[David G4EBT]

Thanks for that info – it looks very sophisticated and possibly quite expensive, but often stuff sourced from the orient is at bargain basement prices. The project that is the subject of this thread dates from 2004, so is really quite old now and time moves on, but I rather like simple if dated projects, which is why I’m always delving into old magazines.

Yes, Silicon Chip do some marvellous projects which often appear in EPE magazine - in fact EPE is almost a clone of Silicon Chip as there are few other projects in it. S.C projects tend to be quite complex, using difficult to find parts, custom PICs and double-sided PTH PCBs. I did make a precision 10V Voltage reference for which I was able to make my own PCB for the reference and for the power supply from parts sourced in the UK.

Sometimes Jaycar do kits for S.C. projects or can supply certain items, but with postage and possible import duties if above a certain price, it starts to become expensive here in the UK. At one time Jaycar was to set up in the UK or appoint an agent but nothing came of it. We don’t have any firms the equivalent of Jaycar – the nearest is Maplin, which - though it has some 200 stores (similar to Jaycar) - is just a gadgets, gizmos and toys outfit which doesn’t come close to Jaycar. (It's probably Maplin's presence that inhibited Jaycar). There are a few smaller firms around that do kits – Quasar Electronics for example, but that’s all. It’s really amazing that while the UK has three times the population of Oz, and is only 100th of the area so is much simpler for distribution, we have nothing that comes close to Silicon Chip or Jaycar.

There aren’t any electronics magazines left any more in the UK apart from EPE – a Silicon Chip clone. Practical Wireless isn't very 'practical' and is not about 'wireless' – it’s just a ham radio magazine, nicely produced, but thin on technical and practical content, and then only ham radio stuff. Conversely, in EPE, there’s recently been a high power valve amplifier project running for some months – a Silicon Chip design of course. Quite incredible that there are still people around in Oz who can do the R&D and bring such projects to fruition on a commercial basis for an amateur electronics market. (I do wonder if any EPE projects actually get built in the UK. There was so little activity on the EPE forum ('Chat-Zone') where projects are (were) discussed that EPE has just pulled the plug on it).

It’s also remarkable that Jaycar appears to be going from strength to strength. Latest Catalogue is 548 pages, with over 6,950 products including 400+ new products. Despite the logistics of servicing it stores due to the huge size of Oz (It’s as far from Perth to Sidney as it is from here in Hull to Damascus in Syria), Jaycar have got 200 stores spread right across Oz.

I’ll look forward to seeing the Silicon Chip IF Alignment project in EPE.

Apologies for taking my own thread so far off topic.