Well, hello to all and a big thanks to nanofrog for giving me feedback in my earlier questions!
I'm a retired middle school teacher, and an amateur radio operator of many years. I am getting particularly involved in QRP gear because of its elegance, "relative" simplicity and its focus on "HOW it all works" which is what interests me. At this point I'd rather build a simple transceiver kit, and hopefully learn/study what each component does and why, rather than just buy it and turn it on---but I've NOT always been that way : ) I've bought plenty of gear that, thankfully, I could/and can "just turn on."
Which is how I got here: I've watched a ton of Dave's videos on YouTube and learned a LOT and been so excited about this EEVforum/blog/video resource. I've also read here and there on this forum of the discount members can have with TEquipment purchases---so I sent out a question about the discount code earlier today. I'm really excited about purchasing a Rigol DS1102e on Monday and hope to have it available as I start building a kit in the next week or so---but maybe it's going to take time for me to "earn" the discount code and that's ok if I just have to miss out on it regarding this upcoming oscilloscope purchase---because---I've officially joined this forum for the long haul---all the knowledge I've gained, and will gain, and hopefully someday share, is what matters most---any discount on my oscilloscope would simply be a welcome bonus for this retired, "watching my pennies, fixed income" teacher : )
And, of course, I'm DEFINITELY buying an oscilloscope that I CAN "just turn on"---but maybe down this very interesting road, I'll someday build my own and have newly gained wisdom to share with "newcomers" such as me : )
Thanks everybody for helping this to be such an incredibly wonderful resource---and thanks, Dave, for doing what ALL good teachers do: you keep it fun and focused and never, ever boring! Joe