Yeah i read up on the tech for over a month before i started trading (was already reading up on it but not enough to invest money into it). i only put in a small sum and slowly added over the course of two months to get familiar with the charts, emerging coins/tech. Once i felt comfortable, then i added in a significant amount of money.
I am a member of a forum to help newcomers and i feel so bad for them that they are losing money. they are just getting in now and follow TA advice of people suggesting 5x gains without doing any research. One of them did the exactly what you are preaching not to do and it cost them bigtime. selling as one coin is falling to buy a coin already up big, rinse and repeat. Doesn't take too long for a $1000 invest to turn into $200 that way.
Next few days will be interesting to see what BTC is up to. I am keeping some fiat nearby.
I appreciate your post. thank you