How Do I Begin to Learn Electronics?
In the modern world, with machines a part of our everyday life, it seems almost necessary to learn electronics, at least to some degree. It is true that by studying electronics you can be better prepared to fix your own devices when they have minor malfunctions, or to make your own small devices to fill needs you may have around the house. By taking the time to learn electronics you can ensure that you are not intimidated by the technology that is now so pervasive in our day to day activities.
Electronics are differentiated from electrical by the conductor used; electronics make use of non-metal conductors, while electrical makes use of metal conductors. So fixing the wiring in your house would fall under the field of electrical repair, while repairing a circuit board on your computer, which is made out of silicon, would be electronic repair. In the past, many people took the time to learn electrical repair so that they could fix lights, replace fuses, and otherwise help out around the house; in the modern age people learn electronics to meet a similar need, giving them the skills they need to fix their computers, DVD players, clocks, and other simple devices around the house.
The first thing you need to know when beginning to learn electronics is that it is a skill, just like any other, and it can be learned, at any stage of life, no matter what your experience with technology. Although many people feel that if they weren’t raised with electronics, taking apart computers and watches, they won’t be able to learn, this simply isn’t true. There are simple courses and tutorials that are widely available that even the most novice learners can follow to start understanding electronics.
When starting to learn electronics, you’ll begin by learning the basics of how everything works. You’ll learn what a resistor and a capacitor are, what diodes and transistors are, how to calculate voltage and resistance, what a circuit is and how to read a circuit diagram, and the other fundamentals of electronics. There are many different websites that offer free tutorials in these subjects, and there is an entire genre of how-to books that cover these things for the absolute beginner all the way through the advanced practitioner.
It’s a good idea when studying this information to be taking part in some hands-on experiments as well. Building your own simple circuit while learning about circuits, for example, will help you learn electronics more fully, by immersing you in both the intellectual side and the practical side of things at the same time. Many tutorials have lesson plans that include practical lessons, and some books even include small kits for building circuits and other basic experiments.
Your area may also have a Regional Occupational Program (ROP), which might include an electronics lab. This can be an ideal way to learn electronics without spending a lot of money. These labs usually have staff on hand who are happy to help you, and often have large amounts of donated electronic equipment that you can dismantle and play with, saving you money on parts. Because these programs are in part financed by the government, they are usually very affordable, and some offer scholarships which make them free.
Written by Brendan McGuigan
