This page lists some current URLs that you may find of value if you're involved with data acquisition and test. The Web sites present material ranging from tutorial papers to listings of hardware vendors and available software. ChipCenter's Senior Technical Editor Alex Mendelsohn selects these sites on an ongoing basis, with an eye towards choosing the ones he feels will likely be of maximum value and interest.

Of course, you'll likely find an occasional broken link or feature that doesn't work. After all, the Web is a very dynamic environment. If you try a link and discover that it no longer works, please let Alex know. Also, if you're aware of a site that you feel ought to be on our list, contact Alex at amendelsohn@chipcenter.com.

Upset about the poor "signal-to-noise ratio" concerning the usefulness of a particular site? If you feel that a site ought not be on the list, for whatever reason, let Alex know about that too. Of course, you've got to tell him your reasons why.

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Posted July 20, 2001

Here's a dual-channel audio spectrum analyzer for Windows computers. Dubbed Spectrogram, it provides either a scrolling time-frequency or spectrum analyzer display in realtime. It will work with any sound source connected to a soundcard. Best of all, it's shareware!

Here's another audio link that will give you a free-of-charge version of a Windows soundcard driver called "FreeVIEW sound." It can record with sample rates up to 48 kHz/channel.

Join the SPICE club. This site provides details about SPICE simulation, as well as a searchable database of models and symbols. You'll also find some nifty interactive tools, a discussion forum, and even links to help-wanted listings.

A savvy Australian Radio Amateur and experimenter maintains this site. Its DSP, narrow-band communications, and laser links are especially intriguing.

Looking for basic tutorials on oscillators, filters, and test equipment? This Web site has a friendly approach to these subjects, as well as links to useful books and tutorials.

Clicking here will bring you to a veritable Smith Chart city! You'll find all kinds of descriptions of the Smith chart, tutorials, and useful free downloadable files.

Interested in Tesla coils? Zap! This Web site in the UK has links to Tesla coil info that ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime. Be sure to click on "Coils" for some outstanding photos and descriptions, some of which are technical and illustrated with waveforms.

Want to try some free wave-generation software? Wavemaker Harmonic Distortion Simulation Software lets you see the effects caused by non-linear loads. You can choose from pre-defined or customized harmonics files. You'll have to register to get the bits sent to you by snail-mail on a CD-ROM.

Do you use arbitrary signal generators in your design work? This site provides a quick overview of ARBs, with a couple of tips for getting the most out of them. There are links to the company's low-cost products, and a table of available canned waveforms.

Concerned about safety? Want to know more about nuclear radiation or down-hole oil drilling? Read about frozen nitroglycerin, or procedures for blasting at this site. It's devoted to explosives and radiation safety.

Surplus test gear, surplus silicon devices, and who knows what else surplus, is what you'll find at this site. You'll find listings of cabling, connectors, and relays, as well as H-P, ESL, and Tektronix test equipment.

Clicking here will open an Acrobat (.PDF) file that will guide you through the world of I2C connectivity. You'll find everything you ever wanted to know about the I2C multi-master bus and how to use it - from the company that originated the spec.

Click on this link to get a guide to clamp-on ammeters. A six-page Acrobat (.PDF) file discusses how these probes can extend the current measuring capabilities of DMMs, power instruments, oscilloscopes, recorders, data-loggers, and the like. A glossary of terms is useful.

Although Tektronix's page is about its multi-format, multi-standard waveform monitor products, it also serves as a veritable guide to digital TV.

As this site's home page says, if you make or supply things with "electric" in them they must comply with the EMC Directive, a law in all EC countries. Here you'll find information--with gobs of links and references--to help ensure that the product you're designing is EU-compliant.

Here's a 20-page in-depth technical application note that discusses just about every aspect of 2.048 Mbit/second datacomm technology and testing. The file, in Acrobat (.PDF) format, is well illustrated and comprehensive.

Audio files for Windows are downloadable at NCH SwiftSounds' homepage. In addition to a free tone generator and dictation package, you'll find voice recorders galore, for both business and personal applications, including radio station uses.

Information on WWV radio receiver interfaces can be found at two Web sites. The first describes a PIC-controller-based WWVB decoder. The second link takes you to some notes about a $40 radio-controlled clock from Radio Shack stores.

Scads of CAD viewers, EDA tools, and conversion utilities are available free at this Web site. You'll find everything from programmable logic development software to drawing tools here.

The MarksOnline intellectual property portal will link you to pages that can assist in trademark searches, URL domain name searches, and intellectual property resource sites. You can even search for IC codes here.

Have you ever been stumped by a component color code that you can't poop out? This Web page offers some useful tools for de-coding color codes, as well as a profusely illustrated guide to chip packages and designations.

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