Explanation of terminology

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
     Is there a site that has maybe a dictionary explaining all of the terms used on this and other forums. I don't have any idea of what a Mofset is compared to an IC chip, or some of the other terms used. I know it all makes sense to you. But as a beginner in solid state, it is not long before I am overwhelmed with the terminology that is second nature to most of you.
     If someone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated, It is difficult to read the
posts and have to look up a term in the Radio Shack Dictionary of Electronics, only to have to come to the
conclusion that it may be just slang that is common knowledge among people seeped into electronic mods.
     Thank you in advance for any information provided.   

[DrGonz78]

A great source of information can be found by reading this book. It can be downloaded right here...

http://www.ssguitar.com/index.php?topic=711.0

Click the link then read Teemuk's first post on that thread... Click his link to download his book.

[teemuk]

A lot of the terminology is explained in just about any book discussing analog electronics. I recommend you get yourself one, if not for learning terminology, for learning electronics in general and for reference.

A decent theory book is always more comprehensive source of information than a simple glossary/dictionary.

For the latter, try for starters:
http://www.hobbyprojects.com/dictionary/a.html

I'm sure few minutes of Google searching will find plenty of other similar sites as well.

[teemuk]

Click the link then read Teemuk's first post on that thread... Click his link to download his book.

I don't intent to sound cocky but I do agree that my book is a good source of information. I'm just not convinced that it is a very good start for someone still grasping 101's of electronics.

For that purpose there is plenty of much better reference/learning material.

I assure that if someone is overwhelmed by the basic terminology then my book will only continue to overwhelm them even harder.  :lmao:

[J M Fahey]

Hello,
     Is there a site that has maybe a dictionary explaining all of the terms used on this and other forums.  ...... 
     Thank you in advance for any information provided.   

Dear Spare Ribs, congratulations on what you want to achieve.
Welcome.
Teemuk's book is *excellent* but it's like, say, "Electronics 303 or 404", you need to take first 101 , then 202, and so on.

As in: if you want to use a ladder, you can't skip steps

To everybody whom asks me "how can I learn Music Instruments Electronics" I *always* answer the same:

1) go step by step.

2) go to your local Library get a **Physics** book, the kind they use when you are around 16 to 18 y.o.

Get an old one (20 years or more, 40 to 50 years is fine, even a 1905 or 1910 book )

The idea is to get one which explains you the *concepts* but uses simple math, no need for Calculus.
Get the one which deals with "Electricity and Magnetism"

hey !!! but I want Electronics!!!, not wiring house lights and understanding the washing machine !!!!!!!

Fine, the book I mentioned will "only" teach you what's:
*Electron
*Charge
*Volt
*Ampere
*Conductor
*Insulator
*Battery
*Capacitor
*Magnet
*Coil
*Transformer
*Resistor
*Inductor
*Potentiometer
*Meter
*Field
*Switch
*Connector
.......
etc.
meaning 90% of what's inside an amplifier.

And you will  *easily* understand the "actives", such as :

*Valve (a.k.a. tube) which properly is an "electricity valve"

*Transistor, which really is a Transference Resistor
and so on, such as a:

*Guitar Pickup which is the combination of a conductor, wound in a coil, around a magnet, catching movement from a magnetic string , and sending that signal through conductors, into a connector, usually controlled by a potenciometer, and with the tone controlled by a capacitor controlled by another potentiometer .

It now *all* makes sense !!!!!! 

You had to learn, say, 20 or 30  things, but now you understand 10000 !!!!

[SpareRibs]

Hello All,
    teemuk,
    The Hobby Projects Dictionary is exactly what I was thinking about when I posted the question. that will at least get me to know what is being talked about. Thank You.
    J.M.Fahey,
    I have a few Physics books, in addition to Introduction To Electronics 1, by Bernard Grob, 5 volumes of Basic Electricity by Van Valkenburgh, Noogert+Neville. Those books are about as basic as it gets. The one
problem is, that it doesn't help me make the transition from electrical principles to modification of circuits, I
can know,what is supposed to happen but will not what type of transistor, diode, IC , or such things are needed to make it happen. Plain old caps and resistors are easy to identify but not imbedded in something
as part of something like an opamp or whatever the case may be.
     After being able to identify these things in the circuit and knowing what they are supposed to do then
I can go about making changes, at this point I can identify them on the diagram but have no idea what
item it is soldered to the circuit board. That is the clarification I needed.
     Thank you for very much for your input I appreciate it.
                                                        :tu:


     
           

[DrGonz78]

Just remember that when looking at a schematic diagram that it is composed of many smaller circuits joined together to make one. Take just one chunk of the schematic and trace it around the board to really see the relationship from diagram to circuit board layout. That has helped me immensely, but still I know how hard it is to get lost in the muck. Still if you sit there long enough tracing out the board and then comparing it to the schematic, then all sorts of light bulbs will start going on. Try a simple amp like a Marshall 10cd or the Fender G10 where are the parts are labeled on the board and just start tracing.

Yeah I guess Teemuk's book is really advanced but still jumping in head first aint too bad. You will read something like that today and be completely overwhelmed. A year from now start reading it again and you might be half as overwhelmed.  :lmao: