Want to build your own custom circuit board? This hands-on guide shows an easy, step-by-step approach for designing and transferring layouts, prepping a fiberglass blank, and etching a single-sided PCB. Using KiCad 7.0 and everyday items like an iron, you’ll learn tips for printing, drilling, and finishing your project with solder paste. Get pro-quality results on a DIY budget—start making PCBs today!

Eye diagrams visualize signal quality; wider "eye openings" mean better integrity. Bit Error Ratio (BER) measures error rates but requires downtime and may overlook error bursts. Advanced in-service monitoring enhances system evaluation without disrupting operations.

The Krank Distortus Maximus pedal uses a single LM386N3 chip and minimal components to emulate high-gain, tube-like tones of Krank Amplifiers. Its simple yet sophisticated circuit showcases clever engineering in guitar effects design.

The HLG-185H-24A Mean Well power supply delivers a stable 24V DC output up to 7.8A, accepting AC input from 90-305V and DC input from 127-431V. It features adjustable voltage and current, high efficiency (~93.5%), active PFC (power factor 0.98), and protections against thermal issues, overload, and overvoltage. Testing showed excellent voltage stability (<0.34% variation), low ripple, good dynamic response, effective overload protection, and safe thermal performance at full load. It's robust, efficient, and suitable for various applications beyond LED lighting.

Explores error measurement in digital transmission systems: BER and BLER. BER quantifies bit errors but requires communication interruption to measure. BLER with CRC enables error detection during normal operation without disruption.

Eddie Van Halen's "Brown Sound": tracing guitar evolution from jazz to solid-body guitars. Highlights his Frankenstrat Superstrat, unique amp and effects setup, and building a pedal to emulate his tone—imperfections add character.

DC PLC protocols enable power line communication, crucial for solar panel monitoring and industrial motor control. The G3-PLC protocol, maintained by G3-Alliance, requires certified chipsets for signal processing and encryption, with major producers like Maxim Integrated and STMicroelectronics. PLC-Lite utilizes TI's processors. IEEE 2847-2021, backed by a South Korean startup, lacks dedicated chips, relying on software. Specialized chipsets are cost-effective, except for IEEE 2847-2021.

Build a digital frequency counter without a microcontroller. Convert waveforms to pulses via diodes. Use an MC14553B counter and CD4017 sequencer. Measure frequency by counting pulses over one second.

The ERPF-400-24 Mean Well power supply features a 24V DC output with a 16.7A current, supporting AC inputs from 90 to 264V, with reduced power output between 90-200V. It's housed in a metal case with a perforated lid, offering voltage adjustment and active PFC. Testing revealed stable output voltage, low noise, and adequate dynamic performance. Build quality is decent, but compound application has gaps, affecting moisture protection. The unit operates safely up to 100% load, requiring added water protection for outdoor use.

Explore application communication in the OSI model via data encapsulation. Learn about LANs vs. WANs, MAC protocols, Ethernet and Wi-Fi dominance, network topologies, transmission media, and wireless security.

Maxon's OD808 (1979), developed by Susumu Tamura, became the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer, based on the BOSS OD-1 with a tone control added. It inspired many overdrive pedals that enhance amp overdrive by emphasizing certain frequencies.

DC Power Line Communication (PLC) systems face challenges because power cables aren't designed for communication frequencies, leading to signal reflections and interference. Solutions include limiting data rates, using OFDM modulation, and selecting suitable frequencies. Protocols like PLC-G3 (up to 45 kbps, 1300 ft range) are standardized and secure, used in green energy systems. PLC-Lite (up to 21 kbps, 130 ft range) is cost-effective but limited. IEEE 2847-2021 offers longer range but lower speeds. DC PLCs are vital in solar energy and industry, where cost-effectiveness outweighs high data rates.

How to build a simple DIY guitar tremolo pedal using three transistors? Electronic tremolo is easy to create without altering amplifier bandwidth or signal delay. The design uses a low-frequency oscillator (LFO) and a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA), each on one transistor. Excellent results with a simple, thoughtful design (like the Univox U65RN and EA tremolo).

We teardown and tested RS-150-24 from Mean Well (150W) in different modes. It's a 24V power supply with a 6.3A current limit and dual AC input ranges. It lacks PFC and thermal protection and operates with passive cooling. Tests show stable and low-noise output voltage. The unit heats significantly at full load, suggesting a safe operational limit of 70-80% load to prevent overheating and potential hazards. Overload protection is in "hiccup mode."

What determines the type of network protocol? Which type of traffic is tolerant of delays, and which is tolerant of errors, and vice versa? How the quality of signal transmission at the physical layer affects the complexity of the data link layer?

The DAC0832 is a precise digital-to-analog converter used with the LM317T for voltage control in power supplies. It features dual latches, requires an op-amp, and uses 74HC193 counters for digital input management.

Modern energy systems use DC, especially in solar power. NEC mandates reducing solar array voltage to 30 volts in emergencies. Power Line Communication (PLC) enables safe, efficient control and data transmission, outperforming wireless and PoE in reliability and cost.

Comparators compare voltages and are used in devices like microcontrollers. They resemble operational amplifiers and can be used in PWM circuits and thermometers. Comparators convert analog signals to digital logic, enabling automated control with hysteresis for stability. They can operate without microcontrollers, as shown in an electronic thermometer using LM324 chips.

In this post, I want to share a subjective and perhaps picky view about the LRS-200, and LRS-350 sources as a person, a user, not as a professional.

OSI in the modern understanding of computer networks Evolution of computer networks from global to local networks Basic principles of the OSI model