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“America’s quiet warriors are the legion of ham radio operators, 700,000 of them, who are always at ready for backup duty in emergencies – amateur, unpaid, uncelebrated, civilian radio operators, during and after floods and fires and tornadoes. After the 9/11 attacks, hams were indispensable in reuniting friends and families. Most recently it was they who expedited the search for debris after the disaster to the space shuttle Columbia, and right now, at this moment, they are involved in homeland security to a greater degree than you would want me to make public.” — Paul Harvey News and Comment, ABC Radio, March 19, 2003 Amateur Radio FAQs:
What is an “Amateur” Radio Operator?Because of the imprecise way in which we customarily use the English language nowadays, the term “amateur” is often taken to mean a tyro or bush leaguer. Strictly speaking, however, an amateur is someone who engages in an activity simply because he or she enjoys the activity for itself and not because of any monetary gain that might be had. The term itself has its roots in the Latin word for lover, and this is the correct meaning of the word in the context of Amateur Radio: We pursue ham radio because we love it for itself and for what it does in terms of effecting human understanding. While it’s a given that the level of technical acumen among us hams varies greatly and that some of us are beginners, it’s also true that a good many of us could teach experienced electronics engineers a thing or two. What is the “Amateur Radio Service?”Most of the time, it’s the most fun you can have with a radio. It’s a way to talk with people around the world, or even orbiting the world; to send e-mail without any sort of internet connection and to keep in touch with friends across town or across the country. But it is called the “Amateur Radio Service” because it also has a serious face. It’s also a very important emergency communications system. When cell phones, regular phones, the internet and other systems are down or overloaded, ham radio still gets the message through. Ham radio is a hobby - that’s the fun part. But it's also a “service” - a vital service that has saved lives again and again when regular communication systems failed.
On September 11th, it was ham radio that kept New York City agencies in touch with each other after their command center was destroyed. When hurricanes like Katrina, Rita and Wilma knocked out other communications, ham radio provided vital life-and-death capabilities. Countless lives have been saved where skilled hobbyists act as emergency communicators to render aid, whether it’s during an earthquake in China or a tornado in the US. But most of the time, hams do what they do because it’s just plain fun. What is the Difference Between Amateur Radio and “CB” Radio?The two services are frequently confused in the public's mind. CB radio is more correctly called the “Citizens Radio Service” and is authorized under Part 95 D of the Federal Communications Commission rules. The spectrum space which became the 11 meter Citizens Band was formerly an Amateur Radio band that had been widely used for experimental purposes such as “Slow Scan Television.” The band was reallocated to form the Citizens Radio Service, which was intended to permit short-range communications for business and personal use. When it was originally established in the late 1950s, CBers were required to be licensed by the FCC, and their transmit power was very limited. Many individuals, families, and small businesses made good use of the service, and there was a widespread movement to foster emergency communications through the “REACT” organization. But by the early 1970s, a flood of unlicensed CB operators caused the FCC to rescind the licensing policy. Some operators illegally installed high power amplifiers (“linears”) to boost their transmit power. Incorrectly adjusted, the amplifiers often cause interference with lawful nearby radio and television reception. Even when correctly adjusted, they cause interference with legitimate users on the channel. Also, some CBers illegally modified their radios to operate on unauthorized frequencies outside of the allotted band (“freebanders”), causing interference to other licensed radio services.
More than just a few frustrated CBers who operated within the rules became Amateur Radio operators and now enjoy the many privileges of a radio service founded upon knowledge-based licensing. This is not to say that there aren’t a great many technically competent CBers. But the opportunities that the Amateur Radio Service allows such people are vastly superior to what the Citizens Radio Service allows. For example, hams can build their own equipment or modify commercial equipment to meet their needs. CBers cannot. Hams can communicate with other hams worldwide. CBers are legally limited to 250 kilometers distance. Hams have entré to the ever expanding new world of digital communications technologies; they have their own fleet of earth-orbiting communications satellites; they can operate their own personal television stations, etc., etc. CBers cannot. What is the Difference Between Amateur Radio and “FRS” Radio?Inaugurated here in the US in 1996, the Family Radio Service permits legal license free operation on fourteen specific UHF ("UltraHigh Frequency") channels between 462 and 467 MHz, just above the 70 centimeter Amateur Radio band. The first seven channels are shared with GMRS, the General Mobile Radio Service. Most small FRS radios sold within the US also include eight additional channels, making a total of 22. It should be pointed out that it is technically illegal to operate FRS radios on GMRS channels 15 through 22 without having a GMRS license from the FCC. At last look, an FCC license for GMRS operation cost $85. FRS radios are limited by law to 500mW (one half Watt) transmitter power output and, despite the fanciful claims made by the manufacturers of these sets, their range is generally limited to about a mile or so. In addition to the power limitations, the antennas cannot be exchanged for those with higher gain. These two factors severely limit the potential for interference between groups of users, which is in keeping with the intent of this radio service. The downside to this is the very limited value these radios would have in the event of an emergency.
These radios are somewhat useful for families to use to maintain communication between convoying vehicles or keeping track of family members within a neighborhood, at a park, or other similar event as long as their distance limitations are kept in mind. What is the ARRL?
Founded in 1914, the ARRL, or "American Radio Relay League," is the national association for Amateur Radio™. Today, with more than 156,000 members, ARRL is the largest organization of radio amateurs in the United States. Its mission is to promote and advance the art, science and enjoyment of Amateur Radio. What is ARES?
ARES is the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, a national organization with locally organized groups of hams who train and deploy to assist in times of emergencies when regular channels of communication may become compromised or inoperative. What is Field Day?
Held every year on the last full weekend of June, ARRL Field Day is the single most popular annual on-the-air event in the US and Canada. Each year over 35,000 amateurs gather with their clubs, friends or simply by themselves to operate. It was begun back in the 1930s as an exercise to hone hams' abilities to set up and operate stations under simulated emergency conditions. The goal is to make contact with as many other participating stations as possible, and bonus points are given for operations using "portable power" such as batteries, and for transmitting with five Watts or less of output. For some years now, North Carolina Field Day stations have been among the top of the heap in points scored. Isn’t Amateur Radio Obsolete?Some people believe that the almost universal access to cellphone technology has made Amateur Radio obsolete, and it is true that cellphones are very useful most of the time. However, during an emergency, especially a widespread emergency, when you’ll need your cellphone the most, it’s likely the cellphone won’t work. Only a limited number of cellphone connections can be made from a given area at a given time. An emergency will overtax the system’s ability to provide connections to everyone who wants one, so your urgent message may not be possible because of all the extra casual conversations sure to be taking place. Hams would characterize this kind of situation as a consequence of a lack of communications discipline. Also, cellphones require a functioning infrastructure of towers, repeaters, etc., which may very well be down as an immediate result of the emergency incident, or if not immediately down, then soon to be out of service when the backup batteries become discharged.
Amateur Radio, by comparison, can make use of infrastructure when available but can also function effectively without it. There are so many technical means of communicating via ham radio that some of them are virtually certain to permit messages to go through. This continues to be demonstrated over and over again. What are the Amateur Radio Bands?
Look at the dial on an AM radio and you will see frequencies marked from 540 to 1700 kilohertz (thousands of cycles per second). That’s the AM broadcast band - and it’s just a tiny sliver of the useful radio spectrum that extends all the way to tens of gigahertz (billions of cycles per second). Within the radio spectrum you will find aircraft, ship, fire and police communications, as well as the so-called "shortwave" stations which are worldwide along with government broadcast stations from the US and overseas. Amateurs are allocated the use of 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. Why a License?
Amateur Radio is as old as radio itself and has been a licensed service for nearly a century, offering a pool of self-trained experts able to provide backup emergency communications. While license application requirements vary by country, the Amateur Radio Service is also controlled by international law and agreements. Radio waves do not stop for international borders, and the FCC acknowledges the ability of the hobby not only to advance radio communication and technical skills, but also to enhance international goodwill. Who are These Hams?There are more than 700,000 Amateur Radio operators in the USA and over two million in nearly every country in the world. They come from all walks of life - movie stars, missionaries, doctors, students, politicians, truck drivers and just plain folks. They are all ages, sexes and income levels linked by their interest in wireless communications technologies.
Although hams get involved in the hobby for many reasons, they all have in common a basic knowledge of today’s wireless technologies, regulations and operating principles. In the US, this is demonstrated by passing an examination for a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license to operate on radio frequencies known as the “Amateur Bands.” These are reserved by the FCC for use by hams at intervals from just above the AM broadcast band all the way up into extremely high microwave frequencies and beyond. 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 the International Space Station. For some it opens the door to new friendships over the air or through participation in one of more than 2,000 Amateur Radio clubs throughout the US. Others build and experiment with electronics. Hams are at the cutting edge of many technologies. Computer hobbyists enjoy experimenting in wireless digital communications, software defined radios (SDR), long-distance digital and image transmissions. “Off the grid” power sources and other concepts undreamed of just a few years ago are common in the ham community.
While a Morse code key may still be on the desk, it is probably next to a modern, computerized radio communications system capable of operating, with or without supportive infrastructure, under the most extreme conditions. Is Amateur Radio Declining or is it Growing?Well, certainly, the number of new Amateur Radio licenses issued has dramatically increased over the past five years. In 2005, the total of new licenses issued was 16,368. That total has steadily grown year by year such that in 2009, the total of new licenses issued almost doubled at 30,144. In 2011, the number of licensed US hams reached 700,000 . Some of the reasons for this growth are the elimination of the Morse Code testing requirement, an increased interest in emergency preparedness, and perhaps a return to an old, comfortable hobby on the part of some retirees. The answer becomes more problematic when the question is changed to the growth or decline of the actual number of hams who are actively on the air. Amateur Radio licenses are issued for ten year terms. It is not known how many inactive hams are out there. Our experience, however, is that every Amateur Radio organization we know of that is making any kind of recruitment effort is growing in membership.
Regardless of the gray areas, one thing is undeniable: The opportunities provided within contemporary Amateur Radio are growing and are better than those of any time past. Digital technology, pioneered largely by hams, gives us new ways of communicating all the time. It seems as though some new radio mode is invented every month, and each new mode of operation provides us with a new tool to make contacts with each other. Yes, you’ll find some older hams who will nostalgically lament about the “long gone good old days” of ham radio, but in all honesty, the “good old days” of ham radio are right now! Isn’t Amateur Radio an Expensive Hobby?We certainly know of hams who spend astronomical sums on the newest radios, the tallest towers, and the biggest antennas. On the other hand, there are many more people who participate in Amateur Radio with lesser budgets. It is up for debate whether the amount of enjoyment and satisfaction received is related in any way to the amount of money spent. Indeed, many hams are clever, frugal folks who brag about the amount of “bang for the buck” they get from converting or adapting or repairing gear for their Amateur Radio use. A beginner can obtain an adequate, serviceable handheld VHF or UHF radio for as little as $100 brand new. Such a radio will permit that person to partake of local FM activity, which makes up the bulk of Amateur Radio activity these days. Even a small radio like this can interconnect through internet-linked repeaters to permit worldwide communication. Many excellent “mobile” transceivers are available at costs ranging from $150 to $300, and they will fit into a vehicle or can serve as reliable “base stations” at home with the addition of a power supply to convert household power to the 12 Volts these radios use. Base station antennas can be purchased, but they can also be constructed easily, even by those with only a little construction experience. Low power operation using Morse code on the HF ("High Frequency") bands, commonly referred to as "shortwaves," especially with low power, can be accomplished even more cheaply. In fact, an entire subset of Amateur Radio operators (called “QRPers”) take great pride and pleasure in seeing how far they can communicate with transmitter power outputs about the same as what would be consumed by the average incandescent “night light” bulb. Even the most basic Amateur Radio license permits operation on some of these frequencies. Stronger HF operation using voice modes (generally by means of “Single Sideband”) requires more sophisticated equipment, which generally costs more. Even so, a radio capable of transmitting 100 Watts, which is typical power, can be had new beginning at about $500.
Less of an investment is needed to obtain used but perfectly serviceable gear. Keep in mind that new HF gear can be expected to operate for ten years or more, indeed my own HF radios are upwards of thirty years old and still work just fine. Amortizing the initial cost over such a period of time makes the annual cost very inexpensive when compared to many other hobbies. How Does Someone Become a Ham?
Easy! Just study and pass the 35 question Technician exam, administered (as all the Amateur Radio exams are) by us hams ourselves at convenient locations all around the country. Then, join the ARRL and your local ham radio club. You’ll start making friends right away, even before you get on the air. We can help you decide which of the many aspects of Amateur Radio is right for you! What Are the Age Limits for Amateur Radio?There are none! Anyone is eligible to test for an Amateur Radio license regardless of his or her age. Children as young as eight years old have successfully passed the Amateur Extra examination granting them full operating privileges.
Moreover, the possession of a ham radio license gives every ham, regardless of age, first-name familiarity with every other ham. Historically, back when the only means of communicating by “wireless” was with Morse code, there was no way to tell the age or sex of the person at the distant end, so operators were judged by their ability to send legible code (known as their “fists”), just the same as with landline telegraphy, where the town's railroad telegrapher was very likely to have been a fifteen-year-old. This egalitarian outlook continued once radiotelephony came onto the scene and is a respected part of our tradition to this day . What Should I Do Now That I Have My License?First, find a local Amateur Radio club and join it. There you can connect with experienced hams who can help you get on the air. They can advise you about the kinds of on-the-air activity that exists in your area, and they can help you make good choices as far as your equipment purchases are concerned. They can offer help in getting that first antenna up in the sky!
Next, join the ARRL, the “American Radio Relay League,” which is the national association for Amateur Radio™ here in the US. The ARRL represents ham radio and does a great deal to see that it continues to exist and thrive. It is safe to say that without the ARRL, there would be no Amateur Radio today!
For More Information, Please Contact:
Raymond "Woody" Woodward K3VSA
Bill Morine N2COP
Allen Pitts W1AGP
Last updated on December 17, 2011
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