In days of yore (1970) when I learned I got hold of a small transistor radio and noted that the FM tuning capacitor had a couple of fixed capacitors connected in parallel. I gently unsoldered these and Bingo! the radio was tuned to the aircraft band. I learned as I listened and listned as I learned. The fact that my local publican was an RT examiner was also helpful as I took my written paper in the public bar early one evening with a pint at my elbow and my practical test the following weekend so I was in possession of my VHF RT license even before I started in the circuit!
My instructor was a little suprised when I asked when I would be allowed to use the R.T. and on learning that I already had my rating immediately handed over the microphone. (In those days it was hand mic and loudspeaker.) I rapidly discovered that using it for real isn't quite the same as using an R.T. simulator with a friend on the other end, but I soon got the hang of it.
Subsequently I have always advised my students to get hold of an airband receiver and listen. Their progress in the ability to use the R/T is usually spectacular. One of my circuit students was so good, he sounded just like a pro on the RT when he had only just gone solo, so I had to warn him to advise ATC when he first called up on a solo detail that there was a "Student in Command". He always did, but something had to go wrong didn't it! He was doing circuits when the traffic was particularly heavy and he received an "advanced" ATC instruction that he had difficulty complying with. He got out of trouble (correctly) by going around, but in the debrief, I was a little annoyed with ATC for not listening. As I had a bit of spare time, said student was taken up the tower to meet the controller.
"I'm terribly sorry about that," said the controller in question. "Now I came to think about it you clearly stated on your first call that a student pilot was in command - but your R.T. was so good! I'll remember that in future."
Don't let that put you off! The ability to listen, interpret and talk on the R.T. is vital, and if you do it this way it's one thing less to distract you when you are concentrating hard on your flying when in the circuit.
P.P.