01.PDF

Contents

1.5 Your Ham Radio “Lifestyle”

1.5.1 Ham Radio Contesting —

Radiosport

1.5.2 Chasing DX

1.5.3 Operating Awards

1.5.4 Satellite Communication

1.5.5 QRP: Low-Power Operating

1.5.6 Operating Mobile

1.5.7 VHF, UHF and Microwave Operating

1.5.8 Vintage Radio

1.5.9 Radio Direction Finding (DF)

1.6 Public Service

1.6.1 Public Service Communication

1.6.2 Public Service Communication Organizations

1.6.3 Public Service and Traffic Nets

1.7 Ham Radio in the Classroom

1.7.1 ARRL Amateur Radio Education &

Technology Program

1.8 Resources

1.9 Glossary

1.1 Do-It-Yourself Wireless

1.1.1 Making it Happen

1.1.2 Your Ham Radio Comfort Zone

1.1.3 What's in it for Me?

1.2 Joining the Ham Radio Community

1.2.1 Moving Through the Ranks

1.2.2 Study Aids

1.2.3 Taking the Test

1.2.4 Your Ham Radio Mentor

1.2.5 Your Ham Radio Identity

1.3 Your Ham Radio Station

1.3.1 How Much Does It Cost?

1.3.2 Computers and Ham Radio

1.4 Getting on the Air

1.4.1 Voice Modes

1.4.2 Morse Code

1.4.3 FM Repeaters

1.4.4 Digital Modes

1.4.5 Image Communication

Chapter 1

What is Amateur

(Ham) Radio?

1.1 Do-It-Yourself Wireless

Amateur (or “ham”) Radio operators have at their fingertips the ability to directly contact

fascinating people they may never meet who live in distant places they’ll never visit. They

do this without any external infrastructure, such as a cell phone network or the Internet,

sometimes using simple, inexpensive — often homemade — equipment and antennas. Since

the earliest years of wireless communication, these radio experimenters, largely self-taught,

developed and refined the means to contact one another without wires connecting them.

As a radio amateur, you can meet new friends, win awards, exchange “QSLs” (the ham’s

business card), challenge yourself and others in on-the-air competitions, educate yourself

about radio technology, contribute to your community, travel, promote international goodwill,

and continue the century-old wireless communication tradition. Your station is yours and

yours alone, and it’s independent of any other communication network.

Let’s take a closer look.

For more than a century, a

growing group of federally licensed

radio hobbyists known as Amateur

Radio — or “ham radio” — opera-

tors has had a front-row seat as

radio and electronics have broad-

ened our horizons and touched

virtually all of our lives. Hams

pioneered personal communica-

tion, even in the days before the

telephone and household electric-

ity were commonplace and the

Internet not yet conceived. The

word “radio” — or “wireless” — still

evokes awe.

Today we enjoy wireless ameni-

ties that range from the ubiquitous

mobile phone to sophisticated

smartphones, tablet devices, and

diminutive netbook PCs that go

just about anywhere. Personal

communication is the goal. The

original “personal wireless” com-

munication, Amateur Radio re-

mains vital and active today. In this

chapter, Rick Lindquist, WW1ME

provides an overview of Amateur

Radio activities and licensing

requirements.

AN AMAZING CENTURY OF HAM RADIO

Today we think of “wireless” as a relatively modern term that applies to a wide variety of

electronic devices, but it’s actually been around for more than a century. Wireless commu-

nication was a goal of early experimenters in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Equipment and methods for early wireless often were crude and rudimentary — a simple

crystal radio (primitive “solid state” technology) to listen, and a spark gap transmitter to send

Morse code, coupled with what was then called an “aerial.” Little to no ready-made equip-

ment was available, and parts for these early radio do-it-yourselfers were expensive and hard

to obtain. On a good night, their transmissions might even span 50 miles! In the early 20th

century, when not everyone had a telephone and calling long-distance was pricey, ham radio

was, in more contemporary terms, “really cool technology.”

In 1914, just two years after these early hams were required to hold licenses from the

federal government, inventor and industrialist Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, and radio enthu-

siast Clarence Tuska, 1WD, established the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) to bring

these US radio hobbyists under one tent to serve their common interests. These two founding

fathers of ham radio and their peers would be awestruck to see how the world of Amateur

Radio and wireless technology has expanded and evolved in the intervening century.

While Maxim and Tuska were not the first hams, the organization they founded, the ARRL

— the national association for Amateur Radio — has championed and sustained these radio

pioneers and their successors. Now 100 years down the road — light years in terms of radio

science and technology — Amateur Radio continues to adapt to the times. While many

traditions continue, today’s ham radio is not the ham radio of yesteryear.

What is Amateur (Ham) Radio?

1.1

Fig 1.4 — Kristina Whitley displays

her excitement after making a contact

at W4FOS, the Chesapeake Center

for Science and Technology High

School Amateur Radio Club station in

Chesapeake, Virginia, during the 2011-2012

School Club Roundup. [Photo courtesy

Richard Siff, W4BUE]

Fig 1.1 — Hams travel around the world, putting rare and unusual locations “on

the air” to make thousands of contacts. The VP8ORK team traveled to Antarctica’s

South Orkney Islands by sea, operating from tents as shown here. Team members

such as Nodir Tursoon-Zadeh, EY8MM came from as far away as Tajikistan to

participate. [Lew Sayre, W7EW, photo]

Fig 1.2 — Observers from the

ARRL and other International

Amateur Radio Union member-

societies around the world have

a role in preparing Amateur

Radio positions for the World

Radiocommunication Conference

in Geneva, such as this one in

2012. At these gatherings, held

every 3 or 4 years, countries agree

on international radio regulations,

including amateur allocations.

[Carter Craigie, N3AO, photo]

Fig 1.3 — Rock musician Joe Walsh, WB6ACU (The Eagles)

enjoys Amateur Radio history and vintage gear. During a

visit to W1AW, he got to see ARRL co-founder Hiram Percy

Maxim’s “Old Betsy” rotary spark-gap transmitter (left) and a

rack-mounted transmitter and a receiver (top) from an earlier

incarnation of W1AW. [Joel Kleinman, N1BKE (SK), photo]

Fig 1.5 — Thrifty hams like Jon Zaimes, AA1K seen

here in the lea market at Dayton Hamvention ® , are

always looking for a bargain and perhaps a “ixer-

upper.” [Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, photo]

1.2

Chapter 1

THE ORIGINAL PERSONAL

COMMUNICATION

In this age of multiple sophisticated com-

munication platforms, it’s not uncommon for

people to ask, “Ham radio? Do they still do

that?” Yes, “they” do. But, given the prolif-

eration of communication alternatives, the

larger question may be, Why ?

Ham radio is a do-it-yourself (DIY) tech-

nological and social medium — personal

communication with no bills, minutes or data

plans. It’s personal communication that’s “off

the grid,” a wireless service you can rely on

when other services aren’t available.

It doesn’t cost a lot to get into Amateur

Radio and participation is open and acces-

sible to everyone. Hams are mothers, fathers,

and children of all ages, ethnic backgrounds,

physical abilities, and walks of life who be-

long to a unique worldwide community of

licensed radio hobbyists. Some are even well-

known celebrities. All find joy and excite-

ment by experiencing radio communication

and electronics on a very personal level across

a spectrum of activities.

The Federal Communications Commission

(FCC) grants licenses in the Amateur Radio

Service. With an emphasis on “service,” the

FCC has laid down five essential principles

underlying Amateur Radio’s fundamental

purpose (see sidebar “Ham Radio’s Rules of

the Airwaves”). These recognize ham radio’s

value to the public as a “voluntary noncom-

mercial communication service, particularly

with respect to providing emergency com-

munications.” The service also exists to con-

tinue and expand Amateur Radio’s “proven

ability” to advance the state of the radio art,

as well as both technical and communication

skills. Further, the FCC says, the Amateur

Radio Service should help to expand the “ex-

isting reservoir of trained operators, techni-

cians, and electronics experts,” and continue

and extend the radio amateur’s “unique abil-

ity to enhance international goodwill.”

Ham Radio’s Rules of the Airwaves

International and national radio regulations govern the operational and technical

standards of all radio stations. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

governs telecommunication on the international level and broadly deines radio

services through the international Radio Regulations . In the US, the Federal Com-

munication Commission (FCC) is the federal agency that administers and oversees

the operation of nongovernmental and nonmilitary stations — including Amateur

Radio. Title 47 of the US Code of Federal Regulations governs telecommunication.

The Amateur Radio Service is governed by Part 97.

Experimentation has always been the backbone of Amateur Radio, and the

Amateur Service rules provide a framework within which hams enjoy wide latitude

to experiment in accordance with the “basis and purpose” of the service. The rules

should be viewed as vehicles to promote healthy activity and growth, not as con-

straints that lead to stagnation. The FCC’s rules governing Amateur Radio recognize

ive aspects, paraphrased below, in the Basis and Purpose of the Amateur Service.

• Amateur Radio’s value to the public, particularly with respect to providing emer-

gency communication support

• Amateur Radio’s proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art

• Encouraging and improving the Amateur Service through rules that help ad-

vance communication and technical skills

• Maintaining and expanding the Amateur Service as a source of trained opera-

tors, technicians and electronics experts

• Continuing and extending the radio amateur’s unique ability to enhance interna-

tional goodwill

The Amateur Radio Service rules, Part 97, are in six sections: General Provi-

sions, Station Operation Standards, Special Operations, Technical Standards, Pro-

viding Emergency Communication and Qualifying Examination Systems. Part 97 is

available in its entirety on the ARRL and FCC websites (see the Resources section

at the end of this chapter for further information).

Hams on the Front Lines

Over the years, the military and the electronics industry have often drawn on the

ingenuity of radio amateurs to improve designs or solve problems. Hams provided the

keystone for the development of modern military communication equipment, for ex-

ample. In the 1950s, the Air Force needed to convert its long-range communication from

Morse code to voice, and jet bombers had no room for skilled radio operators. At the

time, hams already were experimenting with and discovering the advantages of single

sideband (SSB) voice equipment. With SSB, hams were greatly extending the distances

they could transmit.

Air Force Generals Curtis LeMay and Francis “Butch” Griswold, both radio amateurs,

hatched an experiment that used ham radio equipment at the Strategic Air Command

headquarters. Using an SSB station in an aircraft lying around the world, LeMay and

Griswold were able to stay in touch with Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska from around

the globe. The easy modiication of this ham radio equipment to meet military require-

ments saved the government millions of dollars in research costs.

More recent technological experimentation has focused on such techniques as soft-

ware deined radio (SDR). This amazing approach enables electronic circuit designers

to employ software to replace more costly — and bulkier — hardware components. It’s

no coincidence or surprise that radio amateurs have been among those investigators

doing the ground-level research and experimentation to bring this technology from the

laboratory to the marketplace. Transceivers built on the SDR model now are making

inroads within the Amateur Radio community and represent the likely wave of the future

in equipment design.

Afirming the relationship between Amateur Radio and cutting-edge technology,

Howard Schmidt, W7HAS, was White House Cybersecurity Coordinator from 2009

to 2012. An ARRL member, Schmidt is one of the world’s leading authorities on com-

puter security, with some 40 years of experience in government, business and law

enforcement. Schmidt credits ham radio with helping to launch his career. “Building …

computers to support my ham radio hobby gave me the technical skills that I needed

to … start doing computer crime investigations and work on the early stages of com-

puter forensics, in turn enabling me to start working on cybersecurity issues,” he says.

Hams are often found in industry and the military as technology presses ahead.

HAMS ARE EVERYWHERE

Spotting a radio amateur can be easy. The

driver of that car sporting an “odd-looking”

antenna may be a ham equipped for mobile

operation. Your neighbor on the next block

with the wires strung between trees or, per-

haps, a tower supporting what looks like a

very large television antenna probably is one

too.

Modern technology continues to make

ham radio more accessible to all, including

those living on tight budgets or facing phys-

ical challenges. People lacking mobility may

find the world of Amateur Radio a rewarding

place to find lasting friendships — on the

next block, in the next state, or around the

globe.

Hams are ambassadors. For many radio

What is Amateur (Ham) Radio?

1.3

amateurs, a relaxing evening at home is hav-

ing a two-way radio conversation with a friend

in Frankfort, Kentucky or Frankfurt, Germany.

Unlike any other hobby, Amateur Radio rec-

ognizes no international or political boundar-

ies, and it brings the world together in

friendship.

aficionados all over the world. On-the-air

competition called contesting or “radiosport”

— just to pick one activity many hams enjoy

— helps participants to improve their skills

and stations. Further, ham radio offers op-

portunities to serve the public by supporting

communication in disasters and emergencies,

and it remains a platform for sometimes

cutting-edge scientific experimentation.

Many of those who got into ham radio at a

young age credit that involvement with later

success in technological careers.

Ham radio’s horizon extends into space.

The International Space Station boasts a ham

radio station, and most ISS crew members

are Amateur Radio licensees. Thanks to the

program Amateur Radio on the International

Space Station (ARISS), suitably equipped

hams can talk directly with NASA astronauts

in space. Hams also contact each other

through Earth-orbiting satellites designed

and built by other radio amateurs, and they

even bounce radio signals off the Moon and

back to other hams on Earth.

Hams talk with one another from vehicles,

while hiking or biking in the mountains, from

remote camp sites, or while boating. Through

a plethora of activities, hams learn a great

deal, establish lifelong friendships and,

perhaps most important, have a lot of fun.

Along the way, radio amateurs often contrib-

ute a genius that propels technological in-

novation.

Most likely you’re already a ham or at least

have experimented with radio and electronics

yourself and are thinking about getting your

ham license. This Handbook is an invaluable

resource that reveals and explains the “mys-

teries” governing electronics in general and

in radio — or wireless — communication in

particular, especially as they pertain to

Amateur Radio.

1.1.1 Making it Happen

A major feature of Amateur Radio’s 100-

year heritage has been the ham’s ability to

make do with what’s at hand to get on the air.

It is in the pursuit of such hands-on, do-it-

yourself activities that this Handbook often

comes into play, especially as electronic com-

ponents are more plentiful today and circuit

designs increasingly complex and creative.

Amateur Radio has always been about

what its participants bring to it and what they

make of it. Even today many enthusiasts enjoy

making their own radio communication gear.

Hams contact each other using equipment

they’ve bought or built, or a combination of

the two, over a wide range of the radio spec-

trum. The methods hams use to keep in touch

range from the venerable Morse code — no

longer a licensing requirement, by the way

— to voice, modern digital (ie, computer-

coded) modes, and even television.

The hybridization of Amateur Radio and

computers and the Internet continues to blos-

som, as hams invent ever more creative ways

to exploit this technology and make it an

essential station component. Today it’s pos-

sible for a ham to control a transmitting and

receiving station via the Internet using noth-

ing more than a laptop or smartphone — even

if that station is thousands of miles distant.

The wonder of software defined radio (SDR)

techniques has even made it possible to cre-

ate virtual radio communication gear. SDRs

require a minimum of physical components;

sophisticated computer software does the

heavy lifting!

1.1.3 What’s in it for Me?

As a community of communities, Amateur

Radio can be whatever you want it to be.

Whether you are looking for relaxation, ex-

citement, enjoyment or a way to stretch your

mental (and physical) horizons, Amateur

Radio can provide it — even for those with

time and money constraints. However it hap-

pens, communication between individuals is

at the core of nearly all ham radio activities.

In its most basic form, ham radio is two

people saying “Hello!” to each other over the

air, perhaps using inexpensive handheld

transceivers or even homemade gear. In

“Hamspeak,” a two-way, on-the-air commu-

nication is known as a “QSO” — an old ra-

diotelegraph, or Morse code, abbreviation

often pronounced “CUE-so.”

Ham radio can also be a group activity.

Hams with common interests often gather on

the airwaves to share their thoughts and even

pictures. These get-togethers are called

“nets” or “roundtables,” depending on their

formality. When hams meet on the air for an

extended on-the-air conversation, they some-

times call it “ragchewing.”

Nets form when like-minded hams gather

on the air on a regular schedule. Nets often

provide an on-the-air venue to find other hams

with similar interests both inside and outside

of Amateur Radio. Topics may be as diverse

as vintage radio, chess, gardening, rock

climbing, railroads, computer programming,

teaching or an interest in certain types of radio

equipment. Faith-based groups and scattered

friends and families may also organize nets.

You can find your special interest in The

ARRL Net Directory on the ARRL website

( www.arrl.org/arrl-net-directory ).

1.1.2 Your Ham Radio

Comfort Zone

Amateur Radio offers such a wide range

of activities that everyone can find a comfort-

able niche. As one of the few truly interna-

tional hobbies, ham radio makes it possible

to communicate with other similarly licensed

Fig 1.6 — ARRL Member Jordan Johns,

KF7LUA of Idaho was the top scorer in

the 7th call area in the 2011 ARRL April

Rookie Roundup, a phone contest for

newcomers to Amateur Radio. [Photo

courtesy Jordan Johns, KF7LUA]

1.4

Chapter 1

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