Reddit reviews Experimental Methods in RF Design

I hope folks on this Sub aren't sick of me trotting out this list when homebrewing comes up, but here's my go-to selection of resources for Ham Radio homebrew. (Plus there's new links every time!):

I think the most extensive book for learning about radio homebrewing Experimental Methods in RF Design. It covers everything from basic direct-converstion recievers to phasing SSB transceivers. It's not super dense with information on newer DSP techniques or older regenerative receivers. But it's a wealth of practical information for the modern homebrewer.

That said, the EMRFD is dense, complex, and a little wandering. Not a great first book, but a book I keep coming back in homebrewing projects. A more approachable place to start might be reading the blogs of other homebrewers, not that these are all ideal starting places. Here's my go-to list:

• SolderSmoke - As you already mentioned, the Soldersmoke podcast is like the Car Talk of Analog Homebrew Radios.
  
• Peter Parker VK3YE's Website and YouTube Channel. His articles Homebrewing for the Novice and Ham Radio's Hidden Curriculum are great starting places.
  
• Dave Richards, AA7EE, particularly his build of VK3YE's Micro-4 or his Rugster or Sproutie projects. Some of the prettiest builds out there.
  
• Pete Juliano N6QW's Website - The other half of solder smoke, he somehow finds time to pound out rig after rig in Juliano Blue
  
• Paul Darlington m0xpd - Works a fair amount with DDS modules and receivers
  
• Peter Rachow DK7IH - has some really nice finished multiband transceiver projects, all wrapped up in little boxes.
  
• Todd Gale VE7BPO's QRP-Popcorn - Todd's always making new and interesting things with great documentation. He also had a long time website, the QRP/SWL Homebuilder, which he took down a couple years ago. Thanksfully, Jason NT7S hosts of a copy of the materials from that website.
  
• WA0ITP has a great "book" online called Crystal Sets to Sideband with great tribal wisdom on homebrew construction methods and guidance.
  
• Oh and what the heck, a shameless plug for my own site KK9JEF - I build direct conversion transceivers, currently working on a sideband transceiver.
  
  For specific designers, here's a few personal recommendations:
  
  
• I'd start with a simple Pixie or kit from eBay. They're cheap, and good experience of soldering. With a good antenna and a lot of luck, you can actually make contacts on them, but I wouldn't be discouraged if you don't. There's something to be said for soldering a $4 circuit together and pulling signals off the air.
  
• Next, I'd suggest one of the multitude of NE602/LM386 Direct Conversion Receivers or Transceivers, or homebrew your own based on their similar designs. AA7EE's build of half of the ZL2BMI DSB radio is a beautiful example.
  
• Beyond that, you're likely into homebrewing superhets. Bill's partner in crime Pete N6QW has a multitude of examples on his blog; there's the popular BITX Design which Bill N2CQR has built several of, and has a nice recorded talk on YouTube about.
  
  Feel free to message me if you want to talk kitbuilding/homebrewing!
  De KK9JEF

Ignore reddit subs. There's not a lot of info out there. Incidentally I spent a good couple of years researching this and bought about 20 books on the subject in the end. Most of the textbooks are complete drivel. The books I list below are notably different. I assume you want focus on Amateur Radio as part of it so I have included only books which treat it in context to that.

Experimental Methods in RF design. Covers literally everything, relatively up to date and relevant. Expensive but fantastic book on so many levels. Comes with a copy of Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur which was a good predecessor from the 1980s on CDROM: https://www.amazon.com/dp/087259923X

Practical RF Design Manual. Covers blocks and individual system components. Nice book but old. The techniques are still valid however. Very accessible and well written: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0136937543

The Electronics of Radio. Covers a full system level engineering of a transceiver, and all electronics fundamentals. There are practicals in it and you require some half decent and therefore relatively expensive test gear. It is focused around the Norcal 40A transceiver designed by the guy who runs Elecraft now. If you want to learn in steps rather than from a reference, this book is gold: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E3URCNG

The first title can be obtained from Library Genesis if you want to trial it before buying.

Not sure what country you are in but the above are available from box73.de or amazon in EU as well.

This is a book-length topic. Experimental Methods in RF Design

I'm doing the same thing. The two books that are on my "to buy" list so far are:

http://www.amazon.com/Experimental-Methods-Design-ARRL-Inc/dp/087259923X

http://www.amazon.com/RF-Circuit-Design-Second-Edition/dp/0750685182

Awesome list!

So to talk to people local-ish, I would suggest a mobile radio on your vehicle. See this list of mobile radios, and this list of mobile antennas. See k0bg.com for info on installation and hardware selection.

You may want a VHF (2m) or VHF/UHF (2m/70cm) radio, depending on local activity.

See here for some kits you can build:

• http://qrpkits.com/
  
• http://www.4sqrp.com/kitIndex.php
  
• https://www.qrp-labs.com/
  
  There are more. I would suggest you search for "qrp kits".
  
  All of the above will help you learn electronics. When you're ready, check out Experimental Methods in RF Design.
  
  Search here for some ARRL-affiliated local clubs: http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club
  
  Hope this helps! 73

I'd probably use a toroid in the tank circuit instead of the old-school plug-in coil, and an AC supply to save 'A' and 'B' batteries. Maybe add another audio stage so I could hear signals from more than a few feet away. It never worked very well and I was probably lucky not to electrocute myself, but it was pretty cool nonetheless.

For a newbie? Well, I wouldn't recommend using tubes, to begin with, unless you're just hyper-interested in older technology. The whole thing will fit on one chip, of course, but that's going too far in the other direction IMHO. I'd probably recommend building one of the simpler receivers based on JFETs and bipolars in Wes Hayward's book, to build some intuition about what happens when you put your fingers on the wires. Where you go from there is wide open, but start simple.

/didn't read post, probably should've

Experimental Methods in RF Design

Worth every penny.

Do you mean the ARRL book?? Amazon, first google query, total search time: 5 seconds.