Radio Shack 150-in-1 Science Fair
Electronic Project Kit
by R.Harris,
technical instructor,
2018-12-09
RECOMMENDED PROJECTS, sorted by difficulty
sorted by: Difficulty Level / Semiconductors / Relay / Project #
"Digital" circuits grouped near bottom
NOTE: This versatile kit -- produced and sold by Tandy / Radio Shack in the late 1970s -- came with a large booklet that provided minimal basic information about the components, and 150 pages of individual "experiment" circuits that could be constructed with this very substantial kit.
  HOWEVER, the booklet was not organized to be a truly useful tutorial on electronics -- and the experiments were arranged in a very haphazard way -- starting the user with rather advanced projects and concepts, before introducing basic ones.
  Further, some of the projects had little educational or practical value -- but rather seemed to simply be in the book so Radio Shack could say it had "150 projects."
  This NEW list, below, is the result of a minor attempt to search through the huge booklet, and sift out the best experiments for beginners, and organize them (somewhat) into a more logical progression -- from easy-and-essential basics to advanced-and-complex topics.
  I encourage you to study the booklet's first 8 pages, to better understand the components and some basics, first, before using them. And pay close attention to safety instructions.

  For user success, in order of importance, I've prioritized those projects for which:
  1. - LEVEL is the most Basic.
  2. - SEMICONDUCTORS (especially transistors) are least used (ideally, not at all, for beginners).
  3. - RELAYs are not used (though some recommended projects use them)
  4. - PROJECT # is the lowest (the order the projects appear in the book).
While this list is not thoroughly refined, following it will probably give the electronics novice a much better experience, and education, and empower them to do so much more with electronics -- with, and without, this kit. - Good luck!

NOTE: For additional tips on using this kit, and exploring electronics, CLICK HERE.












* diode



 


** transistor



 
A=Advanced *** transistor advanced C=Communications



 
B=Basic **** complex semiconductors D=Digital basics
Useful TOOL for learning?

Project
#
CIRCUIT page LEVEL SEMICONDUCTORS type Relay Useful NOTES
18 Coin Battery 26 B   
-

34 Graphing a Variable Resistance 42 B   
-

35 Resistors in Series & Parallel 43 B   
-

36 Capacitor Charge & Discharge 44 B   
-

38 Transformer Experiment 46 B   
-

39 Generation of Electrical Energy 47 B   
-
a bit complex
125 Continuity Tester 133 B   
-

127 Series-Type Ohmmeter 135 B   
- U
131 Battery Voltmeter Tester 139 B   
- U
41 High DC Voltage Generator 49 B   
R

103 Code Sounder 111 B    C R

20 Solar Light Meter 28 B *
-

43 Diode Action or Diode Switching 51 B *
-

84 Delay Switching Circuits 92 A   
-

128 Shunt-Type Ohmmeter 136 A   
- U
129 Wheatstone Bridge 137 A   
-

138 Transistor Checker 146 A   
- U
139 Semiconductor Tester 147 A   
- U
149 Radio Frequency Signal Generator (Tracer) 157 A    C - U useful radio monitor
37 Capacitor as a Spark Suppressor 45 A   
R

40 High Voltage Generator 48 A   
R

81 Relay Latching Circuit 89 A   
R

83 Relay Light Flasher 91 A   
R

89 Momentary-ON Call Switch 97 A    C R

97 Relay & Speaker Buzzer 105 A    C R

118 Spark-Gap Transmitter 126 A    C R

22 Solar Cell & CdS Light Meter 30 A *
-

108 Crystal Set Radio (Simple Diode Radio) 116 A * C -

132 Audio Output Meter 140 A *
-

133 Low-Frequency-Response Audio Level Meter 141 A *
-

137 AC Voltmeter 145 A *
-
risky
21 CdS Photo Cell Light Meter w/ Transistor Amp. 29 A **
-

109 Transistor Diode-Junction Radio 117 A ** C -

111 One-Transistor Radio w/ Diode 119 A ** C -

112 Solar-Powered Radio 120 A ** C -

120 Wireless Broadcaster 128 A ** C -

135 Meter Amplifier 143 A **
-

136 Transistorized Voltmeter 144 A **
-

143 Variable Audio Oscillator 151 A ** C -

147 Light Hum & Noise Detector 155 A **
-

148 Audio Signal Tracer 157 A ** C - U
61 Speaker-Microphone Transistor Amplifier 69 A ** C R

82 Supersensitive Relay or Sensitive Electronic Voltmeter 90 A **
R
Caution: Could Damage Meter
47 Voltage Regulator Circuit 55 A ***
-

104 Single-Wire Communications System 112 A *** C -

105 Code Practice Oscillator w/ Tone Control 113 A *** C - U
113 RF-Powered 1-Transistor 1-Diode Radio 121 A *** C -

115 Transistor Radio w/ RF Amplifier 123 A *** C -

116 Coin Battery Operated Radio 124 A *** C -

119 Wireless Code Transmitter 127 A *** C -

126 Aural Continuity Tester 134 A ***
-

140 Sine Wave Audio Oscillator 148 A *** C -

141 Low Distortion Sinewave Oscillator 149 A *** C -

80 Electronic Relay Switching 88 A ***
R

85 Transistor Delay Circuit Using RC Time Constant 93 A ***
R

96 High-Power Alarm Oscillator 104 A *** C R

64 Coin Battery & Audio Oscillator 72 A **** C -

65 Oscillator w/ Turn-OFF Delay 73 A **** C -

117 Two-Transistor Radio w/ Transformers 125 A **** C -
#108 + #111
30 7-Segment LED Digital Display 38 A * D -

31 Basic LED Digital Display 39 A * D -

44 Diode Circuit Function w/ Switch & LED Display 52 A * D -

48 Logic 'AND' Circuit w/ Switches 56 A    D -

49 Logic 'OR' Circuit w/ Switches 57 A    D -

51 Logic 'NOR' Circuit 59 A *** D R

50 Logic 'NOR' Circuit 58 A **** D R

72 Light Controlled Switch w/ CdS Cell 80 A ****
R

73 Light Controlled Switch w/ Solar Cell 81 A ****
R


ADDITIONAL TIPS for EXPLORING ELECTRONICS & THIS KIT:


GOOD LUCK !!!