About Amateur Radio or What is Ham Radio?
In a world full of cell phones, video games, the Internet and lots of other distractions,
amateur radio remains relevant and grows in popularity!! The number of licensed amateur
radio operators in the United States and worldwide has been steadily increasing over the
past few years. LIkewise, membership in the Forsyth Amateur Radio Club (FARC) continues
to grow steadily with new club members ranging in age from six years to much older!!
With amateur radio or ham radio as it is often called, you can communicate from the top
of a mountain, your home, a boat in the middle of the ocean, from your car or truck or
any other location. You can take amateur radio with you wherever you go. Amateur radio
is fun, exciting and educational. But during times when normal communications fail,
amateur radio operators can swing into action assisting with emergency communications
efforts, working with public agencies and helping families get in touch with families
across the country or around the world. Amateur radio came to the rescue in the days
after Hurricane Katrina produced major damage in New Orleans, crippling the communication
infrastructure there. There are instances every year where amateur radio has proven its
reliability and has gotten the word through.
With amateur radio, you can talk with other hams using a small handheld or much larger radio,
via a telegraph key using Morse code or by interfacing a radio with your computer to
send text messages, data or images! Even more exciting, you can talk with astronauts
aboard the International Space Station, talk with other hams via an amateur radio
satellite in space or even communicate by bouncing signals off the moon and back!!!
Amateur Radio continues to provide a fun, challenging and rewarding communications experience
including:
Regional mobile two-way communications: The Forsyth Amateur Radio Club has
three well situated VHF and UHF FM Repeaters that can be accessed via small hand held radios,
from your car or from home.
Worldwide Shortwave Communications via the HF Bands: Talking with other
hams in the United States, North American or even in other countries around the world
is exciting and fun. Talking with hams in other countries is called DX communications.
DX communications readily demonstrate that amateur radio operators in each country are
goodwill ambassadors with each other. Being a goodwill ambassador is one of the key
purposes of amateur radio in the United States. Local HF or DX contacts takes just a
radio and antenna, either simple or complex!!
Digital Communications: Personal computers with sound-cards interfaced
with amateur radios have revolutionized methods for sending digital data, messages or
pictures over the amateur radio bands. There are many amateur radio computer applications
that can be used for digital communications.
Morse Code or CW (Continuous Wave): Morse Code is no longer a requirement
for getting an amateur radio license. The FCC made this change in February 2007. However,
many amateur radio operators continue to use Morse code as those signals can often get thru
to far away stations or under adverse atmospheric conditions when other forms of communications
fail. Although no longer required to be learned, many hams feel that this has made using Morse
code a special voluntary and skillful art-form.
Confidence: Being an amateur radio operator means you have a special
communications option to help yourself and others in times of need. In the very rare
chance that normal communications infrastructure fails, you have a very special trick
up your sleeve. This gives amateur radio operators additional peace of mind.
Public Service: Often amateur radio operators get requests to help
provide communications for local or special events. This is normally handled by
Amateur Radio Emergency Services or ARES. Locally, there are areas where cell phone
signals simply do not get through for public service events, but amateur radio
communications work well. Each September, amateur radio operators in the Forsyth Amateur
Radio Club help with the Tour to Tanglewood fund raiser for MS, providing quick and
effective communication support for a two day biking event. Communication needs can
often be met with other means, but the unique qualities of ham radio equipment and
operating techniques are helpful and essential.
Contesting: Amateur radio contesting can be a lot of fun. Contesting
involves participating in an organized on the air event where each amateur radio operator
makes contact with as many others as possible. You can participate in a contest from the
comfort of your home, the Forsyth Amateur Radio Club shack, a remote area or “roving” in
your car. Contesting can combine antenna construction, science, endurance but primarily
fun with everyday skills into the focused goal of making as many contacts as possible
and attaining the highest possible score. As a club, FARC participates in two contests
annually, sometimes more. The two contests are the North Caroina QSO Party and the
ARRL Field Day. Additionally, many members participate individually in many other
contests. The competitive spirit in contesting provides hours of challenging fun for
many operators and FARC members are very active.
Don’t have a license yet?
Many times, there are local classes to help you prepare for the written FCC exam for
the Technician License which is the first level license. FARC also has VEC sessions
before each month's club meeting where you can take the FCC exam to get the
Technician license or to upgrade an existing license.
For information on FARC VEC sessions: Click HERE!
Self study is also a practical approach using study manuals available from the ARRL and
elsewhere. Visit the ARRL by clicking the ARRL tab on the other links tabs on the left.
Become a member:
If you are interested in joining our merry band of amateur radio operators please visit any of
our meetings as our guest anytime. We have our regular meetings the second Monday evening every
month. Below is the link to a club membership form. You can print this out and bring with you
to a meeting.
For information on FARC meetings: Click HERE!
For information on FARC membership: Click HERE!