Product Details

1320 pages

Publisher: The American Radio Relay League, Inc.; Ninteith Edition/First Printing (October 2012)
Language: English
Hardcover Edition: ISBN: 978-0-87259-419-7

Shipping Weight: 6.19 pounds

Softcover Edition: ISBN: 978-0-87259-405-0

Shipping Weight: 5.50 pounds
Product Dimensions: 8 3/16 x 10 7/8 inches

Introduction

What is Amateur (Ham) Radio?

Fundamental Theory

Electrical Fundamentals

Analog Basics

Digital Basics

Practical Design and Principles

RF Techniques

Computer-Aided Circuit Design

Power Supplies

Modulation

Oscillators and Synthesizers

Mixers, Modulators and Demodulators

RF and AF Filters

Receivers

Transmitters

Transceivers

DSP and Software Radio Design

Digital Modes

RF Power Amplifiers

Repeaters

Antenna Systems and Radio Propagation

Propagation of Radio Signals

Transmission Lines

Antennas

Equipment Construction and Maintenance

Component Data and References

Construction Techniques

Station Accessories

Test Equipment and Measurements

Troubleshooting and Maintenance

RF Interference

Station Assembly and Management

Safety

Assembling a Station

In its fourth year of the current cycle of renewal and updates, the 2013 ARRL Handbook reaches out to draw on the expertise of the amateur community around the world. Along with new projects from here at home, others have been added to this edition from the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB). These represent the international face of amateur self-teaching and training — expect more projects from our many friends around the world in future editions.

 

The new projects include several useful antenna designs. Coverage is expanded for quad and delta loop antennas which find so many applications on the lower HF bands. A sturdy and practical design for VHF and UHF coaxial dipole construction has been added. A single-support HF an­tenna design from “across the pond,” the skeleton slot antenna for 14 to 30 MHz is a new addition, as well.

 

Elsewhere in the book, more projects have been added in support of how today’s amateurs are operating and what they are building today. A set of practical polarity protection circuits collected by Terry Fletcher, WAØITP, are included in the Power Supply chapter. Another contribution from the RSGB is a 2 meter band-pass filter that should be very helpful in rejecting strong out-of-band signals from paging and public safety stations. The Transmitter chapter updates the venerable W1FB “Pebble Crusher” QRP CW transmitter by one of the QRP community’s leading propo­nents, Rev. George Dobbs, G3RJV. In the Station Accessories chapter you’ll learn how to adapt aviation headsets to amateur gear and Carl Leutzelschwab, K9LA, updates the Propagation chap­ter to review the status and future of on-again-off-again Cycle 24.

 

The editors are expanding the use of electronic media as well, supplementing the printed mate­rial and developing new means of providing information to the reader. With each new edition, we are adding more material on the book’s accompanying CD-ROM. For example, the operat­ing supplement includes three complete chapters of material: Space Communications, Digital Communications, and Image Communications. Projects that are no longer available in the current edition have been converted to PDF files that are included on the CD-ROM that is an ever-more-important element of the ARRL Handbook. If a project references a QST article, you’ll find that on the CD-ROM, too. Be sure to install the book’s content on your computer!

 

One of the most important items on the CD-ROM is the set of design software packages from Tonne Software. Jim Tonne, W4ENE’s professional-quality ELSIE filter-design software, has received significant updates to its data entry screen and the circuit editor. The Smith chart plotting page has also been improved. Jim’s Pi-El Circuit Design software also received a major upgrade. We are very fortunate to have such high-quality software tools included with the ARRL Handbook.

 

The CD-ROM also includes the yearly update of transceiver models and specifications by the 2012 Dayton Hamvention Technical Achievement award-winner, Joel Hallas, W1ZR. Joel has organized the material by type and frequency coverage which is very useful to the ham considering making a radio purchase.

 

The ARRL Handbook — now in its ninetieth edition — continues to excel in its mission of pro­viding a reference for all hams as they continue in their endeavors. Whether they choose to pursue public service communications, engage in technical experimentation, hone their operating skills, or enjoy their ability to communicate, “the Handbook” has a place in their library and at their workbench.

 

David Sumner, K1ZZ

Chief Executive Officer

Newington, Connecticut

September 2012

The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications is available from ARRL and publication dealers near you.

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