Project for interested novice that will give him most taste of electronics?

Thread Starter

Jakub Frišo

Joined Aug 18, 2016
1
I know that there is plenty of stuff on the internet titled: Electronics Projects for Beginners. But I´m looking for a different advice, and for that, I think I need to ask directly professional and more skilled folks that I hopefully will find in here.

I'm very interested in electronics but I want to test my interest by actually building something with electronics. Than. after first experience I will further my studies. or not.

Now, my question is:

What is the project that will give me the most taste of what electronics are about?

What project would you recommend to a novice to introduce him to world of electronics?

With all the nuances but also the rough stuff. It doesn't have to be simple - just full of experience. So that at the end of its creation, I will know REALLY what electronics are about. Or at least partially...

I'm seeking this question because I was looking for many beginner projects - but I'm not looking for to easiest one - that's mostly what these projects are about, connecting this wire to that wire to light this...

I´m looking for the full (and maybe rough) experience, but as a novice, I can't assume what project will give it to me. And internet is not helping on this topic...

I was thinking about few inventions like: speakers, solar charger, watering system ... but how good are they for beginner?

I hope that I'm asking a relevant and understandable question. And I value every piece of an advice...

And please, don't worry about knowledge, I will learn everything that I would need for that project - just give me a platform.

Thank you.
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,345
Can you solder?
Do you want projects using a microcontroller?
Do you want something ready designed - a kit of parts and a PCB - or a breadboard and some parts with which you can experiment with several things?
Radio, games, burglar alarm, light meter, or ...
 

hp1729

Joined Nov 23, 2015
2,304
I know that there is plenty of stuff on the internet titled: Electronics Projects for Beginners. But I´m looking for a different advice, and for that, I think I need to ask directly professional and more skilled folks that I hopefully will find in here.

I'm very interested in electronics but I want to test my interest by actually building something with electronics. Than. after first experience I will further my studies. or not.

Now, my question is:

What is the project that will give me the most taste of what electronics are about?

What project would you recommend to a novice to introduce him to world of electronics?

With all the nuances but also the rough stuff. It doesn't have to be simple - just full of experience. So that at the end of its creation, I will know REALLY what electronics are about. Or at least partially...

I'm seeking this question because I was looking for many beginner projects - but I'm not looking for to easiest one - that's mostly what these projects are about, connecting this wire to that wire to light this...

I´m looking for the full (and maybe rough) experience, but as a novice, I can't assume what project will give it to me. And internet is not helping on this topic...

I was thinking about few inventions like: speakers, solar charger, watering system ... but how good are they for beginner?

I hope that I'm asking a relevant and understandable question. And I value every piece of an advice...

And please, don't worry about knowledge, I will learn everything that I would need for that project - just give me a platform.

Thank you.
Where are you at now in your education? Do you want to get to know how components (diodes, transistors, op amps ...) work, then circuits? In most basic electronics classes you first get to know basic Ohm's Law, then parts, then circuits.
If you just want to build stuff there are hundreds of kits to build. Jameco Electronics is one good distributor for components and kits. Where in the world are you living? Do you have a problem ordering stuff through the mail?
 

blocco a spirale

Joined Jun 18, 2008
1,546
"Jakub Frišo, post: 1032735, member: 369043"
I'm seeking this question because I was looking for many beginner projects - but I'm not looking for to easiest one - that's mostly what these projects are about, connecting this wire to that wire to light this...
Thank you.
I take it that you understand the basics and can complete these "easiest" projects without any problems? You can't skip over the basics because all complex electronic projects are built from simple concepts and circuits so if you can't do the simple, you can't do the complex.
 
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DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,153
A battery and a resistor, a pair of wires and one each red and green LED and two each 1N914. Connect the 1N914's in parallel with the LEDs so that they shunt reverse voltage for each LED. Put the LEDs, the resistor, and the pair of wires in series with the cahtodes of the two LEDs connected together (head-to-head as it were). Demonstrate that when you connect the battery across the pair of wires in one direction the green LED lights up and when connected in the other, the red LED lights up. Ask him how it is possible.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
My recommendations would resemble the stuff that taught me. Two people offered an op-amp kit on AAC. They are fairly miserable designs so you can experimentally find the limitations inherent in most op-amps with one of those kits.
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/discrete-op-amp-electronic-kit-diy.106607/
or you could play with an LM741 for a pretty miserable performance op-amp.

and then there are a bunch of other kits.
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/for-sale-electronic-kits.112581/

A dual power supply is a good starter project so you can run the other kits.
I learned from the LM723 chip as a voltage regulator and it's foldback option is great for smoke prevention in a beginners work bench. The LM723 datasheet shows how to do a negative voltage foldback circuit or you might slave the negative voltage regulator to the positive voltage so both go into self-protect if you overload the positive side. Or you can use a recent design I did to turn an LM723 into a constant current supply, completely adjustable.

The Completed Projects Forum on this site has lots of stuff designed and finished by members here.
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/forums/the-completed-projects-collection.14/

Then I have an idea about using an LM556 to do a police style flasher. Several blinks and a pause, repeat.
Wendy did a veritable encyclopedia of blinkers, flashers, and faders.
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/search/4175245/?q=led&o=relevance&c[user][0]=19834
 

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MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,707
That depends on YOU. What are your interests?

Find a project that is useful and practical to you.
You can divide your applications into two areas, analog or digital.

For digital, build a unique digital clock for your desk-top or as a present to someone special.



Here is a digital clock I built in a stubby beer bottle many years ago.

For analog, how about a light organ? It takes audio music signal and flashes colored LEDs or projects colored lights on the wall.

Or a clapper circuit? Clap your hands to turn on the room lights. Clap again to turn the lights off.

Or an AM radio that runs on solar power.
 
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