The Future Of Hobby Electronics.

[RussMartin]

But why do we use PIC micros? I mean, I remember . . .

I'm old enough (fortunately or not) to remember many arguments starting in the same way:

"But why do we use transistors? I mean, I remember . . . "

"But why do we use integrated circuits? I mean, I remember . . . "

"But why do we use microprocessors? I mean, I remember . . . "

I've seen the advent of SSI, LSI, and VLSI.

Yet I look around, and I still see vacuum tubes in kilowatt and megawatt applications (as well as high-end consumer audio), discrete transistors, and integrated circuits (including ASICs and PLAs).

And any old ham will tell you: There's nothing like building your own stuff, then proving it works by using it to talk to someone hundreds or thousands of miles away--wireless! It sure as hell beats a "blinky".

Electronics is an art, not a science.

[Ioannis]

In my area (I suppose this happens elsewhere too), electronics is descending amongst the people doing it for hobby.

Also every day it is getting more difficult to find parts in local shops.

Ordering by on-line shops is not an option for outside E.C. countries as there are taxes and expenses that are too much for a handful of cheap parts.

I remember the other day,I was looking for the simplest part I always used as a child hobbist in my projects: the potensiometer. It is a part under extinction here!

Take into account that soon all parts will be poduced only as an SMD type and it is easy to see that a hobbist will only use valves and power transistors to build something....

Ioannis

[Glenn]

I actually find it easier to get stuff today than it was 15 years ago.. At least here in Sweden I can go to two good shops and buy over disk (Elfa and Labb-elektronik), and I know several that gladly sell components to me online, from sweden.. and if that wouldnt do, there are many places in other EC countries, germany for example.

I buy most of my stuff from

www.electrokit.se
www.elfa.se

[Ioannis]

Hi Glenn. Long time ago I visited elfa.se and although it was interesting site it was in local language. Now I see it has english support and a wide range of products.

Nice, thanks a lot.

Ioannis

[Melanie]

Interesting perhaps, expensive certainly!

I just picked half-a-dozen products that we buy and I know the price of... the quantity price was about 400% higher than I expected to pay for that part.

[Ioannis]

Don't forget Melanie that they are end resellers and not 1st or 2nd distributors like Avnet, EBV or Arrow...

Ioannis

[Melanie]

Agreed, but I'm comparing the 1000-off column price, against our buy for 1000 of the same product... no hobbyist will ever buy in those quantities, so one would expect those prices to be reasonably convergent whoever you buy the bits from.

[Glenn]

Interesting perhaps, expensive certainly!

Yes, Elfa is NOT known to be cheap (or have a good online shop, it really sucks)

The reason companys order from them is that they have "everything" in stock, and for a looong time, I can probably take an oderlist that is 10 years old and send to them and get the same stuff today, also they have alot of stuff, so companys can order "everything" from them, and have it the next day. (or the same day if you pay extra.)

The reason hobbyists buy from them is that they gladly sell to anyone, and sell components one and one, if you look at Farnell (that I would guess is their largest competitor) they dont sell anything if you dont have a correctly registred company..


..But I buy most stuff from electrokit, they are cheap, but they tend to have only "the most common" stuff, and some odd stuff (probably surplus), but they are nice guys and also send stuff very quick.

[Acetronics2]

hi,

if you look at Farnell (that I would guess is their largest competitor) they dont sell anything if you dont have a correctly registred company..

I do not know for your country ...

but here, in France, everybody can buy from Farnell ... just 12 Extra Euros for P&P ...

Alain