About Ham Radio
A retired military officer in North Carolina makes friends over the
radio with a ham in Lithuania. An Ohio teenager uses her computer to
upload a chess move to an orbiting space satellite, where it's
retrieved by a fellow chess enthusiast in Japan. An aircraft engineer
in Florida participating in a "DX contest" swaps call signs with hams
in 100 countries in a weekend. In California, volunteers save lives as
part of their involvement in an emergency communications net. And at
the scene of a traffic accident on a Chicago freeway, a ham calls for
help by using a pocket-sized hand-held radio.
This unique mix of fun, public service and convenience is the
distinguishing characteristic of the hobby called Amateur Radio.
Although hams get involved in Amateur Radio for many reasons, they all
have in common a basic knowledge of radio technology, regulations and
operating principles, demonstrated by passing an examination for a
license to operate on radio frequencies known as the "Amateur Bands."
These frequencies are reserved by the Federal Communications Commission
for use by hams at intervals from just above the AM broadcast band all
the way up into extremely high microwave frequencies.
Who's The Typical Ham?
Amateur radio operators come from all walks of life -- movie stars,
missionaries, doctors, students, politicians, truck drivers and just
plain folks. They are all ages, sexes, income levels and nationalities.
But whether they prefer Morse Code on an old brass telegraph key
through a low power transmitter, voice communication on a hand-held
radio or computer messages transmitted through satellites, they all
have an interest in what's happening in the world, and they use radio
to reach out.
What's The Appeal Of Ham Radio?
Some hams are attracted by the ability to communicate across the
country, around the globe, even with astronauts on space missions.
Others build and experiment with electronics. Computer hobbyists find
packet radio to be a low-cost way to expand their ability to
communicate. Those with a competitive streak enjoy DX contests, where
the object is to see how many distant locations they can contact. Some
like the convenience of a technology that gives them portable
communication. Others use it to open the door to new friendships over
the air or through participation in one of more than 2000 Amateur Radio
clubs throughout the country.
A Noble History
Nobody knows when Amateur Radio operators were first called "hams," but
we do know that Amateur Radio is as old as the history of radio itself.
Not long after Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian experimenter, transmitted
the Morse Code letter "s" from Newfoundland to England in 1901, amateur
experimenters throughout the world were trying out the capabilities of
the first "spark gap" transmitters. In 1912 Congress passed the first
laws regulating radio transmissions in the U.S. By 1914, Amateur
experimenters were communicating nation- wide, and setting up a system
to relay messages from coast to coast (whence the name "American Radio
Relay League"!). In 1927, the FCC was created by Congress and specific
frequencies were assigned for various uses, including ham bands.
Why A License?
Although the main purpose of Amateur Radio is fun, it is called the
"Amateur Radio Service" because it also has a serious face. The FCC
created this "Service" to fill the need for a pool of experts who could
provide backup emergency communications. In addition, the FCC
acknowledged the ability of the hobby to advance the communication and
technical skills of radio, and to enhance international goodwill. This
philosophy has paid off. Countless lives have been saved where skilled
hobbyists act as emergency communicators to render aid, whether it's an
earthquake in Italy, a flood in India or a hurricane in the U.S.
Why Do They Call Themselves "Ham?"
Although the origin of the word "ham" is obscure, every ham has his or
her own pet theory. One holds that early Amateurs were called hams
because they liked to "perform" on the air, as in "hamming it up."
Another proposes that the name came from the "ham-fisted" way some
early Amateurs handled their code keys. The easiest to accept is that
"ham" is a contraction of "Am," as in Amateur. One of the most exotic
holds that "ham" is an acronym from the initials of three college
students who were among the first Radio Amateurs.
What Are The Amateur Radio Bands?
Look at the dial on a old AM radio and you'll see frequencies marked
from 535 to 1605 kilohertz. Imagine that band extended out many
thousands of kilohertz, and you'll have some idea of how much
additional radio spectrum is available for amateur, government and
commercial radio bands. It is here you'll find aircraft, ship, fire and
police communication, as well as the so-called "shortwave" stations,
which are worldwide commercial and government broadcast stations from
the U.S. and overseas. Amateurs are allocated nine basic "bands" (i.e.
groups of frequencies) in the high frequency range between 1800 and
29,700 kilohertz, and another seven bands in the Very High Frequency
(VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) ranges. Even though many Amateur
Radio conversations may be heard around the world, given the right
frequency and propagation conditions, Amateur Radio is basically
two-way communication.
Where Do I Get More Information?
The three best ways to learn about Amateur Radio are to listen to hams
on the Amateur bands, read about Amateur Radio in the numerous books
and magazines devoted to the subject and, best of all, talk to hams
face-to- face. Hams take pride in their ability to "Elmer" (teach)
newcomers the ropes to get them started in the hobby. Most will welcome
your interest. To find out how to get started and who to contact in
your area, call or write The American Radio Relay League, 225 Main
Street, Newington, CT 06111. Telephone 1-800-32NEW HAM.
