Ham Radio is Fun

   Amateur radio (or Ham Radio) is an exciting hobby. Most everyone knows a family friend or relative who is an Amateur Radio operator. If you speak with them about the hobby they may start using strange words such as single side-band or standing-wave ratio (SWR). Don't be alarmed! You don't have to have a Ph.D in physics to enjoy the fascinating world of Ham Radio. Age or disability is not a barrier to obtaining a license. Many disabled Americans have found Amateur Radio to be a great way to "travel" to exotic places all over the World without leaving their home. Children, even as young as five years old, have successfully become Ham Radio operators!

   There are three classes of Amateur Radio licenses: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. The entry-level license, Technician, is relatively easy to obtain. This license allows the holder to use a wide range of radio frequencies -- all Ham bands above 50 MHz. This includes the popular "2-meter" band plus satellites, microwave, packet radio, and much more. It is no longer necessary to pass a Morse code test to obtain a license! Removing this barrier, although controversial at the time it was enacted, has allowed the hobby to grow substantially in recent years. Advanced license classes, however, still require demonstration of Morse Code proficiency.

    The Amateur Radio licensing process is very straightforward. Applicants must pass a multiple-choice written test demonstrating an understanding of FCC rules and competency in basic radio theory. The question pool is widely available on the Internet and is part of most commercial study guides. The test is administered by other Amateur Radio volunteers (called Volunteer Examiners or "VE's"). Many clubs hold classes for new people and also hold regular test sessions in convenient locations on a monthly basis.

   Several commercial study guides are available to help you pass the 35-question written test. A good one is "Now You're Talking!" published by the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL). The ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio and many "Hams" are members. The ARRL also publishes a popular pocket guide called the "ARRL Repeater Directory" which lists all public Amateur Radio repeaters (machines that retransmit low power signals over a wide area) grouped by state and city. "Now You're Talking!" contains the entire test question pool (with answers) and can help you quickly identify your areas where additional study may be necessary. It usually takes just a few hours of study to prepare for the Technician license exam.

   After you pass the written test, the Volunteer Examiners will assist you in mailing your license application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for processing. After a few weeks you will receive your license in the mail with your new callsign. Most Hams find that passing the test and receiving their license is just the beginning -- most of the fun learning happens after you become licensed!

If you still have questions submit your questions in the web form by clicking HERE.

Further information about ARRL can be found online at www.arrl.org or for more information about ham radio you can also go the the Ham Links page on this site and visit some of the ham radio sites listed on that page. Questions are always welcome and I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities and if I can't answer it directly I will get the information for you.