Amateur radio is a popular technical hobby and volunteer public service that uses designated radio frequencies for non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communications.

What type of people become amateur radio operators?

People of all sorts become amateur radio operators. Old and young. Some like the technical challenge of the hobby, others just like to chat with people around the world and still others like the preparedness aspect of the hobby and enjoy providing a public service during disasters or grid down situations.

What can I do with amateur radio?

Amateur radio enables you to do many things. A few of the things you can do are:

• Radio amateurs are always learning new things. Quite often, these skills not only help them become better radio amateurs, but teach them about other areas of science. Satellite communications is one of these skills.
• Talk to people in foreign countries. DX’ing (Long Distance) is a favorite of many hams!
• Talk to people (both local and far away) on your drive to work
• QRP – Communicating with as little power as possible
• Explore a digital communication mode
• Get out and operate portable
• Help in emergencies and natural disasters by providing communications.
• Provide communications in parades or walkathons and other public service events.
• Help other people become hams. (We call it “Elmering.”)
• Hook your computer to your radio and communicate “computer-to-computer.” Hams use radio modems.
• Collect QSL cards (cards from other hams) from all over the United States and foreign countries and receive awards.
• Participate in contests or Field Day events.
• Provide radio communication services to your local Civil Defense organization through ARES (the Amateur Radio Emergency Service) or RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) …or even FEMA, (the Federal Emergency Management Agency.)
• Aid members of themilitary by joining the CFARS (Canadian Forces Affiliate Radio System). See our Links section
• Participate in transmitter hunt games and maybe build your own direction-finding equipment.
• Have someone to talk to on those sleepless nights at home.
• Receive weather pictures via satellites.
• Build radios, antennas, learn some electronics and radio theory.
• Talk to astronauts in space, or use the moon to bounce signals back to people on the Earth.
• Experiment with Amateur TV (ATV), Slow-Scan TV (SSTV), or send still-frame pictures by facsimile.
• Lash your ham radio to the public telephone system and call your friends toll free. (Auto patching)
• Communicate through orbiting satellites. (There are many in ham satellites in orbit that are owned and operated by the amateur community! And you can use them without any cost whatsoever!)

…and this is only the beginning! You are limited only by your imagination and ingenuity.

Why is a license required?

Amateur radio is the only hobby governed by international treaty. It is needs be this way because radio waves do not stop at borders. There is also the necessity to ensure that hobbyists know what they are doing so that when they operate their station, they can do so in a way that does not cause interference and keeps the frequencies open for all users