The zener clamp and regulator circuits. Figure 2.

8 shows the hook-switch and gyrator connected as a

chain network feeding dc current into the switched voltage supply rail Vsw. This rail is only energised
when the hook-switch is closed. The clamp and regulator circuits provide a stable, regulated dc supply to
power the PIC microcontroller, whilst drawing an acceptable amount of line current. TR7 is a PNP
transistor with its base kept at a reference voltage using the zener diode ZD1. The base of the transistor
will try to remain at 0.6V or 1 diode voltage drop from the emitter, and so the emitter and the Vsw rail
will lie at approximately 4.4V. The excess line current not used by the microcontroller is bled by TR7 and
is effectively wasted. Using a transistor here is optional, and by lowering the value of R13 to 47 ohms,
the transistor may be omitted. As stated earlier, for a 20mA line current, the voltage across the device
must be less that 9 volts to meet European regulations on dc mask conditions. Every device in the
"power supply chain" from the bridge rectifier, hook-switch, gyrator and regulator will have an
associated voltage drop across it. These voltage drops should add up to less than 9V when the feed
resistor (line resistance) permits 20mA to flow.