April 1988

Radio communications of the future

Digital optical transmitter
Active loudspeaker system
MIDI code generator UK £1.50
IR £2.20
(incl. VAT)
EE
April 1988

PRINTERS
BBC Micro Computer System EPSON
LX800 E189 (a) TAXAN KF'815 (80 col) £269 fa)
88C MASTER SERIES: WORD PROCESSOR ROMs: FX800 £295 (a) KP915 (158 col) E369 (a)
AM815 88C MASTER 128K E346 (a) VIEW 2.1 £35 (d) VIEW 3.0 .. £48 (c) FX1000 E405 (a) BROTHER HR20 E349 (a)
ADC06 Turbo 1650102) Card E95 (dl Spealrnaster £49 (dl VIEW INDEX £12 (dl 1E(300 E395 fa) STAR LC10 E209 (al
ADC08 512 Processor £185 (0) WORDWISE E24 (dl WORDWISE+ E38 (d) EX1000 £539 la) JUKI 6100 (Daisy Wheel) .... E295 (a)
ADF14 Rom Cartridge E13 loll SPELLCHECK III GO 3500 (laser) £1,350 *ITEMS( (Colour) E519 (a)
ADF10 Econet Card £40 (dl liVYSIW1G + £21 fdl £31 (d) L0500 E349 (a) NAT PANASONIC KX P 1081. £149 (a)
ADJ22 Ref_ Manual) E14 (cl INTERWORD £46 (dl EDWORD II E43 (a) L0850 (80 col) £439 (a) NAT PANASONIC KX P 3131_ £249 (a)
ADJ23 Ref. Manual Part U E14 lc) LQ1050 (136 col) £529 la) NAT PANASONIC KX P1082 _ £175 )a(
ADJ24 Adv Ref Manual £18 fcl LANGUAGE ROMS: We hotel in stock a large varkty of printer attachments, interfaces and consumables.
Micro Prolog E62 (el fitcrotext £52 (c) Crease mite or phone for details.
B8C ARCHIMEDES ISO PASCAL £51 (c) LOGOTRON E55 (c)
Please enquire about availability and LOGO E46 (c1 MACROM £33 (d)
details of the s stem. USP £39 COMAL .... £43 (d) ACCESSORIES
Oxford Pascal £36 (c) BUFFALO 32K Buffer foe Epson printers £75 (dl; FXI30 plus sheet feeder £129 (B):
UPGRADE KITS: EPSON Serial Interface: 8143 £30 (13); 8148 with 2K buffer £65 (b).
1.2 OS ROM E15 (dl COMMUNICATIONS ROMS:
DNFS ROM £19 (d) EPSON Paper Roll Holder E17 lb); FX801130+/85 Tractor Attach E37 lb); RX/FXSC
TERMULATOR £25 (dl Dust Cover £4.50 (dl; LX80 Tractor Unit E20 (c): L0800 Tractor Feed E47 (b).
BASIC II ROM (BBC B) . E22.50 (dl MASTER TERMULATOR £34.75 (d)
ADES ROM £26 (dl COMMSTAR 11 £28 (dl EPSON Ribbons: MX/RX,FX80 £5; MXFLX/FX100 EIO (d): LX80 £4.50 (dl;
1770 DES Kit £43.50 (d) MODEM MASTER £11 (dl JUKI: Serial Interface £65 (dl; Tractor Attach. £149 (a); Sheet Feeder £219 (a);
Econet Kit OMB+) E55 Id) COMMAND E34 (d) Ribbon £2.50 fa); Spate Daisy Wheel £14 (dl.
ACORN ADD-ON PRODUCTS: UTILITY ROMs: BROTHER HR20: Sheet Feed £229; Mtairies - Carbon or Nylon £3; Tractor Feed
Torch ZEP 100 E229 (a) DOTPR(NT PLUS for FXJRX compatibles £116 (al; 2000 Sheets Fanfold with extra Fine pert'. 9.5" - £13.50; 15" (17.50 lb).
512 2nd Processor £249 (b) DOTPR(NT DUAL for MX range BBC Parallel Lead £6; Serial Lead E6 18..1 Paree3 Lead )2m) £12 Id:.
IEEE Interface £265 (b) Acorn Graphics Extension Rom ... £28 (dl
Teletext Adapter £95 (b) Medal with 57 disc utEty commands MONITORS
100 page manual £37.50 (el MICROVITEC 14" RGB TAXAN Supervision 620.... E269 la)
Ask for full details on our fun range of software 1431 Standard Resolution ... £179 la) TAXAN Supervision 625_ _ E319 (a)
1451 Medium Resolution £225 la) TAXAN Supervision 770+
1441 Hi Res E365 (a) (with swivel stand) £499 (a)
MULTIFORM Z80 2nd Processor for the BBC MICROVITEC 14" RGLIMAL & Audio
This unique Z80 2nd Processor running OS(M wri avow use of dmost any standard CP:M soft- 1431 AP Standard Resolution £199 la) 12" MONOCHROME MONITORS:
ware on the BBC micro. It is suppled with a number of afferent CP/M formats and includes a 1451 AP Medium Resolution £259 la) PHILIPS:
ditty to configure it to read other formats. This is particularly useful in environments where com- MICROVITEC 20" RGELTAL/Aurto
puters with different CPI/.1 formats are used and the data cannot be easily exchanged between 2030 CS std Res 7502 Green Screen E 69 (a)
£380 (al 7522 Amber Screen E 75 Id
them. Man -is powered imdudes Pocket Wordstar & MS(DOS FIN, utility) (249 lb) 2040 CS ft Res £675 la)
fiiSiDOS Read/Write U, ' £49 (c)
hirtsubishi 14" RG8 Med Res 188C1111M1 NI Philos Monitors supplied with swivel
META Version 3 ASSEMBLER E219 (al stand
Assembles 17 of the popular processors. Over 70RC long program on two rocas and a disc and
provides complete Editing and Assembly facilities. It uses appropriate mnemonics for afferent BOOKS
processors. Fully nestable macros. nestable conditional assembly OF/ELSE/MOIR modular No VAT on books; Carriage (c)
source code. true local and global Lth.lq, 32 bit labels and arithmetic. 30 ways to send object
code and 50 directives. View 3.0 User Guide E9.00
A powerful editor with many features. Send for d,I. .r.:t1 leaflet. LANGUAGES: Viewstore £9.00
£145 (b) 6502 Assy Lang Prog £19.95 Viewsheet £9.00
BBC DISC DRIVES 8086 Book £23.95 Wordwise Plus E9.95
5.25" Single Drive: Acorn BCPL User Guide E15.00
Acorn FORTH £7.50 SOUND & GRAPHICS:
1 x 400K 40/130T DS: TS400 _ _ E90 c( PS400 wan psu £104 lb) (7.50 Mastering Music £6.95
5.25" Dual Drive: Acorn USP
2 x 400K 40/80T OS: TD800 E170 (a) PD800 with psu E190 la) Acorn ISO Pascal Ref Manual .. £10.00 DISC DRIVE SYSTEMS:
2 x 400K 40!80T DS with psu and built in monitor stand PD800P E209 (a) Intro to COMAL E10.00 Advanced Disc User Guide_ . _ .E14.95
3.5" Drives: Intro to LOGO £7.50
Micro Prolog Ref Manual £10.00 Disc Book £3.50
x 400K BOT OS TS35 1 E67 (b( PS35 1 with psu E85 lb)
£14.95 Disc Programming Techniques E7.95
1

1 400K 80T DS with psu TD35 2 (126 (b( PD35 2 with psu E149 (b) Introduction to Turbo Pascal .
Disc Systems E6.95
Prog the Micro with Pascal .... (8.50 Re Hang:Wing on the 88C E6.95
Combo drives (5.25" & 3.5"): Book £7.50
P0853 with integral PSU £165 (al P0853P with integral PSU E179 la) Unix User Guide £19.95 APPLICATIONS:
Understanding Unix £18.45 Interfacing Proj for BBC £6.95
3M FLOPPY DISCS BBC MICRO GUIDE BOOKS 1313C and Small fkrsiness £5.75
Industry standard floppy discs with a life time guarantee. Discs in packs of 10: BBC User Guide Acorn £15.00 PROFESSIONAL SOFTWARE
5% DISCS 3% DISCS BBC Plus User Guide £15.00 Wordstar made easy £16.95
Drawing your Own 88C ProgramsE6.95 Introduction to Wordstar E17.95
40T SS DD £8.20 (d) 40T DS DD £10.00 (d) 80T SS DO £15.00 (d) Inside Information £8.95 Words -tar Handbook
80T SS DDE1 2.25 (d) 80T DS DD. £13.00 (dl 80T DS DO £19.50 (dl Math Prog in 813C Basic E7.95 dflase-11 for the first time user £11.95
E16.95
Toolbox 2 £10.95 Understanding dBase-III E22.95
DISC ACCESSORIES VIA 6522 Book 4 50 Multiplan Made Easy £18.95
Mu(timate Complete Guide .... £16.95
E6 (dl Dual Disc Cable £8.50 (dl PROGRAMMINGIUTIUTY ABC of LOTUS 123 £17.45
E1.80 (c) 30 Disc Storage Box E6 (c1 Advanced Sideways RantUser
(8.50 (c) 100 Disc Lockable Box E13 Id Guide (9.95 1-2-3 for Bu £16.95sineSs
Actv Tech in d8ase 11.111
Fiappiciene buveread Cleaning Kit with 20 'sy n..,hta cleaning kits 51i" E14.50 (d); 31)" El6 Id) Advanced User Guide 1880) ... £12.50 Mastering CM £22.95
Applied AssAang on the BBC ..E9_95 £17.95
BBC Micro Sideways ROM's RAIrsE9.95 CP1M Bible £16.50
BT APPROVED MODEMS Guide to the BBC ROM £9.95 Introducing CP/PA on BBC & 280 £9.95
Beginners G....de to W.P .. £7.95 MS PC DOS Prompt £10.95
MIRACLE TECHNOLOGY WS Range
WS4000 V21123. WS3000 V22 his Professional PROGRAMMED ROMS FOR ELEKTOR
(Hayes Compatible. Intelligent. Auto Mat/ As V22 and 2400 baud fug duplex £537 la) PROJECTS
Auto Answer) E135 lb) WS3000/138C Data Lead E7 (di 50341Jnr. Computer Monitor c -g Dice 2716 E 7.30
WS3000 V21123 Professional WS2000 V21N23 2708 E 4.80 521 CnarGen & Video Routine for DOS
As W54000 and with BELL standards and Manual Modern E92 (b) 504 Disco fights Junior. 2732 + 2716 £16.40
battery back up for muuxxy E244 Oa) WS 2000 Auto Dial Card E27 (d) 505 Chess Intelekt . 2x2716 £14.60 522 CharGen & video; Routine for ex-
W53000 V22 Professional WS 2000 Auto Answer £27 (d) 506 J C Tape Monitor . 2716 E 7.30 tended junior 2732 + 2 x 2716 E24.00
As WS3000 V21/23 but with 1200 baud fuR WS 2000 SKI Kit (5 (d) 507-N J C Printer Mon & PME 523 Char. Generator .. 2732 E 9.00
duplex £409 (a) WS 2000 User Pori Lead £5 (d) 2716E 7.30 524 Quantisizer 2732 E 9.00
(Offer knifed w current stocks) 508 J C Bus Control 82523. £ 4.80 525 Universal Term 2732 f 9.00
510 150 MHz Freq Meter 2 x82523 526 Wird Di Ind 2716E 7.30
E 9.60 527 (labyrinth 2716E 7.30
SPECIAL OFFER PROJECTS: 514 Dark ROOM Computer 2716 £ 7.30 530 Daisywheel !face 2 x 2716 E11.00
Junior Computer Kit £86 lb)
EPROMs/RAMS
2764-25 £2.80 (d)
Housekeeper kit £58 (b) ALL PRICES TECHNOLINE
Elekterminal Kit (1980) . £50 (b) VIEWDATA SYSTEM
27256
27512
£5.00 (d)
£9.90 (dl
ASCII Keyboard kit £75 Ib) EXCLUDE VAT. Tel. 01-450 9764
J C Books 1, 2, 3, & 4E6.90 (c) ea Please add carriage 50p unless Using 'Prester type motocols.
6264LP-15 £2.60 (d) Universal Terminal (6502) Kit £75 (b)
27128-25 (12.5 Vpp) £3.40 (d) indicated as follows: For information and orders
Elekterminal Kit (1983) £70 (b) available 24 bows, 7 days
27128-25 (21.0 Vpp) £4.80 (d) tali 8 l6112.50 lc1f1.501169£1.00 a week.

SEE OUR PAGE 5 ADVERTISEMENT FOR COMPONENT PRICES

PLEASE ADD CARRIAGE AS PER CODE & 15% VAT
TECHNOMATIC LTD (Export no VAT. pbp at Costi
ers from Government Depts Et Colleges etc welcome.
MAIL ORDERS TO: 17 BURNLEY ROAD, LONDON NW10 lED - - Minimum telephone order E5
SHOPS AT: 17 BURNLEY ROAD, LONDON NW10 Detailed Price list on request
(Tel: 01 208 1177, Telex 922800) Prices subject to change 'without nob,.
305 EDGWARE ROAD, LONDON W2, Tel: 01 723 0233
 _gaktor April 1988
P:ded CONTENTS Volume 14
Number 155

42 READERSHIP SURVEY RESULTS 111= In next month's

issue:

13
Editorial
The standard of software
AEI The main theme will
be Artificial Intelli-
gence; other articles
will include:
Components Plotter
14 A new multilayer process for integrated Digital optical
passive devices transmitter*
by Dr Gordon R. Love VLF convertor
Signal processing
Compute and electronic en-
Fuzz unit for guitars cryption
p. 33 17 Computer management systems take over Microcontroller-
by James Lock driven PSU
19 Second generation programmable logic
by E. Baum
24 PROJECT: Stereo sound generator

We regret that ow-

28 DESIGN IDEA: Computer -controlled music ing to lack of space
generator this article could not
by Dr B. Koyuncu be included in the
33 PROJECT: Fuzz unit for guitars April issue as
36 PROJECT: MIDI code generator originally planned.

39 Dual trace oscilloscopes: a review - Part 5

by Julian Nolan
r Audio & Hi-fi Radio communications for the
44 future
PROJECT: Active loudspeaker system p. 54

Radio & Television

50 PROJECT: Tuneable preamplifiers for VHF
and UHF TV
54 Radio communications for the future
by Dr Chris Gibbins
Litar 4

General Interest flee

IO"C- am.

60 PROJECT: Computer -controlled slide fader

(2)
66 Superconductivity: further outlook warmer
by George Short
68 The efficient alternative to large power
stations
by Dave Andrews

Information
16-23-41-49-64-65 News; 43 Events; 58 New Front cover
literature; 59 People; 70 Readers services; Experimental set-up
72 Terms of business of four slide projec-
tors driven by the
Guide lines computer -controlled
slide fader de-
MIDI code generator 75 Classified advertisements 75 Switchboard; scribed in our March
p. 36 76 Buyers guide; 78 Index of advertisers and .April 1988 issues
 EE
4
April 1988

Are we about to create a race of Supermen?

Brainwave
monitor
1111 BETA -Concentration, In ALPHA - Relaxation, El THETA - Imagination,
problem solving, active
thought
pleasure, tranquility,
positive feelings.
creativity hynagogic
imagery.

_r _a
Tne ETI Brainwave Monitor must be the most astonishing project ever to appear in the
BRAINireAvE pages of an electronics magazine. It will allow you to hear your brairrwaves arid Judge
AtOtityn,
Rys er^
PAONLy the relative levels of venous types. It will also help you to control your mind more
cre. effectively, to be at peak performance in all situations.
irC4443 Doesn't my mind work perfectly well when left to its own devices?
£36. 90 If you've ever been confused, unsure of yourself, shy, unable to pass exams or to
impress people at interviews. you know perfectly well that It doesn't_ Your mind (and
everybody else's) is full of bad habits, inappropriate responses, feelings of inadequacy ...
all pulling you down_ Why should you put up with it?
Mind training sounds like hard work!
It can be. If you want to do it the hard way, go and study under a Zen master for fifty years
or so. You'll get there in the end! With the brairnvave monitor it takes no effort at all. Just
the opposite in fact - trying is the one 'thing you mustn't do!
How do I start?
SILVER SOLUTION At fast you use the monitor's internal inthcator to exercise your mind. In direct mode you
improve the time percentage: in integrate you concentrate on the amplitude. After that
Ths powerful sher platng compound must be the greatest remlutgon in
eiectronics snore the IC! Just wipe on attn a doth to pale PCB traOts. the choice of direction is yours. With the Alpha Plan you can reach the core of your
correctors. sore. component leads, etc_ Votth a tam of pure s=lain! personality to root out the weakness and replace it with inner strength Otherwise you
EsserEal for can lust enioy the feelings of rifiv. ire and dear headectness that alpha training brings. or
RF awaits the creativity and imagery of the theta state.
Top MOS IiFIL
'.13io-etectronic arcuals and etanctodes A friend told me I can use brain power to control lights and things. I can't believe it!
LARGE BOTTLE (150m1) SILVER SOLUTION £11.20 ...VAT. As a matter of fact, you can do more than that! The interface sockets on the monitor allow
rn Tre ea 13.3 0 tree :33. -Or, 31: ar rot ere, 3,3 atere
you to turn lights on and off, control toys and elic,cthl gadgets. play computer games _
all with your wind! Are we about to create a race of Supermen? Only time will tea.
THE ALPHA PLAN The Etrainwave Monitor is featured in the September October and November 1987 issues
Can icu rear y trap ya s bran to nrit more enect-eay
Can you rea4 acne.* pea., performance at tnngs you re re good lit of ETL The approved parts set contains: two PCBs, all components including three PM)
Can you mac./ overcome feat shyness. uncertanly? precision amplifiers. shielded box for screening the bioarnplifiec attractive instrument
And can you do .1 al en hoed r«-.1! rpm, case with tiling feet, controls, switches, knobs. plugs and sockets, leads and materials for
Or Eland Le** s famous AAsha Pan has at the a . well recem.,/ electrodes, full instructions for assembly and use.
rn.estorad by a OED krieiS.Cort Lgoarnertary (Ache - Hogg to &cooed
...edcut Rea. Tryng) And the concerSCV17 It %gongs. Pans we avarie separately We also hem a range et -n-es potsone eearodes boobs. et:
Dr Lewis's lax*. 'The Alpha Plan' is yours for only £2.50 (no VAT) Pease send a stamped. sed.acor tale] reNt.iop e d you ?....11 ware tie Isis Othe-roMe. an SAE £.2 grit
tree you Ws, corstn,cor. detats and father hformaten
Your future Is waiting.

Complete Parts Sets for Top Projects

FEATURED IN ETI
MARCH 1988
MATCHBOX POWERFUL AIR
AMPLIFIER IONISER
JUMPIN' JACK FEATURED IN En, FEATURED IN ETI
APRIL 1986 JULY 1986
FLASH 1,a3 order, amplaters.
crewWWIairtry knsrene ac-...aCed
is a VINVirle 01 er
0 -5137.5 tr:10 the heaihrecatnes
reworg....... Oa re dred
ard Cara been Fern
Lgghtog *turd - brings Cbtan.C.5133 MC, veto eterpTirg
any rock band's stage
performance to Mel
KNIGHT RAIDER weekleSinn,:
313Creese. We COW awscard pa.s angles and
.cpa
arm ray te,sr wel
aerea Meng et., re p.a., an wet
FEATURED IN Ell. JULY 1987 -.Mae, rya:ere are the arpressere VI rears,. A.Leaugn sc.ne of S. Carte
Sound operated flasn - photograph
curets tn firght. "re aware n 19.9 cream ex
are, cr. tr far a ,...rerts
re Ur,erel_MIN
tee. reee
airte cusk'y
ree re-CraKra
Toe Weirder real. wee Oneree WW1 a3334 en
orES
62.Wee 3,3 prat are s,e-s
ra-s 'dead ar
,crer5
etaggerred. t-ane s no d:...tt eta* ax".1 as a rr...al

Voice switch arid Sound tO action ate meg re Walt arc eq. meg re re, Ca:Sea sea, at re re oolte-ki LIMC Tre sr)* and el aerre The DIK-CT Ca: crear cased a gees ow+ ,rr
controller with endless applications astaama =re ea a lg. ata.....at leo 'et rea2DVA331..... =ewe, s.OPY eg.a.g,en. enrn acomren wo a cessW.e.a. prztee
Vs:Hog crrbect. ceera rip re ewe a3ar. we re The row erscr, ;save. swo We- 34-4.,_71 re .01 A. WI was co,ceratae wee
aten ale. wares a ow. towery =tem.. seers. t.p.E.0,11 3..;(3./ rate. 503...3.- teCeart-Ce sus De Mader ran') .121.1711Wr-ai tY1.-CM..13 93oo
The parts set consists at a high quality re ,ss Kan rycne re :we mews le 2C01,0roman xece. creelate Ye Cure sonde ard UV Apart Irs. straus xpicrorrs.
PCB and all components_ ICs. opto wrialor en LEO aye, en re err. testa. 0re ,.sanStret ReXty 13 eark 0,-. are dz. ere
,m, some of re st..snr.ace age...Ws sera d-rraged-s,
ere

temeert aoccmcore sreata Tee ataX 595.3n lek can supply a reared set Ot Pr.s. L.Pf
triac. heat sulk_ pots etc to budd the arcist T wv ear a aleci an CS. ve
board. What you do next is up to you. re, oe areal. reas air .0.11 crz Ceal tar crerg a West cr H -Ft swans. CI,Org
n prase co ex" alms sr he.: erect
aprOved denporet lo ems LraaJe protect
tiecar a treas.. TV :gala. Tree sit a roks fried reread or,st tore
The Ell article. supplied free with every =ma ara se ca.. a me_ arere.LIED. Ear. GleS4nr-apraras We sem colas: af 3 rale, conscrems. case. mans bit and teen repels
awacrena raraars satacwre. We seaer. Mee arred prrsed cro.e tor* zed AS c. -The tor re lesser Apsecarg 13 cre 03393.7.3. to set oasts
set. shows haw to make the most of J F s relies nee cg wear PET. wax..n arrara are LIM Cs ire Mao trafatre n.1.3-311 wen a aae &WU 3 Ord CI re pnm cE te Caro:Cnbate
capablues data in 9,r81 speceatatm ard s.crece trsrs %Vet error Ca. i.e Sat
KNIGHT RAIDER CONTROL BOX ONLY SINGLE C
£6.90 VAT! 3APPoNER DIRECT ION PARTS SET Imbue:tons
JUMPING JACK FLASH £6.90 + VAT s WITH BLACK CASE 111.50 g- WiT are
KNIGHT RAIDER SEQUENCE BOARD ONLY
£6.50 , VAT E8,90, VAT E3.90 -VAT WITH WHITE CASE £11.80 4.1,93" rctuiecl
£13.90 ,VAT,

SPECIAL LM2917
OFFERS RUGGED LEDs
Green malamute/ LEDs
397$41
tat352. Sent, co:se
mnamc DAL
tr.
£1 .ID ,Pa.
moo %0T
EXPERIMENTER SET PLASTIC CASE kg bal^araPh 64:424S
50 ke £3_50 500 her £25
Class r to, rggur ci co lid Congests el Lare9i7 IC. %gloat owed aro-n cord and sur.Pe to mars cdreircrer Ma for Efi 1003 Ice £45
LIA333 Cud comparaar C 3 sat MOO vu dalailadeldnairseriti data and ora.r3 la aarr ad mars ozrvpler
UCnCSS Dig 14a -rd 3 Or 1.00 - 5.9J alma prcjsaslba1 Can be used Ee eaprrnert MGM AND AUDIO EQUIPMENT LEDs
stn to erases al Tv Wed Greg life C Sesare
(ETI. Datenter tale) ONLY £1.65 , VAT Assorted Srrrn LEDs red. green. yeedge and
Al IC. a4Clad .er, EPEE DATA.
Prces axe, cre, mole slips last orange 25 el each (103 LEDs) to £6.80
LM2917 Experimenter Set £5.80 VAT

SALES DEPT
Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, so please ROOM 110
add 15% to the order total. UK postage is 70p FOUNDERS HOUSE
an any order. Carriage and insurance for REDBROOK
overseas orders E4.o0. Please allow up to
MONMOUTH
14 days for delivery.
LIMITED GWENT
 EE
April 1988

THE STANDARD OF
SOFTWARE
A Wolters Kluwer Company
Managing Editor: Len Seymour Software is a 'written' instruction used by people to tell computers what to
Personal Assistant: L. Vousden do. In principle, the creation of such an instruction, or program, is fairly
Technical Editor: J Buiting
Advertisement executive: simple. None the less, even today, after nearly 40 years of programming
Pauline O'Rourke history, nobody can write programs that are free of bugs. Worse, there is, as
Editorial offices: yet, no easy way of determining the likelihood of software failure before it
1 Harlequin Avenue is taken into use.
BRENTFORD TW8 9EW
England
Telephone: 01-847 2618 (National) Yet, the way to reliable software was pointed out almost twenty years ago
or +44 1847 2618 (international) by a number of computer scientists of international repute who had be-
Advertising: 01-847 2619
Telex: 917490 (elektr g) come seriously concerned about the quality of software. Then, as now,
Fax: 01-847 2610 most programs were produced empirically, and consequently they were
European offices: not normally correct the first time they were used in practice. All the pro-
Postbus 75 grammers could do was to add more instruction -a patch - and hope for
6190 AB BEEK IL)
The Netherlands the best. This method of programming has changed remarkably little in the
Telephone: +31 4490 89444 intervening years, particularly when viewed in the light of the other tremen-
Telex: 56617 (elekt ni) dous changes in computer engineering that have taken place in those
Fax: +31 4490 70161
years.
Overseas editions:
Publitron Publicacoes Tecnicas Ltda
Av Ipiranga 1100, 9° ander Those scientists in the late 1960s suggested a new approach to program-
CEP 01040 Sao Paulo - Brazil ming and called it software engineering. This approach is aimed at putting
Editor: Juliano Barsali
software design and production on similar theoretical foundations and
Elektor sari practical disciplines as, for instance, electrical and electronic engineering.
Route Nationale; Le Seau; B.P. 53
59270 Beilieu! - France Unfortunately, the mathematics on which computer programs are based is
Editors: D R S Meyer; difficult. Whereas electrical/electronic engineering uses analytical math-
G C P Raedersdorf ematics, software engineering uses logic. Logic is a rigid discipline: whereas
Elektor Verlag GmbH analytical methods allow a certain measure of flexibility, logic does not.
Siisterfeld-Stralle 25
5100 Aachen - West Germany This means that even a tiny error in a logic argument can upset the whole.
Editor: E J A Krempelsauer
Elektor EPE Furthermore, the testing of a long program by logic is beyond even most
Karaiskaki 14 mathematicians. This gives programmers, who, in the main, are not trained
16673 Voula - Athens - Greece in mathematics, let alone logic, not much of a chance. The unfortunate
Editor: E Xanthoulis
Elektor Electronics PVT Ltd.
result for the customer is that programs are tested to only a limited degree.
Chhotani Building
52 C. Proctor Road, Grant Road (El By the proper use of software engineering, it has become possible to write
Bombay 400 007 - India much more reliable - but not yet completely error -free - programs. One of
Editor: Surendra lyer
Elektuur B.V.
the ways this is done is by the use of a formal specification language,
Peter Treckpoelstraat 2-4 which results from rigorous academic work. Researchers in Europe and the
6191 VK Beek - the Netherlands USA have invented several of these. The improvement in quality of the
Editor: P E L Kersemakers resulting software on both sides of the Atlantic has been encouraging.
Ferreira & Bento Lda.
R.D. Estefania, 32-1° All of this, coupled with the efforts of the big software houses to design and
1000 Lisboa - Portugal
Editor: Jorge Goncalves produce integrated software, implies, of course, that programmers have to
ingelek S.A. become more disciplined and trained in the rigorous demands of software
Plaza Republica Ecuador engineering. No doubt, the majority of the estimated 60,000 or so pro-
2-28016 Madrid - Spain fessional programmers in the western world will be loath to admit, let alone
Editor: A M Ferrer
Electronic Press AB
accept, this.
Box 63
182 11 Danderyd - Sweden Yet, it is clear that software buyers have a right, like any other buyer of
Editor: Bill Cedrum goods or services, to demand that the expensive programs they are get-
International co-ordinating ting work properly. Not surprisingly, much software is sold with a disclaimer
& technical manager:
K S M Walraven of warranty. Why do we go on accepting this? Only when we, the
International editorial secretariat: customers, in the knowledge that the quality of software can be improved
GWPv Linden; M Pardo to a significant degree, demand guarantees as to the quality of the soft-
Distribution' ware we buy, will software houses be prompted into the proper use of soft-
SEYMOUR
334 Brixton Road ware engineering or run the risk of costly litigation.
LONDON SW9 7AG.
Typeset & composed in the
Netherlands by GBS, Beek (11.
Printed in the Netherlands by
NDB, Zoeterwoude.
Copyright 1988 Elektuur B.V.

ABC
IA Val or rHe
w.r...t1 OF C2F,OAAOCKS
 EE
Apr I 1988

A NEW MULTILAYER PROCESS

FOR INTEGRATED PASSIVE
DEVICES
by Dr. Gordon R. Love

This article describes a new process, derived from techniques

used to produce multilayer ceramic capacitors, which is the key
to a technique, known as Multilythicsz, allowing complex
integrated multi -functional passive circuits to be produced.

Introduction
1
There are two fundamentally different
build-up processes for multilayer cer-
amic devices or assemblies. Each begins
with a slip of finely divided ceramic par-
4,,--I11TEGRATED CIRCUIT
ticles dispersed and suspended in a com- - LEAD FP APE SO -14 (NAPUKAL

plex organic system. In the more com-

monly used process, this slip is cast in
thin sheets of controlled thickness and
dried; patterns are then printed on it by THICK FILET UM RS 171.
Ar.....-CONDUCTOR t 14 RESISTORS
thick -film silk-screen processing, and
the array of finished devices is assembled
by stacking and laminating these single
sheets. This process is generally known
as dry stack or 'tape' manufacturing. COVER LAYERS 131
LC44 T DIELECTRIC

The alternative process involves casting

the slip onto an inert carrier, drying it,
printing the patterns by thick film pro-
cessing, and then casting the next con- CAPACITOR/CONDUCTOR
NE- LAYERS 191
trolled thickness layer in situ. This build- LON 4 DIELECTRIC
up process is then repeated as many
times as is necessary. This technique is
known as wet stack or 'paint' process-
ing.
__--SER4RATION LAYERS IS/
These two manufacturing processes can-
not easily be compared, as each has its
own strengths and weaknesses. For
example, single sheets can be inspected
and discarded if found defective in the
tape process, whereas in paint processing cAracircm LAYERS (So.
RIL4.1 4 DIELECTRIC
this is virtually impossible. On the other
hand, tape processing requires high pre-
cision at two distinct processing steps
(printing and stacking), whereas paint
processing requires high precision only 46-----SE4APATiON LAYERS 13/

at the printing stage.

Process differences CORER LA ruts 4121

L04 I OIELEC1R1C
For both manufacturing processes, a
minimum amount of organic binder is
required both to encourage device for-
mation and to facilitate the eventual
binder removal. Binders free of metallic
X
contaminants are preferred because they LJP41= T I UPI /.41_ CZ i RCU I 7 -
are less likely for contaminate the cer-
amic formulation, and they should be
removable completely and easily because
they must not distort the ceramic or Fig. 1. Cross sectional schematic of a Multilythic device.
 EE
April 1988
leave refractory residues which might in-
terfere with the sintering process.
These binders and the associated
solvents should be cheap, non-toxic, and
easy to dry without film formation or
cracking; moreover, the binder for the
ceramic powders must be compatible
with the (usually different) binder selec-
ted for the metal powders.
For a tape -based system, the organics
must have excellent strength because the
tape is handled as a self-supporting sheet
for at least part of the process. In ad-
dition, many variations on the tape pro-
cess involve locating the tape for printing
or laminating (or both) by mechanically
contacting the tape itself. Hence, refer-
ence holes must be both well defined and
dimensionally stable. A
In what appears to be a relatively fun- Fig. 2. Typical Multilythic devices.
damental conflict with these require-
ments, the tape has to be sufficiently This new process is crucial to a new absolutely essential to the Multilythics
plastic to permit very -high -quality manufacturing technology, known as concept. Because a Multilythic device is
lamination; otherwise, the sintered body Multilythics, which combines the diver- an array of components rather than a
can become vulnerable to internal len- sity of materials used in the thick film discrete device, the whole array must be
ticular voids or `delaminationst The industry with the economics of manu- discarded if a single component in the
tape binder should be relatively insen- facturing and the complexity of finished array is defective. Hence, if array yields
sitive to variations in ambient tempera- devices inherently available from multi - are to be acceptable, single component
ture and humidity, in order to maintain layer ceramic capacitor manufacturing yields must be very high.
the dimensional stability required be- processes. By way of illustration, if the component
tween the multiple precision steps in the The Multilythic technique allows many yields are 95%, an array of 100 compo-
process. different passive functions to be inte- nents would have a yield of 0.59%; a
For a paint -based system, dimensional grated into the device 'substrate', so that 99% component yield would improve
stability and reproducibility are deter- the exterior surface of the device need the array yield to 36.6% etc. The P-4
mined largely by the carrier plate, and all only support active devices, special com- process has been found to lead to
strength requirements are essentially met ponents like crystal oscillators, and satisfactory yields.
by the carrier. In addition, since the devices requiring precision trimming. As Another benefit of P-4 assembly is
structure is assembled in situ with each a result, the size of assembled circuits modularity. Historically, a major limi-
layer being solvent bonded to its can be significantly reduced, and this tation of wet -build processes has been
size reduction also offers major im-
predecessors, plastic deformation is not their relative inflexibility. Where unit
required, and this source of `delami- provements in high -frequency perform- volumes allow the assembly process to
nations' does not exist. ance. be run at its optimum throughput, it can
On the other hand, since visual inspec- Another benefit of this technology be extremely productive, and efficient in
tion for pinholes and other casting/dry- results from the incorporation of mul- both labour and capital investment.
ing defects becomes impracticable, it tiple components into the device, and However, small runs can be made only
becomes essential for high -quality layers hence a reduced number of interconnec- by 'idling' major components of the
to be obtained every time. High-speed tions which, in turn, improves the device manufacturing line for significant
drying is more important in this process reliability through assembly and in ser- lengths of processing time.
because paint drying cannot easily be vice. In addition, the small size, coupled By re -configuring the assembly equip-
isolated from the rest of the build-up with economies of manufacturing scale, ment into smaller process modules, the
process, and so can limit production should make the technology cost effec- P-4 process allows manufacturing to
rates and overall productivity. tive. take place at constant labour and capital
A typical Multilythics device (Figs. 1 productivity over at least a 4:1 ratio of
and 2) incorporates low -K dielectric batch sizes. This is a particularly import-
Quantum improvements cover layers, high -K dielectric capacitor ant change in the context of the market
Wet -build processing has been suc- layers, low -K capacitor conductor layers, for which Multilythics is intended, since
cessfully employed in the capacitor in- thick film conductor and resistance a contributory factor to the relatively
dustry for over 25 years, and a combi- layers, and semiconductor components. high costs of hybrid thick film manufac-
nation of organic chemistry expertise The proprietary materials used in the turing has been the difficulty in achiev-
and mechanical engineering skills has re- process can be sintered to very high den- ing meaningful automation for small
cently introduced quantum im- sities, and their electrical performance manufacturing runs.
provements to the basic process. can be established very accurately and The P-4 assembly process has been
The latest generation of process consistently. The large number of layers tightly integrated with a computer aided
developments has resulted in a tech- used in a typical device can be stacked design facility so that customers can
nology that is specifically optimized for with excellent precision in the 'green' or design their own devices and obtain a
both printing and print location accu- unfired state, and then fired a single time manufactured product in a relatively
racy, as well as for uniform high pro- with uniform shrinkage. short time.
ductivity for both large and small Dr. G.R. Love is Vice President of Tech-
manufacturing runs. The new technique nology, Sprague Electric.
is sufficiently different to warrant its Process benefits
own name: P-4 (for Precision Paint & The high dimensional stability and high
Print Process) manufacturing. yields produced by the P-4 process are
 EE
16
April 1988
tor Industry Association (SIA), which at £4.00 incl. postage. A special version,
COMPONENT NEWS topped $3 billion in September last year, incorporating trade prices of most
up from $2.5 billion for the same month ranges, is available free of charge to
New Fresnel lenses in 1986. bona fide audio equipment manufac-
Quantelec has introduced a range of SEMI European Secretariat CCL turers and service engineers.
Fresnel lenses for use in intruder detec- House 59 Fleet Street LONDON AUDIOKITS Precision Components
tion and security applications. Designed EC4Y 1JU Telephone 01-353 8807. 6 Mill Close BORROWASH DE7
for use with Quantelec's ranges of dual - 3GU Telephone (0332) 674929.
element pyroelectric IR detectors, there
are four different types of lens. Cells and batteries
An 8 -page full -colour brochure out- Additional component range
lining the widest selection of cells and for Datel
batteries offered by any electronics In addition to its present line of data ac-
distributor in the UK has been produced quisition components, Datel has an-
by STC Electronic Services. Products are
nounced the availability of a complete
available from such leading manufac- range of resistor and voltage tuneable
turers as Varta, Duracell, UCAR, Saft, filters, digital programmable filters,
Sonnenschein, Ever/Ready, and Vidor. logic controlled networks, resistor
The brochure is available free of charge
from
The Battery Group STC Electronic
Services Edinburgh Way i,N,

The first lenses to be announced are the

Polyfen 24A/3 for use in curved format
HARLOW CM20 2DF Telephone
(0279) 626777. -
010:1/41°
c\

and the Polyfren 24B for use in flat for-

mat. These lenses yield multiple zones
(24 in total) including nine main, eight High -voltage resistors
intermediate, five short, and two creep A precision high -voltage resistor series
zones. Angular coverage is about 90° for that withstands 50 kV DC continuously
the main zones, 8 m for the intermediate in air and up to 11 kV when immersed in
zones, 4 m for short range zones, and 1 oil is the latest innovation from the
to 2 m for creep zones. Special Products Devision of Welwyn tuneable oscillators, and oscillator adap-
Quantelec Ltd 46 Market Square Resistors, a part of Crystalate Elec- tors. The thirty-seven new products are
WITNEY OX8 6AL Telephone (0993) tronics. designed to provide front-end filtering
76488. and peripheral conditioning for data ac-
quisition systems.
Datel Intec 2 Business Park Wade
New component catalogue Road BASINGSTOKE RG24 ONE
A new 282 -page catalogue, giving details Telephone (0256) 469085.
of the company's extensive range of elec-
tromechanical, interconnection, and dis-
play products, has been produced by Linear IC Data book
Highland Electronics. Apart from prod- Now available from the House of Power
uct news, the brochure includes com- is the Unitrode Linear Integrated Cir-
prehensive selection data and appli- The series, coded T40, comprises three
types with resistance values in the ranges cuits Data Book for 1987-88, a com-
cations information. prehensive guide to the functions and
Highland Electronics Ltd 1 kohm to 4 Gohm, 15 Gohm, and
Albert 45 Gohm. Tolerances of plus or minus applications of the Unitrode ranges of
Drive Burgess Hill BURGESS five, two, and one per cent, and tempera- power, control and interface circuits.
HILL RH15 9TN Telephone (0799) ture coefficients of plus or minus 100, Products covered in the book include
26699. power -supply circuits, motion -control
50, or 25 ppm/° C are available.
circuits, power -driver, and interface cir-
Welwyn Resistors BEDLINGTON cuits.
SEMI optimistic for 1988 NE22 7AA Telephone (0670) 822181.
House of Power Electron House
Semiconductor Equipment and Cray Avenue ORPINGTON BR5
Materials International (SEMI), the 3AN Telephone (0689) 71531.
trade association for the semiconductor Capacitor catalogue
equipment and materials industry, has AUDIOKITS have announced the most
predicted a much improved 1988 for its comprehensive catalogue of audio qual- 8096 proliferation product
members. .
ity capacitors for constructors, service from Intel
SEMI's data collection programme rep- engineers, and audio equipment manu- Intel has introduced an 8 -bit external bus
resents input from more than 200 facturers. version of the company's 16 -bit 8096 for
members around the world. Figures AUDIOKITS' Component Note ACN12 real-time control applications. The 8098
show an escalating backlog, as orders includes detailed specifications, physical has the same 16 -bit CPU and on -board
steadily rise and drive a positive book - dimensions, and prices of many well- peripherals as its 8096 counterparts, but
to -bill that reached 1.18 in the 3rd known capacitor types, including JAR with a price of around £3.40, depending
quarter of 1987, up from 0.91 in the 4th Wonder Caps, Siderealkaps, and BHC on order quantities, the 8098 is half the
quarter of 1986. ALS20A reservoir capacitors. Also in- cost of typical 16 -bit devices.
This optimistic attitude was initiated by cluded are ranges with hard:to-find Further information from
strong worldwide semiconductor device values and high -voltage ratings. Intel Corporation (UK) Ltd Pipers Wa)
shipments, reported by the Semiconduc- ACN12 is available to audio constructors SWINDON SN3 1RJ.
 COMPUTER MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS TAKE OVER
by James Lock

The second half of the 1980s is witnessing the full flowering of

fourth generation interactive computer systems, the integration of
batch with continuous control, and a trend towards the location
of intelligence close to plant of equipment under control.

Several companies in the United operation. A combination of System uses a high level programming language
Kingdom are investigating the appli- SB10 and Ferranti's wide area network which has terms familiar to the engineer
cation of expert systems to process con- X.25/F-NET provides a communication and requires no specialist programming
trol, and software systems such as capability for any size of PMS 100 net- expertise.
Auditor from Energy Efficiency work. The trend to put the intelligence of a
Systems(') are emerging by which plant PMS 110 is a dedicated process con- computer control system in close prox-
data can be transferred, via a company's troller that incorporates mixed sequence imity to the sensors and actuators of a
mainframe computer, into accounts and and continuous control facilities. Nor- plant rather than relying on a single, cen-
costing systems or into sales forecasting mally mounted close to the plant under tral computer is reflected in Newmark
and business planning software. control, it can be interfaced directly to it Technology's(3) Omnibus range. This
An important new control system, in- or through loop controllers and pro- stems from the Janus Project, con-
troduced this year by Ferranti Computer grammable controllers. ceived by Professor John Brignell at
Systems(2), is the PMS 100. Ferranti A process engineer can modify and de- Southampton University for the appli-
describes it as an integrated, fully velop new control schemes from either a cation of advanced microprocessor tech-
distributed process control and infor- terminal at the process management in- nology to measurement and control.
mation system for supervisory and direct formation system or on a portable Ac- Omnibus measurement and control
control, for continuous, sequence and cessway 110 programmer located, say, in systems compriSe one or more Omni -
batch control, and for high availability the engineer's office. point computers acting as master
configurations. The PMS 105 device gateway allows any station/operator interface and a number
It is a far cry from the process plant make of process control or operator of Multipoint measurement and control
computer control system installed by device to be integrated into PMS 110, computers distributed over an Omnibus
Ferranti in 1962 for control of a soda ash permitting any make of programmable network. The Multipoint units have been
plant at ICI's site in Fleetwood. Believed logic controller (PLC) or single loop developed jointly by Newmark and
to be the first in the world, that had a controller to be specified. Jeball, a company formed by Professor
program of only 1200 words. Brignell, while the Omnipoint com-
Computing cards of various perform- puters are IBM PC or compatible com-
ance, all based on the Ferranti Argus 700 Familiar engineering terms puters in standard or industrial packag-
family of processors, are now used at Batch control in PMS 110 is provided by ing.
various locations. Computing power PMS unit operations, which provides a
varies from 700 000 inputs per second to complete batch control environment for
more than two million inputs, depending single product, single stream and multi- Collaborative project
on the configuration. product multi -stream batch processes. At the heart of the Omnibus concept is
PMS 100 is a natural development of the Typical is its use by the Pfizer company a powerful dual processor that im-
first PMS - process management for batch processing a range of phar- plements the synchronous data link
system - installed for the Bayer maceutical processes. A number of communications (SDLC) protocol. To
company at Leverkusen, Federal batches can be in progress simul- achieve this, Newmark took the Intel
Germany, in 1975. Over the years, Fer- taneously through different process steps Bitbus and enhanced it to handle up to
ranti technology has been applied in using the same train of equipment. 250 stations over a range of 5 km, from
areas ranging from steelworks to radio The production- supervisor can redefine systems that can start with control of a
astronomy. production routes and resources on-line, single loop.
allowing multi -product manufacture Although a personal computer (PC) is
with a minimum of downtime. Auto- an integral part of the systems loop, the
Making modifications matic batch scheduling permits a cam- essential difference is that this computer
The data highway, Systembus SBIO, is an paign to be set up in advance so that pro- is used simply as a central programmer
open system based on international duction is initiated immediately the and data manager rather than as a de-
communication standards able to con- plant becomes available and it is also cision manager.
nect to other manufacturers' equipment. possible to change the order of batches. The majority of decisions made by the
In a dual configuration, System SBIO Part of the PMS operations software system take place at the outstations,
data highways are treated identically. package is Constructor (IPC) which removing the problems associated with a
There is no master and no standby, enables the engineer quickly and simply failure of the main computer or its com-
messages are simply transmitted down a to build up colour graphic process munication systems. The use of a plug-in
free data highway with the advantage of diagrams, graphs and logs. The PMS card allows control of the Omnibus net-
allowing twice the bandwidth in normal system's on-line development facility work without loading the PC. The
 EE
18
April 1988
Multipoint units form the remote outsta-
tions, each one designed for use in a par-
ticular application or environment -
the MP100, MP200, MP300, MP400 and
now the MP500.
Omnibus communications ensure the
compatibility of all Omnipoint and
Multipoint units to communicate via a
fast multi -drop serial data highway, as
welll as Omnibus products from other
suppliers. Since Omnibus is Intel Bitbus
compatible it is a widely supported
fieldbus. Moreover, gateways into the
manufacturing automation protocol
(MAP), direct from the host PC or via a
standard interface on the instrumen-
tation computer board, enable the Om-
nibus range to communicate through
standard protocols in both process and
manufacturing industry.
The need to combine the skills of soft-
ware and process experts has formed the
basis of an on -going collaboration be-
tween Biotechnology Computer Systems
(BCS)(4) and the Department of
Chemical and Biochemical Engineer-
ing(5) at University College London
(UCL) in the development of a com-
prehensive fermentation management The new Ferranti PMS 100.
system. BCS is a member of the Porton
International group of biotechnology
companies that operate worldwide. UCL Fresh results of the collaborative pro- Kent has also introduced an expert
is one of the British Government's gramme, such as the current work on system, based on LISP and using a
Science and Engineering Research adaptive control, can be added to the Picon shell, as an option with the P4000
Council (SERC) designated centres for package. This has been thoroughly distributed control system. The expert
biotechnology. Some 50 staff and resear- tested on the sophisticated range of system is designed to simplify interpreta-
chers are involved and there is col- termenters and reactors in the UCL pilot tion of the volume of data from the pro-
laborative work with some 14 other plant. cess variables being monitored on a
organizations besides academic institu- BIO-pc is configured on an IBM -AT or medium -to -large system. The volume of
tions and other departments in UCL on compatible computer, with monitors incoming data is particularly high dur-
various aspects of control. and other peripherals, and uses the stan- ing plant changes such as start-up and
dard MS-DOS 3.1 software package shut -down procedures.
operating system. Its software elements Several companies are examining the ap-
Digital controllers include a complete professional Smart plication of expert systems to process
The first two products are the software applications package, a feature of which control. The first publicised success in
packages BIO-i and BIO-pc. BIO-i is a is a spreadsheet with graphics that can the United Kingdom has been
powerful fermentation process manage- be used while the computer is data LINKman. The Blue Circle cement
ment- system, BIO-pc is a single user monitoring and logging the plant. company, in conjunction with SIRA(7),
bioprocess management system for up to formerly the Scientific Instrument
four reactors with associated on-line Research Association, set it up on a
equipment. Short payback time KPCS P4000 distributed control system.
The design objectives for BIO-i were to Kent Process Control Systems(6) has LINKman succeeded where attempts at
produce a single fermentation manage- developed integrated configurations of more conventional computer process
ment system that would satisfy the dif- its originally centralised K90 computer control failed. SIRA has made an agree-
fering needs of the fermentation plant process control system, the P4000 -ICS. ment with Blue Circle to market the
process engineer and worker, and the This interesting development, instead of system to other cement producers. Blue
research scientist. So BIO-i has been the single or hierarchical configuration Circle has also ordered five complete
configured as a supervisory system in of the K90, permits a number of units to systems and is anticipating a payback
which distributed digital controllers as- be linked via the peripheral highway into time of six to nine months. This quick
sociated with each fermenter are linked one integrated system. return is largely due to energy savings.
to the 'process computer. Designed for Each peripheral highway, of which there
use with the Digital Systems Equipment may be more than one per system, has a
range of computers, the package maximum of eight units, up to four of Higher level information
employs well proven programming which may be operator control panels In 1984, the Alvey Commission set up a
languages and real time process plant and the rest control processors. The ar- number of expert system demonstration
databases. Mass spectrometer data is rangement allows a system to handle dif- clubs in various industrial sectors. The
used in the monitoring of off -gases. ferent sized process control applications, first of these was in control instrumen-
The distributed nature of the system and besides offering a low cost entry to ICS tation - the Real Time Expert Systems
the ease with which it can be configrued systems. The first two ICS systems have Club of Users (RESCU). The study of
means that new fermenters, sensors and already been supplied to 9. phar- an expert system as an adviser on quality
analytical equipment are simply incor- maceutical company and a major steel control at an ICI company ethoxylates
porated when they become available. producer. plant for batch production of detergents
 EE
April 1988
has recently been completed. companies in the chemical and other in- in colour), and a printer.
Systems Designers(8), the contractor for dustrial sectors through Industrial
the RESCU club of some 22 members, Energy Systems.
has now initiated a further club, the Auditor technology is simply a higher I. Energy Efficiency Systems Ltd, Midland House,
Cognitive Systems Club (COGSYS), to layer of production information and it 202 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough,
convert the results of RESCU into a uses existing monitoring devices and in- Cleveland, United Kingdom.
truly commercial, fully supported prod- formation. Linked to the company's 2. Ferranti Computer Systems Ltd, Wythenshawe
uct. It is expected to appeal to chemical, mainframe computer systein it can Division, Simonsway, Wythenshawe, Man-
food, pharmaceutical and other process transfer data into the accounts and chester, United Kingdom, M22 5LA.
industries, the utilities and energy sec- costing system or into sales forecasting 3. Newmark Technology Ltd, Heathrow Causeway,
tors, and the parts manufacture and as- and business planning software. 152/176 Great South West Road, Hounslow,
sembly industries. Members of the The package also interfaces with two United Kingdom, TW4 6JS.
COGSYS club will benefit from sales of higher level systems developed by ICI.
the completed product and membership Co-Audinator is designed to monitor 4. Biotechnology Computer Systems, Cleveland
House, Church Path, Alton Green, Chiswick,
is still open to companies and academic and optimise the running of a whole site London, United Kingdom, W4 5HR.
institutions. with several interacting plants, and
At the end of 1986, ICI launched Energy Management System is used for 5. Department of Chemical and Biochemical
Auditor, its plant performance monitor- site or company -wide energy monitoring Engineering, University College London, Gower
Street, London, United Kingdom, WCIE 613T.
ing package, with the support of to allow comparisons of different
Britain's Department of Energy and the periods of production with different 6. Kent Process Control Systems, Biscot Road,
Chemical Industries Association (CIA). mixes of product. Luton, United Kingdom, LU3 1AL.
The system, the result of new thinking Auditor systems installed at ICI have 7. SIRA Ltd, South Hill, Chislehurst, Kent, United
about the quality of management infor- had an average payback time of six Kingdom, BR7 5EH.
mation in the production sector in the months. A standard Auditor package
light of reduced fortunes following the consists of a DEC MicroIl computer 8. Systems Designers PLC, Centrum House,
oil crises, is now used in more than 60 with a winchester disk, twin floppy 101/103 Fleet Road, Fleet, Hampshire, United
Kingdom, GUI3 8PD.
ICI plants and is being sold to other disks, one or two display units (normally

SECOND GENERATION
PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC
by E Baum

The direct interface system on a chip could be even cheaper if the "user side" there are two further 8 -bit
microcontroller is, in principle, very superfluous gates were totally dispensed ports, B and C As will be seen later,
similar to that on a microprocessor. In with. Secondly, EPLDs and PLAs with these three buses are bidirectional and
fact, there are slight differences between large numbers of gates are slower, since can be combined randomly, even
the individual processor manufacturers, the internal capacities are greater and dynamically, with each other. The sec-
but the applications, i.e. connection of the signal propogation speeds are slower. ond largest block is the programmable
dynamic RAMs, demultiplexing of pro- In some circumstances therefore it is logic unit, PLU, which contains an 8
cessor buses or mailbox functions, ap- necessary to rely on several small macrocell EPLD unit. The PLU has 8
pear to be very similar. That is why all modules. dedicated inputs and 8 bidirectional
semiconductor manufacturers offer a The new member of the EPLD family pins. Both blocks can be supported via
range of standard chips which can be from Intel, the 5CBIC (bus interface the control unit.
connected directly to their own pro- controller), fills this gap perfectly. As
cessors. However, there remain many the name implies, this chip offers a
more applications, where these interface highly integrated solution for all designs Bus Management Unit
modules, or even logics, i.e. latches or which contain bus transfer lines or The bus management unit links ports A,
other TTL logics, must be added. For generate control signals. Even the driver, B and C together and controls and
this, discrete logics in the 74xxx series which in some cases still has to be pro- monitors the data flow over their lines.
are often relied upon. PLAs and EPLDs vided in a bus interface, can more often At the same time, the user can choose
(erasable programmable logic devices) than not be dispensed with when the whether the data flowing into these ports
are also frequently used. 5CBIC is implemented. The maximum is to be latched or not. For this a latch
It is now possible to imagine integrating current on the bus side can be 32 mA. enable signal can be generated in the
the processor interface and the interface The 5CBIC thus offers all the advan- PLU or supplied directly via a pin.
to the controller or processor in a single tages of high integration such as low Various EPROM cells, or dynamically
EPLD. The density of this module of up space requirement, low current require- modifiable signals generated by the
to 1800 gate equivalents is therefore ment, low system and manufacturing PLU, control the data flow. Each port
quite sufficient. However, thanks to the costs, and so on. can also be connected with any other.
very simple and regular structure of the Figure 1 shows the basic 5CBIC design. Depending on the requirements or the
bus interface, many of these gates re- The 8 -bit wide A port on the bus subsequent hardware, the signal can be
main unused on the chip. This essen- management unit, BMU, lies directly on given out on One of the outputs inverted
tially has two disadvantages. Firstly, the the processor or controller bus. On the or directly. Three signals generated in the
 20 EE
April 1988

80 81 82 83 83 BS 85 87 10 131 102 1:3 I:1 105 106 107

5141.1 44444444 CONTROL II

LO PO 110 VO
111
110 L 1/0 110

BUS
LOGIC
1.PORT 61
PORTS
FEEDBAG BUS
NC NC NC MC

f
r.
4
4
4
CONTRC a C TROLS
4
EUS -.-.
LOGIC
(PCRT

FEEDBACK
SELECT
4
PORT C
CONTROLS

IN Pi Ri
4.
MC N.0 MC MC NC MC MC

850070-10
boo IN 1 M3 546 M5 w6 817

Fig. 1. A Bus Management Unit (BMU) and a 5C060 step-up compatible programmable logic unit (PLU) conventionally connected and
manually optimized with the flexibility of programmable logic.
PLU can be sent by the output buffer to and C. The driver current of 32 mA per application (Figure 3). Eight dedicated
the ports in the high resistance state, in pin should be sufficient for most appli- input pins and 8 bidirectional pins can
order that data may then be received cations. The working frequency of the be connected to the macrocells. Con-
there. A multiplexer can make the signals external logic can be up to 12.5 MHz. sidering that data from ports A, B or C
from a port, latched or not, available to Internally, the 5CBIC can work with up can also be obtained via the internal
the PLU AND/OR array. The connec- to 20 MHz. The PLU can now "ob- feedback bus, the user has up to 24 in-
tions between the three ports on the serve" the data or address flow and puts, and up to 8 outputs available per
BMU itself, are programmed via chipselects, generate other control product term.
EPROM cells (Figure 2). signals or simulate an additional parallel As has already been seen with the
port. EPLDs and PLAs logic operations, se-
quences are firstly converted into an
AND/OR structure, which is usually
Programmable Logic Unit generated and optimized by the develop-
The second large block on the 5CBIC ment system, IPLDSII (Intel Program-
chip is the programmable logic unit, mable Logic Development System, ver-
PLU. This essentially has a 5C060 EPLD sion 2). This structure can then be very
superset. Eight macrocells can, with the easily implemented in the AND/OR ar-
help of EPROM cells, be adapted to the ray on the input of a macrocell as a so -

Fig. 2. The data flow can also be configured

dynamically.

Consider the connection of the 5CBIC

to, for example, an Intel controller in the
MCS 51 family. Then, using the BMU, it
is possible to demultiplex the address
and data bus and make the rest of the Fig. 3. The 5CBIC macrocells - I/O latches and high driver currents - make the use of the
circuit available separately on ports B processor bus an optimal application.
 EE 111
April 1988
IPLDSII: expansion of the
IPLS V development system supports
SCHEMA 11
the 5CBIC
W OPTIMIZINGCOMPILER
(LOC) On many points, the development
DITERACTNE
PIETUST ENTRY
systems of the EPLDs have been im-
TTL- MACAO EXPRESSO
FRTER
proved with the IPLDSII (Intel Pro-
USER-
EPLD-
UBRARIES EXPAIMBR MDBMILER
grammable Logic Development System,
Version II - Figure 4). The new hard-
ware is now based on the Intel Program-
LMTEL
MACRO LIBRARY
USER
TTL mer IUP-PC. Apart from EPLDs, all
GATE ARRY
EPLD other EPROM -based modules, EPROM
/ETLLST ENTRY
SYMBOL
LIBRARY TEXT EDITOR
microcontrollers, etc. can also be pro-
SCHEMATIC ENTRY grammed.
PCAD ISURPCAO More important though for daily work-
FCNODES,
PCPORM COMP
COMP UST
CONVERTOR
ing with EPLDs are the changes in the
PIN UST
PROCESSOR
-141-1.75i
CONVERTOR
software. So a new algorithm for op-
FUTURDIET timization (Espresso Minimizer) was im-
plemented. For large EPLDs in par-
FITE! ticular, important improvements were
EPLD
SYMBOL made in the design density. The fitter,
LP-RA.FIY

ISUBFRET
and thus the program part, which
assigns a design for optimization of the
9.0070-13 macrocells in the selected EPLD, has
also been improved.
Fig. 4. The IPLDSII allows the use of TTL, gate array, and user -defined symbol libraries. Working with the IPLDSH has also been
simplified considerably and made more
called sum of products. Each macrocell gives greater flexibility in comparison comfortable. Although previously it was
always has available the 8 dedicated in- with the macrocells of, for example, the possible to use modular design methods
put signals, the 8 macrocell feedback 5C060. and link together several source files,
loops, the 8 signals on the bidirectional The output of a macrocell can be fed now it is possible to go even further back
pins, and the signals on one of the BMU back into the AND/OR array via either to the design macros. The macro -library
ports. Since all signals are dealt with the control- or feedback bus. This signal comprises three blocks:
directly and inverted on the AND/OR is picked off before the tristate buffer in
array, any combination can be pro- the cell's output. Behind the buffer, and TTL macro -library
grammed by setting the corresponding thus physically linked with the I/O pin, Intel Gate Array Library
EPROM cells. As opposed to the 5C060, there is a second pick -off. If, therefore, User -defined library
each input signal can be individually the variable generated by the macrocell is
latched. The only exception are the 8 bits only needed internally, it can be further The TTL library comprises a collection
which come from the BMU. These may used as input if the buffer has to be of the most -used modules in the 74
only be latched together, or not at all. switched to high resistance. Using this series. The user enters the modules with
The latch enable signal for each input dual feedback option, it is very simple to the corresponding connections to the re-
latch can either be generated individu- generate the so-called buried registers. mainder of the logic. The macro -
ally with the help of a product term or The development system keeps these expander then converts this information
by a common control signal. functions transparent for the user. into EPLD primitives which are reunited
Behind the OR gate, which can comprise
eight product terms, there is an inverter 5
whose optimum algorithm (Espresso
Minimizer) makes life a little easier,
since it allows DeMorgan's theorem to
be reproduced in the hardware. The
consequent I/O section of the macrocell P LeA P
0 0
is therefore very like that of the 5C060
(Figure 3). Combinatorial or register T 1,-B
logics can be created here. With register fJ OeA OeB
logics there is a choice of four registers.
Depending on what is most suitable for
the application, either a D-, toggle-, JK-
or RS-flipflop is used. Whereas when A
using a D- or toggle-flipflop all eight
product terms are connected to one in-
put, with the RS- and JK-flipflops the
product terms are shared arbitrarily be-
tween both inputs. Each register in the
I/O part of a macrocell has a set and a
clear input which are controlled via one -Port
oil
r -c
LeC C
inputs to C are registeredL
0
T

of its own macrocells.

The clock signal, the latch -enable and BECO70-14

the output -enable signals can be in-

dividually selected for control between
either the control bus (synchronous) or a Fig. 5. With the aid of the IPLDSII, the 5CBIC bus management unit can be configured very
product term (asynchronous). This also easily.
 EE
April 1988
in the minimizer. The expander also
recognizes if a chip is not being fully
utilized and erases the remaining gates.
So, for example, if with the 7400 only 2
of the 4 gates are used, only 2 will be im-
plemented in the EPLD. PORT 8 PORT 8

Sometimes it is possible to use EPLDs as 01ATA(07.1gri> PORT A

SCRIC
PORT A
SCILUC

prototypes or backups for a gate array CONTROLS >

SYNCHRONIZER
ARBITER 7- BIT COUNTER *COUNTER
design. In order to make this as simple as CONTROL OUTPUTS

possible, Intel has grouped the gate - PORT C PORT C

array macros in a further library, which LJ

0
can be implemented in an EPLD. CONTROLS
0
Of great interest, of course, is the possi- 47
PROCESSOR 2

bility, with the help of a few utilities, for NEYORT

the user to -create a library himself, the EVEN ADDRESS I 000 ADDRESS

elements of which can also be made up

of those of the other two, i.e., the TTL
library. LOWER ADDRESS

As with the old version of the IPLDS, LATCH

UPPER ADDRESS
LATCH

for documentation an advanced design

file (Netlist File), a logic equation file
with the actually implemented and op- 880070-15
timized functions, and a report file with
the utilization and pin assignment of the
EPLD is generated. If during compiling Fig. 6. Two 5CBICs in a 16 -bit, twin -processor system carry out the control of the dual -ported
RAM.
errors are found, the messages are "col-
lected" in an error file. ported by the IPLDSII. The circuit the EPLD selected. In addition to the
In the software output, a JEDEC- diagram can now be input and advan- plot files, the same output files are
compatible file is generated which serves tage taken of the SCHEMA software, i.e. generated for documentation as when
as input variable for one of the program- by plotting on simple EPSON printers or the logic builder is used. In addition
ming units, from Intel or another, which HP LASERJET, and even on plotters SCHEMA II offers a range of other
support the EPLDs. working with larger than A4 format. aids. Thus, it is possible for the user to
The basic version of the IPLDSII sup- The circuit, which may, of course, con- automatically create parts lists, carry out
ports the circuit input with the help of tain TTL symbols, is converted into an a design rule check, check routing, and
an editor. It is however simpler to use the advanced design file, which then serves print out various data formats, pinlists,
logic builder which allows interactive to the IPLDS compiler. The netlists, and so on.
graphically -supported conversion of a design is minimised and then fitted into
circuit diagram into a netlist. The logic
builder also makes configuring the
5CBIC bus management unit very
simple. A BMU block diagram comes up
on the screen (Figure 5). Using the cur-
sor, it is possible to "go into" the desired
block, i.e. the block for port C. By
simply pressing the "RETURN" key, it
is now possible to select from all the con-
figuration possibilities. The respective
functionality is entered on the circuit
diagram on the screen as are the connec-
tions to the other ports. Later the output
enable (Oex), latch enable (Lex) or select
(SeLx) signals are connected. The signals
can be connected directly to pins or con-
trolled from one of the macrocells. The
compiler takes care of the allocation.
In order to simplify input, various soft-
ware packages expand the IPLDSII.
ISTATE for example allows input of
state diagrams and truth tables. Further
library and conversion packages allow
circuit diagram input using PCAD or
DASH.
Since the middle of 1987, Intel has also
been offering an IPLDS-compatible
software package for circuit diagram in-
put, which is reasonably priced.
SCHEMA II, as the package is called, is
produced by OMATION and sold by,
amongst others, Intel. In addition to
their own schematic capture software,
some libraries contain EPLD primitives
and 74xxx symbols, which can be sup- Fig. 7. Photograph of the experimental set-up of Fig. 1.
 EE
April 1988
16 Bit dual port memory logic, which is necessary for managing databus. It also takes care of arbitration.
A popular way of making computers such a RAM, can now very easily be The second manages the lower 8 bits. In
faster is to have several processors work- created with the help of two EPLDs of the PLU, a 8 -bit counter is implemented
ing in parallel on a single task. Here, the the 5CBIC type (Figure 6). Here, two which is required in other parts of the
processors must from time to time ex- 16 -bit processors are accepted which can application. Further information is
change data for synchronization and access a joint memory bank. Each available from Intel in the form of appli-
management from shared memories. 5CBIC can work with an 8 -bit width. cations leaflets.
This exchange takes place more often Two are therefore required. The first Eckart Baum is with Intel, Munich.
than not via a dual -ported RAM. The module manages the upper 8 bits of the

£495, plus VAT. Right now there's a tree DRIVE HEAD CLEANING KIT
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microsystem designers, radically differ- Free VMEbus catalogue
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many other items from cables to boxed
systems.
Dage (GB) Ltd Rabans Lane
AYLESBURY HP19 3RG Telephone
(0296) 393200.

Fibre optic transceiver

Fiberdata AB of Stockholm have de-
signed a fibre optic transceiver that pro-
vides noise -free data transfer between Dusan and costing £29 retail, it cleans
IBM S30 -series computers and their dirty drive heads in half a minute. Con-
peripherals. tact
The transceiver, which provides com- National Computer Supplies Four
S3 looks more like a rechargeable munication over distances of up to four Lanes End Horsley Woodhouse
calculator than a Prommer. Indeed it is kilometres, converts electrical data into DERBY DE7 6AY Telephone (0332)
rechargeable, by three hour boost or 883333.
overnight trickle, and will burn up to
1000 PROMS from its extensive library
of EPROMS and EEPROMS without
recharging. It's an EMULator too, and First all-CMOS STEbus
will stand in for PROMS up to 27512 processor
size with 100ns access - all 25, 27 28 The first all-CMOS processor board for
series in fact, and many others. It isn't the STEbus has been announced by
just a ROM EMULator: it's a RAM British Telecom Microprocessor
EMULator as well, with a Flying Write Systems. Based on Intel's 8031 CPU
Lead to grab the microprocessor's Write with CMOS memory and I/O, the
line. Variables and Stack can be kept in board's very low power consumption
S3's memory - and inspected and and inherent noise immunity make it
edited there just like the rest of the ideally suited to the implementation of
program. What's more everything is computer systems for battery -powered
stored in continuous memory and re- or harsh -environment applications.
tained even when S3 is turned off.
S3 can be used without touching the British Telecom Microprocessor Systems
keyboard - by two-way RS232 interface Martlesham Heath IPSWICH
with a remote computer via the standard IP5 7RE Telephone (0473) 643101.
DB25 socket on the back. All the
keyboard functions work on the big optical signals and vice versa, so that the
screen. Assembled code can be data can be transmitted via fibre optic
downloaded in one of the standard for- cables.
mats at 9600 baud. Tekelec Ltd Cumberland House
The missionary work of introducing S3 Baxter Avenue SOUTHEND-ON-
has already begun and product is SEA SS2 6FA Telephone (0702)
available for immediate delivery. It costs 337337.
24

'Epr§aILREO SOUND GENERATOR

A high -quality stereo sound effects board for the Universal I/O bus,
based on Valvo's Type SAA1099 advanced single -chip complex
waveform generator. Applications include enlivening computer
games and operation as a programmable test generator for
simulation of composite AF waveforms.

Here is yet another simple to build exten- grammed separately for each tone gener- Six amplitude controllers can be pro-
sion board for the Elektor Electronics ator by writing a 3 -bit number in grammed to set the volume of the
Universal I/O bus (I). It answers the registers 10H, 11H and 12H. The fre- generated sound on the stereo output
popular demand for an advanced sound quency range covered within each octave channels. This is effected by writing data
generator that can be programmed to is given in Table 2. The frequency pro- to registers 00H...05H incl. (left: LS
produce an astoundingly wide variety of duced, A, is determined by the contents nibble; right: MS nibble).
complex sounds in stereo, simply by of registers 08H...0DH incl., and can be The last programmable section to be dis-
having the computer send the appro- calculated from cussed is the envelope generator, whose
priate commands and datawords for 8 x106 operation is best explained with refer-
each channel via the Universal I/O bus. [Hz] ence to Table 2 and Fig. 2. In the draw-
2117-0. (I -F2/25511
The main specifications of the sound ing:
generator board described here are (consult Table 2 for O,, and Ft). (1) indicates that the output amplitude is
shown in the shaded box below. The contents of registers 14H and 15H determined only by the amplitude
determine which signals are passed by controller when the envelope generator is
Digital sound the six on -chip mixers. There are four disabled;
The block diagram of the Type SAA1099 possibilities: (1) all signals are blocked; (2) indicates that the maximum ampli-
programmable sound generator chip (2) only the tone is passed; (3) only noise tude is 15/16th of the value set by the
from Valvo (Philips/Mullard) is shown is passed; (4) both the tone and noise are amplitude controller when the envelope
in Fig. 1. The interfacing logic is shown passed. The noise generator clock generator has been enabled;
to the left and at the top of the drawing. rate-hence the noise colour -is in- (3) indicates the moment when a new
To the computer, the chip appears as a dividually programmable on the left and envelope waveform can be started by
WOM (write only memory). Reading of right channel by writing the appropriate reloading EO and/or El.
the chip status is, however, possible if the data to register 16H.
processor writes copies of the com-
1
mands and data into a RAM table for
retrieval at a later stage. Input line AO of
the sound generator chip is made high VA CS Ad aria tsv
.00
'ea'
'SS

for loading register address bytes, and

logic low for databytes. The interface
logic on board the SAA1099 latches the
register address, obviating the need to
DEFER
11

I
II 1 TOM
IS

crtA:z
OPEANTLA
repeat this when writing new data to the Edema Pea mW Ota
,, NOSE
ONEROOR 0
last selected register. The process of
sound generation in the SAA1099 is
fr fr ...an Og......

-I
COUCTINWS

completely digital, and based on pulse -

H 11"133
TATA
LOOP
TOE
ONEIONot 0
mpuTme
CORTFOLTER

width modulation. 47t I <

Table I gives an overview of the function

TOE
GOTT IATCE H COETROOR

assigned to each bit in a particular 00b0

register. The required octave is pro - _ eit-N
Ot
7.1
TONE
GENTANTOR 7
..m.-nie4 METOPE
1
- Da
0, ---e
1._1__.
H.Fs--
OTTETROLLO GENERATOR*

t
STEREO SOUND GENERATOR OS
07
'4 IN

BOARD GENERATOR i SAAI099

Features: TOG
GENERATOR]
Ampur_cc
CONTELLOP
'U. ft'or r .41

II six frequency generators l'E'r TOPE

GENTAATTE a CCETRO-TER =2=
<

2048 tones in 8 octaves , banal 12CS

W.,AT T, 7E1RO
two noise generators TOE AMMO ,,
III six tone/noise mixers GEORATIOStom' COPTERGELER OPERATOR t

III six stereo amplitude controllers

II two stereo envelope generators .1.71Pc - 1

stereo six -channel output mixer

on -board 2 x 200 mW AF ampli-
fier Fig. 1. Internal structure of the Type SAA1099 programmable sound generator.
 EE
April 1988

Table 1. 2
ba t.:17=11 21217=

3 2 1
INTERNAL REGISTER MAP
3
register; data
addres 1 D7 D6 I D5 i D4 IT33 T2 ITD1ITIT Function
00 ARO ALO Amplitude 0, right/left
01 AR1 ALI Amplitude 1, right/left
02 AR2 AL2 Amplitude 2, right/left
03 AR3 AL3 Amplitude 3. right/left
04 AR4 A4 Amplitude 4, right/left
05 AR5 AL5 Amplitude 5, rightileft
06 00
V
i

07 I 00
08 FO Frequency 0 rn

09 i Fl Frequency 1
OA F2 Frequency 2
OB F3 Frequency 3
OC F4 Frequency 4
OD F5 Frequency 5
/A
OE 00
.d/ .,/ ..ad4,,"//
OF 1 00 I it/2 -2

10 I 0 01 I 0 00 Octave 1: Octave 0
11 0 03 0 02 Octave 3: Octave 2 Fig. 2. Programmable envelope waveform
12 0 05 I
i 0 04 Octave 5: Octave 4 shapes.
13 00
tions, and making the required
14 ' 0 0 IFE5 FE4 IFE3 FE2 FE1 I FE0 Frequency Enable modifications.
I
15 0 0 NE5 ,NE4 NE3 NE2 NE1 NE0 Noise Enable
16 Noise generator 1:
Ni I NO
Noise generator 0 Circuit description and
17 00 construction
18 E0 Envelope aenerator 0 The sound generator board is composed
19 I E1 Envelope generator 1 of relatively few parts-see the circuit
1A 00
diagram of Fig. 3. The WR signal for
the SAA1099 is made by combining
lB 00 R/W and 4)2 in gates NI and N2. The
IC ; 00 0 .

'
SE Sound Enable crystal -controlled oscillator built around
10 00 Ti and T2 provides the 8 MHz clock
'I
00
signal for the sound generator chip.
1E
The pulse -width modulated output
1

1F 00 signals of the SAA1099 are converted to

analogue in R -C filters composed of
The letters in brackets to the right of the of the envelope is determined by fre- R4. lb incl. and C3. ..Cs incl. Inte-
envelope waveforms in Fig. 2 refer to the quency generator 1 (or 4), or by the com- grated stereo output power amplifier
bit combinations in Table 2 (E0 -El; bit 1, puter repeatedly writing to the address ICI can provide about 2 x 200 mW to
2, 3). latch, clocking the envelope generator the loudspeakers.
When the envelope mode is selected for with the WRITE signal (\VS). The Construction of the board is straight-
a channel, the amplitude of the associ- period of the envelope, t; is calculated forward, and requires no further detail-
ing. Supply power for the sound gener-
ated amplitude -controller is rounded from
down to the nearest even value (the LS ator board may be obtained from the
bit is considered low). If, for example, te= 8/fclock computer. Due attention should be paid
the volume was set to value 1, it is
to adequate decoupling, however: in
rounded down to 0. An envelope gener- in the 4 -bit mode, or some cases, interference on the supply
ator can also function as a tone gener- lines from the computer will necessitate
ator. If the controlled frequency channel te=4/fc1ock
feeding the board from a separate,
is inactive (tone & noise generator
regulated, 5 V supply (cut off pins 1 and
turned off), the programmed envelope in the 3 -bit mode. 2 at the board side of edge connector
K1).
wavevorm will appear at the output. In
this way, the sound generator board can Bit SE (sound enable) can be used for
function as a programmable waveform turning the sound generator on and off. Control software
generator with a maximum output fre- The programming of sounds is largely a Control programs for the sound gener-
quency of about 1 kHz. Faster envelope matter of trial and error establishing of ator board should be written with ease
waveforms can be achieved by reducing the required bit patterns, writing 'data to of register operations in mind. A simple,
the resolution of the envelope from 4 to the chip, listening to the resultant sound, yet effective, way of achieving access to
3 bits (bit 5 of byte E0 or El). The speed debugging the data and register selec- the registers and their contents is to
 26 EE
April 1988
This array is set up to enable the com-
puter to keep track of the data written to
the registers in the interface. Next, all
registers in the SAA1099, and array
"register", are reset to nought in a FOR -
NEXT loop. The program then enters a
infinite loop for fetching register selec-
tion codes and data from the keyboard,
and transferring these to the SAA1099
via the Universal I/O bus. First, the
register contents are displayed on screen,
L&1
so that the status of all registers is known
00 IC
at any time. Consecutive INPUT
01
02 SAA
statements then prompt the user to enter
1099 the register address, and associated data.
04
05 LS2
The program then updates the contents
06 of array "register", and, of course, that
07
of the addressed register. It then returns
to the loop entry point.
Finally, here are two examples of sounds
that can be generated by the sound ef-
fects board:
H1. -J114 = IC 3 = 74110100
Steam locomotive: set AR2 and AL2 to
T1, T2 =13F494 an arbitrary value greater than 1. Set
NE2=1; N0=0; E0=4. Bits and bytes
not mentioned are set to nought, except,
of course, the sound enable bit.
Bell: set the volume as required (AR2
and AL2). Set F2=FFu, 02=7; FE1=1;
FE2=1; E0=4 and SE=1. Bits and bytes
not mentioned are set to nought. St
67142-3
Reference:
in Universal I/O bus. Elektor Elec-
Fig. 3. Circuit diagram sound generator board. tronics May 1985, p. 35 ff.
make use of a register selection
5 subroutine, in conjunction with data
start statements and arrays. Also, do not
REM initialization forget to copy data written to the
DIM register (31)
FOR N=0 TO 31 registers in reserved memory areas of the
computer.
POKE addres-latch, N
The program structure shown in Fig. 5 is
POKE data -latch, 0 intended as a guide for writing one's
register(N) : =0 own control programs for the sound gen-
erator board. The program starts by
NEXT N dimensioning array variable "register".

REM initialization complete

REM start experimenting

loop

clear screen
REM print register contents
FOR N=0 TO 31

PRINT N;registertN)

i
i NEXT N

INPUT "addres",addres
INPUT "data",data
registertaddres) :=data
POKE addres-latch, addres
POKE data -latch, data

go to loop

Fig. 5. Suggested structure of a control

program for the sound generator board. Completed prototype of the stereo sound effects generator for the Universal I/O bus.
 EE
April 1988
Table 2.

REGISTER DESCRIPTION
ARx, ALx 4 bits for amplitude control of generator x, left and right
channel.
Parts list
Fx 8 bits for frequency control of generator x in designated
octave.
Ox 3 bits for octave control of generator x. Resistors
000 lowest octave 30...60 Hz
001 50...122 Hz R) -10K
010 122...244 Hz R2... R5 incljts;Rti=11<0
011 244...488 Hz Re;)ThRto=47K
100 489...977 Hz R9= 18K
101 978...1950 Hz
110 1.95...3.90 kHz
111 highest octave 3.91...7.81 kHz
Capacitors:
FEx 1 bit FEx = 0 indicates that generator x is off.
FEx = 1 indicates that aenerator x is on. CI;C4;C7;C3o=100n
NEx 1 bit NEx = 0 indicates that mixer x does not add noise. C3:C6= 100
NEx = i indicates that mixer x adds noise. C2;C:1;CIO:Cti =100m; 6 V
C5:C8;CI6=In0
N1, N2 2 bits for noise generator control. These bits select the clock
C12:C14=470m; 6 V
rate of the noise aenerator.
00 31.3 kHz C13;Cie=150n
01 15.6 kHz C17:C18=470p
10 7.6 kHz C19=33p
i
11 51 Hz to 15.6 kHz (frequency generator 0.'3)
1-----
I Et:), El 7 bits for envelope control. Semiconductors:
bit 0 0 = left and right component have the same
envelope.
TI;1-2=BF494 (Crickiewooci Electronics)
I = right component has inverse envelope of that
applied to left component. ICI =SAA1099 ICSI Electronics)
bit 1,2,3 000 zero amplitude la) IC2=U24328 (AEG-Telefunken; Cirkit)
001 maximum amplitude (b) IC3=74HCT0O
010 single decay (c)
011 repetitive decay (d) waveforms are
100 single triangular le) illustrated in Fia. 2. Miscellaneous:
' 101 repetitive decay (f)
110 single attack (g) X1= quartz crystal 8 MHz.
111 repetitive attack (hi Kr= 21 -way right-angled plug to D1N41617
bit 4 '0 = 4 bits for envelope control Una* =977 Hz). (stock no. 471-418: Electromail 0536
1 = 3 bits for envelope control (fmax = 1.95 kHz). 2045551.
bit 5 0 = internal envelope clock (frequency generator 1 LS1;LS2= miniature loudspeaker: 8 0;
or 41. 250 mVI.
1 = external envelope clock (address vaite pulse). PCB Type 87142 ((see Readers Services page).
bit 6 must be 0.
bit 7 0 = reset (no envelope control).
1 = envelope control enabled.
SE 0 = all channels disabled.
1 = all channels enabled.

4
C2
0
0
0
0
O
O
0
I 8
C11 C9
Cs
II C192 C14
C130
;. rikg:Ild :11
T2 C5 C1

T1
017 010 C2

Fig. 4. Printed circuit board for building the stereo sound generator.
 28 EE
April 1988

DESIGN IDEAS
The contents of this column are based solely on information supplied by the author
and do not imply practical experience by Elektor Electronics,

CCOIVPUTER C NTROLLED
MILS C GENERATOR
by Dr B. Koyuncu, Department of Physics, Kuwait University

The design of a generator is described, which is operated via a

computer to control NOTE, OCTAVE, and VOLUME. It simulates a
14 -key piano with the computer keyboard acting as that of the
piano. BASIC programming is used for operation and storing the
music for playing at a later stage.

The musical piece is coded in binary available in the circuit. Each data line is Decoder outputs for note control and
form with the aid of a BBC personal input to a one -bit register. A 6 -bit the single octave control signal (high or
computer. The information on the data parallel -in register is used to transfer low) are fed into a Wien bridge oscil-
lines is fed into the circuit through the data from the computer. lator. Volume control is introduced on
computer's user port. There are three A 3 -to -8 decoder decodes the relevant the oscillator output via an attenuator:
controls: VOLUME, OCTAVE, and register outputs to generate the fre- 2 -to -4 decoder outputs are used as relay
NOTE. The system is shown diagram- quencies corresponding to the seven control lines to include discrete attenu-
matically in Fig. 1. white notes. No decoder is necessary for ation levels to the oscillator output.
The system generates the whole tones the two octave control. Since four One of the important effects associated
(white notes=naturals on the piano) of volume levels are available, a 2 -to -4 with the musical notes and octaves is the
the first two octaves above middle C. decoder is allocated to provide these generation of sine waves at different fre-
Fourteen notes are thus available span- from the two data lines. quencies and amplitudes. These sine
ning a frequency range of 263 Hz to waves are generated by the oscillator
992 Hz. Music is generated either 6 Bit Register when the relevant computer keys are
manually by manipulating the keyboard pressed: the sound is obtained from a
Volume Octave Note
or automatically from the computer Control Control Control loudspeaker via a power amplifier.
memory. 2 bits bit 3 bits Each octave contains 12 notes: 7 white
and 5 black (at least on the piano). On
a piano, the white notes are:
System description 2/4 decoder 3/8 decoder
Six computer data lines are used from C; D; E; F; G; A; B
the output port. Since seven notes are
available in each octave (doh, my, me, while the black notes are:
fah, soh, lah, te), three lines are allo- Oscillator
cated for note control. These lines repre- Digital A temiator
C#; D#; F#; G#; A#
sent the binary variations 001-111: each
code represents a note. The standard musical note is A and its
Two octaves (the first and second above frequency is 440 Hz. In the diatonic
Power Amplifier
middle C) are available and one data line scale, the ratios between whole notes are:
is used for their control. A 1 on the data C:D = 9:8
line represents the first octave, and a 0, Loud Speaker D:E=10:9
the second octave, above middle C. E:F =16:15
The last two lines are used to control the 17:G= 9:8
volume. Since there are four possible G:A =10:9
states (00-11), four volume levels are Ftg. 1. Block diagram of the circuit. A:B =9:8
 EE 29
April 1988
Since standard A=440 Hz, the C below consequently, the variation in resistance 4 Control Manual/Auto
it (middle C)= is very small. So, the circuit has to be Switch
able to produce a relatively large change
9/10 x 8/9x15/16 x 9/10x 8/9 x440= in voltage for a small variation of resist- Output
Dam)
264 Hz. ance. Therefore, the thermistor and from to the
Wien network are combined into a Computer Circuit

Since in the diatonic scale the ratio be- bridge circuit as shown in Fig. 3. Oscil-
tween different successive notes varies, it lations are maintained by increasing the
is difficult to tune a keyed instrument to gain of the amplifier to a level which is
the diatonic scale. just sufficient to overcome the attennu-
Data
This difficulty is obviated by using the ation of the network. If, for any reason, from
chromatic scale, in which the ratio be- the output voltage increases, the resist- Manual
Switches
tween the frequencies of successive ance of Rm decreases, the total attenu-
ascending notes is a constant (2' '2= ation will approach 3, and this will re-
1.059463). The ratio for descending suc- duce the voltage fed to the amplifier. 74 L5 244 wzz-v
cessive notes is 0.943874. The ratio be- Ideally, while the total phase shift must
tween similar notes in successive ascend- remain zero, the amplification must be Fig. 4. Computer/manual operation by two
ing octaves is 2; in successive ascending high so that points A and A' in Fig. 3 sets of three -state buffers.
octaves 1/2: these ratios are the same as have approximately equal potentials. these lines are controlled by mechanical
in the diatonic scale.
In the present design, the lowest
switches. The switching arrangement is
generated frequency is taken as the shown in Fig. 4.
middle C, i.e., 261.63 Hz. The other 13 Information stored temporarily in the
register is decoded by the 3 -to -8 and 2 -
frequencies are: 293.66; 329.63 . .. 880; to -4 decoders. The 3 -to -8 decoder has
987.77 Hz (these can also be ascertained
from Table 1). three inputs which give seven output
Each of these frequencies is generated by codes, 001 -Ill. Any particular 3 -bit input
a separate Wien bridge oscillator,
code produces a low level at the relevant
diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2. In the decoder output and a high level at all the
coupling network associated with this other outputs. Each decoder output cor-
type of oscillator, it is convenient, but responds to a particular oscillator signal
Fig. 3. Simple oscillator with bridge network.
not essential, to make the resistances and
capacitances equal. The ratio We
Design procedure upsmsomm
(=gain) is given by
D -type, positive -edge triggered, flip-
mintalmnsi
nomom
V/e=R/(3R +jcoCR 2 - loCOC) [I] flops are used to store the on-line data
coming from the computer. In addition, isinagszi
For zero phase shift, co2C2R2=1. Since data coming from the output section of tunimutiont
the frequency, f -1/2nRC, the value of the user port is already stored in the 11 11 11 11 11 II II
74LS 08
V/e becomes 3. Thus, in its simplest serial register of this port.
form, this type of oscillator has a gain of The relevant output lines are connected
3 and the phase shift is zero. Oscillation to the circuit via three -state buffers. (0001 1111
00 0, 02 03 0. 0, 06 07
will be maintained at a frequency which When the control line of a buffer is ac-
gives zero phase shift between the signals tive, the input to the buffer is passed to Fig. 5. 3 -to -8 logic decoder.
at points A and B in Fig. 2. its output; otherwise, the input is
isolated and the output will be high im- and is used to actuate a magnetic relay.
2 pedance. The 2 -to -4 decoder is similar to the 3 -to -
Two sets of buffers are used to switch be- 8 circuit, but has only four outputs.
tween computer and manual operation. Each output represents a volume level.
The inputs for one set are coming from This is effected by the output actuating
the user port, while those for the other a magnetic relay that introduces a given
e set are coming from the manual attenuation onto the oscillator output.
switches. One set of buffers has an active The decoders are constructed from AND
Ic low control line, whereas that for the
other set is active high. The levels on
gates and inverters as shown in Fig. 5 (il-
lustrated is the 3 -to -8 decoder).
T _TL-c AMPLIFIER
T 6
2/4 Manual/Auto
Decoder Data lines via
0 Flip Flops
9.8K
Oscillator
Fig. 2. Simplest form of oscillator. 2.2 SK

The practical circuit must be modified to R3.1 98 K

allow for amplitude stability, and this is Power
provided by thermistor Rm. The resist- R4.1_55 K
Amplifier
ance of this component decreases when Loud
the power dissipation rises. The average R,.0 21 K
Speaker
output voltage available from the oscil-
lator is 1 V.. The optimum value of
the thermistor is about 1 k4. This means
that only 1 mW of power is dissipated: Fig. 6. Digital attenuator.
 EE
30
April 1988
Table 1.

Frequencies in Hz of the chromatic scale over eight consecutive octaves.

tone C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B
octaves
+4 4186.00 4434.91 4698.62 4978.02 5274.05 5587.64 5919.90 6271.91 6644.86 7039.99 7458.60 7902.12
+3 2093.00 2217.46 2349.31 2489.01 2637.00 2793.80 2959.93 3136.00 3322.48 3520.00 3729.31 3951.10
-2 1046.50 1108.73 1174.70 1244.55 1318.50 1396.90 1479.96 1568.00 1661.24 1760.00 1864.66 1975.50
-1 523.25 554.36 587.33 622.25 659.26 698.46 740.00 784.00 830.61 880.00 932.33 987.77
0 261.63 277.19 293.66 311.12 329.63 349.23 370.00 392.00 415.31 440.00 466.16 493.88
-1 130.81 138.59 146.83 155.56 164.81 174.61 185.00 196.00 207.65 220.00 233.08 246.94
-2 65.41 69.30 73.42 77.79 82.41 87.31 92.50 98.00 103.83 110.00 116.54 123.47
-3 32.70 34.64 36.71 38.89 41.20 43.65 46.25 49.00 51.91 55.00 58.27 61.74

TROMBONE PICCOLO

BASS VIOL FLUTE

E TT E-... 4 VIOLIN
DRUM
OBOE

4 CLARINET

TRUMPET

fa FRENCH HORN

BASS CLARINET

BASSOON

BASS TUBA
-41 VIOLA

CELLO to -

HUMAN VOICES

1 11 111 q !!I
,,B4C3C3E3,3C3,3,3C202E2F2G2A2,2c, !Ill cloy F1G1A1alc2DZE2F2G11112c3D1311383c431.
A A A A A A A
32.70 65.41 130.81 261.63 523.25 1046.50 2093.00 4186.00

Fig. 7. Correlation between piano keys, notes, octaves, and frequencies.

The oscillator output is connected to the of, say, 20 kg, the others can be connecting each pair of equal resistors
2 -to -4 decoder and power amplifier via a calculated from the above equations. are joined together to the outputs of the
switched attenuator network as shown in Capacitance C-1 for the octave above note control decoder. The same tech-
Fig. 6. When a particular volume level middle C is calculated as 0.03 /iF for nique is used for the capacitors.
has been selected, the corresponding 2 - ft =middle C=261.63 Hz and Ri= The relays connect two resistors and two
bit code is fed to the decoder. The appro- 20 kg. For notes in the 2nd octave above capacitors simultaneously into the bidge
priate decoder output becomes active middle C, the value of the capacitance is circuit to activate the oscillator. The
and closes a specific magnetic relay. halved, so that C2=0.015 pF. result is one of the 14 available notes at
Consequently, the oscillator output is The various resistors and capacitors are the output. A general layout of this ar-
subjected to a measure of attenuation connected to the relevant relays as shown raneement is eiven in Fie. 9.
before it is applied to the power ampli- in Fig. 8. The control lines of the relays Manual operation is provided by means
fier.
The Wien bridge oscillator contains R -C 8
combinations that determine the notes
and octaves. Each note -octave combi-
nation represents a frequency and this is
varied by changing the value of the
capacitance (octaves) or that of the
resistors (notes). Output of
For instance, frequency fi of the octave Decoder for 1 13
Octave Control
above middle C (treble stave) is Note control IX
Line.
f =1/2nR 1C1, while frequency h of the
same octave is h = 1 /21tR 2C-1.
fl/f2=R2/R (and also =1/2'122).
So, I EV.4272 - 17

Therefore, R2=R1/2' 12, R3=R 1/22 12,

.R 7=R 1/26 '2. If Ri is given a value Fig. 8. Connections hetween coupling network and relays.
 -4-5V
0,031.1F

Manual
Auto 10K
Switch 0 015k/ F
Manual
10K Auto
3904 355
OP -Am
RI: 9.8K
7 Ra R4 R3 R2 R4
3.3K 4.1K 15.13K 6.8K 178K 20K
Re. -2.9K
Data lines
From Computer 1.2K 500Q 3:1.98K
0.03 0.015
100 S2 I. 55 K

Th (4K)
0.21 K

+5V
A
Manual Switches
t 1 t i5oQ0 07 06 05 04 03 02 04 0 00 04 02 03
3/8 Decoder 2/4 Decoder
12 13 14 15
10K
L_ L_
74 7,1

Q 4 70 j..1 F
D 0 LM
CK CK -<>CK C,K -0 CK CK 380

2 7K
3904
4000 pF Loud
External Spec:kat.
Clock CO m
Generator 880072-19 00 M
 EE
April 1988

Table 2.

KEYS : space A S D F G H J space z X C V D N Al

CODE : 32 65 83 68 70 71 72 74 32 90 88 67 86 66 78 77
NOTE : C D E F G A B Cl DI E' F' G1 Al B'

For frequencies of notes, see Table 1.

of simple transistor circuits and mechan- Further possibilities

ical switches. Each transistor is driven of other PCs. Since the BBC micro has
into saturation or switched off by the The hardware design may be interfaced an 8 -bit user port register, it can send
mechanical switch in its base circuit. The to any type of PC with the appropriate 28=256 signals. It can, therefore, be
collector potential will then be 5 V or A/D converters to their user ports. used to generate 256 different notes.
zero respectively. This potential is ap- The software can be modified to allow These notes are fundamentals, not har-
plied to the relay control lines in the os- the user to play music on the keyboard monics. A volume range of 30 dB is used
cillator and in the attenuator network
via D -type bistables and decoders. The 11
circuit diagram of the music generator is
given in Fig. 9.
10 REM (GENERATION OF MUSIC BY USING HARDWARE AND RUC INTERFACE NRPT
86 - JAN 87 ) =A
Computer software 20 REM THIS PROGRAM IS AN
30 REM THE COMPUTER GENERATED MUSIC
INTERFACIN FOR.

The flow chart (including the algorithm) 40 WAIT=8

SO HAX=2500
of the program is given in Fig. 10, and 60 DIH N(16)
70 DIM T(MAX)
the actual program in Fig. 11. The 80 DIM V(4)
program is written in BASIC and stored 90 CLS
100 PRINT -WELCOME TO THE MUSIC PROGRAM -
on a floppy disk. 110 PRINT -VOLUME CAN BE OF DEGREE 1.2.3 OR 4 O11LY-
120 INPUT -VOLUME IS OF DEGREE ?-VOLUME
130 IF VOLUHECI OR VOLUME,4 THEN 110
140 PRINT -PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING -
ISO PRINT -YOU HAVE TWO OCTAVES -
160 PRINT -EACH OCTAVE HAS 7 NOTES -
170 PRINT -THE FIRST OCTAVE BEGINS AT KEY .2. AND ENDS AT KEY
Create 3 arrays 180 PRINT -THE SECOND BEGINS AT KEY .A. AND ENDS AT KEY .J.-
190 PRINT -IF YOU RANT TO EXIT.THEN:
N1161 : note signals
200 PRINT -PRESS THE KEY 0-
V(4) :volume signals 210 V(1)=0
1(11ox.): for storing
220 V(2)=16
230 V(3)=32
240 V(4)=48
250 FOR J=1 TO HAX
260 T(J)=0
270 NEXT J
280 J=1
290 INPUT -NOW PRESS THE RETURN KEY TO START PLAYING MUSIC -TS
300 9AFE62=1.FF
310 .FXI1,15
320 REPEAT
330 A=INKEY(WAIT)
340 DATA 32.65.83.68.70.71.72.74.32.90.88.67.86.66.78.77
350 IF A=48 THEN GOTO 470
360 RESTORE
370 SOT=O
380 FOR I=1 TO 16
390 READ N(I)
400 IF A=N(I) THEN SOT=I-1
410 NEXT I
420 ?&FE60=SOT+V(VOLUME)
430 X=?&FE60
440 T(J)=X
450 J=J+1
460 UNTIL (J)HAX)
470 ?&FE60=0
480 PRINT -YOU CAN NOT PLAY MUSIC ANY MORE -
490 IF J(MAX THEN T(J)=-1
500 INPUT -DO YOU RANT TO STORE MUSIC?, 11=110 .FOR YES PRESS RETU
RN -.YS
510 IF YS= -N- THEN GOTO 580
520 6 = OPENOUT (-MUSIC-)
Note index of A
sot Note +VII)
530 FOR J=1 TO MAX
fraga-zs
540 PRINTEB.T(J)
550 NEXT J
560 PRINT -YOUR MUSIC IS STORED NOW -
Fig. 10. Flory diagram. 570 CLOSES
580 INPUT - DO YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO STORED MUSIC? N=NO ,FOR YES PRESS RETURN -
.SS
As the user plays the music by pressing 590 IF S9= -N- THEN GOTO 700
the relevant keys on the computer (see 600
610
C=OPENIN (-MUSIC-)
J=1
Table 2), the computer stores the notes 620
630
REPEAT
INPUTEC X
in a one-dimensional array. When he 640 TIME =0
finishes playing, the computer will ask 650
660
IF TIME<= 7 TRES 650
?&FE60=X
whether playback is required. If the 670 J=J*1
680 UNTIL (J>MAX) OR (TWO))
answer is YES, the computer stores the 690 CLOSES C
array in a file. The size of the array in 700 sFX12,0
710 ?&FE60=0
which music is stored is 2,500 lines. This 720 PRINT -YOU HAVE EXIT FROM THE MUSIC PROGRAM -
low number is due to the limitations of 730 END 880072 -21

the computer memory. The array allows

the playing of music for about 10
minutes. Fig. 11. Listing of the BASIC control program.
 EE
April 1988
Finally
An instrumentation amplifier is used for
the oscillator. Any frequency drift
caused by temperature variations is mini-
mized by the drift -compensation net-
work.
The circuits are best placed in a metal
box and all wiring kept as short as poss-
ible to keep any interference at bay.
References:
1. Electronic Engineering 27:330, 350
and 410, July to September 1955.
2. Journal of the AES 14, No. 1:21,
1966.
3. Journal of the AES 17, No. 258, 1969.
4. Third Int. Congress on Acoustics
1959-Elsevier Publications Co.,
Output of 3/8 Decoder Amsterdam.
" Note Control Lines" 5. Computers and Automation, 13 No.
8:16, 1964
6. Microelectronic Circuits by Adel S.
SEDRA, 1982.
Fig. 12. General layout of the wien bridge oscillator. 7. Electronic Principles by A.
MALVINO, 1982.
at the oscillator output. The frequency in relay operation cause the output 8. BBC User Guide Book, BBC, 1982.
of the notes may vary ±2 Hz around the sound from the speaker to have a small
exact values, but this is not noticeable by peak before becoming steady. This effect Acknowledgments:
ear. is considered to be perfectly acceptable, The assistance of Rowida Mustafa and
The thermistor, which protects the relays since in a piano the sound also peaks Akram Farhat of Kuwait University is
from over -heating, takes a finite time to first before attaining a steady state greatly appreciated. The project was
warm up. This time and the time delays somewhat below this peak value. financed by an SP023 university grant.

FUZZ UNIT FOR GUITARS

Players of the lead or rhythm guitar will appreciate the wide
range of sounds produced by this low-cost fuzz unit.

The fuzz unit described here is simple to switches IC3A and IC313 via coupling ca- work. High -frequency components in
build from commonly available parts, pacitor C19. The configuration of the the signal are boosted or attenuated
yet gives excellent results with almost any electronic switches is controlled by foot when BRIGHT switch S2 is set to position
combination of lead or rhythm guitar switch S3 and inverter/LED driver Ti. A or B, respectively. When S2 is set to
and guitar amplifier (valve or transis- When the foot switch is open, i.e., not position C, the filter is largely ineffec-
tor). It has three controls that guarantee actuated, R20 takes the control input of tive. The filter characteristics may be
a wide range of available effects, and is IC3i3 to the positive supply level, so that defined to individual taste by redimen-
relatively simple to align. the guitar signal is passed from K to IC2 sioning of Clo: the roll -off frequency of
with a series resistance of about 90 Q, the network decreases with increasing
formed by the closed electronic switch. capacitance.
Circuit description When the foot switch is closed, T3 con- Preset P2 serves to set the optimum
With reference to the circuit diagram of ducts, LED D9 lights, IC313 is opened, signal amplitude for the distortion stage
Fig. 1, the fuzz unit is powered via and IC3A and IC3D are closed. The set up around IC2. The feedback net-
switch Si, which is automatically closed guitar signal is fed to the distortion cir- work of this opamp includes R17 and
when a jack plug is inserted in socket cuit via IC3A and Ci, and is returned to anti -parallel diodes Di -D4, which in-
IC2. The output of the circuit remains the amplifier via C16 and IC3D. troduce the required distortion. The dis-
short-circuited to ground, however, until The circuit around opamp ICI, FET Ti, tortion level can be set with P3. The
a plug is inserted in Ki. This arrange- T2 and rectifier Di is a peak limiter signal is then fed through an R -C low-
ment effectively prevents clicks and (clipper) whose onset -level is defined by pass, a diode limiter and a volume ad-
noises in the guitar amplifier when the Pi. The distortion effect is, however, not justment, before it is applied to the elec-
effects unit is being connected. The complete as yet. Coupling capacitor C5 tronic switch configuration discussed
guitar signal is applied to electronic feeds the signal to a passive filter net- above.
 Construction and adjustment
Construction of the fuzz unit is a routine
job: simply fit all the parts in accordance
with the PCB overlay (see Fig. 3) and the
parts list. Be sure to observe the polarity
of the diodes and the radial electrolytic
capacitors.
The completed circuit board is best fit-
ted in a sturdy diecast enclosure, as
shown in Fig. 2. The foot switch, LED,
and COMPRESSION and DISTORTION con-
trols are fitted onto the bottom plate of
the enclosure. Sufficient room should be
left inside to accomodate the 9 V PP3
battery, which is preferably secured with
double -sided adhesive tape.
The circuit is, of course, best set up with
the aid of a sinewave generator and an
oscilloscope, but a rather simpler align-
ment procedure is set out below for con-
structors not in possession of these in-
struments. Connect the fuzz unit to the
electric guitar and the power amplifier,
and verify that it is being powered by the
battery. Actuate the foot switch, set P3
to the minimal resistance position, and
switch off the BRIGHT filter (set S2 to
position C). Play an h note on the guitar
l kHz), and set Pi for minimum
audible distortion. Adjust P2 and actu-
ate the foot switch a few times until the

02
BTI 9V
in,4001
7

R16

VIXUNE

50k
652-

Ci DF256C
CIO
1Rim
334
252
25V

13
R191 R20
2 019
D3, D4= 1N4148
D1, D5-08 = AA119 3 Di
1C1 ,1C2 = TL071
2p2
25V 4:400
1C3=4066 effect Cf
0 09
4
C20
53
UL fi
2.2
2 251
10313
* see text R18

R22 R23 R25

8C547
;1'i
87255 -1

Fig. 1. Circuit diagram of the fuzz unit for electric guitars.

 EE
April 1988
signal from the effects unit and the
"dry" guitar signal are of equal ampli-
tude (this also depends on the position
of VOLUME control P4).
Adjust the circuit as follows if the
previously mentioned test equipment is
to hand. Apply a 1 kHz sinewave of
150 mV amplitude to the input of the
fuzz unit. Set the BRIGHT switch to pos-
ition C (off). Connect the scope to junc-
tion S2 -P2, and adjust Pi for maximum
amplification without running into
noticeable distortion. Increase the signal
amplitude to 300 mV, and reduce the dis-
tortion observed on the oscilloscope as
far as possible by carefully re -adjusting
PI. Replace Ti with a another BF256C
if the distortion can not be reduced to an
acceptable level: these FETs are
manufactured to a relatively wide toler-
ance in respect of dynamic
characteristics. Set the volume of the ef-
fects unit as outlined above.
The fuzz unit has a moderate current
consumption, so that an alkaline PP3
battery should last for about 300 hours.
This is reduced to about 40 hours, how-
ever, if D9 is fitted. Much of the battery
capacitance can be saved by using a
high -efficiency LED, mid increasing the
value of the series resistor, R19. Diode
D2 protects the fuzz unit against reverse
voltage when the battery is connected Fig. 2. Internal view of the prototype. The input and output sockets are types with a built-in
with the wrong polarity. switch contact.

Fig. 3. The printed circuit board for building the fuzz unit.

Parts list P4 = 50K logarithmic potentiometer D3;D4= 1N4148

Resistors (± 5%): Ds= LED (red)
Capacitors:
Ti =8F256C
R1;R2;(112;R13;R21 . R24 incl. =1 MO Ci;Cii= 33n T2=BC5478
R3= 100R C2=1 09; 25 V; radial T3 = BC 547
R4;Re;Ri 1= 2M2 C3;C17;Cle= 1001 IC1;IC2=TL071
118;R7;R2o=100K Ca = 10011; 25 V; radial 1C3=4066
Re=1K5 C8;Ce;C7;C14 =1110; 25 V; radial
Rs=4K7 Ce = 22n
Rio=27K Cs=10n Miscellaneous:
Ri4;R17= 10K Clo=ln0
1115;1116=1K0 C12;C16;C1s;C2o=2p2; 25 V; radial K1;K2= headphone socket for 6.3 mm plug
1118=22K C13 = 100p
(with built-in switch).
1119=2K7 CI8=10n Si = SPST switch in socket (normally open).
R25 = 330K S2 = 3 -way, single -pole, rotary switch.
Semiconductors:
Pi =50K linear potentiometer S3= foot switch.
P2 = 50K preset H DI;D5...D8 incl.=AA119 S4= SPST switch in socket (normally closed).
P3= 100K linear potentiometer D2= 1N4001 PCB Type 87255 Esee Readers Services page).
 EE
36

MID3ril
9 CODE - GEN -1,RAP3R
In line with this month's theme,
electrophonics, we present a
handy, versatile and inexpensive to
build tool that helps tracing down
and resolving incompatibility
problems encountered in setting up
relatively complex configurations of
MIDI instruments.

by R. Degen

The acronym MIDI (mustcm. INSTRU-

MENT DIGITAL INTERFACE) is nowadays
known to virtually every user of elec-
tronic instruments and associated equip-
ment. Since its introduction in 1983, the
MIDI standard has gained wide accept-
ance, and has proved relatively simple to
implement thanks to the use of a serial
transmission standard for data exchange
between compatible instruments in a
network. Experienced users of MIDI
equipment are, however, also aware of
the system's limitations. One of the best
known problems associated with the enables sending any 8 -bit hexadecimal trace down a fault in an amplifier.
MIDI standard is that it becomes more code (0... 25510 or 00.. .FFHEx) to an Most MIDI instruments are supplied
difficult to manage with increasing com- instrument fitted with a MIDI input.
plexity of the equipment configuration: with a manual that gives more or less de-
But why bother to generate single com- tailed tables listing the MIDI codes that
the more instruments, the more mands at typing speed when the MIDI
instrument -specific codes, and the
are recognized or transmitted by the in-
interface is geared to high-speed com- strument. These 2 -character codes
greater the risk of addressing equipment munication? The answer has already (MIDI datawords) can be supplied by the
with incorrect or non -recognized codes. been hinted at in the above introduction. circuit described here: the code is
The need for developing the MIDI code generated and transmitted by sequen-
Troubleshooting generator arose from difficulties en- tially pressing the 2 appropriate keys on
countered in working with incompatible a hexadecimal keyboard. LEDs indicate
Any electronic musical instrument fitted MIDI instruments of different type and the transmission of the first and second
with a serial asynchronous interface to make. It often happens that a relatively character in the MIDI dataword.
the MIDI standard (31.25 Kbit/s; ±1%) complex set-up of instruments and other The code generator is essentially com-
has a receiver and/or transmitter circuit. devices connected via MIDI links simply posed of the following functional
Transmission of an 8 -bit dataword com- does not work as required. Finding the blocks: keyboard encoder, parallel -to -
mences with one start bit, and is ter- cause of the malfunction is not easy, es- serial converter, central clock, and a
minated with one stop bit. The 10 -bit pecially in relatively complex instrument driver for the status indication LEDs.
pulse train has a duration of 320 ps. The set-ups. The speed at which data is car- The unit operates autonomously from a
interface is essentially a 15 mA current ried between instruments is so high as to regulated power supply.
loop built around an opto-coupler. Each make code analysis without relatively
output preferably drives only one input, complex equipment virtually impossible.
and received signals are, therefore, A simple test device as described here Circuit description
reshaped and fed to a MIDI THRU output. allows sending MIDI datawords sequen- Essentially, the circuit fetches two hexa-
The MIDI communications protocol tially to an individual instrument by decimal characters from the 16 -key
distinguishes between status bytes pressing 2 keys on a keypad. In this way, keypad, combines them into a single
(>127), followed by one or more even the most complex MIDI control dataword, and transmits this in the
databytes (<128), real time messages, strings can be generated to enable check- previously discussed MIDI format.
and exclusive messages. ing the instrument's response. This way There is no parity bit, and the serial
The code generator proposed here is a of testing may be compared to using an dataline is logic "1" in the non -activated
MIDI compatible accessory device that AF test generator plus oscilloscope to state.
 EE
April 1988
Figure 1 shows the circuit diagram of the
MIDI code generator. The circuit is com-
5V
posed entirely of conventional HCMOS PS

52502.1
integrated circuits, and is, therefore, in-
expensive to build. to
tr
Oscillator Ni-Ni feeds the central clock .43
a
C IC 4
SI P

signal via N3 and N7 to binary counter 412. D

74
IC6, whose 4 -bit output QA ...QD sup- A
a
ic 4 IC 2 F HCT
eH 165 9!'
plies the binary equivalents of numbers Na
74 0.ati
CA
03 71 C0
a

0...15 incl. to keyboard encoder ICJ, HCT 13C a

93 ^
FICT c2
At 173 ,"
2

latch ICz and shift register IC5. The F411 16:121 CAL

clock signal for counter IC6 is inhibited

sv
in N7 by the "keyboard activity" signal
obtained via Schmitt -trigger Nio and in- A a SEP
IC5
C
verter N6. O
S

When power is applied to the circuit, FF1

2
a 3 *CT
74

bistable FF1 is reset by network R3 -C2. cm >0 165

U
Output Q of FF1 is logic low, so that Ns 2021,22231
0C3A
provides a logic high level to LED driver ICI
741ICT154
62
GI
[5. Ha

Ti. Di lights to indicate that the code ISSII3:21.9 5 5 53 2 10

sy

generator awaits the first, most signifi- C:3 5V ,,YaiaY9rY,PY,YPPausy:Yaifi'

cant, hexadecimal character (MS
nibble). SY

Assuming that none of the keys is NC

pressed, N7 passes the clock pulses to SA

SAS S1S SIA SO522 SH 510 s 1-41 St S6 SS SA S3 S2

counter IC6. The keyboard encoder, ICI, a

1'4 1141 IC
F 8
1*I°14 14 14 4°14
Si 14 Ili
4131211TO
is a 4 -to -16 demultiplexer that translates HIO
1144148 61
the 4 -bit binary code at its inputs A... D noa sv /41/41T
into a low pulse at the relevant output. w.
44 j)
loneCta
1.121.

Each demultiplexer output is connected .j IC 3 Ca 81 1C 2 ca

a 0
to a key, Si ...S16. If, for example, key
FF1, FF2 = IC 3 = 74HCT74
NI -145 = ICS = 74HCT04
1C7 106 ... - 1C4 IC 1 . FF2
a
Sii is pressed (nibble AH), the clock 167-1118 = IC 7 = TAHCT132 -0 0
1C8
,co. ,c.i.lc 05 0 roos
XV
=1 a

0
to
signal is inhibited the instant ICI ac- .1.
tivates output 10. This means that the
binary equivalent of "10" is latched in
IC2, becauses the rising edge of the Fig. 1. Circuit diagram of the generator.
pulse supplied by Nio causes FF1 to
toggle and clock ICz via output Q. inputs A ...F incl. (these are the 6 non-
Parts list
Latch IC2 supplies the 4 -bit binary code used bits of the 16 -bit shift register
corresponding to the MS nibble of the formed by IC4-IC5). The shifting out of Resistors (±5%):
MIDI dataword to the parallel load in- bits applied to the parallel inputs is fol- Rulis;Rs=220R
puts of shift registers IC4 (inputs G and lowed by that of the bit applied to SER, R2=3K3
H) and IC5 (inputs A and B). Inverter so that IC4 supplies a series of logic R3= 180K
Ns supplies a logic low level to Ti, Di is high pulses after the 4 databits. After a 114=4K7

turned off, and D2 lights to prompt the few clock pulses, these bits are also pres- R7=18K
ent on the serial output of IC.. Together
user to enter the LS nibble on the with input bit H of ICs (a permanent Pi =25K or 22K preset

keypad. Releasing the key restores the logic "1"), these form a series of stop
clock signal for IC6, and restarts the Capacitors:
keyboard scan activity. When the second bits. The start bit is loaded into ICI as Ci =1n0
character is typed in, the corresponding the logic low level permanently applied C2 = 470n
binary code of the LS nibble is present to input G. The complete MIDI com- C3= 220n
on inputs C...F of ICs. Output Q of mand is, therefore, defined by the paral- C4=100p; 16 V
FF1 goes logic high, and N9 activates lel data received via inputs G, F...A C5 . .Ca incl=100n
the SHIFT / LOAD inputs of the (IC5), G, H, F... A and SER (IC4) in
shift registers, IC4 and ICs. These load that order.
the 8 -bit datawords at their inputs Finally, preset Pi enables accurately set- Semiconductors:

A... H, and are switched to the SHIFT ting the serial bit rate on the Inoi our DO2= LED
line to 31.250 Kbit/s. 03= 1N4148
mode when the output of N9 goes high, ICI =74HCT154
which happens when the key is released. IC2=74HCT173
The MIDI dataword is converted to IC3 = 74HCT74
serial format, and shifted out via in- Construction and use in IC4;1Cs=74HCT165
verter N4. Simultaneously, FF1 receives practice ICs = 74HCT93
a new clock pulse, and output Q reverts A prototype of the MIDI code generator IC7=74HCT132
to logic low. Counter IC6 is clocked ICa=74HCTO4
was constructed on a piece of veroboard Ti =BC547
again, and LED Di indicates that a new as shown in the accompanying photo-
MS nibble may be entered via the graph. The wiring was made in thin en-
keyboard. amelled copper wire, fitted at the rear Miscellaneous:
The start and stop bit required in the side of the board. The DIN socket and Ki = 5 -way DIN socket for PCB mounting.
MIDI dataword are obtained by connect- the 16 Digitast keys are conveniently Si ...Ste Digitast key (ITT Schadow).
ing output QH of IC4 to input SER of mounted direct onto the component side Veroboard as required.
IC5. It is seen that SER on IC4 is made of the board. The circuit is best fitted in Note: it regretted that a ready-made PCB for
permanently logic high, together with a sturdy enclosure if portable operation this project is not available.
 EE
38
April 1988

MIDI - frequently used codes System Messages

Note: all codes are given in hexadecimal notation SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE (consult documentation supplied with
FO
equipment)
Fl ...F7 SYSTEM COMMON
Channel Voice Messages Fl not defined
F2 POSITION POINTER I+ 2 databytes)
F3 SONG SELECT 1+ 1 databytel

STATUS
F4... F5 not defined
DATA DATA
F6 TUNE REQUEST
80...8F 00...7F 00...7F NOTE OFF I+ channel number) + note number F7 EOX (marks the end of message SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE)
+ VELOCITY
F8... FF REAL TIME
90. . . 9F 00...7F 00.. .7F NOTE ON (+ channel number) + note number
+ VELOCITY F8 TIMING CLOCK
AO...AF 00...7F 00...7F POLYPHONIC KEY PRESSURE/AFTER TOUCH F9 not defined
(+ channel number) + note number + FA START
PRESSURE VALUE FB CONTINUE
80...8F 00...79 00...7F CONTROL CHANGE I+ channel number) + FC STOP
CONTROL + VALUE FD not defined
CO...CF 00...7F PROGRAM CHANGE I+ channel number) + FE ACTIVE SENSING
PROGRAM FF SYSTEM RESET
DO...DF 00...7F CHANNEL PRESSURE/AFTER TOUCH I+
channel number) + VALUE
E0...EF 00...7F 00...7F PITCH WHEEL CHANGE I+ channel number) Channel Mode Messages
+ CHANGE LS8 + CHANGE MSB

In each message, the four least significant bits designate the channel number BO. _BF 7A...7F 0...7F CHANNEL MODE I+ channel number) +
(1...16 incl.; 0=channel 1; F =channel 16). Example: 97=NOTE ON for MODE + MODE
channel 8. The status words given below are always followed by one or
130...8F 7A 0 CHANNEL MODE (+ channel number) +
two databytes (<80) as required.
LOCAL CONTROL OFF
80...BF
Note numbers: 7A 7F CHANNEL MODE 1+ channel number) +
LOCAL CONTROL ON
6C 1108): DOH high (88 keys) 90...BF 7B 0 CHANNEL MODE I+ channel number) + ALL
60 (96) : DOH high (61 or 73 keys) NOTES OFF
45 (69) : LAH 440 Hz 80...8F 7C 0 CHANNEL MODE I+ channel number) + OMNI
3C (60) : DOH from keyboard centre MODE OFF (ALL NOTES OFF)
24 136) : DOH low (61 keys) 80.. BF 7D 0 CHANNEL MODE I+ channel number) + OMNI
18 (24) : DOH low 173 keys) MODE ON (ALL NOTES OFF)
15 (211 : LAH low (88 keys) 130...8F 7E 0...F CHANNEL MODE I+ channel number) +
MONO MODE ON (POLY MODE OFF) (ALL
VELOCITY: NOTES OFF) - NUMBER OF CHANNELS
0 : NOTE OFF (do not use 0 as default value) (0=all receiver channels)
1: ppp (pianissimo) 80...8F 7F 0 CHANNEL MODE I- channel number) + POLY
40: mpmf (mezzo -forte); default value MODE ON (MONO MODE OFF) (ALL NOTES
7F: fff (fortissimo) OFF)

is envisaged. The supply voltage for the 90 selects the NOTE ON mode on chan-
circuit is obtained from a NiCd battery nel 1;
or a suitable mains adapter. 3C is the note number ("doh" from the
Set Pt to the centre of its travel, and the centre of the keyboard);
code generator is ready for testing in a 40 is a commonly used velocity code.
MIDI environment. The MIDI output Carefully adjust the oscillator clock fre-
on the generator corresponds to a stan- quency if this does not work. If
dard arm! OUT connection, and can be necessary, use a frequency meter connec-
used for feeding otherwise unavailable ted to the output of N3 to set the clock
codes to certain equipment. Similarly, oscillator to 31,250 Hz.
the code generator can be used in con- End the played note by typing:
junction with an expander for realizing 80 3C 40.
MIDI functions not supported by a stan-
dard MIDI keyboard.
Use a standard MIDI cable for connect-
ing the code generator to an instrument
that is known to respond to, say, the Some useful articles on MIDI:
NOTE ON/NOTE OFF command.
Program this instrument to listen to Fantasia on a MIDI theme. Elektor Elec-
MIDI channel 1, and send the following tronics November 1985, p. 52 ff.
code sequence: MIDI expander from Bohm. Elektor
90 3C 40. Electronics March 1986, p. 21 ff.
The function of these three bytes is as MIDI split control. Elektor Electronics
follows (also consult the accompanying March 1987, p. 31 ff.
overview of frequently used MIDI MIDI signal redistribution unit. Elektor
codes): Electronics May 1987, p. 20 ff.
 EE
April 1988
39

TEST & MEASURING EQUIPMENT

Part 1: dual -trace oscilloscopes (E)
The final article in Julian Nolan's review of dual trace oscilloscopes
deals with the Hung Chang OS -635.

The Korean company of Hung Chang is,

perhaps, better known for its range of
DMMs, frequency sources, and
counters, some of which are sold under
a variety of retail trade names.
The Hung Chang OS -635 is a 35 MHz
delayed sweep oscilloscope with a 6 kV
CRT retailing at £399 (excl. VAT), which
is only about £80 more than one would
expect to pay for a 'basic' 20 MHz
model.
The delayed sweep is of the 'coarse' var-
iety; the instrument is also fitted with
trigger hold -off and single sweep modes.
The OS -635 is fitted with a standard IEC
mains socket. The line voltage is exter-
nally adjustable to 100, 120, 220, or
240 VAC.
The instrument is not fitted with a swivel
stand, but the single position stand pro-
vided instead allows easy stacking of the
unit. This is maintained down to 5 mV turned when they are pulled out to actu-
The OS -635 is of average depth and (-3 dB). The 1 mV/div sensitivity brings ate the x5 magnifier, the trace shifts. If
width: 352 mm and 294 mm respect- with it the restriction of a 10 MHz band- this has already been centred, an un-
ively, but its height of 162 mm is perhaps width (rise time 35 ns). necessary adjustment is required to re -
rather more than might be expected. Both Y -amplifiers have a continuously centre it.
Two high -quality probes (1.4 ns rise time variable attenuation control, which in- Chopped (200 kHz) or alternate sweep is
when in 10:1 attenuation mode) are sup- creases the maximum attenuation coef- selected automatically by the time base
plied as are accessories for use with ficient to 30 V/div. Only one channel can speed setting.
them, including a BNC adaptor and be inverted.
spring -loaded clip. The performance of the Y -amplifiers is
reasonable in terms of frequency Triggering. Triggering on the OS -635 is
Front panel. The front panel is probably response and bandwidth, given their comprehensive, including LF and HF
one of the OS -635's most distinguishing relatively high frequency range. But, filtering, alternate channel sourcing and
features, with colour -coded sections despite these mediocre characteristics, TV synchronization. In addition to this,
such as triggering and Y -amplifier func- they are still undoubtedly better than the unusually for a scope in this price range,
tions. Although the colour coding adds average 20 MHz Y -amplifier at this price an external +10 facility is also provided.
to the ease of operation, the panel is not, level. The auto/normal and triggering
as common, anodised, but the markings Despite being specified at 3%, overshoot threshold controls are combined into
have been printed on. This, together is particularly evident on some ranges, one in a similar manner to the x5 at-
with the exposed potentiometer bushes although it remains within the quoted tenuation coefficient magnifier. Here,
of some controls, gives the instrument a limit. the problems brought about by this are
rather rough and ready appearance. The dynamic range is somewhat limited not so acute, but still noticeable; the
However, this certainly does not mean at about 41/2 divisions at 35 MHz, but auto position is selected with the level
that it is of low quality. should, none the less, be acceptable for control fully out. All other triggering.
most purposes. controls (of the slider type) are, however,
Y -amplifiers. The attenuation coef- A minor point is that the x5 magnifier relatively easy to operate.
ficient of both Y -amplifiers is variable has the effect of magnifying the trace TV triggering is particularly notable, be-
over a range of 10 V/div to 5 mV/div. In offset, which is set by the Y position ing selectable from positive or negative
addition to this, a x 5 magnification fa- control, with the result that some repo- synchronization and, with the inclusion
cility is also available, enabling maxi- sitioning of the trace is required when of automatic line and frame switching,
mum sensitivities of 1 mV/div to be the x 5 magnifier is actuated. incorporated into the timebase coef-
achieved. Since the x 5 switches are incorporated ficient selector. Triggering sensitivity is
Undoubtedly, one of the main features in the Y position controls, it happens also good: typically 0.2 div to 10 MHz,
of the OS -635 is its 35 MHz bandwidth. that when these controls are accidentally increasing to 1 div at 35 MHz and 3 div
40 EE
April 1988
at 60 MHz, which is the maximum to 5 instead of 15, highly accurate ad-
Table 17. reliable trigger frequency. External trig- justment of the vernier control is re-
ger sensitivity is also good at 100 mV to quired at higher magnification levels. It
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS 10 MHz and 0.2 V to 35 MHz. This can, also has the effect of reducing the ease
line voltage: - 100, 120, 220, 240 VAC however, be increased by means of the of use of the delayed sweep facility
± 10%, externally adjustable. Power
consumption: 30 Watts
+10 control to eliminate false triggering, significantly in my opinion, largely due
Line frequency: 50-60 Hz caused, for example, by noise. An alter- to the accurate vernier adjustments
nate channel, or composite mode, is also which have to be made. Rise time
MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION incorporated for observation of two measurements would have been greatly
Dimensions: - W 294 mm, H 162 mm, unrelated (in terms of frequency) signal helped by the provision of a triggered
D 352 mm sources. Triggering symmetry (rising or delay facility in addition to the normal
Housing steel sheet falling slope) proved to be out by ap- continuous mode, as well as a delay line.
Weight: approx. 7.5 kg proximately 1 division over a total ver- Looking at the situation in perspective
Y AMPLIFIER ETC.
tical deflection of 8 divisions. The HF however these facilities can hardly be ex-
Operating modes: -
and LF facilities provided are effective in pected for £399, but effective operation
CH1 alone, CH2 alone. obtaining a stable trace even in cases of of the delayed sweep facility without
Inversion capability on CH2 only. waveforms with a very high modulation them may in many applications prove ex-
Any combination of CH1, CH2 (alternate content, and are a further useful ad- tremely difficult. The delayed sweep dis-
or chopped (250 kHz)) dition to the OS -635's trigger functions. play modes of normal, intensified or
CH1 CH2 Both trigger and 'ready' LEDs are also delayed should be adequate for most
Frequency response 0...35 MHz incorporated, lighting when the scope is purposes.
(-3 dB). stably triggered or reset respectively. Timebase accuracy is inside the specified
Risetime < 10 nsec, (35 nsec x 5 Mag.) Trigger holdoff is also a feature of the ±3% (and the rather high ±10% when
Deflection factor 10 steps:
5 mV/div...5 V/div ± 3%. OS -635, which makes the triggering using the x 5 magnifier). Linearity is
x 5 magnifier extends range to 1 mV/div, facilities provided by this scope amongst also within the quoted ±3% over most
MHz bandwidth. the best in its class. of the range, although it is noticeable at
Input coupling: AC, DC or Gnd. the start of the trace over the first 11/2
Input impedance: 1 MQ/25 pF; max input Timebase. The OS -635 is equipped with small divisions on the maximum
voltage 300 (DC + peak AC) a single timebase and an uncalibrated timebase speed that the deflection
vernier delay time control. This has the characteristics were, to say the least,
X -Y MODE consequence that in the vast majority of non-linear.
CH1 X-axis and CH2 Y-axis. Less than 3° situations only uncalibrated delayed
phase shift at 50 kHz
Bandwidth DC to 1 MHz (-3 dB).
sweep measurements can be made of CRT. The 6 kV tube enables both good
waveforms which exceed the maximum intensity and brightness to be main-
SWEEP horizontal deflection limit of 10 div- tained over the whole range of sweep
Operating modes - normal: timebase A isions. In most cases this limitation does speeds. The CRT itself is of the metal
displayed (no delay); intensified: not affect the measurement of waveform backed PDA variety and gives a good
timebase A intensified by trig delay over rise times. performance, especially in terms of
magnification area; delayed: A sweep The main timebase itself ranges from a focusing, which is certainly of a high
starts after delay time. respectable 0.5 s/div to 100 ns/div, standard. The tube is slightly curved
A sweep time 100 ns/div to 0.5 s/div
±3% in 21 ranges; 1-2-5 sequence;
although, obviously to limit the cost of across its face, howevei, and while this is
vernier control slows sweep down by up the deflection circuitry, only a x not to a great degree, and should not af-
tp 2.5:1. horizontal magnification system has fect measurements, it is still worth
Delay time - 10 ms to 1 ps in 5 steps, been incorporated, increasing the maxi- noting. Tube geometry is reasonable,
1:1 sequence; variable control for fine mum deflection speed to 20 ns/div. The with some barrelling and pincushioning
adjustment. trigger delay time coefficient can be present. The tube's good performance is
Sweep magnification - x 5 ± 10% total selected from one of 5 (the front panel is hindered by the lack of an automatic
error. marked for 6) covering the range from focusing circuit, with the consequence
Hold off - variable up to 10:1. 1 sec to 100 msec in a 1:1 sequence. This that any major alterations in tube
Delay modes - continuous delay.
Delay jitter - 1/5000.
departure from the standard 1-2-5 se- brightness can cause considerable
Single sweep facility.
quence is false economy since, although defocusing of the trace, making some
it reduces the number of switch positions form of focus adjustment essential for
TRIGGERING
Trigger modes - auto and normal.
Trigger coupling - AC; DC; HF reject; LF Table 18.
reject; TV frame and line (auto).
Trigger sources - Ch; Ch2; alternate;
line; ext.; ext/10. Unsatis- Satis- Very
CATEGORY
Triggering sensitivity - internal: 1 div at factory factory Good Good Excellent
35 MHz; external: 0.2 Vpp at 35 MHz.
TRIGGER FACILITIES x
TRIGGER PERFORMANCE x
MISCELLANEOUS
DEL'D SWEEP FACILITIES x
CRT - measuring area 80 x 100 mm;
DEL'D SWEEP PERFORMANCE x
accelerating voltage 6 kV; metal backed;
CRT BRIGHTNESS x
PDA.
CRT FOCUSING x
Compensation signal for divider probe -
Y AMP ATTENUATION RANGE x
amplitude approx. 0.5 Vpp ±3%; fre-
INTERNAL CONSTRUCTION x
quency 1 kHz.
EXTERNAL CONSTRUCTION x
Z modulation sensitivity - 3 V (complete
OVERALL SPECIFICATION x
blanking).
OVERALL PERFORMANCE x
Warranty - 1 year.
EASE OF USE x
MANUAL x
 EE
April 1988
accurate measurements. class, and whether this will effect the re- a production model, but despite this
liability remains to be seen. The quality there is not apparent reason why the OS -
Construction. Construction of the OS - of components used is generally good 635 should not be reasonably rugged in
635 is poor. While mostly not of low and this may be worth taking into ac- a variety of environments. To sum up,
quality, the OS -635 is in places poorly count. for its specification the Hung Chang
finished, with a number of sharp edges represents a very good price/perform-
evident on the enclosure both internally Manual. The 30 page manual includes a ance ratio, its particular strengths lying
and externally. Internally, masking tape full circuit and PCB layout diagrams. A in its 6 kV CRT and 35 MHz bandwidth.
and small pieces of dowelling are used to full circuit description and initial set up The OS -635 may well be worth consider-
separate some of the wire interconnec- information is also given, along with ing for a large number of applications
tions, which, while perhaps not impair- calibration and preventative mainten- where a bandwidth of 35 MHz and high
ing the reliability of the instrument, are ance sections. brightness tube are required on a limited
really unacceptable in a modern instru- budget, or as a cost effective alternative
ment. Conclusion. Looking at the specification to a 20 MHz scope.
External construction is based on a steel alone, the OS -635 appears to represent a
chassis, with two sheet steel panels extremely good price/performance ratio, The Hung Chang OS -635 was supplied
enclosing the top, sides and underneath with a 35 MHz (-3 dB) bandwidth, by Black Star Ltd. 4 Harding Way
of the scope. These appear to have had 6 kV PDA tube and delayed sweep fa- St. Ives HUNTINGDON PE17 4WR
little done to them in terms of machining cility. In reality, some of these facilities Telephone (0480) 62440
since being originally pressed and folded are limited in their performance, which
since they still contain one or two sharp is especially true of the delayed sweep fa- Other oscilloscopes available in the
edges. The front panel surround is con- cility, which in some situations offers Hung Chang range.
structed from four separate pieces of little more than can be achieved with a OS -615S - dual trace 15 MHz portable;
aluminium with the consequence that scope that possesses a good trigger per- rechargeable battery operated; weight
they are joinded at each corner. formance. Having said this, both the 4.5 kg; sensitivity 2 mV; maximum
Internal construction is of a higher stan- triggering performance and facilities of- deflection speed 100 ns/div; 1.5 kV CRT;
dard, with the high voltage and EHT fered by the OS -635 are good for a scope up to 2 hours operation from fully
supplies enclosed, and the Y -amplifiers in its class and should not be ignored. charged batteries; £399 excl. VAT.
partially screened. The scope is based An automatic focusing circuit is not fit-
around four PCBs, connections from ted, which is unfortunate since the 6 kV OS -620 - dual trace 20 MHz; sensi-
which are all made by connectors for PDA is capable of producing a trace of tivity 5 mV; maximum deflection speed
easier servicing and while this leads to a both excellent intensity and sharpness, 40 ns/div; 2 kV CRT; component tester;
large number of interconnections, it but to maintain this without the pro- power consumption 19 W; £295 excl.
should not affect reliability. As well as vision of an automatic focusing circuit VAT.
being used to separate some of the inter- requires an adjustment in the focusing
connections, masking tape is also used potential for a significant change in OS -650 - dual trace 50 MHz; sensi-
around the CRT. trace intensity. Both the internal and ex- tivity 1 mV; n1aximum deflection speed
Overall construction both internally and ternal construction have the appearance 40 ns/div; 17 kV CRT; delayed sweep
externally appeared to be average in its of a preproduction prototype rather than 100 ms to 1 Ns; £579 excl. VAT.

Sine -wave inverters Dual -channel signal analyser

INSTRUMENT NEWS from Bruel & Kjaer
Abulon have launched a new range of
Programmable synthesizer/ portable, low-cost, high -quality static By bringing new flexibility and ease of
function generator sine -wave inverters for operation from use to fast Fourier analysis, the 2034
mains or 12/24 V DC supplies. Details dual -channel signal analyser makes this
Crystal -controlled long-term stability from Abulon Electronic Systems Unit
and reproducibility are two of the major 233 Stratford Workshops Burford
fast and precise technique useful in
many more sound and vibration
benefits offered by the Philips PM5191 Road LONDON E15 2SP Tele- measurement applications.
proarammable synthesizer/function gen- phone 01-47- 9644.
erator now available from Electronic Bruel 8 Kjaer (UK) Ltd Harrow
Brokers Dorcan House Meadfield Weald Lodge 92 Uxbridge Road
Road LANGLEY SL3 8AL Tele- HARROW HA3 6BZ Telephone 01-
AF Power Meter from Crotech 954 2366.
phone (0753) 44878.
A new AF power meter, Type 2018, can
measure outputs of up to 150 W into 4,
8, or 16 ohms loads and is available from Single function instruments
IEEE488 (GPIB) Bus Analyser Crotech Instruments Ltd Stephenson
from Thuriby Road St. Ives HUNTINGDON from ITT
The Kenwood LA -1910 GPIB Bus Ana- PE17 4WJ Telephone (0480) 301818. New from ITT Instruments is the MX
lyser is available from Thurlby Elec- series of single function instruments
tronics Ltd New Road St. Ives which are suitable for a wide range of
HUNTINGDON PE17 4BG Tele- New storage unit for professional and laboratory appli-
phone (0480) 63570. cations. The range comprises the MX029
Schlumberger Data Logger voltmeter, the M039 ammeter, and the
In response to market demand, MX038 centre zero ammeter. ITT In-
Schlumberger Instruments has upgraded struments 346 Edinburgh Avenue
Data Line Monitor its industry -standard Solartron Orion SLOUGH SL1 4TU Telephone (0753)
The Comtest DLM 100 Data Line Moni- series data loggers, introduced a new 824131.
tor, a time and trouble saving tool for data storage medium to improve logging
monitoring RS232 communications, is speed and transportability of results.
available from M -Trade (UK) Ltd P.O. Schlumberger-Solartron 'Victoria
Box 35 LONDON SW1W 8TX Road FARNBOROUGH GU14 7PW
Telephone 01-730 0681. Telephone (0252) 544433.
 42 EE

READERSHIP SURVEY RESULTS

As already reported in last February's a must; 40% feel that coverage is about Fifty-five per cent of readers are quali-
issue, the response to the Readership right; another 30% want increased fied electronics engineers or technicians
Survey has been very good. Now that the coverage, but 10% want less space (28.2% and 26.8% respectively).
replies from many overseas readers have dedicated to it; Another 7.6% are corporate engineers,
also been analysed, it is possible to ex- (c) computing science - more than a but 37.5% have no formal qualification.
pand on the early results published in third of readers feel that coverage is Almost 28% of readers have a university
February. The general trends then indi- about right; nearly another third want degree, and a further 12% have an HND
cated have, in the main, been confirmed. more. To over 17% of readers the col- or HNC. Another 15% are still studying
Once again, we would like to express our umn is a must, but 12% want to see less for a qualification in electrical/elec-
thanks to all those readers who took the coverage. tronics engineering.
trouble to complete the questionnaire. (d) physics - over 41% of readers think
articles on this subject are fine; over 13% These are the cold facts of the survey,
consider them a must; 29% want in- but much more information comes, of
Your likes and dislikes creased coverage; 9% want less space course, from the comments most readers
Apart from electrophonics, the interests given to it; and 7% find it a waste of have added. More of these in a moment.
of readers are fairly evenly divided paper. As to the results shown, if we compare
among the other nine areas listed. The (e) general science - some 39% of the survey with a general election, we
top three "likes" are, however, Test & readers like the coverage of this subject; have been given a clear mandate by our
Measurements (1); Computers (2); .and to another 13% it is a must and yet readers to continue publishing the maga-
Audio & Hi-fi (3). another 25% want increased coverage. zine as it has been developed over the
Almost 11% want to see reduced space past few years. That is not to say that
given to it, and 9% think it a waste of there is no room for improvement. In-
How interesting do you find paper. deed, we will keep the findings of the
the following features? survey before us for a long time to come
to help us in our endeavour to give our
Editorial. The vast majority of readers Buying habits readers what they want in the most ap-
think this a worthwhile feature. To many Virtually all readers (95%) look in the propriate and beneficial manner.
it is a must, but about 7% find it a waste advertisements for components; 33% Many readers have asked why we cannot
of paper. for measuring equipment; 39% for com- persuade retailers to stock kits of parts
News. More than half the readers think puter hardware and software; 26% for for our projects.',We have tried, but did
news coverage is just about right. other commercial equipment; 36% for not meet with much success or en-
Another 9% consider it a must; yet books; and 29% for tools. thusiasm. The UK, in contrast to many
another 20% want more; but to 6% it is continental countries, has very few elec-
a waste of paper. tronics retailers operating at local level.
Book reviews. About half the readers Reading habits Instead, we are served by many good or
find this column just about right, but very good mail order firms. Unfortu-
another 35% want more space given to Twenty-two per cent of readers read all nately, these are, in the main, not in-
it. Six per cent think the feature is a articles; 62% read most of them; and clined to stock kits; they are, of course,
waste of paper. 16% read a few of them. always prepared to make up a kit to in-
New products. More than half the dividual requirements.
readers think coverage is just about Nearly 25% of readers read through all Other readers would like to see us hang
right; to 10% the column is a must. the adverts; over 48% read most of a price tag on our projects. Regrettably,
Another 33% want increased coverage, them; and 26% a number of them. in the past that has not proved practical,
but nearly 3% find it a waste of paper. Twenty-seven per cent of readers obtain in view of the widely varying prices from
Letters. Interest in this column is divided the magazine by subscription; 63e/o buy area to area and, indeed, from country
between those who think coverage is it from a newsagent; nearly 5% buy it to country. None the less, this matter wil
about right (48%) and those who want from a specialist electronics shop; and be looked at again as differences may be
more letters (30%). Around 4% think it over 4% borrow it from their college or less marked now.
a waste of paper. university library.
Reviews. Some 40% of readers find the Once a subscriber always a subscriber? The many suggestions for future projects
reviews useful, but another 24% want Perhaps, for 43% of subscribers have will all be looked at by our technical
more and yet another 24% want fewer been for over 5 years, and another 33% assessment committee; no doubt a num-
reviews. for 3-5 years.
ber of them will come to fruition in due
Projects. Nearly all readers think that Many readers are magnanimous people: course.
constructional projects are a must, and almost 40% lend their copy of the maga-
about 25% of hem want to see more. zine to one or more friends. Quite a few readers have asked for the
Informative articles on: return of our infocards. This is already
(a) electronics - to a large number of under consideration, and the infor-
readers, these articles are a must (39%), Readership profile mation will probably be restarted in the
and many others (49%) want to see more Over half the readers are professionally September issue: this will, however, for
space dedicated to it. Not surprisingly, engaged in electronics, and about 20% commercial reasons, not be on card, but
only 1.2% want less coverage, and none of them list electronics also as one of contained as a normal page in the maga-
thinks these articles a waste of paper; their hobbies. Thirty-seven per cent of zine.
(b) telecommunications - more than readers are hobbyists, and 12% are
16% of readers find this type of article students. A good number of requests have come in
 EE
April 1988
for more advanced test equipment proj- of course, because English is the com- These original articles are written in
ects, while others are asking for some mon language of electronics). Dutch, English, French, or German, and
simpler projects. Somehow, we will see translated by professional translators
how we can satisfy these two opposing Some readers feel that the magazine is into the other languages. The writers are
requirements. getting too technical and suitable for a invariably native speakers of the
select few only. We do not see it that language in which they write. A notable
Some readers have complained about the way: after all, electronics, in all its facets exception is our technical editor, Jan
contents of the magazine being too (audio; radio & TV; telecommuni- Buiting, who has a degree in English
mixed up. They are right, and we have cations, computer technology; etc) is however and is bilingual. The remainder
already started to do something about growing at an unbelievable pace, and all of the editorial staff of Elektor Elec-
that as a glance at the contents pages of those who are working in it, and even tronics is English.
our February and March 1988 issues will those who are merely interested in it, Apart from the original projects de-
show. have no option but to grow with it or signed in Beek, and in line with the
leave the field altogether. To be engaged freedom of editorial policy, the
We have been criticized for omitting in- in practical electronics, be it as a pro- magazines are free to buy appropriate
formation on PCBs for projects that fessional or as an amateur, requires a constructional projects or descriptive,
were published more than a year before good and thorough understanding of its informative, or educational articles from
the current issue. We sympathize with theory and continuous updating of its free lance authors. Elektor Electronics
those who feel inconvenienced by this, background. There is no other way. makes more use of this opportunity than
but would point out to them that a its sister magazines. Few major intern-
simple telephone call or postcard will Those readers who feel that the letters ally generated projects are not published
not only tell them whether a particular we publish are of no interest should however.
PCB is still available, but will also enable know that we only print those that we Interests of the editorial staff vary wide-
the board to be reserved, if still available feel will be of general interest. Such let- ly and range from amateur radio & TV
and if so required. ters form only a small part of those we (including satellite TV reception),
receive regularly. robotics, computer chess, and elec-
Still on the subject of PCBs, other com- trophonics, to simpler things like music,
plaints are that we no longer publish It is comforting to read from many stamp collecting, history, and ecology,
`PCB pages'. Again, we sympathize with readers' comments that there are no not forgetting squash, swimming, and
those who miss these pages, but would longer the difficulties with obtaining pot -holing. Many of the staff are avowed
advise them that ever since we discon- components there once were. Some electronics enthusiasts who spend most
tinued those pages, we have been offer- readers are still experiencing problems of their time with a soldering iron or
ing to send the relevant drawing (on from time to time, however, but we calculator in their hands or in front of a
paper) free of charge. A number of would assure them that we will continue computer monitor.
readers have asked whether the drawings to try and improve the information given
could be made available on film: yes, with the projects. It is, of course, impossible to deal with
they can, but in view of the cost in- more than the most frequently en-
volved, we will have to make a small A great many readers have asked for countered comments. However, we will
charge for them. some information on Elektor Elec- try and deal on an individual basis with
tronics, and this is, therefore, perhaps a the comments so many people took the
A few readers deplore the demise of the good opportunity to tell you a little trouble of passing on to us.
so-called Summer Circuits, but far more about .ourselves.
welcome the new format of our com- Elektor Electronics is not only the name
bined July/August issue. The latter feel of the magazine, but also of the EVENTS
they now have the best of two worlds: a company responsible for the manaee-
`normal' magazine, with all the ment, production, and publishing of the
background that is so necessary for a magazine. Its editorial offices are 12-14 April Scottish Computer Show
good understanding of electronics, and a located in Brentford, Middlesex at the Scottish Exhibition and
supplement crammed with practical cir- (management, publishing) and Beek in Conference Centre, Glasgow. Details
cuits. To the many inquirers who have the southern Netherlands (production). from
asked for twelve monthly issues per year The company is one of four whose
with a quarterly supplement containing holding company is Elektuur By, itself a Cahners Exhibitions Ltd
reviews, a number of practical circuits, company within the Wolters Kluwer Chatsworth House
and so on, we say: "Patience, this matter 59 London Road
Group. This group owns a number of
is under active consideration in our com- publishing companies in the TWICKENHAM TW1 3SZ
mercial department". Regrettably, in the Netherlands, Germany, France, the UK, Telephone 01-891 5051
publishing world, for all sorts of and the United States. Apart from our
reasons, such changes cannot take place three sister companies operating in
overnight: we are looking at next year, or Federal Germany, France, and the 26-28 April British Electronics Week
even the one after that. Netherlands, we have associates in (incorporating the All Elec-
Australia, Brazil, Finland, Greece, In- tronics Show; Electronic Product De-
Many of our overseas readers have asked dia, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. sign; Fibre Optics; Circuit Technolo-
for a more international tinge to be given Each of the thirteen magazines deter- gy; Automatic Test Equipment; and
to component information and infor- mines its own editorial policy, which is Power Sources and Supplies) at
mative articles in general. Readers in this the responsibility of the relevant editor. Olympia, London. Details from
country may wonder why? The answer is Most of the contents of the magazine are Evan Steadman (Services) Ltd
that we have almost as many readers in the result of a busy international design The Hub
Continental Europe (often ex-patriates) and development department in Beek. 9 Emson Close
as in the UK (that is, for the English There, a team of ten qualified engineers SAFFRON WALDEN CBIO 1HL
issue: nothing to do with our sister and technicians is responsible Tor the Telephone (0799) 26699
magazines published in most European majority of the constructional projects
countries in their own language. This is, that appear regularly in the magazines.
o.
ACTIVE LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM
The loudspeaker system published last month is ideal for being
combined with the active phase linear network published last
year and Sanyo's new series of output amplifier modules.

The closed box design for the Uniphase The output stages consist- of transistors of voltage variations in the main supply.
Loudspeaker System (" is ideal for an Trio -Tr -13. In the XI series, in contrast to A feedback circuit, including active DC
active three-way system based on theAc- the previous models, complementary correction provided by integrator IC2, is
tire Phase -linear Cross -over Network transistor pairs are used, which is a good inserted between the output (pin 13) and
and Sanyo's Type STK-4036XI 50 -watt step forward. the inverting input (pin 2). The amplifi-
output amplifier module. The position- Darlington Trs provides the quiescent cation of the module is determined by
ing of the drive units in this box is such current setting. Not, perhaps, an the ratio It3:1Z4. With the values of these
that the phase differences at the cross- original idea, but it is reliable and gener- components as stated, the gain amounts
over points of the three units is virtually ally gives good results. to just under 27 dB.
zero. This further accentuates the ex- The additional material required is The output signal from the module is
cellent phase behaviour of the phase- shown in Fig. 2. It consists mainly of the also applied to low-pass filter R14-C1s
linear network. power supply (2b) and a number of high and then compared in IC2 with the Q
Many output amplifier modules have wattage resistors, electrolytic capacitors point of the amplifier. Any deviations
not been well received by some audio and frequency compensation compo- are fed to the inverting input of the
designers in the past. Much depended, nents. The latter are omitted from the module (pin 2) via R13. This arrange-
of course, on the type and manufacturer module deliberately by the manufacturer ment obviates the need for an electro-
of these devices. However, the manufac- to give designers the freedom to deter- lytic capacitor in the feedback loop,
turers have not been idle, and nowadays mine the bandwidth of the amplifier. which is distinctly noticeable in the qual-
there are a number of excellent modules When reading through the description of ity of the reproduced sound").
on the market. For a number of reasons, Fig. 2, it is advisable also to glance at Capacitors in the input circuit are MKT
the choice for the present design has Fig. 1 from time to time to see what is or MKH types to avoid the use of elec-
fallen on Sanyo's STK-4036X1. connected inside the module to the trolytic ones in the signal path. Network
The design also incorporates a sophisti- various pins. RI -C-1 limits the bandwidth of the input
cated protection circuit that was The symmetrical supply for the module signal to minimize the likelihood of in-
originally published in 198931. is applied to pins 12 and 14. The pre- termodulation distortion in the ampli-
amplifier stages are powered by a voltage fier.
derived from the main supply via pins 5 Network Rs -Cs between pins 8 and 11
The STK-4036X1 and 15. Networks 122-C9 and Rs-C11re- limit the bandwidth of the differential
Most output amplifier modules are duce the effect to the preamplifier stages input amplifier. Capacitors Cs, Cs, and
hybrid circuits and the STK-4036XI is no
exception. In essence, a hybrid module is 1
nothing but a small board onto which a 15
number of chips and passive compo-
nents have been mounted, after which
the whole has been encapsulated. 0 14
The new Sanyo series of output ampli- TR
7 R2
fier modules is identified by the letters 80
XI following the type number. The series
consists of 7 models, STK-4036XI to 11 0- Ri
STK-4048X1, which provide outputs 10 Pv1123 TR1. TR7 RIO
from 50 W to 150 W, all into 8 ohms. A
survey of the entire series is given in 20
60 R3
0 13
Table 1. A noteworthy characteristic in R7

the table is the very low harmonic distor- R8

tion of the modules.
Compared with the previous models, the
40
R5 R11
XI series has been extended internally as 30 TRS.9 1R9 TR 13
shown in Fig. I, which illustrates the TRI2
types 4036XI to 4042X1. RI DI R9
The input stage consists of a differential 012
amplifier, Tr3 and Tr4, which is loaded by SUB 0 0
current mirror Tri:Tr2. The signal at the 5
collector of Tr3 is applied to cascode 9 10
amplifier Trs-Tr2. The DC setting of the
input and cascode stages is effected by 880030-1
two constant -current sources, Trs and
RS. Fit!. 1. Circuit diagram of the Sanyo STK series output amplifier module.
 EE
April 1988
Table 1.

Max. Recommended THD for

values values Poirnao = 50 W
No. of Us into Gain Potmaxi THD Nam*
Type pins Us Ts RL = into f = 20 Hz...20 kHz into 4 Q
8 AY 8Q Av = 26 dB Av = 40 dB f = 1 kHz
V °C V dB W % % W
STK 4036X1 ± 53.5 125 ±37.0 26-45 50 0.003 0.008 55
STK 4038X1 ±58.0 125 ±40.0 26-45 60 0.003 0.008 60
STK 4040X1 15 ± 63.0 125 ±43.5 26-45 70 0.003 0.008 70
STK 4042X1 ±67.0 125 ±46.5 26-45 80 0.003 0.008 80
STK 4044X1 ±74.0 125 ±51.0 26-45 100 0.003 0.008 100
STK 4046X1 ±80.0 125 ±55.0 26-45 ' 120 0.003 0.008 120
STK 4048X1 18 ± 87.0 125 ±60.0 26-45 150 0.003 0.008 150

2a C7 further limit the frequency response

of the module.
R7
Resistor Ril forms a common emitter re-
ECM 0 sistance for the output transistors. Nor-
mally, each of the push-pull halves has
c7 CIO its own emitter resistance, but Sanyo has
635 cal 136
1000 101
chosen a different approach.
RI
15
100p
63V *see feel Inductor Li, wound on resistor R9,
C2 202 prevents excessive currents with
11
capacitive loads. Boucherot network
CI R2
7
MIN 1.1* Rio -Cu ensures that the output stages
OMB IC1 * 1° R11*
301 remain properly loaded at high fre-
470p 13
R9* quencies, since the loudspeaker im-
STK4036 XI
NEB
2
pedance then rises sharply.
9 The power supply is of conventional
CS C6 C13
LS I
design which needs no further expla-
-111/.
In 100p MMOOk-E.F4,
nation.
an
Tests on a couple of prototypes gave ex-
145
C11 C12 RIO
cellent results as can be seen from Table
o 2.
1005
63V
TaOm
av The design uses three identical circuits
RI2
O based on a 50 -watt module, fed from a
- common power supply. It is, of course,
possible to use lower rated modules for
the mid- and high -frequency output
.15V
C14
0 IC 2 11 137 C15
stages, but these would then need a
separate power supply, which makes the
R13
T201 7 - 2
220n design more expensive.
LF411
3
4
2x

LIB 0
-15V
1114
1N4148
Cross -over network
113
The cross -over filter is identical to that
in Ref. 2, but its circuit diagram is
b reproduced here for convenience's sake.
It should be noted that the values of the
FI B1= BYW64 components give change -over points at
370 Hz and 3200 Hz.

Protection circuit
The protection circuit is very nearly
identical to that in Ref. 3, but its circuit
diagram is reproduced here for con-
venience's sake. Compared with the
original circuit, two components have
been added: a resistor and a diode in
series between the junction of R16 -S,
and pin 13 of IC3 (N9). These additional
components ensure that the circuit
eaCC,Cat
operates immediately after a reset (the
original circuit delayed this until a new
audio signal had been input).
Fig. 2. Circuit diagram of the complete output amplifier. Furthermore, the temperature monitor,
 46 EE
April 1988

Al2, Ala=lC2=TQ72
AM/ADA-CS rTS7372
AI = ICS= 11071
A.S. AS =1CSc 71.072
AA Al =lei=T072
A3, Al = iC7=TLOTS
AZ AG =CA =T072

Fig. 3. Circuit diagram of the phase -linear cross -over network.

IC11, of the original circuit has been only resistor Rli is required. The of these cables should be connected to
omitted, since the modules have such a modules should be mounted last of all: earth at only one side.
large heat sink that overheating is for all do not shorten their pins. Good care should be taken, as always, to
practical purposes impossible. When populating the filter board, take ensure that any mains -carrying parts and
Otherwise, the monitoring circuits con- care to solder all resistors in their correct wiring should be well insulated.
trol virtually everything in the amplifier: positions: I% metal film resistors often The output modules may be screwed to
as soon as a signal appears at the input, give problems in this respect. It is ad- a large heat sink without insulation, but
the supply is connected to the output visable to check each of these resistors with copious use of heat conducting
stages. In the absence of a signal for with an ohmmeter. paste.
more than five minutes, the supply is The addition of the resistor and diode The input socket should be isolated from
switched off again. Also, during normal on the protection board should not the box.
operation, the DC setting of each output create any problems. If, as proposed, the boards of the filter
stage is monitored separately. When the five boards have been com- and protection circuits are mounted
pleted, they should be fitted in a suitable above one another, they should be
enclosure. That for the prototypes en- shielded from each other by a suitable
Combining the circuits abled it to be fitted at the rear of the metal plate. This is necessary to prevent
loudspeaker enclosure. This ensured that the protection circuits causing inter-
First, of course, all printed circuit the connecting wires between loud- ference in the filter (this happened in the
boards should be populated. The board speakers and output stages were kept as prototype, and it took a day to find the
for the output amplifiers is shown in short as possible. It is, of course, also culprit).
Fig. 5. Inductor Ll consists of 3 layers possible to install all circuits at the bot- Once everything is completed, the
of 10 turns each wound onto Re from tom inside of the loudspeaker enclosure. system should be tested without the
1 mm diameter enamelled copper wire. The wiring diagram for the entire elec- loudspeakers. When the mains is
Where higher wattage modules 4046X1 tronic part of the loudspeaker system is switched on, the reset button of the pro-
or 4048X1 are used, resistors Rita to Riic shown in Fig. 6. Note that there is only tection circuits must be pressed to start
should be added, because these modules one central earthing point: it is import- these circuits.
have parallel connected output tran- ant to stick to that to avoid earth loops If everything is found in order (particu-
sistors. With modules 4036X1 to 4044XI between the screened cables. The screens larly, there should, of course, be no DC
 EE
Aprii 1988
Parts list
4 (for each of the 3 output amplifiers)
V Resistors:
at 4a 177.
1015104

I Ridie=1k0
R2;1:113=33 k
R3=12 k
Ra= 560 R
Rs= 10 k
117;Ra = 100 R
12 V R.= 10 Ril W
R,5 =4R7
1413
Rts=0R22; 5 W
Re2;R14 = 1 M
fi1s;Fit6=2k2

164.):7
Capacitors:
e V C1=470 p
Cz=2p2 (MKT)
Cs=6p8
C4=1/10 (MKT)
Cs=1n0
Cs;C;;Cs =100 p
Cs;Co = 100 p; 63 V
Cio;C12=10p; 63 V
Ct3= 100 n
Cit;Cis= 220 n
Cir;Cir= 100 p; 40 V
.1 CiECte= 2 x 10,000 p; 40 V
Semiconductors:
01;02=1N4148
DED4=15 V; 1 W; zerter
ICI=STK-4036X1
LS
CI eV
IC2=LF411
tiS 1110 = 143..42105
114 <{C4=4493
1413 N12 ICS .1.11h2CC1
B, = BYW64
146.,%12.146=1012
173 1423 = IC7 Miscellaneous:
Mains transformer 2x25 V;4.5 A secondary
Rel.Re2= 12 V; 1 make (contact 250 VAC;
g
I.{

c,'l
caM
88
1

,c3 14
5 A)
Re3= 12 V; make (Contacts 250 VAC; 6 A)
Mt IC/ ICS -N19
Fuse, 2 A, delayed action
99 Fuse, 0.5 A, delayed action
8800304 Mains switch, DPST
PCB 880030 (3
PCB 85120
PCB 87109
Fig. 4. Circuit diagram of the protection circuits.

I- 0
0 -IL-
0-i R 1 1-0

0-I Fo c 1
0-14-0 0 l N
0-00-1-0 0 2
0 -r
0-1 1-0 415
I n 0-1R2 Fo
5

... /34 0-1-. Fo 0

0
ciAR,21.0.4ps to 0
0 0 0
n
:13 a yCH F°
LI
CE3 0
0
0
0
00 OW A
0 CkCl H°CCO E° 0
C7'1/4 0-H-o 0
CHF° cs 0
0
0-1 P111 FO 0
0
0
-, .:
a 1 =11 1 b

' 411c
r
.a

Fig. 5. Printed circuit board of the output amplifier.

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 EE
April 1988
Table 2. off.
Finally, the loudspeakers may be con-
Prototype measurements nected: they should all be in phase.
The reproduction from the active system
Power output OIL = 8 QI : 50 W
Signal-to-noise ratio :> 110d8
was noticeably better than that of the
Bandwidth 01'0=1 WI 3 Hz...150 kHz ( -3 dB)
passive version of last month. This is
THD (P0=1 WI : < 0.005% (1 kHz)
particularly so at the lower and the
< 0.03% (20 Hz...20 kHz) higher frequencies.
Input sensitivity : 1 VMS
Output impedance < 0.02 4 (20 Hz...20 kHz)
References:
1. Uniphase Loudspeaker System,
on the output terminals), the output minal should be set for an attenuation of Elektor Electronics, March 1988,
amplifiers may be connected to the out- 1 dB by P3, and that at the HP terminal p. 36.
put terminals (but not yet to the for an attenuation of 2 dB by P4. This is 2. Active Phase -linear Cross-over Net-
loudspeakers). most conveniently done with the aid of work, Elektor Electronics, September
The operating sensitivity of the protec- an audio generator and AC voltmeter, 1987, p. 61
tion circuits is set by Pi. but it may also be done with the aid of 3. Audio -controlled Loudspeaker Moni-
All potentiometers on the filter board an ohmmeter: set the wiper of P3 to 0.9 tor, Elektor Electronics, December
are then set for minimum attenuation. of the total resistance, and that of 134 to 1985, p. 55.
Note that Pi and P3 should be turned in 0.8 of the total resistance. These ohm- 4. Top -of -the -Range Preamplifier, Part
the opposite direction from P2 and P4. meter aided settings should, of course, 3, Table 4, Elektor Electronics,
Next, the output signal at the BP ter- be carried out with the mains switched January 1987, p. 35.

The kit, for a pair of speakers, is priced

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 50 EE

TUNEABLE PREAMPLIFIERS FOR

VHF AND UHF TV
The second, final, article on remote -tuned, masthead mounted, RF
preamplifiers deals with high-performance aerial boosters for the
VHF and UHF TV bands. These circuits give a considerable
improvement in reception compared to run-of-the-mill wideband
aerial boosters. Connected to a good directional aerial, they are
ideal for picking up signals that are normally noisy, or impaired by
cross -modulation from strong nearby transmitters. But TV DXers
need not be told . . .

The preamplifiers described can be built junction capacitance of a varactor nents is similar to IC' and D3 in the
by anyone with reasonable experience decreases with the reverse voltage on it, FM -band preamplifier described last
constructing electronic circuits. Special so that the lowest value of the downlead month. The forward drop across LED
care has been taken in the designs to voltage, 9 V, causes the input inductor, Di is fairly constant, and provides the
minimize the necessary work on induc- Li, to resonate at the lowest frequency, reference voltage at the base of regulator
tors, while alignment is straightforward, i.e., the preamplifier is tuned to the T2. Preset Pi makes it possible to set the
because in most cases it only entails set- lowest TV channel. optimum collector current for the RF
ting a direct current. The amplifiers are The amplifier can be set up for oper- amplifier transistor, Ti. RF signals at
built on high -quality printed circuit ation in TV Band 1 or Band 3 simply by the base and collector of the BFG65 are
boards available through our Readers' fitting the appropriate inductor in pos- blocked from the bias voltages by chokes
Services, and are tuned and powered ition Li (this will be reverted to under L2 and L4, respectively. Gain of the pre-
from the master tuning/supply unit de- Construction). amplifier is fairly constant at about
scribed last month. Choke L3 forms a high impedance for 18 dB, both in Band 1 and Band 3. The
the amplified RF signal on the downlead noise figure was not measured, but
coax cable, and feeds the tuning/supply should be of the order of 1...2 dB, i.e.,
VHF preamplifier: circuit voltage to series regulator T2 and zener- considerably lower than almost any con-
description diode DI. The function of these compo- ventional wideband aerial booster.
What is commonly referred to as the
VHF TV band is roughly the frequency
range between 45 and 68 MHz (Band 1),
but also that between 175 and 225 MHz
(Band 3). Band 2 is the FM radio broad-
cast band. It is important to note here
that the above band limits are given as
guidance only, because they are set dif-
ferently in many countries and regions in
the world. This also goes for the TV
system used (PAL, SECAM, NTSC,
positive/negative video, horizontal/ver-
tical polarization, number of lines,
channel assignment, frequency of the
sound subcarrier, etc.). In the United
Kingdom, Band 1 is currently allocated
to military communications; the former
TV services in that band have been trans-
ferred to UHF in 1983.
The circuit diagram of the VHF pre-
amplifier is given in Fig. I. Unbalanced
(50..75 Q) or balanced (200...300 Q)
cables are connected to input inductor
L.1.1. The aerial signal is coupled induc-
tively to the base of low -noise RF tran-
sistor Ti via LIB and CI, which is con-
nected on a tap for impedance matching.
The input inductor, Li, is tuned to the
relevant TV channel by the series
capacitance formed by varactors D3 -D4.
The voltage at the junction of these vari-
able capacitance diodes is the voltage on
the downlead cable minus 8.2 V. The Fig. 1. Circuit diagram of the low -noise, remote -tuned, preamplifier for VHF TV Band 1 or 3
 EE
April 1988
VHF preamplifier: construc-
tion 3
Commence the construction with mak-
ing Li as required for the relevant fre-
quency range (note that this may extend
beyond the indicated band limits). Do
not skip the constructional hints in the
/1"ZT 078 es:
following paragraphs if you intend to
build the Band 1 version of the pre- a
amplifier.

Band 3 (175-225 MHz):

1. Close -wind LIB
(SWG19)
as 4 turns 01 mm
enamelled copper wire
0

fir
4003

0
67 O
z
around a 06 mm plastic former. Use a
miniature screwdriver to spread the turns
evenly at about 1 mm. Study the pos-
ition of the inductor on the board, and
bent' the wire ends towards the holes
provided. Use a scalpel or sharp hobby
knife to remove the enamel coating on
the wire ends over a length of about
3 mm. Pretin the connections, scratch
off residual solder resin, and pretin once
more. Check for a smooth, tinned, sur-
face.

ig. 3. The printed circuit board for the VHF Band 1 or 3 preamplifier.

Parts list

VHF PREAMPLIFIER. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

FIG. 1. Semiconductors:

Resistors ( z Dr = red LED

D2 = zenerdiode 8V2; 400 rnW
R = 100K 03:D4= BB405
R2 = 1008 Tt = BFG65
R3= 680R T2 = BC160
R4=3K3
R5=22R
R6= 10K Inductors:
PI =100R preset H
Winding data and materials are stated in the
text.
Capacitors:
Fig. 2. Close-up photographs shim Mg induc-
tor Li in the VHF Band 3 preamplifier. Cl;C2=1n0 miniature ceramic plate: pitch: Miscellaneous:
Fig. 2a: seen from the side of LIB: Fig. 2b: 5 mm.
seen from the side of LIA (note the tap made C3=47n; 35 V; axial PCB Type 880045 Isee Readers Services page).
in twisted wire).
 EE
April 1988
2. Locate the position of the tap on LIB version for Band 1). Completion of the voltage carried on the downlead coax
at 1 turn from the ground connection. preamplifier should not present prob- connected to the master tuning/supply
Carefully scratch off the enamel locally, lems. Grounded component wires and control. The tuning range of the ampli-
pretin the small copper area, and con- terminals are soldered at both sides of fier covers the entire UHF TV band
nect a short length of 00.5 mm the board. Coupling capacitors CI and (470-860 MHz). The shaded rec-
(SWG25) enamelled copper wire. Place C2 are miniature, plate or disc, ceramic tangular blocks in the circuit diagram
the plastic former plus inductor onto the types with a lead spacing of 5 mm. are straight lengths of silver-plated wire
PCB, and bend the tap wire towards the Mount these as close as possible to the that function as inductors (Li; L2).
relevant hole. Do not solder any connec- PCB surface. Conversely, mount T2 in a Balanced aerials or feeder systems with a
tion as yet. Make sure that the tap does manner that rules out any likelihood of termination impedance of 200...300 Q
not create a short-circuit between the a short-circuit between the TO5 case are connected to LIB. This coupling in-
turns of Lis. (which is at collector potential) and the ductor is omitted when the input signal
3. The input coupling inductor, LIA, is PCB ground surface. Finally, fit a is unbalanced (50...75 Q). In this case,
wound as 2 turns 00.5 mm (SWG25) 15 mm high brass or tin metal sheet the centre core of the coax cable is con-
enamelled copper wire, with a tap at the across Ti as indicated by the dashed line nected direct to a matching tap close to
centre. Wind this inductor in between on the component overlay. the ground connection (cold end) of
the turns of LIB to assure the necessary LIA. Regulator ICI ensures that T, is fed
inductive coupling. Insert the wire below with a constant supply of 8 V, while Pi
the turn of LIB that has the tap on it. The UHF preamplifier: is used for setting the optimum collector
Wind the wire upwards into the free circuit_ description. current (this can be read on a microam-
space between the turns of LIB, until it meter connected to test points TPI and
is opposite the connections of Liu. The circuit diagram of the low -noise, TP2).
Draw out about 4 cm of the wire, fold it remote -tuned, UHF preamplifier for The UHF amplifier has a typical gain of
back again towards the former, and wind masthead mounting is shown in Fig. 4. 12 dB and, like the VHF version,
the last turn upwards into LIB. Like the VHF booster, this amplifier is achieves a noise figure that beats the vast
4. Use precision pliers to twist the. 2 cm based on the Type BFG65 RF transistor majority of wideband aerial boosters.
long wire pair that forms the tap on from Valvo (Philips/Mullard), but in
LiA. Hold the end of the wires in the this application has tuned input and out-
pliers, and carefully revolve these in your put circuits. The tuning voltage for The UHF preamplifier:
hand until the wires cross practically at varactor pairs Di -D2 and D3 -D4 is ob-
tained as in the FM -band and VHF pre- construction
the body of the plastic former.
5. Place the former with the inductors amplifiers, namely by subtracting the The UHF TV band preamplifier is con-
on it onto the PCB, and revolve both fixed drop across a zenerdiode from the structed on the PC board shown in
LIA and LIB until all six wires can be in-
serted in the respective holes. Scratch off 4
the enamel coating from the tap and the
ends of LIA, pretin, clean again by
scratching, and ensure a smooth - TP1 TP2 P1
IC 1
soldering surface. Press LIB together to 78 LOS
lock up the turns of LIA. The final ap- R2
pearance of the completed inductor is C5 C6

shown in the photographs of Fig. 2. C3 7V 1p 40V

L3
4.=
Drill and file the hole that receives the
plastic former. Fit the wires of Li into r,
RI
the respective holes, and verify correct L2
continuity. Do not use a core in Li. 4- (DC)

Band 1 (45-68 MHz): .11 CI

n
C2

0 RF

For the lower frequency range, Lt is

wound on a Type T50-12 ferrite core BFG65
(012 mm) from Micrometals. BFi
G65
1. Wind LIA as 8 turns 00.5 mm
(SWG25) enamelled copper wire, with LIB
C
a twisted centre tap created as discussed
LIA
above.
C4
2. Wind LIB as 20 turns of 00.5 mm Inim R6
(SWG25) enamelled copper wire, with in 100k
a twisted tap at 4 turns from the ground
D1
connection. 133
05
3. Fi) the complete inductor onto the R3 R4 =Ns
100k 100k
PCB, making sure that the windings (NM 8V2
remain secure on the ferrite ring. 02 D4! 1)1...D4 = 882058

Chokes L2, L3 and L4 are identical for

both versions of the VHF preamplifier.
They are wound as 4 turns 00.2 mm C7( R5

(SWG36) enamelled copper wire through 4775V

small ferrite beads (length: approx. *see text
3 mm). MI5 8E0045-3
The printed circuit board for the VHF
preamplifier is shown in Fig. 3 (note that
the component overlay is relevant to the Fig. 4. Circuit diagram of the preamplifier for UHF TV reception.
 EE
April 1988
Fig. 5. Study the component overlay,
and bend LIA (if required), Lie and L2
to size from 01 mm silver plated copper
wire (CuAg). Do not solder these induc-

0-4 tors in place, however, until they run

straight over the full length, and are pos-
itioned so that the top of the wire is
always exactly 3 mm above the PCB sur-
face. Fit leadless disc or rectangular
decoupling capacitor C3 in the slot pro-
vided in the PCB. This (brittle!) capaci-
tor is soldered once at the track side
(connection to L2), and twice at the
0 component side (ground and, again,
L2). Now position the RE transistor, Ti,
00 in between the wire inductors, and solder
®`0 the 2 emitter terminals direct to the
E PS. 8E30044
ground surface. Carefully bend the col-
lector terminal upwards, cut it to length,
and solder it to the tap on L2. One ter-
minal of coupling capacitor C2 is also
connected direct to this junction, while
the other terminal is secured in a PCB Fig. 6. Top view of the line inductors in the
preamplifier for UHF TV.
hole-see the photograph of Fig. 6.
Bend the base terminal of Ti upwards,
and carefully cut this to a length of and should not present problems. Be
about 2 mm. Solder a 1nF SMD capaci- sure, however, to observe the polarity of
tor, CI, in between the tap on LIA and the 3 electrolytic capacitors and the 5
the base terminal. RI is also soldered diodes!
direct to the base junction. Fit a 15 mm Figure 7 shows completed prototypes of
high screen across Ti as indicated on the VHF and the UHF aerial boosters.
the component overlay.
Wind choke L3 as 6 turns 00.2 mm
(SWG25) through a small (3 mm long) Setting up
ferrite bead. The fitting of the remainder The setting up of the preamplifiers mere-
of the components is straightforward, ly entails adjusting the collector current
Parts list
of the RF transistor, and finding out
which value of the tuning voltage cor-
UHF PREAMPLIFIER. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: FIG. 3.
responds to a particular TV channel.

Resistors (±5%): VHF preamplifier:

Insert an ammeter between the collector
RI =22K of T2 and L4. Connect the power
112= 100R
supply/tuning unit described last month,
R3;134;Rs=100K
Rs = 10K
and set the output voltage to 20 V. Ad-
Pt =1K0 preset H just Pi for a reading of 5 mA, then
verify the presence of about + 11 V on
0 the varactor junction. Vary the tuning
TP1
Capacitors: voltage, and verify that the collector cur-
rent of Ti remains constant. The LED
Ci;C4= 1n0 SMD. will light dimly.
C2 =1n0 miniature plate ceramic. Connect the preamplifier to the aerial
MxC3 C5 C3= 1n0 leadless ceramic (disc or rectangular). and the supply/tuning unit. Also con-
Cs=1/10; 16 V; axial
Cs =14; 40 V; axial
nect the TV set, and set up a tuning scale
IC1 C7=479; 35 V; axial by marking the channel numbers as a
function of the tuning voltage. In the
case of the Band 3 preamplifier, the tun-
Semiconductors: ing range can be corrected by carefully
compressing or stretching the turns of
Di ...Da incl. =BB205B Lie.
Ds= zenerdiode 8V2; 400 mW The collector current of Ti is optimized
IC i = 78L08
by tuning to a weak transmission, and
Ti =BFG65
setting Pi for minimum noise. This set-
ting is typically found at collector cur-
Inductors: rents between 3 and 10 mA.

Winding data and materials are given in the text. UHF preamplifier:
Connect a millivolt meter to TP1 and
TP2 as shown hi the circuit diagram. Set
Miscellaneous:
Fig. 5. Track layout and component mount- Pi for a reading of 500 mV. Make notes
ing plan of the PCB for the UHF preampli- of the tuning voltage required for a
fier. PCB Type 880044 (see Readers Services page).
number of TV channels in the UHF
 EE
54
April 1988
band, and provide a UHF tuning scale
on the master supply/tuning unit.
General considerations
The values stated for the operating cur-
rent of Ti are given as a compomise be-
tween a low noise figure (low collector
current), and high amplification in com-
bination with good intermodulation
characteristics (high collector current).
The collector current may, therefore, be
set to different values to suit the appli-
cation in question.
As stated in last month's article, there is
little point in installing the remote -tuned
preamplifiers in any place other than as
near as possible to the relevant aerial.
This is the only way to prevent the at-
tenuation introduced by the downlead
coax cable degrading the system noise
figure. The preamplifiers described have
sufficient gain to bring the system noise
figure down to practically the preampli-
fier noise figure, but only if they are
properly aligned and installed. B
Fig. 7. Prototypes of the V H I preamplifier deft: Band 3 version). and Ole UHF preamplifier
Readers interested in TV-DXing are ad- (right).
vised to contact the British Amateur
Television Club Mr Dave Lawton
GOANO "Grenehurst" Pinewood
Road High Wycombe Bucks
T-TPI2 4DD.

RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
FOR THE FUTURE
by Dr. Chris Gibbins, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Overcrowding of the radio spectrum is severely restricting the re-

liability and information -carrying capacity of existing communi-
cations systems. But moving to higher frequencies, where there is
more room, brings a different set of problems to do with the
atmosphere and weather. Research at the UK Science and
Engineering Research Council's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is
compiling valuable data for the design of systems for the future,
exploiting frequency bands that are so far little used but for which
the necessary technology is already available.

A massive expansion in radio communi- (as anyone who listens to short-wave

cations over recent years has generated radio, especially at night, will know well) Millimetre waves
an ever-increasing demand for more with reduced reliability. There is an A remedy for these problems is to be
channels, and those channels are having additional side -effect of such over- found in exploiting higher and higher
to carry more and more information, be crowding: the bandwidth available to frequencies, made possible through the
it voice, television or other kinds of data. each channel, which determines the development and availability of new
The net result is that the radio spectrum, amount of information that can be technologies. Communications now ex-
a restricted resource, is fast becoming transmitted, is severely limited. 'That in tend well into the microwave region of
overcrowded. This creates problems of itself restricts both the capacity and the the electromagnetic spectrum (fre-
interference between adjacent channels reliability of communications systems. quencies up to 30 GHz) and even beyond
 EE
April 1988
with varying temperature, pressure and the systems designer should have
humidity. A great deal of research has available the most accurate information
been undertaken into this phenomenon from which to derive the necessary fade
and the effects of molecular absorption margins, to achieve the most reliable and
can now be predicted fairly accurately. cost-effective design.
So the designer of communications Fade margins are not easily calculable
systems can take reasonably accurate ac- and in general tend to be empirically de-
count of attenuation by oxygen and rived from transmission measurements
water vapour when assessing the overall carried out over long periods. A great
performance of microwave and deal of work has already been done at
millimetre -wave links. frequencies up to about 40 GHz, and
there are extensive data banks from
which the necessary statistical infor-
Fade margin mation and service predictions can be
Signal attenuation by rain and other derived. For example, the International
forms of precipitation, however, presents Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR)
rAF0-19,C.Die
a quite different problem. Precipitation at Geneva collates, distils and publishes
is a highly variable phenomenon, chang- information of this kind. At higher fre-
'Attenuation of microwave and millimetre- ing both in time, space (that is, quencies, however, there is a marked
wave radio signals by the Earth's atmosphere geographic location) and intensity. This paucity of data.
at sea level. Molecular attenuation is present makes it much more difficult to take ac-
all the time and is produced by water vapour count of rain attenuation in designing
(H20) at 22 and 183 GHz and by oxygen (02) systems. The problem is generally Foundation for systems
at 60 and 119 GHz; there are many more of treated statistically instead of by the sort To provide the necessary information on
these 'absorption lines', mainly from water of exact calculation that can be used for
vapour, at even higher frequencies. The range terrestrial radiowave propagation, the
of the highly variable attenuation caused by molecular attenuation. The systems Rutherford Appleton Laboratory has set
rain is shown by three representative curves designer specifies a level of reliability for up an experimental transmission range
for light drizzle, typical rain and intense a particular communications link: for at its Chilbolton Observatory near An-
thunderstorms. The arrows at the bottom in- example, the link might be required to dover, in southern England. This facility,
dicate the frequencies at which the Ruther- provide acceptable voice communication represented schematically in the second
ford Appleton Laboratory is making for 99.9 per cent of the time, or accept- diagram, works on a number of links
measurements. able television transmission for 95 per transmitting over a distance of 0.5 km at
cent. That means the users can tolerate frequencies of 37, 57, 97, 37 and
into the millimetre -wavelength region the service being unavailable for 0.1 per 210 GHz in the millimetre -wavelength
(frequencies from 30 to 300 GHz). These cent or 5 per cent of the time respect- region of the electromagnetic spectrum
regions of the spectrum are still rela- ively. The designer then needs to know and at wavelengths of 10.6 pm in the
tively uncrowded, particularly at the what level of signal attenuation will be infra -red and 0.63 pm in the visible
higher frequencies, and the bandwidths exceeded on the link for these small region. Frequencies of 37, 97, 137 and
available are so large that they open up percentages of time. This is known as the 210 GHz were chosen as representative
the possibility of new communications 'fade margin' which the link must be of those parts of the spectrum where at-
channels with a capacity for carrying able to overcome when providing an ac- mospheric attenuations due to oxygen
huge amounts of information. ceptable signal-to-noise ratio, to achieve and water vapour are low; such parts are
But use of the microwave and millimetre the specified level of reliability. This, in known as atmospheric 'windows' and
wave regions of the spectrum for com- turn, has an impact on the transmitter hold out the opportunity for cost-
munications brings an additional set of power, receiver sensitivity and the size of effective, widebandwidth communi-
problenS not met with at lower fre- the antennas, which in the end affects cations. The 37 GHz channel can also
quencies. The Earth's atmosphere starts the overall cost of the system. It is provide the means for comparing the
to interact with the radio waves, resulting therefore of paramount importance that results from the 500 m range with exten-
in attenuation of the signals which must
be taken into account in the design of Rece.ers 930m
TrarornmeA3,
systems. There are two distinct and quite
different effects, which are shown in the To data
37 tat 37 GM:
first diagram. First, the molecules of ox- coon
f.
ygen and water vapour in the atmos- 57GHt 57GHz

phere absorb radiowaves at certain

97Citz 97 GHz
characteristic frequencies. This is known
as resonant absorption. They re -radiate 137 G342
137 Wiz
them isotropically, that is, equally in all PTOCESS
cc.trorer
directions, a fraction of a second later; A
Matz
this means that the signal is attenuated
through the loss of directivity and 10 pm

coherency. The second effect is that rain-

113 pm
drops, hail and snow scatter the signals, Op pro PIAUI

thereby attenuating it still more. This ef- oz..0 -Ate,

fect is non -resonant and increases with -1

increasing frequency, as the wavelength pr!ract'

decreases and becomes comparable with
the sizes of raindrops; at that point the Teroperatzte

scattering process is most efficient and

signal attenuation is greatest. The first HALISNOw RAs FALL FLUE
effect, molecular absorption, is present
all the time, and changes only slowly Schematic diagram of the 500 m experimental range at Chilbolton.
 EE
56
April 1988
sive measurements made at this and made. Understanding such
lower frequencies at other places and by climatalogical differences is very import-
other workers. The 57 GHz frequency, ant in being able to develop prediction
on the other hand, is near the 60 GHz models if they are to be applied to any
oxygen absorption band, where very place on Earth. We feel that our work
high attenuations of up to 15 dB will help considerably in achieving this.
(decibels) per kilometre occur, which Attenuations produced by rain vary con-
means 97 per cent of the signal is at- siderably, of course, because they de-
tenuated at a distance of one kilometre pend on the features of the rain. Light
from the transmitter and only three per drizzle may attenuate the signals by only
cent remains to be received. Such regions a few per cent over the 500 m range,
of the spectrum could be used for secure whereas intense thunderstroms can at-
communications, for example where tenuate by more than 30 dB km-' at
transmission range should be restricted, 97 GHz, for example; in other words,
or for multiple repeated use of a fre- only 0.1 per cent of the signal remains
quency in a dense urban environment, after a distance of one kilometre. For-
because the atmosphere produces extra tunately, such events are very confined.
isolation between links operating at the The transmitter cabin at Chilbolton. Hoods
same frequency. keep rain off the windows through which the
In addition to the transmission links, the signals are transmitted. The transmitters are
Chilbolton Observatory compiles a com- mounted on benches supported independent- Snow and fog
prehensive set of meteorological data, ly from ground, inside the four concrete
pillars. This prevents vibrations in the cabin Of great interest is the effect that snow
including measurements of temperature affecting the equipment. The anemometer storms have on millimetre communi-
and humidity at a number of places and and vane mounted on top of the cabin cations. There is shortage of such data
heights above the ground. There are measure wind velocity. and the few results available show wide
three rapid -response rain gauges, Which variations. Snow is generally difficult to
measure the rainfall rate at different characterize quantitatively with regard
points along the range at 10 -second in- various phenomena which may affect
the reliability of communications to shape, size and wetness of the flakes.
tervals, while a fourth rain gauge is These characteristics vary widely, and
equipped with heaters to assist the systems, and providing the statistical in-
formation required by systems designers. when snow is carried by the wind it
measurement of snow during the winter becomes difficult even to measure effec-
and hail in the summer. A distrometer tive deposit rates. However, we have
measures the distribution of the sizes of developed a rapid response snow gauge
raindrops, important in the development Two main analyses which is producing very encouraging
of theoretical models to describe rain at- The data base is being extensively results. The effects of wind are kept as
refractometer analysed in two different ways. Detailed low as possible by surrounding the gauge
measures the refractive index of the at- studies are being made of individual with a fence, which reduces wind speeds
mosphere, which affects the level of scin- events, such as particular rain storms, close to the gauge and so improves the
tillation, the name given to small, very snow storms, fogs and so on, to learn efficiency of capture. Using this tech-
rapid fluctuations in the received signal more about the way radio waves pro- nique, we find good correlations be-
power. The meteorological observations pagate through such phenomena. From tween attenuation and snowfall deposit
are completed with surface pressure and such studies it will be possible to develop rates. Results so far indicate that when
wind speed and direction. more detailed and accurate theoretical snow is very dry the attenuations are low,
Outputs from all the links and sensors descriptions than so far exist of the way compared with rain, for the same
are coupled via an interconnecting com- various kinds of precipitation and so amount of liquid water deposited; but
puter bus to the main data -collection forth interact with radio waves. These for wet snow, attenuations can be con-
computer, which records all the theoretical models, as they are generally siderably higher. The attenuation clearly
measurements on magnetic tape every 10 known, can then be used to predict what depends not only on the amount of li-
seconds. Additionally, when attenuation may happen on proposed new communi- quid water falling, but also on the degree
due to precipitation is detected on the cations links in areas where little, if any, of wetness of the snow flakes. Con-
range, the outputs from the transmission propagation or metereological data ex- siderable effort is being devoted to trying
links are recorded separately at a rate of ist. The second mode of analysis is to characterize this in terms of other
100 measurements per second. The aimed at providing the kind of statistical meteorological parameters such as air
datacollection computer also initiates data necessary for the most cost- temperature, so that empirical relation-
automatic calibrations of the links every effective design of new communications ships can be developed to help the
6 hours. All magnetic tapes are sub- systems, and to provide a statistical data prediction of attenuation.
sequently .calibrated and verified on a base for testing and validating the Fogs, on the other hand, affect the
main-frame computer, and the data files prediction techniques being developed. millimetre links very little; the
put into an archive for anlysis. Analyses based on individual events are wavelengths are much greater than the
The 500 m range, then, is a well in- classified according to the type of event, size of the water droplets and the scatter-
strumented open-air laboratory designed for example rain, snow, hail, fog or scin- ing process, which causes the attenua-
to study in detail the interaction between tillation. Extensive studies on rain tion, is not significant. In general, the
radio waves and the prevailing weather already indicate a general overall agree- attenuations found at millimetre
conditions, by providing comprehensive ment both with similar studies con- wavelengths are only a few per cent at
propagation data for a distance over ducted elsewhere and the theoretical the 500 m range. At infra -red and optical
which meteorological conditions are models which so far exist, such as those wavelengths, however, very severe at-
essentially constant. The range has been recommended by the CCIR. Never- tenuations, of more than 80 dB km-',
in operation for about three years and a theless, certain significant differences often occur in the visible range in fog,
substantial data base of propagation have been found, which may possibly be representing a visibility of only about
data has now been accumulated. It is be- attributed to the differences in climate 200 m; only one millionth of one per
ing used for a variety of studies aimed at between southern England and the cent of the signal remains at a distance
a more detailed understanding of the places where other studies have been of one kilometre from the transmitter.
 EE
April 1988
Gas flares
The 500111 range can easily accom-
modate a variety of different
measurements or experiments from
other interested groups, especially as all
the instrumentation and the data collec-
tion system are based on a universal in-
terface standard. As an example of this,
an interesting and novel investigation
was carried out into millimetre -wave
propagation through flames, in collab-
oration with one of the oil companies
operating in the North Sea. The problem
was what effect gas flares on the drilling
platforms might have on the communi-
cations systems. A large flame was
generated, about three metres wide,
three metres high and half a metre deep
and the signals were transmitted through
it. Little effect was observed at the
lowest frequencies, though large attenu-
ations occurred in the visible range.
There was, however, a general increase in
the level of scintillation of the signals,
which might possibly be of concern at
the very high frequencies but of little
significance at the frequencies at present
in use for communications systems.
The other type of analysis of results is
aimed at obtaining the kind of statistical The 97 GHz receiver with its 15 cm diameter antenna and swan -neck waveguide feed. Its solid-
information needed for direct appli- state local oscillator is mounted on a heat sink on the right-hand side. A battery -operated
cation to communications systems power supply biases the receiver's Schottky -barrier mixer to its most sensitive operating
design, for example finding out what region.
fade margins should be allowed for given
levels of operational reliability. This is
necessarily a longterm project, because developing propagation models and practical link lengths; at the same time it
it is important to find an average over ex- prediction techniques for planning will produce a data base for validating
tremes of the prevailing meteorology and future communications systems. The practical prediction techniques. The link
it can be done reliably only over a data is being collected over a relatively will operate at frequencies of 55 GHz,
number of years. Statistical data now be- short distance, chosen deliberately to en- near the peak of the oxygen absorption
ing accumulated include such infor- sure that the meteorological conditions band, and 95 GHz, in an atmospheric
mation as the percentages of time that would be nearly constant over the range. `window'. These represent two regions of
various. levels of attenuation are exceed- In general, however, practical communi- the radio spectrum in which there is con-
ed, from which fade margins can be cations links operating at millimetre siderable interest, for reasons already
directly derived; probability distribu- wavelengths will have much greater path mentioned, to do with their application
tions of the duration of fades to yield in- lengths, perhaps up to several tens of to specific types of future communi-
formation on the length of data kilometres or more, depending on the cations systems.
`dropouts'; the times between fades, frequency. These two sets of multi -frequency trans-
which tell us how often deep fades are It is generally found that precipitation, mission links, operated simultaneously,
likely to occur; and the rate of change of the dominant source of fading in the will enable us to build up one of the
fading, which indicates how rapidly millimetre region, is characteristically most comprehensive propagation data
signals are likely to change, which is par- not homogeneous or uniformly base for future millimetre -wave ter-
ticularly important in digital radio com- distributed horizontally. Widespread restrial communications systems design.
munications systems. The propagation (statiform) rain is found to contain im- The detailed and extensive programme
statistics are complemented by similar bedded convective cells with higher rain- of data analysis now going on and being
statistics of meteorological parameters, fall rates than the surrounding proposed will yield essential information
especially of rainfall rates. Direct com- stratiform regions. Such cells tend, on for expanding terrestrial radio communi-
parison. of these two sets of simul- average, to be about 12 km apart and cations into the millimetre -wavelength
taneously obtained data then enables from two the three kilometres in regions of the radio spectrum for the
propagation conditions to be predicted diameter. As a result, it is not practicable foreseeable future.
simply from rainfall data, which is rela- simply to scale the data obtained on the
tively easy and inexpensive to obtain and 500 m range to path lengths of more
is measured routinely by weather than about two kilometres.
bureaux in most countries of the world. To obtain data over the longer paths
which would be used in operational
millimetre -wavelength communications
systems, an additional link is being
developed to operate in conjunction with
Future work the 500 m range over a path of about
The information obtained on the 500 m seven kilometres. This will provide data
range will be of immense value in pro- on path -length scaling, in which the
viding propagation statistics and in 500 m data are applied to longer, more
 EE
58
April 1988
porting information. All circuits can This book takes BASIC and LOGO
NEW LITERATURE readily be modified or extended by together, and examines how things are
readers to meet their own individual done in each of them.
Antennas Volume 2: needs. A powerful LOGO -Graphics interpreter
Applications Related circuits have been grouped written in BBC BASIC is presented at
by S. Drabowitch & C. Ancona together and cross-referenced in the text the end of the book. This will enable the
ISBN 0 946536 17 1 and index so that readers are aware of reader to explore Turtle Graphics aspects
320 pages - 234 x 156 mm which circuits can be readily connected of LOGO before investing in a full
Price £35.00 (hardback) together to form more complex circuits. LOGO interpreter.
This book is the second of a two -volume Apart from circuit design, the book also
work intended to provide practising contains chapters on tools and test
engineers, as well as students of elec- equipment required for the design and More Advanced Power
tronics engineering, with a thorough, construction of electronic circuits and a Supply Projects
concise introduction to the applications chapter on the actual construction of a by R.A. Penfold
of antennas. Volume 1, reviewed in the circuit from a 'paper design'. This latter ISBN 0 85934 166 6
November 1987 issue of this magazine, chapter deals with matrix boards, 92 pages - 178x 110 mm
deals with the most important principles printed circuit boards, soldering tech- Price £2.95 (paperback)
on which the theory of antennas is niques, and fault finding. The final This book is the companion volume to
based. chapter is a real gem: it contains ten test Power Supply Projects by the same
In the second volume, the authors exam- equipment projects from a DC power author, and should be of interest to
ine the applications of these principles. supply through a transistor tester to a anyone who has a reasonable knowledge
Beginning with large antennas, they look pulse generator. of power supply basics and would like to
at focusing systems and go on to con- The book gives both the American and learn about recent developments and
sider the antennas a signal -processing British/IEC standards for logic gates, more advanced designs.
component, providing a novel insight although Mr. Tooley quite rightly points The practical and theoretical aspects of
into how the antenna may be treated as out that (as yet) the American MIL/AN- the cricuits are covered in some detail,
a spatial filter. SI standard is preferred by many equip- and the reader is not assumed to have a
The second section of the book examines ment manufacturers. profound knowledge of electronic circuit
small antennas and plasma -embedded Some minor criticisms mainly concern design. However, it is recommended that
antennas. The quasi -static approxi- terminology, such as the use of 'duty anyone who is not familiar with the fun-
mation for low -frequency antennas is cycle' and 'fall time', for which the more damentals of power supply design and
presented and followed by a look at correct terms are 'duty factor' and operation should consult a copy of the
dipoles and slots, and frequency -inde- `decay time'. These should, however, companion volume.
pendent antennas. only affect students, who will be put on Topics included in the present book in-
The final section deals with antennas in the right track by their lecturers anyway. clude switched mode power supplies,
linear plasmas, which is of particular Altogether a welcome book for the prac- tracking
importance in the study of antennas on tising engineer, technician, student, and regulators and computer -controlled sup-
spacecraft and breakdown phenomena. enthusiast alike. plies.
S. Drabowitch is a consultant at Heinemann Professional Publishing Ltd The book should satisfy the vast ma-
Thomson-CSF, Professor at l'Ecole 22 Bedford Square jority of power supply design needs not
Superieure d'Electricite, and a senior LONDON WC1B 311H covered in the earlier work.
member of the IEEE. The late C. An-
cona was Director of Studies at the The two above books are published by
Societe Technique d'Application et Bernard Babani (publishing) Ltd
BASIC & LOGO in Parallel
Recherche Electronique, Paris, and Pro- The Grampians
fessor at l'Ecole Superieure d'Electricite. by S.J. Wainwright
ISBN 0 85934 171 2 Shepherds Bush Road
Like the first volume, the present one LONDON W6 7NF
has been translated excellently by Meg 152 pages - 178x 110 mm
Sanders. Price £2.95 (paper back)
I thought in November that this work LOGO and BASIC are two quite differ-
could well become a standard work on ent types of computer language. Both
antennas. Now I have been able to were originally developed to enable be- Radiowave Propagation
sample the second volume, I am sure of ginners to make rapid progress in the use by Lucien Boithias
it. of computers. ISBN 0 946536 06 6
North Oxford Academic Publishers Ltd BASIC is an all-purpose language that is 330 pages - 234x 156 mm
120 Pentonville Road in the same family as FORTRAN, Price £35.00 (hardback)
LONDON Ni 9JN ALGOL, PASCAL, and C. Since the beginning of the twentieth cen-
LOGO is a language in the same family tury, dramatic progress has been made in
as LISP, and with a philosophy of the area of radiowave propagation: the
program development akin to that of first radiotelegraphic link; the discovery
Electronic Circuits Handbook FORTH. of the ionosphere; and the development
It is a common misconception that of intercontinental telecommunications,
by Michael Tooley LOGO is just a Turtle Graphics radio relay links and satellite communi-
ISBN 0 434919 68 3 language. In fact, LOGO has powerful cations.
277 pages - 246x 187 mm arithmetic and list -processing capabili- Aimed primarily at practising electrical
Price £14.95 (soft cover) ties, and is one of the languages involved and electronic engineers, the book
The title of this book might well have in artificial intelligence aspects of com- presents a comprehensive, structured
been Electronic Circuit Design Hand- puting. Nevertheless, LOGO's simple study of the propagation phenomena oc-
book, for that is what it is. A thoroughly but powerful graphics capabilities have curring between a transmitting and a
practical work that provides the reader given it a place in educational comput- reception antenna, with one or both of
with a useful collection of working cir- ing as it may help people to experiment them located on earth.
cuits, together with the necessary sup- and learn by a process of discovery. Using numerous graphs, figures, and
 EE
59
April 1988
charts, the first part of the book deals cations Engineer at the Centre National specifically with pot -cores of British
with line -of -sight propagation, begin- d'Etudes des Telecommunications origin.
ning with considerations of propagation (CNET).
in free space and the fundamental Its clear and accessible overview make BS6840:Part 14:1987
physical phenomena involved: reflec- Radiowave Propagation an essential ref- Part 14 of the Sound system equipment
tion, refraction, diffraction, and scat- erence work for all those interested in standard is a guide for circular and ellip-
tering. The effects of the ground and the understanding and applying propa- tical loudspeakers; outer frame diam-
troposphere on propagation are exam- gation phenomena. eters and mounting dimensions. It ex-
ined together with a review of known North Oxford Academic Publishers Ltd cludes cone dimensions of loudspeakers
anomalies in line -of -sight propagation. 120 Pentonville Road and depth of loudspeakers.
The second part of the book deals with LONDON Ni 9JN
the three major mechanisms affecting British Standards may be ordered from
non -line -of -sight propagation: knife- The Sales Department
edge diffraction, tropospheric scatter, BRITISH STANDARDS BSI
and reflection by the ionosphere, and BS4061:Part 1:1987 Linford Wood
goes on to consider phenomena associ- BS4061:Part 2:1987 MILTON KEYNES MK14 6LE
ated with noise, particularly over great Both these new standards deal with the Readers should also note that each
distances, and to distortions of all kinds Dimensions of pot -cores made of mag- county in the UK has at least one or two
affecting radio communication. netic oxides and associated parts, but large Public Libraries where complete
Lucien Boithias, a scientist of inter- Part 1 deals with the dimensions in a sets of British Standards are kept for
national repute, is Chief Telecommuni- general manner, while Part 2 deals general consultation.

PEOPLE
Gary Clark, formerly Software Manager
of Camberley -based Base Ten System
Limited, has taken up the newly formed
position of Business Manager of the
company's Telecommunications Prod-
ucts Group.

Ian Summerfield, left, newly appointed by

Cirkit as product manager, power supplies
and ferrite products, is seen here discussing Roger Lucas, 16 (second from left) and Paul Dagley-Morris, 16 (third from left), both
the Bulgin power supply range with Tim Roe, members of Cheltenham College, gained third place in the 1987 Young Engineers for Britain
Bulgin Power Conversion Division's market- competition, sponsored by the National Engineering Council, for their animal !mums meter
ing manager. (intended for measuring shock in animals). They are seen here with Dr. C.B. Jennings (extreme
left), Head of Mechanical Engineering at South Bank Polytechnic, who travelled to
Cheltenham to present the awards on behalf of the Council, and Alan Miers (extreme right),
Head of Electronics at Cheltenham College, who accepted a cheque for £200 for the College
as part of the award.

John Sturmey has joined Roxburgh

Electronics as Product Manager for
switches. He was previously responsible
for international sales at Arrow Hart,
covering the North European, Asian,
and African markets.

Mietec, the European ASIC manufac-

turer, has appointed Keith Pruden, 28,
as UK Sales Manager with responsi-
bilities for UK sales and customer sup-
port.

Louise England, 22, has joined West

Hyde Developments, the Aylesbury - Ken Manser has joined Base Ten Systems John Spring has been appointed Product
based enclosures manufacturer, as Limited as Sales Manager of their Tele- Manager for Passive Components with
Marketing and Public Relations Co- communications Products Group at House of Power, the Orpington -based
ordinator. Camberley. electronic components distributor.
 60 EE

COMPUTER -CONTROLLED SLIDE

FADER (2)
The slide effects unit introduced last month is completed with a
control program and an optional keypad that together control no
fewer than sixteen slide faders. Although written for the MSX series
of home computers, the BASIC program should not be too difficult
to rewrite for running on almost any other micro equipped with
enough parallel I/O lines for driving the slide controller board(s).

The preparation of a smoothly running who creates the file that contains the slot, and enables controlling 16 projec-
slide presentation on four or more pro- commands to be executed sequentially. tors simultaneously via 4 slide controller
jectors is practically impossible without The artistic aspects of creating a slide boards (keep an eye on the total current
a design tool that enables the photogra- presentation are not dealt with in this consumption). Keys [shift]l...[shift]4
pher to compile his batches of slides, article: general considerations and useful select the block number, and keys 1...4
find attractive combinations as regards hints can be found in books and the individual projector. Provision has
colour and intensity, and decide on the magazines on the subject of been made for the simultaneous selec-
order, lamp intensity and the time 'a par- photography. tion of multiple projectors, which need
ticular slide is shown. Once all this has not be part of the same block. After
been decided on, revised, and once more When the program is started, it displays selecting the projector(s), the com-
verified in a trial run of the show, it is the menu screen (see Fig. 1). The user is mand(s) can be issued. Options are
possible to store all the necessary com- prompted to select automatic or manual displayed at the top of the menu.
mands in the computer for retrieval and operation by the flashing text:
automatic execution at a later stage. To 1
aid and guide the many enthusiastic [A]UTO
photographers keen on showing their MANUAL EFFECTS FADING RATE SPECIAL

achievement to a larger audience, we (D)issolve MI fast

Pluperiopose .[N]ornal
[Hcsfe1
I go
have written a BASIC programme for The capital letters in square brackets fade 1110
fade 10jut
[Wong
;

e(x)tra long
[C]lear
MSX computers, and developed a denote the key to be pressed for the as- [T]winkle
.

special command keypad that connects sociated function. Typing M makes it IFI lash

to the computer's joystick input. possible to use the keyboard for selecting
PROJECTOR IN PROJECTOR BLOCK

(II first ]shiftl[ll 1 4

control commands from a menu. The
-

121 second Ishlft1121 5 - 8

131 third
Overview of functions selected function is marked with an 141 fourth
[shift113) 9
Ishift1(4) 13
-

-
12
16
asterisk (*). The largest possible array of SLIDE CHANGE
A short description of the commands slide projectors is composed of four [-J forward (clef]
supported by the slide controller blocks of four projectors, each with its (.J reverse
program is given in the Table below. own address area in the I/O and Timer
1/1 no change
1,) forward direct
Clearly, the success of the visual effects Cartridge for MSX micros. This ar- (<1 reverse direct

draws on the photographic ingenuity of rangement is equivalent to four I/O car-

the operator, in casu, the programmer tridges fitted in parallel in a single I/O Fig. 1. The start-up menu prompts the user
to enter functions and control commands for
the slide fader unit(s).
SUMMARY OF EFFECTS ON COMPUTER -CONTROLLED SLIDE
FADER
To begin with, there is, of course, the
Fade types: slide fade effect. This is obtained with
hard; snap; cut; flip the aid of command "dissolve". The
very fast fading (<1 s). lamps in all projectors that illuminate
fast to very slow 1... >10 s. the reflective screen are quenched, and
those in the selected projectors are
Double projection: gradually turned on. Function
superimpose projects two slides simultaneously. "superimpose" is similar to "dissolve",
flash flash -like appearance of a slide onto the but works with half the light intensity.
projected image. Function "fade in" turns the lamp in a
partial image a number of masked slides are projected particular projector on at a certain
simultaneously. speed, without quenching the lamps in
the other projectors. "Fade out" is the
Twinkling and animation fast sequential projection of slides. complementary function. The fading
Fade in projector lamp intensity is gradually rate for the above functions is program-
increased. mable: fast; normal (5 s), long (15 s) or
Fade out projector lamp intensity is gradually reduced. extra long (30 s).
Clear all slide carriages are returned to position '1. The "twinkle" effect gives a fast, se-
Slide carriage control forward, reverse. quential projection of slides in a number
of projectors (running -light effect),
 EE
61
April 1988
while "flash" gives a brief, single, pro- Note that the 3 spaces are significant, as so that suitable save and load procedures
jection of one or more slides. they stand for "go". [shift]4 selects pro- will have to be provided by the program-
Five options are available for slide car- jector block 4 (projector numbers mer.
riage control. The first, "forward", is 13...16 incl.). I and Q announce a fast A number of additional program func-
the default function that results in auto- fade-in on projectors 1 and 2 of block 4 tions are available during the automatic
matic feed -forward of the slide carriage (numbers 13 and 14). The space charac- execution of the slide show. Pressing key
following a fade-out command, i.e., it ter that follows causes the programmed "M" reselects manual operation, while
can only operate in conjunction with ef- function to be carried out. F3 selects a "A" reverts to the automatic mode, in
fects "dissolve", "superimpose", and flash on projector 3 in block 4 (number which the computer continues process-
"fade out". Function "reverse" is 15), and the space brings it into effect. ing the data from where it was inter-
similar to "forward", except, of course, 4[space] causes a flash from projector rupted. If necessary, slide carriages are
for the direction of travel of the slide 16. Note that it was not necessary at this returned to the positions they had before
carriage. Automatic slide changing is stage to type another F, since the flash the automatic mode was interrupted.
disabled with function "no change". function is still in operation. The next Function "W" waits for the space bar to
Functions "forward direct" and "re- command sequence, ON1234[return] be pressed, or for "M" to select manual
verse direct" give instantaneous slide results in a fade-out at normal speed, operation. This makes a short pause
changing. Selected projectors provide a followed by a carriage feed -forward. The possible for exchanging complete slide
fade out (unless the lamp was already fade-out is not effected on projectors 15 carriages. Function "R" (restore) causes
quenched), followed by a slide carriage and 16, since these had their lamps fully the program to start at the first data line,
feed in the relevant direction. quenched already, but the automatic after returning all projectors to the in-
As to the special functions shown in the feed -forward (default) is still effected. itial settings. Function "E", finally, ends
menu: "go" (space bar or return key) Commands and selections are not the show. Programmers should note that
runs the selected function or effect. The brought into effect before "go" is selec- "E" and "R", contrary to the other
selected function is not carried out, how- ted; editing of command sequences is, functions, must each be put in a separate
ever, before the relevant projectors have therefore, possible. Selection of other data line. The home key can not be put
completed previously received com- projectors is, however, only possible in a data line in the form of an ASCII
mands. Function "home" has two op- after a "clear" command. character. This problem has been solved
tions. Pressing the home key causes the by the use of letters "h" and "H",
selected projector(s) to revert to the first which represent [home] and [shift]home,
slide, but not before the projector(s) Automatic control respectively. The other functions
lamp(s) is/are quenched. Pressing the It is, of course, convenient to run the recognize both capitals and lower case
[shift] and [home] key simultaneously compiled presentation automatically. letters.
causes all projector lamps to be quench- The control program supports automatic Synchronization to a tape recording is
ed, all slide carriages to be set to the first operation with or without tape effected via the trigger input on the
position, and all projectors to be synchronization. joystick interface (hardware), and the
deselected. Function "clear" ignores Projector commands can be put in wait -for -tape routine (software). The
keyed -in commands, and restores the DATA lines from line 8000 onwards (an (relay) output of the pulse decoder is
previously selected function. example of an automatic presentation is connected between trigger input A and
included in the programme listing). The GROUND of joystick 1. A simple rec-
Command strings structure of the lines is similar to the ord/playback system for taperecorders is
An example may help at this stage to il- previously discussed strings that are shown in Fig. 2. The I kHz tone gener-
lustrate the programming procedure. entered manually. If available, the disk ator (Fig. 2a) is activated by pressing Si.
The following command string is keyed drive on the computer may be used for The tone decoder (Fig. 2b) is connected
in: storing projector commands on floppy to the AF output of the recorder, and en-
disk. Disk or tape storage is not sup- ergizes the relay contact when the tone is
[shift]41Q12 F3 4 ON1234[return] ported by the control program, however, detected as the tape is being played back.
2a b
0 12V 12V
12V
0
MEM 11'14148 03
len

Ref 0
O
3V9 0
RIO

T1 BC 547
C4
MOM

760,

37473
A 1, A 2 = IC 1 = 3240
Re 1 = 12 V, max. E0 mA

Fig. 2. Circuit diagram of a simple tone generator (2a) and associated decoder (2b) for tape s)nehronization.
 62 EE
April 1988
The Record -Playback Amplifier de- ing activity. The fade rate is set by the disrupting an effect while this is being
scribed in 41) is ideal for use in conjunc- values in S(1), S(2), DE(1) and DE(2). executed. The interval rate is set to
tion with the tone generator and S(1) and S(2) indicate the step size used 300 ms to allow sufficient time for the
decoder. To prevent it being overdriven for increasing or reducing the lamp computer to run the interval routine (line
by the tone generator, it is recommended intensity. DE(1) and DE(2) define the 5500...5690). Too short an interval time
to use the resistor -potentiometer con- number of times the ON INTERVAL would cause the interrupt to be
figuration shown as an option for the routine is skipped before the lamp inten- generated'during the execution of the in-
circuit of Fig. 2a. Also, CI is best in- sity is re -adjusted. The values assigned terval routine, making it impossible for
creased to 100nF to lower the tone fre- to these variables depend on the selected the computer to return to the main
quency to about 100 Hz. In the tone FADING RATE. The (temporary) step program. It was found that 300 ms gives
decoder, P2 is fitted instead of R9 to size and delay information are recorded a reasonable time division between the
enable accurately setting the optimum separately for each projector with the main program and the interval routine.
sensitivity. aid of variables S1(I), DWI and D(2)I. If the interval time is changed, all
Programming the slide sequence is Among the most essential lines in the variables containing period definitions
facilitated by the message "press but- program is number 860. This determines must be changed also (T1. T4, DEL
ton", displayed following the execution the rate at which the command execution DE2, SI and S2).
of a command. The user can then ar- subroutine is called. Statement
range for the next synchronization pulse ON INTERVAL -15 causes the main
to be recorded on tape. program that arranges the entering of An optional keypad
commands to be interrupted at The circuit diagram of an external, op-
15 x 20= 300 ms intervals to write new tional, keypad for entering all program
Program description data to the slide controller board(s). functions is given in Fig. 3. The keypad
The program listing starts with an over- Command input is thus separated from is connected to the second joystick in-
view of the variables used (lines command output, preventing key actions put, and is essentially an extended ver-
140...530). This should prove helpful
for possible extensions at a later. stage, 3
and prevents the programmer losing
track of declared variables. Many
variables are declared as arrays, in which
each element belongs to a particular pro-
jector. There are also arrays that contain
only two elements. These are not 01_034= It:4113

declared beforehand, since this is not re- 03K

quired in MSX BASIC for arrays of up
to 11 elements (0...10 incl.). A number 13.4,13te
44-
of variables will be discussed below with 0 03
an aim to clarify the operation of the
control program, and to aid program- P4 "

mers of non-MSX computers converting Jee 3ziedikig: 04

the software for use on their machine.
Or
Variable X is a counter used within the
ON INTERVAL P70
routine in lines
5500... 5690. This variable may not be 020
used for other purposes after the 0

ON INTERVAL initialization, because &:

intervals always return X as 16, irrespec-
tive of the previously assigned value. Ar-
rays T1 ...T6 hold the timing periods jy.".
that are used during the changing of the 0__.
slides. TI(I) determines the on -time of
the feed -forward relay that controls the 1,271:20
carriage in projector I. T2(I) indicates
the wait time before the change is com- -ctrhAi<
plete. T(3)I and T(4)I have similar func-
tions for reverse changing. Variables
T(5)I and T(6)I serve as counters during
014
the changing period. Their starting value 0ifES'2
0--.
is copied from T(1)! and T(2)I, or T(3)I
and T(4)1. The values in arrays TI .. .T4
depend on the specifications of the pro-
a:'oa
-
0 0-4
jectors used, and may be defined in-
dividually for each projector. In prac-
tice, it will be found that a single value
for the arrays enables satisfactory oper-
ation of all projectors, even if these dif-
fer in respect of type and make.
Arrays B1 and B2 indicate activity of any
one projector in the system. B(1)I in-
dicates whether or not the lamp intensity
for the relevant projector is being Fig. 3. Circuit diagram of the auxiliary, optional, keypad connected to the joystick input on
changed, while B(2)I signals slide chang- the computer.
 EE
April 1988

Fig. 4. Layout of the keypad PCB (not available through the Readers Services).
Parts list
9 -way female sub -D connector
sion of the circuit described in "1. Fig- debugging one's own control routines, it Di... D44 incl.= 1N4148
ure 4 shows the track layout and compo- is important to remember that the St...S3o incl.= PCB mounted data switch;
nent mounting plan. It should be noted keyboard routine is loaded only once. momentary action. Licon series 61 Alpha Type
that this PCB is not available ready- This is so arranged because the hook 61-101xx00 (xx is keycap colour code).
made through the Readers Services. But- vector that points to the keyboard Keycaps: 6 off double, and 18 off single. 17W
tons S-.15 ...SID incl. are dummy switches routine of the computer is moved and re- Switches Division of 17W Limited
covered by 6 double -size keytops. placed by the start address of the keypad Norway Road Hilsea Industrial Estate
The machine -language routine that Portsmouth P03 511T. Telephone: (0705)
routine. Running this procedure twice 694971. Telex: 86374.
belongs to this control keypad is linked causes the computer to lose track of the Note: it is regretted that the PCB for the auxili-
to the computer -resident keyboard driver starting address of the resident keyboard ary keypad is not available ready-made through
(lines 5800...5990). When writing or driver, so that the slide control program the Readers Services.
 64 EE
April 1988
is apparently not working. Data errors cleared by pressing keys [shift] and
reported during tests invariably require [clear] sequentially, while just [clear] 5
instruction POKE &HF975,00 to be run empties the buffer until the last "go" 1 21A Ni
before restarting can take place. command. The [shift] key must always 17:A

be pressed individually to ensure that the 3 F.-761 4 X M

The keypad routine can be tested separ- keypad routine assigns a different
ately with the aid of line number to the next key pressed. The key
numbers returned by the routine corre- 111E1111E1 A

KEY = STICK(X)- (8*STRIG(X))- spond to the numbers of the switches

(16*STRIG(X +2)) (1...23 incl.; 24 is the [shift] key). The 111 111 111
number is increased by 24 when the Go
where X is the number of the joystick previously pressed key was [shift]
port. (25...47 incl.). The keypad routine
Alternatively, use returns a nought to indicate that no key
was pressed when it was called.
1 DEFINT A: A =USR0(0): IF A< >0 Fig. 5. Location and lettering of the keys on
THEN PRINT A: GOTO 1 ELSE 1 the auxiliary keypad.
References:
Instruction A=USR0(0) fetches the The listing of the BASIC control
") Record -playback amplifier. Elektor program is available free of charge by
number of the actuated key. Its effect is Electronics October 1987, p. 44 ff.
similar to statement AS=INKEY$. The sending a self-addressed, stamped en-
'1) 16 -key input for MSX micros. Elektor velope to our Brentford office (over-
routine has a buffer with a holding ca- Electronics July/August 1987, Supple-
pacity of 128 key actions. The buffer is ment p. 17.
seas readers: please include 2 IRCs).

ELECTRONICS NEWS THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY

Colour television monitor The UK Electronics Industry continues to face a strong international challenge at home
and abroad. The EEA News Bulletin tells how the major UK electronics companies are
Vistek's high -standard grade 2 colour achieving success in UK and Export markets by selling equipment, systems and
television monitor has been designed for software using the most advanced technology.
general-purpose applications in studio
and similar environments where grade 1
performance is not required. The
EXPORTS
GM2716's all-round performance and The UK Electronics Industry exports half its production of equipment, systems and soft-
ware. Total exports have trebled in value between 1980 and 1987, led by exports of data
wide range of facilities are said to make processing equipment, which in 1987 resumed their upward trend. All other sectors also
it ideal for most colour monitoring re- increased their exports, with radio and electronic capital equipment maintaining a
quirements. positive balance of trade in civil and defence goods. The relatively low level of export of
Vistek Electronics Ltd Unit C Wessex communications products reflects the dosed nature of this market; Government and EEC
Road BOURNE END Buckingham- moves to open international competition in telecommunications are to be encouraged.
shire SL8 5DT.
A Data peoctsvIng EXPORTS OF PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS
eciLdFc.nl

Optical fibre cleave tool B Ccinponmts an -d

sub-awe=blles
A

A new tool to facilitate the cleaving of C Radio and

optical fibres is being produced under electron?: capital
equipment
licence from British Telecom PLC. It
consistently produces highly accurate D Ccaurneecalicas
equipment
squarely cleaved faces and is rugged
enough for use by technicians at the
roadside during optical -fibre instal- ziro
lation.
£ million
The tool is self -calibrating with a wide
range of fibre types: 50/125; 62.5/125; --
85/125; and 100/140 multinode all -silica, C
and 5/125 and 8/125 monomode fibres.
Further information from K.V. Kirk &
Sons The Winship Industrial Estate ....- .---------..:7-.---'------'"--
._......--..--1.-
Milton CAMBRIDGE CB4 4BD.
------ ------ - ----- ' ----------- .
19N 15N) 1;81 I,52 1%3 I9S6 1%7
Source: The Electronic Engineering Association (estimated)
Electronic fingerprint
recognition tested. Potential applications for the Edinburgh University to provide venture
An electronic fingerprint recognition device, which electronically matches a capital for commercially exploitable
system developed by scientists at Edin- presented fingerprint against a memory work at the university.
burgh University's electrical engineering store of "authorized prints, include Quantum will provide further capital to
department has received £500,000 back- door and computer systems security and enable the university team to build a full-
ing to build a full-scale demonstrator point of sale machines. scale demonstrator of the device. This
and carry out field trials. Initial development work was supported will then undergo field trials with De La
The system was invented by the depart- by the Quantum Fund, which is backed Rue Company, who will have exclusive
ment's Professor Pete Denyer and a by the British Linen Bank, the Scottish rights to the technology.
prototype has already been built and American Investment Company, and
 EE
April 1988
CEPT European standards New CTCSS panel
institute A new CTCSS encode only panel, Type RADIO & TV NEWS
In the wake of the EEC proposal for the CDS37E, has been announced by Com-
munication Development Specialist. The problems normally associated with
development of a 'real' common market comb -filter designs.
for telecommunications equipment and
services (as first reported in our Vistek Electronics Ltd Unit C
September 1987 issue), the Directors Wessex Road Bourne End Bucks
General, Telecommunications, of the SL8 5DT Telephone (06285)
Conference Europeenne des Admini- 31221.
strations des Postes et des Telecom-
munications-CEPT-have decided to
establish an autonomous European Tele- Module stores four lines of
communications Standards Institute. video
This decision marks a major step for- BAL Components are offering a new
ward in the production of European Microsonics VDM36 series 2H/4H
Telecommunications standards. video delay module capable of storing
panel complements the VE CTCSS en- four lines of video.
code panel and provides a program- The VDM36 provides two 128 its video
mable encode only facility for most two-
way radio applications. in/video out delay channels, which can
be cascaded to form a 4H delay with a
CDS Limited P.O. Box 83 2H tap, or used independently as 128 ps
BASINGSTOKE RG25 2PX Tele- delays.
phone (0256) 83528.
BAL Components Ltd Bermuda
Road NUNEATON CV10 7QF

New RF amplifier chip

National Semiconductor has introduced
a low -noise RF amplifier for use over the
frequency range 500 kHz to 1 GHz. The
device has a power gain of 14 dB at
500 MHz.
r;i: The LH4200 is a hybrid IC with a
gallium -arsenide front end for high
767.; :11z)
' speed, and bipolar 2nd and 3rd stages
17817.:. 37.1.1 for high -power output. Output im-
s:) 11-11.7..)iii;:ii:1 pedance is 50 ohms.
70:7) 176:j t-* National Semiconductor Corporation
r 301 Harpur Centre Home Lane Control processors for microwave and radar
BEDFORD MK40 1TR Telephone applications have been developed by Rano
(0234) 47147. Microwave Instruments Ltd Dunmere
Road Bod min Cortina!!. They were de-
Rediffusion Radio Systems' LF/MF/HF signed for remote computer control via the
communications system console which the Revised circuit analysis general purpose interface bus-GPM-or
company will fit in seven Type 23 frigates and local, manual control via a front panel.
two training outfits of the Royal Navy. package
Number One Systems' PC circuit
analysis package, ANALYSER II, has
been thoroughly revised to include ERA satellite seminar
analysis of Microwave Striplines and The rapid growth in satellite communi-
Incomtel brochure Transmission Lines. This is a very rare cations has led to an increasing need for
International suppliers of telecommuni- facility in low-cost design tools which high data -rate links between spacecraft
cations and broadcasting services, In- will make a significant contribution to to enhance the capacity, coverage and
comtel, have increased turnover by 50% removing the mystique of HF circuit connectivity of systems. The impli-
through projects in thirty countries. design. The revised package will be dis- cations of adopting such links will be
To mark this, the company has pub- cussed further in our July issue. In the discussed at ERA's forthcoming seminar
lished a new brochure which outlines the mean time, further information may be Interorbit and Intersatellite Links:
full range of facilities now available. obtained from Number One Systems Systems and Technology, which will take
Their services include feasibility studies Ltd Harding Way Somersham place on 29-30 June, 1988, at the Royal
and project planning to project com- Road St. Ives HUNTINGDON Garden Hotel, London. Further infor-
pletion and on -site training of local PE17 4WR Telephone (0480) mation from ERA Technology Ltd
staff. All design work is undertaken in 61778. Cleeve Road LEATHERHEAD KT22
the UK, but Incomtel's own engineers 7SA Telephone (0372) 374151.
and technicians always take up residence
in the country concerned to supervise New PAL coder
projects.
The latest addition to Visitek's
INCOMTEL Ltd 225 Goldhawk Varicomb range of high -quality coding
Road LONDON W12 8SB Tele-
and decoding equipment is an entirely
phone 01-743 5511.
new PAL coder that provides a 'clean'
luminance signal, free from chroma
modulation, but without the timing
 EE
66 April 1988

SUPERCONDUCTIVITY:
FURTHER OUTLOOK WARMER
by George Short

London's Science Museum recently acquired a new exhibit. It is

not much to look at: a cylinder of black ceramic material. But the
small company from the London suburbs which made it is proud
to claim that it is the world's first high -temperature
superconducting solenoid. It is just one manifestation of the burst
of research activity into a new class of superconductive materials.

Superconductivity is the property of cer- anything and losing energy. But the ex- An electromagnet of normal construc-
tain materials to lose all electrical resist- planation is far more complex. tion has the unenviable quality of
ance. The phenomenon was discovered One interesting aspect is that the elec- manifesting zero efficiency, for all the
by the Dutch physicist Heike Kammerl- trons which mediate superconductivity energy in the driving current is dissi-
ingh Onnes, who announced in 1?11 that appear in what are known as Cooper pated in the resistance of the coil wire. If
mercury becomes superconductiVt when pairs, with opposite spins. Subtle quan- this resistance were reduced to zero by
cooled to a very low temperature, about tum effects are involved, too. using superconductive wire, the ends of
four degrees above absolute zero (4 K). Loss of electrical resistance is only one the winding could be connected
It soon emerged that a number of metals of several changes that take place when together, leaving the energising current
become superconductive when cold a superconductor is cooled below the to circulate for ever without external
enough. In every case the temperature re- critical temperature at which resistance help.
quired was only a little above absolute disappears. There are striking magnetic The idea is so attractive from the
zero, attainable in practice only by im- effects: the permeability of the material engineering point of view that it is worth
mersing a specimen in liquid helium, drops to zero and magnetic flux in the going to the expense of installing liquid
which boils at 4.2 K at atmospheric material disappears; the thermal con- helium refrigeration to keep the coil
pressure. ductivity increases sharply. cold. The energy saved by abolishing coil
Having to reach such a low temperature The phenomenon of electron tunnelling, resistance more than pays for the cost of
was inconvenient but did not preclude whereby electrons are able to penetrate refrigeration. At any rate, that is so in
what seemed at first to be an ideal appli- barriers which classical physics once the applications for which superconduc-
cation of the discovery, making electrical deemed impassable, is particularly im- ting solenoids are used. These include
motors and generators of high power portant. Professor Brian Josephson at field coils for nuclear magnetic
and efficiency. A great deal of the energy Cambridge University, who gained a resonance body scanners, chemical
wasted in electromagnetic machines is in Nobel Prize for his work, predicted and microwave spectrometers and large parti-
heat generated through the resistance of demonstrated that when two supercon- cle accelerators. The wires used for the
their windings by the flow of current. ductors are separated by a very thin in- windings are composite: the supercon-
Removing the resistance by making the sulating layer electrons are able to pass ductive alloy parts are bonded to copper
windings out of superconductive wires through the insulation even when there is conductors. If, as can happen, a small
eliminates the loss. no electromotive force to drive them. If part of the superconductor is overloaded
Unfortunately, this hope was dashed by a driving voltage is applied, oscillations and reverts to ordinary conductivity the
the discovery that superconductivity is are produced at a frequency which copper acts as a temporary low -resist-
destroyed when the wire is immersed in depends only on the voltage and two ance bypass until it cools down. Suitable
a strong magnetic field. Because motors well-known physical constants, Planck's alloys are being made in the UK by IMI.
and generators need strong fields to constant and the charge on an electron. Superconducting coils have been propos-
operate properly, the hoped -for improve- One implication is that if the frequency ed for use in hovertrains. The idea is to
ment seemed unattainable. is measured the applied voltage can be use superconductive electromagnets to
calculated. This means that a Josephson suspend the train in the air only a short
junction, as it is now known, could pro- distance below an overhead track. In this
vide for the first time an absolute way friction could be minimised and the
Further research measure of the volt. train would glide along smoothly at high
Nevertheless, superconductivity was a speed.
fascinating and unexpected effect. For A less futuristic use of magnetic levita-
that reason alone it became an import- tion is in a superconductive bearing. One
ant subject for physical research, and Niobium tin consequence of the magnetic properties
more was discovered. About half a century after superconduc- of a superconductor (or, rather, its an-
What makes a superconductor lose its tivity was discovered another finding timagnetic properties) is that a magnet
resistance? At first it seemed likely that suddenly renewed hopes of putting the brought near to a piece of superconduc-
at the very low temperatures involved the effect to practical use. This was the tor experiences a repulsive force. Given a
atomic structure of the material ar- possibility of making metallic alloys that suitably shaped superconductor, this
ranged itself in a perfectly ordered form. would stay superconductive in very high repulsion can keep the magnet floating
Electrons could then, it was argued, magnetic fields. Alloys of niobium and in the air. So, if the magnet is an axle, it
move through the empty space between tin are now used in powerful elec- can be rotated virtually without friction.
the atomic nuclei without colliding with tromagnets. On a small scale such a low -friction
bearing could be very useful in form, at Strathclyde University, The ceramic nature of the new high -
gyroscopes for navigational instruments, Glasgow, is the superconductive quan- temperature superconductors poses
where frictional drag is a source of error. tum interference device, or SQUID. A problems in applying them. The
On a larger scale, a combination of SQUID is essentially an extremely sensi- materials themselves are quite easy to
superconductive coils and floating axles tive detector of changes in magnetic field make. The current most popular one, yt-
would be useful in electric motors and strength. Its uses range from military to trium barium copper oxide (YBa7 Cu3
generators. medical. A SQUID can, for instance, 07) has been made in school laboratories
detect submarines by monitoring the in the USA and Britain. It is, however,
changes they produce in the Earth's brittle. This is the reverse of what is
Electronic applications magnetic field in their vicinity. It can needed, which is a ductile, easily formed
It is hoped that with the arrival of 'high - monitor blood flow (blood is magnetic) material, capable of being drawn into
temperature' superconductors many of when placed near a blood vessel. wires, pressed into sheets and foils and
the possible low -power applications In radio, superconductors could be used so on. Fortunately, some of the
worked out with liquid -helium -cooled to reduce the size of aerials, which are computing -type applications call for
devices will become much more prac- usually made in dimensions that bear a very thin layers deposited on insulating
ticable. simple relation to the wavelength. The substrates. Several standard methods for
The new superconductors work at tem- ubiquitous half -wave dipole is an making these are available, including
peratures above the boiling point of li- example. simple vapour deposition in vacuum and
quid nitrogen (77 K or -196 °C). Liquid deposition from an ionised gas. Even
nitrogen is relatively cheap and safe. One printing, using inks made of the re-
litre of liquid helium costs around four quisite materials, shows promise. If the
US dollars, is expensive to store and material in powder form can be made to
tricky to handle. Liquid nitrogen in superconduct, it should be possible to
Britain is cheaper than beer and easy to form 'wire' by first packing the powder
handle. At a recent demonstration at the into a metal tube and then reducing the
Royal Society in London, researchers on tube diameter by a wiredrawing tech-
superconductivity from Birmingham nique, squeezing down the powder inside
University, in the English midlands, in the process. It may well be that suc-
stored it in ordinary vacuum flasks of cess in applying the new materials will
the kind used at picnics and poured it depend more on the development of
out for use into throwaway plastic cups. suitable fabrication techniques than in a
One envisaged application is the deep understanding of how they work at
cryogenic computer. The technology has A piece of yttrium barium copper oxide the crystal structure level.
already been worked out, notably by superconductor floats above a strong perma-
nent magnet.
IBM, but shelved because of the liquid
helium problem. The computer makes Attempts to reduce the size to a very Even higher,temperatures?
use of the fact that superconductivity small fraction of a wavelength are Why stop at liquid nitrogen tempera-
can be destroyed by a magnetic field. vitiated by a sharp reduction in the tures? Why not make room -temperature
This, a nuisance in power applications, aerial's ability to radiate signals. This superconductors and avoid the cooling
is a blessing for computing. It enables ability is described in engineering terms problem altogether?
the resistance of a circuit to be switched by saying that an aerial has a certain A few years ago this seemed impossible.
from nothing to something small but radiation resistance. A resistance ab- Recently, there have been reports and
finite, which is the basis of gate circuit. sorbs energy and the radiation resistance rumours of apparent superconductivity,
If gates can be made, computing circuits of an aerial is really a fictitious quantity if not at room temperatures at least at
are feasible. The absence of resistance in which describes the aerial's ability to temperatures far above that of liquid
the superconducting state makes for launch energy into the space around it. nitrogen. So far the results have proved
high speed operation, and speed is a Aerials much shorter than a wavelength not to be reproducible. This very -high -
prerequisite for improving conventional have very low radiation resistance. A temperature superconductivity appears
computers in which operations are car- short vertical wire aerial, for example, to have been produced by some for-
ried out in sequence and the duration of behaves like a resistance of a tiny frac- tunate accident during the manufacture
a sequence determines the speed of tion of an ohm in series with a very high of the new ceramic superconductors.
working. capacitive reactance. In theory it should And it has been transient, disappearing
be possible to tune out the reactance and when the material is heated and cooled a
allow energy to flow freely to the resist- number of times. This suggests that it
Extremely sensitive ance (that is, to radiate). In practice, the may be a new form of superconductivity
Resistance in communications engineer- losses of the inductance coil needed to which is a function of the internal struc-
ing brings with it another penalty: noise. tune out the aerial capacitance are so ture of the bulk material and appears
Any resistance in an amplifier generates great that virtually all the energy is lost only when the heat treatment (sintering
noise, which sets a lower limit to the am- in the coil. of metallic oxides at about 950 °C) used
plitude of signal which can be detected. If the coil could be made superconduc- in its manufacture chances to be right.
Below that limit the resistance noise tive this waste could be avoided. A short Once the process is understood it may be
drowns the signal. For satellite and deep aerial could then, in theory, be as ef- possible to reproduce it to order. Yet
space communications it would be at- ficient a radiator as a long one. And, another class of superconductors may be
tractive to reduce amplifier noise by in- because a good transmitting aerial is a on the way.
corporating superconductors into the good receiving aerial too, a short super-
early stages of receivers. Some liquid - conductive receiving aerial should also
helium -cooled devices are in use now; be efficient. One form of aerial which
liquid -nitrogen -cooled amplifiers should
seems to hold great promise for fabri-
enable the cost to be reduced and the cation in superconductive form. is the
field of application widened. loop aerial. It is in effect a form of elec-
One amplifying device already achieved tromagnet coil and in its normal form is
in liquid -nitrogen 'high -temperature' inefficient.
 088

THE EFFICIENT AL1ERNATIVE

TO LARGE POWER STATIONS
by Dave Andrews

Decentralizing electricity generation, but maintaining a grid system with a much larger number of small
power stations, is an idea gaining favour with many engineers. Installations in industrial premises can
generate enough power for local needs and in off-peak periods feed power into the grid system for
other users. Moreover, such stations are already developed and on the market, and their efficiency
ratings are impressive.

In most of the industrialized world, Instead of a radiator to dissipate heat

generating power on a large scale has fol- from the engine, as in a conventional
lowed a trend away from large numbers standby generator set, heat exchangers
of very small power stations to small are fitted so that this normally wasted
numbers of very large ones. The reasons heat is profitably used. Places that can
have been that coal-fired steam cycle benefit economically, include leisure
stations showed impressive economies of centres, hospitals, residential schools,
scale, for large power stations could be swimming pools, prisons, hotels and fac-
made more efficient: developments in tories, where the recovered heat can be
high -voltage transmission meant that the used for central heating and hot water
large stations could be built out in the supplies, or perhaps for some industrial
country, where land was cheap and process. In effect, the fuel is used twice,
pollution was not so noticeable. once for generating power and a second
In the UK, generating sets work at up to time for producing heat.
well over half a thousand megawatts,
compared with a few hundred kilowatts
A typical twin -set mini power station.
when large-scale generation of electricity Warm climates
began. This established model has been output is enough to run a single bar of In countries with a warm or hot climate,
seen as the economical path for develop- an electric fire. mini power stations still have such appli-
ing countries too: diesel generators serv- The mini station is fitted with equipment cations because a great deal of the heat
ing remote villages are giving way to that enables it to be directly connected to load is independent of external tempera-
large, central power stations, and distri- a public supply cable and operate in ture, and there will be much more scope
bution by overhead high -voltage lines. parallel with it. Its output is used within for using the engine's waste heat to
However, this model may have been the building or, if it is producing a generate cooling for air-conditioning or
turned on its head by the development of surplus, the extra energy is sold to be refrigeration plant. In such places the
a new kind of mini power station. Even public supplier. Modern electronics tech- waste heat is used to drive an absorption
smaller than the first power stations, it is niques enable systems to be produced type of heat pump. This is particularly
cheaper, nearly three times as efficient that can start up and connect themselves significant in developing countries,
and less polluting than they were. Such a to the alternating -current mains supply where expensive diesel -generated elec-
station is so small that it can be tucked entirely automatically, and to stay syn- tricity is often used simply to provide air
inside existing buildings. Large numbers chronized with the mains frequency and conditioning at very low efficiencies and
of them could be installed in an in- phase. In small stations up to about high cost.
dustrialized or a developing country, 90 kWe this is achieved by using an asyn- Capturing and using this normally
generating power at low voltage and chronous generator, which is used first wasted heat dramatically increases the
feeding any surplus into the public as a motor to start the engine, and then efficiency of power generation because
supply, to be sent to other load centres. as the generator; this does away with the any generating system, whether based on
This arrangement would save heavy in- need for starter batteries. The asyn- nuclear or fossil fuel, always has to get
vestment in central power generation chronous generator has the advantage rid of about two-thirds of the input fuel
and high -voltage transmission lines. that it is always synchronized with the simply as heat, which means very low
There are now about 200 of these small frequency of the supply to which it is overall efficiencies if that heat cannot be
stations already installed in the UK. connected, so no synchronization pro- used. Moreover, large power stations are
cedure is needed. In larger systems, usually sited out in the country, away
where the inrush of starting from the from any building which could use such
Power output mains would be too high, battery start heat, so they have to waste the heat
A mini power station usually consists of and synchronous motors are used. With deliberately in the familiar cooling
an industrial gas or diesel engine driving a synchronous generator, automatic syn- towers. A further nine per cent is lost in
a generator, just as in a conventional chronizers are used to bring the gener- transmission and distribution, which
station but only the fraction of the size. ator into correct phase and synchroniz- brings overall efficiencies down to about
A typical output is about 40 kWe ation with the mains before the mains 28 to 30 per cent. By capturing this
(kilowatts, electrical) compared with a contactor closes. Automatic devices heat, mini power stations can boast ef-
typical conventional station's 2000 MWe monitor and control all aspects of the ficiencies over 2.5 times that of a typical
(megawatts, electrical). Mini stations systems's performance, and either indi- large system, thereby allowing them to
now range in output from 18 kWe to cate alarms or shut the units down if produce much cheaper power.
2.5 MWe. Under development are units there is any mechanical or electrical In the UK and western Europe, where
for 3 kWe and 8 kWe. One kilowatt of defect. gas prices are low, the industrial spark
 EE
Aprii 1988

Fused isolator. Lockable 4 -core armoured cable

in Off setting only

Main bus -bars

Circuit breaker
Electricity authority's
kilowatt-hour meter
Combined heat and power (CHP)
unit kilowatt-hour meter

Authority's
incoming supply Star/Delta starter

10 -core control 2 -core gas

interconnecting cable supply cable

Plug -and -socket

connection 6 -core main connection
cable (plus separate earth wire)

Installation scheme for a 40 kWe station.

is favoured for use in Open University's Energy Research dustry for over 50 years. They are de-
mini stations. It is similar to a car Group shows that the technology could signed for very long life and there are
engine, but is much more heavily built be well adapted to modern low -energy examples that have clocked up the
and is designed for extremely long life houses in the UK, with one 40 kWe unit equivalent of 25 years' continuous run-
coupled with low costs of running and shared between 40 houses linked by ning.
maintenance. The engine can run on a buried hot water pipes. Existing houses Sometimes it is alleged that mini stations
wide variety of fuels including landfill would need one 40 kWe unit for 20 are economic only because of low fuel
gas, biogas, natural gas, liquid houses; this would be equivalent to prices, which may not last for long. But
petroleum gas, mine drainage gas and about 2 kWe of mini power station out- they convert gas into heat as efficiently
low thermal value gas from wood or put per house. as do existing gas boilers, and do not
crop residue gasifiers. The latest lean - Another idea being worked on by Ap- consume any extra gas for generating
burn engines have electrical efficiencies plied Energy Systems at Watford is the electricity, so the price of the electricity
of 35 per cent, which is better overall rotary engined mini -power station small they produce is largely independent of
than the efficiency of central power gen- enough to fit into individual houses. If the gas price. There are, too, mini sta-
eration when distribution losses are successful it will have the advantage that tions that can run on coal dust if gas
taken into account. Depending on local hot water pipes will not be needed to link were to become prohibitively expensive.
fuel prices, an alternative might be the houses and it will avoid the cost of heat
diesel engine. Dual -fuel engines are ruled metering.
out by their high capital cost, Comparison with the motor car engine
maintenance costs and their extra com- shows that any notion of too many mini
plication. The 3 kWe and 8 kWe units I power stations being needed is wrong:
mentioned earlier are based on a rotary there are many millions of similarly sized
engine. Stirling engines, which offer the engines fitted in road vehicles today, and
possibility of running on coal, are also production easily keeps pace with the de-
being looked at closely. mand. Furthermore, by spreading the
Typical payback times for these appli- electrical source among a large number
cations are two to four years if the equip- of sets ensures that the breakdown of a
ment is installed by a consumer who can single station has a negligible effect on
avoid the total costs of electricity supply, the whole system, which is not always
or perhaps three to five years if the elec- true of very large central power stations.
tricity authority installs the system. Put another way, when do all road
Paybacks for a nuclear power station vehicles break down simultaneously?
take an amazing 20 to 40 years. And what percentage of cars do we see
broken down on the motorway?
Reliability is endorsed by the fact that Dave Andrews was until recently an area
Housing systems industrial engines to drive mini power manager with Applied Energy Systems of
A forthcoming report from the UK stations have been used in the oil in- Watford and is now a freelance consultant.
 EE
April 1988

READERS SERVICES READERS SERVICES

BOOKS No. Price VAT ADVERTISEMENTS
PARTS & BOOKS
(fl ICI Elektor Electronics is pdcisned on the third
All orders must be sent BY POST to Metal detector 86069 4.25 0.54 Thursday of the month preceding cover
our Brentford office using the appro- The following books are currently MIDI signal distribution 87012 7.40 1.11 date. Closing date for copy is five weeks
priate form opposite. Please note that Spot sine wave before publication date for both colour and
we can not deal with PERSONAL available: these may be ordered generator 87036-1 rot wailer* monotone
CALLERS, as no stock is carried at the from certain electronics retailers JUNE 1987 The Publishers will not be liable for any
editorial offices. The postal address is or bookshops, or direct from our Intercom for motor loss occasioned by the failure of any
given at the back of the form. Brantford office. cyclists 87024 6.85 1.03 advertisement to appear from any cause
All prices shown are net and customers Spot sine wave whatever; nor do they accept liability for
generator 2 87036.2 rot arailatie printers' errors, although every care is
in the UK should add VAT where 301 Circuits £6.25 Autoranging DMM 87099 6.55 0.98
shown. ALL customers must add taken to avoid mistakes. Advertisers' prop-
302 Circuits E 6. 25 JULY/AUGUST 1987 erty, artwork. etc.. is held at owners' risk,
postage and packing charges for orders 303 Circuits E7.95 Men bridge oscillator 87441 2.15 0.32 and should be insured by them against fire
up to £15.00 as follows: UK, £1.00; Duty factor analyser 87448 5.85 0.88 or other damage
Europe, £1.50; other countries, £2.00 BINDERS Digital voltage :current Copy and illustrations are in all cases sub-
-+,..(Surface mail) or £3.00 (airmail). For display 87468 6.50 0.98 ject to the Publishers' approval and must
'ers over £15.00, but not exceeding Elektor Electronics binder ... E2.95 32 K pseudo ROM 87500 4.00 0.60
1.35 comply with the code of advertising prac-
Headphone amplifier 87512 9.00
0.00. these,p&p charges should be Halogen lamp arKner 87452 rat svaJable tice in force in the country or countries of
ubled. For orders over £50.00 in FRONT PANELS 7-cbgit code lock 87463 rot avalsbae publication_ The advertiser will indemnify
lue. p&p charges will be advised. Price VAT the Publishers against any contravention of
No. SEPTEMBER 1987
Surface -mount stereo any Trade Act in force in the country or
aftware is also available from (El (El
87023 3.20 0.48 coutries of publication. The Publishers
FM receiver
ECHNOMATIC LIMITED (for address, Indoor unit for satel- 16 Kbyte CMOS RAM reserve the right to refuse, suspend, or
.ee inside front cover). lite TV reception 86082-F 3.50 0.53 for C64 87082 4.10 0.62 cancel any advertisement or series of
In Sweden. printed -circuit boards Top -of -the -range 86111-F1 5.60 0.84 Active phase -linear advertisements. In all cases, the
86111-F2 4.45 0.67 filter 87109 15.00 2.25 Publishers' Standard Terms of Business
should be ordered from preamplifier EPROM emulator 87136 17.50 2.63
Intelligent time apply Isee reverse of Parts & Books Order
ELECTRONIC PRESS OCTOBER 1987 Form opposite). The placing of space reser-
Box 63 standard 86124-F 15.70 3.71
87054 Not available vations by the advertisers or their agents is
IEEE interface
S-182 11 Danderyd Digital sine -wave SW adapter 87145 Not available deemed by the Publishers to imply accept-
Telephone: 08-753 03 05 generator 87001-F 5.45 0.82 14 -bit D.A convener 87160 9.00 1.35 ance of. and agreement to be bound by.
Autoranging DMM 87099-F 2.80 0.42 Fleconfingtitayback these conditions.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Frequency mete, 27286-F 10.75 1.61 amplifier 87486 Not available
Low -noise microphone
Subscriptions can be provided amplifier 87058 3.45 0.52
SOFTWARE Advertisement sizes
anywhere in the world: they may be NOVEMBER 1987
ordered on the appropriate form op- No. Price VAT SSB Receiver for 80 m Trim size : 297mm x 210mm
Software in IELPROMs Full page : 265mm x 185mm
posite_ (El (El and 20 m 87051 14.75 2.21
pP-controlled frequency BASIC computer 87192 20.25 3.04 Yr page : 130mm x 185mm thoriz)
9.00 1.35 Dimmer for inductive 265mm a 90mm (vert)
meter 1 x 2732 531
6.00 0.90 page 63mm x 185mm (horiz)
ETTERS X -Y plotter toads 87181 :

9.00 1.35 IR Transceiver 87179 Not available 130rnm a 90mm (ven)

1 x 2732 532
Letters of a general nature, or express- programmable timer DECEMBER 1987 Ye page : 63mm x 90mm
ing an opinion, or concerning a matter 1 x 2732 535 9.00 1.35 Digital motor driver for Classified & semi -display column width:
Flit models 87098 4.50 0.68 6Qmm
of common interest in the field of elec- GHz pre -scaler
Frequency meter 87286-A 12.50 1.88
x 2732 536N 9.00 1.35 Full pageibleed size: 303mm x 215mm
tronics, should be addressed to The 1
LCD VU meter 87505 6.75 1.01
Editor. Their publication in Bektor Elec- automate your 87520 6.75 1.01
model railway
tronics is at the discretion of the Editor. 1 x 2716 537 7.30 1.10 JANUARY 1988 Production details
DCF77 Receiver and Printing ,: offset
marine computer Frequency Standard 86124-A 8.70 1.31
PAST ARTICLES 1 x 2716 538 7.30 1.10 87105 Not avelatle Screen .; WV/ 40/cm (100/inchl
Jumbo clock Stereo limiter 87168 7.25 1.09 . colour 601cm II5Orinchl
A limited number of past issues can be 2 x 2716 539 14.60 2.20 Required material : litho artwork or
Light.powered
supplied at the current cover price plus Graphics card thennorrieler 87188 6.75 1.01 same size wrong -
postage & packing as detailed above. If 2 x 82S123 543 9.60 1.44 Switch -mode PSU 880001 5.00 0.75 reading negatives
past issues are no longer available. printer buffer FEBRUARY 1988
(mono)
x 2716 545 7.30 1.10 Intel.,gent time colour separated
photo copies of the relevant article can 1
film positives and
MSX EPROMmer standard 86124-2 7_15 1.07
always be provided at a price of £1.00 1 x 27128 552PK 7.30 1.10 Infra -red headphones 87640 6.10 0.92 progressives
per article plus postage and packing as Intelligent time standard Presr_aler for frequency (colour)
detailed above 1 a 2764 553 10.00 1.50 meter 880005 9.25 1.39 Agency commission: 10%
EPROM emulator MARCH 1988
TECHNICAL QUERIES 1 x 874811 558-A15.00 2.25 Infra -red detector for
Stave indication unit alarm systems 87067 4.55 0.68
Although we are always prepared to 559 15.00 2.25 Slave indication unit 87104-1 10.50 1.58 Advertisement rates
for I.T.S. Full page E440.00
assist readers in solving difficulties they for 1.1.S 87104-2 10.50 1.58
Corriputer-controlled Half page £245.00
may experience with projects that have PRINTED CIRCUITS slide fader 87259 15.00 2.40 Quarter page E145.00
appeared in Elektor Electronics during Low -noise preamplifier 880041 6.50 0.98 Eighth page E95.00
the PAST THREE YEARS ONLY, we Readers who wish to maks their own for FM receivers 880042 5.00 0.75 Special position
PCBs Ilor private end persona' use only) Signal divider for or facing matter + 15%
regret that these can not in any cir- may in many, but not ail. case* receive smartie TV receivers 880067 5.00 0.75
cumstances be dealt with by telephone Cover position +25%
the reIerent draw irgs Ir-,a of charge by APRIL 1988 Bleed +10%
ordering these on the order form opposite Stereo sst.nd generator 87142 7.25 1.09 Additional colour + E200.00
COMPONENTS end encl.:sing a stamped addressed Fuzz 'sr guitars 87255 6.50 0.98 Classified ads 45 p pet word
enve;apre IcrefaraNy 9,6 it, or (min 12 words)
Components for projects appearing in 230,150 mini. Ode Not available Semi display ads £10.00 per single
Elektor Electronics are usually available Active - .:speaks column cm (min 25 cml
from appropriate advertisers. If difficult- No. Price VAT sus:a- 880030 7.50 1.13 Series discounts are available on appli-
C
ies in supply of components are en- ICI (El 880040-1 5.25 0.79 cation.
visaged, a source will normally be MAY 1987 e preamplifiers P.S00.14 6.25 0.94 All prices are subject to VAT at the stan-
advised in the article. Capacitance meter 86042 5.15 0.56 for VHF & UHF TV =E= -J45 5.50 0.83 dard rate.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR
Publication Copy deadline Main theme
Issue
date Advertisements* Articles
January 1988 17 Dec. 1987 9 Nov. 1987 26 Oct. 1987 HE & VHF Techniques
February 1988 14 Jan. 1988 4 Dec. 1987 20 Nov. 1987 Telecommunications
March 1988 18 Feb. 1988 15 Jan. 1988 28 Dec. 1987 Sensors
Apnl 1988 17 Mar. 1988 12 Feb. 1988 29 Jan. 1988 Electrophonics
May 1988 14 Apr. 1988 11 Mar. 1988 26 Feb. 1988 Artificial Intelligence
June 1988 12 May 1988 8 Apr. 1988 25 Mar. 1988 Electronics & Art
July/August 1988 16 June 1988 13 May 1988 29 Apr. 1988 Amateur Radio & TV
September 1988 18 Aug. 1988 15 July 1988 1 July 1988 Computers & Microprocessors
October 1988 IS Sep. 1988 12 Aug. 1988 29 July 1988 Power supplies
November 1988 20 Oct. 1988 16 Sep. 1988 2 Sep. 1988 Optoelectronics
December 1988 17 Nov. 1988 14 Oct. 1988 30 Sep. 1988 Computer -aided test & measurement
January 1989 15 Dec. 1988 11 Nov. 1988 28 Oct. 1988 Audio & 111.5
February 1989 19 Jan. 1989 5 Dec. 1988 21 Nov. 1988 TV & video
March 1989 16 Feb. 1989 13 Jan. 1989 30 Dec. 1988 Knowledge -based systems
April 1989 16 Mar. 1989 10 Feb. 1989 27 Jan. 1989 Telecommunications
May 1989 20 Apr. 1989 17 Mar. 1989 3 Mar. 1989 Robotics

One week later for camera-ready copy.

 EE
April 1988
79

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542 300 Cartrn PeSext -,. orr.1 p-ed:-ed. !OWL 1110 1154150- 1103 57175 33 /ism 2137r and l'*" Ins. esszed sates. £110
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11191ATUPE CARSON RIM PESSTORS Y & 5 WATT 5% VOLTAGE PEGULATOPS 17530 PEDAATECI VAPLAXE FUMED/ FOWLS SUPPLY IMOULL
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3270 £1 .30 orS.

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tri31 £1-Y4"5".

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Has at the ranges!
Wide Range Pocket
Measures temperature Ideal for beginners.
Vith battery tester. Rugged, genera! purpose.
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on AC temperature multi.featumd range of
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current & mtkneter. features.
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