Friday, 18 August 2017

Barcelona - Tribute.


I'm so saddened to hear about the recent terrorist attacks.
It's been over a decade since I visited this beautiful city and the recent news brought back such fond memories.
These pics are a tribute to the people of Catalonia. I need to return soon.








travel postcards:

Thursday, 17 August 2017

NLC - RingPull - Rimples - Ringmods - build notes.

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits RingPull Eurorack module.
Actually, the final name isnt set in stone yet.
Rimples ?? Ringmods, ??? Ring Pull ??
 The PCB above is I understand an earlier version called Rimples.

The version I'm building today is a prototype - version 5 of the module.
There might be future changes.

Andrew F describes it as a ring modulator with a phase locked loop to do the modulating!
The PLL can be set to lock tightly, loosely or not at all with the incoming signal.

Some pics of the virgin PCB & faceplate.:

At the time of writing, there are no official build notes or schematics.
The CD 4046 is a CMOS phase locked loop (PLL) IC.
Its the oscillator that provides the modulation for the ring mod

The resistor is 1M.
And I'm using LL4148 signal diodes.
The mouser no for the CD4046 is 595-CD4046BNSRE4
Its a phase locked loop PLL

just the LED, sockets & pots to install



The PCB indicated using a 10K resistor for the LED resistor. I ended up using a 510R .
Adjust for your own requirements.
Links;
+ NLC Blog - things to come 2016, Rimples
+ Muffs - 2016
+ PLL - VCO basics- youtube
+ CMOS stuff
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Hugo Awards - Best novels - 1990s

This is a list of the best novel award for the 1990's
The Hugos have been awarded since the 1950s.

The official Hugo Awards website is:
http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/ 

My favourites are :
+Hyperion by Dan Simmons (one of the Greatest SF novels in my humble opinion)... read the series.
+The Vor Game, Mirror Dance, Barrayar, Falling Free (1989) by Lois McMaster Bujold ..... 16 book Vorkosigan Saga series..... I think it's worth reading the entire series in chronological order.
The series hasn't finished.
+Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson.... read the RED,BLUE,GREEN mars trilogy !!!
+ To Say Nothing of the Dog & Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
+ Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson (1992)


1990
Hyperion by Dan Simmons [Doubleday Foundation, 1989]

 Publisher    Doubleday
Publication date
    1989
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    482 (mass paperback edition)
Awards    Hugo Award for Best Novel
Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1990)
ISBN    0-385-24949-7 (1st ed. hardcover)









 1991
The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold [Baen, 1990]

Publisher    Baen Books
Publication date
    1990
Pages    345
ISBN    978-0-671-72014-8












1992
Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold [Analog Jul,Aug,Sep,Oct 1991; Baen, 1991]

First published as four installments in Analog in July–October 1991.
Then published in book form by Baen Books in October 1991













1993 
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge [Tor, 1992] (tie) 
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis [Bantam Spectra, 1992] (tie)



 A Fire Upon the Deep
Publisher    Tor Books
Publication date
    April 1992
Media type    Print (hardcover and paperback)
Pages    391



ISBN    0-312-85182-0










Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

 Publisher    Bantam Spectra
Publication date
    1992

Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
 Pages 445 (Hardcover)
Pages    592 pages (paperback)
Awards    Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1993)
ISBN    0-553-08131-4 (Hardcover)
ISBN 0-553-35167-2 (Paperback)


***



1994

Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson [HarperCollins UK, 1993; Bantam Spectra, 1993]

 Publisher    Spectra/Bantam Dell/Random House
Publication date
    October 1993
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    571 (hardcover)
Awards    Hugo Award for Best Novel (1994), Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1994)
ISBN    0-553-09640-0






 

1995
Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold [Baen, 1994]

 Publisher    Baen Books
Publication date
    1994
Pages    392
Awards    Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1995)
ISBN    978-0-671-72210-4











1996
The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson [Bantam Spectra, 1995]
Publisher    Bantam Spectra (U.S.)
Publication date
    1995
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback) & Audio Book (Cassette, MP3 CD, Audio download. Narrator: Jennifer Wiltsie) & e-book
Pages    455 (hardcover), 512 (paperback)
Awards    Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1996), Hugo Award for Best Novel (1996)
ISBN    0-553-09609-5 (hardcover), ISBN 0-553-38096-6 (paperback)








1997
Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson [HarperCollins Voyager, 1996; Bantam Spectra, 1996]

Publication date
    April 1996
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    616 (hardcover)
Awards    Hugo Award for Best Novel (1997), Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1997)
ISBN    0-553-10144-7











1998
Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman [Ace, 1997]

Publisher    Ace Books
Publication date
    1997
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    326
ISBN    0-441-00406-7
OCLC    36133306
Dewey Decimal
    813/.54 21
LC Class    PS3558.A353 F6 1997








1999

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis [Bantam Spectra, 1998]

Originally published: 1997
Author: Connie Willis
Page count: 434
Publisher: Bantam Spectra
Genres: Comedy, Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction
Awards: Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, Hugo Award for Best Novel









1999 - Best Novella
Oceanic by Greg Egan

"Oceanic" was first published in the August 1998 edition of Asimov's Science Fiction by Dell Magazines.
It also won the Locus award for best Novella.
 
It also won two foreign short story awards: the 2000 Hayakawa's SF Magazine Reader's Award and the 2001 Seiun Award


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Sci Fi Links
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels of the 1950's
+ Hugo Awards Best sci fi novels of the 1960's
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels of the 1970's
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi Novels of the 1980's
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels of the 1990's
+ Hugo awards Best sci fi novel of the 2000's (2000 - 2009)
+ Hugo Awards Best Sci Fi novels for the decade 2010-2019
+ Foundation - Isaac Asimov's
+ Dune - The Chronological order of the novels
+ Dune Universe Timeline
+ I, Robot - Isaac Asimov - novels & Magazines
+ Star Wars 
+ vorkoisgan saga reading order - Lois McMaster Bujold
  

 

--------------------------------------------

sci Fi Index

----------------------------------------------

Wednesday, 16 August 2017

Wagernumb - NLC - Build notes

These are my build notes for the Wagernumb.
It's a Nonlinearcircuits module in Eurorack format.
Looks to be quite versatile. Andrew's build notes describe it as 3 or 4 modules in one:
+ Frequency Tracker
+ Frequency / Clock divider - down to 1/4096
+ VCO
+ Random or Burst generator.

Basically it's a 1-16 decoder with sync and async modes. Just feed it 4 signals and get all sorts of complex gate patterns from it. Runs at audio rates too so can be used as a sub-octave generator.  

I also like using it to trigger my ARP 2500's envelope generator.
Like the Numberwang, it outputs lots of complex gate patterns. The gates are around the 7V level.
My ARP 2600 also happens to trigger at this level... though 10V is recommended.
To get 10V gates, use a TTSH gate booster. 



Links
 +The NLC build notes are here:
   http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/wangernumb_build&BOM.pdf 
+ NLC blog

I'm guessing that the name for this module comes from the fictional television series in which the two contestants call out seemingly random numbers which are occasionally told to be Numberwang.

..

At the moment, this panel is a mystery to me.
It's not base-2, decimal or any other number system I can decipher.

The virgin PCB.

Some NLC words of wisdom:  Frilve hundred and neeb .
509???


Get those ICs and trannies on first. then the rest of those passive SMDs
I don't have a CD4046... on back order. It's a  PLL or phase locked loop CMOS chip.
I ordered the wrong size chip -- a TSSOP-16 . This is way too small.

Get one in the SOP-16 format

I'm using a Silonex NSL-32 vactrol. They are cheap as chips. The white dot marks the cathode of the LED part of the vactrol. Andrew has labeled this as "K" on the PCB.

The 4046 arrived.
Mouser: 595-CD4046BNSRE4


Pots - two B100K

There are 17 jacks.

Positioning the LEDs


Using the module:


There are 4 inputs on the left of the module.
The group of 12 outputs produce gates.
The VCO output is for audio & CVs

As a CV Tracker / CV divider:
Use the Track input at the very top.
The phase lock loop acts as a frequency tracker. The VCO Range CV input and filter pot will determine how well it will track. You also get 12 divisions of the tracking signal, right down to divide by 4096. 








Clock Divider
If you use the Divide input, you have a 12 stage clock divider, down to 1/4096. In this case,you can use the PLL tracker section as a separate and independent VCO module and get it to generate squelchy, glitchy noises or as a tracker again.
There are 12 gate outputs. This is where the divided clock exits.
1=        /2
8-4 =   /4 
21.3 = /8
.01 =  /16
41 =   /32
93 =   /64
12 =   /128
70 =   /256
26 =   /512
2   =   /1024
-3 =   /2048
+-6 = /4096

 
Random CV or Burst generator.
If you use the Roulette input, it will generate semi-random selections of outputs when the input signal is high....or, depending upon how you drive it and look at the results, it is a burst generator and you can control the frequency of the bursts with the VCO CV input.
 
VCO
Use the VCO output at the top of the module.
Running it at audio rates turns it into a sub-octave generator.
You won't hear anything from the VCO out until some CVs or audio is inputted into the 
track or roulette inputs. The gate outputs will also fire.
You can control the frequency of the VCO with the VCO range CV input
 

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Tuesday, 15 August 2017

Feague - NLC - Build notes

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits Feague module.

Feague is defined as:
"To decorate or improve in appearance through artificial means.. To increase the liveliness of a horse by inserting an irritant, such as a piece of peeled raw ginger or a live eel...."
 
This module is a 4 pole filter and Quadrature oscillator in Eurorack format.
It has 4 outputs, each 90°phase shifted, two CV inputs, a signal input, sync input and a hi/lo range switch.

It looks very similar to a module Andrew built into his Serge format Drum Panel.
Andrew described this as:
Quadrature Oscillator (QUO) / Low Pass Filter (LPF) with chaotic feedback.
It can be switched to perform as a very low freq QUO, quadrature VCO, LPF with Q and a pot
allows non-linear resonant feedback to obtain richer and irregular harmonics.

Below is a panel and bare PCB for the Eurorack version.
Andrew's build notes are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/FEAGUEbuild&BOM.pdf

A Quadrature oscillator is a phase shift oscillator.
 It uses an op amp integrator to obtain a full 90° phase shift.

 Here is a simplified circuit to demonstrate the principle.

 In this video Andrew is demonstrating two Feagues. The one on the left is used as a VCF and the right as a oscillator (QUO). QUO mode is obtained by cranking the Q pot up to 9-10

Back to the build. The virgin PCB:

Get those ICs on first.
We have three TL074 (Op-amp), two LM3700 (op-amp) and a DG411
The DG411 is a multiplexer
Trannies on next:

Some NLC words of wisdom:
Monday Morning Gunk.


The BOM requires:
a S1JL rectifier
Mouser No: 821-S1JL.
There is a long waiting list for this.
A replacement is  Mouser Part No: 583-FM4005-T.
The rectifier is polarized. The cathode end is marked with a band. 


This replacement is slightly too big for the PCB. so i had to solder it on its side.


Rest of the Thruhole and passives.



Resistor RL - for LEDs. I'm using 470R.
Resistors marked with a "C" = 100K
 Don't forget the Tempco  resistor. The LEDs colour isn't imporant.

 Headers next. Install the heareds before you install pots and jacks



Time for the Jacks & pots

Time for the last 4 LEDS.


You can use this module as either a VCF or Quad Oscillator.

"To use as a VCF keep the Q pot at zero.
Patch in an audio signal and adjust the Coarse freq pot and Q pot to use as a filter.
Keep the switch on Hi, add CV as you like. Once sounding good, try tweaking the nonlin Q pot and see what you get. "

To use as a Quadrature Oscillator
"Keep the nonlin Q pot at zero then turn up the Q pot until the module starts to self-oscillate
(around 8-9).
Adjust the frequency with the freq pots.
When the switch is Hi the range is at audio rates, set the switch to Low for LFO rates.
When using the module as an oscillator, the nonlin Q pot can be used to adjust the amplitude of the output signals.
Don’t forget to play with the sync input; it is more like a freeze function."



Links:
+ NLC Build notes
+ NLC Blog
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You can find more NLC builds here.
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