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From: bill.meara on 16 May 2010 23:56
.... "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" will
help.

http://soldermoke.com/book.htm

Free shipping available now and through the summer (U.S. only)


One reader's reactions:

Bill,

I just finished your Soldersmoke book. I really enjoyed it -
but...

I got the radio and electronics bug a bit late and was 23 years
old before I got my ham license. I was truly fascinated by it all.
Then I started wanting to learn why it all worked. It was truly a
challenge to start figuring out how electronic circuits work with
nothing more than my average intellect and a few books. I strained my
gray matter over the electrons and P and N type material. Finally I
decided to ignore it and move on - just put the 'trons into the black
box and pick them up on the other side. I eventually became
proficient enough to build kits and do some basic troubleshooting. I
had SSDRA and a bunch of stuff by Doug DeMaw, but never could get too
deep into it. Eventually I had what I believe was a neat miss from
lightning and station KC4GIA went silent for a number of years.
Then I found your podcast. I've really enjoyed it. I've slowly
started getting back on the air. I've bought my old dream rigs (Drake
Twins, B line) and built an ATS3B. But the urge to learn more and
progress to the true homebrewer level has taken hold. It's all your
fault. I blame you completely. I now have a copy of EMRFD, the
latest ARRL Handbook, and even have started trying to figure out
LTSpice. Ok, that's also the fault of the Hands On column in QST.
I do have to thank you for the excellent descriptions of the
electrons moving through P and N material. I actually think I've got
it now. Now if I can figure out all this biasing, and impedance
matching, etc. I might get somewhere. Your description of how you
have to match impedance through different stages makes sense, but I'm
still fuzzy on how to determine the impedance in the 1st place, etc.
I'm truly excited by the possibility of learning how to design
circuits on my own rather than building by rote. Again - it's all
your fault.
Back to the book. I really enjoyed the story of the 17M DSB rig
you built in the Azores. It was like an adventure story. Very cool.
I'm still a bit vague on why DSB, but you seem to like it, so whatever
moves you my friend. I am also intrigued by the satellite contacts.
I had always thought you had to spend a small fortune on an az-el
rotating antenna array. I'm looking forward to trying it out with
normal antennas. My only satellite contacts have been through RS-12
(I think that's the right number) using the 15 and 10 meter bands. I
don't think there is anything out there using that mode any more.
I also find it fascinating that a guy who used to live a little
over an hour from my QTH in Winchester, VA and is now halfway around
the world has had such an impact on my enjoyment of the hobby. If you
do end up back in the DC cesspool, I hope to get the chance to meet
you.

Final thought - Audio Book! I'm used to you talking to me.
There ought to be a way to sell a download or something. I think the
book is awesome, and may even become a scribbled in resource at some
point, but an audio version would be a good companion to the print
version. Just a thought...

Thanks for the motivation. You've brought me back to what's fun
in Amateur Radio - learning!

Mark
KC4GIA
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