I'm just a hobbyist. I bought UJT-2N6027 but find it "difficult to use". Should I just throw it away or is there an "easy" circuit I can try to use it? Any advice (other than IC chips - which i think i'll move on to) for what is easier to use than UJT?
BACKGROUND
I bought the UJT because I "heard" from sources such as
http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/What-are-unijunction-transistors
that UJT are used as "digital switches". HOWEVER - in one night sitting I could not get it to switch anything ! I read
https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/unijunction-transistor.html
but in that night could not get that circuit working (the examples provided in that article are not for blinking led or something quickly built and my changes didn't work and exact values aren't given in the example)
My new understanding is (correct me please), UJT is just like a normal transistor which has a slightly exaggerated response curve. (chips made with them inside were likely not easy to design at first, but are easy from a legacy perspective). If I'm right: I need input to exactly hit a threshhold (of a curve, rather than transisitor more linear response), I ALSO have to have an input circuit that can deal with the issue "it's not 0 or 1, 5V or 0V", the voltage output from a UJT is actually "full" or "limited" (subject to a curve that can sway quickly if the input to UJT is not clean). In one sitting I could design both sides and hit the right curves without an oscilliscope. (btw I have a moderate oscope now, didn't then).
BACKGROUND
I bought the UJT because I "heard" from sources such as
http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/What-are-unijunction-transistors
that UJT are used as "digital switches". HOWEVER - in one night sitting I could not get it to switch anything ! I read
https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/unijunction-transistor.html
but in that night could not get that circuit working (the examples provided in that article are not for blinking led or something quickly built and my changes didn't work and exact values aren't given in the example)
My new understanding is (correct me please), UJT is just like a normal transistor which has a slightly exaggerated response curve. (chips made with them inside were likely not easy to design at first, but are easy from a legacy perspective). If I'm right: I need input to exactly hit a threshhold (of a curve, rather than transisitor more linear response), I ALSO have to have an input circuit that can deal with the issue "it's not 0 or 1, 5V or 0V", the voltage output from a UJT is actually "full" or "limited" (subject to a curve that can sway quickly if the input to UJT is not clean). In one sitting I could design both sides and hit the right curves without an oscilliscope. (btw I have a moderate oscope now, didn't then).