Electronics Now articles from July 1996

Electronics Now archives from July 1996

Reversible optical switch.
July 1, 1996... Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, in a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, are developing. a light-activated optical switch that eventually could be the basis for a new type of rewritable three-dimensional data...

Put a signal out on the air! (Ramsey Electronics FM-25 kit)
July 1, 1996... The Ramsey Electronics FM-25 kit lets you build a FM stereo broadcaster and put your signal anywhere on the FM band. Why would you want to do that? Well, the reasons are numerous. How about using it as a kind of whole-house audio system? With the...

Integrated PDA solution. (personal digital assistant; Philips Semiconductors' PR31100 and UCB1100 chipset)
July 1, 1996... Philips Semiconductor's PR31100 and UCB1100 with software fax/modem represent a two-chip solution for personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal intelligent communicators (PICs), and other smart communication products. The chipset offers size,...

Delta-wye transforms, and building your own Tesla coil. (three-phase power line connection; resonant transformer)(includes directory of suppliers)
July 1, 1996... One of our recent Tinaja Quest winners was D.C. Cox from Resonance Research. This firm is the leading supplier for the bigger Tesla coils and Van de Graff generators you find in science centers, museums, and planetariums. He is also newly...

Making time measurements with a DSO. (digital storage oscilloscope)
July 1, 1996... The oscilloscope is the time-honored tool of choice for measuring voltage changes over time because the waveforms on its screen are graphical representations of those changes. This article will show you how to use your digital storage...

Low-cost software for circuit simulation. (includes related article)
July 1, 1996... If you've been following this series on low-cost software for electronics, you know how your PC can ease the chores of drawing a schematic and designing a printed-circuit board. Did you know that it can also expedite the process of debugging a...

Automotive neon. (includes parts list)
July 1, 1996... Build this driver circuit to illuminate your car's license plate, light up its underside for a glamorous "spaceship" look, or just create portable neon or argon light displays. Join those people who enjoy customizing their cars by adding a...

Build this video pattern generator. (includes parts list)
July 1, 1996... Build this EPROM-based video pattern generator and put it to work testing TV sets and experiment with the generation of video patterns. The multifunction video signal generator project described in this article produces three independent video...

UHF corner reflector antenna.
July 1, 1996... Obtain outstanding performance from a home-brew radiator built from readily-available parts and materials. Scanner enthusiasts, amateur radio operators, and UHF experimenters are interested in simple antennas that are more effective than...

Disk-space management.
July 1, 1996... Judging by my e-mail, disk partition management is a very popular - but much misunderstood - topic. To help dissipate the mist, I'll discuss how partitioning affects overall system resource availability. Then I'll talk about some products that...

Experiments with your laser. (laser-based seismometer, seismograph, small or slow movement detection and reflected sound modulation)
July 1, 1996... Detect earthquakes and other vibrations, build an optical seismometer, and experiment with a laser listening device. NOW YOU CAN PUT YOUR LASER TO USE AND TRY COUPLE OF EXPERIMENTS. THE FIRST ONE WILL MEASURE GROUND MOVEMENT. THE BEST KNOWN...