|
|
|
PS 141 A - Group 2
Antonio Maria R. Bautista February 4, 2004
Maria Esperanza Fatima F. Ortile
What have we learned from Electronics?
Looking back on our first days in the subject, we realize
that we didn’t know what to expect. So many questions
had formed in our mind. Would our experience be as bad
as our previous subject, Physics 21? Would our teacher
be a terror teacher, or a kind teacher? Would we actually
learn a lot of things while taking up the course? We
entered the classroom, armed with an open mind and a
thirst for answers.
Now that we’re approaching the end, we guess that it’s
safe to say that we learned two very important things:
first, yes, it’s ok to make mistakes. And second, yes,
things do break when you make mistakes; but that’s ok.
You learn from those mistakes, and then make your
project better. We learned how to use so many things that
we never knew existed before. I, for one, always thought
that all ICs were the same; that they all had pins and
connected so many wires. But it was more than that. It
wasn’t just a little computer; it was a tool in creating
works of art, our canvases our breadboards, and our
masterpieces, our projects.
We learned how to create simple circuits by connecting
different gates, ICs, resistors, capacitors, and a power
supply. We also learned how to count up to one specific
number using binary language. We learned about how to
use the ne555 timer chip properly in making our circuits
count, and how to make something happen from that counting.
That something we did with the 555 chip was to make lights
blink. We learned how to connect and, nand, or, and nor
gates together to create a desired effect. We learned how
to use these ICs properly, and learned to judge what IC
should and should not be used for certain cases. We learned
that sound comes merely from fluctuating energy. We
learned the value of hard work, and the joys that came with
it. We learned that electronics could be enjoyable, even
with all its complications and frustrations. And most of
all, we learned that Electronics is not just something we
do for the heck of it; instead, it is something we do in
order to understand our world better, and to have fun while
doing it.
|
|
PS 141 A - Group 3
|
|
PS 141 A - Group 4
|
|
PS 141 A - Group 5
|
|
PS 141 A - Group 6
February 4, 2004
Ong, Kimberly
Posadas, John Philip
Things we’ve learned:
- How to trouble shoot (a little, at least).
- How to appreciate neatness in our work.. It’s easier
to look for mistakes that way.
- How to build a simple counter.
- Two heads are definitely better than one.
- There are easier ways in solving a problem. Trying
the simplest solution first is always better.
- Sometimes, common sense is enough to solve a
problem that looks so complicated
- Never panic when something goes wrong. Keep cool
and stay focused and calm
- It never hurts to ask help from a friend
- Devices that look so complicated may actually be
simpler than what it is.
- Follow the instructions slowly but surely.
- It is always best to have a schematic diagram ready
so that when other people can’t understand what you are
doing with your electronic devices, they could at least
understand what’s going on.
- It feels good to solve a bug/problem by yourselves.
- In electronics, things will always work out logically
(abstract ideas) but may not always work when it involves
the actual devices to be used (concrete/put into practice).
Some assumptions may have been overlooked causing things
that should happen not to happen.
- The most important thing to remember when doing a
project/task/activity is to have fun.
- Enjoy what we are doing to learn it by heart.
What we want to learn:
- Anything as long as it is fun! There’s no complaining
in things that we enjoy doing.
When you learn how hard it is to make a simple gadget, you
learn how to appreciate more complicated things. It’s
really tricky to think of how to utilize a couple of IC’s
to make it work magic but then again it is fun and rewarding
when you’re finally able to make it work. Large-scale
schematics may seem to freak us out at first glance, but it
can be done by doing the task part by part, little by
little. Also sometimes, it is best to observe carefully
first before ranting about things not going so well—maybe
all the circuit needs is a little check of the basics.
|
|
PS 141 A - Group 7
John Hardey Loang
Randolph Espinosa
What have we learned?
In the first day, we were firstly taught of having no
judgment against others. This helped a lot in doing
experiments because you will not have to worry of others
making assumptions. You can do different kinds of
experiments with the many materials available.
While in the lessons, we learned of the uses of light-
emitting diode (LED), resistors, capacitors, integrated
circuits (IC) and potentiometer in the first few days.
That time, we were building 2 LED that alternately blinks.
Then we built LED that counts using binary digit (4 LED).
Then the “8” LED, counting from zero (0) to nine (9).
Then we tried to ‘limit’ up to how high the IC will count.
In our group, our LED needs to count up to 9. While other
groups had to make the clock count up to two (2),
three (3), five (5) and another nine (9).
After this, we attached a few more parts – transistors, more
IC’s and a speaker. In this new upgrade, we tried to make
an alarm. The alarm will sound indefinitely. Then, the
alarm “system” was again upgraded into a real alarm. It
will sound in a specific number shown in the “8” LED and
stopping when the next number is shown.
Finally, we tried to connect all six bread boards to create
a clock with 23?59’59”. But the problem is how to regulate
the beats of the second hand into real seconds. We then
used the electricity from MERALCO to regulate the seconds.
The parts we need in this experiment is a transformer. We
then, after connecting the proper IC’s, connect this new
bread board with the clock. After several troubleshootings,
we were able to regulate the beats.
In the end, we created the clock that counts properly!
|
|
PS 141 A - Group 8
Vanessa Gonzales and Kenneth Flores
Every Wednesday afternoon, we find ourselves stuck in the
lab for four straight hours. Aside from having a good
time with our blockmates in an air-conditioned room all to
ourselves, it also means four hours filled with many
moments that serve as opportunities to learn… whether
electronics-related or not.
After a number of weeks working on our circuits, we finally
succeeded in merging all our breadboards to produce a working
24-hour digital clock. From the basic blinking lights, to
four LEDs working like bits that count 0-15, to sound alarms,
and finally to an actual clock… what else can reward you with
such a feeling of fulfillment?
Of course, we do not pretend to know every technical detail
of every corner of our breadboard. But the important thing
is, we know how things should work – which LED should light up,
when the alarm should produce a sound, at what number should
the counter reset, etc… Knowing all of these enables us to
figure out how to deal with problems, where to trace them, and
how to troubleshoot. It’s a process we find ourselves doing
most of the time, and the repetitiveness helps us in improving
our skills in solving the problems.
Halfway through the course, we find that the time we spend
poking through the colorful mix of wires, ICs, and LEDs gives
us countless nuggets of wisdom. If anybody out there comes to
us and asks us what Ps141 taught us, these are the little but
meaningful things we’ll say to them:
Have fun! Work is easier to do when you have a smile on your
face.
Find a way to memorize the resistors’ colors. Even weird
acronyms help! (BBROYGBVGW = Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls,
But Violeta Gave Willingly.)
Even the most complicated devices work on the basis of
simpler and more basic principles.
If you really do the lab work, you’ll find out how to
construct a working 24-hr counter; what an oscillator is
for, 555; what a counter is for, 74LS93; what a black box
is for; how to use gates; how to configure a seven-segment
display; how to construct an alarm; how to make an
amplifier; how to create ticking sounds from bits.
Aside from aesthetic purposes, straightening out the wires
makes it much easier to find out where the bugs are.
A logic probe makes troubleshooting so much easier.
Nothing beats common sense.
Be patient.
Working with a partner really helps… a lot.
Never give up on your breadboard. Just give each IC a
little tap and say, “C’mon, my friend… be good!” And then,
continue working on the problem.
If all else fails, ask for help.
Help each other.
Don’t be afraid of asking questions. This is how you
actually learn.
Transistors, ICs, and soldering irons can hurt you when
they’re burning hot. Be cautious.
Be responsible for the devices that you use in the lab.
Otherwise, thou shall not get your lab breakage refunds.
Even if it’s easier to accuse others of sabotaging your
work, most of the time, the problem is actually caused by
your own carelessness.
Working step-by-step means you’ve got a better chance of
having an organized and working breadboard.
Working on more recent additions to your breadboard
doesn’t mean you can forget what you did in the beginning.
Chances are, you’ll have to backtrack to the previous
parts of the circuit to solve current problems.
As we’ve mentioned above, we are only halfway through the
course. There’s still a lot more to learn, and there are
some things we’d still like to do if given the opportunity.
For instance, it would be cool to tamper with a PC’s
motherboard and see how stuff works inside the CPU. (We
are CS students, after all.) This may help us understand
how simple devices are used together to create a more
complex device just like a PC.
It’s also nice to work with sensors that respond to external
stimuli, like light, sound, or movement. For example,
something that uses a light sensor IC, similar to the light
posts around Metro Manila.
|
|
|
|
PS 141 B - Group 2
Esmee Siy
Celilia Hung
|
|