Build Your Own AM/FM Radio

There has been a fantastic resurgence in DIY over the past decade, driven in part by the emergence of thriving online communities and magazines such as Make. The coolest thing about making stuff is that once you've made or restored one thing, you find yourself moving on to bigger, better and cooler projects.

However, you need to find the perfect project to get started. If it's too simple, you'll lose interest. Too difficult and you're likely to fling a wrench into the crooked turbine blades of your half-finished stealth hovercraft.

That's why I love electronic kits like this Elenco AM/FM radio. It's been on the market for over 20 years, but that doesn't make it any less cool. The circuit board is cleverly laid out with the parts installed on top of a silk-screened schematic -- a great way to tie theory and practice together. Even if you don't understand precisely how it all works, you'll learn a far bit about the various stages of a superhet radio receiver.

The Elenco AM/FM radio kit is available from Amazon for $30.57. There's also a simpler AM-only version for $17.69.