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I have tried to add everything that had to do with amateur radio I could think of on this site. I have added so much, there are numerous little projects scattered all through this website! The one thing I had overlooked though is something that has been integral to the amateur radio scene, Kit building! How could I forget kitbuilding! So here is my weak attempt!

I have pulled all of these experiments from the ARRL Website. Several of these I have done myself and have found them to be a great learning tool. The experiments are written to use the simplest test equipment that can illustrate their fundamental concepts. Many require nothing more than a dc power source and a voltmeter, but more capably-equipped experimenters will get more out of each experiment. Here is a list of the equipment you'll need for most of the work:

Digital voltmeter

Power supply - 12 Vdc@1A (min)- You can use a single-polarity supply, even a 12-volt battery, but it won't let you do all of the experiments. A dual-polarity, adjustable supply is highly recommended.

Function generator - A simple model that can generate sine and square waves from a few Hz to 100 kHz and of at least 1 Vrms will do the job nicely. The ability to generate other waveforms, adjust the symmetry of the waveforms, or add dc offset are nice-to-haves. Standalone units are the most useful, but a sound-card software generator available from "Software Tools for Hams 2.0" will do.

Oscilloscope - For any experiment involving waveforms, an oscilloscope is almost a necessity. Entry-level models with two vertical channels and a bandwidth of 20 MHz are completely adequate, The USB Parallax scope from ARRL Products is cool.

SWR Analyzer - The MJF 259/269 units are fine--an Autek RF-1 will also work.

Audio Analyzer software from "Software Tools for Hams 2.0" is also used in a few experiments.

At a minimum, start with the voltmeters and the power supply and the function generator. Add an oscilloscope as soon as possible. Kits are available for both function generators and power supplies and many are available at hamfests and the online swap sites.

The Oscilloscope - the biggest and most expensive piece of equipment - but well worth the investment. This is probably the most versatile electrical instrument of all for general-purpose electronics and RF applications. For a good description of what an oscilloscope is and does, the ARRL Handbook chapter on Test Equipment is excellent reading. More information about using the oscilloscope is available on-line at Colin McCord's web site. The minimum capabilities for a useful oscilloscope is a model with two channels, a probe for each channel (with a ground clip), and the ability to trigger the sweep from either channel. The bandwidth of the 'scope should be no less than 10 MHz, with 20 MHz and up highly recommended. There are literally hundreds of models of these scopes and they are widely available as new devices or used via eBay, eham.net, QRZ.com, numerous other on-line classifieds and at hamfests and swap meets. How much do they cost? New 'scopes with these capabilities cost from $350 - $500 from several vendors. Used equipment costs a lot less for more performance. On eBay, for example, on most weeks there are several useful scopes that sell for less than $100. Models in this price range are made by B&K, Sencore, Heathkit, Tenma, and Leader. Occasionally, you will see Hewlett-Packard (HP) 100-series or Tektronix (Tek) T900-series scopes, as well. All of these are good units. Avoid older models such as Dumont, Bell and Howell, Eico, Tek 500-series, or any "TV" type scope. If you're willing to spend in the $150 - $300 range, the excellent (and portable) Tektronix 430-series models are widely available. Probes -- the cables and test clips that are used to connect to the circuit being tested - are also widely available. New ones for general-purpose use cost about $25 and are available from vendors like Jameco or MCM Electronics. If you buy a new 'scope, probes should be included. Used 'scopes may or may not have probes -- be sure to ask. Be prepared to buy new probes as they are the most heavily used part of the instrument and may be worn out. While there are number of software packages available for PC's that use a sound card as an oscilloscope, they are not recommended for beginners because of the complexities of setting up the software, issues with grounding, and the possibilities of damaging the PC.

Function Generator - A flexible function generator is a very handy device to have around the bench. The better models have sine, square, triangle, and pulse outputs and cover a frequency range of around 1 Hz to 1 MHz or more. In addition, there may be other features such as frequency sweeping, DC offset, FM or AM modulation, etc. although these aren't used much by hams. Even a generator that only outputs a sine-wave is useful for many experiments or tests. A new unit from Tenma or Leader will cost around $200, but high-quality used units are widely available for less than $50 on the for-sale Web sites and at flea markets. If you'd like to build your own, entering "function generator kit" into a Web search engine will turn up a wide range of units starting in the low-$20 range. Do you have an iPod Touch or iPhone? If so, a software function generator can turn these devices into portable function generators! The software application "Signal Suite" can be purchased on the Apple App Store for $9.99. This will download via your computer onto your Ipod touch or Iphone. The application includes noise generators as well as sine waves and other common waveforms. (Thanks, Riley N6BTL)

Power Supplies - While you can use your rig's 12-volt supply for some of the Hands-On Radio experiments, a supply capable of supplying both positive and negative voltages (around 12 or 15 volts) would be better. An adjustable supply is the best, particularly if metered. Current requirements for experimenting and building are usually low - 1 amp or less. Suitable used power supplies are available from $15 to $50. A new bench-type adjustable supply with metering and other features will cost from $150 to $250. Unmetered basic adjustable supplies, such as the RSR 3010 (available from Electronix Express) are less expensive - $70 to $100. Kits are also available. As an alternate to the lab-type supply with meters is an "open-frame" supply intended for use inside equipment. These are typically adjustable only over a narrow range, but often a +/-12 V supply can be found for just a few dollars. Meters can be added or a voltmeter can be used to monitor voltage and current. Do not try to use a PC supply - they depend on control signals from the PC motherboard and also may be unstable if lightly loaded.

These articles are in a PDF format. It is recommended that you have Adobe Reader on your PC. If not, you can go here, and download and install.

Kit Building/Technical Articles

Software

When designing or building components, there are tools out there to help you figure out if things are going to work before you even solder your first point! There is software available, which allows you to build the circuit and then run it, to simulate if the expected paramaters will be met. Best of all, this intuitive software is free! The software is called LTspice. It can be downloaded directly from Linear Technology's website, or you can download it off this site. the ARRL has putt together a huge number of experiments, that I will provide on my site, that helps you learn how to use this powerful software, so you can utilize it when designing your own circuits

LTspice IV

LTspice User's Guide

LTspice Getting Started Guide

There are tons of Demo Circuits that can be downloaded at Demo Circuit Download

LTpowerCAD

LTpowerCAD User's Guide

LTpowerCAD Quick Start Guide