Starter supplies

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

I'm just getting started and I can already see I will need some electronic parts.

capacitors- different types
resistors
crystals
IC's
diodes
other things???

I have plenty of LEDS, wire, breadboard, multimeter, power supply, batterys.

Suggestions on what I will need? Hate to start a project and realize I can't start it until I order the parts!

Ideas for what I should keep on hand. Kinda of a "starter set"?

Thanks

2

Resistors - a few hundred ohms is good for LED series current limiting (220, 470).
10k for pull-ups, pull-downs, voltage dividers.

A selection of values is always good to have, you can get kits of several of each E12 value for instance

Capacitors - 100nF ceramic decoupling caps, a dozen or more, some 47uF electrolytics 16V+ would be
a start for larger decoupling values (and work with 12V).

1N4148 signal diodes, or perhaps some schottky diodes, a few 1N4001 or similar rectifier diodes.

Some 2N2222 or better switching BJTs, a MOSFET or two for larger loads.

For driving more loads multiple drivers like ULN2803 can be handy.

For ICs: rail-to-rail opamp(s), lm339 comparator, perhaps a DAC.

Things like MEMS sensors (gyros, accelerometers) can be interesting, lots of possibilities.

But really it depends what you want / need to make.

3

Also, when you are making a project, and need a part that you don't have, don't just buy exactly what you need. Get several of them, and put the extras into a parts box (preferably one with compartments. Over a few projects, you will build up a good inventory of things you know how to use!

4

ChrisTenone:
Also, when you are making a project, and need a part that you don't have, don't just buy exactly what you need. Get several of them, and put the extras into a parts box (preferably one with compartments. Over a few projects, you will build up a good inventory of things you know how to use!

But you will never be able to find that needed part! I know it was here last month!

Paul

5

Thanks, I will look for the items suggested.

MarkT,
I will be building lighting circuits for scale models. I also can see getting into basic sound, such as phaser blasts, explosions, engines noises, snippets of theme music, etc.