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Max the Magnificent
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Hmm.. I would think this is a matter of picking up the "magic" that makes ...
Good Grief… Not again!
Clive Maxfield
2/1/2012 3:42 PM EST
I’m starting to feel distinctly silly, because yet another DIY electronics hobby project has failed to perform as expected…
Do you recall the Atmospherics Monitor project I was waffling on about last year? This is a circuit that can detect electrical activity in the atmosphere from thousands of miles away and present it in audible form as Sliding Whistles, Tweaks, Pings, Chirps, Risers, Chinks, Clicks, and the exotic Dawn Chorus. (Click Here to see my original posting, which includes the circuit diagram and construction notes.)
It took me quite a while to gather all of the parts together. The item that was most difficult to track down was the ferrite rod. Fortunately, one of the guys on the Yahoo “How Things Work” group (of which I am a member) had one in his “box of bits and pieces,” and he kindly donated it to the cause.
Even when I had all of the bits and pieces in my hands, it still took me ages to get around to pulling the little scamp together … a bit here and a bit there … until, finally, a few days ago, it was finished. Hurray! (Happy Face)
And then I applied power… and absolutely nothing happened… (Sad Face)
I’ve checked the obvious things, or at least the things that seem obvious to me. The problem is that I’m a digital man at heart … I get confused by all of those wibbly-wobbly analog signals (the fact that I was once the Analog Product Marketing Manager at a large EDA company was just some strange twist of fate to which I seem to be susceptible).
But turn that frown upside down into a smile. Fortunately I know just what to do, which is the same thing I did when my DIY Geiger Counter failed to perform its sole function in life (Click Here)… I shipped it to my electronics guru friend David Ashton in Australia and he soon brought the little rascal to life (Click Here). In fact, it’s happily clicking away to itself on my desk as I pen these words.
I’ve already contacted David, who says that he’s standing by in dread anticipation, so keep your fingers crossed and watch this space…
If you found this article to be of interest, visit Programmable Logic Designline where you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to programmable logic devices of every flavor and size (FPGAs, CPLDs, CSSPs, PSoCs...).
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
Do you recall the Atmospherics Monitor project I was waffling on about last year? This is a circuit that can detect electrical activity in the atmosphere from thousands of miles away and present it in audible form as Sliding Whistles, Tweaks, Pings, Chirps, Risers, Chinks, Clicks, and the exotic Dawn Chorus. (Click Here to see my original posting, which includes the circuit diagram and construction notes.)
It took me quite a while to gather all of the parts together. The item that was most difficult to track down was the ferrite rod. Fortunately, one of the guys on the Yahoo “How Things Work” group (of which I am a member) had one in his “box of bits and pieces,” and he kindly donated it to the cause.
Even when I had all of the bits and pieces in my hands, it still took me ages to get around to pulling the little scamp together … a bit here and a bit there … until, finally, a few days ago, it was finished. Hurray! (Happy Face)
And then I applied power… and absolutely nothing happened… (Sad Face)
My unpackaged circuit
(taped to a piece of cardboard in preparation for shipping)
(taped to a piece of cardboard in preparation for shipping)
I’ve checked the obvious things, or at least the things that seem obvious to me. The problem is that I’m a digital man at heart … I get confused by all of those wibbly-wobbly analog signals (the fact that I was once the Analog Product Marketing Manager at a large EDA company was just some strange twist of fate to which I seem to be susceptible).
But turn that frown upside down into a smile. Fortunately I know just what to do, which is the same thing I did when my DIY Geiger Counter failed to perform its sole function in life (Click Here)… I shipped it to my electronics guru friend David Ashton in Australia and he soon brought the little rascal to life (Click Here). In fact, it’s happily clicking away to itself on my desk as I pen these words.
I’ve already contacted David, who says that he’s standing by in dread anticipation, so keep your fingers crossed and watch this space…
If you found this article to be of interest, visit Programmable Logic Designline where you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to programmable logic devices of every flavor and size (FPGAs, CPLDs, CSSPs, PSoCs...).
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
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RICK.HILLE
2/1/2012 4:17 PM EST
Clearly, the cardboard substrate is not nearly large enough :)
From your description of what this box is supposed to do, I'd rename it from the rather pedestrian "Atmospherics Monitor", to "God's Theremin"
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Max the Magnificent
2/1/2012 4:20 PM EST
That is a very good name for it. From what it says in the original construction project, I cannot wait to actually hear the sounds I'm supposed to here...
If we do get it working (and I have every faith in David) I will create a YouTube video including the sounds so you can see (hear) what it's like...
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Max the Magnificent
2/1/2012 4:21 PM EST
I wonder if it would be possible to come up with a sort-of-digital equivalent of this circuit - -perhaps using a microcontroller or an FPGA -- pick up the signal in the analog domain but then immediately convert it to digital for processing...
...anyone want to try?
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ost
2/2/2012 3:46 AM EST
Hmm.. I would think this is a matter of picking up the "magic" that makes theories not work.
How about a "skew detector" of apparently equally delayed signals? Maybe source a pair of signals from a common high frequency (variable?) PLL (could be FPGA internal too), send both through some apparently symmetric paths, and sample one of them on the other domain at an invalid setup/hold edge, filter it with some magic filter, PWM it to a speaker, and maybe Elvis will speak to you?
(any volunteers wanna try?)
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Max the Magnificent
2/2/2012 8:46 AM EST
I just tuned my old AM radio to the static between stations and...
...Elvis says (a) stop talking about him or he will have to come round to your house and have words with you and (b) what's an FPGA?
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RICK.HILLE
2/1/2012 5:08 PM EST
A small micro with an ADC that can sample at audio freq could be employed; the recorder output, which is the signal point to run into the ADC input, would need DC bias to about mid-point of the ADC input range. If the ADC is fast enough and the uC has enough horsepower, you can implement a Nyquist low-pass filter as a digital algorithm. Or maybe, forget about filtering and let the above-Nyquist chirps and squeals produce interesting sounds, never before heard by human ears...
Alternatively, you could run the recorder output into the Line input of a PC sound card, and use a tool like Audacity to examine and play with the waveforms. I'd add a couple paralleled A to K diodes on the recorder output to protect the PC input port. For the previously mentioned ADC approach, diode clamping of the recorder signal to the uC rails would be advisable too.
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Max the Magnificent
2/1/2012 5:41 PM EST
That sounds great -- I can't wait to see it when you finish it -- make one for me too :-)
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