I honestly would not recommend doing it without a formal education in meteorology because there are MANY things that can go wrong as well as many things to consider which even some people with that education do not. It's not an easy task to undertake, and the consequences are pretty severe for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not only this, but forecasting/nowcasting severe weather is quite difficult. That said, if you're set on going out regardless, I guess I'll share some safety tips and tips in general (Note that there can be entire semester courses dedicated to severe weather as it involves a lot of facets of meteorology in general).
Different setups for tornadoes have different safety risks associated with them. For a novice chaser, I would highly recommend ruling out a couple types of setups. First, don't chase anything moving quickly. For example, 17 Nov 2013 had a large tornado outbreak in IL and IN with storm motion near 60 mph. These situations are extremely dangerous, and there aren't a lot of options if you find yourself in the wrong place. Second, messy setups (typical of those associated with cold fronts) can be rather dangerous as well, as you might find yourself in a situation with no "out."
Just a general tip: I recommend NEVER going chasing without another person that is also knowledgeable about forecasting severe weather. I know very few people even with a lot of experience who feel comfortable going alone.
If you're in an ideal scenario (i.e. slow moving isolated supercells going up along a dryline), and you find your supercell, you want to be on the south side, specifically southeast of rotation. There are better places for a clear view, but those are by far more dangerous. The goal is to get a view of the base without the lack of contrast that you would get looking at the base in front of the core (rain and hail). The storms, however, can turn, so it's important to be a safe distance away and ALWAYS be paying attention to where you are located so you don't end up in a situation with nowhere to go or no time to get out. Keep an eye on the radar. Don't put yourself in front of storms south of the one at which you are looking.
Finally, ALWAYS PLAN A WAY OUT. DO NOT end up some place where your only option is a dirt road south, or even worse, with no roads at all. Many rural areas (save a few) where these storms occur have horrendous road systems (for good reason - very few live there). This is yet another reason to have another person (if not more) with you. There's a lot of information to keep track of on the fly in a highly stressful situation.
As I said, I don't recommend going without a thorough understanding of mesoscale dynamics and such, as there is a lot that can go wrong that even people with that education don't see coming. If you're going to go, just be safe. It isn't worth losing your life over.
Last tip: NEVER CHASE AT NIGHT!!! It's unbelievably stupid.
As far as radar apps go, most people I know use RadarScope, as it provides a fairly comprehensive list of dual-pol variables which can be extremely useful.
Stay safe.