Simple Circuit Project Ideas for 2nd Year ECE: Jammer, Noise Detector, Temp Alarm

I am a second year ece student and I have to do a project regarding any circuit. I would like it to be simple. Right now I have thought of jammer or noise detector or high temperature alarm.......
I would be thankful if any one out there would help me by giving some suggestions and tips....

Pick something you'd like to have yourself. You shouldn't be doing projects just because they are assigned. You should be doing projects all the time on the side because you want to and can dream up things you'd like faster than building them.

You might be in the wrong major if you have to come here to ask for something to build. This tells me you're not really interested, else you would have built a lot of things on the side already and would have a long list of stuff you wish you had time to get to.

Even if you get thru school with good grades but just doing the minimum requirement, then what? Employers want to see reasonable grades, but having a real passion for your subject is crucial.

Some years ago I was interviewing a candidate for a EE and firmware design position. He had just graduated with a BS in EE with quite good grades. But when I asked what he had done on the side, his exact words were "What do you mean, that wasn't require?"! I threw him out on the spot. There was simply no point wasting additional time on someone like that.

First suggestion: don't choose something (too far) out of your understanding, keep it simple and do it right.

Second suggestion: use whatever resources (Google, library, personal books) to learn about simple hobby projects or circuits (I see there's a rush for jammers lately). Try to find something you find useful that you can use and be proud of.

Third suggestion: don't go on forums asking for homework solutions or with too broad questions. Some people don't like that and everybody will not trust your abilities in the future (if I do a Google search on you to see what public projects you worked on and find this question I will not hire or trust you to work for me).

Actual project suggestion (and probably most you'll ever get out of forum attempts like this): try something I've seen really common among second year projects: clocks and thermometers. They're really basic and have both analog and digital parts so you can practice on two fronts at a simple enough level to understand the design flow, which is probably the big goal of the project the other one being to apply the basic electronics knowledge acquired so far in university.

As Olin points out - do something that is exciting to YOU! There are thousands of good entry level projects that are ripe for the picking.

What topics in electrical engineering interest you?

My second year in college I built a temperature alarm. I used a diode, comparator, current source designed with a BJT transistor, and a piezo alarm. That was fun.

If you have not yet had any experience with a microcontroller that might be a good option as well. My first microcontroller project was a thermostat that controlled two AC outlets via relays. I could turn on a heater or turn on a fan depending on the temperature setting.

I don't know if you received first post i submitted.
Here you go.....

David I think we missed your post. What is this circuit?

That is just an example,This should give you an idea( a start) on what direction you want to go.. Remember this is just an example..

Hi Cody.
It is a audio Jammer(Noise generator for detector audio circuit).
This is just an example , not to be used for his project..Giving him an idea..

I had 3 projects in my 2nd year at university: a clock (that used a specific microcontroller), a EEPROM tester (that connected to the computer (so basically a parallel/serial port extension) and a cooler system with two fans, a temperature alarm and a sensor, something really close to your first microcontroller project but without a microcontroller, just comparators, transistors, a buzzer and as far as I remember an LM175 sensor. We had a PCB size restriction and could only use THD components... I believe those were some of the hardest working/learning days of my life.

right now I'm interested in amplifiers,and diodes..... as I'm still in the 3rd semester,i still have to learn a lot as we have started analog electronic circuits as a core this semester....
that is why i need some guidance..

Lte me just give you a simple circuit idea. Dark sensor security lights.Have you heard about photodiodes or light dependent resistors? surely yes, since you are interested in diodes and amplifiers, you can use your knowledge of voltage dividers, connect the divider to an Op-Amp, and connect the Op-Amp in such a way that it gives you a positive output when it gets dark, and use the output to drive a relay that will switch on any light, say a bulb. You might notice it looks more like an assignment but this are just hints for you to think and research and if you succeed you might find it easier to develop other projects using the same group of components you used in your first try.

You are right Mr Olin. I just finished up my Bachelors, and because of the state of technology in my country it was more of theory(but standard), so during the hols out of curiosity I tried out so many circuits with my breadboard and now I can boast of a mastery in many aspects of electronic circuit design just because I did it myself. Presently I am intensively trying to learn more about microcontrollers which is still partially theoritical in my country.