Wiring up the PicAxe - General

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PicAxe pages:

Hardware

D.I.Y or Starter Pack ?

The easiest option by far is simply to buy a starter pack. These contain all you need to get started. Look at Rev-Eds Picaxe site for a description of these to decide whether the Starter pack, Experimenters pack, or project boards or the PICNIK box suit you better, and for which Picaxe chip. Then you can order from Rev-Ed (UK), MicroZed (AUS), or SICom (NZ).
I have no experience with these packs, and on this site I deal with the D.I Y. approach. If you are an electronics hobbyist, or have a friend with some electronics and soldering skills, this option could be the way to go. I personally chose to do it myself because I'm experienced with electronics and microcontrollers already, and wanted the cheapest way to get what i want. Besides, my fun in electronics comes from designing and building things myself.

Getting Started - What steps to take...

Download the Programming Editor
which is available from the Rev-Ed Picaxe website, and requires only a free registration for download.
Once it's installed (eg. C:\Program Files\Programming Editor) you'll find a folder with manuals and tutorial, which you should read. To begin with, read the Tutorial (axe002_tutorial.pdf), Microcontroller Summary (AXE001_pinout.pdf), the FAQs (AXE001_faq.pdf & axe001_techfaq.pdf), PicAxe BASIC Commands (AXE001_basic_commands.pdf), and Download cable instructions (AXE025.pdf), as well as the manuals for each picaxe, axe003_manual.pdf for the '08, axe002_manual.pdf for the '18. Pdf's not in the datasheet folder are available from the Rev-Ed website.
You can try out some programs before your chip arrives to see that you're using the commands correctly, using F4 to check your code.

Order the PicAxe chip
Find a distributor and order a Picaxe-08 or two, and possibly your choice from the available range (08, 18A, 28A, 28X & 40X.)
I bought 1 Picaxe-08 and 2 Picaxe-18A's to begin with, and should've ordered more '08s as I underestimated their usefulness.

Build a Development Board
To build this yourself here's the list of what's involved in putting together a development board.

Board used can be prototype board, veroboard (stripboard), custom made, rat's nest, or breadboard, which is popular.
Programming interface circuit (only 2 or 3 resistors and a socket) should be included. See Serial Comms. page for details.
Some user Input / Output circuitry. (an LED or two, and a switch or push-button or two will be fine to begin with). The Input & Output page has example circuits.
Basically you can pick any combination of I/O circuitry that'll work, throw in a Serial Interface for Programming, choose your method of Power Supply, and you're building your development board - it's quite straightforward.
Here's some example development board circuits.

Make the Programming Cable
to connect the development board to the computer is easy to make, or you can buy one from a Picaxe agent. See the Serial Interface page for cable details.

Supply a Power Source
of just a few batteries will be fine to begin with, although you'll probably benefit from using a plug-in style DC power pack eventually. You can use 3 batteries (4.5 V) or 4 batteries with a series diode drop (6 - 0.6 = 5.4 V). I personally use a bench supply set to 5 V. See the Power Supply page for more details and options.: which is available from the Rev-Ed Picaxe website, and requires only a free registration for download.
Once it's installed (eg. C:\Program Files\Programming Editor) you'll find a folder with manuals and tutorial, which you should read. To begin with, read the Tutorial (axe002_tutorial.pdf), Microcontroller Summary (AXE001_pinout.pdf), the FAQs (AXE001_faq.pdf & axe001_techfaq.pdf), PicAxe BASIC Commands (AXE001_basic_commands.pdf), and Download cable instructions (AXE025.pdf), as well as the manuals for each picaxe, axe003_manual.pdf for the '08, axe002_manual.pdf for the '18. Pdf's not in the datasheet folder are available from the Rev-Ed website.
You can try out some programs before your chip arrives to see that you're using the commands correctly, using F4 to check your code.
Order the PicAxe chip
Find a distributor and order a Picaxe-08 or two, and possibly your choice from the available range (08, 18A, 28A, 28X & 40X.)
I bought 1 Picaxe-08 and 2 Picaxe-18A's to begin with, and should've ordered more '08s as I underestimated their usefulness.

Build a Development Board
To build this yourself here's the list of what's involved in putting together a development board.

Board used can be prototype board, veroboard (stripboard), custom made, rat's nest, or breadboard, which is popular.
Programming interface circuit (only 2 or 3 resistors and a socket) should be included. See Serial Comms. page for details.
Some user Input / Output circuitry. (an LED or two, and a switch or push-button or two will be fine to begin with). The Input & Output page has example circuits.
Basically you can pick any combination of I/O circuitry that'll work, throw in a Serial Interface for Programming, choose your method of Power Supply, and you're building your development board - it's quite straightforward.
Here's some example development board circuits.

Make the Programming Cable
to connect the development board to the computer is easy to make, or you can buy one from a Picaxe agent. See the Serial Interface page for cable details.

Supply a Power Source
of just a few batteries will be fine to begin with, although you'll probably benefit from using a plug-in style DC power pack eventually. You can use 3 batteries (4.5 V) or 4 batteries with a series diode drop (6 - 0.6 = 5.4 V). I personally use a bench supply set to 5 V. See the Power Supply page for more details and options.: Find a distributor and order a Picaxe-08 or two, and possibly your choice from the available range (08, 18A, 28A, 28X & 40X.)
I bought 1 Picaxe-08 and 2 Picaxe-18A's to begin with, and should've ordered more '08s as I underestimated their usefulness.
Build a Development Board
To build this yourself here's the list of what's involved in putting together a development board.

Board used can be prototype board, veroboard (stripboard), custom made, rat's nest, or breadboard, which is popular.
Programming interface circuit (only 2 or 3 resistors and a socket) should be included. See Serial Comms. page for details.
Some user Input / Output circuitry. (an LED or two, and a switch or push-button or two will be fine to begin with). The Input & Output page has example circuits.
Basically you can pick any combination of I/O circuitry that'll work, throw in a Serial Interface for Programming, choose your method of Power Supply, and you're building your development board - it's quite straightforward.
Here's some example development board circuits.

Make the Programming Cable
to connect the development board to the computer is easy to make, or you can buy one from a Picaxe agent. See the Serial Interface page for cable details.

Supply a Power Source
of just a few batteries will be fine to begin with, although you'll probably benefit from using a plug-in style DC power pack eventually. You can use 3 batteries (4.5 V) or 4 batteries with a series diode drop (6 - 0.6 = 5.4 V). I personally use a bench supply set to 5 V. See the Power Supply page for more details and options.: To build this yourself here's the list of what's involved in putting together a development board.

Board used can be prototype board, veroboard (stripboard), custom made, rat's nest, or breadboard, which is popular.
Programming interface circuit (only 2 or 3 resistors and a socket) should be included. See Serial Comms. page for details.
Some user Input / Output circuitry. (an LED or two, and a switch or push-button or two will be fine to begin with). The Input & Output page has example circuits.
Basically you can pick any combination of I/O circuitry that'll work, throw in a Serial Interface for Programming, choose your method of Power Supply, and you're building your development board - it's quite straightforward.
Here's some example development board circuits.
Make the Programming Cable
to connect the development board to the computer is easy to make, or you can buy one from a Picaxe agent. See the Serial Interface page for cable details.

Supply a Power Source
of just a few batteries will be fine to begin with, although you'll probably benefit from using a plug-in style DC power pack eventually. You can use 3 batteries (4.5 V) or 4 batteries with a series diode drop (6 - 0.6 = 5.4 V). I personally use a bench supply set to 5 V. See the Power Supply page for more details and options.: to connect the development board to the computer is easy to make, or you can buy one from a Picaxe agent. See the Serial Interface page for cable details.
Supply a Power Source
of just a few batteries will be fine to begin with, although you'll probably benefit from using a plug-in style DC power pack eventually. You can use 3 batteries (4.5 V) or 4 batteries with a series diode drop (6 - 0.6 = 5.4 V). I personally use a bench supply set to 5 V. See the Power Supply page for more details and options.: of just a few batteries will be fine to begin with, although you'll probably benefit from using a plug-in style DC power pack eventually. You can use 3 batteries (4.5 V) or 4 batteries with a series diode drop (6 - 0.6 = 5.4 V). I personally use a bench supply set to 5 V. See the Power Supply page for more details and options.

Core circuit

The minimum circuit requirements for the Picaxe-08 are:

Pulldown resistor from Serial In (physical leg 2) to ground.
Some I/O interface circuitry (eg. Serial programming interface, buttons, LEDs, drivers...)
Power supply.

See axe003_manual.pdf for details.

The Minimum circuit requirements for the Picaxe-18A are:

Pulldown resistor from Serial In (physical leg 3) to ground.
A 4k7 pullup resistor on Reset (physical leg 4), and a pulldown button to ground to activate reset.
Some I/O interface circuitry (eg. Serial programming interface, buttons, LEDs, drivers...)
Power supply.

See axe002_manual.pdf for details.

The Minimum circuit requirements for the Picaxe-28A are:

Pulldown resistor from Serial In (physical leg 6) to ground.
A 4k7 pullup resistor on Reset (physical leg 1), and a pulldown button to ground to activate reset.
A 3-pin 4 MHz ceramic resonator on physical legs 10 & 9, and 8 (middle pin of resonator).
Some I/O interface circuitry (eg. Serial programming interface, buttons, LEDs, drivers...)
Power source.

See AXE001_manual.pdf for details.

For the 'X' parts (Picaxe-18X, '28X, & '40X) see axe001_xparts.pdf.