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Understanding and Using Them Effectively What happens in electronics is invisible to the naked eye. The instrument that allows to accurately visualize electrical signals, the one through which the effects of electronics become apparent to us, is the oscilloscope. Alas, when one first ventures into electronics, it is often without an oscilloscope. And one is left fumbling, both physically and mentally. Observing an electrical signal on a screen for the first time is a revelation. Nobody wishes to forgo that marvel again. There is no turning back. In electronics, if one wishes to progress with both enjoyment and understanding, an oscilloscope is essential. This marks the beginning of a period of questioning: how to choose one? And no sooner is that question answered than a whole string of others arises, which can be summed up in just one: how does one use the oscilloscope in such a way that what it displays truly reflects the reality of the signals? Rémy Mallard is a passionate communicator with a gift for making complex technical subjects understandable and engaging. In this book, he provides clear answers to essential questions about using an oscilloscope and offers a wealth of guidance to help readers explore and understand the electrical signals behind electronic systems. With his accessible style and practical insights, this book is a valuable tool for anyone eager to deepen their understanding of electronics.

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LoRaWAN, Sigfox, NB-IoT & LTE-M Compared The Internet of Things depends on a critical question. How do you connect devices that must operate for years on tiny batteries, often miles from the nearest power outlet? This Elektor Technical Brief provides a practical guide to the technologies that have become the backbone of long-range, low-power IoT connectivity. Compiled by the Elektor Content Team, this concise technical brief examines the real engineering tradeoffs behind today’s leading Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) technologies: LoRaWAN, Sigfox, NB-IoT, and LTE-M. By referencing a wide range of Elektor articles and other online content, this document explains why link budget, noise, bandwidth, and power consumption ultimately determine system performance. From there, it explores the architectures, strengths, limitations, and deployment realities of each major LPWAN technology, helping you understand not just how they work, but when and why to use them. Whether you’re designing smart meters, industrial sensors, agricultural monitoring systems, asset trackers, or connected infrastructure, this guide provides the insights needed to make informed connectivity decisions. Along the way, you’ll discover: Why LPWAN technologies emerged and where they fit in the IoT landscape The RF fundamentals that drive range, reliability, and battery life Details about LoRaWAN, Sigfox, NB-IoT, and LTE-M Practical comparisons of power, coverage, latency, cost, and deployment models Guidance for selecting the right LPWAN technology for your application Emerging trends shaping the future of long-range IoT connectivity Clear, accessible, and grounded in real engineering practice, this Technical Brief helps you move beyond specifications and marketing claims to understand what matters most. If you’re building connected products that need to survive in the field — not just in the lab — this is the LPWAN guide you’ll want at your side. Elektor helped launch the first wave of electronics makers in 1961. Since then, our global community has grown by hundreds of thousands of active members (comprising professional engineers, makers, and students) and more than 500 contributing experts. Every day, we inspire members to design and earn money with electronics.

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A Practical Guide to Tube Electronics Vacuum tubes continue to exert a special fascination. Their long-lasting operation, robustness, and characteristic behavior fundamentally distinguish them from modern semiconductor technology. Despite their age, tubes are by no means merely historical components; they are still used today in audio technology, measurement technology, and especially in hobbyist applications. This book is aimed at electronics enthusiasts and hobbyists who want to not only learn about and understand vacuum tubes in theory, but also use them in practice. It conveys the fundamentals of tube technology, explains the different designs and designations, shows typical circuits, and addresses power supplies, measurements, and safety-related aspects. The focus is on practical explanations and realistic examples from the workshop. Numerous tips help you avoid typical mistakes, build circuits, and understand tube devices and their construction. Basic knowledge of electronics is assumed. Vacuum Tubes: A Practical Guide to Tube Electronics offers an accessible and thorough introduction to tube technology – factual, comprehensible, and with a clear focus on practical applications.

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32 new Projects, Practical Examples and Exercises with the Elektor Arduino Nano MCCAB Training Board Electronics and microcontroller technology offer the opportunity to be creative. This practical microcontroller course provides you with the chance to bring your own Arduino projects and experience such moments of success. Ideally, everything works as you imagined when you switch it on for the first time. In practice, however, things rarely work as expected. At that point, you need knowledge to efficiently search for and find the reason for the malfunction. In this book for advanced users, we delve deep into the world of microcontrollers and the Arduino IDE to learn new procedures and details, enabling you to successfully tackle and solve even more challenging situations. With this book, the author gives the reader the necessary tools to create projects independently and also to be able to find errors quickly. Instead of just offering ready-made solutions, he explains the background, the hardware used, and any tools required. He sets tasks in which the reader contributes their own creativity and writes the Arduino sketch themselves. If you don’t have a good idea and get stuck, there is, of course, a suggested solution for every project and every task, along with the corresponding software, which is commented on and explained in detail in the book. This practical course will teach you more about the inner workings of the Arduino Nano and its microcontroller. You will get to know hardware modules that you can use to realize new and interesting projects. You will familiarize yourself with software methods such as ‘state machines,’ which can often be used to solve problems more easily and clearly. The numerous practical projects and exercise sketches are once again realized on the Arduino Nano MCCAB Training Board, which you may already be familiar with from the course book ‘Microcontrollers Hands-on Course for Arduino Starters’, and which contains all the hardware peripherals and operating elements we need for the input/output operations of our sketches. Readers who do not yet own the Arduino Nano MCCAB Training Board can purchase the required hardware separately, or alternatively, build it on a breadboard.

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Mastering the Language and the Development Platform Many people would like to learn Java but getting started is not easy since programming with Java requires at least two things: mastering the programming language and the development environment. With the help of many examples, this book shows how the language is structured. In addition, it employs the Eclipse development environment as an example of a powerful tool to teach developing Java programs. In Basics, the first part of the book, you acquire your Java and Eclipse basic knowledge. This part lays the programming foundations, gives you an overview of Java technology, and shows you what is special about object-oriented programming. In the second part called Java Language, everything revolves around the subtleties of the Java language and this is where the first small Java applications are created, aided by a fine blend of the knowledge part and practical exercises. Java Technology is both the name and the focus of the third part which also introduces you to the rules to observe when programming, what class libraries are and what advantages they have. In addition, you will learn how to test programs, what algorithms are, and how to program them. The fourth part, Java Projects, enables you to apply all the previous elements in an application with a graphical user interface. The project shows how to develop a larger application piece by piece with the Eclipse development environment. The Appendix concludes with a section on frequent errors that can occur when working with Eclipse, and a Glossary.

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PC USB Logic Analyzers with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and Co. Step-by-step instructions guide you through the analysis of modern protocols such as I²C, SPI, UART, RS-232, NeoPixel, WS28xx, HD44780 and 1-Wire. With the help of numerous experimental circuits based on the Raspberry Pi Pico, Arduino Uno and the Bus Pirate, you will learn the practical application of popular USB logic analyzers. All the experimental circuits presented in this book have been fully tested and are fully functional. The necessary program listings are included – no special programming or electronics knowledge is required for these circuits. The programming languages used are MicroPython and C along with the development environments Thonny and Arduino IDE. This book uses several models of flexible and widely available USB logic analyzers and shows the strengths and weaknesses of each price range. You will learn about the criteria that matter for your work and be able to find the right device for you. Whether Arduino, Raspberry Pi or Raspberry Pi Pico, the example circuits shown allow you to get started quickly with protocol analysis and can also serve as a basis for your own experiments. After reading this book, you will be familiar with all the important terms and contexts, conduct your own experiments, analyze protocols independently, culminating in a comprehensive knowledge set of digital signals and protocols.

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This book is about the Raspberry Pi 3 computer and its use in various control and monitoring applications. The book explains in simple terms and with tested and working example projects, how to configure the Raspberry Pi 3 computer, how to install and use the Linux operating system, and how to write hardware based applications programs using the Python programming language. The nice feature of this book is that it covers many Raspberry Pi 3 based hardware projects using the latest hardware modules such as the Sense HAT, Swiss Pi, MotoPi, Camera module, and many other state of the art analog and digital sensors. An important feature of the Raspberry Pi 3 is that it contains on-board Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules. Example projects are given in the book on using the Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth modules to show how real-data can be sent to the Cloud using the Wi-Fi module, and also how to communicate with an Android based mobile phone using the Bluetooth module. The book is ideal for self-study, and is intended for electronic/electrical engineering students, practising engineers, research students, and for hobbyists. It is recommended that the book should be followed in the given Chapter order. Over 30 projects are given in the book. All the projects in the book are based on the Python programming language and they have been fully tested. Full program listings of every project are given in the book with comments and full descriptions. Experienced programmers should find it easy to modify and update the programs to suit their needs. The following sub-headings are given for each project to make it as easy as possible for the readers to follow the projects: Project title Description Aim of the project Raspberry Pi type Block diagram Circuit diagram Program listing

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PC USB Logic Analyzers with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and Co. Step-by-step instructions guide you through the analysis of modern protocols such as I²C, SPI, UART, RS-232, NeoPixel, WS28xx, HD44780 and 1-Wire. With the help of numerous experimental circuits based on the Raspberry Pi Pico, Arduino Uno and the Bus Pirate, you will learn the practical application of popular USB logic analyzers. All the experimental circuits presented in this book have been fully tested and are fully functional. The necessary program listings are included – no special programming or electronics knowledge is required for these circuits. The programming languages used are MicroPython and C along with the development environments Thonny and Arduino IDE. This book uses several models of flexible and widely available USB logic analyzers and shows the strengths and weaknesses of each price range. You will learn about the criteria that matter for your work and be able to find the right device for you. Whether Arduino, Raspberry Pi or Raspberry Pi Pico, the example circuits shown allow you to get started quickly with protocol analysis and can also serve as a basis for your own experiments. After reading this book, you will be familiar with all the important terms and contexts, conduct your own experiments, analyze protocols independently, culminating in a comprehensive knowledge set of digital signals and protocols.

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Principles, Design, and Real-World Applications of Modern Photonics Light shapes our world—from the glow of a simple LED to the precision of a laser beam and the immense power of the sun. LEDs, Lasers, and Sunlight – Principles, Design, and Real-World Applications of Modern Photonics is your comprehensive guide to understanding, designing, and applying modern light technologies. This book takes you on a journey from the fundamentals of photonics—covering the nature of light, optical laws, and color theory—to real-world engineering with today’s most important light sources. You’ll explore how LEDs work, how to design efficient lighting systems, and how to tackle practical challenges such as thermal management, power supply design, and optical performance. Beyond illumination, the book opens doors to specialized applications: horticultural lighting for plant growth, infrared and ultraviolet technologies, modern display systems from LCD to MicroLED, and the fascinating world of lasers—from their physics to their use in medicine, industry, and communication. It also connects light engineering to sustainability through solar energy and thermal radiation. Written with a strong practical focus, this book bridges theory and application. Whether you are an engineer, student, or advanced hobbyist, you’ll gain the tools to turn concepts into working solutions—from selecting components to building complete systems. If you want to understand light not just as a phenomenon, but as a powerful engineering tool, this book will illuminate the way.

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Hands-on in more than 50 projects STM32 Nucleo family of processors are manufactured by STMicroelectronics. These are low-cost ARM microcontroller development boards. This book is about developing projects using the popular STM32CubeIDE software with the Nucleo-L476RG development board. In the early Chapters of the book the architecture of the Nucleo family is briefly described. The book covers many projects using most features of the Nucleo-L476RG development board where the full software listings for the STM32CubeIDE are given for each project together with extensive descriptions. The projects range from simple flashing LEDs to more complex projects using modules, devices, and libraries such as GPIO, ADC, DAC, I²C, SPI, LCD, DMA, analogue inputs, power management, X-CUBE-MEMS1 library, DEBUGGING, and others. In addition, several projects are given using the popular Nucleo Expansion Boards. These Expansion Boards plug on top of the Nucleo development boards and provide sensors, relays, accelerometers, gyroscopes, Wi-Fi, and many others. Using an expansion board together with the X-CUBE-MEMS1 library simplifies the task of project development considerably. All the projects in the book have been tested and are working. The following sub-headings are given for each project: Project Title, Description, Aim, Block Diagram, Circuit Diagram, and Program Listing for the STM32CubeIDE. In this book you will learn about STM32 microcontroller architecture; the Nucleo-L476RG development board in projects using the STM32CubeIDE integrated software development tool; external and internal interrupts and DMA; DEBUG, a program developed using the STM32CubeIDE; the MCU in Sleep, Stop, and in Standby modes; Nucleo Expansion Boards with the Nucleo development boards. What you need a PC with Internet connection and a USB port; STM32CubeIDE software (available at STMicroelectronics website free of charge) the project source files, available from the book’s webpage hosted by Elektor; Nucleo-L476RG development board; simple electronic devices such as LEDs, temperature sensor, I²C and SPI chips, and a few more; Nucleo Expansion Boards (optional).

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As demand for solar panel installation has risen sharply, especially for installations larger than balcony power plants, the order books of solar companies are full. If you ask for a quote today, you may have to wait a while, if your request isn't simply postponed indefinitely. Another consequence of the solar boom is that some companies are charging very high prices for installations. Yet there is an obvious and radical solution to the problem of excessive prices: Do it yourself, as the English say. The price of materials is currently affordable, and it's the ideal time for those who do the work themselves. They couldn't save more. Add to this the satisfaction of doing something useful, both economically and ecologically, and the pleasure of building yourself. In this special issue, you'll find a wide selection of Elektor assemblies, from solar panel controllers to solar water heaters and solar panel orientation systems. The issue also contains practical information on solar panel installation and the technology behind them. Finally, there are a number of articles on the subject of balcony power plants, from how to install them to how to connect them to the Internet... Contents BASICS Dimensioning Photovoltaic Panel ArraysAn introduction to photovoltaic energy and the commonest techniques,followed by simplified calculation models and setup guidelines. Light Sensor TechnologyMeasuring daylight using LEDs. Solar Power Made SimpleSolar charging with and without a controller. Cable Cross-sections and Energy Losses in Solar SystemsKey considerations on the minimum values to respect for electricalcurrent in solar panel cabling. Solar ModulesEverything you always wanted to know about solar panels... Ideal Diode ControllerDiode Circuits with Low Power Dissipation. TIPS Tracking for Solar Modules zBot Solar/Battery Power Supply Solar Cell Array Charger with Regulator Solar Cell Voltage Regulator Solar-Powered Night Light Alternative Solar Battery Charger PROJECTS Energy LoggerMeasuring and Recording Power Consumption. Tiny Solar SupplySunlight In, 3.3 V Out. A Do-It-Yourself DTURead Data from Small Inverters by μC. Solar ChargerPortable energy for people on the move. Solar Thermal Energy RegulatorMaximum power point tracking explored. 2-amp Maximum Power Tracking ChargerSolar Power To The Max. Computer-driven HeliostatFollow the sun or the stars. Garden LightingUsing solar cells. Solar Panel Voltage Converter for IoT DevicesYes we CAN exploit indoor lighting. Travel ChargerFree power in the mountains. Solar Cell Battery Charger/MonitorWith protection against deep discharge. Solar-powered Battery ChargerPIC12C671 avoids overcharging and deep charging. Converters for Photovoltaic PanelsContributed by TME (Transfer MultisortElektronik). Solar Charging RegulatorFor panels up to 53 watts. Solar-Powered ChargerFor lead-acid batteries. CAN Bus + Arduino for Solar PV Cell MonitoringDetect and locate serviceable panels in large arrays. Balcony Power Plant 2.0The latest: solar panels, installation and inverters

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Design IoT Projects with Raspberry Pi, Arduino and ESP32 The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a major application area for embedded systems. As a result, more and more people are becoming interested in learning about embedded design and programming. Technical colleges and universities are moving away from legacy 8 and 16-bit microcontrollers and are introducing 32-bit embedded microcontrollers to their curriculums. Many IoT applications demand precision, high processing power, and low power consumption. Produced by IBM, Node-RED is an open-source visual editor for wiring the Internet of Things. Node-RED comes with a large number of nodes to handle a multitude of tasks. The required nodes are selected and joined together to perform a particular task. Node-RED is based on flow type programming where nodes are configured and joined together to form an application program. There are nodes for performing complex tasks, including web access, Twitter, E-mail, HTTP, Bluetooth, MQTT, controlling GPIO ports, etc. One particularly nice aspect of Node-RED is that the programmer does not need to learn how to write complex programs. For example, an email can be sent by simply joining nodes together and writing only a few lines of code. The aim of this book is to teach how Node-RED can be used in projects. The main hardware platform used with most of the projects in this book is Raspberry Pi 4. Chapters are included to show how Node-RED can be also be used with Arduino Uno, ESP32 DevKitC, and the ESP8266 NodeMCU microcontroller development boards.

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