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Need advice.

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{XtremeDry}

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I am currently having a B.S Electronic Engineering Technology degree from Cal State Long Beach. However, I thought I still need to learn much about electronic because the material what i had learned in school is not enough to step up in my career. I have very narrow knowledge about electronic technology. I was thinking about coming back to school to work on Electrical Engineering degree, but it will take me at least another 4 years and i am about 30 already. It is late for me to come back to school because i need to work to support for my family. Anybody up here can suggest or advice me any program or any way that i can gain my knowledge again maybe from very beginning. There are so many stuff that really makes me wondering around with no guidance.
 
I am currently having a B.S Electronic Engineering Technology degree from Cal State Long Beach. However, I thought I still need to learn much about electronic because the material what i had learned in school is not enough to step up in my career. I have very narrow knowledge about electronic technology. I was thinking about coming back to school to work on Electrical Engineering degree, but it will take me at least another 4 years and i am about 30 already. It is late for me to come back to school because i need to work to support for my family. Anybody up here can suggest or advice me any program or any way that i can gain my knowledge again maybe from very beginning. There are so many stuff that really makes me wondering around with no guidance.

Hello {XtremeDry} Unusual handle :)

Your dilemma is a common one with many aspects.

For the purpose of explanation I am assuming that you have no knowledge of electronics but obviously, from what you say, you should have quite an amount of knowledge/experience already. All the same, it would be best to start from touch and ensure you fully understand the basics before moving into the more complex aspects.

My view, for what it is worth, is to divide electronics into three areas:

(1) Theory
(2) Design
(3) Practical

These areas have there own sub divisions, each with their particular aspects.

Like everything in life it is best to divide and conquer and take a rational and progressive approach. By this way, instead of being overwhelmed by the subject, you will be able to see progress and you may even enjoy the learning process- I did.:)

The other thing is that if you start on a subject you will never stop learning about it.

The above is pretty general so here are a few specifics about where to start (you, no doubt know all this but it is the principle that counts):

Theory
(1) How electricity flows. Conduction
(2) Ohm's law
(3) Kirchoffs two laws

Design

(1) Design some simple circuits, incorporating the above.

Practical
(1) Build some simple circuits
You will need some basic tools:
(1) Small wire cutters
(2) Small pliers
(3) Soldering iron
(4) Solder
(5) Digital multimeter

You will need some test equipment
(1) Power supply
(2) Multimeter

Analog, Digital, Computer

The above are the broad areas in electronics and you need to decide your area of specialization, but get the basics of analog and digital electronics under your belt at least.

A good book on electronics is essential- there are many choices; Horowitz and Hill is very popular. It has a nice balance between theory and practice and covers electronics from the very elementary and builds on that. **broken link removed** would need a more elementary book on electronics too.

And you need to decide if you are going to learn solo or if you are going to attend a course, by mail or out of working hours, or join an electronics group. Much of this depends on your motivation.

If you can find someone knowledgeable in electrons, who is prepared to advise, that can be an enormous help, an electronics hobbyist for example.

And, of course, you can always ask questions on ETO. :cool:

spec
 
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buy some electronics component and do some practical. Make some small projects. You will learn lots
Best of luck
 
If your objective is to secure a job in the electronics arena it would be beneficial to decide which type of job you would like and target your learning towards that end. Here are a few suggestions:

(1) Laboratory Technician.
(2) Domestic Appliance Service Engineer
(3) Automobile Electronics Technician
(4) Test Engineer
(5) Technical Sales Representative
(6) Hardware Design Engineer
(7) Information Technology Technician
(8) Computer Field Service Engineer
(9) Safety Engineer
(10) Standards Engineer
(11) Quality Engineer
(12) Technical Author
(13) Audio Visual Service Engineer
(14) Computer Programmer
(15) Trials Engineer
(17) Electrician
(18) Software Design Engineer
 
what i had learned in school is not enough to step up in my career
Agree,

"An engineer is some one that can do anything." An engineer knows how to find out how to do anything.
Several times in my life, between getting the project and 8:00 a.m. I read a book on the subject.
 
Thanks everyone for giving me suggestion and advice.

Agree,

"An engineer is some one that can do anything." An engineer knows how to find out how to do anything.
Several times in my life, between getting the project and 8:00 a.m. I read a book on the subject.

Yeah, Since I have stepped in real industry of electronic field, I figured out there are a lot of thing that I need to memorize and fully understand so I will be able to apply them efficiently. Beside that, I sometimes got lost when trying to resolve the problem with no guidance and just do what i feel it right.
 
If you have some education to start with a book called the art of electronics is a good read.
And if you want to learn microcontrollers and programming google 'pic micro' or 'arduino'.
It has never been easier to get into programming and embedded control.
 
ronsimpson has some good advice. In electronics, depending on the area you enter, you need to learn how to learn. The reason is that you never know what you will be working on next. Sometimes you don't even know what the subject means. I remember the time when I was told that I would be working on a radiometer project. At the time I didn't even know what a radiometer was. Two weeks later I was designing one.

The big secret is to have a good source of information to gen up on your new project. In my day it was books, white papers and application reports. You young lads are spoiled these days with the internet. :happy:

spec
 
Crookes_radiometer.jpg

?????

------------------------------------------
Pick some area you are interested in and lets talk about it.
Audio?
RF?
MicroComputers?
Test & Measure?
Power?
 
Yes, that is a basic radiometer. A radiometer is a device, including your eyes, that responds to electromagnetic radiation . The radiometers that I worked were airborne and had a scanning microwave dish that gathered radiation from narrow strips on the ground. Radiometers are used for highlighting underground structures and abnormalities on the surface. Theses might be buildings, rivers, oceans, minerals, and ancient field boundaries or burred buildings.

There are frequency bands that reveal some features better than others. And while some bands are susceptible to rain others are less so.

The output from a radiometer is normally a false color temperature map.

Some cruse missiles use radiometers for terrain following.

spec
images
 
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Thanks for all advices!! I appreciate them alot.

The big secret is to have a good source of information to gen up on your new project. In my day it was books, white papers and application reports. You young lads are spoiled these days with the internet. :happy:

spec
Yeah, I agree with you that I am spoiled these days with the internet :woot:. I used to be interested in reading book when I was still in college. Now, I recently figure out that I am saving a lot of money for not buying book. I can surf on the internet to look for information. ;) . I am trying to find useful source of information that gives me the best understanding. Thanks.

@
Crookes_radiometer.jpg

?????

------------------------------------------
Pick some area you are interested in and lets talk about it.
Audio?
RF?
MicroComputers?
Test & Measure?
Power?

I am currently a test technician in power lab which the unit will supply main bus voltage to operate the satellite, so think I will now focus on power , test and measure.
Thanks.
 
focus on power
There are trade magazines. Read them.
Look for fields that are similar to what you are doing. (look to have wide information) Do not get stuck in a narrow field.
Read about you competition.
You can search patents.
Learn about every thing that connects to you work. "supply main bus voltage to operate the satellite" So read about satellites and everything in side.
 
I am currently a test technician in power lab which the unit will supply main bus voltage to operate the satellite, so think I will now focus on power , test and measure.
Being a test technician in a power lab is a handy position to be in to learn about electronics. When you do your work try to analyze the design of the equipment you are working on- how does it function, how could it be improved. Look up the data sheets of the main components.

Power electronics and power supplies are big business these days so that would be an ideal area to stay in. You could get some good practical experience by designing and building a simple power supply for your own use.

I hate to say this, but as you progress up the ladder in an electronics job you inevitable move further and further away from hands-on electronics and into, paperwork, meetings, man management and so on. General skills, like good communication are therefore most important.

spec
 
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