Where can I learn some of the basics of VoIP, like H.323 and SIP?

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First, check out SearchEnterpriseVoice.com. The site offers a glossary that will help you get the basics down.

Of course, the RFC documents that establish the standards for IP-based protocols/services like H.323 or SIP are documents that you should consult somewhere during your learning efforts. But you may be better served at first by digging into some good VoIP books. If you search on "Tittel VoIP book" through the TechTarget search engine, in fact, you can dredge up at least a half-dozen book reviews/recommendations I've written in the last year and a half. That said, you'll find a couple of publishers to be particularly helpful when it comes to finding good intro books on the subject. Visit www.ciscopress.com and search on both VoIP and IP telephony to get some good leads (I particularly recommend "IP Telephony Unveiled" as a good place to start, but you'll find "Cisco IP Telephony: Planning, Design, Implementation, Operation, and Optimization" will address your stated interest in details about H.323 and SIP, as well as lots of other relevant protocols, services, and technologies.) There's even a "VoIP For Dummies" title on its way out in June 2005, should you find that approach to subject matter helpful. You can also find lots of good VoIP/IP Telephony tutorials and introductions online by searching for same as well.

Good luck in selecting the right materials to help you in your quest. There are plenty of them to choose from - perhaps even too many - so hopefully my pointers and suggestions will be helpful.