Last post of 2009 (electronic circuit knowledge)

An overseas student just contacted me asking for use of components in electronic circuits. He is particularly interested in troubleshooting electronics (transistor level or integrated circuits). It is hard to answer such a general request because the knowledge of this is learned by being in situations where a particular goal or fault is involved. The student then has to reason out what is happening and correct the problem.
CMOS circuit level design
One of the requirements for this is tool knowledge (how to use an oscilloscope, multimeter, bred board for example).

By learning this, the student can reason on what is happening. That way the situation can be diagnosed until the whole thing works.

Other topics required would be "safety with live circuits, how components behave, how to take measurements of voltage, current, frequency and other parameters.

Last but not least is safety when dealing with electrical systems. No technician can qualify if his teacher thinks he is a risk to himself or others.