electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

Greetings,

I'm a relatively new ham with not much in the way of electronics knowledge
who wants to be able to build and understand my equipment. I recently
enrolled in an electronics program at the community college to try to change
that. Unfortunately, there are no rf/antenna/wireless related courses
(sadly the wireless program was cancelled last year). What kinds of general
electronics classes (or other type) will best help me understand radio
electronics? This quarter I took DC circuits. Next quarter will be solid
state. I'll take an AC principles course later. While the local university
has electrical engineering courses, they don't teach them at night, so I'm
limited to what the community colleges can offer.

Thanks,
Matt
KD7PPK

electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

Matt wrote:

Greetings,

I'm a relatively new ham with not much in the way of electronics knowledge
who wants to be able to build and understand my equipment. I recently
enrolled in an electronics program at the community college to try to change
that. Unfortunately, there are no rf/antenna/wireless related courses
(sadly the wireless program was cancelled last year). What kinds of general
electronics classes (or other type) will best help me understand radio
electronics? This quarter I took DC circuits. Next quarter will be solid
state. I'll take an AC principles course later. While the local university
has electrical engineering courses, they don't teach them at night, so I'm
limited to what the community colleges can offer.

Thanks,
Matt
KD7PPK


It sounds like you're on the right track. If you can take a
semiconductor devices course at the right time that'd be good, but
they're usually 3rd-year courses & may not be taught at community college.

You should have a copy of the ARRL Handbook. The 2004 copy that I have
does a pretty good job of presenting all of this stuff. From my
perspective as a practicing EE it's a bit watered down, but the
information is quite accurate as far as it goes and it's certainly
adequate for a lot of design tasks. The handbook is a book that you can
reasonably expect to see on the shelves of any EE active in RF design,
and you can expect that it'll get referred to from time to time.

Going beyond the handbook Hayward's "Radio Frequency Design" is a good
book to read after you get through the AC principals course. I have it
and I like it, but it is written assuming you have quite a bit of EE
coursework under your belt. If you can't take a devices course you'll
either have to spend lots of quality time with the ARRL handbook or get
a text from a devices course and ask lots of questions. I hear
"Experimental Methods in RF Design" recommended here, although I don't
have a copy myself.

If you really get serious about the handbook you should try getting one
copy per decade going back to the 70's. Their opinion of what's
"useful" changes from time to time, so it's not just the same book over
and over again. If you go nuts about the handbook you should get one
copy per year, perhaps two or three (one for display behind glass, one
to read in the living room, one for the shop...). I'm up to 9 copies,
including the '76 copy from when I got interested and my uncle's '45
copy that I found in my grandmother's attic. I find I have a terrible
fascination with the circuits in the '33 handbook with those open-air
tank coils with 2kV on them -- and capacitors located so you have to
reach over the coils to adjust them. It puts the term "electrical
safety" into a very interesting perspective.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
snip

It sounds like you're on the right track. If you can take a semiconductor
devices course at the right time that'd be good, but they're usually
3rd-year courses & may not be taught at community college.

snip
Tim Wescott

Thanks for the advice, Tim. It looks like the solid state class might be
the same as your semiconductor devices course? From the course description:
"Analyzes characteristics of semiconductor devices and their application in
common electronic circuits. Covers construction of simple power supplies and
more complex amplifier circuits and regulators. Includes construction and
measurement of devices and circuit parameters to verify math analysis of
circuits designed." There are also classes in analog circuits and devices
and in digital circuits.

Thanks,
Matt

electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

Matt wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
snip

It sounds like you're on the right track. If you can take a semiconductor
devices course at the right time that'd be good, but they're usually
3rd-year courses & may not be taught at community college.


snip

Tim Wescott


Thanks for the advice, Tim. It looks like the solid state class might be
the same as your semiconductor devices course? From the course description:
"Analyzes characteristics of semiconductor devices and their application in
common electronic circuits. Covers construction of simple power supplies and
more complex amplifier circuits and regulators. Includes construction and
measurement of devices and circuit parameters to verify math analysis of
circuits designed."

That sounds like a match. Of course I can't answer for the quality of
the coursework compared to a Uni, but then it depends on which CC and
which Uni.

There are also classes in analog circuits and devices
and in digital circuits.

Take those, too.


--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

This one *may* be harder without the AC class under your belt.

Also talk to the instructors. They may suggest books or even give / lend
you something. Also ask about hams in the area.

73, Steve, K9DCI


"Matt" wrote in message
...
"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
snip

It sounds like you're on the right track. If you can take a
semiconductor
devices course at the right time that'd be good, but they're usually
3rd-year courses & may not be taught at community college.

snip
Tim Wescott

Thanks for the advice, Tim. It looks like the solid state class might be
the same as your semiconductor devices course? From the course
description:
"Analyzes characteristics of semiconductor devices and their application
in
common electronic circuits. Covers construction of simple power supplies
and
more complex amplifier circuits and regulators. Includes construction and
measurement of devices and circuit parameters to verify math analysis of
circuits designed." There are also classes in analog circuits and devices
and in digital circuits.

Thanks,
Matt

electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

In article ,
says...

Greetings,

I'm a relatively new ham with not much in the way of electronics knowledge
who wants to be able to build and understand my equipment. I recently
enrolled in an electronics program at the community college to try to change
that. Unfortunately, there are no rf/antenna/wireless related courses
(sadly the wireless program was cancelled last year). What kinds of general

snippety

Knowing the basics never hurts. My own electronics courses were
generalized rather than aimed at radio, but I still learned a goodly
amount from them.

Others have already pointed you in the same directions I would. My
only other suggestion would be to, as your time and level of income
allows, build up your workbench/lab with the best tools and equipment
you can possibly afford.

Along those lines -- Learn how to take full advantage of the
scrounging resources offered by ham radio swap meets (join a local club
that does one a year, if possible) and electronic surplus stores. At the
risk of shameless self-promotion, I have sections of my web site
dedicated to such efforts.

http://www.bluefeathertech.com/technoid/swapindex.html

Some of your first investments, tool-wise, should include the
basics -- screwdrivers in the flat, phillips, allen, and Torx varieties,
diagonal cutters, both regular and flush, pliers, small wrenches (an
ignition wrench set is very helpful).

I tend to avoid imported tools, with a few notable exceptions.
I've found that the long-term quality just isn't there, notably in the
junk we get from China and Taiwan. Buying US-made stuff is a bit
pricier, but it's a far better long-term investment.

Some of the names I go for a Bondhus (Allen wrenches), Wiha
(regular and Torx screwdrivers, west German import, great stuff!),
Cooper Tools (US-based, formerly known as Xcelite) and, for power tools
such as drills, saws, etc., DeWalt.

As for test gear, I could probably write a book. At the very
least, you're going to need a good multimeter (Fluke 87 series is my
personal favorite), probably a small bench power supply (or a large one,
if you plan to run mobile gear on said bench).

As your skill level grows, you will likely find that you need more
sophisticated stuff: Oscilloscope, signal generator, modulation
analyzer, spectrum analyzer, LC meter, etc.

I could write a book on picking some of those, especially O-
scopes. For now, suffice to say that you can get an awfully good 'scope
for the $$ by going for older Tektronix equipment. Some favorites of
mine are the 7000 series (7603, 7704, 7904, 7104) and their associated
plug-ins for lab use. For portable (well, luggable anyway) use, have a
look at the 465, 475, 485, 224x series, or the 246x series.

One excellent source of Tektronix information is the TekScopes
group on Yahoo. I've been a member for years.

You're off to a wonderful start on a fascinating hobby. Oh, you'll
hit bumps along the road -- we all do -- but keep up your interest in
tinkering and you'll never lack for a learning experience.

Happy tweaking.


--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute.
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, ARS KC7GR,
kyrrin (a/t) bluefeathertech[d=o=t]calm -- www.bluefeathertech.com
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped
with surreal ports?"

electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

Matt here is an excellent on-line freebee
http://www.tpub.com/neets/

--
CL -- I doubt, therefore I might be !


"Matt" wrote in message
...
Greetings,

I'm a relatively new ham with not much in the way of electronics knowledge
who wants to be able to build and understand my equipment. I recently
enrolled in an electronics program at the community college to try to
change that. Unfortunately, there are no rf/antenna/wireless related
courses (sadly the wireless program was cancelled last year). What kinds
of general electronics classes (or other type) will best help me
understand radio electronics? This quarter I took DC circuits. Next
quarter will be solid state. I'll take an AC principles course later.
While the local university has electrical engineering courses, they don't
teach them at night, so I'm limited to what the community colleges can
offer.

Thanks,
Matt
KD7PPK

electronics/rf coursework for hobbyist
 

Thanks to everyone for the information and advice. I really do appreciate
it.

73,
Matt
KD7PPK