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January 2016

Nuts and Volts Magazine

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Features

SmartThings and the Device Maker

This project will really come home to roost.

Beyond the Arduino — Part 8

Power: Less is definitely more here as we focus on ways to reduce the power consumption in our projects so they can run for longer on less.

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Projects

Build an ESR Meter for Your Test Bench

Test your stash of capacitors with this ESR Meter and weed out any bad ones before you install them in your projects.

Rock It with a MIDI Keytar

Using a Rock Band 3 keyboard, you can construct a very inexpensive, yet very capable MIDI controller for use in the studio or on stage.

Vintage Computing — Five Easy Projects for Your Mentor’s Friend

Utilizing the Amigo retro computer, here are some fun projects to get you started on a technology adventure, exploring computers and programming.

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Columns

The Ham’s Wireless Workbench
by H. Ward Silver
Transmission Lines and SWR
Any conductor carrying an AC current can be treated as a transmission line. Here, we'll talk about a basic element of transmission lines: the standing wave ratio. Find out why it’s important and how to measure it.

Q&A
by Tim Brown
Reader Questions Answered Here (1.2016)
Scanner frequency change, a simple remote control, and a telephone off-hook indicator.

Departments