Noob lookin' to get smarter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: cjdubea
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 14, 2016, 06:14:00 pm
content: Hi all,First time post. Neat forum.Casual spelunking around the forum for what I'm looking for has not been fruitful, so I'll ask it here:I'm a self employed electro-mechanical engineer working in the underwater robotics (think ROV) industry for longer than I care to admit. I've got a bachelors and masters in Mechanical Engineering and took about a dozen electrical/electronics engineering courses some 20 odd years ago which at the time were leading to a Phd in Electrical Engineering. Unfortunately, life got in the way and the job was not completed.I'm at a juncture in my life where slowing down in my current activities (similar to retirement, but less official) is on the horizon and I'm thinking about the next chapter in my life.I've come back to electronics. Over the years I've obtained a "goodly" amount of OTJ electronics knowledge but I would like to take that a bit further.Toward that end, I've currently got a weeks time allocated next year to enhancing my electronics skills. I'm looking for anin person classroom/hands ondeep dive into the wild world of mosfets, j-fets, zener diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.I've fairly flexible about the where and when (within the continental US), and while cost is a concern, I've got a funds cached for this purpose.Casual Googling around the innerwebs has not provide the guiding light. Any ideas?My apologies if this has been answered before.cheers,chris

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2016, 08:58:08 pm
content: Well, you certainly have the math skills required for electronics. First and second semester calculus come in real handy and differential equations show up with Control Systems.I haven't seen any 'for pay' classes and college classes tend to run at their own pace - not typically one month and not necessarily covering all of your interests in a single course.You could, of course, retire and go back to college. I have thought about that quite a bit over the last 13 years of my retirement. The thing is, I would be taking a seat that would otherwise belong to someone with a future, not a history! And the kids would kick my butt in course work. It would be awkward being older than the professor.Have you given any consideration to the book and lab manual for The Art Of Electronics? I have both volumes and they are on my 'to read' list but I haven't gotten to them as yet. Nevertheless, the lab book is definitely hands on. Experiments to build, measurements to take, calculations to make - all the real world stuff. The text and lab manual work hand-in-hand. They are a great set of books for someone wanting to get involved with electronics while sticking to their interests.Good luck!

author: AustinTxBob
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2016, 09:20:49 pm
content: Welcome to the forum.Not in person but I am looking at this lab book.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/learning-the-art-of-electronics-parts-bomIt seems like it could be very informative.I'm taking classes at the local community college but it is fairly slow paced. I just signed up for their degree program but I'm not going to actually finish it.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 03:31:42 am
content: It's possible a local troll at a makerspace (http://myidiya.com/) could turn-up answers too.

author: cjdubea
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 02:39:46 pm
content: Quote from: rstofer on December 14, 2016, 08:58:08 pmThanks. I may very well go back to school once I "slow down" with what I'm currently doing. I took classes in electronics, analog and digital filters, analog and digital controls, etc,. Did very well in the classes and it always irritated the traditional EE students that the ME had the highest grades....At this stage, I was looking for a"refresher" find of thing. Most of the theory I picked up many years ago has left the building.I've actually got copies of both the AoE and lab manual, just need to get them back from my sonIn looking around and talking with other folks, there doesn't seem to be the kind of short (one week....) course that I was looking for.Appreciate the feedback.chris

author: AustinTxBob
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 07:37:29 pm
content: PS: You might want to change your user name to not be your email address.

author: cjdubea
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 07:41:48 pm
content: Quote from: AustinTxBob on December 15, 2016, 07:37:29 pmEven if I could, and I can't, why would I want to?chris

author: CM800
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 07:56:07 pm
content: Quote from: cjdubea@gmail.com on December 16, 2016, 07:41:48 pmBots crawl across websites and add your email to spam lists for money, then your inbox will suddenly get filled.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 08:33:30 pm
content: Do you have any Uni's close?A good few years ago I "bumped" into a Dr. of EE and when we had a # of interests in common we became good friends. Cut a long story short, now he's retired he still eats, lives and breathes electronics and has been my backstop when further knowledge has been required.If you get to know some staff at your local Uni they might point you to someone (maybe retired) that can help.

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 09:30:12 pm
content: Craigslist (post a job offer)Local schools student employment office (I am sure there are students that know enough to teach)If you have a local maker fair, go there and ask aroundAnd if still no luck try this forum again with a more specific title like "Wanted in xxx a private electronics tutor" and if you are paying well put this in the title. High $$ gets attention.Start a Kickstarter online course that does what you want. You would learn by preparing courses that teach what you want to learn. I came across an author who wrote in his preface, that the only way he could learn was to write a book.Search Youtube and if you find any good videos, share them here. I suggest you use YT filter and start with >20 min videos. Dave has a lot of fundamental videos. I think YT could do what you want if you spend the time looking. Get a down loader and download playlists to make it faster and easier.Good luck

author: w2aew
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 11:12:31 pm
content: I've got a lot of 'back to basics' type tutorials among the 200+ videos on my channel, there may be a few there that you might find helpful.Here's a link to an index / table of contents for all of my videos:http://www.dorkage.com/youtube/W2AEW_video_index.pdfAnd a link to my channel:https://www.youtube.com/w2aew

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 11:14:22 pm
content: Quote from: ez24 on December 16, 2016, 09:30:12 pmI'll second that Youtube idea. Here's some channels that may be of interest (by name, sorry..)/DRIVEAA Computers and TechnologyAbelardo PardoAbom79AfrotechmodsAintBigAintCleverAlan GarfieldAllAmericanFiveRadioAndyDaviesByTheSeaAPH GroupApplied ScienceArrow ElectronicsAvEbigclivedotcomBlue MatterBrek MartinChris BallChris GammellChrisFixCraig HollingerCSTworldCuriousInventorCypress SemiconductorDelcopondDerek MolloyDextersLab2013DIY PerksDr. Ray RidleyDrPhysicsAEdisonTechCenterEEEnthusiastEEVblogEEVblog2El Colo TronicsElectroBOOMElectronics Trivia by Steve WagnerelectronicsNmoreelectronupdateElPaso TubeAmpsEngineering ExplainedGauthier Electric OakvilleGerry SweeneyGrants Pass TV RepairGreatScott!humanHardDriveHydraulic Press ChanneliantubeIBM Internet of ThingsiFixit VideoJack GanssleJeremy Blumjimmydirestajoe smithJohn GammellJohn WardJoop BrokkingJulian IlettJulian's ReviewsKevin DarrahKeysight OscilloscopesKhan AcademykhanacademymedicineKristian_LaholmLabVIEWLabVIEW MakerHublasersaberLearn EngineeringLectures by Walter LewinLonnie HoneycuttLouis RossmannLuís RMake:Mega MechatronicsmikeselectricstuffminutephysicsmisperryMIT OpenCourseWaremjlortonN2CUANerdwriter1NightHawkInLightNode7Novaspirit TechNucleus Medical MediaOnstate LED LightingPatrick Hood-DanielPeter OakesPhysics Videos by Eugene KhutoryanskyPSoC ProjectspsocappsPSoCDesignerQuantum Leaps, LLCRimstarOrgRLScienceroberhiy2Robert BolanosROBRENZRODALCO2007rolinychupetinRoman UrsuHackScotty KilmerScullcom Hobby ElectronicsSDG ElectronicsShopJimmy.comSmarterEveryDayState of ElectronicsSteven CasagrandeSuspicious0bserversTampatecTech ExplorationsTechmoanTechnology - TopicTechquickieTemasInteresantestesla500The 8-Bit GuyThe Post Apocalyptic InventorThe Radio ShopThe Signal PathThe Slow Mo GuysThunderf00tTim WilliamsTimothy SchulzTodd HarrisonTodoElectronica21Veritasiumvk3yeVoltLogVsaucew2aewwattnotions

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 11:46:46 pm
content: Wow, great list Cliff, bookmarked by way of offering thanks.A significant # are members here too.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 17, 2016, 03:58:47 am
content: Quote from: tautech on December 16, 2016, 11:46:46 pmApologies if a few had nothing to do with EE. Some are farm and mechanical stuff, I'll edit..(we should have a sticky for channels with serious EE and another in the MPU & FPGA area for serious coding, but the criteria for submission could be tricky with moderators already overworked..)

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2016, 04:12:34 am
content: I put a copy of Cliff's excellent list here:.... it was moved to here :https://www.eevblog.com/forum/other-blog-specific/dd/msg1093983/#msg1093983

author: cjdubea
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2016, 09:17:49 pm
content: Wow!Great stuff folks.Appreciate the feedback.cheers,chris