Product Description

Must-Have
For the radio amateur...
For the technician and engineer...
For the newcomer...

This 86th edition of The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications stays ahead of the pack taking its place as the most comprehensive source of applied electronics and communications know-how. First published in 1926, The Handbook has served generations of radio amateurs, professionals and students. This authoritative book features the most current material on the state-of-the-art:

Principles of electronics including basic theory, components, analog and digital circuit construction.
Radio communication fundamentals and design including modes and systems, filters, EMI, digital signal processing and software radio design, and RF power amplifiers.
Real-world applications and operating including practical projects, station setup, antennas, transmission lines, and methods for testing and troubleshooting.
References filled with hundreds of detailed tables, illustrations and photos. You will turn to The Handbook again and again!

CD-ROM Included! The CD-ROM at the back of the book includes all of the fully searchable text and illustrations in the printed book, as well as companion software, PC board templates and other support files.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32246 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews

The best, most complete book on radio communications
Easily one of the best ARRL titles, along with the license manuals, Antenna Book, Operating Manual, and few of the specialty books.

This book, however, is anything but specialized (in the radio sense, anyway). Kept up-to-date annually and now in its 86th edition(!), it's THE best one-volume book on radio, practical electronics, circuits, operating, and reference information you can find. There isn't another book that even comes remotely close to it.

If you're into radio, you probably know that ARRL titles are hard to find at a good discount. Even hamfest booksellers typically only knock off a dollar or two. Amazon is one of the few places where you can reliably find discounts on ARRL books.

Lots of Detail--Too Little Context
Like so many ARRL publications, there's a phenomenal amount of depth to this book. While it's endlessly fascinating to comb through it, the book has too little context (real-world examples and application) for a novice like me.

I'm an instructional designer by profession, and a General Class who'd like to teach some of this material to others. I can't find much in this book to recommend it to newbies. For example, in my endless quest for teachable material on electrical fundamentals and how they apply to radio, I hoped that that chapter in the Handbook would be of benefit. No joy. Unfortunately, the chapter immediately jumps into series and parallel circuits with absolutely no explanation of where, when, or why you'd use them. The chapter continues downhill from there. Lots of great information, but almost no way for a new person to figure how on earth to apply it. Very reminiscent of the trigonometry and calculus I had in high school--"Well, that's nice, but what application does it have? Talk to me about how it's used in the real world. I can master the equations and solve the problems, but so what?"

What's truly sad is that ARRL is continually pushing for more people to join the hobby, and yet continually produces books like this. I'm a learning junkie and really want to devour this stuff, but I can't get my arms around it well enough to satisfy myself, much less create learning materials for others.

Onward.

KDØGDV

Almost what I expected
As far as the information on Amateur radio, I was not disappointed. What was disappointing was the areas I am already somewhat knowledgeable about, namely Wifi.

The section on Wifi seems to be about 5 years out of date, which I find inexcusable if they're publishing a new edition every year. There is no mention of 802.11n, which is forgivable, but only mentions WEP for encryption, which has been broken for I believe at least 7 years now. There is no mention of WPA or WPA2. It makes me wonder how up-to-date the other sections are that I am not as familiar with elsewhere.