It’s all about having fun

What is Amateur Radio, what do radio amateurs do? Do I have to buy expensive commercial equipment, or can I build my own? Will I need massive aerials (antennas)? What kind of licence do I need? How do I get one? Do I need to pass technical exams and morse tests? Where do I start? It can all seem a very daunting task at first. This article is here to help you, so read on, and start to enjoy a very fascinating hobby. Amateur ( Ham ) radio is not “CB”. Operators are strictly licenced by various governments and enjoy many more privileges than do “CB” operators. It allows millions to communicate worldwide using speech, computer data, and morse code, just to name a few. Radio Hams can transmit and receive using satellites, and can send TV pictures too. Some even ‘bounce’ their signals off the moon. Radio Amateurs have contributed to the advances in technology that we all enjoy today. Some astronauts are also amateur radio operators,and they often take amateur radio equipment with them on space shuttle missions and talk to earthbound amateurs from space. Amateur radio has many facets. It enables you to understand electronics. Its a great way to improve your geography, make new friends and practice your language skills, although almost all ‘hams’ speak some basic English, and exchange signal reports and station details in a mix of Q-code and English. There are many specialised aspects to the hobby and whilst one amateur may be chasing rare DX ( long distance ) countries on the short wave (HF) bands, another may be designing and building a microwave aerial / dish, or building a new transceiver. There are those who are more interested technical aspects of the hobby, and build their own equipment, and test out different aerials (antennas) etc. They may only have occasional contacts on the air to check out their latest experiment / project, or to discuss some technical point with a like minded friend. Radio Amateurs also provide a valuable community service, frequently providing essential emergency communications for disaster relief and in times of national emergency, as they did in the Sep. 11 disaster in New York and the Asian Tsunami.