CamblnBd with 5 ^3] i£UL-cei£: c.LHi U aLliiieLliii: Wevv vcii CcU LioUt-beaiu couuiiiiiuctitcL' Kcw to [:ai ilT^ 555TIMBIiC i: L-aciicc.1 ci I'CLiils How imofDWinMiiti In h£Vkr iti^de PC's b teller 1 2 '091 28"4 8783"" 0 $3.50 U.S. i GERNSBMIK $3S5 CAN m-xrxrxt C^R-RT SURT CR03 ?5045SmR5lS5P1093 \Z PS I I.I.I...[I..mII.I,I..mII(..I....II.I..ImI.II{m.I The Fluke 79: More Of A Good Thing More high-performance (eatures. More advariGBd measurement capa- biifties. More of the vitst information you need to troubleshoot even the iQugtiest probfems — with bolh ana- tog and digital displays . f\/leet the latest, greatest member of our best selling 70 Series II family — the new Ryke 79 digital multimeter. It picks up where the original fam- ily left off. In fact, it's a quantum leap fonvard — in performance, value and affordability. It's got the features you'd expect from Fluke. Including high resolution. Fast autoranging. Patented, automatic Touch Hold . A quick continuity beeper. Diode test, Automatic self- test. Battery-conserving sleep mode. And it's just as rugged and reliable as the rest of the 70 Series II family. Easy to operate, too — with one hand. And thanks to the Fluke 79's proprietary new integrated circuit technology, that's only the beginning. When it comes to zeroing in on tough electrical problems, the Fluke 79 leaves the competition behind: Hz Fretiuflncy: TtieFlu1(e79 s buift-m frequency counier [c(s you measure from below 1 Hi to Q^er 20 kHz. And whife you view frequency on Ihe digital display, ihe analog tsar graph shows you AC voltage. So you cart see if polentraily hazardous vol lag e is present. Fail &3segmenL analog bar Qraph: The Flu Re 79's bar graph moves as fast as the eye can see, uptJating at a rate o) 40 times per second to simulate the functionality ol an analog needle. You get the high speed andh\(^h resolution you need to detect peaking, nulling and trending. Capacitance: No r^eed to carry a separate dedicated capacitance tester: ihe Ftuke 79 measures capacitance from 10 pF to 9999 tif. ®;'»CI O O O -V MkHHz 0 I 2 3 4 0 iiitiiiiimiiiiuiaaiiiMtikiiriLtiiuytitikiiiiiiiiiiii 4on Actus! Size lo-Ohms range: Our proprietary Lo Ohms tunc: -on lets you measure resistance as low as . 0.01 ohms. High noise reiection and a test lead ,,Zero Calibration function make the Fluke 79 ideal for detecting small resistance changes. SMOOTHING; Smoottiing^": Our exclusive nev^ Smoolhing mode gives you a stable digrlal readout for unstable sjgnals — by displaying the running average of eight readings. No more jitter or ^'digit rattle" due to noisy signals. Get a good lliing going: To put more meter to work for you — at a price that works for you, too — head for you nearest Fluke distributor. For the flame of your nearest distributor, or for more product information, call 1-BD0-87'FLUKE. The Fluke 79 comes wilh a > el low holster and patented Fie ?('Stand''' — easy to hang Irom a door or pipe clip onto a bell or tool or stand at virtually any viewing angle. There's even storage space for test leads Fluke 73 Series II " AGOa CQifn! Diljiiji Oispiav {^^95 in Hi, caS'SCirflncfl. ind Lc-Ohrtis} 6j-^*^t7ii;Kt AmiogBj* Griph Banc DC Voltage Accurscy ^utoiTiiiti!: ToiiCh HoSd Ai/in'Hng'.nQ, Manual RanO'HQ f ■ i . . : f :V Caunttf t-D DvH ^Q- IKr . ; :-. .:M ntc . 1 0 (>F CD j&55 \if ■ S'i.'i7;?5,V Npvambar 10^2. Pubriih^d monthly by Gamabadc Ptiblieatlont, Inc. SOO-B&f-Countyeoutavard, Farrtiinadala, N¥l 1735. SacondClaia PovtagQ paid at FanTiLrrgdaltf, NV and additional malEina officei. Sacond-Clait rriAtr rtgittrstron No. R125T6Q2BO, authorizad at TorontOK Canada. Ona-y»ar »ubtciiptton rate U.SA amd poiMailana$1B.97, Canada S2 7. 7fi (tncludai GST. Canadian Good a and Sarvlcaa J*x Hagbtration No, R139teie2BO). all othar cpuntrfcai$2ft,e7. Allaubtcrlption ordarapavabia tn U.$A hjndi only, via Internationa^ poilal monay ordtr or cKeck drawn on a U,3A bar^k. S'm^h coplai 5350. 1992 by Geniftback PubUcallDniH Inc. Afl rightd rftaarvad, Prrntad In U,SJ^. POSTMASTER; P1ffafl« tend addrait changaa tp ELECTRONICS NOW, Subicription Dept., Bot 551 IS, Qouldef. CO 80321 51 IS. A liampad i*ir-addrvt«ed anvtto^ pruit accompany all iubcnittad manuicript* and/Of artwoHi or photogftpht jf tbaiF ratum Li daaJfrtd ahovld thay ba ftt^BCt*d. Wit dl«cLalm any raiponilbklity for the l&tt or dimaga of manuvcripta and/or artwork or phptographa ^hila In our poaaataion or othanvtaa. f I 3 m o 3 8' PLEASE TURN PAGE FOR COMPLETE CONTENTS ] BUILD THIS 35 BUILD THE GLITTER GLOBE Add some sparkle to the holidays with this eiectronic omamanL Ron Holzwarth 43 FAX/MODEM PROTECTOR A low-cost project that safeguards your telephone-based gear- Tom Petruzzellis 47 INRUSH CURRENT LIMITER Protect sensitive electronics with this device* Douglas Wirth 51 LIGHT BEAM COMMUNICATOR The inexpensive * Air Hop" communicates with light! Rodney A. Kreuter eg MONITOR TECHNOLOGY A look at today's computer monitors. Stan Warner 62 THE VERSATILE 555 More circuits than you ever thought possible! Ray M. Marston 8 VIDEO NEWS What's new in this fast- changing field. David Lachenbruch 16 EQUIPMENT REPORT Beckman Industrial HD-1 60 DMM 77 HARDWARE HACKER Conventional currents, and more. Don Lancaster 88 DRAWING BOARD ASSAVI descrambler. Robert Grossblatt 94 AUDIO UPDATE Hear today, gone tomorrow. Larry Klein 97 COMPUTER CONNECTIONS Computers and consumer eiectronics, Jeff Holtinnan % z S I 108 Adyertising and Sales Offices 108 Advertising Index 91 Buyer's Market 4 Editorial 14 Letters 32 New Lit 22 New Products 12 Q&A 6 What's News EMcttmcs Hugo G«fnsbae1« (T B84- 1 f^T] fourMlar Urry St«ckl«r, EHF. GET. ad Hor- In -chief and p^t^ltsher EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Brian Fcnton, editor Marc Splwak* eisodate edtor Nell Sclst«r« sssoctste editor TflH Scadulo« assistant edttor Jeffrey Holtxman computer editor Rob«rl Groesblatti circurts editor Lurry Kloln, audio editor David' Lochonbruch contributmg editor Don Lanciieter contributing editor Kaihy Torenifi editorial bs si slant ART DEPARTMEirr Andro DuKantt eirt directo/ Injas Limt Hiuttraier Rusiell C, Trueleon, iftustralor PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Ruby M. Y»«, production diivctpr Karen S. Brown advertisirvg production Marcttlla Amomeo prt>du ction £is istent Usa Raehowiti edrtorial production ClRCUtATION DEPAfTTMENT jACquotIno P, Clt»««9boro dfcuialion dtrectof Wendy Alanko cim/letion enjti^ Thflresa Lombards circutAtian assilitant Mtchale TorHHo reprint bookftore Typography by Mates Graphics Cover inset photo by Diversified Photo Spfvicos. Background by David R DE1I, IJnbOfTi Stuck Photee El^etronfca Now is tndaxad in Applied Scienco A T&chnology inde^. and R^Aders Cvidfi to P»riQitic3i Uter- atuf»t Acadatnic Abstracts, and M»g32in9 Aftict* Sammsri&s. Microfilffi & Microfiche editions are evailable. Contact circulatitin depart^ menE for detaits. Advvrtlaing Salae Offfcas listed on pan* t02. Bactronict Now E^eeutive ar>d Admiintitrative Offictft 1^516-293-3000. SubwrHbep Ci^ito mar Service: 1-800 288 0652. Ord&r Entry for New Subscribers: 1 ^000-999*7139. Audit Bureau of Ofcuiatforii fMemb^r DC-2000MHZ mpunm \n plastic and ceramic packages, tor low-cost solu- tions 10 dozens of application requirements, select Mini- Circuits' flat pack or surface- mount wideband monotittilc amplifiers. For example, cascade three f^AR*2 monolithic amplifiers and end up with a 25dB gain. 0.3 to 2000fw1Hz amplifier for fess lhan Design values and circuit board layout available on request. It's just as easy to create an amplifier that meets other specific needs, whether it be low noise, high gain, or medium power. Select from Mini-Circuits' wide assortment of models {see Chart), sketch a simple inter- connect layout, and the design is done. Each model is characterized with S parameter data included in our 740-page RF/IF Designers' Handbook All Mini-Circuits' amphtiers feature tight unit-to-unil repeatability, high reliability, a one*yeaf guarantee, tape anc reel packaging, off- the-shelf availability, with prices starling at 99 cents Mini -Circuits* monolithic amplifiers,.. for innovative do-it-youfself problem solvers . iCxMe shoum actt^ sae 99 Umt price 5 { 1-25 qty) fot pEastic suHacG* mount add suffix (example MAFI-ISM) PLASTIC SURFACE-MOUNT MAR-l 1 04 MAR -2 140 •*VAM-3 1.45 MAR -3 1.50 MAR -4 160 •VAM-6 1.29 MAR-e 1 34 *-VAM 7 t,75 MAR '7 1.80 MAR-B 1 75 MAV-1 1 IS 'MAV'2 t 45 *MAV'3 MAV-4 1^5 MAV-11 215 CERAMJC SURFACE-MOUNT 495 RAM-2 4, IB RAM-3 RAM-4 495 RAM'S 4 95 RAM -7 4 95 RAM-8 4 95 PLASTIC FLAT PACK MAV'l 1 10 -MAV-2 1 40 ♦MAV-3 1.50 MAV-4 \m MAV^Il zia MAR'l 099 MAR*2 14S MAR^ 155 MAR'€ 129 MAR 7 K75 MAR^ 1.70 Freq.MHi.DC to 1Q0O 2000 2000 10D0 2O0O 7000 10DD 1O0O Gam^ dS at TOOMHi 125 63 20 135 325 t27 Output Pwt ♦dBm 15 4.5 10.0 125 20 55 125 175 NF,0 1 00 £5* 50 t 000 pi. 50 10 000 1* 7*0 pag?* RF IF DESIGNER S HANDBOOK < . ' ■ :OMSiNERS • AMPLIFIERS ■ • i&Q V , i.'JOflS/IERMlNATlONS • HF TBANSFOii .' • FILTERS * LiV " jATORS .ERS ELECTRONIC ATTENUATORS • OlRECTiONAL COUPLERS PMASe DETECTORS - SWITCHES/ DRfVB^S Typcaf Dirci^ Arrangement GOuonooT F155REV OflJG findiF>g new ways settmg higtier s^ndards a Mini-Circuits ... P O BOK 350166, Bioohly fi, New York 11235-0003 j 7161 934-4500 fan (718) 332-4661 DiMtribuiion Cenim north America boo-654-79>£9 * 4:7-^-^3^ fsi 4^7-115-5^5 €UROPi ***2^'mm 44-252-a;}7oto CmCLE 1B& ON FREE INFORMATION CABO irS NOW OR NEVER Now. This moment, this instant— it lives but a microsecond. Then it moves on and changes and becomes something new and different and better Thats exactly what our magazine — our magazine, yours and mine — is doing. I grew up on Radio-Craft and Radio-Electronics, You Ve probably grown up on Radio-Electronics. The next generation of electronics professionals may not even remember Radio-Electrorrics, but they will know Electronics Now. For this new, yet old, publication will be their introduction to electronics. It will be their primer, their teacher, their guide, their companion. It will travel with them through their career just as Radio-Electronics has through yours. As long as there are electronics professionals, as long as there are people who follow the wonderful ever- changing world of electronics, Electronics Now will be there. Electronics Now is not a new magazine, it is simply a refinement of what has always been. It's an evolution to something better, something wiser, something stronger A magazine more closely matched to electronics today. Carefully designed, tailored and directed by selected experts who can point you, our reader, through our pages, toward tomorrow. Electronics Now is your magazine. It is the culmination of almost 100 years of progress from the Electrical Experimenter to Radio- Electronics and finally Electronics Now. If our founder. Hugo Gernsback, were here today, he'd probably note that we should have acted sooner Perhaps he would have been right. But no matter what, we know we are correct in taking you and us on this new adventure. Join us as we go. Revel in the excitement of today and the adventure of tomorrow. Tell us what you like, what you hate, what we should do, and what we shouldn't* Write our editors, contact our bulletin board, send me your ideas, comments, and criticisms. Help us make Electronics Now exactly the kind of magazine you know it should be. And never forget we may now bear the name Electronics Now, but at heart we are Radio-Electronics, Radio Craft, Shortwave Craft, Television, and the Electrical Experimenter Larry Steckler, EHF/CET Editor-in-Chief and Publisher TheDMMour customers designed. TWectim fhlster Capaoitmae fjetdt t> SOOOpF fp^jm:^ Counter tb2Ij{it Before we built tlie new generation Beckinan Industrial Series 2000 DMMs, we asked people like you what you really^mL You want more. More test and nieasureiiicni capabilities. More troublesha)iing features. All in an afibrdable liand-held DM\1. The Series 2000 features the widest range Frequency Counter in any professional DMM. a full- ranges Capacitance Meter, True RMS measurements, Interjiiittent Detection, 50ns Pulse Detection, and Peak Measurement capabilities. Plus, the Series 2000 is the only meter to offer autoranging Mia/Max recording and relative modes. You want a DMM that's easier to use. Tlie Series 2000's display is 25% larger, with bigger digits and backlighting for easier reading, even in the worst light. Plus the fast 4 digit display provides tlie high resolution needed for adjusting power supplies and generators down to ImV, And only the Series 2000 features a menuing s)^stem for fast, simple feature access. j.K»./.JH!Jiuiiti(.k<.MJH,Ll,l o a mm- u ^ A - - OFF ■ '['he Becknian Industrial Series 2000, priced frofii S209 to $279 offers you the best perfor- mance for your doll:ir. Look again at tlie.se feature.S: • 4 Digit, 10,000 Count Resolution • Basic Accuracy to 0. 1% • True RMS, AC or AC on DC • O.OlO Resolution • Automatic Reading Hold • 1ms Peak Hold • Fully Atuoranging Relative and Min Max Modes • Intermittent Detector • UL1244, lEClOlO Design • Tliree Year Wamint>^ Tlie Series 2000 olfei^i the most .solutions for your everyday test and measurement needs. The only DMMs designed by the people who use them. You, For more infomixition on these new DMMs call (outside CA) TS00-B54-2708 or , (inside CA) 1-800-227-9781. Beckman f3 # ' Industrial Corpoj^tion. 3883 Ruffin Rd.. UmM m San Diego, CA 92123-1898. Beckman IndumtrSmt An Affiliate of Emerson Electric Co. Speolkatiam stitfxt to dmigfi vMvotit notice, e 1992 Berkmin Indusirial Cocp. CIRCLE »S QU FREE mFORMATION CARD WHATS NEWS A review of the latest happenings in electronics. Fluke and Philips restructuring John Fluke Mfg. Co.. inc. CEver- ett, WA) and Philips Electronics N.V. (Eindhoven, The Netheriands) on August 26 announced their in- tention to rBStructure their five-year- old alliance in the test and measure- ment business. Under the plan, which is expected to take several months to finalize. Fluke would ac- quine most of Philips' test and mea- surement operations for cash and stock. Once the contingency fac- tors have been met (approval by Ruke shareholders and the Philips Board of Management, and review by the appropriate sociat and reg- ulatory organizations). Fluke would acquire essentially all existing Phi- lips' test and measurement busi* nesses. with the exception of professional TV test equipment and power supplies. Fluke would then assume direct responsibility for worldwide marketing, development, manufacturing, sates, and support of most of the combined compa- nies present product lines. That in- cludes the acquisition of sales and service operations in Europe, About 900 Philips employees would trans- fer to Ffuke, The management of both compa- nies see the move as a togical pro- grBssion in their alliance. According to Bill P^rzybok, Fluke Chairman and CEO. "All along, we have been evolving the alliance to optimize our performance and improve our posi- tion in a changing marketplace. It has become apparent to both com- panies that a unified management structure, aligned under a single mission, would accelerate our growth and success/' That mission, he said, is to position Fluke as the leader in compact, professional electronic test tools. The single focus is expected make the com- bined company more effective in product definition, design, and mar- keting, leading to streamlined pro- duction and better time-to-market for new products. In addition. Fluke hopes its European presence will allow the company to take advan- tage of EC ^92. The transaction is expected to add about $125 million to Flukes revenues, and to favorably impact Fluke's earnings per share begin- ning in the first year of operations. Fiuke expected to issue its proxy statement to shareholders in early November See-through magnetic material Scientists at Xerox Corporation's Webster Research Center CWebster. NY) have produced a transparent magnetic material with potential applications in color imag* ing, computer infomnation storage, magnetic fluids, and even magnetic refrigeration. (When a magnetic ma* terial is moved into a magnetic field it heats up: when moved out. it cools down. That so-called magne* tocaloric effect can theoretically be used to build refrigerators. AU though magnetic refrigerators have been built, none have worked at anything near room temperature.) The crystalline materia! is chemi- cally identical to the gamma ferric oxide that has been used for de^ cades to coat audio and video re- cording tape. But the crystals that make up the physical form of the new material are far smaller than those of conventional magnetic ma- terial. The Fe203 crystals compos- ing the magnetic matenal range in size horn two to ten nanometers. With such small crystals, the mate- rial loses its usual ferromagnetic property and becomes super- paramagnetic — a state in which the crystals v/ill stick to a magnet but not to each other. The transparency is an added bonus that is not generally found in magnetic materials at room temper- ature. The scientists have not yet determined why the nanocrystais are more transparent than the larger crystals of conventional Fe203. Al- though some transparent magnetic materials already exist, their mag- netic properties are either too weak to be useful, or they function only at temperatures near absolute zero. World's most powerful laser- light beam A breakthrough In the interna- tional race to create the world's most pov^rful laser-light beam has been achieved by scientists at The University of Michigan CAnn Arbor, Ml) and the French National Atomic Energy Commission. The 55- terawatt beam of laser iight^ — one terawatt is equivalent to one trillion watts — was produced in April 1992 at the Centre d' Etudes de Limeit* Valenton CLimeil, France). The pre* vious record, set last year in sJapan. was 30 terawatts- The beam was produced by the Centers P-102 laser with a laser amplification tech- nique and a second preamplifying laser developed by Gerard A. Mourou. pnsfessor of electrical en- gineering and computer science at Michigan, and his co-researchers. During the brief laser burst, re- searchers produced the 55- terawatt of power — the equivalent of 100 times the total electrical power generated in the United States. According to Mourou, "The laser beam can be focused over a spot smaller than the diameter of a human hair to produce extremely high power densities." The re- searchers say that the most imme- diate application of the new technology will be to determine what happens when extremely in- tense laser beams interact with matter Preliminary experiments showed that when high-powered laser pulses are shot through plasma^ shock waves are created that are capable of accelerating electrons close to the speed of light in very small distances. That could lead to Continued on page 74 Audio/Sweep Generator •Sine/Square/Triangle •1Hz to 100kHz •Variable DC offset •Sweepabte 100:1 Model 2001 2MHz Sweep Function Generator ^ •0.2Hz to 2MHz •J^^'*''*!^ ' A •Duty-cycle, symmetry controls •son output •VCO Input Model 2002 $219.95 Digitally Syntiiesized Generator ^ •DCto1.6I^Hz ^'^'^^^ Ik •Trigger, Sweep, Burst, Hop and GatBmo|^ •Internal/External Sweep ^\ ^ W * •Sine, Square, Triangle, Ramps •Optional RS-485 communications port • 1 6 programmable memories Model 2003 $499.95 1.600000000 f,1H2l AMP 20.00 sine! ' OLOBAL F SPECIALTIES SYNTHESIZED FUWCTlOr>t GENEBATOfI mmm * 1 1 1 Compare the specifications and the prices of these four instruments with the competition. Then compare the labels, Global's say "Proudly Made in U.S.A.". Designed and manufactured in our Connecticut factory with the value and quality that Global is known for. The competitors, they look aiike because they are. Different names on the front. The same label on the back. "Made in Taiwan". With Global youllgeta Good Buy, and can say Good-bye to imports. ^® Can't Wait? Call...1 -800-572-1 028 GLOBAL SPECIALTIES' 70 Fulton Terrace New Haven, CT 06512 FAX 468-0060 C' 1002 Interpl&x Etectfortics A004 SpedticatPofis subject lo change '^jthc>LFl aolicfi- I m m 3 13 anCLE 1S7 ON FFIEE INFORMATTON CAflD VIDEO NEWS Whafs new in the fast-changing video industry. DAVID LACHENBRUCH • Nintendo goes 32-bit. Taking its competitors by surprise. Ninten- do announced that, unlike other vid- eo-game manufacturers, it will skip the current generation of 16-bit games and go directly to a 32-bit processor when it introduces its CD-ROM accessory next year The company announced that it had de- veloped a proprietary "Super FX" chip that will make possible 16-bit cartridge games with "true 3D effects/' Because its next-genera- tion cartridge games will be 16-bit. the company decided that it would need an enhanced CD-ROM to of- fer customers a ''truly superior game experience/' The nev/ CD-ROM drive will func- tion within the CD-ROM/XA en- vironment, Nintendo said, which theoretically would make it compati- ble with Philips CD-I. • VIS vs< CD-|p Tandy's Video In- teractive System, or VIS, designed to play CD-ROM's through consum- er TV sets (Electronics Now, November 1992)^ formally carries a suggested list price of $699. which includes Compton's Multimedia En- cyctopedia. Philip's incompatible CD-I system also lists at $699. after recent price reductions, and dealers have been selling it at $599. Con- sumers who bought players at high- er prices are being mailed coupons good for $100 worth of free soft- ware. In addition, purchasers return- ing warranty cards are sent coupons that are good for transfer of their photos to a Photo CD. The CD-I format is compatible with Kodak's Photo CD system (but VIS currently isn'tX • TV's are growing. Larger pic- ture sizes continue to grow as a shaiie of the teievision-neceiver mar ket. In the first half of 1992. sales of direct-view sets with tubes 30 inches and larger (diagonally) were up 64% from the same period of 1991. Projection TV sales were up 14%. but the larger sized projectors (50 inches and [arger) rose by more than 21%. • Who's number one? Number one in TV set sales, that is. That position Is still held by RCA as the leading brand in the United States, with just over 16% of the market. Zenith continues as number two, with a little more than 10%. followed by Magnavox with 9%- Sony is fourth with 7%. and Sharp is fifth with 5V2%. The rankings are by Television Digest, which has been surveying TV market shares for 26 years. In the first brand rankings for projection TV, Mitsubishi was the clear winner with 22,6% of the mar- ket, followed by Magnavox with 4% and RCA with 13%. • Digital HDTV works* The first report on digital high-definition TV by the Advanced Television Test Center (ATTC). which is testing pro- posed systems for the FCC. offered great encouragement for the future of digital TV transmission. Report- ing on the first digital system it test- ed — General Instrument s Di- giCipher — the ATTC's results indi- cated generally good picture quality with low levels of interference. Con- trary to doubts expressed in Europe and Japan, where analog systems are espoused, the tests showed that DigiCipher produces less inter- ference with other broadcasts than the analog NTSC system used in the United States. The tests also appeared to show that the Di- giCipher system can provide the same coverage distance from the transmitter as the NTSC system, but at 13-dB lower power. However, digital HDTV does appear to be more sensitive to phase noise, which can probably be overcome by the development of improved filters in TV sets. • Priming HDTV's pump. The fact that HDTV is technically possi- ble doesn't necessarily mean that it will proceed rapidly once a system is chosen. As a matter of fact, it's difficult to determine how the first HDTV pictures will be delivered — by ternsstrial broadcast stations, direct satellite, cable, or even possibly by prerecorded media such as video- tape or laserdisc. Although the FCC-sponsored tests are designed to determine the best system for terrestrial HDTV broadcasting. It's entirely possible that broadcasters will take a wait-and-see attitude to- ward HDTV before going to the tre- mendous expense of adding new studio and transmission equip- ment — and quite likely new antenna towers to disseminate two separate types of broadcasts during the inter- im period of HDTV's introduction while NTSC signals are still being broadcast. When color TV was introduced. TV station owners were extremely reluctant to add color origination equipment because the lack of au- dience meant that they couldn't charge advertisers a premium for color broadcasts. And it wasn't until 10 years after the introduction of color W that consumers bought a million sets tn any yean (The figure is now well over 20 million a year) Broadcasters say they can't be cer- tain that there is any market for HDTV— but they do see a lucrative by-product of the current HDTV tests. All digital HDTV systems rely on data compression to squeeze four times the current information into a single 6-MH2 channel. So broadcasters are asking whether it might be more lucrative for them to use compression technology to cram two or more standard-defini- tion broadcasts onto a single chan- nel and thus help on-air broad- casters attain the multi-channel capacity that will let them compete with cable. Cable itself is in a better position than broadcasters to provide early Continued on page 74 Plug a ^ Friend into BeOrmcs NOW. and Save 017 A8! This Christmas give an electrifymg gift ... plug a friend into Electronics Nolo and brighten the whole new year! Whether electronics is your friends Hoelihood or hobby, your gift will illuminaie the whole spectrum of electronics throughout the coming year and provide a monthly reminder of your friendship. Electronics Now will keep your friend informed and up-to: 1993. But you must rush the attached Gift Cenificate to us to allow time to process your order and send a handsome gift announcement card, signed with your name, in lime for Christmas. So do it now ... take just a moment to fill in the names of a friend or two and mail the Gift Certificate to us in its attached, poslage-paid reply envelope. Ttiat's all it takes to plug your friends into a whole year of exciting projects and new idecis in Electronics Now! See page 1 00 A for envelope. ill O&A Write toQ& A, Electronics Now, 500-8 Bi-County Blvd. Farmingdale, NY 11735 I s m 12 50-OHM TERMINATION I recently bought a card for my PC that lets me control things like motors and relays. My prob- lem is that the instructions tell me that each line to the relay or motor must be terminated with at least 50 ohms, I'm not exactly sure what that means, and I was hoping you could explain it to me.— G. Cherben, Nighten, IN Tm not exactly sure what kind of hardware you bought for your PC. but no matter what it is. yours is the kind of question I like — nice and easy. All the instructions are telling you is that each of the card's outputs want to see a load of 5D ohms. That kind of termination is standard for computer networks and other things. If you're having a hard time understanding why it s needed, think for a minute of the power*am* plifier outputs on a stereo. It's never a good idea to leave them uncon- nected to anything because an infi- nite load like that {that's what an open connection is) can put an un- necessary strain on the stereos output transistors. The same is evidently true for your controller card. Just as it doesn't want to see a direct short on the control lines, it doesn't want to see too high a resistance either. Tm a bit surprised that an external termination is required since it would have been easy for the card s designers to include it on the card itself. Most motors and relays have fairly low winding resistances, so the addition of a 50-ohm resistor is pretty silly— kind of l\ke putting a 1 0- amp fuse on a line that will draw a maximum of only 1 amp. Remember that adding a 50-ohm resistor in par- allel to a motor winding with a resis- tance of 3 ohms or so isn't going to add much to the equivalent total re- sistance of the pair You can buy 50-ohm terminators or just solder a 50-ohm resistor on the line. By the way for all intents and purposes, a 47-ohm resistor is close enough. FIG. 1— CRYSTAL OSCILLJMOR. if you use an inverting hex buffer like the 4049, powered from a 5- volt supply, the circuit wUI work with crystals as high as t4 MHz. CRYSTAL OSCILLATOR rm building a circuit that re- quires 3 crystal oscillator, but I'm not sure which design to use. I don't have to worry about any extreme temperatures, and I have a bunch of spare gates left over on the board. Most of the crystal oscillator designs I've seen require the addition of spe- cial chips, and I don't have a lot of room left on the board. Have you got a simpte circurt that will do the job? — J. Gilian, Hendon, NH If your requtrBments ai^ as simple and straightfon.vard as you say. the circuit in Fig. 1 is exactly what you need. It can be made from the extra gates you have, is self-starting, and is also extremely reliable. The circuit will work well with as little as a S-volt supply, and the crys- tal frequency limit really depends on the amount of gain there is in the gate you use. Something like a 4049 wilt work with crystals as high as 14 MHz. If you use more than 5 volts for the supply, you should be able to go even higher One interesting variation on this circuit is to use a two-legged gate instead of a simple inverter That will let you turn the design into a gated oscillator so you can tunr> it on and off under circuit control. I don't know if that s important in your ap* plication, but it's a good thing to keep in the back of your mind. SCAN RATES I know this information has probably been printed some- where before, but could you tell me what the scan rates are for the various kinds of IBM video? I have several monitors available, and Tm not sure which ones can be used with which graphics cards-— Heller, New York NY The variety of IBM video stan- dards has alw^s caused confusion. IBM ^W^a jsrAm?AKi>S p ^^C(MMS &^PH/CS AMf^rsJ^ AcmHYM COLOR SCAH t^rs- MS>A 3^^ /6 Earn Your B.S. Degree in ELECTRONICS or COMPUTERS It's usually a problem when people want to upgrade their video. In any event, the IBM standards are listed m Table 1. Notice that it doesn't in- clude any of the super VGA fre- quencies. The reason for that is simply because super VGA fre- quencies can be anywhere from the regular VGA standard to as high as 50 kHz wRh a 70-Hz vertical refresh rate. That usually shows up when you get into super VGA with inter- laced or non-interlaced video. QIC AND EASY I have a QIC-40 tape backup in my computer, and I have just in- creased the size of my hard drive to 120 megabytes. I know I can back up the drive on several different tapes, but it's a pain in the neck to tag a bunch of files, back them upj then tag another bunch, back them up, and so on. is there an easier way or will I have to buy a tape drive with a larger capacity?— D* Tunn, Ten- afly, NJ I can't accept the idea that having to use a couple of tapes to back up your new, larger, drive is such a chore. You've obviously forgotten what it was like to back stuff up on floppies. But there are several alter- natives you can try. The first, and most obvious, is that the software that drives the tape usually gives you a way to build a tag list and. by specifying that you want to back up everything in the listed directories, you should be able to avoid having to tag the files individually. Most tape software also allows you to compress the files on the tape so you can effectively turn a 40-megabyte tape into a larger one. The number of extra files you can get on the tape depends on what kind of files you have to back up, and how effective the software's com- pression afgorithm is. Text and other data files will squeeze down by at least 70%. That is only an estimate, but you should be able to get a sub- stantial savings by compressing the files as you back them up. If the software that came with your tape drive doesn't have any of those features, there are other pro- grams that wifJ provide them, QIC-40 is a standard that allows a tape recorded on any QIC-40 drive to be read on any other OIC-40 dnve. Another alternative to shelling out bucks for a new tape drive is to use a DC 2120 cartridge rather than the standard DC 2000 that youVe prob- ably using now. Those cartridges are compatible with your drive and. because thinner Mylar is used for the tape itself, you can format it to about 60 megabytes. When you add data compression, you should be able to get over 100 megabytes on the tape. tf you are interested in buying a new tape drive. QIC-SO tape drives double the storage capacity of QIC-40 drives by packing twice as much data on the same tape. A QIC 80 drive formats a DC 2120 tape to 120 megabytes, and roughly doubles that to about 250 mega- bytes using software compression, A new drive won't even set you back by much — QIC-80 drives, such as the Colorado Memory Systems' Jumbo 250, sell for as little as $2S0. mail order LESS TH AN MTS I have an RCA stereo TV that Vm happy with for the most part. It's just that, on occasion, a ster- eo broadcast will sound like it's coming out of a seashell. Td love to blame the cable company— and I usually can — but my VCR doesn't suffer the same prob- lem. Friends have told me that the problem is because my TV isn't a true MTS-compatlble set is this true?— M. Johnson, Lin- denhurst, NY Many people have complained about problems similar to yours — mcfuding the folks over at dbx. whose noise-reduction circuitry must be incorporated into any ster- eo TV circuitry in order for it to be called MTS. Lots of manufacturers insist that they can meet the MTS specifications without using dbx, but that's usually done to avoid pay- ing licensing fees to dbx. I suspect that your RCA TV does not have dbx, while your VCR does. If the noise really bothers you. and youVe not ready to buy a new TV — with dbx noise reduction — then just use your VCR as the tuner for as long as you have to. R-E By Studying at Home Grantham College of Engineering, now in our 42nd year, is highly ex- perienced in "distance education" — teaching by correspondence — through printed materials, computer materials, fax, and phone. No commuting to class. Study at your own pace, while continuing on your present job. Learn from easy-to- understand but complete and thorough lesson materials, with additional help from our instructors. Our Computer B.S. Degree Pro- gram includes courses in BASIC, PASCAL and C languages — as well as Assembly Unguage, MS DOS, CADD, Robotics, and much more. Our Electronics B.S. Degree Pro- gram includes courses in Solid-State Circuit Analysis and Design, Control Systems, Analog/ Digital Communica- tions, Microwave Engr, and much more. An important part of being pre- pared to move up is holding the right college degree, and the absolutely neces- sary part is knowing your field. Grantham can help you both ways — to learn more and to earn your degree in the process. o Write or phone for our free ^ catalog. Toll free, 1-800-955-2527, or |. see mailing address below. ^ i Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the ^ National Home Study Council ^ o • 3. GRANTHAM | College of Engineering ^ Grantham College Road t3 Slidell, LA 70460 LETTERS Write to Letters, Electronics Now, 500-B Bi-County B!vd, Farmingdate, NY 11735 I s a LU 14 DISTORTIONLESS POCKET STEREO AMP 1 have some information regard- ing the "Pocket Stereo Amp" (Ask R-E, Electronics Now, August 1992) that might be helpful to the person who was having distortion problems when using an LM386. I Ve experimented extensively with that IC* and while simplicity has its merits, we must remember that a job worth doing is worth doing well Because pocket stereos often have excellent sound quality, steps should be taken to maintain that quality when building an add-on am- plifier for it. The bare-bones design shown in Fig. 2 of the article might work, but the inclusion of 3 few junk-box com- ponents wi!i yield better results. I've been using the design shown to the nght. which is the one that generally shows up in projects that incorpo- rate an audio section. Though the values sometimes differ slightly, all of these components usually ap- pear in the circuit. The first time I built this amplifier, I omitted capacitor C3 thinking that it would be unnecessary with a bat- tery supply that contains no ripple. That resulted in severe distortion even at low input signal levels. The amplifier even tended to oscillate at times. After some head scratching. I connected a large-value elec- trolytic capacitor between pin 6 The RMS225 was built around sim- plicity. Instead of a barrage of buttons to push, you simply L i ^ scroll through a ^ menu of special functions. Minimums, maximums and automatic read- ing hold arc simple functions with Beckman Industrial's RMS225. It's simply the best meter for the CIRCLE 190 ON Ff^EE IIMFORMAUON CAflO (supply) and ground, which elimi- nated the problem completely. The amplifier can be driven with a line-level signal fnDm an auxiliary out- put or from the headphone jack of a pocket stereo. In the latter case, with R1 adjusted for maximum vol- ume level, the pocket stereos vol- ume control should be adjusted to the minimum level that will provide adequate sound. That will prevent the possibility of overdriving any LM386 s. Once that is done, Rl can be used to adjust the volume. If two such amplifiers are being used for stereo, C3 can be con- nected between the common sup- ply line and ground. If you use a power supply that contains a filter capacitor. C3 might not be neces- sary. C2 is optional as stated in the original article, depending on the need for gain. I necommend using it because even though the amplifier in the pocket stereo provides gain, most of that gain will be lost when the controls are adjusted to limit the level of the input signal. Capacitor CI can be omitted if there is no DC component on the input signal line. There probably is none if the source is an earphone jack or auxiliary output of a CD play- er or cassette player. I have occa- sionally seen pin 7 (bypass) connected to ground through a ca- pacitor, but it doesn't seem to make any noticeable diffenence in this ap- plication, so I've never used it. The design shown in Fig. 1 gives a surprisingly good sound consider- ing the low cost of the IC, As aiways, I'm grateful for the Letters column in Electronics Kow that aliows the exchange of information among readers. STEVE BABBERT Worthington, OH THEFT OF SERVICES I fell to understand you guys. Is Electronics Now a socialist magazine, advocating ripping off ca- ble companies because they are Robber Baron Capitalist Fat Cats, or something? Robert Grossblatt saySp "If the cable companies put the signal on your wire, you should have the right to use it." Does he steal from coir^ newspaper boxes too? After all, his quarter has pur- chased him access to the box, right? Hasn't he ever heard of "im- plicit contracts?" When he took his cable service, he agreed to take the services he paid for 1 agree that he should have the right to experiment. But if he steals programming, he isn't just stealing from the Fat Cat Cable Company — he steals from a lot of other people: technicians who work for the cable company artists who do the programming, electronics manufacturers who supply products to the cable companies, and ulti- mately from little electranics com- panies like mine. We design and repair cable, and that work keeps a technician and an engineer employ- ed. That's how / see it. And I think that the law agrees with me. P. MIHOK Don Mills, Ontario, Canada TURN-SiGNAL FLASHER UPDATE The circuit suggested by Timothy Brooks in September's Letters col- umn, designed to augment the too- faint click of the automobile turn- signal flashers Ca 47-^F capacitor in series with a small speaker con- nected across the flasher unit) works fine. However, there must be a current-limiting resistor in the cir- cuit. Without it. the speaker's voice coil soon opens up. FG. HUTCHINSON Redwood City, CA ANOTHER FLASHER UPDATE The letters in the September is- sue of Electronics Now, sug- gested different complicated elec- tronic solutions for amplifying an automobile's turn-signai sound. There is a much simpler solution to the weak turn-signal sound prob- lem; I have been using it for a number of years. Many automotive departments of retail stores stock replacement flashers. Look for an Ideal Loud Turn-Signal Flasher No. 577V (Ideal Division, St. Augustine. PL 32084). It can replace any 12-volt, two- terminal flasher. Only one problem might be encountered: The loud- flashers case is slightly more than twice as long as a regular flasher's case. That becomes a pn^blem only if there is a ltd covering the terminal box containing the flasher. In that case, you can cut a hole in the lid to accommodate the new flasher, or leave the lid off entirely. VINCENT M. SARITI Dover, NJ DISKETTE CONVERSION In the QSA column in the Sep- tember issue of Electronics Now, there was a discussion of double- and high-density diskettes, and whether or not there really is a difference between them I have con- verted 3.5-inch Tloppy" disks fnom double-density to high-density by forming a hole in their cases, and I have found that the converted disks work fine without pnDblems- How- ever, be very careful not to let any smalt material chips get Inside the disk case. When a hole is made in the proper place, a small opening into the disk case is created. If a chip fnom the drilling or punching gets into that hole, it could cause serious damage to the disk — on even worse, to the disk drive. I consider drilling the hole to be out of the question, and rec- ommend using a very sharp and sturdy punch. Several of these are now on the market. EMERSON HOYT Beaverton, OR R-E CIRCLE 190 QH FREE IMFORMATIOM CARD EQUIPMENT REPORTS Beckinan Industrial HD160 Digital Multimeter e 1 16 I any people who use digital multimeters— even Ihose I who use one every day — consider DM Ms to be little nnofB than commodity Items. Other peo- ple, especially those whose live- lihoods depends on the DMM, know the importance of a well de- signed meter. Theyll want to know about a new DMM from Beckman Industrial Corporation (Instrumen- tation Products Division, 3883 Ruffin Road, San Diego. CA 92123-1898): the HDf60 heavy duty digital multimeter The HD160 is the latest entry in Beckman Industrials "HD" line of heavy-duty DMM 's. tt is housed in a sleek, bright yellow case that mea- sures about 6.8 X 2.8 x 1 .3 inches. A black riibber holster is supplied with the DMM to provide extra pro- tection. Mhough the holster adds significant bulk to the meter. It can actually make handheld operation easJen thanks to two probe holders on the hoister. The user can hold the meter with one attached probe in one hand, and the remaining probe rn the other The probe holders also provide a secune. safe place to store the probes when the meter is not in use. The holster also provides a tilt stand that is particularly convenient for bench-top use: a tilt bale pro- vides fixed tilt angles of 20 or 60 degrees from perpendicular We would expect the HDfdO to be used away from the benchtop as often as not. If youVe ever used a DMM while at the top of a ladder or while perched on the service platform of a large industrial machine, you*ve un- doubtedfy found that three hands could come in very handy. The HDteO offers what might be the next best thing: a Rex-Strap." The Rex-Strap is a Veicro-covered fabric strap that lets you hang the meter vertically from a wide variety of pipes, beams, and the like. Pipes up to about three inches tn diameter will serve just fine. A meter for heavy-duty professionals CPICU 10 OH m££ IHFOflllA7KH4 CAflO The face of the meter is agreeably uncluttered. A large, T-position rota- ry contfDl sets the main function se- lections: AC volts, DC volts, resistance^ diode test/continuity. DC current, and AC current. Below the rotary control are four input jacks: a common, one for voltage and resistance measurements one for current measurements of 40 mil- liamps or less, and one for current measurements up to 20 amps. At the top of the meters face, below the 4*digit (10.000-count) LCD readout, are three round push- buttons: MENU. SELECT, and CLEAR. The sensible menu system is what helps keep the meter fece so uncluttered. When the meter is first powered up, it is in its autoranging mode. To change the range, you would press the menu key; a four-item menu (range, hold, rel, and min max) flashes above the digits. With the first press, the menu cursor is on the range selection. Successive pushes of the select button changes the range. Successive pushes of the menu button changes the cursor position. The clear button can clear a given entry, or it can clear the en tire menu, resetting the meter. We found the menu sys- tem to be intuitive. The meter's hold mode, which Beckman Industrial calls "Probe Hold." automatically freezes the meter's display when a stable read- ing is reached, That means the meter user can keep his hands on the probes, not on the meter — an important feature if you work around dangerous voltages. The relative mode lets the meter measure values with respect to a reference other than zero. The fea- ture works in the voltage, res is* tance. current, and diode-test modes. The nf^ax min mode lets the meter measure and record the minimum and maximum values of input sig- nals. The feature works with afl func- tions except diode test. The mode is not useful for capturing tran- sients, but it can be used to mea- sure the operating parameters of a circuit. The automatic power-down feature does not. fortunately, oper- ate in max min mode. An analog bar graph, made up of forty LCD segments, is useful for peaking circuits: they respond fast- er than the digital display C20 up- dates a second as opposed to 2 updates a second), and— as with an analog moving-coil meter — small changes ans more obvious. The HD160 offers true-rms mea- surement capability depending on the input signals crest factor The crest factor is the ratio of a signals peak voltage to its rms value. A sine wave has a crest factor of 1.414. a full-wave rectified sine wave has a crest factor of 3.247. Signals with crest factors up to 5.0 can be mea- sured when the display is at or be- low 2500 counts. At half scale Continued on page 96 G, TUNING TO , DETECT & CAP Near Field Transmissions with Optoelectronics' New INTERCEPTOR" >Jt \ \ NEW K,^\^ \ TECHNOLOGY • Follows & Locks on even when frequency changes. • Intercepts ALL FM Two-Way Transmissions without gaps in coverage. • Does Not have lo tune through RF Spectrum to find signals. FCC Classified as Communication Test Instrument for: • Deviation, FM, FMN * Relative Signal Strength • Signaling Tones (CTCSS) • Modulation Morutor • Great for toting VHP, UHF k Cellular transmitters A New Dimension in Recreational ^- Monitoring - Intercept the Two-Way | Communication that Surrounds You- ' Increase Your RF Security. Hand Held/Shirt Pocket Size INTRODUCTORY OFFER Interceptor" RIO FM Communications Interceptor (Includes NiCad^AC/CMrger Adapkt, Atilenna, Earphone)..,, : $359. OPTIONS Headphones (Lightweight personal hcadptiones)**» S 15. A ntenna Pak 2 ( Five assorted rubber duck antennas - save S32,> « S 99. TC200 Tone Counter (CTCSS signalling tones) . — 179. APS-104 iExlends RF detection distance lOx)...... — ..5995. CFBOO Cellular Band Pass Filter/Amp I i fie r...« .5299. FACTORY DIRECT ORDER LINE X-800"327*5912 305-771-2050 • FAX 305-771-2052 • 5821 NE 14th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33334 S% Ship / Hand ling (MixSl 0. ) U5. & Caiud a. 1 5 ou isid e cantinmtal U 5. Visa & .Vlasler Card actepted ORCLE 182 OH FHCE tNFOnUATIOH CARO No other traininj^ to troubleshooi computers Only NRI walks you through the step-by-step assembly of a powerful 386sx computer system you train with and keep— giving you the hands- on experience you need to work with, troubleshoot, and service today's most widely used computer systems. Only NRI gives you everything you need to start a money-making career, even a business of your own, in computer service. No doubt about it: The best way to Icam to service computers is to actually build a state-of-the-art computer from the keyboard on up. Only NKI, the leader in career-biiildtng at-home electronics training for more than 75 years, gives you that kind of practical, real-world computer servicing experience. Indeed, no other training — in school, on the job, anywhere— shows you how to troubleshoot and service computers like NRI. 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What's more, you now go on to install and test a powerful 40 meg IDE hard disk drive— today's most-wanted computer peripii- eral— included in your course to DIAGNOSTIC HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE R.A.(r.[!.Il. p]i]|;-]n lli3J^o^tic caird ajitl Qitit k'I'ct li mciui- drivcn wfiw^src, l>t>ih frufii t)ltra-X. give you haiid^n experience with ttxlay's professional (liagntj.-itic uhA^ DISCOVERY LAB Complete hreadbtarnling sj-sicm Irtfi, you design and m(Klif>' circ ulLs, dl:ignotic ^nd repair (miIxs LESSONS Clear, illustnilcd texts build your undtfr^tundini; of conipulcrs step by step MONrroR High^rcsolution, nonglaic, 14* TTL mtinocKromc monitor with lilt and swivel base DIGfTAL LOGIC PROBE Simplifies anal^7.ing di^it^ circuit t>pcr3iion DIGH'AL MULTIMETER I^fcssional test Instrument for quick and eas^- mexsuremcnls SOFTWARE Train with MSDOS, C;W'BA.SJC, and popular MJcfiTMjfi Works a.pf:iUcaijons Mift^'an: dramaticuliy increase your com- puter's data stonige capacity while giving you Hglitning- quick data access. But that's not all! Professional diagnostic hardware and software makes troubleshooting fast and accurate Your NRI training now includes a remarkable djagnoj>ttc pack- age that allo%vs you to quickly locate and correct defects in IBM XT, AT 80286/80386, and shows you how and service likeNRI! ^EWl 40 MEG HARD DISK DRrVE! •i'iui in^xM ihis 10 meg IDH 111 Til titjtk drive inicm^ly, for ■rt att^ r da.U .stooge capatiiy iiitl iUiVj :i(."ccs?> speed NEW! 336SX/20 MHz MINI TOWER COMPUTER! met; "AM. 6 Ik ROM. LJ meg higJuJensiiy fliippy disk drive NliE gives you the confidence and the know-how to step into a full-time, money-making career as an industr)^ technician, even start a computer service business of your own! No experience necessary. NRI builds it in With NRI, you learn at your own pace in your own home. No classroom pressures, no night school, no need to quit your present job until you're ready to make your move. And all diroughout your training, you have the full suppon of your personal NRI instructor and the NRI technical staff, always ready to answer your C|ucstiDns and give you help when- ever you need it, FREE catalog tells more. Send today! Send today for NRI's big, free catalog that describes ever>' aspect of NRI's innovative computer training, as well as hands-on tniining in 'IT/vidco/audio servicing, telecommunications, industrial electron- ics, and other high-growth, high-tech career fields. If the coupon is missing, write to NRI School of Electronics, McGraw-Hill Continuing Education Center, 4401 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, QiikkTcch jndH A €.B R- itc registered tra Jemarkji of LfLtra-X, Inc. West Co3M is z mrnibpcr tJf ilic Syntax Group- compatible computers. You'll use your llltra-X QuickTech diagnostic software to test the system RAM and such peripheral adapters as parallel printer ports, serial communications ports, video adapters, and floppy anil hard disk drives. YtntH go on to use your R.A.C.E.R. diagnostic card, also from tJltni-X, to idcntif>' individual defective RAM chips, locate interfacing problems, and pinpoint defective support chij>s. This ingenious diagnostic package is just one more way School of Electronics McGnnv-UiU C.ontinumg Ixlicatiori Center i \ <:r dct:ijls □ Computer Programming O Security Elect rani cs □ Electronic Music Technology □ t>csktop IHibiishing □ Profimmming in C++ with Windows ^ Name CPlciK print) Arc H Address Accredited" Member, Nalsonal Home Study CounciF 0003-1292 NEW PRODUCTS Use the Free Information Card for more details on these products. 5! 2? 5 1 s 5: o c p LU 22 PROGRAMMABLE PC- BOARD TESTER, You can lest more than 600 TTL and CMOS digital IC*s with as many as 28 pins with a new Mode/ 560A B^K-Preci- ston tester Said to be able to perform in- and out-of- ctrcuit tests, it was de- signed for both speed and accuracy. The testers vacuum flu- orescent display and front- panel LED s prompt the user through the test pro- cedums for a device, and clearly indicate test results and the IC prns where failure has occurred/The "loop test" continuously checks the device under test until a failure is en- countened. This technique detects intermittent failures before the compo- nents are assembled in a product. A memory stores re- sponses from a known to be good PC*board for in- ctrcult testing. Responses are perma- nently stored in one of two internal EEPROM's or any of the four EEPROM's lo^ cated behind the instru- CIRCLE 16 ON FREE INFOR^WION CARD menl's front-panel access door In out-of circuit test- ing, the device to be tested is inserted into the zerunn- sert ion -force socket on the instrument, and a button is pressed so a display shows either a "pass" or "fair* and the pin numbers that have been identified as faulty. The Model 560A in- cludes a device data library that contains data on more than 90% of existing 14- to 28'pin ICs. That library will be updated fnee of charge as new IC's are introduced. Optional AK-560A custom programming software. which does require a pro- cessing by a personal com- puter, allows users to organize tests for non- standard and custom TTL and CMOS ICs. The Model 560A is sofd complete with an instruc^ lion manual, condensed in- structions, to library list, power cord, in-circuit IC test cfips and cables. EE PROM for board -test routines, ground cable, and a spare fuse. It has a price of $3500 — B + K-Precl- Sion, 6470 est Cortland Street. Chicago, IL 60635; Phone: 312-889-1448, RADAR-DETECTOR TESTER. When you are out driving, do you worry that your radar detector might not be working correctly^ — and you could get caught in a speed trap? Dynaspek eases your worries with its Leash, just what you need to be sure that your radar detector (and those of your friends and neighbors) are up to snuff. A handheld radar transmitter it simulates the CiRCLE 17 ON FREE INEORVUTIQN CARD feared signal of an X-band police radar gun. Used to test detectors, the unit ac- tivates when a button is pressed, A single red LED indicates that it s transmit- ting. A full signal intensity reading will appear on your police radar detector if it is functioning properly. The "Leash'' has an effective range for test purposes of up to a mile. The size of an audio cas- sette tape. C4.5 x2:75 X t inch). The Leash transmits at least 12 milliwatts of power at 10.525 GHz. The manufacturer specifies an 8 dB antenna gain and a 36 X 72 antenna beamwidth, A 9-voit alkaline battery will keep it on the air for about six hours of continuous use, and will power it for several months of intermit- tent use. The Leash has a list price of $99^Dynaspek. Box 564. Westmont, IL 60559? Phone: 708'325-7450. CABLE SCANNER UN TEST- ER, It is now possible to eliminate local-area net- work faults and decrease network downtime when malfunctions occur with the Cable Scanner LAN tester from Contact East, The tester works with Ethernet. ARCnet, Star- LAN, Token Ring, Twisted- ftir and other networks. CIRCLE IB ON FREE INFORMATION CARD A stand-alone tester. Cable Scanner permits system analysis to deter- mine if the fault is within the cabling. It then assists in pinpointing the location of the faults or breaks. The scanner provides measure- ments of cable resistance and noise level, and gives audible continuity checks. It can accommodate a line printer to log activity. After the fault has been located with CE's Cable Scanner, an internal "Tracer" circuit indicates exactly where the cable rs located in the wall or above the ceilir\g. It picks up sig- nals intrDduced into the the cable by the scanner. The Cabte Scanner can also be coupied to a personal com- puter or oscilloscope for system analysis while the LAN is operating. The com- plete Cable Scanner sys- tem includes the Tracer three adapters (Ethernet, ARCnet. and twisted-pair), printer cable, a PC pro- gram disk, printer test con- nector. six AA nickel- cadmium rechargeable bat- teries, and an operators manual. The tester is in a case measuring 1 x 4 X 7.5 inches and weighs 2 pounds. The LAN Cable Scanner is priced at $1495 —Con- tact East. 335 Willow Street South. North Andover MA 01845: Phone: 508-682-9844. SOLOER PASTE EVALUA- TION KIT- Solder cream, powdered solder mixed with flux, has many advan- tages over conventional fluX'Core wine solder or pre- forms in electronics man- ufacturing. The cream can be applied more precisely to the parts to be soldered, less solder is needed, there is better control of metal deposition, and the wetting of metals to be bonded is more uniform. 1 I GRCLE 19 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD ESP is offering its K/r-5. containing five pre- packaged containers of ESP solder cream, molded dispensing tips, and a re- usable hand dispenser for precise solder applfcation to help you evaluate its product. The kit includes two tubes each of 60% tin, 40% lead solder paste alicy and lead-free 96% tin and 4% siker solder Each 35- gram tube rs supplied with both an activated rosin flux and a water-washable flux. Also included in the kit is a prepackaged tube of ESP's activated rosin paste flux for evaluating its desofder- ing effectiveness. The K/f -5 evaluation kit is priced at $89,— ESP Solder Plus. 14 Biackstone Valley Place, Lincoln, Rl 02865-1145: Phone: 1^800-338*4353; Fax: 401 '333-4954. DIAGNOSTIC CARD. A faulty power supply can intro- duce errors into a comput- er The Power Good from Sibex is said to be the first diagnostic card dedicated to the test of PC power CIRCLE 20 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD supplies. It is intended to assure the user that quality power at the specified volt- age is being drawn by the computer The user plugs the card Electronics Workbench The electronics lab in a computer Powerful software to build and simulate analog and digital circuits. ® Building and testing dmiits is fast and easy wiih Electonks WoTkbettdi Just dick-amklrag with a rmme io add parts run ^ires, and adjusi ia<:tnrnienl^ The tracts on the simulated imtmnicnis arc the same as you'd get on real equipment Eiedronks Workbench really is an dectronics lab in a computer. It's ideal for learning about electronics, experimenting, and prototyping circuits. "Ekctronks Workbench is pretty DOS Professional \'crslon - $299 Macintosh Version - Sl99 Elecironks WoMemJi Indudcs: components uicluding transistors, diodes, and op^amps; a (wKtion gcncnior. m osdllcjsaspe, a mulUmctcf , and a Bode pkmcr. • i?f^^Jfarfiili>i^ithgat»,fltpAops, adders, a ^"Ofd genciator, a \opc aiial)7cr, and a onujue bgic roni-t^rtfr and simpBfier» (416) 361-0333 (nteractlve Image TccfinolDgles Ltd. 908 Magara Falls Boulevard N'orth Tonawanda^ NY 14120-2060 fax (416) 368*5799 Flics «t bi LIS doEbm OBtr raM to tfar ml 0w4l CIRCLE 184 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD ■ m Rest assured, no scope was injured in the making of this ad After all, the volunteer is a member of our new TAS 400 family of analog ^ oscilloscopes. And every TAS has its entire acquisition system [including vertical, horizontal and trigger functions for each input channel) housed on a proprietary hybrid circuit, •^j^ The result is a kind of scope on a chip. ^ " a* ^ ^ ^'^^ ^^^^^ fewer parts and far greater rehability. In fact, the TAS is tliree times ^^^^ reliable than previous scopes. What's more, ^^^^^ each and every OflCLE S3 ON FREE MFOIUIAnON CARD conies with smashing features hke AutoSet, on-screen cursors and readout, dual timebases, and save and recall settings. Plus a xmique user interface that makes Ihe 60 MHz TAS 455 and 1 00 MHz TAS 465 easier to use and dramatically unlike any other analog scope. A claim that is further backed up by their remarkably alfordable price. But then a lot of performance for not a lot of money is exactly what the TAS is all about. Scopes that add to a long list of low-cost Tektronix products. Like our handheld 60 MHz 224 digitizing oscilloscope. Our fully programmable analog/digital 2212 scope. And our family of affordable and I Ti^ji'^ stackahle basic test gear. Now that's a lot to drop on you in one ad. So to leam more about these and other economical Tektronix products, call your authorized Tektronix distributor today. Or call us at (800) 426-2200, ext. 140 to place your order or for the name of the distributor nearest you. 9, Tektronix A Test and MeascirEment DRCLE 92 ON FHEE INFORIiATIOM CAAD ^ Clean Without CFCs or 1 J,1-Trichloroethane With New HCFC Blend I c 2 ts 26 Tech Spray has developed a fast-acting and highly effective cleaner called Envi-Ro-Tech''' 1677(1677) that uses a fofmulaiton ol HCFCs and other non-CFC chemicals. This extremely pure product is non-corrosive, making it safe for use on most efeclronic equipment. Envi-Ro-Tech 1677 is effective in removing oils, greases* dirt, silicone, fkj)(es iind similar soils. Although Envt-Ro-Tech 1677 has universal cleaning power, its fow surface tension makes it ideal for precision and mic- roscopic cleaning. For a sample of this, or any Tech Spray cleanetr defiuxer, duster or freeze spray, contact our Technical Assist- ance Department toll free a{ 1 "800-858-4043. anvi-RO'Tech™ 1677 (i677} TECH SPRAY, Inc, RO. Box 949 Amarillo.TX 79105-0949 (805) 372-8523 CIRCLE 178 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD 01992 TS AN ECONOMICAL KEYBOARD-CONTROLLED KEPCO BENCH POWER SUPPLY 75 WATTS Choose from four Digilaf Power Supplies: 0-12. 5V Of 6A, 0-24V (a 3A. 0-40V (h 2k or 0-1 25V 0.5A. Each one offers precise, repeatable vottage control with two current ranges. Fully protected for overvoltage or overcurrent. Bonus: You can program the output from your PC's seriaf port {RS232 software included) and read back too! The DPS is an affordable professional instrument and belongs on your bench. Want more info? Ask for DPS" brochure^ 146-1768. Call-wrile-fax: Dept. MXS-87, Kepco Inc. 131-38 Sanford Avenue, Flushing. NV 11352 USA • Tel: (718) 461-7000 • Fax: (718) 767-1102. Use your VISA or MASTERCARD, Immediate delivery 5-year warranty I KEPCO, THE POW£R SUPPLIER ' m into an expansion slot on his PC and observes the included LED lamps. Green LED's indicate a good power supply. Red or yellow LED's indicate prob- lems. The unit tests each of the four voltages for high- or low-voltage conditions and the presence of ripple or noise. A built-in latch de- tects spikes and tran- sients. A connector on the card allows the user to test power supplies before they are installed in the users computer. The Fbwer Good card is priced at $139.95 —Sihex Inc.. 1040 Harbor Lake Drive, Safety Harbon FL 346 9 5; Phone: 813-726-4343: Fax: 813-726-4434, FM COMMUNiCATIONS RE- CEIVER, A snnall handheld FM radio 'receiver is now available for security, com- munications, and recrea- tional monitoring. The Model Rio FM Communi- cations Interceptor from Optoelectronics is c fas si- fted by the FCC as a com- munications test instru- ment. It can measure deviation (wide and narrow band), relative signal strength, signaling tones CCTCSS). and other de- modulated FM- The re- ceiver can also test VHF UHF. and cellular radio transmitters. According to its man- ufacturer, Model RIO. un- like conventional radio re- ceivers or scanners, re- ceives any strong signal present, and is actually sta- bilized by the received sig- nal The company says the Model RIO does not have to be tuned to a specific frequency to receive a sig- nal. Any FM signal from 30 MHz to 2 GHz can be inter- cepted without any gaps in coverage. The Interceptor works best in the near-field, the / CIRCLE 21 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD region surrounding a trans- mitter where signal strength is high but falls off rapidly with increasing dis- tance. The receiving range varies, depending on the presence of strong signals in adjacent bands. But dis- tances of 200 to 400 feet frc^m a 5-watt UHF or VHF transmitter are typical for Model RIO. The unit is completely automatic for hands- free operation, and is small enough to be carried in a shirt pocket. For test ap- plications, demodulated audio output is available from a steneo phone jack. The RfO also has a built-in speaker A lock-release pushbut- ton frees the unit to lock onto a different signal. This feature is handy when sev- eral relatively large signals are present. Dual ten-seg- ment bargraphs indicate deviation and relative signal level. A pushbutton switch selects wide- or narrow- band bargraph calibration. An internal rechargeable battery pack provides up to six hours of operation. The Model RIO FM Communications Intercep- tor is priced at $359.— Op- toelectronics Inc., 5821 NE 14th Avenue, Fort Lauder- dale, FL 33334: Phone: 800-327-5912 or 305-771-2050; Fax: 305-771-2052. CIRCLE iaO ON FREE INFORMATION CARD I $1095 Standard $igg95 High Performance GREAT VALUE! Standard Features - Models 100, 150. 200 & 400 • AC & DC VOLTAGES • DC CURRENT ©RESISTANCE • CONTINUITY TESTER - Buzzm • DIODE TEST •31/2 Dm LCD • LOW BATTERY INDICATOR • ACCURACY +/- 0.5% RDG Kelvin Motors back&d by a 2 Yr Worranry - Parts & Ubor PRO 400 ! 100 Basic ISO Baslc+ 200 Advanced BATTERY TEST TRANSISTOR TRAfJSISTQRm KEL YIN 100 Basic $1995 BATTERY TEST KBLVtN f gsooso $2995 CAPACiTANCe AGtX: CURRENT KELVIN 200 AdvarK^ $3995 Protective Cases For Models TOO, tSO, 200 M-** {9900a«> Case Fof Mod«t Pro 400 *9.^ tnoom aOMHzFREQ COUNTER ACtX; CURRENT CAPACfTANCE LOGCtEST TTWlSlSTORnFE LED TEST- VEtlfV QOOOeAD K£LVIN 1 090093 PRO 400 Model 92 Model 93 Mod4l 95 PBRFOFff^ANCe £M4 GHQSnC BHGlfiE ANAL Y2£B ^ Standard Features - Models 92, 93, 94 & 95 • DC/AC VOLTMETERS • AC/DC CURREfJT • OHM METER • FREQUENCY COUNTER lo 4 MHz • AUDIBLE CONTINUITY TESTER | • DIODE TESTER • MAX/MIN AVERAGE MEMORY RECORD • RELATIVE MODE • 10A HIGH-ENERGY FUSE PROTECTION • DATA HOLD • AUTO SLEEP & AUTO POWER OFF Cdnipiete wlE^ above Sims>dmrd Fmmturwm WATER RESISTANT [92 A W fM&s cnSy). 2 YEAR WARRANTY, YELLOW HOLSTER, PROBES. BATTERY. FUSE. STAND Comptene M!ti Stmndard A MotM 92 Fsstvns piuS I LOG2C PROBE, CAPACITANCE TESTER. TRANSISTOR TESTER, TEMPERATURE! TESTER & K-TYPE PROBE. HIGH VOLTAGE | WARNING BUZZER Compt^te wlih Stmmiard 4 Modmi 02 Fmmturwm plus TEMPERATURE. TACHOMETER & DWELL ANGLE TESTER, DUTY CYCLE. 10 MEGA OHM IMPEDANCE. ANALOG BAR GRAPH, KTYPE TEMP PROBE. ALLIGATOR CLIP TEST LEADS, INDUCTIVE PICKUP CUP, 6' TEST LEADS & CARRY CASE PEBFOHMAHCB'^ Mt>d*l 92 # 990109 *119«= llQdiISa #990110 $14995 BNQINE ANALYZeF Mod«l95 # 990112 $19995 The Ultimate Meter TRUE RMS -iLGR - Hiz - dBm 'iwmiiiiiiiiitHuiiimiHiiitiiuir •^2™' n aulo power off LCR-Hz-dBni KELViN TRUE RMS ' 12 tNSTRUMENTS IN ONE - DC VOLTMETER, AC VOLTMETER, OHMMETER. AC CURRENT, DC CURRENT. DIODETEST6R, AUDIBLE CONTlHUlTYTESTERpdBm.FREQCOUNTlR. CAPACITANCE METER INDUCTANCE METER, LOGtC PROBE C ^ ^)/) 95 0.1% ACCURACY on DC Vofl3ges 199 MODELS #990111 COMES COUPLETE WFTH YELLOW HOLSTER, PROBES, BATTERY, FUSE, STANO 10 MEGA OHM IMPEDANCE RELATrVE MODE / DATA HOLD lyyUOMIN AVERAGE MEMORY RECORD IDA HIGH-ENERGY FUSE PROTECFJON , , AUTO SLEEP & AUTO POWER OFF wifi Bypass [ Freq Count&f to 20 Mm Cases for 90 Series Meters RoQWiar Padded Zlpparad .„ ^9.^^ IiM0Ji6> Detune Padded Zlppored ... *1 4 (f^i i Si This motor a designed in niqiJ!fefT^w*js OS spocif^ed in lEC- 348, UL-1 244 and VDE-04t t . ^^^HBH^^^^^^^^^^H 10 HUB DRIVE KEL V I N " tAlC & VISA (800) 645-9212 Established 1945 (516) 756-1750 (516) 756-1763/FAX CIRCLE IBS ON FREE INFORMATIOK CAflO ELECTRONICS WORKBEHCH SOFTWARE. IntefBctivB im- age Technologies Ltd calls its Electronics Workbench software '"the electronics lab in a computer/' The pro- gram in a computer is said to allow users to design, assemble, and test analog and digital circuits by sim- ulation, The company rec* ommends its software for teaching electronics, elec- tronics expenmenting, and the prototyping of circuits. The patterns on the com- puter screen are identical to those that would be dis* played on an oscilloscope in an actual test procedure. CmCLE 22 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD The program consists of two modules: the analog module permits the simula- tion of electronics compo- nents and transistors as they would be done with hardware in a real lab. The digital module provides simulated ideal digital com- ponents and instrunnents needed to butid and test logic circuits. The analog module includes SPICE simulation. This permits both transient and steady- state analysis. Among the components that can be simulated with the software are resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, diodes. LED's, bulbs, fuses. Zener diodes, and transistors. Both AC and DC voltage and current sources can be simulated. A function gen- erator provides square, tri- angulan and sinusoidal waves for lest purposes, and 3 multimeter, dual- trace oscilloscope, and a bode plotter can be called up for making simulated on-screen measurements. The digital module per- mits the simulation of ideal logic: and, or, xor. not, NAND. and NOR gates. Also a^/ailable in the program are RS. JK, and D-flip-flop functions, a half adder, and a seven-segment LED dis* play The user can call up a voltmeter and an eight- channel logic analyzer to check out his work. Both logic conversion and sim- plification can be per- formed with the software. Three versions of Efectronics Workbench are available: • IBM -compatible Profes- sional — a color version that supports a math coprocessor, • Personal Plus— for IBM PCs and compatibles, a monochrome alternative. • Macintosh Program — available in monochrome only. The FVofessional Version of Electronics Workbench is priced at $299 — Interac- tivG Image Technologies Ltd, 908 Niagara Falls Bou^ levard, North Tonawanda, NY 14120-2060r Phone: 416'361'0333: Fax: 416368*5799. DC-TO-AC POWER INVER- TER, Progress is still being made in the development of DC-to-AC power inver- ters, according ioStat- pawer Technologies. The company says its new PROwatt 800 12- volt DC to 1 15-vott AC power inver- ter is designed for indus- trial applications and has a power output of 1000 watts for 10 minutes, 900 watts for 30 minutes and BOO watts continuous. CIRCLE 23 ON FREE INroR^UTION CARD The PROwatt inverter is packaged in a small case measuring 3 x 9 x 10 inches and weighs five pounds. It can produce very high temporary power levels to run loads with high starting surge require- ments Csuch as com- pressor motors). An LED bar-graph display provides continuous information on battery voltage and power draw. The unit can be easily connected to any deep-cy- cle storage battery. PROwatt's low no*load current draw easily permits the conversion of most of a vehicle's battery power to usable AC power. Solid- state circuits regulate the output voltage and fre* quency. Ptawatt's modified sinewave output is suitable for most electric motors and inductive loads. The output waveform does not change as the input voltage rises or falls. This permits it to power computers, test equipment, TV's. VCR's, and CCTV equipment from an automotive supply. PROwatt 800 shuts down if the battery voltage exceeds its high and low limits. Audible alarms and LED indicators warn of Faults so that corrective ac* tion can be taken. Once a fault is corrected* the unit will automatically restart. The PROwatt 800 is priced at $499.— Stat- power Technologies Corpo- ralion, 7725 Lougheed Highway, Burnaby. BC. Canada. VSA 4V8; Phone: 604'420-1585: Fax: 604-420-1591. RGB VIDEO GENERATOR. This programmable RGB video generator is intended for use in the design, pro- duction, service, and quali- ty control of the most advanced computepdriven CRT and LCD monitor dis- plays. The Leader mode! t605 handles pixel rates to 300 MHz. Its graphic user interface uses on-screen menus and graphic dis- plays with mouse control to provide visual guidance in raster assembly pattern selection and design, sig- nal drive options, storage, and retrievaL Waveforms are displayed to help in organizing rasters, and pat- terns are assembled on the screen with a palette of 256 colors from a range of 16.7 million colors. As ORCLE 24 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD many as 100 addresses can be stored in both RAM and ROM and storage ca* pability can be expanded to 1800 addresses on the built-in floppy disk. EPROM's can be pro- grammed by the this video generator without addi- tional equipment, and it will accept data from all earlier Leader RGB video gener- ators. High-speed data transfer can be carried out with analog, TTL. and ECL outputs. Those outputs have a mde range of sync options including tn-ievei sync, half-line equalizers, and serrations. The Model 1605 RGB video generator is list priced at $18.500.— Lead- er Instruments Corporation. 380 Oser Avenue, Haup- pauge. NY 11788: Phone: 800-645*5104 Cin NY, 516-231 6900). R-E Graduate as a Fully liramed Electronics Professional! If yau want to leam about etectronics, and earn a good income with that knowredge. then 0£ Is the t>est edocational vafue you can receive. OE's reputation as the world feader in home study electronics is teased sotefy on the success of our graduates. And we've earned our reputatron with an unconditional commitment to provrde our students with the very best electronics training. Just ask any of the T 50,000-plus graduates of the Cleveland Institute of Electronics who are working in high- paying positions with aerospace, computer, medical, automotive and communications firms throughout the world. They'll tell you success didn't come easy.. .but it did come,., thanks to thejr CIE training. And today, a career in electronics offers more rewards than ever before, CiE S COMMITTED TO BEING THE BEST... IN ONE AREA,,. ELECTRONICS. QE isn't another be^erythrng-to- everyone school. CIE teaches only one subject and we beJieve we re the best at what we do. Also, CIE is accredited by the National Home Study Council. And with more than 1,000 graduates each year, weVe the largest home study school specializing e^cclusiveiy in electronics. CIE has been training career-mrnded students like yourself for nearly sixty years and we're the best at our subject,, ELECTRONICS. BECAUSE ITS THE ONLY SUEL/ECT WE TEACHI CIE PROVIDES A LEARNJNG METHOD SO GOOD ITS PATENTED. CIE's AUTO-PROGRAMMED' lessons are a proven learning method for building valuable electronics career skills. Each lesson is designed to take you step-by-step and princrple-by* principal. And while all of CIE lessons are designed for independent study. ClE's instructors are personally avail- able to assist you with just a toll free call. The result is practical training.., the kind of experience you can put to work in today's marketplace, LEARN BY DOING. WITH STATE- OF THE-ART EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING. CIE pioneered the first Electronics Laboratory Course and the first Microprocessor Course. Today, no other home study school can match ClE's state-of-the-art equipment and training. And all your laboratory equipment, books and lessons are included in your tuition, li^s all yours to use whrfe you study and for orHhe- job after you graduate, PERSONALIZED TRAINING.... TO MATCH YOUR BACKGROUND, While some of our students have a working knowledge of electronics others are just starting out. That's why CIE has developed twelve career courses and an A. A.S. Degree pro* gram to choose from. So, even if you're not sure which electronics career is best for you, CIE can get you started with core lessons applicable to all areas in electronics. And every CIE Course earns credit towards the completion of your Associate in Applied Science Degree, So you can work toward your degree in stages or as fast as you wish. In fact CIE is the only school that actually rewards you for fast study, which can save you money. SEND FOR YOUR CIE COURSE CATALOG AND WE LL SEND YOU A FREE 24-PAGE CIE ELECTRONIC SYMBOLS HANDBOOK. VES! I want to get started. Send me my CIE course catalog including details about the Associate Degree Program, (For your convenience, CIE will have a representative contact you - there is no obligation.) AE45 Name Address . City, , State. Zip, Age_ Phone No. ( } Check box for GJ, Bill Benefits Z Veieran ; Adrve Duty 1 776 East I7lh Street CTGveland, Ohio44114 A Schoof of Thousands, A Ciass of One. Since f 934. I -I I I I I I I J T 1993 CATALOG; from Radio Shack, 700 One Tandy Cen- ter, Fort Worth, TX 76102; free at local Radio Shack Stores. Radio Shacks 1993 cat- alog has a redesigned layout and organization as well as a lot of new prod- ucts. The 172-page, full- color, magazine sized cata- log now has a "Quick In- dex" up front, and a complete index at the end. New products highlighted in this edition include the Duofone ET*499 voice- scrambling cordless tele- phone. It scrambles the transmission between the handset and the base so CIRCLE 40 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD people with nearby scan- ners can*t eavesdrop on your conversations. Others are the IMemorex Model 800 8mm home VCR with stereo sound and the portable Model 17 8mm VCR/TV combina- tion, both with 179'Channel TV tuners. Tandy is offering Go ahead, put on some weight Inrroduciiig rhe [^proved 111 Qm\ Booid Mitt A Eangtime fovE^ite fof arojit tnod work, ik 3/2 now come with m redesigned 300 htm. A new, pQteftt«(i, intemd molficotiDn to is 300 splif ba:] beiir^g medicmisirE dim it tQ heild tmn m mh cs irs predecessor. Of coc^, tt>e 372 sfi comes wirti ifie imfustiy's best ciituit board yder, tti« PonoVbe 3 IS, wiudi am hold fCBi up ro 12 mdesvide m 2B' with W 318 Accessory Bm.) You con even honeSe mu^le boorch when vou use oddrtionnl 31& Groflt BoonS Arrns. Ihe new PonaVse 37? Grturt Boctd Boldef. Whei tiftwJ bwids ore your busness. m Soothsfn Wcr •Spo^, KV B9431 • mi) miW • FAX (BOO) CIRCLE 197 ON FREE INFORMATION CAftD a 25-MHz, 486^b3sed mul- timedia PC that includes a wide selection of software for voice mail, communica- tions, travel planning, and more. Also included in the 1 993 catalog are telephones and accessories, pagers, scan- ners, world-band trans- ceivers, VHS VCR s, re- mote controls, and auto- motive sound systems- There are also entries on home-control products, batteries, flashlights, multi- use testers, remote-con- trolled toys, computer based language and infer- matron sources, cal- culators, personal orga- nizers, and notebook PC's. ZIST-CENTURY ELEC- TRONIC PROJECTS FOR A NEW AGE; by DeltonlHoro, TAB Books, Division of McGraw-Hill Inc., Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17Z94-0850; Phone: 1-800-822-8138; $16,95. The term "'New Age." usually associated with my- sticism, music, and cultural fads, has now been applied to electronics projects by Mr. Hom in his new book. This volume — from a well known and pnofific writer — presents an array of un- usual electronic projects in- tended to test and demon- strate theories underlying New Age beliefs. Included among the pnoj- ects in the book are a dual- LEO visual hypnotic aid, an alpha-wave biofeedback monitor a two-choice ESP tester a negative-ion gen- erator, a biorhythm clock, a Kiriian photography experi- mental circuit, and a mag- netic-field tester Mr. Horn does not take a stand ei- 21st-century PfiOUECTS CIRCLE 39 ON Flt£E INFORMATION CARD ther for or against the theo- ries that are the subjects of his experiments. However, the underlying concepts are fully explained. 1992^993 DISCOUNT TEST EQUIPMENT CATALOG. Print Products International, 8931 BroQkville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Phone: 1-800-638^2020 or 1-301-587-7824; Fax: 1-800-545-0058 or 1-301-585-5402; free. Here is another discount equipment catalog. This one has 6B nanes filled CIRCtE38 0N FREE INFORMATION CARD with entries on bargain - priced test and measure- ment equipment from such well-known manufacturers as Kenwood. B-^K. Av- com. Race. Philips. Hitachi, and Leader. Included in the catalog s coverage are os- cilloscopes, power sup- plies, meters, and spec- trum analyzers. In addition, the catalog describes new lines of closed-circuit TV systems for security and monitoring. R-E Master Electronics with TAB/McGraw-Hill, Inc. INTERN/VnONAL KNCTCLOPEDIA OF INTIrlGRATED CIRCUrrS^2Nn ed Find Ihe circuits you med fast. ThH ali-m-oni} rvfemnCQ gtvns ytm complete deEmptions of; circuit functioni ind u^ej, ptnmit disgraros wilh exICTTial connectioru, Ubt«j and charts, and manufactumr data. UBS pp., 4,000 tUus. tSBOlH.JWtMT. . .NOW ONLY S44,S5 mCROWAVE OVEN Save huitdmlf ol dollarv in microwave oven repair. Service tow- and htgh' voltage probiems > locate and replace the magnetroii • repair oven motors and control circuit! • and lest far microwave leak' age. 3IIB pp., 3m Hlus. f3457K» S29.9S TROUBU-SHOOTING AND REPAIRING SOUD^STATE TVs ^2SXy ED. Zero in on solid-state TV pmblBms with thi« Kandt^n guide, You'H be able to repatr virtu- ally any malfunction, including^ remote controis, power auppiiej, sweep cin^uits^ chassis, picture tubes* and tunern. 624 pp., OUd lUus. #370011, $36. dS MAlNmDiTdG AND SmUHEPC VCRs" Pass the GET exam with easel GET EXAM BOOK— 3RD Uh U$e the many tftntfile lesit in this brand-new edition to inoease your knowledge of repairing and maintaining cietrtronic equipment. 304 pp., ISO illas. '4199K. $27.iS GET STUDY GUIDE— 3Rr> ed Identify the gaps in >iDUf e!»:lronics know- how— and Icam about the theories and prtnci* plei involved— with this new guldens sample quest tons and advice. ^20 pp,, 700 iNua. «407SH, Order both guides (1566274-3) for only %49.O0 {regularly $55,901 SAVE PRACTICAL ANTENNA HANDBOOK Get the ?tep-by-^ep instructions you musd to Install and utilize a variety of antenmsjnctuding • mo- bile ♦ short wavfe * d I pole • multi-band • long- wire directional • marine radio • VHF/UHF • microwave • and more. 439 pp., 351 iUus. f327aH, £32.95 HO\fK VCR REPAIR ILLUSTRATED Sai-e hundreds of dollars in repair biU< by fixing your own VCR— no expensive equipment or experi- ence required! You'll repair ■ picture and sound * fast forward and rewind « dc moton • roller guides * audio heads * and morel 400 pp.. 45Q iUui. #37nH, MAINTAINING AND REPAIRING VCRS— 2NT) £D. Get the details on tepaiHng all types of VCRs: VHS HQ* 8mm, and camcorder*. You gel in-depth coverage of: every mechanical system and electronic circuit u$ed in VCRs, the use of test equipment including Sencorc SCGl and VC&3« high<;uality (HQ) camcorder*, snd special VCR cirouJts. 352 pp,. 370 illus. f3103H, 527.9S SIMPLIFIED PRACTICAL HLTER DESIGN £asy*|o«follow techniques show you how Id lay out and aiAemblc practical, working filters. You'll easily design all these fittersr low- pass, high-pass, band r^jEJction, M*dcrived» compos- ite* crystal, and even crossover networks. 200 pp., 137 niut. I335SI{, S2BM ® To Order Call Toil-Free 1-800-822-8158 24 Hours A Day FAX orders: 1-717-794-2080 • Or mail coupon to: TAB/McGraw-Hill, Inc. Blue Ridge Summit. PA 17294-0B40 Pleaae cut aTon^j dotted Une ■ Satisfactioti Guaranteed— Within 30 days, pay the stated amount (plus shipping, ban- dling, and state and local sales tax) or return book(s] and owe nothing. Please send me the book[s] bebw for a FREE 30-Day exam: Bookt Title Price Please Frint Name Address City State Zip _ Signature Ofdftra om*kJethii U S must preppidin U S. hinds drawn on U.S tuinlts Jind Indud* SS DO tOf pOSt*9» ar>d handling Pncm sutsjoct ta changa. Limrt 3 bciOMi On « 30h^/ (nil cn\y. Orders of 4 books ot moit muit Inducio payment Stilppmg and handling chaf0«9 wiEl i» NLM to ydur ftccoum. Ordar (nvaEid wiih- aa signaiura. REl22fi Come in for Your FREE Radio Stiack Cataiog! The most important part of your next project is the all -new, 172-pagB 1993 Radio Shack catalog. It's yours for the asking at oursiore or dealer near you. Hurry in today— suppltes are limited! TECHUNE '' Tools— The new standard in strength and precision! m Precision- crafted with top-quality materials i ■ Designed for long life and ease of use I ■ Backed by Radio Shack's 1-Year Limited Warranty NewTECHLINE tools represent Radio Shack's uncompro- mising dedication to quality. Each is precision-crafted of long -lasting, hard-working materials and employs the lat- est design innovations for comfort and ease of use. And, each IS backed by our full 1-year limited warranty. Speedy service and low prices on thousands of parts and accessories! m FREE delivery to Radio Shack on orders $5 and up m Semiconductors and ICs ■ Hard-to-find batteries ■ CB and scanner crystals m Long-life vacuum tubes ■ Phono cartridges/styli m SAMS'^- service books Why pay more for mail-order? Your Radio Shack stocks 1000 elecifonic components, and another 15,000 am available fast from our special -order warehouse. Ordering is easy! Bring in the exact part number (or old part). We il check availability and order by phone. Delivery lime to your nearby Radio Shack for most items is a week. (1) Picofarad 5D-Pack. Delrghl for breakers, 50 ceramic capaci- tors, assorted 1 to 33 pF values. 50 WVDC, #272-806 2.99 (2) Efficient PC -Mount Pfezo Bttzzer Tiny yet has 70 dB output and requires only 7 mA at 12VDC. ^^/273-074 2,99 (3) Omnidirectional Elect ret* Type Mike Element. 30-15,000 H^. 4 to 10 VDC. fl270'092. 2.99 Test-Equipment Adapters. Great for use wilh scopes, frequency couniers and multimeters. Hook up with the best, (1) Binding Posts to BMC Plug. 50 oiims impedance. ^^274-71 5 B.95 (2) Bind I n g Po St to Bana na P I u g ^ fr274-7l6 Sal of 2/4.95 Resistor Assortments, Popuiar values— stock up and sa^e. Descriouon Cai. No Setof Price 271 309 50 271-308 m 2.99 271 312 500 7.95 271-306 100 3,^3 (3} Stackable Pual-Jniine nana Plug. ^^274'717 Ba* 2.99 Mini Audio Amp With a Built-in Speaker. Many uses! Tough 3%"- high case. Low Radio Shack price. ^277-1003 ............. 11.95 ^1) MagnetWire Assortment. For custom coil winding. Includes 40 feet of 22'gauqe, 75 feel of 26- gauge and 200 feet of SO-gauge on spools. ^278-1345 4.99 (2 ) Oral Cord Fl x- It Kit. O u r excl u^ sive! Includes six feet of high- slrongth cord and three tension springs. Put a radio back Into actio nf 274 435 99* High-Speed 12V0C Mtni-Molor. Produces an amazing 15h200 RPM at no load. Ideal for projects, ro- botics, fun[ About 2" long (with shaft). #273-255 2.99 PC/XT Circuit Card. EpoKy. Fits computer expansion bus. 107is" tong. ^?276 T598 . 29.95 Rigfit-Anglo 0-Sub 25 Fsmala Con- Offctor for Above. 276-1 504 2.69 Infrared Project Bojt. Ideal for a remote. Has removable infrared- iransparent end panel and space for 9V battery, ^fa x 2% x 4 V4". l¥270'294 4.49 100-Watt Soldering Gun. For big jobsl Reaches full temperature in seconds. Built-in work ^ight Re- placement tips In stock. UL Hsted. ^^64-2193 11.95 Prices appty at participating stores and dealers. MMERtCM'S TECmaLaCV STORE SmC£ fB2f A DiViSfON OF TANDY CORPORATfON CIRCLE 78 ON FREE mFORMAHON CARD GL verHces, whieti is one of two star