Radio info for beginners?

[Rescue9]

Can someone recommend a good resource on learning how to properly use a radio? I'm still fairly new and without an elmer, learning on my own is slow going... I started playing around with the M0nka mcHF which was great as there weren't a lot of features to get lost in. After purchasing a Yaesu 857d, I'm a bit lost. I'm looking for info on what the Att function is, or dnf versus DNR, etc. The yaesu manual is a bit technical and while it describes the individual features, it's not very user friendly in the "this feature works like this" area.

[cockpitbob]

There is a yahoo group for the 857.  I'm sure there's lots of stuff on YouTube too.  The 857 is a little complicated and yes, the Yaesu manuals leave a lot to be desired.