Understanding Basic Electronics (Publication No. 159 of the Radio Amateur's Library) (Paperback)

by Larry D. Wolfgang (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Written in an easy-to-understand style for electronics beginners, Understanding Basic Electronics is also for those who want to brush up on electronics principles. Loaded with illustrations, the book starts with math skills and progresses to dc and ac electronics principles. It concludes with clear, simple explanations of how components like diodes, transistors and integrated circuits work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Amer Radio Relay League; 1 edition (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872593983
• ISBN-13: 978-0872593985
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #444,433 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Technical Introduction to Basic Electronics, December 28, 2007

By	P. Jacobs (Minnesota) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book provides a technical introduction for understanding electronics. Starting with the concept of moving electrons, it builds in short sections to cover voltage, amperage, AC and DC circuits, etc., up to semiconductors and integrated circuits.

Despite the whimsical cartoons used throughout the book, it is based from a quantitative and technical approach, starting out with a 60 page math review that includes logarithms, polar coordinates and trigonometry. Some of this may helpful as a refresher, but is much more in depth than what is required for the coverage of the book, where mostly simple algebra is needed. People who are not comfortable with math may find portions of this book confusing or intimidating.

Some of the explanations of components and concepts are quite clear. Others jump from a simple premise to a complex idea without a clear bridge. It did help me to understand several concepts and components which I never 'got', but other sections left me totally 'up in the air'.

The book is focused on circuits and components typically used in ham radios, but most of these (transistors, vacuum tubes, resistors, amplifiers, etc.) are used/have been used in a variety of electronic devices, and would be useful for a technically minded reader, even if not a 'ham'.

Some of the referential information is dated, with instructions for using calculators and computers from 1990, however, if you read past that, the electronics stuff remains current at this level.

Disapointing is the lack of summary information for circuits and components that can be used for reference, without having to dig it out of individual chapters each time it is needed.

In summary, this 300+ page book is not a quick read or refresher for people who want concise information on electronics. It could be good for a technically inclined person who wants to understand how and why electronic components work. It could also be used as a text for a high school or adult education course on this topic.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great review of basic electronics, February 19, 2009

By	Purdue Fan (Round Rock, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn some basic E&M and circuitry. Really really helpful, especially if you tend to be a non-abstract thinker and have trouble visualizing little electrons whizzing around. Makes the abstract more concrete and it's written in a fun way.

13 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome, February 7, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon.com: A Glance: Understanding Basic Electronics

great book to study before taking phone company exam