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Radio Constructor 1971-11

The document is the November 1971 issue of 'Radio Constructor', featuring articles on building an audio frequency meter, a general-purpose transistor signal generator, and a triggered door alarm. It includes technical specifications, construction details, and various components needed for the projects. Additionally, it provides information on subscriptions, advertising, and the publication's history.

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Edgar
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© © All Rights Reserved
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
46 views40 pages

Radio Constructor 1971-11

The document is the November 1971 issue of 'Radio Constructor', featuring articles on building an audio frequency meter, a general-purpose transistor signal generator, and a triggered door alarm. It includes technical specifications, construction details, and various components needed for the projects. Additionally, it provides information on subscriptions, advertising, and the publication's history.

Uploaded by

Edgar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE

i A i
i i i
NST UCT i
i
i

Vol.25 No.4 NOVEMBER 1971 20p

AUDIO FREQUENCY METER


PART 1
A compact frequency meter, with analogue display, working at
audio frequencies and employing an integrated circuit for ease
of construction.

Sped« ME "DRO/rw/cK" cAR RUM


TRIGGERED DOOR ALARM
IN THIS ISSUE
Radio Constructor
Incorporating THE RADIO AMATEUR
NOVEMBER 1971

Vol. 25 No.4 CONTENTS


Published Monthly (1st of Month) GENERAL PURPOSE TRANSISTOR SIGNAL
First Published 1947 GENERATOR 202

CAN ANYONE HELP? 207


Editorial and Advertising Offices
57 MAIDA VALE LONDON W9 1 SN NEWS AND COMMENT 208

Telephone Telegrams TRIGGERED DOOR ALARM


01 -286 6141 Databux, London (Suggested Circuit No. 252) 210

ADDING REGENERATION 212


© Data Publications Ltd., 1971. Contents
may only be reproduced after obtaining QSX 213
prior permission from the Editor. Short
abstracts or references are allowable 214
provided acknowledgement of source is LOCAL RADIO TRANSMITTING STATIONS
given.
THE `DROITWICH' CAR RADIO 216
Annual Subscription: £2.70 (U.S.A. and
Canada $6.50) including postage. Remit- NOW HEAR THESE 223
tances should be made payable to Data
Publications Ltd." Overseas readers AUDIO FREQUENCY METER (Part 1) 224
please pay by cheque or International
Money Order. COIL -PACK COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVER
Technical Queries. We regret that we (Part 2) 230
are unable to answer queries other than
those arising from articles appearing in BENCH CURRENT MONITOR 232
this magazine nor can we advise on
modifications to equipment described. CURRENT SCHEDULES 234
We regret that such queries cannot be
answered over the telephone; they NEW PRODUCTS 235
must be submitted in writing and
accompanied by a stamped addressed
envelope for reply. IN YOUR WORKSHOP 236

Correspondence should be addressed to TRADE NEWS 243


the Editor, Advertising Manager, Sub-
scription Manager or the Publishers as AN ENLARGER TIMER 244
appropriate.
RADIO TOPICS 247
Opinions expressed by contributors are
not necessarily those of the Editor or LATE NEWS AND LAST LOOK ROUND 249
proprietors.
RADIO CONSTRUCTOR'S DATA SHEET
Production.-Letterpress. No. 56 (Foreign Language Broadcasts) iii

Published in Great Britain by the Proprietors and


Publishers, Data Publications Ltd, 57 Maida Vale, DECEMBER ISSUE WILL BE
London, W9 1SN.
The Radio Constructor is printed by Kent Paper PUBLISHED ON DECEMBER 1st
Company Ltd, London and Ashford, Kent.

NOVEMBER 1971 201


GENERAL PURPOSE TRANSISTOR
SIGNAL GENERATOR

by

R. A. PENFOLD

Front panel of the completed signal generator

By means of a neat design approach this instrument may be


used both for calibration marker frequency generation and
for receiver ri. and O. alignment. Completely self- contained,
it is housed in a case measuring only 21 by 51 by 1áin.

WHEN BUILDING AND SER- (multiples of the fundamental fre- CIRCUIT CONSIDERATIONS
vicing audio amplifiers, quency) against which a receiver
medium and long wave dial can be calibrated. It can also The r.f. oscillator needs to be
broadcast receivers, and more com- be used very effectively for testing extremely stable and crystals are
plex communications receivers, a and aligning the r.f. stages of a often employed to control the fre-
signal generator was needed which receiver, but it cannot do the same quency of oscillation. However,
would provide the following func- for the i.f. stages. This is because crystals are rather expensive, and
tions: most i.f. stages operate at 455 to it would be imposible for a variable
1. The accurate calibration of a
470kHz, or at 1.62MHz, at which crystal oscillator to be given the
receiver tuning dial. frequencies there is no harmonic required frequency shift of over
output from the generator. 15 %. In consequence, a v.f.o. had
2. The test and alignment of the The wide range generator has a to be used.
r.f. stages of a receiver. fully tunable oscillator, which As with most v.f.o.'s, when the
3. The test and alignment of the usually has a coverage from about circuit employed in the present
i.f. stages of a receiver. 100kHz to 30MHz. This could per- instrument was connected to a load,
4. The testing of audio amplifiers form all the functions required, but pulling in frequency resulted. To
and the audio stages of a re- to be really accurate a high quality reduce this loading effect an un-
ceiver. slow motion dial would be needed. tuned amplifier was included to
It was also required that the unit Such a dial would add to the size isolate the oscillator from the out-
be inexpensive, reasonably simple and the cost of the unit. put circuit. This amplifier stage also
to construct, small and completely The answer to the problem provides a convenient point at
self -contained. seemed to be a combination of the which to introduce the modulation
two types of generator. This would from the a.f. oscillator.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS be a tunable oscillator which can be The a.f. oscillator is required to
set up against a standard frequency give a sine wave on a single fre-
There are two types of signal transmission when employed for quency, and the simplest method
generator which could be used. calibration purposes, and which of obtaining this is to employ a
These may be referred to as `the would have sufficient tuning range single transistor phase -shift oscil-
harmonic calibration oscillator' and to cover the i.f. frequencies on its lator.
`the tunable wide range signal harmonics. The output from this type of
generator'. Both types often have A tuning range of 200kHz to oscillator is rather small and was
an integral audio oscillator which 235kHz is adequate for these re- found to be insufficient for certain
may be used for either audio tests or quirements. The i.f. range of tests, and a stage of amplification
to modulate the r.f. signal. 455kHz to 470kHz is then covered was included to increase the output
The harmonic calibration oscilla- by the second harmonic and level. A potentiometer controls the
tor is the type which operates on 1.62MHz by the eighth harmonic, amplitude of the output so that it
fixed frequencies (usually 100kHz whilst the calibration fundamental may be reduced when testing low
and 1 MHz) and provides harmonics frequency is given at 200kHz. level stages.
202 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
BCIOB
b

l1
2N2926
c e

Lead -outs Lead -out s

Fig. 1. Circuit of the a.f. section of the generator

COMPONENTS
The total current consumption of Resistors CIO 0.044F paper or plastic
the completed instrument is quite (All fixed values watt 10%) foil
low, with the a.f. section drawing R1 22011 CI1 1,000pF silvered mica
approximately 4mA, and the r.f. R2 10012 or polystyrene
section 5mA. These currents ensure R3 6.8k11 C12 2,000pF silvered mica
many hours use from the PP4 R4 22k1í or polystyrene
battery used. R5 8.2k1í C13 2,000pF silvered mica
R6 l ks2 or polystyrene
THE CIRCUIT R7 8.2k12 C14 560pF silvered mica
The a.f. circuit isshown in Fig. 1. R8 8.2k&2 or polystyrene
and it will be seen that TR2 oper- R9 39k12 VCl 500pF variable, solid
ates as the phase -shift oscillator and RIO 4.7k12 dielectric
TRI as the audio amplifier. RI I 2.2102 Inductor
The oscillator works by applying R12 680(1 LI I.F. transformer. type
positive feedback from the collector R13 ß2k12 XT50 /2 (Repanco),
to the base of the transistor. As the R14 1.8k12 see text
transistor gives 180° phase shift R15 11:11 Transistors
between the base and the collector. R16 15k12 TRI BC I08
the feedback also has to have a R17 15k12 TR2 2N2926 Yellow
phase shift of 180° to bring it back VRI potentiometer,
25k12 TR3 2N706A
in phase at the input. This is per- linear TR4 2N2926 Yellow
formed by the three-section resis- Capacitors Switches
tance-capacitance network between Cl 10µF electrolytic, 50V SI Slide switch
the collector and the base. wkg. S2 Slide switch
The values of the components C2 0.1µF paper or plastic Battery
in the network decide the frequen- foil battery type PP4 (Ever
9 -volt
cy at which the required phase C3 100µF electrolytic, 6V Ready), or equivalent
shift occurs, and thus the frequency wkg. Miscellaneous
of oscillation. The circuit should C4 I.F electrolytic, 6V 2 knobs
oscillate at about 1kHz. wkg. 2 coaxial sockets
A high gain transistor needs to C5 0.01µF paper or plastic 1 coaxial plug
be used in this type of circuit to foil test prod
1

compensate for the losses in the C6 0.01µF paper or plastic I crocodile clip
phase shift network and to keep foil 1 positive battery connector
the overall gain at unity or above. C7 0.01µF paper or plastic aluminium case type AB7
1

The 2N2926 Yellow (available from foil (Electrovalue)


LST Electronic Components, Ltd.) C8 0.1µF paper or plastic 22 x 31in. Veroboard. 0.15in.
has an hfe spread from 150 to 300 foil matrix (see Fig. 3)
and so no difficulty should be ex- C9 0.01µF paper or plastic Screened lead, wire, solder,
perienced in failure of oscillation foil etc.
due to lack of gain in the circuit.
NOVEMBER 1971 203
The BC108, TRI, is a Class A CONSTRUCTION short-circuit the break or connect
amplifier and should provide an either of the strips at the break to
adequate output for most purposes. Most of the generator components chassis. The coil LI is secured in
The output level control, VR1, is are fitted on a piece of 0.15in. place by a loop of wire passed
connected with the output to the matrix Veroboard, 2+ by 3 }in. in through two adjacent holes in the
slider of the potentiometer so that size. It is housed in a commercially board. It could alternatively be
its setting does not alter the amount produced aluminium case type AB7 secured in position with adhesive.
of modulation applied to the r.f. (available from Electrovalue, 28 St. It has to be mounted on its side
section. Judes Road, Englefield Green, to enable it to fit into the case. Its
The circuit of the r.f. section is Egham, Surrey) measuring 21 by screening can is earthed by connect-
given in Fig. 2. TR4 functions as a Sá by 1fin. ing it to the tag which couples to
Colpitts oscillator. Coil Ll is the The layout of the components on hole 16-V.
Green winding of a Repanco i.f. the Veroboard panel is shown in Connections between the front
transformer type XT50/2, the other Fig. 3. To prevent overcrowding of panel and the Veroboard should be
winding being unused. The internal parts it is advisable to use physi- made using a fairly heavy gauge of
capacitor across the coil remains in cally small components wherever single strand insulated wire. Multi-
circuit. Some difficulty was ex- possible. strand wire leads should not be
perienced in making the circuit The board is held inside the case used. The lead to the r.f. output
operate as low as 200kHz, and by two 6BA bolts. To ensure that socket is not screened.
several types of transistor normally the copper strips on the back of the The negative rail chassis connec-
used in r.f. oscillators failed to board do not short -circuit to the tion to the moving vanes on tuning
work. It would seem that a high aluminium case a piece of expand- capacitor VC1 is provided, via the
gain transistor is required for ed polystyrene cut from a l ft. square case and front panel, to the capaci-
satisfactory operation at this fre- ceiling tile is placed between the tor mounting bush. Similarly, the
quency, and so another 2N2926 two. negative rail connection to the
Yellow was employed. The negative supply to the Vero- outer connectors of the output
The 2N706A, TR3, apart from bL and is obtained by a solder tag sockets is given via the chassis. Capa-
isolating the oscillator from the under the mounting bolt at hole citor Cl is connected directly be-
output, acts as a mixer combining 15 -0. Take care to ensure that suffi- tween the slider tag of the output
the r.f. and the a.f. signals. The a.f. cient copper is cut away at hole control VR1 and the inner connector
is brought to the emitter through 7-0 to ensure that the mounting of the a.f. output socket.
the coupling capacitor C8. bolt fitted at this position does not Two strips of 22 s.w.g. alumini-

s2
-h 9 V

R11
Co
0.OIpF
R.F.
3 RI6
output T
TR4
2 N 2926
Yellow
TR3
2N706A

CII
I C12

r
í4

1
CB 1,000 pF I

From TRI 1

collector RI
ol
VC 1

R12 14 R15
C10 1

2N706A
Lead -outs

Fig. 2. The r.f. oscillator, TR4, and its buffer amplifier, TR3

THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR


Direction of copper strips -->
O P O P S T U V W X Y
D E F G H I J K L M N

10

12

13

14

15

16

Solder tag
A.F output Mounting bolts To VC'

Strips cut at 7 -0, 8-0. 9 -0, 10- 0,11 -0, 12- 0,14 -0 and
:
15 -0
Strip cut between 13 -N and 13 -0
Mounting holes at 7 -0 and 15 -0
Fig. 3. Component layout above the Veroboard. The copper strips are cut at the points
indicated

urn bent at 90° across the centre


and then bolted into position form
the battery holder. The positive end
of the holder must be insulated
with tape where the battery clip
touches it or the battery will be
short-circuited through the case. No
battery clip is used on the negative
terminal as this is connected direct-
ly to the case via the 22 s.w.g. alu-
minium strip at the negative end.
The lead from the positive battery
clip travels first to Si and then to
S2.
Drilling details of the front panel
(which is the lid of the case) are
given in Fig. 4. The panel has been
given a symmetrical layout. Circular
cut -outs were used for the two slide
switches in the prototype, but rec-
tangular holes could be provided
instead, if desired. Fig. 5 gives
details of the case and battery
holder. The spacing between the two
clips, shown as dimension 'X' in
Fig. 5, can be found with the aid of
the battery and the particular posi- The front panel components coupled to the Veroboard and
tive battery connector which is used. battery
NOVEMBER 1971 205
The core of LI should now be
- -- i 7/E3*- - - screwed as near to the centre of the
1/2:.1 Dimensions to coil as possible whilst still pro-
suit individual ducing a whistle from the receiver.
switches To use the generator as a cali-
bration oscillator, VC1 should be
turned back until zero beat is ob-
tained between the carrier of Radio
2 and the signal from the generator.
At this setting the generator will be
VC! 3/8dia VR1 very accurately tuned to 200kHz.
1 Harmonics should be detectable
well into the short wave spectrum
on any reasonably sensitive receiver.
RF.output A.F.output
Direct coupling between the genera-
socket socket
tor output and the receiver aerial
terminal may be needed at higher
13/8* frequencies as the harmonics be-
t1J ® Il
i

come weaker. In this respect it will


3 /8dio I

be noted that no r.f. output level


I

L control has been provided. However,


the desired level of coupling to any
circuit will soon be found from
IS/8 experience, tight or loose couplings
being easily arranged by having the
Fig. 4. Drilling details for the front panel
output connect directly to the cir-
cuit under investigation or by
On final assembly the front trol, and this should now be set to coupling via a low value capacitor.
panel is closed down over the the `Off' position. The tuning con- Frequently, the requisite loose coup-
veroboard and battery. The inter- trol, VC1, should be turned fully ling may be given by merely posi-
connecting leads can be approxi- clockwise to insert maximum capa- tioning the r.f. output lead close to
mately positioned before this is citance. the wiring of the circuit being
done so that they fold on them- checked.
The core of LI is next adjusted Harmonics from the generator can
selves neatly. until a whistle is heard from the be identified by comparing them
A test lead is required. This can receiver. Make certain that this with transmissions of known fre-
consist of a length of flexible in- corresponds to a true 200kHz signal quency. For example, if a receiver
sulated screened wire connected to and is not a whistle caused by a is tuned to an amateur on Top
a coaxial plug. The inner wire is harmonic of the generator output Band, the station must be operating
terminated in a test prod and the being at the receiver intermediate on a frequency between 1.8 and
outer braiding is terminated by a frequency. This point may be check- 2.0MHz. The receiver should now
fly lead and crocodile clip. The ed by turning the receiver tuning be tuned higher in frequency until
latter is connected to the chassis of dial slightly. If the whistle remains a signal from the generator is re-
the equipment being checked. at a constant frequency the genera- ceived. This signal must be the 10th
tor output is at the correct 200kHz, harmonic, at 2.0MHz. If the re-
USING THE GENERATOR should the whistle change frequency ceiver is tuned still higher, then the
it is caused by a generator harmonic 11th harmonic at 2.2MHz will be
There are two controls for the at i.f.
a.f. section, these being on-off received. and then the 12th har-
switch Sl, and output level control
VR1. The output from the genera-
tor is quite strong, and it must be
remembered to keep VR1 well
back when testing low level stages 2"
in an amplifier, in order to prevent Veroboard outline
overloading.
Before the r.f. section can be L__
used, it must be given the correct
frequency coverage. This entails 3/8
adjusting the core of LI, for which
purpose the unit should be removed
from the case. Crocodile clip leads
n
l/4

6BA clear.
i 1
o
,.
are employed to make temporary 11/4' 6BA clear
connections between the metal front
panel and the battery negative termi- i
nal, and between the battery negative X'(see text)
terminal and strip 16 on the Vero -
board. L___
The r.f. output should now be
coupled to a receiver tuned to
B.B.C. Radio 2 on 1,500 metres.
-
1/4n
--t Lo
7
This is best achieved by placing a
test prod and lead connected to the Battery clips (each made from
generator r.f. output near the set, 2 "x I" strips of 22 swg aluminium)
being careful not to overload it.
When the r.f. section is in use S1
becomes the modulation on -off con- Fig. 5. Details of the case and battery holder
206 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
motile at 2.4MHz, and so on.
Other amateur bands, or broad-
cast stations, may be used for
calibrating other wavebands on the
receiver.
The harmonics from the generator
can also be used very effectively
for r.f. test and alignment.
When the generator is to be used
for the i.f. alignment of a receiver
which had just been constructed,
there will probably be no way of
tuning the required intermediate
frequency on the generator accur-
ately enough unless a frequency
meter is available, or the following
method is employed.
Most i.f. transformers are aligned
at the factory to their approximate
frequency, and it is only the final
peaking adjustment that needs to be
made. The i.f. amplifier can be
aligned by coupling the generator Another view, including the case and one of the two battery
output to the first i.f. transformer
of the receiver, and tuning the holder strips
generator for maximum output. The
modulation should be switched on
to make this process easier. The i.f.
transformers are then peaked. could occur in valve equipment, may be wired between the appro-
Even if the i.f. transformers are an external 0.02µF capacitor with priate tag on S2 and a solder tag
not pre-aligned, this method should an appropriate working voltage under one of the securing nuts for
still be accurate enough. Re- align- must be connected in series with this switch.
ment can be achieved using the the test prod. The capacitor gives a marginal
same method. improvement in performance and
The a.f. output of the generator removes a slight quivering in fre-
is isolated by capacitor Cl, which
OPTIONAL BYPASS CAPACITOR quency which may otherwise be
has a working voltage of 50 and evident on harmonics above
may be applied to any point in the It will be seen that there is no about 10MHz. Since it could also
equipment being checked where the bypass capacitor across the supply guard against increasing battery in-
standing direct voltage with respect rails to the r.f section of the gener- ternal resistance with age, some con-
to chassis is some 40 volts or less.This ator. If desired, such a capacitor structors may wish to add it to the
should cover all standard transistor can be added, a suitable value be- unit. The capacitor was not included
equipment. If the standing direct ing 0.2µF. As there is no room on in the prototype and is not shown on
voltage is in excess of 40 volts, as the Veroboard for the capacitor it the Components List.

CAN ANYONE HELP?


Requests for information are inserted in this feature free of charge, subject to space being available.
Users of this service undertake to acknowledge all letters, etc., received and to reimburse all reasonable
expenses incurred by correspondents. Circuits, manuals, service sheets, etc., lent by readers must be
returned in good condition within a reasonable period of time.

-
Solatron Solarscope Type CD 1014.2 Double beam
Oscilloscope. J. H. Taylor, 12 West Drive, Clea-
Tester Reactivator Model TT, Ser. No. 1310.
G. M. Keenan, 15 Tudor Drive, Belfast BT6 9LS
-
don, Sunderland, Co. Durham circuit, service servicing information and operating instructions for
manual or any other details.
July 1961 issue The Radio Constructor.
20 Fieldway, Dagenham, Essex RM8 2BH
-
A. Giles,
would
Ex- Government Equipment. -
either or both of these instruments.
Receiver type R1082.
Ref. No. 10J/22, Training Sets W.T. Mk III H.E.C.L.
Ref. No. 10D/8415, Controller Electric Type 4
like to purchase.
BC 221 AF Frequency Meter. -
Alignment instruc-
tions, also circuit diagram and alignment details for
Cat. No. Z.A.21137, Receiver Type R3003 Ref. No.
-
10DB /2, Wireless Remote Control Unit `F' No. 1.
Z.A.12642. J. Hutcheon, The Manse, Borgue,
the wavemeter D Mk II. Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire operational data
Avo Universal Bridge No. 408 151. `Radar' C.R. and circuits required.
NOVEMBER 1971 207
HE MULTI VIBRATOR IS AN multivibrator circuit, with the ous low level but, in so doing, enters
T oscillator which is very familiar
to the experimenter. In Its
semiconductor form it has the ad-
familiar cross -coupling capacitors,
Cl and C2, between each base and
the opposite collector. We may
the range of voltages in which TR2
offers useful amplification. The
multivibrator now commences to
vantage of considerable simplicity assume that the component values oscillate and continues in this state.
and it is also a circuit which is are such that the multivibrator runs This is because the process of oscil-
easy to put into operation. Further- at an audio frequency. lation causes Cl to take the voltage
more, it can run at exceptionally Let us next reduce the value of on the base of TR2 below that on
low supply voltages and currents. Rx, the base resistor of TR2. If we the lower supply line during the
One factor of multivibrator opera- reduce this value to a sufficiently half -cycles when TR2 is cut off,
tion which is not normally exploited low level we will have the case whereupon TR2 is capable of func-
is that it is capable of being 'trig- where, when the supply is applied., tioning in the manner required by
gered' in a manner reminiscent of transistor TR2 is close to becoming the multivibrator.
the thyristor. It is possible to cause fully bottomed and offers zero or A triggered multivibrator oper-
a multivibrator to start oscillation negligible amplification at audio ates reliably in practice but it is
following the momentary closure of frequency. Under this condition the desirable, when switching on, to
two contacts and then to continue multivibrator will not start. If.. raise the power supply voltage
oscillation until its power supply is however, the base of TR2 is tem- gradually from zero to the final
disconnected. This mode of opera- porarily connected to the lower operating potential rather than to
tion is quite reliable, and will now supply line the transistor becomes connect it abruptly to the multi -
be discussed in this article. cut off and its collector voltage vibrator. If the supply is connected
approaches that on the upper sup- abruptly the multivibrator may
TRIGGER OPERATION ply line. On removing the tempor- start, since TR2 can momentarily
ary connection the transistor collect pass through a condition at which
Fig. 1 shows a standard transistor tor voltage starts to fall to its previ- it offers useful amplification. A
gradual increase in supply voltage
when switching on may be achieved
very easily by connecting a large -
value capacitor across the multivi-
brator supply rails and applying the
supply to this capacitor via a resis-
tor. A gradual increase in voltage
is then given as the large-value
capacitor charges.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

TRI
pp TR2
Uses for the triggered multivibra-
tor will suggest themselves to the
experimenter, and Fig. 2 gives a
simple application which shows
typical component values in a prac-
tical working circuit. The circuit in
Fig. 2 is for a novel door warning
'buzzer', which generates a continu-
Fig. 1. The basic transistor multivibrator. For certain values of ous tone of around 500Hz from a
Rx the circuit can be 'triggered' by temporarily connecting the loudspeaker as soon as a press -
base of TR2 to the positive supply line button is pressed and then released.
The 'buzzer' can only be silenced
210 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
Nu C3
200- A.C.
R7 250V mains
2OONF 4711
12V wkg

TI
green
o+
whit
red

r
All fixed resistors /4watt 10 %
I

Dl.D2,Tl.T2 - see text

ACYI9
Lead -outs
Fig. 2. A practical application of the triggered multivibrator. A tone is given at the loud-
speaker atter S1 has been pressed

by switching off the supply to the The supply for the circuit is tions.
circuit and then switching it on obtained from transformer 12, this Transformer T1 is an Eagle
again. The output level, from the being a mains bell transformer LT-700 transistor output transfor-
simple amplifier incorporated, having a relatively high internal mer. Only half of its primary is
should be adequate for a small flat. resistance. Its secondary voltage is connected into circuit. T2 is an in-
In Fig. 2, TR 1 and TR2 are the rectified by silicon diode D2 and expensive bell transformer of the
two multivibrator transistors of the resultant direct voltage appears type available from Woolworth's
Fig. 1. The base resistor Rx is now across reservoir capacitor C3. C3 stores, and it offers a secondary
replaced by a preset variable resis- serves a secondary function also, voltage of eight volts with a tap at
tor R3 in series with fixed resistor since the transformer internal re- five volts. The tap is not used here.
R4. The purpose of R4 is to set sistance and this capacitor provide Any alternative type of mains trans-
an upper limit to the base current the RC circuit, referred to earlier, former offering about eight volts may
that can be obtained by way of R3. which ensures that the supply volt- be employed instead. If, however,
Switch SI is the push- button that age rises gradually on switching on. the alternative transformer has a
activates the multivibrator. When S2 provides on-off switching. low internal resistance it may be
pressed, it connects the base of When it is desired to silence the necessary to add a physical resistor
TR2 to the lower supply rail. `buzzer' after S1 has been pressed between the secondary and 172 to
Additional components appear to and released, S2 is set to the 'Off' provide the gradual increase in
the right of TR2. TR3 is an emitter position. This removes the supply supply voltage when switching on.
follower which acts as a current and also connects R7 across C3, A 512 or 1012 1 watt resistor should
amplifier and drives the loudspeaker causing the latter to discharge rapid- be adequate.
by way of output transformer T1. ly. S2 is then returned to 'On' The only remaining components
D1 is a silicon diode and its func- whereupon the supply voltage which require comment are R3 and
tion is to ensure that TR3 passes reappears, building up gradually S2. R3 can be a skeleton preset
leakage current only during the due to the presence of the trans- variable resistor. S2 must be a type
time when the multivibrator is in- former internal resistance and C3. offering break-before-make switch-
operative. Under this condition TR2 ing and a suitable component would
is nearly bottomed, and the voltage COMPONENTS be a s.p.d.t. toggle switch.
between its collector and emitter
is less than the 0.5 volt which is need- The three transistors are readily SETTING UP
ed for the flow of forward current available germanium types. Diode
in Dl. When the multivibrator D1 can be any silicon diode or After the circuit has been com-
operates, after pressure and release rectifier. D2 should be a silicon pleted, it has next to be set up.
at Sl, the collector of TR2 swings rectifier capable of passing a for- R3 should initially be adjusted
above 0.5 volt on the half-cycles ward current of 100mA or more. so that it inserts zero resistance into
when this transistor is cut off, there- and having a p.i.v. in excess of circuit. The primary of T2 is con-
by enabling base current to flow in 25 volts. The Lucas DD000 would nected to the mains and S2 is
TR3 during these half -cycles. be satisfactory in both diode posi- switched to 'On'. If all is well, there
NOVEMBER 1971 211
should be no sound from the Eventually, a setting in R3 will be taken over the range 6 to 12 volts
speaker. The slider of R3 is then found at which the multivibrator without any re- adjustment to R3.
adjusted to put increased resistance does not oscillate when S2 is re- There is a slight possibility that
into circuit, and is turned until the turned to 'On'. This is the final spread in gain with transistors
multivibrator commences running setting and the multivibrator will employed in the TR2 position may
and its tone is audible from the now only run after SI has been require that R4 be reduced in value
speaker. S2 is set to `Off', the pressed and released. with some specimens if R3 is to
slider of R3 is returned a little way The required setting in R3 was offer a useful range of adjustment.
towards the zero resistance end of not at all critical with the prototype, It will probably be found that the
its track, and S2 is put to `On' again. and circuit operation was not affec- final setting of R3 will be such that
If the multivibrator commences to ted when the supply voltage to the its slider is near the zero resistance
run again the procedure is repeated. multivibrator was experimentally end of the track.

ADDING REGENERATION
by

S. G. WOOD, G5UJ

This suggested method of adding regeneration to a valve broadcast


receiver may not function with all sets, but its simplicity makes it worth
trying out experimentally

PERHAPS NOT WIDELY APPRECIATED IS THE FACT


that the modification of an ordinary valve long,
medium and short wave superhet to facilitate
the reception of c.w. signals can be simplicity itself.
It is necessary for the first i.f. valve to have its First I.F.

suppressor grid brought out to a separate pin and not valve


be connected internally to chassis.
ADDED POTENTIOMETER
As a glance at the accompanying diagram will Added
potentiometer
show, all that is required in the way of additional
components is a linear potentiometer, either carbon
or wirewound, having a value of 1 to 2k12. This may
be mounted in any convenient spot on the receiver
chassis, it being wired into the suppressor grid
circuit of the first i.f. valve as indicated. By virtue of
the variable resistance inserted, a fair measure of
regeneration can be obtained, thus enabling c.w. to Normally, the suppressor grid of an i.f. ampli-
be copied as would occur with the more orthodox fier valve is connected direct to chassis, or
b.f.o. used with proper communications receivers. to cathode. Here, it is connected to chassis
The modification need in no way interfere with by way of a potentiometer
the normal function of the receiver when used on
the medium or long wave bands for broadcast re-
ception. All that is necessary to render the receiver
suitable for broadcast listening is to turn the poten-
tiometer slider right to the end of its travel, thus first check that the receiver will allow regeneration
reducing the resistance in circuit to almost zero, to occur by temporarily inserting a 1k02 or 2k12
whereupon the i.f. stage will work normally. fixed resistor between the suppressor grid and chassis.
In many i.f. valves the internal screen is internally If the receiver oscillates then the modification may
connected to the suppressor grid, and the regenera- be carried out and the potentiometer fitted. Should
tion may be the result of the resistance which is the valve have its internal screen brought out to a
inserted in series with the chassis connection to this separate pin, try inserting the resistance between
screen rather than to any effect resulting from the chassis and this screen as well as between chassis
suppressor grid itself. Before fitting the potentiometer and the suppressor grid.
212 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
THE 'DROITWICH' CAR RADIO
by

SIR DOUGLAS HALL, K.C.M.G., M.A.(Oxon)

This receiver offers the ultimate in simplicity of car radio


control since it is preset to the Radio 2 programme on
200kHz. Single station tuning also enables circuit simplicity
to be achieved, as there is then no necessity for the use of
a superhet design. The set functions from a 12 volt supply
and can be wired for either a negative or a positive earth

NOW THAT RADIO 4 IS ALMOST his eyes from the road, since only amplification. The superhet is obvi-
confined to broadcasting a combined volume control and ously of advantage when variable
speech, and while Radio 3 is switch are required. Again, the com- tuning is employed, or when the
still out of range in many parts of parative complication of a superhet medium waveband is covered, but
the country, there is a lot to be becomes quite unnecessary. After entirely without merit when the
said for a fixed tuned Radio 2 car all, a superhet is no more than a fixed frequency is lower than that
radio. A fixed tuned receiver is easy straight receiver tuned to about normally used in the i.f. stages. A
to make and set up, and can be 465kHz, and preceded by a fre- circuit tuned to 200kHz will give
operated without the driver taking quency changer which offers little better sensitivity and selectivity

COM PON ENTS


Resistors C9 100µF electrolytic, 4V
(All fixed values watt 10% un- wkg, Mullard minia- Switch
less otherwise stated) ture S1(a) (b) d.p.d.t. (part of
RI 10k12 CIO 220pF ceramic VR2)
R2 3.9k12 CI I 1,000µF electrolytic.
R3 2.2M12 16V wkg, Mullard Fuse
R4 2212 3 watt wirewound miniature FI 2 -amp fuse and holder
5% VC1 100pF trimmer, mica
R5 470kS2 Speaker
R6 22k12 Inductors 2512 speaker. 7in. by 4in.
R7 4.7k12 LI 2.5mH r.f. choke
R8 10k12 (Repanco) Sockets, Plugs
VRI potentiometer.
10k12 L2 Miniature Dual - 3 -off B9A valveholders
skeleton preset Purpose Coil, valve Car aerial socket
VR2 5k12 potentiometer, log type, Blue, Range 1
2 -off 2 -way socket (or
track, with switch Si (Denco) terminal) strips
(see text) L3, 4, 5 Miniature Dual -
VR3 1.5k12 potentiometer, Purpose Coil, Valve Case, Chassis
miniature preset type, Green, Range I
(All Home Radio)
(Denco) 2 -off 4in. by 2in. sides (Cat.
Capacitors Tl Interstage transformer No. CU 133)
Cl 0.01µF paper or plastic type LT44 (Eagle) 2 -off 7in. by 2in. sides (Cat.
foil Semiconductors No. CÚ136)
C2 10µF electrolytic, 16V TR 1 2N4289 2 -off 4in. by 7in. plates (Cat.
wkg, Mullard minia- TR2 BCI69C for negative No. CU 158)
ture earth battery, 2N4289 1-off Hardware Kit (Cat. No.
C3 180pF silver -mica, 2% for positive earth CU 154A)
C4 220pF silver-mica battery
C5 1µF electrolytic, 40V TR3 AD162 for negative Miscellaneous
wkg, Mullard minia- earth battery, ADI61 1 spindle extension (if needed
ture for positive eyth - see text)
C6 2,200pF, paper or battery 1 knob
plastic foil Plywood
C7 100pF silver-mica Valve Nuts, bolts, connecting wire.
C8 180pF silver -mica, 2% VI ECH83 etc.

216 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR


FI
Sla 2amp

}.2

VR2

C5

To25n
speaker
L9j11 3
3 D C9 VR
8 4
Via Vlb
6 CIo
C7
----IH
TR3
7
AD162
2
3

TR2
VC! BC 169C
ECH 83

1
bce
Iooc) 000
bce
2N4289 BCI69C AD162

Fig. 1. The circuit of the 'Droitwich' Car Radio. The vertical dashed line is not a screen; the
tuner section appears to the left of it and the ai. amplifier section to the right. A negative
battery earth is assumed

than one tuned to 465kHz, because ('IR('l IT OPERATION steady by the potentiometer VRI.
of the better inductance -capacitance only a small degree of negative feed-
ratio. The circuit is given in Fig. 1. back being given by R2, this being
The design adopted for this re- The signal is picked up by a normal required to prevent too great a
ceiver uses the same basic principles car aerial and applied to the base change' in amplification being
as those employed in an earlier car of a high amplification common brought about by differences in car
radio design by the author for emitter amplifier which has a tuned battery voltage due to its being on
medium wavelengths, and described circuit in its output, this connect- or off charge. Consequently, the
in this journal.* That is to say, it ing to the input of VI(a). VI(a) is base bias of TR1 will be decreased
rakes advantage of the stability of a valve r.f. amplifier, transformer by a strong signal and TR1 will
a valve and the high mutual con- coupled to V 1(b), a leaky grid offer less amplification. In the earlier
ductance of a transistor to give a detector with reaction. The combina- design, the input transistor was
very good level of amplified a.g c. tion of two high efficiency ampli- operated as a common base device.
The circuit has been considerably fiers and a reaction circuit gives This arrangement worked well on
modified since the earlier design, large overall signal frequency am- medium waves, but on 200kHz the
and the present receiver uses fewer plification. Because Vl(b) is a leaky transistor continues to offer good
components but is more sensitive. grid detector the bias at its grid amplification when nearly cut off.
Its construction can be safely under- will increase on the arrival of a In the common emitter configura-
taken by the comparative beginner signal. In consequence, the direct tion, amplification falls off more
who knows how to use simple tools voltage drop across the decoupling rapidly with a drop in collector
and has made up two or three resistor R6 will decrease, this volt- current, and the a.g.e. effect is
receivers. age change having been amplified therefore improved. A further ad-
by the amplification factor of the vantage is the greater amplification
.Sir Douglas Hall, 'Design For Universal valve. R6 is also in the bias feed available for weak signals owing to
Car Radio', The Radio Constructor, April circuit for the base of TRI. The the greater efficiency of the com-
1969.
emitter bias of TRI is held fairly mon emitter arrangement, provided
NOVEMBER 1971 217
collector current is not too low.
As regards circuit details in the
tuner section it will be seen that Cl
isolates the aerial from the battery.
LI prevents cross- modulation by
powerful medium or short wave
stations during the times when TR 1

is passing very little collector cur-


rent. V1(a) obtains its necessary
grid bias by means of grid current
flow in R3. The smaller value of
grid resistor, 125, provided for VI(b),
enables that valve to operate as a
detector. The presence of R7 in the
anode circuit of V 1(b) allows re-
action to be obtained. R4, which
must have a rating not less than 3
watts, drops the heater voltage for
the valve to a nominal 6.3 volts. C3
and C8 are close -tolerance capaci-
tors which allow the variable cores The receiver before fitting in its case. In this photograph the
of the two coils used to tune to screening can for the aerial coil is removed. An extension
200kHz. threaded rod may be seen inserted in trimmer VCI
The tuner section ends at the
dashed line and a pair of high
resistance phones across the volume Lion with wood screws behind the to act as a baseboard and tern -
control VR2 will give good loud panel, but the valveholder is set porarily screw the components
results. back a little by means of two 6BA panel to this as indicated in Figs.
The a.f. amplifier, to the right of bolts, each with three nuts. It should 3 and 4.
the dashed line, could hardly be take up a position such that, with Now examine the Home Radio
simpler. TR2 is a high amplification the valve inserted, there is 2in. be- 'Universal Chassis' parts specified
common emitter n.p.n. transmitter tween the end of the valve pip and in the Components List. It will be
feeding direct into the output tran- the outside surface of the panel. seen that there are two flanged sides
sistor, TR3, a p.n.p. emitter fol- One of the coil can lids (i.e. the lid Tin. by 2in., and two smaller sides
lower with a 252 speaker in its out- of one of the cans in which the 4in. by 2in. There will also be two
put circuit. Correct bias is set up by coils are supplied) has a central por- plates, a little under lin. by a little
VR3, C9 acting as a bypass capaci- tion cut away so that the coil can under 4in. Take one of the 7 by
tor at audio frequencies. VR3 is pass through it, and it is then 2in. sides, and fit the aerial socket.
adjusted so that half the battery bolted over the left hand coilholder, battery socket, speaker socket and
voltage is dropped across the on the outside of the panel, the TR3 to it as illustrated in Figs. 3
speech coil of the speaker, this giv- inner of the two bolts having a and 4. Exact positions are not
ing conditions for maximum output solder tag on it for earthing pur- shown, since sockets vary a little in
by TR3 which, with the car running poses. See Fig. 4. One of the coil dimensions, but Fig. 4 shows how
and the battery on charge, is about cans has a }in. hole drilled through they should generally be placed.
1 watt. C10 provides a small degree its bottom to allow the core to be Small rectangular openings must be
of treble cut by negative feedback adjusted and is then screwed to the cut to allow the power and speaker
and keeps radio frequencies away lid. The other coil should not be plugs to be inserted into their
from TR3. C11 is the usual high screened. TI should be cemented sockets. Now, temporarily screw
capacitance electrolytic component in position, its core fitting into the this metal side to the other side of
across the power supply. slot cut for it and its orientation the baseboard so that the assembly
A 352 speaker may alternatively being as indicated in Fig. 4. Cut a appears as in Fig. 3. Leave Ain.
be used, but this will reduce output second piece of plywood, 6 by l$in., between the underneath of the base-
to about 700mW.
The circuit, as so far described
and as shown in Fig. 1, assumes a
battery with negative earth. Circuit 64

changes for a car with positive earth


are described at the end of this Hole for leads to VCI
article.

CONSTRUCTION 1 A

3/B diu
Construction should start with cut-
o
3/4"

ting a piece of plywood as in Fig. 2. I

The two coilholders and the valve - 13/44


holder (all identical components).
VR2, Ti and VCI are mounted as
shown in Figs. 3 and 4. VR2 should
have a body diameter of about lin.
or less, as it may otherwise foul
the valveholder. This point should
be checked before the valveholder Slot for Ti
hole is cut out; if necessary, the
valveholder hole may be shifted 11/4+- I Ye" -- 13/e4
very slightly to the left from the
position indicated in Fig. 2. The
two coilholders are fixed in posi- Fig. 2. Drilling details for the main component panel
THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
218
I VCI
Coil can n m n
lid t

uu u LI

Coil holder
G Coil holder
VP2

Valve holder
set back CI I

ñ from panel
S
vP

n n
I

----LL-;---- 7--- Jt -

Speaker socket TR3


Aerial socket Power socket
above TR?

Fig. 3. Components on the main component panel, baseboard and rear metal panel assembly.
Note that the body of TR3 is on the outside

board and the inside surface of the metal side. It is as well to hold the specified, or space will be at a
bottom flange of the metal side, so main components panel and the premium. They are all standard
that one of the 7 by 4in. pieces metal side in place along the edges Mullard components, easily avail-
may be later slid between the under- of the baseboard from time to time able. VR3 can be obtained from
neath of the baseboard and the as wiring proceeds, to make sure Amatronix Ltd., 396 Selsdon Road,
flange. that sufficient room is being left. South Croydon, Surrey.
Next, remove the main com- There is room, but not much to Further points are that the
ponents panel and the metal side spare. Do not use higher voltage coupling winding fitted to L2 (and
from the baseboard and wire up electrolytic capacitors than those which connects to pins 8 and 9)
components as shown in Fig. 4,
omitting the leads between the two
sections. These leads are fitted when
the components panel and metal
side are, later, screwed to the base-
board once more. Points to note
are that VR1 is, in fact, soldered
direct to the appropriate tags of the
valveholder, and not equipped with
wires as is shown, for clarity, in the
diagram. Also, VR1 and VR3 are
turned through 90 degrees so that
they are easy to adjust when the
chassis is screwed together as in
Fig. 3. It is important that the a.f.
amplifier components shown in the
lower part of Fig. 4 should not ex-
tend to the left further than the
edge of VR2, or this component
will foul them. The a.f. amplifier
components should also lie fairly
close to the metal side without being
so close as to invite short- circuits.
TR3 is bolted direct to the metal
side - no insulating washer should
be used, but care must be taken to
see that neither the base pin nor the
emitter pin is in contact with the The metal case and front panel
NOVEMBER 1971 219
Blue coil holder Bolt and tag Valve holder VR2 with Si Green coil holder Hole for leads
holding coil
can lid
white

VC'
mounted on
other side
of panel

Bolt holding coil


can lid Main component
panel

This section
screwed to
Leave l/4 clear base board

Bcse board

Screwed to base
board
Leave 5/16" TR3 mounted on other side
clear
Screwed to
*61
base board

Leave /2` I

clear
Leave I/2
A clear

Hole made b Y Hole made by


manufacture r manufacturer

F-

Aerial socket Battery socket Leave 1 /l6'clear Metal back of case Speaker socket

Fig. 4. Fitting and wiring of the components in the receiver

does not appear in the circuit and finements are to fit small compres- Be careful when countersinking the
no connections are made to it. Some sion springs over the core adjusters holes in the flanges that the counter -
of the spare tags on both coilholders of the two coils, with nuts to com- sinker or drill used does not go right
are used as anchoring tags. The tag press them, and to replace the screw through the metal! Four holes will
layout of switch SI may, with some in VCI with a short piece of need to be drilled for these four
components, vary from that shown threaded rod fitted with a knob. 6BA bolts. In addition, four 4BA
in Fig. 4. Confirm the tags to be The first of these devices keeps the bolts and nuts are fitted to the exist-
used with the aid of a continuity cores steady when the car is in ing holes in the side flanges as shown
tester before wiring to them. If con- motion, and the second makes ad- in Fig. 5. Bolts and nuts are pro-
nections are made to incorrect tags justment a little easier. vided, but slightly longer bolts will
the supply can become short - Next, take the 4 by Tin. plates be required. These bolts will be used
circuited when the switch is turned and cover one side of each with to lock the receiver into the case on
on. Fablon or Contact, leaving half an the one side, and to fit the other Tin.
When wiring on the main panel inch clear at each of the 4in. sides. by 4in. flanged side over the front
and the metal side has been com- With the covered sides inside, when the receiver has been fitted.
pleted, temporarily solder a 12in. assemble with the two 4in. side When the case has been assembled
length of red insulated wire to the pieces as shown in Figs. 5(a) and as described, the receiver is slipped
end of R2 which joins to the slider 5(b). It will be seen that the plates into it from one open side until the
of VR1, and a 12in. black lead to are bolted underneath the side two 4BA bolts protrude through the
the other end of R2. Next, screw flanges. This is in order to keep holes already provided by the manu-
the component panel and metal side the overall depth down to 2in. and facturer in the Tin. by 4in. side
permanently back to the baseboard so ensure that the receiver will fit which is the part of the receiver
and complete the connections be- any slot provided in the car. 6BA taking the amplifier components.
tween the two sections. Useful re- countersunk nuts and bolts are used. Two nuts - dome nuts are neat here
.220 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
- will lock the receiver into posi- 4BA bolts through holes made by manufacturers
tion. It will be seen that the edge of
the bottom plate passes into the
r'6 in. space left between the base-
board and the metal side which is
part of the receiver assembly. The
two wires which have been soldered
to R2 are passed round one end
of the main components panel so
that the ends pass through the front Flange of
and are easily accessible. Flange of Top and bottom plates bolted
end piece end piece
underneath flanges of end
SETTING UP pieces with countersunk 6BA
Setting up and testing can now bolts through holes which
take place. must be drilled for the purpose
Open VCI fully, set the slider of
VRI to the negative end of its
track (clockwise in Fig. 4) and set
VR3 with its slider at the half way
position. Clip a voltmeter, set to
give a clear reading of 6 volts,
across the speaker terminals with
the positive lead to the speaker tag (a)
connected to the positive line. Con-
nect up a battery in charged con- 4BA bolt
dition, but not actually on charge, 4BA bolt
Top plate
switch on and adjust VR3 for a
reading of 6.3 volts.
Now set the meter to a voltage
range which offers at least 20ktl
Open sides
meter resistance (e.g. a 20k2 per
volt meter on a volt range, or a
1

101aì per volt meter on a 2 volt End piece End piece


range, the former being preferable)
and clip its leads across the red and Bottom plate
black leads attached to R2. No
aerial should be connected at this
stage and the receiver is partly or (b)
wholly out of its case to provide
access to VR1. Adjust VR1 to give
a reading of 0.2 volt (200mV). Leave Fig. 5(a). Top view of the case in which the receiver is housed
the meter in position, slide the re- (b). Side view of the case
ceiver fully home in its case, plug
in the aerial and adjust the cores
of both coils for optimum results
from Radio 2, which will be indi-
cated by a minimum reading on the
meter - down to near -zero in the
case of a powerful signal. Now put
the battery on charge, either by run-
ning the engine of the car or by
means of a charger. Tighten VCI
a little, making any small adjust-
ment to the core of the green coil
as may be necessary. If VCl is
tightened too far there will be a
loss of treble and, eventually oscil-
lation. Adjusting VCI will still fur-
ther reduce the reading given by
the voltmeter though it may cause
little or no increase in volume level.
Finally make sure that the core of
the blue coil is at optimum, still
using the meter as a guide. Tuning
will be less sharp here than with the
green coil. It should be pointed out
that if VC1 is set for optimum when
the battery is not on charge, there
is likely to be distortion or in-
stability when the engine is started.

COMPLETION
The receiver is now set up. Put a
little adhesive on the coil core Rear view of the receiver. Note the output transistor on the
screws and the setting screw of VCl rear panel
NOVEMBER 1971 221
- this is especially important if an
extension rod and small knob have
been fitted as these encourage
movement by vibration - remove
the receiver from the case and un-
solder the two leads from R2. These
have served their purpose, and the
receiver can now be finally bolted
back into the case again.
Take the remaining lin. by 4in.
metal side and cut a hole in it for
the spindle of VR2. This metal side
is then pushed into place over the
two 4BA bolts on the front of the
case, and two dome nuts lock this
into position. It may be necessary
to use a spindle extension for VR2,
or a long- necked self -locking type
of knob. The completed receiver. There is only one control, this being
Because of the presence of the for on -off switching and volume
four 4BA bolts, the two sides will
be held a little away from the case,
leaving small air gaps at each cor-
ner. These provide the ventilation
necessary for VI and R4. TR3,
bolted direct to the side of the case,
is in open air and keeps very cool.
The completed receiver may now becomes as in Fig. 6, and the follow- from these changes, wiring is car-
be fitted to the car. A 2 amp fuse ing changes are carried out. Tran- ried out as in Fig. 4.
should be inserted in the positive sistors for TR2 and TR3 should be as Current drawn from the battery
lead to the battery (or in the nega- indicated in the Components List for when the car is running will be
tive lead if the receiver is to be positive earth batteries. This enables about 600mA with a 2552 speaker,
wired up for a battery with positive TR3 still to be bolted direct to the or 500mA with a 3552 speaker. Do
earth) and should be removed whilst metal side without the use of a not use a speaker with a lower im-
the receiver is being connected up washer. The connections from VR1 pedance than 2552.
since the positive plug could acci- in Fig. 4 to speaker socket A and It may be pointed out that some
dentally touch the case during this the securing bolt of TR3 are constructors may prefer to use ter-
process. The fuse is external to the changed round. Speaker socket A minal strips rather than socket
receiver and is positioned at a con- now connects to the negative supply strips for the battery input connec-
venient point in the car. line and TR3 securing bolt to the tions at the receiver, since there is
positive line. Connections to C9 are then less risk of a power plug work-
reversed, and so are connections to ing loose under vibration and short -
POSITIVE EARTH C11. Also, Cll is physically turned circuiting to the receiver case or car
round so that its positive lead ap- earth. An important factor is that
So far, the description of the re- pears at the bottom in Fig. 4. This the battery must always be con-
ceiver has assumed a battery with is a precaution against possible nected to the receiver with correct
negative earth. If a positive earth short -circuits if the Fablon case polarity, both in use and during
battery is used the amplifier circuit lining becomes damaged. Apart setting -up. Battery connection with
incorrect polarity can cause damage,
particularly to the electrolytic capa-
citor C11.
As a final note it should be men-
tioned that radio frequency ampli-
fication is very high and all the
normal suppression precautions
should be taken. Otherwise, inter-
ference will be experienced in areas
T1 of low signal intensity where the
a.g.c. action is minimal and ampli-
fication is at maximum. With some
cars it may help to fit a low resist-
ance choke in the non -earthy lead
from the battery. This must not have
a resistance of more than 112 and can
be made by winding 16 yards of
24 s.w.g. enamelled wire in a pile
on a short length of *in. ferrite rod.
The choke should be contained in
an earthed screening can and should
be fairly close to the receiver. It is
also useful to use a fairly long
aerial in the interests of good a.g.c.
The author uses a 62in. Vanlan
type AW300/4E available from
ADI61 Alpha Radio, 103 Leeds Terrace,
Fig. 6. The alternative a.f. amplifier circuit, for use if the car has a Wintoun Street, Leeds. Mount the
positive battery earth aerial as far from the engine as
possible. 111
222 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
Cover Feature
AUDIO FREQL
MMN1An

by
PA I

J. T. NEILL
A compact frequency meter, with
frequencies and employing an integr
square wave output is also available.
tion, will be pubi

NE ITEM OF TEST EQUIPMENT THAT THE HOME


O constructor does not normally have at his dis-
posal is a means of determining frequency.
+12v
Stabiliser +
In the radio frequency band, frequency measure-
ment can often be carried out by comparison, in a
receiver, of the unknown signal whose frequency it
is required to determine with, for instance, the signal
from a transmitter of known frequency. Comparison
with the harmonics of a crystal oscillator is another ti Sine to Transistor
I/p
system in common use. square diode pump
At audio frequencies other methods have to be
employed. Comparison with the output of a signal
generator by means of a Lissajou figure on an oscil-
loscope is the most popular scheme, but of course an
oscilloscope and, for that matter, an audio signal
generator of good accuracy throughout its range, is
not always to hand.
ANALOGUE DISPLAY
1. Block diagram illustrating the basic
It was with these considerations in mind, and operation of the audio frequency meter
during the course of some audio experiments, that
the author decided to construct an audio frequency This does reduce the accuracy somewhat, com-
meter. Commercial frequency meters invariably use pared to the digital instrument, but when the cost
a kind of digital display, but the circuits to drive and the fact that no frequency measuring equipment
them are complicated and correspondingly expensive; of any kind is normally available to amateurs are
accordingly, the meter described here has an ana- taken into account, it will be seen that this audio
logue display, using an ordinary 100µA meter for frequency meter will fill a large gap in the usual
the purpose. range of test equipment.
224 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
ENCY METER

r1

tlogue display, working at audio


i circuit for ease of construction. A
rrt 2, giving constructional informa-
ed next month
I0 FREQUENCY

In its battery -powered form the meter can be


built in a completely self -contained housing

In point of fact, the accuracy obtained here is as tional amplifier is used to convert the input waveform
good as that of the moving coil meter incorporated, to a square wave. The transistor diode pump re-
that is, about 21 %. sponds in such a manner that the resultant reading
Frequency is displayed in a selected one of three on the meter is proportional to frequency. The RC
ranges - up to 1kHz, up to 10kHz and up to 100kHz. time constant in the pump is selected by the range
The minimum level of input for reliable readings is switch to give the ranges mentioned.
40mV, while the input impedance is 4.71(Q. Power is An operational amplifier (often referred to as an
derived either from the mains via an isolating trans- `op. amp.) ideally has infinite gain and bandwidth,
former or from two 9 volt batteries which, as dis- infinite input resistance and zero output impedance,
cussed later, can be either incorporated in the unit but of course no actual amplifier can have these
itself or used externally. characteristics. However, in the case of the SN72709
One feature which will be of particular interest to amplifier used here, typically the gain is 45,000 and
those enthusiasts who favour the use of square -wave the input resistance is 250kí2, according to the manu-
testing of audio amplifiers is that a large amplitude facturer's data sheet.
square -wave of good rise time and of the same fre- Since in the present circuit no negative feedback
quency as that of the input is made available. When is applied, we have the full gain of the amplifier
this facility is in use the unit is not at the same time available, and it will readily be seen that it requires
able to measure frequency, but can of course be only a very small input signal to drive the amplifier
returned to that mode when required. The square - to saturation in either direction. Consequently, at the
wave output can also be used as a signal source in output of the amplifier there appears a square-wave
receiver fault finding, since it contains harmonics at of good rise and fall times due to the high gain pre-
least up to the 1MHz region. sent and also because the upper frequency limit of
the SN72709 is in the megahertz region.
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM It will be noted that there are two signal inputs to
the SN72709, by convention labelled ` -' and `-f-'.
Fig. 1 gives the block diagram and Fig. 2 the These are the inverting and the non -inverting inputs
circuit diagram, excluding the mains power supply. respectively, and are available for the application of
In order to simplify the construction and setting up feedback when the SN72709 is used with its gain
of the frequency meter, an integrated circuit opera - reduced from the value given above. As stated
NOVEMBER 1971 225.
TR2

+ 12V
ACY 17
R12
--o +18V

ZD1
CIO IN914 IN914
12V

RI1

ICI TR'
Cl BC 108
SN72709 R9
/P 4
10 S2a
D D2
9
1N914 "

11.01
N914
5
6
12
3

4
C4
-._.
R5
Ì4\Ch-6
C8
i
D3

1N914
RIO

VR3 1VR4

SLR
+ 6V O/P 0-100
IV p.t.p. pA

J. VR1
1

S2b r4
3

o T
1
14 13 12 ill K) 9 8 S2 positions : 1 O -IKHz
2 O -10KHz
2 3 4 5 6 7
1

3 O- 100KHz
ACY 17
4 Square wave output
BC 108 SN 72709 Top view

Fig. 2. Complete circuit diagram of the meter. The 18 volt supply may be obtained from
batteries or a mains supply unit

previously, in this application no feedback is em- there exists a square wave, of the same frequency as
ployed. However, since the SN72709 is d.c. coupled the input signal, and of a constant amplitude, due to
throughout means must be provided for keeping the use of the stabilised rail. The circuit that follows
the two signal inputs at the same d.c. level, and this is the heart of the frequency meter, for it charges up
is done by returning both of them, through appro- a capacitor to a voltage dependent on the frequency
priate resistors, to half the supply voltage. of the input signal. It is possible to obtain more
A brief outline of why this is necessary is as
.
.
than one range of frequency measurement by switch-
follows. ing in different values of capacitor.
The SN72709, when used as a d.c. amplifier, is Basically, the circuit used is a diode pump, shown
usually fed from equal positive and negative supply in its basic form in Fig. 3, and it functions in the
rails, with one signal input returned to earth, which following manner.
of course lies mid -way between these two rails. The Assume both capacitors are fully discharged, and
other signal input has the negative feedback, if any, then permit the first positive -going pulse to be
applied to it, and so it also lies close to earth poten- applied to the input. Diode D2 will be non- conduct-
tial. When a.c. coupling is used, as here, there is no ing, but diode D1 will switch on and Cl and C2 in
need to go to the trouble of voltages of both polari- series will charge up to Vi, provided that the source
ties, so long as the signal inputs are returned to a impedance of the pulse generator is low. Since, in
voltage roughly mid -way between the two supplies. the frequency meter, the source impedance is the
The `two supplies' are accordingly earth and the + 12 output impedance of the SN72709, which is of the
volt rail; as described later, this 12 volt supply rail order of a few hundred ohms, we will assume that
is stabilised. the voltage across Cl, and C2 in series will reach the
input pulse voltage Vi.
DIODE PUMP
From simple capacitor divider theory, if for
As noted earlier, at the output of the SN72709 example C2 is five times larger than Cl, then the
THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
226
COM PON ENTS
Resistors Semiconductors
(All fixed values watt 10 %) TR1 BC108
R1 4.7k12 TR2 ACY17
R2 4.7k12 Dl D5 1N914
R3 10k12 ZD1 zener diode, 12V 5' 250mW
R4 1.5kí2
R5 10E2 Integrated Circuit
R6 10k12 ICI SN72709 or equivalent, 14 pin dual -in-
R7 8.2k12 line (see text)
R8 47052
R9 4.7kí2 Meter
R10 68012* M1 moving -coil meter, 0 -100µA
R11 2.2k12
R12 27012 Switches
VR1 25012 skeleton preset SI s.p.s.t., toggle
VR2 50012 skeleton preset* S2 2-pole 4 -way, rotary
VR3 50011 skeleton preset*
VR4 50012 skeleton preset* Power Supply
Either
*May require adjustment to suit meter resistance. Ti Mains transformer, sec. 9V 50mA
(see text)
D6, D7 Rectifiers type DD000
C11, C12 22µF electrolytic, 25V. wkg.
Capacitors Or
Cl lµF miniature foil Batteries to provide 18V
C2 4.7µF electrolytic, 10V. wkg.
C3 100pF ceramic Miscellaneous
C4 10pF ceramic Diecast box or similar (dimensions dependent
C5 4.7µF electrolytic, 10V. wkg. on power supply and meter used)
C6 plastic foil
0.0221.1F Four terminals (two input, two output)
C7 2,200pF plastic foil Veroboard (See Fig. 7 in Part 2)
C8 220pF silver -mica Pointer knob
C9 0.1µF plastic foil 14 pin dual -in -line holder for integrated
C10 4.7µF electrolytic, 10V. wkg. circuit

first input pulse.


The effect is to give a staircase waveform across
C2 as in Fig. 4, with each step in the staircase be-
o - G ing smaller than the one preceding.
o--11 However, what is required is a voltage that rises
in equal steps for each input pulse. This could be
Dp IC2 achieved by making the ratio C2 /C1 much larger
than the value of five considered above, and a value
of C2/C1 of, say, 100, would indeed give a voltage
T rise that approaches linearity. A drawback of this
scheme is that with C2 100 times larger than Cl a
Fig. 3. A simple diode pump very low level output is obtained, although it is much
more linear.
voltage across C2 is '/5 of Vi, and that across Cl is TRANSISTOR DIODE PUMP
5/6 of Vi.
As soon as the input falls to zero, D2 conducts Luckily, there is a way of using a C2 /C1 ratio of
and discharges Cl; D1 is now reverse biased, for low value, so giving a higher level of output, and at
its cathode is held at '/6 of Vi due to the charge on the same time ensuring that a linear staircase is
C2, so the charge on C2 is maintained. available, and this makes use of the transistor diode
The next input pulse is similarly divided between pump shown in Fig. 5.
Cl and C2, but due to the existence of the voltage The diode D2 is replaced by an n.p.n. transistor
of '/s Vi already across C2 the division ratio is no with its collector taken to a high positive potential.
longer the same as before, so that the voltage at the This ensures that when the input goes to zero poten-
output rises by a rather smaller amount than with the tial it returns the right hand side of Cl to the output
NOVEMBER 1971 227-
ment for the +12 volt supply to be stabilised, and
this is done by means of a constant current stabiliser.
In Fig. 2 the transistor TR2, by virtue of its constant
base potential and fixed emitter resistor, passes a
constant current to the zener diode and load in
parallel. Since the load current is almost unchanged
vo'tagc during operation - it does change with meter deflec-
tion slightly - this means an almost constant current
in the zener diode, so contributing to voltage stability.
Other, more conventional, series stabilisers were
tried but where, as here, input voltage varies due
to either mains variations or battery exhaustion, and
where there is (almost) constant load current, the
Time constant current circuit has the advantage in terms
of output voltage stability. Further, due to the high
impedance of the constant current transistor and the
Fig. 4. Ideal and actual waveforms provided
low impedance of the zener diode, good rejection
by the pump
of power supply ripple is achieved. This is important
if a poorly smoothed mains supply is used.

voltage. so that each input pulse is added on top of


the output.
With the output staircase now intrinsically linear.
it is possible to use capacitors with lower C2 /CI
ratio, so resulting in the required higher voltage at
the output.
In practice, the transistor collector should be re-
turned to a positive voltage higher than the peak
value of Vi and in the frequency meter, the un-
stabilised supply is used. As the circuit operates with
a considerable degree of negative feedback, it is
not a disadvantage if this unstabilised supply varies.
' One other point that should be mentioned here is
that, so far, forward voltage drop in each diode + supply
(including the transistor base -emitter diode) is ig-
nored. This is valid in the case of the transistor diode Fig. 5. An improved waveform is given by the
pump due to its inherent linearity, although the transistor diode pump shown here
diode used should be of low leakage.
So far, we have only a staircase waveform across
C2, so that after a number of pulses the output An output voltage of about 12 volts is required -
voltage will reach a value equal to the supply rail the actual value is not so important as its stability -
and then no further change can take place. Such a so two 5.6 volt zener diodes could be used in series
state of affairs is of no use in a frequency meter and to give best temperature stability. (It is with zener
and it is at this point that resistor R in Fig. 5 comes diodes of around 6 volts that the smallest voltage
into the picture. change occurs as the temperature changes.) Should
It partially discharges C2 between each input the best accuracy not be required, then a single 12
pulse. so that the average voltage across C2 is pro- volt zener can be used instead.
portional to input frequency; for clearly the lower The input to the regulator can be either from two
the frequency the longer the period of time between 9 volt batteries in series or from the mains via a
each pulse during which R can discharge C2. midget transformer and voltage doubler, as shown
The indication of frequency could be made on in Fig. 6. (Should difficulty be experienced in obtain-
a high impedance voltmeter in parallel with R, but ing a 9 volt 50mA transformer, a suitable alternative
the easiest way is to put a suitable current meter in is the MT9, offering 9 -0 -9 volts at 80mA, available
series with R, where, of course, the current is pro-
portional to frequency.
In fact, to allow the reading to be set up using a
known input frequency, component values have
been chosen to give somewhat greater current in R
than that required by the 100µ.A meter used; the
meter is shunted by a fixed and a pre -set variable 240V
resistor, so permitting calibration, either overall or AL.
separately on each range, to be provided. Further
details concerning calibration are given later.

POWER SUPPLY

In connection with the d.c. arrangements for the Fig. 6. Circuit of a suitable mains supply
SN72709 it was mentioned that there was a require- i
228 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
,,.,.-
..,
A view inside the author's
frequency meter with the lid,
on which the Veroboard hold-
ing the components is mount-
ed, removed

from Amatronix Ltd., 396 Selsdon Road. South also he increased, to 15kí2, to keep the resistance
Croydon, Surrey. The full secondary of this trans- seen by the two inputs of the SN72709 to the same
former can be coupled to a single diode half -wave value.
rectifier and a 22µF reservoir capacitor.) If battery Two silicon diodes are connected back to back
operation is decided upon, then two small batteries across the two inputs of the SN72709, they ensure
could be built into the unit, occupying about the that, should a large signal be applied to the input, it
same space as the transformer etc.; alternatively. will be limited to about 1 volt peak -to -peak ampli-
two larger 9 volt batteries used externally would give tude. The frequency of the signal will not, of course,
greater economy. be changed.
The decision as to which form of power supply This precaution is necessary since a very large
to use will depend on a number of factors. Very signal (greater than 5 volts peak -to -peak) applied to
frequent use of the frequency meter would point to a the inputs of the SN72709 could cause damage to it.
mains supply, while batteries connected externally In order to provide the three ranges mentioned.
reduce the cost to a minimum by enabling the smal- switch S2(a) selects series capacitors in the pump
lest size of housing to be employed. circuit. Normally, care would have to be taken that
Total current drain, at full scale deflection on the the ratios of these capacitors were such as to pre-
meter, is 14mA. serve the calibration on all three ranges. That is.
C6 should be ten times C7 and C7 ten times C8.
PRACTICAL DETAILS However it was thought that the selection of such
capacitors might be difficult for the home constructor,
That concludes the description of the basic prin- so an alternative scheme is used. A second pole on
ciples of the frequency meter; now for some practical the range switch brings in a meter shunt resistor,
details. which is adjusted, on calibration, to give the re-
The SN72709 op. amp. in the required dual -in -line quired meter deflection on each range. In this way,
package is available from a number of advertisers in only nominal valve capacitors are required.
The Radio Constructor, as is the 14 pin holder. A single meter shunt could be employed but then
Alternative type numbers for the same basic ampli- the accuracy obtained by using non -selected capaci-
fier are BP709, MIC709 and µA709, but care must be tors will have to be accepted - this may suit those
taken to purchase the dual -in -line configuration if constructors who do not require a highly accurate
the layout given is to be followed. The circuit will measurement of frequency.
function as well with type 709 amplifiers in T05 en- The values shown for the meter shunts, consisting
capsulation, but since the pin layout is different, an of a fixed resistor and a small carbon pre -set variable
alternative layout will need to be evolved. resistor in series, were chosen to suit the meter used in
In order to stabilise the operation of the SN72709 the prototype. This meter was quoted as having a
it is necessary to include R4, C3 and C4; these en- resistance of 1,05052. Should a meter of some other
sure that no high frequency instability occurs. The resistance be employed, then the values of the resis-
input resistance is determined by R1; a higher value tances in the shunts will require modification accord-
of input resistance, say 101x2, can be achieved by ingly.
increasing R1 to this value, in which case R3 should (To be concluded)
NOVEMBER 1971 229
COIL PACK COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVER

PART 2
by

F. G. RAYER, Assoc.I.E.R.E., G3OGR

In this concluding article, our contributor discusses calibration, O. align-


ment and coil -pack setting -up

I.F. ALIGNMENT VC3 slightly, as necessary, to produce intelligible


ACORRECTLY SHAPED TRIMMING TOOL.. WHMCH
speech.
should not be metal, is advised, to avoid any The same method is used to receive c.w. signals,
danger of breaking the i.f. transformer cores. except that in this case VC3 is adjusted, one way or
Each i.f. transformer has two cores one reached from the other, to produce an audible tone.
the top and one from the bottom. The i.f. trans-
formers are supplied pre- aligned, so the cores should AERIAL AND OSCILLATOR TUNING
be left as they are until the receiver is working. They
may then be given the small adjustment required to Coverage is approximately as follows:-
take up the stray capacitances presented by the re-
ceiver circuits and wiring. Long Wave: 800 -2,000 metres.
Use a short piece of wire as an indoor aerial, then 375- 150kHz.
obtain a meter reading of about S4 to S7 with a Medium Wave: 194 -550 metres.
local B.B.C. station correctly tuned in on the medium 1546- 545kHz.
wave band. Carefully rotate each i.f. transformer S.W.1: 50 -160 metres.
6- 1.85MHz.
core for the best meter reading. Each core has a
S.W.2: 16 -50 metres.
definite peak or tuning point. Once the cores are
peaked up, they need no further adjustment. 18.75 -6MHz.

B.F.O. COIL The SW1 range is readily adjusted to give coverage


to 1.8MHz, for Top Band.
A value of 140pF is specified by the manufacturer Trimmers can be adjusted with a small screwdriver.
of the b.f.o. coil for its fixed tuning capacitor (C25 Fig. 2, published last month, gives their locations.
in the present receiver) but it was found that a 150pF The cores can be reached with a suitable tool, or
1% capacitor was suitable. Set VC3 half closed, its plastic knitting needle filed to a screwdriver shape.
knob being fitted such that this corresponds to its The trimming or alignment of one range is completely
pointer being vertical. Again, correctly tune in a separate from that of the other ranges, so deal with
B.B.C. transmission on the medium wave band. Turn one range at a time.
switch Si to the `S.S.B. -C.W.' position. Rotate the Coverage should be approximately correct. How-
core of the b.f.o. coil until a whistle is heard. This ever, the frequency reached with VCI and 2 fully
falls in pitch as the correct position is reached, then closed can be altered by rotating the oscillator coil
starts again and rises in pitch as this point is passed. core of the band in question. The coil -pack data
Adjust the core to the central or zero -beat position. supplied with the pack shows the cores, though
Rotating VC3 either way from its central position they can easily be identified. If necessary, the fre-
will now produce an audio tone, which rises in pitch quency reached with VCl and 2 fully open can be
as the control is turned. modified by adjusting the appropriate oscillator
The `S.S.B. -C.W.' position is used only for the trimmer, Fig. 2.
reception of single -sideband and c.w. (Morse) trans- Band coverage can be checked with a signal
missions. Working can be checked by finding an generator, if wished, or by tuning in known trans-
s.s.b. transmission on 80 metres. Tune this for the missions.
best meter reading, which will fluctuate with speech. When band coverage is suitable, adjust the aerial
With the switch in the `S.S.B. -C.W.' position, adjust cores and trimmers for best reception. Again, deal
230 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
with each band separately, adjusting the core at a
low frequency, and the trimmer at a high frequency.
As an example, switch to the medium wave range.
Tune in a signal with VC1 and 2 nearly open, and
adjust the medium wave aerial trimmer for best
tuning meter reading. Then tune in a signal with
VC1 and 2 nearly fully closed, and adjust the aerial
coil core for best meter reading. Repeat the adjust-
ments until there is no further improvement.
With the higher frequency short wave range it is
possible in some cases to tune the aerial circuit to
the second channel. That is, to a signal two times
465kHz too high in frequency. This will be avoided
if the SW2 aerial trimmer is adjusted to the lower
frequency position of its two settings which peak
up signals. That is, the position where it is more
nearly screwed down.
CALIBRATION
The dial has a vernier 0 -100 scale which rotates
five times for one traverse of the pointer, which
moves against a hundreds scale, thus giving a total
of 500 divisions. If no other means of calibration
are available, a graph of known transmissions could
be drawn for each band. The readings for round
figures may then be taken from the graph and This rear view of the receiver illustrates its
neat and compact layout
marked on the tuning scale.
The simplest method of calibration is to use an
accurate signal generator, or a harmonic crystal earth and speaker sockets. It was felt most conveni-
marker. The latter will give harmonic pips at 100kHz ent to remove a piece about loin. by 2in. from the
and 1MHz or other intervals, which are tuned in back, this being done by punching valveholder holes
one by one, and marked on the scales. to give rounded corners to the aperture, and then
A piece of thin Perspex, Bin. by l in., was drilled cutting between these with a metal saw. Afterwards a
to fit over the lower control bushes, and this covers file was used to smooth and level the edges.
a thin card marked with control functions. For adequate ventilation, six or eight similar holes
are punched in the bottom of the cabinet, which is
CABINET then raised on four plastic feet.
The cabinet requires some ventilation holes at the SPEAKER
back, and these can be made with a valveholder
chassis- cutter. Cut -outs are also needed for the aerial, A reasonably large 2 to 3S2 unit is required, and it
should be fitted in a cabinet, or attached to a baffle
TABLE board.
Logging Scale Readings AERIAL AND EARTH
The Table lists logging scale readings obtained
with the prototype receiver. Many transmissions will be received well with no
earth and quite a short indoor aerial wire. Such an
SW2 SW1 MW aerial can also give good signal strength from many
Freq.. Scale Freq. Scale Freq. Scale short wave broadcast stations.
6MHz 492 1.8MHz 488 550kHz 482 A more efficient aerial will, however, bring about
7MHz 397 2.0MHz 419 600kHz 408 a very substantial improvement, particularly with
8MHz 332 2.5MHz 308 700kHz 321 weak signals. Remote Amateur and other signals
9MHz 278 3.0MHz 232 800kHz 260 which can be received with a properly designed
10MHz 233 3.5MHz 176 900kHz 211 outdoor aerial may completely disappear with a
11 MHz 194 4.0MHz 128 1,000kHz 168 short random wire, or an indoor aerial.
12MHz 164 5.0MHz 65 1,100kHz 131
For medium wave reception and for broadcast
I3MHz 134 6.0MHz 14 1,200kHz 100 stations around the 4 to 18MHz range, a large aerial
14MHz 109 1,300kHz 72 is by no means likely to prove best. When such an
15MHz 85 1,400kHz 53 aerial is used, loading on the receiver input circuit
16MHz 65 1,500kHz 32 can be reduced by placing a small pre -set or variable
17MHz 48 capacitor of around 100pF maximum in series with
18MHz 31 LW the aerial lead, at the receiver. This capacitor is then
Freq. Scale adjusted for best results.
150kHz 475 Finally, a set of logging scale readings, as obtained
200kHz 290 with the prototype, is given in the accompanying
250kHz 183
Table. Exact agreement with these readings should
300kHz 110 not be expected, but they should nevertheless prove
350kHz 53 of help in calibration.
NOVEMBER 1971 231
BENCH CURRENT
MONITOR
by

D. L. SIMPSON

This monitor gives a visual indication when any power, from 5 to 750 watts,
is drawn from a mains supply. Of particular interest is the technique
employed for stepping down the mains current to a level suitable for
application to small transistors

MOST HOME CONSTRUCTORS INSTALL A COMMON 240 volt winding. Because of this, a considerably
mains supply for all the equipment which is lower voltage appears across the 6.3 volt winding and
employed on a bench for experiments or there is negligible loss of mains voltage due to its
servicing. If a large quantity of mains -driven equip- insertion in the circuit.
ment is used it is quite possible for one or more Working from its 6.3 volt to its 240 volt winding.
items to be left accidentally switched on after a the transformer produces a step -up in voltage. At the
session of work has been completed. the same time it produces a step -down in current. It
The device described in this article gives a visual is the step -down in current which enables relatively
indication whenever current is drawn from the mains, small transistors, such as the ACY19's specified, to
and therefore provides a reminder that equipment be employed in the circuit. The current step -down
has been left switched on. Indication is by means of ratio is the opposite of the voltage step-up ratio and
two small pilot lamps. For power consumption from in the present instance is 240:6.3, or approximately
5 to around 20 watts, one of the bulbs is illuminated 40:1. If the maximum recommended r.m.s. current
whilst at higher powers both bulbs are illuminated. of 3 amps (corresponding to 750 watts) flows in the
The circuit is intended for mains loads up to 6.3 volt winding, the r.m.s. current in the 240 volt
750 watts maximum. winding becomes 3/40 amps, i.e. 75mA. The peak
A previous device incorporating a similar method value flowing in the base -emitter junctions of TR1
of operation appeared in the 'Suggested Circuit' and TR2 from the 240 volt winding is thus 75 times
published in the September 1970 issue of this jour- 1.4, or 105mA, which is comfortably within the
nal.* The present device is a development from that maximum base current rating for the ACY19.
'Suggested Circuit'. When the mains current in the 6.3 volt winding of
Ti is low, a proportionately low current flows from
OPERATION the 240 volt winding in the base- emitter junctions of
The circuit of the bench current monitor appears TR1 and TR2. TR1 functions as an emitter follower.
in Fig. 1. Here, a 6.3 volt winding on mains trans- causing an amplified current to flow in the base -
former T1 is inserted in series with the live mains emitter junction of TR2. TR2 then conducts and
input lead to the supplied equipment on the bench, pilot lamp PL2 becomes illuminated. As the mains
with the result that when any item of mains- driven current increases so also does that in the base -emitter
equipment is switched on current flows in this trans- junction of TRI, with the result that its collector
former winding. current increases and PLI commences to become
A 240 volt winding on the same transformer illuminated in addition to PL2. At higher mains
couples to diode D1 and to the base -emitter junc- currents again, both transistors become bottomed
tions of TR1 and TR2 in series. On half -cycles when on the half -cycles when they conduct and both lamps
the right -hand end of the 240 volt winding is positive are fully lit.
diode D1 conducts, whilst when the right -hand end Power for the lamps is obtained, via rectifier D2,
of the winding is negative the base -emitter junctions from the 8 volt winding on transformer T2, this be-
of TRI and TR2 in series conduct. Thus, no voltage in; phased such that negative half- cycles are passed
in excess of about 0.5 volt can appear across the to D2 when negative half -cycles are present at TR1
base. Rectifier D2 is necessary for correct circuit
*G. A. French, Suggested Circuit No. 238, 'Switch-Off Reminder', operation. If it were omitted, both bulbs would
The Radio Constructor, September 1970.
232 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
N

Mains To supplied
input equipment

ACY 19
PLI.PL2 - 6V,0 06A Lead-outs

Fig. 1. The circuit of the bench current monitor. The design approach offers a considerable
economy in components

become continuously illuminated on the opposite Henry's Radio. It should be remembered that the
half- cycles due to the conducting path offered by can of an ACY19 is connected internally to its base.
the collector -base junctions of the transistors and The two pilot lamps are m.e.s. 6 volt 0.06 amp
by D1. types, and are available from Home Radio under
Cat. No. PL7. On no account should 6 volt bulbs
COMPONENTS rated at currents higher than 0.06 amp be employed.
Many constructors may already have some of the
components on hand. Transformer T1 is any mains CONSTRUCTION
transformer having a 6.3 volt winding rated at 3
amps or more and a 240 volt primary. The latter There need be few difficulties in construction as
is the 240 volt winding shown in Fig. 1. Any other layout is not critical. It will probably be found most
windings on the transformer are simply ignored. convenient to mount all the components with the
Transformer T2 in the author's version was a small exception of PLI and PL2 at some point at the side
bell transformer purchased at a Woolworth's store. or back of the bench, taking care to allow access of
The primary is rated 200 -250 volts at 40 to 60Hz, air to the two transistors for cooling purposes. PLI
and the secondary is nominally 8 volts with a tapping and PL2 can then be mounted at a conspicuous point
at 5 volts. It will be seen that the primary is connect- on the front of the bench.
ed permanently across the mains supply, as would Great care must be taken to ensure that Dl is
occur when the transformer is employed for its connected into circuit with correct polarity. If it is
normal application. The current drawn by this connected incorrectly both transistors will be dam-
primary will be negligibly low. Any other small aged as soon as a mains current flows in the 6.3 volt
transformer offering about 8 volts can, of course, winding of TI. Since it is easy to make mistakes here,
be employed instead of the particular bell trans- it is advisable to wire in the diode and the base and
former used by the author. emitter connections of TR1 and TR2 first, as illus-
DI and D2 are both silicon rectifiers. The author trated in Fig. 2. A voltmeter in series with a 6 volt
used BY100's, which happened to be available, but battery is then connected to the circuit incorporating
any small silicon rectifier with a forward current Dl, TRI and TR2 as shown, whereupon it should
rating of 200mA or more should be satisfactory. In give a reading slightly less than 6 volts. The test
use, the peak inverse voltage applied to Dl is only leads are then changed over and re- applied, where-
about 0.4 volt. That applied to D2 is 11.2 volts. upon a reading of slightly less than 6 volts should
TR1 and TR2 are standard ACY19's. At mains again be given. The purpose of the Ikct resistor
currents approaching the maximum, TR2 tends to across the voltmeter is to prevent the latter giving
become a little warm since its base current includes misleading readings due to leakage current in the
that needed to illuminate PLI in addition to the diode or transistors if either are connected wrong
current from the 240 volt winding of T1. In conse- way round. When this test has proved satisfactory.
quence, it is desirable to fit a heat sink to TR2, and the diode and transistors can be connected up to the
this can be any small sink intended for a TO -5 can. 240 volt winding of Tl and the remainder of the
A suitable heat sink is the type H2 available from wiring carried out.
NOVEMBER 1971 233
Ikn

O Fig. 2. A voltmeter test, described in the


text, ensures that there are no errors in the
DI * wiring of D1, TR1 and TR2
Test leads
1 6V

T
The correct method of connecting T2 has to be across the supply leads. The circuit was, also,
found experimentally. If the lamps do not light up temporarily overloaded by coupling a 1kW fire
when current is drawn from the supply, reverse the element to it. This overload was comfortably with-
connections to T2 primary. stood without any failures or overheating in the
Results with the prototype were satisfactory. Pilot transistors or other components. With the 1kW fire
lamp PL2 commenced to glow when a 20k12 resistor element, the voltage dropped across the 6.3 volt
(representing a power load of 3 watts) was connected winding of T1 was 0.4 volt r.m.s. only.

* SWEDEN
CURRENT SCHEDULES Programmes are beamed to South Asia from 1400
to 1530 on 15240 (100kW - 19.69m); to the Middle
Time.s = GMT Frequencies = kHz East from 1600 to 1700 on 11930 (100kW - 25.15m);
* JAPAN to Australia and New Zealand from 0515 to 0615
The morning transmission to Europe, from Tokyo, on 9590 (100kW - 31.28m) and to East and North
is now on 17825 (100kW) with the 21570 (200kW) USA from 0000 to 0230 on 11825 (100kW - 25.37m).
transmitter in parallel. The 21535 channel is dis-
continued. The address for reports is - Nippon Hoso * CANADA
Kyokai, No. 2, 2- chome, Uchisaiwa -cho, Chiyoda -ku, The English daily schedule of Radio Canada is
Tokyo. now as follows - To Africa from 0715 to 0745 on
15390 (19.49m) and on 17820 (16.84m); to Europe
* SEYCHELLES from 0715 to 0745 on 5990 (50.08m) and 9625
Transmissions to the Middle East are now on (31.17m); to the South Pacific from 0830 to 0930 on
11935 from 1700 to 1900. To India and Pakistan on 5970 (50.25m) and 9625; to Europe, Caribbean Area
11920 from 0100 to 0130 in Sinhala and from 0130 and USA from 1217 to 1313 on 9625, 11720 (25.60m),
to 0300 in English. The 15270 channel is used from 15315 (19.59m) and on 15325 (19.58m). To Europe
1230 to 1645 with various language programmes, (News) from 1515 to 1522 on 15320 (19.58m), 17820
English being from 1500 to 1545. (16.84m) and on 21595 (13.89m). To Africa from
1831 to 1914 on 15325, 17820 and 21595; to Europe
* SOLOMON ISLANDS from 2115 to 2152 (on Saturdays and Sundays from
The schedule of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting 2100 to 2152) on 11720, 15325 and on 17820; to
Service is now from 0655 to 1140 and from 1855 to Caribbean Area, USA and Latin America from
0030 on VQO4 3995 (5kW) and on VQO7 7235 2300 to 2330 on 9625, 11945 (25.12m) and on 15190.
(5kW).
* SOUTH AFRICA * TRUCIAL STATES
A new transmission in English, beamed to Europe Schedule of the Abu Dhabi Broadcasting Service
by RSA, may be heard from 2215 to 2315 on 5980 is as follows - from 0230 to 0445 and from 1230 to
(100 /250kW - 50.17 metres) and on 9575 (100/250 2000 on 4988. From 0445 to 1230 on 6124 (English
kW - 31.33m). To N. America in English from 2215 programme from 0930 to 1100 except Friday).
to 2315 on 9695 (250kW - 30.94m) and on 11970 Present transmitter has output power of 10kW but
(100 /250kW - 25.06m). In German to Europe from this will shortly be increased to 500kW. (BADX).
1800 to 1850 on 15175 (250kW - 19.77m) and on
17825 (250kW - 16.83m). Acknowledgements: Our Listening Post, SCDX.

HERE AND THERE


INDONESIA NEW GUINEA National Anthem. A further new one is
Port Moresby on 3290, noted from around
Radio Angkatan Udara (Air Force Radio) BADX also provides the information that 0800 to past 1100, with taped announce-
was logged by several Dx'ers last 'season' Radio Morobe, a new station, has been ment advising it is on the air for propaga-
on the out of band' channel of 11321. logged on 3220 from 0845 to 0900 sign -off. tion tests with 2kW.
BADX report, that the station can also be Programme consisted of western-type music, PERU
heard on a measured 'frequency of 3408. identification in English and Pidgin. Another OAX8X Radio Amazonas. Iquitos, trans-
Those living nearer Indonesia can also hear new one reported is Radio Madang, now on mits from 1100 to 0500 on 4815 (1kW).
the station on 2475, a parallel channel to a regular schedule from around 0800 to BADX report logging this station at 0451
the former mentioned two frequencies. sign -off at 1100 with identification and with identification in Spanish.
234 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
This month Smithy's able assistant, Dick, returns to one of
his old haunts. As so often occurs, however, this does not
00 7
.e11b,
prevent him from obtaining his usual quota of information
from the sagacious Serviceman. In the present episode the
0 o 0
pair discuss microphones

your "No, I'm serious, Smithy. Things


have been pretty hectic on the social
scene lately, and I've got myself
"Are you having the microphone
on a stage at the end of the room ?"
"Oh no," replied Dick. "Joe's
rather heavily involved." Caff is quite a smallish place and
"Involved ?" there's no room for a stage. The
"I'm involved in looking after chap who's performing just moves
the electronics," explained Dick. around the centre of the room carry-
"Down at Joe's Caff." ing the mike in his hand on the
Smithy's hand, poised to take his end of a long flexible lead."
overall jacket from its hook, fal- "Then, in that case," said Smithy,

-shop,
tered in mid -air. "all you need do is to have the
"Joe's Caff? Why. I thought you'd speakers ranged around the walls at
given that place up ages ago." about eight feet off the floor and
"Well," admitted Dick, "my crowd simply keep the whole system just
does tend to drift away from time below feedback level." (Fig. I).
to time but, somehow, we still find Speakers
ourselves going back there again
for the evenings."
"If I remember correctly," said
Smithy thoughtfully, "Joe's Caff is
AGUST OF CHILLY NOVEMBER the place where he's always having
air blew into the workshop it done up differently and keeps
as Smithy opened the door changing its name each time."
and let himself in. Hurriedly, he "That's right," confirmed Dick. Microphone
closed the door behind him, then "At the moment he's making it all
switched on the lights. Their cheer- Continental with the accent on the
ful blaze intensified the gloominess French."
of the murky early morning air "What on earth for ?"
lapping at the windows. Smithy "Because," explained Dick. "of
rubbed his hands together briskly, the Common Market. He reckons
then proceeded to divest himself of that when we enter the Common
his overcoat. At that instant the door Market we've got to change our
opened once more, to admit Dick ways so that we're more Conti-
in his usual state of post- breakfast nental in outlook. He's starting off Speakers Amplifier
dishevelment. He slammed the door by giving his place a real French
behind him and took off his rain- atmosphere." Fig. 1. For light entertainment
coat. Smithy absorbed this information sound reinforcement involving
Smithy looked on with intense in silence. solo artistes in surroundings
disfavour as Dick walked to his "What I'm doing," carried on that are too small to merit a
bench, produced a small mirror Dick enthusiastically, "is installing stage, it is in order to employ
from a drawer, propped it up a microphone and loudspeaker a hand -held moving -coil micro-
against his signal generator, then system for a cabaret he's thinking phone which is fully in the
proceeded to comb his unruly hair. of starting. He's got a beat -up old field of the speakers. To be
amplifier which I've fixed up for successful, the system must
P.A. SYSTEM him, and I spent last night coupling have a reasonably flat overall
up a mike to it." frequency response. The num-
"Corblimey," snorted Smithy in "What sort of mike ?" ber of speakers used need
disgust, "You'll he shaving in here "One of those stick moving -coil not necessarily be the four
next." jobs." shown here
"Why, that's a good idea," said "That should be all right, then."
Dick cheerfully. "I could easily plug commented Smithy approvingly. "What d'you mean, just below
my shaver in on the bench, and that "Moving -coil microphones are much feedback level ?"
would mean a few extra minutes the best for knock -about jobs like "Dear, oh dear," grumbled
in the old pit each morning." that. They normally give a good Smithy. "With you I always have to
"And a few extra minutes," frequency response and they're go back to first principles. Now, the
growled Smithy, "of working time robust enough to stand up to rough feedback you get with a microphone
wasted here as well. Why on earth handling. Also, there's no particular and amplifier normally consists of a
can't you get up early in the restriction on the length of lead be- howl, and it's caused by the micro-
mornings ?" tween the microphone and the phone picking up the sound from
"Because," replied Dick simply. amplifier." the loudspeaker or loudspeakers.
"I go to bed so late on the previous "I had a lot of trouble last night." The whole chain, microphone, am-
nights." commented Dick, "with feedback plifier and loudspeaker or loud-
"I hope," pronounced Smithy howl. Is there any special way of speakers, then forms an oscillator
sternly, "that you're not presuming overcoming it, by speaker position- which oscillates at the frequency at
to take the Michael." ing or something like that ?" which the amplification is greatest.
236 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
In the system I've just described, "It's for limiting the gain of the
where you have the speakers round amplifier," replied Smithy. "The Your Local Supplier
the walls, you deliberately allow the best way to adjust' it is to choose
microphone to pick up sound from a time when the place in which the LONDON
the speakers but you keep the am- amplifier is to be used is nearly
plifier gain at a level which is just empty of people. You put the mike l.vuhlished 1910
too low to allow the system to on a table in the centre of the
oscillate."
"But," protested Dick, "doesn't
room, turn up the main volume con-
trol to maximum then adjust the H. L. SMITH
that mean that the microphone will preset control so that the whole & CO. LTD.
be insensitive and you won't be able system is just below the feedback
to use the full power of the am- oscillation point. You then pick up
plifier?" the microphone, walk around over Comprehensive stocks of
"Of course it doesn't. The per- the area in which it is to be used. components by
former holds the microphone fairly hold it in all the positions it's
close to his mouth so that the sound likely to take up, and make sure all leading makers
intensity it receives from him is that the feedback doesn't reappear
much greater than the sound in- at any point. If it does, then you 287 -9 EDGWARE ROAD
tensity it picks up from the back off the preset potentiometer LONDON W.2
speakers. And the amplifier output a wee bit more, as required. After
stage is still going to deliver its that, everything is set. Non -tech- Tel: 01 -723 5891
rated number of watts if enough nical people will use the normal
signal is fed to it, regardless of the volume control, and they cannot,
position of the amplifier volume even when this is set to maximum,
control." cause feedback to occur. After a THE
"Oh, I see what you mean," said while you'll probably find that they
Dick. "I can still visualise some just leave the volume control at MODERN BOOK CO.
snags, though. Quite a few other maximum all the time and the only
people will be playing around with other amplifier control they'll touch
the amplifier controls when I'm will be its on -off switch." Largest selection of English &
away and they're quite liable to take American radio and technical
the volume up beyond feedback CRYSTAL MICROPHONE
level and then think there's a fault books in the country.
in the amplifier." "Why," asked Dick, "do you
"There's an old dodge to cover do the adjustment when the place
situations like that," said Smithy. is nearly empty of people ?" PRAED STREET.
19 -21
"What you do is to craftily secrete "There are two reasons," replied LONDON, W2 1NP
a little preset potentiometer into the Smithy. "First of all it's obviously
amplifier chassis. This has the same going to be much easier walking Tel: 01 -723 4/85/2926
value as the volume control and around with the mike when there's
immediately follows it." (Figs. 2(a) nobody to get in the way. Also,
and (b)). people can be a positive menace
"What's it for ?" when there's a mike around. They
always want to blow into the darned ST. HELEN'S RADIO
thing or make silly comments into
it. Secondly, the worst conditions Hi -Fi Equipment
Input
To following for promoting feedback are given Tape Recorders
stage when the place is nearly empty, and Radio Receivers
you can then be sure that you've
Volume got a really reliable setting on the Television
control added preset volume control. When
the place is full of people they will SPECIALISTS IN RADIO
absorb some of the sound from the
1 speakers and will help to kill reflec- & ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOKS
(a) tions from the walls, and so the risk
of going into feedback will then be ST. HELEN'S GARDENS
even less." LONDON, W.10
Input
To following "You said just now," commented Tel: 01 -969 3657
stage Dick, as he suddenly thought of an
earlier point, "that the people using BEDFORDSHIRE
the amplifier will probably, after a
Added
period, just leave its volume con- SU RPLECTRONICS
potentiometer trol at maximum all the time. Won't
they want to vary the volume to THE SELF -SERVICE
1
suit a particular act ?" COMPONENTS SHOP
"Not very often," said Smithy. THAT SAVES YOU MONEY
(b) "As the system uses a hand -held
mike, this will mainly be used by CHOOSE FROM 12C0
Fig. 2. To guard against feed- comedians and singers. A performer ASSORTED BOXES
back howl when the system of will be able to hear the sound of AT YOUR LEISURE
Fig. 1. is used by lay persons his own voice from the speakers
a preset potentiometer may and so, if he is anything approach- 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. every day.
be added after the amplifier ing professional, he'll automatically Closed all day Wednesday
volume control. The volume hold the microphone at the correct WE ARE IN LUTON
control circuit before and after distance for best sound output from
the addition of the preset those speakers. But there's one im- AT 216 LEAGRAVE ROAD
potentiometer is shown in (a) portant point I haven't mentioned LUTON, BEDS
and (b) respectively yet."
NOVEMBER 1971 237
Your Local Supplier "What's that?" coil microphone. However, it doesn't
"There mustn't be any pronounced do to be too dogmatic about micro-
peak in the frequency response of phone responses since, with the large
HAMPSHIRE
either the microphone, the amplifier number of microphones available
or the speaker or speakers. They these days, responses can vary quite
must all have a reasonably smooth a bit from make to make or model
response. If there is a peak in the to model."
BOURNEMOUTH system at any frequency, feedback "Why does the crystal microphone
LARGEST HI -FI AND is likely to occur at that frequency, have to work into such a high load
RADIO COMPONENT and you'll have to keep the ampli- resistance? And why is its lead
fier gain for all frequencies limited length restricted ?"
STORE IN THE SOUTH to the low level dictated by the
peaky frequency." "To answer those questions fully,"
"I think," said Dick, "we're all said Smithy, "it would be helpful
FORRESTERS NATIONAL right so far as frequency response first to take a look at the construc-
RADIO SUPPLIES LTD. is concerned. It looks as though I've
tion of the crystal microphone it-
got a nice little job to do at Joe's self. In its more common form the
70-72 Holdenhurst Road crystal microphone comprises a
Bournemouth tonight. I'll put in a preset pot in
that amplifier of his and get the diaphragm whose centre couples
Telephone 25232 whole system finally set up." mechanically to a crystal bimorph
"I'd almost forgotten," said which may be either a bender or a
Smithy, "that this sound system is twister."
SUFFOLK "You're joking, of course."
to be used in Joe's Caff, of all
RADAR & ELECTRONIC places. I must confess that my mind "Indeed, I'm not joking," retorted
still boggles at the thought of it Smithy indignantly. "A bender or
PUBLICATIONS going all French. Has he got any twister crystal bimorph is the basic
Transistor Optical Burglar /Fire plans about the menu ?" voltage -producing element in any
Alarm Detector Circuit, 10-12 "What he's going to do, so far crystal microphone."
transistors, 3 relays. 'Memory' as food is concerned," replied Dick, "I do wish," complained Dick,
Circuit. Tested at 2,000 yards. "is to keep all his English dishes "that you wouldn't spring terms
May pick up burglar's torch at and add French ones. For instance, like that on me when I'm not pre-
70 yards! 60p. All -night Radia- he's thinking of introducing snails pared for them. I've never ever
tion /Optical Detector Circuit, and beans, snails and chips, and heard of bimorphs, and that's before
45p. Two simple Valve Optical snails on toast." we even get to this bending and
Circuits, neon flasher /audio/ "Dear me," said Smithy. "I don't twisting bit!"
'scope indication, 30p. think I'd like any of those." "Take it easy," said Smithy
(Publications only). soothingly. "You'll find out in a few
"None of us are very keen,
'Highlands', Needham Market, either," admitted Dick. "He's also minutes that this business of crystal
Suffolk started putting up some signs in bimorphs is quite simple. As you
French, and that hasn't gone down know, a thin slice cut from a crystal
SUSSEX
too well, either. For instance, he of piezo-electric material such as
put up a sign in the 'Gents' which Rochelle salt changes in dimension
was supposed to read 'Hommes' but when a voltage is applied across its
E. JEFFRIES he left out an 'm'. Then someone two surfaces. This is, of course, the
result of the piezo -electric effect it-
changed the `e' to 'o'. There was
For your new television set nearly a riot that night." self. The directions in which the
"Well, well," remarked Smithy. dimensional changes occur depend
tape recorder, transistor radio upon the angle of cut in the original
"Dear me."
and hi -fi equipment His hand once more went out to crystal from which the slices are
pick up his overall coat. taken. One angle of cut can give
PHILIPS, ULTRA, INVICTA, you a slice which, if it were in the
DANSETTE, MASTERADIO, PERDIO, "Why," asked Dick, "did you say
that a moving -coil mike was the shape of a square, gets longer from
MARCONI, PHILCO, FIDELITY top to bottom and narrower from
best type to use for a job like that
down at Joe's Caff? Why couldn't side to side when the voltage is ap-
6A Albert Parade plied. If you take two slices of this
I use, say, a crystal mike ?"
Victoria Drive, Again, Smithy's hand was nature, turn one of them through
EASTBOURNE SUSSEX arrested. He considered Dick's 90 degrees and then cement them
question. together with suitably applied elec-
YORKSHIRE "There's no compelling reason," trodes, you get what is called a
he said eventually, "why you crystal bimorph. The electrodes, in-
shouldn't employ a crystal micro- cidentally, can consist of metallising
WILSIC phone for p.a. work; but its use is deposited on the slice surfaces. I
might add also that the expression
ELECTRONICS LTD. liable to raise several difficulties.
'morph' comes from a similar Greek
The first of these is that, to obtain
Your local supplier for a good bass response, a crystal word meaning 'form'." (Figs. 3(a)
EAGLE PRODUCTS microphone has to work into a load and (b)).
CYBERNAT MOTORING AIDS resistance of about 2 to 5M12. "So far as I'm concerned,"
WILSIC HI -FI, MUSICAL Secondly, the lead connecting a grumbled Dick, "it's all Greek to
crystal microphone to the amplifier me. What does this bimorph thing
EQUIPMENT, KITS AND do ?"
COMPONENTS
has to be restricted to some ten feet
or so. On the other hand, an ad- "When it's clamped at one edge,"
Send 15p (3/ -) for our Catalogue vantage with the crystal microphone explained Smithy, "it bends when the
Eagle Products Catalogue 20p (4/.) is that it gives a high output and voltage is applied across it. One
has a reasonably good frequency of the slices gets longer and the
6 COPLEY ROAD response although, with the cheaper other, because it's been turned
DONCASTER crystal microphones, this may not through 90 degrees, gets shorter.
he as flat as is offered by a moving- So the combination of the two
238 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR.
Direction of Your Local Supplier
elongation Slices cemented together
YORKSHIRE

PERFECT SPEAKERS Ex TV.


P.M. 3 Ohm (Minimum order 2)
Direction of Sin. Round or 8in. x 2l in. 121p each
elongation Add 71p per speaker p. & pkg.
100 SPEAKERS for L15 delivered
200 SPEAKERS for L25 delivered

UHF TUNERS Ex TV.


(COMPLETE WITH VALVES)
L2.50 each plus SOp p. & pkg.
or IO for L23 post free
TRADE DISPOSALS (Dept. RC)
Crystal slices Thombury Roundabout, Leeds Road,
Bradford Telephone: 665670

(a) (b)
EIRE

Direction
Direction of twist PEATS for PARTS
of bend ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS
RADIO & TELEVISION
For the convenience of Irish
This slice enthusiasts we supply
shortens The Radio Constructor
This slice
Data Books and
lengthens
Panel -Signs Transfers
Also a postal service
Wm. B. PEAT & Co. Ltd.
28 PARNELL STREET
Clamp DUBLIN 1

(c ) (d) The
Fig. 3 (a). Two square slices cut from a crystal of piezo -electric RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
material. The arrows show the dimension which increases when
a potential is applied. (b). The two slices cemented together to
form a bimorph unit. (c). When a potential is applied across the
bimorph its free edge bends. The direction of bend reverses ANNUAL
when the polarity of the potential is reversed. (d). Alternative
cuts from the parent crystal can result in a bimorph whose free
edge twists SUBSCRIPTIONS
to this magazine
may be obtained
bends. It bends in one direction for voltage appears across the outside
an applied voltage of one polarity electrodes." through your
and in the other direction for an "What about the twister bi-
applied voltage of the opposite morph?" newsagent
polarity." (Fig. 3(c)). "The twister bimorph," said
"Blimey," exclaimed Dick, "I can Smithy, "consists of two strips cut or direct from the
see it all now! Why, it's rather like at a different angle from the parent
those bimetal strips which bend crystal. If one edge is clamped publishers
when you heat them." securely, the opposite edge of the
"It is, "rather," agreed Smithy.
"Now, I referred to square slices
bimorph twists when the voltage is
applied. Or, in the reverse sense, a ONLY £2.70
of crystal to make things easier to voltage is produced across the elec-
explain, but the two slices making trodes if the unclamped end is per year, post free
up the bimorph could also be rect- physically twisted." (Fig. 3(d)).
angular, if desired. One of the slices "I see," said Dick slowly. "In the Please send remittance with name
would be cut from the parent crystal crystal microphone, then, you have and address and commencing issue
so that its length was 90 degrees the centre of a diaphragm mech- required to:
removed from the length of the anically coupled to a bimorph which
other slice. Now, since we are using can be of either the bender or the DATA PUBLICATIONS LTD
piezo -electric material we can re- twister type." 57 Maida Vale London W9 ISN
verse the effect. Thus, if we bend the "That's right," confirmed Smithy.
bimorph physically, a corresponding "Sound picked up by the diaphragm
NOVEMBER 1971
causes it to move in sympathy and "Right," said Dick briskly. "Now, reactance of 1,000pF is 1,590kí2,
either bend or twist the bimorph let's get back to those questions of which is a little more than three
according to whichever type the mine. First of all, why does the times the value of the half -megohm
latter is. The bender type is used crystal microphone have to couple load resistance. The result of using
more frequently than the twister into such a high value of load that load resistor is that at 100Hz
type. In practice, the diaphragm resistance ?" about three times more signal volt-
will have some form of cloth or "Because of its self- capacitance," age appears across the self- capacit-
perforated material in front of it replied Smithy, "which is the capa- ance of the microphone than ap-
to damp down mechanical reson- citance between the two outside pears across the load resistance."
ances." (Fig. 4). electrodes on the bimorph surfaces. "You've got the idea," said
At a first approximation, the equiv- Smithy, "and you can now see why
alent electrical circuit for a crystal we've got to use a high value load
microphone consists of a voltage resistor with a crystal microphone.
Diaphragm Perforated cover generator in series with a capacitor If you use a low value resistor you
whose value is equal to the self - lose bass response. A value of about
capacitance of the microphone. 2 to 5MS2 is usual, the higher the
Typically, this capacitance is be- value the better. The reactance of
tween 1,000 and 2,000pF. Let's say the 1,000pF self- capacitance we used
it's 1,000pF and that it's connected as an example is 5MS2 at about
to a load resistance of half a meg- 32Hz, so you would get negligible
ohm. The load resistance is the in- fall -off in bass response if you used
put resistance of the amplifier to a 5MS2 load resistor. Now, let's turn
Crystal bimorph
which the microphone is connected." to your other question, which was
(Fig. 6). concerned with the length of the
microphone lead. This lead will, of
Fig. 4. Sectional view showing course, be screened wire, and it has
the basic construction of a Microphone to be limited in length because of
diaphragm crystal microphone. self - capacitance its self-capacitance. You have the
1,000 pf. situation where the capacitance in
A layer of cloth (not shown)
is usually fitted between the the microphone is in series with the
perforated cover and the dia- capacitance in the lead, whereupon
phragm to damp down reso- To there is a loss in signal voltage from
Voltage the microphone. If the lead is too
nances generator
O.5Mo amplifying
stages
long, its self- capacitance will be so
high as to cause the loss to become
serious." (Fig. 7).
SOUND CELL MICROPHONE
"Is that the only type of crystal Load resistance
microphone that's made ?" Self -capacitance
"There's an alternative and more Fig. 6. The crystal microphone
behaves as a voltage genera- of microphone
expensive type," said Smithy, "and
it's known as the 'sound cell' tor in series with a capaci- Voltage
microphone. In this, the crystal bi- tance equal to its own self - generator
To
morphs themselves act as dia- capacitance. Here, a crystal amplifier
phragms. A typical construction microphone is applied, incor-
comprises two bender bimorphs rectly, to a load resistance of
fixed in a rectangular frame with a 0.5MS2
Self- capacitance of
small air gap between them. The bi- microphone lead
morphs bend in and out according Smithy walked over to his bench
to the pressure of the outside air and returned with a small file of
and this produces a voltage corres- Fig. 7. The self- capacitance of
ponding to any sound that falls on papers. the microphone and the self-
them. A sound cell microphone can "Now let's have a look through capacitance of the lead coup-
have about half -a -dozen of these our collection of Radio Construc- ling it to the amplifier form a
assemblies all connected in series - tor's Data Sheets," he continued as capacitive potentiometer
parallel and stacked one above the he opened the file. "Ah, here's the
other. The sound reaches them one I want: 'Capacitive Reactance -
from the side." (Fig. 5). Audio Frequencies'. This Data "Wouldn't the capacitance in the
Sheet tells me that a 1,000pF capa- lead also cause a reduction in high
citor has a reactance of 3981(2 at frequency response ?"
400Hz, so we can assume, rough "Theoretically, no," said Smithy.
check, that it will have a reactance "What you've got is a capacitor
Crystal bimorphs of half a megohm at about 300Hz. potentiometer in which all frequen-
In consequence, if we use the micro- cies are attenuated by an equal
phone with a load resistance of amount. In practice, you might get
half a megohm all frequencies be- a little top -cut. Looking upon the
low 300Hz will be seriously attenu- microphone as a generator in series
ated, the attenuation increasing at with a capacitor represents rather
6dB per octave as frequency goes a simplified picture of things, and
down." a long microphone lead could, per-
"Ah," said Dick, a glint of sud- haps, slightly alter the frequency
Frame den understanding gleaming in his characteristics also."
eye. "This is beginning to make "I can certainly see now," said
sense now." Dick, "that a crystal microphone
Fig. 5. Sectional view showing He looked over at Smithy's Data wouldn't be much good for that in-
two crystal bimorphs in a Sheet. stallation at Joe's Caff. Apart from
sound cell microphone "At 100Hz," he went on, "the anything else, there'd be the diffi-
240 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
culty of restricted microphone larly moved in the field of the vided. If the ribbon microphone is
lead length." microphone magnet. Current is in- a velocity type, as most models are,
Smithy's interest was aroused yet duced in the coil and a signal volt- it is necessary for the pole-pieces
again. age appears across its ends." (Fig. 8). to be thin, or to have large holes in
"Tm still highly intrigued over them, so that the air displacement
the changes that are going on at due to the sound appears on both
that place," he remarked. "Tell me Coil Diaphragm the front and back surfaces of the
what else he's done to make it ribbon." (Fig. 9).
French in character." "Stap me," groaned Dick. "You've
"Well," replied Dick, turning his done it again."
thoughts back again towards his "Done what ?"
evening rendezvous, "one thing he Pole Ring "Introduced another of your way -
did was to try using those long pieces magnet out terms," complained Dick.
French loaves instead of the usual "What's this `velocity' business ?"
sliced bread he gets. They weren't "The word `velocity' defines the
too bad around ham and cheese, but mode of operation of the micro-
they were a dead loss for fried egg Fig. 8. The basic construction phone," explained Smithy patiently.
sandwiches." of a moving -coil microphone "The moving-coil and crystal micro-
"Has he given the place a new phones we have been considering up
name ?" Smithy paused for a moment to to now are described as `pressure'
"Oh yes," replied Dick. "Joe collect his thoughts. types because the sound reaches
always changes the name whenever "Now, a ribbon microphone," he their diaphragms from one side
he carries out alterations, and in resumed, "doesn't have a coil mov- only. As a result, diaphragm move-
this case he wanted a name which ing in the magnetic field. Instead it ment is proportional to the changes
would carry associations with both has a single conductor, which is the in air pressure resulting from the
France and with England. So he ribbon itself. This is a strip of ex- sounds. With the ribbon micro-
asked some of the students who tremely thin aluminium foil, and it phone, on the other hand, the idea
come in what was the everyday is usually corrugated along its length is that the ribbon movement is pro-
French term for England, and that's to bring its low frequency resonance portional to the velocity of the air
the name he's now using." below the audio spectrum. It is particles as they move back and
"Yes, but what is it ?" mounted between two vertical pole - forth with the successive rarefac-
"He calls the place 'Le Perfidious pieces coupled to a powerful mag- tions and compressions caused by
Albion'." net. When sound reaches the ribbon the sound. If the ribbon is to be
Smithy looked impressed. it moves back and forth in sym- correctly affected by particle velo-
"That's a jolly good name," he pathy, whereupon current is induced city both its surfaces have to be
stated approvingly. "It has a cer- in it due to the magnetic field be- open to the air carrying the sound.
tain ring about it." tween the pole -pieces. The ribbon is, and so the pole -piece assembly
"It's not bad, is it? Anyway, let's in effect, a single -turn coil, with the mustn't get in the way too much."
get back to microphones again. I result that the impedance it presents "Does that mean, then," asked
was reading about ribbon micro- and the voltage it produces are both Dick, "that you can speak into
phones recently. Could a ribbon very low. Because of this, a step -up either surface of the ribbon ?"
microphone be used for general p.a. transformer is built into the micro- "Yes, it does," confirmed Smithy.
work ?" phone case, this providing an out- "And this fact results in an im-
put at an impedance suitable for portant feature of the velocity rib-
RIBBON MICROPHONE connection to the cable which runs bon microphone, which is that it
to the amplifier. The impedance pro- has a figure -of -eight polar dia-
vided by the transformer secondary phragm so far as its sensitivity to
"I wouldn't recommend it," re- depends upon the application for sound is concerned. It has maxi-
plied Smithy. "Ribbon microphones which the microphone is required. mum sensitivity for sounds which
are delicate instruments which are A common figure is 60052, but come from points at 90 degrees to
intended for professional or semi- lower impedances are also pro- the surfaces of the ribbon, and
professional studio work and they
won't stand up to physical abuse.
On the other hand, they give excel-
lent quality. They were used ex-
Pole pieces
tensively by the B.B.C. in the past,
and you may recall seeing them in
pictures showing B.B.C. artistes per-
forming in sound radio broadcasts.
The B.B.C. ribbon microphone was
housed in a large oblong metal case,
the top part of which was perfor- Pibbor
ated."
I remember seeing them, now
you mention it," said Dick. "How To step -up
do ribbon microphones work ?" transformer
"They're a variation on the
moving -coil microphone," replied
Smithy. "As you know, the moving -
coil microphone is basically a
scaled - down moving - coil loud- Magnet
speaker with the exception that the
diaphragm is usually just a little
wider than the diameter of the 1
voice coil that's secured to it. Sound
impinging on the diaphragm causes Fig. 9. Essential features of a ribbon microphone. The step -up
it to move in and out, whereupon
the turns of the voice coil are simi- transformer is housed, with the ribbon in the microphone case
NOVEMBER 1971 241
minimum sensitivity for sounds items because of the thinness of the
which reach it from either side. ribbon itself."
This is to be expected, of course, "That is one of the reasons,"
AUDIO since sound coming from the side
will affect both surfaces of the rib-
agreed Smithy. "Another is that the
spacing between the ribbon edges
bon equally." (Fig. 10). and the pole-pieces is usually quite
small, and physical maltreatment of
AMPLIFIERS the microphone could cause the rib-
bon to become distorted in shape
and touch one or other of the pole -
pieces. Another point is that you
must never blow into a ribbon
microphone to check whether it's in
circuit and working, or you'll simply
blow the ribbon clean out of the
gap and it might not come back in
again. Ye gods!"
Plane of ribbon TIME TO GO
Fig. 10. The polar response
of the velocity ribbon micro- "Blow me," said Dick, startled by
phone. It has minimum sensi- Smithy's sudden exclamation.
tivity to sounds arriving from "What's up ?"
the sound side "Have you seen the time, lad?
Blimey, I must be going out of my
mind. I've been talking with you
"You keep referring to velocity all this time, and we should have
ribbon microphones," remarked started work ages ago."
16 Transistor & Valve Designs Dick. "It sounds as though there are "Well," said Dick comfortingly,
pressure ribbon microphones as "the time hasn't been wasted so far
for the Home Constructor as I'm concerned. You've certainly
well."
Amplifiers tor "There are," agreed Smithy, "but given me some useful information
just let me finish on the velocity on microphones."
Tuner Units, Record Players, "We've only brushed the surface
ones first. Now, the word 'velocity'
Tape Recorders, is not a very accurate one because of the subject," replied Smithy.
Public Address, etc., etc. even the exceptionally light ribbon "There are a lot of other types of
of a ribbon microphone is still too microphone in addition to the ones
Includes contributions by such heavy to faithfully follow air velo- we've talked about today."
well -known authors as city changes, and the term 'pressure - "Could we have a session on them
gradient' is sometimes used for these at some time in the future ?"
A. S. Carpenter, A. Kinloch, "Very well," promised Smithy.
E. Govier, G. A. French,
microphones instead. They have one
peculiarity, incidentally, which re- "But for the present we've got to
F. G. Rayer, P. F. Bretherick, get some work done, Dick."
sults from the velocity mode of
K. Jones, D. Aldous, operation. This is that they accentu- Whereupon the pair, Dick tem-
R. Murray -Shelley, C. Swires, ate bass frequencies when the sound porarily sated with information and
G. A. Stevens and V. E. Holley. source is very close to them. If you Smithy fretting at the comple-
speak too near to a velocity ribbon mentary loss of working time,
Edited by J. R. Davies microphone, the lower frequencies settled down to their noble and
are emphasised. This is because the dedicated task of setting to rights
microphone works best with a plane the receivers which the lay public
124 pages entrusted to their care. As they
sound wave, which is one having a
flat wave front and which is given bustle briskly about the workshop
PRICE 53p when the sound source is some dis- we must now take our leave of them.
tance away. If the sound source ap- Or rather, bearing in mind the
Postage 6p proaches the microphone the wave machinations of the francophilie Joe,
front becomes more and more we should say our French leave.
spherical and the bass accentuation
takes place. A rather simplified way EDITOR'S NOTE
To: DATA PUBLICATIONS Ltd., of explaining the effect is to say
57 Maids Vale London W9
that the higher frequency sound The Radio Constructor's Data
waves in the spherical wave front Sheet consulted by Smithy is No. 5
Please supply copy(ies) do not all reach the ribbon at the in the series, and appeared in the
of "Audio Amplifiers", Data same instant and tend to cancel out, April 1968 issue.
Book No. 18. I enclose cheque/ allowing the bass boost effect to
take place. Now, let's turn to the
crossed postal order for pressure ribbon microphone. This
employs the same basic construc- THE `MINIFLEX'
Name tion as the velocity microphone but
Address the ribbon is open to the air on MARK IV PORTABLE
one side only. The back of the rib- RECEIVER
bon is enclosed by the microphone
case, some form of material having Intending constructors of the
acoustic resistance being positioned Miniflex Mark IV Portable Re-
behind the ribbon to prevent ceiver, which was described in last
RC resonances." month's issue, may note that an
BLOCK LETTERS PLEASE "I suppose," remarked Dick, "that alternative supplier for the 40468A
ribbon microphones are delicate f.e.t. is Henry's Radio Ltd.
THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
242
AN ENLARGER TIMER
by
B. E. HUNTER

This interesting circuit takes advantage of a semiconductor device which

may be new to some readers - the programmable unijunction transistor

THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES A SIMPLE TIMER WHICH only unusual component is TR2 which is a pro-
was designed to be used with an enlarger, en- grammable unijunction transistor, or p.u.t. The
abling the exposure to be automatically con- equivalent circuit of a programmable unijunction
trolled whilst the user is otherwise engaged. Using transistor and its symbol are shown in Fig. 2(a) and
the timer, repeat exposures can also be made from those of a conventional unijunction transistor (or
one negative with accuracy, enabling a number of u.j.t.) in Fig. 2(b).
prints to be made in the minimum amount of time. It will be seen from the equivalent circuit that the
The timer also has a focus switch which overrides u.j.t. can be considered as a potential divider with
the timing circuit and allows for focusing the a diode tap. With a voltage applied across the poten-
enlarger. tial divider, the tapping point is set to a fixed poten-
In use, the negative is put into the enlarger, the tial, and until the voltage on the diode exceeds that
focusing switch is operated and the lamp comes on. on the tap, the diode is reverse biased. When the
The negative is focused, the exposure determined and diode voltage does exceed that on the tap the diode
the time set on the dial. The lamp is then switched becomes forward biased, and R1 becomes low resist-
off again using the focusing switch, the bromide ance and generates a negative resistance charac-
paper placed on the baseboard and the start button teristic.
is then pressed momentarily. This starts the timing The disadvantage of the simple u.j.t. is that the
period and the lamp comes on for the pre-set period. tapping point varies quite a lot due to manufac-
turing difficulties and so the voltage at which the
P.U.T. OPERATION device will switch varies correspondingly.
This disadvantage is not present with the p.u.t. as
The circuit of the timer is shown in Fig. 1. The the potential divider is formed by two external re-

COMPONENTS
Resistors Semiconductors
(All fixed values 3.f watt) TR1 BFY51
R1 27kí2 10% TR2 D13T1 (L.S.T. Electronic Components
R2 5652 10% Ltd.)
R3 IM52 5% D1 DD000
R4 820kS1 5% D2 DD000
R5 4.752 20%
R6 10052 10% Fuse
VR1 2M51 potentiometer, linear FS1 100mA cartridge fuse with panel- mounting
VR2 250kS2 potentiometer, pre -set fuse -holder

Relay
Capacitors RLA See text
Cl 20µF electrolytic, 25V wkg
C2 250µF electrolytic, 25V wkg Switches
C3 100p.F electrolytic, 25V wkg S1 push- button
S2 s.p.s.t. toggle

Transformer Socket
Tl Mains transformer, secondary 12 -0 -12V Bulgin 3 -way plug and socket, Cat. No. P340
50mA, Cat. No. TMM13 (Home Radio) (Home Radio)

244 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR


RLA1 VRI
(NO) RLA2
(NC )

Relay
X
RLA
3
f
coil VR2

R5

TR (11
BFY15; A
TR2
DI3TI K

r
A G K

N.O. - normally open


bbd . c
N.C. - normally closed

D13TI BFY 51
Lead -outs Lead -outs

Fig. 1. The circuit of the timer section. TR2 is the programmable unijunction transistor

sistors, as in Fig 3, which can be of as close a toler- supply is applied to the circuit and TR 1 is biased
ance as required. When the voltage on the anode on via R1. The relay operates, maintaining the sup-
exceeds that on the gate the diode conducts and ply when the push- button is released and removing
regeneration in the p.n.p.n. device causes it to the short -circuit from across Cl. Cl now begins to
switch on. charge via VR1 and VR2 and TRI base -emitter
junction. When the voltage across the capacitor
TIMER CIRCUIT reaches the triggering point of the p.u.t., the p.u.t.
turns on and takes the positive plate of C1 negative.
In the timer circuit of Fig. 1, the resistors R3 and This causes the base of TR1 to go negative which,
R4 set the gate potential to a little below half sup- in turn, turns the transistor off. The relay de- energises
ply voltage. When push-button Si is pressed, the and the supply is disconnected from the circuit, so

Eo

R2

A G N

P
K

BI
(a) (b)
Fig. 2(a). Equivalent circuit and circuit symbol Fig. 3. The p.u.t. triggering level is set up by
for a p.u.t. (b). Equivalent circuit and circuit the values of R1 and R2
symbol for a unijunction transistor
NOVEMBER 1971 245
F51

DI R6

Focus +15V
RLA3 (N.0)
switch
12-0-12V
E
input
Bulgin
3 -way
socket

Fig. 4. The power supply section. Contacts RLA3 switch on the enlarger lamp when the
relay energises

leaving it ready for the next operation. The relay mounted on the back panel, along with the fuse,
also puts a short -circuit on Cl via limiter resistor FS1, for the timer. It will be seen from the circuit
R5, thereby ensuring that it is fully discharged be- of the power supply that the fuse is inserted after
tween operations. Without this short- circuit it was the enlarger socket; this is done so that the fuse can
found that, if the timer was operated twice in rapid be made small enough to protect the timer. The mains
succession, the second timing period was shorter due plug should be fused if possible to protect the en-
to the capacitor remaining slightly charged. larger circuit.
The timer covers a range from about one second to
POWER SUPPLY 50 seconds. The value given for Cl should be cor-
rect but, due to tolerances in this component, it may
The power supply is shown in Fig. 4. It is simply be found that the range cannot be covered, even by
a full -wave rectifying circuit supplying the 15 volts adjustment of VR2. If this is so Cl should be made
required by the timer at about 20mA. The timer smaller or larger as required. Its value can be effec-
was built on one piece of Veroboard and the power tively increased by adding one or more small value
supply and mains transformer on another. The timer capacitors in parallel.
board also supports the relay which, in the proto- To calibrate the scale of the timer, control VR I
type, is a miniature plug -in type. was first set to maximum and VR2 adjusted until
The whole circuit is built into a case measuring the timing period was exactly 50 seconds. The tens
6 by 4 by 4in., with the three controls on the front of seconds points were then found by trial and error,
panel. These are the focus switch, S2, the start button, after which the smaller divisions were marked in by
Sl, and the timing period adjustment, V R l . The output judgement.
to the enlarger appears at a 3 -way Bulgin socket

FS' EDITOR'S NOTE

The relay employed by the author was the Radio -


spares relay Type 45. This is not available to readers
direct from Radiospares, although a retailer could be
asked to order the component. Any other relay, cap-
able of energising at 12 volts, with a coil resistance of
600S2 or more and two make (normally open) contact
sets and one break (normally closed) contact set can
be used, provided that the make contact set in the
RLA3 position can handle 1 amp at mains voltage.
Should difficulty in obtaining a suitable relay be en-
countered, the circuit may be modified in the manner
shown in Fig. 5, in which a second relay, RLB, is
included. Contact set RLA1 is now changeover and
causes the second relay to be de- energised when RLA
is energised and vice -versa. RLA now only requires two
Fig. 5. A circuit modification which allows a contact sets and a suitable type would be Home Radio
second relay to switch the controlled mains Cat. No. WS162. Relay RLB could be Home Radio Cat.
circuit No. WS163, whose s.p.d.t. contacts are rated at 5 amps
at 250 volts a.c.
246 THE RADIO CONSTRUCTOR
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