The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications 2004 [Paperback]

Dana G. Reed (Editor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 1213 pages
• Publisher: Amer Radio Relay League; 81st edition (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872591964
• ISBN-13: 978-0872591967
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,071,973 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Expensive, but worth it., May 10, 2004

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications 2004 (Paperback)

When I recently picked up the newest edition of the ARRL Handbook, the first thing I noticed was that they had changed the subtitle from ?For the Radio Amateur? to ?For Radio Communications?. This was done to reflect the fact that a large percentage of these handbooks are purchased by non-amateurs. Electrical Technicians and Engineers, Laboratories and Researchers often have a copy on their shelves. So with the 80th edition they made the slight name change to better appeal to the wider audience of active users. The book covers just about any major category of radio communications one can think of from Fundamental Theory, to Construction Techniques to Operating Practices. It is a excellent reference source for anyone with a question about radio. Off course for anyone with a very specific interest the ARRL has other books that deal with a more specialized subject, but for a starting point I would purchase this book first.

The book is published on a yearly basis, but since the soft cover copy I purchased retails for $34.95, I wouldn?t purchase a new copy every year. The basic technology doesn?t change that fast, most of the yearly changes are adding and removing projects. The new edition does have revised chapters, including ones on Modulation Sources and Digital Signal Processing, but I wouldn?t run out to purchase it if I had last year?s copy, unless I had a specific interest in the new material. Personally I have a hard cover edition from the 80?s and a CD edition from the late 90?s and much of the basic information is still the same. I would recommend for the average user that they purchase a new copy every 5 to 10 years unless they have a specific need. I might also recommend alternating between paper copies and CDs. CDs are archival and easy to store and duplicate (for back up purposes of copyrighted material), but for manuals of this sort it is also convenient to have a hard copy to thumb through at their workbench.

Reviewed by Trip for Huntress Reviews.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars but, a bit overwhelming for a beginner, October 1, 2004

By 

Pete Flynn - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications 2004 (Paperback)

I have been involved in the hobby for less than a year and am a non-technical person. This book is a real work of art for what I would call a "technical user" or "technician". The manual is a superb desk referance.
However, for the greenhorn, ARRL has other books that are written at a more simple level and there is also a "Dummies" title that is a pretty good book in spite of the heavy overlap with "Now You're Talking".
There is content on antenna installation and principals that even newbies can understand, but again, ARRL has some titles that are targeted toward this need.