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Question

How often do you refer to the ARRL Amateur Handbook?

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Survey Comments

ARRL Handbook

I rarely use it. I much prefer the "Radio Handbook" by Bill Orr. It has better and more detailed information, charts, and data.

Posted by K9GEP on 2003-10-22

I Like More Data & Projects

I refer to the Handbook whenever I am thinking about building or repairing something, usually several times a month. So I have always valued the data tables and construction projects for practical info and ideas. I already have enough theory books on digital and analog electronics, software, etc. In the past 7 years or so, the Handbook has gone through some significant changes from a mainly Radio Construction and Operation handbook, to some kind of pseudo-textbook. I own about 20 editions, and my favourites are from about 1985-1992, where the organization and contents of the book reached their pinacle of achievement, IMHO.
I wonder if the Handbook editors would ever consider splitting the book into 2 volumes: one on theory that changes slowly, and another on projects that changes annually. Might help spur sales a bit.
Posted by VE3WGO on 2003-08-07

Handy Book

I bought my first Handbook back in 1976. That has since been given away to a prospective amateur. My later ARRL Handbook is a 1989 version, which is ample for the use I have for it. A good reference manual!
Posted by ZL4OZ on 2003-07-03

I prefer the older ones, perhaps because I still feel that a real radio amateur should be able to build a working station out of common kitchen and garden supplies, or at least out of any old television. And if you can't communicate without a microphone you will have a tougher time building it.

The 1959-1980 handbooks were pretty fine, and make fine companions to the West Coast Handbook (W6SAI - TU and RIP). More recent editions have slowly dumbed-down the info, and have given in to the temptation to let somebody else build the equipment with VLSI rather than the old-fashioned one-solderjoint-at-a-time method. Also, not a lot of need any more for knowlege of thermionic emmission, unless you either are running a real KW amp or have a "legacy" rig and wonder what that blue glow is when you transmit......

Posted by K4IQT on 2003-06-29

rarely

Sometime I use it and sometime's I don't use it. I got my first copy from a hamfest and the second one from a friend of mine. It is a good book but I will use it if I need it.
Posted by KC0ODO on 2003-06-29

ARRL HANDBOOK

Boring
The older ones are the best. 40's,50's and 60's.
We need some new ideas in the book. Find a new author or two. Other than that I like it.
Posted by N5IFI on 2003-06-28

Agree with K1DX...

Yep, I agree with K1DX that the ARRL Handbook is a ghost of its former self. The information has been generalized to a point where it is totally useless for practical applications. For what audience they are writing this stuff for these days I'll never know. Used to be you could lift something right out of the book and take it to the bench, but not any more. Someone mentioned Bill Orr's "Radio Handbook", in my opinion one of the best references out there. I have the 22nd editon of that tome, probably the best money I ever spent on ham radio literature. That and and an old beat up copy of Hayward and DeMaw's "Solid State Design" are the two standard reference guides in my shack.
Posted by N3DQU on 2003-06-26

ARRL HB

The Handbook USED to be a valuable addition, then it went thro many many years where it was published, and from year to year, the only difference was the color of the cover, then one year, someone decided it was time to revamp the whole thing, they removed the tube circuits, updated the solid state devices and it was a real change... well, it looks like it is slipping back into a repeat of the previous year, with very little new data.
I have stopped buying the HB every year, now, I buy a new one every 5 years or so.
If the ARRL was serious about the HB, they would combine all the other publications and print just one big reference guide - but that might cut into profits with information be damned.
Posted by IM4UKWIDCATS on 2003-06-26

ARRL Handbook

I have my first Handbook, a 1963 Edition priced at $3.00 It was my study guide for the General Class test I took infront of the FCC in St. Louis, Mo. in 1964 or 1965. I still use it, its got the same material as the new Handbook, and a whole lot cheaper. The ARRL is little more than a book publishing company in my opinion. I always get a laugh when I run across something that says the information is "For ARRL Members only" Dont they know this is the information age, and the Internet has more information than their social club will ever have. Their days have to be numbered.
73
Dave
W0DLR
Posted by W0DLR on 2003-06-26

A little use..

Haven't bought one since 1988.
Posted by K7DWI on 2003-06-25

hardcopy is good!

- well, if the power's out, Internet access to information won't help much...

- it is nice to have hardcopy on hand...
Posted by LNXAUTHOR on 2003-06-23

Great Comprehensive Reference

The handbook is a great all around cornucopia of information. After a long absence from the hobby, I bought an '03 edition and was quite pleased. In comparison to the 1975 edition I also have, it does lend less info to the builder but consider all of the newer aspects of the hobby. Far fewer hams build their own gear from scratch these days and the handbook does a great job of providing relevant technical, regulatory and operating information on all modes of the hobby. For more in depth info, I refer to the web or other books. If I want to really 'homebrew' then Im going to refer to several technical journals...not follow some recipe from a book
73
W1JCJ
Posted by W1JCJ on 2003-06-21

Less so than before

It's not as useful as it used to be with the advent of the Internet. These days with a little bit of searching you can find far more useful and focused information on the net. I do generally buy one every 5-7 years or so though. That seems to be about how long it takes for them to be mostly rewritten.
Posted by N9DG on 2003-06-21

I don't have a recent copy, but...

I often refer to my copy of Bill Orr's (SK W6SAI) "Radio Handbook" 20th ed. It has a permanent residence, gracing my operating station with it's 20+ YO red cover. The 23rd Edition of this excellant reference was re-released in '97 and is still available. The price is a little steep, but well worth it. I might get a League handbook to catch up on the new modes.
Posted by K4DFH on 2003-06-21

Less useful with each year

The ARRL Handbook used to be just about all a ham needed for reference; not any longer. I find that if you want useful information from the ARRL, you'd have to empty your bank account for several of their books. Gone are the excellent construction articles that would enable a home-brewer to put a pretty good station together with minimal cost. I agree with previous writers that the old "West Coast" Handbook was superior. I think the newer ARRL Handbook contributes to the dumbing down of new hams by not encouraging building some of their own equipment from readily available sources instead of page upon page of fluff that isn't very practical.
I also miss the handy size of the older Handbooks and the advertisements in the rear. Those old advertisements were a handy quick reference for new (at the time) and now old equipment.
On the positive side, I do appreciate the fact that one can get the Handbook on CDROM. It makes it easy to find stuff otherwise difficult to find (if at all) in the Handbook.
Posted by K1DX on 2003-06-18

Handbook

One of the problems we face in ham radio is that resources aren't being adequately used or dispersed. Many hams never use the handbook, for example, because they are expensive. Many clubs used to buy them annually and place them through agreement into local libraries. I don't see this anymore. Of course, repeaters are used all the time but when is the last time YOU were invited to learn how to put one in by a club or even a member of a club or even any individual? The Handbook contains no info on organizing a club or supporting, recruiting/retaining members. Did you know that? So, even the vaunted ARRL needs to rethink some things. We're simply not as creative in this hobby as we once were nor do we seem to be doing as well as the web in capturing the interests of potential new hams. And, if my idea to place an organizational framework article into the Handbook as technical instruction is done, it'll take 5 yrs to feel the results. We're in a mess.
Posted by KA0SOH on 2003-06-12

Flush With Information

I usually drill pilot holes through all the pages before attaching it with 3-inch screws to the Outhouse wall.

Read every page before using.


Posted by WB9GKZ on 2003-06-10

Older Editions

Hello,

I like the older editions better than
the new editions. The older editions
had more technical information and were
better written on the whole.

73, Nickolaus E. Leggett, N3NL

Posted by N3NL on 2003-06-08

a good reference

I have many issues of the ARRL handbook and have sold some. I usually buy a new issue every three or four years. I also buy a RSGB Handbook. I find the two are complimentary to each other and if I am unable to find an answer in one, I'll find it in the other.
73
Frank
KL7IPV
Posted by KL7IPV on 2003-06-08

ARRL Amateur Handbook

The ARRL Handbook, Reference Data for Radio Engineers, Electrical Engineering Reference Manual,
and NEC are my four main Bibles in Engineering.
Posted by WA6BOB on 2003-06-08

There are better books

The older editions of the ARRL handbook (pre 1985) are useful references, but later ones are too "dumbed down", and a lot of the content is suspect re. accuracy.

I more often turn to the old "West Coast Handbook" (i.e., the Bill Orr handbooks); they're FAR superior to the ARRL product, and always have been!
Posted by W9LBB on 2003-06-07

Great Reference

I use the Handbook a lot. I also use the internet to look up info- very handy & thanks to the persons who maintain a personal site!
Posted by JAMES_BENEDICT_EX_N8FVJ on 2003-06-07

Collection

I had five or six ARRL handbooks that I'd carried about through the years but wanted to have a hard copy collection once I retired from the military and had a place to store them. I now have every edition since my year of birth 1940 (64 edtions) and six editions prior to 1940. The advent of eBay made it much easier than trying to find them at hamfests. The first edition in good shape starts at $100. In excellent shape much more. After the mid 1930's the price for a good copy drops and they start at around $20 and up. Unfortunately some sellers on ebay think a dog chewed cover and a handful of detached pages constitutes a "good" condition book. The usual meaningless description is "good condition for its age," which tanslates "if I can find the cover I'll include it." I'd rather know that your Elmer dropped his soldering iron on the 6L6 amp construction article and burned a hole through six pages than to find it when I open the package expecting a very good condition manual. TU 73 N7EO
Posted by N7EO on 2003-06-07

arrl handbook

It, the antenna book and the operating guide are MUST HAVEs for all new hams... some OLD hams could benefit as well...

73
jim
Posted by N2NHU on 2003-06-06

How's the CD?

I use my 1996 version several times a year. I find my best sources of information however are my friends and members of my DX club. Combining the written info with their personal experiences has solved most of the questions I come up with.

I have been thinking of updating to the new CD version of the handbook. Does anyone know if it can be downloaded in total onto a harddrive? With 240 gigs of memory at my disposal, I am trying to get as much of my reference library on the computer as possible.
Posted by KC7MM on 2003-06-06

ARRL Handbook

The ARRL Handbook, generally speaking, has always been a great book. Personally, I prefer the editions from the 1950-60 era, than the more recent editions. I could care less about the projects covered in each edition; the technical theory is my cup of tea. No serious radio bookshelf is complete without a copy of F. E. Terman's 'Radio Engineering', RCA receiving Tube Manuel, ARRL Antenna Handbook, and a copy of the Radio Amateur's Handbook.
Posted by W4MGY on 2003-06-06

Good for fundamentals....

I have the '75, '78 and '88 editions. Seems like the '88 has the best Appendicies (reference charts and stuff), but the earlier editions have the best content.

As such, I usually use the Handbook as a basis for more detailed research on the Internet.
Posted by KE4MOB on 2003-06-06

In use every day!

Its a vital part of my shack. Its in use day
and night. It sits under one leg of my work bench to keep it from wobbling.
Does a great job of it too! If my basement floor keeps sinking I will probably have to buy one more.
Posted by KA0PWW on 2003-06-06

arrl hand book

good book sure a ham bible been lic 43 years
Posted by K1LWI on 2003-06-06

I like it

I got my first one this year for Christmas. I've enjoyed it, and even built a couple projects from it. I figure this one should last me a while. It's got a lot of good stuff in it, and sofar, I've liked what I've read, but having only been licensed 3 years, I really don't have anything to compare it to.
Posted by K0EWS on 2003-06-05

ARRL Handbook

When I got my ticket in 1994 I bought a copy of all the ARRL reference books and studied them quite a bit. They helped me to learn many things about this great hobby. Those books were lost in a flood, and I have replaced most of them with older (1970ish) copies that I bought on e-bay for a fraction of the new price. I still look at them once and a while, but I use the internet to find most of the info that I need. 73!
Posted by W8WZ on 2003-06-05

One of the essentials...

In my bookshelves both at home and at work, some editions of the ARRL Handbook
are kept in the good company of a few other
essentials; "Radio Engineering Handbook", "Single Sideband Principles and Circuits", "Radio Handbook",
"ITT Reference Data for Radio Engineers"
and Meinke-Gundlach's "Taschenbuch der Hochfrequenztechnik".
The ARRL books are consulted as much as the others.
Posted by SM0AOM on 2003-06-05

Rarely Useful / Useless

It's a good book for some tid bits of information, but like the Repeater Directory, became obsolete an hour before it was printed. I have several editions and nothing has changed other than the picture on the cover. I found more usefull information on the Internet than in the ARRL Handbooks.
Posted by N1RWC on 2003-06-05

Good Book

Look at the numbers! 4% don't know what it is, 13% have never used it, 18% have rarely used it. No wonder there are so many elementary questions asked on eham.net.
To me and my way of thinking, until I've gone about making a good faith effort to locate, study and learn about a subject on my own, I have no right to just ask others. But I belong to an older generation that doesn't expect instant gratification and something for nothing.
Posted by WA4DOU on 2003-06-05

ARRL Handbook

The ARRL Handbook has a special place in my mental map of the hobby. Still, the ARRL itself has produced a set of other good books that now makes it one of several equals. Most notably so in the field of antennas, with the Antenna Book and the Antenna Compendium series.
Still buy it every 3 - 5 years though to keep up with changes, and saves all the older ones. The oldest version here is 1950, picked up on a flea market. It seems that very little changed in the 50's and early 60's editions.
I keep some early 80's version in my office, mostly for hard to find practical data.
To SM0AOM; seems we have parallell bookshelves. I might add some though on antennas. Like the two 1980's antenna books by Kraus and Balanis, the Jasik: Antenna Engineering Handbook and another German,the Janzen: Kurze Antennen.
(The Germans must have very large pockets. Their "Taschenbücher" normally weighs in at 2 kilos or more.)
Posted by LA1SJA on 2003-06-05

ARRL Handbook

When I got licensed in 1995, I bought the ARRL Handbook, the ARRL Antenna Book and the ARRL Operating Manual (all 1995 editions). I refer to them when I need to, but like others have said, I get most of my info on the Internet. Maybe in 2005 when I renew my license, I'll do a 10-year update on all three books.
Posted by AG4RQ on 2003-06-05

Good book

It's a good book, but surely not a whole library. I buy one about every five or six years, and still have the old ones...which are very handy for information and projects relating to vaccum tubes!
Posted by WB2WIK on 2003-06-04

rarely

I only have 2 copies. One is from 1959 and the other is 1978. I guess it's time to see if I can pick up a 2000 edition (nice round number) on the cheap at some swap meet.

Posted by AD7DB on 2003-06-04

An essential

Two "must-have" books in any amateur's library are "The Radio Amateurs Handbook" and the ARRL Antenna Book. I buy a new handbook about every 5 or six years; like WB2WIK I keep the old copies. Interesting to see how the paper quality has declined over time.
Posted by K3YD on 2003-06-04

First among equals

The ARRL's Amateur Handbook is "first among equals". But there are other reference books out there that I consult when needed.

No...you don't need to buy a new copy every year, especially if you keep up on the latest trends and changes in the hobby through other sources.

By the way...(no, not trolling here, just a thought) why are one company's XCVRs named with the word "Pro" if this is Amateur Radio?


Posted by N1XTV on 2003-06-04

ARRL Handbook

Used to be the amateur's bible. I prefer the pre-1990 editions. Since then it doesn't seem as complete and often refers you to another publication for info that you'd expect to be in the handbook itself. I recognize it is the info that's important, but would a better quality paper add significant cost? Hardcover edition was a disappointment because it still uses the cheap paper inside.
Posted by VE1GA on 2003-06-04