Ham

Radio the Ultimate Beginners Guide

The Quickest and Easiest Way to Learn How to Become a Ham Radio Expert

Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: What is Ham Radio
Chapter 2: how to Use a Ham Radio
Chapter 3: How to get Your ham Radio License
Chapter 4: Buying the Right Equipment
Chapter 5: Getting on the air
Conclusion

Introduction
Hello and thank you for taking the time to check out this book!
Have you ever wanted to get into amateur radio? Have you ever wanted your voice to be
heard?
Well, for some people, getting on the air and really getting into Ham radio, or otherwise
known as amateur radio, can be a bit of a struggle. Often, people think its cool hearing
some of the people that you might know about speaking about various things. For some,
its a hobby where they discuss the politics of life, or for some it can be an educational
outlet where some talk about something they know a lot about. With this, you dont even
need to use the internet or cell phones just to get what you want, and in a sense, it brings
us back to the old days of when we used to communicate various ideas ad such over this
means.
You might have been someone who wanted to get into ham radio, but you had no idea
what it was. Well, this book will assist you in this. This book is the ultimate beginners
guide to ham radio, what it is, and how to go from being someone who doesnt know a
thing about ham radio, to someone who can get on the air and communicate various ideas.
Its a neat system, and you can do so with the right equipment, and the right directions.
This book will go over all of this. I used to not have any idea of how to utilize ham radio
to speak of concepts. I was always interested in amateur radio, especially since I was
younger and during my high school days. This book will allow you to live those radio
dreams, and it will allow you to really get yourself out there to assist yourself into getting
this goal reached, and you can do so fast, and to a great degree. So what are you waiting
for? Its time to learn all about ham radio and what it is.

Chapter 1: What is Ham Radio

Now, for some of us, we might not have any idea what ham radio is. You probably looked
at this and thought you were utterly confused. But in essence, its pretty simple. This
chapter will give you a simple explanation about ham radio, some of the facets of ham
radio, and what you need to know about it.
Now, the first thing you will ask is what is ham radio. Ham radio is a hobby and even a
service that one can get into, where through the use of electronics and radio, youll be able
to speak to one another across the town youre in, the world, and in some cases even
beyond this planet and into space. Thats right, you can use this to talk to different people
and such that might not be on this planet, and its fascinating.
This isnt just a fun little hobby, however, although it can be. Amateur radio, or otherwise
known as ham radio, can be used as a service method when there is a disaster. Have you
ever seen those radio services where people will speak to survivors of a disaster, and
theyre using radios? Thats what ham radio is. Some of those rescue teams use it for
various reasons, and through this, you can help save lives along with communicating ideas
to others.
Now, with ham radio, its based on a spectrum of radio frequencies. Youre probably
familiar with the radio stations in the car. Well, those come about because of a particular
radio frequency. Amateur radio is based on these frequencies in a particular area. Now,
these various spectrums of frequencies are not used for commercial reasons. Instead, they
are used to send messages, can be used for a sort of wireless experiment, emergency
services, private recreation, and even contests and such. Now the term of amateur that is
used with this is typically used to mean someone who is interested in the use of the radio
for personal gains, to for a particular interest. Companies that are looking to promote dont
use ham radio in order to sell things.
Now, amateur radio service is established by a union, and through international
telecommunication regulations, and even national governments can use this to legislate
what goes through.
History
You might be wondering a bit about the history of ham radio. The origins of this type of
radio are traced as early as the 1800s however; the modern ham radio that you see today
began really within the early 1900s. Now, the first book to produce these various stations
was called The First Annual Official Wireless Blue book of the Wireless Association of
America. This resource provided the various ranges of wireless telegraph stations that
were present in the US and candida, and on this list of all the stations about 89 of them
were ham radio stations.
With most radio in general, amateur radio was considered an amateur set of usage and for
the most part, it was used solely by hobbyists who liked to do it. However, from the
amateur radio beginnings, this set of radio stations helped with many science and
engineering discoveries, industry growths, and even was used for social services. From

research, its been seen that the operators of this ham radio have begun new industries,
helped with building economies, gave power to some nations, and even used to save
numerous lives when the going got tough. Ham radio is also used to teach various skills
such as English, geography, and even map skills as well.
You might have heard of the term am radio, which is the name for amateur radio. This
term is used as a sort of mocking term at the onset of this. It meant something along the
basis of ham actor or something of that nature. It was used for many people as a sort of
slur or mean statement, but now, that word is more accepted as a moniker rather than
something bad. You might have heard of other groups that had similar methods that
seemed to mock, such as the know nothing party or the like. There are other
explanations as well, but this is typically the one that many associates with it.
Now, the cool thing with ham radio is that its evolved from being something that you
might do in times of need to being something you could do out in the field. You can use it,
in order, to contact and report on things, at a club where if youre an aspiring DJ you can
put some of your content out there or even at home if you feel like you can report on
something that does interest a person. In truth, the typical radio operator isnt just
someone that has a demographic to it, but rather, you see health practitioners, politicians
running for state government, movie stars, various missionaries, and even students using
this sort of radio. Anyone can use it, and its a great tool that can be used to reach out the
various people.
Many people do want to get into this, and in truth, some might think they can right away.
However, in order to start in the realm of Ham radio, you have to know a bit about radio
technology and the operation of it, and you have to pass an exam to start your operation in
these various amateur bands. The FCC does regulate what bands will be the ones where
ham radio can operate. Often, people will learn of this during the licensing, which is
something that well go over later.
Why Go Ham
You might wonder if its worth the investment. Well, lets just say that you can take this
anywhere. You ever been out in the middle of a mountain, or even nowhere in general, and
you dont get radio signal for the life of you or signal in general. We live in an era where
people are dependent upon their cell phones and Internet all the time. However, with a
ham radio, you can take it whoever you go, and its a good item to have. Its essential for
disasters, because often when different radio stations fail, this can be used to help with
emergency communication. You can use this to work with various public service outlets,
and it has been used for many great things. For example, during 9/11 these ham radios
were used to help get in touch with various agencies when the main command center was
destroyed. Ham radio was also used in various natural disasters, such as Hurricane
Katrina. As you can see, ham radio can even be life-saving for some people.
With ham radio, you can do more than that, though. You can communicate to other
various ham radios with a microphone, the interface, and radio or computer where you can
send various data, images, or even text. You can even talk to astronauts that are out in
space, which is pretty crazy, and you can use this to bounce off various signals from the

moon to the earth.

Some people like to use ham radio to help with electronics and learning about it. For
many hobbyists, its not just used for fun, but it can allow you to explore other
communication channels. There are even contests for this, which are called DX Contests,
and the object of this contest is to see how many people they can contact. Through this,
you can form friendships and even participate in some of the various clubs that there are.
In truth, ham radios are much more than just a radio, but its a way to bring
communication to everyone even without the use of Internet or phones.
Now, its also not super expensive to get into it. You probably think this sort of thing will
cost you upwards of a thousand dollars. Thats where youre wrong. You can get started
with this for less than 250 dollars in some locations. What you will need to pay for is the
test, which we will go over later, and then, you can find some of the equipment to use.
For some people, you can even get the equipment for under 200 if youre lucky. There are
many different ham radio markets that are out there, and you can learn to speak to some of
them about the equipment and allow you to speak to others.
Why the License
You probably think that its silly to have a license. After all, this is amateur radio, right?
Well, there is a good reason for the license. This was because the FCC used this service to
help find some of the experts to get together to help with backup during emergencies.
Many times, these radios were used solely for that, and at that moment, they also did
acknowledge the ability for those who do hobby even to get past the basic radio
endeavors. For some who get into amateur radio, they can even help with international
goodwill chances. In many cases, there are even lives that get saved by these people. In
truth, its something that isnt just a little thing, because it can be a difference between
people living and dying. Amateur radio isnt that serious, but at the same time, it is serious
enough to make sure that youre not just someone who is screwing around on a radio. You
need to know what it is and how to get your license and such before you do anything else,
which is why it is encouraged to get your license before it all.
Now that you know a bit about ham radio, what youll be getting into, and even some of
the facets on it, it is time to talk about the next step. Your next step is to get started with
Ham radio, and essentially, the next step in that is to get the license, which is what the next
chapter will discuss. However, in this one, you got a great overview of what ham radio is,
and the appeal of it. This might be the selling point and information that you need, and
from here, you can start on the next step in order to get your license and ham for success.

Chapter 2: how to Use a Ham Radio

Now, before we go into how to get the licenses, lets talk about how to use a ham radio
and how to talk to someone with a ham radio. For some, it can be scary at first because of
how large of a scale it is, but often, once you start to use it a few times it becomes simple.
You can use Morse code for this, or even voice communications, and data
communications. How do you do it through? Well, this chapter will go over the nuances
of it, and how to speak with someone via a ham radio.
The QSO
This is the first thing you will want to get familiar with it. You will learn in the ensuing
chapters about the licensing and the frequency of it, but the first thing to do is to turn it on.
You will want to find an open frequency. To do this, you should use the antenna tuner to
get it as close to 1:1 as possible. Once done, make sure that the frequency isnt being used
by someone once again. A good rule of thumb to remember is that just because you cant
hear the person, doesnt mean that they cant hear you. You should make sure that its not
being used to send a QRL, which asks if someone is using it. You can also use voice to
ask if the frequency is busy. You should never ask once because sometimes, a person
might not hear you. You should ask twice, wait a minute or so, see if there is a response.
If there is nothing, you can use it, but if there is a noise or something of nature, move onto
there.
Now, on your CW, you can make a call to whomever you want on the ham band of it
simply by using the letters CQ in one word. To talk to someone, you should send CQ, and
you should then see if there is another ham that will hear it and answer. You might hear
something at first very quickly, or you might hear nothing at all. You should try this for
about 4 or so minutes before you change it up.
Now, if youre using Morse code, you might wonder how in the world you can send it.
You should use the following method. Use CQ three times, then DE, and then use your
call sign twice, followed by the K. The K, in this case, will say its back to the other
person, or youre done with what you want to say, and it prompts whoever is listening and
then you can get a response back.
Now, the DE, in that case, means, this is for someone who is sending the CQ.
Essentially, this nicely translates to hey this is me, (insert name here) are you using
this? The call sign is the person who is pushing the message out, the one originating the
CQ. Now, with this, you do the same thing, which is asking twice. Thats because
sometimes, the person might not hear it exactly.
If youre going to use a phone with this, you will use phonetics so that people can tell the
difference. Some people might not hear it very well, and for some, it can be a problem.
However, there are some phonetics people will use. You have heard of kilo bravo one
whiskey Mike Romeo? it sounds like a bunch of gibberish, but it is used as phonetics for
this. If you use KB1WMR, that is the phonetics for this. If youre going to make a call
out, say it as follows: greet them, say CQ three times, then state the numbers, such as the
KB1WMR, and then use the phonetics. You can repeat that; say that youre calling about

20 meters away. Then, you say it once again. You should say this at a pretty normal speed.
Dont rattle it off because unless the person can respond that fast, it doesnt work.
However, too slow makes you sound boring, and often, people will leave if youre boring,
and you dont get the message out.
Answering
With this type of radio, you might be surprised when people answer. This is something
thats pretty normal, and for some people, they might freeze up when they determine what
theyre going to do. You ever heard of a brain fart? Thats essentially what happens when
someone gets a response for the first time. You might not know what to say, and you might
forget what to say. You should keep the template on hand to help you get through the call,
and so you dont give out the wrong response.
Now, for the template, this is something that is a normal response for some people. You
will typically have the call sign of KB1WMR all the time, and you will refer to the person
that youre speaking to with the letters of K1AUB. You should get a response with the call
in the following manner: K1AUC DE KB1WMS FB FER CALL BT UR RST 599 599 BT
NAME JOHN JOHN BT QTH NEAR CHICAGO, IL NEAR CHICAGO, IL BT HW
CPY? K1AUC DE KB1WMS K. Obviously there are other means to explain the words
you want to, and for some, it might take a bit to get used to it. You can then after the
person on the other end says what they need to say, you can respond with your information
about the radio you are using, the antenna that you have, the amount of power, your age,
and other such things. You can even ask the other person what the weather is like here.
For many people, it can be awkward during the first QSO, but in truth, it can be a great
thing for you to get into. Often, with many of the veterans who get a newbie for the first
time, they will be excited to hear what you have to say. The nice thing about many of
these operators is the fact that they understand if youre new to this sort of thing, which is
a great thing about the community.
Saying Goodbye
For many who start with this, they might freeze up when trying to say goodbye to
someone. You might not know how to say it to a person, and then youre stuck awkwardly
fiddling over the notes in order to figure out what to say. Prevent yourself from getting
into that situation, and this section will also give you a few things that you can use to say
goodbye to a person.
88- It means with love
GL-Good Luck
GD- good day
SK- it means signed off, which means this is the last thing you will be sending to them
CU- see ya
73- Goodbye
As you can see from but a few of these that it does make sense in a few cases what they

use, but often the numbers will throw people off, and for some people, that can be a bit
awkward.
Now, what if you just dont want to talk anymore, not because youre upset, but you dont
know what to do about the conversation. If it feels awkward to be talking with this person
or you, have to go somewhere, be polite about it. Say for example I have to go pick up
the kids or my wife just called me for dinner. And then you can go from there. Being
polite on the ham radio is a good skill to have, because often, people are polite there, and
it does go a long way.
When youre done with a conversation and want to say goodbye to someone over voice,
you might think that its easier just to say the full word. Often, however, time is of the
essence, and you might think you can say something, but often, sticking to the code is
what you have to do. If youre going to say bye to a person, typically just say 73. For a
few of the other words, like good day say the word in itself.
Now, once youre done, you can turn off the ham radio, and you probably will sit back and
think its all done. However, you might want to think twice about that. In truth, a good
thing to do is to start logging the contacts that you have, and you can even send a QSL
card to these people. This is something that you can normally send by mail, but it can also
be used through some of the sites. Its kind of a fun collectors item for some people,
because if will allow you to see just how far your connections have gone, and how far they
could go as well.
Sending the QSL Card
We just talked about the QSL card, and you probably wonder how you can do that. For
some people, they dont log their contacts, but its not advisable. If you think about it, you
are making contact with certain strangers, and for some people, it can certainly be a bit
different from what they might expect. But, if you send them a QSL card, its a courtesy
measure, and its a good way to see where your conversations have gone. Think about it,
would you really want to forget that time you spoke with NASA? Probably not.
Now, to do this, you first have to log your contact in two different ways, or you can do it
with both methods as well. There is the online contact form that you can fill out, or even
logging it into a small booklet as well. You can typically get a booklet to mark down your
connections from a ham radio store. I advise for this one if you want to hold onto and have
a tangible record of the amount of people that youve made contact with. However, if
there is a case where there is a disaster and the booklet goes missing, you will be out of
luck.
The online method can be done by looking for some of the logging websites, which you
can find via a simple Google search. This is another good way to really keep track,
because the database will allow you to have that information there. It also does save paper,
and in the event of a disaster, it can be something that can be essential as well. However,
remember that your personal information and conversations wont be as privatized
anymore, and if you dont want that out in the open, then I would suggest against it.
Now, once you finish logging, you can then get a QSL code and from there, you can send

it to the person that you made contact with. You will need a home address for this. Some
people might not be keen about giving out that information, but if you go to qrz.com,
youll be able to create an account with them, and then use the call sign to search it. If you
are doing it online, you can also fill out the information on the QSO, save it, and from
there, it will automatically send a QSL card to some people. You will have those memories
on hand, and you will be able to send a further contact with whomever the contact was
made. For some, the online does work better, especially if you are not the type of person
who likes to mail things. But the mailing option does create a sentimental feeling to it, so
it is advisable if you want to remember the conversations that you had.
For many of us, this can be quite the endeavor, but as you see from here, actually calling
someone with a ham radio isnt that hard to do. The rule of thumb to remember with this is
to make some more contacts, work on getting further and further out, and try at first for
short conversations and then go longer. Sometimes saying a few simple words at the onset
and maybe a tiny bit about your day or something can be good enough at the start, but a
friendly reminder should be had that you can always take these conversations further if
you want, and from there, you can develop new friendships.
You should always remember to keep track of every call sign you get. That call sign will
allow you to identify the person, and for some, it can make a major difference. Youll be
able to improve your ham radio capabilities really if you remember this, which is why its
advised that you do have that information nearby.
Now that you know how to operate one, lets fill in the holes with this, and you can do so
in the next chapter, which will talk about licensing, and how to accomplish that endeavor
for yourself, and your future in ham radio.

Chapter 3: How to get Your ham Radio License

Now that you know how to use it, its time to go over how to get the license. You might
believe that getting the license is a lot of work, but in reality, its not that bad.
You need the license in order to operate a ham radio legally. For some people, they might
say otherwise, but the truth is, its something that is needed. You can see from chapter 2
that there were a lot of various terms and such that people might not know much about,
and for some, trying to operate without that isnt going to cut it. That is why there are
various licenses that you can get, and its why it is encouraged and necessary to have this.
In general, each of the licenses is valid for ten years before you have to renew them.
Anyone may get one of these as long as theyre not a representative of a government that
isnt a part of the country. In the United States, there are three classes of licenses, and its
important to remember that these do mean something for those working actually to use
this system. These tests, however, arent something that is super hard. Remember, this is a
system that can be used for all ages, and even a child thats about 8-9 years old can take
this test and get their license. For many, that might be the stop on why they dont, but in
essence; it is easy.
To get started with this, there are various study materials that you can use, and often, you
just go for what works for you. You can use online resources, along with books, and you
should make sure that you get one based off the license that you want to get. These classes
will be listed below, with the specifications that are a part of it.
The Classes
The classes of licenses do determine which type of license works for you, and it will allow
you to determine which one that you want. As a rule of thumb, its best to go with the
basic and then move up from there, but further details on each of these will be below in
each of their won sections.
Technician: the technician license is the beginning license for anyone who is new to ham
radio stations, and it is the entry-level license that you can get. This is the test that even an
eight-year-old can pass, and in truth, its super easy. To get the license, you need to pass
simply one exam. This is an exam that has about 35 questions on it that go over the theory
of ham radio, the various regulations needed and basic operating practice. Now, with this
radio license, you will be able to go through all the radio frequencies as long as theyre
about 30 megahertz. This is a good start, and with this license, you will be able to
communicate with people locally, and at most all within a country, such as North America.
With this license, you will only have limit privileges to the short wave bands and in most
cases, international communications.
General license: This is the next step up from the beginner level license. This is a good
one for those who are looking to expand their horizons, and its a good way to progress if
youve been working with amateur radio for a long time. With this, this license will allow
you to have operating abilities on every single amateur radio bands and various operating
modes. Now, this does open the door to communications throughout the globe, which will

allow you to not only meet others, but also allow you to communicate in areas you might
not be able to communicate otherwise.
The general class is typically a similar one to the one a step down. It is a 35-question
exam, just like the other one. However, in order to even qualify for this type of license,
you will need to have passed the technician exam as well on a written level. If you want to
become serious about ham radio and the operations of it, this is your next step up, and its
something that everyone should do if they want to take this hobby seriously.
Amateur extra: now, this level of examination allows you to do everything with a ham
radio, and you will have all of the operating privileges that are available to any amateur
radio operator in your area. This license is the most difficult of them all, because it does
require you to pass an exam of 50 questions, and often, unless youre communicating to
people and taking this super seriously, people dont really try to use this. For this license
however, you will need to have passed all of the other examinations below this, and in
turn, youll be able to have all of the privileges that you want to have with amateur radio.
For many people, the first one to start off with is the technician license. This is really what
you should work with until youre versed in what youre doing. You have a lot of
privileges with this however; so dont think that its not something that you wont get a
use out of. With the right equipment, which will be discuses later, youll be able to talk to
people from very far away for very little wattage.
However, if you are looking to have more power or you want to have a stronger
communication with someone further away, its a good idea to get the extra and the
general licenses, especially if you are going to be using this sort of thing. However, if you
are just dabbling in it, the technician does work well for you. Its mostly needed if youre
speaking to people where the conditions are bad. For some who are looking to become a
ham radio operator in bad conditions, such as being an emergency service agent in times
of problem, its best if you do get a little bit more, because youll be able to speak to people
when the conditions are bad and you have the skip out.
The skip being out means basically the weather, but it is more than that. A radio is a bit
limited in this case. It doesnt mean when youre dealing with the conditions being good,
such as if the weather is sunny and the temperature is 70 degrees or something of the
nature. It means more of the atmospheric conditions being in, such as the pressure being
stabilized, without too much going on, and all of those sorts of things.
If you have the skip in, you will for sure be able to make contact with a person that is all
across the glove for less than 100 watts. 100 are quite a bit, and you might not realize it
until you start to speak with a person. However, if you want to speak pas the general limit,
if you really want to splurge on contact, then try for the other licenses and then go from
there. However, for the purpose of a beginner level, dont go past the beginning stages
before youre really familiar with this.
Now, when studying these materials, its best you choose what works for you. There are
some online programs which will allow you to get the materials that you need, and you
can even take practice exams to help you get your message to the other terminal straight

without too much of a problem. There are also books as well if youre a fan of using
printed materials. These materials can be found on amateur radio sites, or even amateur
radio retailers, but you can also get them off Amazon.
Once youre done practice and taking the online tests and have studied, you might wonder
what is next for you on your journey to your ham radio license. Well, its time for the real
thing. To figure out where to go, you should go to the ARRL website to see where the ham
radio exams are around you. Now, once you find the right place, you should send out an
email to the examiner before you go. These examiners sometimes do cancel or dont show
up without telling people, so its best if you do make sure that is all set up. You can
typically find the website or the email that you can use to email them within the AARL,
and you should do so the second that you find them.
Now, there is exam time. You will probably think that you just bring some pencils, a pen,
eraser, and other such, plus the exam fee. The nice thing about ham radio exams is that
theyre not super pricy, only about 20-40 dollars or so, but do make sure that you bring the
amount and know what it is before you go. However, you will need a photo ID for this sort
of thing. You can use your drivers license or a passport for this. However, if you dont
have that, you can bring your social security card with the number on it, your birth
certificate, a library card, and a utility bill to help you get registered for the exam.
With this exam, it is best to make sure that you do the similar things you used to do back
when you had to take standardized tests back in the day. For some, it might be years since
you last did that, but making sure that you sleep well, get rid of any and all distractions
that you could possibly have, and eating well and right before can help you improve your
concentration, and it will give you a chance to actually perform well on this exam. Making
sure that you keep up all of this will assist you.
The beauty of this exam is the fact that it isnt super long. Its simple really, so simple that
a kid could do it, but for many people, this can be quite the achievement. Youll need to
make sure that youre focused and ready to take an exam. Make sure that you make your
test environment the best one it can be. You might be alone in the testing space, or there
might be others around that can be taking the same test that you are. Just make it work for
you, actually have at it, make sure that everything is put together well, and from there,
youll be able to be the best ham radio operator that you can be.
Getting your license is a lot of fun, very different from what you think, and for some, it
can be quite the experience. However, this chapter highlighted just what it will take for
you, what you have to do in order to achieve this, and the simplicity of it all. When youre
ready, it is time to take the step, tea the exam, and from there, not only see how you do,
but also try to do better than what you thought you could do before.

Chapter 4: Buying the Right Equipment

Now that you know about amateur radio, its time to talk about equipment. Often, you can
go to a ham radio store, and they will get you what you want. However, this chapter is
going to break it down for you, tell you what you essentially need so that youre not
spending a ton of money on this.
Now, with the equipment for this, there is no magic ham radio kit like you believe.
There isnt one machine that will allow you to do everything, like you might assume. You
might know about what you need equipment-wise from some of the material that you
studied, but you might end up buying it all. However, there are a few items that you need
no matter what, and this is what you want to get. You shouldnt buy too many things
initially, because often, when youre making your QSO, you will end up overspending,
and sometimes you might get unnecessary items. There are a couple that are cheap, and
you can definitely get these fro not to bad price. In essence, avoid stores like RadioShack,
because they have a tendency to overprice even the cheapest of items and they are
typically not as good. Go to an official store, and you will be able to get it there.
Transceiver
A transceiver is a receiver and a transmitter combined. You might think that getting the
separate items might be best, but often, it costs so much more, and if youre not
experienced in this, it can be hard to delineate this. Typically, these transceivers can go
for as little as 100 dollars to as much as almost 10 grand. Obviously, you wont need that
expensive one unless youre really trying to get up there. You can usually buy a great one
quality-wise for about 200-600 dollars, but you can go a little bit less if youre trying to
save a bit of money. The good thing about this item is that its probably the most
expensive item that you will buy.
Most of the items that you will get after this will be way less than that, so it might be in
your best interest to splurge. Ideally, go for the Icom, Kenwood, or the Yaesu brands if
youre looking for a good one. However, there are many other ones as well.
In many cases, you might end up buying this stuff online, and if that I the case, you can
get this from the official Ham Radio outlet in order to get it all together. This can combine
the shipping, and sometimes you can get everything for a much cheaper price. Its
something to look into if youre not a fan of the pricing on these.
However, you can get a kit and build it. These are a bit harder especially if youre not
technologically and building savvy, and they only give out less than five watts, but they
are a good starter. However, if you are using a very high frequency, you might need to get
a transceiver that has all of the components that are listed above. You can get a very high
frequency repeater sometimes for about 70 bucks but mainly you should look into
worrying about this if youre going to build the kit. For the purpose of a beginner step, I
would suggest that you dont build it, but instead just go to your ham radio store or order
online to get everything
Power supply

This is obviously what you will need if youre going to power your transceiver. You can
get these typically for less than a hundred bucks, but there is a precaution that you need to
keep with this.
With the power supply, you should make sure that it is capable with the transceiver that
you have. If you have a power supply that puts out way too much voltage, your transceiver
will be overpowered and you could blow a fuse or damage your radio. If it doesnt have
enough power, it will be underpowered and it might not turn off. If you are wondering if a
power supply will work for your radio, dont just assume, but instead, go consult a ham.
Go to the ham outlet in your area, or even get on the online chat for many of these ham
radio sites. They will be able to help if you need advice.
Antenna
Now, this is another item that you can either spend a lot for a really good quality, or just
get one that I cheap that works and does the job. The antenna can be gotten for as little as
thirty dollars, but often, this can be based upon if youre going to be able to use it right or
not. For many of the beginner hams, it might be best to get a little bit more, because often,
some hams use it wrong and they dont get a signal. You can spend about 300 dollars if
you are working to get a really good signal.
For many, usually the cheap antenna goes a long way if you are looking for a good system.
You can get as far as countries like Germany and Argentina with that little one, which is
pretty far, especially if youre living in the states.
Now, when you look at ham radio antennaes, you might assume that youre looking at the
wrong thing. Thats because with an antenna, we think of those giant metal towers or that
long stick that is coming out of certain cars. Those care called vertical antennas, and
often, many choose that option, but there are many more such as dipoles and Yagis,
whichever you want. You should make sure that you get a good antenna that you can put
up to string against the side of your home. These typically work just as well as a vertical
antenna, and often, these can be a money saver.
One thing you should keep in mind though with the antenna is that your town might have
zoning laws that might need to be checked before you put it up. Some towns do have those
restrictions, so if you feel that you might need to consult before you choose, do so before
you put it up.
Antenna Tuner
Some people might wonder what this is, and they might look at it with wrought confusion.
This is a bit of a complicated item, but it is essential in terms of making sure that the
signal goes out. Now, you will need this tuner basically to sync up your transceiver to
your antenna, and you will notice that it might have a 2:1 ratio and so on. You need to fix
it to make sure that it is 1:1n when you are putting out a message with you ham radio.
Now, there are some things that can happen if you mismatch them, and it can actually
damage your equipment in a severe manner. Sometimes, if the different terminals are
mismatched, you will damage the receiver immensely, and in turn, it can blow a fuse. Its

important that you dont mess things up, and in turn, make sure you link these two
together before you continue.
Now, you can get two different types of tuners, and they are the auto tuner and the manual
tuner. They are typically not too expensive, and you will have to make sure that you get
the right one for you. You can get a manual one to start out with, because it is a lot easier
for you to turn it, which is good for those who arent experienced with ham radio. You
can do some research, and you can choose from there the best kind that will fit you and
allow you to get the results that you need.
A microphone or a Key
This is the communication terminal for those who are looking to ham radio. Now yes, you
can use a microphone to communicate to someone, or you can use a key to transmit the
code in order to communicate to others. Depending on what you use for a mode on this,
you might need to also include with this a key in order to send Morse code. If you havent
learned Morse code already and are going to be using that sort of keying for your
communications, learn it before you begin. You can also get the Morse code key as well to
help you push it.
For those that are going to use a voice, you should make sure that the microphone does
send SSB, which is the voice code. For some transceivers, you might get microphone
jacks, but sometimes they dont really have compatible microphones that work for this.
However, with most transceivers, you can get a microphone that works for it, so when
youre starting, it might be best to get that.
However, many of the Morse code keys dont come with that, and its best that you get the
one that best fits you. There are two types, the straight key and the bug key. For
inexperienced hams, you should make sure that you get the straight key, because it is a lot
simpler.
Many times the Morse code keys will have two jacks on them. If you have a key that you
want to make sure works with the type of transceiver that you have, you should make sure
that you check he capabilities of this before you grab it, and from there, you will be able to
make the right choice as to whether or not it fits.
With this though, do what you feel is right. If youre faster with Morse code, then go for
the key. If you feel you can get the message across way better if you speak, opt for the
microphone. Whichever one you want will help make your ability to send messages better,
and its an integral part.
Cables
With ham radio, there are different cables that you will see people getting, and typically
they go up to about 5 feet long and they will connect everything together. You need these,
because otherwise, it wont work. However, not just any cables will work for you. You
need to get the right ones that will fit the equipment. If you have no idea what will fit
what, you need to talk to a ham about this, or also speak to the retailer about the
information that you have and which ones to buy. In truth, there is usually one type that

you need to buy, but many people dont know about which ones will work best, so it is
imperative that they do know a bit more about this before they begin.
When you are setting this up, there is one thing that you must remember when youre
putting together your ham radio. You will probably not know much about this, and often,
it can be a deterring experience, along with a frustrating one, to try and figure all of this
out. Remember, you are basically being bombarded with new information, and often, it
can make you want to scream. What you have to learn is to not panic. It is scary, yes, but
you can learn about this. The best thing to do when you feel like you need to ask a
question is to consult the seller or retailer for advice if you can, or talk to a ham that you
know. If you dont know any, look for a local ham radio club or group. These people are
friendly, and they know a lot about ham radio, and this group of people can totally point
you in the right direction in order to help you become the best ham that you can be. In
truth, just like most other things its essentially way easier once you start to understand
everything. Another great thing about ham radio is that you dont have to know everything
that there is to know about ham radio. At the bottom of it all, what youve got to learn is
essentially, the basic skills.
Now that you know of the equipment, you can go out and purchase it, and you can get
advice in order to get yourself out there. You have all that you need to know about how to
get it to work, so your next step is the next one, and it is to get yourself on the air, to get
yourself out there, and to use your ham radio to the best of your abilities.

Chapter 5: Getting on the air

Now that you know about how a ham radio works, and how it can function, its time to
talk about getting on the air. In this case, its time to talk about the contests and how to
make contact in areas other than your home, and how you can use your ham radio not only
to be successful with your own personal contacts, but also how to connect with the world.
This chapter will go further into the ham radio contests as well, and how you can get
started with one.
Operating Outside the US
Now, if you do want to sometimes use your radio in other countries, you might think that
its just as simple as setting it up and going from there. Its not the case, because you will
need to have a couple of permits for this. You can get a CEPT license, an IARP, or a
reciprocal permit from a country that doesnt use this method. You can get in touch with
the local ham radio board in order to get the instructions that you need and the licensing
that you will need to operate in the country youre in.
Some countries have other various rules and laws that the states might to have. If that is
the case, you will need to make sure that you follow the rules of the country that youre
operating your radio in. if you are going to operate under the first two types, you will need
to have a license from the country youre a citizen in.
The only exception to this is Canada, and the reason for that is because they have the
automatic reciprocal agreement. In order to operate a ham radio in Canada, you should
keep proof of your US citizenship and a valid license. Identification for amateurs in these
countries can be seen in a different way in comparison to Canada because of the prefix
that they use. However, in all other countries, you will see the prefix in a different way
before the call sign. Just watch for that when youre operating a ham radio, and youll
know whom youre talking to.
Chasing DX
Perhaps youre not the type of person that doesnt want to leave the country youre in, but
is looking to expand your ham radio opportunities. There is something called DX-ing,
which is short for distance, and it can be used in contests and the like to make contact with
others. However there are a few tips that you should use if youre going to try chasing a
DX and you make contact with a DX station when youre on your ham radio adventures.
The first is to not call a DX unless you hear the signal. Otherwise, youll be following a
trail that wont go anywhere, and its often not worth it. However, if you see an X station
acknowledging a call, dont call until the contact is done. If you hear the QRZ or
something of the like, try to call again and then try once more. Its common courtesy and it
wont jam the signal up.
Now, when you do call, you should put out the call sign, not the call that the DX station
has. When a DX tries to sort it out and is trying to identify it, he might send out a couple
of letters W4 and AGN. This means that hes got the first one, but he cant make out
the call sign. If youre not the station they are looking for, dont call.

If you are going to use SSB contact, its a good time to use speech compression on the
transceiver to help make sure that the speech is processed well.
When you make contact, only send the information the operator needs, typically with the
location and the signal report of the place.
Chasing DX is very important with contests, which will be described next and in detail.
Contests
Now, if youre looking to really participate in the ham radio community, try going for a
ham radio contest. This I a great way to test your skills and equipment and to see just how
far you can get it to go. You get a certain period of time in order to do this, and you should
know a bit about what its like.
Now there are a few rules to follow, and they are listed below as follows, and you can
learn them to participate in it.
- You only use certain bands, typically determined by the contest.
- The contest will take place during a certain time and date period. Sometimes you might
also have to have off times where nobody can be on the air at that point
- You must exchange information during your contact. You should send and receive a
various serial number, the location of the call, and the name or age of the person.
- In this, you will only be allowed to use certain operating configurations. You will have
to determine which class you want to be in, such as maybe being a single operator that is
putting out low power.
Now, there are a few contests out there that you might have heard about. There is the
ARRL sweepstakes, which is one of the largest out there and this pulls in many different
hams onto these various signals, and sometimes, for some people, it can really stop the
signal with their equipment.
Now, with these contests they do take place in the HF bands, with only a few exceptions
from 60, 17, 30, and 12. These bands are typically kept off anyways because these are
what many use, however, some of the sponsors will keep these competitors off those
bands and will limit those who are doing this for fun from the competition as well. You
can even go a bit higher with VHF, UHF, and event e microwave bands if you are feeling
like really wanting a challenge.
To find out about these contests, you can look at the QST magazine that comes out each
month. Typically, they have a corral of every single contest that is out there. The AARL
also does have a newsletter that talks about some of the contests that are out there, and
there is even a journal that can be used to find out about contests as well.
Now, with contests, the FCC wont require hams to keep the station logs recorded with the
contact. However, with this, the sponsors of the contest need it. If you dont log a contest
entry, you wont be able to consider it as part of the score during the final total. Youll be
able to hold onto your contest log and put it down on paper or on a site, and at the end of it
you can submit it. Some might do it electronically, but most people do it by paper and

pen. You can use the computer logging in order to determine the time elapsed, time left,
your score, and many other facets. The future of ham radio will be looking more into
using that to log.
You can also use the computer to help with duplicate contacts. With a ham radio contest,
youll only be allowed to contact one station once on the given band, so dont try to
sandbag multiple times on one station, because it wont work.
If you are serious about these contests, and you feel like you would be willing to actually
use this, there is computer software that you can get which will tell you of any duplicates
that you might have on the sheet and youll be able to look at it before you start to contact.
You can check it beforehand to prevent time wasting. If you hear someone calling, you
can put the number of their call sign into the log, and the software will look to check to
make sure that the contact is legal under the rules of the contest. If you see a duplicate
when you work with the station, the computer will tell you immediately about it.
Contest software allows you to put your log together once the contest is over. The
sponsors will put out the email addresses so you can put your log in there, along with a
description of the station and the classification of the entry as well. With this, you will be
able to make this easier. Some people like to do it by hand because of the fact that it is a
bit easier and what they are used to, but in truth, if youre going into any major ham radio
contest, it is best to just keep the logs digitally instead of on some piece of paper.
For ham radio, the contests will allow you to speak with others, and it will give you that
chance to really expand your horizons. If youre looking to get better with ham radio, this
chapter showed you a thing or two about what it would mean to enter the contests, and
from there, you can work to improve your communications, and you can use your ham
radio to connect and improve your interactions with others in many different ways.

Conclusion
Thank you again for taking the time to check out this book!
I hope you learned a lot about ham radio and what exactly it is. Yes, it can be a bit
complicated for some, but in truth, ham radio is a great hobby for many people, and often,
it is something that many people will learn to enjoy.
With that being said, it is time for you to partake in the next step that you feel is right.
Your next step should be to get the materials and the testing done in order to operate a ham
radio. Look to your local ham radio club if you would like some more information, and
once you start to look at that sort of thing, youll learn that there is a lot that ham radio has
to offer. There are many different things you can do with ham radio, and the expanse of
this is almost limitless. If youve been wanting to look for a way to not only communicate
with the world in a different fashion, but also to really understand just what it takes to
operate a ham radio, you can do so now, and soon, your life will never be the same again.

Book Description:
Do you want to learn how to use ham radio?
Ham radio is an interactive and fun radio signaling system, and for many people, it can be
quite an engaging experience. But some might see it as complicated, hard, the like. Well, it
doesnt have to be. This book will tell you all about how to become the best ham radio
operator you can be.
In this book youll learn:
- Exactly what ham radio is
- How to operate a ham radio
- Tips to get into ham radio contests
- How to get your ham radio license
- The right equipment for ham radio
By the end of this, you will have beginner knowledge on what ham radio is, what it means
for you, and it will allow you to explore the options you have. Ham radio has quite the
power, and once you learn about it, youll know the full extent of how to use it.