According to the American Radio Relay League, No body really knows for sure why Amateur radio operators are called Hams. I have it on very good faith that Ham stands for "Home Amateur Mechanic". Back in the beginning of radio, there were no manufacturers to make radios People Built their own rigs.The term Technician was not often used, if at all. People who built their own Radios were known as mechanics.I believe that telegraphers using spark gap technology would sometimes recieve interference from these "mechanics" who had built their own transmitters, and they would say something like those "Hams" are infering again. Using morse code, Ham was short for Home Amateur Mechanic.

I have heard other stories that the term Ham came from radio operators who liked to ham it up. I tend to believe the first version, after all, it was what I was told by my Elmer.

You will need to take an exam and acquire a license.The FCC has currently 6 classes of license.the first level of license would be a technician class which requires no morse code, but does not allow Phone priveledges on the hf band. once you can Pass the 5 w.p.m. morse code exam,you will have a tech plus license. each level of license gives added priveledges, as an incentive to learn. You can get study materials from the A.R.R.L. or you can visit your nearest radio Shack store and pick up your study material there. Now you need to find a vec exam session. I suggest that you contact your local Amateur radio Club, they will probably be able to supply you with study material and give you a date and location of an exam.They will also be able to help you learn on a one on one basis "Elmer". I have many links in the Ham related links page found in the Site Directory. From there you will be able to locate exam locations, Amateur radio clubs, test and code programs, everything you will need to study and pass your first Ham license. After you pass your Test and recieved your license, you can purchase a radio and antenna, and set up your first station. Be sure to ask around about used equipment, many Hams love to buy new rigs and need to sell there older rigs.

An Elmer is an experienced Ham (who may or may not be a registered Instructor),who personally teaches one or more newcomers about Amateur radio.There has been thousands of Hams who have been brought into Amateur radio this way.

Phonetics are used to spell out words when reception is poor. To pronounce my call sign N5SDD phonetically would be November 5 Sierra Delta Delta.

• A - Alpha
• B - Bravo
• C - Charlie
• D - Delta
• E - Echo
• F - Foxtrot
• G - Golf
• H - Hotel
• I - India
• J - Juliet
• K - Kilo
• L - Lima
• M - Mic
• N - November
• O - Oscar
• P - Papa
• Q - Quebec
• R - Romeo
• S - Sierra
• T - Tango
• U - Uniform
• V - Victor
• W - Whiskey
• X - X-Ray
• Y - Yankee
• Z - Zulu

RST stands for "Readablility", "Signal Strength", "Tone". It is a means of conveying the relative qualities of an incoming signal. For example if I was sending in CW and someone requested their RST I would Tell them They are 5,9,9, for a good strong clear signal. If I was talking on SSB I would give a report of 5,9 "note that there is no report on Tone." A Tone report is given for CW "Carrier Wave", it is the tone of the morse code that you recieve. Usually at 800hz.

Readability

• 1 - Unreadable.
• 2 - Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable.
• 3 - Readable with considerable difficulty.
• 4 - Readable with paractically no difficulty.
• 5 - Perfectly readable.

Signal Strength

• 1 - Faint signals, Barely Perceptible.
• 2 - Very weak signals.
• 3 - Weak signals.
• 4 - Fair signals.
• 5 - Fairly good signals.
• 6 - Good signals.
• 7 - Moderately strong signals.
• 8 - Strong signals.
• 9 - Extremely strong signals.

Tone

• 1 - Sixty cycle ac or less, very rough and broad.
• 2 - Very rough ac, harsh and broad.
• 3 - Rough ac tone, rectified but not filtered.
• 4 - Rough note some trace of filtering.
• 5 - Filtered rectified ac, but strongly rippled modulation.
• 6 - Filtered tone, definate trace of ripple modulation.
• 7 - Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation.
• 8 - Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation.
• 9 - Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation of any kind.

Q-Signals are morse code signals the are used with commonly used phrases.You can send these Q-Signals as questions by sending a question mark after the code.

• QRG - Your exact frequency
• QRH - Your frequency varies
• QRI - The tone of your transmission is___(1. Good; 2. Variable; 3. Bad).
• QRJ - I cannot recieve you. Your signal is too weak.
• QRK - The inteligibility of your signal is___ (1. Bad; 2. Poor; 3. Fair; 4. Good; 5. excellent).
• QRL - I am busy. Please do not interfere.
• QRM - Your transmission is being interfered with ___ (1. Nil; 2. Slightly; 3. Moderately; 4. Severely; 5. Extremely.)
• QRN - I am troubled by static ___ (1-5 as under qrm.)
• QRO - Increase power.
• QRP - Decrease power.
• QRQ - Send faster.
• QRS - Send more slowly.
• QRT - Stop sending.
• QRU - I have nothing for you.
• QRV - I am ready.
• QRW - I shall inform ___ that you are calling on ___ khz.
• QRX - I will call you again at ___ hours(on ___khz.)
• QRY - Your turn is numbered ___
• QRZ - Who is calling me?
• QSA - The strength of your signal is ___.
• QSB - Your signal is fading.
• QSD - Your keying is defective.
• QSG - Send ___ messages at a time.
• QSK - I can hear you between my signals; break in on my transmission.
• QSL I acknowledge reciept.
• QSM - Repeat your last transmission.
• QSN - I heard you on ___ khz.
• QSO - I can communicate with ___ direct (or with a relay though ___.)
• QSP - I will relay to ___.
• QST - General call preceeding a message addressed to all amateurs.
• QSU - Send or reply on this frequency or ___ khz.
• QSV - Send a series of Vs on this frequency ( or on ___ khz.)
• QSW - I will send on this frequency ( or on ___ khz.)
• QSX - I am listening to ___ on ___ khz.
• QSY - Move your transmission to another frequency.
• QSZ - Send each word or group twice ( or ___ Times.)
• QTA - Cancel message ___
• QTB - I do not aggree with your counting of words.QTC - I have ___ messages for you ( or ___.)
• QTH - My location is ___.
• QTR - The correct time is ___.

Morse code can be learned several ways, you can purchase audio tapes andThere are many good morse code tutor programs that you can play on your computer. I have a link for such programs listed in the Ham related links part of the Site Directory. Just click on the "exams and code programs" link. I can only suggest fdownloading the Ham University program, It is the only one I have ever used, it is considered one of the best. You can also purchase tapes from "A.R.R.L." or you can find study materials and tapes at your local "Radio Shach Store". Set aside a few minutes every day to practice copying.You can even listen to CW on a short wave reciever if you have one, and you can also tune in to "W1AW" the American Radio Relay Leagues Station at Newington Connecticut. They transmit Morse code practice at regular intervals. W1AW Schedule and frequencies are listed in the table below this one.You will probably find a listing of Morse code characters in a study book. I recommend you do not try to learn it by memorizing these characters, it creates an unneeded step in the learning process. The best way to learn is to memorize the sounds of morse code. You will find that it will make learning quite easy.

"All times are Eastern"

• Slow code paractice. WF: 9 AM; MWF: 7 PM; TThSSN: 4 PM, 10 PM
• Fast code practice. MWF: 4 PM, 10 PM; TTH: 9 AM; TTHSSn: 7 PM
• CW Bulletins. Dy: 5 PM, 8 Pm, 11 PM; TWThF: 10 AM
• Teleprinter Bulletins Dy: 6 PM, 9 PM, 12 AM; TWThF: 11 AM
• Voice Bulletins Dy: 9:45 PM, 12:45 AM

• Code practice, Qualifying run and CW Bulletin frequencies:1.818, 3.5185, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975, 21.0675, 28.0674, 147.555 Mhz.
• Teleprinter Bulletin frequencies: 3.625, 7.095, 14.095, 18.1025, 21.095, 28.095, 147.555Mhz.
• Voice Bulletin frequencies: 3.99, 7.29, 14.29, 18.16, 21.39, 28.59, 147.555Mhz.
• Slow code practice is at 5,71/2, 10, 13 and 15 W.P.M..
• Fast code practice is at 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 W.P.M..
• Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is given at the beginning of each practice, and at the beginning of alternate speeds. For example, Text is from May 1992 QST, pages 9 and 81" indicates that the main text is from the article on page 9 and the mixed number/letter groups at the end of each speed is from page 81.
• On Friday, UTC, a DX bulletin replaces the regular bulletin transmissions.
• On Tuesdays and saturdays at 22:30 UTC, Keplarian elements for active amateur satellites will be sent on the regular teleprinter frequencies.
• Teleprinter Bulletins are at 45 Bps and 100 Bps AMTOR, FEC mode B. 110 Bps ASCII will be sent as time allows.
• CW Bulletins are sent at 18 W.P.M..
• W1AW is open for visitors Monday through Friday from ( AM to 11 PM ET and on Saturday and Sunday from 4:30 PM to 11 PM ET.
• W1AW is available for operation by visitors between 1 and 4 PM Monday through Friday. If you desire to operate W1AW, be sure to bring a copy of your license with you.
• In a communication emergency, monitor W1AW for special Bulletins as follows: Voice on the hour, teleprinter at 15 minutes past the hour, and CW on the Half hour. Return to top of Page!