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Ham radio, I had no idea people still did that! Didn’t that fade into the sunset like the CB fad? Recently I decisive to pursue my technician’s license to support out in case of emergencies and boy am I receiving an education. Ham radio operators from around the world are filling the radio waves with conversations for fun and to help out in emergencies when communications have been other than as supposed or expected compromised.
The community in which I live, here is southern California, is very conscious when it comes to the ever-present threat of the “big one” hitting us at any time. Constantly reminded that we are over due for the big world quake that could without apparent effort wreck mayhem on all our standard forms of communication, IE: cell phones and land lines, we are encouraged to become licensed ham radio operators.
As I have begun studying for the technician class ham radio operator license, I was amazed to discover that volunteer ham’s went to Haiti for assorted weeks to help after their big earthquake. They also went in after Katrina hit the gulf states to help. On the fun side of things they talk with each other all over town or on the other side of the world, even out of this world, they on occasion talk with astronauts up in the International Space Station. And even though Morse Code is no longer required to become licensed, there are frequencies reserved for those who like those dots and dashes.
There are numerous books available to support you grasp the subject matter and study for the test, they even undertake to make it fun. Early this morning, when I couldn’t sleep, I did a search on Facebook for ham radio and I couldn’t even look at all of them there were so many! I’m excessively affected emotionally to be learning something new, something that will grant me to be of service to my community in case of a disaster and something that I recognise will give me hours of fascination, listening to what is happening far far away and in the long run talking too.
Ham Radio Blues
It’s time we cleared the air in regards to ham radio. If you think of it as staticky transmissions sent by persons in the middle of nowhere, think again. Today’s ham radio goes beyond wireless to extreme wireless, Operators transmit info and pictures, use the Internet, laser, and microwave transmitters, and travel to places high and low to make contact. In an emergency or natural disaster, ham radio may replace downed established communicating and save lives. Whether you’re just getting turned on to ham radio or already have your license, Ham Radio for Dummies helps you with the terminology, the engineering science and the talknology. You discover how to:
- Decipher the jargon and speak the language
- Buy or upgrade your equipment, including the all-important antennas
- Build a ham radio shack, finish with the rig, a computer, mobile/base rig, microphones, keys, headphones, antennas, cables and feedlines
- Study for your license, master Morse code, take the test and get your call sign
- Understand the basi principles of ragchews (conversations), nets (organized on-air meetings) and DX-ing (competing in contacts to make contacts)
- Keeping logs with the critical statistics, including time (in UTC or World Time), frequency, and call sign
Written by Ward Silver, an electrical engineer, Certified Amateur Radio License Examiner, and columnist for QST, a on a monthly basis magazine for ham operators, Ham Radio for Dummies gives you the data you need to delve into the science or dive into the conversation. It explains how you can:
- Tune in to the most mutual types of signals, including Morse Code (CW), single-sideband (SSB), FM, Radioteletype (RTTY), and data signals
- Break in, introduce yourself, converse, and say or signal goodbye
- Communicate while traveling (ham radio goes where mobile phones go dead)
- Register with an emergency establishment such as ARES and RACES
- Help in emergencies such as earthquakes, wildfires, or severe weather
- Pursue your particular interests, including contacting distant stations, taking part in contests, exploring the digital modes, using satellites, transmitting images, and more
Complete with a glossary and ten pages of further and added suggested resources, Ham Radio for Dummies inspires you to touch that dial and take that mike.
CUL. (That’s Morse Code for “see you later.”)
From the Back CoverYou may be a lifesaver while you make new friends
Find out in regards to ham radio, prepare for your license, and join the fun!
Hams do cool things like talking to folks around the world and helping with communications for the duration of emergencies. If hamming it up sounds like fun, here’s the scoop, including licensing requirements and how to set up a station. And if you’re already licensed, this book will support you commence sounding (and feeling) like a pro!
The Dummies Way
- Explanations in plain English
- “Get in, get out” information
- Icons and other navigational aids
- Tear-out cheat sheet
- Top ten lists
- A dash of humor and fun
Discover how to:
- Understand ham jargon
- Communicate on the air
- Prepare for the license exam
- Set up a radio shack
- Help in an emergency or natural disaster
- Be a ham on the go
About the AuthorWard Silver is an electrical engineer who’s been a licensed ham for 31 years. He is a contributing editor and columnist for QST, a on a monthly basis magazine for ham operators.
Ham Radio Blues Photo
Ham Radio Blues Picture
Ham Radio Blues Photo
Ham Radio Blues Pic
Most helpful client reviews
71 of 73 people found the following review helpful.
 A outstanding introduction to a fun avocation
By Randy Johnson
I am oftentimes asked why I am still mesmerized in ham radio when it is so easy for persons to commune by e-mail and cellular phone. The answer, as is so forcefully brought home in this splendid book, is that ham radio is fun, challenging, rewarding, and provides prospects for personal growth.
While the major goal to be attained of the book is to provide info to get newcomers into the sparetime activity and to aid get them procreative and successful, there is something here that may be utile to even the most experienced operators. There are some ways persons have found to receive pleasure from the respective technical, recreational, educational, and social distinct elements of ham radio. They are covered in this well-written book.
Ward is an operator of the firstborn caliber. His counsel is based upon personal experience, not based upon interpreting what a heap of others person has told him. He is also a very funny person and he has a distinctive capacity to find whatsoever humor exists in a situation. Therefore the tone of his book is light and eminently readable. More particularly, it does not suffer from the arid style that I found in similar books.
People who are mesmerized in constructing new skills, expanding their minds, and building relationships will find ham radio a outstanding hobby. I commend this book as a means of getting successful quickly. Experienced hams will find hints that are more worthful than the modest cost of the book. Finally, those like me who were away from the sparetime activity for a while will find a good summary of what they have missed while they were away.
A terrific read.
34 of 34 people found the following review helpful.
Get a good idea of what’s in the forest
By A
Have you ever wondered with regards to those “amateur radio” license plates you see on cars? Do you see disproportionally huge antennas on tall towers at galore homes? Wouldn’t it be genuinely neat to be capable to set up an antenna, radio, and antenna and commune from in a literal sense anywhere, to just regarding anywhere, in any kind of weather, without having to be tethered to a heap of electrical outlet? If you think I’m kidding in regards to this, I’m not–people do this very thing everyday, from houses, hotels, boats, bikes, International Space Station, while hiking, running errands, or just seeing how a great deal of countries they may contact! Yes, you read right–different countries, from bicycles! Please stop me before I type another exclamation point!
Well, this is an magnificent book to commence with, in the intimate “for Dummies” format that flies you over the forest that is ham radio, and gives an overview of: signal formats, operating tips and advice, public and emergency service, radio contesting, station setup, and a number of other worries of the hobby.
Mr. Silver has done a fine occupation of blending novice radio with the Dummies editorial style, to present ham radio in plain-language, for those who have always wondered, but didn’t recognise where to start. Like all of the Dummies books, it includes the list of Tens.
It won’t support you to prepare for the test specifically–there are dissimilar question-pool books that explain the technical, and highly applicable to the real-world, nitty-gritty that’s necessitated to pass the (U.S. FCC) Technician exam.
This book is also good for the already-licensed hams who want to quickly get up to speed on dissimilar operating aspects. Non hams, by the time they finish looking over the book, ought to have a good idea if they want to hike into the forest to explore further and perhaps take the steps towards getting licensed. There are a heap of links and resources for those who wish to carry on learning in regards to this hobby.
As a reasonably new ham myself, and having entered the sparetime activity knowing not one thing regarding it, I’m sensible to the fact that persons I talk to likewise might not know much regarding the hobby. It’s hard to recognise where to start, when attempting to explain it. Rather than launch into techno-speak and cause people’s eyes to glaze over, I may now hand them this book. It’s a very easy way to introduce folks to the hobby.
Perhaps I might sound very over-the-top in regards to all this–and you’re in all probability right–but since getting into this hobby, I have learned so a lot of things that I might not have been exposed to otherwise.
22 of 23 humans found the following review helpful.
Q5
By Myles Carpeneto
Q5 is not a rating. In radio lingo, it means splendid readability.
If you are thinking with regards to getting into Amateur Radio, this is the book you must read first. If the ink is still wet on your FCC license, this is the book you must read now. Even if you have a collection of tickets dating back to Marconi, this is the book you must read to make sure you are up to date; you’ll find something interesting that you didn’t recognise in this book. I think HRFD is the most comprehensive and readable overview of Amateur Radio available.
Let me emphasize that word “overview.” Will you be competent to take and pass your Technician License test after reading this book? The answer is “NO!” You will still need to study one or more of the fine ARRL test prep books before you sit for your exam. HRFD provides very little depth on any person topic; HRFD’s strength lies in providing a broad, very readable survey of the a good deal of distinct elements of ham radio. It has something to say when it comes to how to get a license; what licenses are available; the respective radio modes of AM, FM, SSB, CW and RTTY; buying equipment; on-air etiquette; DXing; contesting; Public Service opportunities; low power operating; novice TV; TOR; PSK; Packet; WLAN; satellite; and, computer resources for learning more, to name a few topics.
So why do I commend reading HRFD first? Because the test prep books are focalized on preparing you to pass an exam. HRFD is concentered on giving you a perspective that will help make applicable the cold facts you will learn from the test prep book.
If you have a comparatively new license, like I do, you know there is still a lot to learn in regards to this hobby, or ought to I say avocation. HRFD is a good place to discover more when it comes to the respective things you may do with your license. It’s like having an Elmer at your elbow. On the other hand, if you want to learn in regards to capacitance, resistance, inductance and oscillation so that you may go for your Amateur Extra license, take a hike; this is not the book you need.
For the old-timers, and you know that term has not one thing to do with your age or your attitude, you recognise that novice radio is perpetually evolving. Maybe you haven’t been capable to spend the time necessitated to keep up with the field because you have decisive that raising your family is more indispensable than raising a DX contact. Whatever the reason, if you need a quick overview with regards to any Amateur Radio area, reading HRFD is a rapidly and without delay way to get back up to date than reading all your old, unread QST and CQ magazines. And if you need more depth, HRFD will tell you where to find the latest information, and a lot of it is only computer keystroke away.
As you may see, I am actually impressed with this book. The ARRL manuals are good at being very comprehensive with whatsoever they cover. Unfortunately, that completeness many times comes with a dryness of both style and format. The 300+ pages of HRFD, on the other hand, are an easy read. I commend that you get HRFD now; it’s worth the price. Don’t wait for second hand copies to start out showing up in the applied books department. HRFD is a keeper, so you might have a long wait otherwise.
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