The Project Pages
Home brew radio and electronics

Most of the projects I become involved in fall into one of three categories:

• I want to find out more about something
• I build something to fullfil a specific need
• I build a project because... Well, because it's a better alternative than not building it

Sometimes design is a definite first stage and sometimes design has been integral to the construction process. Since I got a copy of Experimental Methods in RF Design (ISBN 0-87259-879-9) I've gained some control over the design/build cycle. I confess that listening to Bill Meara's Soldersmoke podcast has also influenced my thinking - or rather, thinking about my approach - and projects are not only a more enjoyable process but the end-product more often meets requirements. Which is a round-about way of saying that more of them work these days!
PDARS - the Pontefract radio club - is perhaps a little unusual in having regular and frequent construction projects on its calendar. We all learn a lot! My approach to homebrew has been influenced a great deal by Colin, G0NQE. Many of his projects are a pleasure to build and his transceivers a joy to use, too! Ian, G4LUG is a friendly and seemingly endless source of technical know-how. It just shows how important clubs can be in a hobby like amateur radio.