[XSergeantD]

I prefer to use silver solder and Weller soldering tools. A basic iron with a pencil tip will be a good start for you. Keep your tip clean all the time by twisting it thru the sponge - not like my old apprentice that thought ya just touch the sponge to see if the iron is on. The tip should always be shiny and have a spot of fresh solder when touching to your board/cable. Heat from hard surface to hard surface will not easily transfer, which is why you should have a spot of solder on the tip when you go to heat something up. If you start hearing a metal on metal grinding sound, stop, something's not right (this will come to you on experience, you'll know when to pay no attention to a little squeak and when to try again).
Oh, and breath in before soldering, so you can blow the fumes away from your face, but not so hard as if you're trying to cool what you're working on. Also know when you're near sensitive equipment and if you need to throw some pliers or something between where you're working and the sensitive eqpt so the heat will dissipate, or work quick in that situation. There's a lot to learn and you'll figure it out as you work more and more on your skills. Just be careful overheating traces on circuit boards