Introduction to Amateur Radio

1. Introduction to Amateur Radio The Entry-Level Technician License

2. Introduction to Amateur Radio Rest Rooms

4. Amateur Radio Licenses In order of privileges • Technician • General • Amateur Extra

5. Entry Level License • Technician • Written Exam (Element 2) • There is no Morse Code requirement • Provides all operating privileges above 50 MHz, including the popular 2-meter band; all modes including exotic data and satellite modes

6. Why Amateur Radio? How the FCC Defines the Amateur Radio Service

7. Sec. 97.1 Basis and purpose The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles: (a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary non-commercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. (b) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

8. (c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art. (d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians and electronics experts. (e) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s unique ability to enhance international goodwill.

9. T1A03 What is the definition of an amateur station? A. A station in a public radio service used for telecommunications B. A station using radio communications for for a commercial purpose C. A station using equipment for training new broadcast operators and technicians D. A station in the Amateur Radio service used for radio communications.

10. Rules Can’t we all just get along?

11. Courtesy and Common Sense With only a few exceptions that may seem silly, the rules are basically common sense • No music (except from NASA) • No payment, unless you are teaching in a school • No profanity or obscenity, no exceptions! • In a life or property threatening emergency, just about anything goes.

12. Control Operator Control Operator: An amateur operator designated by the licensee of a station to be responsible for the transmissions from that station to assure compliance with the FCC rules. • Generally, that means YOU • You can allow another licensed amateur to use your station equipment and call sign

13. Third Party Communications Third Party Communications: A message from the control operator (1st party) of an amateur station to another amateur station control operator (2nd party) on behalf of another person (3rd party) • Be sure there is a 3rd party agreement between the US and the other station’s country before handling 3rd party traffic.

14. Station Identification • FCC rules require amateur stations to identify every 10 minutes and at the end of transmissions • Do not make unidentified transmissions, (with some exceptions, like for Radio Controlled toys.) Note: More about station identification will be covered under “Operating Procedures”

15. About Your Call sign • Amateur call signs in the US begin with the letters A, K, N or W • Each call sign contains a one-digit number, zero through nine (0 – 9) • The arrangement of letters indicates license class, with shorter calls going to higher license classes • Licenses are good for 10 years • There is a 2 year grace period for renewal

16. Technician class - Band Privileges • All amateur bands 50 MHz and above • All available modes • No power restrictions • SOME PRIVILEGES ON FREQUENCIES BELOW 50 MHz!

17. The Relationship of Frequency and Wavelength The distance a radio wave travels in one cycle is called wavelength. V+ One Cycle 0V time V- One Wavelength

18. Wavelength Formula To convert from frequency to wavelength: Wavelength and Frequency are Inversely Proportional. As one goes up, the other must go down. 300 freq (MHz) Wavelength =

19. On what amateur bands will you find these frequencies? 3.975 MHz _______ meter band 21.25 MHz _______ meter band 145.21 MHz _______ meter band 7,233 kHz _______ meter band 28.350 MHz _______ meter band 80/75 15 2 40 10

20. T1F08 What amount of transmitter power must amateur stations use at all times? A. 25 watts PEP output B. 250 watts PEP output C. 1500 watts PEP output D. The minimum legal power necessary to communicate.

21. Operating Procedures Work the neighborhood on the repeater. Work the world on HF.

22. Repeaters • Repeater: An amateur station that simultaneously retransmits the transmission of another amateur station on a different channel or channels • Why? A powerful repeater transmitter located at altitude greatly increases the effective range of weaker hand held and mobile radios.

23. Repeaters In order to use a repeater, you must first know the repeater’s transmit frequency and offset. The offset is the difference in the repeater’s transmit and receive frequencies. Most modern radios will calculate the offset for you.

24. A Repeater in Action Output Freq 145.21 MHz Input Freq 144.61 MHz Offset - 600 kHz 60 miles

25. Repeaters • Squelch: A squelch circuit keeps the radio speaker turned off until sufficient RF energy is present at the receiver. This keeps the radio quiet until a signal is received. In a repeater, the squelch also turns on the transmitter. • In some areas, there is such a level of RF noise the squelch circuit is constantly opening the audio. What do we do?

26. Repeaters • PL Tones: Developed by Motorola, Privacy Lock (PL) tones, or Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) tones are sub-audible tones sent by your radio to the repeater along with your regular transmission. • On a PL equipped repeater, there must be enough signal strength to open the squelch, the PL tone must be present and on the correct frequency, before the repeater will retransmit a signal.

27. Repeaters • At the end of each transmission through a repeater, you will hear a “roger beep” or “courtesy tone” (a short beep, or series of beeps). • Do not begin your transmission until after you hear the courtesy beep. • Do not confuse the roger beep with the PL tone.

28. Repeater Operations • Listen! If nobody is there, then the repeater is not in use. Give your call sign once. • If the repeater is busy, wait for a break and give your call sign ONCE. • DO NOT “KER-CHUNK” THE REPEATER • Observe rotation, if there is one. • When calling another station, always give the other station’s call sign first, then yours. • ID every 10 minutes and at the end of the conversation (QSO), you need not ID after every exchange.

29. Autopatch Amateurs can use the repeater’s “autopatch” to connect to the public telephone network via radio.

30. Autopatch • You can make phone calls from your radio • All repeaters are required to have a 3 minute transmit time-out feature. This applies to the autopatch as well. • Do not abuse the autopatch. • Use judgment calling 911. • Use of autopatch may be subject to payment of dues to the repeater owner or club.

31. The World of High Frequency (HF) These are the traditional world wide bands people usually associate with ham radio.

32. HF/Single Sideband (SSB) Operations • When trying to find a clear frequency, LISTEN FIRST, then ask, “Is this frequency in use? <call sign>.” • If the frequency is clear, then call “CQ” 3 x 3 - Call CQ three times followed by your call sign phonetically three times, listen, repeat. • When calling another station, always give the other station’s call sign first, then yours. • ID every 10 minutes and at the end of the QSO, you need not ID after every exchange. • Give stations you contact honest signal reports.

33. The RST Reporting System The RST system is a quick way amateurs use to describe a received signal. Readability 1 = Poor 5 = Good Signal Strength 1 = Poor 9 = Good Tone (CW only) 1 = Poor 9 = Good Note: Do not use the RST system on repeaters.

34. Q-signals Q-signals are a kind of “short-hand” hams use to communicate quickly, especially via Morse Code. Most Q-signals can be used as a question or a statement: “My QTH is Georgia.” “What is your QTH?”

35. Q-Signals The use of Q-signals began in the days of the telegraph, where operators developed a way to exchange commonly transmitted information (location, output power, etc.) more efficiently. Some common Q-signals are on the next slide…

36. Q-Signals QRM - Is my transmission being interfered with?/Something is causing interference QRN - Are you troubled by static/noise?/I am troubled by static/noise. QRO - Shall I increase transmitter power?/I am running high power. QRP - Shall I decrease transmitter power?/I am running low power. QRQ - Shall I send faster?/Please send faster. QRS - Shall I send slower?/Please send slower QRT - Shall I stop sending?/I am going off the air. QRZ - Who is calling me? QSB - Are my signals fading?/Your signal is fading. QSL - Can you acknowledge receipt?/I received the message. QSO - Can you communicate with ____ direct?/I will communicate with ________ directly. QSY - Shall I change frequency?/I am changing frequency to _______. QTH - What is your location?/My location is _______.

37. QSL Cards A QSL card is a written confirmation of contact between two amateur radio stations.

38. ITU Phonetic Alphabet

39. ITU Phonetic Alphabet • Used for accurate copy when band conditions are noisy or crowded. • Always use the proper words, they were carefully selected so no two sound alike. • Avoid being cute. • Generally not needed on repeaters.

40. Some No-No’s • Don’t use CB slang or 10-codes. • Don’t interrupt conversations (QSO’s) in progress. • Don’t tune up on the air, use a dummy load. • Avoid subject matter that could be offensive. • Don’t forget your manners – be polite. • Don’t whine and complain. • Don’t forget that the whole world can hear you!

41. T1G01 What is an amateur space station? A. An amateur station operating on an unused frequency. B. An amateur station awaiting its new call letters from the FCC. C. An amateur station located more than 50 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. D. An amateur station that communicated with space shuttles.

42. T1H02 What do the FCC rules suggest you use as an aid for correct station identification when using phone? A. A speech compressor B. Q signals C. A phonetic alphabet D. Unique words of your choice

43. T1G11 What is a transmission called that disturbs other communications? A. Interrupted CW B. Harmful Interference C. Transponder signals D. Unidentified transmissions

44. Propagation How radio waves get there… and back.

45. HF Propagation • It is the unpredictable nature of HF propagation that makes the HF bands so much fun. • Long distance communication (DX) is accomplished by the reflection of radio waves by the ionosphere, the upper layers of the atmosphere ionized by ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

46. Ionospheric Protection The ionosphere and magnetosphere protect us from harmful radiation from the sun.

47. The Ionosphere F2 Layer (Reflecting) F1 Layer (Reflecting) E Layer (Reflecting) D Layer (Absorbing)

48. Layers of the Ionosphere • D Layer, Absorbing, Disappears at night • E Layer, Reflecting, Disappears at night • F1 and F2 Layers, Reflecting, combine into a single F layer at night. • The reflective layers are responsible for sky wave propagation.

49. The Ionosphere

50. Line of Sight Propagation Worldwide communications by line of sight is not possible due to the curvature of the Earth