March 2022 Updates
1. Updates This Month
Added more info to the MiniMELF Component Package page.
Added info on average rectified forward current for general purpose diodes.
Added info on the ARIES Correct-A-Chip series of breakout boards/IC adapter PCBs.
Added info on adding a high-value parallel feedback resistor to 32.678kHz crystal tracks to prevent start-up problems in humid environments.
Started a page on test jigs.
Added info on backfeeding through UART TX/RX lines.
Added info on adding pull-up resistors to UART TX/RX lines to prevent spurious garbage being transmitted during microcontroller resets.
Added more info on voltage-level translator ICs.
Added info on CMOS totem-pole drivers with added power off protection.
Updated the info on the SOD-523 Component Package.
February 2022 Updates
1. Updates This Month
Added more information on CAN arbitration, incl. waveforms.
Created a new page on the RS-422 communication protocol.
Added a new page on gel crimp connectors.
Added info on getting the number of RX bytes available in a serial port on Linux.
Published a new release of CppLinuxSerial (v2.4.0) with the following updates:
Added
Available()method to return number of bytes ready to be read from the receive buffer (thanks lotricekCZ).Added CMake option for shared library (thanks lotricekCZ).
Published a new release of NinjaCalc with various version bumps of dependencies to fix security vulnerabilities, and a colour scheme update (to match the red used on this blog).
Added a new page on photodiodes.
January 2022 Updates
1. Updates This Month
Added info on ICs which have different part numbers for different I2C addresses.
Created a new page on current sources and sinks, including a Zener/BJT current source and constant-current diode (JFET current source).
Added JFET schematic symbols. Added JFET info on transconductance and dynamic resistance.
Created a new page on Wheatstone bridges.
Condensed all the temperature sensor sub-pages into the temperature sensor page.
Added a page on termination (electrical termination of transmission lines), including schematic examples of series termination.
Added more info on the SOIC component package, including the SOT-162-1 NXP synonym.
Added info on the SOD-123EP component package, a variant of the SOD-123.
Added info on monitoring loop time to the page on firmware superloops.
Happy New Year 2022
1. Overview
First of, happy new year!
2. Statistics
This year I decided to present the stats a little differently and made the infographic below.
The infographic image was made in "Canva" (an online diagram/image editing app). You can view the source image here.
3. Updates
Started the upgrade from CSS to SCSS (using hugo-extended).
Started migrating from Markdown to AsciiDoc (using AsciiDoctor support provided by Hugo).
Settled on a colour scheme and program (Affinity Designer) for drawing diagrams.
Purchased both Affinity Designer (for making diagrams) and Affinity Photo (for touching up photos), and both have been well worth their one-of purchase price (take that, Adobe and your subscription model).
Upgraded the main menu from hover style interface to an accordion style interface, making it more user friendly for people using touchscreen devices.
Upgraded the base layout of every page to use Bootstrap responsive columns, rather than my own custom CSS to achieve the same level of responsiveness.
December 2021 Updates
1. Updates This Month
Added info about the JST PH/SH W2B connectors used for Adafruit STEMMA/STEMMA QT and SparkFun Qwiic devices.
Added the new page How To Write Super Loops In Firmware.
Added more info about the data types available in C.
Added info on the SOD-923F component package.
Added a new page on the TO-218 component package.
Added more info on the TO-247 component package.
Updated the info on relay flyback diodes, including adding an example schematic.
