Practical
Electronics
Volume 53. No. 2
February 2024
ISSN 2632 573X
Contents
Projects and Circuits
Active Mains Soft Starter – Part 1 by John Clarke
15
High startup current appliances can be dangerous, damage your work, cause
brownouts or trip out the circuit breaker when power is first applied. This Soft Starter
prevents the high surge current, replacing it with a slow current build-up.
Advanced SMD Test Tweezers – Part 1 by Tim Blythman
26
The SMD Test Tweezers and their successor, the Improved SMD Test Tweezers, are
simple but useful tools. We have developed an enhanced version with many more
features and other improvements, such as a larger screen and easier-to-use interface.
Active Subwoofer – Part 2 by Phil Prosser
34
In this second and final article in the series, we’ll finish off the Active Subwoofer by
building and installing its internal 180W amplifier, finishing the wiring, installing the
driver and adding some feet.
.
Series, Features and Columns
Techno Talk by Max The Magnificent
Cheeky chiplets
8
Net Work by Alan Winstanley
Reports on damage from supply glitches, cheap and cheerful workshop tools
available direct from China, and a quick roundup of space news.
10
Max’s Cool Beans by Max The Magnificent
Arduino Bootcamp – Part 14
42
Circuit Surgery by Ian Bell
Frequency shifting and superheterodyne receivers – Part 3
48
NEW SERIES!
MitchElectronics by Robin Mitchell
Introducing the op amp
54
Audio Out by Jake Rothman
Back to the buffers – Part 1
62
Wireless for the Warrior
Subscribe to Practical Electronics and save money
NEW! Practical Electronics back issues DOWNLOADS – 2022 now available!
Reader services – Editorial and Advertising Departments
Editorial
Looking forward to 2024
Exclusive Microchip reader offer
Win a Microchip PIC-IoT WG Development Board
PE Teach-In 8
Teach-In bundle – what a bargain!
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
Made in the UK.
Written in Britain, Australia,
the US and Ireland.
9
23
25
33
68
71
72
Read everywhere.
© Electron Publishing Limited 2024
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 March 2024 issue of Practical Electronics will be
published on Thursday, 1 February 2024 – see page 72.
Practical Electronics | February | 2024
1
| 
