Jim Weir
Jim Weir is the chief avioniker at RST Engineering. He answers avionics questions in the Internet newsgroup www.pilotsofamerica.com–Maintenance. His technical advisor, Cyndi Weir, got her Masters degree in English and Journalism and keeps Jim on the straight and narrow. Check out their web site at www.rst-engr.com/kitplanes for previous articles and supplements.
Diodes, the Universal Component?
Diodes started off life fairly simply. Take an AC signal and convert it to a DC signal. Simple, huh?
Diodes, Backward and Forward
Let’s talk about what makes a diode—what the physical makeup of a diode really looks like on the inside.
Franklin vs. Edison et al. and Marconi
A word we use rather flippantly when perusing electronic circuitry—ground.
Ernie’s Room and Board
Way back in March ’23 (deep in snow here), I gave you the problem of Ernie, who needed a flashing light to see when...
Complex Impedance
A loyal reader writes, “I have a homebuilt Bugsmasher with a couple of com radios. They are a FlashBoom 32X and a LoudenWhapper 22A....
Memories
It was 1985 when this 42-year-old kid wrote an article for an upstart magazine aimed at the homebuilt aircraft market. Appearing in the October...
The 13 Command(ment)s
For most people, 10 are enough. Laying out a PC board, you’ve got a few more.
Remember, now, I’m trying to show you the basics...
More PCB Fun
OK, this one is the witch of the bunch. You’ve had two months to download and read all the instructions for Circuitmaker/Traxmaker, and I’m...
In Case You Missed It
Build Your Skills: Fabric
This month, fabric expert Ron Alexander discusses attaching the fabric to the aircraft parts using either a pre-sewn envelope or individually cut pieces of fabric. The process is optimized for strength in flight as well as aesthetic appeal.
Legacy Act
Marc Cook takes a close look at Erik Larson’s Legacy and finds out why Lancair’s rework of its seminal 200-235-320-360 design is as swoon-worthy as its predecessors.