16-06-2012, 07:33 PM
I don't routinely buy any magazine - only selectively if there's anything in them that takes my fancy. (Apart that is from Radio Bygones and BVWS Bull, both by subscription).
While browsing in WHS, I noticed that in the month's mag, Tony Nailor(?), who runs Spectrum Communications and writes a monthly technical column about the kits he designs and sells for home construction or ready built, has an interesting article about antenna noise bridges, with a little design he intends to produce in kit form. Given the recent interest on the forum about noise bridges, it might take someone's fancy.
In Everyday Practical Electronics next month (out about July 7), there are two articles that caught my interest which other forum members might also be interested in - firstly, an ultrasonic cleaner design - too late for me given that I bought a commercial bath about 18 months ago, and secondly, a capacitor leakage tester and reformer for vintage valve radios.
The only problem with EPE designs is that as often as not, they're from 'Silicon Chip' - an Australian magazine, and often use parts not readily available in the UK. This is compounded by the fact that Jaycar - the Oz equivalent of Maplin, though much better, often doesn't do the kits or the bits. Furthermore, many - if not most EPE/Silicon Chip designs - though excellent in themselves, with PCBs available, and the artwork from EPE's website, as often as not, the projects are PIC based, so if you're not into programming PICs (and I'm not), along with the difficulty and cost of sourcing parts from this, that, or the other place in the antipodes, I find that many EPE projects become a bit of a non-starter.
That probably sounds rather defeatist, and it's a fact that all these hurdles can be jumped for anyone really keen to build the projects, but I just don't have the time or inclination to be e-mailing here there and everywhere to get to the starting grid, let alone the finishing line.
That said, these look like two very interesting projects, so if they look as good as they sound, I may well splash out on the mag next month, if only out of curiosity!
While browsing in WHS, I noticed that in the month's mag, Tony Nailor(?), who runs Spectrum Communications and writes a monthly technical column about the kits he designs and sells for home construction or ready built, has an interesting article about antenna noise bridges, with a little design he intends to produce in kit form. Given the recent interest on the forum about noise bridges, it might take someone's fancy.
In Everyday Practical Electronics next month (out about July 7), there are two articles that caught my interest which other forum members might also be interested in - firstly, an ultrasonic cleaner design - too late for me given that I bought a commercial bath about 18 months ago, and secondly, a capacitor leakage tester and reformer for vintage valve radios.
The only problem with EPE designs is that as often as not, they're from 'Silicon Chip' - an Australian magazine, and often use parts not readily available in the UK. This is compounded by the fact that Jaycar - the Oz equivalent of Maplin, though much better, often doesn't do the kits or the bits. Furthermore, many - if not most EPE/Silicon Chip designs - though excellent in themselves, with PCBs available, and the artwork from EPE's website, as often as not, the projects are PIC based, so if you're not into programming PICs (and I'm not), along with the difficulty and cost of sourcing parts from this, that, or the other place in the antipodes, I find that many EPE projects become a bit of a non-starter.
That probably sounds rather defeatist, and it's a fact that all these hurdles can be jumped for anyone really keen to build the projects, but I just don't have the time or inclination to be e-mailing here there and everywhere to get to the starting grid, let alone the finishing line.
That said, these look like two very interesting projects, so if they look as good as they sound, I may well splash out on the mag next month, if only out of curiosity!
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
