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Contents Vol.33, No.4 April 2020 SILICON CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Features & Reviews 12 Grid-scale energy storage Renewables are one thing – but how do you store the energy they produce for later use – when it’s needed? Dr David Maddison looks at ways they’re matching available energy and demand with some intriguing developments! 34 Review: 900MHz Touchscreen Vector Network Analyser Until not so long ago, you’d expect to spend $$$$$ – thousands of them – on a VNA. This one we bought on line for less than $AU60 – including postage! But is it any good? Is it value for money? Allan Linton-Smith certainly thinks so! 82 1st look: Tecsun Radio’s new HF SDR Amateur Transceiver It’s compact, it covers all HF bands with up to 20W output and it won’t break the bank! It even sports a 1.8in LCD panel with waterfall display. And with an SDR front end, its has performance you’ve only dreamed about! – by Ross Tester Constructional Projects 24 A DIY Reflow Oven Controller for modern soldering Soldering today’s components can be a challenge – but a Reflow Oven makes it a lot easier. Here we take a low-cost, standard (unmodified) toaster oven, add a micro-based controller . . . and voila! One Reflow Oven! – by Phil Prosser 38 Two new 7-band Audio Equalisers for hifi, PA and more! Tailor the sound of your listening experience to suit your preferences . . . or correct for room acoustics and deviations in loudspeaker response. We present both a stereo and a mono version to cover just about every application! – by John Clarke How DO you store bulk energy so that it is available when it is needed? – Page 12 Soldering SMDs? Want a reflow oven? Take a cheap toaster oven, build a cheap controller and you have one! – Page 24 A 900MHz VNA for less than sixty bucks? Surely it can’t be any good? Surely it is! – Page 34 64 Programmable Temperature Control with a Peltier, Part 2 Last month we introduced our new high-performance Peltier temperature controller. This month we show you how to achieve similar results, whether you need temperatures from near freezing up to 70° or so – by Tim Blythman 77 Frequency Reference Signal Distributor It’s one of those specialised pieces of test gear that you’ll only appreciate when you need it most! It allows you to feed a reference signal to up to six test instruments without attenuating or degrading the signal – by Charles Kosina Your Favourite Columns 84 Circuit Notebook (1) (2) (3) (4) Multi-code lock with 10 access codes Micromite-based chiming clock Self-resetting intruder alarm Two-wheel self-balancing robot 57 Serviceman’s Log It would be a waste of parts . . . by Dave Thompson 90 Vintage Radio Tecnico 1050 and 1140 – by Associate Professor Graham Parslow Everything Else 2 Editorial Viewpoint  99 4 Mailbag – Your Feedback 103 88 Product Showcase 104 siliconchip.com.au 96 Ask SILICON CHIP 104 SILICON CHIP ONLINE SHOP Market Centre Advertising Index Notes and Errata A stereo AND a mono audio equaliser. Whether you’re into hifi, recording, PA, band or any other use, we have you covered! – Page 38 One reference signal in, up to six out – without any attenuation or degradation – Page 77 Tecsun’s new SDR HF amateur transceiver is turning a lot of heads – especially at the price! – Page 82 On the cover: with a capacity of 100MW/129MWh, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery at Hornsdale, SA, along with its 99-tower wind farm. See the feature on Grid-Scale Energy Storage starting on page 12. www.facebook.com/siliconchipmagazine