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Popular Electronics magazine projects

OldTechie

Member
Back in the early days of microcontrollers, Popular Electronics magazine and its successors published a number of construction projects, many of them containing microcontrollers such as the PIC, the 805x, and other types. They posted the code for these projects on the Gernsback BBS (Bulletin Board Systm), the dial-up modem predesessor of the internet.

I've been going back through some of my old issues, and have found a few projects that I'd like to build. However, I can't find any place on the web that contains an archive of the old BBS repository. I've searched through the Wayback Machine on the Internet Archive web site with no luck. It appears that the contents of the BBS was migrated to the Popular Electronics FTP server, but the Archive didn't capture any of the contents, and there doesn't seem to be any reference as to where those files might have migrated.

Does anyone know of a site that might have those project files archived? If so, I (and probably a bunch of other folks) would certainly love to know about it.

Thanks for any help,
DaveM
 
you might see if the authors of the articles maintain websites currently. they just might, and have the code available. i am pretty sure Don Lancaster, and Forrest Mims III still have active websites.
 
As a fellow fan of old electronics magazines, I feel your pain about the missing archives. It's always frustrating when you can't find what you're looking for on the internet. However, have you tried looking for those project files on vintage computer forums or bulletin board systems? Sometimes, those types of communities can be a goldmine for finding old technology-related content.
Also, if you're interested in submitting your own tech-related projects for publication, you should definitely check out some literary magazines to submit to. They're a great way to get your work out there and connect with other tech enthusiasts. I recently discovered a few literary magazines that are perfect for tech-related content, such as "Curiosity Magazine" and "The Verge." They might be worth checking out if you're interested.
 
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Possibly Alan Winstanleys site that has now gone - epemag.net - think it was under the Code Snippets section.
That website is dark now, checked on May 16, 2023. I recall some Popular Electronics' projects used microcontrollers. I never built them or obtained code back then - parts availability in Canada was challenging.
 
I do miss paper magazines.

Specifically those catering to Electronics hobbyists.
Without almost any interruption, I subscribed to Popular Electronics, Radio Electronics and its different incarnations from 1974 to 2008.
Upon arrival, I would read them cover to cover, including the ads. I actually built several kits published there.
Those were the days!
 

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