These projects are intended to be built by a user who understands their operation, ideally by designing the circuit themselves after research into existing circuits. This isn't really possible for radio circuits because they're magic.
Project-centric Categories:
These are fields that entire projects are based around, here are some projects for various skill levels:
| Category | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | linear transformer PSU bang-bang switcher brushed motor PWM |
CC/CV linear PSU variable duty-cycle switcher H-bridge motor driver |
relay-ranging linear PSU isolated SMPS BLDC driver |
| Audio | elektrosluch class-A amp distortion effect |
string or drum synth class-AB amp wah pedal |
polyphonic synth class-D amp live programmable pedal |
| Radio | crystal / foxhole radio pixie transceiver AM / FM transmitter |
superhet receiver RS232-RTTY interface metal detector with phase |
diy SDR moonbounce hardware doppler radar |
| Instrumentation | milliohm meter current clamp curve tracer |
LCR meter seismometer differential probe |
good LTZ1000 reference 0.1-10Hz amplifier peltier temp regulator |
| Electromagnetic | flip-dots fake overunity machine mechanical rectifier |
multistage coil-gun analog clock punch-card reader |
magnetic levitator 5 axis robot arm NC machine |
| Discrete Logic | mains freq clock train switch logic synth sequencer |
frequency counter add-subtract ALU LED cube |
breadboard computer discrete video card diy CPLD |
Instrumental Categories:
These are fields that augment projects, here are some features they can add for various skill levels:
| Category | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded | simple sensor rotary encoder simple display |
BLE/WiFi comms non-volatile memory fault detection |
graphical interface inertial navigation custom USB driver |
| DSP | z-transform error detection |
de-noising compression |
live audio FFT speech synthesis |
| Control Theory | PID control | model predictive control | AI control |
| Circuit Fabrication | vero board hand-drawn resist manhattan |
toner transfer transparency exposure CNC |
laminating copperclad plating through-holes ceramic PCB |
| Enclosure Fabrication | jiffy box 3D printing |
thermal management potting |
deep submersibility damage resistance |
| Micropower | supercap watchdog timer |
charge pump energy harvesting |
energy beaming betavoltaics |
| Optoelectronics | IR remote control IR analog modulation |
TOSLINK sun tracking |
gimbal laser comms image sensor |
For more on radio see: /ham/
For more on embedded see: /mcg/