Large Range Frequency Counter Help

I want to build one. im a new ham with not much money to go out and buy one (my VX-7R's isnt very functional) plus i need some practice with circuits. i know it isnt going to be easy or inexpensive, but all the other projects i want to build seem to have "less than safe" warnings.

What do you want the frequency counter for? And you need to define large range.

I'm not sure how you can say a VX-7R is less than functional, it's a 400 dollar tri-band transceiver, it also has nothing to do with a frequency counter. If you don't find it useful, please drop it in the mail to me =)

A couple of recent threads about this.

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the 7R's counter doesnt work well. it does have one built in. i just want to build onee cause i have always wanted one, but i figure i can make my own and still have one and satisfy two goals with one stone