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After getting your Ham Radio license, there is so much to the hobby; where do you start?
Most often, a new ham will want to get on the "2 Meter Band". This primarly means getting and using a VHF (Very High Frequency) FM radio, either hand-held or mobile, and operating on the Amateur band that goes from 144.0 Mhz to 148.0 Mhz (Megahertz; a unit of freqency). This band and mode is often considered our "intercom" band; most contacts are local (100 miles or less) and may utilize "repeater" stations; these are automatic repeating facilities on hilltops or tall buildings that extend the range of the handheld and mobile users' rigs (radios). Repeaters are owned and operated by hams or by ham clubs; dues are free or quite reasonable to join and use these great resources.
A new ham may also be influenced in the direction they follow in the hobby by their "Elmer"; an "Elmer" is a more-experienced ham (notice I did not say "older"!) that shows the newbie the way and helps him or her get their license and may be involved in helping set up the first ham radio station and get it operating. Believe me, it's much easier when you have help! Anyway, new hams tend to get involved in whatever facets of the hobby that Elmer is, then branch out from there into unique interests. In my case, my "Elmer" was a "40 meter CW man"; this means he preferred to operate the 40 meter or 7.0 to 7.3 Mhz shortwave ham band, using morse code. Then, after I got my first license in 1975, that's where I tended to hang out! It was great fun.
Your "Elmer" may be interested in bouncing signals off the Moon (really!), or satellite communications (we have our own satellites, believe it or not), or DXing (talking long distances, either on the HF or VHF/UHF bands), or traffic nets where we send and receive messages from other parties. We may also get involved with emergency communications, Amateur Television (ATV or Slow Scan), or digital communications on HF or VHF. I could go on and on; needless to say, there is no reason one could get bored with ham radio, unless one has a limited imagination... hi!
Vy 73,
Bill K0ZL
Most often, a new ham will want to get on the "2 Meter Band". This primarly means getting and using a VHF (Very High Frequency) FM radio, either hand-held or mobile, and operating on the Amateur band that goes from 144.0 Mhz to 148.0 Mhz (Megahertz; a unit of freqency). This band and mode is often considered our "intercom" band; most contacts are local (100 miles or less) and may utilize "repeater" stations; these are automatic repeating facilities on hilltops or tall buildings that extend the range of the handheld and mobile users' rigs (radios). Repeaters are owned and operated by hams or by ham clubs; dues are free or quite reasonable to join and use these great resources.
A new ham may also be influenced in the direction they follow in the hobby by their "Elmer"; an "Elmer" is a more-experienced ham (notice I did not say "older"!) that shows the newbie the way and helps him or her get their license and may be involved in helping set up the first ham radio station and get it operating. Believe me, it's much easier when you have help! Anyway, new hams tend to get involved in whatever facets of the hobby that Elmer is, then branch out from there into unique interests. In my case, my "Elmer" was a "40 meter CW man"; this means he preferred to operate the 40 meter or 7.0 to 7.3 Mhz shortwave ham band, using morse code. Then, after I got my first license in 1975, that's where I tended to hang out! It was great fun.
Your "Elmer" may be interested in bouncing signals off the Moon (really!), or satellite communications (we have our own satellites, believe it or not), or DXing (talking long distances, either on the HF or VHF/UHF bands), or traffic nets where we send and receive messages from other parties. We may also get involved with emergency communications, Amateur Television (ATV or Slow Scan), or digital communications on HF or VHF. I could go on and on; needless to say, there is no reason one could get bored with ham radio, unless one has a limited imagination... hi!
Vy 73,
Bill K0ZL
Guide created: 05/23/07 (updated 05/07/08)
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