This is only a preview of the June 2023 issue of Silicon Chip. You can view 38 of the 112 pages in the full issue, including the advertisments. For full access, purchase the issue for $10.00 or subscribe for access to the latest issues. Items relevant to "Basic RF Signal Generator":
Items relevant to "Loudspeaker Testing Jig":
Items relevant to "WiFi Time Source for GPS Clocks":
Items relevant to "Wideband Fuel Mixture Display, Pt3":
Items relevant to "Servicing Vibrators, Pt1":
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Thanks for your time. I really
enjoyed making this kit some 30 years
after I built my first Jacob’s ladder from
Oatley Electronics (it used a blue CRT
flyback transformer). I am still having
fun to this day. (M. A., via email)
● We think Leo specified raising
the coil from the metal lid using plastic drink bottle tops to provide distance from the case, preventing the
high voltage from the high tension
output from arcing back to the case.
However, you have a point that the
mounting screw contacts the case and
is quite close to the output terminals.
Ideally, that screw should be plastic
or at least shorter.
You could run the coil wiring up
through holes in the lid instead of
being looped around from the side of
the box. Suitable cable glands or grommets would be required for the cable to
pass through the enclosure lid.
As for operating from a mains power
supply, the 12V supply will have a lot
of high voltage spikes imposed upon
the DC level that will likely damage
your power supply. Also, any arcing
from the Jacobs ladder to the supply
can severely damage the power supply
circuitry, which is why we do not recommend powering the Jacob’s ladder
with anything except a 12V battery.
Building the original
Wideband unit kit
I noticed that Jaycar still has Wideband Fuel Mixture Controller Kits
(KC5486), but only via their website.
The actual sensor can be picked up
for around $40.
I believe I would need the other
kit, KC5485, to use the KC5486 kit.
KC5485 is the display part of the system that gives you the information
used to adjust the mixture in the carburettor to get the correct air:fuel ratio.
I want to build both kits and connect the sensor in a tuning scenario for
my 1960s, 1970s and 1980s A and A+
engines. Are all the bits to build the
KC5485 kit still available, or can I get
anything else to plug into the KC5486
to make it all work?
Back in the day, I built many of your
kits. I also once worked for George
Brown and Co selling electronics at
Parramatta Rd, Camperdown in Sydney. (S. C., Glenwood, Qld)
Advertising Index
Altronics.................................33-36
Dave Thompson........................ 111
Digi-Key Electronics...................... 3
Emona Instruments.................. IBC
Hare & Forbes..........................OBC
Jaycar................... IFC, 9, 12-13, 25,
Keith Rippon Kit Assembly....... 111
Lazer Security........................... 111
LD Electronics........................... 111
LEDsales................................... 111
Microchip Technology.................. 7
Mouser Electronics....................... 4
Oatley Electronics..................... 111
Silicon Chip PDFs on USB....... 109
Silicon Chip Shop............ 104-105
Silicon Chip Subscriptions........ 37
Silicon Chip Test Tweezers..... 107
The Loudspeaker Kit.com............ 6
Tronixlabs.................................. 111
Wagner Electronics..................... 11
112
Silicon Chip
Notes and Errata
..................................94-95, 99, 101
● You can still build the original
Wideband unit we designed in 2009
(siliconchip.au/Series/41), which the
Jaycar kit is based on. It uses the older
(but still available) Bosch LSU 4.2
wideband sensor. However, you might
want to look at our new Wideband Fuel
Mixture Display (WFMD) that uses the
newer LSU 4.9 sensor, that started in
the April 2023 issue (siliconchip.au/
Series/398), and finishes in this issue.
It has other advantages: the controller is more compact, with extra features like Bluetooth connectivity. The
Hand Controller is not required for the
new design. We also have a short-form
kit for building it.
If you still want to build the 2009
design, you need the PCB and programmed microcontroller for the Display Unit. While this display PCB is
from a later article, it is compatible
with the 2009 design: siliconchip.au/
Shop/8/666
The programmed microcontroller
is here: siliconchip.au/Shop/9/1161
Jaycar still sells the 7-segment displays (ZD1857), and you should be
able to source the most of the other
SC
parts from Jaycar.
Automated Test Bench Swiss Army Knife, April 2023:
1. the lid cutting diagram, Fig.2 on p64, has the vertical location of the
rectangular cut-out too low. The top of the cut-out should be in line with
the centres of the upper holes marked “A”, not 5mm below that line. While
not critical, it could also be moved 1mm to the right.
2. In the production of the original (Rev A) PCBs, one row of pins (20 to
38) on the ESP32 socket was reversed. Rev B boards are not affected.
Rewiring pins 20-38 of the socket is the most straightforward means of
rectifying the problem. Please contact us for instructions if you have one
of the original PCBs
Advanced SMD Test Tweezers, February & March 2023: the Fig.1 circuit
diagram (p46, February) labels pins 24 and 25 of IC1 as AN11 and AN10
instead of AN7 and AN6.
AM-FM DDS Signal Generator, May 2022: the gate bias for Mosfet Q1
is fixed at 1.5V. Since the threshold of Q1 can range from 1.0V to 2.5V,
that might not suit all 2N7002 devices. If there is no output from IC3, the
bias might be too low, in which case the 3.3kW resistor can be changed
to 4.7kW (1.8V) or 6.2kW (2.0V). If there is output from IC3, but the
modulation is weak, the bias might be too high, in which case the 3.3kW
resistor can be changed to 1.8kW (1.05V).
Advanced GPS Computer, June and July 2021: the circuit diagram (Fig.1,
p27, June) and overlay diagram (Fig.2, p78, July) label the data line from
the GPS module as RX. It was not mentioned explicitly in the text that
this should connect to the TX wire of the GPS module. For the suggested
module, the pins/wires labelled E (yellow), G (black), T (blue) and V (red)
go to the GPS1 pads EN, G, RX and 5V on the PCB, respectively. The other
two are not needed and can be soldered to the remaining GPS1 pads.
Next Issue: the July 2023 issue is due on sale in newsagents by Thursday,
June 29th. Expect postal delivery of subscription copies in Australia between
June 28th and July 14th.
Australia's electronics magazine
siliconchip.com.au
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