BASIC ELECTRONICS COURSE FOR BEGINNERS

Course code: BEC021

Duration: 1 months (4 weeks)

This is beginners course in basic electronics, the course is composed of 15 lessons covering all common electronics components (both passive and active) found in consumer electronics equipment like LCD television and Monitors, CRT television and Monitors, DVDs, Hi-fi systems, Power amplifiers, Switch mode power supplies (S.M.P.S) etc.

In this course you will learn how to identify various components using actual picture, symbol used to represent them on the circuit board, purposes it serves on the circuit, common failure modes and how to test if it is good or bad.

The course will be done by correspondence via email, in total there are 8 assignments, if you decide to do two assignment per week means you will take only 4 weeks (1 months) to complete the course. All assignments will be in MS Word format.

You will read the course material and complete your assignment then return it via email to your facilitator/trainer. The facilitator will then review your assignment and give you feedback on your work.

You can progress at any pace, fast or slow. Your assignment will then be returned to you via email with your next assignment.

Upon completion of this course you will have a solid foundation in electronics to get you started in this exciting career in electronic repair like LCD-LED television repair, microwave repair, home theater repairs, woofer repair, decoders, amplifiers among others.

 

Topic covered

Lesson 1: Introduction to basic electronics

Lesson 2: Introduction to basic tools required in electronics repairs.

Lesson 3: Fuses: -identification, purpose, common failure mode & testing if good or bad.

Lesson 4: Metal Oxide Varistor (M.O.V): - identification, purpose, common failure mode & testing if good or bad.

Lesson 5: Thermistors: - (PTC and NTC) - identification, purpose, common failure mode & testing if good or bad.

Lesson 6: Inductors: - identification, purpose, common failure mode & testing if good or bad.

Lesson 7: Relays: -identification, purpose, basic relay circuit, relay used in power supply, common failure mode & testing if good or bad.

Lesson 8: Capacitors: -identification, types, uses in circuit, understanding capacitor body markings, encoding ceramic capacitors body marking, how to discharge big capacitors, voltage rating of capacitors, common failure mode & testing if good or bad.

Lesson 9: Resistors: - identification, uses, fixed resistors, variable resistors (linear pot and log pot), resistor color code, resistor in series, connecting speakers in series/parallel, application of P.O.T in volume control, resistors in parallel circuit, common failure mode & testing if good or bad

Lesson 10: Diodes: - identification, various types of common diodes, power diodes, damper diodes, fast recovery diodes, signal diodes, Zener diodes, using zener diode as a voltage regulator, using zener diode for protection, light emitting diode(LEDs), common failure mode & testing if good or bad for each type.

Lesson 11: Transistors: - identification, uses in circuits, common failure mode & testing if good or bad

Lesson 12: Integrated circuit (I.C): - identification, pin arrangement, Tips on how to know if it is good or bad.

Lesson 13: Crystals and Resonators: - identification, types (Crystal oscillator & ceramic resonators) uses, testing if good or bad

Lesson 14: Voltage Regulators: - identification, types (positive and negative series), uses, testing if good or bad

Lesson 15: Introduction to switch mode power supply (s.m.p.s)

The course is going introductory price of  $19.95 USA dollars including the study materials

Certificate issued upon successfully completion of the course, see the sample below.

Feedback from students who have completed the course here

Begin your journey today! ongoing classes here!

Feedback from students who have completed the online course

Madumetja Masalesa Adm HES21021

Q1. Where are you located?

A1)South Africa, in Soshanguve Township north of Pretoria.

 

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2)I am intermediate.

 

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3) 10

 

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4)I passed Matric in 1980 and trained as a Mathematics 

      Teacher. Later I studied Electronics on my own and got a

Diploma in Electronics in 2005.

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5) Hobby as I am a Campus Manager in a TVET College.

 

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6) Never give up. You need to practice to be perfect. Read electronics books and join repair groups to get ideas from your peers.

 

Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course.

A7) None. Advanced Course is needed.

 

Q7. Approximately, how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7)Two weeks

 

Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8) Soft copy

Classes ongoing here!

 The end

 All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

MEVIAS KINDELE Adm HES21020

Q1. Where are you located?

A1) Lusaka, Zambia

     Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2)A  beginner

 Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3) 9

 Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4) Yes,I completed my senior secondary and obtained a grade 12 certificate. College-I have a craft certificate in power electrical also a G7 certificate in the some field.

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5) Hobby

 Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6)To continue acquiring more knowledge on electronics as technology is changing, lastly “to learn to do” to be practical.

 Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course.

A7) Add notes on troubleshooting technics on radios,amplifiers,lcdand ledtv also to come up advanced certificate or diploma.

 Q7. Approximately, how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7) 3 weeks

 Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8) Hard Copy

Classes ongoing here!

 The end

 All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

EVANSON WAWERU Adm  HES21015

Q1. Where are you located?

A1)EMBU- KENYA

 

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2)A beginner

 

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3)10

 

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4)am a  form three leaver

 Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5)I do electronics as a full time job

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6) knowing you need to know is the thing

Q7. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7) A round four weeks

Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8) hard copy/both

 Classes ongoing here!

 The end

 All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

MABAKANE SEIMELA Adm  HES21014

Q1. Where are you located?

A1) Johannesburg – South Africa

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2) I would say intermediate doing refresher as I stopped working on electronics ten years ago

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3) 8

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4) I studied B.Tech Technical Education at a university of Technology specializing in Electrical Technology and Mathematics, of course my other qualifications are B.Tech Human Resource Development and B.COM (HNRS) business management

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5)Currently is a hope that I want to convert to fulltime job e.g. open own tv repair workshop

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6) Enjoy what you do and used that leverage to generate income

Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course?

A7) I would suggest that you take this course a step further by introducing the next level (intermediate and advance)

Q7. Approximately, how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7) Three and a half weeks

Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8) Soft copy will do

 Classes ongoing here!

 The end

 All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

ANSAR HUSSAIN  Adm  HES21013

Q1. Where are you located?

A1) United Kingdom East London

 

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2) I am a beginner

 

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3)its good very interesting so 9

 

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4) secondary school to CSE standard, I have got City and Guilds certificates D32/33 Assessor and C25 Coaching (Instructor Train Driver)

 

Also qualified ECB level 1 and 2 cricket coach. 

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5)

 

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6)

 

Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course?

A7)

Feedback

When marking the assignments No explanation is given if the answer not correct, it would help with a little note of the correct answer instead being marked at 90%.

 

That would help as it feels like  being left in the dark!

I enjoyed the course all the same and would be interested in future courses especially how S.M.P.S ‘s work like a flow arrows of AC going in and to DC and the power supply coming on if all is well.

 

Great little course for a beginner

Regards

Ansar

  

Q7. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7)

 

Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8)

 Classes ongoing here!

The end

 All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

GIVEMORE CHIPOYA  Adm  HES21012

Q1. Where are you located?

A1) Zimbabwe 

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2) beginner.

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3) 10

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4) My highest academic qualification is ordinary level certificate of education and my highest professional qualification is a diploma in science education. I never done any electronics course before and this my first one.

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5) currently lam doing it as a hobby since I had limited electronics repair skills. However, with the knowledge and skills I have acquired from this course I will soon be doing it full time.

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6) Have a mentor to guide you and should keep on learning and practicing. Practice makes perfect.

 

Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course?

A7)  The course is perfect for both beginners and advanced technicians. What I would suggest on this course is to increase the number of assignments at least one per lesson.

I would like also to suggest that the graduation certificate should have the name of the school or institution on top.

 Q7. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7) 1 week.

 Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8)For now soft copy is fine. I might request for a hard copy later.

  Classes ongoing here!

The end

 

All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

Kashief Mohamed  Adm HES21005

Q1. Where are you located?

A1) Cape Town, South Africa

 

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2) I would say I am at an intermediate level currently

 

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3) 10

 

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4) I have a BSc qualification and working in the pharmaceutical industry currently

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5) Hobby at the moment – wish I had more time to spend on it though!

 

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6) Courses like this one I just completed really helps….Youtube carries a wealth of information also. Never stop learning!

 

Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course?

A7) Perhaps videos on showing practical steps/examples on how to do troubleshooting/fault-finding

 

Q7. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7) Due to being full time employed I unfortunately only have time weekends for the assignments so took me 4weeks

 

Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8) Soft copy would be fine thanks.

 Classes ongoing here!

The end

 

All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

James Lane  adm. no. HES21001

Q1. Where are you located?

Alabama in the USA

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

Advanced

 Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

10

 Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

Graduated high school in 1976. Went to united electronics

institute from 1977 to 1978. Took several NRI courses. While

working for Long's Electronics I went to Panasonic school for a week on vhs vcr's  I then went to sony the next week to learn beta max vcr's. I then worked on tv's and vcr's all day.

 

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

Both, I am 63. I started working in 1978 at 20 when I graduated from electronics school. I worked for that company 33 years till they closed in 2011. I now work at home on anything electronic.

 Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

Pick a field of electronics you like. Find a mentor who

really knows his stuff and study hard. You will succeed.

 Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course?

no

Q7. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the course?

1 month

 

Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

soft

The end

 Classes ongoing here!

All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

Addiney Hamunteka  Adm. no. HES21002

 

Q1. Where are you located?

A1) Lusaka, Zambia

 

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2) Advanced user

 

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3) 10

 

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4) In 2006 – 2007 I did a correspondence study in Tv and Vcr Repair at Penn Foster School in USA. I obtained a career diploma after completing my studies.

I did my grade 8-9 in 2000-2001 at Nyumba Yanga School in Lusaka.

 

 

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5) Part time job

 

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6) Be committed! What might, at first glance seem too technical will in time become fairy simple and relatively easy to accomplish.

 

Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course?

A7) It's perfect for beginners.

 

Q7. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the course?

A7) 9 days

 

Q8. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A8) I prefer a soft copy.

 Classes ongoing here!

The end

All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi

Daniel Ritter  adm. no. HES21004

Q1. Where are you located?

A1) United States

 

Q2. Are you a beginner in electronics or advanced user doing some refresher?

A2) Advanced looking for refresher. Got degree in 1974. Wanted a refresher. Was not too familiar with S.M.P.S.

 

Q3. How would you rate our course in the range of 1(low) – 10(high)?

A3) 10

 

Q4. Would you mind to share your educational background?

A4) Associates Degree Electronics Technology

       Associates Degree Computer Hardware & Networking

       Certificate HVAC/R Built electronic control panels for environmental chambers 

       Held First Class FCC Radiotelephone license w/Broadcast Endorsement

     

Q5. Do you do electronics as a full time job or hobby?

A5) Formerly as a full time job. Currently doing it as a hobby and part time. Want to get back into it working from home to stay busy. The worst thing to do is rest the mind. 

 

Q6. What advice would you give to upcoming technician?

A6) Keep refreshing the basics. Never stop learning. Keep up with the new technology.

 

Q7. Any improvement you would suggest on the course?

A7) Good the way it is.

 

Q8. Approximately how long did it take you to complete the course?

A8) A week.  Answered the questions that I was sure I knew.  Surprised the amount of the basics I forgot.

 

Q9. Do you prefer certificate in soft or hard copy?

A9) Soft is fine.   Be glad to stay in touch. Always enjoy hearing from fellow “techies”

 

Classes ongoing here!

The end

All the best from the desk of Humphrey Kimathi