[BaronKyle]

This is a general question for the GAS members here.

I have an engineering degree from 2003, so I am not completely clueless on all things electrical.  I also like to poke around Audio Karma articles on repairs and such.

I think what I am really asking here is, where could you go for instruction on improving novice skills?

I'd like to learn things like troubleshooting decision-trees, how to properly scope out boards and discrete components with probes, how to read and source caps, resistors, transistors, solder skills, other tech skills you learn from experience over books.

Just brainstorming.   

Kyle

[Devil Doc]

Join the Navy. They always need a few good twigits.

Doc

[Phil A]

If you don't want an adventure (in addition to a job by joining the Navy) there are courses - e.g. - http://study.com/electronic_repair_school.html

[thunderbrick]

Buy all our broken shit.   

[mjmsound]

Tinker around with it until you really break it and then bring it to me to repair.

[Phil A]

Buy all our broken shit.   

Sounds good to me!!

[BaronKyle]

mjm, cracking me up..

[Folsom]

Engineering in what? As far I know there isn't a school that can teach anyone how to make something sound good. Now if you want to believe distortion figures mean sound quality all by themselves... all schools are just fine.

www.diyaudio.com has a range from total freaking idiot to industry giants. However it's not the friendliest place so it takes some time to acclimate to learning from it while choosing different flavors of salt for different opinions as well as facts/approaches.

[G Georgopoulos]

The golden era of repair of analog electronics has passed,these days you dont find decent books on repair and troubleshooting,all these days is if it brakes just toss it,i was also lucky to be an analog tv/vcr technician and there were some really good books in mid 80s around with charts of troubleshooting,if you can find such old books these days you'll learn alot about repair techniques.

[Scott F.]

You'll need to pick up some quality meters and a scope so be prepared to buck up for those. Then, download the NEETS manuals.

http://jacquesricher.com/NEETS/

Read, read and read some more. I'd also download a copy of the RCA manual and read it too. Then find some old Norman Crowhurst and read him too.

Here is a page that has quite a bit of books you can download, Crowhurst and the RCA manual included
http://www.tubebooks.org/technical_books_online.htm

Then be prepared to let the smoke out of a few pieces of gear while you tinker and learn. During the learning process, you'll also learn what it feels like to get the crap shocked out of you. Then you'll find yourself online, ordering insulated gloves and learning to reach into gear one handed.

....that or you can do like the rest of us, and take it to Mike and let him do it.

[Folsom]

There is one book that's decent at helping one avoid the common mistakes (that even really smart people do from time to time).

There's stuff out there, no doubt... maybe some of the guitar amplifier books would be great, but for guitars... Unfortunately no matter whom is good with electronics, it doesn't necessarily mean anything about making equipment worth wild. There's no guarantee that Ott could have made a good sounding amplifier.

[thunderbrick]

Buy a dual-mono amp with one channel out.  Use the good side as a reference while you carefully track through the bad side.

You may well fix it without actually knowing what you did.   

[G Georgopoulos]

Buy a dual-mono amp with one channel out.  Use the good side as a reference while you carefully track through the bad side.

You may well fix it without actually knowing what you did.   

that's a good way to learn on your own...

[Quiet Earth]

I am not a GAS member, so please forgive the intrusion.

Back in the day, after you got your "degree",,,, the very best way to learn how to troubleshoot  electronics was to get a job in manufacturing as a technician, or a manufacturing engineer, a quality engineer, a mechanical engineer, or a tester or assembler. It is really sad that these types of jobs and opportunities have shriveled up into a microscopic existence. (At least here in the United States they have.)

There is so much more that you can learn by producing a real product compared to what you can learn from a book, or a school, or an internet forum. If you ever have an opportunity to put your degree to work (real work - not phone conference work), try that for a while. You will learn so much. It will drive you crazy though. 

Ahhhhh....... nostalgia.

[G Georgopoulos]

The books i had in college were by Gordon J King

you can find them at amazon now

click the link bellow,great books!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Gordon-J-King/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AGordon%20J.%20King

[Bob in St. Louis]

Garage sales, Craigslist, and charity stores should have a nice selection of old electronics. Should provide a nice selection of things to take apart without much financial risk.
Good luck!
Bob

[youravhandyman]

I have a nice 60lb EV 350wpc power amp with power supply issues that you could practice on.  If you fix it Bob might need something to augment his Crown amp for the mancave.

[Speedskater]

Get the Bob Pease (RIP) book:
"Troubleshooting Analog Circuits"
Robert A. Pease

also some of his many magazine articles:
http://electronicdesign.com/author/bob-pease