Questions from a beginner in electronics...

[Shocks McTool]

Hello,

I’m interested in taking up electronics as a hobby, something I’ve been wanting to do for years now, and would like to get some recommendations on some good places to start. I finally have time, and space to devote to working on some projects.

I’m interested in getting good reading material, especially material that will help teach me what the symbols on schematics are, will break down what every part is called and what it does, and will aide in teaching me proper procedures and what NOT to do wrong. There’s so much I don’t know, so I guess I just want to be able to read up on everything I can at first.

Now, if there are any books that will cover everything that a beginner would need to know, including some small projects, that would be great. If there’s a website that will provide enough material to help, that’s good too. I have been looking on the web a bit, and found some sites (including this forum) that seem helpful, but I think I’m at the point where I need some advice from those with more experience.

Also, I’m interested in finding some very small and simple projects to work on that would be great for a beginner. Eventually, I would like to move onto projects like tone boxes and tube amplifiers for musical instruments, but I know I have a lot to learn first – believe me, I do not have any delusions of building 100 watt amplifiers right away, I know I have too much to learn first. I just don’t know if there’s any small projects that will help me learn as well as lead me into these areas in the future. Again, I need the advice from others to let me know what areas I need to work on first before even considering the bigger projects.

I’m thinking that I’ll need more than a soldering iron, so if anyone knows of a website that will detail a very good and complete list of tools needed, please let me know. I’m not looking for the ultimate $500,000.00 workshop, but I’m sure some of you have come across some items that have just made your life so much easier. I've found plenty of sites where I could buy all the tools I probably need, I just don't know what tools I WILL need. Right now, I have only a few items, but I do have the funds to purchase a really complete set of tools for a beginner. Any items to help test out what I may be working on would be good too - I know, I could be opening a can of worms with this loaded question, but I just don’t know what tools I will need.

Lastly, Software. I’m wondering if there’s any software available that will help in learning about electronics and creating projects / circuits. I read thru some of the posts here, and I found this - https://www.new-wave-concepts.com/products.html from New Wave Concepts, they have several types of programs available. It looks like “Bright Spark” would be a good place to start, but I am willing and able to go for the “Circuit Wizard” if that will provide the same learning tools and more. If there’s other software available, would love to know about it, and which software some of you would consider the best to work with so as to help me learn as much as possible.

Ok, sorry this message is long, so here’s a short list of what I’m looking for:

1) Names of some good books for a beginner in electronics.
2) Very simple starter electronics projects for the beginner.
3) A list of what tools and testing equipment would make a good set for a beginner.
4) Software that would be good for the beginner to learn from.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out with some of these questions.

-Shocks :shock:

 

[DigiTan]

* On literature, I got started with Forest Mimm's "Mini Notebook" series. It covers a lot of projects ranging from digital circuits, to sensors, and communications. There's at least 5 of these on paperback, and they seem to be compiled in his "Engineer's Scapbook" series; ISBN: 1878707485 and ISBN: 1878707493.

Another good series I see people carrying around is "Schaum's Outline" series. They are a little more theory-oriented and introduce the mathmatics behind every circuit. Unlike a lot of textbooks I find, the examples are detailed and don't skip large steps. Think of it as Cliff Notes for electronics.

Some of the best resources I found recently are online, including the .

* The only "must-have" test equipment I could recommend is a multimeter with AC/DC volt, current, and ohm-reading modes. Naturally, you'd need more than this for other circumstances; but you might say this is the bare-bones essential. A Radio Shack logic probe with a pulse-detection feature also helps spot digital signals the meter would otherwise miss.

* On software, I get by with for circuit simulations.

Overall, the best resource I've found is this forum (and I'm not just trying to please the mods, here :lol. Coming here, I've learned stuff the other EE students can't even imagine--including some of the grads. A few visits each week go a long way.

 

[mstechca]

...I’m not looking for the ultimate $500,000.00 workshop

Don't even bother. My entire workshop is actually worth less than $500 believe it or not.

2) Very simple starter electronics projects for the beginner.

go to discovercircuits.com and searchfor LED circuits. There you will be experimenting with lights.

3) A list of what tools and testing equipment would make a good set for a beginner.

My only tools are a digital multimeter (DMM), an Ultra Violet light, a breadboard (very helpful), and a soldering iron.
I'm probably the poorest electronics guy around here, but at least I can make some halfway decent projects for myself.

4) Software that would be good for the beginner to learn from.

Some users say eagle, but I use Ivex Winboard and Ivex Windraft.

I can't say which is the easiest, because once I stick to one piece of software, thats it for me.

 

[Joel Rainville]

3) A list of what tools and testing equipment would make a good set for a beginner.

My only tools are a digital multimeter (DMM), an Ultra Violet light, a breadboard (very helpful), and a soldering iron.
I'm probably the poorest electronics guy around here, but at least I can make some halfway decent projects for myself.

You'll have to fight for the "poorest electronics guy around here" title because I'm fairly sure I deserve it more than you :lol:

But you make a good point, you don't have to invest much money into learning electronics. A few basic tools will get you a long way into very intricate work... The 'scope can usually wait a few years IMHO

 

[lord loh.]

"Art of Electronics" from the Cambridge press is a very excellent book that teaches electronics practically with little emphasis on advanced mathematics.

You can set an ecopy of it from https://www.edaboard.com/ (you need to register to download - any way it's free) the format is djvu.

A digital multimeter, is a thing that you need to begin with.

First of all make a power supply unit. A simple one with a rectifier, LM 317 0r better still LM 7809 or LM 7805 will teach you a few things. You can get information about ICs from https://www.alldatasheet.com/

Hope this helps.

 

[Shocks McTool]

Hey, I want to thank all of you guys for posting some responses, been looking up more information today, and have a few books already ordered - the books "The Art of Electronics" & "Getting Started in Electronics" were 2 of the several books I ordered, so thanks Lord & Digi...

As for the tools, yeah, I wasn't aiming for building a monster setup, just something that won't have me heading out to Home Depot on a Sunday afternoon to find a tool that would make my life easier, hehe. As is, I have enough insulated pliers, cutters and hand tools b/c of my past areas of employment with telecom and network wiring.

I have a crappy iron - will be replacing it - but will need a multimeter and a breadboard. Any recommendations on a type of breadboard? Any recommendations on a particular type of Iron? For the multimeter, I found one that I am ordering (covers all the recomendations you suggested for one Digi), so just a recommendation on a breadboard and a new Iron would help.

Again, thanks for the help guys, and anything else you can throw my way would be great.

- Shocks :shock:

 

[Shocks McTool]

As I was looking up information on breadboards, I came across this item - https://www.iguanalabs.com/mbkit.htm - they have this beginners kit and a deluxe beginners kit as well. Just wondering if anyone feels that this would be a good option to start with, it seems to offer up enough of the starter projects, but just wondering if anyone else thinks it's a good place to start?

- Shocks :shock:

 

[jrz126]

I bought a soldering iron from these guys about a year ago.
**broken link removed** havent really had any problems with it. but if you do get that one, might be worth it to order a couple replacement tips for it.
oh and if you spend $50 or more at webtronics you can get a free DMM. Its rather large in size but for being free....**broken link removed** Just be sure to enter the cupon code

And jameco has pretty good prices on breadboards.
https://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/s...storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=20811

I'd recommend getting a decent sized one (like the one in the link) it'll give you plenty of space so you can have multiple projects going at the same time.

 

[upand_at_them]

That breadboard kit looks like way too much money. You can get started in PICs for a whole lot less. Check out Nigel's tutorials in the Sticky of the Microcontroller section.

There are quite a few "getting started" electronics books that'll give you the basics so that you can play with PICs. "Art of Electronics" is great, but it's a college course. If you want to start playing right away, get "Starting Electronics" by Brindley, get a breadboard from Jameco, plus the parts needed in the book, and a multimeter (even cheap ones suffice).

Oh, and more cowbell!

Mike