Electronics > Beginners
Reapproaching learning electronics
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s8548a:
How about the edX Circuits and Electronics series?

https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circuit-mitx-6-002-1x-0
https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-2-amplification-mitx-6-002-2x-0
https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-3-applications-mitx-6-002-3x-0

Anybody has enrolled?
rstofer:

--- Quote from: s8548a on December 31, 2018, 08:23:17 am ---How about the edX Circuits and Electronics series?

https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circuit-mitx-6-002-1x-0
https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-2-amplification-mitx-6-002-2x-0
https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-3-applications-mitx-6-002-3x-0

Anybody has enrolled?

--- End quote ---

No although I have read about these courses before.  Prerequisites:


--- Quote ---Prerequisites
High school mathematical background of working with algebraic equations and basic calculus, and a high school physics background including the basics of electricity and magnetism.

--- End quote ---
High school calculus?  It's good that Khan Academy can fill in the gaps.
cepwin:
You might also take a look at Udemy....they often have sales where good classes are available for less than $20 US.  Once class I'm going though now is "Crash Course Electronics and PCB Design" which combines theory with hands on.  I picked it up on sale for $10 and if you take a look there is a lot there.   This is just one of a number of classes.  I was less enamored by "The Complete Electric Circuits Course" as it's strictly theory and it didn't have great production values (sometimes phone video, writing on paper sheets,etc.)
rstofer:

--- Quote from: cepwin on January 01, 2019, 02:16:38 am ---You might also take a look at Udemy...

--- End quote ---

The quality varies considerably among the programs.  Sometimes there is a language issue - the courses are in English, no problem, but the dialect may be an issue.

Still, the courses are cheap enough to try.

I'm still pretty convinced that hobbyists can get by with Ohm's Law plus Kirchhoff's Laws for a good long while.  Add in the results of the capacitor and inductor equations, without stumbling over the derivations, and a lot of electronics can be done.  Bringing in things like transistor amplifiers really just requires Ohm and Kirchhoff.  Same with op amps.  We're just reusing simple concepts.

That's a lot of electronics without needing very much in the way of math.  Of course, matrix algebra will come up with mesh and nodal analysis.  Use a solver!  Octave should be a good (free) choice.  That MATLAB book I linked above has examples.  That's about as hard as it has to get at a hobby level.  But some hobbyists want to go further.  That might take a little more math or at least understanding the results of higher level derivations.  FFT comes to mind.  It's the kind of thing you can do with a solver (Octave) without getting too bogged down in the details.  Many scopes do it like magic.
MrAl:
Hello there,

I think i understand what you are going through because at one time i went though the same thing almost.  I was very young and had no education in electronics yet and i was trying to get through a grad level DSP book.  I stared at it for hours at a time trying to make sense of it, even just what each symbol meant.  It took a lot more preparation before i was able to read that book cover to cover.

I've worked with many beginners on line and through the email systems as well as in real life person to person.  One thing i noticed is that people like to have some idea why they are learning something.  Why do we need c=a+b, who cares.  Why do we need E=R*I, what for.  Most books dont go into detail about the why just the how.  Knowing why peaks your interest because once you know why you understand why you should learn that.  I have one friend that knew nothing about electronics when we first met, now he uses transistors and Arduino.

It appears that you could use some detailed help to get you started.  I would help through the email system if you like.
You should note however that the minimum math you would need to start would be algebra.  If you dont know at least some algebra you are not going to like doing the problems.  Even the simpler problems which would start you going like resistor circuits.  Series, parallel, voltage sources, current sources.  That's how you start.  What you learn is quickly applicable to more advanced circuits.  If you know complex math you can do AC circuits almost right after the DC circuits.  If you use math software you can go even farther.
If this sounds interesting to you let me know and i'll send you my email address, with the stipulation that you dont give it out.
Again to start we would use resistors and voltage sources.
For Lab work you would need to purchase some parts.  Some small resistors, maybe a battery holder and batteries or a small power supply.  Resistors are cheap, battery holders not expensive either.  Depending on what power supply you want, it could be just a wall wart or a full blown power supply with meters.  You would get this stuff online at your favorite parts place.

Take care for now,
Al

PS
Almost forgot to mention, that if you know algebra going to complex math isnt that big of a jump for use in AC circuit theory.
If you dont know any algebra, you would really have to study that a little first or concurrently.
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