Radio amateurs are known for electronic experimentation and homebrew building. Using the wide variety of components available, they design and build impressive radio equipment. With the industry growth of components for wireless communications and surface mount technology (SMT), the choices available seem endless and selecting the proper component can seem a daunting task. Fortunately, most amateurs tend to use a limited number of component types that have “passed the test of time,” making component selection in many cases easy and safe. Others are learning to design and build using the vast array of SMT parts.