Carl Youngblood wrote: > Speaking of electronics, can anyone recommend a good way for a software > programmer to get started learning how to build hardware electronics, > such as circuit boards, home tinkering projects, robotics etc.?
I learned a lot as a kid from Radio Shack's 30-in-1 and 160-in-1 electronics kits. Yeah, they're overpriced, but the value is immense IMHO. I'm sure they still have something similar. The next step up from the electronics kits is to build digital circuits on a breadboard. This is where electronics tinkering gets really fun. If you choose the right size breadboard, you can mount the breadboard on a robot or put it inside a small enclosure. Changing the circuit is a breeze, especially if you use pre-cut solid wires, and if you ever decide on a final design, you can solder the circuit on a pre-punched board with the same layout as the breadboard. One of the best things to put on a breadboard is a microcontroller. These chips can cost as little as $1, yet they take the place of large, complex digital circuits. Best of all, you get to use your software development skills. Anyway, that's the basic path I've taken. A little advice: memorize Ohm's Law (you need it even for digital circuits), become familiar with Kirchoff's Law, and avoid using high frequency, high current, or high voltage until you know exactly what the risks are. Shane /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
