A happy mix of fun, public service, friendship and convenience provides the main feature of amateur radio. The true origin of the term ham may be lost, but there are several theories. It may simply be a shortcut way of saying the first syllable of amateur radio, or it may have originally been used as an insult. One thing is for certain: hams start out in amateur radio for many reasons, but they all have in common a basic knowledge of radio technology, regulations and operating principles. Ham radio can be very portable and affordable.
Ham radio is for anyone who likes to communicate with others via wireless technology. It is also for anyone who enjoys experimentation. Licensed amateur radio operators communicate with each other in nearby places, across the country, around the world or even with astronauts in outer space. Amateur radio is a worldwide group of people who communicate with each other over a wide frequency spectrum using many different types of wireless transmitting modes.
Often, younger hams get a chance to meet other hams of various ages and professions. For example, Kid's Day is an annual event that encourages young people to get on the air, perhaps with a family member or a neighbor who is a licensed amateur radio operator. The frequent networking often helps teens when they are making career or education choices and wish to get some advice from professionals in many technical fields that maybe mom, dad or the guidance counselor may not be able to give. Today, there are approximately 675,000 amateur radio operators in the United States, and more than 2.5 million around the world.
Hams use a variety of frequencies for communications. Non-hams can "listen in" via their own receivers or radio scanners. Hams are able to use many frequency bands across the radio spectrum -- these frequencies are allocated by the FCC for amateur use. Hams may operate from just above the AM broadcast band to the microwave region, in the gigahertz range. Many ham bands are found in the frequency range that goes from above the AM radio band (1.6 MHz) to just above the citizens band (27 MHz). During daylight, 15 to 27 MHz is a good band for long-distance communications. At night, the band from 1.6 to 15 MHz is good for long-distance communications. These bands are often referred to historically as short-wave bands (as in "short-wave radio"). Unlike frequencies used by FM radio stations and TV stations, which are line-of-sight and therefore limited to 40 or 50 miles, short-waves "bounce" off the ionosphere from the transmitter to the receiver's antenna. The higher the frequency is, the "shorter" the wavelength is. Some ham radio operators use the very reliable Morse code, while others use voice. Morse code signals (beeps) often get through when voice transmissions cannot. There are also very many digital modes as well, and hams use radio modems to communicate in various networks.
Hams conduct two-way conversations, often with another ham or with a group of hams in an informal roundtable. The roundtable of hams may be in the same town, county, state, country or continent or may consist of a mix of countries, depending on the frequency and the time of the day. Hams also participate in networks, often called nets, at predetermined times and frequencies to exchange third-party messages. In the case of disasters, hams exchange health and welfare information with other hams. Some hams use radioteletype, (RTTY) with computer screens replacing the noisy teletype machines of the past.
Many hams get their start on VHF FM, using battery-operated hand-held transceivers set to transmit on one frequency and receive on another frequency. They use FM repeaters, set up and supported by local radio clubs. These repeaters borrow antenna space from TV-station-tower owners on top of mountains and high buildings to receive and re-broadcast signals to extend the range.
Here are some of the ham radio clubs in El Paso, Texas.
Sun City Amateur Radio Club - K5WPH
3709 Wickham Ave
El Paso, TX
Meetings are held the First (Business) and Third (Program) Friday of each month beginning at 7pm.
www.k5wph.org
El Paso Amateur Radio Club - W5ES
2100 San Diego Ave
El Paso, Tx, 79930
Meetings are held the Second and Fourth Friday of each month beginning at 8 pm.
www.w5es.org or www.qsl.net/w5es
West Texas Repeater Association - K5ELP
Meetings are held quarterly and generally alternate between the Sun City and El Paso Amateur Radio Clubhouses.
www.k5elp.com
West Texas Digital Radio Club - W5ELP
http://www.w5elp.com/
Ham radio is for anyone who likes to communicate with others via wireless technology. It is also for anyone who enjoys experimentation. Licensed amateur radio operators communicate with each other in nearby places, across the country, around the world or even with astronauts in outer space. Amateur radio is a worldwide group of people who communicate with each other over a wide frequency spectrum using many different types of wireless transmitting modes.
Often, younger hams get a chance to meet other hams of various ages and professions. For example, Kid's Day is an annual event that encourages young people to get on the air, perhaps with a family member or a neighbor who is a licensed amateur radio operator. The frequent networking often helps teens when they are making career or education choices and wish to get some advice from professionals in many technical fields that maybe mom, dad or the guidance counselor may not be able to give. Today, there are approximately 675,000 amateur radio operators in the United States, and more than 2.5 million around the world.
Hams use a variety of frequencies for communications. Non-hams can "listen in" via their own receivers or radio scanners. Hams are able to use many frequency bands across the radio spectrum -- these frequencies are allocated by the FCC for amateur use. Hams may operate from just above the AM broadcast band to the microwave region, in the gigahertz range. Many ham bands are found in the frequency range that goes from above the AM radio band (1.6 MHz) to just above the citizens band (27 MHz). During daylight, 15 to 27 MHz is a good band for long-distance communications. At night, the band from 1.6 to 15 MHz is good for long-distance communications. These bands are often referred to historically as short-wave bands (as in "short-wave radio"). Unlike frequencies used by FM radio stations and TV stations, which are line-of-sight and therefore limited to 40 or 50 miles, short-waves "bounce" off the ionosphere from the transmitter to the receiver's antenna. The higher the frequency is, the "shorter" the wavelength is. Some ham radio operators use the very reliable Morse code, while others use voice. Morse code signals (beeps) often get through when voice transmissions cannot. There are also very many digital modes as well, and hams use radio modems to communicate in various networks.
Hams conduct two-way conversations, often with another ham or with a group of hams in an informal roundtable. The roundtable of hams may be in the same town, county, state, country or continent or may consist of a mix of countries, depending on the frequency and the time of the day. Hams also participate in networks, often called nets, at predetermined times and frequencies to exchange third-party messages. In the case of disasters, hams exchange health and welfare information with other hams. Some hams use radioteletype, (RTTY) with computer screens replacing the noisy teletype machines of the past.
Many hams get their start on VHF FM, using battery-operated hand-held transceivers set to transmit on one frequency and receive on another frequency. They use FM repeaters, set up and supported by local radio clubs. These repeaters borrow antenna space from TV-station-tower owners on top of mountains and high buildings to receive and re-broadcast signals to extend the range.
Here are some of the ham radio clubs in El Paso, Texas.
Sun City Amateur Radio Club - K5WPH
3709 Wickham Ave
El Paso, TX
Meetings are held the First (Business) and Third (Program) Friday of each month beginning at 7pm.
www.k5wph.org
El Paso Amateur Radio Club - W5ES
2100 San Diego Ave
El Paso, Tx, 79930
Meetings are held the Second and Fourth Friday of each month beginning at 8 pm.
www.w5es.org or www.qsl.net/w5es
West Texas Repeater Association - K5ELP
Meetings are held quarterly and generally alternate between the Sun City and El Paso Amateur Radio Clubhouses.
www.k5elp.com
West Texas Digital Radio Club - W5ELP
http://www.w5elp.com/
