Don  Lancaster's Guru's Lair  Tech Musings Library
auctions bargains books contact email home library map ?new? rss

Tech Musings are an ongoing monthly set of Don's ezine columns
which in the dark distant past have appeared in such magazines as
Electronics Now or Poptronix. These columns are a continuation of
the original Hardware Hacker series.

The coverage includes electronic and computer fundamentals that
are presented in Don's lucid style.

You can support future columns by becoming a Banner Advertiser,
by using our InfoPack services, or at zero cost by clicking through to
our Book Access resources.          

Most library files require an Adobe Acrobat 4.0  plug in for online
viewing.  Offline, these may be accessed by an Acrobat Reader or
an eBook Reader or any other .PDF accepting program.

Tech Musings #153  MUSE153.PDF september 2001)       Bouncy brick secrets. Privatizing mil surplus. Bogus water powered       cars. Fundamentals of electrolysis. Reducing table lookup sizes.       Quadratic interpolation. Bounty hunting patents for $$$$.

Click here for Live Auction bargains.

Sourcecode & Template  MUSE153.PSL       The sourcecode and template used to generate MUSE153.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes example      of math-intensive figure.

Click here for Patent Avoidance info.

Tech Musings #152  MUSE152.PDF (august 2001)       Fundamentals of power and energy. 52 LED's from one port!       Shuffling alogrithms and pitfalls. Multi-banner auto rotator.       Thermodynamic Books. Heath and Tektronix access.

Click here to view our Bargain Pages.

Sourcecode & Template  MUSE152.PSL       The sourcecode and template used to generate MUSE152.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of n-connectedness pattern plotting.

Click for more PostScript programming resources.

Tech Musings #151  MUSE151.PDF (july 2001)       Radio Shack Wireless Humidity Data Format. Exergy and energy       quality. JavaScript Bouncy Buttons. Chebycheff polynomonials.       Fluxgate & magnetometry books. Plastics suppliers. More...

Click here for additional Math Stuff resources.

Sourcecode & Template  MUSE151.PSL       The sourcecode and template used to generate MUSE151.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of Chebycheff curve plotting.

Click here for more Hydrogen Energy resources.

Tech Musings #150  MUSE150.PDF (july 2000)       Some RFID resources. PostScript trig functions VMSK and       AAPSK intro. Is this for real? Hydrogen scams and fiascos,       industrial waxes, steplocked magic sinewaves, more...

Click here for more Magic Sinewave info.

Tech Musings #149  MUSE149.PDF (june 2000)       Where to get parts. Acrobat web searches. New touch screen       chip. Reformation free fuel cells. PostScript proc diversion. Secrets       of transmission line transformers. NDT resources More...

Click here for additional PostScript resources.

Sourcecode & Template  MUSE149.PSL       The sourcecode and template used to generate MUSE149.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of url-like buttons in PostScript or Acrobat.

Click here to view our Bargain Pages.

Tech Musings #148  MUSE148.PDF (may 2000)      Algae hydrogen source. Applying Taylor Series. Surplus and auction      update. Lithium polymer batteries. Understanding nonlinearity. Some      Battery books. Cave radio site, Maxim chargers, more...

Click here for Battery Book info.

Tech Musings #147  MUSE147.PDF (april 2000)      A look at pendulum accelerometers. Servo and feedback books. PS      Log file 404 error extractor. Listening in on bat navigation. Using      synchros and seslyns. USB Complete book. More...

Click here for Instant Consulting solutions.
Click here for Live Auction bargains.

Sourcecode & Templatelate  MUSE147.PSL       The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE147.PDF.       Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes example      of Photo JPEG Image Managementt using PostScript-as-language.

Click here for Patent Avoidance info.

Tech Musings #146  MUSE146.PDF (march 2000)       Myths involving pulse electrolysis. Contactless charger update.      Extracting Acrobat PDF url's. Versatile capacitor switching circuits.      Electrochemical books, journals, and websites, more...

Click here for more Webmastering info.
Click here for electrochemistry books info.

Tech Musings #145  MUSE145.PDF (february 2000)       Four point Bezier curve fit Mitutoyo Digimatic specs.PIC, AVX,      and Basic Stamp books. Lord magnetorheology demo RS232      machine tool interface. Silicon valley nudity.

Click here for PIC Digimatic sourcecode.
Click here for PIC Digimatic VB Demo.

Tech Musings #144  MUSE144.PDF  (january 2000)       Temperature measurements. Thermocouple fundamentals.      Working with newsgroups. PostScript Gambler's Ruin simulation      Understanding "favicon.ico". Thermometry books. More.

Click here for Temperature Measurement bargains.
Click here for Surplus Auction links.

Tech Musings #142  MUSE142.PDF  (november 1999)          Contact-free battery chargers. Gage and SPS machine tool interface.        Useful energy resources. Some induction heating books.        Using Gauss Jordan Elimination to solve linear equations.

Click here for Induction Heating book access.

Tech Musings #141  MUSE141.PDF (october 1999)        Secrets of sub-pixel resolution improvement. Diode rf switches and      attenuators. Anti-aliasing and grayscaling. Possible hydrogen storage      breakthrough. Some ultrasonic book resources.

Click here for Ultrasonic book info.


Tech Musings #140  MUSE140.PDF (september 1999)      Low cost printed circuit drill. "Laws" as theorems. PostScript      robotics. Free USGS maps online. More on scanner "photographs.      Water soluble plastic films. Recommended GPS books.

Click here for GPS Navigation book info.

Sourcecode & Template  MUSE140.PSL       The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE140.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes example      of color pictorial generation using PostScript-as-language.

Click here for water soluble swimsuit info.

Tech Musings #139 MUSE139.PDF (august 1999)        Hot tub economics. SETI at home update. Thermal energy basics.       Radio astronomy books. Digital scanner "photos" Plastic working       catalog. New GPS publication.

Click here for Radio Astronomy books info.

Tech Musings #138  MUSE138.PDF  (july 1999)        PS web referral log reader. Life as we don't know it. Fast access to       data sheets. Small "miracle" antennas An impulse radar update.       Fresnel vs Fraunhoffer. Fractal antenna designs.

Click here for Dark Life book access.

Tech Musings #137  MUSE137.PDF  (june 1999)      EIS impedance spectroscopy. Sources for radiation detectors.      New flexible current transducers and sensors . Gun camera      mechanism bargains. Fundamentals of spectrum analysis.

Click here for Patent Files book info.
Click here for Patent Avoidance tutorials.

Tech Musings #136  MUSE136.PDF (may 1999)      Tachometer design basics. "knotty neon" lighting rope.        New PIC breadboard sources. Some boat anchor resources.        Ancient twinkle lights circuit. Revisiting the NE-2.

Click here for Planetary Astronomy book info.
Click for When Things Start to Think book info.
Click here for more PIC Microcontroller tutorials .

Tech Musings #135  MUSE135.PDF (april 1999)      Thoughts on brain parity. Fundamentals of impulse radio.        A "new" bookbinding method. Some Richard Feynman books.        MEMS nanotechnology CD ROM. Aerosence conference.

Click here for Richard Feynman book info.
Click for Age of Spiritual Machines book info.


Sourcecode & Template  MUSE135.PSL     The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE135.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes example      of Fourier pulse generation using PostScript-as-language.

Click here for Home Bookbinding book info.


Tech Musings #134  MUSE134.PDF (march 1999)      Online aerial photo access. A collection of loose ends. Selected        SETI books. PIC video overlay displays. Underwater arc absurdities.        Military manual source. Shooting the AOL messenger

Click here for SETI  book access info.


Tech Musings #133  MUSE133.PDF (february 1999)     A military surplus update. AC and DC lamp dimmer fundamentals.       Some selected magnetic recording books. A SETI search invitation.       CD and web USGS maps.

Click here for Magnetic Recording book info.


Tech Musings #132 MUSE132.PDF (january 1999)      A remote control for your cat! Creating log & semilog graphs. Some        Tesla Book References. Hydrogen absurdities exposed. Making        Visual luminosity measurements. Build your own microprocessor.

Click here for Nikoli Tesla book info.


Tech Musings #131  MUSE131.PDF (december 1998)     Investigating position sensitive detectors. Error correcting code     books.  Secrets of optical rangefinding. Noisy ac power measurements.      Some new stereolithography resins. RFID tutorial.

Click here for Error Correcting Code book info.


Sourcecode & Template MUSE131.PSL       The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE131.PDF.         Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples         of analyzing noisy sinewaves using PostScript-as-language.

Click for Auctions & Surplus library page.

Tech Musings #130  MUSE130.PDF (november 1998)        A look at rail guns. DNA error correction effectiveness. Some       pitfalls of Windows 98. An air conditioning power servo using the       Honeywell Modutrol. Faraday motion experiments.

Click here for bookbinding books info.

Tech Musings #129 MUSE129.PDF (october 1998)       Understanding DMX512 theater lighting controls. Hydrogen energy       journal. Some stage lighting books. Overunity energy fantasies.       Asynchronous RS422 and RS485 network communications.

Click for Concert & Stage Lighting book info.

Tech Musings #128 MUSE128.PDF (september 1998)       A look at used test equipment. Some Tesla Turbine lit. How to       buy military surplus electronics. Impulse radio communications.       New Class D amplifiers. Merry-go-round horses.

Click here for Nikoli Tesla book info.

Tech Musings #127 MUSE127.PDF (august 1998)        Bounceback and capacitor safety. A look at solar engineering        economics. Transformer-free DAA chips. Telecomm review. A new        PIC home power monitor. Direct solar to hydrogen conversion.

Click for our Its a Gas hydrogen page.


Sourcecode & Template MUSE127.PSL     The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE127.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of Acrobat HTML-like menus and URL link sourcecode insertion.

Click here for bunches of PIC Website links.


Tech Musings #126  MUSE126.PDF (july 1998)     AC line powered chips, Isolated power supplies, electric and     hybrid automobile books. Transportation alternatives. Nitrogen     powered cars. Better magnetic refrigeration.

Click here for Electric Car book info.
Click here for Fuel Cell book info.
Click here for Hybrid Car book info.

Tech Musings #125 MUSE125.PDF (june 1998)      Understanding crest factors. Temperature sensing circuits. New       Battery Products trade journal. Great new SAW filter databook       More on power measurement. Radiotron Designer's Handbook.

Click here for Magic Sinewave  tutorials.


Tech Musings #124 MUSE124.PDF (may 1998)    How to bash pseudoscience. Some wind energy resources.      New white LED caving lamp. ExtraOrdinary Science conference      papers. Reading web site referral logs. Free samples.

Click for our Pseudoscience Bashing library page.


Tech Musings #123 MUSE123.PDF (april 1998)   AC power measurement new options and tutorial. $49 Acrobat      source. Rapid simultaneous A/D converters. Solid state power      meters. Home energy monitoring. DNA computing.

Click here to access Wind Energy book info.

Tech Musings #122 MUSE122.PDF (march 1998)       Atmel's PIC Challenger. HP's ScanJet 6100C. Finding satellite       imagery. Understanding quadrature. Broadband phase shifters       Hilbert transforms. Hydraulic rams. PostScript transparency.

Click here for further PostScript info & utilities.


Sourcecode & Template MUSE122.PSL     The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE122.PDF.     Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples     of Acrobat HTML-like menus and URL link sourcecode insertion.

Click here for tinaja questing secrets.

Tech Musings #121 MUSE121.PDF (february 1998)      FM Wireless Broadcasters. The Radio Shack 12-2051. Surplus      and auction update. A homopolar traction motor. A new power      measurement chip. Understanding the Faraday Disk. Cool cars.

Click here for further PostScript info & utilities.


Sourcecode & Template MUSE121.PSL     The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE121.PDF.     Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples     of Acrobat HTML-like menus and URL link sourcecode insertion.

Click here for Tinaja questing secrets.

Tech Musings #120  MUSE120.PDF (january 1998)    NewTek's new PIC Calibar tv generator, investigating Brown's    Gas, television broadcast magazines, understanding meta studies,    comparing energy densities, plastic injection molding book, more.

Click here for more PIC Microprocessor info.
Click here for additional video editing info.

Sourcecode & Template Muse120.PSL      The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE120.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of figure colorization and URL link sourcecode insertion.

Click here for more PostScript utilities.

Tech Musings #119 MUSE119.PDF (december 1997)       Miracle motor suppressed! Handheld data acquisition resources.       A useful hydrogen book. Thoughts on electrolysis. Reactance       limiting concepts. Web FM radio search service.

Click here for Electrochemistry book info.


Tech Musings #118 MUSE118.PDF (november 1997)      Time saving laser printer testers. More on hydrogen developments.      Inside a submillimeter telescope. Radio astronomy resources update      Home Power's new SOLAR II CD ROM.

Click here for Radio Astronomy book info.


Tech Musings #117 MUSE117.PDF (october 1997)       Real PostScript for PIC Robotics. Shattering homopolar machinery       myths. Six clicks to display PostScript. Motor and generator intro       and fundamentals. Melody IC's and sound modules.

   Click here for more Flutterwumper tutorials.

Sourcecode & Template Muse117.PSL      The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE117.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of figure colorization and URL link sourcecode insertion.

     Click here for more PostScript utilities.

Tech Musings #116 MUSE116.PDF (setember 1997)       Reading web site log files. New self-calibrating op amp. Hand       bookbinding resources. Interpreting HTML error codes. Making       low level measurements. Source for wood microveneers.

Click here for Bookbinding book info.

Tech Musings #115 MUSE115.PDF (august 1997)      PIC chips now on CD ROM. Hydrogen car fact and fancy. A brand      new, PIC friendly genlocking tv typewriter! Fuel cells and related      resouces. Decade's BOB-5L design contest.

Click here for hydrogen energy book info.


Tech Musings #114 MUSE114.PDF (july 1997)        The energy density of gasoline. Digital temperature sensors.        Measuring source resistance. Free online Ulrich's replacement.        Some electrochemistry basics. New straw bale newsletter.

Click here for Golly Gee Mister Science topics.

Tech Musings #113 MUSE113.PDF (june 1997)        A superb new color printer. Pager motors and vibrators. An        online patent repository. Two more patent horror stories        PostScript as language. Finding rms voltages and currents.

Click here for Patent Avoidance tutorials.


Tech Musings #112 MUSE112.PDF (may 1997)          A.C. power measurement tutorial and basics. Aerogel resources           and developments. 99 cent Telephone extension lockouts.           Understanding RMS currents. Several column corrections.

Click here for our auction bargains.
Click here for our auction tutorials.

Sourcecode & Template Muse112.PSL      The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE112.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of figure colorization and URL link sourcecode insertion.

Click here for Adobe Acrobat links & tutorials.

Tech Musings #111 MUSE111.PDF (april 1997)        Evaluating energy claims. the CIE Chromaticity diagram. Superb        digital video book. Understanding color spaces. Innovative auto        electronics. A new current monitor. A skeleton for your closet.

Click here for Blatant Opportunistest tutorials.

Tech Musings #110 MUSE110.PDF (march 1997)      A new PostScript video character generator. NTSC tv fundamentals.      Aerial photos priced as low as $10 per square mile.. Resources for      video and tv. New analog video fader chip.

Click for the Captain Video Secret Mountain Laboratory.

Sourcecode & Template Muse110.PSL      The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE110.PDF.      Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Includes examples      of figure colorization and URL link sourcecode insertion.

Click here for Webmastering tutorials.

Tech Musings #109 MUSE109.PDF (february 1997)      How to use table lookup. That idea mortality curve. Aodbe's new      Acrobat 3.0. Linearizing ac power phase controls. Vacuum tube      audio resources. Antideluvian skew preponderance. Exotic woods

Click here for more Product Development ideas.

Sourcecode & Template MUSE109.PSL       The sourcecode and template usd to generate MUSE109.PDF.       Text file written in raw Guru Gonzo PostScript. Note text justification       quality and hyphenation algorithm. Send to any PostScript device.

Click here for more PostScript tutorials & utilities.


Tech Musings #108 MUSE108.PDF (january 1997)    Debunking miracle energy sources, A history of color organs,         Those great new baby PIC's, New consultant's insider magazine,         AC phase control fundamentals, linearizing by table lookup.

Click here for PIC Microprocessor books.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor info.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor links.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor resources.


Tech Musings #107  MUSE107.PDF ( December 1996 )        SX laser printer repairs, linear phase digital filters, home theater        opportunities and resources, debunking some techno-myths,        improved access to government surplus electronics.

Click here to view additional Pseudoscience topics.

Tech Musings #106 MUSE106.PDF (november 1996)      Secrets of math determinants, Power generation efficiencies, Solving       larger linear equations, induction heating fundamentals, new BOD       Book-on-demand binding opportunities.

Click here for Bookbinding book info.

Tech Musings #105 Muse105.PDF (october 1996)      H-P 5SiMx laser printer hard drive interface, new video and audio      chips, navigation resources update, understanding digital filters,      triple tri-sample building blocks, linear phase techniques

Click here for Cash & Carry consulting services.

Tech Musings #104 Muse104.PDF (september 1996)      A new compass sensor; updated UFO directory;      more magnetometer info; "protecting" your designs;      vacuum forming resources.

Click here for additional Product Development tutorials.

Tech Musings #103 Muse103.PDF (august 1996)      New fluxgate sensors and chips, earth field magnetometry,      Post-it note opportunities, introduction to vectors, measuring      web site popularity, greeting card sound chips.

Click here for additional Webmastering resources.

Tech Musings #102 Muse102.PDF (july 1996)      A "colorizer" for PostScript; Using bionomial coefficients;       Laser printer repair resources; magnetic field intensity paper;       HP 5SiMX Book-on-demand printer, more.

Click here for more Book-on-demand tutorials.

Tech Musings #101 Muse101.PDF (june 1996)      Using Delta-Wye transforms, Professional audio resources,      Acrobat Amber beta software, Building your own Tesla coil,      Three phase magic sinewaves, more.

Click here for more Magic Sinewave info.

Tech Musings #100  Muse100.PDF (may 1996)      Internet magazine resources; understanding power factor;      Antigravity and magnetic levitation; Bargain power module      sources; your personal web page;more.

Click here for additional Web Access resources.

Tech Musings #99  Muse99.PDF (april 1996)      PIC left and right shifting; Hot chassis shock hazards, Low      amperage fuse substitutions; New power supply resources,      Servicing switchmode power supplies.

Click here for PIC Microprocessor books.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor info.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor links.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor resources.


Tech Musings #98  Muse98.PDF (march 1996)       PIC programming tricks; Greeting card music chips. Some       new updates for Adobe Acrobat; Selecting addressing modes;       On line tv engineering sites.

Click here for additional Adobe Acrobat resources.

Tech Musings #97  Muse97.PDF (february 1996)     Replacing a transformer; Intro to differential amplifiers;     variable gain amplifiers; New AGC Chips; Hobby robotics     resources; Digital potentiometer techniques.

Click here for more Robotics & Flutterwumper info.


Tech Musings #96  Muse96.PDF (january 1996)      Invention marketing firms, new solar energy CD ROM, Exploring      a bilateral switch, telephone network interface, extension phone       lockout, secrets of reverse engineering.

Click here for Don Lancaster Books info.

Tech Musings #95  Muse95.PDF (december 1995)        Superb aviation history book, new RGB to NTSC encoder,        lamps and lighting efficiency, emerging ultra-fast computers,        product development concepts.

Click here for stage & theater lighting books.

Tech Musings #94  Muse94.PDF (november 1995)       Important EE Internet sites, pseudoscience strikes again, a new       MIDI electronic music book, Basic Stamp II microcomputer,       a collection of microcomputer startup resources.

Click here for Electrical engineering links.
Click here for Basic Stamp books.

Tech Musings #93 Muse93.PDF (october 1995)    More on magic sinewaves, stepper motor driver chips, yet      another patent horror story, mid range Mench computer, a      collection of PCMCIA plug-in card resources.

Click here for some Patent avoidance techniques.
Click here to place a Case Against Patents order.
Click here for more Magic Sinewave info.

Tech Musings #92 Muse92.PDF (september 1995)      GPS Navigation update; picking a microprocessor, microcontroller,      or digital signal processor; new internet directories, understanding      pitot tubes, more on the mystery TeraHertz band.

Click here to reach the Resource Bin library.

Tech Musings #91 Muse91.PDF (august 1995)      An "all channels" FM transmitter, electronic filter fundamentals,      switched capacitor integrated circuit resources, a narrow tunable      bandpass filter, more on active noise cancellation.

Click here for surplus bargains info.
Click here for Active Filter Cookbook book info.

Tech Musings #90 Muse90.PDF (july 1995)      Fourier Series analysis, alternatives to plated through holes,      classic computer resources, a $200 GPS receiver, Newtek's      new video toaster for Windows.

Click here for additional Video tutorials.

Tech Musings #89 Muse89.PDF (june 1995)       BASIC Stamp Manuals. Secrets of Fibonacci sunflowers.       New Bezier cubic spline book. Adobe's elegant Acrobat.       E-field ac voltage sensing.

Click here for more Bezier & cubic spline secrets.
Click here for more Adobe Acrobat utilities.

Tech Musings #88 Muse88.PDF (april 1995)        Misconceptions of acoustic cancelling. Chip adaptor        resources. PIC micro fundamentals and instruction set.        Fast & easy SMD removal. Essential hacker nutrients.

Click here for PIC Microprocessor books.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor info.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor links.
Click here for PIC Microprocessor resources.

Tech Musings started out as a continuation of Don's Hardware
Hacker series. You can click here to reach the earlier archives.

alt.electronics alt.electronics.analog comp.sci.electronics misc.industry.electronics misc.industry.electronics.maretplace rec.electronics sci.electronics sci.electronics.basics sci.electronics.cad sci.electronics.components sci.electronics.design sci.electronics.misc sci.electronics.repair sci.engr sci.engr.electrical sci.engr.lighting sci.techniques.testing sci.techniques.testing.nondestructive

Ask Don any Tech Related question.   Go to the Hardware Hacker library.  Explore an Energy Efficiency opportunity.  Find Instant Research Answers.

Please click here to... 

View our eBay Auctions. Send Don Lancaster email. Go to the site directory Learn patent alternatives.     Pick up surplus bargains. Explore magic sinewaves. Sponsor a display banner. Find out what a tinaja is. Find research solutions View recommended books. Place an order. Return to the home page.