Where to start.

[IraqVet]

Is there a comprehensive list (sticky post or otherwise) that has some good web resources on where to get started?

Thx!

[ff]

Hi there and welcome Iraqvet.  I don't know what your knowledge/experience level is so I'm not sure where to point you.  The best site I know of for newbie transmitter builders is Make RF's site:

http://makerf.com/

If you have some building experience then Radio Anarchy has developed a really nice easy to build minimalist design called the Guerilla:

http://www.angelfire.com/de/RadioAnarchy/

If you're an old pro at building RF projects then Dave Martin's website will keep you busy:
http://freeradiotx.blogspot.com/

There are several other good sites (especially some Dutch and German ones) that you can google and connect to.

And if you want to interact with other pirate builders you can join the homebrewpirateradio Yahoo group.  Good luck with your endeavors...

[IraqVet]

Thanks.  I've got a handful of books from Amazon too that spell out and help with alot of technical issues.  Those links are great. 

[Poppagator]

You might try to pick up a copy of The Radio Amateur's Handbook, an older one from the 1980s or thereabouts.  Handbooks of that era had projects in them that you could actually duplicate and get working as well as some good theory and practice stuff.  The modern ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications (hey, what's in a name?) is geared more toward microcircuitry using high-density circuit boards and surface mount components, which are fine in and of themselves but don't really lend themselves to easy duplication especially for a newcomer to the "black arts" of radio equipment construction.

[redhat]

Honestly, for the newbie, look for a second-hand HF rig.  If you have some electronic ability, try building a grenade or a corsair.  Schematics are all over the web.

We all start somewhere, welcome to the dark side

+-RH