What's Ham Radio All About?

Help For Prospective Hams from
CQ-The Radio Amateur's Journal and
CQ VHF Magazine

What Is Ham Radio All About?
Why Are Hams Called 'Hams'?
How Many Hams Are There?
How Do I Become a Ham?
Where Do I Take My Test?
What Is the ARRL?
What Is CQ?

What Is Ham Radio All About?

Ham radio is many different things to many different people. But even if you already have some idea already of what it's about, you may not have the "big picture." That's because ham radio is actually several different hobbies folded into one.

There's the "talking with people in faraway places" hobby; the "keep me company while I'm commuting" hobby; the "put your computer on the air" hobby; the "public service and emergency communications" hobby; the television hobby, the satellite hobby and so on. What all of these hobbies-within-a-hobby share is that, for all of its technical trappings, ham radio is basically about people -- people using technology to make contact with other people. One other basic: it's a LOT of fun!

CQ offers two broad-brush introductions to the people and activities of ham radio, a book and an award-winning video that share the same title, Ham Radio Horizons. Either one will expand your horizons about our hobby.

Why Are Hams Called 'Hams'?

You'll hear lots of stories about why amateur radio operators are called "hams," but there is no proof for any of the competing claims, and the simple truth is that no one knows for sure. What we do know is this: regardless of its source, the "ham" label is worn with pride by radio amateurs around the world.

How Many Hams Are There?

Worldwide, amateur radio operators number in the millions. There are over 700,000 licensed amateurs in the United States, and more than 25,000 in Canada. Each one has a unique "callsign" issued by his/her government. No two hams share the same callsign.

How Do I Become A Ham?

In order to operate a ham radio, you need an Amateur Radio license. (Note: each country has its own rules and procedures regarding amateur licenses. The following information applies to the US only.) In the United States, ham licenses are issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

There are six license classes, two of which are considered "entry-level." Licenses are earned by passing multiple-choice exams, which are offered regularly by volunteers across the country. The "pools" of questions from which the exams are made -- along with their correct answers -- are printed in virtually every license manual. Even so, you'll need to study in order to pass. (The pools contain 10 times the number of questions that will appear on any given exam; so if the Technician exam consists of 60 questions, they come from a pool of 600. In theory, you can memorize them, but you'll end up learning in spite of your best efforts. It's easier to learn the material than to memorize the question pool.)

The two entry-level license classes are the Novice and Technician, each of which offers different operating privileges and opportunities.

The Technician license, which has no Morse Code requirement, is the most popular way to start. It gives you full access to all ham radio frequencies and activities above 50 MHz (the VHF & UHF bands). This includes FM repeaters (automatic relay stations), computer-to-computer "packet radio," on-air contests, amateur TV, amateur satellites and even things like "moonbounce," microwave and laser communications. The only thing you don't get is access to the long-distance short-wave, or HF, ham bands.

The Novice license does give you limited access to these long-distance bands, plus some operating privileges on VHF and UHF (it provides kind of a "sampler" of ham radio's many subhobbies). For this license, you only need to pass the first half of the Technician exam, plus a Morse Code test at 5 words per minute. (Think ........ about ..... speaking ..... at ...... five ...... words ...... per ....... minute. It...... isn't ....... very ...... fast.)

If you pass both written exams for the Technician, plus the Novice code exam, you'll have what's called the "Tech-Plus" license, which gives you all operating privileges of both license classes. US ham licenses are good for 10 years and may be renewed.

Many radio clubs and other groups offer licensing courses, and a variety of study guides are commercially available. (Two of the most popular guides, the ARRL's Now You're Talking and Gordon West's New No-Code guide, are available at Radio Shack. Some specialized ham dealers may have a wider selection.) The ARRL also offers licensing guides on videotape.

How And Where Do I Take My Test?

Ham radio license exams are given by trained volunteers across the country. These Volunteer Examiners (VEs) work under the umbrella of one or more Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs), who actually prepare the exams and submit your completed paperwork to the FCC. Licenses are issued by the FCC itself, usually within 8-12 weeks after you pass your license exam. Electronic filing of applications with the FCC, which began in 1995, cut the usual turnaround time from weeks to days. But delays are still possible.

VE sessions are held at convenient times and locations in every state. Most are in the evenings or on weekends. Special sessions may also be arranged for test candidates with special needs who may be unable to get to a regularly scheduled session. Many examiner groups hold monthly or bi-monthly sessions. There is a nominal fee for taking the exam, which is set each year by the FCC.

Lists of upcoming test sessions in your area are available on request from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) at 1-800-32-NEWHAM or by e-mail to ead@arrl.org. Ask for their Prospective Ham Package and be sure to include your name and mailing address. (If you live near a state line, request listings for the adjacent state, as well.) The package is free. In addition to the exam lists, the ARRL package will include a list of ham radio clubs and registered instructors in your area.

What Is The ARRL?
And Why Are They Giving This Stuff Away?

The ARRL (American Radio Relay League) is the major national organization of ham radio operators in the United States, with more than 170,000 members, a nationwide volunteer "field organization," public service and emergency networks, Washington representation and much, much more. Every active ham should belong to the ARRL.

One of the ARRL's goals is to promote the growth of amateur radio. Providing free information packets to prospective hams is one part of those efforts.

What Is CQ?
And Why Are You Giving Me All This Information?

CQ Communications, Inc. is a major publisher of magazines, books, videos and other materials for the ham radio and hobby communications markets. We also want to do our part to encourage growth in ham radio, and to help inform and educate our readers and viewers. A brief description of our major publications & products follows:

CQ: The Radio Amateur's Journal is our flagship publication. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1995. CQ's primary focus is on ham radio operating activities, although it also includes technical articles, construction projects and ham radio news.

CQ VHF: Ham Radio Above 50 MHz is a new magazine devoted to hams who operate on the VHF and UHF bands, and the wide variety of activities available on the frequencies above 50 MHz -- from repeaters and packet to amateur television and "moonbounce" contacts. Each issue also includes a "Basics" section with information especially for new hams.

CQ Contest is another new magazine, focused exclusively on the art and science of on-air competition and the people who enjoy it.

Popular Communications is the number-one magazine of the short-wave and scanner monitoring hobby. It is the only national magazine that covers all aspects of hobby communications.

Communications Quarterly is a technical journal featuring the latest advancements in communications technology. Articles are not limited to amateur radio topics, although most have some application to amateur technology. It is the only all-technical magazine in the ham market.

The CQ Bookshelf - CQ publishes its own books on ham radio and is a dealer for books from other publishers, including the ARRL. Some current CQ titles include: The VHF How-To Book, The Packet Radio Operator's Manual, Lew Mccoy On Antennas and the CQ Amateur Radio Almanac.

The CQ Video Library - CQ produces a full line of ham radio "how-to" videos, focusing on the practical side of different operating activities. Titles include the award-winning Ham Radio Horizons, Getting Started in VHF, Getting Started in Ham Radio, Getting Started in Packet Radio, Getting Started in Contesting, Getting Started in DXing and Getting Started in Amateur Satellites.

More information on CQ products is available by clicking on any of the links highlighted above, by calling our offices at 516-681-2922 (fax: 516-681-2926); or by e-mail to CQMagazine@aol.com.

For a FREE SAMPLE COPY of CQ Magazine or CQ VHF Magazine, just click on the appropriate title and send us an e-mail message requesting a free sample and providing your full name and mailing address. Only one sample of each magazine per person, please.

CQ COMMUNICATIONS, INC., 25 Newbridge Rd, Hicksville, New York 11801 USA, publishers of CQ: The Radio Amateur's Journal, CQ VHF, CQ Contest, Popular Communications, Communications Quarterly, Electronic Servicing and Technology and CQ Books & Videos.

CQ - 'The Authority on Amateur Radio' for more than 50 years.