What is Amateur Radio?
What is Amateur Radio?
Amateur Radio is a pastime.
What do Radio Amateurs do ?
They communicate with each other.
How ?
Using radio transmitters and receivers.
Like Citizens’ Band (CB) Radio
?
Yes and no.
Yes ?
You need a licence before you can transmit. You can transmit from home or in a moving
vehicle or while you are walking along.
No ?
Amateur Radio and CB use different frequency bands. You must pass an exam before you can
hold an Amateur Radio licence. This isn’t necessary for CB, where you can just go out
and buy a licence.
So what is the advantage of Amateur
Radio ?
CB is restricted to one or two frequency bands. Amateur Radio allows the use of many
bands, from long waves through to microwaves and infra red. Amateur Radio allows 100 times
as much power as CB. There is no restriction on the type of aerial (antenna) that a Radio
Amateur can use. In many countries, CB operators may only use speech. Radio Amateurs may
transmit speech, Morse code, data, pictures (by television). Radio Amateurs may build and
use their own equipment.
Why should you have to take an exam
before you can get an Amateur Radio Licence ?
These days, with the increasing use of electronic equipment in the community, there is an
increasing risk of breakthrough. A Licensed Amateur should have the skill to deal with
this. So some technical knowledge, and some understanding of the licence regulations is
necessary. A Licensed Amateur should be aware of the rights and responsibilities of the
licence holder. Passing the exam shows that the Amateur has the necessary skills.
Do you have to take a Morse test to
get an Amateur Radio licence ?
Not necessarily. A Morse qualification is not needed for a licence to use the v.h.f. (very
high frequency) or higher bands above 30 MHz. It is a requirement for the short wave bands
below 30MHz.
Why ?
International contacts are more likely on the short wave bands. Because of the
abbreviations and codes used, Morse is an international language. Some Amateur bands are
shared with other services. If your signal is interfering with an essential service in
another country, it important that you can understand a message telling you so.
Are international contacts not
possible on v.h.f. ?
When conditions are right, it is possible to have world wide contacts on the 50 MHz band.
There are OSCAR (Orbital Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio) satellites that relay Amateur
signals over a wide range. Most of these can be accessed using v.h.f., or higher, signals.
Why bother with Amateur Radio when
you have the Internet ?
Once you have your equipment and your licence, the running costs are much lower. If you
are in the United Kingdom and are under 21 years old, the licence is free. By using solar
power to charge your batteries, the station can cost nothing to run.
If you are 21 or over, the licence costs £15 per year. The highest power transmitter uses
less than 10p worth of electricity in an hour. The phone line for the internet costs £6
an hour most of the time.
There is no delay in establishing contact.
Is Amateur Radio equipment
expensive ?
Not necessarily. There are low powered transceivers on sale for under £100. The necessary
test equipment can cost less than £50. A 100 W multiband transceiver plus accessories
costs about the same as an up to date computer system, and does not need extra software. A
state of the art high powered set up complete with aerial tower and large multiband
aerials could cost up to £10 000. If you buy used equipment or build your own, it is possible
to get on the air for well under £50.
At what age can you get an Amateur
Radio Licence ?
In the United Kingdom you must be at least 14 to get a full Licence. It is possible to get
a Novice Licence at any age. If you have held a Novice Licence for one year and have the
necessary qualifications, you can get the corresponding full Licence even if you are under
14. There is no upper age limit. Many get their Licence when they retire. Many are still
active in their 90s and there are a few still on the air at over 100 years old.
What is the difference between a
Novice Licence and a full Licence ?
The examination and the Morse test, if any, are easier. The Novice Licence allows
operation on only certain segments of some bands. The maximum power allowed is much less.
Why AMATEUR Radio ?
As opposed to the professional radio users, Amateur Radio operation is unpaid. Many
licensed amateurs work in Electronics and Telecommunications, but many do not.
What is the purpose of Amateur
Radio ?
The United Kingdom licensing regulations state that the main purpose of the Amateur Radio
Licence is "self-training in communication by wireless telegraphy, including
technical investigations". There are also some restrictions, so that Amateur Radio
does not provide unfair competition to professional broadcasters and commercial
telecommunications. Messages that could offend the casual listener are not allowed.
Technical investigations ?
Radio Amateurs have contributed to technical developments in the field of radio
communications. This happens because they form a large unpaid research and development
team carrying out work that would be uneconomic for professionals.
Do all Radio Amateurs have to take
part in this sort of thing ?
No. Many do prefer the technical and scientific aspects. Some are interested in radio
propagation and contribute to research. Others like to build and test equipment. However,
for most, Amateur Radio is all about talking to other like minded people, for making new
friends and for maintaining old friendships. Many are happy to listen in on the Amateur
bands and have no interest at all in transmitting, remaining SWLs (Short Wave Listeners)
for all their lives.
Do you need a licence to become a
Short Wave Listener ?
No. Nor do you have to pass an exam. Many SWLs listen on the bands and send QSL cards to
the Stations they hear, and hope to get a QSL back.
QSL ?
This is part of the Q code used when Morse was the only means of communication. This code
save time by compressing the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) of the day into three
letters. QSL means "Can you confirm receipt of my message ?" Many Radio Amateurs
exchange QSL cards after a contact.
Isn’t it very expensive
posting hundreds of these cards ?
No. If you belong to your national Amateur Radio Organisation, you can send a batch of
cards to its QSL bureau. These are then sorted and sent on the other bureaux around the
world. The cards are sorted again and sent, in batches, to the individual Amateurs. You
may still exchange cards direct if you wish to speed up the process.
National Amateur Radio
Organisations ?
Most countries have a national organisation which serves the interests of the Radio
Amateur in that country. You can find out more about Amateur Radio from them. In the
United Kingdom, the organisation is :-
The Radio Society of
Great Britian
Lambda House,
Cranborne Road,
Potters Bar,
Herts. EN6 3JE.
Tel: 44 (0)1707 659015,
Fax: 44 (0)1707 645105.
Kindly written by G4AGQ