looking for beginner project ideas

[samijam]

Wondering if there are any good suggestions for beginners projects? I was going to do a LED cube for some digital experience, however, i think some analog projects would be fun too. Any recommended kits or ideas?

BTW just found this forum and starting a new hobby. It's awesome.

[Brumby]

There is a lot to choose from, so it helps if you can give us some direction....

What sort of things are of interest to you?

Tell us some of the gadgets you have seen that you might like to have a go at building yourself - even if only a small version.

[edy]

There are a huge number of things to do! I'll give you some ideas of where you can start, depending on your level of knowledge and interest. Also, what kind of equipment do you have, what is your lab setup like?

1. Simple "analog" circuits

Using analog components, you can make a number of different circuits to test your knowledge of how things should be working. Anything from small LED switches and buttons, buzzers, filters, amplifiers, transistor blinkers, etc. Just do a Google search and you'll find many examples. Also, I would suggest using one of a number of different circuit design/stimulation software to try out stuff "virtually" (e.g. https://www.circuitlab.com/).

2. Analog/Digital circuits or those using microprocessors/IC's

When you are comfortable, you can also start implementing simple micro's into your projects. You can make counters and LED displays (using 7-segment counters), clocks. Using 555 timers you can make a synthesizer (tune the timers to output different frequencies). You can play around with shift-registers, 7-segment drivers, counters, etc.

3. Arduino/RaspBerry Pi

If you like programming, you can start with Arduino/RaspBerry Pi where you need to use the computer to write code and then interface it with electronic circuit hardware. The hobby industries are very strong for both of these platforms and there are tons of examples of anything from simple circuits to complex systems that are running on these.

So there has never been a more exciting time for hobbyists to learn and play with electronics! Not only are there tons of resources online, but the "cost of entry" is practically nothing! Good luck!

[JS]

   You probably should start with a power supply, you'll need one of those for any project you do later. Of course I don't recomend get any near to mains for a beginners project, but you could build a "labbish" PS and power it from a few 9V batteries to start and then maybe a plugpack till you get confident enough to deal with the mains yourself, with an electronic adult watching you if possible. Two LM317, one limiting the current and then another regulating the voltage could be quite useful. The current is quite tricky to select with just a pot but maybe 3 option switch (50mA, 250mA, 1A for example) could save you a lot of ICs. I was saying in some other post burning (cheap) ICs is a good thing but having a suitable PS is too.

  Other than that, I started with guitar pedals, a great deal if you are a guitar player, if you are a friend of a guitar player he will be thrilled, and probably will end sucking your life and financing you a lot of fun.

  Audiorhythmic lights / VUmeters

  Anything you can imagine battery powered as long as you don't want world class quality nor years of battery life is, most likely, beginner friendly. Thanks to Arduino µControllers are quite accesible for beginners and that opens a whole world which wasn't that handy when I started, today I received a bag full of those for tiny dirty projects I have, a thermometer took me 2h to have running and while using it in a weekend I tuned it as much as I liked for example. Records max and min temps since reseted, shows in a display. You don't need much at all for that, the arduino, a display and an LM35 (temp sensor LM34 is easier to use in ºF if you like). I guess you could have it running the first weekend you get to play with it, probably the first day.

  Go for it, you will get great things out of this, you will blow some components in the way, don't worry, 14 years later I still keep calling the first power one of a project the smoke test. Just be safe, no mains till you are a grown up. Hi power stuff is fun but I didn't get into it for a few years, better I don't say my age of my first time playing with high voltage tube stuff! FUN 

JS

[ElektroQuark]

Plant watering system:

- OpAmp with Wheatstone bridge for resistance humidity sensing and ADC measurement

- MOSFET control for DC watering ON/OFF

- Some LEDs for status identification

A mix of digital and analog operations.

[samijam]

Thanks for all the suggestions! So many ideas would like to try.

My background is coming off Arduino projects. Those were fun. I don't really have much as far as test equipment or power supply, yet. One of my goals is to buy a cheap DSO to help me get hands on learning. Seems like the OP amp and Colpitts oscillator would be good basic projects to start. Circuitlab could help too along with all the eev resources.







 

[belzrebuth]

  Other than that, I started with guitar pedals, a great deal if you are a guitar player, if you are a friend of a guitar player he will be thrilled, and probably will end sucking your life and financing you a lot of fun.

Would you like to elaborate a bit further on this since you're experienced?

I'd like to experiment with guitar pedals myself,although since I also use synthesizers and other line level sources I'd like my builds to be usable with line level signals too.

Any favorite place of yours to find some schematics of worth-building pedals?I know there are all over the internet but I wouldn't mind a more experienced person's opinion on this.

Also ,what parts do you always keep in stock?
I mean , what would be the most common ICs ,cap values,thermistor values etc that I should have nearby ?
I'd be very interested in an analog delay pedal for starters.