Electronic Design Software

What is a really good electronics lab kit to get?

i stumbled upon an electronics lab kit at radioshack today and it seems interesting. ive looked around the internet and found other kits that were similar and even had more projects in them. but then ive read some reviews on them and most of them say they arent as education as they should be or when i looked at the price it really made me think if i should get it or not. so my question is what is a really good electronics lab that isnt too simple and has alot of stuff to do to learn about electronics? im fairly smart and money isnt that much of a problem espeically with christmas coming up. if the one at radioshack is good let me know. thanks

Public Comments

1. I definetely think the Junior scientist kit with 450+ experiments from edu science would be an awesome choice. It has experiments w/ solar panels, motors(teaches you how to make a motor, and more. It's really awesome! P.S. It only costs $20! Includes solar cell, motor, parts to make a motor,and it shows you how to make a lot of stuff. Basically, everything you need is in the kit! I got mine from TOYSRUS
2. I had the Radio Shack 200-in-1 electronics kit when I was a kid and it was great. Educational too. If you can, go for the ones with more options (200-in-1 is better than 50-in-1, for instance). The only thing simple about it is that you can easily move wires around and you don't have to mess with solder. My kit covered circuits, transistors, integrated processors, etc. Each activity is educational. I don't know about other kits, as I never saw anything quite like the Radio Shack kits. I'm actually surprised they still make them, because it seems like they mainly sell stuff like cell phones and RC cars these days. The problem with other kits is that they may just be instructions for assembling things, but may not actually teach you electronics. If you want to learn, do some research before you purchase a kit.
3. Heath Kit educational courses are always the best for teaching electronic principles and circuit construction. See: HEATHKIT http://www.heathkit.com/ Ramsey electronics is another good place to find electronic educational courses. www.ramseyelectronics.com 1-800-446-2295 I recommend their complete 300 in 1 electronic lab or, their advanced 500 in 1 lab. However, these kits are designed more to explain how to contruct circuits using electrical components than about circuit theory. Learning circuit theory is an accumulative process that requires lots of time and individual research. While Radio Shack kits are good, they are more costly in terms of quality and what you actually get for the money. None of these electronic labs are going to take the place of formal training in electronics. They are designed to stimulate the individual's interest. It is up to the individual to research circuit theory.