Practical Electronics – July 2020 (Volume 49, No. 7)

A Hands-On Electronics Magazine for Makers and Engineers 🔧

Practical Electronics has been a fixture on British workbenches for decades, and the July 2020 issue (Volume 49, No. 7) shows why. It is a monthly magazine built around circuits you can actually build, techniques you can try, and explanations that go beyond the surface. This issue mixes four substantial construction projects with columns that range from RF test equipment to microcontroller programming.

Projects That Turn Theory into Hardware

The July 2020 issue opens with a speech synthesiser project based on the Raspberry Pi Zero. It explores how to give homemade gadgets a voice without exotic hardware. Other projects include:

• Speech Synthesiser with the Raspberry Pi Zero — a low-cost route to spoken output for electronic projects, with simple hardware and software guidance.
• AD584 Precision Voltage References — how to use three affordable precision voltage reference modules built around the AD584 IC.
• AM/FM/CW Scanning HF/VHF RF Signal Generator – Part 2 — the assembly and initial testing of an entry-level radio test instrument.
• High-current Solid-state 12V Battery Isolator — a robust, low-cost circuit for charging an auxiliary RV battery and disconnecting it when the engine stops.

Columns and Series Worth Following 📡

The regular columns are not filler. They dig into the details that hobbyists often have to piece together from datasheets and forum posts.

• Net Work looks at two-factor authentication, why online security keeps evolving, and how to set it up sensibly.
• Circuit Surgery examines LTspice sources and waveform import/export, useful for anyone simulating circuits before soldering.
• Audio Out continues the PE Mini-organ build in Part 2, following the analogue audio project from the previous issue.
• PIC n’ Mix launches a new series on the PIC18 family, introducing these capable 8-bit microcontrollers and what they can do.
• Micromite adds animated eyes to the Micromite Robot Buggy, a playful mix of hardware and programming.
• Max’s Cool Beans returns with flashing LEDs and a look at NeoPixel projects.
• Electronic Building Blocks shows how to modify solar garden lights for other uses.

Who Will Get the Most from This Issue

This issue suits readers who already know their way around a soldering iron and a breadboard, but it also has value for students and newcomers who want to learn by building. The projects assume some familiarity with components and basic circuit concepts, while the columns explain the reasoning behind the techniques. If you enjoy microcontrollers, RF, audio electronics, or practical test gear, there is something here to hold your attention.

Why It Still Matters

Practical Electronics occupies a useful space between academic electronics texts and disposable online tutorials. It documents complete builds, discusses design choices, and preserves the kind of hands-on knowledge that is easy to lose in a world of ready-made modules. The July 2020 issue is a solid example of that approach: varied, technical, and rooted in the pleasure of making something work. Whether you read it cover to cover or dip into the project that catches your eye, it offers a satisfying dose of practical electronics. ⚡