Resource Bin
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Don Lancaster's RESOURCE BIN selected reprints Copyright c. 1992, 1993 by Don Lancaster and Synergetics Box 809, Thatcher, AZ 85552 (520) 428-4073. Book-on-Demand self-published using the Apple IIe computer and the LaserWriter NTX. All graphics were done in their entirety by ProDOS AppleWriter 2.1. i Resource Bin I ii Resource Bin I Introduction In early 1992, the Nuts & Volts electronic shopper magazine decided to dramatically upgrade their editorial content and become a "full service" technical hobbyist magazine. Newly included would be construction projects and how-to info columns. Coverage would include the full spectrum of computers, communications, CB, ham radio, robotics, satellite and cable tv, antique collect1bles, home entertainment, surplus bargains, and hobby electronics in general. So, I started up my ongoing Resource Bin series of columns. As with most of my stories, almost anything at all is likely to appear. But the main focus would be "places to get stuff". It turns out there are some really outstanding hacker resources out there. Many are very low in cost or even free. A lot of them are virtually unknown. And pinning them down can really get tricky. I base most of my stories on things I find personally interesting, useful, amusing, challenging, or potentially profitable. The chances are pretty good that if I happen to like something, lots of others may also find the topics of more than passing interest. Backing up the ongoing columns would be this collection of bound Book- on-demand published hard copy reprints. Along with a no-charge voice helpline at (520) 428-4073. Free access to the Synergetics Consultant's Network referrals is included. A special area on my GEnie PSRT RoundTable has also been set aside for direct use by all of you Nuts & Volts readers. Offered on PSRT are electronic preprints and one-on-one contact with other Nuts & Volts subscribers. My PSRT RoundTable is also set up to become a forum for direct digital masters of printed circuit layouts, dialplates, and such. Which should utterly and totally revolutionize hobby construction projects, since you can now start with absolutely perfect production artwork, rather than a third generation copy of a copy out of a magazine. When combined with the direct toner printed circuit methods, you can now quickly and cheaply make your own printed circuit boards at home. Device independently, using nothing but your favorite word processor or comm program. The Nuts & Volts subscription number is (714) 371-8497. To access GEnie PSRT by modem, dial (800) 638-8369. Type HHH. After the U#, enter XTX99005,SCRIPT. For a free pair of insider secrets brochures, you can contact me through my Synergetics helpline at (520) 428-4073. ✦ iii Resource Bin I About the Author As he said in his classic Incredible Secret Money Machine II, Don Lancaster writes books. And quests tinajas. Microcomputer pioneer and guru Don Lancaster is the author of 28 books, 2 videos, and countless articles. These include his TTL Cookbook and CMOS Cookbook internationally published million seller classics. Don is considered by some to be the father of the personal computer, for his early ground-breaking work with hacker digital electronics and low cost video terminal displays. He is considered by others to be the patron saint of the Walter Mitties of the World. And by yet others as the¼ Uh, I guess we better skip that one. Don is the Hardware Hacker in Electronics Now (516) 293-3000, runs his Resource Bin in Nuts & Volts (714) 371-8497, and is the Blatant Opportunist in Midnight Engineering (719) 254-4558. Don is also the sysop for GEnie PSRT, a leading Hardware hacking, PostScript, laser publishing, and money machine on-line resource. His Ask the Guru columns continue to be published electronically on PSRT. For fast GEnie modem access, dial (800) 638-8369. Then HHH followed by XTX99005,SCRIPT. Don is also the head honcho of Synergetics, a new-age design and consulting firm that specializes in computer applications, laser printing, PostScript development work, electronic prototypes, Book-on-demand publishing, technical writing, and innovative software design. His avocations include firefighting, cave exploration, bicycling, and, of course, tinaja questing. Don maintains a no-charge voice helpline at (520) 428-4073. He does welcome your calls and letters. The best calling times are 8-5 weekdays, Mountain Standard Time. Referrals to Don's Synergetics Consultant's Network are available through this same number. ✦ iv Don Lancaster's RESOURCE BIN selected reprints Table of Contents S . .tarting . off. your. resource. quest. 1 F . .inding . unusual. .or . .outdated . integrated. circuits. 5. H . acker. friendly. .printed . .circuit . .alternatives . 9. S . .ources . for. .unusual . and. .interesting . .semiconductors . 13 . E . .xploring . .labor-of-love . technical. .newsletters . 17 . T . .he . wondrous. world. of. electronic. surplus. 21 . U . nique. opportunities. .in . .auto . .electronics . 25. E . .xploring . .those . electronic. trade. journals. 29. E . .xploring . .PostScript . for. .fun . .and . profit. 33. O . ddball. .sources . .for . .just . .plain . stuff. 37. T . .echnical . .books . .that . made. a. .difference . 41 . S . .ecret . .sources . for. .desktop . .publishing . stuff. 45. v SFHETUO159229333741453715tartinoecretindinheechnicalxniackerddballurcespql owuerin oggsndr o friendloppofunusual gourcesso offbrlabthPo urcesoo ounusualusyoostScrirtunitiesoseks uryfr-wo o electrp thatorfresf-l orintedrldrpdeskt rto oand j utdatedvefusto urcemadeooinfr nic op technical electrcircuitfunautinterestinp lainqtradep uesta oublishinand intedifferenceo electr stuffnicalternatives jo pgnewsletters grratedsururnalso ogsemicfitnics pstufflus circuitsonductors Resource Bin I Table of Contents P . .erils . .and . pitfalls. of. patents. .and . patenting. 51 . S . .tarting . up. .your . .own . .technical . venture. 55. S . .ecrets . .of . .professional . .prototypes . 59. O . pportunities. in. hacker. .robotics . 63. E . .xploring . .ham . .radio . publications. 67. T . .he . furry. with. the. syringe. .on . top.. 71 . R . oyalty-free. real. .PostScript . .for . .homebrew . lashups. 75. S . .tarting . your. integrated. circuit. databook. collection. 81. R . esources. for. Book-on-demand. .publishing . 85. A . .look . .at . .online . resources. .& . .opportunities . 91. T . .ools . for. electronic. prototyping. 95. A . .look . .at . .electronic . .collectibles . 99. M . .aster . .Names . .& . Numbers. A1. I . ndex. .viii . vi Don Lancaster's RESOURCE BIN number one Starting off your resource quest elcome to my brand new Nuts are trade journals. And trade journals tutorials, and specialty book sales. & Volts column. Our prime are where the ultimate action lies in There is also that oversize Thomas W focus will be in pinning down any field. Directly, trade journals give Registry of Manufacturers which can hard-to-find sources, ideas, reprints, you lots of up-to-date tech stories and show you pretty near everybody that hardware, software, and publications. bingo-cardable ads. Indirectly, they makes anything. But this tends to be But just about anything is likely to lead you to data books, catalogs, free overrated and is often out of date in show up. And probably will. samples, seminars, contacts, useful fast-changing fields. To make this much more than just a directories, and scads more. An extremely little known resource one-way column, I have now added a Many trade journals are sent free to that is almost magic: It is called the no-charge voice helpline that you can a highly selected group of insiders. Science Citations Index. Unlike other call at my Synergetics for possible help This usually gets done to qualify for a references, this one can let you move on nearly any tech resource topic. Or special controlled-circulation postal forward through time. Just start with for consultant referrals. Or for tinaja rate. You might sometimes qualify by any original "horse's mouth" author. quests or for off-the-wall networking. using nothing but a phone call or a Any time a newer paper mentions Your best calling times are weekdays properly laser-printed letterhead. To them in a bibliography or footnote, 8-5 Mountain Standard Time. try, you ask them for a subscription you've got a more recent reference. I have also just added a brand new qualification card. Ferinstance, anything new on active Nuts & Volts Resource Bin topic to my A few examples of the electronic filters has to reference Sallen and Key. PSRT RoundTable on GEnie. Call (800) trade journals do include E.E. Times, Anything related to unfocused solar 638-9636 (voice) for local connect info. EDN, Electronic Design, and Electronic collectors has to reference Winston, The average file downloading cost on Products. A pair of fine mechanical and so on. PSRT is around twenty one cents. design trade journals include Machine You then use the new authors and You can direcly contact other Nuts Design and Design News. There are lots the avalanche effect to generate newer & Volts readers on this forum. You more where these came from. and more current references. can reach me via my [SYNERGETICS] To give you a further taste of the But the library resource that I've email address, once again on GEnie. incredible variety of trade journals, a found second only to my trade journal Among its hundreds of other files, I few I currently subscribe to include access is that¼ now do have my master names and Fire Engineering, Sensors, the Pollution numbers list up on GEnie PSRT as our Dialog Information Service #330 NAMENUMS.GPS. These names At two dollars per minute typical are also available in several of my NEXT MONTH: How to charges, Dialog might seem expensive ongoing Book-on-demand published find unusual or oddball at first glance. But, if used properly, reprints. And I have now got a free integrated circuits. Dialog is far and away your cheapest insider's top secret resources brochure and fastest way to find out everything waiting for you if you call or write. and anything on any scholarly topic. Equipment News, Powder & Bulk Solids, From untold zillions of international Your best resource of all and Paper, Film, & Foil Converter.