History
Though its origins can be traced to at least the late 1800s,
amateur radio, as practiced today, did not begin until the early 1900s. The
first listing of amateur radio stations is contained in the First Annual
Official Wireless Blue Book of the Wireless Association of America in 1909.[3] This
first radio callbook lists wireless telegraph stations in Canada and the United
States, including eighty-nine amateur radio stations. As with radio in general,
the birth of amateur radio was strongly associated with various amateur
experimenters and hobbyists. Throughout its history, amateur radio enthusiasts
have made significant contributions to science, engineering, industry, and
social services. Research by amateur radio operators has founded new industries[4],
built economies[5], empowered nations[6], and saved lives[7] in times of
emergency.
[edit] Activities and practices
Specialized Interests and modes
While many hams simply enjoy talking to friends, others
pursue a wide variety of specialized interests.
* Amateur Radio
Direction Finding, also known as "Fox hunting"
* Amateur radio
emergency communications
* Amateur
television
* Communicating
via amateur satellites
* Contesting,
earning awards, and collecting QSL cards
* Designing new
antennas
* DX communication
to far away countries
* DX-peditions
* Hamfests, club
meetings and swap meets
* Hand building
homebrew amateur radio gear
* High speed
multimedia and TCP/IP
* High Speed
Telegraphy
* Packet radio
* Portable, fixed,
mobile and handheld operation
* Low-power
operation (QRP).
* Severe weather
spotting
* Tracking
tactical information using the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), which
may integrate with the GPS
* Using the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP)
to connect radio repeaters via the Internet
* VHF, UHF and
microwave operation on amateur radio high bands
* Vintage amateur
radios, such as those using vacuum tube technology
* Wireless MAN construction
Amateur Radio operators use various modes of transmission to
communicate. Voice transmissions are most common, with some, such as frequency
modulation (FM) offering high quality audio, and others, such as single
sideband (SSB) offering more reliable communications, often over long distance,
when signals are marginal and bandwidth is restricted, at the sacrifice of
audio quality.
Radiotelegraphy using Morse code (also known as "CW"
from "continuous wave") is an activity dating to the earliest days of
radio. It is the wireless extension of land line (wire based) telegraphy
developed by Samuel Morse and was the predominant real time long-distance
communication method of the 19th century. Though computer-based (digital) modes
and methods have largely replaced CW for commercial and military applications,
many amateur radio operators still enjoy using the CW mode, particularly on the
shortwave bands and for experimental work such as earth-moon-earth
communication, with its inherent signal-to-noise ratio advantages. Morse, using
internationally agreed message encodings such as the Q code, enables
communication between amateurs who speak different languages. It is also
popular with homebrewers as CW-only transmitters are simpler to construct. A
similar "legacy" mode popular with home constructors is amplitude
modulation (AM), pursued by many vintage amateur radio enthusiasts and
aficionados of vacuum tube technology.
For many years, demonstrating a proficiency in Morse code
was a requirement to obtain amateur licenses for the high frequency bands (frequencies
below 30 MHz), but following changes in international regulations in 2003,
countries are no longer required to demand proficiency.[8] As an example, the
United States Federal Communications Commission phased out this requirement for
all license classes on February 23, 2007.[9][10]
Modern personal computers have encouraged the use of digital
modes such as radioteletype (RTTY), which previously required cumbersome
mechanical equipment.[11] Hams led the development of packet radio, which has
employed protocols such as TCP/IP since the 1970s. Specialized digital modes
such as PSK31 allow real-time, low-power communications on the shortwave bands.
Echolink using Voice over IP technology has enabled amateurs to communicate
through local Internet-connected repeaters and radio nodes[12], while IRLP has
allowed the linking of repeaters to provide greater coverage area. Automatic
link establishment (ALE) has enabled continuous amateur radio networks to
operate on the high frequency bands with global coverage. Other modes, such as
FSK441 using software such as WSJT, are used for weak signal modes including
meteor scatter and moonbounce communications.
Fast scan amateur television has gained popularity as
hobbyists adapt inexpensive consumer video electronics like camcorders and
video cards in home computers. Because of the wide bandwidth and stable signals
required, amateur television is typically found in the 70 cm (420 MHz–450 MHz) frequency
range, though there is also limited use on 33 cm (902 MHz–928 MHz), 23 cm (1240
MHz–1300 MHz) and higher. These requirements also effectively limit the signal
range to between 20 and 60 miles (30 km–100 km), however, the use of linked
repeater systems can allow transmissions across hundreds of miles.[13]
These repeaters, or automated relay stations, are used on
VHF and higher frequencies to increase signal range. Repeaters are usually
located on top of a mountain, hill or tall building, and allow operators to
communicate over hundreds of square miles using a low power hand-held
transceiver. Repeaters can also be linked together by use of other amateur
radio bands, landline or the Internet.
Communication satellites called OSCARs (Orbiting Satellite
Carrying Amateur Radio) can be accessed, some using a hand-held transceiver (HT)
with a factory "rubber duck" antenna. Hams also use the moon, the
aurora borealis, and the ionized trails of meteors as reflectors of radio waves.[14]
Hams are also often able to make contact with the International Space Station (ISS),[15]
as many astronauts and cosmonauts are licensed as Amateur Radio Operators.[16]
Amateur radio operators use their amateur radio station to
make contacts with individual hams as well as participating in round table
discussion groups or "rag chew sessions" on the air. Some join in
regularly scheduled on-air meetings with other amateur radio operators, called "Nets"
(as in "networks") which are moderated by a station referred to as "Net
Control".[17] Nets can allow operators to learn procedures for emergencies,
be an informal round table or be topical, covering specific interests shared by
a group.
[edit] Licensing
An amateur radio antenna tower
A handheld VHF/UHF transceiver
Main article: Amateur radio license
In all countries, amateur radio operators are required to
pass a licensing exam displaying knowledge and understanding of key concepts[18].
In response, hams are granted operating privileges in larger segments of the
radio frequency spectrum using a wide variety of communication techniques with
higher power levels permitted. This practice is in contrast to unlicensed
personal radio services such as CB radio, Multi-Use Radio Service, or Family
Radio Service/PMR446 that require type-approved equipment restricted in
frequency range and power.
In many countries, amateur licensing is a routine civil
administrative matter. Amateurs are required to pass an examination to
demonstrate technical knowledge, operating competence and awareness of legal
and regulatory requirements in order to avoid interference with other amateurs
and other radio services. There are often a series of exams available, each
progressively more challenging and granting more privileges in terms of
frequency availability, power output, permitted experimentation, and in some
countries, distinctive call signs. Some countries such as the
Amateur radio licensing in the
[edit] Newcomers
Many people start their involvement in amateur radio by
finding a local club. Clubs often provide information about licensing, local
operating practices and technical advice. Newcomers also often study
independently by purchasing books or other materials, sometimes with the help
of a mentor, teacher or friend. Established amateurs who help newcomers are often
referred to as "Elmers" within the ham community.[19][20] In
addition, many countries have national amateur radio societies which encourage
newcomers and work with government communications regulation authorities for
the benefit of all radio amateurs. The oldest of these societies is the
Wireless Institute of
[edit] Call signs
Upon licensing, a radio amateur's national government issues
a unique call sign to the radio amateur. The holder of a call sign uses it on
the air to legally identify the operator or station during any and all radio
communication.[21] In certain jurisdictions, an operator may also select a "vanity"
call sign although these must also conform to the issuing government's
allocation and structure used for Amateur Radio call signs.[22] Some
jurisdictions, such as the U.S., require that a fee be paid to obtain such a
vanity call sign; in others, such as the UK, a fee is not required and the
vanity call sign may be selected when the license is applied for.
Call sign structure as prescribed by the ITU, consists of
three parts which break down as follows, using the call sign ZS1NAT as an
example:
1. ZS – Shows the
country from which the call sign originates and may also indicate the license
class. (This call sign is licensed in
2. 1 – Gives the
subdivision of the country or territory indicated in the first part (this one
refers to the
3. NAT – The final
part is unique to the holder of the license, identifying that person
specifically.
Many countries do not follow the ITU convention for the
numeral. In the
Also, for smaller entities, a numeral may be part of the
country identification. For example, VP2xxx is in the
Anybody can look up who a specific
[edit] Privileges
Unlike other RF spectrum users, radio amateurs may build or
modify transmitting equipment for their own use within the amateur spectrum without
the need to obtain government certification of the equipment.[23][24] Licensed
amateurs can also use any frequency in their bands (rather than being allocated
fixed frequencies or channels) and can operate medium to high-powered equipment
on a wide range of frequencies[25] so long as they meet certain technical
parameters including occupied bandwidth, power, and maintenance of spurious
emission.
As noted, radio amateurs have access to frequency
allocations throughout the RF spectrum, enabling choice of frequency to enable
effective communication whether across a city, a region, a country, a continent
or the whole world regardless of season or time day or night. The shortwave
bands, or HF, can allow worldwide communication, the VHF and UHF bands offer excellent
regional communication, and the broad microwave bands have enough space, or
bandwidth, for television (known as SSTV and FSTV) transmissions and high-speed
data networks.
The international symbol for amateur radio, included in the
logos of many IARU member societies. The diamond holds a circuit diagram
featuring components common to every radio: an antenna, inductor and ground.
Although allowable power levels are moderate by commercial
standards, they are sufficient to enable global communication. Power limits
vary from country to country and between license classes within a country. For
example, the power limits for the highest available license classes in a few
selected countries are: 2.25 kW in Canada, was 2 kW in the former Yugoslavia, 1.5
kW in the United States, 1 kW in Belgium and Switzerland, 750 W in Germany, 500
W in Italy, 400 W in Australia, India and the United Kingdom, and 150 W in Oman.
Lower license classes usually have lower power limits; for example, the lowest
license class in the UK has a limit of just 10 W. Amateur radio operators are
encouraged both by regulations and tradition of respectful use of the spectrum
to use as little power as possible to accomplish the communication[26].
When traveling abroad, visiting amateur operators must
follow the rules of the country in which they wish to operate. Some countries
have reciprocal international operating agreements allowing hams from other
countries to operate within their borders with just their home country license.
Other host countries require that the visiting ham apply for a formal permit,
or even a new host country-issued license, in advance.
Many jurisdictions issue specialty vehicle registration
plates to amateur radio operators who provide proof of an amateur radio license.[27][28]
The fees for application and renewal are usually less than standard plates.[27][29]
[edit] Band plans and frequency allocations
Main article: Amateur radio frequency allocations
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) governs the
allocation of communications frequencies worldwide, with participation by each
nation's communications regulation authority. National communications
regulators have some liberty to restrict access to these frequencies or to
award additional allocations as long as radio services in other countries do
not suffer interference. In some countries, specific emission types are
restricted to certain parts of the radio spectrum, and in most other countries,
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member societies adopt voluntary plans
to ensure the most effective use of spectrum.
In a few cases, a national telecommunication agency may also
allow hams to use frequencies outside of the internationally allocated amateur
radio bands. In
Similarly, amateurs in the