Posted: 11/12/2013 4:51:53 AM EDT
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So up until this point I was completely against soldering anything, but I have since seen the usefulness and practicality of being able to create/work on various electronics. Which leads me to my first question:
"Where do I start?"
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Bahaha! Current... 
My current understanding of electronics is extremely basic. I've never had any hands on experience, and any knowledge I do have, which is flimsy, has been as a result of getting my general license. I could tell you the difference between amps, volts, ohms, and watts. That's about it. 
ETA: Those links are really helpful. Would that electronics kit last me a while? |
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http://qrpkits.com/scoutregen.html
http://qrpkits.com/deluxetennadipper.html http://www.foxdelta.com/products/minitnc.htm my logic is build stuff you can use. 
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If you have an Android phone or table, get this. It has a small sandbox on the free version. The full $9.99 version has all the bells and whistles. You cna build just about any circuit from beginner to wayyy advanced (probably more than my knowledge). It will show you the current, voltage drops across components and anything else you want to know about it. No affiliation with them, just a really good program.
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If you want to build a receiver, consider this one: http://www.tentec.com/any-band-direct-conversion-receiver-kit-model-1056/
Parts are included to build it for any one of several popular ham bands. It's very stable, and I've used mine along with a low power transmitter to make several contacts. This book will get you off to a good start: http://www.arrl.org/shop/Understanding-Basic-Electronics It starts you at ground zero and takes you through the theory and applications of electronics, including some simple projects to give you hands-on experience with actual operating circuits. |
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The Ten-Tec kit is easy to build and fully usable for actually getting on the air. While it doesn't come with a case, one is offered but is expensive. If you'll do a search on the kit's model number, you should see some novel ideas for an enclosure, including a small metal baking pan cabinet.
It uses all through-hole mounted components, as compared to surface mount technology, which is definitely not for beginners. If you've never soldered printed circuit boards before, it will be a good idea to practice a few joints before getting started on the kit. Just let us know and you'll get plenty of suggestions. The best band to build it for would be 40 Meters as that's where the most activity is. Two mounting ideas:  
 
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