Schematic Tips Needed

[shellcode]

Hi everybody. I'm a hobbyist who is just getting into the field of electronics. Although I've had no previous experience with electronics I am almost done reading Electricity and Basic Electronics. Every concept is making sense and more importantly, everything seems very interesting. Although all this theory is great I do want to get started with building some real circuits because I think I am ready to handle it and it should be fun as well. However, this is where I am having trouble. Whenever I look at a schematic, even a relatively simple one, I can't seem to figure out where every component should go. I'm not sure if this is a common problem or not with beginners but I am, regardless, having trouble with it. For example: https://www.aaroncake.net/circuits/fmtrans.htm. This is a fairly simple FM transmitter that I thought would make a good first project. Every time I start to breadboard the circuit I get completely confused. So, I am looking for some tips from those who have more experience and/or skill than I do with building circuits. Am I looking at/doing something the wrong way? Should I do some simpler circuits before I try this so that I can get used to reading schematics? If so, which ones? Any help is apperciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[IanP]

Effective way of learning things is to use good examples.
In your case you have a FM-transmitter schematic and the component lay-out with pcb just below the schematic.
Use this component lay-out to position all components on a breadboard; the pcb drawing will show you inter-connections of all components; please note, that the PCB drawing is up-side down and left-to-right, so you will have to look at it from underneath.. Print-out both drawings - possibly 1:2 or in bigger enlargement - place the PCB drawing in correct orientation just below the component lay-out, and look through both - you should be able to identify soldering points and tracks; try to connect your components in similar way (you will be using wires instead)..

So, if all this makes sens to you .. build it !!!

Good luck and regards,
IanP

PS: In this FM-transmitter circuit add 100nF+10µF capacitors accross the battery..
and build yourself a small adjustable power supply so you will be power-independant !!!

 

[sunsina]

Hi,
If You are Amatuer in electronics i will advice you to Not to Try to Build Telecommunication Circuits.

Becasue :
1 - Telecommunication Circuits are Difficult to Desing and Difficult To assemble
2 - For TroubleShooting these kind of Cicuits you Need Expensive Test Equipments
3 - BreadBoard are Not Good for Telecommunication Circuits to Assemble
Because They Have internal Capacitance and this make many Problems in High
Frequency implementaiton.
4- Many Experianced Have Many Problems in Assmbling RF Boards
5- Its Better to try Simple Transmitter (AM is Better) and Then Try Complicated Ones

 

[shellcode]

Thanks for the replies.

IanP:
The image of the PCB layout is so small that I can't see make it out well at all. Any enlargement just blurs it so that it is just as difficult to make out. Regardless, unless I am mistaken, most circuits will only provide you with a schematic (and not a PCB layout) from which one should be able to recreate the circuit. Doesn't using the PCB layout defy the point of helping me learn to create circuits from schematics?

sunsina:
Thanks for the advice. I'm just building this circuit to help me build up my skills. I don't expect it to work very well at all, I just want it to do something.

Thanks again.

 

[IanP]

Try to redraw this PCB on a raster paper (0.1"). Measure all components you intend to use in this circuit and confront them with what you see on this drawing and accept, or if your component is bigger/smaller correct its position and pins on your drawing.
Remember, good drawing is worth millions; it is your plan, so if you spend more time planning - how and where position certain components - the less time you will waste during construction phase.

Typical approach in designing PCBs is to make them as small as possible. When you start learning PCB design, I would not worry much about this issue. Make your first PCBs of convinient size, so when you wire them up you have enough room for connections.

Other thing is that you can learn how to develop your own PCB at home using plain PCB, PCB marker and etchant ..

Regards,
IanP