Like Bubba, I endorse Twinman's sentiments.

One more nice thing about finding a club : Often times somebody is in the process of retiring a good trainer, and will part with it for peanuts. Same goes for a good radio. (You'll get the same frequency the guy has now, so that will teach you to NOT turn on the radio when he's in the air!)

Welcome aboard,
Dave Olson

ps - If you're bound and determined to teach yourself, start a different thread, and say so up front. It's possible, but usually costs more. Clubs are more interested in helping you preserve your initial investment, than helping you achieve "self-taught" status. However, if you're 100 miles away from a club, that point is probably moot.