Learning the fundamentals of electronics

[coolrohit05]

I am new to electronics and can someone please help me out on how much time will it take for me to learn the basics of electronics so that i'm aable to take up projects on electronics in my college? I think if someone can help me out I'll have a better interest in the subject and excel in this field? please help me out....... :?:

 

[Someone Electro]

First of all you have to be able to read schematics.Then you have to be able to recognize components and know what they do.I probobly dont have to mentchon soldering skills.Its also realy useful to know some electricall laws to help you understand circuits better.

Its good for you to get a book.And you will only get good whith practice.So Do some stuff in your free time you will find experementig whith it prety much fun.(Like try to build somting on your own or design somting.)

You will also find it useful to go in to microcontrollers.These are whohe computers in a single chip that can have from as low as 6 to hundrets of pins.
And realy popular MCU is the PIC from microchip.The most powerful PIC is the dsPIC wich runs up to 120Mhz and can cost down to $10.

Welcone in the intresting world of electronics!

 

[stevez]

That's a tough question (how much time) and it depends on many things. Your background plays a part and what you mean by basic electronics has a lot to do with it. The tools and resources you have at hand also play a part.

Some people sort of back their way into electronics. They have an area of interest - robotics, amateur radio, sound systems, radio controlled airplanes, etc - that is heavily supported by electronics. They might buy a product or kit then tinker with it to see how it works or try to add to it or modify it. Another approach is to tinker with simple things. There are numerous publications (Radio Shack here in US comes to mind) where authors put together simple projects to demonstrate a principle - or in some cases, that end up serving quite a useful purpose. The publications often provide info on the things that aren't obvious at first such as how to solder, what a breadboard is, etc.

They do sell kits that enable you to build 50, 100 or 300 different circuits. Ocean State Electronics has some of them. While they seem like they might be toys they are certainly good ways to learn.

 

[Someone Electro]

Oh an what tools do you have?
An multimeter is the MUST to have tool.And an soldering iron to join wires and desoldering pump is also useful wen your taking components out of stuff.

Here is a list of stuff that you geter get if you dont yet have:
-Multimeter (the wery basic tool)
-Soldering iron
-Desoldering pump
-An breadborad (Its a bord that you just stick componenst in so you dont even need to solder them)
-An resistor asorment (Is an box you buy whith resistors varius values)
-Varius components (capacitors,transistors,ICs,LEDs,switches...)


Its good if you get interest in this stuff.So you build stuff for fun.What gets me in doing a project is wen i get an iteresting idea or find somting nice on the internet an then i try to make it work.And in the end the plesure of seeing it work and thinking that you made it by your self.

I just orderd 4 10 000uF 63V capacitators to try an make an coil gun.And to have fun! Even an 1000uF cap charged to 63V makes nice and loud discharges but now im going to make somtign 40 times more poverfull.

 

[heathtech]

As I can attest, learning electronics is an ongoing thing. I started out tinkering a little with CB radios when i was a teenager...not much more than soldering mircophones to different pin configurations. i went into the US Army at 23, a little late, but I specialized in networking mobile subscriber radios in the field, where i picked up some troubleshooting skills, learned how to use meters and frequency generators, and a few electrical laws and principals. After my service, I was hired as a service technician in industry, and have self taught and apprenticed to learn what I now know......
The point is, This very day, I am learning new things and refining my skills and knowledge. Some people think mechanical trades such as electronics are for drop-outs and dummies, but let me assure you, It is like surgery only using different tools!
So, my only advice is to-- read, have patience when you don't understand something, and find someone like an electrician who can teach you some basic electrical principals and maybe let you help him study some wiring diagrams....Practical experience is the most important thing you can have...now, I am very longwinded, so let me say go buy books and read!

 

[CoTang]

First of all you have to be able to read schematics.

What the best way to practice reading schematics. And also if your doing byyourself, how do you know if your reading it right?

 

[Someone Electro]

Its simple realy. You just have to know what components are represented by what simbols.An resistor is a rectangle whith two wires on each side,an capacitor is two parallel lines...

Just search the net for this.

If you have truble just ask we will be glad to help.

 

[CoTang]

Well the components I know but my question is if you have like resistor and inducotrs and capacistor all hooked up to a transistor, how do you know what that suppose to do?

 

[checkmate]

The simple answer would be to grab an electronics book. If you have someone to guide you, even better. The worst is to ask someone to teach you electronics fundamentals over the forums.

 

[CoTang]

The simple answer would be to grab an electronics book. If you have someone to guide you, even better. The worst is to ask someone to teach you electronics fundamentals over the forums.

No no, not asking, I was just wondering how you guys figure it out, is it mostly being able to remember what that combination of components do when placed together?

 

[_3iMaJ]

Not to state the obvious, but you could always major in it in college. You'll get really good at everything listed above.

 

[Someone Electro]

Sorry i cont reply becose the internet was down here.(It was down the whole afternoon!!!)


Yea a book is the best way.And a good way to get some expirience is to build stuff on your own or meaby design somting simple.

 

[Someone Electro]

Oh an get the 30 day trial of Crocodile Technology from www.crocodile-clips.com .

Its an realy basic and easy to use circuit simulator.You drawan schematic in and it will simulate it.It also has microcontrolers and mechanics.

 

[checkmate]

Firstly, you will have to know the behaviours of all the common circuit elements, which is covered in practically any basics electronics course.

For linear elements, ie resistors, capacitors and inductors, you must know how to derive the response for any combination of those. Equally important, you must have a feel of the output just by staring at the circuit.

For non-linear elements like transisters, FETs and opamps, other than knowing its general behaviour, you will have to able to identify with common configurations. Generally, the more experienced you are, the easier it is for you to identify those.

There are other topics such as power supply design, filter design etc. which are also widely used.

And after learning all those above, understanding schematics is still an art. Some get it, some don't. In my university, all the above is covered in just 2 modules, and many of my friends still view schematics as hieroglyphics. IMO, it still very much depends on how widely you read. This forum is a nice starting place, and I'm still learning everyday I'm here.

 

[solidhelix]

if you have questions, you can always post it here...

try to google the said information of checkmate(resistor, capacitors....)

teh important thing is, to learn something hard, is to learn teh basics first....

i agree with them, books will really help you alot.

Also,there is a theory article here in the forums, you should check it out first.

ENJOY YOUR STAY HERE AT TEH FORUMS

 

[kazakhan]

**broken link removed** should be a handy site for learning the basics of electronics...