Nightlir Let the Gentle Glow of a Vacuum Tube Light up Your Night Xj
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Surface-Mount Components March 1995 I ula 0 Build A Nove' Nightlir Let the gentle glow of a vacuum tube light up your night xj......... th=it wturesa stereo-imaging a b distórtio an Amen Res er A welcome workbench aid for anyone who troubleshoots io gear £15Z-90509 1I Yä021(ltl $3.50 U.S. D3> 3Atl OtMä93L66 ;Al1d9gg $3.95 CAN. dS32! it900d9L66WH09Ó5Ó9ú 96 509 1I9I0-£ *****H0008X8ß A GERNSBACK PUBLICATION 71896 487 www.americanradiohistory.comAmericanRadioHistory.Com ^V,trs L'J+ K i>.. í>;.537(JW.:i:>: "Electronics Workbench - As an affordable tool for performing design trade -offs, you can't beat it" M.A. Chapman Oceanside, California Electronics Workbench gives you the freedom to quickly translate your design concepts and specs into a workable circuit. Fine tune effortlessly. Play `what if scenarios. And monitor the circuit response. 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CIRCLE 157 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD www.americanradiohistory.comAmericanRadioHistory.Com MARCH 1995 Vol. 12, No 3 Popular Electronics C O V E R S T O R Y 33 Build a Headphone Amplifier for your Guitar Prepare for your 'rock- and -roll" career, without annoying your family or waking up your neighbors, with this versatile headphone amp that even features special effects- Rodrick Seely C O N S T R U C T I O N 37 Build a Novel Nightlight Let the gentle glow of a vacuum tube light up the night -Larry Lisle 39 Getting Started in Surface -Mount Technology Learn how to work with surface -mount components when you build these two classic yet simple projects -Ronald A. Reis 51 Build a Frequency- Response Tester A welcome workbench addition for anyone who troubleshoots audio gear -Randy Constan Page 33 F E A T U R E S 46 SIM -EQ: The Simultaneous Equation Program Let your computer do the work -James E. Tarchinski 49 Exploring the ImagiNation Your computer comes alive with fun when you explore this on -line service -Donna Roach 57 Making Squarewaves at Home Page 37 Generating squarewaves is easy when you follow the recipes in this cookbook -Joseph J. Carr -B Bi- County Boulevard, Farmingdale. NY 11735. Second - POPULAR ELECTRONICS (ISSN 1042 -170X1 Published monthly by Gernsback Publications, Inc. 500 issues, subscription rate U S and possessions $2195, Canada Class postage paid at Farmingdale. NY and at additional mailing offices One-year. twelve R125166280), all other countries $29 45 Subscription orders payable in U.S. $28 84 (includes G.ST. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No $3 50. Copyright 1994 by Gernsback Publications, Inc. All funds only. International Postal Money Order or check drawn on a U S. bank. U5 single copy price by Gemsback Publications, Inc. Popular Electronics trade- rights reserved. Hands -on Electronics and Gizmo trademarks are registered in U.S and Canada Inc. is licensed to Gernsback Publications, Inc Printed in U.S A mark is registered in U S and Canada by Electronics Technology Today. and IL -9932 , P Mount Morris. 61054 Postmaster: Please send address changes to Popular Electronics, Subscription Dept O Box 338, artwork or photographs if their return is desired should they be A stamped self-addressed envelope must accompany all submitted manuscripts and /or photographs while in our possession or otherwise. rejected We disclaim any responsibility for the loss or damage of manuscripts and/or artwork or relating to newsworthy products, techniques. and scientific and techno- As a service to readers, Popular Electronics publishes available plans or information workmanship used by readers. Popular Electronics dis- logical developments. Because of possible variances in the quality and condition of materials and or from plans or information publ shed in this magazine. claims any responsibility for the safe and proper functioning of reader -built projects based upon 1 www.americanradiohistory.comAmericanRadioHistory.Com M A R C H 1 9 9 5 Popular Electronics P R O D U C T R E V I E W S Larry Steckler, EHF, CET, editor -in -chief and publisher 9 Gizmo EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Carl baron, editor Magnavox CD -i player, Compaq Presario computer, Sharp Dan Koragiannis, associate editor portable music system, Desper Products Spatializer audio Teri Scaduto, assistant editor processor, and much more Evelyn Rose, editorial assistant Marc Spiwak, editorial associate 24 Hands -On- Report Joseph J. Carr, K4IPV, contributing editor Elenco Electronics Digital /Analog Trainer Marc Ellis, contributing editor Jeffrey K. Holtzman, contributing editor C O L U M N S Don Jensen, contributing editor Charles D. Rakes, contributing editor 6 Multimedia Watch Marc Saxon, contributing editor A multimedia monitor -Marc Spiwak John Yocono, contributing editor 28 Think Tank PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Ruby M. Yee, Model- railroad circuits -John Yacono production director Karen S. Brown, production manager 64 Antique Radio Kathy Campbell, production assistant It's mailbag time again -Marc Ellis ART DEPARTMENT 68 Computer Bits Andre Duzant, art director Russell C. Truelson, illustrator Objects and hierarchies -Jeff Holtzman Jacqueline P. Cheeseboro, 70 Circuit Circus circulation director Controller circuits Charles D Rakes - Michele Torrillo, POPULAR ELECTRONICS bookstore 76 DX Listening BUSINESS Shortwave from Austria -Don Jensen AND EDITORIAL OFFICES Gernsback Publications, Inc 500 -B Bi- County Blvd 78 Ham Radio Farmingdale, NY 11735 Some antenna topics- Joseph J Carr 1 -516- 293 -3000 FAX: 1 -516- 293 -3115 President: Lorry Steckler 82 Scanner Scene SUBSCRIPTION PC- powerful scanning -Marc Saxon CUSTOMER SERVICE/ ORDER ENTRY 1- 800 -827 -0383 D E P A R T M E N T S 7:30 AM - 8:30 PM EST Advertising Sales Offices 3 Editorial listed on page 128 Composition by Mates Graphics 4 Letters Cover by Loewy Design 73 Electronics Market Place Photo Illustration by Chris Gould 84 Electronics Library 43 ABC AUDITED 88 New Products Since some of the equipment and circuit- 97 ry described in POPULAR ELECTRONICS Popular Electronics Market Center may relate to or be covered by U.S patents. POPULAR ELECTRONICS dis- 128 Advertiser's Index claims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the making. using, or selling of such equipment or circuitry. 129 Free Information Card and suggests that anyone interested in such projects consult a patent attorney. 2 www.americanradiohistory.comAmericanRadioHistory.Com E A R N Y O U R EDITORIAL B.S. DEGREE IN HELLO DSS COMPUTERS If you were with us last month, you already know how I feel OR about my cable company. Because of that, I had long wanted to put in a satellite installation. Unfortunately, aesthetics (there ELECTRONICS was no getting around the need for an 8- to 10 -foot dish) and other factors (namely numerous trees) made that virtually impossible. That's why Thompson's DSS (digital satellite system) was like a dream come true. For those of you still unfamiliar with it, DSS uses two (soon to be three) closely spaced, high -power satellites to beam roughly 175 channels of audio and video programming directly to consumers homes. The high power means that you can j use a small (18 -inch) dish, while the close spacing means that By Studying at Home you do not need an actuator to move the dish from one satellite to the next. Grantham College of Engineering, now in our 45th year, is highly experi- enced in "distance education " - teaching I've had my system for a little under a month now, and so far I by correspondence- through printed am very pleased with it. While not perfect, the video and audio materials, computer materials, fax, modem, and phone. quality far surpass what I was getting from cable, and should No commuting to class. Study at scheme is improve as a more advanced digital- compression your own pace, while continuing on your phased in early this year. As for programming, although I am present job. Learn from easy -to- complete and thorough paying a little less per month than I used to for premium cable, understand but lesson materials, with additional help I have picked up almost 125 additional channels, including 50 from our instructors. pay -per -view channels and 25 audio -only music channels; and Our Engineering Technology B.S.