Electronics as a hobby

[raleighnut]

I always fancied having a go at one of these,
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...s.html&usg=AFQjCNGpdOm996pPW8d-IxUapU3repPe7w

 

[srw]

I need a new hobby.

Take up cycling? I've heard it's quite fun, gets you out of the house and keeps you fit.

So they tell me.

 

[subaqua]

Get yourself an arduino, breadboard, some LEDs, switches, resistors and play around. Then progress to designing a small project with a veroboard and a soldering iron plus a whole batch of input/outputs. You can add all sorts of things like wifi or motors or sensors or displays.

Maplins will be your friend.

this.

I started my boy off with a kit from maplin https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/tronex-amazing-144-science-lab-electronic-kit-a92jg the book explains whats going on and that will help you think about building other things.
now he has access to my old breadboards ( prototype board) and components. working on his soldering and veroboard over the winter.

 

[Crackle]

this.

I started my boy off with a kit from maplin https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/tronex-amazing-144-science-lab-electronic-kit-a92jg the book explains whats going on and that will help you think about building other things.
now he has access to my old breadboards ( prototype board) and components. working on his soldering and veroboard over the winter.

I got something very similar when I was about 11 or so, a 65 in 1 electronics kit. I doubt that my father who gave it to me or I when I built all the kits in it, including an fm transmitter from which me and my mates ran a street pirate radio station for a while, would realize it's influence on my own son. I gave it to him one year and though he reported a lot of the components had now failed, it kindled an interest in electronics which he did for A level and is now in London doing triple E with accommodation at eye watering London prices. All of that from a simple electronics kit passed down a generation.

Now it may shock people to know but I am roughly going to follow Markymarks advice, possibly a forum first.

 

[subaqua]

I got something very similar when I was about 11 or so, a 65 in 1 electronics kit. I doubt that my father who gave it to me or I when I built all the kits in it, including an fm transmitter from which me and my mates ran a street pirate radio station for a while, would realize it's influence on my own son. I gave it to him one year and though he reported a lot of the components had now failed, it kindled an interest in electronics which he did for A level and is now in London doing triple E with accommodation at eye watering London prices. All of that from a simple electronics kit passed down a generation.

Now it may shock people to know but I am roughly going to follow Markymarks advice, possibly a forum first.

Street Pirate radio stations seemed to be a common thing for teenage boys to do. I did too . its where I learned about triangulation and how it can be used to pinpoint the transmitter .....

 

[ColinJ]

I got something very similar when I was about 11 or so, a 65 in 1 electronics kit. I doubt that my father who gave it to me or I when I built all the kits in it, including an fm transmitter from which me and my mates ran a street pirate radio station for a while, would realize it's influence on my own son. I gave it to him one year and though he reported a lot of the components had now failed, it kindled an interest in electronics which he did for A level and is now in London doing triple E with accommodation at eye watering London prices. All of that from a simple electronics kit passed down a generation.

I started with a kit too!

Good luck to your son - E&E Engineering definitely is not a 'soft' degree. My typical week was 4.5 days of lectures and labs, 5 hours of computer work at the university and 20-30 hours of assignments, studying and programming back at my flat.

 

[Crackle]

Street Pirate radio stations seemed to be a common thing for teenage boys to do. I did too . its where I learned about triangulation and how it can be used to pinpoint the transmitter .....

Well I don't think we were a nuisance long enough to be targeted but the transmitter, which we modified to make it more powerful was certainly a nuisance as it was all over the FM band and reached a few streets away. It's potential was pointed out to us by a mates dad who was an amateur Ham enthusiast with an illegal transmitter and no licence. Now he did get caught and his equipment photographed and seized. But between the photographs and the seizure, he managed to swop the insides out of the box. of course back then he was using old valve sets. His shed was a fascinating kaleidoscope of valve lighting.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Now it may shock people to know but I am roughly going to follow Markymarks advice, possibly a forum first.

 

[Crackle]

I started with a kit too!

Good luck to your son - E&E Engineering definitely is not a 'soft' degree. My typical week was 4.5 days of lectures and labs, 5 hours of computer work at the university and 20-30 hours of assignments, studying and programming back at my flat.

It's not easy but I was fascinated to find out that all the lectures are recorded these days and available on the university intranet. So if he misses one or for revision purposes, he can watch the lecture again.

 

[dodgy]

@Crackle Those recommending Ham Radio are spot on, I think. It was the first thought in my head when I came to reply to your post, but others had already done the same
You're in luck on Wirral, there's a local club that meet at Irby Cricket Club, I haven't been, but I hear they're a friendly lot and they have a structure in place to help new joiners learn and progress. The website is a bit early 1990s http://www.wadarc.com/

I'm a lapsed ham, last operated on the Falkland Islands in 1991 but didn't keep it up when I got home, but I'm planning on returning to it when I retire.

 

[Markymark]

I got something very similar when I was about 11 or so, a 65 in 1 electronics kit. I doubt that my father who gave it to me or I when I built all the kits in it, including an fm transmitter from which me and my mates ran a street pirate radio station for a while, would realize it's influence on my own son. I gave it to him one year and though he reported a lot of the components had now failed, it kindled an interest in electronics which he did for A level and is now in London doing triple E with accommodation at eye watering London prices. All of that from a simple electronics kit passed down a generation.

Now it may shock people to know but I am roughly going to follow Markymarks advice, possibly a forum first.

You are very wise. Interestingly enough my degree was Electical and Electronic engineering. It is blindingly obvious that your son is seeing me as a role model and choosing to live in London no less. And who knows where it will lead, you may well have a future Markymark in the making, can you imagine??? I mean, it's awesome being me but I am jealous of my family having someone like me as a relative.

 

[subaqua]

Well I don't think we were a nuisance long enough to be targeted but the transmitter, which we modified to make it more powerful was certainly a nuisance as it was all over the FM band and reached a few streets away. It's potential was pointed out to us by a mates dad who was an amateur Ham enthusiast with an illegal transmitter and no licence. Now he did get caught and his equipment photographed and seized. But between the photographs and the seizure, he managed to swop the insides out of the box. of course back then he was using old valve sets. His shed was a fascinating kaleidoscope of valve lighting.

I think it was a Ham operator that had a word with the authorities.

The guy from the radio authority who came and had a word with us was great and gave advice about a career in electronics. sadly I have forgotten huge amounts but the kit i got for the boy has helped immensely

 

[Crackle]

You are very wise. Interestingly enough my degree was Electical and Electronic engineering. It is blindingly obvious that your son is seeing me as a role model and choosing to live in London no less. And who knows where it will lead, you may well have a future Markymark in the making, can you imagine??? I mean, it's awesome being me but I am jealous of my family having someone like me as a relative.

Yeah; I haven't forgotten you struggling to wire a headphone jack into your daughters cd player.

 

[Markymark]

Yeah; I haven't forgotten you struggling to wire a headphone jack into your daughters cd player.

Worked a treat though, she loves it.

 

[Crackle]

You are very wise. Interestingly enough my degree was Electical and Electronic engineering. It is blindingly obvious that your son is seeing me as a role model and choosing to live in London no less. And who knows where it will lead, you may well have a future Markymark in the making, can you imagine??? I mean, it's awesome being me but I am jealous of my family having someone like me as a relative.

Oh yeah; he's living South of the river, so he's probably dead to you.