Newbie Questions

[Baktown]

As I'm new to this great pursuit, I'm having some trouble with a few things.

First off, I'm not an electrical engineer, electronics expert, or even really very knowledgable about any of this, but I know what sounds good to me, and that's what I want to build.

1.  What's the best way to attach offboard wiring to a perf or Vero board?  I can't seem to get a good solder joint using braided wire.  Should I be using solid wire?  Is there another solution I'm overlooking?

2.  Noise seems to be a continuing problem on my completed builds.  Any hints on how to reduce or eliminate hiss and RF noise?

3.  Any suggestions on reading material to make things more clear?  I'm really trying to figure things out, and I'm starting to see how certain configurations are consistent across a group of similar builds, but I'm at a wall and need to educate myself.

Thanks in advance!

Axl Bundy - Bakersfield, CA USA

[petemoore]

1.  What's the best way to attach offboard wiring to a perf or Vero board?  I can't seem to get a good solder joint using braided wire.  Should I be using solid wire?  Is there another solution I'm overlooking?    Try some different types of wire, some of that stuff just doesn't want to take solder, is the iron good and hot..then tin the end of the wire with solder first. Some people use solid core, I used to thread it through holes I drilled along the edge of the boards, but prefer stranded because it doens;t break nearly as easily.
  2.  Noise seems to be a continuing problem on my completed builds.  Any hints on how to reduce or eliminate hiss and RF noise?
  Neat wiring/shielding sensative wires, shielded enclosure, reduce gain. Try a small resistor ~10k or so at the input or a small pF cap from input signal wire to ground, this'll cut highs, perhaps eliminating some noise without diminishing relevant HF responses.
3.  Any suggestions on reading material to make things more clear?  I'm really trying to figure things out, and I'm starting to see how certain configurations are consistent across a group of similar builds, but I'm at a wall and need to educate myself.
  FAQ, Links, rout around the interenet from here, some of it may be 'dense' reading and require subtexts to be comprehended [I used to print something then hack through it with terminology help online etc.].
  I forget what exactly the more basic links were...something like 'how a transistor works' in google might find some good ones, I typed in 'the first transistor' once IIRC. Link around and search for components information, resistors, caps, diodes etc..

[GibsonGM]

Try searching "electronics tutorial" in Google...that really helped me a lot when I got started!!
Good questions - keep on building, the rest will come thru Q&A and experience. 

Noise should go down when your builds are in a properly shielded & grounded metal enclosure.  Some hiss is to be expected, esp. on high gain circuits or feeding a high-gain amp.  Looking at the pic gallery, how others run wires n stuff, helps. Some hiss is unavoidable (thermal noise).  Searching the forum for "hiss' and "noise", etc., will show you more tricks.   Start with Pete's suggestions above, great advice!