(no subject)

[stormdog]

The other amazing thing is this Radio Shack Electronics Learning Lab. This is one of their later ones, made in 2000.

The ones I've found at thrift stores, like the one I grew up with, have an array of common discrete components and a bunch of things to build with them. They're nifty.

This one, on the other hand, not only has a bunch of discrete components, but it's also chock full of ICs and has a real breadboard tapped for various voltages from the 6 AA batteries. It comes with two workbooks, one on ICs and other componentry in general, and the second entirely on digital logic. I'm so excited about working through this!

It was a gift from a Facebook friend who saw my pictures of the ones I've thrifted and said he had one just like it out in his barn he'd send me. Turns out it's actually way cooler than the ones I already had!



Look at all the ICs in here! And MOSFETs too!

Comments

[acelightning]

That's absolutely beautiful!

[stormdog]

It really is! I get all excited just thinking about it!

I'm going to be in Canada with Danae visiting her parents for a week in early January. I'm going to spend a lot of time chatting with folks in their living room while I work with this.

[acelightning]

I'll bet people will get really fascinated watching you use that. Even people who have no interest in technology at all ;-)

[stormdog]

Perhaps! I suspect her mother will not be very interested. I'm not sure about her dad. He used to be a draftstman for a hydroelectric company and was really into hi-fi stuff when he was younger so I keep thinking various interests I have will engage him, but it's hard to know.

[acelightning]

Her mother might surprise you. I have to assume she's in my general age range. And women of my generation never got the chance to learn all the interesting "guy stuff" like hi-fi (and ham radio, and fixing cars, and science) which was all considered unsuitable for young ladies. So maybe there's some trace of curiosity still left in her...