International
Space Station Reference
Ham
Radio
So,
You Want to be a Ham?
You've got
it -- the ham
radio bug. It's hitting a lot of people these days! We'll show
you how easy it is to earn a Federal
Communications Commission Amateur Radio License.
The rules for
earning an Amateur Radio license vary depending on which country
you live in. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, issues
amateur radio licenses in the United States. In the U.S., there
are three license levels, or "license classes."
Who
are hams and what do they do?
Hams share
fascination with communicating. They're from all walks of life,
and nearly all nations. They communicate by voice, data (computers),
Morse code and other exciting ways hams have found to make contact
with other hams. You never know who you'll run into -- maybe a nurse
in France, a neighbor across town, an orbiting space shuttle astronaut
or a factory worker in China.
How
Do I Get Started?
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.
The American
Radio Relay League, or 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.
The Amateur
Radio license examinations are administered by ham radio volunteers.
When you're ready to take your exam, you'll need to locate
an exam session near you.
What
can I do with a Technicians Class license?
Hams enter
the hobby as Technicians by passing a 35-question multiple-choice
examination. No Morse code test is required. The exam covers basic
regulations, operating practices, and electronics theory, with
a focus on VHF and UHF applications.
Technician
Class operators are authorized to use all amateur VHF and UHF
frequencies (all frequencies above 50 MHz). Technicians who pass
a 5 WPM Morse code examination are entitled to limited power outputs
on certain HF frequencies. "Technicians with HF" may operate on
the 80, 40, and 15 meter bands using CW, and on the 10 meter band
using CW, voice, and digital modes.
What
can I do with a General Class license?
The General
Class is a giant step up in operating privileges. The high-power
HF privileges granted to General licensees allow for cross-country
and worldwide communication. Some people prefer to earn the General
Class license as their first ticket, so they may operate on HF
right away.
Technicians
may upgrade to General Class by passing a 5 WPM Morse code test
and a 35-question multiple-choice examination. The written exam
covers intermediate regulations, operating practices, and electronics
theory, with a focus on HF applications.
In addition
to the Technician privileges, General Class operators are authorized
to operate on any frequency in the 160, 30, 17, 12, and 10 meter
bands. They may also use significant segments of the 80, 40, 20,
and 15 meter bands.
What
can I do with an Extra Class license?
The HF bands
can be awfully crowded, particularly at the top of the solar cycle.
Once one earns HF privileges, one may quickly yearn for more room.
The Extra Class license is the answer.
General
licensees may upgrade to Extra Class by passing a 50-question
multiple-choice examination. No further Morse code test is required.
In addition to some of the more obscure regulations, the test
covers specialized operating practices, advanced electronics theory,
and radio equipment design. Frankly, the test is very difficult,
but others have passed it, and you can too.
Extra Class
licensees are authorized to operate on all frequencies allocated
to the Amateur Service.
I've
heard ham radio's expensive...
No doubt
some hams spend a lot of their budget on their radios. But others
"work the world" with a homemade wire antenna and an inexpensive
transceiver. Many people start out with simple gear, and move
on to more sophisticated equipment later.
Okay,
you've got me — what do I do next?
Simple. Contact
the ARRL in Newington, Conn. ARRL is the nationwide membership
association of ham radio operators in the United States. They'll
be glad to tell you about licensing classes in your area.
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