I recently picked up a copy of a new book from the League – Ham Radio for Arduino and PICAXE.

The book is reasonably interesting. It’s essentially a compilation of projects using the Arduino and PICAXE in a Ham Radio setting. The projects are well described, and run the range from simple to complex. About half the projects use the Arduino and the other half use the PICAXE.

As with most recent ARRL publications, the proof-reading could use some work. Am I the only one that finds obvious errors in a book kind of annoying? (Of course, that comment pretty much guarantees that I’ve made some dumb mistake in this post!)

If you are a complete novice in the world of micro-controllers, this is probably not the book to start with. It assumes a fair degree of previous understanding of what the micro-controller world is all about. But if you have some experience with these little goodies, and are looking for some ideas, the book is probably worth the $30.

Will I actually build any of the projects described in the book? Ummm…probably not. They don’t really fall into my interests, with the possible exception of the G0UPL QRSS beacon. But that’s pretty far down my project list.

What’s an Arduino, you ask? Have a look at the Arduino home page.

Or if the PICAXE is more to your taste…here’s their home page