[Amps] increasing rf gain in driver stages ?

[Jim Kearman]

From: Dan Sawyer <dansawyer at earthlink.net>
 
> If this question is too general - where is a good source for reading 
> about stage gain variables?

The best way to learn about amps is to build a few. Two books I found useful as a non-engineer were Demaw and Hayward's Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur, and John Lenk's Handbook of Simplified Solid-State Design. Both date from the 1970s. I'm sure others will suggest more-recent amateur-oriented handbooks, such as the current "Experimental" book sold by ARRL, but these two are still valuable, and inexpensive. 

Buy some cheap transistors like 2N2222As and 2N3725s (cheap on eBay) and go through the books. Design some stages with calculated gain and then measure your results. Try changing the resistors, supply voltage, load, etc., and keep notes. Once you've done a few you'll have a clear idea of what to do to your transceiver. 

73,

Jim, KR1S
http://kr1s.kearman.com/