wannabe..i agree with theoddone...take a rainy day and ask your instructor.if he's got nothing to do he'll be only too pleased to take you through the kit.
because in the early stages we are doing the radio work we sometimes forget to do a briefing on it but as vulcanpilot says there all different but basically work in similar ways unless you are into complicated kit and mixer boxes.we sometimes assume that watching us fire up the radios and throw the switches the student becomes familiar with the gear...
so anyway..just ask and i am sure all will be revealed..