Electronics Now articles from November 1997

Electronics Now archives from November 1997

National Instruments's DAQScope 5102 digital oscilloscope.
November 1, 1997... Pack the power of a high-quality digital oscilloscope into a notebook computer, but leave the bulk behind. The notebook computer was a blessing in disguise for many people. No longer did they have to jot down notes on paper and then enter the...

ISDN Terminal Adapter. (Model 4600)
November 1, 1997... From any location, the Model 460 ISDN Terminal Adapter from Telebyte provides high-speed, reliable digital access to the Internet and the Web. It runs at speeds up to 460 KBPS using V.42 bis compression. Aimed at the remote office or home market,...

An introduction to troubleshooting. (fundamentals of electronics troubleshooting)
November 1, 1997... This month we are going to present the first in a series of columns devoted to the basics of consumer-electronics troubleshooting and repair. Along the way we will also talk a bit about selecting the right test equipment, the tools and supplies...

Command line C.
November 1, 1997... GUI-based RAD (rapid application development) environments are the rage for developing code these days. But sometimes it's necessary to drop back to a more "primitive" environment. I was called upon recently to investigate alternatives and...

Build the jumper cable wizard.
November 1, 1997... Jump starting an automobile has become an American tradition that many of us wish we could do without. It has brought together neighbors who have never met, has been the catalyst which has started romances, has strengthened the emotional ties...

Build the Lazer Fazer. (a compact device for testing LIDAR detector)
November 1, 1997... How do you know that your laser detector is really working? This simple unit will test any LIDAR detector by sending a beam that looks like a police laser-speed gun. In recent years, a new method for monitoring traffic speed has appeared....

Roadside repairs for your car's electrical system.
November 1, 1997... Some simple supplies and these helpful hints will get you going again in a flash! It's raining, it's blowing, and the temperature is barely above freezing. You jump into your car, buckle up, and turn the key. It won't go, it won't start - it...

Build a solid-state wind-speed indicator. (new device for measuring wind speed)
November 1, 1997... Measure the speed of the wind with a device that uses no moving parts! A wind-speed indicator, called an anemometer, is the one weather-related instrument that is usually missing from the amateur forecaster's arsenal of tools. Traditional...

A new way to make PC boards.
November 1, 1997... If you stay with this hobby long enough, sooner or later you will need to make PC boards. There's just no getting out of it - I've wire-wrapped, point-to-point wired, and done just about everything else I could think of to avoid making a PC...

Homopolar generators, melody ICs, and more.
November 1, 1997... There sure seems to be a lot of web interest these days in homopolar generators. Those really old and poorly understood electrical machines have newly been blamed for everything from "over unity" perpetual motion rip-offs to cures for warts to...