Ham Radio

Ham radio, or amateur radio, is a hobby in which participants, somtimes called "hams," use various types of radio technologies to communicate with other amateur operators as a means of recreation or public service.

Fast Facts

1. Origin: U.S. and England
2. Became popular in the 1920s
3. Materials required: Transceiver, power output and license
4. Uses: Recreation, self-training and emergency and disaster communication
5. 625,000 amateur radio operators in the U.S.

Getting Started

The American Radio Relay League helps those new to ham radio get started by offering licensing study materials and exams.

• American Radio Relay League
• 225 Main Street
• Newington, CT 06111
• 1.800.32.NEW.HAM
• http://www.arrl.org/

History

While its origins can be traced back to the late 1800s and the birth of radio in general, ham radio as it is known today gained broad popularity in the 1920s. The first International Radiotelegraph Conference was held in 1927. At the conference, international radio bands and callsign prefixes were established by treaty.

Callsigns

When a ham operator receives a license from the FCC, the government issues him or her a unique callsign. The callsign is the operator's legal identification and is used during all radio communications.

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