Amateur radio, also known as ham radio has been around for as long as radio itself. It is a popular and exciting hobby that isnhard to get started in.
What is Amateur Radio
Ham radio started out before commercial broadcasts actually did, some of the very first AM radio stations were started by ham operators. Once commercial broadcasts started in the 1920s, ham radio took off as a hobby. Over the years ham radio has been confused with CB radio (citizens band), the two are very different. Though many ham radio operators got their interest started in radio with CB. Amateur radio requires passing a test and a license to operate your own radio station. Once licensed you can use your own radio station to talk to other ham radio operators throughout the world.
The popularity of ham radio has been declining the past decade with the advent of instant texting, emailing and instantaneous phone calls to anywhere in the world. The thrill of talking around the world isn the same to some people as it used to be. There are still things a ham radio operator can do that no one else can do with their cell phones, like talking to the International Space Station or one of the space shuttles. Many times one of the astronauts on the shuttle or space station are also licensed amateur radio operators and will use the radios onboard to talk to other hams on Earth. There is still the thrill of using your own knowledge, radio and antenna you might build yourself and being able to talk half way around the world to some remote location in Mongolia or Norfolk Island.
Over the years ham radio operators have been at the forefront of many inventions concerning radio, electronics, antennas, television and different modes of communicating. The first television station was licensed to an amateur radio operator.
Famous Amateur Radio Operators
There have been many famous ham radio operators over the years. Here are some of them and their call letters.
Walter Cronkite. Former CBS news anchor, KB2GSD.
George Pataki, Governor of New York, K2ZCZ.
Chet Atkins, Singer and guitar player, W4CGP.
Ronnie Milsap, singer, songwriter. WB4KCG
Paul Kangas, longtime anchor of the PBS show, Nightly Business Report
Arthur Godfrey. TV personality. K4LIB
Howard Hughs, Inventor, pilot, America first billionaire. W5CY
Joe Walsh, guitarist, singer, songwriter for the Eagles. WB6ACU
Steve Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple Computer. WA6BND
General Curtis LeMay, military legend. W6EZV.
Art Bell, syndicated radio personality, W6OBB.
Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles. W6QYI
John Huston, film director.
Shari Belafonte Behrens, actress and model. KE6YGN.
Barry Goldwater, former Arizona senator. K7UGA.
King Juan Carlos, King of Spain. EA0JC
Bhumiphol Adulayadej, King of Thailand. HS1A
King Hussein, former King of Jordon. JY1A
Queen Noor, Queen of Jordon. JY1NH
Yuri Gagarin, first Cosmonaut.
Getting an Amateur Radio License is Now Easier
Over the years most people who wanted to get a license but didn’t, usually either couldn’t or didn’t want to learn the Morse code. The requirement to learn Morse code to get a license has been dropped in the United States and most other countries. To get an Amateur Radio license all you need to do is pass a multiple choice written test.
There are three classes of license and with each upgrade the tests are more difficult, but not hard to learn and pass. The three classes of licenses are: Technician class, General class and the Extra class. With each class of license you will get more privileges and frequencies to use. The Technician and General class tests are each 35 multiple-choice questions and the Extra is 50 questions. The tests include electronic theory, rules and regulations and safety. You can try some practice tests online and you can also buy license manuals.
In the past you had to go to the nearest Federal Communications Commission office to take the test. To get a license today, tests are given by volunteer examiners at public locations like a library. Sometimes there is a cost of $15 or less. You can find when and where amateur radio tests are given in your area.
What You Can Do With Your Radio and New License
When you pass your test you will receive your license and your own call letters in the mail. Once you have your new license, radio and antenna, you can start talking around the country and the entire planet. In the 30 years I have been licensed, I have talked to someone in almost every country and island. Ham radio is full of different awards and there seems to be a different contest on almost every weekend. You will meet people of all walks of life and occupations and make life-long friends. Many who got their ham radio license while still in school chose occupations in technology fields such as electronics, engineering, computers, aerospace and communications.
At times you can talk to the space station or space shuttle. You can use orbiting satellites to talk through or you can bounce your signals off of meteor trails. You can use Morse code, voice and different types of digital communications. Ham radio operators are still needed in times of emergency when all other forms of communications are down.
It doesn’t require a large sum of money to get started; you can find good used radios on various amateur radio web sites or E-bay at good prices. Building your own antenna is what many hams do and ham operators still find building their own antennas one of the more enjoyable challenges of the hobby. To start with, there are simple and low cost antennas you can build out of copper wire.
For More information
Complete history of amateur radio
