VOLUME 14 No. 5 JANUARY 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

RHYTHM GENERATOR by N. A. Cooke

A low cost unit capable of 12 basic rhythms 322

BATTERY CONDITION INDICATOR by P. Scargill

Tri-state car battery voltage monitor 330

BREADBOARDING SYSTEM by D. F. McGinley

A versatile and inexpensive d.i.y. breadboard 339

ELECTRONIC DIE by I. J. Dillworth

H format l.e.d. die with some unusual features 340

9 VOLT STABILISED P.S.U. by C. H. Banthorpe

An overload protected 9V stabiliser for car cassette recorders etc 344

P.E. CHAMP-5 by R. W. Coles and B. Cullen

The keyboard/display unit using a calculator 352

GENERAL FEATURES

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Coles

A look at some recently released devices 332

FAULT FINDING by G.Loveday

Introduction and component faults in simple circuits 333

INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Simple Lie Detector-Tape Recorder Peak Level Indicator-XY Burn Eliminator-Model Train Speed Controller-Two Way/Two Wire Bell System-Touch Actuated Generator-Timesetting For The MK50250 347

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 321

STRICTLY INSTRUMENTAL by K. Lenton-Smith

Keyboard instruments at the British Musical Instrument Trade Fair 329

SPACEWATCH by Frank W.Hyde

Soyas/Salyut, Soviet Meteor 2, Intelstat 5 336

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 346

POINTS ARISING

Burglar Alarm-Frequency Counter/Timer 357

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 358

CHROMA-CHIME KIT REVIEWED

The assembly and performance of this computerised doorbell 360

NEWS BRIEFS

GEC Computer For RN lB-Solar Water Heaters-IBC 361

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK

What's happening inside industry 362

READOUT

A selection of readers' letters 366

BOOK REVIEWS

Selected new books we have received 366

Our February issue will be on sale Friday, 13 January, 1978

(for details of contents see page 351)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 6 FEBRUARY 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

AUTO-RANGING VOLTMETER by S. Roberts

A useful piece of test gear that leaves your hands free 400

STRENGTH METER by N. Riddiford

A game to test your grip 412

P.E. CHAMP-6 by R. W. Coles and B. Cullen

CHOMP firmware put under the microscope 422

RHYTHM GENERATOR by N. A. Cooke

Construction and final setting up 432

GENERAL FEATURES

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Coles

A look at some recently released devices 411

INGENUITY UNLIMITED Telephone Monitor 437

FAULT FINDING-2 by G. Loveday

Trouble shooting complete systems 445

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 399

KIM I REVIEW

Report on another new microprocessor 408

NEWS BRIEFS

Microcomputer Kit-Watts On The Road-Exhibition 417

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 418

SPACEWATCH by Frank W. Hyde

U.F.O.s, Life And Death From Outer Space, Landsat 421

MICRO-BUS by DJD

A bimonthly focus on micro's for the home constructor 429

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 438

PATENTS REVIEW

The history of the gramophone 441

BOOK REVIEWS

Selected new books we have received 448

Our March issue will be on sale Friday, 10 February, 1978

(for contents see page 407)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 7 MARCH 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

P.E. STRING ENSEMBLE-1 by A. J. Boothman

P.S.U./Tone Generator 482

P.E. CHAMP-7 by R. W. Coles and B. Cullen

Putting Champ to work 491

DIGITAL LAP COUNTER by S. Morgan

Useful addition for model car layout 504

NICAD BATTERY CHARGER by E. A. Parr

Assures a full charge with no overcharging problems 508

AUTOMATIC ENLARGER TIMER by M. Dix

Darkroom aid for black and white enlargements 518

GENERAL FEATURES

FAULTFINDING-3 by G.Loveday

Triac and thyristor circuits 500

MATRIX MARKER

Custom designed tool 507

NOMOGRAPHS FOR I.C. TIMERS by E. A. Parr

Enables quick selection of component values 512

INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Car brake light failure indicator-Up-Down Counter 521

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Coles

A look at some recently released devices 525

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 481

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 490

NEWS BRIEFS

Sound 78 International Systems Interference-HiFi Show-MPU Courses 496,516

POINTS ARISING

P.E. Champ-Car burglar alarm 503

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 506

SPACEWATCH by Frank W. Hyde

Two spacecraft to Venus 517

READOUT

A selection of readers' letters 520

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 526

 

Our April issue will be on sale Friday, 10 March, 1978 (for details of contents see page 499)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 8 APRIL 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

FUMBLE NUDGE GAME by A. R. Cuff

A contest of speed and manual dexterity for two players 564

P.E. CHAMP-8 by R. W. Coles and B. Cullen

CHAMP-PROC--A PROM programming attachment for Champ 582

P.E. STRING ENSEMBLE-2 by A. J. Boothman

Keyboard, keyswitch and diode gating assemblies 592

ELECTRONIC KEYSWITCH by S. V. Essex

An electronic lock using CMOS 601

GENERAL FEATURES

EXTRA DESIGN IDEAS-INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Fast Ni-Cad Battery Charger-Versatile V.C.O.-741 Tester-Double Tremolo Unit-Quiz Master-Magnetic Tape Speedometer-Helipot Substitute-Car Lights On Indicator-Simple Car Tachometer 568

FAULT FINDING-4 by G. Loveday

Handling and testing i.c.s. 577 SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Co/es A look at some recently released devices 591 MICRO-BUS by D.JD. A bi-monthly focus on micro's for the home constructor 605

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 561

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 562

BOOK REVIEWS 581

NEWS BRIEFS

Ring A Rig-Traffic Computer 589

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 590

SPACEWATCH by Frank W. Hyde

Forthcoming missions, new hot line systems, Soviet cargoship 608

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 609

Our May issue will be on sale Friday, 14 April 1978 (for details of contents see page 604)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 9 MAY 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

MOVING LIGHTS DISPLAY by C. J. Bowes

A basis for telecasting or animating the Christmas lights 642

P.E. STRING ENSEMBLE-3 by A. J. Boothman

Chorus System description and construction details 648

RANDOM DECISION UNIT by P. D. Scargill

I'll build it-I'll build it not-I'll build it . 660

TTL TEST CLIP by P. A. Birnie

A neat pocket sized project 664

WORKSHOP POWER SUPPLY UNIT by I. Hickman

Supplies up to 25 volts at 1 amps 672

P.E. CHAMP-9 by R. W. Coles and B. Cullen

CHAMP-PROG construction and PROMPT 676

GENERAL FEATURES

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Coles

A look at some recently released devices 663

INGENUITY UNLIMITED-MINISONICS SPECIAL 666

ELECTRIFYING TIME by M. E. Theaker

From pith balls to the atomic clock 669

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 641

READOUT

A selection of readers' letters 646

STRICTLY INSTRUMENTAL by K. Lenlon-Smith

Get better with Wersi 647

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 654

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 658

SPACEWATCH by Frank W. Hyde

Salyut, Soyuz and Progress 662

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 671

Our June issue will be on sale Friday, 12 May, 1978 (for details of contents see page 657)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 10 JUNE 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

LINEAR CAPACITANCE METER by A. A. Luha

A battery powered instrument for the home lab 722

KILN CONTROLLER by G. I. Williams

For protection of both workpieces and kiln from overheating 732

CHAMP-1O by R. W. Coles and B. Cullen

Using CHAMP-PROG and construction of CHAMP-U.V. (Conclusion of series) 735

HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER by J. P. Macaulay

A flexible stereo system 744

TEMPERATURE PROBE by R. W. Jones

An accessory for use with analogue or digital voltmeters 746

STRING ENSEMBLE-4 by A. J. Boothman

Voice Circuitry 752

BATTERY VOLTAGE MONITOR by S. V. Essex

Gives visible indication of battery condition 758

GENERAL FEATURES

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Coles

A look at some recently released devices 751

MICROBUS by D.J.D. A bi-monthly focus on micro's for the home constructor 760

INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Musical Calculator-Stereo Expander/Compressor-Waveform GeneratorSimple Waa-WaaSpeed Controller 769

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 721

SPACEWATCH by Frank W. Hyde

Skylab, Cosmos 954, Shuttle, Jupiter 727

INVENTORS COMPETITION

Your chance to win financial backing and a 'scope for your ideas 728

KIT REVIEW OF LEADER 103

P.S.U. Assembly and performance 730

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 741

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 742

SEEN AT THE IEA-ELECTREX EXHIBITION 748

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 766

READOUT

A selection of readers' letters 750

POINTS ARISING

Digital Multimeter-Auto Ranging D.C. Voltmeter 750

Our July issue will be on sale Friday, 9 June 1978 (for details of contents see page 765)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 11 JULY 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

P.E. TV GAME CENTRE-1

Ten ball games and four motorcycle games in colour 810

GENERAL PURPOSE TIMER by M. Plant

An accurate wide range timer with both audio and visual alarms 826

STRING ENSEMBLE-5 by A. J. Boothman

Cabinet construction 834

DIMWIT by M. J. Carter

A bedside lamp that can be simply switch programmed 842

C.R.O. LOGIC MONITOR GENERATOR by R. Derry

Serially displays logic states of i.c.s under test 838

GENERAL FEATURES

INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Prom programmer-Radio Control Servo Tester-Overflow indicator 832

TOMORROW'S BROADCASTING by Dr. Boris

Townsend Audio/Visual projections 854

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Coles

A look at some recently released devices 860

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 809

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 817

SPACEWATCH by Frank W. Hyde

Soviet activity, Salyut mission, Future plans, Black hole?, Comets 820

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 825

NEWS BRIEFS

IERE Conference-Sony Launch Betamax 846

Compilers for Micros, Laser for Nasa, Card Counting, Automated Blinds, Standards 852

INVENTORS COMPETITION

Last chance to win financial backing and a 'scope for your ideas 850

READOUT

A selection of readers' letters 853

Our August issue will be on sale Friday, 14 July 1978 (for details of contents see page 849)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 12 AUGUST 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

TOUCH SWITCH by G. Davis

Direct replacement for a mains light switch 890

P.E. TV GAME CENTRE-2

Concludes with construction and setting up 892

DIGITAL THERMOMETER byM.Plant

Measurement range of -99.9°C to +99.9°C. Single LSI chip simplifies construction 896

MOTOR SPEED CONTROLLER by R. F. Mack

You set the speed which the controller maintains irrespective of loading 916

12V CONVERTOR by D. J. Bradbury

Enables a 24V iron to be powered from a car battery 924

CONSTANT DISPLAY FREQUENCY METER by J. Becker

Monitors frequency without flicker 934

GENERAL FEATURES

MICROPROCESSOR REVIEW-AMICOS by P. Birnie

Kit review of this 6800 system 906

P.C.B. ASSEMBLY JIGS by W. English 909

MAKING P.C.Bs by A. R. Damper 910

INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Envelope Shaper-pH Meter-Touch Sensitive Keyboard-Calculator-Decade Counter=CMOS Doorbell-Trace Multiplier-Led. Flasher 920

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R. W. Coles

A look at some recently released devices 930

MICROBUS by DJ.D.

A bi-monthly focus on micro's for the home constructor 932

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 889

Spacewatch by Frank W. Hyde

Out of the Ecliptic, Sun Shivers, Uranus, Landsat, Halley's Comet 901

NEWS BRIEFS

Heat Pipe device-Eagle's Launch-New Microprocessors- 902

ink Jet System 905

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 912

READOUT

A selection of readers' letters 918

BOOK REVIEWS

Selected new books we have received 918

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 919

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 931

POINTS ARISING

Linear Capacitance Meter 938

Our September issue will be on sale Friday, 11 August 1978 (for details of contents see page 929)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 13 SEPTEMBER 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

ANALOGUE COMPUTER-1 by P.J. Kronis BSc

Mathematical operations and circuits 970

COMBINATION LOCK by E.A.Parr

Double combination for added security 990

THERMOSTAT CONTROL by M.Edmunds

For the photographer who does his own developing 1002

SOUNDTRACK MONITOR byJ . Schmid

Alerts the operator when the end of a recording is reached 1006

METRONOME by M. Butt

Simple emphasised beat unit 1010

KEYBOARD by L. G. Parkin BA

Provide an eight bit binary word by pressing two keys 1014

GENERAL FEATURES

WAVE ENERGY by M.Abbott

Can the sea provide the UK with electricity? 976

STRICTLY INSTRUMENTAL by K. Lenton-Smith

Signetics TDA 1008 electronic music i.c. 988

INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Simple Clock-Beethoven's Doorbell-Electronic Combination Lock-Distortion AssessmentProtection for a Model Train Speed Controller-Simple Alarm 993

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE by R.W Coles

A look at some recently released devices 998

NEWSAND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 969

READOUT

A selection of readers letters 974

BOOK REVIEWS

Selected new books we have received 980, 1013

MARKET PLACE

Interesting new products 985

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 1001

SPACEWATCH by Frank W.Hyde

Soyus-29 and Salyut-6, USSR Launchings, India and the USSR, GOES-3, Place in Space 1005

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 1020

Our October issue will be on sale Friday, 8 September 1978 (for details of contents see page 975)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 14 OCTOBER 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

P.E. V.D.U. SYSTEM-1 by A. A. Berk, B.Sc., Ph.D.

Up to date "one chip" memory mapped system 1054

FUEL CONSUMPTION METER By J. McCarthy

An aid to economy, suitable for most cars 1080

HIGH PERFORMANCE POWER SUPPLY UNIT by R. Lawrence, B.Sc.

Voltage control down to zero, plus current limiting 1070

ANALOGUE COMPUTER-2 by P.J Kronis, B.Sc.

Construction details 1074

TWO RANGE TIMER by J. D. Jardine

A portable, inexpensive general purpose unit 1088

GENERAL FEATURES

IMPEDANCE by Toby Bailey and Bob Whitaker

Do you understand it? 1066

MICROBUS by D.J.D.

A bi-monthly focus on micros for the home constructor 1098

INGENUITY UNLIMITED

Capacitor Continuity Tester-Synthesiser Repetitive Waveform Generator - Simple Fuzz Accenting Metronome-Stereo Indicator - External Input Unit for Synthesisers 1080

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 1049

MARKET PLACE

New products 1050

SPACEWATCH by Frank W. Hyde

Pluto, More from the USSR, Copernicus discovers Black Hole 1053

POINTS ARISING

Linear Capacitance Meter, Dimwit, Kiln Controller 1058

BOOK REVIEWS 1084

NEWS BRIEFS

Strain Gauge-Big Brother Check-Micro Power Pack-Computers Galore Club 1087

Underground Cameras-Steam Advice-Here's To Progress 1090

Teletext Course 1094

Disc Full of Holes 1102

HOW TO USE YOUR FREE STICKIES 1093

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK by Nexus

What's happening inside industry 1097

PATENTS REVIEW

Thought provoking ideas on file at the British Patents Office 1100

READOUT

A selection of readers' letters 1102

Our November issue will be on sale Friday, 13 October 1978, price 5Op

(for details of contents see page 1059)

 

VOLUME 14 No. 15 NOVEMBER 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

Moon landing game 1138

P.E. VDU System-2 1146

Proximity Switch 1160

Analogue Computer-3 1165

Wide Range C/R Bridge 1180

GENERAL FEATURES

Power FETs 1154

Ingenuity Unlimited 1154
741 supply - soldering iron simmer control - auto tune generator - touch tuner

NEWS AND COMMENT

Editorial 1137

Spacewatch 1144
German satellite - US satellite - TDRSS - Pioneer Venus 2 - TRS - Intelsat Terminal - Spacelab 2

NEWS BRIEFS
Starlight Vision 1153
Bubbling with Bits - Blinking Good - On the level! 1170
Data Encryption Unit 1182

MARKET PLACE new products

SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE 1179

STATESIDE SCENE New York News 1182

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK 1186

PATENTS REVIEW 1187

READOUT 1188

POINTS ARISING 1188

8 PAGE SUPPLEMENT - CAR DEVICES: 1164 - 1165
Auto Light - Vari Wipe - Assisted Ignition System - Intruder Alarm - Battery State Indicator - Polarity Inverter

VOLUME 14 No. 16 DECEMBER 1978

CONSTRUCTIONAL PROJECTS

P.E. VDU system-2 1228
Interfacing, expanding the basic V.D.U. hardware for cursor control

ANALOGUE COMPUTER-4 1236
Programming and special circuits (conclusion)

SAFETY PLUG 1240
Mains check module

GUITAR SOUND MULTIPROCESSOR-1 1246
Pre-amp, delay bloack and summers

RADIO CONTROL FAILSAFE 1260
No lost or damaged models

R.C. MOTOR CONTROL 1262
Full Power solid state controller

GENERAL FEATURES

FARNBOROUGH '78 1234
Avionics' latest gear

MICROBUS 1252
A bi-monthly focus on micro's for the home constructor

IMPEDANCE-2 1257
Voltage and current generators

INGENUITY UNLIMITED 1266
Binary to 7 segment decoder - Sub octave generator - Combination lock - One Arm Bandit Mod - Coincidence/Error Detector - CMOS Burglar Alarm

DEMICONDUCTOR UPDATE 1270
A look at some recently released devices

NEWS AND COMMENT

EDITORIAL 1227

MARKET PLACE 1231
New Products

NEWS BRIEFS
Mersey Micro Club - Late Night Viewing 1239
Hey! 64K! 1265

POINTS ARISING 1241
Chromosonic Catalogue - Sound Track Monitor - TV games centre

SPACEWATCH 1242
USSR and Venus, Meteorites, New Planetoid, 100 days in orbit, Communications satellites, Landsats survey the sea, Space facts, Design for a man-made city in space

SPECIAL OFFER 10+10 amplifier kit 1245

READOUT 1254
A selection of readers' letters

INDUSTRY NOTEBOOK 1271
What's happening inside industry

PATENTS REVIEW 1272

INVENTORS COMPETITION RESULTS 1278

BREADBOARD EXHIBITION 1278

 

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