PCS-Electronics

I'm new to FM broadcasting, just having purchased the PCI Max Ultra card. I have built a simple GP antenna as outlined in the documentation, and it works very well.

However, I'm not even sure what GP stands for. I'm also not sure what effect decibel ratings have on cabling, what does SWR mean, etc. (My somewhat limited training is in digital electronics)

Are there any "radio technologies for dummies" type books available? Most of the literature I've seen is way over my head. For example, what's the effect of using a 50 ohm coax cable rather than one of 75 ohms? What materials are best when creating antennas?

Thanks,

Randy

The arrl handbook is really great for people like you.

It covers just about every aspect of electronics and wireless
technologies, including antennas.

There is a link under recommended reading for this book.