ELEKTOR No. 004 - nov-dec 1978

ELEKTOR magazine issue 004 from November–December 1978 brings together practical electronics projects and technical tutorials for hobbyists and technicians working with microprocessor systems and analog circuits. The issue opens with foundational guidance on printed circuit board design and soldering technique, then progresses through RAM experiments and a 4K memory card build, establishing core concepts before advancing to more ambitious projects.

Standout features include a detailed TV-scope conversion guide—both introductory principles and a working base station design—that transforms a television into a functioning oscilloscope for workshop use. A digital reverberation chamber project demonstrates real-world audio signal processing, while dedicated coverage of the SC/MP microprocessor includes programming essentials for beginners. Practical builds cover a bicycle speed counter, optical combination lock mechanism, logarithmic exposure timer, marble game circuit, compact frequency meter, and VHF/UHF TV modulator. A power supply design tailored for microprocessor systems addresses a common design challenge of the era.

The magazine includes full schematic diagrams and component listings for each project, supported by the EPS printed circuit board catalog for sourcing ready-made boards. Period advertisements from European electronics suppliers round out the technical reference value. This issue captures the spirit of hands-on electronics experimentation in the late 1970s, when hobbyist-grade microprocessor projects were becoming accessible to individual makers.