Students often need to “get their hands dirty in order to be better prepared for the real world of employment that follows their time spent in academia.
One of the best ways to do this, at any stage of an electronics education, is to construct some of the many interesting electronic kits that are available to students and hobbyists.
Some companies that offer low-cost kits and electronic components in small quantities include:
- Futurlec
- Kits and Parts
- Allied Electronics
- ABRA Electronics
- JDR Microdevices
- Electronix Express
- Newark Electronics
- Mouser Electronics
- Jameco Electronics
- Ramsey Electronics
- Digi-Key Corporation
- SparkFun Electronics
- Hosfelt Electronics, Inc.
- NightFire Electronic Kits
- The Electronic Goldmine
- Dan’s Small Parts and Kits
- All Electronics Corporation
- Waytek, Inc.
Side note: In 1980, Digi-Key’s electronics parts catalog was about the size of a thin magazine. Three years ago, it had grown in depth to the size of a telephone book and contained over a half million products. Today, the company’s website lists over one million products — undeniable evidence of the electronics industry’s phenomenal growth.
Engineering and Technology Software
The following links provide information regarding popular software used in electronics, engineering, and wireless communication fields:
- gEDA
- EAGLE
- SPLAT!
- LTspice
- GNUPIC
- PREDICT
- CircuitLab
- NG-SPICE
- Linux EDA
- PSPICE 9.1
- PADS Software
- Gnuplot Homepage
- Octave Home Page
- Static Free Software
- EMA Design Automation
- Spectrum Software / MicroCap 10 Home Page