I bought this little radio in order to refresh my kit building skills, however it would also be a great kit for a beginner. The kit comes in a plastic bag which is a little off putting at first, but most small parts are nicely laid out and labelled on strip of cardboard. Other parts come in smaller sealed plastic bags which helps to keep things from getting lost.

The instructions are very clear and easy to follow. They include some explanation of component markings and theory behind the working of the radio. There is also a small quiz at the end.

Testing instructions are included for each section, which are very helpful and very reassuring when they come out right (and useful in finding an error before moving on to the next section).

Be aware that you will need a 9 volt battery. Also no case is included with the kit. My kit differed slightly from the picture in that instead of a blue reset button mine was yellow. Be aware too, that this is a very basic radio, it is mono, not stereo, there is no frequency display either. Tuning is accomplished by a reset button (which set the frequency back to 88 MHz) and a scan button which scans for stations.

This could be a one day project, but it might be best to split it into two or more sessions, depending on your skill level and fatigue.

All in all, buy this and build it. You'll learn a little, get a sense of accomplishment, and have some fun.

I liked being able to use soldering skills. The instructions were clearly labeled and gave good descriptions of how everything worked and went together. Good for anyone who likes to solder or is just starting out, because it is a fun little kit.

I bought this to just pass the time, and as a kid I used to put together Heathkit things so I thought the time has come to get back to my youth. This FM kit is really a work of art. The board is beautifully detail and it was well packaged, presented and laid out. The instructions are excellent and there is lots of additional information on radios in general and this radio in particular. I have little understanding of these things but I read all about it anyway and was fascinated. And thank goodness it actually worked at the end of all my somewhat amateurish soldering. They make many good points about having the right soldering iron and learning to solder well. I recommend paying attention to that part.
And it was fun when I finished to turn it on and instantly hear a radio station. The sound is mediocre but it's not meant to be that kind of listening excellence. I recommend being patient and steady and all should turn out well.

The media could not be loaded. This is a really nice little kit. I have built two of these so far. This is a super fun, quick build and it sounds great. A couple of quirks, though...The first one I built came with a bad LM386 IC, but the voltage tests in the manual helped me to realize what the problem was, and a new LM386 chip did the trick. I appreciated the troubleshooting experience. And yes the battery holder is just a little too short.

As for the finished project, I find myself listening to this little radio all the time. I have it propped up against a wooden box with a couple handkerchiefs in it to give it the little speaker a bit more presence and the sound quality is surprisingly nice.

Bought two and only got one to work. Thraces come up super easily, so I started using small amounts of flux with each joint.

Other than the board quality being on the low side, this is a decent product.