List of projects published in Radio-Electronics magazine

This is a list of electronics projects published in Radio-Electronics magazine under the "Build This" heading from 1980 to 1983.

1980 TitleDescriptionAuthorIssuePublication dateSlot machineEasy to build; fun to use. Hit the jackpot if you can.Fred Blechman, David McDonald51/1January 1980Conference caller for your phone Add one to your phone today.Jules Gilder51/1January 1980TRS-80 breadboard Part 3: Now that it's complete here are some practical applications.Jon Titus, Chris Titus, David Larsen51/1January 1980Audio power level meter Hook it up to your hi-fi and protect your amplifier and speakers against power overload.Joseph Gorin51/2February 1980Satellite TV earth stationBuild your own backyard installation for under $1000.Bob Cooper51/2February 1980Versatile switching regulator This circuit can be programmed for step up, step down, positive, negative, voltage and current regulation.Robert Frostholm51/2February 1980Not just another digital clock-inch high single-digit LED readout makes this clock unique.John D. Warobiew51/2February 1980Automotive burglar alarmBuild it for less than $20. Automatic feature protects your car without having to turn the alarm on or off.Steve R. Stout51/3March 1980Backyard satellite TV receiver Details of the LNA front-end gets you started building your own backyard installation.Robert B. Cooper, Jr.51/3March 1980Thunderstorm alarm Simple radio accessory provides early warning of approaching storm.Calvin R. Graf51/3March 1980Triggered oscilloscopeA 2-MHz bandwidth and a zero-baseline display for under $125.Daniel Metzger, Dennis Perry51/4April 1980Backyard satellite TV receiver This concluding part describes how to recover the video and audio signals from the satellite signal and then display them on your TV set.Robert B. Cooper, Jr.51/4April 1980Portable electronic organLearn to play a keyboard instrument on either one of the two inexpensive organs described. One plays melody, the other plays melody and chords.I. Queen51/4April 19803 1/2 digit DMM Specifically designed for accuracy and minimal cost, this DMM lets you select and add the features you need.Carson Chen51/4April 1980Professional drum synthesizerUnique device provides many of the features only found in synthesizers costing several times more.Steve Wood51/5May 1980Triggered oscilloscope Part 2—Final construction details for a scope with a 2-MHz bandwidth and a zero baseline display for under $125.Daniel Metzger, Dennis Perry51/5May 1980Versatile analog interfaceWhen connected to your computer, this simple device along with the proper software can be used for a wide variety of interfacing applications, including joysticks.John R. Hanson51/5May 1980Wide-range audio generatorGreat addition for your test bench produces sine and square waves over the audio band from 10 Hz to 50 kHz.Richard Schroeder51/5May 1980Automotive voltage regulatorImproved design overcomes many of the shortcomings of factory-installed units.L. Steven Cheairs51/6June 1980Synthesized function generatorPhase-locked-loop technology results in improved performance.Gary McClellan51/6June 1980Professional drum synthesizerPart 2—Final construction details. This unique device provides many of the features normally found on synthesizers costing several times more.Steve Wood51/6June 1980Environmental control centerTechnology and Mother Nature work together to reduce home heating and cooling costs.Tom Stults51/7July 1980Home intercom systemSimple and inexpensive way to hear—and be heard—all through the house.David J. Sweeney51/7July 1980Synthesized function generatorPart 2—Complete construction details. A professional-quality tool for the experimenter or technician.Gary McClellan51/7July 1980Unicorn-1 robotPart 1. Complete with manipulator arms and mobile base, you can build this robot for under $400. Various levels of control and intelligence are described, including an on-board computer.James A. Gupton, Jr.51/8August 1980Raceway videogameAfter you build this video game, you can pretend to be an Indy 500 race-car driver without ever leaving the comfort of your armchair.L. Steven Cheairs51/8August 19806 audio test accessoriesConstruction details for 6 easy-to-build accessories for the audio test bench. Useful for troubleshooting or checking the performance of your hi-fi system.Gary Stock51/8August 1980$10 logic probeA necessary instrument for troubleshooting digital circuitry.Fred Blechman51/8August 1980Unicorn-1 robotPart 2. Assembling the manipulator arms and "hands."James A. Gupton, Jr.51/9September 1980Wipeout videogameTen action-packed games in an arcade type videogame. Add on RF modulator and play it on your TV set.L. Steven Cheairs51/9September 1980Synthesized function generatorThis is a precision laboratory or test-bench instrument capable of accuracy to 0.005%. Use it with logic circuits or as an audio or RF signal generator.Gary McClellan51/10October 1980Unicorn-1 robotPart 3. Design and construction of the mobility base.James A. Gupton, Jr.51/10October 1980Circuit design stationPrototype and debug your circuits using this battery-powered design station.James Barbarello51/11November 1980Build your own robotPart 4. Construction details for the body frame and body rotation mechanism.James A. Gupton, Jr.51/11November 1980A byte of power AC controllerInterface card for your computer lets you independently switch on or off 8 AC power circuits.L. Steven Cheairs51/11November 1980Low frequency converterAdd-on accessory extends the low-frequency range of the Synthesized Function Generator.Gary McClellan51/12December 1980Mini-speaker systemA high-performance speaker system for your hi-fi in a mini-sized package.Gary Stock51/12December 1980Build your own robotPart 5: Construction details for completing the body and adding a voice.James A. Gupton51/12December 1980Universal logic testerA one-IC device that checks out not only components, but entire circuits.Fred Blechman, K6UGT51/12December 1980

1981

Title Description Author Issue Publication date Pay-TV decoder Adaptor connects to the video-detector output inside your TV to descramble over-the-air pay-TV signals. Ray Pichulo 52/1 January 1981 Computer/TV interface Adaptor lets you modify your TV set for use as a video monitor. David E. Carter 52/1 January 1981 Unicorn-1 robot Modifying the arms to provide a twist-of-the-wrist function plus adding LED motor-direction indicators. James A. Gupton, Jr. 52/1 January 1981 Pay-TV decoder Part 2—Construction details for an adaptor that connects to the video-detector output outside your TV to descramble over-the-air pay-TV signals. Ray Pichulo 52/2 February 1981 Unicorn-1 robot Part 7—Construction details for an interface board that will permit motor control via remote control or an on-board computer. James A. Gupton, Jr. 52/2 February 1981 DMM accessory for ultra-low ohms Add-on accessory for your DMM extends resistance measurements down to .0001 ohms. J. T. Cataldo 52/2 February 1981 PROM programmer Program your own PROM's on your workbench with this inexpensive device. T. E. LeVere 52/2 February 1981 Audio signal restoration unit Hear your records and tapes as you've never heard them before. Joseph M. Gorin 52/3 March 1981 Do-nothing box Does "nothing" like you've never seen it done yet. Noel Nyman 52/3 March 1981 Unicorn-1 robot The first step on the road to radio control. James A. Gupton, Jr. 52/3 March 1981 Computer-Selectric interface An easy way to use an IBM Selectric terminal/printer for output from your computer. E. G. Brooner 52/4 April 1981 Unicorn-1 robot Finishing up the conversion to radio control. James A. Gupton, Jr. 52/4 April 1981 Audio-signal restoration unit Build this and "expand" your listening pleasure. Joseph M. Gorin 52/4 April 1981 Unicorn-1 robot—adding computer control A look at the hardware and programming requirements needed to add computer control. James A. Gupton, Jr. 52/5 May 1981 LED VU meter for your hi-fi Here's an all-electronic digital VU meter that you can add to your hi-fi system. Bradley Albing 52/5 May 1981 Computer-to-Selectric interface Part 2—An inexpensive way to use an IBM Selectric typewriter as a hard copy printer for your computer. E. G. Brooner 52/5 May 1981 $60 modem Give your computer a telephone interface. There's a lot waiting for it at the other end of the line. Robert Ward 52/6 June 1981 Lumitron-4 light sequencer A four-channel light controller that will put many commercial disco installations to shame. David L. Holmes 52/6 June 1981 Unicorn-1 robot Give your robot the senses of sight and touch. James A. Gupton, Jr. 52/6 June 1981 Negative ion generator Negatively-charged oxygen is claimed to provide many benefits. Here's your chance to find out for yourself. Ronald E. Pyle 52/7 July 1981 $60 modem The second part of this article winds up the construction phase of the project and introduces the software. Robert Ward 52/7 July 1981 Lumitron-4 light sequencer Final construction and checkout and a fascinating light display. David L. Holmes 52/7 July 1981 Satellite TV antenna The 8-Ball—a satellite TV antenna you can build for under $750. H. D. McCullough 52/8 August 1981 Synthesized RF generator The Programma-2 covers a range of 300 kHz to 30 MHz and costs about $3100 less than its commercial counterparts. Gary McClellan 52/8 August 1981 Electronic musical horn Don't blow your horn in traffic—play it! Fred Blechman, David McDonald 52/8 August 1981 $60 modem Part 3—The conclusion of this article presents the software your computer will need to use the modem. Robert Ward 52/8 August 1981 UHF prescaler Extend the range of your frequency counter up to 650 MHz. Bill Owen 52/8 August 1981 Hi-fi analog reverb system Attach this to your hi-fi system and expand your listening room into a concert hall. Carl Sawtell 52/9 September 1981 Musical horn for your car Part 2. Toot your own tune with this easy to build and install musical horn. PROM's allow you to program whatever tunes you like. Fred Blechman, David McDonald 52/9 September 1981 Satellite TV antenna Part 2. Before you receive TV signals from satellites, you need an antenna. Here's an inexpensive design using commonly available materials. H. D. McCullough 52/9 September 1981 Synthesized RF generator Part 2. Construction details for a 300 kHz to 30 MHz RF generator for your workbench. Gary McClellan 52/9 September 1981 Hi-fi analog reverb system Part 2. Finishing up this audio-enhancement device that adds ambience to your listening room. Carl Sawtell 52/10 October 1981 Satellite TV antenna Part 3. How to install and aim the 8-Ball spherical TVRO antenna. H. D. McCullough 52/10 October 1981 Low frequency filter Eliminate the effects of annoying low-frequency record "noise" with this simple circuit. Joseph M. Gorin 52/11 November 1981 Expanded scale voltmeter Here's a way for you to add super accuracy to your analog voltmeter. T. J. Byers 52/11 November 1981 Synthesized RF generator Part 3. How to complete, calibrate and use the Programma-2. Gary McClellan 52/11 November 1981 Hi-fi decoder for discs CBS's new noise-reduction system for phonograph records. Build yours today and take advantage of the new, noiseless CX-encoded discs. Joel Cohen 52/12 December 1981 4 simple toys Easy to build and yet entertaining to a youngster. They all make delightful presents for the holiday season. Dan and Diane Talbot 52/12 December 1981 Hi-fi mini-speaker Small, efficient, and great sounding. Based on a patented principle that works. George Pappanikolaou 52/12 December 1981 LIMIK Harmless insect-like gadget that is a sure-fire attention grabber. Merritt Kappel 52/12 December 1981

1982