My education is in electronics (technical school). It is how I started my career but that eventually morphed into computer programming, which I do today.
I dabbled with electronics as a hobby years ago. I built a couple of power supplies, an RS232 interface for the Atari computer (including programming the OS driver and repaired televisions (back in the days when it was really easy, all tubes) for some spare cash.
I'm still fairly young (just turned 50) but I was thinking I need another hobby I can carry on into my later years to help keep the mind active.
So I am thinking of renewing my interest in electronics. I'll probably be more oriented to the digital side if the hobby but would probably mess with some of the analog side.
I have a few questions.
1. What should I look for is a scope? I was thinking of something used, don't want to spend a whole ton of money but also want something useful.
2. What is the state of the art in circuit board production? I see there is software available but do I really need to send out the file to a company to have them do it for me or can I do it myself? Can I just print a transparency somehow and use a photographic process? I used to use those stickons years ago. I was wondering if it can be done today using a printer. And what about silk screening? Can that be a DIY project?
3. What do most people do with their projects? Do they build something just for the challenge then tear it down? Or do you actually use your projects? There is not much I can think to build right now. But just a couple are a bench PSU and a AM/FM radio to record on MP3. After that I can't think of what else to build.
4. One other interests I have is bicycling. Say I happen to come up with a new bike computer with several ICs. Are there companies that will place that all on a single chip for me or do I need to design the whole chip from discrete components?
Sorry for all the "newbie" questions.
I dabbled with electronics as a hobby years ago. I built a couple of power supplies, an RS232 interface for the Atari computer (including programming the OS driver and repaired televisions (back in the days when it was really easy, all tubes) for some spare cash.
I'm still fairly young (just turned 50) but I was thinking I need another hobby I can carry on into my later years to help keep the mind active.
So I am thinking of renewing my interest in electronics. I'll probably be more oriented to the digital side if the hobby but would probably mess with some of the analog side.
I have a few questions.
1. What should I look for is a scope? I was thinking of something used, don't want to spend a whole ton of money but also want something useful.
2. What is the state of the art in circuit board production? I see there is software available but do I really need to send out the file to a company to have them do it for me or can I do it myself? Can I just print a transparency somehow and use a photographic process? I used to use those stickons years ago. I was wondering if it can be done today using a printer. And what about silk screening? Can that be a DIY project?
3. What do most people do with their projects? Do they build something just for the challenge then tear it down? Or do you actually use your projects? There is not much I can think to build right now. But just a couple are a bench PSU and a AM/FM radio to record on MP3. After that I can't think of what else to build.
4. One other interests I have is bicycling. Say I happen to come up with a new bike computer with several ICs. Are there companies that will place that all on a single chip for me or do I need to design the whole chip from discrete components?
Sorry for all the "newbie" questions.