# OK, electronics wizards...



## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

I know what it is, I know I've wanted one to play with for awhile, I got it for $13 at a Goodwill. It is the next step for my son's budding interest in electronics after playing with snap circuit labs for awhile...

I can't find a manual for it.

Is there a book or manual I can turn to on how to use this? Is there an online source for bulk miscellaneous electronic parts grab bags out there? 

Any help is greatly appreciated...


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*guru*

Hi,Shaygetz.. I don`t know what it is,but it looks critical.I`ll check with my in family guru. He is like a packrat,he keeps all his electronic junk and cleans out once in a while. I get first dibs on that pile. Let us know what you need. Will try to find out..later

Have a good day,Everett


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Having seen your thorougness, Shay, I know you've been all
over the web. I Googled and found this:

http://www.electronicproducts.com/T...d/What_39_s_It_Worth_Electronic_Trainers.aspx

The reason I posted it is the nostalgia of that advertisment
for DeVry Technical Inst. My mom bought their radio
course for me when i was in High School. It's interesting
that they are still in business. I saw a TV spot for them
just a few days ago. It's what helped my way into a
career in Radio.

Don


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

NRI was a mail-order electronics school, they appear to have died in 1999: NRI Schools Announcement. NRI dates back to the 1940's, they were one of the early mail-order electronics schools.

I'm not sure exactly what you want to know about it, but it looks pretty simple, it's basically a fancy breadboard with power supplies, waveform generator, and some simple switchable logic.

The top right five switches are all a function generator with three waveform selections and frequencies up to 100 khz. 

The top left two switches appear to be simple pots that you can use in your breadboard circuits. 

The bottom left block is a pretty nice assortment of power supplies, including a pair of variable ones. 

The data switches appear to be just some switches to allow you to have switchable inputs for your circuit you're bread-boarding.

The two Logic switches are a bit of a mystery, though they're obviously some simple logic function.

This was used with a set of lessons that walked you through basic circuits, I believe you got a basic oscilloscope and meter with the course.

This looks like a handy thing to tinker with basic electronics.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

That is a really great find at that price. I have a similar unit I still use occasionally that came with some electronics course.

Your unit has all the same components as mine plus more breadboard area. Unfortunately these units were custom made for the course they came with so that the original course literature (pamphlets) have the instructions for use.

I may still have mine so I will take a look. In the mean time it is fairly simple unit.

A positive/negative power supply for chips that require dual power. Eight display leds for status of counters or logic operations (usually lit by grounding - already current limited). Eight data switches (to provide data inputs). Two logic switches (provide buffered outputs), two variable resistors and a basic single chip function generator.

Designed for experimenting with digital electronics easy hookup to all the components, just need some wire (about 22-26 gauge solid).


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Buffered outputs, makes sense. What is the exact function of the logic switches in that block?


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

You can go on Amazon and search for this company's products:

http://www.joeknowselectronics.com/

The assortments are good, nicely packaged and come with a little booklet with some basic information about the parts.

Yes you can buy "grab bags" of stuff but they are best suited for someone with experience who can identify what the heck everything is - and they often have a lot of junk in them.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm failing to see much value in the Joe's products. All I see are resistor assortments and LED's. You'll need a much more varied supply of parts if you want to do anything useful.

I think I'd start at the other end of the horse. Find an interesting project kit or two and get a little experience with the basics of building them.

Electronics Project Kits.

Electronic Kits & Development Projects

Electronic Project Kits (Must Solder)


Keep in mind that you aren't going to learn this stuff in a weekend, so it's best to build a few things and see a tangible result IMO.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks guys. For me, it's to take circuits and play with them for modeling purposes. For my son, it's to take him beyond electronic science lab toys and into wherever it may lead. We homeschool, so there is no limit on where it can go. The mail order stuff makes sense, there's no model number or data plate anywhere. It's in excellent condition, I'm going to start with my "101 Electronics Projects for Model Railroaders" and a couple other books I have as well...


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

My last electronics project was this Decoder tester I build from an RMC article from Sept. 2001...I modified it to pick up track power and do do several different style chips...


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Buffered outputs, makes sense. What is the exact function of the logic switches in that block?


"A", and A compliment "not A"

The unit I have (same thing CIE model) the logic switches are spring loaded sliders and wired so that the static position can be either a logic high or compliment depending on the connection you make.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It looks useful.  I have a forest of signal generators, power supplies, and frequency counters on the bench to "simulate" one of these.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

What no scope?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yes, I have a digital 'scope, it's in the closet. I don't leave it on the workbench, just take it out when I need it.


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I'm failing to see much value in the Joe's products. All I see are resistor assortments and LED's. You'll need a much more varied supply of parts if you want to do anything useful.


That's odd - I wonder what happened to the rest of the stuff they used to sell?

I got a semiconductor kit from them.

Oh well.

In any case there are lots of places to buy assortments of parts.

http://www.jameco.com

is one such place - search on "assortments".

And as mentioned kits can be a place to start but of course the parts you get are only the parts needed for the kit.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

For starters I used online sources. Kelsey school has an Electonics club in the UK. A useful site with basics. For railroad circuits I found Rob Paisley and Bill Bowden has it all. I just don't have time for it all. I did go to amazon and buy three books on the 555 timer chip. There are some older books, 4 by Peter Thorne. These are slowly getting outdated but they have some good stuff.

My own course started in using an LED, make it blink any way I wanted with a 555 chip and then later with a transistor. This was done with a 9 volt battery on a breadboard. The next step is using voltage regulators and capacitors to run the blinkers. Then I went into the reverse cicuit which is just a timer ciruit.

peter thorne books

The electronics thread

Have fun.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> It looks useful.  I have a forest of signal generators, power supplies, and frequency counters on the bench to "simulate" one of these.
> 
> View attachment 37478


Word...:thumbsup:


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