Looking a project that includes basic instruction and explanations

[KB8LOG]

I have been combing through past posts to see if I could find something like this, but I haven't had any luck. Perhaps I am using the wrong search terms.

I've been itching to build a simple project (a receiver would probably be ideal to being with) from scratch while being guided by instructions. Unfortunately my experience and knowledge with this sort of thing is quite miniscule, which is why I am interested in building something. Ideally I'd love to find a project with instructions that explain what each component is doing, and encourages and suggests trying alternative components in order to see and understand the impact made by those changes. I know I could purchase a kit, or find a schematic online and purchase the parts, but doing that leaves out the part where each component is explained. Does such a resource exist?

Even better would be a project that progresses you through building in stages while providing all of the basic information along the way. For example, start by building a receiver. Once everything is understood, move on to a filter or the transmitter or something else, and then something else, etc., with the goal of bringing each part together into one device.

I one day hope to have sufficient knowledge to be able to build something basic on my own, and then know how to tweak it for improvements as well, without having to have my hand held along the way. I think this sort of instructional resource would go a long way in getting me started.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

[AA4PB]

www.elecraft.com

Download the kit manuals to see explanation on how the various kits work.

[VK2TIL]

Rick Campbell KK7B has written several articles on direct-conversion receivers; the articles appear in QST and other places I think and he wrote a detailed section of Experimental Methods In Radio Frequency design about DC receivers.

Incidentally, EMRFD is the experimenter's Bible; no home-brewer should be without a copy.

Here is an article by KK7B;

www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/9208019.pdf

It explains the design in step-by-step form.

I think that kits are available for some of the designs; Kanga, for instance, has the micro R2;

http://www.kangaus.com/receivers.htm

and FAR circuits has just the PCB;

http://www.farcircuits.net/

Building one module at a time and testing it is a very good technique; here are modules of a DC receiver based on the EMRFD section;

http://i47.tinypic.com/2v2ch9f.jpg

You will require some test equipment; a signal generator and an AD8307 microwattmeter will be a start and construction of the wattmeter (kits are available from KA7EXM and others) will be good practice.

[KA4POL]

Do a search using your favorite search engine with: simple homebrew receiver
You'll come up with about 350.000 results. One of them being http://ke3ij.com/radios.htm
Your idea about a progressing project is perfect. However, if you start simple like a regen RX it would be difficult to use that as a basic starting point from which to continue. Many of the kits deliver good explanations in their assembly manuals. I still remember Heathkit 

[W1VT]

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Electronics_of_Radio.html?id=203BJeFu5qQC

The Electronics of Radio

the Radio, the Norcal 40A

The math may be a little advanced--Dr. David Rutledge teaches at Caltech

Zack Lau W1VT

[JAHAM2BE]

The freely available online book "Crystal Sets To Sideband" goes pretty in-depth into radio theory and practical construction projects.

The author doesn't cover regenerative receivers, though, which are some of the lowest-parts-count and most interesting radios to build and operate. In addition to the already-mentioned KE3IJ website, which goes through the design process of several regenerative receivers, N1TEV also has published several excellent construction articles on regenerative receivers that explain the function of every component.

Personally I think the KE3IJ homepage is a good place to start.