VK2QH / VK2UMJ Home Page

Amateur Radio

What is Amateur Radio?

Amateur, or “Ham” Radio, is defined as “a radiocommunications service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication,and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, by duly authorised persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.”

Amateur Radio can take many forms, not just talking or communicating by voice. Amateur Television can send pictures locally or half way around the world, and your computer can be utilised to take advantage of the digital forms of Amateur Radio, communication withg others using radio frequencies to link the computers rather than telephone lines. Digital communications can take many forms, from Packet Radio and Radio TeleType (RTTY), to Slow Scan Television (SSTV) sending pictures to others, or even Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) using Amateur Radio and GPS technology to automatically track Amateur stations and provide remote information such as weather conditions, etc.

Or perhaps you’re a bit more of an expeimenter and would like to play with the Amateur Satellites that orbit the earth, talk to the International Space Station or Space Shuttle, or perhaps conduct Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) experiments bouncing signals off the moon to reach distant locations. Or maybe microwave frequencies will interest you, using radio frequencies higher than those used in your microwave oven to communicate.

Maybe you can’t afford all this gear, or don’t have much room. That’s fine because IRLP and Echolink allow you to talk from your local FM repeater, or even your own computer, to Amateur repeaters and stations all over the world, using the internet to link the stations.

Amateur Radio allows you to do all this and more, depending on your own interests and abilities. Whether you use only commercially available equipment, or build your own radio equipment frpm scratch, Amateur Radio can be and enjoyable and rewarding hobby that can also lead to employment in the electronics and/or radiocommunications idustry.

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Australian Amateur Categories

In October 2005 Australia adopted a new 3 teir licensing system for Amateur Radio. This followed the removal of CW for access to HF and consultation with the Australian Amateurs about future licensing options. The 3 licence categories now available in Australia (and the old equivalent licence) are:

Band Frequencies Advanced Standard Foundation
16Øm 1.8 - 1.875 MHz
Y
N
N
8Øm 3.5 - 3.7 MHz
Y
Y
Y
  3.794 - 3.8 MHz
Y
N
N
4Øm 7.Ø - 7.3 MHz
Y
Y
Y
3Øm 1Ø.1 - 1Ø.15 MHz
Y
N
N
2Øm 14.Ø - 14.35 MHz
Y
Y
N
17m 18.Ø68 - 18.168 MHz
Y
N
N
15m 21.Ø - 21.45 MHz
Y
Y
Y
12m 24.89 - 24.99 MHz
Y
N
N
1Øm 28.Ø - 29.7 MHz
Y
Y
Y
6m 5Ø.Ø - 52.Ø MHz
Y
N
N
  52.Ø - 54.Ø MHz
Y
Y
N
2m 144.Ø - 148.Ø MHz
Y
Y
Y
7Øcm 43Ø.Ø - 45Ø.Ø MHz
Y
Y
Y
23cm 124Ø.Ø - 13ØØ.Ø MHz
Y
Y
N
13cm 23ØØ.Ø - 245Ø.Ø MHz
Y
Y
N
9cm 33ØØ.Ø - 36ØØ.Ø MHz
Y
N
N
6cm 565Ø.Ø - 585Ø.Ø MHz
Y
Y
N
3cm 1Ø.Ø - 1Ø.5 GHz
Y
N
N
1.25cm 24.Ø - 24.25 GHz
Y
N
N
  47.Ø - 47.2 GHz
Y
N
N
  75.5 - 81.Ø GHz
Y
N
N
  119.98 - 12Ø.Ø2 GHz
Y
N
N
  142.Ø - 149.Ø GHz
Y
N
N
  241.Ø - 25Ø.Ø GHz
Y
N
N

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Modes and Power

Advanced stations are limited to:

With the following emission restrictions:

Standard Stations are limited to:

With the following emission restrictions:

Foundation Stations are limited to:

With the following emission restrictions:

Other Conditions

High Power - some Amateur stations are authorised to operate at higher power for the purpose of experimentation (i.e. EME, etc). Permission to operate at higher power levels may be granted by the ACMA upon application.

EMR Compliance - Australian Amateur stations must comply with the ACMA Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) standards for human exposure. Each licensed Amateur operator must assess their station against the ACMA EMR standards to confirm that all operations meet the EMR standard. Antenna and radio equipment must always be installed and operated in a way that ensures ongoing compliance with the standard, and each station may be inspected by the ACMA at any time to confirm compliance.

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Australian Amateur Callsigns

From March 2009 the WIA have been charged with the task of recommending to the ACMA what callsign an Amateur should be issued with. Where the issue of a callsign was part of the amateur station licence fee, you now need to pay the WIA a fee to issue a callsign before you can apply for an anateur station licence. This has had the effect of adding more expense to those

Australian Amateur callsigns begin with the prefix “VK”, followed by a number to indicate the state, followed by 2, 3 or 4 letters to indicate the class and station (e.g. VKn$$, VKn$$$ or VKnF$$$). During special events the prefix “VI” or “AX” may be used instead of VK.

State designators

No. State No. State
Ø
 Antartica
5
 South Australia
1
 Australian Capital Territory
6
 Western Australia
2
 New South Wales
7
 Tasmania
3
 Victoria
8
 Northern Territory
4
 Queensland
9
 External Territories *

* External Territories:

Callsigns for external territories (i.e. VK9 prefix) in most cases indicate the territory by the first or second letter that immediately follows the prefix:

Prefix Territory
A
 Antartica
C
 Cocos Islands
L
 Lord Howe Island
M
 Mellish Reef
N
 Norfolk Island
X
 Christmas Island

For example, VK9C$ indicates an Advanced station from Cocos Islands, VK9NC$ indicates a Standard station from Cocos Islands, and VK9FC$$ indicates a Foundation station from Cocos Islans.

Callsign Suffix

Suffix Class Suffix Class
AA - ZZ Advanced NAA - NZZ Standard
AAA - AZZ Advanced OAA - OZZ Not Used *
BAA - BZZ Advanced PAA - PZZ Standard
CAA - CZZ Advanced QAA - QZZ Not Used
DAA - DZZ Advanced RAA - RZZ Repeater/Beacon *
EAA - EZZ Advanced SAA - SZZ Advanced
FAA - FZZ Advanced SAA - SDZ Scout Association
GAA - GZZ Advanced TAA - TZZ Advanced
GGA - GGZ Girl Guides Assoc. UAA - UZZ Advanced
HAA - HZZ Standard VAA - VZZ Standard
IAA - IZZ Advanced WAA - WZZ Advanced
IYA - IYZ International Years WIA - WIZ WIA
JAA - JZZ Advanced XAA - XZZ Advanced
KAA - KZZ Advanced YAA - YZZ Advanced
LAA - LZZ Standard ZAA - ZZZ Advanced
MAA - MZZ Standard FAAA-FZZZ Foundation

* Exceptions

The following callsigns do not conform to the above listed use, but have been allocated by the ACMA as Advanced:

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Why do I need to sit an exam?

Amateur radio is an ‘experimental’ service that allows you, depending upon your licence grade, to construct your own equipment or operate equipment not designed specifically for the Amateur service. Amateur operators must also be able to confirm that their radio equipment, even if commercially made, operates at the relevant power levels and within EMR compliance standards.

As such Amateur operators must possess a certain level of technical knowledge, depending on the class of licence held. For example, the Foundation Licence only allows use of commercial equipment at low power levels, but the operator still needs to know how to ensure the radio works properly, the antenna is tuned, power levels are set properly, and EMR guidelines are observed, so only a basic level of technical knowledge is needed. On the other hand, Advanced operators may construct their own equipment, modify other equipment, operate at high power, and operate on extremely high frequencies, so the level of technical knowledge they have needs to be much greater not only to ensure the station operates correctly, but also for their own safety and the safety of others.

The level of technical knowledge needed is determined by what each grade of licence allows, not what the actual operator may or may not do. For example, an Advanced operator may choose only to use commercial equipment at moderate power levels, so why should he need to sit the same exam as someone that wants to design their own gear? Because the licence held still allows him that privilege even if he chooses not to exercise that right.

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What to do next?

If you are interested in Amateur radio you should contact or visit your nearest Amateur radio club, where you will find people willing to help you take the steps necessary to become an Amateur operator yourself. Many clubs hold regular lessons to teach the theory needed to pass the relevant exams, and some even hold regular exams or at the very least can help you contact someone to arrange to sit the exams when you are ready.

How do you find your local club? If you can’t locate anything in your local telephone directory, then visit the WIA website where you will find links to many local clubs, plus lots more information on Amateur radio. You can also contact the WIA via their website for help in contacting local Amateur operators in your region. If you have a scanner try listening to the local 2 metre and 70cm repeaters as many clubs present regular news bulletins advertising events and contact details.

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Local Freq’s

2M Repeaters

Gosford:
146.725MHz

Newcastle:
146.775MHz
146.9ØØMHz
146.975MHz

Forster/Tuncurry:
147.1ØØMHz

70cm Repeaters

Gosford:
438.Ø75MHz

Newcastle:
438.Ø25MHz