Main Page: CT2 Electronics Kit Companion Site

Suggested fortnightly work schedule:

This is an outline guide to the different practical tasks that you will have to carry out on the CT2 module. It is only a suggestion, but it gives some context to the tasks and work required for this element of the module. There is no need to report on the fortnightly components, but you will have to meet the assignment deadlines (denoted in red).

Weeks (commencing Mondays):

Week 1/2 (22 Sep/5 Oct) If you have not done so you should order your electronics kit at this stage and should read the kit introduction page. Once you receive your kit if you believe that there are components missing, please notify your tutor in Loop. If the tutor confirms that there is a  component missing please email bsc.openeducation@dcu.ie. You should read the General Instructions page on electronics experiments. Ensure that you have purchased a 9V battery and start your electronic logbook for your own records. It is useful to be able to refer back to notes that you have taken on the earlier exercise experiments and assignments in order to complete stages of assignments 2 and 3.

Week 3/4 (06 Oct/19 Oct) Build the circuit that is described in Exercise Experiment 1. A Simple Power Supply Circuit. This circuit is needed to power your chips, turning your 9V battery supply into a 5V supply. Measure voltages and ensure that you understand exactly what is happening in the circuit. We won't cover components like Voltage Regulators in detail in the theory but it is important that you are exposed to them. In addition, read through your notes (skip ahead if necessary) to read the notes on Logic Gates (AND/OR/NOT).

Week 5/6 (20 Oct/02 Nov) Do the Exercise Experiment 2: Introduction to Logic Gates and watch the videos on the Exercise Experiments 3: Logic Minimisation. You should try different circuits yourself. In particular get used to the ideas of pull-up and pull-down resistors, which are discussed in the set of videos on Logic Gates. 

Week 7/8 (03 Nov/16 Nov) You should now be working full steam on Assignment 1 Experiment 1. This can be found at: Practical Assignment 1 - Combinational Logic. 

Week 9/10 (17 Nov/30 Nov) Work to complete your first assignment, both the practical element and the theory element. Remember that you will need to take photographs of your work as you progress at each stage and attach the photographs to your report. CT2 Assignment 1 Due in this period.

Week 11/12 (01 Dec/14 Dec) Please watch the video on Encoders and Decoders. 

Week 13/14 (15 Dec/28 Dec) Christmas Break

Week 15/16 (29 Dec/11 Jan) Watch the video Exercise Experiments 5 on Adders. Make sure that you understand the content in this video and the content in your notes on this topic.

Week 17/18 (12 Jan/25 Jan) Continue your work from the previous period and study your notes on diodes. The second assignment also involves characterising a silicon diode, so you should be familiar with the behaviour of a diode. Read the section in the second assignment that you have to implement.

Week 19/20 (26 Jan/08 Feb) You should be working full steam on your second assignment - Practical Assignment 2: Binary Adders. Remember that you will need to take photographs of your work as you progress at each stage and attach the photographs to your report. Work to complete your second assignment, both the practical and theory element. CT2 Assignment 2 Due in this period 

Week 21/22 (09 Feb/22 Feb). Start working on the next exercise experiments. Please carry out the exercise on Clock Generator Circuits. Please remember to build this circuit as tightly and close to one side of your breadboard as possible. This is because this clock signal will be used as the input to your flip-flop and counter circuits exercises to be carried out for the final assignment.

Week 23/24 (23 Feb/08 Mar) Please watch the videos associated with the Exercise Experiment 6: Flip-Flops. The videos on this section will hopefully explain the concepts of sequential logic to you. Your breadboard isn't big enough to build the flip-flop circuit and the counter circuit; so, please read forward to the last assignment to see the work on flip-flops that you have to complete there. It may be the case that you build that section now and photograph it before working through the next section on Counters and 7-segment Displays.

Week 25/26 (09 Mar/22 Mar) Concentrate in particular on the Exercise Experiment 7: Counters and 7-Segment Displays. Work through this video again remembering to keep photographs of the different stages of your build.

Week 27/28 (23 Mar/05 Apr) Work to complete your third assignment, both the practical element and the theory element. CT2 Assignment 3 Due in this period.