Practical
Electronics
Volume 52. No. 3
March 2023
ISSN 2632 573X
Contents
Projects and Circuits
Capacitor Discharge Welder – Part 1 by Phil Prosser
Make your own thermocouples or battery packs! This project lets you build a safe
low-voltage mini spot welder.
18
Raspberry Pi Pico BackPack by Tim Blythman
The Pico is a small versatile and powerful ARM-based microcontroller for less
than £5. It’s even better when connected to an LCD touchscreen!
28
Semaphore Signal for OO-Gauge Model Railways by Les Kerr
Build a PIC-controlled realistic-looking OO-gauge Semaphore that has been
modelled on a real British semaphore signal.
38
Techno Talk by Mark Nelson
It’s handover time
8
The Fox Report by Barry Fox
Keeping one step ahead of scammers is a full-time task
10
Series, Features and Columns
Net Work by Alan Winstanley
12
This month’s Net Work looks at small satellite launching programmes in the UK; and
we rediscover the real, historical roots of documentation and the Information Age.
Audio Out by Jake Rothman
Handyscope HS5 USB oscilloscope review
44
Make it with Micromite by Phil Boyce
Part 45: Updating the PicoMite firmware
50
Circuit Surgery by Ian Bell
Electronically controlled resistance – Part 7
56
Max’s Cool Beans by Max The Magnificent
Arduino Bootcamp – Part 3
61
Wireless for the Warrior
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Reader services – Editorial and Advertising Departments
Editorial
Important advice… Techno Talk – the end of an era ... and the start of a new one
Exclusive Microchip reader offer
Win a Microchip PIC32CM JH01 Curiosity Pro Development Board
Teach-In bundle – what a bargain!
PE Teach-In 8
PE Teach-In 9
Practical Electronics PCB Service
PCBs for Practical Electronics projects
Classified ads and Advertiser index
Next month! – highlights of our next issue of Practical Electronics
2
4
6
7
7
Regulars and Services
9
17
48
54
68
71
72
Made in the UK.
Written in Britain, Australia,
the US and Ireland.
Read everywhere.
© Electron Publishing Limited 2023
Copyright in all drawings, photographs, articles,
technical designs, software and intellectual property
published in Practical Electronics is fully protected,
and reproduction or imitation in whole or in part are
expressly forbidden.
The April 2023 issue of Practical Electronics will be
published on Thursday, 2 March 2023 – see page 72.
Practical Electronics | March | 2023
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