Book question to the self taught or semi self taught?

[Shadetreeprops]

So i got

Electronics All in one for Dummies, those books always break it down for me, and make everything easier. so they are alway part of my learning, i have stacks of them.

But as i go though the book, i see it will make a great reference, but its not going to go deep into anything..

what is one more book that will take all the concepts i am learning and step it up to more in depth work with the components, and layout of a board. But i know its going to be diffrent depending on who i ask. So take into consideration, i am self teaching..there are no classrooms, no lab set up. I have no scope. i have a hack job

0-12Vdc bench unit my soldering iron, and the fluke meter my brother gave me, (now he has a degree in EE)..and thats pretty much it. everything else i do is either in free simulators. or googling it to death. until i give up come here and ask, in fear of looking like a lost puppy.

Also im not into the sections in IC's so when i run into issues. most of the time someone nicely suggests me a IC that dose it..and thank you for that.

I would have ended up designing a circuit that would be a glob of parts and wires, that could have been easily delt with by oh a 555 or the LB3914 < got this one burned into my head...

[Andy Watson]

I think Horowitzt and Hill's "Art of Electronics" would be the next step.

[tggzzz]

0-12Vdc bench unit my soldering iron, and the fluke meter my brother gave me, (now he has a degree in EE)..and thats pretty much it.

Add some LEDs and switches, and with thought and imagination you can do an awful lot. That's how everybody of my vintage started. It was sufficient for me to design an Altair-8080 equivalent computer from scratch.

everything else i do is either in free simulators. or googling it to death

Simulators are either a poor substitute for understanding models and theory, or a good way of confirming you haven't missed some understanding and theory. Simulators don't model component imperfections nor, unless you are careful and take a lot of time, tolerances.

Also im not into the sections in IC's so when i run into issues. most of the time someone nicely suggests me a IC that dose it..and thank you for that.

If you choose to re-invent elliptical high-friction wheels, that's fine.

[Shadetreeprops]

0-12Vdc bench unit my soldering iron, and the fluke meter my brother gave me, (now he has a degree in EE)..and thats pretty much it.

Add some LEDs and switches, and with thought and imagination you can do an awful lot. That's how everybody of my vintage started. It was sufficient for me to design an Altair-8080 equivalent computer from scratch.

everything else i do is either in free simulators. or googling it to death

Simulators are either a poor substitute for understanding models and theory, or a good way of confirming you haven't missed some understanding and theory. Simulators don't model component imperfections nor, unless you are careful and take a lot of time, tolerances.

Also im not into the sections in IC's so when i run into issues. most of the time someone nicely suggests me a IC that dose it..and thank you for that.

If you choose to re-invent elliptical high-friction wheels, that's fine.

with my bench suppy i used the atari paddle controller modifted, with the power on off switch at the top where the wires used to come out, and the wires come out  where the old push button was on it.


the simulators i use casue me this issue 


and i will reinvent the wheel if it suits my needs lol...

[CatalinaWOW]

I don't have my library at hand so can't recommend any books.

Don't worry about the elegance of your designs at this point.  As you learn more and more your "tool box" will get bigger and bigger.  Just keep the old saw about every problem looking like a nail when you have a hammer in your hand in the back of your head.  Be ready for a different approach.

Simulations are weird.  They are simultaneously the most wonderful thing going and the most terrible.  They allow you to try things quickly, inexpensively and safely that would be slow, expensive and dangerous in the lab.  But they can give spectacularly wrong answers.  Sometimes it is obvious that they are wrong.  Unfortunately sometimes it is not obvious.  By the time you can quickly know the difference, the use of the simulator for training is largely behind you.  Look carefully at any results and realize that if you don't understand something it may not be because of your lack of knowledge.

For most people some sort of visualization tool is very useful.  An oscilloscope is very good for this, but may be beyond your current budget.  A row of LEDs or an LED bar graph can be useful in many situations and can be cobbled out of your junk bin.

[Shadetreeprops]

I don't have my library at hand so can't recommend any books.

Don't worry about the elegance of your designs at this point.  As you learn more and more your "tool box" will get bigger and bigger.  Just keep the old saw about every problem looking like a nail when you have a hammer in your hand in the back of your head.  Be ready for a different approach.

Simulations are weird.  They are simultaneously the most wonderful thing going and the most terrible.  They allow you to try things quickly, inexpensively and safely that would be slow, expensive and dangerous in the lab.  But they can give spectacularly wrong answers.  Sometimes it is obvious that they are wrong.  Unfortunately sometimes it is not obvious.  By the time you can quickly know the difference, the use of the simulator for training is largely behind you.  Look carefully at any results and realize that if you don't understand something it may not be because of your lack of knowledge.

For most people some sort of visualization tool is very useful.  An oscilloscope is very good for this, but may be beyond your current budget.  A row of LEDs or an LED bar graph can be useful in many situations and can be cobbled out of your junk bin.

yeah and im not sure why the transistor approche did not work, well not in simulation, and sadly were down to one Radioshack, so im breadboard-less so soldering up a circuit to see it not work would be a incredable waste of time.

and without the transistor, resistors before caps...it gave me the infinate discharge to zero...so the voltage would never peak to correct ammount to run LEDS.


so my thought was ok...caps at B gate of transistor, so they would have to charge before that reached the discarge point to open B, and let A--->C and light the lights up...and after the first set of lights...FAIL..

so someone told me about that lovely LM3914 went to Radioshack again...all i got was a 555 becasue they were pretty much out of everything else...no pots, no caps, no other IC's and then i was like.

MAN! i am going to have to wait weeks to get everything cheap from china..AWESOME!!!!!

[Shadetreeprops]

I got Art of Electroincs now, its a pirate PDF. but it will have to do for now. i prefer books. but it will do the trick for now. so again i thank everyone for all their assistance. all comments are duley noted, and taken down in my notebook.

this thread can go the way of the dinosaure..

[CatalinaWOW]

One last post on this thread.

Mouser, Digikey and possibly other distributors are usually cheaper than Radio Shack, have infinitely larger inventories, and ship in a couple of days. 

It is an option that is closer to solving the I got to have it now problem than China.  My experience with China runs from 5 days to 6 weeks, and I live on the West Coast.

[AustinTxBob]

I am liking this book so far. http://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronics-2ed If you get one, be sure to get the 2nd edition though.

[Shadetreeprops]

I am liking this book so far. http://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronics-2ed If you get one, be sure to get the 2nd edition though.

DULELY NOTED THANK YOU!

and to the guy or gal who gave me digikey and other places to look for faster shipping cheaper rates.

[ade]

If Make: Electronics is too basic (or after you've completed it) there is also a follow-up book by the same author, Make: More Electronics which has a ton of more advanced projects.

[MSO]

The book, "Understanding IC Operational Amplifiers" by Roger Melon and Harry Garland,  covers a lot of electronics in just over 100 pages.  Don't let the size fool you, it won't make you into a EE, but it repeatedly pushes the Ah Ha button on almost every page.

I don't know if its still available, I picked up my copy in the early '70s.