In which direction is the best direction in which to approach engineering electronics, if any at all?

Question

Radio Shack?
Circuit board types, is there only one kind?
What Do I need to learn about Transitors Resistors, compasitors ect ect...?
What I need to know if I want to be serious about engineering electronics, or simply to modify an electronic component?

Thanks.

Answer 1

One place to start (for a beginner) is actually at RadioShack. They have kits; 100-in-one, 150-in-one, 300-in-one, etc. That have all the components layed out on a cardboard "desktop", with a book that guides you through 100, 150, 300, etc. experiments to find out how each of those components operates, and circuits, in general.

It's either that or I can point you to a bunch of web sites with basic instruction on DC circuits, AC circuits, basic digital circuits, basic analog, etc. etc. The 300-in-one kit is more fun, then when you figure out some of that you'll better understand some of those basic instructional websites.

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Answer 2

Depends on how serious you are. If you want to get into design, brush up on your math. Transistors, resistors, capacitors and other components behave differently, so you would need to know how they function in order to put them on a board. There are many types of circuit boards, and they have multi-layers (I have designed 14 layer boards). If you want to modify an electronic component, you need to know how a circuit operates. Just start with basic circuit theory (current and voltage flow with only one component and a voltage source). Look on the web or check out a basic electronics book for ideas. You could go to radio shack and buy a small power supply to brush up on your soldering skills. Like I said earlier, it depends on how serious you are. To be serious with engineering electronics, take several algebra and calculus courses. However, I would recommend basic circuit theory first and go to Radio Shack to build a basic power supply to gain some experience. That way you will know a little about the math and the construction of electronics before you get into some real serious calculations. The Radio Shack power supplies do not involve math; just put them in the outlines and solder.