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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Editor Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Robert Flynn Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Manager Christopher Wilson Phone (02) 9979 5644 Mobile 0419 23 9375 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed John Hill Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Macquarie Print, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $54 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 34, 1-3 Jubilee Avenue, Warrie­ wood, NSW 2102. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. PUBLISHER'S LETTER Going for the big clean-out Are you reluctant to throw out old electronic components? If you are anything like me, you are. I hate to see electronic equipment or components being junked. However, while this may be a good and worthwhile attitude and may often save you money in the long run, there is the other side of the coin to consider. After a while, you get too much junk. About a year ago I moved house and there was a lot of stuff that I didn’t have time to sort out at the time so it all went into boxes “to be looked at later”. Now I am slowly wading through it. I have to face up to the fact that I have “electronic stuff” that I haven’t touched for 20 years or more. Much of it, and I am talking about all sorts of small components here, is probably still as good as the day it was made. But I’ll never use it; not ever. I’ve had to bite the bullet. Some stuff I’m saving and some I’m giving away but a good deal of it has to go in the bin – there’s just no way that anybody would use it. Some of the com­ponents I’ve had so long that the leads have corroded; that’s a hazard of where I live, close to the sea. Inevitably too, there is stuff that I didn’t know I had and some that I thought I’d lost or given away years ago. I am sure that there are many readers who are in a far worse situation. Instead of half a dozen boxes of junk, they have a shed, a garage or even rooms full of it. Like me, they will probably never use it. And sooner or later they will have to face up to doing something about it, especially if they ever have to move to a smaller house. If you are one of these people, why not attack the problem this evening? You will feel a lot happier when it is sorted out. You will probably find that you have so much more room to move as well and you will be able to accommodate all that new stuff you want. You have to be ruthless about it. If you find something that you have had no use for in the last five years, it probably should be given away or pitched out. Any components which look corroded or discoloured in any way should be tossed as well. If you can find an electronics club that wants your electronic bits, so much the better. In fact, if electronics clubs thought about taking small classified ads they would probably end up with a lot of good material. While you’re in clean-up mood, why not sort out all those floppy discs around your place? Reformat them and put them back into general use. You can do the same with all your VCR tapes. You’ll probably be amazed at how many you have lying around. So have a look around you and see if you’ve been hit by the “hoarding virus”. It is curable and most people live happily thereafter. Leo Simpson ISSN 1030-2662 WARNING! SILICON CHIP magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage. All such projects should be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely. Readers are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the instructions in the articles. When working on these projects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with mains AC voltages or high voltage DC. If you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other high voltages, you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability for damages should anyone be killed or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SILICON CHIP magazine. Devices or circuits described in SILICON CHIP may be covered by patents. SILICON CHIP disclaims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such equipment. SILICON CHIP also disclaims any liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government regulations and by-laws. Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to the Trade Practices Act 1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable. 2  Silicon Chip