Silicon Chip mag

Author	Message
Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: Netherlands Posts: 5975	Posted: 12:30pm 01 Oct 2025         Wolfgang said   It was precisely for these reasons that I cancelled my Elektor subscription some time ago. Let's face it. Electronics as a hobby is currently on it's last legs. Starting in the 1920's there was a technology leap every decade, and many new applications for electronics where invented. And was cheaper to create your own circuits, and you learned a lot. The digital evolution started the decay in the 90's. It became cheaper to buy, and technology came to a level that individuals (hobby) could only be interesting in niche markets. And that is still going on. Do you envision building your own mobile phone ? There still will be markets where the industry is not present, I see initiatives on this forum as well. But it is becoming more and more rare. There is a lot of interest in retro, vintage stuff. But mainly by the grey haired male population. So what should these magazines publish? I think they have a hard time coming up with innovative idea's, hence the base articles on application notes and development platforms from vendors like the TI's and Analog Devices. And cost wise they can't compete with the Aliexpres a likes. Quality wise... yes. Additional complication is that the fun of building stuff manually is taken away by the ever shrinking component size. I personally cannot (at home) work with 0402 resitors, let alone 0201. And through hole parts... try to find them at the Digikey/Farnell/Mouser. Gone... Our local Electronics store (discrete parts/ic's) is closed now. Keep the good memories alive, but I think in 10 years this hobby is dead. Volhout P.S. my favourite magazine was "Electronic Design" that (for many years) contained a column "Design Idea's", and every column had an innovative circuit. Like using a TV high voltage rectifier diode valve, controlled by the heater voltage, as an adjustable  high voltage electronic load. Or (in times where switching regulators where not common) a 2 transistor (10 components) 18-12V -> 5V 1A buck regulator. Parts that you typically had in your parts bin... Pure Gold... Edited 2025-10-01 22:48 by Volhout