Hz, 90 -volts mis. An inverse Building the Control System
diode, Dl, is paralleled with the LED to provide for the AC The patterns for the components and foil sides of the circuit
currents during ringing. The timing diagram of Fig. 5 depicts board are shown in Figs. 6 and 7, respectively. A pictorial
the relationship between dial pulses, ring pulses, and on- diagram, which shows the parts placement on the circuit
hook/off-hook. Those are the signals that the microprocessor card, is provided in Fig. 8. The circuit board has been
uses to determine telephone -line activity. designed to fit into Radio Shack's 6 x 33/16 x 17A-inch
Any connection to the phone line is controlled by the FCC, economy case.
Part 68 and your local telephone company. Since each tele- When installing the integrated circuits, note that they all
phone company may have its own rules, I suggest you contact face in the same direction. Be especially careful when install-
yours before making any connections. In general, the FCC is ing the diodes and electrolytic capacitors. Observe the polar-
concerned that no harm or disturbances of any type may ity of those parts as referred to on the pictorial diagram in Fig.
occur to the telephone line. All connections to the telephone 8. Transformer Tl has a red dot located on one side and
line must be made through standard plugs or jacks. In that should be installed near terminals El and E2. Pulse trans-
way, the device can be easily disconnected if suspected of former T2 's pin numbers are marked on the underside and
causing an interference problem. The Telephone Remote - careful attention should be observed during its installation.

-
Control System has been designed to meet those require- The AC power cord connects to the circuit board at connec-
tion points El and E2. The alarm feature, if desired, is
TABLE 4 -UNIT NUMBERS AND COMMAND CODES connected to E7 and E8. A short applied across those two
Unit Number /Command Code
Unit 1

2
Bit Pattern
01100
11100
'¡nn
RING

H
1 RING 2
DIAL PULSEI -I r
LILILILIU
3 00100 'DIAL PULSE 2-.1
4 10100
5
6
7
00010
10010
01010
ON-HOOK { OFF -HOOK

8 11010
ALL UNITS OFF 00001 Fig. 5 -This diagram visually illustrates the ring signal
ALL LIGHTS ON 00011 and dial pulses that normally occur during the on -hook and off-
ON 00101 hook condition of the phone. It is these signals that are used
OFF 00111 by the microprocessor to determine telephone line activity.
 o 000o 0
00
o

0
o
O 0 0 0

O o-
o
O 0
o
0
o
0 0
o
o

0 0 o
o
o °oo
o
oo
00 o
O 0
o

Ooo °00
O o

Fig. 6 -The Control System is built on double- sided, printed- circuit board, which makes for a less cumbersome
finished unit. The printed- circuit foil patterns for the component side of the board is shown; it
is to be used in conjunction with the foil pattern of the solder side of the board shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 -Since the Control System is built on a double -sided board, it is necessary that the foil
pattern of Fig. 6 line up as close as possible with the above when preparing to etch your own board.

points produces the all- lights-on condition. Usually, those cord's red and green wires, which should be connected to E5
points are connected to an existing alarm system's normally - and E6, respectively, and tagged Input.
open contacts. When the LM341 (U5) is positioned on the printed- circuit
Connections E3 and E4 should be soldered to the red and board, the voltage- regulator heat sink may protrude slightly
green wires, respectively, of the modular -phone extension outside the printed- circuit board area. The excess should be
cord. That part may be bought at Radio Shack, or made -up if trimmed off if you're using the Radio Shack case. A good
you purchase the items required separately and have access to pair of pliers does the job nicely. The LM341 should then be
a modular crimping tool. That line should be tagged Output soldered to the printed -circuit board heat sink or, as a mini-
to distinguish it from the other modular-phone extension mum, you should apply some silicon between the board and

76
 i 06

C3 115
v I

C8
i
I

C9
I
-R16-
-C11- E7

117 di RED 1

U2
Ed
VAC 111, DDT E3
U6
E2
-05- E5
E6

T1
--C4-

-C7-
+ -C6' R1 U1
2
Cl 1

U4 U3
R5
R4

R3-
_:aa;g.<.á'v:.';:`s°':át;o2^;E'

Fig. 8 -Parts placement for the Contrcl System's printed- circuit board. Note the orientation of the IC's, which
have all their notches facing in the same direction. That allows you to spot, at a glance, any misoriented IC.

the voltage regulator before soldering the three terminals. able to communicate reliably to all remote -control modules
Integrated circuit U4 could be damaged if the system has connected to the other line. Intermittent operation may be
not been assembled properly. Therefore, U4 should be in- noticed. Any 220 -volt AC appliance-such as an electric
stalled only after a quick test is made to determine that the clothes dryer in operation-may serve as a temporary path
parts have been installed correctly and that the system is between the two lines. However, a permanent solution is to
functioning properly. connect a .1 -µF, 600 -WVDC capacitor across the two lines.
Some experimentation on the remote -control module place-
Construction Checkout ment should also help.
It is important that you verify that the breadboard was
assembled correctly and is functioning properly. To run the Connecting the Unit
construction checkout, the Telephone Remote -Control Sys- The Telephone Remote -Control System is equipped with
tem software, if purchased, has a built -in diagnostic test that two modular-phone plugs labelled Input and Output. Those
is performed prior to connecting the unit to the telephone plugs are designed to be plugged into a modular jack. See
lines. This test uses the Telephone Remote-Control System Fig. 9. If your home or phone does not have a modular-phone
and existing wall switches and lamp modules. If your BSR jack, you may install one yourself or have the phone company
system does not have either of the modules, then proceed to install one. (Ma Bell will charge for that service). If your
Single /Multiple Installation Checkout. Otherwise, perform home is equipped with an older style four-pin jack, you can
the following procedure: convert it to a modular -phone jack with an adapter. Adapters
1. Set Control System and wall switch module to the may be purchased at your local phone company or electronics
same house code. parts store.
2. Insert the plug of the Control System's AC power
cord into a 117 -volt AC outlet. Single Telephone Installation
3. Verify the light(s) connected to the aforementioned Here's the step-by -step procedure for connecting the the
module(s) turn on for approximately second, and then goes
1 Telephone Remote-Control System to the telephone line for a
off. If not, check the following: single telephone system.
a. Module installation is correct. 1. Disconnect existing telephone modular -phone plug
b. The module house code selected is the same as the from wall phone plate. Refer to Fig. 9.
Control System's house code selection. + 2. Insert Control System modular -phone plug la-
c. The circuit breaker that provides power to the module belled input into modular-phone jack in wall phone plate.
is on. + 3. Insert Control System modular -phone plug la-
d. Verify that all circuit board components have been belled output into existing telephone base. (If telephone cord
installed correctly. is permanently attached to the phone, an "in -line coupler"
e. Verify + 5 volts power on Ul pin 40. that inter -connects two modular-phone line cords will be
Since most homes are powered from two 117 -volt AC lines, required. They may be purchased at your local phone compa-
the transmitter connected to one of those lines may not be ny or electronic parts store.)
77
 and you should use a professional installer. Never attempt that
MODULAR JACK work during a storm.
1. Find a place close to an AC outlet.
EXTENSION PHONE 2. Cut the phone -line with an insulated -handle wire -
MODULAR -
PHONE PLUG
cutter.
MODULAR- INPUT 3. Carefully strip back the outer telephone wire jacket
PHONE PLUG
OUTPUT about 3 inches on both cables, then remove 1/4-inch of insula-
tion from the individual wires.
4. Install two modular-phone jacks with standard wir-
ing blocks. Next, connect the two cables (one at a time) to the
two wiring blocks. Connect the 4 -color coded wires to the
corresponding screws on the wiring block. If your house
wires do not match, you probably have a 6 -wire network and
TELEPHONE REMOTE
should use the color codes specified in Table 5. Use an
CONTROL SYSTEM existing wired telephone to determine which pair is used.
TABLE 5-CABLE COLOR CODE
Fig. 9-The installation of the Control System AC POWER
ina single -phone system is as easy as one. CORD
4- Conductor Cable 6- Conductor Cable
two, three. The control circuit is placed between the
existing phone installation and the phone company network, Red Blue with White Band
and then plugged into the nearest AC outlet as shown. Green White with Blue Band
Yellow Orange with White Band
Black White with Orange Band
+4. Insert the plug of the Control System's AC power
AC outlet. Spare Wires
cord into a 117-volt
Green with White Band
Multiple Telephone Installation White with Green Band
The Telephone Remote-Control System installation allows
any phone connected to the line to be used to turn lights and 5. Insert the Control System's modular -phone plug la-
appliances ON and OFF using one Telephone Remote -Con- belled INPUT into the modular-phone jack which is now
trol System. Refer to Fig. 10. The installation is similar to the connected to the protected interface.
single -phone installation except the Control System is in- 6. Insert the Control System's modular-phone plug la-
stalled at the feed -in point (where the telephone line enters belled OUTPUT into the modular -phone jack connected to
the premises). inside house wiring.
This installation involves working with wire and jacks
which carry an electric current. Telephone jacks or wires PARTS LIST FOR TELEPHONE
must not be installed unless you first disconnect the in -house
SEMICONDUCTORS
wiring at the protected interface (a point between the tele-
phone company's wiring and wiring in your home). If you
D6- 1N4148 silicon switching diode
D1, D2, D3.
D4, D5-1N4001 rectifying diode
cannot disconnect your wiring from the telephone network, 01, Q2-2N2222A silicon NPN transistor
you may be exposed to hazardous voltage during installation U1- 8035 -6 microprocessor (National), integrated cir-
cuit
U2- 74LS373,8 -bit latch, integrated circuit
U3 -2716 EPROM, integrated circuit
U4- ULN2003A hex Darlington NPN transistor-array
driver (Sprague), integrated circuit
KITCHEN LIVING ROOM BEDROOM
U5 -LM341 P -5, + 5 -volt regulator, integrated circuit
EXISTING U6 -4N33, opto- isolator, integrated circuit
WALL
'L PHONE
MODULAR JACK
MODULAR JACK RESISTORS
0 (All resistors are 1/4-watt, 5% units unless otherwise
noted.)
MODULAR JACK HERE /
PHONE LINE IS CUT
MODULAR JACK R1- 1000 -ohm
-- --D AC POWER BASEMENT R2- 200 -ohm
CORD WITH JACK Al
LABELED OUTPUT CORD R3- R5-100 -ohm
R6, R14, R16- 10,000 -ohm
R7, R8. R10 -4700 -ohm
_ I

R9-510 -ohm
PROTECTED
INTERFACE
L TELEPHONE REMOTE
R11, R15-430 -ohm, /2-watt
CONTROL SYSTEM
R12, R13-51 -ohm, 1/2-watt
CORD WITH JACK
LABELED INPUT
CAPACITORS
Fig. 10-To connect the Control System to a multiple - C1- 2200 -aF, 10 -WVDC, electrolytic
phone installation is similar to that of the single - C2- 47 -aF, 6 -WVDC, electrolytic
phone installation, except that the input to the Remote C3- .47 -p,F, 250 -WVDC
Control is connected to the main feed -in and the C4, C5- .047 -µF ceramic clsc
output feeds the in -house telephone network.

78
 05 T2 U2 U6

The printed- circuit board for the

Telephone Remote Control System
is sized to fit inside a standard
TEL hobbyist plastic box. Corners are
INPUT cut off so that board will clear
117VAC AND the box's cover mounting posts.
OUTPUT Compare Fig. 7 to this photo and
observe that one resistor mounted
"caty- corner replaces R11 and R15.
The latter are connected in series.
The author found an unusual resist-
or (not standard) that filled
the bill and used one resistor
in place of two. Hobbyists would
not be that lucky, so two resist-
ors, whose ohmic resistance add
to the desired value, are used.
Ti Cl U4 U3 U1

7. Insert the plug of the Control System's AC power module or lamp modules turn on. If not, follow the previous
cord into a 117 -volt AC outlet. installation instructions, and reverse the red and green wires.
8. Re- connect the in -house wiring to the telephone
company's wiring at the protected interface. Using the Control System
The Telephone Remote-Control System operates when the
Single /Multiple Telephone Checkout telephone is taken off-hook and the access code is entered
1. For the single phone installation, take the telephone followed by the device number to be turned ON or OFF. The
connected to the Control System off-hook and listen for a dial Control System allows you to perform two operations or
tone. (For a multiple installation, any telephone can be taken events after the access code is dialed. Those operations in-
off-hook). clude:
2. Make a call to verify that the jacks are working
properly, then hang -up the telephone. Operation Telephone Command
1. Turning a Device ON Dial Device Number 1-8
3. Lift the telephone off-hook, wait 1- second, then dial 2. Turning a Device OFF Dial 0, then Device Number 1-8
your access code followed by the digit 9. Remember that the 3. Turning All Lights ON Dial 9
access code is a two-digit number, the first of which is always 4. Turning All Devices OFF Dial 0, then Dial 9
2.
4. Verify that the light(s) connected to the wall- switch The numbers 1 through 8 on your telephone dial corre-
spond to the remote- control module's unit (device) code. If
r-m for example, you want the telephone number 2 to control a
i%a SYSTEM
REMOTE-CONTROL
specific switch module, set the wall- switch module unit code
to 2.
C6, C7, C11- .01 -µF, ceramic disc
To eliminate possible interference with the telephone com-
C8 -6.8 to 10 -pF, ceramic disc
09- 18 -pF, ceramic disc pany's central office circuits, the two operations should be
C10 -4.7 µF, 6 -WVDC, electrolytic performed within 15 seconds after the access code is entered.

ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS Practice Session

K1 -5-volt relay, SPDT (Aromat P N DS1- M -DC5V or Let's turn all the lights on!
similar) 1. Lift the telephone off-hook and wait approximately
S1 -S7 -7 SPST switches in a DIP package. printed - one second.
circuit mount (Continued on page 102)
T1- Transformer: 117 -VAC primary winding; 12.6 -volts,
center -tapped, 350 -ma secondary winding (EDW P/N
EL- 12 -350A6 or similar)
T2 -Pulse transformer (Sprague 11Z2100)
Y1-6.00 -MHz crystal
Miscellaneous: AC line cord, modular-phone extension
cords, printed- circuit board, plastic case wit plastic
cover, mounting hardware, wire, solder, etc.

The following are available from Master Control Sys-

tems, Inc., P.O. Box 78, South Windsor, CT 06074:
Kit 1 -Kit of all parts including programmed EPROM
and miscellaneous items; $92.50. Add $4.00 for ship-
ping and handling.
Kit 2- Programmed EPROM and etched, drilled,
plated-through printed circuit board: $26.00 Add $2.00 The Telephone Remote Control Unit with the cover removed. The
for shipping and handling. AC line cable (left) and the input and output telephone cables
Connecticut residents include 7 1% sales tax. Please (right) pass through holes in the plastic box, wrap around
allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. screw -mounting posts used to secure the cover, and connect to
the circuit board. The posts provide cable strain -relief.

79
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 ASSEMBLE
A COMPUTER
MONITOR FROM A KIT
The Heathkit HVM -122A 12 -inch amber monochrome video monitor
provides excellent character definition for 40 or 80- characters
per line at a fraction of the cost of comparable units
By Herb Friedman

IF YOU ARE PRESENTLY USING ONE OF THE HOME -AND- ventional wide -band monochrome monitor like the Heath
family computers, there's a good chance that you'll get more HVM -122A. Because of inherent limitations caused by the
enjoyment and performance from the computer if you switch 4.5 -MHz bandwidth of our TV system, about 40- characters
to, a conventional wide -bandwidth monochrome monitor per line is the most we can squeeze onto a TV screen before
such as the top- rated, amber-screen Zenith ZVM -122A. Un- the display gets fuzzy.
fortunately, the over-$100 price of the ZVM -122A might Unfortunately, modern business correspondences are usu-
make it difficult to squeeze the Zenith monitor into a tight ally 60- characters wide, while spreadsheets and databases
computer equipment budget. But you can knock off almost can be even more per line of sophisticated data. So much
30 percent of the price -dropping the cost to under $100-by professional software becomes either inconvenient or unusa-
building the monitor yourself. ble when a TV set is used as the computer monitor. On the
Actually, you won't be building the ZVM -122A, but in- other hand, a professional- quality monochrome monitor, like
stead Heathkit's HVM -122A (see photos), which is essen- Heath's HVM -122A, has a bandwidth of 15 to 25 MHz,
tially a clone -kit version of the Zenith unit. The price which can easily resolve at least 80 razor -sharp characters
difference between the two monitors is primarily the cost of per line. Even if the computer cannot produce more than 40-
the factory assembly, which can be done by you in two short characters per line, the monochrome characters will still be
evenings. sharper than those displayed on a TV set.
In fact, the monitor's display is so superior to that of a TV
Why Monochrome set that most home and family computers provide a com-
At this point you're probably wondering why you should posite -video output for conventional color and monochrome
use a monochrome monitor when your home computer can monitors in addition to the RF (TV set) output. And when a
generate color displays on a conventional TV set? The answer composite output is not provided, aftermarket dealers sell
to that is simple: For most non -color applications-like word composite -video adapters for those computers that are not
processing, data files, spreadsheets -a sharper, more legi- normally provided with a video output. One of the hottest
ble, and more convenient display is obtained from a con- selling retrofit devices is a video output adapter for Radio

82
 FRONT PANEL
ON /OFF CONTROLS
SWITCH

This is what the

motherboard and all the
subassemblies look like
when interconnected
POWER and ready for installation
SUPPLY in the cabinet. It might
appear to be a rat's nest
MOTHER of wiring, but it all slides
BOARD problem -free directly into
the cabinet.
CRT
SOCKET
AND
VIDEO
BOARD
HORIZONTAL
DEFLECTION 40/80
YOKE COIL
CRT

PROTECTIVE
CAP

ON /OFF
SWITCH
CONTROL
PANEL

Unlike many other monitors, the Heathkit HVM -112A has all The CRT is supplied factory -installed inside the cabinet.
the frequently -used operating adjustments, including a vertical Notice the small white plastic protector over the CRT's pins.
and a horizontal sweep control, on the front panel: normally To prevent accidental damage to the pins it should not be
concealed behind a small door that swings down. removed until the instant you're ready for final assembly.

Shack's Color Computer, which doesn't have an inherent fills almost :he entire screen.
video output. When the coil is switched in, the horizontal sweep is
compressed so that 80 characters will fill the screen -40
A Look At The Monitor characters would fill approximately half the screen. A
Because there is no standard for how many characters and "tweaking" adjustment for the 40/80 coil allows the user to
lines are actually transmitted by a home -and- family comput- optimize the sweep for his or her computer's specific display.
er, Heath's HVM -122A monochrome video monitor has user S4ice the number of display lines from a computer can vary
adjustments that can be used to compensate the size of the between 16 and 25, Heath's HVM -122A monitor also permits
screen display for the particular computer with which it is the vertical height to be similarly "tweaked" for optimum
used. Firstly, there is a 40/80 character switch located on the size. A front panel VERTICAL SIZE adjustment, hidden behind
rear, which inserts or removes a small coil in series with the a small door along with the BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST, HORI-
horizontal deflection yoke. When the coil is switched out, the ZONTAL, and VERTICAL SYNC controls, allows the vertical
horizontal sweep stretches out so that 40- characters per line height to be optimized for a particular computer. You can

83
 HORIZONTAL
This is what the kit looks like with the circuits in DEFLECTION
place, ready for the rear cover. It might appear to YOKE
be messy because of the connecting wires between the
assemblies, but everything is rigidly mounted and
secure when the cover is installed.

simply adjust the VERTICAL -SIZE

control until the display -regardless
what it is -fills most or all of the
screen.
Other HVM -122A features in- VIDEO BOARD
clude a 15 -MHz bandwidth, a 12- AT 30° ANGLE
inch diagonal screen, and an RCA -type phono jack that
accepts an NTSC -volt peak -to -peak input signal. It
1

takes about two evenings to build the kit. As is typical FLYBACK

of most Heathkits, there is little factory assembly of TRANSFORMER
anything; even the "tweaking" adjustment for the hori-
zontal coil must be user assembled. In fact, the only
item that's factory- installed is the CRT, which comes
firmly clamped inside the monitor cabinet (see photos).

Lots of Diagrams
Although most of the monitor is assembled on a
large printed- circuit board that simply slides into the
base of the cabinet, there are six small subassemblies
that are connected to it. To simplify the assembly and
interconnection of the various boards and parts, a sepa-
rate illustration booklet is provided along with the usual step - installed the CRT socket incorrectly and start hacking away at
by-step assembly manual. The booklet treats each individual the board to remove the socket. You probably have it correct,
assembly as a separate project, and provides pictorials of only because the socket's orientation cannot be changed, without
the parts used by that assembly. damaging the board or the socket. If the board is angled when
A separate pictorial is given for every component used in a installed on the CRT, leave it alone.
particular assembly, and each component pictorial is identi-
fied with an individual identification number exclusive of the Final Adjustments
conventional Heathkit part number. Since the kit contains a
goodly number of parts-many of which resemble others
the individual keying of the components makes for almost
- The only user adjustments are the CRT focusing and the
picture centering; neither of which can be accurately done
unless the monitor is being fed from a computer. If you can,
goof-proof assembly. In fact, the only problem we had in run a short BASIC program that will fill the screen with large
assembling the unit came about when we thought we knew so characters such as the "H" or "Z," and then make the focus
much that we didn't have to check the pictorial. Sure enough, and centering adjustments.
we found that we'd used the wrong screws. So when it came According to the manual, the focus adjustment requires
time for the final assembly, we couldn't get the monitor that a small screwdriver be passed through a hole in the video
together, which meant that we had to go back and find out board to the focus adjustment. The hole is so small, however,
where we'd swapped similar -appearing screws. that we could find no screwdriver that would pass through, so
Although most of the work is quite easy, the illustrations the adjustment had to be made from the front of the video
for the final assembly may be misleading, which caused our board, which places your hand very close to the CRT and the
builder to spend more than an hour looking for trouble that high voltage wiring. There's just no way around it, so make
didn't exist. Firstly, there is the installation of the deflection certain that you use a very short miniature screwdriver, re-
yoke. The main pictorials in the illustration booklet show the move any rings or watches from the hand that's used to hold
yoke with with the wrong orientation: If you install it the way the screwdriver, and be extremely careful. If you've never
it appears in the booklet, you'll end up with an inverted worked around a CRT before, wearing a rubber glove is
screen display. If you look at the back of the CRT, the suggested when making the focus adjustment.
deflection yoke's wires should stick out the left side to 9 To the trained eye, the Heathkit HVM -122A had a slight
o'clock, not down and to the right at 4 o'clock as shown in the degree of barrel distortion, which was not evident on two
illustration booklet. (The proper yoke position is shown in the factory- assembled Zenith monitors that we used for com-
main assembly manual on page 49.) The illustration book's parison. The monitor was connected to the IBM PC -AT and
pictorials should be used as a guide for wiring the yoke, not Apple II for comparison. The images were typically crisp arid
for installing it. sharp from edge to edge. The monitor will work equally as
The next problem is the small video board that fits on the well with other personal computers, such as the PCjr, Apple
back of the CRT. It is shown in all illustrations as being III, all Heath and Zenith models, Compaq, TI 99/4, and Atari
horizontal. Depending on the particular CRT supplied in your 800 and 1200. Remember, with a monochrome monitor the
kit, the board can be horizontal or angled at approximately 30 TV set will be freed for the afternoon soaps and weekend ball
degrees. If your video board is angled, do not assume you've games.
84
 DIGITAL
FUNDAMENTALS
We look into the sequential logic circuits and discover what
makes binary counters and shift registers do their thing!

LESSON 5: Understanding
Counters and Shift Registers
By Louis E. Frenzel

LITHE TWO BASIC TYPES OF LOGIC CIRCUITS ARE COMBINA- there. Many digital circuits require that you keep track of the
tional circuits and sequential circuits. Combinational cir- number of pulses that occur at a given point in the circuit. A
cuits are made up of logic gates connected in a special way. counter is used for that purpose.
The outputs are a function of the inputs and how the gates are Figure shows a logic diagram of a simple 4 -bit binary
1

interconnected. Sequential circuits are made up of both gates counter. The JK flip -flops are designated A through D. Note
and flip -flops. The flip -flops are the primary components as that the normal output of each flip -flop is connected to the
they áre used to store binary states. Those states can be clock or toggle (T) input of the next flip-flop in series.
changed by input signals to form new states. As a result, the Connecting flip -flops in a chain like that is referred to as
outputs change in response. cascading. The input pulses to be counted are applied to the
Sequential logic circuits are designed to perform a variety toggle input of the A flip -flop. All J and K inputs are assumed
of storage and timing operations. A sequential logic circuit to be at binary (high).
1

can retain a binary word or manipulate it in various ways. Another important connection shown in Hg. is that all of
1

Sequential circuits can also perform many different kinds of the clear (C) or reset inputs to the JK flip -flops are connected
timing and sequencing operations. The two most commonly together. That forms a clear or reset line. A binary 0 applied
used sequential logic circuits are counters and shift registers. to the line will reset the flip -flops so that the binary number
Virtually every digital circuit contains either a counter or a stored in the counter is zero (0000). You observe the binary
shift register of some type. number stored in the counter by looking at the logic states of
the normal flip -flop outputs. You read them from right to left
Binary Counters or DCBA. If all the flip -flops are reset, the normal outputs
A binary counter is a sequential logic circuit made up of JK will all be binary O. The A bit is the LSB (least significant bit)
flip -flops that together count the number of input pulses that and the D bit is the MSB (most significant bit).
appear at the input. The counter stores the number of input Now let's see how the counter operates. Assume that we
pulses that occur as a binary number. To determine the are using JK flip- -flops that toggle or change state when the
number of input pulses applied to the counter, you simply clock or T input switches from high to low or from binary to 1

look at the flip -flop outputs and read the binary number stored binary O. We call that the trailing edge or the negative -going
PARALLEL COUNTER OUTPUT
transition of the input pulse. Now assume that an input pulse
occurs and it switches from high to low. That causes the A
A( LSB) D (MSB) flip -flop to toggle, switching from the binary 0 to state. 1

Looking at the flip -flop outputs and reading them in the

DCBA order, we see that the binary number stored in the
counter is 0001. Naturally, that is the binary reading for the
COUNT decimal number 1. It means that one input pulse occurred.
INPUT When the second input pulse occurs, the A flip -flop is
toggled again. This time it switches from the to 0 state. As
1

Fig. 1- Four -bit binary counter. All J and K inputs to the

flip -flops are connected to a binary 1 (high). Flip -flop
RESET OR
CLEAR toggles on the trailing edge of T count input to T.

85
 for the counter which cannot store it. Once that 4 -bit counter
NUMBER OF counts to 15, the next input pulse simply recycles it back to
INPUT PULSES D C B A
zero and it starts again.
0 0 0 0 0
Figure 3 shows the input and output waveforms for the 4 -bit
1 0 0 0 1

2 0 0 1 0 binary counter as 16 input pulses are applied. Those timing

3 0 0 1 1
waveforms illustrate all possible states of the counter. You
4 0 1 0 0 may want to trace through the logic diagram of the counter
5 0 1 0 1 and correlate each of the pulses shown in the timing diagram
6 0 1 1 0 with each flip -flop. That will ensure that you understand how
7 0 1 1 1
each flip -flop changes state on the high -to -low transition of
8 1 0 0 0
the next input pulse.
9 1 0 0 1

10 0 0
11
1

1 0
1

1 1
Counting to Higher Values
12 1 1 0 0 To count to larger numbers, all you have to do is add more
13 1 1 0 1 flip -flops to the counting chain. Each additional flip -flop
14 1 1 1 0 lengthens the binary word of the counter by one bit, thereby
15 1 1 1 1
doubling its maximum count capability. The total number of
states that a counter can assume is 2 where N is the number of
Fig. 2 -Truth table for a 4 -bit binary counter. flip -flops. With 4 flip -flops, the total number of states is 24 =
2 x 2 x 2 X 2= 16. Those states are 0 (0000) through 15
its state changes, the A output switches from high to low. (1111).
That in turn causes the B flip -flop to toggle and set. As the B You can determine the maximum count -capability of the
flip -flop sets, its normal output goes from 0 to 1. The transi- counter with the simple formula shown below:
tion appears at the clock input to the C flip -flop, but the flip - M =2N -1
flop ignores low to high transitions. Looking at the counter where M = maximum count number, and N = number of
outputs you see that the number stored there is 0010 or the flip -flops.
binary equivalent of the decimal number 2. Two input pulses With four flip -flops the maximum count capability is:
have occurred. M = 24 - 1 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 - 1

If you continue to apply input pulses to the counter, one M= 16 -1 =15

flip -flop will simply toggle the next in sequence and the A 5 -bit counter has a maximum count capability of 31. A 6-
binary number stored in the counter will simply increase by bit counter can count to 63, a 7 -bit counter to 127, and an 8-
one for each input pulse that occurs. When that happens, we bit counter to 255, a 12 -bit counter to 4095, and so on.
say that the counter is being incremented. The counter counts
up from 0 to the maximum value that the counter is capable of Frequency Counter Applications
holding. A binary counter can also be used as a frequency divider.
Figure 2 shows the truth table of the 4 -bit binary counter. Take a look at the waveforms shown in Fig. 3. Recall that a JK
Note that the decimal number of input pulses applied to the flip -flop acts as a divide -by-2 circuit. As you can see in Fig. 3,
counter corresponds to the binary value displayed by the the output of the first flip -flop has a period that is twice the
outputs. That is true only if the counter has been reset prior to period of the input pulses being counted. That means that the
counting. output of the A flip -flop has a frequency that is half that of the
An important point to note is that when fifteen input pulses input pulse frequency.
have occurred, the binary number stored is 1111. When the Now look at the output of the B flip -flop. Again, you can
16th input pulse occurs, flip -flop A toggles to 0; that in turn see that its frequency is half that of the A flip -flop output. A
toggles B to 0, which in turn toggles C to 0; and in turn similar relationship exists in the remaining waveforms. The
toggles D to 0. The binary number indicated in the counter at output frequency of the B flip -flop is one -fourth that of the
that time is 0000. That is equivalent to the initial reset state input. The outputs of the C and D flip -flops are With and Veth
described earlier. In other words, the number 16 is too large of the input frequency respectively.
The frequency division factor of a binary counter is simply
PULSES TO BE COUNTED 2. With four flip -flops, the frequency division factor is 16. A
binary counter with eight flip -flops will divide an input
frequency by:
11 12 13 14 15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 16
28 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2= 256

A° 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 _017 0 I-7 0-1 0 1 ó If a 6.4 MHz input signal is applied to the 4 -bit binary
-
counter, the output of the D flip -flop will be 6.4 16 = .4
MHz or 400 kHz.
B° o 0 0 0 0 0 0
776 0

Preset Counters
The term preset means to put a flip -flop into one state or the
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
other prior to another operation taking place. Presetting a
1

C °
counter simply means loading a binary number into the
0 0 0 0 0 counter prior to the input pulses being applied. In many
D°
0 1 1 1 1

applications, the preset can simply be a clear or reset opera-

?L°
Fig. 3 -Input and output waveforms I
tion. If that were not done, the binary numbers stored in the
for a 4 -bit binary counter. RECYCLE counter would have no meaning unless you knew the binary

86
 PRESET INPUT OUTPUT
INPUT
PULSE D C B A
0 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 0
2 1 1 0 1
COUNT
INPUT 3 1 1 0 0
Fig. 6 -Count sequence 4 1 0 1 1

of a 4 -bit down counter. 5 1 0 1 0

6 1 0 0 1

7 1 0 0 0
LOAD 8 0 1 1 1

9 0 0
Fig. 4 -Flip -flop pre -set circuitry.
1 1

10 0 1 0 1

11 0 1 0 0
number stored in the counter previously. Then you would 12 0 0 1 1

have to subtract that number from the count to determine the 13 0 0 1 0

number of input pulses that occurred. It is not too hard to see 14 0 0 0 1

that it's a lot simpler to clear the counter first so that the 15 0 0 0 0

binary number stored in the counter exactly represents the

number of input pulses that occurred. INPUT
On the other hand, there are other applications where it is
desirable to begin counting at some predetermined number.
For those applications we must have a way to preset the
counter. It is done with preset circuitry that takes advantage
of the asynchronous set (S) and clear (C) inputs of the JK flip -
flops. A typical circuit for one flip -flop is shown in Fig. 4. If
you would like to preset the flip-flop to binary 1, you apply a
binary input to the preset input at gate A. Then you apply a
1

SHIFT
binary to the LOAD input. That forces the output of gate A
1
(CLOCK) Fig. 7 -Down counter's input and output waveforms.
low and the output of gate B high. The result is that the
asynchronous set input of the flip -flop causes it to store a to 1111, sequential input pulses would decrement it to 1110,
binary 1. Applying a binary 0 to the preset input and then 1101, 1100, etc. Some digital applications require just such a
switching LOAD from low to high will cause the flip -flop to capability.
be reset or store a binary O. Figure 5 shows how to connect four JK flip -flops to form a
When all flip -flops in the counter have the preset circuitry down counter. Again the flip -flops are cascaded by con-
shown, then a parallel binary number can be applied to the necting the output of one flip -flop to the clock (T) input of the
counter and loaded into it prior to beginning the count opera- next in series. The main difference here is that we connect the
tion. complement output of each flip -flop to the clock (T) input of
To show how that presetting works, assume that the 4 -bit the next. However, we still monitor the normal flip -flop
binary counter described previously has preset circuitry. Sup- outputs to determine the count stored there. With that ar-
pose we apply the binary number 1010 to the preset inputs and rangement, the count sequence shown in Fig. 6 is obtained.
load it into the counter. The counter outputs D C B A will read The table shows the counter starting with the maximum count
1010 (decimal 10). Then assume that input pulses occur. If stored in the flip -flops (1111). When the counter is decre-
four input pulses occur, the counter is incremented to 1110. mented to zero, the next input pulse will simply recycle the
The four input pulses increment the counter from 10 to 14. counter back to its maximum count value of 1111. The cycle
then repeats.
Down Counters That down count and recycling process is illustrated in the
The binary counter described previously is an up counter as timing waveforms of Fig. 7. Those output waveforms are the
each input pulse increments the binary number stored in the ones that occur at the normal flip -flop outputs. Since the
flip -flop. That is, as each input pulse occurs, one is added to complement flip -flop outputs are not shown, it is more diffi-
the count. cult to trace the operation of that counter. If you'd like to see
It is also possible to construct a down counter so that the how each input pulse causes the toggling and triggering of
binary number in the counter is decremented by one as each each flip -flop in sequence, simply draw the complement
input pulse occurs. As a result, down counters count back- signals to each of the waveforms in Fig. 7 before doing a
ward. For example, if a 4 -bit binary down counter were preset pulse -by- pulse analysis. Keep in mind that a down counter
A (LSD)
can also include preset circuitry so that the counter may begin
O
decrementing at some particular point.
By adding some logic circuitry to the counter you can
make it count either up or down. That is illustrated in Fig. 8.
An up/down COUNT CONTROL line is added to determine the
direction of count. If a binary is applied to that input, the
1

INPUT counter will count up. That binary enables all of the A gates.
1

It causes the normal flip -flop outputs to pass through the gates
to the clock (t) inputs of the next flip-flop in sequence. The B
Fig. 5- Four -bit binary down counter. gates are inhibited at that time by inverter 1.

87
 V

INPUT
T

D
B R

COUNT
CONTROL
Fig.8-A 4-bit binary up/down counter. When the
count control signal is high (1), the circuit is
an up counter. When the count control signal is
low (0), the circuit is a down counter.

If the up/down control line is made binary 0, the B gates Instead of having a single count input like the up /down
are enabled by inverter 1 and the A gates are inhibited. That counter discussed previously, that counter has two count
causes the complement outputs to be passed through to the inputs. To decrement the counter, you apply input pulses to
clock inputs. The counter then counts down. the down -count input. To increment the counter, you apply
While binary counters can easily be made up of individual pulses to the up -count input.
flip -flops and gates, that is rarely done anymore. The inte- The carry and borrow outputs have not been discussed
grated- circuit manufacturers have already constructed binary previously. Those lines are used when the counters are to be
counters in a variety of configurations, usually in multiples of cascaded. The carry output is produced by an AND gate that
four or eight bits. Different TTL, CMOS and ECL integrated looks at the normal flip -flop outputs. It says, in effect, that the
circuit's are available depending upon the features included counter contents is 1111. That means that the counter is at its
such as presetting, down counting, etc. maximum value and the next input pulse will cause it to
recycle to zero. When it happens, the carry output generates a
A Typical IC Counter pulse that is applied to the next counter in series so that the
One of the most used IC counters is the 4 -bit MSI device overflow will be recorded.
shown in Fig. 9. The device is a 4 -bit binary up or down The borrow output is used for cascading the counters in a
counter with presetting. In other words, it incorporates all of down count application. The borrow output signal is gener-
the features that we discussed previously. The counter has ated by an AND gate that monitors the complement outputs of
four outputs, which are monitored to determine the number the flip -flops. When the counter is decremented to 0000, the
stored in the counter. Four parallel data-input lines are used borrow output signal is generated indicating that the counter
for applying a preset input. The load -input line causes the is about to recycle. The borrow output pulse is applied to the
parallel binary word applied to the data inputs to be loaded down count input to the next counter in series. With those
into the flip-flops. The counter also has a clear input line used signals, multiple counters can be cascaded to form binary
for resetting the counter to zero. counters with lengths of 8, 12, 16, 20 and other multiples of
192, 'L192,1_9192
4 -bits.
(17) BORROW Binary counters have a maximum count capability that is
OUTPUT
1121 CARRY some power of two. Each time an additional flip -flop is added
OUTPUT
DATA (151 to the binary counter, the maximum number of states it can
INPUT A
represent doubles. Some commonly used counter sizes and
DOWN (41
COUNT
(3)
OUTPUT OA the count capability are given below.
UP (SI
COUNT
Name of Bits Maximum Maximum
(Flip Flops) States Count
DATA (11
4 16 15
INPUT B
8 256 255
(2)
OUTPUT OB 10 1024 1023
12 4096 4095
16 65536 65535

While such counters are useful in practice, there are many

DATA
INPUT C
(101
situations where it is more desirable to use a decimal -like
OUTPUT OC representation. Humans use the decimal number system and
are more comfortable with it than with binary. In working
with electronic equipment, it is desirable to enter data in
decimal form and read it out in decimal form. To ease the
DATA I9)
man -machine communications problem, some special binary
INPUT D
codes have been developed. The most popular of those is
CLEAR
1" binary coded decimal (BCD). BCD is still a binary code in
171 OUTPUT OD
that decimal values are represented with binary numbers.
OD However, only the decimal numbers 0 through 9 are used. The

LOAD II Fig. 9-
Schematic diagram for the Texas Instrument
74192 4-bit binary up /down counter.

88
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BCD INPUT
DECIMAL D C B A
Fig.10- Decimal to
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
binary- coded -decimal
(BCD) equivalents.
A 0 1 o 1 o o °J' L
2 0 0 1 0
3 0 0 1 1

4 0 1 0 0 B 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0

5 0 0
Fig. 12 -BCD
1 1

6 0 0 counter's input
1l
1 1

7 0 1 1 1
and output C o o o 0 1 1 1 0 o o

8 1 0 0 0 waveforms.
9 1 0 0 1

D o o o o o o o o f 1 1 Lo
BCD code is shown in Fig. 10. Decimal numbers are repre- It is fed back to the J input óf the B flip -flop. That signal will
sented by 4 -bit BCD numbers, one for each digit. For exam- keep flip -flop B from setting the next time it receives a
ple, the number 729 in BCD is 0111 0010 1001. trailing edge pulse from flip -flop A.
By using flip -flops and gates it is possible to construct a When the 9th input pulse occurs, the A flip -flop becomes
BCD counter, that is one that counts by tens. It has ten states, set. The code is now 1001, the maximum count capability of
0 through 9. Such a counter is called a BCD counter, decimal the BCD counter. Flip -flops B and C are reset at that time so
or decade counter; you see one in Fig. 11. Notice that the first that the output of the AND gate is binary 0. That makes the J
three flip -flops are cascaded as in a standard 4 -bit binary input of the D flip -flop zero. The J and K inputs are now such
counter with the normal output connected to the clock input that when the A flip -flop toggles again, it will cause the D
of the next flip -flop in the chain. The last flip -flop on the other flip -flop to reset.
hand has its clock (T) input connected to the normal output of When the 10th input pulse occurs, the A and D flip -flops
the A flip -flop. Note that the signal controlling the J input on both reset. The feedback from the complement output of the
the D flip -flop is derived from an AND gate that monitors flip - D flip -flop prevents the B flip -flop from setting. Therefore,
flops B and C. Also note that the complement output of the D the counter cycles back to its original state of 0000. Follow-
flip -flop is fed back to the J input of the B flip -flop. The result ing that description you may want to trace through the circuit
of all those unusual inter- connections is that the counter has yourself using the waveforms in Fig. 11 as a guide.
only ten states instead of the usual 16 for a 4 -bit counter. The While it is possible to construct a BCD flip -flop from
counter counts in the BCD sequence previously described in individual gates and flip -flops, normally circuits such as that
Fig. 10. are available as a single MSI integrated circuit. Most of those
The waveforms generated by the BCD counter are shown in devices feature a master clear or reset line and many of them
Fig. 12. The counter counts from 0 (0000) to 9 (1001) in the feature both presetting as well as up and down counting
normal sequence. When the tenth input pulse is received capabilities.
(trailing edge), the counter recycles to 0 and the sequence To use a BCD counter for counting to values higher than 9,
repeats. all you do is cascade them as shown in Fig. 13. The first or
The operation of that counter is generally similar to a 4 -bit input BCD counter then counts in units of 0 through 9. After
binary counter. That is particularly true of the first eight states ten input pulses occur, the MSB output of the first counter (D)
from 0000 through 0111. The A, B and C flip -flops toggle off triggers the next BCD counter in sequence. That second
and on as you learned previously. counter represents the tens position. It will be incremented
After the 7th input pulse, the output states are 0111. The B for every ten input pulses. The tens counter in turn drives the
and C outputs are high, thereby enabling the AND gate which third or hundreds counter. It will be incremented each time
applies a binary 1 to the J input of the D flip -flop. At that one hundred input pulses occur. Additional counters can be
point, the flip-flop is enabled and will toggle when a trailing added for thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thou-
edge signal appears at the clock input. That happens when the sands, and so on.
eighth input pulse occurs. The eighth input pulse changes the To read the content of the counter, you observe the BCD
state of the A flip -flop which in turn changes the state of the B codes at the counter outputs. For example, the number stored
flip -flop, and then the C flip -flop. The output change of the A in the counter shown is 853. Note that in reading the output of
flip -flop also sets the D flip-flop. The code now in the counter a BCD counter, the 4 -bit groups are separated from one
is 1000. another. The outputs do not form a continuous I2 -bit binary
The complement output of the D flip -flop is now binary 0. number. The output is three 4 -bit BCD numbers (1000 0101
0011).
INPUT o o
O Just as you can use binary counters for frequency division
so can you use BCD counters for that application. The circuit

LEAST 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 MOST
D
SIGNIFICANT A B C D B C D A B C D SIGNIFICANT
DIGIT DIGIT
(LSD) r (MSD)

K
COUNT BCD BCD
INPUT COUNTER COUNTER

UNITS TENS HUNDREDS

Fig.11- Schematic diagram for a BCD counter. All uncon-
nected J and K inputs are connected to a binary high (1). Fig. 13- Cascaded BCD counters.

89
 4
1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 serial pulse train, that occurs in synchronism with the shift
INPUT
PULSES clock pulses, applied to the input will be entered into the shift
register a bit at a time. That is illustrated in simplified form in
A 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 u Fig. 15. The individual blocks represent each of the flip -flops
in the shift register. All the flip -flops are initially reset. When
the first clock pulse occurs, the first bit in the serial pulse train
B 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 at the input will be shifted into the first flip -flop. The binary 0
is shifted out of the D flip -flop. As each shift clock pulse
occurs, the next serial input bit is shifted into the register. The
C 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
oli 1 1 1 0 0 0 or first bit moves over to the B flip -flop to accommodate the new
input bit. After four clock pulses have occurred, the entire
D 11 serial word is now contained in the shift register as shown.
1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0r Holding the input line at zero and applying four additional
Fig. 14-Logic diagram for a 4 -bit shift register. shift pulses will cause the binary number stored in the shift
register to be shifted out a bit at a time, thereby generating a
shown in Fig. 13 will produce frequency division by some serial output word. The process is illustrated in Fig. 16. As
multiple of 10. The first BCD counter will divide the input you can see, the shift register can be used to accept, store, and
frequency by 10. The D output will be one -tenth the frequen- generate serial binary data words.
cy of the input. The second counter will produce division by One of the most common applications for a shift register is
100 while the third will produce division by 1000. serial -to- parallel data conversion. A serial data word can be
Both binary and BCD counters can be used in counting and shifted into the shift register. If the outputs of the individual
frequency dividing applications at very high frequencies. flip -flops are available, then that word will appear as a paral-
Standard TTL MSI counters can achieve speeds upward of 50 lel data word as shown in Fig. 17A.
MHz. Schottky TTL counters can achieve speeds up to 125 If the flip -flops in the shift register have presetting circuitry
MHz. CMOS counters have a much lower limit of approx- similar to that described earlier for binary counters, then the
imately 25 MHz, but progress is being made in extending that shift register can be loaded with a parallel binary number.
frequency capability. ECL counters are available for frequen- Once the shift register is preset with the parallel number, shift
cies up to 2 GHz. pulses will shift the word out a bit at a time. That creates a
serial version of the parallel input word. Thus, the shift
Shift Registers register accomplishes parallel -to- serial data conversion as
Another sequential circuit made up of flip -flops is the shift that shown in Fig. 17B.
register. Like a counter, multiple flip -flops are used to store a Like counters, shift registers are available as prepackaged
binary word. However, the flip -flops are interconnected in circuits in a variety of forms. MSI devices with four and eight
such a way that incrementing and decrementing counting bits are common. Those feature preset, clear, shift right or
operations are not achieved. Instead, the connections are shift right and left. Larger shift registers can be created by
such that the binary word stored in the counter is shifted simply cascading available 4- and 8 -bit devices. For example,
either to the right or to the left. That is, as each clock pulse a 32 -bit shift register can be created by simply cascading four
occurs, the bit stored in one flip -flop is shifted into the flip - 8-bit circuits.
flop next to it. A common 4 -bit shift register is illustrated in Very large LSI shift registers are also available for special
Fig. 14. All of the clock (T) inputs are connected together to a applications. For example, a 256 -bit shift register made with
single line. Periodic clock signals are applied to that line. The MOS circuitry is available for memory applications. Such a
normal and complement outputs of one flip -flop are con- register is not used to store a single 256 -bit word. Instead, it is
nected to the J and K inputs respectively of the next flip -flop used to store many smaller words. For example, a 256 -bit
in sequence. A single input line is used for entering data into shift register can store 256 - 8 = 32 bytes. Those bytes are
the shift register a bit at a time. retained in the shift register flip -flops end to end as illustrated
A shift register is used to deal with serial data words. A (Continued on page 105)

1101 o o 1 l 1 1 0 1 1

15-How serial data is

TT

ORIGINAL STATE Fig. ORIGINAL STATE

entered into a shift register.
110 o o 0 o

1ST SHIFT PULSE IST SHIFT PULSE

1 1 o o 00 o o 1 1 1 01
2ND 2ND

o o 000 o 1 0 1

3RD 3RD
Fig. 16-How serial data is
removed from a shift register.
0 0000 0 o of of o 1101
4TH 4T H

90
 INSIDE THE
OSCILLOSCOPE
Using the oscilloscope is not difficult
when you know how! We look at some simple
application rules that will help you get
almost all scopes up and running in no time.
By Marge Gustafson *, Larry Johnson *, and Carl Laron **

ONE OF THE If you can not find the trace by using that technique, the
you can own. following systematic approach can be used. Set the HORIZON-
iliar with os- TAL position control fully counterclockwise. Now, rotate the
you are using HORIZONTAL control a small amount in the clockwise direc-
and to its best tion and then rotate the VERTICAL control through its entire
rerienced user. range. (Rotate the VERTICAL control slowly or the trace may
complex than shoot across the CRT display screen too rapidly to be seen.)
ch electronics Repeat that procedure until the trace is located.
ion, there is a
apes currently Displaying a Waveform
Once the trace is obtained, set the position controls such
of the rules of that the trace is centered vertically and begins at the left side
;chniques that of the CRT. Obviously, if a waveform is to be displayed, a
and running. signal must be input to the scope. That is done (usually) via a
more sophisti- front -panel, vertical -input connector. Next, depending on the
ind success. type of measurement you are making, the VERTICAL INPUT
switch should be set to the appropriate setting: AC or DC. Set
the vertical attenuator control (labeled VOLTS /DIV, or some-
liliar, unit, the thing similar) so that the entire waveform can be displayed
it to warm up. over one -half to three -quarters of the screen height. If you are
Lmportant pur- unsure about the amplitude of the input signal, select the
tinimum when highest attenuation setting.
L, it gives you a Once the trace is displayed, the TIME -BASE control should
ual and famil- be set so that a few cycles of the input waveform can be seen.
idiosyncrasies Note that the trace may not be stable at this time. If not, the
- - time and head
scratching later when you get down to work. But surprisingly,
triggering level control will need to be adjusted to lock in the
display. For accurate measurements, be sure that both the
that step is often overlooked, especially by so- called experi- TIME -BASE and the VERTICAL- ATTENUATOR controls are used
enced users. in their calibrated modes.
Once the unit has warmed up sufficiently, the next step is to
obtain a trace. Be sure that the trigger mode is set to AUTO- Triggering
MATIC and the trigger source is set to INTERNAL. Then select a Most scopes have two triggering -mode switch settings:
medium sweep speed, using the TIME -BASE control (often AUTOMATIC (or AUTO) and NORMAL. Automatic triggering is
labeled TIME/Div, or something similar). Set the HORIZONTAL the most frequently used setting. In that mode, a trace is
and VERTICAL trace -position controls to about midrange, and displayed even when the signal level is too low for triggering.
adjust the INTENSITY control until the trace appears. If at full In the AC- coupled, automatic -trigger mode, a trigger sig-
intensity no trace appears, see if one edge or another of the nal is generated when the displayed waveform passes through
CRT appears lit, or glowing slightly. If so, that gives an the 0 -volt point of the AC portion of the input waveform.
indication that the trace is positioned off-screen in the direc- Because of that, the automatic mode is not usually appropri-
tion of the lighting. Use the LEFT-RIGHT and UP-DOWN ate for low- frequency work; if the frequency of the input
position controls to move the trace so that it can be seen near signal is below that of the oscilloscope's baseline generator,
the center of the display. that generator cuts in between cycles of the displayed wave-
form.
When the DC- coupled automatic -triggering mode is used,
91
 Fig. -When DC-coupled, auto-
1

matic triggering is used, it

is important that the displayed
waveform cross the 0 -volt
line. Otherwise, (as shown)
untriggered operation will result.

Fig. 3- Oscilloscopes display

peak -to -peak voltages.
AC voltmeters provide
rms measurements.

±iiiiirir Fig. 4 -In the AC- coupled

mode. there is no way to be
sure that the baseline of the
displayed waveform (A)
is actually 0- volts. In B, the
DC- coupled mode has
been selected; there the
signal shown in A can be
seen riding on a DC voltage
of 3. (Note the change in the
VERTICAL ATTENUATOR settings.)
B A

Fig. 2 -On a dual -trace scope,

'I
assuming that the two
signals are time related, use
the channel with the lower
frequency signal as the
triggering source.

B
the trigger signal is generated when the signal passes through mode is automatic, but in others the decision is left to the
an imaginary line on the display representing 0 -volts (usually operator. Which display mode is best to use will, of course,
the center of the screen). Note that it is important to be sure vary with the time base selected and with the scope. As a
that the waveform does cross through that line or an untrig- general rule -of- thumb, however, use the chopped mode at
gered display will result. See Fig. 1. The positioning of the time -base lengths of less than 1 millisecond, and the alternate
trace can be altered by using the VERTICAL position control to mode at millisecond, and faster.
1

ensure that triggering does occur. Usually, dual -trace scopes can be triggered from either
Whether triggering takes place on the leading or trailing channel 1 or channel 2. If the inputs to the two channels are
edge of the waveform is determined by the SLOPE control. time -related (have the same phase) but are of different fre-
Normal -mode triggering is used when proper triggering quencies, the channel with the lower- frequency signal should
can not be obtained using the automatic mode. That could be used for triggering. For example, Fig. 2 shows a dual -trace
occur with complex input waveforms, or waveforms that are display. The upper trace is the clock signal being input to a
near the upper and lower frequency limits of the scope. It is BCD counter. The lower trace is the output of that device.
also used when triggering at a specific point (other than the 0- There, triggering would be selected to be on the trailing edge
volt crossing point) is desired. of the lower waveform. Selecting the triggering in that way
ensures that there will be only one sweep for each output
Using a Dual -Trace Scope pulse.
Dual -trace scopes can operate in either the alternate or Also, some dual -trace scopes have composite triggering.
chopped mode. In some scopes, the selection of the display In that type of triggering, the trigger signal is derived from

92
 1 . . nNM.

both channel 1 and channel 2; as the display alternates be-

tween channel I and channel 2, so does the trigger source.
The result is that both signals are solidly locked in, despite
any differences in phase or frequency.

Making Measurements
Now that we have a locked in (i.e. triggered) waveform
displayed on the CRT, we need to interpret what it is we are
seeing.
Consider the display shown in Fig. 3. In it wé see a
sinewave. To obtain the AC voltage of the waveform, we need
only count the number of divisions between the positive and
negative peaks of the signal and multiply that by the VER- Fig. 5- Oscilloscopes can be used to determine the period
TICAL ATFENUATOR setting. For instance, if the attenuator (directly) and the frequency (indirectly) of waveforms
were set at 2- VOLTS- PER -DIV, the voltage of the signal shown displayed on the screen of the CRT.
in Fig. 3 would be 8- volts.
But what kind of AC voltage are we measuring? Readings kHz. When calculating the period or frequency of a wave-
obtained using an AC voltmeter are rms (root mean square). form, be sure to take into account the effect of a magnifier, if
But oscilloscopes can not measure rms voltages directly; the used.
waveform observed on an oscilloscope is peak-to -peak. For a
sinewave, the two quantities can be related to one another X -Y measurements
through the equation The X -axis of an oscilloscope display need not necessarily
Vp = 1.414VRMS be time. Many oscilloscopes have an X -Y mode in Which one
For a squarewave, the peak-to -peak and rms values are identi- of the input channels is applied to the horizontal amplifier.
cal. For more complex waveforms, more complex rela- What is the use of such a mode? Well, one popular use is to
tionships exist. measure frequency and phase using Lissajous patterns. A
We can use DC coupling to allow an oscilloscope to Lissajous pattern is the pattern that is generated when a
measure DC- voltage levels. Consider the waveform shown in sinewave of one frequency is plotted against the cosinewave (a
Fig. 4A. Assuming that the vertical attenuator is set for 10- sinewave that is shifted 90 °) of another. Studying those pat-
MV-PER-DIV, and AC coupling is selected, it shows a 40 -mv terns can reveal the frequency and phase relationships of the
peak -to -peak squarewave. However, there is no way to know two signals. Several simple patterns are shown in Fig. 6.
whether the baseline is actually zero volts. The most basic of those patterns, the circle of Fig. 6A, can
In Fig. 4B the same signal is shown; but there DC coupling be used to determine an unknown frequency. The circle is
is selected, which reveals that the AC signal is superimposed, generated when the frequency, amplitude, and phase of the
or riding, on a 3 -volt DC voltage. (Note that the vertical two input signals are identical. The technique is simple: a
attenuator has been reset to -VOLT-PER DIV.) The 0 -volt line
I frequency generator output is fed to one amplifier, say the
had been previously established as the fourth (middle) line of vertical one, while the unknown signal is applied to the
the graticle (using the GROUND position of the INPUT COUP- horizontal amplifier. The output of the generator is varied
LING switch). until the perfect circle is formed. The frequency can then be
Oscilloscopes are also used to measure the period (di- determined from the generator's settings.
rectly) and frequency (indirectly) of a waveform. The period
of the waveform is easily found by counting the number of Common Errors
divisions each cycle occupies and multiplying that by the Because an oscilloscope can be among the most compli-
setting of the time base. For the triangular wave of Fig. 5, cated test instruments to operate, errors are often made in its
assuming that a time base of 5-Ms-PER-DIV has been selected, use. As is usually the case, those errors are unnecessary.
the period is simply 20 milliseconds. Since the frequency is Most errors are caused by incorrect assumptions. For in-
simply equal to divided by the period, here it is equal to 5
1 (Continued on page 108)

A
B
Fig. 6 -Some simple Lissajous patterns. In A, the vertical
and horizontal frequencies are identical. In B, the horizontal
frequency is twice the vertical. In C the vertical frequency is
twice the horizontal. In D, the vertical frequency is three times
the horizontal. In E, the pattern shows a three (vertical) to two
(horizontal) ratio. In all cases the horizontal and vertical signals
have the same phase and amplitude.
E

93
 QUICKY
TELEPHONE-
LINE
TESTER
Getting telephone service restored
is a snap when you know who to call
this simple tester points you
-
in the right direction.
By Herb Fr iedman

WITH ONE BOLD STROKE OF A PEN, OUR GOVERNMENT other. After the tester glows to certify the line is alive, pick up
broke up Ma Bell and created a multitude of problems for the the telephone's handset (placing the telephone off-hook). If
consumer. Unfortunately, one of the disastrous effects of that the telephone connects to the line, the Quicky Tester's glow
so- called "victory" is that responsibility for repair of tele- will extinguish; if it doesn't, the telephone isn't connected to
phone equipment has been foisted on the subscriber. Now the line. (There is probably an internal problem in the instru-
your local telephone company handles only repairs to the line ment.)
itself, while what's left of Ma Bell takes care of the instru- To check the ringing voltage, you simply dial your local
ment itself-provided that you rent your equipment from telephone company's ring buck number and hang up the
them. (If yoti don't rent from them, it's "tough luck, fella.") phone. If you don't know that number, ask a friend to call
Essentially, you end up playing Russian Roulette when
your phone doesn't work. If you call in the wrong outfit, you
can be stuck for a "service charge" of about $50 or more and UNUSED SHORT
still not get your service restored, because, as they say, "It's YELLOW LEAD

not my job." The problem has become so bad that there's

been a rush of test equipment to the marketplace to help both
users and TV service technicians do telephone repairs.
Unfortunately, "professional" test equipment often costs
UNUSED
more than a new telephone, yet it doesn't do much more than BLACK
our Quickie Telephone -Line Tester; which, incidentally, can MODULAR RED
be built for just a few dollars. TELEPHONE PLUG

About The Circuit

The Quickie Tester -which consists of only two elec-
tronics components (see Fig. 1) -tests the polarity of the MODULAR
PLUG
telephone jack's wiring, the presence of sufficient voltage to (FRONT VIEW) LONG
run the telephone, the telephone's "off- hook" loading (to LEAD
determine if the telephone is really connected), and ringing (NEXT TO
FLAT EDGE)
voltage. To use the device, you need only plug it into a BLK GRN
telephone's modular jack. If the jack is wired correctly, the
YEL
Quickie Tester will emit a green glow. If, on the other hand, RED

the jack's connections have been reversed, the tester glows Fig. 1 -The Quicky Telephone -Line Tester consists of only

red. Either way, if the tester glows the line is "alive." two components, a 15,000 -ohm resistor and tri -color light-
If you want to check the telephone instrument itself, first emitting diode. The tri -color unit is actually two LED's
(red and green) housed in a single package that are connected
install a two-set modular adapter on the wall jack. That reversed bias and in parallel with each other. Thus, when
adapter is available at most electronics parts outlets and one is turned on the other is off. When an alternating
variety stores-you'll even find them in supermarkets. Con- current is applied, the two LED's alternately glow, giving
nect the Quicky Tester to one socket and the telephone to the the appearance of a third color (yellow).

94
 How It Works
LED! is a Tri -Color light- emitting diode -which actually
Tack solder consists of separate green and red LED's in a single package
the resistor to and wired back -to -back (as shown in Fig. 1) so that a positive
the short lead DC voltage causes the device to glow green, while a negative
of the LED. DC voltage causes a red glow. Resistor RI's value must be
Slip the plastic large enough so that the current produced by the 90 -volt AC
tubing over the ringing signal doesn't overload the LED. And yet, RI's
modular cord, resistance value must be small enough so that the LED glows
push it back out in response to the 48 -volt DC line voltage. A 15,000 -ohm unit
of the way, and
is capable of handling both situations.
tack solder the
LED's long lead The reason the glow extinguishes when a telephone is
and the resistor. connected to the line is that the telephone represents a load of
See Fig. 1. approximately 200 -250 ohms, which causes the line voltage
to drop to about 5 volts. Part of the reason for RI's 15,000 -
Slide the plastic ohm value is to drop the current to the LED so low at 5 -volts
tubing up to the DC that the glow is too dim to be seen; thereby, serving as a
LED. 1- it's loose, test that a telephone has, in fact, been connected to the
apply a drop of telephone line.
glue a here the
tubinc meets the
Similarly, if you want to check an extension telephone,
cord's insulation. simply connect the tester at one jack and pick up the exten-
sion phone in the other room. The tester's glow should
extinguish when the extension goes off-hook.

Construction
There is absolutely no sense in turning the Quickie Tele-
phone -line Tester into an expensive project by using a fancy
cabinet and construction. The "pocket- tester" assembly
shown in the photos will work just as well as anything else,
and it will fold neatly into a short pocket; it's built that way.
To use the Quickie The shorter lead of the LED -the one that's not adjacent to
Telephone -Line
Tester just plug
the "flat" edge of the LED itself -is cut to %a of an inch. The
it into a modular
long lead, the one adjacent to the flat edge, is cut to a % inch.
jack. The LED's Then, cut one lead of a %a -watt, 15,000 -ohm resistor to a 1/4
glow and color inch, and tack -solder the resistor to the LED's %a -inch lead.
tells ail is okay; Cut the other resistor lead to a quarter of an inch after the
well, maybe. soldering. (You'll need the extra lead length to hold the
resistor in position when soldering.) Now, cut a length of
you. At the instant the phone is hung up the tester will glow. salvaged modular telephone wire to about 12 inches, strip off
After a few seconds the tester will flicker intermittently, the outer insulation on one end to three -quarters of an inch,
indicating that there is ringing voltage. If the phone doesn't and clip off the black and yellow wires at the insulation. Strip
ring in step with the flickering, or doesn't ring at all, the a quarter-of-an -inch of insulation from the red lead and tin
problem is most likely a defective ringer circuit in the tele- (coat with solder) the bare wire. Cut the green lead to 3/8 of an
phone. In that instance, the easiest thing to do is simply inch and strip away a '/a inch of insulation.
borrow another phone and try again. If the new phone rings, PARTS LIST FOR THE QUICKY
the old phone is defective. If the new phone also doesn't ring, TELEPHONE -LINE TESTER
it's time to call the local telephone company -their ringing
voltage might be too low. LEDI -Tri -color light- emitting diode (Radio Shack 276-
035 or similar)
Why Worry About Polarity? R1- 15,000-ohm, 1/4-watt, 10% resistor
Modular cable, plastic tubing, solder, etc.
A logical question is, "Why worry about the polarity of the
jack's wiring? What does it matter if the glow is red or Next, slip a 2 -inch length of 3/6 -inch diameter clear plastic
green ?" Normally, polarity doesn't make any difference at all tubing (which costs about 12 -cents per foot at local hardware
to a conventional telephone or to accessories like an answer- stores) over the wire, and push it down and out of the way.
ing machine. But some aftermarket equipment is sensitive to Tack solder the red wire on the free LED lead directly
polarity: For example, some "conference" devices, which opposite the body of the resistor, and then tack solder the
simply connect two telephone lines together, disable both green wire to the resistor and trim. If done correctly, both
lines if the polarity of one line is reversed. wires are insulated from each other by the resistor-there
In addition, some telephones may ring or "tick" when an should be no need to use tape or spaghetti. Finally, slide the
extension on the same line goes "on- hook" (is hung up) if the plastic tubing up the wire to the LED.
polarity at one jack is reversed. Normally, the telephone It takes about 15 minutes to assemble the device, yet it can
installer should have wired the jacks so that the green wire is easily save a $50 service charge the next time your telephone
positive and the red is negative. fails to work.

95
 POWER SUPPLY
BALANCE
INDICATOR
By J. Daniel Gifford

testing or design using integrated

If you're into circuit
circuits-which often require precision, split -power
supplies -then this little balance indicator is for you.
A SPLIT POWER SUPPLY, ONE WITH BOTH POSITIVE AND ing a balanced output. If either one differs from the other by
negative outputs, is often a necessity when working with more than 10% a red WARN light -emitting diode, LED3 will
many types of linear or digital integrated circuits. Most such light to tell you there's potential trouble.
IC's and their surrounding circuits require that the two halves
of the supply be equal to each other within a few percent. How it Works
When you test or design such circuits, if the positive and At the heart of the Power Supply Balance Indicator, there
negative supply levels differ by a significant amount, the are two comparator pairs from an LM339N quad comparator.
circuit can malfunction or even self-destruct. The "signifi- One set of comparators drives the yellow positive ( + ) and
cant amount" is a function of the IC's characteristics that -
negative ( ) indicators; the other pair jointly drives the red
appear in the part's specification sheet prepared by the man- WARN LED3. The circuit, shown in Fig. 1, draws its power
ufacturer. from the unregulated portion of the power supply, which is
Unless you are fortunate enough to own a split -power regulated into a 30 -volt supply for the circuit by UI and U2, a
supply with a precision meter for each side, you know that it's positive and negative regulator pair. Although the LM339N
difficult to get and keep both sides in perfect alignment. You "sees" 30 volts, the supply is actually + 15 volts, since it
must either rely on a single, built -in meter switched between straddles the power-supply ground. One input of each com-
the positive and negative outputs, or use a digital multimeter parator is also tied to ground.
(DMM) or volt -ohm meter (VOM) to carefully set each level. The four comparators get their switching inputs from two
Both methods are clumsy, and neither one gives any warning parallel resistor divider strings. Both strings have their ends
of shifting voltage levels. Your first indication of a power- tied between the power supply's positive and negative output
supply imbalance could be a strange odor, or smoke coming terminals. The first string, consisting of R4, R5, and R6,
from an integrated circuit!
The Power Supply Balance Indicator is designed UNREGULATED U1
-35V O+VOUT
to be an inexpensive quick fix for that problem. Its 17 IN
p N +15VDC OUT R4
REG 100K
small circuit board and three LED's can be tucked 78151
LED1
(YELLOW) 1%
into a corner of even the most compact power supply; and its GND
U3-a
operation is automatic and adjustment -free.
The only visible part of the Indicator are the three LED's,
R1
2.8K i 1/4 LM339 R5
which can be mounted anywhere on the power supply's LED2 2.2K
faceplate. The operation of the circuit is simple: When the

\i
(YELLOW) 4
R7
positive supply is set to a higher level than the negative, the U3 -b 100K

yellow " +" indicator, LEDI, will light. When the negative R2 + " 1%

-
supply is set higher than the positive, the yellow " " one,
2.8K
1/4 LM339N
R6
LED2, will light. When the two supply- voltage levels are 100K
within 1% of each other, both LEDI and LED2 glow, indicat- LED3 1%
WARN"
(RED) 11
13
Fig. 1 -The
schematic of the Power Supply Balance Indicator. U3-c
10
As you can see, there is very little to the circuit. Also, R3
2.8K
note that the schematic diagram specifies 28,000 -ohm 1/4 LM339 #R8
resistors for R1 -R3. If those values are not readily =C1 50K
available, simply measure several 27,000 -ohm, 5% units
1µF /16V
TANT. 14
9
until you come up with the necessary values. U3 d
C2
GND
1µF /16V R9
U2 TANT.
UNREGULATED
-17 -35V IN
o- -15V GC
1/4 LM339 100K
1%
OUT
79151 -VOUT

96
 14

D OUT regulators are shown in Fig. 2.

The two 15 -volt regulators require at least two 17 -volt
C OUT inputs for proper operation. Since the Indicator has been
designed for use with the most common 15 -volt output type of
OUT V -(GND)
power supply, that voltage should be available at the supply's
o GND unregulated portion. If the power supply output is less than 17
IN
7815T volts, the unregulated voltage probably will be lower, too. If
v^-
o
OUT
IN
LM339N
C+
that's the case, lower output regulators may be used in place
of the 15 -volt units. Most IC regulators require an input
C-
GND voltage of 1.5 -2 volts greater than their rated output.
79151
With higher power-supply output levels (up to about 30
D+ volts), the 15 -volt regulators may still be used; but the Indica-
tor should not be used with power supplies that have more
D- than 25 -volt outputs, to prevent damage to the LM339N
integrated circuit. Other than the voltage requirements, the
only portion of the Indicator that is critical are the two divider
Fig.2 -The pinouts of the integrated circuit and the two
three -terminal regulators used in the Indicator. Those units, strings.
in TO -220 packages, are rated for currents up to 1 ampere. The four 100,000 -ohm resistors (R4, R6, R7, R9) are the
backbone of the dividers and should have a tolerance of 1% or
divides the input voltage in half, with output taps at 0.5 %. better. Resistors R4 and R6 are particularly critical, because
The other string, made up of R7, R8, and R9, also divides the imbalance between those two units would result in an er-
input voltage in half, with taps at + 10 %. roneous balance indication from the indicator LED's. There-
The 0.5% R4 /R5 /R6 string drives the two comparators fore, that resistor pair should be matched as closely as
controlling the positive and negative indicators (LED1 and possible. The 1% units need not be purchased: By measuring
LED2). Their inputs are crossed so that LED2 does not fire the actual resistance of several 100,000 -ohm, 5% units, you
until the positive supply is at least 0.5% higher than the can come very close to the specified value, with the two
negative, and the positive indicator does not go off until the resistors well within 1% of each other. The other pair of
negative; supply is at least 0.5% higher than the positive (in 100,000 -ohm units, R7 and R9, are not as critical, an un-
relative levels.) That overlap permits both LED's to be on matched tolerance of 1% will be adequate, but using the
when the two supplies are in I% or better balance. method those two units gives greater accuracy.
The + 10% R7 /R8 /R9 string drives the other two com- The circuit board of the Power Supply Balance Indicator
parators, which control the WARN indicator. If either side of can be mounted anywhere within the power supply where
the supply is 10% or more higher than the other. one of the there is room. All of the components except the three LED's
two comparators will switch its output low and light the red should be mounted on the circuit board. The positive and
LED3 (the LM339N has opened -collector outputs, allowing negative power inputs and the ground input should be con-
such wired-OR connections.) The inputs are not crossed as nected to the power supply at the supply's filter capacitors.
with the other comparator pair, so there is a band in the The two inputs to the divider strings should be connected
middle where neither comparator's output is low so the LED internally to the positive and negative output terminals of the
remains off. power supply.
Note that the schematic diagram (Fig. 1) shows 28,000 - The three LED's may be mounted anywhere that is conve-
ohm resistors used for R1 R3. While that value is standard in nient on the power supply's faceplate. If the controls for the
1% units, it is not in 5% resistors. However, by measuring the positive and negative sides of the supply are on different sides
actual value of several 27,000 -ohm, 5% units, you are sure to of the face, the LED's may be mounted on corresponding
get exactly what you need. sides and wired to the Indicator board. If the controls are not
arranged in that manner, follow the layout in Fig. 3.
Construction
There is very little that is critical about the construction of
PARTS LIST FOR
the Power Supply Balance Indicator. It can be built on per- POWER SUPPLY BALANCE INDICATOR
fboard using point -to -point wiring techniques (soldered or
wire wrap) or you may choose to etch your own board; it's Cl, C2 -I
-µF, 16 -WVDC, tantalum capacitor
your choice. The pinouts for the integrated circuit and the two LED1, LED2-Jumbo yellow or amber light- emitting di-
LED3 ode
(RED) LED3 -Jumbo red light- emitting diode
R1 R3- 2.7,000 -ohm, 1/2-watt resistor(see text)
R4, R6, R7, R9- 100,000 -ohms, 1/2 -watt, 1% resistor
LED2
(YELLOW) + LED1 (see text)
(YELLOW) R5- 2200 -ohm, 1/2 -watt resistor
R8- 50,000 -ohm, 1/2-watt resistor
WARN U1 -7815T positive 15 -volt regulator (Radio Shack
#276 -1772)
Fig. 3 -The recommended layout of the indicator LED's; U2 -7915T negative 15 -volt regulator
but if necessary, they may be arranged in any way that's U3- LM339N quad comparator integrated circuit (Ra-
convenient for you. Just be sure to observe the proper dio Shack #276 -1712)
polarity when connecting them to the board.

97
 By Herb Friedman

ON COMPUTERS

Ahard -disk system can give your personal computer the power it
needs to handle almost any large application program available!
WHILE THE DOUBLE -SIDED FLOPPY can be written to a disk is proportional to ashaving "Il MB of storage: 10 MB for-
disks that are common to the new genera- the speed of the disk, the hard disk can matted," meaning that the blank disk
tion of computers are generally more than store more data per unit of track than a (which can't possibly be used as is) can
adequate for single -application programs. floppy. store ll megabytes. But after the disk(s) is
modern multi -function programs are The most modern conventional formatted only 10 megabytes are available
often so large that just the program it- (sealed) hard-disk drives generally con- to the user. That's because an unformatted
self- without its data files -can easily tain one or more internal disks. As a rule disk cannot be used by the typical applica-
approach the capacity of the double -sided of thumb, the latest and most cost- effec- tions-oriented personal computer user.
floppy disk. And even routine use of such tive designs can store 2.5 MB (mega- Only the formatted capacity is available
software can require frequent time -con- bytes) per side. or 5 MB per disk. A 5 -1/2 for user storage. Because some of the
suming and annoying disk- swaps. From inch hard -disk mechanism providing 10 formatting data is common to all the disks
word processing to spreadsheets to CAD MB of storage usually has two disks: A 20 in the drive, the storage progression is not
(computer aided design), much of the MB drive generally has four disks, etc. necessarily linear. A particular family of
latest software requires on -line disk stor- The figures 2.5 MB, 5 MB, etc. refer to hard -disk drives might be available in
age that's substantially greater than that of the amount of user storage. In fact, the storage capacities of 10 MB. 20 MB, 42
the conventional double -sided floppy disks are capable of slightly more than MB.
disk. Although it is possible to attain such their rated capacities. but some of the
storage by using one or more high-density disk's storage capacity is required for for- Hard Disk Cartridges
floppy disk drives such as the one used in matting- formatting being data that must Although the most commonly used
the IBM PC /AT, a hard disk provides a be on the disk for the hard -disk system to hard-disk drives have the magnetic disks
more practical and cost -effective answer work. sealed in some manner so they are pro -
to greater on -line disk storage for con- Often, you'll see a hard disk advertised (Continued on page 104)
ventional personal computers.

A Magnetized Surface
Hard disk is a generic term for any kind
of mechanism that uses a rigid metallic
disk with a magnetic coating. As far as the
user is concerned it doesn't make any
difference what the specific coating mate-
rial is as long as it can store magnetic
information in the same manner as a con-
ventional floppy disk. Although there are
several different kinds of hard -disk mech-
anisms on the market, because of their
reliability and unusually low retail price,
the most popular is a design known as a
Winchester. Winchester is IBM's internal
code name for the particular mechanism
when it was being developed.

More Storage
Hard -disk drives provide greater stor-
age capacity because of the way in which
the device is built. Because the disk is
rigid, it has á more precise surface in
relationship to the read /write head, which
permits a denser track count. And for the Hard disk drive units come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations. This
same reason, it can be rotated at more than assortment of 5 -1/4 inch drives are from a single manufacturer, and
ten times the speed of a floppy disk. Since are designed for use with a single computer, an IBM -compatible. There is at
the amount of magnetic information that least one hard disk unit available for every conventional personal computer.

98
Identify IC's
(Continued from page 38)

2.ZK 1 9K

o
V+ NULL
$n n n __CL_
950 75o

t.SK 850 Z.2K l.9K

ZK 2b0K - 1K

TUF U U U4
nr V- 75K 75K 75K 20K
NJ JLi
Fig. 5- Linear devices can also
be identified using the signature
chart. This completed signature
chart reveals the signature
of a 741 op -amp IC.

ohms one way, 850 ohms the other (pins and -1, and 5 and 4 1.
I

Those techniques work on linear, as well as digital devices. and they may deviate quite a bit from nominal 1000 ohms
For example: A signature of an 8 -pin DIP 741 op -amp is given in spec sheets. Nevertheless the offset -null- terminals
shown in Fig. 5. Note that the low- resistance row still identi- are clearly identified.
fies the substrate, V, for an op -amp, and also that the lowest The op -amp inputs are almost impossible to identify from a
reading in that row identifies + V. The only other uncircled signature, but the information already obtained is enough to
reading in row 4 is 950 ohms in column 6, identifying pin 6 as identify the IC in the data books.
the output terminal. The alert electronics experimenter uses all the clues he can
The 741 8 -pin DIP op -amp has nominal 1000-ohm resistors get, using the test equipment he has on hand. But when there
from each offset -null terminal to V. The circled resistances aren't any advance clues -when there is no PC board, or
in Fig. 5 illustrate some interesting facts about IC resistors: when there are no partial markings to go by -then the only
They do not always read the same in both directions-750 alternative you have to go on is the IC signature.

WHAT MAKES THE IC SIGNATURE POSSIBLE

Practically all IC outputs, linear or digital, are formed diode, conducts well in one direction and poorly in the
from transistor collectors. All NPN collectors are embed- other.
ded in a P-type substrate that is designated ground ( -V for Connecting an ohmmeter from substrate to collector in
linear IC's). As shown in the accompanying diagram, the the forward direction (positive lead to substrate) will cause
collector substrate forms a PN junction that, like any other the ohmmeter to indicate between 500 and 900 ohms.
Other diodes in the same IC will read between 950 and
1300 ohms. Actual resistance values will vary with the
type of ohmmeter and the degree of doping in the IC, but
BASE Bo- the IC outputs will always give the lowest readings.
COLLECTOR iP Thus it is possible to locate every output terminal on an
EMITTER IC. The row containing all those low-resistance readings
IC SUBSTRATE will be the ground ( V) row.
GND
OR
b In every IC there are usually several transistors whose
V collectors are connected to Vie either directly or through
some resistance, when reading forward resistance from
substrate to Vc, ( + V in linear IC's), that multiplicity of
SUBSTRATE paths will give a lower reading than any other terminal on
the IC.
Thus it is possible to identify the Vcc terminal.

101
 Telephone Remote /Control System so designate) on, then device 3 off!
(Continued from page 79) 1. Perform steps 1 through 3 above.
2. Dial 1 (device 1 on).
2. Dial 2 (first number of the access code). 3. Dial 0 (off).
3. Dial your pre-programmed access code. 4. Dial 3 (device 3).
4. Dial 9 (all lights on). 5. Place telephone on -hook.
5. Place telephone on -hook.
Let's turn all the control modules off! NOTE: Steps 2 through 4 should be performed
1. Perform steps 1 through 3 above. within 15 seconds after step 1.
2. Dial 0 (off).
3. Dial 9 (all control modules). That's all there is to it! Your Telephone Remote /Control
4. Place telephone on -hook. System is up and running, and so are your BSR remote
Let's turn device 1 (could be any appliance or lamp you control modular and switches throughout the house.

Jensen on DX'ing
(Continued from page 22)
nels below 6 MHz (megaHertz). With re-
ception generally limited to the hours of
darkness, the higher static levels, co-
channel interference from other stations
and, in short, tougher reception condi-
tions, SWL's often tend to avoid those
BE/Y/AI6' Ifs bands.
Finally, while some of the major sta-
tions in South America have English lan-
guage programming, most broadcasts are
Sotegite
9 in Spanish or Portuguese.
Still, if you're bold enough to try,
you'll find much listening enjoyment -
particularly in the musical offerings, and
*WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY *SATELLITE -TV BASICS some exotic catches among those sta-
*ALL ABOUT SATELLITE -TV DISHES *TURNKEY SYSTEMS tions.
*HOW TO INSTALL A TVRO SYSTEM * To get started, if you've been avoiding
Latin America DX'ing thus far, here are
some stations to dial. Some have English
broadcasts; some don't.
Almost as sure as death and taxes is the
likelihood that one of your first South
American loggings will be HCJB, the
Voice of the Andes, in Quito, Ecuador.
HCJB is a religious station which has
been on shortwave since the 1930's. It was
my very first SW logging back in 1947, so
it retains a special place in my memories.
Signals are strong and there are plenty of
English broadcasts. You can find HCJB
on several frequencies, including 9,745
kHz and 15,155 kHz during the evening
Don't miss out again! hours in North America.
You may enjoy, "Passport," at 0100
Send away today for your 48-page book- specifications, and how you. the home making one that will work for you. GMT /UTC, an English show which
let containing a complete reprint of all constructor, can meet them. Find out RECEIVER -SYSTEM hardware, and focuses on South American features, mu-
seven articles in the series on Backyard what mechanical and electronics skills how it goes together to bring you direct -
Satellite TV Receivers by Robert B. you need. from- satellite TV reception in your own sic and news, plus some religious items. It
Cooper. Jr. RECEIVER CHARACTERISTICS, home. is broadcast each weeknight.
technical details and specifications,
This all -inclusive report gives you all the along with examples of actual receivers
Also with an English schedule is the
data you need to build your own Back- built at comparatively low cost. To order your copy: government station in Buenos Aires, Ar-
yard Satellite TV Receiver. ANTENNA DESIGN... and exactly Complete coupon and enclose it with
how you can build a spherical antenna, your check or money order for $7.00.
gentina. RAE, Radiodifusora Argentina
TELLS ALL ABOUT domestic satel- while keeping total earth -station cost for plus $1.00 for postage and handling. We al Exterior, has English programs daily
lite communications, with full details on the complete system under $1,000. will ship your reprint within 6 weeks of on 9,690 kHz and 11,710 khz from 0100 to
how you can pull those elusive TV sig- THE FRONT END is critical when receipt of your order. All others add
nals from space. you build your own system. We help you $4.00 for postage. New York State resi- 0200 and from 0400 to 0500 GMT /UTC.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, technical explore several different approaches to dents must add 58c sales tax. From Brazil, the English programs
from Radio Nacional Brasilia, or Radi-
Satellite TV Reprints
Please peel
obras-are, it is reported, an endangered
Radio 45 East 17th Street species. Brazilian government funding is
Elettronica New York, N.Y 10003 (Name,

at a bare minimum. But as of this writing,

Iwant reprints $7.00 each, plus $1 for han- (Street address) the schedule included programming at
a
dling & First Class postage.
have enclosed $
I N Y. State residents must add 0200 GMT /UTC on 11,745 kHz, and, at
sales tax. (U.S. and Canada only) clivi (State) 2.p)
-J (Continued on page 104)

102
1
 411111.1--

Adjustable Timer bench, it is suggested that it be placed into a suitable en-

(Continued from page 52) closure. There is very little reason to use a metal case unless,
installed according to the layout obtained from the paper of course, you just happen to have one handy: otherwise, any
record (or the breadboard) and soldered in place on the pre - small box or chassis may be used. Regardless of the type of
etched board, you end up with a neatly assembled printed box that you choose, it should have some form of front panel
circuit. And the paper overlay can be filed away for future use on which to mount the time -selection dial (potentiometer RI),
should you decide to duplicate the circuit. the two pushbutton switches, and the status lamps.
With the values shown for R1, R2, and Cl, the timer will If such construction is decided on, a small toggle or slide
have a range of from 0 to about 30 seconds. The range can be switch should also be used to disconnect the battery when not
either increased or decreased by changing the value of Cl. in use. By the way, even though a 6 -volt battery is suggested,
The duty cycle may be altered by varying the value of R2, but there is little reason why a 9 -volt unit cannot be substituted,
that shouldn't be necessary under most conditions. As will be as the frequency of oscillation (timing) is almost entirely
evident, the output at pin 3 will remain low when the circuit is independent of battery potential. You may, however, want to
in the reset state. Upon pressing the START button, Si, the check to make sure that the light- emitting diodes are not
output will go high and remain at that level until it has timed passing too much current.
out; then, it will once more return to a low. That low -to -high When mounting the time -adjustment potentiometer, R1, a
transition (or pulse) may be used as a keying signal for pointer type knob should be affixed to the shaft. A stopwatch
operation of some peripheral circuit or equipment. or other timer may be used to check the time at each individu-
The capacitors designated as C2 and C3 are somewhat al position the control will represent. Mark major portions
optional. However, they are recommended for best overall such as second, 10 seconds, etc. until you have enough
1

operation. Stray signal pickup may be introduced into pin 5 if markings to be able to make use of the timer for the intended
it is left unbypassed. If C3 is omitted and the power-supply application. In general, the better the quality of the capacitor
bus is not too stable, the pulses from the timer may find their used for Cl, the more useful the time settings become. For
way back onto the common supply lines and into other just experimenting, one of the poorer quality units, having a
circuits being supplied by that potential. The values of C2 20- percent tolerance, is fine. But if you are serious about
and C3 are not critical; however, for C2, the manufacturer using the unit for testing, or in some application where timing
recommends a 0.01 -µF unit -but for C3, almost any small is all important, then you may want to consider a tantalum
electrolytic available to you that's in the range indicated in capacitor.
Fig. should do just fine.
1 The Adjustable Timer circuit has been built several times
from scratch and has never failed to operate the first time. One
Boxing Time word of caution, though! If the unit does not start timing
If you intend (after experimenting with the circuit) to build immediately, make sure that R1 is not set to the extreme low
the Adjustable Timer into a permanent adjunct to your test end of its range. No other special precautions are needed.

1/IN
R1

.--,
-C2- __ /if
1 LED1

U1 R4

I//J
I
S2 s1

_T-
-0 o- o-
START RESET

Fig. 2 -The construction of the circuit is simplified by the use of a pre- etched experimenter's board.
The layout is not critical and any arrangement convenient may be substituted.
103
 (Continuedfrom page 102) Radio Globo, 11,805 kHz; Radio Band- currently 9,550 kHz and 15,140 kHz.Its
1800 GMT /UTC on 11,955 kHz. eirantes, 11,925 kHz, and Radio Record, daily schedule runs from 0930 until 0330
There are plenty of privately owned 11,965 kHz. GMT /UTC, and it has been heard recently
Brazilian SW stations. In fact, Brazil is From Colombia, one of the strongest in Spanish about 0100 GMT /UTC with
one of the most "radio- active" countries, and the most consistent signals is that of decent signals.
in numbers of stations, on shortwave. Pro- Radio Sutatenza, operated by a Roman Another Chilean shortwave station is
grams are, of course, in Portuguese. Catholic agency, although its program- Radio Mineria, which transmits on 9,750
Several stations to look for during the ming is not typically religious in tone. kHz.
late afternoon and early evening hours are: You'll find that Spanish -language station There are a number of Peruvian outlets
Radiodifussora Macapa, 4,915 kHz; Ra- quite easy to hear since it is all alone on its on SW. There seem to be more new sta-
dio Inconfidencia, 6,000 kHz; Radio Ap- 5,095 kHz frequency most of the time, tions on the air from Peru lately than from
arecida, 6,010 kHz; Radio Clube mornings and evenings. any other Latin -American country. Many
Paranaense, 6,045 kHz; Radio Universo, Radio Nacional de Chile from Santiago of them, however, seem to be unlicensed.
9,545 kHz; Radio Guaiba, 11,785 kHz; operates on two shortwave frequencies, Almost all of the Peruvian stations are
broadcasting to domestic audiences. For
that reason, most signals are not as power-
. REPRINT
ful as those from other countries and there
is no English programming to be heard.
Radio- Elecironucs. BOOKSTORE Here are some DX opportunities for you:
4,790 kHz, Radio Atlantida in Iquitos;
7 Radio- Electronics back issues (1985) $3.00 Special Projects #4 (Summer 1982) $4.50
4,885 kHz, Radio Huancavelica in the
Write in issues desired Special Projects #5 (Winter 1983) $4.50 town of the same name; 4,990 kHz., Ra-
Radio-Electronics back issues (1984) $3.50 Special Projects #6 (Spring 1983) $4.50 dio Ancash; 5,199 kHz, Radio Imagen;
(January 1984 not available) Special Projects #7, #8, #9 ... NOT AVAILABLE 6,115 kHz, Radio Union; and 6,188 kHz,
Write in issues desired Special Projects #10 (Spring 84) $4.50
$3.50 $3.50
Radio Oriente.
_] Radio -Electronics back issues (1983) Radio- Electronics Annual 1983
(January, February 1983, May 1983 not available) Radio -Electronics Annual 1984 $3.50 On a number of those Peruvian sta-
Write in issues desired Radio -Electronics Annual 1985 $3.50 tions, you'll hear huayno selections, the
7 Radio- Electronics back issues (1982) $4.00 Radio -Electronics Annual 1986 $2.50 typical music of the Andes. You'll quickly
Write in issues desired How to Make PC Boards $2.00
7 Radio -Electronics back issues (1981) $4.00 All About Kits $2.00
peg it as the sound duplicated a few years
(Jan., Feb., March, Dec. 1981 not available) E Modern Electrics (Vol. 1. #1 $2.25 back by Simon and Garfunkel on their
Write in issues desired April 1908) recording of "El Condor Pasa."
Etch your own PC boards $3.00 Electro Importing Co. Catalog $4.95 Venezuela's national shortwave voice,
i
1 Hands On Electronics #1
Hands On Electronics #2
Hands On Electronics #3
$4.00
$4.00
$4.00
(1918) (176 pp)
Low Frequency Receiving Techniques
Building and using VLF Antennas
$6.00
Radio Nacional from Caracas broadcasts
on 9,540 kHz, plus, at the moment, a
Hands On Electronics #4 $3.50 New ideas - 42 circuits for experimenters .. $3.50 parallel 9,500 kHz frequency; apparently
1 Hands On Electronics #5 $2.50 Descrambler (Jan., Feb., 1981) $3.00 a change from the former 11,695 -kHz out-
i VCR Repairs $3.00 Descrambling (Feb., 1984) $2.00
let.
E IBM Typewriter to Receiving Satellite Television $7.00
Computer Interface $3.00 As with most of those South American
SW stations, the best times to try for them
To order any of the items indicated above, check off the If you need a copy of an article that is in an issue we are the early morning hours, about dawn,
ones you want. Complete the order form below, include indicate is unavailable you can order it directly from us. and during the evening.
your payment, check or money order (DO NOT SEND We charge 50( per page. Indicate the issue (month &
A favorite for music is another Caracas,
CASH), and mail to Radio -Electronics, Reprint Depart- year), pages and article desired. Include payment in
ment, 200 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10003. full, plus shipping and handling charge. (Concluded on page 108)
Please allow 4 -6 weeks for delivery.
Friedman on Computers
(Continued from page 98)
tected by a filtered air supply from air-
ARTICLE
bornes such as dust, there are available for
the latest generation of personal comput-
ers, hard -disk drives that use plug -in disk
cartridges -the hard disk is enclosed in a
PAGES MONTH YEAR
plastic case that can be easily removed
from the drive mechanism. That kind of
design permits almost unlimited hard -
TOTAL PAGES @,50C each TOTAL PRICE disk storage because a fresh hard disk can
be quickly substituted for a full disk. Of
course, the removable hard disk has the
MAIL TO Radio- Electronics same disk -swapping limitations of a flop-
Reprint Department, 200 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10003 All payments must be in U.S. funds py disk if some of the desired data is on
Total price of order $
Sales Tax (New York State Residents only) $
one disk and the remainder on another.
Shipping & Handling (U.S. & Canada only) (Includes FIRST CLASS POSTAGE) $1.00 per item $ But, because hard disks can be substituted
All other countries ($2.00 per item, sea mail) $ at will, it's just as easy to group related
($4.00 per item, air mail) $
software and data files on the hard disk as
Total Enclosed $ it is on a floppy.
Although the marketplace is overflow-
Name ing with various kinds of surplus 5 -1/4 inch
Address hard -disk units and complete upgrade kits
, City State Zio
for non -cartridge hard-disk drives, the 10
MB hard disk is unofficially recognized as
(Continued on page 106)

104
Digital Fundamentals RECIRCULATE
i
(Continued from page 90)
1 0 1 0

256 -BIT SERIAL

SHIFT REGISTER OUT
SERIAL
A 1010 IN
ORIGINAL STATE AFTER 4 SHIFT PULSES SHIFT

CONTROL
AFTER AFTER 4
ORIGINAL STATE

B 11101?101
PRESET

(IItItI?IO-101018101-00
SHIFT PULSES

CLOCK T BIT COUNTER WORD COUNTER

0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0

Fig. 17 -Shift register applications for (A) serial -to- BYTE ADDRESS
parallel conversion and (B) parallel -to- serial conversion. Fig. 19-A 256 -bit shift register used as a memory bank.

gate C to the shift register input. During that time, any new
OUT
I I 1 serial data is ignored at gate B which is inhibited by the
BYTE BYTE BYTE BYTE BYTE BYTE
0
inverter operated by the CONTROL line.
31 30 29 2 1

To enter new data, the CONTROL. line is set to binary O. That

Fig. 18 -A
256 -bit shift register used as a serial memory enables gate B and inhibits gate A. No recirculation will take
to store 32 bits of data.
place. However, as shift pulses are applied, the new serial
in Fig. 18. The data is entered serially and read out serially. byte to be stored will be shifted in a bit at a time.
Because there are so many flip -flops, parallel output is not To keep track of where the different bytes are stored in the
feasible. shift register memory, the circuit in Fig. 19 uses a 3 -bit binary
Figure 19 shows a complete circuit for using the 256 -bit counter and a 5 -bit binary counter. The 5 -bit binary counter is
shift register as a memory. The gates at the input of the shift a word counter and its output is a 5 -bit binary word we call the
register are used for entering serial data when it is desired to address. Remember that we said that it is possible to store 32
store a byte and for data recirculation. When clock pulses are bytes in a 256 -bit shift register. We label those bytes byte O
applied to a shift register, data that is shifted out is generally through byte 31. The 5 -bit counter has a maximum count
lost. However, it doesn't have to be. By taking the serial capability of 31, therefore, the address appearing at the output
output of the shift register and feeding it back into the shift of the counter designates which byte appears at the far right of
register input, as the serial word is read out it is restored at the the shift register ready to be shifted out.
input. That is accomplished with gates A and C at the input to The 3 -bit binary counter is used to count clock pulses. That
the shift register. The CONTROL line is used to select whether 8 -state counter counts to eight for each byte stored or read
new serial data is to be stored or whether recirculation is to be out. Recall that it takes eight clock pulses to either shift a byte
accomplished. When the CONTROL. input is high, the shift in or shift a byte out. For every eight clock pulses that occur,
register will recirculate. Serial data output is fed to gate a the 5 -bit word counter or address counter is incremented to
which is enabled by the control line. That passes through OR up -date the address.

SHORT QUIZ ON DIGITAL FUNDAMENTALS- LESSON 5: COUNTERS AND SHIFT REGISTERS

1. A four bit binary up counter is preset to 0010. Seven 6. A four bit binary down counter is preset to 0011. Six
input pulses occur. The decimal value of the counter input pulses occur. The binary value of the counter con-
content is: tent is:
a.2 c.9 a. 0011 c. 1010
b,7 d.11 b. 0110 d. 1101
2. The maximum number of states that a 6 -bit counter 7. Clearing a counter or shift register means the same
can represent is as presetting it to
3. The maximum number count capability of a 7 -bit 8. The maximum count of a four bit BCD counter is:
counter is a. 1000 c. 1010
4. A three bit binary counter is cascaded with a BCD b. 1001 d. 1111
counter. An input frequency of 400 kHz is applied to the 9. Counters and shift registers are a type of
circuit. The output frequency is kHz. logic circuits.
5. How many BCD counters does it take to represent 10. List four ways that data can be entered, stored, and
the number 19900? read out of a shift register.
a. 2 c. 4 a. c

b.3 d.5 b. d
(Concluded on page 108)

105
 Friedman on Computers often a fan for cooling. While there are to five additional slots.
(Continued from page 104) variations in the way external hard -disk And then there are the "streaming
the minimum practical value in terms of units connect to various computers, most tape" drives...but that's a subject for an-
convenience and cost -effectiveness be- retain the same kind of controller board other time.
cause 5 MB gets used up quickly by much used for internal hard disk. The difference
of the new super- sophisticated software. between them is that the external drive Security First
Also, a good part of the cost of a hard -disk mechanism connects to the computer The importance of being able to shut
upgrade is represented by the disk con- through cables that provide for some kind down a hard disk independent of the com-
troller, which is the same price of 5, 10, of disconnect of the unit. puter isn't all that obvious. If a computer
20, 30, and 40 MB units. In fact, it's often As far as operation of the hard disk is to function as a host for telecommunica-
wise to consider going directly to a 20 MB drive is concerned there are only two sub- tions, meaning the computer is connected
unit because the additional 10 MB does stantial differences between the internal to a modem that's always connected to a
not increase the overall costs dispropor- and external hard disk: The external hard telephone line, someone can access the
tionately. That is, the price to perfor- disk does not result in loss of a floppy, and computer by simply dialing the tele-
mance relationship isn't linear-20 MB it can be independently turned off by sim- phone. While that is a convenient way to
doesn't cost twice as much as 10 MB; ply turning off its power. permit people to log -in from their home or
usually. the difference is less than 25 %. The external- expansion hard -disk up- a field office, it also places all disk files at
grade is usually possible only for IBM - the mercy of the user. While the files can
Three Kinds Of Hard Disks compatible computers, which normally be protected by sophisticated security
There are basically three kinds of hard have five or less expansion slots. One of software that permit only authorized users
disk upgrades: Internal, external and ex- those slots must be used by the floppy- to access specific files, the use of such
ternal /expansion. The kind that you can disk controller and another by the monitor software doesn't necessarily stop a deter-
use depends on your particular computer. adaptor. With the hard -disk controller, mined meddler. If your computer has an
The least expensive is an internal drive three of the five slots are used, leaving internal hard disk it's always at the mercy
that replaces an existing drive, or one that only two empty slots for additional expan- of whoever accesses the computer-the
fits into a space reserved for a floppy -disk sion -which isn't much, when you con- security software only slows them down.
drive. Either way, you end up with one sider the great variety of accessories If the security software is so good that it
floppy and a hard disk. available for the IBM PC's. cannot be easily defeated, it might prove
An internal hard disk usually "steals" One of the most convenient ways to get to be more trouble than it's worth.
power from the computer's power supply, around the shortage of expansion slots On the other hand, to protect the files of
so you must be certain the power supply and still use a hard disk is to use an exter- an external hard disk, you need only turn
can carry the extra load. And if it can't, nal /expansion, hard -disk upgrade. The off its power switch. Data that's needed at
you must use an external power supply for external/expansion type is basically sim- remote stations can simply be copied to
the hard -disk unit. ilar to the conventional external hard disk, the floppies. In that way, unauthorized
External hard disks are used when in that it is self contained in a cabinet with users cannot muck around in your hard
there's no room inside of the computer for its own power supply. The difference is disk's files to steal or destroy data. If you
unit, or you want a hard disk in addition to that the external -expansion unit also con- wanted to provide access to specific hard
the computer's normal complement of tains five to eight empty expansion slots; disk data, while maintaining security, you
floppies. External hard disks can be the precise number depends on the par- could copy it from the hard disk to a flop-
nothing more than the hard drive itself ticular model. Although the hard disk py A: drive and then turn off the hard disk.
installed in its own a cabinet along with a controller uses one of the computer's Users would then have access to only the
dedicated (separate) power supply, and slots, the external unit provides from three data copied from the hard disk.

NEW IDEAS is packed with 42 practical cir- WANT TO EXPAND your knowledge of elec-
cuits for the Electronics Experimenter and Proj- tronics? Build gadgets that only you can have on
ect Builder. In addition to the headlight alarm, your block? Acquire a library of projects? NEW
the voltage freezer, and the remote telephone IDEAS is the gold mine of circuits you should
ringer, you get complete plans for a simple Tesla own and read. You could start the first night
coil project that can generate 25,000 -volts AC building a project that will have others praising
and draw one -inch sparks. Other interesting what it can do and admiring you for building it.
projects are: a sound -effects generator, a crys-
THERE ARE PROJECTS for everyone -au-
tal tester, a stereo remote control, and much,
much morel Each project was selected for its tomotive, household, test equipment, audio and
hi -fi, and projects just for fun.
low cost of parts!

NEW IDEAS-Circuits for Experimenters and Project

Builders!
Please send one copy of NEW IDEAS at $3.50. First Class postage and handling $1.00 (U.S. and
Canada only). All other countries: $2.00 for sea mail, $3.00 for a r mail.
Please send copies of New Ideas. Total cost is sum of copy price and First Class postage
and handling cost multiplied by number of issues ordered.
Please print Allow 6 -8 weeks for the material to arrive.
Detach and mail today:
HANDS -ON ELECTRONICS
Reprint Department
42 PROJECTS (Name) 200 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
COMPLETE PARTS LISTS
(Street Address) All Payment must be in U.S.
ONE -EVENING PROJECTS Funds!
EASY TO BUILD (City) (State) (Zip)
L
106
 HANDS -ON MARKETPLACE
PRINTED CIRCUITS REEL-TO -REEL TAPES FOR SALE
PRINTED circuit boards -TORCCC Electronics
will print any schematic, 6" by 9" maxium, on a Circuit
AMPEX professional series open reel tape, 1800
or -2400 -feet on 7 inch reels, used once. Case of
- MONITOR CB crystals, $1.00 each in quantity, over
7000 in stock. Free list, G &G COMMUNICATIONS,
board for $1.50. (Larger circuits -add $1.25 per 40, $45.00. 101/2 x 3600 feet and cassettes avail- Main Road, Stafford, NY 14143.
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matic to: TORCCC, 2161 North California, Chicago, Box 6 -HE, Richboro, PA 18954. (215) 322-4866. ELECTRONIC parts. 600 resistors, capacitors, di-
IL 60647. odes. All new, long leads. $6.00 ppd. STAR -TRO-
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CLASSIFIED AD ORDER FORM THIS IS AN EXPANDED -TYPE AD WITH A

TINT SCREEN, See how it jumps out on the
To run your own classified ad, put one word on each of the lines below and send this form along with your check to:
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PLEASE INDICATE in which category of classified advertising you wish your ad to appear. For
special headings, there is a surcharge of $10.00.
background.
( ) Plans, Kits ( ) Business Opportunities ( ) For Sale
( Education /Instruction ( ) Wanted ( ) Satellite Television PLANS /KITS
)
DIGITAL Klock Kit plays 1 -of -12 melodies each
quarter hour. Displays time, date, and other fea-
Special Category: $10.00 tures. Send $2.50 for assembly plans and pricing to
KERBER KLOCK KO., 36117 Hillcrest Dr.,Eastlake,
PLEASE PRINT EACH WORD SEPARATELY, IN BLOCK LETTERS. OH 44094.
(No refunds or credits for typesetting errors can be made unless you clearly print or type your CATALOG:Hobby, radio broadcasting, CB, lowfers.
copy.) Rates indicated are for standard style classified ads only. See below for additional Transmitters, linears, active antennas, converters,
charges for special ads. Minimum: 15 words. scramblers, bugging devices, more! PANAXIS, Box
130 -HO7, Paradise, CA 95969.
BUILD this five -digit panel meter and square wave
1 2 3 4 5 generator including an ohms, capacitance and fre-
quency meter. Detailed instructions $2.50, refun-
dable plus 50 cents, BAGNALL ELECTRONICS,
179 May, Fairfield, CT 06430.
6 7 8 9 10 INCREASE power output of Amateur Band convert-
ed CB radios. Complete instructions $6.00. May be
illegal for use on CB band. (CA residents add 6.5 %),
CAS ELECTRONICS, 1559 -J Amar Road, suite
11 12 13 14 15 ($18.75) 456, West Covina, CA 91792.
ETCHING tank. Complete, easy to assemble kit.
Temp controlled, self agitating for quality PC boards
16 ($20.00) 17 ($21.25) 18 ($22.50) 19 ($23.75) 20 ($25.00) in minutes. Send $74.95 to QUINTEC ELEC-
TRONICS, 444 Lincoln Blvd., Dept. 225B, Venice,
CA 90291.

21 ($26.25) 22 ($27.50) 23 ($28.75) 24 ($30.00) 25 ($31.25) MASTERCARD AND VISA are now accepted
for payment of your advertising. Simply
complete the form on this page of the Market
26 ($32.50) 27 ($33.75) 28 ($35.00) 29 ($36.25) 30 ($37.50) Center and we will bill you.

SATELLITE TV
31 ($38.75) 32 ($44.00) 33 ($41.25) 34 ($42.50) 35 ($43.75) SATELLITE Handbook and Buyers Guide tells ev-
erything you need to know, $10.00. SVS, Box 422,
We accept MasterCard and Visa for payment of orders. If you wish to use your credit card to pay for your ad fill Seaford, NY 11783.
in the following additional information (Sorry, no telephone orders can be accepted.):
BUILD your own Satellite-TV receiving system and
save! Instruction manuals, schematics, circuit
boards, parts kits! Send stamped envelope for com-
plete product listing: XANDI, 201 E. Southern, mite
Card Number Expiration Date 100, Dept. 32A, Tempe, AZ 85282.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNTIES
PRINT NAME SIGNATURE
US$8.00 including disk thousand name brand pro-
grams
IF YOU USE A BOX NUMBER YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR PERMANENT ADDRESS AND PHONE RELIANT.r P.O. Box B36P10, Sheungwan, Hong
NUMBER FOR OUR FILES. ADS SUBMITTED WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Kong.
CLASSIFIED COMMERCIAL RATE: (for firms or individuals offering commercial products or services)
$1.25 per word prepaid (no charge for ZIP code)...MINIMUTA 15 WORDS. 10% discount for same ad in 6
issues within one year; if prepaid. NON -COMMERCIAL RITE: (for individuals who want to buy or sell a
personal item) $1.00 per word, prepaid....no minimum. ONLY FIRST WORD AND NAME set in bold caps at
DO-IT-YOURSELF TV REPAIR
no extra charge. Additional bold face (not available as all caps) 25c per word additional (20% premium). NEW...Repair any TV...easy. Anyone can do it.
Entire ad in boldface, add 20% premium to total price. TIMT SCREEN BEHIND ENTIRE AD: add 25% Write, RESEARCH Rt. 3, Box 601BR, Colville, WA
premium to total price. TINT SCREEN BEHIND ENTIRE AD PLUS ALL BOLD FACE AD: add 45% 99114.
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PHONE NUMBER. Hands -on Electronics is published bi- monthly, therefore copy to be in our hands for
BUY BONDS rn
Jan.iFeb. 86, 10 :4: March/April, 12/4; etc.

107
 (Continued from page 104) station at Georgetown broadcasts on
J111V1 11 1 Venuzuela station, Radio Rumbos, which 5,950 kHz. It is best heard early in the
Even the Very Best Radar Detector can be heard without difficulty on 9,660 morning, about 0930 UTC /GMT.
Can't Protect You from the Newest Radar kHz. Nicaragua: Sometimes interesting lis-
o ... Throughout the evening hours, from tening from this controversial Central -
0000 to 0600 GMT /UTC, you can find American nation.La Voz de Nicaragua
English programs from Radio Havana has English programing about '0130
Cuba. Frequencies are 6,090, 6,100 and GMT/UTC on 6,015 kHz.
9,745 kHz. Those who appreciate the
THE ULTIMATE IN RADAR PROTECTION Cuban rhythms will enjoy the show called
Radar Jammer: Compact under-dash unit causes speed
"From the Land of Music" at 0435 hours.
radar guns to read out a percentage of your true speed, or Mexico has a number of different short-
whateverspeed you dial in. Or, new "SCRAMBLE" mode will
prevent radar from obtaining any reading. Activated by Whis- wave outlets in operation. XEWW, La Voz
tler, Escort, or other detector. Best defense against instant on de America Latina (The Voice of Latin
radar. Operates on both X and X bands. WARNING: This
device is not legal for use against police radar, and is not FCC American) can be heard in Spanish
approved. throughout the evening on 6,165 and
Transmitters: The heart of the jammer is the microwave os-
cillator (transmitter). In the past. these were very expensive, 9,515 kHz.
and limited to only about 100 milliwatts of power. We now The Mexican government operates its
have our own Low Cost, High Power Transmitters up to 300
milliwatts or more, Please call for prices.
own station, XERMX , Radio Mexico In-
Radar Detectors: We highly recommend using a remote de- ternational, with some occasional En-
tector that is mounted so that nothing is readily visable to either glish segments, on 9,705 and 15,430
the police, or thieves. (A dash mount detector is an invitation
to thieves and an irritation to police!) We agree with Motor kHz. The daily schedule runs from 2000
Trend and Autoweek that WHISTLER SPECTRUM is the to 0500 hours GMT /UTC.
best detector available, and we know of no other remote de-
tector that is even in the same LEAGUE as the SPECTRUM Skimming the bands for other Latin
REMOTE. Order the best for yourself now. (Our detectors are American signals we find:
already modified for direct connection to the jammer.)
Guatemala: Radio Tezulutaln, 4,835 This 51/2 inch, full -color decal was sent
ORDER TODAY -MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
G Complete Literature & Plans Pkg. S 14.95 kHz., can be heard with lovely marimba to listeners by stations belonging to the
D Set of Circuit Boards 40.00 music during the early evenings. Caracol Broadcasting Network in Columbia
0 X and K -band Microwave Oscillators (Transmitters) Call
D Whistler Spectrum (modified for use with Jammer) 259.00 Ecuador: Emisora Gran Colombia in
D Whistler Spectrum Remote (modified) 259.00 the capital, Quito, has been putting de- Costa Rica: Another Spanish -language
Li Modify your Spectrum for use w /jammer 55.00
CALL or send the following information:
cent signals into North America recently. station is Radio Impacto, a commercial
Items Ordered Name Shipping Address French Guiana: Cayenne's shortwave operation in San Jose. It broadcasts on
Payment: Check, Money Order, VISA or MC (include station, in French, can be found operating 6,150 kHz.Listen around 1100 or 0200
card number, expiration date, and signature)
SEND TO: Oregon Microwave Inc.', 9.513 S.W. Barbur Blvd. #10951 on 5,055 kHz. GMT /UTC..
Portland, OR 97219 ORDER LINE: 1303) 6266764
'Formerly Philips' Insrrument Design Co. Guyana: This small country on the There are, literally, hundreds more to
"shoulder" of South America used to be hear from Latin America. There's no way
CIRCLE 715 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD called British Guiana before indepen- I can list even a small proportion of those
dence. The Guyana Broadcasting Service stations.

Take Inside the Oscilloscope pretation of the time base or vertical

stocke
inAmerica.
(Continued from page 93)
stance, failing to be sure that the VER-
TICAL attenuator and the time base are in
their calibrated positions. Other similar
attenuator settings.
Other errors are caused by a lack of
understanding of the equipment's specifi
cations. (For instance, using a 25 -MHz
scope to examine a 100 -MHz signal.) But
errors include the failure to compensate if you keep in mind the points we have
the probes (see Selecting the Best Voltage made in this article and those that pre-
ADVERTISING INDEX Probe..., page 28, Nov. -Dec. 1985), im- ceded it, all those errors can be left to
HANDS -ON ELECTRONICS magazine proper trigger selection, or incorrect inter- someone else to make.
does not assume any responsibility for
errors that may appear in the index below. Digital Course 12. A long shift register has a 6 -bii
Free Information No. Page (Continued from page 105) word counter whose output is called
709 All Electronics 12
711 AMC Sales 16 11. It takes clock pulses to shift a(n) It can store bytes. The
706 AP Products i bits.
CIE 19 -21
one byte into or out of a shift register. shift register length is
C.O.M.B 8
710 Datak -West 15
716,717 Dick Smith 4 -5,6 -7 ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUES -IONS
Diehl Engineering 14 -35
705 Digi -Key 80 -81 sliq Zlg = g9 x g si 1416uai Jalsi6aJ t}igs 1011 'OM `1111
Electronic Book Club .satAg Jo SpJOM
11
a4l 'elk' Jed sliq-g ty `0000 'WOO `0100 ot sawil xis patuaw
Electronic Technology Today
70- 7 Fluke tog saleoipui ssalppe tig-9 e-ssaJppe 'ZL -aJOap Si (C IewioaP) 1100-1Otl 'P '9
719 Heath
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tiq Jad auo-g 'll '1161p qoea Jo) Jalunoo a09 auo--g 'P 'S
712 Information Unlimited ¡no leuas 'ui lepeled .p ZHPi 9 = 08 - ZH11 00b '08
708 J &W Electronics, Inc. ¡no levied 'UI ie1J8S '0 = Ol g}o le.ol e Jo} 01 rtg Jalunoo aa8
X
713 Keypro Circuit Systems Inc piped 'ui ialieJed 'q aql'8 Aq sapiNp Jalunoo iig-£ a41 ZHpI 4 'b
714 Mouser lno leuas 'ui 'spas 'e 'Ol L21= 1-8Z1= 1-(Zx
NRI ieiluanbas '6 Zx2xZxZx2xZ)=1-zZ-LZ1'E
715 Oregon Microwave
Pacific Cable
1Oh
17
(6 IewioaP) 1001 'q 8 179=Zx2xZxZxZx2=s2-b9Z
oJaZ 6 = 1001 = L+ Z = L+ 0t00 'JO '6 '4
RE Bookstore 104
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 The bestDMM inns class
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© Copyright 1985 John Fluke Mfg.. Co, Inc All rights reserved. Ad No 4709 -70/80

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