studying electronics

Hello everybody and Sir Mozikluv,

Sir,

I was referred to you by a friend who had already communicated to you about his electronic problems. He gave me your email address but I decided to ask your permission first before I directly contact you.

I am a 3rd year High School student, 17 years old, who is very much interested in learning electronics. I mite even take up electronics when I go to college.

Sir, I would like to ask your advice what books to read or buy here in our country. I already have a multimeter, a soldering iron and a desoldering pump. What can you advise about tools that I should buy. My Papa is willing to help me out on this endeavor.

What actually motivated me to learn electronics was when my Lolo ask me to check his AM transistor which was not working and i just found out that there was just a loose battery wire connection, nothing really to be proud of. But what fascinated me was the parts used in making it receive signals and making it sound.

Will be waiting for your reply and thank you very much for your help.

 

Hi,

You're already started on the way. Havong some tools, curiosity, and the ability to look for something wrong is what got a lot of us started.

It's good to know how things are supposed to work. The instructonal text on this site will give you a start in learning about electronics. Another good source is a college level physics text - there's good basic information on AC and DC electronics.

Getting experience is harder that it used to be. Years ago, you hung around a tv shop, and learned watching over someone's shoulder. I got enough background in the Navy that I could build on it at a university electronics shop. Formal training helps, but experience is necessary, too.

Good luck!

 

hi sam,

it's good to see a fellow countryman here in the forum. i got an email from your friend and he gave me some background about you. good that you are starting early.

now about the books, what we have here are local and foreign authors. for local authors i would recommend ELECTRONICS FOR BEGINNERS by Pangilinan and TRANSISTOR BASICS by Faina. you would learn a lot bcoz it is presented mainly for beginners like you. those books are available at National Book Store and they cost no more than P300.00

for foreign authors i recommend THE ART OF ELECTRONICS by Hayes & Horowitz, STARTING ELECTRONICS by Keith Brindly, ELECTRONIC PRINCIPLES by Malvino, & MATH FOR GROB BASIC ELECTRONICS by GROB. these books cost at least P1800.00 and they are available at Alexan Commercial.

since you are not from metro manila or luzon, you just have to communicate with Alexan as to the purchase of those books, while i believe national bookstore has a branch in your place.

my proirity recom is get the local authors 1st, it's cheap and readily avalable.

any problem in the course of your study let us know. i would prefer that you post your encountered problems rather than going directly to me. i would also like other members to share their knowledge. remember there are lots of student members here.

you are already on the right track and keep going. Mabuhay Ka!

 

hello,

i have already puchase the books on local authors and you are rite it is affordable. but i found out that Pangilinan has 4 books but i got the one with the red cover. i was wondering if i should buy the other 3 now. i was browsing thru them and did not understand any of them. pls advise.

what other tools should i buy?

thank you very much

 

hi sam,

go ahead buy those other 3 before the price goes up, anyway you will be needing them in the future.

get a wire cutter, long nose pliers, screw driver, philips s. driver if you don't have them yet.

 

Hi all.

I'd just like to reiterate a recommendation made by mozikluv - The Art of Electronics. A classic text for beginners in Electronics which deals with concepts and understanding rather than the sometimes complex mathematics that is associated with the subject.

 

hi dave,

thanx for the 2nd endorsement for the book on THE ART OF ELECTRONICS. i have browse thru that book and was really impressed by the presentation. however that book cost here in out country for about $85.00 excluding freight, and it's quite stiff.

long time hear from you, maybe you're very busy.

 

Hi mozikluv,

Just did a quick browse of this book on Amazon and the paperback version is £23.99, but I'm not sure exactly what that converts to in your money!

Another book I would recommend for studying Electronics is "Microelectronic Circuits" by Sedra and Smith. Its currently in its fifth edition. It is very detailed and covers almost every topic on the subject you will require, including the most up-to-date technologies such as CMOS technology, which has been extensively included for the first time in the fifth edition. The examples and questions are superb and I would recommend anyone who is considering studying Electronics to buy this book. One word of warning though, it is heavily centred around the Mathematics of the subject, which some may find difficult. If this is so, I would recommend The Art of Electronics instead.

It is long time now see!! I've been busy over the summer which has restricted my posting presence on the site, however I have still been moderating in the shadows. I hope over the next few weeks to be back contributing to the forums as often as I was.

 

I have The Art of Electronics and it does seem to have everything I might ever need in there. One thing I found though is that it makes some assumptions that a complete noob may not understand. For example, I'm still a bit confused about the difference between 0V and ground/earth; TAOE starts using those terms without really explaining them. It feels a bit like when my flying instructor said "ok, now let's do a nice easy landing on runway 30" he didn't realise that a complete flying newbie wouldn't realise that runway 30 is the one with the big 30 painted on the end of it.
This is not to say that TAOE isn't a fabulous book; just that someone like myself also needs something like "electronics for dummies" to explain the ultra-basics that the more complete references assume is understood.
$0.02

 

hi dave,

the price i qouted already includes the margin of profit of the seller, cost of freight and whatever is added. the price of books for foreign authors are quite prohibitive here. your pocket will bleed just to acquire those books.

hi james,

you're right, there are basic terms used that are left unexplained so when a newb gets to read it, its a big question mark and leaves a big area of uncertainty.

 

ever heard of millmann and halkias......how good is that as a starter books for electronics??

 

hi haditya,

millmanns is available here but as i have said foreign outhor books here are quite prohibitive when it comes to prices. the reason why am not yet so keen on recommending these books because the fellow am trying to help out is just a high school kid who has the eagerness to know electronics. so am just starting him on books that can be easily digested for his level. i have recommended to him to buy books from Filipino authors and that's what he did and it cost only about $7.00 against foreign books that cost from $50.00 up.