A collection of technical information and hints on computer and general electronics subjects.  I may include some comments on theory, but will try not to include any mathematics.  The discussion will be mostly practical.  If you want the details on how something works, please find a text book or someone else's web page.  Please e-mail me at if you find an error, have a question,want to contribute, or suggest a topic.
  I am question driven.  If you find that the page you want is under construction, or incomplete, then ASK!  Even if the subject isn't mentioned here,
Select A Topic:

• About - (Section Divider)
  • Batteries - What is an Ampere-Hour? - And how to select the right size battery.
  • Really Basic Electronics
  • Telephone Systems - Basics and more! (Section Divider)
    • Telephone Basics 1 - Subscriber Loop.
    • Telephone System Tones - DTMF, Call Progress and SIT.
    • Dial Up Blues - or why can't my modem connect at full speed!
    • How Do Machines Hang Up?
    • How 2 wire/4 wire - conversion is done.
    • About PCM - (Pulse Code Modulation) This is the process used to change your voice or modem tones to a digital signal.
    • Why 64Kbps? - Why do all high speed data lines (defined here as anything faster than a 56K modem) seem to come in multiples of 64000 bits per second.  This also affects the 56K/33.6K maximums on analog modems.  My view of the historical reasons here.
    • ISDN
  • Networking
    • Why Network - At Home Or Small Office.
    • My LAN - A block diagram and description of my home network.
  • 220V - 115V Transformers - and notes on using American appliances and equipment in Turkey safely.
• How To - (Section Divider)
  • Make Network Cables - Cat. 5 UTP for Ethernet and ISDN.  Also applicable to other cables using "RJ" modular  connectors and flat cable.  For example, telephones and some serial ports. Coaxial and AUI are not covered in this section.
    • Cat 5 - Details.  2 Oct 00- Corrected crossover cable info added.
    • Flat Cable - Details.
    • ISDN TA to Switch Cable - Limited audience for this, but when you need it, you really need it.
  • Printer Friendly Web Pages - Calculate page size and what elements to leave out.
  • HTML Forms and CGI E-Mailer - Have a form on your web site, with the input e-mailed to you.
  • Design A Small Network - 2 computers to a dozen or more.  Organize the physical connections, what equipment you'll need, and setup.
    • IP Numbers
    • Physical LAN - The hardware you'll need, and connecting the pieces together.
  • Send DC Power Over Signal Lines - How to put a DC current on the same wires as an AC signal, without them interfering with each other.
• Software
  • HCS Host - A Windows (Win32) Host program for Home Control System (HCS). Compatable with HCSs running XPRESS version 4.01.
  • Date-Time DLL
• Networking
  • IP Numbers
  • Why Network

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• Networking
• HTML - Web page creation.  (I could have used the word design, but that implies the artistic side.)
  • My Adventures In Making Web Pages - A running log (journal) of things I learned the hard way building Dale's Notebook.
• Miscellaneous
  • Stereo Amplifier Single supply voltage amplifier notes.

Dweeb

young excitable person who may mature into a Nerd or Geek

Hacker

a clever programmer

Nerd

technically bright but socially inept person

Center

Centre

A point equidistant from all points on the surface of a sphere.

In some field sports, the player who holds the middle position on the field, court, or forward line.