I have recently started to use Proteus ARES for PCB layout. I regularly order boards from OSH Park but there is a fixed file naming convention for uploaded ZIP files.
Today I wanted to quickly calculate a truth table for a simple boolean equation. Whilst this can be done very simply on paper it becomes tedious with lots of inputs.
A quick Google search found “Logic Friday”, available at sontrak.com. Boolean operations can be described using logic gates, truth tables or an equation.
Microchip’s Application Note AN1333 hints at a useful technique for measuring the Vdd of a PIC using only the internal Fixed Voltage Reference (FVR) module.
This page explores how to use this for a rough measurement of the current Vdd, saving pins and reducing complexity.
After some recent discussions with two friends Rich & Dave I have been playing with WebSDR, decoding all sorts of transmissions using MultiPSK. I have never been particularly interested in amateur or “ham” radio but receiving and decoding signals from around the world is a fun way to pass a cold evening.
There is lots to find: weather information, humorous IRC style chat, worldwide operators trying to reach as far as possible and even digitally coded pictures.
Today I received some prototyping boards from Mike at White Wing Logic. These are a little like stripboard/veroboard on steroids, they have footprints for a number of different surface mount parts and connectors with breakout pads. I have used breadboard or custom PCBs solely for a few years but increasingly packages are only available in surface mount.