Electronics Learning Lab

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

This is a great product however it was a little advanced for my little one. So if you buy it, do so at a store. I purchased mine online on this sight but returned it so I could get a more age appropriate kit. That was almost a month ago and still have not received my refund. When I call it seems nobody knows anything about it. So save yourself the hastle and purchase it at your local Radio Shack to avoid such problems.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

Great product but lacks the beginers explaination book on how electronics function. A well writen book on the subject and your off to the races! It would increase your in store sales on electronics and tools! Other than that, its a great learning tool after you have learned what a resistor does in a circit or a capacitor or so on! Oh and it also lacks how to connect the diffrent systems you build. In a radio there's a power system and then the reciever system and then the amplifier system and then the speaker and it shows how to build each one but not how to connect them together to make a fully functional radio. This would help MUCH!

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

I purchased this back in 1999 when I earned my first amature radio license. I have been using it to learn about various circuits using the included books and two others electronics for dummies and Make:Electronics. The assortment of parts included with the kit make it very handy and useful.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

My Dad bought me this about 15 years ago so I would stay out of his electronic equipment. The thing still works and I now use it to build prototypes for my engineering mechatronics classes. I have had no problems with it and have loaned it out to have it back in one piece. The springs can be a small hassle but alligator clips help to attach numerous wires. Like another comment said, the manuals lack a good introduction to the different lessons and what purpose individual components have. However, being a kid I just changed stuff just to see what happened! I would recommend this instead of other kits designed for kids unless they are geared towards a younger audience as this device scales nicely as a prototyping board. If you want something better you might as well buy a National Instruments Elvis II for $5000 USD. The Elvis board is worth every penny if you don't want to buy all the electronic test equipment or have a small space to work with.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

This kit contains great equipment and a variety of circuit projects that keep users busy for a while.

However, explanations regarding why each circuit works, the function of the components, and the mathematics supporting circuitry are left out of the manuals completely. If you are buying this kit to learn circuitry independently, be prepared to do a good amount of Internet research after each circuit.

For students who can learn the concepts in school and then use this kit to apply knowledge, I'd say it's very convenient.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

I personally thought the manuals were well written. You need to start with the analog manual first and then the digital manual. It is a great kit for learning the basics about electronics.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

Can someone please tell me what kind of an antenna they used for this manual? I have tried building my own antenna but my radio project still doesn't work.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

I agree with many of the comments.
The lab is good in general, but if you are an absolute beginner do not expect to learn electronics from scratch. You will know how to assemble cables and circuits but will not understand what you are doing and why.
I am an engineering student and use this kit to support what I am learning. Using the kit while I am studing my subjects is great, as a practise. But would not learn much if I just used the manuals provided.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

Great product perfect for anyone who wants to learn about electronics had it for quite a few years now and still use it all the time.

Comments about RadioShack Electronics Learning Lab:

The main console and components are great, but the included learning materials? Not so much.

Before buying this kit I had very little knowledge of circuits and electrical components. Being an electronics LEARNING lab, I assumed that the instruction manual would explain concepts while building up to complex projects. It does build up to complex projects, but I understand the concepts no better after building them. The guide is presented in a cookbook format, telling where to put things and how to connect them, but not why. Well that's great if you already know why you're doing what you're doing, but for someone attempting to understand electronics (trying to gain some autonomy and perhaps build circuits of our own) it's a major disappointment. I've checked out Mims' "Getting Started in Electronics" and it's equally obtuse, so it seems he just writes for the wrong audience. I wish RadioShack would get someone else to author the instruction manual for this product.

With that out of the way, I'm very happy with the components and console design. Having the breadboard already powered and all components fixed and accessible through simple spring contacts are tremendous time-savers. Although I've had to turn to the internet and other, Mims-free books to learn, I'm constantly prototyping cool (to me) circuits using only what came in the box. Throw in an Arduino to use with the breadboard and switches and you'll be in electronics heaven.