I'm W2EB, Bill Lazure.  Welcome to my Amateur Radio site.  I love designing, building, and operating radios and electronic devices, so it's only natural that I became a licensed amateur radio operator.  Come see the aspects of this avocation that I love and indulge.

Amateur "Ham" Radio

 

I'll let the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) explain amateur Radio: 

"Amateur Radio (ham radio) is a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics and communication together. People use ham radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones. It's fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need."

 

"Although Amateur Radio operators get involved for many reasons, they all have in common a basic knowledge of radio technology and operating principles, and pass an examination for the FCC license to operate on radio frequencies known as the "Amateur Bands." These bands are radio frequencies allocated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for use by ham radio operators."

 

"What value is Ham Radio in this modern world?"

For many years, I had questioned the usefulness of Amateur Radio in a world dominated by instantaneous across-the-globe telephone calls or internet connections.  Then I was handed an epiphany:

I attended a seminar conducted by a major test equipment retailer about the latest RF test gear and how to use it.  This seminar was attended by about 200 RF technicians and engineers from across the entire state.  Throughout the presentations and Q&A sessions, I noticed that many of the attendees had no idea about some concepts of RF that I always assumed were very basic...the very things I had learned through Amateur Radio.   At that point, I realized that Amateur Radio is, in part, a tool to learn and expand the knowledge of RF.  Despite the internet and cell phones, the actual communication taking place is still conducted by RF.  Without that knowledge, no communication can happen by any medium.