What is Amateur Radio?: Difference between revisions

From Amateur Radio Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(16 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
Related wiki pages: [[Education]], [[User Groups]], [[Ham Radio for Kids]], [[How to learn ham radio?]]
Note: Parts of this page have been copied from Wikipedia and modified to suit this wiki.
Note: Parts of this page have been copied from Wikipedia and modified to suit this wiki.


Related wiki pages: [[History]], [[Codes and Alphabets]], [[Modes]], [[Bands]], [[Awards and Certificates]], [[Callsign Databases]], [[Education]]
==Introduction==


==Introduction==
''Main article: [[Ham Radio. What is it and why do they do it?]]''


Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training.
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training.
Line 9: Line 11:
Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory. An estimated six million people throughout the world are regularly involved with amateur radio.
Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory. An estimated six million people throughout the world are regularly involved with amateur radio.


The term "amateur" is not a reflection on the skills of the participants, which are often quite advanced; rather, "amateur" indicates that amateur communications are not allowed to be made for commercial or money-making purposes.
The term "amateur" is not a reflection on the skills of the participants, which are often quite advanced, reaching far in the fields of physics, [[Electronic Theory|electronics and circuit design]] and engineering; rather, "amateur" indicates that amateur communications are not allowed to be made for commercial or money-making purposes. [[Ham]], on the other hand, is another question, see [[Why call it ham radio?]]


== Why call it ham radio?==
== How do radio operators communicate? ==


The word "ham" is the informal name give to amateur operators. It was first used in 1909, but did not gain widespread use until the 1920's when the term spread from the USA to Europe.
''Main article: [[Propagation]]''


Up to about 1916, the word was used slang for "poor operator" or "incompetent". The term  was also used by professional radiotelegraph operators to suggest that amateur enthusiasts were unskilled. Even among amateur radio operators, the term was used pejoratively at first by serious experimenters. For example, in December 1916 QST magazine, an amateur operator working on long distance message passing describes one way to avoid interference was to send messages “...on Thursday nights, when the children and spark coil ‘hams’ are tucked up in bed” (a “spark coil” referred to an unsophisticated transmitter made from an automobile ignition coil that produced noisy interference).
Communication is possible with other stations operated on all continents. Operators can also use [[relays]], on the ground or in [[Satellites|space]] (operators can talk with the [[ISS|space station]]!) or use [[Sky waves]] and lower frequencies (paradoxically called High Frequency, [[HF]] instead of [[VHF]] or [[UHF]]) to bounce around the earth and communicate across oceans and continents. They will also listen to various [[beacons]]. All this is using different radio [[apparatus]] including [[antennas]] and [[transceivers]] but also [[software]] and computers.


But only a few months later, in an indication of the changing use of the term among amateurs, a QST writer uses it in a clearly complimentary manner, saying that a particular 16 year old amateur operator “...is the equal of a ham gaining five years of experience by hard luck.”
=== Modes of operation ===


Use of “ham” as a slur by professionals continued, however. A letter from a Western Union Telegraph Company employee, printed in the December, 1919 edition QST, showed familiarity with the word's negative connotations, expressing concern that "Many unknowing land wire telegraphers, hearing the word 'amateur' applied to men connected with wireless, regard him as a 'ham' or 'lid'".
''Main article: [[Modes]]''


Ham is now widely used by radio amateurs to describe themselves and their hobby.  
Amateur Radio operators use various [[Modes |modes]] of transmission to communicate either locally or across the world or even space.  


===Other origins of the word "ham"===
'''Voice transmissions''' are most common, with some, such as frequency modulation ([[FM]]) offering high quality audio, and others, such as single sideband ([[SSB]]) offering more reliable communications when signals are marginal and bandwidth is restricted, at the sacrifice of audio quality.


A few urban legends have arisen to explain the use of of the word including:
'''Carrier wave''' ([[CW]] AKA [[morse code]]) dates from the earliest days of radio. It used to be a requirement in order to have access to lower frequencies ([[HF]]) or even to get a license to operate at all, in some locations. While this is no longer the case since 2003, [[Morse code]] is still very popular with [[QRP]] operators.


'''Ham-Fisted'''
'''Digital modes''', made possible with the use of personal computers. This group includes:
* radioteletype ([[RTTY]])
* [[packet radio]], which has employed protocols such as TCP/IP since the 1970s.
* [[PSK31]] allow real-time, low-power communications on the shortwave bands.
* [[Echolink]] using Voice over IP technology.
* [[IRLP]] has allowed the linking of repeaters to provide greater coverage area.
* [[FSK441]] using software such as [[WSJT]], are used for weak signal modes including meteor  scatter and moonbounce communications.
* Fast scan amateur television ([[ATV]])
* Slow scan television ([[SSTV]])


"ham" is a shortened version of "ham-fisted", meaning clumsy. This is based on the fact that all early amateur radio stations used hand-operated telegraph keys to transmit Morse code, and sending style is referred to as an operator's "fist", so someone who sends badly could be called ham-fisted.
=== Bands of operation ===


'''A little station called HAM'''
''Main article: [[Bands]] and [[Wikipedia:Amateur radio frequency allocations]]''


This widely circulated but fanciful tale claims that, around 1911, an impassioned speech made by Harvard University student Albert Hyman to the United States Congress, in support of amateur radio operators, turned the tide and helped defeat a bill that would have ended amateur radio activity entirely, by assigning the entire radio spectrum over to the military. An amateur station that Hyman supposedly shared with two others (Bob Almy and Peggie Murray), which was said to be using the self-assigned call sign HAM (short for Hyman-Almy-Murray), thus came to represent all of amateur radio. However, this story seems to have first surfaced in 1948, and practically none of the facts in the account check out, including the existence of "a little station called HAM" in the first place.  
Amateur radio has been allocated specific [[Wikipedia:Radio frequency|radio frequencies]] in the spectrum for its own use. The above modes can therefore be used on many different frequencies. There are conventions within the ham community regarding which frequencies are appropriate for what. This is called the [[band plan]]. It varies according to regions, but there's an international convention that most countries respect. The reason behind those conventions is that certain ranges of frequency (also called [[bands]]) have certain properties that make it more suitable for certain communications. For example, the 20m band (~14Mhz) is good for worldwide communication, day and night, while 70cm (~440Mhz) is good to communicate in line of sight or with satellites, as it doesn't bounce of the [[ionosphere]].


'''"Home Amateur Mechanic" magazine'''
==[[Callsign Databases |Callsigns]]==


In this version, supposedly HAM was derived from the initials of a "very popular" magazine which covered radio extensively. But there is no evidence that there ever was a magazine by this name.
A callsign is a unique identifier, issued by the amateur's national government. The operator uses the callsign to identify himself/herself during radio transmissions.


'''Hertz-Armstrong-Marconi'''
Callsign structure as prescribed by the ITU, consists of three parts which break down as follows, using the callsign ZS1NAT as an example:


It is sometimes claimed that HAM came from the first letter from the last names of three radio pioneers: Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, Edwin Armstrong, and Guglielmo Marconi. However, this cannot be the source of the term as Armstrong was an unknown college student when the term first appeared.
ZS – Shows the country from which the callsign originates and may also indicate the license class. (This callsign is licensed in South Africa, and is CEPT Class 1).  
1 – Gives the subdivision of the country or territory indicated in the first part (this one refers to the Western Cape).
NAT – The final part is specific to the holder of the license, identifying that person specifically.  


'''Hammarlund legend'''
Not all countries follow ITU recommendations for callsign structure.


Likely an example of corporate wishful thinking, Hammarlund products were supposedly so preeminent in the pioneering era of radio that they became a part of the language of radio. As the story goes, early radio enthusiasts affectionately referred to Hammarlund products as "Ham" products, and called themselves "Ham" operators. In truth, Hammarlund was a minor and barely known company at the time "ham" started to be used.
==Amateur radio on the big screen==


==Activities==
* Men of Boys Town (1941), starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney.


Amateur Radio operators use various [[Modes |modes]] of transmission to communicate. Voice transmissions are most common, with some, such as frequency modulation (FM) offering high quality audio, and others, such as single sideband (SSB) offering more reliable communications when signals are marginal and bandwidth is restricted, at the sacrifice of audio quality.
* If All the Guys in the World (original title "Si tous les gars du monde..." (1957). A French film largely devoted to Amateur Radio. 


* [[Codes_and_Alphabets#Morse_Code | Morse code]] dates from the earliest days of radio. Up until fairly recently (early 2000's in many countries) Morse (CW) proficiency was a requirement for obtaining an amateur licence. It is still very popular with [[QRP]] operators.
* Tony Hancock's 1960 BBC TV episode "The Radio Ham", in which he plays an incompetent ham radio operator.
For many years, demonstrating a proficiency in Morse code was a requirement to obtain amateur licenses for the high frequency bands (frequencies below 30 MHz), but following changes in international regulations in 2003, countries are no longer required to demand proficiency. As an example, the United States Federal Communications Commission phased out this requirement for all license classes on February 23, 2007.


* Digital modes, made possible with the use of personal computers. This group includes:
* Star Wars (1977).


- radioteletype (RTTY)
* The French Atlantic Affair (1979)  


- packet radio, which has employed protocols such as TCP/IP since the 1970s.  
* Phenomenon (1996) starring John Travolta.


- PSK31 allow real-time, low-power communications on the shortwave bands.  
* Contact (1997) starring Jodie Foster.  


- Echolink using Voice over IP technology.  
* The Sweet Hereafter (1997) starring Ian Holm.  


- IRLP has allowed the linking of repeaters to provide greater coverage area.  
* Frequency (2000) starring Jim Caviezel and Dennis Quaid.


- FSK441 using software such as WSJT, are used for weak signal modes including meteor
* Bob's White Christmas (2001) starring Bob the Builder and his brother Tom.  
scatter and moonbounce communications.


- Fast scan amateur television (ATV)
* Space Station (2001). An IMAX film


- Slow scan television (SSTV)
== See also ==


==[[Callsign Databases |Callsigns]]==
* [[History]]
* [[Codes and Alphabets]]
* [[Modes]]
* [[Bands]]
* [[Awards and Certificates]]
* [[Callsign Databases]]
* [[Education]]


A callsign is a unique identifier, issued by the amateur's national government. The operator uses the callsign to identify himself/herself during radio transmissions.


Callsign structure as prescribed by the ITU, consists of three parts which break down as follows, using the callsign ZS1NAT as an example:
ZS – Shows the country from which the callsign originates and may also indicate the license class. (This callsign is licensed in South Africa, and is CEPT Class 1).
1 – Gives the subdivision of the country or territory indicated in the first part (this one refers to the Western Cape).
NAT – The final part is specific to the holder of the license, identifying that person specifically.
Not all countries follow ITU recommendations for callsign structure.


{{operation}}
{{operation}}

Latest revision as of 23:54, 19 August 2014

Related wiki pages: Education, User Groups, Ham Radio for Kids, How to learn ham radio?

Note: Parts of this page have been copied from Wikipedia and modified to suit this wiki.

Introduction

Main article: Ham Radio. What is it and why do they do it?

Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training.

Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory. An estimated six million people throughout the world are regularly involved with amateur radio.

The term "amateur" is not a reflection on the skills of the participants, which are often quite advanced, reaching far in the fields of physics, electronics and circuit design and engineering; rather, "amateur" indicates that amateur communications are not allowed to be made for commercial or money-making purposes. Ham, on the other hand, is another question, see Why call it ham radio?

How do radio operators communicate?

Main article: Propagation

Communication is possible with other stations operated on all continents. Operators can also use relays, on the ground or in space (operators can talk with the space station!) or use Sky waves and lower frequencies (paradoxically called High Frequency, HF instead of VHF or UHF) to bounce around the earth and communicate across oceans and continents. They will also listen to various beacons. All this is using different radio apparatus including antennas and transceivers but also software and computers.

Modes of operation

Main article: Modes

Amateur Radio operators use various modes of transmission to communicate either locally or across the world or even space.

Voice transmissions are most common, with some, such as frequency modulation (FM) offering high quality audio, and others, such as single sideband (SSB) offering more reliable communications when signals are marginal and bandwidth is restricted, at the sacrifice of audio quality.

Carrier wave (CW AKA morse code) dates from the earliest days of radio. It used to be a requirement in order to have access to lower frequencies (HF) or even to get a license to operate at all, in some locations. While this is no longer the case since 2003, Morse code is still very popular with QRP operators.

Digital modes, made possible with the use of personal computers. This group includes:

  • radioteletype (RTTY)
  • packet radio, which has employed protocols such as TCP/IP since the 1970s.
  • PSK31 allow real-time, low-power communications on the shortwave bands.
  • Echolink using Voice over IP technology.
  • IRLP has allowed the linking of repeaters to provide greater coverage area.
  • FSK441 using software such as WSJT, are used for weak signal modes including meteor scatter and moonbounce communications.
  • Fast scan amateur television (ATV)
  • Slow scan television (SSTV)

Bands of operation

Main article: Bands and Wikipedia:Amateur radio frequency allocations

Amateur radio has been allocated specific radio frequencies in the spectrum for its own use. The above modes can therefore be used on many different frequencies. There are conventions within the ham community regarding which frequencies are appropriate for what. This is called the band plan. It varies according to regions, but there's an international convention that most countries respect. The reason behind those conventions is that certain ranges of frequency (also called bands) have certain properties that make it more suitable for certain communications. For example, the 20m band (~14Mhz) is good for worldwide communication, day and night, while 70cm (~440Mhz) is good to communicate in line of sight or with satellites, as it doesn't bounce of the ionosphere.

Callsigns

A callsign is a unique identifier, issued by the amateur's national government. The operator uses the callsign to identify himself/herself during radio transmissions.

Callsign structure as prescribed by the ITU, consists of three parts which break down as follows, using the callsign ZS1NAT as an example:

ZS – Shows the country from which the callsign originates and may also indicate the license class. (This callsign is licensed in South Africa, and is CEPT Class 1). 1 – Gives the subdivision of the country or territory indicated in the first part (this one refers to the Western Cape). NAT – The final part is specific to the holder of the license, identifying that person specifically.

Not all countries follow ITU recommendations for callsign structure.

Amateur radio on the big screen

  • Men of Boys Town (1941), starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney.
  • If All the Guys in the World (original title "Si tous les gars du monde..." (1957). A French film largely devoted to Amateur Radio.
  • Tony Hancock's 1960 BBC TV episode "The Radio Ham", in which he plays an incompetent ham radio operator.
  • Star Wars (1977).
  • The French Atlantic Affair (1979)
  • Phenomenon (1996) starring John Travolta.
  • Contact (1997) starring Jodie Foster.
  • The Sweet Hereafter (1997) starring Ian Holm.
  • Frequency (2000) starring Jim Caviezel and Dennis Quaid.
  • Bob's White Christmas (2001) starring Bob the Builder and his brother Tom.
  • Space Station (2001). An IMAX film

See also


Operating procedures
Operation Callsigns and ITU prefixes * Codes and Alphabets * Modes * Morse code * Nets * UK licensing * Terminology
DX and Contesting Awards and Certificates * DXCC * DX cluster * Field day * Gridsquares * Logging * QSL and QSL Bureaus * Records - Distance
Emergencies Emergency Frequencies * ARES * IRESC * SATERN * Weather spotting
QRP Trail-Friendly Radio
Utilities Beacons (/B) and Time Beacons
Retrieved from "http://wiki.hamtools.org/index.php?title=What_is_Amateur_Radio%3F&oldid=5274"