Electronics - Lessons

Basics of Quality Soldering. How to Learn to Solder Basics of Soldering Various Soldering Methods Soldering Printed Circuit Boards Enameled Wire Connection Technique Basics of Soldering The first thing you need to do is prepare everything necessary for soldering electronic components: a soldering iron, a soldering iron stand, a wooden block, solder, flux, pliers or tweezers, and wire cutters. Before soldering, the soldering iron must be prepared. To do this, use a file to shape the tip of the soldering iron at a 45-degree angle ( this is especially true for a new soldering iron, as the anti-burn coating on a new tip prevents tinning and, consequently, picking up solder ). After cleaning the tip, plug the soldering iron into the mains. When it heats up to the melting point of the solder, slightly process the tip with the file once more until the working part shines, and immediately touch the flux a...

THE ABCs OF SHORTWAVE (SW) RADIO From the moment radio was invented up to the present day, its primary application has been the transmission of information from one point to another — radio communication. The possibility of using radio waves to transmit messages over a distance was first demonstrated in 1896 by the inventor of radio, A. S. Popov. And although the world's first radiogram consisted of only two words ("Heinrich Hertz") and covered a distance of 250 meters, the foundation was laid. Radio communication quickly gained widespread acceptance. Radio stations appeared on ground facilities and ships, on aircraft, and on spacecraft. Radio penetrated military affairs and firmly entered everyday life. The tremendous popularity of radio was largely promoted by enthusiastic amateurs who selflessly devoted their time and energy to experiments. One of the first radio amateurs in Russia was the famous Russian scientist M. A. Bonch-Bruevich. Back in 1906, he bui...

1-TRANSISTOR AM RADIO RECEIVER: A PERFECT PRACTICE PROJECT Building a 1-transistor AM radio receiver is an absolute classic in the world of electronics. It is one of the most rewarding practice projects for beginners, bridging the gap between a basic crystal radio and a fully amplified superheterodyne receiver. Below is a detailed breakdown of the components and the circuit operation. Transistor (Q1): An NPN transistor (such as the popular 2N2222, BC547, or BC108) acts as the audio signal amplifier. Diode (D1): A Germanium diode (like the 1N34A). Note: Germanium is crucial here! Unlike silicon diodes (which drop 0.7V), germanium diodes only drop 0.2V-0.3V, making them sensitive enough to demodulate weak AM radio frequency (RF) signals. Audio Transformer (T1): An output matching transformer. It matches the high output impedance of the transistor's collector to the low impedance (usually 8 ohms) of the speaker. Capacitors: C_tun...

UNDERSTANDING CRYSTAL OSCILLATORS: THE HEARTBEAT OF DIGITAL ELECTRONICS In digital electronics and radio engineering, timing is everything. Just like a human heart keeps a steady pulse, a digital circuit requires a highly precise and unwavering time base to coordinate its operations. This vital function is performed by a fundamental electronic component: the Crystal Oscillator . Below is a detailed breakdown of how this remarkable component works, its internal structure, and its key applications in modern technology. Pierce Crystal Oscillator Circuit INV XTAL Quartz Crystal C1 C2 Stable Clock Output Uniform Square Wave for Digital Circuits Fig 1. Standard Pierce Crystal Oscillator configuration and its square wave output. 1. What is a Crystal Oscillator? A Crystal Oscillator is an electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical r...

TRANSISTOR AUDIO FREQUENCY AMPLIFIERS. POWER AMPLIFIERS By the request of site visitors, I present an article entirely dedicated to transistor amplifiers. In, we briefly touched upon the topic of transistor amplification stages, so with this article, I will try to fill in all the gaps regarding transistor amplifiers. Some of the theoretical foundations presented here are valid for both transistor and vacuum tube amplifiers. At the beginning of the article, we will overview the main types and methods of connecting amplifier stages. Later, we will look at the main pros and cons of single-ended transformer and transformerless amplifiers. We will also pay special attention to push-pull transformer and transformerless amplifiers, as they are widely used and of great interest. Finally, just like in previous lessons, there will be practical work at the end. This article does not differ from the regular lessons, with the only difference being that this and all subsequent articles will...