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Old 2nd Feb 2020, 8:33 pm   #1
David G4EBT
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Default 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

It was a wet Sunday morning, so I spent a bit more time trying (but failing) to make progress with my 'decluttering' mission. Basically, sorting through ‘stuff’ accumulated over the last half a century, deciding what to chuck out, give away, sell, or perhaps even make use of myself, given that I still enjoy making little homebrew projects.

Really, I should have just pressed on with sorting stuff out, but I'm not very well disciplined and too easily distracted. (Probably undiagnosed ADHD or some such thing). As a throwback to the 'waste not-want not' era, whenever I pick something up, instead of thinking 'bin/sell/give away/keep' I think 'Hmm - what could I use this for?'. I spotted a little 250uA edgewise meter of the type that I used to use as ‘S’ meters in homebrew radios. Still have a few little ABS boxes, so I thought I’d knock up a little ‘Audio Output Level Indicator’ which recalled having seen when browsing Paul Stenning’s website at the link below.

It’s designed to monitor the audio output level across a loudspeaker when carrying out alignment of radios.

It will read full scale with about 1 Watt into a 3 Ohm speaker but isn’t intended as a calibrated Wattmeter – simply as a peak level indicator. Just two germanium diodes, one resistor and two small electrolytic caps, so a nice little project, which can be built on a piece of perf-board etc. I just used a small piece of Paxolin and created a waterslide transfer to make the front look respectable.

So my decluttering efforts came to nought - it's just that bits and bobs that were in various boxes are now in one box - a project box. Hence, the same amount of clutter, but organised in a more orderly fashion and an enjoyable hour or so diversion from the chore of de-cluttering - something I approach with little enthusiasm. I'll leave that for another rainy day.

A couple of pics below.

Not much more to say about it really – it’s fully explained here:

https://www.vintage-radio.com/projec...indicator.html

There are several other useful homebrew projects on Paul’s site, such as a Lamp Limiter, Capacitor Reformer, Signal Generator and a power supply for battery valve radios, which can be found here:

https://www.vintage-radio.com/projects/index.html

Hope that’s of interest and use to someone.
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Old 2nd Feb 2020, 9:16 pm   #2
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

Very nicely done

I also suffer from the inability to de-clutter! I always end up messing about with something else when trying to tidy up, and end up getting nothing done, except maybe covering the bench in bits of disassembled radio...

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Old 3rd Feb 2020, 12:18 am   #3
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

So, you've taken several bits and bobs and turned them into a single item. Therefore the number of items has decreased. Decluttering achieved! Chalk up a victory.

Looks good, too.

David
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Old 3rd Feb 2020, 12:46 am   #4
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

.... and a very handy little device too. All much more satisfying than disposal although I do wonder if it might have taken a little longer than 'an hour or so' to construct especially as it's built to such a good standard.

Alan
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Old 3rd Feb 2020, 10:38 am   #5
David G4EBT
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

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Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler View Post
So, you've taken several bits and bobs and turned them into a single item. Therefore the number of items has decreased. Decluttering achieved!

David
That's an excellent concept David!

When counting 'clutter' maybe we should adopt the unit of 'boxes' rather than single items?

Hence, say 50 ABS project boxes of assorted sizes, or 1,000 capacitors placed in a box = one 'clutter unit'.

On that basis, my decluttering efforts have moved on apace!

That's cheered me up no end.
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Old 3rd Feb 2020, 11:46 am   #6
M0TGX Terry
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

Almost all my 'clutter/junk/treasure' is inside a single fairly large shed. Does this mean I only have one item of clutter, ie 'The Shed' ?
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Old 3rd Feb 2020, 12:12 pm   #7
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

I sympathise David, my decluttering goes much the same. A lot of my clutter consists of half finished projects, little PCBs and stripboard. I come across one and think ah yes, best to finish that first. Before I know it the work bench is a mess again and I've achieved very little. Then I remind myself I have hundreds of capacitors and resistors to sort - One day I will do it!
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Old 3rd Feb 2020, 12:25 pm   #8
David G4EBT
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

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Originally Posted by ajgriff View Post
.... and a very handy little device too. All much more satisfying than disposal although I do wonder if it might have taken a little longer than 'an hour or so' to construct especially as it's built to such a good standard.

Alan
I started in in the morning, drilling the front and designing and making the water-slide transfer, but that needs 3 coats of clear acrylic lacquer and has to harden off so didn't get fitted till late afternoon. Meanwhile, it didn't take long to cut a small offcut of Paxolin to size for the component board, drill the holes, fit four double ended terminal pins and add the resistor, two caps and two diodes.

The meter was the last of four that I bought for a pound back in 1970 from Birkitts. Back then I only needed one to make a transistor tester, but thought that the others would 'come in handy one day'. I later used two as 'S' meters for homebrew receivers, but it's surreal that that the 'one day' the last one 'came in handy' was a rainy morning 50 years later! I secured it to the front of the box with two blobs of hot-melt glue.

The picture I posted of the circuit board in my first post is rather poor and indistinct, so for anyone who might want to make one of these nifty little gizmos, I've attached a sketch below, which follows Paul's perf-board layout. I fitted the transfer and speaker input sockets late afternoon and wired the circuit board to the meter and sockets, so maybe an hour in the morning, and half an hour later afternoon.

I've never lost my enthusiasm for making small projects such as this one, from being a schoolboy in the 1950s. I fondly remember Hobbies Weekly circuits of crystal sets and one valve receivers, and that wonderful Practical Wireless series 'Take Twenty' based on twenty components which could be bought for twenty shillings. I have to resist the temptation to revisit those delightful projects, which performed remarkably well. The older we get, the more inclined we are to view life through the rear view mirror rather than concentrating on the road ahead, but then looking back is what vintage radio is all about, so that's OK!

Hope that's of interest.
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Old 3rd Feb 2020, 1:34 pm   #9
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Default Re: 'Audio Output Level Indicator'.

You've convinced me David. I suppose my comment reflects the time it takes me to do relatively straightforward things. Lots of thinking time and not enough 'doing' - just my nature.


Alan
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