Hi Michael,
It is commonly accepted that Fixed Pitch helis are a more appropriate starting place.
The are more robust, less sensative to setup inaccuracies, easier to set up, easier to troubleshoot, and less expensive to repair/replace.
Now, much of my understanding about the relative values of CP and FP are from the Piccolo line, so this may not all be directly applicable to you. I don't know how much does translate directly to the CP HB. You may consider getting a FP kit to learn on and then getting out the CP kit when you are eady for more challanges.
Do you have any local pilots that fly micro helis?
Barring that, and until Radds site comes back up, reading here is likely your best bet.