Beginning Radio Communications

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

   PDF

2. Introduction and Materials

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 1-22

3. Basic Radio Theory

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 23-43

4. Antennas

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 45-67

5. Project: Satellite Imagery

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 69-90

6. Communications and Modulation

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 91-111

7. Exploring Radio

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 113-134

8. Amateur Radio

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 135-154

9. Handheld Transceivers and Repeaters

   • Alex Wulff

   Pages 155-172

10. Amateur Radio Satellites

    • Alex Wulff

    Pages 173-194

11. Ham Nets, Volunteering, and More

    • Alex Wulff

    Pages 195-217

12. Back Matter

    Pages 219-223

    PDF

Understanding radio communications systems unlocks a new way to look at the world and the radio waves that connect it. Through easy-to-understand instruction and a variety of hands-on projects, this book gives the reader an intuitive understanding of how radio waves propagate, how information is encoded in radio waves, and how radio communications networks are constructed.

 

This book also focuses on the world of amateur, or “ham,” radio, a global network of hobbyists that experiment and communicate with radio waves. The reader can learn what amateur radio is, how one can obtain an amateur radio license, and how various pieces of amateur radio hardware work.

 

Rather than overwhelm with formulas and numerical approaches, this book presents an easy-to-follow qualitative approach to the theory aspects of radio—perfect for those with little to no knowledge of electromagnetism, signal processing, or hardware development. Instead, instruction focuses on hands-on learning. Radio waves are easy and inexpensive to manipulate with modern hardware, so the examples throughout this text provide ample opportunity to develop an understanding of such hardware.

 

A special focus is given to applications of radio communications in the modern world. In every chapter, the reader gains new insight into different radio communications systems and the hardware and software that makes it all possible. Projects include using a software-defined radio to download live images of the Earth from weather satellites, Arduino-based digital radio communications networks, making amateur radio contacts, and more.

What You’ll Learn:

• ·         Encode information in radio waves

  ·         Obtain an amateur radio license

  ·         Use important pieces of radio communications hardware, such as antennas, handheld transceivers, software-defined radios, radio repeaters, and more

Who This Book Is For


Anyone interested in modern communications, from high school and college students pursuining STEM to professionals looking to broaden their understandings of radio

• radio
• radio communications
• wireless communications
• ham radio
• amateur radio
• electromagnetism
• radio for beginners
• transceivers

• Cambridge, USA

  Alex Wulff

Alex Wulff is a maker and student of electrical engineering at Harvard. Alex has always had a passion for sharing his love of technology with the world and has given numerous talks encouraging youth and adults alike to get involved with the maker movement. He has a special interest in radio technologies and their increasingly important role in today’s connected society.

 

Alex is very active in the maker community and posts a variety of projects online.