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Can anyone suggest a good textbook for Radio, Antenna theory, Ham radio in general? I'm quite interested in learning these but most books I've come across eith

Can anyone suggest a good textbook for Radio, Antenna theory, Ham radio in general? I'm quite interested in learning these but most books I've come across either seem too basic, or too advanced. I am a math major so mathematics isn't a problem for me if it is supported with enough text. Thanks!

brian-armstrong 10y ago
Those are pretty wildly different topics For "radio" I'd recommend reading on Analog and Digital Signal Processing. Antenna theory is an entirely separate field which you'd want to reference specifically. Ham is more of of the culture/context surrounding ham radio, and for that I'd recommend one of the ARRL exam study books from http://www.arrl.org/shop/What-s-New http://www.arrl.org/shop/What-s-New though for the easier tests these are pretty light on technicals and are more about policy and good radio operator behavior
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- prashnts 10y ago
  Ah, you're right -- I meant that if there's some reference covering the relevant topics that'd be great. Thanks for the clarification! The ARRL study books look good too.
b_emery 10y ago
The Radar Handbook by Merrill Skolnik often comes up as a basic reference covering some of these topics, radar and radio being intimately related. Plus the pdf is usually around: http://airspot.ru/book/file/961/radar_handbook.pdf http://airspot.ru/book/file/961/radar_handbook.pdf
- prashnts 10y ago
  That looks great! Thank you.
- dfc 10y ago
  > Plus the pdf is usually around It's a bonus that you don't have to compensate the creator of a useful product?
  - wolfgke 10y ago
    Freedom does not imply free beer and vice versa.
    - dfc 10y ago
      What are you talking about? I think you might have replied to the wrong comment. The suggested book is not under a libre license.
  - b_emery 10y ago
    Yes, it is a bonus. Having the pdf online also prevents me from needing to walk 500 yards to the library where I can also find it for no cost. But seriously, I think it's safe to assume that Mr Skolnik [1] is doing just fine. Given that his publisher is likely taking the lion's share of the proceeds, and that generally speaking, writing books for academia is not a profitable enterprise, I have no problem using a found pdf or finding the book in the library. I know personally several academics who have written books and they do it to solidify their expertise and/or obtain tenure, not to make money directly from sales. Hence the movement to give books away for free [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Skolnik https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Skolnik [2] https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/About.aspx https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/About.aspx
lb1lf 10y ago
For antennas, you could do worse than picking up a copy of John Kraus' "Antennas" - he starts off with the basic principles and builds on them as he introduces new concepts. Uses enough math to let you understand what is going on without getting carried away with too many nasty integrals. His writeup on an idea for a gravitational transmitter/receiver system towards the end of the book is worth the money alone. :-) For a cookbook showing you a lot of how without bothering too much about the why, Karl Rothammel's Antennenbuch (in German) can't be beat, IMHO.
- prashnts 10y ago
  Thanks! Kraus' looks like the most complete overview. Looking forward to read it through over the holidays. :) (Edit) Just found Kraus' recorded lecture on youtube. Very interesting! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nKRp7TzgBI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nKRp7TzgBI
topspin 10y ago
The ARRL Handbook [1] covers all of those topics pretty comprehensively and provides a digital edition with a large collection of supplemental content. They also publish a separate antenna book, but the Handbook does a fine job of covering antenna basics. I recommend the hardcover; this is a large book and it benefits from strong covers. [1] https://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Handbook-2017-Hardcover-Edition/ https://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Handbook-2017-Hardcover-Editi...
wwkeyboard 10y ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/index https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/index is a pretty good place to start. The ARRL has manuals that walk through the theory behind the exams for the US licences. The extra class book explains the theory of building a modern transceiver, starting with doping silicon to make semiconductors.

brian-armstrong 10y ago

Those are pretty wildly different topics For "radio" I'd recommend reading on Analog and Digital Signal Processing. Antenna theory is an entirely separate field which you'd want to reference specifically. Ham is more of of the culture/context surrounding ham radio, and for that I'd recommend one of the ARRL exam study books from http://www.arrl.org/shop/What-s-New http://www.arrl.org/shop/What-s-New though for the easier tests these are pretty light on technicals and are more about policy and good radio operator behavior

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
prashnts 10y ago
Ah, you're right -- I meant that if there's some reference covering the relevant topics that'd be great. Thanks for the clarification! The ARRL study books look good too.

b_emery 10y ago

The Radar Handbook by Merrill Skolnik often comes up as a basic reference covering some of these topics, radar and radio being intimately related. Plus the pdf is usually around: http://airspot.ru/book/file/961/radar_handbook.pdf http://airspot.ru/book/file/961/radar_handbook.pdf

prashnts 10y ago
That looks great! Thank you.
dfc 10y ago
> Plus the pdf is usually around It's a bonus that you don't have to compensate the creator of a useful product?
- wolfgke 10y ago
  Freedom does not imply free beer and vice versa.
  - dfc 10y ago
    What are you talking about? I think you might have replied to the wrong comment. The suggested book is not under a libre license.
- b_emery 10y ago
  Yes, it is a bonus. Having the pdf online also prevents me from needing to walk 500 yards to the library where I can also find it for no cost. But seriously, I think it's safe to assume that Mr Skolnik [1] is doing just fine. Given that his publisher is likely taking the lion's share of the proceeds, and that generally speaking, writing books for academia is not a profitable enterprise, I have no problem using a found pdf or finding the book in the library. I know personally several academics who have written books and they do it to solidify their expertise and/or obtain tenure, not to make money directly from sales. Hence the movement to give books away for free [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Skolnik https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill_Skolnik [2] https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/About.aspx https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/About.aspx

lb1lf 10y ago

For antennas, you could do worse than picking up a copy of John Kraus' "Antennas" - he starts off with the basic principles and builds on them as he introduces new concepts. Uses enough math to let you understand what is going on without getting carried away with too many nasty integrals. His writeup on an idea for a gravitational transmitter/receiver system towards the end of the book is worth the money alone. :-) For a cookbook showing you a lot of how without bothering too much about the why, Karl Rothammel's Antennenbuch (in German) can't be beat, IMHO.

prashnts 10y ago
Thanks! Kraus' looks like the most complete overview. Looking forward to read it through over the holidays. :) (Edit) Just found Kraus' recorded lecture on youtube. Very interesting! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nKRp7TzgBI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nKRp7TzgBI

topspin 10y ago

The ARRL Handbook [1] covers all of those topics pretty comprehensively and provides a digital edition with a large collection of supplemental content. They also publish a separate antenna book, but the Handbook does a fine job of covering antenna basics. I recommend the hardcover; this is a large book and it benefits from strong covers. [1] https://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Handbook-2017-Hardcover-Edition/ https://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Handbook-2017-Hardcover-Editi...

wwkeyboard 10y ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/index https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/index is a pretty good place to start. The ARRL has manuals that walk through the theory behind the exams for the US licences. The extra class book explains the theory of building a modern transceiver, starting with doping silicon to make semiconductors.