Is it possible for me to learn electronics on here by interacting with the experts and professors such as Nelson Pass and Dr. Carlos, (destroyerx) without going to college?
I want to learn everything there is to know from scratch from ohms law to kirchoffs law to triple integrals.
The bias would be towards audio electronics but also electronics as a whole.
Thanks.
I want to learn everything there is to know from scratch from ohms law to kirchoffs law to triple integrals.
The bias would be towards audio electronics but also electronics as a whole.
Thanks.
No. Learning the basics here would not be efficient either for you or those doing the teaching. Try reading some books first, then asking specific questions here if you need to.
You will also want a breadboard, a multimeter and a bunch of basic components (transistors, resistors, capacitors, diodes etc.), so you can see the theory working.
You will also want a breadboard, a multimeter and a bunch of basic components (transistors, resistors, capacitors, diodes etc.), so you can see the theory working.
Start here> http://sound.westhost.com/articles.htm
Rod Elliott's site has to be one of the best learning tools on the web for audio electronics.
Rod Elliott's site has to be one of the best learning tools on the web for audio electronics.
There are many good sites, explore as many as you have time for. MAterial can be presented in many ways, and one approach may resonate with you better than another. SOme folks prefer a more formal approach than others. Some want to zip along and some want to linger over each step. Find the pace you like. I have been training techs for many years, and I have to have several ways to explain most anything to make sure I can communicate the concepts to the trainee. SO if one presentation seems opaque to you, try a different one for the same material.
I've been soldering now for about 55 years and have been an electronics professional the last 40 years, and if there is one thing you need to know, get a handle on Ohm's Law. I use it every single day. MY little calculator sits next to me, and not a day goes by, often not an hour where I don;t plug some Ohm's Law calculation into it.
it is not a complicated mysterious concept, it is very straightforward. It defines the basic relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. it is one of the most fundamental concepts there is in electronics.
The stuff discussed online here and in similar places is largely applications moreso than fundamentals. You kinda have to bring to the table some understanding of what parts are and what they do for it to make a lot of sense. At least at first.
I've been soldering now for about 55 years and have been an electronics professional the last 40 years, and if there is one thing you need to know, get a handle on Ohm's Law. I use it every single day. MY little calculator sits next to me, and not a day goes by, often not an hour where I don;t plug some Ohm's Law calculation into it.
it is not a complicated mysterious concept, it is very straightforward. It defines the basic relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. it is one of the most fundamental concepts there is in electronics.
The stuff discussed online here and in similar places is largely applications moreso than fundamentals. You kinda have to bring to the table some understanding of what parts are and what they do for it to make a lot of sense. At least at first.
There's something to be said for taking a real course, where you're tested on material. In high school I took "Electricity 11" by correspondence; it provided a good grounding in basic electrical concepts, and even on how to wind transformers. Maybe some courses like that are available to you through the school system at a nominal cost.
If you ask around (post a Wanted on the local Freecycle, for example), you might be able to score someone's old course notes from a technical school, or old correspondence course material from the sort of "schools" that advertised in magazines.
If you ask around (post a Wanted on the local Freecycle, for example), you might be able to score someone's old course notes from a technical school, or old correspondence course material from the sort of "schools" that advertised in magazines.
A really good book is "The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill, which covers everything you ask.
The only thing I would mildly warn against in it is the coverage of digital electronics, which is now fairly old fashioned; a lot of the things they talk about would generally be
more easily solved using a microcontroller and software.
The only thing I would mildly warn against in it is the coverage of digital electronics, which is now fairly old fashioned; a lot of the things they talk about would generally be
more easily solved using a microcontroller and software.
Hi Professor smith,
The very best thing you could possibly do for yourself right now is to learn how the parts work. Once you learn how things like transistors (BJT, JFET and IGFET), diodes and other basic parts work, you will be able to understand simple circuits and build on that.
But you absolutely must learn how the parts work if you wish to have any hope at all in going further.
One resource that no one has mentioned yet. Buy one of those 250 in 1 learning kits. This will allow you to learn with a manual. There are wires and spring connectors to make fast connections. Believe me when I say that these are a fabulous way to learn. It's hands on, safe and instructed. Couple that with some books later and you are well on your way. After you have learned, you can construct simple circuits with it, or use the parts as you go along.
After that, you can buy some "perf board" and make up your own circuits. If they work out, transfer your design to a proper PCB if you intend to use it. To be honest, I still have some test jigs I use built on perf board. Lazy I guess.
This represents the least expensive and fastest way to learn. I have taught many budding technicians this way - it works.
-Chris
The very best thing you could possibly do for yourself right now is to learn how the parts work. Once you learn how things like transistors (BJT, JFET and IGFET), diodes and other basic parts work, you will be able to understand simple circuits and build on that.
But you absolutely must learn how the parts work if you wish to have any hope at all in going further.
One resource that no one has mentioned yet. Buy one of those 250 in 1 learning kits. This will allow you to learn with a manual. There are wires and spring connectors to make fast connections. Believe me when I say that these are a fabulous way to learn. It's hands on, safe and instructed. Couple that with some books later and you are well on your way. After you have learned, you can construct simple circuits with it, or use the parts as you go along.
After that, you can buy some "perf board" and make up your own circuits. If they work out, transfer your design to a proper PCB if you intend to use it. To be honest, I still have some test jigs I use built on perf board. Lazy I guess.
This represents the least expensive and fastest way to learn. I have taught many budding technicians this way - it works.
-Chris
IMHO, this should be the last place you try to learn electronics. Not because diy isn't full of wonderful knowledgeable people, but because we're so often concerned about minutia. Though you may pick up some facts, and some misleading myths, your overall viewpoint will be seriously skewed.
There's a lot of electronic info on the 'net, but the reality is that the net stinks when compared to good reference and text books. I second getting a copy of Horowitz and Hill. You should also have a copy of Boylestead's circuit analysis book, Check your local and on-line bookstores. You can often get old electrical engineering textbooks like Timbe and Bush very cheaply. These will teach you basic concepts like conductivity, plus a lot about physical components. The math is usually far clearer than much of the propeller-head junk published today. Get an old copy of Electrical Measurements by Stout or by Harris. If you have some extra cash, get Jim Williams and Bob Pease's books too. There's a wealth of info in any of the ARRL handbooks, though they tend to approach things a bit differently than non-RF people might. Whatever you do, get some basic test equipment and build simple circuits until you can reliably make things that work and understand why, especially if they don't.
There's a lot of electronic info on the 'net, but the reality is that the net stinks when compared to good reference and text books. I second getting a copy of Horowitz and Hill. You should also have a copy of Boylestead's circuit analysis book, Check your local and on-line bookstores. You can often get old electrical engineering textbooks like Timbe and Bush very cheaply. These will teach you basic concepts like conductivity, plus a lot about physical components. The math is usually far clearer than much of the propeller-head junk published today. Get an old copy of Electrical Measurements by Stout or by Harris. If you have some extra cash, get Jim Williams and Bob Pease's books too. There's a wealth of info in any of the ARRL handbooks, though they tend to approach things a bit differently than non-RF people might. Whatever you do, get some basic test equipment and build simple circuits until you can reliably make things that work and understand why, especially if they don't.
This makes sense to me. One of the reasons that electronics is rewarding is that it combines the cerebral and hands-on activity. The best way to learn honds -on stuff is watching some other hands..
The structure is also good as Dangus said- keeps you moving along. Also they tend to have things such as oscilloscopes and such for you to use.
To expect the experts to spend enough time to teach an individual about the subject is unrealiastic and a huge imposition. They have to work too, and to expect them to teach all the basics to someone, one painful step at a time is unreasonable.
I was nearly blinded by an led which exploded when i was using one of those kits as a kid. It shot straight up into the ceiling.
By the way Variac can you open up my thread again at some point?
I have some more questions and now that it's been closed I have been denied any help from members.
Hi Professor smith,
Get another kit. Better buy it new so you know all the parts are good. If the LED is missing, it's not new!
How long would you expect it should take you to amass the knowledge you figure you need Kenji? Don't forget that we were never interrupted by things like the internet when we studied way back when. We paid our tuition (thousands), bought our books (and read them), did our labs and got marked at exam time. We all studied further at home and often bought what test equipment we could afford. I remember signal transistors cost over $5 each, capacitors were valuable, so we took all the resistors and caps we could find out of discarded TVs and things. That was dedication.
How far are you going to go to learn?
How long will you be in school after you enroll this September?
I'm sure some of us will still be alive by the time you're done learning.
-Chris
See? I told you this is a good way to learn. Why ever did you stop using the kit?
Get another kit. Better buy it new so you know all the parts are good. If the LED is missing, it's not new!
That's probably why the LED popped. Actually, more like a cute little snap.
Anyone else you want to name as an intellectual target? Mr. Pass has learned for his entire life. He even attended post secondary school for electronics. So, it would seem that if you were bright enough, it would take you about the same amount of time as it did Mr. Pass here.
How long would you expect it should take you to amass the knowledge you figure you need Kenji? Don't forget that we were never interrupted by things like the internet when we studied way back when. We paid our tuition (thousands), bought our books (and read them), did our labs and got marked at exam time. We all studied further at home and often bought what test equipment we could afford. I remember signal transistors cost over $5 each, capacitors were valuable, so we took all the resistors and caps we could find out of discarded TVs and things. That was dedication.
How far are you going to go to learn?
How long will you be in school after you enroll this September?
I'm sure some of us will still be alive by the time you're done learning.
-Chris
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