Every Friday we give away some extra PCBs via Facebook. This post was announced on Facebook, and on Monday we’ll send coupon codes to two random commenters. The coupon code usually go to Facebook ‘Other’ Messages Folder . More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three […]
Author Archives: DP
Hacking HAKKO 936
Simon Ludborzs writes: For many years I lived with dodgy epoxy fix on the handle, and finally swapped it out with a cheapie from eBay. All the HAKKO bits (tip, barrel, heating element) got transfered to the plastic handle and all was good in the world. Except for the heater LED. Like all Hakko’s the […]
Photodiode amplifier design
Craig writes, “I recently designed an infrared sensor board (dubbed “IRis”) for my friend’s Defcon talk. This video walks through the circuit design of the photodiode amplifier, and discusses some of the pitfalls associated with photodiode amplifier design.” More details at Analog Zoo homepage. All project files are available on github.
An AVR Atmega library for multiple HD44780 based LCD connected through i2c
Davide Gironi has posted an I2C multiple HD44780 AVR Atmega library: This library implements a driver for HD44780 lcd connected through PCF8574 port expander. Data is transmitted using only 2 wire over i2c with the PCF8574. This library can drive up to 8 LCD concurrently. Lcd driver is based upon Peter Fleury’s lcd driver HD44780 […]
Soldering TQFN with a distance
Mare writes: Here is my solution to this problem. First clamp the Ic to vise or ask your wife to hold the tweezers with the chip Next, use your sharpest soldering tip and apply some solder to the pads. Please keep in mind the chip has 0,5mm raster between pads. After soldering all 10 pads […]
DIY PCB inspection microscope
Saulius made a DIY PCB inspection microscope and wrote a post on his blog detailing its assembly: Despite how good microscope you have, stand is still very important part of final assembly. And while there are many commercial ones made of cast iron, they might cost more than a microscope head itself. I decided to make stand […]
#FreePCB via Twitter to 2 random RTs
Every Tuesday we give away two coupons for the free PCB drawer via Twitter. This post was announced on Twitter, and in 24 hours we’ll send coupon codes to two random retweeters. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times a every week: Hate Twitter and Facebook? Free PCB Sunday is the classic PCB giveaway. Catch […]
I2C Continuum
Peter Scargill writes: Success with I2c – once I realised there was something up at the Arduino end which I could work around, my ESP8266 I2c endeavours have been coming on in leaps and bounds! And here is my test rig – or one of them – I have one for I2c display and another […]
Your laundry is done
Xose from Tinkerman has published a new project: I often forget my wet clothing in the washer and after a day they really smell… so I thought about monitoring my washer and get a notification in my phone when the laundry is done. An ESP8266 based Sonoff by ITead, current monitoring circuitry, a DHT22 (the washer […]
Python real-time audio frequency monitor
Scott Harden writes, “A new project I’m working on requires real-time analysis of soundcard input data, and I made a minimal case example of how to do this in a cross-platform way using python 3, numpy, and PyQt.” More details at Scott Harden’s blog. All project files are on GitHub. Check out the video after the […]
App note: Solid state relay parallel and DC operation
Parallel two solid state relays for improved current handling and avoiding imbalance of load distribution are discussed in this an app note from Vishay. Link here (PDF) Vishay solid state relay (SSR) outputs can be wired in parallel enabling the user to benefit from lower on-resistance and higher load currents for AC/DC switching applications. This […]
Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB
We go through a lot of prototype PCBs, and end up with lots of extras that we’ll never use. Every Sunday we give away a few PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. Our PCBs are made through Seeed Studio’s Fusion board service. This week two random commenters will […]
App note: Solid-State Relays
Solid-state relays introduction from Vishay, Link here (PDF) MOSFET SSRs feature an optocoupler construction, but have a pair of MOSFETs on the output instead of a phototransistor. A pair of source-coupled MOSFETs emulate an electromechanical relay by providing bidirectional switch capability and a linear contact. No output power supply is required.
An open source 3D Scanner made with Raspberry Pi
Boris Landoni from Open Electronics writes about a new open source 3D Scanner made with Raspberry Pi: This being said, we may move on to talk about our 3D scan approach, that consists in using a linear laser, that is, one capable of drawing a vertical line having a constant luminous intensity, and in shooting the images that […]
Free PCB coupon via Facebook to 2 random commenters
Every Friday we give away some extra PCBs via Facebook. This post was announced on Facebook, and on Monday we’ll send coupon codes to two random commenters. The coupon code usually go to Facebook ‘Other’ Messages Folder . More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three […]
40 meter XCVR size of an business card with 1 watt output, 7.000 to 7.150 MHz coverage
A business card size homebrew 40 meter XCVR project from Ray Ring: I tweaked my previous XCVR design to use push button tuning and made the board layout extremely compact. I improved the side tone injection to be absolutely perfect – not too loud, full break in and no clicks. I went ahead and integrated my switch […]
Progress on the LDMOS amplifier
An update on Pete’s (N6QW) LDMOS amplifier project we covered previously: The real value of the breadboard test system is that it enables you to find/discover things that were not so obvious. Currently I have the Start & Stop buttons wired to the Arduino. I also have all six of the Low Pass Filter relays […]
Walking the 32bit path to a blinky LED
Sjaak writes: The battle isn’t AVR Atmega vs Microchip PIC anymore.. More and more people are moving to ARM chips. As easy as it sounds but it isn’t. ARM is an company that invented the ARM chips, but doesn’t has a silicon fab, instead they license the design to several silicon manufacturer like ST, NXP, […]
Opto-isolated laser controller build
Scott Harden built his own opto-isolated laser controller and wrote a post on his blog detailing its assembly: My goal was to utilize a free hardware output line to signal to a device that I build to modulate the laser in a special way. This way there would be no modification to any existing equipment, […]
#FreePCB via Twitter to 2 random RTs
Every Tuesday we give away two coupons for the free PCB drawer via Twitter. This post was announced on Twitter, and in 24 hours we’ll send coupon codes to two random retweeters. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times a every week: Hate Twitter and Facebook? Free PCB Sunday is the classic PCB giveaway. Catch […]