The Basic Transistor course from Heathkit, originally published in 1961, provides a comprehensive understanding of transistors and their practical applications. This manual is invaluable for both professional mechanics and DIY enthusiasts interested in the consumer and military fields of electronics.
Transistors offer several advantages over vacuum tubes, including their small size, low power drain, and ability to operate at low voltages, making them ideal for portable electronic devices. The course includes experiments to demonstrate practical transistor circuits such as audio amplifiers, transistor radios, audio oscillators, broadcasters, and intercoms. By building and using these circuits, you will gain a deeper understanding of their operation.
The manual combines theory with construction and experimentation, facilitating a more thorough learning process. Each lesson explains the necessary information in simple terms, and a series of questions at the end of each lesson reinforces the taught principles. The answers to these questions are provided at the end of the manual.
This educational resource is part of a series of Learn-by-Doing books designed for individual home study or group classroom instruction. The manual is available in Adobe Acrobat format, requiring Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.
The manual includes the following sections:
INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONSTRUCTION NOTES
PARTS LIST
PROPER SOLDERING TECHNIQUES
LESSON I: What Are conductors-Semiconductors-Resistors-Insulators?
LESSON II: How Do Resistances in Series and Parallel Circuits Affect Current Flow?
LESSON III: How Does A Transistor React in A Series Circuit?
LESSON IV: How To Control the Current Flowing Through A Transistor
LESSON V: How Does A Transistor Amplifier Work?
LESSON VI: How Transistors Use Operating Voltages
LESSON VII: How Does A Transistor Radio Work?
LESSON VIII: What Makes A Transistor Oscillator Work?
LESSON IX: What Makes A Transistor Broadcaster Work?
