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Using Si5351A clock generator in Amateur Radio applications

If you are looking for a versatile and reliable clock generator for your amateur radio projects, you might want to consider the Si5351A chip from Silicon Labs. This chip can generate up to three independent outputs with frequencies ranging from 8 kHz to 160 MHz, with 0 ppm error. You can use it to replace crystals, crystal oscillators, VCXOs, PLLs, and fanout buffers in your circuits, and save space and cost. The Si5351A chip has an I2C interface, which makes it easy to control with an Arduino or any other microcontroller that supports I2C. You can set up the PLL…

Exploring Software Defined Radios (SDR)

Introduction Software Defined Radios (SDR) are devices that allow you to receive and transmit radio signals using software instead of hardware. SDR kits are popular among hobbyists, researchers, and developers who want to experiment with different radio technologies and protocols. In this blog post, we will explain what SDRs are, what are their advantages and disadvantages, and what are some of the best SDR kits you can buy in 2023. What are SDRs? SDRs are composed of two main components: a radio frequency (RF) front-end and a computer or embedded system. The RF front-end is responsible for converting analog signals…

The History of the Lego RCX: A Revolutionary Programmable Brick

The Lego RCX (Robotics Command eXplorer) is a programmable brick that was the first official unit of the Lego Mindstorms product line, which introduced kids to the world of robotics using Lego elements, motors, and sensors. The RCX was released in 1998 with the flagship set #9719 Lego Mindstorms Robotic Invention System 1.0¹. The RCX contains a 8-bit Renesas H8/300 microcontroller as its CPU, 32 KB of RAM, and 32 KB of ROM. It can be programmed by uploading a program from a Windows or Mac computer to the brick's RAM via a special infrared (IR) interface¹. The development of…