Where did you learn electronics?

**templecorran** · 28-07-2009

Originally Posted by HankMcSpank

I bought a PICkit2 (priceless at getting you up & running quick) & then started hanging out on the associated PIC forums - for my needs there's not a lot of depth of knowledge needed. I'd say forget 'assembly' & go with a higher language more suited to PICs ...PICBAsic.

I agree in part, PIC2kit is a very good way to go, plus you get loads of useful utilities and a programmer to boot.
Regarding assembler .. Yes you can exist without it, I do, but you'll need it to debug the code, cos that's all you get to see when you look inside there.

hth
John

**ptjw7uk** · 28-07-2009

Best thing I learnt with valve electronics was to keep one hand in your pocket!

Supposed to stop you getting killed!

Modern electronics with low voltage DC is relatively simple that is excepting flash gun capacitors, lost many the end of a screwdriver on them!

Peter

**HankMcSpank** · 28-07-2009

Originally Posted by ptjw7uk

Best thing I learnt with valve electronics was to keep one hand in your pocket!

Supposed to stop you getting killed!

Peter

That's what they taught me in the Air Force...one hand in the pocket & stay on the rubber mat.

But then they put you in a darkened radar screen room & expect you to fix an in situ module below a screen thats fairly inaccessible - as a cocky/lazy 19yrs old, when you're on bended knees, you lean in to get a place to attach the scope, you place your hand to steady yourself (normally on the chassis), your hand slips when probing the circuit test point, finger goes onto a cap with neg 500V DC on it (with vasts amounts of current delivery capability!) ouch! It...happened a lot!

**AlexBanich** · 29-07-2009

Thanks guys I appreciate the information. I have since the start of this thread started drifting off in to computers. Really working with just hardware and simple programming. I am looking in to communications now. I got an older set of books called Audel's Guide to Electricity. I have somewhat become focused on doing motor rewirings and stuff similar and integrating it in to my circuit board interests. I have started disassembling and reassembling things and making sure they work. Kind of a trying my hand at seeing if I can solder correctly. I'm tinkering, but learning vast amounts of everything.

PS If you have any spare laptops you want to get rid of let me know. I'm building a mountain of legacy laptops. =)