Electronics and Creation

http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/

Hi Jae, The true path lies with some of each of the things you mentioned. I have always found the mixture of learning from books with the hands on of hooking things up and experimenting to be very beneficial. I also have always enjoyed taking things apart to try to understand how they work. Along the way I have accumulated a lot of cool parts that I use to make other things. Until you have some of the basics I would avoid buying a lot of parts or tools. Let your immediate needs dictate what you need to buy. There are really good electronics tutorials on the web. Check out this site for short tutorials on the basics. As you need to build circuits to verify what you have learned you will quickly have a list of what to buy. Beginning tools would include a set of drivers, needle nose pliers, cutters, solder iron, and a small multimeter. Here again you will know when you need a new tool as you bump into the need. Most of all have fun with the adventure of learning electronics and all the physical science that it is connected to.

John

The classical distinction between scientific research and production engineering is that in science a prospective efficiency gain of 10:1 is considered to be worth pursuing, in engineering a 2:1 probable opportunity is enough to be attractive.  Ask yourself if you are trying to commit engineering, science or art.

Complex things that persist generally take in money as they go.  Governments, corporations.

Mind the incrementalities of your goals.  The metaphor  I abuse is that of two hills of equal height and steepness, the easier one to surmount is the one with stair steps.

If you can, go to school for this stuff, so that the time you spend on it can be documented and contribute to a degree.

Mind the generality of the formalisms you will work.  In electronics, V+IR.  In economics, money = work * resistance.

Use simulation to conduct experiments.

Figure out where you trail off.  What are my weaknesses?  What aspects of this should I contract out to others?  Who are my clients?  Who are my suppliers?  How am I special?

Is there some social network available to me by which I can access this equipment?  Work?  School?  Club?  Library?  Friends?

Are there native applications in the local agricultural-mining/industrial/entertainment environments available to me?

As you have posted this question in this group you are on right track to be electronics hobbyist... I suggest you to buy Arduino kit from e14

http://in.element14.com/arduino/a000010/workshop-kit-with-arduino-board/dp/1848693?in_merch=Development%20Kits%20from%20Arduino&MER=MER-R2C-23PP-PD-T10ARD&

then download some arduino books from internet... its freely available...

more you need ur PC and multimeter at least to getting started.... All the best..

Whoa, hold your horses there, its the summer of the launch pad , how about using a TI Launchpad instead as a beginner board, a little less expensive, just as capable and using almost identical IDE and programming (Wiring in the form of Energia)

If you have not been there, there are a few ROAD TESTS currently in sign up mode boasting such boards and booster packs (Arduino Shields equivalent)  so you will ave plenty of company to help you on your way check it out http://www.element14.com/community/groups/roadtest?ICID=menubar_resources_roadtest

At the end of the day its up to you but I just thought I would mention it

I am also running a summer project entitled the Electronic Referee sponsored by E14 and TI with a view so showcase several of the boards available including Radio coms in the sub 1Ghz band and up in the WIFI too.

See here http://www.element14.com/community/community/designcenter/ti_launchpad/blog/2014/06/24/the-electronic-referee for details

Any questions, feel free to ask

Regards

Peter

John,

I just wanted to thank you so much for replying to my post. I appreciate your sharing knowledge and wisdom and I will definitely take them into account. I already begin looking up things online and reading about electricity and electrons. Super interesting.

God bless, Jae Kim

Don,

Due to my lack of knowledge regarding the jargon and technical terms of this field I had a difficult time understanding your suggestions. My apologies. Regardless, I thank you for the time that you had taken to answer my question.

If you can clarify what you mean by prospective efficiency gain, that would be awesome.

Also, when you say “mind the incrementalities of my goals,” are you saying that the hill with the stair steps is analogous to going to school for this stuff? In other words, going to school will make it such that it will be easier to achieve the goal of becoming an electrician/electrical engineer?

Best, Jae Kim

Ravi,

Thank you for responding. As you know that I am a novice of novices, I am not exactly sure what a Arduino is. And I'm not sure if I have the sufficient knowledge for it yet. However, if you can clarify what Arduino is, maybe that would lead me to a better understanding of whether I should invest in one.

Best, Jae Kim

Peter,

Due to my lack of knowledge regarding the jargon and technical terms of this field, I had a difficult time understanding your suggestions. My apologies. Regardless, I thank you for the time that you had taken to answer my question.

What is a Launchpad, a board, IDE, programming in this context, and wiring in the form of Energia?

“There are a few ROAD TESTS currently in sign up mode boasting such boards and booster packs (Arduino Shields equivalent).” I am sorry to say that this sentence is completely incoherent to me because I have no idea what any of these things mean. If you think it will be beneficial for me to know about these things right now, it would be awesome if you can clarify and give definitions for these things. If not, totally understandable.

God bless, Jae Kim

Hi Jae, Your excellent communication skills will greatly assist you in your quest. The ability to frame a question clearly is a very important tool. I have found as I approach a new area of learning, as you are doing with electronics, the new terminology and ideas seem overwhelming. I will sometimes read chapters without complete understanding but subsequently the vocabulary and ideas will begin to come together. Patience and perseverence is important. Electronics is fascinating and a good knowledge basis will help you no matter what your goals.

John

I apologise for seeming incoherent

I will endeavour to provide a better understanding to you going forward. In the mean time have a look at these two links

Arduino - Introduction

and

http://www.ti.com/ww/en/launchpad/launchpad.html?DCMP=TIMDC_in&HQS=TIMDC-launchpad

the TI boards are a little cheaper than the Arduinos

both can be programmed in C and use almost identical in coding when using the hire level "Wiring" program model

have a read of both links and simply pick the one you most like. You will find loads of support on this forum for you

just take the leap of faith and buy one (Launch pads can be had for about 12$), play with it and try simple things like blinking an LED to start with

if you have questions we will be glad to assist / help etc.

Peter