Star Simpson's Circuit Classics Stepped Tone Generator [Discontinued]

Forrest M. Mims III is a trusted name in the electronics world for good reason: his charming and engaging texts have drawn millions of people into the world of electronics for the first time. Star Simpson has created an electronic tribute to those hand-drawn circuits by bringing the projects to life. These kits are an exquisitely designed series of finely crafted and highly detailed boards. These are the Circuit Classics. They make a great gift for a first-time learner, an expert tinkerer, or even just as a fun conversation piece for your desk.

This initial release includes three of Forrest’s circuit designs in kit form: the Dual-LED Flasher, the Stepped Tone Generator, and the Bargraph Voltage Indicator. Each kit includes:

• Printed Circuit Board (PCB): Includes the circuit itself, the circuit’s schematic, and a description of the circuit, all in Forrest’s iconic hand-drawn style, traced directly from his books. (Prototypes are OSHPark purple, but the final production run will be blue.)
• Through-hole Components: All the components you need to build a working circuit. Easy to place and solder on the PCB thanks to clear footprints and large, friendly solder pads.
• Display Stand: made of high-quality blond ash wood, each stand is crafted to let you proudly display your work.

This is the Stepped Tone Generator. This circuit gained a life of its own, jumping from the pages of the 555 Timer IC Circuits Engineer's Mini-Notebook and out into the world as the storied Atari Punk Console. Well-known for enabling the creation of sounds just like classic Atari console games from the 1980s, this kit from Circuit Classics provides a fun audio-centric project, as well as an interesting introduction to digital circuitry, feedback, and oscillators.

Kit includes:

• 1 x Stepped Tone Generator PCB
• 1 x Alcohol Prep Pad
• 1 x Battery Clip
• 1 x 556 Integrated Circuit
• 1 x 1kΩ Resistor
• 2 x 1MΩ Potentiometer
• 1 x 5kΩ Potentiometer
• 1 x 10μF Capacitor
• 1 x 0.1μF Capacitor
• 1 x 0.01 μF Capacitor
• 1 x Speaker
• 1 x Black Alligator Clip
• 1 x Red Alligator Clip
• 4 x Rubber Foot
• 1 x Wooden Stand

You'll need a couple of additional tools and materials in order to put this kit together: a soldering iron (like this one), and solder. You can use the included wooden stand to hold the board while you solder.

Please note: Batteries are not included in the kit! You can choose to use the provided alligator clips to hook up a 9V battery or power supply of your choosing, or you can assemble the SMT Battery Clip to the reverse side, in which case you'll want to pick up a 3V 2032 coin cell battery on checkout.

Visit Circuit Classics for assembly tests and testing instructions!

Technical Details