Ham Radio - Amateur Radio
Looking for a great hobby ??
 

Moms and Dads,  Amateur Radio is a great technology based hobby for all ages, including yourself and young people (junior high age and up). It's a great Hobby to meet new people that enjoy a wide range of Radio and Electronic disciplines . 
Ham Radio offers so many different areas to explore it's impossible to list, let alone explain all possibilities on one page. Amateur radio is the premier high-tech hobby. It's enjoyed by people from all walks of life from around the world.

The rules for becoming an amateur (ham) radio operator vary from country to country around the world. We're going to tell you a little about the hobby and how you can obtain the necessary license in the United States.

As the author of this page, I have been a Ham for 53+ years, and many times when telling someone about my hobby they immediately  say " Oh I know,  your a CBer"
and I say , nothing could be farther from the truth.  absolutely  nothing !!
                                  let me clear the air on this misconception.
Do not confuse Amateur Radio with the unregulated CB radio service which is crude, rude, unregulated & basically "out of control". CB is not a good place for kids to hangout, just listening to CB will introduce your children to lots of new 4 letter words, and a "bottom feeder' mentality .

Once again , there is no similarity  between Amateur Radio and CB and/or the Family Radio Service.  CB & FRS  are a totally unregulated and have nothing to do with Amateur Radio. 
No license or brains are required for CB, just a dirty mouth !

Now that we know the difference lets continue with Amateur Radio .

Amateur Radio is a Licensed radio service. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, issues amateur radio licenses in the United States. You don't need to learn Morse Code anymore. It's never been easier to get a FCC Amateur Radio License.  
To get Licensed you must take a test, its not hard, but you need to study and learn some rules, safety, and operating practices and a few other things.
Once you pass your test you will be assigned a unique set of CALL LETTERS,.

Amateur radio operators must be licensed because they are given transmitting privileges on a wide variety of frequencies and are allow to use just about any equipment imaginable, even home built radios.
Amateurs are allotted not single specific frequencies but usually whole ranges (bands) of different frequencies to operate on. These frequencies and methods of transmission are are specified by FCC rules and so it is therefore necessary to be generally familiar with your operating limitations in order to transmit lawfully.

In order to qualify for an amateur radio license, you must pass certain tests to determine that you have the required knowledge. Fortunately, the tests are not terribly difficult for most people. There are three license levels (known as classes) where each class grants greater privileges to the individual. There is a single written test for each license class. The license classes are:

• Technician Class - this is the entry level license. It gives privileges on all amateur frequencies above 50 Mhz , mostly for local conversations.
• General Class  & Extra Class - these classes  include privileges on amateur frequencies that includes global HF (shortwave) communications. world wide communications.

Who are hams and what do they do?

Heres a link to a 33 minute video that explains Amateur Radio,  and a lot of other radio
uses,  Some ""fluff""  but a good video   LINK , you've only got to watch the first 25 minutes

Hams share a fascination with communications, electronics, & new technologies. They're from all walks of life, from nearly every nation. They communicate by voice, data (computers), Morse Code and other exciting ways. They build electronic circuits. They compete via "on the air" contests. Plus,  You never know who you'll contact -- maybe a nurse in France, a neighbor across town, an orbiting astronaut or a factory worker in China. A Rock Star in California ?? 

I've heard ham radio's expensive...

No doubt some hams spend a lot of their budget on radios. But many ham's  "work the world" with a homemade wire antenna and an inexpensive transceiver. Many people start out with simple gear, and move on to more sophisticated equipment later.

How Do I Get Started?

Getting started in Amateur Radio has never been easier. First, contact a PARC Board of Director member. They can answer your questions. help find a personal tutor, in ham circles called a ELMER. 
You are invited to attend our radio club meeting. Get on the PARC  Email list,  to receive occasional  PARC emails about local Ham events and meetings, 
email jcwilson((at))ida.net  indicate you want on the PARC email list.

The American Radio Relay League, or ARRL, publishes popular ham radio license study guides to help you learn the things you'll need to pass your exam and have fun with Amateur Radio.

The Amateur Radio license examinations are administered by ham radio volunteers. When you're ready to take your exam, you'll need to locate an exam session near you.

Okay, you've got my interest  — what do I do next?

If you live in SE Idaho, its easy as CLICKING HERE , 
your on the way to an exciting new hobby !