Any good summer electrical projects?

[Zholl]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Summer would be a great time to get your Ham license. There are a variety of small kits for ham transmitters and simple receivers. Check out Ramsey kits or just search the internet. Ham clubs have classes and hamfests (ham flea markets) run license tests and are a great source of cheap parts and used equipment. The Colorado QRP club (that is for low power users) has a website and list local fests here http://www.cqc.org/swapm.htm

I've actually already gotten my license (KD0IKL), though I had not thought of doing a kit. I will certainly look into that, though. I also noticed that there's a festival next Saturday, so I will probably check that out

[Al Skierkiewicz]

FB on the ham license. Summer is always a ham's season for planning antenna projects before the snow flies. Have you tried your hand at HF QRP? It's a challenge but can be fun and rewarding.

[JamesCH95]

I'm not a fancy electrical type, but I have an interesting project you might try:

I was trying to microwave popcorn last night, and I had to listen to the kernels pop and stop the microwave after I started hearing 2 seconds of silence between pops. This was pretty annoying because I had to sit there for 4 or 5 minutes hitting "add 30 seconds" on the microwave. I bet you could make a device that would hit the required keys on a microwave (+30sec and stop) and use a microphone or some audio device to recognize pops. Maybe throw in a couple 555 timers (one to check time between pops, one to keep the microwave running by hitting +30sec), logic gates, a relay or two (controlling solenoids that press the microwave's buttons), and you've got a reasonably complex circuit to perfectly cook popcorn.

Best of luck in your summer projects.

[JamesBrown]

Originally Posted by JamesCH95

I'm not a fancy electrical type, but I have an interesting project you might try:

I was trying to microwave popcorn last night, and I had to listen to the kernels pop and stop the microwave after I started hearing 2 seconds of silence between pops. This was pretty annoying because I had to sit there for 4 or 5 minutes hitting "add 30 seconds" on the microwave. I bet you could make a device that would hit the required keys on a microwave (+30sec and stop) and use a microphone or some audio device to recognize pops. Maybe throw in a couple 555 timers (one to check time between pops, one to keep the microwave running by hitting +30sec), logic gates, a relay or two (controlling solenoids that press the microwave's buttons), and you've got a reasonably complex circuit to perfectly cook popcorn.

Best of luck in your summer projects.

Why couldn't you just set the microwave to run for 5 (or more) minutes then wait until the popping started to slow, then stop the microwave (at the right point) and clear the time? Seems like that would prevent you from needing to stand by the microwave for more than ~30sec.

[JamesCH95]

The point is that one still has to pay attention to the popcorn for the 4 or 5 minutes to stop it at the right time.

I think discussing my popcorn microwaving technique is a little off topic

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by JamesCH95

I think discussing my popcorn microwaving technique is a little off topic

The microwave I own has this feature built into it already. When you press the "popcorn" button, it automatically turn the microwave on. The microwave will keep running and "listen" to the pops. When it gets to a point where the pops are slowing down, it then displays a timer for how much time is left based on what it thinks (usually ~20 seconds).

Every single bag of popcorn thats ever been made in that microwave has come out perfectly. That includes every brand, type, size...even the mini bags come out perfectly.

I love my microwave.

-Brando

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Brandon,
If it is like mine, the oven senses humidity levels in the cavity rather than listening for pops. I abhor unpopped kernels so I add 30-60 seconds. It is popcorn roulette though, walking the fine line between fully popped and burned. A funny story, we did have popcorn here in the cafeteria vending for a long time. The cafeteria is just down stairs from the CEO's office. One of the operators loved popcorn but wanted to multitask. So in went the bag, radiate ON and get in a bathroom break while waiting. The last two never were the same time so burned popcorn smoke went right up the stairs. We haven't had popcorn in the vending machines for many years now.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by JamesCH95

I'm not a fancy electrical type, but I have an interesting project you might try:

I was trying to microwave popcorn last night, and I had to listen to the kernels pop and stop the microwave after I started hearing 2 seconds of silence between pops. This was pretty annoying because I had to sit there for 4 or 5 minutes hitting "add 30 seconds" on the microwave. I bet you could make a device that would hit the required keys on a microwave (+30sec and stop) and use a microphone or some audio device to recognize pops. Maybe throw in a couple 555 timers (one to check time between pops, one to keep the microwave running by hitting +30sec), logic gates, a relay or two (controlling solenoids that press the microwave's buttons), and you've got a reasonably complex circuit to perfectly cook popcorn.

Best of luck in your summer projects.

This reminds me of my college days... A good example of how engineers can over complicate things very quickly...

The back door to the house we were renting had a very annoying habit of not latching when it was closed... and on those cold Cleveland nights it would blow open and waste a ton of heat before someone woke up, realized what happened, and closed it. Our solution... a small magnetic switch, timer circuit, and speaker... If the door was open for more than 30 seconds, the whole neighborhood knew about it!

In retrospect, we could have fixed the latch... but that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun.

[JamesCH95]

Originally Posted by eagle33199

This reminds me of my college days... A good example of how engineers can over complicate things very quickly...

The back door to the house we were renting had a very annoying habit of not latching when it was closed... and on those cold Cleveland nights it would blow open and waste a ton of heat before someone woke up, realized what happened, and closed it. Our solution... a small magnetic switch, timer circuit, and speaker... If the door was open for more than 30 seconds, the whole neighborhood knew about it!

In retrospect, we could have fixed the latch... but that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun.

Speaking of over-complicated college projects...

A buddy of mine would always forget the key to front door of his apt building, the one where you get "buzzed" in. He made a little unit that sat over the door bell speaker that would unlock the doors when the right pattern of buzzes was pressed from the front door.

You don't have to revolutionize an industry or invent something completely original to have fun and learn a lot, and some times the more complicated way is much more fun

[Zholl]

well, I'm pretty sure my parents won't approve of my attaching hardware to the microwave, and I don't live in an apartment, so those ideas are moot as well (for now, of course. once I hit college that's all fair game ). I'll probably look into the QRP next week at the ham fest, though, Al, so I'll make sure to read up on that this week. I've also been thinking about figuring out some wireless remotes for my camera (if anyone has suggestions on implementation, I'm all ears), but otherwise all I've done so far is wire a 10kohm pot to my headphones and fix my mom's headset at this point while I wait for some bits and bobs to show up

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Chris,
I don't know if FAR Circuits gets out that far, but he is a great source of circuit boards etched for projects in QST. Fred is a long time friend from Motorola who lives in West Dundee, IL and does some really quality work. He hits every hamfest around here. You can buy the board and the original article for the project from him. Then pick up parts at the rest of the fest. Some simple things you can build for QRP are the Tuna Tin series of QRP devices. You can find some of them here...http://www.amqrp.org/kits/kits.html. You can also find some info here...http://www.njqrp.org/tuna/tuna.html or just search Tuna Tin.

[Jon Stratis]

Other possible ideas for small projects:

http://www.madlab.org/kits.html

Pretty much all of the projects listed here involve a bit of electronics work. You can buy the kits directly, or simply download (for free!) the construction instructions and schematics, and figure it out on your own. Nothing super exciting, but some cool little gadgets all the same.

[Alchemy99]

all thoes are fun projects, but i dont know how far you are in your electronics expertice, but this is my project and i need help (see 3d printer help) but in gereral i am makeing a 3d printer based off the RepRap project (reprap.org) so if you are looking for something kit and direction based it will run you about $500 to get a desktop 3d printer. or you can do it the more complicated way and change everything untill you are a chicken with your head cut off trying to figure it out.

something that will help me and proboly alot of other people is a redesign of the Jaguar, improve the chips inside to accept 45 volts to run a motor at 44 volts. (its way above my level of knowlage but it is a challenging project and valuable)

[JamesCH95]

You could get a 48V victor if you need to control a 44v motor. Just a thought.

[Alchemy99]

they make 48 vlt victors?!?!? thank you!

and the reason why i was looking at the jaguar's was because of there built in PID loop, limit switch control, and PC interface.

also does anyone know a good controler that can run 4 48v victors, 4 or more encoders, 7 or more limit switches, and pc input