How I learned electronics [video](youtube.com)
youtube.com
How I learned electronics [video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgrubw6B_us
61 comments
Learning electronics does not have to take up much space. You can learn a fair amount with a home lab that fits into a desk drawer and you only need about a square meter of desk space while working.
Lots of people like setting up sprawling labs, but there are a few things to keep in mind:
Parts drawers are an incredibly inefficient way to store components. I picked up a few kits of basic components (resistors, capacitors, LEDs) that come in small compartmentalized containers, then stuck those containers and a few loose parts (breadboards, perfboards, small spools of wire) into a cookie tin.
You only need a small collection of hand tools like wire cutters, wire strippers, a soldering iron, and a multimeter. I even have a small digital oscilloscope/signal generator that hooks up to a computer and is about the size of a multimeter.
Modern microcontroller development boards are a huge space saver. They are compact, easy to repurpose for each project, and remove the need for other equipment in most cases (e.g. they provide rudimentary ADCs/DACs and can power for low power projects).
While there will be limits, the biggest hurdle will be self-restraint.
Lots of people like setting up sprawling labs, but there are a few things to keep in mind:
Parts drawers are an incredibly inefficient way to store components. I picked up a few kits of basic components (resistors, capacitors, LEDs) that come in small compartmentalized containers, then stuck those containers and a few loose parts (breadboards, perfboards, small spools of wire) into a cookie tin.
You only need a small collection of hand tools like wire cutters, wire strippers, a soldering iron, and a multimeter. I even have a small digital oscilloscope/signal generator that hooks up to a computer and is about the size of a multimeter.
Modern microcontroller development boards are a huge space saver. They are compact, easy to repurpose for each project, and remove the need for other equipment in most cases (e.g. they provide rudimentary ADCs/DACs and can power for low power projects).
While there will be limits, the biggest hurdle will be self-restraint.
A hobbyist grade electronics lab doesn't need a lot of space and it's not super expensive either. You can get a lot of projects done with tools and components that fit in a shoe box.
Learning electronics is easier than ever before. You can buy smartphone-sized oscilloscopes for less than $200 or even use your smartphone or computer as an oscilloscope/signal generator if you work with audio frequencies. Or plug in a microcontroller board for a few bucks.
You can find textbooks (e.g. [0]) freely online which would've cost you a fortune back in the day (and still do if you want it on paper).
And finally... We still can buy through hole electronics components you can plug into a breadboard. They are obsolete for almost all industrial uses but still widely available. The supply is dwindling but most common components can still be bought.
I am a bit afraid of what will happen when we can no longer buy components in a large form factor that you can solder by hand or stick in a breadboard.
[0] https://archive.org/details/art-of-electronics-3e
Learning electronics is easier than ever before. You can buy smartphone-sized oscilloscopes for less than $200 or even use your smartphone or computer as an oscilloscope/signal generator if you work with audio frequencies. Or plug in a microcontroller board for a few bucks.
You can find textbooks (e.g. [0]) freely online which would've cost you a fortune back in the day (and still do if you want it on paper).
And finally... We still can buy through hole electronics components you can plug into a breadboard. They are obsolete for almost all industrial uses but still widely available. The supply is dwindling but most common components can still be bought.
I am a bit afraid of what will happen when we can no longer buy components in a large form factor that you can solder by hand or stick in a breadboard.
[0] https://archive.org/details/art-of-electronics-3e
Just curious, I see many people comment on buying or having a oscilloscope for beginning electronics.
My question is how many people actually use these devices for anything other than trivial purposes these days?
I feel that mine just collects dust and takes up space and does not compare to my multimeter which is probably my most used tool, but maybe I'm missing something.
My question is how many people actually use these devices for anything other than trivial purposes these days?
I feel that mine just collects dust and takes up space and does not compare to my multimeter which is probably my most used tool, but maybe I'm missing something.
You will use a multimeter a lot more than an oscilloscope.
An oscilloscope is invaluable if something dynamic isn't working correctly. All that LCR stuff becomes real when you can see it. SPI bus and i2c bus issues become possible to visualize - though a protocol analyzer is even nicer, a scope will do.
An oscilloscope is invaluable if something dynamic isn't working correctly. All that LCR stuff becomes real when you can see it. SPI bus and i2c bus issues become possible to visualize - though a protocol analyzer is even nicer, a scope will do.
I'd say a scope is to EE what gdb is to coding in C/C++. You can reason instead of observe, but observation can be a huge timesaver, especially if it's not your design.
It’s hard to convey how invaluable an oscilloscope is for most electronics labs, at least when you reach the point where you're dealing with your own designs and/or troubleshooting others' flaky designs. Not for use all the time, but for being there if needed. After all, signals in electronics are everywhere, and being able to see a represantation of them takes out so much guesswork from any situation.
You don’t technically need one, but that’ll make a lot of work much harder and some work impossible.
You don’t technically need one, but that’ll make a lot of work much harder and some work impossible.
I only recently bought my first oscilloscope (Telequipment analog CRT scope circa 1964), but I've done electronics for years without one. Mostly audio stuff so I've poked an audio probe in the circuit and listen to the signal rather than look at it.
So no, it's by no means essential but it certainly opens some new doors in the hobby. If you want to build kits, say for guitar pedals (pretty popular electronics-related hobby), you can manage without an oscilloscope.
But for designing experimental circuits from scratch, it's really nice to have one.
And it's just fun to play your guitar with the signal plotted on the warm glowing cathode ray tube.
So no, it's by no means essential but it certainly opens some new doors in the hobby. If you want to build kits, say for guitar pedals (pretty popular electronics-related hobby), you can manage without an oscilloscope.
But for designing experimental circuits from scratch, it's really nice to have one.
And it's just fun to play your guitar with the signal plotted on the warm glowing cathode ray tube.
It's the Gear Acquisition Syndrome. (I got the classic Rigol 1054Z ~6 years ago, and it's collecting dust, but I love to be able to use when needed. Nowadays I'd probably go with a portable one from Banggood).
From my limited experience, oscilloscopes are useful while learning since you can see what is happening in the circuit. For example, you can build an oscillator or filter circuit then have a visual of the results.
In terms of needing one: no, if you can borrow one or have access to someone else's lab. Oscilloscopes have relatively low benefit given the cost. They will either be too low frequency to be of value for many modern applications, or too finicky to learn how to use properly for higher frequency applications (not to mention expensive for higher frequency applications).
In terms of needing one: no, if you can borrow one or have access to someone else's lab. Oscilloscopes have relatively low benefit given the cost. They will either be too low frequency to be of value for many modern applications, or too finicky to learn how to use properly for higher frequency applications (not to mention expensive for higher frequency applications).
In my (also limited) experience I was able to get by with just a high-impedance piezo earpiece I could listen to in order to debug audio-frequency circuits. Ears are surprisingly sensitive detectors and can provide quite a bit of data into your brain. Some higher-frequency circuits you can still debug, but not well or at least not as thoroughly. It's not a perfect solution, but dirt cheap, and consumes a tiny amount of space. It's instant feedback and after a while you can start recognizing (guessing at?) different waveforms and types of signal quirks. I've found that a surprisingly useful part of my kit over the years. Just stay away from high voltage!
The poor-man's scope, yes. I still have an AM-radio-sized battery-operated amplifier from Radio Shack in my toolbox, but it's been a long time since I used it.
An AM radio works too, and works above audio frequencies, wirelessly! The loopstick will pick up harmonics off everything in the circuit so you can hear a lot of what's going on. Helps to know what might be going on though.
I had a boss that had retired the following interview question (maybe it was a PhD qual question, I forget): He'd give the candidate a portable TV and an AM radio and have them measure the horizontal scan frequency of the TV. It was probably a chestnut in some circles.
An AM radio works too, and works above audio frequencies, wirelessly! The loopstick will pick up harmonics off everything in the circuit so you can hear a lot of what's going on. Helps to know what might be going on though.
I had a boss that had retired the following interview question (maybe it was a PhD qual question, I forget): He'd give the candidate a portable TV and an AM radio and have them measure the horizontal scan frequency of the TV. It was probably a chestnut in some circles.
This is for learning electronics. It's very satisfying to see the actual waveform of, for example, an R and a C and to be able to see the effect of changing their values. Or to figure out what you've connected wrong when what you see is not what you expect.
I bought a cheap usb-powered hand-held oscilloscope DIY kit off Aliexpress. It was a fun soldering project and now I have a (very minimalistic) oscilloscope for when I need one (which is very seldom).
scopes are like EEs console.log / print / writeline
Ah, this is such a good textbook! I still have my hardcover 2nd ed. left over from my college days and reference it when I'm trying to figure something out for my hobbies. Thanks for the link to the 3rd ed., I didn't know that existed!
I was thinking about this the other day - what’s the situation like now with the active manufacturing of 7400/4000 series parts in (literally) handy DIP packages and the like?
Personally I prefer surface mount over dip on anything other than when I'm using a solderless breadboard as drilling holes(without messing up traces) is a PITA.
But the DIPs are readily available on the *Zon and for fast delivery too!
Of course SMT also requires somewhat of a lab I suppose as a hot air tool is the way to go.
But the DIPs are readily available on the *Zon and for fast delivery too!
Of course SMT also requires somewhat of a lab I suppose as a hot air tool is the way to go.
I would look for some local hackerspaces. They usually come with a space for electronics, and at least where I live (tho space is not so premium here), you get a key to access the space whenever, if you are a member.
Alternatively, you might have some luck contacting a local university, they might be open to let you use their lab (again, probably for a fee).
Alternatively, you might have some luck contacting a local university, they might be open to let you use their lab (again, probably for a fee).
You don't need a lab: electronics components, breadboards, some arduinos, a multimeter and some small tools are enough to start and learn, but it's true that with 4 people in a 65 sq meter, even that may be too much... maybe you can find a fablab in you city ?
You need like one table somewhere you are able to protect from kids and one shelf in some cabinet. Or put the stuff under the bed. It does not take much space. The simplest is to buy cheap soldiering machine and some cheap soldier-it-yourself kits. Or simply, arduino kit. You will learn basics from that abd be able to move from there.
> how to arrange your lab so you can work efficiently and with as few accidents as possible; how to make a good solder.
There are many videos in youtube, it is genuinely easy. You don't need efficient place as a beginner, but if kids are small, you need to be able to defend table with hot iron so that they dont burn themselves accidentally.
> how to arrange your lab so you can work efficiently and with as few accidents as possible; how to make a good solder.
There are many videos in youtube, it is genuinely easy. You don't need efficient place as a beginner, but if kids are small, you need to be able to defend table with hot iron so that they dont burn themselves accidentally.
Just across the water in Zhuhai here. Used to have some friends doing electronics in HK Island apartments. If you are ruthless about space you can fit a lot in to no space at all. Vertical helps. For an example just look at any phone repair stall. Buy them a beer and chat to them about it. The basics are an oscilloscope, multimeter and soldering iron; a good bench PSU helps. Avoid the yesteryear learning method of storing and manually mounting components, instead order circuit boards with SMT components: far more relevant today and far more efficient in space, time and money terms.
Learned electronics in university, but definitely was able to work on projects in a small apartment later on. Had a small box of electronics stuff that can get put away.
Arduino or various other microcontrollers, multimeter, breadboard, and a bunch of small parts (resistors, capacitors, ICs, LEDs, sensors, wires, etc). Having "lab" gear like an oscilloscope, signal generator is definitely nice but not needed to get started
Arduino or various other microcontrollers, multimeter, breadboard, and a bunch of small parts (resistors, capacitors, ICs, LEDs, sensors, wires, etc). Having "lab" gear like an oscilloscope, signal generator is definitely nice but not needed to get started
I did a fair bit with a solderless breadboard when I was a teenager, components just push into the connectors on the board. Obviously this won't let you use surface mount components but you can get started. If I was that age now then an FPGA dev board would be good too.
Another comment suggested working at a hackerspace, you might need your own "toys" to take there.
Another comment suggested working at a hackerspace, you might need your own "toys" to take there.
An electronics labs needs very little space but I will say one huge thing that helps is a dedicated desk surface to allow you to "save your state". In my last apartment I found moving around tons of tiny components and half finished projects gets very frustrating and makes the hurdle to doing the hobby too high.
You can start with a breadboard, oscilloscope and a set of standard parts (LEDs, resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes). Combine this with a microcontroller you can flash via USB dongle or an RaspberryPi. Should all fit on a desk.
The lab is really only necessary for soldering and creating custom PCBs.
The lab is really only necessary for soldering and creating custom PCBs.
Oscilloscope is probably overkill for starting out, better a good multimeter for much cheaper.
Be careful with the microcontrollers; it's easy to fry them when you make mistakes!
Be careful with the microcontrollers; it's easy to fry them when you make mistakes!
You don't even need a lab for this. You can solder fine on a computer desk and create custom PCBs using software, then send it off to a company to etch it for you.
When I was younger the kitchen table and a piece of cardboard was my soldering station for years. In fact truth be told many times I just bring my equipment out and use it there even now that I have my own place. My workspace is generally crowded where as my table is kept clean.
Very similar to the fact that most people don't have a dedicate place to do a puzzle, a card table or kitchen table will suffice.
Very similar to the fact that most people don't have a dedicate place to do a puzzle, a card table or kitchen table will suffice.
True if you only do DIP, wouldn't recommend it for SMD. Eventually you will need to debug your PCB and solder some fixes, which will be frustrating for SMD parts without the proper equipment.
All you need for simple SMD soldering is a TS100 soldering iron, good solder and good flux. And that's what I would recommend to any beginner, even if they wanted to solder together THT kits.
The only extra tool needed is if you need to replace a chip (or solder some QFNs / BGAs), but the cheapest available hot air station will do just fine.
The only extra tool needed is if you need to replace a chip (or solder some QFNs / BGAs), but the cheapest available hot air station will do just fine.
soldering iron, solder, and solder sucker don't take much space. But start with bread boards, and wire strippers/cutter and a multi meter, then add in a scope. You can do most everything in the same space a keyboard / mouse take up on a desk. Get creative with finding plastic containers to store parts, and then just put them all in a small suit case. If you get the electronics bug, you'll naturally work out how to grow your area. I mostly just stick with a small kit of stuff for random things using dev boards mostly. Once you get confident, you can get boards made for cheap, then solder it together yourself, but you can get a lot of it done for you, which you will want with surface mount components.
I guess start with breadboards? You can get them cheap at SSP WECL - my friend also living in HK made a DIY exhaust duct taped to his window in his room, to generate negative pressure for carrying away the fumes.
As for equipment you can get started with a multimeter.
As for equipment you can get started with a multimeter.
Agree, 100%.
Of all my hobbies, electronics is probably the one that takes the least space. When I was a kid, I had all kinds of fun with those "100 in 1 Electronics" kits that RadioShack sold (smaller than an autoharp). Did not even have a multimeter then, ha ha.
The modern equivalent is indeed a breadboard. You can get component kits that cover the spectrum for resistors and capacitors (the size of a recipe box).
I find a handful of transistors, some op-amps, some IC's can be a lot of fun - but it depends on what you are interested in.
If you just want to learn general electronics (as opposed to say, digital, or audio, etc.) do a Google search for "100 Transistor Circuits", "200 Transistor Circuits", "100 IC Circuits", etc. So much free stuff out there.
And this amazing site:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Popular-Electronics-Guide.htm
Of all my hobbies, electronics is probably the one that takes the least space. When I was a kid, I had all kinds of fun with those "100 in 1 Electronics" kits that RadioShack sold (smaller than an autoharp). Did not even have a multimeter then, ha ha.
The modern equivalent is indeed a breadboard. You can get component kits that cover the spectrum for resistors and capacitors (the size of a recipe box).
I find a handful of transistors, some op-amps, some IC's can be a lot of fun - but it depends on what you are interested in.
If you just want to learn general electronics (as opposed to say, digital, or audio, etc.) do a Google search for "100 Transistor Circuits", "200 Transistor Circuits", "100 IC Circuits", etc. So much free stuff out there.
And this amazing site:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Popular-Electronics-Guide.htm
>I had all kinds of fun with those "100 in 1 Electronics" kits that RadioShack sold
Still available new on ebay fwiw, "Maxitronix." Pdfs of the instructions are around on the web too.
Still available new on ebay fwiw, "Maxitronix." Pdfs of the instructions are around on the web too.
Take things apart that you're interested in and look at the components, look up the datasheets. Only need very basic tools for that (screwdriver etc).
Also, simply browsing through parts catalogues and looking at datasheets can be a great learning experience.
Also, simply browsing through parts catalogues and looking at datasheets can be a great learning experience.
Back when I last visited HK (years ago), Dim Sum Labs would have been a great place to learn electronics.
But as others said, many of us have learned electronics at home in even smaller apartments. You really don't need much to get started.
But as others said, many of us have learned electronics at home in even smaller apartments. You really don't need much to get started.
While a lot of us learned from breadboards, you could go straight into surface mount these days, which takes up a lot less space. Can keep an entire catalogue of parts in the size of a large book.
New channel to follow! Thanks for the share.
I'm a software guy. But I had enough brushes with electronics as a child to use it for hobbies. My first broken device was a speak and spell. I connected wires to random spots to make it "talk funny". My parents first astonished that I was destroying my toys, realized this and pushed me to the electronics section of Radio Shack. Lots of projects starting with the 555 timer IC. I made radios and timers, and connected my computers to things that moved. This microcontroller revolution really has made me wish I had these things growing up.
One important thing though is I had a friend who was at a similar level as myself for grades 5-7. Though he was literally a ham in grade school. We both learned programming around the same time and the back and forth made it seem so much easier than it really was. And we were so much better at recognizing what was going to be useful, popular, powerful when we worked together as compared to working under instruction.
I lost him to a move. And I needed that so much in higher grades. One good industry-centered mentor would have given me so much. But I guess self-motivation is the skill that got me where I am; and I create incredible things on a daily basis. So there's that I guess.
I'm a software guy. But I had enough brushes with electronics as a child to use it for hobbies. My first broken device was a speak and spell. I connected wires to random spots to make it "talk funny". My parents first astonished that I was destroying my toys, realized this and pushed me to the electronics section of Radio Shack. Lots of projects starting with the 555 timer IC. I made radios and timers, and connected my computers to things that moved. This microcontroller revolution really has made me wish I had these things growing up.
One important thing though is I had a friend who was at a similar level as myself for grades 5-7. Though he was literally a ham in grade school. We both learned programming around the same time and the back and forth made it seem so much easier than it really was. And we were so much better at recognizing what was going to be useful, popular, powerful when we worked together as compared to working under instruction.
I lost him to a move. And I needed that so much in higher grades. One good industry-centered mentor would have given me so much. But I guess self-motivation is the skill that got me where I am; and I create incredible things on a daily basis. So there's that I guess.
Another awesome youtube channel (Ben Eater) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0N5baNlQWJCUrhCEo8WlA
Another one (relative newcomer but some great stuff, some a bit samey at the moment, but think he'll go far) - Phil's Lab.
Seconded!
Also quite a lot of fun is Electronoobs - not quite Ben Eater's rigorous approach or info density, but for sure a lot of enthusiastically shared "doing" and inspiration at the beginner level (and analog projects Ben Eater doesn't cover, as he tends to focus on digital logic and signal transmission topics).
Also quite a lot of fun is Electronoobs - not quite Ben Eater's rigorous approach or info density, but for sure a lot of enthusiastically shared "doing" and inspiration at the beginner level (and analog projects Ben Eater doesn't cover, as he tends to focus on digital logic and signal transmission topics).
My favorite is TPAI https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePostApocalypticInventor
He has a very interesting series of videos on repairing a wide variety of things he buys from scrapyards in Germany.
He has a very interesting series of videos on repairing a wide variety of things he buys from scrapyards in Germany.
I've been slowly teaching myself electronics for the last three years. Started by building electronics kits and gradually over time you start to see similarities between the circuits and questions arise..
Why are there small value capacitors near all the power inputs on the various chips? Why do many of the inputs and outputs have the similar value resistors right near them? What are these diodes doing, going from ground towards the power output?
Curiosity leads to understanding, leads to pattern recognition, leads to greater understanding, and so on.. Now I'm building my own circuits from scratch and routing custom boards in KiCad and it just seems like second nature almost. There are still SO many mysteries and so much more to learn, but once you begin to understand the basics that knowledge allows the next step and so on.. I think all you really need to get started is a soldering iron (get one with adjustable temperature, I love my Hakko but started with a cheaper one), decent multimeter (The UT61E is really great and cheap) and some leaded solder (just don't eat it).. There are cheap digital handh-held scopes these days too and you don't HAVE to have a scope right away.
Components are cheap (check tayda electronics) and it's endlessly fun, especially for those with a side gig working on the computer all the time. I find having something 'real' I can tinker with a great hobby and don't see myself ever stopping at this point.
Why are there small value capacitors near all the power inputs on the various chips? Why do many of the inputs and outputs have the similar value resistors right near them? What are these diodes doing, going from ground towards the power output?
Curiosity leads to understanding, leads to pattern recognition, leads to greater understanding, and so on.. Now I'm building my own circuits from scratch and routing custom boards in KiCad and it just seems like second nature almost. There are still SO many mysteries and so much more to learn, but once you begin to understand the basics that knowledge allows the next step and so on.. I think all you really need to get started is a soldering iron (get one with adjustable temperature, I love my Hakko but started with a cheaper one), decent multimeter (The UT61E is really great and cheap) and some leaded solder (just don't eat it).. There are cheap digital handh-held scopes these days too and you don't HAVE to have a scope right away.
Components are cheap (check tayda electronics) and it's endlessly fun, especially for those with a side gig working on the computer all the time. I find having something 'real' I can tinker with a great hobby and don't see myself ever stopping at this point.
If you do well with learning by reading, the US Navy's NEETS modules are well done:
http://www.compatt.com/Tutorials/NEETS/NEETS.html
http://www.compatt.com/Tutorials/NEETS/NEETS.html
How I learnt electronics: Big Clive.
Excellent video.
I like the ‘do’ advice.
> If I had one word of wisdom on learning it’s ‘do’. Don’t wait, ok? You’ll be waiting on Godot.
I like the ‘do’ advice.
> If I had one word of wisdom on learning it’s ‘do’. Don’t wait, ok? You’ll be waiting on Godot.
I've got a dozen tronclub kits completely unopened.
A 200mhz osciloscope I've only used to test the onboard signal generator.
A decent electronic microscope.
Solder paste in my fridge, never opened.
A broken cheap chinese airgun that I was going to repair (I'm pretty sure it's just a capacitor blown out, but I couldn't find the correct value for it).
I'm the opposite of just "do", I research so much ahead of the "do" and the gap gets so big that it just feels incredibly hard to backtrack to where I last actually "did". It's like I eat dessert before the main course and just like my grandma said, I won't eat the main course because I ate the dessert.
I'm the opposite of just "do", I research so much ahead of the "do" and the gap gets so big that it just feels incredibly hard to backtrack to where I last actually "did". It's like I eat dessert before the main course and just like my grandma said, I won't eat the main course because I ate the dessert.
I know the feeling.
And yet. When I was young and poor, a friend lent me his 4-track recorder for just one weekend and I knocked out 5 or 6 songs to make for one side of a cassette tape.
I think being resource-poor made me creative-rich. Now, not so much.
And yet. When I was young and poor, a friend lent me his 4-track recorder for just one weekend and I knocked out 5 or 6 songs to make for one side of a cassette tape.
I think being resource-poor made me creative-rich. Now, not so much.
I understood this to be a game dev procrastinating joke, you'll be waiting for the Godot engine to be mature forever, instead just start making the game.
It turns out that Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett in which two characters engage in a variety of discussions and encounters while awaiting the titular Godot, who never arrives..
It turns out that Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett in which two characters engage in a variety of discussions and encounters while awaiting the titular Godot, who never arrives..
It's not your fault you didn't know this, but it does say something about the breadth of education we receive
It is a classic play, the kind that local theatres regularly stage, I went to see it as a teenager but not through school.
A variant of analysis paralysis
Perfect timing. Thanks for posting this. I recently bought a Microbit V2 and Raspberry Pi Pico with a few sensors and a breadboard. Excited to play with these. Thanks to everyone who've suggested informative sources as well. Cheers.
I recently got this to get me started learning electronics... https://store.arduino.cc/collections/kits/products/arduino-s...
One of the best things I've ever bought.
If you're interested in starting electronics, I recommend getting one of the elegoo ardiuno kits off of amazon. They're a surprisingly good hands on way to learn a bunch of basic theory and how to use common parts and sensors.
It seems like this would be really cool gamified. Such a thing must exist, if so I’d play, if not, I’d wonder why.
this story led me down the rabbit hole to this corner of the internet, must be one of the original of the species:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaXt2quMCoA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaXt2quMCoA
I live in HK, where real estate is at a premium. I’m a family of 4 people, living in a 700 sq-ft home with no garage. (And I’m reckoned to be on the fortunate side of things.)
There is no way I can set up a home lab here.
I know there are circuit simulators, but simulators are not the real thing. I think that simulators (the free ones that I know of anyway) typically don’t simulate random defects and physical variances that you would have to debug and deal with on the real thing.
There are also tangential, and nonetheless practical things that you cannot learn from a simulator: e.g. how to arrange your lab so you can work efficiently and with as few accidents as possible; how to make a good solder.