Getting Started

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\| Getting Started \| Preparations \| Basic Analog Circuits \|
\| Breadboard Sockets \| Experimental Components \| Handling Components \| Sorting Components \| Test Instruments \| Power Supplies \|

Getting Started

Before we can start building and testing any circuits, we need to get organized. We must have some sort of test bed where we can build our experimental circuits, and we will need appropriate power supplies to energize those circuits. We will also need test equipment – a voltmeter at the very least – to measure the behavior of the circuit.

Of course, all of this can be done in virtual mode, with programs such as Spice or Matlab. However, such simulators have their limits. At some point you will need to get your hands on the actual hardware and work with it, even if you occasionally destroy a component here or there. Thus, the experiments on these pages use real components and real equipment. This in turn requires some knowledge of how to properly handle all the components, and how to identify them.

This is where we begin.

Experimenting with Real Circuits: The general requirements for performing experiments with physical components.
Breadboard Sockets: The first thing you need is a place to construct your experimental circuit.
Experimental Components: Now that we have a place to build experimental circuits, we also need the components that will be used to build the circuits.
Handling Components: Most components are pretty rugged and can stand up to ordinary handling. But it is still possible to break them if you're too rough.
Sorting Components: If you have your components sorted out in a reasonable fashion, it is very easy to find the part you need.
Test Instruments: Experimenting with circuits implies that you can measure their performance. This is done with test instruments.
Power Supplies: You also need one or more power supplies to energize your experimental circuits. Here we'll look at common requirements. The next step will be to build working supplies for your experiments.