Isn't it time you got involved?
Amateur Radio,
also known as Ham Radio, is a hobby that almost anyone can get involved in.
Age, background, national citizenship, even physical disabilities are not barriers to
passing the necessary tests to receive your own official FCC amatuer radio license and
callsign.
Ham radio operators do their communicating as a hobby. No business communications are allowed on the ham bands. Ham radio is in no way connected with CB radio, which tends to be a very uncontrolled form of communications. Ham radio operators take pride in their operating techniques and many of us enjoy assisting in emergency communications. Whether it's a flood, tornado, major earthquake, or lending communication support to search and rescue operations or community event, amateur radio operators are likely to be there.
From the comfort of your home or car, you can communicate with other hams all around the world. If you are into bicycling or hiking, imagine talking with other radio operators up to 200 miles away with your small walkie-talkie radio. You can even make personal phone calls through mountain top repeaters using this same equipment. Ham radio even allows you many modes of operation including: SSB, AM, FM, morse code, computer packet (data) communications, teletype, amateur television (ATV), and even the use of several earth orbiting amateur radio satellites.
Amateur Radio can be of great value in disasters and emergencies or just a plain fun way to keep in touch with friends and family members! This is one hobby where its limits may even exceed your imagination!
There is no cost assosiated with obtaining an Amatuer Radio license, other than a $5 test fee. You can take a class to learn what you need to know to pass the exam, or if you prefer to study on your own, simply visit your local Radio Shack or 2-way hobby store for books on the subject. The only significant costs associated with tis hobby are for purchasing the radios!
To Learn more about Amateur Radio or about the new No-Code Technician Class license (you aren't required to learn Morse Code anymore!), contact:
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111
phone: (203) 666-1541
Or feel free to email your questions to me at: [email protected]