Most comprehensive electronics learning/project kit? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: dan46n2
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 12:23:23 am
content: I'm looking for an electronics learning/project kit for a high school student that is wanting to get into the hobby as a birthday present. Does anyone have suggestions?

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 01:30:45 am
content: The tutorial.pdf in this kit is amazing! There's a lot of learning and it is all very well spelled out. All of the code is given in C/C++. EVERYTHING is explained down to the beginner level.I highly recommend it!https://www.amazon.com/Freenove-Ultimate-Compatible-Programming-Electronics/dp/B08B4D5MV5You can preview the tutorial from this .zip file:https://git.io/JJJX6ETA: The kit includes an Arduino clone and programming cable.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 08:43:31 am
content: How about a PC with an internet connection?Maybe combined with a little budget for small parts.But the subjects are wide and diverse, from analog electronics, basics of resistors, capacitors, transistors, to Opamps and analog IC's to the digital stuff from uC's, FPGA's and software, to the philosophies and differences between commercial products and FOSS.I sort of like the "60 sensor kits" (or was it 80?). But without some microcontroller board you can't do much with them.It also depends on the character of the kid. Is he a practical guy who likes to build stuff, or more theoretical and likes to know more about the internals that make things tick?"Arduino" is a popular choice for beginners, because it's conceived to be simple to start with, but it also has a bunch of very serious drawbacks. The most important probably is that it learns bad habits from the beginning which you have to unlearn later and a very simple / crippled "IDE" (java contraption) Which lacks basic functionality such as decent code highlighting and code completion. It also tries very hard to hide everything, which makes it less suitable as a learning tool. It even hides the compiler errors so it's more difficult to correct your own code.Edit:I had a peek at the Freenove starterkit documentation suggested by rstofer and it looks like quite a nice introduction to get started with microcontrollers (even I still don't like "arduino")For some next steps, switch (pretty quick) from the arduino ide to something better, Platromio, or whatever development environment Microchip offers these days.Get a few extra of the "arduino" boards. The're quite easy to get damaged by inexperienced people, and the smaller "arduino nano" boards fit better on breadboards, though you may have to solder the connectors yourself. The AN8008 is also a pretty good compromise between the cheapest garbage meters and expensive high quality stuff. I would never buy cheaper then the AN800x and never more expensive then the Brymen meters.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 02:43:53 pm
content: That Starter Kit I linked above doesn't spend any time on the fundamentals of electricity. Among other things, it doesn't talk about calculating the ballast resistor for an LED. There are other sources...One thing that might be useful is a DMM and there are plenty of threads on which one to buy. Google for 'eevblog dmm' to see what Dave has to say on the subject. #91 for $50 meters and #99 for $100 meters.Video #1007 talks about the Aneng AN8008 which is pretty much my go-to meter on the bench. Sure, I have a Fluke 189 (very high dollar), Dave's BM235 and 121GW along with several others but the one I use is the cheap one. Just promise to never ever use it on mains voltages - the safety rating is very likely bogus.Given that you will ultimately need 3 meters (perhaps even 4), you can buy the fully rated blast proof model a little later on.My other favorite cheap meter is the ZT-X. I love the bright display, Dave hates it. #1095And that's what you will find when you start chasing DMMs down a rabbit hole. Ask 2 people, get 3 opinions and no agreement whatsoever.You can read for yourself what the CAT rating business is all about. To me, for a DMM on my bench, the ratings are meaningless. I have other tools for working with mains.https://content.fluke.com/promotions/promo-dmm/0518-dmm-campaign/dmm/fluke_dmm-chfr/files/safetyguidelines.pdf

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 03:21:26 pm
content: To make good recommendations we need to know more about the student.The trick is to meet the student where they are. Too simple a kit and the student will be bored, too complex and they will give up. The ideal kit would start at a level and in an area where the the student is challenged and also has some success/progress, and therefore helps build self-motivation. HS is not too late or too early to build a passion for electronics, we just need some idea of where this particular student has been and maybe some idea of where they want to go.How much computer using or building experience does the student have? Any software coding classes or experience? How much math and physics has the student had? What does the student enjoy? Not enjoy? Are they conversant with Ohm’s law or never heard of it? Do they have/like tools? HS students can be anywhere from zero insight regarding electricity to way down the path building and programming robots. As Number 5 in Short Circuit would say “Input, input, need more input.”

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 04:01:26 pm
content: This might a good introduction to the subject:https://www.elenco.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/PK-101_REV-G-3.pdfElenco has a kit of parts you can buy (make sure you get a breadboard as well):https://www.elenco.com/product/basic-electronic-experiments/Also check Amazon.

author: Alaezae
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 04:08:17 pm
content: As a high school student myself, I got interested in electronics through a robotics program, but what I really spend most of my time on now is radio. Radio can encompass all sorts of beginner level projects that actually make something that’s cool in the end (well, nowadays I can only get boring talk radio on AM bands, but it’s still cool be able to hear someone talking out of something you built).If they want to learn fundamentals, start with a crystal radio. If they like math, have them read the impedance section in chapter one of art of electronics and then they can understand how the resonant circuit works. If they like physics and chemistry go have them learn about the Phsyics of diodes, that’s a hole all in itself. You can improve on the radio as well by adding a preamplifier (have them read chapter 2 of the art of electronics) and do all sorts of neat things.If they like practical things, one of the first projects I did was to make a Morse code key out of junk from my garage. It doesn’t work great, but I learned Morse code! If they like microcontrollers and digital electronics there are tons of those kinds online. I don’t know, maybe some people disagree with me but simple radio stuff can create a lot of beginner projects

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 04:47:50 pm
content: I will almost always try to direct newcomers to things that do something - robotics. But first we need sensors and that's what the Freenove kit I linked above is all about.Nevertheless, there are other places to play in the electronics sandbox and, like most, I started with radio - back in the '50s when choices were limited. Today I don't play in that space but a lot of others doGo to Amazon and search for 'elenco radio kit'. There are several and they all require soldering which, obviously, requires a soldering iron and accessories. This is the one I bought for my grandson:https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B00ANZRT4MAmazon has a bunch of no-name soldering stations as well.This Weller might work very well:https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WE1010NA-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B077JDGY1JMaybe do a search around here for 'soldering station', it comes up from time to time.In the Starter Kit linked above, soldering doesn't come up until the last chapter in the tutorial.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 05:43:11 pm
content: I bought a EUR350 Weller, the TS80 some years ago and I don't like it at all.Wellers are far to expensive for the quality they deliver.For an affordable soldering iron the TS100 (with LCD in the handle) is a popular choice, but it also has some disadvantages. I don't like the length of the thing, and there is a very limited amount of tips available.There are plenty of Hakko clones on Ali / Ebay / China, and as with everything from that part of the world, quality varies. Sometimes it helps to not buy the cheapest, but add 20% or so to the price.With the Hakko clones you can have a decent iron for a small price and compatibility with plenty of tips.For myself, I would buy one of the rectangular boxes and a PCB that fits and the're sold as "kits".

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 06:28:26 pm
content: There a decent selection of tips for the Hakko FX-888Dhttps://www.amazon.com/Weller-WE1010NA-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B077JDGY1JI realize it's just me and my projects but I have never replaced the 1.6mm chisel. It is small enough for SMD and still seems to work well for drag soldering. For the FX-888D, that tip is the T18-D16.More expansive kits are farther down the page.It might be worth searching here on eevblog for soldering stations. See what people like and what they don't.Many of the Hakko clones are junk but there may be a gem here and there. I have the iconic Hakko 936 and it's been pretty good. There are quite a few on eBay for around $100, some less, some much less but lacking the iron. Most are 'pre-owned'.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2020, 08:05:38 pm
content: First you need to ask the student what they mean when they say "electronics". If it's programming, then get one of the Arduino type kits. If it's building stuff out of components and understanding how things work at that level, look for one of the educational type "Lab" kits.https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-300-in-One-Electronic-Project-Lab/dp/B00005K86O