[chimpanzee2]

Any recommended resources for learning the first principles required to understand this and all the components involved?

[ssl-3]

For transmission lines: _Similarities of Wave Behavior_, presented by Dr. J. N. Shier (of Bell Labs fame, and whose team invented the phototransistor):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DovunOxlY1k

It's an easy thing to watch at any level, with both brilliant practical demonstrations and supporting math provided.

[KK7NIL]

W2AEW on YouTube was one of my introductions to high-speed analog electronics (and I had the pleasure of working with him later on).

[jacquesm]

An Electrical Engineering course, or a book on practical circuit design.