T&L Publications

Dean Huster wrote:Remember when there used to be lots and lots of electronics hobbyist magazines? Auto accessory projects were in one of them every month: intermittent wipers, sequential turn signals, daytime running lights, electronic dash gauges, auto headlight dimmers, delayed-off headlights, road temperature/freeze warning, shortwave converters and FM converters for the standard AM car radios.

Yes, and fondly, too! The golden age of hobby electronics,
following 'radio' (HAM, SWL, domestic receiver construction of
the late 1950s onward).

In the 1970s Hi-Fi stereo was on the rise as well, every month
a new 'transistorized' Hi-Fi amp circuit appeared.

I have an archive of Polpular Electroncs magazine (the UK
version) from about 1968 to 1980 something. A true gold
mine of rainy-weekend construction pojects and experiments.

Da*n you Dean,
Now I have to go out to the shed and dig through my boxes of "stuff". I built that shortwave converter installed into an old old car radio - car radio for the better signal rejection, and it worked great. A little bit later I added an SCA decoder to the same box, which worked great as well. I wonder if they still have SCA muzac <sp?> on FM here in my town?
Good memories!
Dave

Dean Huster wrote:Remember when there used to be lots and lots of electronics hobbyist magazines? Auto accessory projects were in one of them every month: intermittent wipers, sequential turn signals, daytime running lights, electronic dash gauges, auto headlight dimmers, delayed-off headlights, road temperature/freeze warning, shortwave converters and FM converters for the standard AM car radios, ....

Dean

Hi Dean,


Yeah, cant forget that stuff. In fact, this windshield wiper delay circuit
was in one of the mags i used to subscribe to. All i remember was a small box with a knob
on the front was on the front cover of the magazine. Must have been ages ago now.
Cant even remember the name of the mag, maybe "Popular Electronics" or "Radio Electronics"
or one of the later ones. I got Popular Electronics for years and years.
I dont think i ever built one of the main projects in any of the mags but it was just
nice to read about them.

If anyone is still interested there would be a simple 555 design im sure.

Yes, I believe there is such a circuit in the April 1990 issue of Radio-Electronics. It used a 555 timer and 4013 dual flip-flop if memory serves me correctly. I built one on perfboard and installed it in my '88 Ford pickup at the time. Worked very well, with adjustable delay up to 20 seconds or so. I'm out-of-town right now but can help to provide article when I get home home, if so desired. Just ask.

I have one of those, I know I have it here somewhere. I remember building it and using a 555. I built it on perf board and think I wire wrapped it. I think somewhere in the attic in the boxes of "stuff". I did look in a few boxes in the old guest bedroom, I found a complete IF section for my old R392 collins receiver, an old HP YIG plus another old YIG, a pile of SSRs and for some reason a 1/2" NPT water solonoid valve. All interesting but no circuit? I really need some level of organization around here. I need to crawl up into the attic sometime soon. On the bright side I was wondering where that IF section had gotten off to.

Ron