After doing a little more digging it appears the Dave Made "transmitter" is indeed SDR which IMHO can hardly be called building a transmitter. As for actually building things versus appliance operating, both have their advantages. There is nothing wrong with a new commercial rig as long as you know how to operate it beyond simply turning it on and off. I like to build my own accessories to suit my wants and needs. I use some old gear as well as new stuff. The Heath DX-60 keeps me looking at ways to improve the audio from it and I have built a PTT circuit for it instead of using the knob on the front to switch to TX. The switch burned up long ago. My Kenwood TS-820S needs TLC now and then. I have a big amp project in my sights and have modded lots of gear over the years including modding an old Palomar 10/11m amp to 6m and a Mirage B-108 2m amp to 6m just because I had them and at the time my Ten-Tec 1206 6m transverter I bought as a kit needed more power. I like building and repairing stuff when I have the time. I worked in the commercial broadcasting as a station engineer and did service work. I hated to do anything after work during that time period but now, 10 years after leaving the business I enjoy the smell of solder smoke in the mornings once again.