Just for something different, I thought I might share my latest creation.
I recently found the need to program a Gold Smartcard with some new data.
Until recently, I had an old Clanzer Smartcard Reader Writer which was basically a phoenix programmer. I had heavily modified it to look more like this , but I could not get it to work with ICProg.
So after having a look at the schematic of the Silicon Chip Smart Card Reader / Programmer MKII, I realised that I could recycle the parts from my old programmer and make a new one.
I have access to PCB manufacturing equipment at work, but I didn’t want to go back to work during my holidays, so I made it on Veroboard.
I had a couple of errors that I had to fault find like forgetting to add a few links, but I really got caught out on the pin configuration of 2n3904 and 2n3906 transistors. I built the board with bc549 and bc559 in mind which have the pins around the other way. Since discovering that error, I have reconfigured it and it it is working fine.
For anyone considering building this programmer on veroboard, I would highly suggest them not to. It has consumed too much of my time. I really should have just gone into work and etched a new PCB.
But it is now working fine and you get a real sense of achievement when you construct a circuit out of Vero.