TRI CITY AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY

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HOW TO BECOME A HAM

 

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WELCOME TO THE TRI CITY AMATEUR RADIO HOW TO BECOME A HAM.

How to Become an Amateur Radio Operator or "Ham"

 

To be an amateur radio operator, you must be licensed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), and that requires some basic knowledge about radio and Federal Regulations. But don’t let the fact that you need a license scare you away. The average person can learn the basics and master the required material with a few weeks of study and some coaching from someone who already has an amateur radio license.

 

There are three levels of licensing in the amateur radio hobby, but to get started, you only need to focus on the first level…The Technician License. Here is what you need to do…

1. 1.    Contact the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and ask them to send you the ARRL license manual called "Now Your Talking". This manual costs about $20, plus shipping, and contains everything you need to know to pass a licensing test. After you have passed the test, you can apply to the Federal Communication Commission for a Technician Class License.

American Radio Relay League

225 Main Street

Newington, CT 06111-1494

Phone: (860) 594 0200

Fax: (860) 594 0259

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Web: http://www.arrl.org

 

2. 2.     Locate an Amateur Radio Test session in your area to take the test. The Volunteers at the test session will help you fill out the license application for the Federal Communication Commission. http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml lists test session, and is searchable by state or location. There is contact information for each session listed.

 

It is not difficult to become a licensed amateur radio operator. Regardless of what you may have heard, you do not need to learn Morse code to get started in this hobby.
Here are a couple of ways to get in touch with other hams.

1. 1.     Visit with one of the amateur radio operators at the Plymouth Historical Museum Radio Station. There is usually a "ham" in the station from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Saturdays or:
Email Rob Giuliano … [email protected]

Email Robert Laundra … [email protected]
They are commonly at the museum on Saturdays, and are willing to help.

 

2. 2.     Go to an Amateur Radio club meeting and tell them you want to become a "ham". Many Clubs are listed on the ARRL website and direct access to their search function is http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubsearch.phtml.

Or to review the information for getting started, visit http://www.arrl.org/hamradio.html.

The Stu Rockafellow Amateur Radio Society, which is an open amateur radio club, meets on the third Tuesday in March, April, May, September, October, and November. They meet on the third Monday in January and February. The meetings start at 7:30 PM and are located in The Plymouth Township Hall.

 

If you have the desire, you can have a FCC license to operate amateur radio in just a few weeks

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THIS PAGE WAS LAST UPDATED ON 03/02/08 05:26:54 AM