Antique Wireless Association Educational Institute
The Antique Wireless Association Educational Institute Learn It, Build It, Fix It (LIBIFI) Classes are opportunities for adults to learn about vacuum tube technology while building and/or repairing their equipment. For over half a decade, the AWA Educational Institute has been the premier source of hands-on technical education designed for Do It Yourself (DIY) electronics enthusiasts.
Below is a complete listing of all the AWA 2026 Learn It, Build It, Fix It Classes being offered. Class info and buttons to view/download the class info and registration forms is available in either PDF or MS Word format as indicated.
Note: Radio 101 – AA5 is taught in two different schedule formats, that is, one on relatively consecutive Saturdays with the other offered as an intensive three-day “boot camp” presentation.
Vacuum Tube AM Radio 101
LEARN: VACUUM TUBE AM RADIO: HOW TUBE RADIOS WORK
BUILD: RESTORE AN “ALL AMERICAN 5” VINTAGE RADIO
FIX: REPAIR OR RESTORE YOUR VINTAGE TUBE AM RADIO
3 sessions of THEORY
- Electrical Safety
- AC & DC waveforms
- Passive & active components
- Schematic symbols & how to read a schematic
- Superheterodyne AM radio receiver stages – RF, Mixer, IF Amplifier, Detector, Audio, PS
- Tools & techniques
- Test & measurement equipment
3 sessions of HANDS ON
- Soldering review: How to solder & soldering equipment
- Repairing point-to-point wiring
- In-class repair of your AA5 radio with help & guidance
- Final alignment of project
Cost: Includes six LIBIFI classes and a one-year AWA membership.
This class is for those who want to work on home-brew AM radios from the 1920s and 1930s. Questions should be emailed to LIBIFI@AntiqueWireless.org
Vacuum Tube AM Radio 101 will be taught twice in 2026.
1 – Vacuum Tube AM Radio 101 – 6 Saturdays Starting April 11, 2026.
(Registration Deadline is March 28, 2026)
Buttons to the right provide the Course Information and Registration form. (Both PDF and MS Word versions are available.)
Cost: $275 covers 6 LIBIFI classes and a one-year AWA Membership.
Sessions will be taught in Bloomfield, NY Saturdays 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the AWA Communication Technologies Museum, 6925 Route 5, Bloomfield (Rochester), NY.
2 – Vacuum Tube AM Radio 101 Boot Camp – Sun-Tues Sept. 27 to Sept 29, 2026
Buttons to the right provide the Course Information and Registration Form. (Both PDF and MS Word versions are available.)
Cost: $395 covers three full days intensive LIBIFI classes, admission to the AWA Annual Conference and a one-year AWA Membership.
Sessions will be held in Bloomfield, NY at the AWA Communication Technologies Museum, 6925 Route 5, Bloomfield (Rochester), NY.
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Vacuum Tube Guitar Amplifiers – 7 Saturdays Starting June 13, 2026
LEARN VACUUM TUBE GUITAR AMPLIFIERS
BUILD a GUITAR AMPLIFIER KIT or RESTORE YOUR GUITAR AMPLIFIER
FIX & MODIFY YOUR GUITAR AMPLIFIER
4 Saturday sessions of THEORY
- Electrical Safety
- Introduction to sound & waveforms
- Audio amplification & music
- Basic electricity & electronics
- Passive & active circuit elements
- Active circuit elements: the vacuum tube
- Vacuum tubes in guitar amplifiers, classes of operation
- Test and measurement equipment
3 Saturday sessions of HANDS ON
- Soldering equipment and how to solder like a pro
- Build your kit/mods with help & guidance from electronics professionals
- Final testing and measurements
Cost: $315 covers seven LIBIFI classes and a one-year AWA membership.
Questions should be emailed to LIBIFI@AntiqueWireless.org
Buttons to the right provide the Course Information and Registration Form. (Both PDF and MS Word versions are available.)
Sessions will be held on Saturdays 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the AWA Communication Technologies Museum, 6925 Route 5, Bloomfield (Rochester), NY.
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Vacuum Tube Audio – 6 Saturdays Starting Sept. 12, 2026
LEARN VACUUM TUBE AUDIO
BUILD AN AMPLIFIER KIT or RESTORE AN AMP/PREAMP
FIX YOUR AMPLIFIER – TEST & EVALUATE
3 Saturday sessions of THEORY
- Electrical Safety
- Introduction to sound & waveforms, Audio Amplification – Music
- Basic electricity & electronics
- Multi-Channel sound, stereo, beyond
- Passive & active circuit elements
- Active circuit elements: the vacuum tube
- Vacuum tubes in amplifiers, classes of operation and distortion
- Speaker system types and how they work
- Test and measurement equipment
3 Saturday sessions of HANDS ON
- Soldering equipment and how to solder like a pro
- Build your kit with help & guidance from electronics professionals
- Final testing and measurements
Cost: $275 covers six LIBIFI classes and a one-year AWA membership.
Questions should be emailed to LIBIFI@AntiqueWireless.org
Buttons to the right provide the Course Information and Registration Form. (Both PDF and MS Word versions are available.)
Sessions will be held in Henrietta NY at the AWA Communication Technologies Museum, 6925 Route 5, Bloomfield (Rochester), NY.
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Solid State Electronics & Trouble Shooting – 3 Saturdays Starting November 7, 2026
LEARN: SOLID-STATE “AUDIO”
3 Saturday sessions
Saturday morning sessions of applied Audio THEORY
- Electrical Safety
- AC & DC waveforms
- Passive components (resistors, capacitors, inductors & transformers)
- Active components (solid-state devices)
- Schematic symbols & how to read a schematic
- Solid-state audio amplifiers
- Restoration of solid-state audio equipment
- Tools & techniques
- Test & measurement equipment
- Discussion of soldering equipment and how to solder like a pro
Cost: $155 covers three LIBIFI classes and includes a one-year AWA membership.
Questions should be emailed to LIBIFI@AntiqueWireless.org
Buttons to the right provide the Course Information and Registration Form. (Both PDF and MS Word versions are available.)
Sessions will be held in Henrietta NY at the AWA Communication Technologies Museum, 6925 Route 5, Bloomfield (Rochester), NY.