20 Mar
2007
20 Mar
'07
5:27 p.m.
[possibly off topic, but what isn't these days? :-)]
When I was a kid I had a book, I think it was called something like
"single transistor projects". As I recall it was full of lots of
simple circuits featuring a single transistor.
(or who knows, maybe it was 101 transistor project; I think I was
in 4th grade at the time - late '60s)
anyway, one was a single transistor FM radio. I just remember it had a
single FET, a coil, a cap, some discreets. I think it told how to
wind the coil "in the air".
Does anyone remember such a book?
I figure if anyone one would, it would be someone here...
seems like a fun thing to build now days with my son.
-brad
20 Mar
20 Mar
8:21 p.m.
Brad Parker wrote:
Does anyone remember such a book?
I figure if anyone one would, it would be someone here...
seems like a fun thing to build now days with my son.
-brad
Well if you like tubes go here.
http://www.schmarder.com/radios/index.htm
They tend to be more impressive looking than a transistor.
A google search could find you a schematic quicker
than you can find a book or magazine since I don't think
anything is newer than between 1975-1985 for transistor
projects. Anything later they refuse to publish
designs you can build from just the information they give
you.
7:32 p.m.
On Mar 20, 2007, at 11:21 PM, woodelf wrote:
I had a set of "Transistor Projects" volumes 1 through (I think)
6, from Radio Shack, when I was growing up. They were written by
Forrest Mims, who was my idol before I started reading Steve
Ciarcia's column in BYTE. :)
Anyway, those beloved books were lost at some point, but over the
last year or so I've been able to acquire copies of them (and others
Does anyone
remember such a book?
I figure if anyone one would, it would be someone here...
seems like a fun thing to build now days with my son.
-brad
Well if you like tubes go here.
http://www.schmarder.com/radios/index.htm
They tend to be more impressive looking than a transistor.
A google search could find you a schematic quicker
than you can find a book or magazine since I don't think
anything is newer than between 1975-1985 for transistor
projects. Anything later they refuse to publish
designs you can build from just the information they give
you. from the same series) via eBay for a few dollars
apiece. I've had
great fun flipping through them, giggling to myself thinking
"hey, I
built that when I was eight years old!"
These books are very simplistic, but the projects do provide good
hands-on experience and are fun. They are cheap, and they turn up on
eBay with some frequency.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
9:05 p.m.
Dave McGuire wrote:
I had a set of "Transistor Projects"
volumes 1 through (I think) 6,
from Radio Shack, when I was growing up. They were written by Forrest
Mims, who was my idol before I started reading Steve Ciarcia's column
in BYTE. :)
I loved Ciarcia until his projects got too big for the average
person to construct like his PC for example.
Anyway, those beloved books were lost at some point,
but over the
last year or so I've been able to acquire copies of them (and others
from the same series) via eBay for a few dollars apiece. I've had
great fun flipping through them, giggling to myself thinking "hey, I
built that when I was eight years old!"
For a father and son project, the link to the old radios seem a
better project than a FET FM receiver.
These books are very simplistic, but the projects do
provide good
hands-on experience and are fun. They are cheap, and they turn up on
eBay with some frequency.
I gave up on e-pay -- too much LOOK RARE -- items that are not rare.
-Dave
I still want to build a octal computer ( I have two now, a PC and a PDP-8 clone)
but the PCB layout is holding me back as well as getting the proms burned.
A 2901 BIT SLICE design is planned just as yet I am not sure just how fast
the design will be since I am going thinking of 12 bit alu card and the machine
is 24 bits.
8:29 p.m.
On Mar 21, 2007, at 12:05 AM, woodelf wrote:
Yes he did do a bit of that toward the end of his run at BYTE,
admittedly. His magazine just passed its 200th issue, though, and
has more than made up for that little problem. :)
Possibly. Radio stuff is always fun, and Mims didn't do much with
radio in his books. But there's plenty of other fun stuff in there.
Sure, there's a ton of that. I've gotten to the point where I can
ignore most of it, and I make out like an absolute bandit on eBay.
Ignoring the rampant drooling stupidity is difficult at times, but I
can also say that about overall "life" in Amerika, Incorporated, so I
suppose I'm just used to it.
But the next time someone tries to sell a Z80 CPU (which is a
current product) as "OLD RARE CAN'T FIND 'EM ANYMORE" I swear I'll
fly out to wherever the seller is and smack them upside the head.
I had a set
of "Transistor Projects" volumes 1 through (I
think) 6, from Radio Shack, when I was growing up. They were
written by Forrest Mims, who was my idol before I started reading
Steve Ciarcia's column in BYTE. :)
I loved Ciarcia until his projects got too big for the average
person to construct like his PC for example. Anyway,
those beloved books were lost at some point, but over
the last year or so I've been able to acquire copies of them (and
others from the same series) via eBay for a few dollars apiece.
I've had great fun flipping through them, giggling to myself
thinking "hey, I built that when I was eight years old!"
For a father and son project, the link to the old radios seem a
better project than a FET FM receiver. These books
are very simplistic, but the projects do provide
good hands-on experience and are fun. They are cheap, and they
turn up on eBay with some frequency.
I gave up on e-pay -- too much LOOK RARE -- items that are not rare. I still want to build a octal computer ( I have two
now, a PC and a
PDP-8 clone)
PC...Octal?? How is a PC an octal machine?
but the PCB layout is holding me back as well as
getting the proms
burned.
I can take care of the PROMs for you. I could do the PCB layout
as well, but I shouldn't offer that at this point, as much of my time
is being sucked up by a new job and a new house. But consider the
PROMs a firm "anytime" offer.
A 2901 BIT SLICE design is planned just as yet I am
not sure just
how fast
the design will be since I am going thinking of 12 bit alu card and
the machine
is 24 bits.
Mmmm, 2901s. I do love those. I want to do something with those
too...I have since the mid-1980s...but I've never gotten around to
it. I did get a chance to work with the 2910 in a research
supercomputer project in the 1980s, but no 2901s.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
10:21 p.m.
Dave McGuire wrote:
Mmmm, 2901s. I do love those. I want to do something with those
too...I have since the mid-1980s...but I've never gotten around to it.
I did get a chance to work with the 2910 in a research supercomputer
project in the 1980s, but no 2901s.
Do you have any AMD software kicking around?
Looking at some AMD 2901 examples I notice the use a 2901 assembler
of some kind and having the software to go with the examples would be
handy.
-Dave
9:31 p.m.
On Mar 21, 2007, at 1:21 AM, woodelf wrote:
Do you have any AMD software kicking around?
Looking at some AMD 2901 examples I notice the use a 2901 assembler
of some kind and having the software to go with the examples would be
handy.
No, I'm sorry, I don't. We had their assembler (or "assembler
tool kit" or something like that) at the lab at which I worked at
P.U., but we never opened the box, I believe because it was more
tailored to stuff using 2901s and we were only using the 2910 so it
wouldn't be all that useful. I believe it was for DOS and we didn't
have any PCs around there anyway; the entire lab ran on a PDP-11/23
and a VAXstation-II/GPX, and later a VAX 8200. (one of the first
8200s at that; we were very excited!)
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
11:14 p.m.
On Tue, 20 Mar 2007, woodelf wrote:
Do you have any AMD software kicking around?
Looking at some AMD 2901 examples I notice the use a 2901 assembler
of some kind and having the software to go with the examples would be
handy.
If you look around, you can find some meta assemblers that claim to
be at least mostly compatible with the AMD assembler. Google
"Meta Assembler" and you'll find a few.
Among other things, I'm responsible for maintaining the microcode for
a 2910/29116 based controller at work. We were using the Microtec
meta assembler, but hadn't bought the source, so were limited to
running it on the VAX. I fiddled with a few of the things that pop up
from Google, but wasn't impressed. So a year or so
ago I coerced MACRO-32
into assembling the microcode using *almost* the same
syntax. I wrote up
a nice article for the OpenVMS Times, but as far as I know it's still
sitting on the desk of the very *first* person that has to read it
and approve it for publication before I can send it out.
Grumble, grumble, grumble...
Anyway, since I've moved to MACRO-32, I can now assemble on VAXen,
Alphas, and (if ours ever gets delivered) IA64/Itanium/Integrity/Itanic
/whatever it's called this week.
MACRO-32 is amazingly flexible. This is not the first time I've used
it to assembler microcode. I also used it for the microcode for FQAM, the
QBUS adapter for the VAXstation 3520/3540.
--
roger ivie
rivie at ridgenet.net
9:30 p.m.
At 8:21 PM -0700 3/20/07, woodelf wrote:
Well if you like tubes go here.
http://www.schmarder.com/radios/index.htm
They tend to be more impressive looking than a transistor.
Wow! Great link! I'm going to have to spend some time at that site.
Thanks a lot for posting it.
Zane
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh at aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
| MONK::HEALYZH (DECnet) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| PDP-10 Emulation and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
9:04 p.m.
[possibly off topic, but what isn't these days? :-)]
When I was a kid I had a book, I think it was called something like
"single transistor projects". As I recall it was full of lots of
simple circuits featuring a single transistor.
(or who knows, maybe it was 101 transistor project; I think I was
in 4th grade at the time - late '60s)
Thaere ahve been many such books. In the UK, a lot were published by
Babani Press (they now seem to sell Windows books as well :-(). Also
things like '50 simple LED projects', 'Simple projects using 7400 ICs',
etc (I've probanly mis-remembered thsoe titles).
anyway, one was a single transistor FM radio. I just remember it had a
single FET, a coil, a cap, some discreets. I think it told how to
wind the coil "in the air".
Presumanlu it used slope detection?
Does anyone remember such a book?
Yes, bitterly. Along with the manuals for the '150 in 1' electronics
kits. Many of the projects used 'clever tricks' and were not a all easy
to understand just why they worked, or how to debug them when they didn't
work.
-tony
9:49 p.m.
On 20 Mar 2007 at 20:27, Brad Parker wrote:
[possibly off topic, but what isn't these days? :-)]
When I was a kid I had a book, I think it was called something like
"single transistor projects". As I recall it was full of lots of
simple circuits featuring a single transistor.
(or who knows, maybe it was 101 transistor project; I think I was
in 4th grade at the time - late '60s)
anyway, one was a single transistor FM radio. I just remember it had a
single FET, a coil, a cap, some discreets. I think it told how to
wind the coil "in the air".
Does anyone remember such a book?
I figure if anyone one would, it would be someone here...
seems like a fun thing to build now days with my son.
Good on ya, Brad! I built my first receiver with my dad--using a
1G4GT, back when one could still buy "B" batteries. Many many years
later, my father long gone--I still remember it fondly.
I recall that he told me how, when he was a boy, he built his first
non-crystal radio receiver using an 01A.
The first transistor that I ever bought (not scavenged) was an RCA
2N109. I used a subminiature tube socket (the type of wire-lead tube
used in hearing aids) scavenged from a Motorola Pixiie radio. You
had to use a socket with the 2N109--the leads were only about 1/4"
long.
I remember a book for boys with a bunch of transistor projects--all
using 2N107 (PNP) and 2N170 (NPN) transistors, or CK722/CK721
equivalents.
Much to my surprise, someone is still selling 2N107s:
http://semiconductormuseum.com/MuseumStore/MuseumStore_2N107_Index.htm
Other semiconductors are fun to fool with in simple circuits; tunnel
diodes, UJTs, etc. are worth checking into.
Right now, I'm trying to recall a circuit I once saw of a one-
transistor superhet. The same transistor was used for the self-
exciting mixer and a stage of AF amplification. Detection was done
with a diode. Does this ring any bells with anyone--or am I
hallucinating again?
At any rate, if you ever run into any of the 1950's Alfred P. Morgan
"Electronics book for boys" at a library sale, grab it and give it to
your son--he'll enjoy it. Morgan included projects for both tubes
and transistors.
Cheers,
Chuck
21 Mar
21 Mar
5:07 p.m.
Good on ya, Brad! I built my first receiver with my
dad--using a
I still haev the first radio I built -- 35 years ago, alas it wsa
transistorised . It was the well-known 'Ladybird book' design, using an
OC45 as a regenrative detector and a couple of OC71s as audio stages.
1G4GT, back when one could still buy "B"
batteries. Many many years
These days, you can get 9V (PP3, 006P, 6F22, whatever you call them)
batteries very cheaply in the 'Everything's a pound' shops (I assume you
have similar shops that sell all sorts of things for a dollar a time). 5
to 10 of those in series will work as B battery, of couse.
Personally, I'd use a mains supply. a 30V transformer (15-0-15, ignoring
the centre tape or a pair of 15V windings in series) feeding a voltage
doubler rectifier (2 diodes, 2 capacitors) will give about 85V, ideal for
most 'battery' valve circuits.
-tony
7:28 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
These days, you can get 9V (PP3, 006P, 6F22, whatever you call them)
batteries very cheaply in the 'Everything's a pound' shops (I assume you
have similar shops that sell all sorts of things for a dollar a time). 5
to 10 of those in series will work as B battery, of couse.
Well you can still buy a B battery here on this side of the pond.
http://www.tubesandmore.com/
Personally, I'd use a mains supply. a 30V
transformer (15-0-15, ignoring
the centre tape or a pair of 15V windings in series) feeding a voltage
doubler rectifier (2 diodes, 2 capacitors) will give about 85V, ideal for
most 'battery' valve circuits.
They also sell a power pack kit too for small radios.
I suspect if you dig around over there you can scounge up
a better power supply, for the simple reason parts are whole
lot cheaper now than in one's youth.
-tony
22 Mar
22 Mar
4:20 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
Thing is, peimary batteries go flat and need replacing, often at the most
inconvienet possible time. For a homebrew project I'd rather wire up som
9V batteries that I can get just about anywhere than have to order a
special battery from across the Pond.
These days, you can get 9V (PP3, 006P, 6F22, whatever you call them)
batteries very cheaply in the 'Everything's a pound' shops (I assume you
have similar shops that sell all sorts of things for a dollar a time). 5
to 10 of those in series will work as B battery, of couse.
Well you can still buy a B battery here on this side of the pond.
http://www.tubesandmore.com/ Personally, I'd use a mains supply. a 30V
transformer (15-0-15, ignoring
the centre tape or a pair of 15V windings in series) feeding a voltage
doubler rectifier (2 diodes, 2 capacitors) will give about 85V, ideal for
most 'battery' valve circuits.
They also sell a power pack kit too for small radios. I suspect if you dig around over there you can scounge
up
a better power supply, for the simple reason parts are whole
lot cheaper now than in one's youth.
Indeed.
There were some sets of articles in, for example, Practical Wireless
magaxine in the 1950's that were intended to act as an electronics
course. To save money, the mains transformer only provided the heater
supply, the HT+ (B+) was obtained by connected mains neutral to the metal
chasiss and a half-wave rectifier to mains live. Some of the projects in
said 'course' used headphones. I would think a fairly small error in
construction, or insulation breakdown, could turn that into a very
effecitve electric chair. No thanks!
Personally, if I'm going to mess about with valves and their attendant
high voltages, I am certainly going to use a double-wound mains transformer.
-tony
21 Mar
21 Mar
1:05 a.m.
On Tue, 2007-03-20 at 20:27 -0400, Brad Parker wrote:
[possibly off topic, but what isn't these days?
:-)]
Watch out! Actually, this is a nice antidote to the other carry-on.
When I was a kid I had a book, I think it was called
something like
"single transistor projects". As I recall it was full of lots of
simple circuits featuring a single transistor.
In the UK (& NZ etc.) there were the little Babani books:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Babani
notably those written by Clive Sinclair (on-topic!) I found a list
including these books here http://baec.tripod.com/library.htm which
gives you an idea of what they produced. The ones I had dated from
around 1975.
I don't have any of mine here (they're in NZ) but maybe someone has a
spare copy.
--
Lawrence Wilkinson lawrence at ljw.me.uk
The IBM 360/30 page http://www.ljw.me.uk/ibm360
11:07 a.m.
A mag called "101 Electronic Projects" 1979 edition ( IIRC it was an
R-E supplemental pub) has 1 transistor and 2 transistor
projects... I could scan and email if you like
s shumaker
At 04:27 PM 3/20/2007, you wrote:
[possibly off topic, but what isn't these days?
:-)]
When I was a kid I had a book, I think it was called something like
"single transistor projects". As I recall it was full of lots of
simple circuits featuring a single transistor.
(or who knows, maybe it was 101 transistor project; I think I was
in 4th grade at the time - late '60s)
anyway, one was a single transistor FM radio. I just remember it had a
single FET, a coil, a cap, some discreets. I think it told how to
wind the coil "in the air".
Does anyone remember such a book?
I figure if anyone one would, it would be someone here...
seems like a fun thing to build now days with my son.
-brad
6485
days inactive
6486
days old
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