Silicon ChipMarket Centre - April 2025 SILICON CHIP
  1. Outer Front Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Publisher's Letter: Ferrite beads are not inductors
  4. Feature: 3D-MID and IMSE by Dr David Maddison
  5. Project: Discrete 555 timer by Tim Blythman
  6. Project: The Pico 2 Computer by Geoff Graham & Peter Mather
  7. Feature: The Power Grid’s Future, Part 2 by Brandon Speedie
  8. Project: Weather monitor by Tim Blythman
  9. Feature: Antenna Analysis, Part 3 by Roderick Wall, VK3YC
  10. Subscriptions
  11. Project: Rotating Light for Models by Nicholas Vinen
  12. PartShop
  13. Feature: Precision Electronics, Part 6 by Andrew Levido
  14. PartShop
  15. Project: 433MHz Transmitter Module by Tim Blythman
  16. Project: Power LCR Meter, Part 2 by Phil Prosser
  17. Serviceman's Log: The camera eye by Dave Thompson
  18. Vintage Radio: Astor APK superhet by Jim Greig
  19. Market Centre
  20. Advertising Index
  21. Notes & Errata: Universal Loudspeaker Protector, November 2015
  22. Outer Back Cover

This is only a preview of the April 2025 issue of Silicon Chip.

You can view 45 of the 104 pages in the full issue, including the advertisments.

For full access, purchase the issue for $10.00 or subscribe for access to the latest issues.

Items relevant to "Discrete 555 timer":
  • LTSpice files for JMP024 (Discrete 555 timer) (Software, Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Symbol USB Keyboard (May 2024)
  • Thermal Fan Controller (May 2024)
  • Wired Infrared Remote Extender (May 2024)
  • Self Toggling Relay (June 2024)
  • Arduino Clap Light (June 2024)
  • Digital Compass (July 2024)
  • Lava Lamp Display (July 2024)
  • JMP007 - Ultrasonic Garage Door Notifier (August 2024)
  • JMP009 - Stroboscope and Tachometer (August 2024)
  • No-IC Colour Shifter (September 2024)
  • IR Helper (September 2024)
  • JMP015 - Analog Servo Gauge (October 2024)
  • JMP012 - WiFi Relay Remote Control (October 2024)
  • JMP013 - Digital spirit level (November 2024)
  • JMP014 - Analog pace clock & stopwatch (November 2024)
  • WiFi weather logger (December 2024)
  • Automatic night light (December 2024)
  • BIG LED clock (January 2025)
  • Gesture-controlled USB lamp (January 2025)
  • Wireless flashing LEDs (February 2025)
  • Transistor tester (February 2025)
  • RF Remote Receiver (March 2025)
  • Continuity Tester (March 2025)
  • Discrete 555 timer (April 2025)
  • Weather monitor (April 2025)
Items relevant to "The Pico 2 Computer":
  • Pico 2 Computer PCB [07104251] (AUD $5.00)
  • Pico 2 Computer kit (Component, AUD $120.00)
  • Pico 2 Computer front & rear panels (07104252-3) (PCB, AUD $10.00)
  • PicoMite 2 firmware (Software, Free)
  • Pico 2 Computer PCB pattern (PDF download) [07104251] (Free)
  • Pico 2 Computer PCB assembly files (PCB Pattern, Free)
  • Pico 2 Computer panel artwork and cutting diagrams (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • The Power Grid’s Future, Part 1 (March 2025)
  • The Power Grid’s Future, Part 2 (April 2025)
Items relevant to "Weather monitor":
  • Software for JMP025 (Weather Monitor) (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Symbol USB Keyboard (May 2024)
  • Thermal Fan Controller (May 2024)
  • Wired Infrared Remote Extender (May 2024)
  • Self Toggling Relay (June 2024)
  • Arduino Clap Light (June 2024)
  • Digital Compass (July 2024)
  • Lava Lamp Display (July 2024)
  • JMP007 - Ultrasonic Garage Door Notifier (August 2024)
  • JMP009 - Stroboscope and Tachometer (August 2024)
  • No-IC Colour Shifter (September 2024)
  • IR Helper (September 2024)
  • JMP015 - Analog Servo Gauge (October 2024)
  • JMP012 - WiFi Relay Remote Control (October 2024)
  • JMP013 - Digital spirit level (November 2024)
  • JMP014 - Analog pace clock & stopwatch (November 2024)
  • WiFi weather logger (December 2024)
  • Automatic night light (December 2024)
  • BIG LED clock (January 2025)
  • Gesture-controlled USB lamp (January 2025)
  • Wireless flashing LEDs (February 2025)
  • Transistor tester (February 2025)
  • RF Remote Receiver (March 2025)
  • Continuity Tester (March 2025)
  • Discrete 555 timer (April 2025)
  • Weather monitor (April 2025)
Articles in this series:
  • Antenna Analysis, Part 1 (February 2025)
  • Antenna Analysis, Part 2 (March 2025)
  • Antenna Analysis, Part 3 (April 2025)
Items relevant to "Rotating Light for Models":
  • Rotating Light for Models PCB [09101251] (AUD $2.50)
  • PIC16F15224-I/SL programmed for the Rotating Light for Models [0910125A.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $10.00)
  • Rotating Light kit (SMD LED version) (Component, AUD $20.00)
  • Rotating Light kit (TH LED version) (Component, AUD $20.00)
  • Software for the Rotating Light for Models [0910125A.HEX] (Free)
  • Rotating Light for Models PCB pattern (PDF download) [09101251] (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Precision Electronics, Part 1 (November 2024)
  • Precision Electronics, Part 2 (December 2024)
  • Precision Electronics, part one (January 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, Part 3 (January 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, part two (February 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, Part 4 (February 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, Part 5 (March 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, part three (March 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, part four (April 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, Part 6 (April 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, Part 7: ADCs (May 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, part five (May 2025)
  • Precision Electronics, part six (June 2025)
Items relevant to "433MHz Transmitter Module":
  • 433MHz Transmitter Module kit (Component, AUD $20.00)
  • 433MHz Transmitter Module PCB pattern (PDF download) [15103251] (Free)
Items relevant to "Power LCR Meter, Part 2":
  • Power LCR Meter PCB [04103251] (AUD $10.00)
  • PIC32MK0128MCA048 programmed for the Power LCR Meter [0410325A.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $20.00)
  • Software & STL files for the Power LCR Tester (Free)
  • Power LCR Meter PCB pattern (PDF download) [04103251] (Free)
  • Power LCR Meter panel artwork and drilling diagrams (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • Power LCR Tester, Part 1 (March 2025)
  • Power LCR Meter, Part 2 (April 2025)

Purchase a printed copy of this issue for $13.00.

MARKET CENTRE Advertise your product or services here in Silicon Chip KIT ASSEMBLY & REPAIR FOR SALE PCB PRODUCTION DAVE THOMPSON (the Serviceman from Silicon Chip) is available to help you with kit assembly, project troubleshooting, general electronics and custom design work. No job too small. Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, but service available Australia/NZ wide. Email dave<at>davethompson.co.nz LEDsales PCB MANUFACTURE: single to multilayer. Bare board tested. One-offs to any quantity. 48 hour service. Artwork design. Excellent prices. Check out our specials: www.ldelectronics.com.au KEITH RIPPON KIT ASSEMBLY & REPAIR: * Australia & New Zealand; * Small production runs. Phone Keith: 0409 662 794 keith.rippon<at>gmail.com LEDS, BRAND NAME AND GENERIC LEDs, filament LEDs, LED drivers, heatsinks, power supplies, kits and modules, components, breadboards, hardware, magnets. Please visit www.ledsales.com.au Silicon Chip Binders REAL VALUE AT $21.50 PLU S P&P PMD WAY offers (almost) everything for the electronics enthusiast – with full warranty, technical support and free delivery worldwide. Visit pmdway.com to get started. Order online from www.siliconchip. com.au/Shop/4 or call (02) 9939 3295. ADVERTISING IN MARKET CENTRE Classified Ad Rates: $32.00 for up to 20 words (punctuation not charged) plus $1.20 for each additional word. Display ads in Market Centre (minimum 2cm deep, maximum 10cm deep): $82.50 per column centimetre per insertion. All prices include GST. Closing date: 5 weeks prior to month of sale. To book, email the text to silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au and include your name, address & credit card details, or phone (02) 9939 3295. (https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/ releases/tag/3.0.0). The quickest fix will be to change the installed version of the board profile from the Boards Manager (there is a drop-down to change the version). We don’t have a record of the version used for the original project, but it was likely one of the later 2.x.x versions. We suggest you try 2.7.4. There were similar problems with the Clayton’s GPS Time Source project and version 2.7.4 worked in that case. Wideband Differential Probe output is too high I’ve finally got around to building the Wideband Active Differential Probe (from the September 2014 issue; siliconchip.au/Article/7995). I ordered the parts in 2015, lost them, then finally ordered them again a couple of months ago... siliconchip.com.au I realise that this is an old project. However, I wondered if you might have any troubleshooting information available based on any questions at the time. I’ve looked in my old magazines for the couple of months after in case there was anything there, but didn’t find anything. My problem is that when feeding in a 2V peak-to-peak square wave at around 200kHz, the voltages displayed on the oscilloscope are either 3.32V peak-to-peak at ×1 or an overshooting 3.6V peak-to-peak (3.2V if I ignore the overshoots) at ×10. The overshooting looks much like the shape of needing to calibrate a probe. The connection to the oscilloscope is an SMA-to-BNC coaxial cable and I’m feeding the probe’s inputs from the 50W output of a signal generator via a BNC to crocodile clip coaxial cable. I’ve measured the output of the signal generator using its 600W output direct Australia's electronics magazine to the scope with a BNC-BNC coaxial cable and this matches the 2V peak-topeak the generator claims to put out. Any troubleshooting thoughts, hints or pointers would be much appreciated. (J. B., Little River, New Zealand) ● The Wideband Active Differential Probe is designed to be used with a 50W cable to the oscilloscope and with 50W termination. Without this, the displayed levels will be incorrect. Many oscilloscopes have a 50W termination option for each input. Make sure you’ve enabled it for the one the Probe is connected to. If you are using this 50W termination, perhaps the gain of the differential amplifier is not correct. Check the values of the 1kW and 1.3kW resistors that set the gains of IC1 and IC2. Also check that the three 3MW resistors in series at the input and the 1MW shunt resistors at the gates of Q1 and Q2 are correct. April 2025  103