The Ham Radio Base Radio Electronics Course

Volume 1 is the foundation of a complete five-volume course designed to take readers from the fundamentals of electricity and electronics through radio communications, RF systems, antennas, digital electronics, and advanced practical applications.

Electronics is the foundation of modern technology. Whether you are an amateur radio operator, electronics hobbyist, student, technician, or someone who wants to understand how electronic systems work, this book provides a structured path from the basics upward.

Starting with atoms, electrons, and electrical charge, readers learn voltage, current, resistance, electrical power, energy, AC and DC circuits, frequency, wavelength, the electromagnetic spectrum, and phase relationships.

This volume introduces the mathematics and terminology used throughout electronics, including scientific notation, metric prefixes, logarithms, decibels, dBm, dBW, dBd, dBi, tolerance, accuracy, error, and electronic datasheets.

Readers are introduced to the components that form the building blocks of electronic circuits, including resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, diodes, LEDs, transistors, MOSFETs, integrated circuits, relays, switches, fuses, and batteries.

The book also teaches practical skills needed to understand circuits, including reading schematics, understanding electronic symbols, tracing signal flow, identifying power and ground connections, understanding component labeling, and moving from circuit diagrams to breadboards and prototypes.

Unlike many introductory electronics books that focus only on simple projects, this series is designed as a complete learning program. Each volume builds upon the previous one, developing the knowledge needed to understand, analyze, build, troubleshoot, and work with electronic systems.

The companion online course provides additional learning support with progress tracking and interactive review questions.

Designed for amateur radio operators, electronics students, communications technology students, technicians, hobbyists, and anyone seeking a complete path into electronics, Radio Electronics for Amateur Radio Operators Volume 1: Foundations of Electronics begins the journey From Atoms to Antennas.

Terry L. Barlet studied Electronics Engineering Technology and is the author of the Radio Electronics for Amateur Radio Operators series. Combining formal electronics education with practical experience, Terry L. Barlet developed this comprehensive self-study course to guide readers from the fundamentals of electricity and electronic components through circuit theory, measurement, radio communications, and advanced electronics concepts. The series is designed for amateur radio operators, students, technicians, and anyone seeking a structured path to understanding electronics.