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RF newbie has a question...

D

Dave

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am in the market for a decent introduction and mid-level course on RF, in
book form. I think I have narrowed my choices down to two volumes, and am
interested to see if anyone has anything to say about either one. 1) RF
Circuit Design: Theory and Applications (Reinhold Ludwig/Pavel Bretchko)
which is currently a little over $100.00 on Amazon. And 2) RF Circuit
Design (Christopher Bowick) which I can get for a little over $20.00.
Obviously the second will save me money in the short run, but I wonder if it
will save me any money in the long run. Does anyone know either of these?
(Is the first book WORTH $100.00+? Will the second suffice for someone
wanting to build a small RF amplifier to boost their TV antenna signal, or
an antenna preselector/RF amplifier to boost their shortwave listening
choices?) *Any* help would be greatly appreciated. I am ignorant where RF
is concerned, and would really like to remedy that in the best way possible.

Thanks,

Dave
[email protected]
 
L

Leon Heller

Jan 1, 1970
0
Dave said:
I am in the market for a decent introduction and mid-level course on RF, in
book form. I think I have narrowed my choices down to two volumes, and am
interested to see if anyone has anything to say about either one. 1) RF
Circuit Design: Theory and Applications (Reinhold Ludwig/Pavel Bretchko)
which is currently a little over $100.00 on Amazon. And 2) RF Circuit
Design (Christopher Bowick) which I can get for a little over $20.00.
Obviously the second will save me money in the short run, but I wonder if
it
will save me any money in the long run. Does anyone know either of these?
(Is the first book WORTH $100.00+? Will the second suffice for someone
wanting to build a small RF amplifier to boost their TV antenna signal, or
an antenna preselector/RF amplifier to boost their shortwave listening
choices?) *Any* help would be greatly appreciated. I am ignorant where
RF
is concerned, and would really like to remedy that in the best way
possible.

The Bowick book has some errors. About the best introductory book is the
ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs.

Leon
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi Leon,
... About the best introductory book is the ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs.
I'll second that, one hundred percent. It does not have to be the newest
edition. An older one from the library or a hamfest will do. Even new
it's just above $50, less in soft cover.

There are also some good books for the microwave and other fields from
the British equivalent (RSGB), all available via www.arrl.org . Only
difference would be that they say optimised instead of optimized and
things like that, and a mobile amp is installed under the bonnet and not
under the hood ;-)

Regards, Joerg
 
T

Tam/WB2TT

Jan 1, 1970
0
Joerg said:
Hi Leon,
of optimized and
things like that,............................
and a mobile amp is installed under the bonnet and not under the hood ;-)

I think it goes in the boot.

Tam
 
P

Paul Burridge

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am in the market for a decent introduction and mid-level course on RF, in
book form. I think I have narrowed my choices down to two volumes, and am
interested to see if anyone has anything to say about either one. 1) RF
Circuit Design: Theory and Applications (Reinhold Ludwig/Pavel Bretchko)
which is currently a little over $100.00 on Amazon. And 2) RF Circuit
Design (Christopher Bowick) which I can get for a little over $20.00.
Obviously the second will save me money in the short run, but I wonder if it
will save me any money in the long run. Does anyone know either of these?
(Is the first book WORTH $100.00+? Will the second suffice for someone
wanting to build a small RF amplifier to boost their TV antenna signal, or
an antenna preselector/RF amplifier to boost their shortwave listening
choices?) *Any* help would be greatly appreciated. I am ignorant where RF
is concerned, and would really like to remedy that in the best way possible.

Bowick's book is particularly *un* suitable for the purpose you cite,
I regret to say. His treatment of FETs in particular is diabolical.
Scant and grossly inaccurate.
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
I think it goes in the boot.
Who knows? They all drive on the wrong side of the road - maybe they _do_
put it under the bonnet! ;-)

Cheerio!
Rich
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi Rich,
Who knows? They all drive on the wrong side of the road - maybe they _do_
put it under the bonnet! ;-)
It's worse. You hop into a car over there and there is no steering wheel
in front of you....

Regards, Joerg
 
O

onyx

Jan 1, 1970
0
Dave said:
I am in the market for a decent introduction and mid-level course on RF, in



It depends on where you are in terms of your knowledge
and where you want to go.
Bowick is good for the sections on filtering, impedance
matching and some Smith chart examples.

Gonzalez is good for amplifier design, as is Vendelin
and a book "Microwave Engineering" by Collin.
That is Collin (singular) not Collins.

All the ARRL books are good also.
The books that I like have examples worked out
(sometimes, explanations)

If you need rudimentary writings, Joe Carr has good Smith
chart books.

dave
 
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