New electronics hobbyist looking for good projects to start on!

[RadioShackNY]

I am a manager at a Radio Shack and thought I ought to master the one part of the store I'm still clueless on. The parts drawers. Well, not clueless, but I'm certainly below the level of most of my parts customers. I am decent at soldering, and the kits like the Velleman FM radio are too easy. I want some good scratch project ideas that I can do straight from my parts drawers . (Including PCB etching.) Anyone have any good ideas? 

 

[Hero999]

Maybe the first thing you should learn is that RadioShack is a poor place to buy electronic components. It's much better to look online, most people here buy from: Digikey, Farnell and RS Components because they stock a greater range, at more reasonable prices. RadioShack have a limited selection of often poor quality parts for several times the price.

What interests you?

Looking for online electronics tutorials is a good starting point.

 

[RadioShackNY]

I think I need to stay away from IC's, simply because i need to master simple circuits. I really was thinking of a 110 light dimmer, perhaps one I can insert between a bulb and lamp.
As for The Shack....I have gotten some parts on-line, but when I need a quick part to substitute what ever part was left out of my order, I hope The Shack still has them! It's hard to justify carrying lots of parts when they don't pay the bills anymore!

 

[Bikerman]

Tons of circuit online

http://www.seekic.com/circuit_diagram/Electrical_Equipment_Circuit/Improved_lamp_dimmer.html

http://www.seekic.com/circuit_diagram/Electrical_Equipment_Circuit/Low_cost_lamp_dimmer.html

and so on

Don't go and kill your self

 

[jwil]

try a site called

radio-circuits.com

 

[Hero999]

try a site called

radio-circuits.com

Why would anyone want to go there?

It's just a load of crappy circuits copied from other sites, nothing new nor innovative.

 

[markbool1]

Hello Friends try this site for electronics projects.

electronicsforu.com/electronicsforu/lab

 

[Trevcharl]

I wouldnt be too prejudiced against IC's for todays circuits one uses two main things and that is op amps and 555 timer IC's. There are many circuits one can build around these two devices, and what is really nice about IC's is one can replace them without too much hassel if you use IC sockets!

I designed a PCB for a dual op amp, that facilitates 20 different circuits. The op amp is a simple little device, for instance if you want an amp with a gain of 10 you will need 3 resistors and two caps. The gain is determined by the ratio of two of the resistors.  One gets a "Power op amp" (TDA2003)  that 4 resistors and 4 caps. One will have to scrounge around the websites for circuit diagrams, but if you get stuck contact me, I can email you diagrams, and pcb layouts too if need be.

The very first thing you should be building is a variable power supply, once you have that done you now have a power source to test anything else you want to build.
cheers  [email protected]

 

[Falcon11]

Hi,

Stay away from High Voltage circuits until you have mastered the basics. Forrest Mims has written several great little books on electronics just for Radio Shack  get them and start there, Good Luck

 

[audioguru2]

RadioShack is gone from Canada because they sold cheap Chinese parts (audio cables for example) at 10 times the price for exactly the same junk as sold at The Dollar Store. I returned to RadioShack the cable I bought at The Dollar Store and got my ripped off money back.

Some RadioShack stores in Canada were sold to Circuit City then they sold them to Bell Canada. The new name is The Source.

I recently bought a toy there on sale and of course the salesman tried to sell me a cell phone. I didn't buy the phone.