by Bryan Bergeron, Editor by Bryan Bergeron, Editor
DEVELOPING
Starting out in electronics — as with any hobby — requires an investment of time, energy, and finances.
This is especially true in the early stages, when unbridled
enthusiasm blurs what expenditures on equipment and
supplies are necessary and which are detours. It’s amazing
how easy it is to succumb to the equipment acquisition
disorder or EAD — even on a relatively tight budget.
EAD manifests itself in two ways. The first is in the
number of pieces of equipment acquired — everything
from a digital o’scope to a bench multimeter. The second
is in the specifications of each piece of equipment, with a
leaning towards an abundance of often unnecessary
features.
For example, let’s say you start your adventure by
setting up a workbench for microcontroller work. At the
outset, you’ll be faced with determining what equipment
is necessary, what’s nice to have, and what would simply
add clutter to your workspace. If you’re like most novices,
you’ll refer to advertisements, reviews, and perhaps join an
online forum or two in hopes of determining exactly what
you’ll need. Left to your own devices, you might
accumulate a dozen different pieces of equipment —
For example, let’s say you’re facing the choice of a $9
wall wart and a $300+ bench power supply. Even though
the wall wart will probably be all you need for the first six
months or so of your experimentation, you’ll be tempted
to go for the bench supply. Then, there’s the issue of
digital readout — number of digits, single readout for
voltage and current, or dual digital readouts, current-limiting features, and the like. You could easily end up
with a power supply that not only requires more space on
your bench, but that is so complex you’ll have to spend
hours just learning to use every feature. Unless one of
your goals is to master commercial power supplies, these
are hours that you should have spent working directly with
microcontrollers.
How do you avoid EAD? If you’re extremely lucky —
or persistent — you’ll identify a mentor at a local
electronics club who will take time
to understand you, your plans, and
real needs. The second best option
is to identify a virtual mentor on one
of the many online forums.
The challenge is finding a
mentor that doesn’t have a hidden
agenda linked to sales of equipment
or supplies. Otherwise, you could
end up with an even more severe
case of EAD than if left on your
own. I’ve found that the most
credible online mentors emphasize
ingenuity over equipment.
Another thing I’ve learned is
that when exploring an unknown
field, it’s better to learn one thing —
be it a device or technique —
thoroughly before moving on to
something else. Taking this approach
will naturally limit any EAD
tendencies you might have.
Good luck experimenting. NV
PERSPECTIVES
Starting Out: Avoiding the Equipment Acquisition
Disorder (EAD)
6 March 2015