Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: how to learn electronics From: pvdl@best.com (Peter van der Linden) Date: 18 Mar 2000 19:58:01 GMT Lines: 11 Message-ID: <38d3dfc9$0$20815@nntp1.ba.best.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: shell15.ba.best.com X-Trace: nntp1.ba.best.com 953409481 20815 pvdl@206.184.139.147 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!216.226.222.61.MISMATCH!newsxfer.interpacket.net!news.interpacket.net!newsfeed.berkeley.edu!news2.best.com!news3.best.com!nntp1.ba.best.com!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:52296 I went through school without learning any actual electronic circuitry. Can anyone recommend a book that covers "Simple and fun intro to electronics for busy adults"? If there's a better newsgroup for this, just point me at it. Thanks, Peter ###### From: ab528@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Heinz W. Wiggeshoff) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: how to learn electronics Date: 18 Mar 2000 21:03:55 GMT Organization: The National Capital FreeNet Lines: 25 Message-ID: <8b0qvr$k4o$1@freenet9.carleton.ca> References: <38d3dfc9$0$20815@nntp1.ba.best.com> Reply-To: ab528@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Heinz W. Wiggeshoff) NNTP-Posting-Host: freenet10 X-Trace: freenet9.carleton.ca 953413435 20632 134.117.136.30 (18 Mar 2000 21:03:55 GMT) X-Complaints-To: complaints@ncf.ca NNTP-Posting-Date: 18 Mar 2000 21:03:55 GMT X-Given-Sender: ab528@freenet10.carleton.ca (Heinz W. Wiggeshoff) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!nntp.frontiernet.net!nntp.gctr.net!xcski.com!freenet-news!FreeNet.Carleton.CA!ab528 Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:52304 Peter van der Linden (pvdl@best.com) writes: > I went through school without learning any actual electronic > circuitry. > > Can anyone recommend a book that covers "Simple and fun intro to electronics > for busy adults"? Well, the Heathkit series is probably history, unless you consider the clones that are or were advertised in Popular Mechanics, et al. I liked How to Build and Use Electronic Devices Without Frustration, Panic, Mountains of Money, or an Engineering Degree by Stuart A. Hoenig and F. Leland Payne c/r 1973 by Little, Brown & Co. Lib. of Cong. 73-1421 ISBN 0-316-36807 Despite its age, the availability of IC op-amps (aka super-transistors) made some projects _very much_ easier than descrete component construction. They reference Burr-Brown, and I also got the B-B book on op-amp design. Then there's the perennial Radio Amateur's Handbook from ARRL. The list can be pretty lengthy if you search a library catalog. ###### Message-ID: <38D3B795.59A4F655@trailing-edge.com> Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 17:06:29 -0400 From: Tim Shoppa Organization: Trailing Edge Technology X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.03Gold (X11; I; OpenVMS V7.0 DEC 3000 Model 300L) MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: how to learn electronics References: <38d3dfc9$0$20815@nntp1.ba.best.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 19 NNTP-Posting-Host: 63.73.218.130 X-Trace: reader2.news.uu.net 953417190 24511 63.73.218.130 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!europa.netcrusader.net!209.98.98.64!hermes.visi.com!news-out.visi.com!uunet!ffx.uu.net!spool0.news.uu.net!reader2.news.uu.net!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:52301 Peter van der Linden wrote: > > I went through school without learning any actual electronic > circuitry. > > Can anyone recommend a book that covers "Simple and fun intro to electronics > for busy adults"? How simple are you insisting on? If you aren't scared of math, you'll love Horowitz and Hill's _The Art of Electronics_. In addition to being a good introduction, it also is an excellent source of references for more learning more about specialized advanced topics. If you are wary of math, you might want to stick with the cookbooks from Radio Shack. Tim. ###### From: ard@p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: how to learn electronics Date: 18 Mar 2000 22:47:03 -0000 Organization: P850 User Group Message-ID: <8b1117$1pi@p850ug1.demon.co.uk> References: <38d3dfc9$0$20815@nntp1.ba.best.com> <38D3B795.59A4F655@trailing-edge.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: p850ug1.demon.co.uk X-NNTP-Posting-Host: p850ug1.demon.co.uk:158.152.97.199 X-Trace: news.demon.co.uk 953422653 nnrp-10:12284 NO-IDENT p850ug1.demon.co.uk:158.152.97.199 X-Complaints-To: abuse@demon.net X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Lines: 32 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!colt.net!ayres.ftech.net!news.ftech.net!newshub.bart.net!bullseye.news.demon.net!demon!news.demon.co.uk!demon!p850ug1.demon.co.uk!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:52280 Tim Shoppa (shoppa@trailing-edge.com) wrote: : Peter van der Linden wrote: : > : > I went through school without learning any actual electronic : > circuitry. : > : > Can anyone recommend a book that covers "Simple and fun intro to electronics : > for busy adults"? : How simple are you insisting on? : If you aren't scared of math, you'll love Horowitz and Hill's : _The Art of Electronics_. In addition to being : a good introduction, it also is an excellent source of references : for more learning more about specialized advanced topics. This is the first time I've seen 'The Art of Electronics' claimed to be mathematical... IMHO the great thing about that book (and I _love_ it) is that is emphasises the practical/approximate aproach, rather than (e.g.) solving differential equations exactly (which often _obscures_ the problem). 'The Art of Electronics' does use simple-ish algebra, but not a lot more. It's certainly not a book that depends on maths. I would second the recomendation for this book. It covers almost everything you're going to want to find out about. It starts from resistors and goes on to microprocessors :-). And I found it very clearly written. -tony (who has both editions of 'The Art of Electronics' and both editions of the lab manual). ###### Message-ID: <38D5178F.6BB10222@sprintmail.com> From: John Ferrell Reply-To: johnferrell@sprintmail.com Organization: Dixie Competition Products X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.7 [en] (Win98; I) X-Accept-Language: en,pdf MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: how to learn electronics References: <38d3dfc9$0$20815@nntp1.ba.best.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 33 Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 18:08:43 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 206.133.64.223 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net 953489323 206.133.64.223 (Sun, 19 Mar 2000 10:08:43 PST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 10:08:43 PST Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newscore.univie.ac.at!194.25.134.126.MISMATCH!newsfeed01.sul.t-online.de!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!diablo.theplanet.net!europa.netcrusader.net!192.148.253.68!netnews.com!newsfeed2.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!newsmaster1.prod.itd.earthlink.net!newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:52285 Electronics is a big field. Ask yourself what you you really want to do with the subject first. The Radio Shack stuff covers entry level of getting your foot in the door. Many Community Colleges offer courses that will give you the toe hold you are looking to find. Lots of people earn their livings in electronics without any contact with circuit level or even worse, component level talent! Peter van der Linden wrote: > I went through school without learning any actual electronic > circuitry. > > Can anyone recommend a book that covers "Simple and fun intro to electronics > for busy adults"? > > If there's a better newsgroup for this, just point me at it. > Thanks, > > Peter -- John Ferrell in Julian NC, de W8CCW Dixie Competition Products 6241 Phillippi Rd Julian NC 27283 Phone: (336)685-9606 Fax: (336)685-9771 NSRCA 479 AMA 4190 "My Competition is Not My Enemy"