4 comments about Shortwave Listening Guidebook: The Complete Guide to Hearing the World.

1. I picked up the first edition of this book when I first became interested in shortwave radio about five years ago. Even now I still love going back to it. Harry Helms writes in such a clear and readable style, it's easy to find yourself breezing through chapter after chapter. Harry presents just enough technical information to give you a good understanding of the principles, without putting you to sleep with lots of equations and theory. This book is a great resource for those casually interested in short wave as a hobby and are looking for a book that will just "tell it like it is"...in a no-nonsense fashion. If you're interested in ham radio at all...I can also highly recommend All About Ham Radio by the same author...written in the same informal and easily readable style. Thanks for getting me on my way Harry!



2. As a newcomer to Shortwave listening, I found that Harry Helms' "Shortwave Listening Guidebook" has been the perfect introduction. It covers the technical aspects (such as the different parts of a shortwave receiver and how to use them, radio wave propagation, and antennas) in enough (but not too much) detail to be of use to the casual listener. There's an overview of the various shortwave bands, as well as what you may find between the bands. The many aspects of shortwave listening are covered, from listening to major broadcasters such as the BBC to such specialities as trying to hear distant stations, "pirate" broadcasters, and so on.

   All in all, armed with both this book and "Passport to Worldband Radio", anyone should be able to enjoy shortwave listening.




3. This is the ultimate hybrid of reference book and page-turner, thanks to Harry Helms' superb writing style. Prose is liquid, even in the sections that have a lot of reference information. Absolutely recommended.



4. This is the ultimate hybrid of reference book and page-turner, thanks to Harry Helms' superb writing style. Prose is liquid, even in the sections that have a lot of reference information. Absolutely recommended.

2 comments about How Radio Signals Work.

1. This book was definitely written for non-technical people. In order to enjoy this book, one does not have to have great knowledge in electronics and mathematics. As matter of fact, the author completely avoids using mathematical equations and replace it with very easy-to-follow graphs to explain the complex "Radiophysics". The author did a very good job of explaining difficult topics of "Radiophysics" using normal everyday language. An excellent starter book for anyone who is interested in learning how our modern communication works. I wish I had read this book before I started my college engineering courses. Concepts mentioned in this book can be a stepping stone for anyone(high school students, people in technical sales, non-technical managers, and even tax agents) who is considering a career in RF/wireless communication field. This book will definitely set you in the right path for an introductory communication class.



2. I'm just beginning to get into Amateur Radio (ie: Ham radio) to move my career more toward RF technology. This book really lays out the info very gently, doesn't try to impress you with huge words or complex theorems. For anyone trying to gain insight into RF, this is a GREAT starting point. But, if you're trying to get into Ham radio, get the test book first from the ARRL and pass the Technician's exam. After that, you can apply practically all the theory found in this book and expand your knowledge further through experience.

2 comments about Arrl Handbook for Radio Communications 2006: 83rd Edition (Arrl Handbook for Radio Communications).

1. Like all ARRL handbooks this one is great. I have many of these books and I love them all.



2. The ARRL Handbook is excellent as always but the book as
   Sold by Amazon does not include the free CD.

5 comments about Ham Radio: Simplified.

1. This is not a book for the 'old ragchewer' or maybe it is. It is a book for some of us who have forgotten what 'ham radio is all about', or someone that has been on 2m for ever. It is an excellent book for someone that is going to give an introduction to 'ham radio' because it is simple, to the point and understandable. It is a great book for anyone interested in 'ham radio' or perhaps has just received their ticket. It is a great KISS book. Well done. KB6WUT



2. If you have no previous exposure to Ham radio, then this isn't the book for you. There isn't any big picture introductory material -- page 1 starts with guidance for purchasing your ham radio rig (back in 1998). The ARRL technician class study guide has better intro material.
   
   The author does a good job of defining terms, but many terms which need defining are missed (or not defined soon enough). For example, 'DXing' is mentioned 15 times before it is defined on page 24. The density of new terms is challenging -- even if they were all defined the first time they were used.
   
   Instead, this should be the first book you buy after receiving your technician class license. It is full of information and advice, but you simply can't start from zero with this book.



3. Good review or initial exposure to ham radio. This is a great starting point.



4. I found the book was ok as an introduction to the area, but insufficient to prepare for a licensing exam.



5. Ham radio overview should have been the title. This book is all bones and no meat and would be a waste of money to even a beginning ham.
   I would highly recommend "Ham Radio for Dummies", which in my opinion, is the best book out ther for beginners and as a reference.

5 comments about Now You're Talking! All You Need to Get Your First Amateur Radio License, Fifth Edition.

1. "Now You're Talking" (NYT) is a great resource for anyone seeking a Technician class license -- the first step in the hobby of Amateur Radio. In simple, straightforward language, you'll learn all you need to know in order to pass the FCC's 35-question Technician class examination. The entire FCC question pool, along with correct answers and text references, is included, so there'll be no surprises when you walk into the examination room. As an added plus, you'll find references to many other resources that provide valuable information about the Amateur Radio Service and assistance in becoming a ham.
   
   After a thorough study of NYT, I completed a computer-based review of Technician class exam questions using the "Ham University" CD available through the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) just prior to taking the exam. As a result, I maxxed the exam and received my Technician class license a few days later.
   
   A caution--make sure you are using the current, 5th edition of NYT to prepare for your exam. In addition, the current question pool is due to expire on June 30, 2006, so you'll want to complete your Technician class exam before then or wait until the 6th edition of NYT is published.



2. If you want to actually know why the answers are what they are on the test, instead of just taking practice test after practice test and trying to memorize answers, then you NEED this book. I wasn't satisfied just taking the practice tests online and memorizing answers, so I bought this book - learned the information - and almost got a perfect score on the FCC's technicians class test. Most people I know, who didn't buy any books, barely passed. What kind of a score do you want?



3. I purchased this manual only to find out that the element 2 test expired in July of 2007. I subsequently purchased "The ARRL HAM RADIO LICENSE MANUAL" which contains the question pool beginning July 1,2006.
   This is an excellent manual.



4. This is the outdated version and will leave you unprepared for the tests. make sure you look and get the most recent version to better prepare. Otherwise, the book is a pretty good resource when preparing for the exams. Well organized and easy to follow.



5. This is a great book for those starting out in Amature Radio. Though it has been replaced for the new test's, I still reference mine on occasion.

5 comments about Passport to World Band Radio, New 2007 Edition (Passport to World Band Radio).

1. Exelent, Idon't know why people by brand new books, thers amazon
   Jose



2. I have been reading this book for 10 years, & find it invaluable for any info about new & old equipment.Great info about stations & broadcasts from around the globe & program schedules.Also good info for newcomers to sw. Highly reccomend as a gift for anyone that you might want to share your hobby with.



3. .. also full of confusing graphical pages so you can not resolve what is the comercial and what article!
   
   Once again the graphical arrangement of comercial, articles, content for example which you can not find quickly and the the rest of the book is not in accordance with the technical content of the book!
   
   After some time of digging you can find everything what you need but again: it is very confusing book becuse of the similar colours of the comercials and articles!
   For stars because of that!
   
   It is more accurate for local frequecies than WRTH!
   
   Enjoy anyway!



4. This is one of the books I included in the present I bought for my 20-year-old grandson along with the Sony Broadband radio. This book is interesting and opening the world of broadband radio to my grandson. He finds it very useful.



5. This book has all the information you need to find where the various shortwave stations are located and what will be on at different times. I am happy I got it to go along with the shortwave radio that I purchased.

5 comments about Old Time Radios! Restoration and Repair.

1. What a waste of money! All the hype for this book lead me to believe this was a book that would be valuable to a beginner in the restoration of antique radios. I should have ignored the positive posts that were obviously posted by close members of the author's immediate family. If one is into theory, this is probably about as good as it gets. If one is looking for basic restoration help, fugeddabowdit!



2. This book is OK and I'm glad I bought it, but the author spends too much time on the theory and history of antique radios. Only about 1/3rd of the book is devoted to troubleshooting, and even that part is a little bit sketchy. I think a person can find better troubleshooting manuals, tube manuals, and other interesting literature for free online if you just spend a few minutes searching. It has been my experience that the New Jersey Antique Radio Club is a great resource.
   
   Mr. Carr wrote a great book, but you can do better online.



3. Very thorough. This is a good book if you want to restore old radios. Gives a good explanation of history, and how the tubes and circuits work. There is a good section on troublshooting and repair. The only complaint is that the author goes into great detail to explain how the circuits are effected using equations in calculus ect. It is just a bit much for the novice to grasp. Otherwise a good book on old radios.



4. If you want a book on how tube radios work, this is a great book. If you want to know how to actually restore radios, not so good.



5. I have been interested in and tinkered with electronics since I was a boy, but I didn't have the knowledge to do any involved repairs. Over the years my family and I have had tube radios that worked fine at one time, then started to hum, with the humming eventually getting so bad it drowned out everything else. I remembered my folks taking one of these sets to a radio/TV repairman when I was a kid and being told it wasn't worth fixing. For years I have wanted to find out what caused this and maybe fix those radios. Some 30 years later I spied this book, bought it, and found out what all that humming was caused by. I have proceeded to fix 3 of those old radios that now work like new, for only a few dollars in parts! This book taught me everything I needed to know to do it. I couldn't be more pleased. I had to re-read some sections a few times to "get it", but the info I needed was all there. I can't recommend this book highly enough!!

5 comments about The ARRL Antenna Book: The Ultimate Reference for Amateur Radio Antennas, Transmission Lines And Propagation (Arrl Antenna Book).

1. The definitive book on antennas theory, design, and construction. If you're serious about building your own antennas then you need this book as part of your collection!



2. The ARRL Antenna Book: The Ultimate Reference for Amateur Radio Antennas, Transmission Lines And Propagation (Arrl Antenna Book)



3. The Arrl Antenna Book is a must have for any antenna designer. Amateur radio operators, shortwave listeners and commerical users will benefit from both the theory provided and the practical examples of proper design executions.



4. This is the bible for ham radio antenna design. Also covers transmission lines and propagation. Both theory (at graduate EE level) and practice (at the level of mere mortals). -- ws2i



5. As this purchase was to replace my copy of an earlier edition that was lost in a tornado, I didn't have any reservations in buying the latest edition, still a great resource. A nice balance of theory and construction how to do it. I do like that the print edition now comes with an electronic edition.

5 comments about Ham Radio for Dummies.

1. ham radios for dummies? i expected it to be in dummy language, there was still a lot of terminology over my head making reading a bit difficult. book was still very informative, i learned a lot.



2. A great primer for the beginner who wants to learn the basics. Easy to read and understand. The author not only knows his "stuff" but conveys it in plain language. Helpful hints in getting started in ham radio and where to go for detailed specific information was very helpful in getting started in this wonderful hobby. Recommended reading to get started in ham radio.



3. THis is a great introduction to amature radio. If you already have your license than it is probably not needed, but for those that are just starting out it is fun to read.



4. This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to get into HAM radio or is new to the hobby. I am a general class looking at going for Extra in the next few months. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the hobby.
   
   73's



5. Ham Radio for Dummies is an excellent choice as a starting point for the person interested in ham radio. It covers just about any ham radio activity possible and explains them in just enough technical language to be understood. The engineering is left out!! Everything from antennas to equipment purchases is covered. I have been a ham since 1968, and I still found this book of interest. I learned quite a bit about the newer digital modes being used on the air.

5 comments about Arrl Ham Radio License Manual: All You Need to Become an Amateur Radio Operator (Arrl Ham Radio License Manual).

1. There are lots of things to learn about radios and lots of books available on different technical topics. This one is focused on getting your first ham radio license.
   
   The ARRL Ham License Manual is written in a 'welcome to the club' type manner with most of the information on radios, licensing, and ham radio as a hobby explained farily clearly. Moreover, it contains ALL of the ACTUAL questions in the pool of potential test questions. In other words, if you read the book and work through the questions there will be no surprises on the FCC exam!
   
   This book was used as the text for a two-day ham radio license class I attended. I read the book ahead of time and worked through the test questions at the end of each section. All of the answers are given and linked to chapters in the book if you need to go back and see what you missed.
   
   If you have a background in radio or catch on to technical things easy, this book could easily prepare you to pass the Technician (basic level ham license) without taking a class. Used along with a class or with help from a local ham radio club, this book would help prepare someone with no radio background or little technical experience.
   
   ARRL is the dominant, authoritative amateur radio organization in the US and this book is 'a standard' among hams. It won't make you an expert or explain every technical detail of radio but will help you get your first ham license. At $25 it is a very good value.



2. The first few chapters were a lot to wade through with introductions to radio and electrical terminology. Chapter three is where the book gets interesting and begins to be a lot of fun to read. (note: You might want to read chapters one and two twice before going on to the rest of the book). It tells you all you need to get licensed as a ham as well as where to seek out additional information. One caution it introduces you to a World that seems endless with opportunities to explore. A good companion to this book for studying for the test are the sample tests at www.qrz.com.



3. I am a new Ham. I just passed the Technician class test with a perfect score. The only resource I used was this book. The test isn't hard to begin with but why not make it easy on yourself and use the official material. The question pool in the back of the book are the same questions on the test. Technically you could just memorize all the questions and go take the test but you will be lost as to how to actually BE a Ham after you pass.
   
   The contents of the book cover everything from what frequencies you are allowed to use as a Technician level Ham to basic electric theory. There is no need to buy any other materials. Just find a comfy chair, open this up and read it cover to cover stopping to answer the questions in the back of the book when prompted. That's it.
   
   Great book.



4. I used this product to obtain my Technician license and it worked perfectly. Every topic is easily laid out in a clear, concise fashion, and the question pool at the back of the book is well-organized. The material is also presented in an interesting and unique way, so you will not tire of learning. Highly recommended!



5. If you want to learn to be a Technician class amateur radio operator, this book is a must read. The Gordon West Q&A book will teach you to pass the test. This book will teach you to be a Ham.
   
   Morse code is not required anymore. Get you license!