Gadget’s podcast

Gadget Freak features cool, homemade electronic gadgets proudly brought to us–by you! Complete with build instructions for the design engineer who likes the silly side of inventing things and enjoys building stuff in his and her spare time, these gadgets range from highly silly and impractical to extraordinarily inspirational for your own engineering design work. Why not submit your own pride and joy for publication in Gadget Freak? [itunes pic]
Now he’s got the power to cut lightning down to size People have always been fascinated by the fury of the heavens. Electronics prodigy Richard Hodgkinson created a lightning distance timer so he would no longer have to manually calculate the approach or retreat of a thunderstorm. He recycled a 70 KHz crystal from an old device for the oscillator. “Let there be light,” he declared as two HP 45MGC670 surface mount LEDs were attached to allow him to see measurements in the dark. And his project wouldn’t be complete without two 1.5V AA cells which are the heart of his timer. Now his creation is alive, all he needs is a wicked thunderstorm. For complete build instructions and to hear how Richard came up with his design, listen to our Gadget Freak Podcast at http://www.electronicsweekly.com/gadgetfreak.