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pserwylo | 3 years ago
1. "YouTube University" as per the top comment on this HN post [0]. I watch a few videos on the train to work or when winding down in my spare time. Over the past few months I've come to appreciate certain channels, your learning style may prefer others, but my list includes: The Engineering Mindset, Ben Eater, EEVBlog, learnelectronics, and ElectroBOOM, as well as whatever else I stumble upon when searching specific topics.
2. Reading theoretical concepts from text books. I've read https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/ recommended elsewhere in these comments and found it very well written for someone like myself just starting out. It covers the full gamut covering basic movement of electrons through to practical stuff - indeed much like the Ben Eater YouTube channel does).
3. Practicing mechanical skills like soldering (which also results in earning things I didn't know I needed to learn, such as "how do you keep this thing still while trying to work on it").
4. Prototyping with breadboards - both projects including micro controllers and those focusing on discrete electronics. This feels most like a literal application of my software dev skills, but with all of the theoretical electronics stuff sprinkled in. Although starting with just a basic collection of a few resistors, capacitors, LEDs, transistors was fine, now I enjoy having a steady stream of orders from AliExpress coming in. Each one is only the price of my morning coffee but takes a month to arrive, so whenever I am working on something and think I am lacking the components, I'll place an order then forget about it until it arrives.
5. Pulling apart things to see how they work - this is extremely satisfying because it helps not just with learning about how people lay out electronics projects, but also how the physical connections are made - how are PCBs mounted, where are springs and screws and other bits placed. It also helps practice desoldering skills.
6. Designing PCBs and getting them printed. It only costs about $5 to get a few copies of a PCB printed and mailed to you, designed using the free software KiCad. When I've got a toy project that worked on a breadboard, then also worked on a prototype board, I then go and design a PCB to print. So far in 2 months I've designed and printed 3 boards. This is also extremely satisfying, and also helps learn more skills on the software and design side of things.
Finally, I share liberally with my friends via SMS when I make progress. I have a few close friends who are good at electronics but don't do it professionally. By sharing my progress with them, I have people ask me how it is going, which keeps me honest and makes me want to keep making progress.
After 2 months of spending an hour or so each night after the family goes to bed, I feel like this time I may actually pick up the skills I wanted. Previous attempts over the past 10 years have all failed due to lack of motivation.
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