Amplitude modulation (AM) radio receivers can use a variety of antenna designs, and one that offers superior reception is the loop antenna. This very simple design can outperform other styles, and is an inexpensive way to extend the range of most AM radios. The radio should have two antenna lead screws – positive and negative – but the casing can be opened for access to the circuit board if exterior leads are not present....

Duplicate a homemade CD-R disc as a digital image file using a Macintosh-based CD copy program. The digital image file can then be burned onto a blank recordable CD-R disc to make a perfect copy of the original. Use a free CD-burning program that runs on a PC to burn the digital image file, even though the digital image file was made using a Macintosh. Tips Writer Bio

A satellite dish LNB, or “low-noise block-down-converter,” is the antenna part of a satellite dish set-up and receives the satellite signals focused by the dish. The LNB amplifies the high frequency satellite signals, and then converts them into lower frequency signals, which can be sent along co-axial cable to the satellite box. As the LNB contains complex electronics, it can develop faults over time, which manifest as losing the ability to view certain channels....

A pivot table is a spreadsheet tool that simplifies the process of extracting useful information from raw data. A spreadsheet might contain historical data about a company’s product sales in the form of a daily list that shows the type of products sold, the location of the buyer, the amount paid for each purchase and the name of the salesperson. A pivot table would allow you to quickly retrieve information such as the total dollar amount of sales made by a given salesperson in a given month....

CPU (processor) temperature is an important parameter to monitor on your computer. The maximum temperature for the majority of CPU models is in the range 65 to 75 Celsius. If the CPU temperature exceeds the maximum allowed limit, it may cause random computer reboots, system failure–a blue screen in Windows–or even a permanent damage to your processor. Basic Input-Output System (BIOS) is a special program embedded into a motherboard. BIOS initiates all hardware when the computer starts....

When you upgrade a hard drive you might want to keep all your original data and copy it across to the new drive. Alternatively, you might want to backup your hard drive to another drive in case of emergency. With Windows operating systems, cloning a hard drive requires third-party software and is not a standard procedure. If you want to clone a hard drive on Ubuntu then, because it is a Linux operating system, you can us the “dd” command which will backup and clone your hard drive easily....

The large size of video files makes it difficult to send them via email because of file-size caps on some email services. Additionally, attaching a large file makes the transferring process take a long time on both ends. Minimize these problems by compressing the video before you attach it by using archive software that will make your video smaller. Writer Bio

Setting up a new or a restored desktop computer provides the chance to configure the machine to function for you, in a customized manner. There are many devices and software programs on the computer that can be “tweaked” or adjusted to meet your needs. Most popular “tweaks” do not require a lot of technical knowledge about computers or Windows, so you should not be afraid to configure your computer yourself....

A direct injection unit, commonly referred to as a DI, is used to convert a line level input, such as a musical instrument, into a microphone level input. This is useful, for example, when a mixing console has only microphone inputs available, but a line level instrument needs to be plugged directly into the console. The direct injection box converts the signal to match the available inputs. Writer Bio

In order to share your DSL Internet connection with other computers in a wireless home network, you must connect your DSL modem to a Linksys wireless router. While this seems like an easy process, knowing the instructions for hooking your Internet connection to a wireless router reduces the frustration during set up. The Linksys wireless router should be connected to the DSL modem using an Ethernet cable. Your DSL Internet service should also already be activated in your home by your Internet service provider....

Computer joysticks are some of the most common computer peripherals sold, as PC gamers often demand them for flight simulators and other gaming software. Connecting a joystick to a PC is as easy as plugging the device into the computer. Warnings Writer Bio

Dell is a computer retailer and manufacturer who create desktop, laptop and server systems. Dell desktop systems ship with speakers that can be connected to the computer for playing audio events, such as login sounds, music files and video game audio. Stereo speakers connect to the audio out jack on the back of an Inspiron desktop’s tower. Writer Bio

Updated August 23, 2017 AirPrint Apple’s iOS devices, which include the the iPad, the iPhone and the iPod touch, all include a feature called AirPrint that connects with a wireless printer over a wireless network to give your iOS device the ability to print. AirPrint isn’t a stand-alone program; instead, it integrates with iOS core programs like Safari, Photos and Mail, allowing you to print Web pages, your photos and your emails respectively....

Just because your stereo receiver and home theater amplifier supports 5.1 channels of discrete audio doesn’t actually mean you have to use all five channels. If you have only two speakers in your setup you can still hook them up to your system and watch movies and listen to music. You just won’t be taking advantage of all of the audio quality that these media formats support. Writer Bio

You just received an interesting map and want to use it as a GIS layer, but it is in .PDF format and won’t open in ArcMap. It would be easiest to get your hands on the GIS source data that the map was made from, but if that is not possible, there is still a way to use the map. Georeferencing is the process of assigning spatial reference information to a data layer so that it will be projected at the correct location and line up with your other spatially-referenced data in ArcMap....

Most printers are now USB based, which allows you to easily connect the device to your computer. However, if you want to connect your USB-based printer to a network, you may need to convert the USB cable to an Ethernet connection, or RJ45. Converting the cable actually only takes a second or two, and you can find the required adapter at most electronics and computer stores. Writer Bio

Microsoft Access is a relational database application that is included in the Microsoft Office suite of professional software. By default, the 2010 version of Microsoft Access saves database files in the .accdb format. However, you can convert and export your database into other formats to work with it in different applications. For example, the .mdb format is used by earlier versions of Access and the .csv format is a text file that you can open in any word processing or spreadsheet application....

Updated September 18, 2017

Updated February 10, 2017 Pick up the cassette in one hand. Insert a pencil, eraser first, into the left cassette hub. Turn the cassette hub clockwise until some resistance is felt. Insert the pencil, eraser first, into the right cassette hub. Turn the cassette hub using the pencil counter clockwise using the pencil until some resistance is felt. Press the “Open” button on the cassette control panel to open the cassette tray....

If you’ve created a database in Excel, you can use its contents to make Microsoft Word labels. The Mail Merge feature in Word enables you to convert Excel data into personalized mailings for each person on your mailing list. You can customize the labels–choosing size and other settings–for your specific needs and preview them before printing. Writer Bio