Contents

       Preface

       Acknowledgments

       Part One Beginning Electronics

  1   Introduction

       Goal of This Book

  2   Components and Schematics

       Wires

       Wire Tools

       Batteries

       A “First Hack” on Batteries

       The Series Circuit and Battery Holders

       A “Second Hack”: Increasing Battery Life on an LED Keychain Light

       From Yesteryear: A “Third Hack” by Converting a AA Cell Into a Penlight

                Eat Your Spinach and Make a Flashlight!

       Brief Overview of Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Power

       Resistors

                It’s All Greek to Me, But It’s Good

       Capacitors

       Inductors or Coils

       Semiconductors

                Diodes and Rectifiers

                Amplifying Devices

                Bipolar Transistors

                Vacuum Tubes

       Integrated Circuits as Amplifiers and Logic Gates

       Schematic Diagrams

       References

  3   Construction Techniques and Simple Test Equipment

       Solderless Circuit Construction Techniques

                Let’s Do the Twist—Twisting Wires to Build Circuits

                Knock on Wood—A Wooden Breadboard

       Superstrip Prototype Boards

       Soldering Tools

       The Art of Pre-Tinning Wires or Connections

       Examples of Various Solder Joints

       Prototype Circuits via Soldering

       Vector or Perforated Boards

       Building the LM386 Audio Amplifier on a Vector Board

       Simple Test Equipment: Battery Testers and VOMs

       Using a Standard Volt-Ohm-Milliamp Meter (VOM) as a Battery Tester

       Parts List

       References

  4   Light Emitters and Receivers

       Incandescent Lamps

       An Experiment with a #222 Penlight Bulb

                Parts List

       Light-Emitting Diodes

                Driving LEDs

                Light Output Specifications for LEDs

       LEDs Compared with Incandescent Lamps

       Experiments with LEDs

                LED Experiment 1

                Parts List

                LED Experiment 2

                Parts List

       Photoreceivers

       Photodiode Experiment

                Parts List

       Experiment for Listening to a Remote Control’s Signals

                Parts List

       References

  5   Diodes, Rectifiers, and Associated Circuits

       Characteristics of Diodes and Rectifiers

                Parts List

       Converting AC to DC for Power Supplies

       DC Restoration Circuits and Voltage Multipliers

       Diodes as Switches and Gain-Control Devices

                Parts List

       Experiment to Measure DC Resistance of Back-to-Back Batteries

                Parts List

       Diodes as a Gain-Control Circuit

                Part List

       Radio-Frequency (RF) Mixing with a Diode

       Logic Circuits Using Diodes

       Variable-Capacitance Diodes

       Zener Diodes for Voltage Regulation

                Parts List

       References

  6   Transistors, FETs, and Vacuum Tubes

       Current Sources and Voltage-Controlled Current-Source Devices

       Constant Current “Diodes” Using JFETs

       Bipolar Transistors as Current Sources

       Concept of Measuring Collector Currents and Voltage Gain Due to Changes in Input Signals

       Using LEDs as Reference Voltages

       Using a Constant Current Source to Provide Low Ripple at the Power Supply’s Output

                Parts List

       JFETs, MOSFETs, and Vacuum Tubes Used as Current Sources

       Brief Summary So Far

       Just For Fun: A Low-Power Nightlight Using Transistor Amplifiers and LEDs

                Parts List

       A Quick Look at Operational Amplifiers (Op Amps)

       JFETs and Bipolar Transistor as Voltage-Controlled Resistors

       References

       Part Two Intermediate-Level Electronics

  7   Amplifiers and Feedback

       What Are Negative-Feedback Systems?

       Another Look at the Non-Inverting-Gain Operation Amplifier (Op Amp)

       Inverting-Gain Configuration

       Two Projects: A Photodiode Sensor and an Automatic Level Control Amplifier

                Photodiode Sensor

                Parts List

                Controlling Audio Signal Levels

                Parts List

       Another Voltage-Controlled Amplifier Circuit

                Voltage-Controlled Common Emitter Amplifier

       Negative Feedback to Stabilize or Self-Bias Collector Currents

       Power Output Stages and Using the VBE Multiplier Circuit

       Misadventures in Positive Feedback

       Some Considerations When Choosing Op Amps

       References

  8   Audio Signals and Circuits

       Signal Levels for Microphones, Phono Cartridges, Line Inputs, and Loudspeakers

       Balanced or Differential-Mode Audio Signals Used in Broadcast or Recording Studios

       Microphone Preamplifier Circuits

       Increasing GBWP and Achieving Low Noise with Added Transistors

       Moving-Magnet or Magnetic High-Output Phono-Cartridge Preamps

       Frequency Response and Phase for Recording and Playing Records

       Three RIAA Equalization Phono Preamplifier Projects

                First RIAA Phono Preamp

                Parts List

                Second RIAA Phono Preamp

                Parts List

                Third Phono Preamplifier: Less Is More?

                Parts List

                Having Fun with Low-Voltage Tube Amplifiers

       Power Supplies for the Preamplifier Circuits

       Standard Distortion Tests for Audio Equipment

       References

  9   Oscillators

       A Brief Overview of Oscillation Systems

       Time to Sit Back and Relax for a Relaxation Oscillator (AKA Moving the Goal Posts)

       Phase-Shift Oscillators

       Wein Bridge Oscillator with Automatic Gain Control to Provide Non-Clipped Sine Waves

       A Universal Wein Oscillator Circuit

       Relaxation Oscillators

       Just for Fun, Build a 555 Timer with a Dual Comparator, FET, and a Flip-Flop

       To Wrap Up Relaxation Oscillators, Just Use a 74HC14 or 74AC14 Chip

       Radio-Frequency (RF) Oscillators

       References

       Part Three Advanced Electronics

10   Amplitude Modulation Signals and Circuits

       AM Signals—What Are They? “Hey, Can You Please Turn Down the Volume … Now Can You Turn It Back Up?”

       Other Types of AM Signals

       Suppressed Carrier AM Signals

       Knowing Your I’s and Q’s

       Basic Radio Circuits

       Tuned Radio-Frequency Radio Projects

       First Project: A TRF Radio

                Parts List

                Solid-State Regenerative Radio

                Comparing Regenerative and TRF Radios

                Mixing and Beating Signals (aka Heterodyning or Superheterodyne)

                Two-Gang Variable Capacitors

                Oscillator Coils

                IF Transformers

       Second Project: A Superhet Using the MK484/TA7642 Chip

                Parts List

       An Observation on Common-Emitter Amplifiers

       References

11   Frequency Modulation Signals and Circuits

       What Are FM Signals?

       Experiment No. 1: FM Oscillators Using Voltage-Controlled Capacitance Diodes

                Pre-Emphasis and De-Emphasis Transmitting and Receiving Equalization Curves

                Observing the Pre-Emphasis and De-Emphasis Effect

                FM and a Pre-Emphasis Network

                FM Radios

       An FM Tuner Project with Ceramic Filter and Resonator

                Parts List

       A Second FM Radio Project Via Silicon Labs

                Parts List

                Understanding “Other” FM Detectors from a Top View

       References

12   Video Basics, Including Video Signals

       Examining Still Pictures First for Contrast, Brightness, Resolution, and Sharpness

       Resolution or Fine Detail of a TV Picture

       Aspect Ratio

       Enter the Kell Factor

       Determining the Number of Scanning Lines Based on Aspect Ratio, Kell Factor, Frame Rate, and Bandwidth

       Sharpness and Frequency Response

                Batman’s Ears to the Rescue for Image Enhancement

       Some Color TV Basics

       References

13   Video Circuits and Systems

       How Easy Is It to Make a Brightness and Contrast Video Circuit?

       A Sharpness Circuit: Can It Be Simple?

       A Video Processor to Adjust for Brightness, Contrast, and Sharpness

                Parts List

       References

14   High School Mathematics with Electronics

       Equation of a Line

       Offset Voltages Described by the Y Intercept b

       Systems of Linear Equations Used in FM Stereo

       Linear Equations for Color Encoding

       Polynomials

       Negative-Feedback Systems with a (Linear) First-Order-Term Polynomial

       Polynomials Used in Determining Distortion Effects of Negative Feedback in Amplifiers

       Summary

       References

15   Some Basic Circuit Analysis Techniques

       Limitations of Kirchoff’s Laws for Analyzing Circuits Via Loop and Node Equations

       Loop Equations

                Enter the Zero-Voltage Source

                Defining the Direction of the Current and Voltage Drops

                Deriving the Voltage Divider Formula Using Positive-Charged Currents

                Node Equations to Determine Parallel Resistances

       Thevenin Equivalent Circuits

                A Practical Example of Analyzing Via the Thevenin Equivalent Circuit

       Some AC Circuit Analysis

       Simple Transient or Pulse Response to RC Low- and High-Pass Filters

       References

16   A Review and Analysis of What We Have Built So Far

       Wein Oscillator RC Feedback Network

       A Phono Preamp Revisited

       A Look at an Emitter-Follower Circuit

       Using the Emitter Output Resistance to Determine Characteristics of a Common-Emitter Amplifier

       Analyzing an Inverting-Gain Video Amplifier

       Improvements or Variations of Previous Projects

                Just for Fun … A Wein Oscillator Using a 60-Watt Light Bulb

       A Brief Study on Harmonic Distortion Analysis

       Using Differential Gain as a Method to Determine Harmonic Distortion

       References

17   Hacking, Inventing, and Designing

       Hacking

       Inventions and Patents

       Ceramic Filter Oscillator for Wider Frequency Deviation

       A Non-Varactor Electronic Variable Capacitor

       Class AB Output Stage with Quiescent Bias Using a Servo Control

       Other Examples of Designing

                Modulating the Power-Supply Pin of an Oscillator to Provide FM

                An LC RF Matching Network

       References

18   Troubleshooting and Final Thoughts

       Assembling the Circuit

       When the Circuit Is Completed and Ready for a Test … Before Powering It On

       DC Bias Conditions

       Choosing the Correct OP Amps

       Logic Gates with Increased Speed and Output Current

       Decoupling Capacitors

       What to Do If an Amplifier Oscillates

       Low-Frequency Oscillation

       Decoupling Sources from Injecting Noise into the Power Rails

       When an Oscillator Does Not Oscillate

       Reducing External Noise

       When the Circuit Kind of Works

       Using an AM/FM Radio to Sense Whether an Oscillator Is Working

       Using Low-Dropout Voltage Regulators

       Back to Test Equipment

       Summary on Troubleshooting

       Final Thoughts on the Book

  A   Parts Suppliers

       Transistors, FETs, Diodes, LEDs, Photodiodes, ICs, Resistors, Capacitors, Crystals, Batteries, Inductors, Transformers, Tools, and Soldering Equipment

       Vacuum Tubes

       Ceramic Resonators and Filters (455 kHz and 10.7 MHz)

       Oscillator Coils, IF Transformers, and Audio Transformers

       Antenna Coils

       Variable Capacitors

       Crystal Earphones

       Science Kits, Cool Things, and Everything Else

  B   Online Learning Resources

  C   Free Software

       Index

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