What Is Ham Radio?
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What is Amateur Radio?

Amateur radio is a community of people that use radio transmitters and receivers to communicate with other Amateur radio operators. The things that amateur radio operators do with their radios are diverse as the people themselves.
Amateur radio operators are often called ham radio operators or simply "hams." (The origin of this nickname is for all practical purposes lost. Although some people still speculate about, few agree and even fewer care. Amateur radio operators proudly call themselves hams and nobody knows why.) There are about 600 thousand hams in the United States.

Ham radio operators are licensed by the United States Government and enjoy far more privileges of radio operation than "CB" radio operators do. With these privileges come responsibilities and rules for the operation of an amateur radio station. Specifically, there are a few things that hams are not allowed to do:

1) Hams are not allowed to do anything with their radios that makes them money in way. Ham radio is a hobby, but that doesn't mean it's completely frivolous. (Read on!)

2) Ham radio operators cannot `broadcast' to the public. This means that ham radio transmissions are meant to be received by other ham radio operators. While a short-wave radios or scanners will allow you to listen to the ham radio bands, what you will hear is hams talking to other hams and not music or other radio programs of `general' interest.

Within these (and other) guidelines, however, hams are empowered to do just about everything that government and private radio stations are allowed to do.

Things you can to do with amateur radio:

  1. Talk around the world - With HF radios hams can talk to other hams in literally any part of the globe.
  2. Talk around town - With small portable VHF and UHF transceivers hams enjoy extremely reliable communications within their local community. By accessing radio links called repeaters hams can easily talk 50 or more miles, and have even talked to hams in states miles away.
  3. QRP - Communicating with "very low power" is a challenge that many hams enjoy. QRP is usually practiced on the HF bands.
  4. Packet radio - The internet over ham radio? Not really ... but ham radio operators enjoy a digital network of their own, all without wires!
  5. International morse code - You can get a license without knowing one beep or bop of morse code. If you want to, though, it's still allowed.  After you get your initial "technician ticket," and so desire, you can get your "code" test passed, then progress up in licensing privileges and the world, as far as you wish
  6. Amateur television - It's just like real television because it is real television.
  7. Slow Scan TV - Send pictures around the world for little or no cost.
  8. Contests - You can put your radio operating skills up against other hams and teams of hams.
  9. Emergency and other volunteer services - Floods, hurricanes, mudslides, earthquakes, ice storms ... when ever `normal' communications go out, hams are ready to use their radios to provide emergency communication services to their communities.
  10. Satellite communications - Hams have their own satellites ... really! (Amateur's satellites are easy to use too).
  11. Traffic handling - "Ham telegrams" are used to send messages to people around the world at no cost to the sender or the recipient; all done by ham radio operators volunteering their time and resources.

How to become an amateur radio operator
All hams in the United States are licensed by the FCC. Getting a "D" on a multiple-choice test and paying about six dollars is all it takes. The FCC doesn't even give the test ... Hams volunteer to give the test to people that want to become hams. These volunteer examiners then file the paperwork with the FCC and your ham radio license is set to you in the mail.

There are many ways to go about preparing for and taking your ham radio license test.

  1. Local clubs - For those that like a structured approach, many clubs organize meetings and classes to teach the basic skills of radio operation and prepare people for their ham radio license test. Getting started in Amateur Radio has never been easier. First, locate a radio club in your area. Some radio clubs offer ham radio licensing classes, or they can find a club volunteer to answer your questions. You may even be invited to attend a local radio club meeting.
  2. ARRL publishes popular ham radio license study guides to help you learn the things you'll need to pass your exam and have fun with Amateur Radio.
  3. The Amateur Radio license examinations are administered by ham radio volunteer examiners.. When you're ready to take your exam, you'll need to locate an exam session near you. At the end of the classes, a test is given. If you pass, you're a ham!
  4. Elmer's - An Elmer is the ham equivalent of a "Yoda." Many new hams are taught my other hams. (Helping people is a common thread throughout the ham radio hobby.) An Elmer knows the stuff you need to pass your test and will help you prepare. While an Elmer can not give the FCC examination, he or she will be in touch with other hams in your area and know where public examinations are held.
  5. Self-study - It doesn't seem right to tell you about going it alone, because then you're not doing it all by yourself! Taking a class or having an Elmer is a far better way to get your license; and when you pass your test you will already have friends to talk to.

What Can Amateur Radio Operators Do?

Ham radio operators use two-way radio stations from their homes, cars, boats and outdoors to make hundreds of friends around town and around the world. They communicate with each other using voice, computers, and Morse code. Some hams bounce their signals off the upper regions of the atmosphere, so they can talk with hams on the other side of the world. Other hams use satellites. Many use hand-held radios that fit in their pockets.

Hams exchange pictures of each other using television. We offer some actual ham radio operator photos and videos on this site. Some also like to work on electronic circuits, building their own radios and antennas. A few pioneers in Amateur Radio have even contributed to advances in technology that we all enjoy today. There are even ham-astronauts who take radios with them on space shuttle missions and thrill thousands of hams on earth with a call from space!

Listen to amateurs talking through an FM voice repeater at 141.150 on your scanner.
Using even the simplest of radio setups and antennas, amateurs communicate with each other for fun, during emergencies, and even in contests. They handle messages for police and other public service organizations during all kinds of emergencies including the following below:

bulletHurricanes
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Earthquakes

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Tornadoes and floods

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Motorist accidents

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Fires and chemical spills

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Search and rescues

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Updated on Sunday February 22, 2004 15:14:19 -0000

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