Ham Radio For Dummies

Ham RadioFORDUMmIES‰by Ward Silver

Ham RadioFORDUMmIES‰

Ham RadioFORDUMmIES‰by Ward Silver

Ham Radio For Dummies Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River StreetHoboken, NJ 07030-5774Copyright 2004 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, IndianaPublished by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, IndianaPublished simultaneously in CanadaNo part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any formor by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as per mitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior writtenpermission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to theCopyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600.Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing,Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4447, e-mail:permcoordinator@wiley.com.Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for theRest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, and related tradedress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the UnitedStates and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are theproperty of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendormentioned in this book.GENERAL DISCLAIMER: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WAR RANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORKAND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIESOF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BYSALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOTBE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEPUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SER VICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFES SIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BELIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE ISREFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFOR MATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATIONTHE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER,READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGEDOR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contactour Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax317-572-4002.Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print maynot be available in electronic books.Library of Congress Control Number: 2004101969ISBN: 0-7645-5987-7Manufactured in the United States of America10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 11B/QV/QU/QU/IN

About the AuthorWard Silver NØAX has been a licensed ham since 1972 at the age of 17. Ward’sexperiences in ham radio contributed greatly to a 20-year career in broadcast ing and as an electrical engineer and programmer, developing instrumentationand medical electronics. In 2000, he turned to teaching and writing as a secondcareer. He is currently adjunct faculty with Seattle University’s Electrical andComputer Engineering department, concentrating on laboratory instruction.You can find his monthly columns and articles in QST magazine and in thebiweekly e-mail newsletter, “The Contester’s Rate Sheet.” He is the author ofthe ARRL’s online course, “Antenna Design and Construction.” His ham radiointerests include multi-operator and low-power (QRP) contesting, DX-ing,and antenna design. He is the author of “NØAX’s Radio Puzzler” (a collectionof quizzes and puzzles), and co-author (with K7LXC) of “HF TribanderPerformance - Test Methods & Results” and “HF Vertical Performance - TestMethods & Results.” He is the winner of the 2003 Bill Orr Technical WritingAward.

DedicationThis book is dedicated to my all-ham family — my wife Nancy W7FIR and sonsWebster KD7FYX and Lowell KD7DQO — who frequently see little of Dad exceptthe back of his head as he hammers away at the keyboard creating another arti cle or chapter. And dedicated as well to my own ham radio Elmers: Bill KJ7PC,Randy WB9FSL, Jerry WAØACF, and Danny K7SS who helped me turn “Can I?”into “I did!” Thanks, one and all!Author’s AcknowledgmentsI would like to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the American RadioRelay League for providing a number of excellent graphics and for its exten sive Web site that provides so much value to many hams around the world.I also thank the administrators of eHam.net, QRZ.com, and AC6V.com Webportals for providing many useful links and extensive archives. All these orga nizations and the creators of the many other Web sites referenced in thisbook exemplify the best of ham spirit.Also supporting me in many ways were the members of the WesternWashington DX Club W7DX, the Vashon-Maury Island Radio Club W7VMI, andmany great friends all over the world that share a deep friendship and appre ciation of the magic of radio; you know who you are.Thank you and Very 73.

Publisher’s AcknowledgmentsWe’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration formlocated at www.dummies.com/register/.Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:Acquisitions, Editorial, and MediaDevelopmentProductionProject Editor: Christopher MorrisProject Coordinator: Courtney MacIntyreEditorial Manager: Kevin KirschnerLayout and Graphics: Amanda Carter,Andrea Dahl, Lauren Goddard,Denny Hager, Joyce Haughey,Michael Kruzil, Jacque Schneider,Julie Trippetti, Mary Gillot VirginMedia Development Supervisor:Richard GravesProofreaders: Carl Pierce, Brian H. Walls,TECHBOOKS Production ServicesEditorial Assistant: Amanda FoxworthIndexer: TECHBOOKS Production ServicesAcquisitions Editor: Melody LayneTechnical Editor: Kirk A. KleinschmidtCartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)Publishing and Editorial for Technology DummiesRichard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group PublisherAndy Cummings, Vice President and PublisherMary C. Corder, Editorial DirectorPublishing for Consumer DummiesDiane Graves Steele, Vice President and PublisherJoyce Pepple, Acquisitions DirectorComposition ServicesGerry Fahey, Vice President of Production ServicesDebbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Contents at a GlanceIntroduction .1Part I: What Is Ham Radio All About?.7Chapter 1: Getting Acquainted with Ham Radio.9Chapter 2: Getting a Handle on Ham Radio Technology .19Chapter 3: Finding Other Hams: Your Support Group .29Part II: Wading through the Licensing Process.49Chapter 4: Figuring Out the Licensing System .51Chapter 5: Studying for Your License .61Chapter 6: Taking the Test .71Chapter 7: Obtaining Your License and Call Sign .79Part III: Hamming It Up.89Chapter 8: Making Contact.91Chapter 9: Casual Operating .117Chapter 10: Operating with Intent.145Chapter 11: Specialties .165Part IV: Building and Operatinga Station That Works .209Chapter 12: Getting on the Air .211Chapter 13: Organizing Your Shack.249Chapter 14: Housekeeping (Logs and QSLs).263Chapter 15: Hands-On Radio.269Part V: The Part of Tens .291Chapter 16: Ten Secrets for Beginners .293Chapter 17: Ten Secrets of the Masters.297Chapter 18: Ten First Station Tips.301Chapter 19: Ten Easy Ways to Have Fun on the Radio .305Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Give Back to Ham Radio .309

Part VI: Appendixes .313Appendix A: Glossary .315Appendix B: The Best References .329Index .341

Table of ContentsIntroduction .1About This Book.1Conventions Used in This Book .2Foolish Assumptions .2How This Book Is Organized.2Part I: What Is Ham Radio All About? .3Part II: Wading through the Licensing Process.3Part III: Hamming It Up.3Part IV: Building and Operating a Station That Works .3Part V: The Part of Tens.4Part VI: Appendixes.4Icons Used in This Book.4Where to Go from Here.5Part I: What Is Ham Radio All About? .7Chapter 1: Getting Acquainted with Ham Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Tuning In Ham Radio Today.10Using electronics and technology .10Operating a ham radio: Making contacts .12Joining the ham radio community .13Roaming the World of Ham Radio .15Communicating with Ham Radio.16Building a Ham Radio Shack .16Chapter 2: Getting a Handle on Ham Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . .19Fundamentals of Radio Waves.19Frequency and wavelength .20The radio spectrum .21Basic Ham Radio Gadgetry .22Miscellaneous gadgets.23Ham Radio on the Air .25Dealing with Mother Nature.26Chapter 3: Finding Other Hams: Your Support Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Radio Clubs .29Finding and choosing a club .30Participating in a club.31Getting involved .32

xiiHam Radio For DummiesThe ARRL.33ARRL’s benefits to you .34ARRL’s benefits to the hobby.35ARRL’s benefits to the public .36Specialty Organizations and Clubs .37Handi-Hams .38AMSAT.38TAPR.39Young Ladies’ Radio League — the YLRL.39QRP clubs: ARCI, AmQRP, and G-QRP.40Online Communities .41Reflectors .42Newsgroups.43Portals.43Hamfests and Conventions .44Finding hamfests .44Finding conventions.46Part II: Wading through the Licensing Process .49Chapter 4: Figuring Out the Licensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51The Amateur Service: An Overview.51Frequency allocations.52Becoming Licensed: Individual License Classes .54Technician class .55General class.56Amateur Extra class .56Grandfathered classes .57Understanding Call Signs .58The Volunteer Licensing System .59Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) .59Volunteer Examiners (VEs) .60Chapter 5: Studying for Your License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61Demystifying the Test .61Finding Resources for Study.62Finding licensing classes .63Books, software, and videos .64Online.64Finding a Mentor .65Mastering Morse Code .67

Table of ContentsChapter 6: Taking the Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71Finding a Test Session .71Signing Up for a Test .73Public exams .73Exams at events .73Private exams.73The Big Day .74What to bring with you .74Taking the written exam .75Passing the Morse code test .77Chapter 7: Obtaining Your License and Call Sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79Completing Your Licensing Paperwork .79Finding Your New Call Sign .81Registering with the FCC Online .84Picking Your Own Call Sign .86Maintaining Your License.88Part III: Hamming It Up .89Chapter 8: Making Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91Listen, Listen, Listen! .91Listening on the different bands .92Understanding sub-bands and band plans .92Tuning In a Signal .93Morse code (CW).94Single-sideband (SSB) .95FM .96Radioteletype (RTTY) and data signals.97Listening on HF .98Listening on VHF and UHF.100Deciphering a QSO .

Layout and Graphics: Amanda Carter, Andrea Dahl, Lauren Goddard, Denny Hager, Joyce Haughey, Michael Kruzil, Jacque Schneider, Julie Trippetti, Mary Gillot Virgin Proofreaders: Carl Pierce, Brian H. Walls, TECHBOOKS Production Services Indexer: TECHBOOKS Production Services Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies