Maplin Magazine - December 1987-Februrary 1988

Electronics: The Maplin Magazine (December 1987 - February 1988)

Written by: Pete Luckhurst

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Time to read 1 min

This issue of Electronics: The Maplin Magazine spans December 1987 to February 1988 and features a range of electronics projects, tutorials, and technical insights. You can read this issue in PDF form below. It includes DIY projects such as a mini-metal detector (a free PCB cover gift was included), a disco party light system, and various battery chargers for model racing cars. The magazine also explores topics like temperature module expansion, appliance testing, and radio electronics. Additionally, the issue contains practical tutorials, including a guide to selecting an oscilloscope, an introduction to digital electronics via experiments, and a look at the evolution of NAND gate logic families.

Table of Contents

Projects


  1. Temperature Module Expansion (p.2)

    • Relay switching for temperature alarms and devices
    • Serial to parallel data conversion for interfacing with computers

  2. Disco Partylite (p.18)

    • Updated 3-channel sound-to-light disco light system

  3. Slow Charger (p.29)

    • A mains-powered slow charger for Ni-Cad racing car battery packs

  4. Mini-Metal Detector (p.32)

    • A simple build project using the free gift included on the cover

  5. Tester for Electrical Domestic Appliances (p.40)

    • A DIY tester for common electrical faults in mains-powered devices

  6. Rapid Charger (p.45)

    • A portable Ni-Cad battery charger powered by a 12V source

  7. Bob’s Mini Circuits (p.57)

    • Three small circuits: a pulsed speed controller, a train controller, and an electronic lock

Features


  1. Test Gear and Measurements – Oscilloscopes

    • Understanding different types of oscilloscopes and how to choose the right one

  2. Exploring Radio – Part 1 (p.26)

    • Introduction to DIY radio projects, starting with a crystal set

  3. Which NAND Gate? (p.36)

    • Overview of different generations of NAND gate logic families

  4. Electronics by Experiment – Part 1 (p.52)

    • Hands-on approach to learning digital electronics

Regular Sections

  1. Catalogue Amendments (p.60)
  2. Classified Advertisements (p.64)
  3. Corrigenda (p.60)
  4. New Books (p.63)
  5. Order Coupon (p.61)
  6. Subscriptions (p.62)
  7. Top 20 Books (p.51)
  8. Top 20 Kits (p.60)
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About the author

Pete Luckhurst is a Website Manager at Maplin.

After getting an early start in the world of computing with C64 & Amiga computers, Pete now spends much of his spare time in PC VR and dabbling in game development. He also has a strong interest in film, photography and music.

Among other endeavours, he previously worked in a Maplin store, so it was a no-brainer when the opportunity arose to work on the modern incarnation of Maplin online. Besides writing for the blog, Pete works alongside the Maplin team to help keep the online store running smoothly.

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