The
Amateur Radio Hobby
Amateur
Radio
Links
What
Is A HAM
The Amateur
Radio Code is
Considerate. . . never knowingly operates in such a way as to
lessen the pleasure of others.
Loyal. . . . offers loyalty, encouragement and support to other
amateurs, local clubs, and the American Radio Relay League, through
which Amateur Radio in the United States is represented nationally
and internationally.
Progressive . . . . with knowledge abreast of science, a well-built
and efficient station and opperating above reproach.
Friendly. . . . slow and patient operating when requested; friendly
advise and counsel to the beginner; kindly assistance , cooperation
and consideration for interests of others. These are the hallmarks
of the amateur spirit.
Balanced. . . . radio is an avocation, never interfering with
duties owed to family, job, school, or community.
Patriotic . . . . station and skill always ready for service to
country and community.
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The
Amateur Radio Hobby
You can become an Amateur Radio operator--no
matter what age, gender or physical ability. People from all walks
of life pass their entry-level exam and earn their Amateur (ham) Radio
license. They all share the diverse world of activities you can explore
with ham radio. Amateurs communicate with each other for fun, during
emergencies, and even in contests. They handle messages for police
and other public service organizations during all kinds of emergencies.
For details about the hobby and Amateur Radio Operator please vist
the ARRL page.
This information provided by ARRL.
Visit their website at http://www.arrl/org
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What
Is A HAM
Ham: a poor operator. A plug.
That's the definition of the word given
in G. M. Dodge's The Telegraph Instructor even before radio. The definition
has never changed in wire telegraphy. The first wireless operators
were landline telegraphers who left their offices to go to sea or
to man the coastal stations.
They brought with them their language and
much of the tradition of their older profession. In those early days,
spark was king and every station occupied the same wavelength--or,
more accurately perhaps, every station occupied the whole spectrum
with its broad spark signal. Government stations, ships, coastal stations
and the increasingly numerous amateur operators all competed for time
and signal supremacy in each other's receivers.
Many of the amateur stations were very powerful.
Two amateurs, working across town, could effectively jam all the other
operators in the area. When this happened, frustrated commercial operators
would call the ship whose weaker signals had been blotted out by the
amateurs and say "SRI OM THOSE #&$!@ HAMS ARE JAMMING YOU."
Amateurs, possibly unfamiliar with the real
meaning of the term, picked it up and applied it to themselves in
true "Yankee Doodle" fashion and wore it with pride. As the years
advanced, the original meaning has completely disappeared.
This information provided by ARRL.
Visit their website at http://www.arrl/org
