August 2023 - Silicon Chip Online siliconchip.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from siliconchip.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
What is the simplest circuit that can replace a mechanical vibrator in a vintage radio? Could early germanium power transistors from the 1960s be used in a design that would have been economical then? The answers to both questions are yes; here is how it would work. by Dr Hugo Holden
August 2023 - Silicon Chip Online siliconchip.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from siliconchip.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
This design measures low-frequency signals accurately and quickly. A traditional frequency counter must sample over a long period to get an accurate result. This one instead measures the average period and calculates the inverse, so it only needs to monitor a few pulses to get a precise reading. It’s useful up to about 10MHz. by Charles Kosina
A thermal infrared camera measures hot or cold spots compared to the surrounding area. This is extremely useful in diagnosing hot spots in electronic circuits, which may indicate a failing component or the need for a heatsink. They can be pricey, but not this one, a DIY version that’s easy to build. by Kenneth Horton