Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius, Second Edition

Fully updated throughout, this wickedly inventive guide introduces electronic circuits and circuit design, both analog and digital, through a series of projects you'll complete one simple lesson at a time. The separate lessons build on each other and add up to projects you can put to practical use. You don't need to know anything about electronics to get started. A pre-assembled kit, which includes all the components and PC boards to complete the book projects, is available separately from ABRA electronics on Amazon.

Using easy-to-find components and equipment, Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius, Second Edition, provides hours of rewarding--and slightly twisted--fun. You'll gain valuable experience in circuit construction and design as you test, modify, and observe your results--skills you can put to work in other exciting circuit-building projects.

Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius:

• Features step-by-step instructions and helpful illustrations
• Provides tips for customizing the projects
• Covers the underlying electronics principles behind the projects
• Removes the frustration factor--all required parts are listed, along with sources

Build these and other devious devices:

• Automatic night light
• Light-sensitive switch
• Along-to-digital converter
• Voltage-controlled oscillator
• Op amp-controlled power amplifier
• Burglar alarm
• Logic gate-based toy
• Two-way intercom using transistors and op amps

Table of contents

Part One: Components;
Chapter 1. Components;
Chapter 2. Resist If You Must;
Chapter 3. More Components and Semiconductors;
Chapter 4. Two Projects and Then Some More;
Part Two: Introduction to Digital Electronics;
Chapter 5. Digital Logic;
Chapter 6. The First NAND Gate Circuit;
Chapter 7. Analog Switches for Digital Circuits;
Chapter 8. The NAND Gate Oscillator;
Chapter 9. How Do We Understand What We Can't See;
Chapter 10. Digital Logic Project;
Part Three: Counting Systems in Electronics; Chapter 11. Introducing an Analog-to-Digital Converter;
Chapter 12. The 4017 Walking Ring Counter; Chapter 13. Running a Seven-Segment Display; Chapter 14. Define, Design, and Make Your Own Project;
Part Four: Amplifiers - What They Are and How To Use Them;
Chapter 15. What is an Amplifier?;
Chapter 16. Exploring the Op Amp;
Chapter 17. Applying the Op Amp: Building the Intercom;
Chapter 18. Prototype and Design - Patience Has Its Rewards;
Part Five: Appendices;
Appendix A. Common Component Packaging;
Appendix B. Capacitors: Reading and Decoding;
Appendix C. Animations List;
Appendix D. Glossary;
Appendix E. Make Your Own Printed Circuit Boards;
Index

Biographical note

Dave Cutcher is a former technology and industrial education teacher who designed his own hands-on courses, which resulted in great classroom success and became the basis of the first edition of this book. He currently writes for hobbyist publications such as MAKE Magazine.