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Amateur Radio and Hobbies

Ham radio provides the broadest and most powerful wireless communications capability available to any private citizen anywhere in the world.

The ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio in the USA. You too can become a member and communicate across the country, around the globe, or even with astronauts in space.

Travel the world every day without leaving home, talk to and make friends all over the world, or help in times of emergencies? Have fun? Learn? Become more tech savvey? Teach? Experiment? Build electronic projects?

Then....

Become an Amateur Radio

(HAM) Operator............. 

For classes or testing contact the ARRL at...

1-800-326-3942  on the web at http://www.arrl.org

Or contact a local Ham radio club in your area

And check out the information here  http://www.hello-radio.org/

What is Amateur 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 during a single 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 Amateur Radio. Although hams get involved in the hobby 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 are reserved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 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 hams in 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 / A Bright Future:

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 Poldhu, on the southwest tip of England, to St. John's, Newfoundland, 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 precursor agency to the FCC was created by Congress and specific frequencies were assigned for various uses, including ham bands.Amateur Radio today has come a long way from these beginnings. Hams have their own satellites, chat with space stations, bounce signals off the moon and are at the cutting edge of many technologies. Computers, digital systems, slow scan television, cross-band repeaters and concepts undreamed of just a few years ago are common in the ham community. The Morse Code key may still be on the desk, but it is probably next to a modern, transistorized system capable of operating under the most extreme emergency conditions.

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 during an earthquake in Italy or a hurricane in the U.S.

Why Do They Call Themselves "Hams?"

"Ham: a poor operator. A 'plug.'"

That's the definition of the word given in G. M. Dodge's "The Telegraph Instructor" even before radio. The definition has never changed in wire telegraphy. The first wireless operators were landline telegraphers who left their offices to go to sea or to man the coastal stations. They brought with them their language and much of the tradition of their older profession. In those early days, every station occupied the same wavelength-or, more accurately perhaps, every station occupied the whole spectrum with its broad spark signal. Government stations, ships, coastal stations and the increasingly numerous amateur operators all competed for time and signal supremacy in each other's receivers. Many of the amateur stations were very powerful. Two amateurs, working each other across town, could effectively jam all the other operations in the area. Frustrated commercial operators would refer to the ham radio interference by calling them "hams." Amateurs, possibly unfamiliar with the real meaning of the term, picked it up and applied it to themselves in true fashion and wore it with pride. As the years advanced, the original meaning has completely disappeared.

What Are the Amateur Radio Bands?

Look at the dial on an old AM radio and you'll see frequencies marked from 535 to 1605 kilohertz. That's the AM commercial radio band. 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 ten basic "bands" (i.e. groups of frequencies) in the High Frequency (HF) range between 1800 and 29,700 kilohertz, and another seven bands in the Very High Frequency (VHF) bands and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) ranges, as well as Super High Frequency (SHF) bands. Some of these ten bands are very small and some are rather large. 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. Please come out to one of the David Sarnoff Radio Club meetings. The David Sarnoff  Radio Club is a general-interest amateur radio club serving the greater Princeton, NJ area. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in amateur radio. There are no dues. To become a member, simply attend a club meeting and fill-out a membership application.


Directions to Meeting Location
Location:
Hamilton Township Public Library
1 Justice Samuel Alito Jr Way (formerly 1 Municipal Dr)
Hamilton, NJ 08619-3809

Driving Directions:
From Princeton: Take US 1 South. Exit Right onto I-295 South. Take Exit 65A (Sloan Ave East) and proceed 0.7 miles on Sloan Ave. Turn Right onto Quakerbridge Rd/CR-533 and proceed 2.7 miles on Quakerbridge Rd. Turn Right onto Justice Samuel Alito Jr Way.

From points south: Take I-295 North. Take Exit 61A (Arena Drive East) and proceed 0.6 miles on Arena Drive. Turn Left onto White Horse Ave/CR-533 and proceed 1.3 miles on White Horse Ave. Turn Left onto Justice Samuel Alito Jr Way.


If you are not local to central New Jersey, 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 1-800-32 NEW-HAM.

 


Ham Radio Licenses

Amateur Radio is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the Communications Act of 1934. It is also subject to numerous international agreements. All Amateur Radio operators must be licensed. In the U.S., there are three license classes. The higher the class of  license, the more frequencies are available. Earning each higher class license requires passing a more difficult examination. Although regulated by the FCC, license exams are given by volunteer groups of Amateur Radio operators. Operating under organizations called Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, volunteers administer and grade tests and report results to the FCC, which then issues the license. U.S. licenses are good for 10 years before renewal, and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government.

License Restructuring

In December 1999, after a lengthy review of the Amateur Radio licensing system, the FCC began issuing major changes. In April 2000, the number of license classes dropped from six to the current three. In addition, in February 2007, the FCC discontinued requiring Morse code proficiency tests. The FCC issued these new regulations to streamline the licensing system and bring the Amateur Radio service into the digital age. While the new license system might not make it easier to get into Amateur Radio, licensed operators can move from the beginner to expert level more quickly.

The Technician License

 The Technician class license is the entry-level license of choice for most new ham radio operators because it does not require a Morse code test. To earn the Technician license requires passing one examination totaling 35 questions on radio theory, regulations and operating practices. The license gives access to all Amateur Radio frequencies above 30 megahertz, allowing these licensees the ability to communicate locally and most often within North America. It also allows for some limited privileges on the HF (also called "short wave") bands used for international communications.

The General License

The General class license grants some operating privileges on all Amateur Radio bands and all operating modes. This license opens the door to world-wide communications. Earning the General class license requires passing a 35 question examination. General class licensees must also have passed the Technician written examination.

The Amateur Extra License

The Amateur Extra class license conveys all available U.S. Amateur Radio operating privileges on all bands and all modes. Earning the license is more difficult; it requires passing a thorough 50 question examination. Extra class licensees must also have passed all previous license class written examinations.

To Learn More

Many publishers, including the American Radio Relay League, offer books, video programs and computer software to facilitate self-study for the three Amateur Radio licenses. In addition, many local Amateur Radio clubs offer regular classes. For more information on a class near you, call the American Radio Relay League's toll-free line at 1-800-32NEW HAM. The URL for ARRL's Web site is www.arrl.org. The question pools for the Amateur Radio license examinations are posted at http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/pools.html

Courtesy of The ARRL Public Relations Department

Ham Radio Works
Amateur Radio During and After Disasters
Amateur Radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks locally for governmental and emergency officials, as well as non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the disaster. Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be active after disasters that damage regular lines of communications due to power outages and destruction of telephone, cellular and other infrastructure-dependent systems.

Amateur Radio Operators Help Local Officials
Many radio amateurs are active as communications volunteers with local public safety organizations. In addition, in some disasters, radio frequencies are not coordinated among relief officials and Amateur Radio operators step in to coordinate communication when radio towers and other elements in the communications infrastructure are damaged.

Major Amateur Radio Emergency Organizations
Amateur Radio operators have informal and formal groups to coordinate communication during emergencies. At the local level, hams may participate in local emergency organizations, or organize local "traffic nets."At the state level, hams are often involved with state emergency management operations. In addition, hams operate at the national level through the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), which is coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), which is coordinated through the American Radio Relay League and its field volunteers. Amateur Radio Is Recognized as a Resource by National Relief Organizations
Many national organizations have formal agreements with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and other Amateur Radio groups including:

Hello Amateur Radio