Blog

Researchers Create a New Technique That Produces MXenes with 160x Conductivity

Catwell — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:32:03 GMT

This image combines a scanning electron microscopy (left) and a crystallographic fragment of the MXene structure, highlighting its ordered and finely tuned surface terminations. (Image Credit: B. Schröder/HZDR) Researchers from Helmholtz-Zentru...(read more)

SHAHE Wireless Bluetooth Digital Calipers – A Quick Review

shabaz — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 13:15:58 GMT

Introduction I own two pairs of high-quality Moore & Wright calipers, which offer several advantages: an excellent LCD screen, soft-press buttons, and straightforward operation. However, there are some drawbacks. The battery compartment slide cov...(read more)

Pico SCPI labLib now has configurable USB IDs

Jan Cumps — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:22:25 GMT

Michael Stoops submitted pull requests to make a set of USB parameters configurable in your CMake file. What USB IDs can be configured? USB_VID USB_PID USB_MANUFACTURER USB_PRODUCT USB_SERIALNUMBER FW_VER_BCD FW_VER_STR Before&n...(read more)

Too Many Development Tools: How to Organize Them with Virtual Disks!

shabaz — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:16:06 GMT

Introduction I recently bought a new laptop to replace an ancient one, and this time decided to put more thought into how I organized things. A problem for me is that I tend to install a lot of software tools and integrated development environments (...(read more)

Weller ZeroSmog Guard fume filtration unit images

Jan Cumps — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 14:31:23 GMT

After the Micro Soldering Kit and Filtration Unit road test, I have a collection of unused photos of the Guard. Posting them here: For earlier photos, when I was setting up the system: Weller Micro Soldering Kit and Filt...(read more)

FSK Demodulation with R&S FPC Spectrum Analyzers, or How I Achieved an Optimal Room Temperature

shabaz — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 21:01:54 GMT

Introduction I wrote a review (and created a video) for a Rohde & Schwarz FPC series spectrum analyzer eight years ago, and although I explored some of the demodulation capability back then, I never used it for a real-life scenario. Fas...(read more)

Unlock the Secrets of Op Amps and Master Simulation with LTspice

Catwell — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:25:14 GMT

(Image credit: element 14) Operational amplifiers (Op Amps) are one of those fundamental building blocks found in just about every corner of electronics. They’re used to amplify, filter, and condition signals in everything from audio systems a...(read more)

Unboxing Video of TOMLOV 602 Flex

meera_hussien — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 19:45:15 GMT

Unboxing the TOMLOV 602 Flex digital microscope from TOMLOV. In this video, I’ll take you through the first look, what’s inside the box, a quick setup, and my initial impressions—especially for electronics work like SMD solderi...(read more)

Low-Cost Waveform Generators: Owon DGE1000 / DGE1030 AWG Review

shabaz — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 16:11:52 GMT

Table of Contents Introduction What is it? Motivation Unboxing Sine Wave Output 1.4 MHz Signal 10.7 MHz Signal 21.4 MHz Signal Internal Amplifier Noise Modulation Amplitude Modulation (AM) Frequency Modulation (FM) Low-Level Si...(read more)

Miniature Table Saw (Bench Circular Saw): Proxxon KS 230 Unboxing!

shabaz — Thu, 29 May 2025 15:04:51 GMT

I purchased a very small (less than A4 paper sized footprint!) table saw called Proxxon KS 230 , and it arrived today. It's not my first Proxxon tool: Proxxon Rotary Tools Review: Micromot 50/EF, FBS 12/EF and NG 2/E The KS...(read more)

Samtec's Severe Environment Testing Protocol Puts Interconnects Through Their Paces

Catwell — Tue, 13 May 2025 19:40:41 GMT

(Image credit: Samtec) Samtec recently announced the development of its Severe Environment Testing (SET) protocol, a qualification standard designed to test the reliability of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) interconnects employed in extreme environ...(read more)

Short Circuits and Continuity: Building an Easy Continuity Tester

shabaz — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 20:30:24 GMT

Table of Contents Introduction How Does it Work? Building It Setting Up and Using It Summary Introduction Since time immemorial, the continuity tester has always been just a dial setting on multimeters. That’s adequate most of the time, bu...(read more)

OpAmp as Schmitt-trigger

Jan Cumps — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 18:29:07 GMT

A Schmitt-trigger is a circuit that turns a non-perfect digital signal into a clean one. It has 2 main functions: recreate a good fast ramp for signals that have lost their oomph (or never had clean fast edges). provide a bit of hyste...(read more)

Brush and Large-Area Multi-Meter Probes for PCB Reverse-Engineering: A DIY Approach!

shabaz — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 15:44:55 GMT

This blog post contains some ideas for creating a probe to aid with reverse-engineering PCB layouts. You'd use this probe to temporarily replace one of the normal pointy probes on your digital multi-meter (DMM). Often, you may want to run a cont...(read more)

DIY Hydrogen Generator

Prajyot70 — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 18:17:00 GMT

DIY Hydrogen Generator Table of contents Introduction Parts list Tools Preparations Let's build it ! Precautions Summary Introduction Hey everyone, you might know that our earth's surface is about 70% water but do you know what water is made up o...(read more)