Mark, Let me know if you build one of those toasters, I'm constantly burning mine. Fred ----- Original Message ----- From: "Senk, Mark J. (CDC/NIOSH/NPPTL)" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 12:17 PM Subject: Re: Building Equipment > Hi again, > > I'd like to know what you have done with pic controllers. > Where do you obtain the parts you need? > > I don't want to pay a dollar for a LED at the mall and I don't need 100 = > of them from a dealer on ebay !! > > I found a book on netlibrary.org about pic microcontrollers. > > Excerpt: > > This chapter begins our applications. The first project is a speech = > synthesizer=20 > that can be embedded into another circuit or project to add speech = > capabilities.=20 > You may want to create a talking toaster that will tell you when your = > toast is=20 > ready, or a talking VCR. The circuit is activated and the speech = > selected by=20 > using high or low logic signals to port A.=20 > Speech synthesizers (or processors) are available in two formats. The = > first=20 > format uses sampled (digitally recorded) speech stored in ROM or EEPROM. = > > The second approach uses phonemes of English to construct words. A = > phoneme=20 > is a speech sound.=20 > Each format has its advantages and disadvantages. Digitally recorded=20 > speech has excellent fidelity, but has a limited vocabulary because of = > the large=20 > storage capacity required. The phoneme approach has an unlimited = > vocabulary, but the speech fidelity isn't as good as that of sampled = > speech. Even so,=20 > the phoneme approach usually suffices as long as a mechanical = > (robotic-type)=20 > voice is acceptable. This is the approach we are using.=20 > The total cost of this project, including the PIC microcontroller, = > should be=20 > less than $25.00. Included in this price are an audio amplifier, filter, = > volume=20 > control, and speaker. =20 > > > Mark J. Senk | 412-386-6513 | [log in to unmask] > <img = > src=3D"http://212.179.113.209/QRCode/img.php?d=3DBEGIN%3AVCARD%0AN%3AMark= > %20J.%20Senk%0ATEL%3A412-386-6513%0AEMAIL%3Azia7%40cdc.gov%0AEND%3AVCARD&= > c=3DContact%20Mark%20Senk&s=3D4" > alt=3D"QR4Senk" />=A0 > > -----Original Message----- > From: For blind ham radio operators = > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Martin McCormick > Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 11:34 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Building Equipment > > I like using perf board and wire-wrap for digital projects as well = > aseven some RF projects. You must solder leads to components since = > component leads are round and do not bite in to the wire-wrap wire. > > I also have played around with PIC microcontrollers and the Motorola = > 68HC11 which is another embedded controller. > > The idea of a circuit description language is a very good one. Things = > like PIC's and other microprocessors simplify the construction details = > since more of the circuit is in firmware, but documenting a circuit has = > been one of my biggest problems so one can come back to it in months or = > years and tell what is what. > > My favorite soldering tool for small parts is a Wahl cordless soldering = > gun. I also have a bigger gun for the big stuff like coax connectors and = > anything else that sucks the heat away too fast for a little iron to = > work well. > > I do have a question. I have occasionally used cotton work gloves to = > shield my fingers when using a standard plug-in iron. you can safely, = > but lightly touch the tip because the cotton insulates your fingers but = > the cotton easily burns through and the glove is ruined as soon as the = > hole burns in a finger. > > Is there any heat-resistant fabric that feels about like cotton but = > doesn't burn as easily? > > If there was something like that , one could use a regular iron more = > easily. > > Guns, of course, can start cold so you can touch everything, but guns = > also apply more heat as they warm up than an already-hot iron. > > An already hot iron, however, can do lots of damage if you don't watch = > where you put it on the work. A normal tip temperature is about 700 = > degrees F. > > Another advantage of light gloves is that you really don't want to get = > human finger prints on what you are soldering because the solder flux = > isn't capable of cleaning the oil off that well. > > I am 56 years old and have been building and tinkering since I was in = > grade school so I am always looking for a new angle to try. > > Martin McCormick WB5AGZ Stillwater, OK Systems Engineer OSU Information = > Technology Department Network Operations Group > > "John J. Boyer" writes: >>It's nice to see that there are several people interested in building=20 >>equipment on the list, since what I want to do in ham radio is build=20 >>and try out equipment. When I was younger I used to build quite a lot,=20 >>including soldering. I built transistor circuits, but I used a modified = > >>version of a breadboard. Nowadays techniques are quite different. >> >>I wonder how many of you remember Bob Gunderson of the New York=20 >>Institute for the Education of the blind. He was fand away my favorite=20 >>teacher. >> >>The Braille Technical Press and later the Technical Files used to=20 >>publish circuit diagrams. I'm thinking that a circuit-description=20 >>language like Spice might be used to describe circuits for the blind. >>Another possibility would be to develop or find a language based on = > xml.=20 >>I have been working on transcribing xml to braille for several years. >> >>Let me know your ideas. >> >>Thanks, >>John >> >>-- >>John J. boyer; President, Chief Software Developer JJB Software, Inc. >>http://www.jjb-software.com >>Madison, WI USA >>Developing software for people with disabilities >> >