The Output Adjustable Flyback Converter

Circuit : Simon Oh
Email: [e-mail]

This circuit may also be downloaded in PDF format, please click here.

Description:
A high voltage step-up DC power supply using adjustable flyback conversion.

Specification:
Vin = 220Vac +-10% @ 50/60Hz
Vout =0~600Vdc @ 0.25A
Switching Frequency: 70~100KHz

Design Guidelines:
DCM mode, output power is 200W

The input RMS current in worse condition with discontinuous current mode may be calculated as:

If the optimum operating duty cycle is set at D=0.35, then input peak current can be found as:

Therefore the voltage sensing limit voltage level from the FAN7554 data sheet is 1.5V

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Basic UPS Power Supply

Circuit : Andy Collinson
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Description
This circuit is a simple form of the commercial UPS, the circuit provides a constant regulated 5 Volt output and an unregulated 12 Volt supply. In the event of electrical supply line failure the battery takes over, with no spikes on the regulated supply.

Notes:
This circuit can be adapted for other regulated and unregulated voltages by using different regulators and batteries. For a 15 Volt regulated supply use two 12 Volt batteries in series and a 7815 regulator. There is a lot of flexibility in this circuit.
TR1 has a primary matched to the local electrical supply which is 240 Volts in the UK. The secondary winding should be rated at least 12 Volts at 2 amp, but can be higher, for example 15 Volts. FS1 is a slow blow type and protects against short circuits on the output, or indeed a faulty cell in a rechargeable battery. LED 1 will light ONLY when the electricity supply is present, with a power failure the LED will go out and output voltage is maintained by the battery. The circuit below simulates a working circuit with mains power applied:

Between terminals VP1 and VP3 the nominal unregulated supply is available and a 5 Volt regulated supply between VP1 and VP2. Resistor R1 and D1 are the charging path for battery B1. D1 and D3 prevent LED1 being illuminated under power fail conditions. The battery is designed to be trickle charged, charging current defined as :-

(VP5 - 0.6 ) / R1
where VP5 is the unregulated DC power supply voltage.

D2 must be included in the circuit, without D2 the battery would charge from the full supply voltage without current limit, which would cause damage and overheating of some rechargeable batteries. An electrical power outage is simulated below:

Note that in all cases the 5 Volt regulated supply is maintained constantly, whilst the unregulated supply will vary a few volts.

Standby Capacity
The ability to maintain the regulated supply with no electrical supply depends on the load taken from the UPS and also the Ampere hour capacity of the battery. If you were using a 7A/h 12 Volt battery and load from the 5 Volt regulator was 0.5 Amp (and no load from the unregulated supply) then the regulated supply would be maintained for around 14 hours. Greater A/h capacity batteries would provide a longer standby time, and vice versa.

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Increasing Regulator Current

Circuit : Andy Collinson
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Description
An outboard pass transistor used to increase the current output of a voltage regulator IC.

Circuit Notes:
Although the 78xx series of voltage regulators are available with different current outputs, you can boost the available current output with this circuit. A power transistor is used to supply extra current to the load the regulator, maintaining a constant voltage. Currents up to 650mA will flow through the regulator, above this value and the power transistor will start to conduct, supplying the extra current to the load. This should be on an adequate heat sink as it is likely to get rather hot. Suppose you use a 12v regulator, 7812. The input voltage should be a few volts higher to allow for voltage drops. Assume 20 volts. Lets also assume that the load will draw 5amps. The power dissipation in the transistor will be Vce * Ic or  (20-12)*8=40watt. It may keep you warm in the Winter, but you will need a large heatsink with good thermal dissipation. If you want to increase the output current with a negative regulator, such as the 79xx series, then the circuit is similar, but an NPN type power transistor is used instead.

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Logic PSU with Overvoltage Protection

Circuit : Andy Collinson
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Description:
A simple 5 Volt regulated PSU featuring overvoltage protection.

Notes:
The 5 volt regulated power supply for TTL and 74LS series integrated circuits, has to be very precise and tolerant of voltage transients. These IC's are easily damaged by short voltage spikes. A fuse will blow when its current rating is exceeded, but requires several hundred milliseconds to respond. This circuit will react in a few microseconds, triggered when the output voltage exceeds the limit of the zener diode.
This circuit uses the crowbar method, where a thyristor is employed and short circuits the supply, causing the fuse to blow. This will take place in a few microseconds or less, and so offers much greater protection than an ordinary fuse. If the output voltage exceed 5.6Volt, then the zener diode will conduct, switching on the thyristor (all in a few microseconds), the output voltage is therefore reduced to 0 volts and sensitive logic IC's will be saved. The fuse will still take a few hundred milliseconds to blow but this is not important now because the supply to the circuit is already at zero volts and no damage can be done. The dc input to the regulator needs to be a few volts higher than the regulator voltage. In the case of a 5v regulator, I would recommend a transformer with secondary voltage of 8-10volts ac. By choosing a different regulator and zener diode, you can build an over voltag trip at any value. I have a simulated transient graph of this over voltage protection circuit in the Design section.

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Variable Voltage Regulation

Circuit by Ron J
Text by ANC

Notes:
As Ron suggests, controlling the output voltage from a regulator can be made variable in three ways:-
1. Using a fixed reference zener diode to increase the output by the value of the zener
2. A variable resistor for variable output, note that a voltage less than the nominal regulator is not possible
3. A chain of diode such as 1N4001, this increases the output by +0.7 V for every diode used.

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LM317 Regulator Circuit

Circuit :Matthew Hewson
Email: [e-mail]

I constructed this voltage regulator to power my two way mobile radio from the car cigarette lighter circuit. It has many other uses and the voltage can easily be adjusted by the use of a potentiometer. The voltage regulator is an LM317T, and should accept up to about 14 volts without problems. It can handle up to 1 amp, but you WILL need a heatsink on the voltage regulator.

The components are:

R1: 270R
R2: 2K Cermet or carbon preset potentiometer
C1: 100nF
C2: 1uF tantalum
LM317T Voltage regulator
Heatsink
PCB board

I also added DC power jacks for input and output on my voltage regulator, a green power LED, and a red over-voltage LED. The over voltage LED uses a zener diode to switch on the LED at a certain preset voltage, this can be varied depending on the voltage of the zener diode, I used a 6.2v zener diode. If you plan to vary the voltage for the different items you power, don't bother adding this feature. If you only plan to use items that run on one voltage, this is a very useful feature and will save plugging in and damaging your valuable (or not so valuable) equipment. You can even add a relay to switch off the power if the over voltage LED turns on, but bear in mind it will have to work from the voltage of the zener diode right up to the input voltage. I couldn't add a relay because I couldn't find any that operated from 6.2-13.8 volts. Anyway, the schematic is shown above, the over voltage and power LED are not included in them because it is assumed that anybody who makes this will understand how to use a zener diode:

This is what the final product should look like inside:

This is an outside view of the finished voltage regulator:

Here is what my voltage regulator is intended to power:

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ECM Mic Preamplifier

Circuit : Andy Collinson
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Description:
A microphone amplifier that may be used with either Electret Condenser Microphone (ECM) inserts or dynamic inserts, made with discrete components.

Notes:
Both transistors should be low noise types. In the original circuit, I used BC650C which is an ultra low noise device. These transistors are now hard to find but BC549C or BC109C are a good replacement. The circuit is self stabilizing and will set its quiescent point at roughly half the supply voltage at the emitter of Q2. This allows maximum output voltage swing and also the highest dynamic range.

The electret condenser microphone (ECM) contains a very sensitive microphone element and an internal FET preamp, a power supply in the range 2 to 10 volts DC is therefore necessary. Suitable ECM's may be obtained from Maplin Electronics. Although the schematic is drawn showing a three terminal ECM, two terminal ECM's may be used, the following page in the practical section shows the changes.

The 1k resistor limits the current to the mic. This resistor should be increased to 2k2 if a supply voltage above 12 Volts DC is used and is not needed if the Mic insert is dynamic. The first stage amplifier built around Q1 is run at a very low collector current. This factor contributes to a very high overall signal to noise ratio and low overall noise output. The emitter resistor of Q1 is decoupled by the 100u realizing a maximum gain for this stage. The noise response of the amplifier measured across the 10k load is shown below. Please note that this plot was made with the mic insert replaced by a signal generator.



The second stage, built around Q2 is direct coupled, this minimizes phase shift effects (introduced with capacitive and inductive coupling methods) and acheives a flat output response from 20Hz to over 100kHz. The frequency response measured across a 10k load resistor is plotted below simulated using a 12V power source:

The emitter voltage of Q2 is also fed back to the base of Q1 via resistive coupling. This also ensures bias stabilization againt temperature effects. Q2 operates in emitter follower mode, the voltage gain of this stage is less than unity, however, the overall voltage gain of the preamplifier is about 100x or 20dB as shown in the bode plot above. The output impedance is very low and well suited to driving cables over distances up to 50 meters. Screened cable therefore is not necessary.

This preamplifier has excellent dynamic range and can cope with anything from a whisper to a loud shout, however care should be taken to make sure that the auxiliary equipment i.e. amplifier or tape deck does not overload.

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Tone Control Circuit

Circuit : Andy Collinson
Email me

Description:
Based on the classic Baxendall tone control circuit, this provides a maximum cut and boost of around 10dB at 10K and 50Hz.



Notes:
The first BC109C transistor (left hand side) is acting as a buffer. It provides the circuit with a high input impedance, around 250k has a voltage gain of slightly less than unity. As the Baxendall tone control circuit is a passive design, all audio frequencies are attenuated. The position of the controls and reactance of the capacitors alters the audio response. The last transistor provides a slight boost of about 3x. The output is designed to feed an amplifier with input impedance of 10k to 250k. Both tone controls should be linear type potentiometers.

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Audio Line Driver

Notes:
This preamplifier has a low output impedance, and is designed to drive long cables, allowing you to listen to a remote music source without having to buy expensive screened cables. The very low output impedance of around 16 ohms at 1KHz, makes it possible to use ordinary bell wire,loudspeaker or alarm cable for connection. The preamplifier must be placed near the remote music source, for example a CD player. The cable is then run to a remote location where you want to listen. The output of this preamp has a gain of slightly less than one, so an external amplifier must be used to drive loudspeakers.

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8 Watt Amplifier

Circuit : Andy Collinson
Email me

Description
An 8 watt amplifier made with the TDA2030 IC. Built two such units for a stereo amplifier.

Notes
Although the TDA2030 is capable of delivering 20 watts of audio power, I deliberately reduced the output to about 8 watts to drive 10 watt speakers. This is more than adequate for a smaller room. Input sensitivity is 200mV. Higher input levels naturally will give greater output, but no distortion should be heard. The gain is set by the 47k and 1.5k resistors. The TDA2030 IC is affordable and makes a good replacement amplifier for low to medium audio power systems. Incidentally, it is speaker efficiency that determines how "loud" the sound is. Speaker efficiency or sound pressure level (SPL) is usually quoted in dB/meter. A speaker with an SPL of 97dB/m will sound louder than a speaker with an SPL of 95dB/m.

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8 Watt Amplifier

Circuit : Andy Collinson
Email me

Description
An 8 watt amplifier made with the TDA2030 IC. Built two such units for a stereo amplifier.

Notes
Although the TDA2030 is capable of delivering 20 watts of audio power, I deliberately reduced the output to about 8 watts to drive 10 watt speakers. This is more than adequate for a smaller room. Input sensitivity is 200mV. Higher input levels naturally will give greater output, but no distortion should be heard. The gain is set by the 47k and 1.5k resistors. The TDA2030 IC is affordable and makes a good replacement amplifier for low to medium audio power systems. Incidentally, it is speaker efficiency that determines how "loud" the sound is. Speaker efficiency or sound pressure level (SPL) is usually quoted in dB/meter. A speaker with an SPL of 97dB/m will sound louder than a speaker with an SPL of 95dB/m.

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Audio Notch Meter

Circuit : Andy Collinson
Email me

Description:
A variable notch filter with both high and low pass filters.

Notes
At first glance this circuit looks fairly complex, but when broken down,can be divided into high pass and low pass filter sections followed by a summing amplifier with a gain of around 20 times. Supply rail voltage is +/- 9V DC. The controls may also be adjusted for use as a band stop (notch) filter or band pass filter.

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Hi-Fi Preamplifier

Design: Graham Maynard
Email [e-mail]

Notes:
This circuit was submitted by Graham Maynard from Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. It has an exceptionally fast high frequency response, as demonstrated by applying an 100kHz squarewave to the input. All graphs were produced using Tina Pro.

The Preamp's Bode Response


Squarewave Response with 100kHz Input Signal Applied


Total Noise at Output Measured with 600R Load


Signal to Noise Ratio at Output


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Two Light Controlled Relay Circuits

Circuit: Ron J
Email Ron

The first circuit energizes the relay when the light rises above the preset level. The second circuit energizes the relay when the light falls below the preset level. The two circuits are practically identical. The only difference between them is the polarity of the transistor. The value of the LDR is not critical. The important thing is the voltage on pins 5 & 6. Any value LDR should work satisfactorily. But you may need to change the value of R1 - to achieve the desired range of adjustment.

Circuit No.1

Veroboard Layout

Do not use the "on-board" relay to switch mains voltage. The board's layout does not offer sufficient isolation between the relay contacts and the low-voltage components. If you want to switch mains voltage - mount a suitably rated relay somewhere safe - Away From The Board.

Circuit No.2

Veroboard Layout

Which Circuit Should I Use?

In order to minimize power consumption - choose the circuit that will have its relay energized for the shorter time period. If it's going to be dark most of the time - choose the circuit that energizes the relay when it gets bright (Circuit No.1). If it's going to be bright most of the time - choose the circuit that energizes the relay when it gets dark (Circuit No.2).



NOTES

The circuits are designed for a 12-volt power supply. However - they will both work at anything from 5 to 15-volts. All you need do is select a relay with a coil voltage that suits your supply. And make sure that the coil doesn't draw more than about 50mA - otherwise the transistor might be overloaded. I've used a single-pole relay in the diagrams - but you can use a multi-pole relay if it suits your application.

Although all three Cmos ICs will work - the 4093 is the best choice. Light levels change slowly - and the outputs of the 4001 & 4011 can take a few seconds to change state. During this time - the relay may rattle or buzz. The 4093 switches its outputs very quickly - and this will reduce or eliminate the noise.

The Support Material for these circuits includes detailed circuit descriptions - parts lists - guides to construction - photos of the prototypes and more.

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Keypad Switch No.2

Circuit : Ron J
Email Ron

Description:
This is a simplified version of the Universal Keypad-Operated Switch. I have modified the design to reduce the complexity of the circuit - and the number of components required. As a result - the code is somewhat less secure. However, there should be lots of situations where it will still be adequate.

The circuit is drawn with a 12-volt supply - but it will work at anything from 5 to 15-volts. All you have to do is choose a relay suitable for the supply voltage you want to use. Replace the SPCO/SPDT relay with a multi-pole relay - if it suits your application.

Do not use the "on-board" relay to switch mains voltage. The board's layout does not offer sufficient isolation between the relay contacts and the low-voltage components. If you want to switch mains voltage - mount a suitably rated relay somewhere safe - Away From The Board.

Schematic Diagram:

Notes:
Choose the four keys you want to use as your Code - and connect them to "A B C & D". Wire the common to R1 and all the remaining keys to "E". The circuit will power-up with the relay energized. To de-energize it - you must enter your code. To re-energize it - press any of the keys connected to "E".

To reverse the operation of the circuit replace Q2 with a BC547. With an NPN transistor in this position - the circuit will power-up with the relay de-energized. To energize it - you must enter your code. To de-energize it again - press any of the keys connected to "E".

Any keys not wired to "A B C & D" are connected to the base of Q1. Whenever one of these "Wrong" keys is pressed - Q1 takes pin 1 low and the code entry sequence fails. If you make a mistake while entering the code - simply start again.

The Keypad must be the kind with a common terminal and a separate connection for each key. On a 12-key pad, look for 13 terminals. The matrix type with 7 or 8 terminals will NOT do. A 12-key pad has eight "Wrong" keys connected to "E". If you need a more secure code - use a bigger keypad with more "Wrong" keys.

The Support Material for this circuit includes a step-by-step guide to the construction of the circuit board, a parts list, a detailed circuit description and more.

Veroboard Layout

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Electronic Door Release

Circuit : Ron J
Email Ron

Description:
This circuit is designed to operate an electrical door-release mechanism - but it will have other applications. Enter the four-digit code of your choice - and the relay will energize for the period of time set by C4 & R4. Use the relay contacts to power the release mechanism. The standby current is virtually zero - so battery power is a realistic option.

The circuit is drawn with a 12-volt supply - but it will work at anything from 5 to 15-volts. All you have to do is choose a relay suitable for the supply voltage you want to use. Replace the SPCO/SPDT relay with a multi-pole relay - if it suits your application.

Do not use the "on-board" relay to switch mains voltage. The board's layout does not offer sufficient isolation between the relay contacts and the low-voltage components. If you want to switch mains voltage - mount a suitably rated relay somewhere safe - Away From The Board.

Schematic Diagram:

Notes:
Choose the four keys you want to use as your code - and connect them to "A B C & D". Wire the common to R1 and all the remaining keys to "E". When you press your four keys - in the right order - the relay will energize.

With the values of C4 & R4 as shown - and with R4 set to its maximum - the relay will de-energized about one minute after "D" is released. However - if you replace C4 with a 100nF capacitor - and replace R4 with a 4k7 fixed resistor - the relay will de-energize the moment "D" is released.

Any keys not wired to "A B C & D" are connected to the base of Q2. Whenever one of these "Wrong" keys is pressed - Q2 takes pin 1 low and the code entry fails. Similarly, if "C" or "D" is pressed out of sequence - Q4 or Q3 will take pin 1 low and the code entry will fail. If you make a mistake while entering the code - simply start again.

The Keypad must be the kind with a common terminal and a separate connection for each key. On a 12-key pad, look for 13 terminals. The matrix type with 7 or 8 terminals will NOT do. A 12-key pad has eight "Wrong" keys connected to "E". If you need a more secure code - use a bigger keypad with more "Wrong" keys.

The Support Material for this circuit includes a step-by-step guide to the construction of the circuit board, a parts list, a detailed circuit description and more.

Veroboard Layout

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Two Light Controlled Relay Circuits

Circuit: Ron J
Email Ron

The first circuit energizes the relay when the light rises above the preset level. The second circuit energizes the relay when the light falls below the preset level. The two circuits are practically identical. The only difference between them is the polarity of the transistor. The value of the LDR is not critical. The important thing is the voltage on pins 5 & 6. Any value LDR should work satisfactorily. But you may need to change the value of R1 - to achieve the desired range of adjustment.

Circuit No.1

Veroboard Layout

Do not use the "on-board" relay to switch mains voltage. The board's layout does not offer sufficient isolation between the relay contacts and the low-voltage components. If you want to switch mains voltage - mount a suitably rated relay somewhere safe - Away From The Board.

Circuit No.2

Veroboard Layout

Which Circuit Should I Use?

In order to minimize power consumption - choose the circuit that will have its relay energized for the shorter time period. If it's going to be dark most of the time - choose the circuit that energizes the relay when it gets bright (Circuit No.1). If it's going to be bright most of the time - choose the circuit that energizes the relay when it gets dark (Circuit No.2).



NOTES

The circuits are designed for a 12-volt power supply. However - they will both work at anything from 5 to 15-volts. All you need do is select a relay with a coil voltage that suits your supply. And make sure that the coil doesn't draw more than about 50mA - otherwise the transistor might be overloaded. I've used a single-pole relay in the diagrams - but you can use a multi-pole relay if it suits your application.

Although all three Cmos ICs will work - the 4093 is the best choice. Light levels change slowly - and the outputs of the 4001 & 4011 can take a few seconds to change state. During this time - the relay may rattle or buzz. The 4093 switches its outputs very quickly - and this will reduce or eliminate the noise.

The Support Material for these circuits includes detailed circuit descriptions - parts lists - guides to construction - photos of the prototypes and more.

Return to Switching Circuits

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Universal 4-Digit Keypad-Operated Switch

Circuit : Ron J
Email Ron

Description:
This is a universal version of the Four-Digit Alarm Keypad. I've modified the design of the output section - to free up the relay contacts. This allows the circuit to operate as a general-purpose switch. I used a SPCO/SPDT relay - but you can use a multi-pole relay if it suits your application.

Do not use the "on-board" relay to switch mains voltage. The board's layout does not offer sufficient isolation between the relay contacts and the low-voltage components. If you want to switch mains voltage - mount a suitably rated relay somewhere safe - Away From The Board.

Schematic Diagram:

Notes:

The relay is energized by pressing a single key. Choose the key you want to use - and connect it to terminal "E". Choose the four keys you want to use to de-energize the relay - and connect them to "A B C & D". Wire the common to R1 and all the remaining keys to "F".

The Circuit is easy to use. When you press "E" - current through D2 & R9 turns Q6 on - and energizes the relay. The two transistors - Q5 & Q6 - form a "Complementary Latch". So - when you release the key - the relay will remain energized.

To de-energize the relay - you need to press keys "A B C & D" in the right order. When you do so - pin 10 of the IC goes high - and it turns Q4 on through R8. Q4 connects the base of Q6 to ground. This unlatches the complementary pair - and the relay drops out.

Any keys not wired to "A B C D & E" are connected to the base of Q3 by R7. Whenever one of these "Wrong" keys is pressed - Q3 takes pin 1 low and the code entry sequence fails. If "C" or "D" is pressed out of sequence - Q1 or Q2 will also take pin 1 low - with the same result. If you make a mistake while entering the code - simply start again.

The Keypad must be the kind with a common terminal and a separate connection for each key. On a 12-key pad - look for 13 terminals. The MATRIX TYPE with 7 or 8 terminals WILL NOT WORK. With a 12-key pad - over 10 000 different codes are available. If you need a more secure code - use a bigger keypad with more "Wrong" keys wired to "F". A 16-key pad gives over 40 000 different codes.

The Support Material for this circuit includes a step-by-step guide to the construction of the circuit board, a parts list, a detailed circuit description and more.

Veroboard Layout

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Water Activated Relay

Circuit : Marin Lukas, Croatia
Email:[e-mail]

Description:

Notes (English follows) :
Ovaj sklop je projektiran da ukljuci relej kada se na knotaktima pojavi voda.Tranzistor T1 moze biti zamijenjen s 2N2222A.Tranzistor T2 mora biti BC108. Na kolektor tranistora T1 osim releja mogu biti spojeni signal injektor, LE dioda, zarulja i ostali signalizacijski elementi.

In his circuit Marin has used two transistors wired as a high gain compound pair. Transistor T1 may be a 2N2222A and T2 a BC108. The current gain will be the product of each transistors beta, which will be a minimum of 140 x 110 or 15400. The power supply used can be any voltage from 4.5 to 15 volts, a typical 5 volt relay may require 60 mA to operate, in which case any fluid which passes a minimum current of 4 uA will activate the relay. This is easily achieved with tap or rain water.

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Sound Operated Switch

  Sound Operated Switch

Notes:
This sensitive sound operated switch can be used with a dynamic microphone insert as above,
or be used with an electret (ECM) microphone. If an ECM is used then R1 (shown dotted) will
need to be included. A suitable value would be between 2.2k and 10kohms.

The two BC109C transitors form an audio preamp, the gain of which is controlled by the 10k
preset.  The output is further amplified by a BC182B transistor. To prevent instability the
preamp is decoupled with a 100u capacitor and 1k resistor. The audio voltage at the collector
of the BC182B is rectified by the two 1N4148 diodes and 4.7u capacitor. This dc voltage will
directly drive the BC212B transistor and operate the relay and LED.

It should be noted that this circuit does not "latch". The relay and LED operate momentarily
in response to audio peaks.

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Decimal to BCD Convertor

Circuit : Ron J
Email Ron

Description:
This circuit will provide an output in Binary Coded Decimal from any of the input switches. The input switches may be expanded to 16 switches, providing a Hexadecimal to BCD conversion.

Notes:
When any particular key is pressed, its value will appear in BCD form at the outputs (A, B, C & D). It will remain there until another key is pressed. The 12 keys produce outputs up to "1011". Extended to 16 keys, the circuit will give the full HEX to BCD conversion.

Memory Module:
The above circuit produces an output ONLY while the input switch is depressed. To make a convertor with a latched output, the following modifications are made. Each CMOS 'AND' gate has its free input tied to Vcc, and by the action of R1 through R4 any 'hi input' will therefore cause the output to be latched.

When any particular key is pressed, its value will appear in BCD form at the outputs (A, B, C & D). It will remain there until another key is pressed. The 12 keys produce outputs up to "1011". Extended to 16 keys, the circuit will give the full HEX to BCD conversion.

The LEDs are a visual indication of the value. They are not necessary to the operation of the circuit. If you wish, you may leave them out; together with their associated resistors (R5, R6, R7 & R8).

The circuit works at voltages from 5 to 15 vdc. Please note that A, B, C & D are connected directly to the outputs of the Cmos IC. You will need to regulate the load your application places on these outputs.

Construction:
Because the keypad may be used without the memory, the layouts are drawn separately. If you build them both on the same piece of stripboard, isolate them from one another. Cut all of the tracks except for the six that join the keypad terminals to the memory module. Always check carefully that the copper is cut all the way through. Sometimes a small strand of copper remains at the side of the cut and this will cause malfunction. If you don't have the proper track-cutting tool, then a 6 to 8mm drill-bit will do. Just use the drill-bit as a hand tool; there is no need for a drilling machine.

Board Layout:

For clarity, all the components are shown lying flat on the board. However, those connected between close or adjacent tracks are mounted standing upright. Using a socket reduces the chances of damaging the IC; and makes it easier to replace if necessary. The links are bare copper wire on the component side of the board. Two of them need to be fitted before the IC socket. You can make the links from telephone cable:- the single stranded variety used indoors to wire telephone sockets. Stretching the core slightly will straighten it; and also allow the insulation to slip off.

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Laser Communication System

Circuit : Marin Lukas - Croatia
Email: [e-mail]

Description:

This is a simple Laser communication system. It can transmit and receive signal from any audio device.Communication distance is few meters. All components are not critical. Transistor 2N2222 may be on the coolrib. Laser diode is from laser pointer.

Croatian

Ovo je jednostavni komunikacijski sustav koji podatke prenosi laserskom zrakom. Na izlazu odasiljaca nalazi se laserska dioda koja signal prenosi do foto tranzistora u prijemniku. Lasersku diodu najbolje je uzeti iz laser pointera cija je cijena oko 20kn.

Tranzistori Q7 i Q6 cine pojacalo signala iz foto tranzistora. Na tranzistor Q6 potrebno je staviti mali hladnjak. Komponente nisu kriticne. 

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High Quality Intercom

Circuit : Andy Collinson
Email me

Description:
A very high quality intercom, which may also be used for room monitoring.

Full image resolution at 1600x1200

Click here to download a smaller 1024 x768 resolution schematic

Notes:
This circuit consists of two identical intercom units. Each unit contains a power supply, microphone preamplifier, audio amplifier and a Push To Talk (PTT) relay circuit. Only 2 wires are required to connect the units together. Due to the low output impedance of the mic preamp, screened cable is not necessary and ordinary 2 core speaker cable, or bell wire may be used.

The schematic can be broken into 34 parts, power supply, mic preamp, audio amplifierand PTT circuit. The power supply is designed to be left on all the time, which is why no on / off switch is provided. A standard 12 V RMS secondary transformer of 12VA will power the unit. Fuses are provided at the primary input and also secondary, before the rectifier. The 1 A fuse needs to be a slow blow type as it has to handle the peak rectifier current as the power supply electrolytics charge from zero volts.

The microphone amplifier is a 2 transistor direct coupled amplifier. BC108B transistors will work equally well in place of the BC109C transistors. The microphone used is a 3 terminal electret condenser microphone insert. These are popular and require a small current to operate. The preamp is shown in my audio circuit section as well, but has a very high gain and low distortion. The last transistor is biased to around half the supply voltage; this provides the maximum overload margin for loud signals or loud voices. The gain may be adjusted with the 10k preset. Sensitivity is very high, and a ticking clock can easily be heard from the distant loudspeaker.

The amplifier is based on the popular National Semiconductor LM380. A 50 mV input is all thats required to deliver 2W RMS into an 8 ohm loudspeaker. The choice of loudspeaker determines overall sound quality. A small loudspeaker may not produce a lot of bass, I used an old 8 inch radio loudspeaker. The 4.7u capacitor at pin 1 of the LM380 helps filter out any mains hum on the power supply. This can be increased to a 10u capacitor for better power supply rejection ratio.

The push to talk (PTT) circuit is very simple. A SPDT relay is used to switch between mic preamplifier output or loudspeaker input. The normally closed contact is set so that each intercom unit is "listening". The non latching push button switch must be held to talk. The 100u capacitor across the relay has two functions. It prevents the relays back emf from destroying the semiconductors, and also delays the release of the relay. This delay is deliberate, and prevents any last word from being "chopped" off.

Setting Up and Testing:
This circuit does not include a "call" button. This is simply because it is designed to be left on all the time, someone speaking from one unit will be heard in the other, and vice versa. Setup is simple, set to volume to a comfortable level, and adjust the mic preset while speaking with "normal volume" from one meter away. You do not need to be in close contact with the microphone, it will pick up a conversation from anywhere in a room. If the units are a long way away, there is a tendency for the cable to pick up hum, or radio interference. There are various defenses against this. One way is to use a twisted pair cable, each successive turn cancels the interference from the turn before. Another method is to use a small capacitor of say 100n between the common terminal of each relay and ground. This shunts high frequency signals to earth. Another method is to use a low value resistor of about 1k. This will shunt interference and hum, but will shunt the speech signal as well. However as the output impedance of each mic preamp is low, and the speech signals are also low, this will have little effect on speech but reduce interference to an acceptable level.

IC Pinout:
The LM380 pinout viewed from above is shown below on the left. In the schematic, the LM380 has been represented as a triangle, the pins are shown on the right hand diagram. Pins marked "NC" have no connection and are not used.

   

PCB Layout:
Corey Rametta has kindly drafted a PCB layout for this project. First an oversized version to show component placement. Note the tracks on the bottom side, components on the top side.

Below is the actual size version shown track side.

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Ultrasonic Dog Whistle

By Tomaz Lazar - Ljubljana, Slovenia.

It's well known that many animals are particularly sensitive to high-frequency sounds that humans can't hear. Many commercial pest repellers based on this principle are available, most of them operating in the range of 30 to 50 kHz. My aim was, however, to design a slightly different and somewhat more powerful audio frequency/ultrasonic sound generator that could be used to train dogs. Just imagine the possibilities - you could make your pet think twice before barking again in the middle of the night or even subdue hostile dogs (and I guess burglars would love that!). From what I've read, dogs and other mammals of similar size behave much differently than insects. They tend to respond best to frequencies between 15 and 25 kHz and the older ones are less susceptible to higher tones. This means that an ordinary pest repeller won't work simply because dogs can't hear it. Therefore, I decided to construct a new circuit (based on the venerable 555, of course) with a variable pitch and a relatively loud 82 dB miniature piezo beeper. The circuit is very simple and can be easily assembled in half an hour. Most of the components are not really critical, but you should keep in mind that other values will probably change the operating frequency. Potentiometer determines the pitch: higher resistance means lower frequency. Since different dogs react to different frequencies, you'll probably have to experiment a bit to get the most out of this tiny circuit. The circuit is shown below:

Despite the simplicity of the circuit, there is one little thing. The 10nF (.01) capacitor is critical as it, too, determines the frequency. Most ceramic caps are highly unstable and 20% tolerance is not unusual at all. Higher capacitance means lower frequency and vice-versa. For proper alignment and adjustment, an oscilloscope would be necessary. Since I don't have one, I used Winscope. Although it's limited to only 22 kHz, that's just enough to see how this circuit works. There is no need to etch a PCB for this project, perf board will do. Test the circuit to see how it responds at different frequencies. A 4k7 potentiometer in conjunction with a 10nF (or slightly bigger) capacitor gives some 11 to 22kHz, which should do just fine. Install the circuit in a small plastic box and if you want to, you can add a LED pilot light. Power consumption is very small and a 9V battery should last a long time. Possible further experimentation: I'm working on an amplified version of the whistle to get a louder beep. All attempts so far haven't been successful as high frequency performance tends to drop dramatically with the 555. Perhaps I could use a frequency doubler circuit - I just don't know and I've run out of ideas. One other slightly more advanced project could be a simple "anti-bark" device with a sound-triggered (clap) switch that sets off the ultrasonic buzzer as soon as your dog starts to bark.

A suitable piezo transducer for this project is available from Maplin Electronics part code WF09K.

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Temperature Monitor

 

Temperature Monitor

Circuit : Andy Collinson
Email me

Description
A simple op-amp circuit that will trigger a relay when a preset temperature is reached. Please note that there is no hysteresis in this circuit, so that if the temperature changes rapidly, then the relay may switch rapidly.

Description
This circuit uses an ordinary NTC thermistor with a resistance of 47k at room temeperature. A suitable part from Maplin Electronics is FX42V. The circuit is set in balance by adjusting the the 47k potentiometer. Any change in temperature will alter the balance of the circuit, the output of the opamp will change and energize the relay. Swapping the position of the thermistor and 47k resistor makes a cold or frost alarm.

Calibration
At room temperature (25 degrees celcius) a 47k NTC thermistor resistance is approximately 47k. The non-inverting opamp input will then be roughly half the supply voltage, adjusting the 47k pot should allow the relay to close or remain open. To calibrate the device, the thermistor ideally needs to be at the required operating temperature. If this is for example, a hot water tank, then the resistance will decrease, one way to do this is use a multimeter on the resistance scale, read the thermistors resistance and then set the preset so that the circuit triggers at this temperature.

Please note that if the temperature then falls, the relay will de-energize. If the environment temperatures changes rapibly, then the relay may chatter, as there is no hysteresis in this circuit.

Hysteresis, allows a small amount of "backlash" to be tolerated. With a circuit employong hysteresis, there will be no relay chatter and the circuit will trigger at a defined temperature and require a different temperature to return to the normal state. Hysteresis can be applied to the circuit using feedback, try a 1Meg resistor between opamp output, pin 6 and the non-inverting input pin 2 to give the circuit hysteresis.

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2SC1946A 30 Watt VHF Amplifier

  2SC1946A 30 Watt VHF Amplifier Circuit : David Celestin, Ghana, West Africa
Email : [e-mail]

Webmasters Note:
Operating an unlicensed transmitter is illegal in some countries, including the UK. The circuit presented here is for educational purposes only, neither the webmaster or David Celestin can be held responsible for any mis-use regarding this circuit, please also see the disclaimer on this site.

Description:
The 30 watt amplifier schematic shown below provides an appropriate power boost with an input of 4 watt up to 6 watts. The circuit is designed to cover 88-108MHz FM Broadcast Band. However, the circuit is very stable at my place and provides a clean-output through seven (7) element Butter-worth low-pass filter.

Notes:
The heart of the circuit is 2SC1946A VHF RF power transistor. The transistor is specifically designed for operation in frequencies up to 175 MHz, with very good results.
As you can see, the power line is well decoupled. The amplifier current can be over 5 amps. All the coils are made from 16gauge laminated wire (or Silver copper wire can do best) and the RFC can be of HF toroid core (as shown in the picture) or 6 holes ferrite bead.C3 and R1 forms snubber circuit while R2 and C6 prevent the amplifier from self-oscillation at VHF, sometimes you need to add 180 ohms in parallel with L7.That will cause the amplifier to dissipate UNDESIRABLE VHF thereby reducing spurious level.

The photo below is 60Watts VHF power amplifier using the above circuit. Two of 2SC1946A transistors are arranged at 90 degrees to each other and their outputs are combined using "Power Combiner Network”. It is quite difficult to combine powers at VHF and UHF bands.

Click Image to zoom.

However, I recommend that hobbies should stick to single power design due to its complicity and large rate of INTERFERENCE. (in attempt to go for double transistors which involves power combiner network).  Since the two amplifiers are operating in different phase (out of phase).

Tuning:
Tuning of the amplifier is not hard at all. You just have to connect the output to a good antenna with a transmission line (RG214) of 50 ohms. First match the output network, and then do the same to the input network for a maximum power output. By way of adjustment, you can increase the output at its operating frequency.

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TV Transmitter

 

TV Transmitter

Circuit: David Kwaku Celestin - Ghana, West Africa
Email: [e-mail]

Description:
A VHF band TV transmitter using negative sound modulation and PAL video modulation. This is suitable for countries using TV systems B and G.

Webmasters Note: This circuit will be illegal in some countries, please read the disclaimer on my site.

Notes:
The frequency of the transmitter lies within VHF and VLF range on the TV channel, however this circuit has not been tested at UHF frequencies. The modulated sound signal contains 5.5 -6MHz by tuning C5. Sound modulation is FM and is compatible with UK System I sound. The transmitter however is working at VHF frequencies between 54 and 216MHz and therefore compatible only with countries using Pal System B and Pal System G.

For more information on TV systems visit the links below:
Television Frequency Table

Televison system frequency and channel standards.

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Transistor Transmitter

 

2 Transistor Transmitter

Circuit : Rob
Email:   [e-mail] Dutch only please!
Web:   Rob's home page
Notes:   Andy Collinson

Description:
A compact 2 transistor transmitter for use at VHF frequencies.

Notes:
Transistor T1 works as an audio preamplifier, gain is fixed at approximately R2/R1 or 100 times. The audio input is applied at the points LF in (on the diagram). P1 works as gain control. After amplification this audio signal now modulates the transmitter built around T2. Frequency is tunable using the trimmer CT and L1 is made using 3 turns of 1mm copper wire wound on a 5mm slug. The modulated signal passes via C6 to the antenna. A dipole can be made using 2 lengths of 65cm copper pipe. A DC power supply in the range 3 to 16 volts is required.

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AM Transmitter

Notes:
Please read the disclaimer on this site before making any transmitter circuit. It is illegal to operate a radio transmitter without a license in most countries. This ircuit is deliberately limited in power output but will provide amplitude modulation (AM) of voice over the medium wave band.
The circuit is in two halfs, an audio amplifier and an RF oscillator. The oscillator is built around Q1 and associated components. The tank circuit L1 and VC1 is tunable from about 500kHz to 1600KHz. These components can be used from an old MW radio, if available. Q1 needs regenerative feedback to oscillate and this is achieved by connecting the base and collector of Q1 to opposite ends of the tank circuit. The 1nF capacitor C7, couples signals from the base to the top of L1, and C2, 100pF ensures that the oscillation is passed from collector, to the emitter, and via the internal base emitter resistance of the transistor, back to the base again. Resistor R2 has an important role in this circuit. It ensures that the oscillation will not be shunted to ground via the very low internal emitter resistance, r_e of Q1, and also increases the input impedance so that the modulation signal will not be shunted. Oscillation frequency is adjusted with VC1.
Q2 is wired as a common emitter amplifier, C5 decoupling the emitter resistor and realising full gain of this stage. The microphone is an electret condenser mic and the amount of AM modulation is adjusted with the 4.7k preset resistor P1.
An antenna is not needed, but 30cm of wire may be used at the collector to increase transmitter range.

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UHF Preamplifier

This circuit is designed to work at UHF frequencies in the range 450-800MHz. It has a gain of around 10dB and is suitable for boosting weak TV signals. The circuit is shown below:-

The MPSH10 transistor used is available from Maplin Electronics order code CR01B. Alternatives that may be used instead are BF180 and BCY90. The tuned circuit comprising the 15nH inductor and 2.2pF capacitor resonate in the centre of the UHF band. The 2.2pF capacitor may be exchanged for a 4.7pF or a trimmer capacitor of 2-6pF to improve results. The approximate frequency response is shown below. N.B. This is a simulated response using the TINA program produced by using a swept 20uV input swept over the frequency range 400-800MHz. Output was measured into a 1k source and the frequency generator has a 75ohm impedance.

Construction

The coil is half a turn of 18-20 SWG copper wire bent around a half inch drill bit. This ensures a low Q and therefore broad tuning. High frequency work requires special construction techniques to avoid instability (unwanted oscillations) caused by feedback from output to input. Veroboard is not suitable for this project as the capacitance between tracks is around 0.2pF. A better approach is to use tag-strip or a PCB. The circuitry should be enclosed in a metal case and a screen made between input and output. As the transistor is used in common base mode,its low input impedance is a good match for 50-75 ohm coax cable, whilst at the same time providing full voltage gain to the upper frequency limit of the device. The 15nH inductor load, having almost a short circuit impedance at DC, has an impedance of 56ohms at 600MHz. This inductance and 2.2pF capacitor form a tank circuit at the transistors collector, providing maximum gain at resonance. Note however that the voltage gain will be reduced under load, when the circuit is connected to the input of a TV set or a very long piece of coaxial cable for example. Hence the simulated Tina plot.

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