PARTS
LIST
B1,
B2
-9
-volt battery
C1 -3 -pF capacitor
C2, C4
-1 -p.F,
15 -volt electrolytic
capacitor
C3-
100
-pF
capacitor
ICI
-709 operational
amplifier
1C2 -741 operational
amplifier
J l , J2
-Phono
jack
R1
-3900 -ohm,
1/4-watt
resistor
R2
-37 -ohm, 'h -watt
resistor
R3-
1500 -ohm, 1 -watt
resistor
R4, R11-
1- megohm,1/4-watt
resistor
R5, R6-
10,000 -ohm, 1/4-watt
resistor
R7- 10,000
-ohm trimmer
potentiometer
R8, R9- 25,000
-ohm trimmer
potentiome-
ter
R10- 100,000 -ohm
potentiometer
R12- 100,000 -ohm
linear
potentiometer
S
l -Spdt
toggle or slide
switch
S2
-Dpdt slide or toggle
switch
S3 -Spst
toggle or slide
switch
S4-4-
position,
double -throw
slide switch
Misc.-
Chassis
box, 9 -volt transistor
bat-
tery clips,
shielded cable
and audio
phono
plugs
(for test cables).
IC sock-
ets or Molex Soldercons
pc
board or
perforated phenolic
board
and solder
clips,
hookup wire,
solder,
hardware,
control knob, etc.
ICI
AC
R3
R6
10K
10K
-9V
-9V
.41..le
u
ñ
RI I
IM
R9
29K
DC
51.1.-
+9V
ZC2
5110.0-
-9V
..11;
91
id-
9V
II.
92
T9"
u
DC
S2 AC
S3
DIR
EXP
R12
100K
Two operational
amplifiers
(ICI and IC2) forra heart
of
expande,
.
J2
OU
TPU
INPUT
meter.
You
can even
use
the range
expander
to
measure
the
output
volt-
age of
a phono cartridge.
Try
that with
an ordinary
multimeter.
About the Circuit.
The
range
ex-
pander
makes use
of
two
operational
amplifier
IC's (IC1 and
IC2
in the
schematic),
exploiting
the particular
advantages
of
the types
709 and
741
op amps.
A
monolithic amplifier
using
bipolar
transistors
appears
to
the
signal
being
processed as a series of
resistances and
shunting capaci-
tances.
An RC system
like
this forms a
phase
-shift
network
that
at some
fre-
quency will cause
the amplifier
to
os-
cillate.
Compensation
is required to insure
low
gain
at the
frequency at which os-
cillation
occurs.
The 741
op
amp
is
unconditionally compensated.
(Gain
is reduced to unity at
the
point
where
oscillation
is
possible.)
The
709
op
amp
is not internally compensated,
requiring
external
components
to ob-
tain the necessary
compensation.
However, it
can
be compensated
for
frequencies up
to 1 MHz, while the
741
is restricted to a top
-end
frequency
of
about
1 kHz by its
internal
compensa-
tion.
The
741
op
amp
has
provisions
for
input
offset
nulling, which
makes
it
operate well as a
dc amplifier.
In the
range
expander,
the
741 (IC2) is used
as a dc amplifier with output
nulling
NOVEMBER 1974
and a
feedback
network
that
mini-
mizes
drift.
The
741 has
input over
-
voltage protection
and output
short
-
circuit
protection,
while
the
709 has
neither.
To
próvide
input overvoltage
and output
short
-circuit
protection
for
the
709, R1 and
R2 are
used.
The
709
(IC1)
in the range expander
is compensated
for a
40
-dB
gain
up
to
about
200 kHz by Cl
,
C3,
and R3.
It has
a
feedback
network
consisting
of
R4
and R5.
Both ac and
dc amplifiers
(IC1
and
IC2)
have a common
vernier con-
trol (R12)
that can
be used
where
exact
values of
gain are
not required.
The incoming signal
(or
voltage) is
applied
viaJl , while
the
mode
of oper-
ation
(ac
or
dc)
is
selected
with
S2.
Switch S1 permits
selection
of
X10
or
X100 in the dc
mode, while switch S3
applies power
to either
the
IC1 or
the
IC2 circuit.
The final
switch,
S3, per-
mits the
range
expander
to be
by-
passed when
in
the
DIR
position. In this
position,
it routes the
incoming
signal
at J1
directly
to
output
jack J2.
(Note:
When
S3
is in the
DIR position, S4
can
be switched
to
off
to conserve
battery
life.)
Construction.Assemblingthe
range
expander
is relatively easy, owing
to
the simplicity of
the circuit.
The
entire
circuit can
be easily
accommodated
inside
a
4 in. by 23/4
in.
by
2
in.
metal
utility
box, with
the
four
switches
and
vernier control R12
mounted
on
the
top
of
the box
for
convenience.
You
can
use a printed
circuit board
of
your
own
design
or
perforated
phenolic
board
and
solder
clips
for
mounting
the ICI and
IC2 amplifier
circuits
inside
thebox.JacksJl
and J2
can
be
mounted at one
end of
the
box.
When the circuit
has been
fully as-
sembled
and
all
parts are
mounted
in
place, use
dry- transfer
letters to
label
the control,
switches,
and
jacks.
Calibration.
With the
range expand-
er
switched
to
Dc (both S2
and S4
must
be set
to this position)
and
R12 set
for
maximum sensitivity,
connect
a
mul-
timeter set
to a
low- voltage
range ac-
rossJ2.
Adjust
R7
fora zero
indication
on
the
multimeter's
scale.
Connect
a
variable-
output
power
supply
or
a potentiometer
in parallel
with a
1.5
-volt
battery
to
J1
and adjust
the supply
or
pot
for a 0.1-
to 0.5 -volt
indication on
the
multimeter's scale.
Adjust R8
for
an
indication of
10
times
the
reading of
the
input
voltage
level.
(Use the
multimeter
to
monitor both
the
input and output
voltage
levels.)
Now,
decrease
the
output
voltage of
the
power
supply
(or battery
/pot
setup)
again
for a
meter
reading of 0.1
to 0.5
volt and switch
S1
to the
X100
position.
Adjust
R9
for
a
reading of
10
times
the previous
meter
reading.
With the
input disconnected,
recheck
the
null produced
by adjustment
of
R7.
If necessary,
readjust
the null.
O
53
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