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I've been interested in amateur (“ham”) radio ever
since I was a small kid. (Remember the old K6ATX "Tommy Rockford"
books?) Considering that radio was a life-long interest, I was something of a
late bloomer as I didn't obtain my first license until the age of 29 in 1979.
While living in Charleston, West Virginia, I obtained my Novice ticket as
KA8EUE and quickly upgraded to General a couple of months later. In 1980 I
moved back to my home state of Massachusetts and upgraded to Advanced as KA1KF,
a call I held for 22 years.
I relocated from Cape Cod to Kissimmee, Florida in 1994 and remained
inactive from that point until early 2002 which saw me upgrade to Extra with
two rapid vanity call changes: W1VFR, followed by W1WH. I'm an ARRL and a W5YI
Volunteer Examiner. Besides the ARRL, I'm also a member of the Quarter Century
Wireless Association (QCWA).
For more information on getting started in amateur radio, go to
"getting started"
on the American Radio Relay League's (ARRL -
the national organization for amateur radio) website.
(courtesy of ARRL)
Wondering what ham radio is and how you can
have fun with it?
Here are some
ideas:
Talk to people in foreign countries. DX'ing is a favorite of many hams! (I've confirmed contacts from well over a hundred foreign countries and in all continents, using simple wire antennas.)Talk to people (both local and far away) on your drive to work.
Help in emergencies and natural disasters by providing communications.
Provide communications in parades or walkathons and other public service events.
Help other people become hams. (We call it "Elmering.")
Hook your computer to your radio and communicate "computer-to-computer." Hams use radio modems.
Collect QSL cards (cards from other hams) from all over the United States and foreign countries and receive awards.
Participate in contests or Field Day events.
Provide radio communication services to your local Civil Defense organization through ARES (the Amateur Radio Emergency Service) or RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) ...or even FEMA, (the Federal Emergency Management Agency.)
Aid members of the U.S. military by joining the Army, Air Force or Navy/Marine MARS (Military Affiliate Radio System).
Participate in transmitter hunt games and maybe build your own direction-finding equipment.
Have someone to talk to on those sleepless nights at home.
Receive weather pictures via satellites.
Build radios, antennas, learn some electronics and radio theory.
Talk to astronauts in space, or use the moon to bounce signals back to people on the Earth.
Experiment with Amateur TV (ATV), Slow-Scan TV (SSTV), or send still-frame pictures by facsimile.
Communicate through orbiting satellites. There are many in ham satellites in orbit that are owned and operated by the amateur community! (And you can use them without any cost whatsoever!
...and this is only the beginning! You are limited only by your imagination and ingenuity.
Anyone you know could be an Amateur Radio operator or "ham" --
no matter what age, gender or physical ability. From ages 8 to 80, people in
many countries of the world can have fun as radio amateurs. If you've had fun
with CB radio or trying new things with your computer, wait till you see what
you can do with ham radio!
You can communicate from the top of a mountain, your home or behind the
wheel of your car. You can take radio wherever you go! In times of disaster,
when regular communications channels fail, hams can swing into action assisting
emergency communications efforts and working with public service agencies. At
other times, you can talk to Shuttle astronauts or bounce signals off the moon.
You can use voice, digital, even images in communication with other hams. Know
any other hobby with so much to offer?
Although the main purpose of the hobby is fun, it is called the
"Amateur Radio Service" because it also has a serious face. The FCC
(Federal Communications Commission) created the Service to fill the need for a
pool of experts who could provide backup emergency communications in times of
need. In addition, the FCC acknowledged the ability of the hobby to advance
communication and technical knowledge, and enhance international goodwill.
An arm and a leg. Just kidding! A basic new handheld radio can cost
about the same as an inexpensive 19-inch color TV. Flea market bargains can
cost a lot less. A new tabletop multi-band unit for your home radio shack can
cost about the same as the PC you're reading this on. Materials to get you
started are relatively inexpensive, and the fee you'll pay when you're ready to
test is nominal.
Amateur Radio clubs are located all over the US and are eager to help
the newcomer get started. If you prefer to study alone, ARRL and their web site
can be invaluable in helping you find the fast track to on-the-air enjoyment.
Nobody knows when Amateur Radio operators were first called
"hams", but we do know that Amateur Radio is as old as the history of
radio itself. In 1912, Congress passed the first laws regulating radio
transmissions in the US. By 1914, amateur experimenters were communicating
nation-wide, and setting up a system to relay messages from coast to coast
(that's how the ARRL got its name, the American Radio Relay League.)
You bet! The beauty of ham radio is it can fit the time, space, and
budget that YOU decide is right for you. It's got that low stress, high fun
ratio that many busy people seek in their off-hours. It can also be great
family fun or a solitary pleasure.
Give the ARRL a call at 1-800-32-NEWHAM.
Isn't amateur radio the same as Citizens
Band (CB)?
(courtesy of Gary Hoffman, KB0H and
ARRL)
No! Although at first the two services appear similar,
they differ in several important ways:INTENT
CB: Personal communications
Amateur Radio: Personal, civic and emergency communications as well as a forum for radio experimentation.RANGE
CB: Short range, legal limit of 150 miles (practical range is much lower)
Amateur Radio: No range limit - worldwide communications.POWER
CB: 7 watts maximum (12 watts for single sideband)
Amateur Radio: 1500 watts maximum.EMISSION MODES
CB: AM and single sideband
Amateur Radio: AM, FM, SSB, CW, RTTY, FAX, television, packet, spread spectrum and more!FREQUENCIES
CB: 40 channelized frequencies in the HF (High Frequency) band
Amateur Radio: Thousands of frequencies in the MF, HF, VHF, UHF, microwave and higher bands. Amateur radio allows the operator much more flexibility. Along with this flexibility comes a greater responsibility, which is why amateur radio operators must be licensed.
