New project - FM Radio

[dogberry]

Hi all,

I've been interested in electronics for some time, I'm a programmer by trade, and I suppose my first *real* foray in to the world of electronics was via an Arduino, which to be fair, I made to do some pretty cool things.

However, I still considered it *cheating* and managed to get my boss to agree to one day per week off work to study electronics - only I couldn't find any courses AT ALL in the uk.

So, I bought some books - so far, I've made a timer circuit using a 555, a light chaser using a 555 and a 4017, USB powered LEDs, serial controlled relays (to lamps etc...) so I feel I am making progress.
The problem is I don't feel as though I'm actually making anything worth using, I know I'm making all these things as excersises to learn, and want to make something that I know I will use.

So, I looked up circuits to make an FM reciever, in particular, using the TDA7000, but when I look in places like Maplin (UK equiv. of Radio Shack), I can buy an FM radio for a few quid, which deflates me a little.

So, with that in mind, I thought back to when I used to decode APT satelitte signals using my old ICOM-PCR1000, which sadly bit the dust a few years back, and got to thinking that perhaps I could replace it by making a 137-8 Mhz reciever (which is just about all I used the ICOM for) - only, without an IC like the 7000, I don't really know where to start, or even if the IC route is the way to go.

Could someone kindly point me in the right direction?