Amateur RadioAndy Funk
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What is Amateur ("Ham") Radio? Even in the computer age, Amateur "Ham" Radio is an exciting hobby and service. "Hams" can talk around the world, use (our own!) satellites, send television pictures, do computer-to-computer communications over-the-air, and more. Usually "hams" are having fun — competing against each other in on-air contests, trying to talk to as many different countries (or states, or US counties, or islands, etc.) as they can for various operating awards, building or modifying antennas and radios, making new friends all over the world, or just chatting with old friends. This is the "hobby" aspect of Amateur Radio. But when disaster strikes — earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, etc. — Radio Amateurs are quick to offer their expertise, experience, equipment, and, most of all, time to provide emergency communications when normal means of communications are inoperative, unavailable or overloaded. No matter what it takes, "hams" will find a way to get the message through. And this is all as volunteers, for it is in fact illegal to accept compensation for communications via Amateur Radio. (FCC rules in the USA, may differ in other jurisdictions.) This is the "service" aspect of Amateur Radio. You can find an more in-depth, illustrated
explanation of Amateur Radio on the ARRL's web site. (See below for more about the ARRL.)
If you have suggestions for additions to this page,
pass them along to me via email, [email protected].
| Guide to Passing Amateur Radio Exams Several years ago, as a project with the Radio Amateur Telecommunications Society, I wrote a guide to passing the Technician exam. While cleaning up some old files cluttering the hard drive of an old computer it recently (August 2002) turned up. I've done some minor updating of it, and now present it online. Please let me know if you find it useful, and any suggestions you have for improvement.
| Best Beginner Book Everyone getting involved with Amateur Radio is advised to read the book, Now You're Talking! All You Need For Your First Amateur Radio License. Even experienced "hams" are advised to pick up a copy of this book and go through it.
 In it you'll find the question pool (complete with correct answers) for Technician Amateur Radio examinations. Now You're Talking! explains the radio theory, regulations and operating practices you will need to know—not just to pass the test but also to make your Amateur Radio experiences much more enjoyable and rewarding.
Now You're Talking! is published by ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. Probably the easiest way to get a copy is to order it online from Amazon.com.
| | A great source of information on Amateur Radio is the While the ARRL is the USA's national Amateur Radio society, the League can help those outside the States as well. The ARRL is also the Secretariat of the International Amateur Radio Union. As such, they can help you get in contact with the Amateur Radio society in your country. Call the ARRL at 1-800-326-3942 (or 860-594-0200, Fax 860-520-0259) and ask for the "Prospective Ham Package." You'll receive information on Amateur Radio clubs, licensee classes, instructors and exams in your area. | Amateur Radio RF Safety Calculator Amateurs in the USA are now required to do a "routine evaluation" of RF field strengths around their stations.
The University of Texas Amateur Radio Club has an Amateur Radio RF Safety Calculator on the Web which will help Amateurs meet this requirement.
|  | Packet Radio is a method of computer networking over-the-air. Ham's have a packet-based international email network using Packet BBSs, and many Radio Amateurs operate TCP/IP (just like here on the Internet) over-the-air. While I haven't operated packet in, well, I hate to admit how long, I remain very interested in packet, and assembled these links on an additional page.
Let me know if any are out of date! |
| General Amateur Radio Links  | The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation — information on operating through the Ham Radio satellites orbiting the earth. |  | |
 | The Quarter Century Wireless Association is for Radio Amateurs first licensed more than 25 years ago. |
- Elmer "HAM"let
- Information about antennas, Morse code, ham radio theory, etc.
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Home Page
- In the USA we follow their rules.
- Amateur Radio List of Clay Irving, N2VKG
- Clay has assembled a great list of WWW Amateur Radio sites. Rather than duplicate his effort, jump over to his list!
- Personal Database Applications
- Home of the Windows logging program LOGic.
- QSL Search System of RWIQM
- Find QSL routes to get your cards.
- Prefix Lookup
- Where is that station? From hfradio.org, with other great resources.
- N6ED's DX Log Search
- Find out if you're in that DX station's log before you send your QSL.
- QSL Kit
- Print standard US postal card size QSLs with your computer.
- DX Info and QSL Routes
- From the Triangle East Amateur Radio Association
- SoundBlaster Software Collection
- From Oliver Welp, DL9QJ, software for your SoundBlaster-equipped PC for RTTY, SSTV, FAX, and more.
- AC6V's Amateur Radio and DX Reference Guide
- The DX Notebook
- DX Central
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