Basic Electronics Concepts - FREE for students

 

This 2-session, 4-hr course, taught in person in Natick, is an Introduction to Basic Electronics Concepts. The course is optimized for middle school students entering grade 4 and up, and teens and parents are welcome, too.  You'll learn about basic Direct Current (DC) circuits, build projects that teach about diodes, polarity, voltage, current, capacitance, resistance, and other fundamental concepts in electronics.

Session 1: You will receive an Elenco Electronics Playground EP-50 kit where we connect circuits and learn how they work - no soldering required. You may keep the kit when you finish the workshop, a $25 value.

Session 2: You will explore the concepts of radio, discuss wireless communications in everyday life, and learn to solder electronics parts onto a circuit board to make an FM radio receiver. You will keep the radio when you finish, a $12 value.

NEXT COURSE DATES:
Wednesdays Sep 4 and 11 3:00-5:00 PM - free to students using check out code below
Wednesdays Sept 18 and 25, 3:00-5:00 PM - free to students using check out code below

Wednesdays Oct 2 and 9, 3:00-5:00 PM - free to students using check out code below

Students will be given a basic kit (Elenco Electronics Playground, a $25 value included in class price) in order to get started. Yes, you KEEP the kit at the end of the course.

 

In this course, you try out a few directed experiments where we discuss and learn together.  Each lesson shows you a new concept you can master and build knowledge, so you’ll be ready to tackle more advanced concepts later on your own. There are over 50 experiments, so you can do many more on your own after the course is over.

 

Your instructor will be Bob Phinney, K5TEC, a retired teacher with over 40 years experience teaching many courses including electronics, computer science, and amateur radio. Bob founded and directs New England Sci-Tech (NEST).

COURSE STRUCTURE

The introductory series consists of two 2-hr instructor-led class meetings, in person in Natick.

Students Free: This course is FREE for students in high school or younger by using the code ARISS22 when you check out from your shopping cart. 

TOPICS COVERED

• Day 1:
• Lesson 1: Basic DC Circuits
  Learn how to use a solderless circuit board and wire up your first few LED circuits. Experiment with polarity, resistance, capacitance, and learn fundamentals of electron flow, current, voltage, battery, cell, switches, and potentiometers.
• Lesson 2: Space Ray-Guns and Sirens
  Not a real ray-gun, but all the sounds that you hear in those sci-fi movies. Build a complex circuit to learn how a speaker works, how to use capacitors and resistors to change pitch, frequency, and more.
• Day 2:
  
• Lesson 4: Basic Soldering Skills
  Learn how to use a hot soldering iron to connect electronic components to a circuit board. Learn proper and safe soldering techniques, how to read resistor codes, and how to identify polarity in certain components.
  
• Lesson 3: Radio and Wireless Communications
  This lesson shows you the basic components of radio as we hook up a circuit to listen to the airwaves. Learn about electromagnetic waves, the difference between transmitters and receivers, oscillators, frequency, bands, and the ionosphere. We will also discuss how Amateur Radio allows students to get an FCC radio license to transmit on UHF and VHF frequencies.
  

Students who take this course may want to consider taking our course that prepares them for an FCC Technician License.  This course is also FREE for students and they may receive a free portable radio transmitter after getting their license.

Please be aware of our Cancellation and Refund Policies. For questions, e-mail info@nescitech.org or call 508-720-4179.