Andrew said:
Hi
I've just finished some basic electrical training, and now would like to
start learning electronics as a hobby. I'm curious about how some of you
started and what sort of projects or tools (oscilloscopes? expensive
meter?) would be appropriate for a student.
Any good book recommendations would be appreciated as well
Thanks.
When I was a kid, I worked my way through the "electronic" section in
the children's library, in quotes because most of it was actually electrical,
things like making hot dog cookers and such. I then got access to the
adult library, which had a better selection of books. I worked my way
through that section too, though of course much of it made little
sense to me initially.
I think before I got access to the adult library, I found hobby electronic
magazines at the newsstand. So I started buying those. I know most of
it was incomprehensible to me initially, but there was enough peripheral
stuff that I could understand to keep buying the magazines and slowly it
all started making sense.
About three months after I started buying those hobby electronic magazines,
I tried to build my first project. Copied the parts list and went down
to an electronic store that I'd basically pulled out of the Yellow Pages
at random (though it turned out be a good choice). It never did work. I
didn't have the background or experience to troubleshoot it, and obviously
my beginner status was the reason for my inability to make it work in
the first place. In retrospect, my awful soldering skills likely had
a big impact, and I was unable to know whether the transistor substitutes
made at the store were suitable, or if that tapped coil actually had
the same wiring as the one in the magazine.
But if I'd not made that first step, well I'd not have gotten very far.
You have to take that first step some time.
The next one or two projects didn't work either, again me copying the
parts list and going to the store.
Ironically, the first thing that did work was maybe a year later, and
I made a tiny audio oscillator. By then I had a better font of knowledge,
and was taking things apart (transistor radios and "computer surplus" boards
bought at that store), providing a bigger base of parts. But I'd learned
enough by then about parts substitution, so I did pull that transistor
out of that radio, and that transformer out of that other radio, and
wired it together with success. Though, I just twisted wires together
that time, which I think helped in the success.
I was 10 when I started in on the library books, and already had the
goal of getting an amateur radio license. But I was also so young
that it was all very fascinating, so I read anything I could get ahold
of. It was pure curiosity, unlike some later friends my interest
wasn't first in building projects, but the project building helped
to reinforce the theory.
It's harder now, since virtually all of the hobby electronic magazines
ahve disappeared. I suspect it would also be quite different if I
as an adult approaching it for the first time. If nothing else, much
of how I approach a new subject derives from how I approached electronics
almost forty years ago.
I was about a year and a half in before I got a meter. That was a mistake,
I'd say that's one of the first things you need. Now you can get really
cheap digital meters, and they are likely a far better choice for a beginner
(my meter didn't last too long, too many instances of overvoltage and
leaving it in the wrong function wrapped the needle around the stop pin
fairly early). You can always buy a better one later, when you have
a better idea of your interest and even a better idea of what the specs
mean and what you might use the meter for.
A lot of people have tools around the house anyway, and might as well
start with those. A soldering iron is likely not present. I've never
had an expensive temperature controlled one, but I learned early on
that the cheapest often aren't so great. Other tools I added as
needed, including watching for the time the local hardware store
was closing down so I could get cheaper pliers.
A power supply of some sort is useful at this point, though for
a start one could use an AC adapter. The earliest project that
I actually finished that I still have is a power supply, though
it's been stripped down and rebuilt a number of times.
An oscilliscope is a neat thing to have, but better to wait
until you have a better idea of what you want to do and what
you'd use it for. I had one within two years of when I
started reading hobby electronic magazines, but I paid five
dollars for it at a local radio club auction, and while it
weighed a ton, it wasn't good for much more than audio. It
was great to play with, but couldn't do much and it was only
some years later when I started playing with higher speed
digital that having access to a scope mattered.
Find local amateur radio clubs, and find out when they have
fleamarkets, which many do have. That can often be a good source
of books and magazines and parts and even tools, and of course
it will all be used and carry a lower price than new. Reading as
many magazines and books is a good idea, but given new prices it
isn't smart to just work your way through them. On the other hand,
if you can get them used, the cost drops a lot. I've often bought
used books because I can get them for a few dollars, adding a little
bit of knowledge in an area that I might otherwise not pursue.
If you're in the US, the American Radio Relay League keeps a list
uf upcoming amateur radio club fleamarkets and hamfests,
http://www.arrl.org
Find the local electronic stores that sell to hobbyists, if any
still exist. Maybe ask in a local newsgroup for this. The Yellow
Pages may not be clear whether that store there sells in small
quantities or even wants to deal with someone spending a few dollars
at a time, but the locals undoubtedly have already sifted it out.
Junk electronics can be a good source of common parts. It won't
supply all you need, but it will supply lots of resistors and capacitors
and general purpose transistors. Even transformers to build that
power supply. Things like VCRs, cordless phones, old radios, printers
and even computers can often supply lots of parts, and can be had
quite cheap at garage sales and such, and even found waiting for
the garbage trucks. Having a good variety of parts means you can
experiment, and when building you may not have to wait for a large
order to get that one resistor to finish the project.
Michael
