Ham Radio For Dummies

Respond to the call of ham radio

Despite its old-school reputation, amateur radio is on the rise, and the airwaves are busier than ever. That's no surprise: being a ham is a lot of fun, providing an independent way to keep in touch with friends, family, and new acquaintances around the world--and even beyond with its ability to connect with the International Space Station! Hams are also good in a crisis, keeping communications alive and crackling during extreme weather events and loss of communications until regular systems like cell phones and the internet are restored. Additionally, it's enjoyable for good, old-fashioned tech geek reasons--fiddling with circuits and bouncing signals off the ionosphere just happens to give a lot of us a buzz!

If one or more of these benefits is of interest to you, then good news: the new edition of Ham Radio For Dummies covers them all! In his signature friendly style, longtime ham Ward Silver (Call Sign NØAX)--contributing editor with the American Radio Relay League--patches you in on everything from getting the right equipment and building your station (it doesn't have to be expensive) to the intricacies of Morse code and Ohm's law. In addition, he coaches you on how to prepare for the FCC-mandated licensing exam and tunes you up for ultimate glory in the ham radio hall of fame as a Radiosport competitor! With this book, you'll learn to:

• Set up and organize your station
• Communicate with people around the world
• Prep for and pass the FCC exam
• Tune into the latest tech, such as digital mode operating

Whether you're looking to join a public service club or want the latest tips on the cutting edge of ham technology, this is the perfect reference for newbies and experts alike--and will keep you happily hamming it up for years!

Autorentext
Ward Silver, NØAX, has been a ham since 1972 when he ear­ned his Novice license. Ward is the lead editor for the ARRL Radio Handbook and the ARRL ­Antenna Book. He is the author of the ARRL License Manuals and several other books on ham radio topics.

Klappentext

Respond to the call of ham radio Despite its old-school reputation, amateur radio is on the rise, and the airwaves are busier than ever. That's no surprise: being a ham is a lot of fun, providing an independent way to keep in touch with friends, family, and new acquaintances around the world--and even beyond with its ability to connect with the International Space Station! Hams are also good in a crisis, keeping communications alive and crackling during extreme weather events and loss of communications until regular systems like cell phones and the internet are restored. Additionally, it's enjoyable for good, old-fashioned tech geek reasons--fiddling with circuits and bouncing signals off the ionosphere just happens to give a lot of us a buzz! If one or more of these benefits is of interest to you, then good news: the new edition of Ham Radio For Dummies covers them all! In his signature friendly style, longtime ham Ward Silver (Call Sign NØAX)--contributing editor with the American Radio Relay League--patches you in on everything from getting the right equipment and building your station (it doesn't have to be expensive) to the intricacies of Morse code and Ohm's law. In addition, he coaches you on how to prepare for the FCC-mandated licensing exam and tunes you up for ultimate glory in the ham radio hall of fame as a Radiosport competitor! With this book, you'll learn to: Set up and organize your station Communicate with people around the world Prep for and pass the FCC exam Tune into the latest tech, such as digital mode operating Whether you're looking to join a public service club or want the latest tips on the cutting edge of ham technology, this is the perfect reference for newbies and experts alike--and will keep you happily hamming it up for years!

Inhalt

Introduction 1 Part 1: Getting Started with Ham Radio 5 Chapter 1: Getting Acquainted with Ham Radio 7 Chapter 2: Getting a Handle on Ham Radio Technology 21 Chapter 3: Finding Other Hams: Your Support Group 35 Part 2: Wading through the Licensing Process 63 Chapter 4: Understanding the Licensing System 65 Chapter 5: Preparing for Your License Exam 77 Chapter 6: Taking the Exam 85 Chapter 7: Obtaining Your License and Call Sign 95 Part 3: Hamming It Up 105 Chapter 8: Receiving Signals 107 Chapter 9: Basic Operating 133 Chapter 10: Public Service Operating 185 Chapter 11: Operating Specialties 209 Part 4: Building and Operating a Station That Works 263 Chapter 12: Getting on the Air 265 Chapter 13: Organizing a Home Station 307 Chapter 14: Computers in Your Ham Station 323 Chapter 15: Operating Away from Home 341 Chapter 16: Hands-On Radio 359 Part 5: The Part of Tens 385 Chapter 17: Ham Radio Jargon -- Say What? 387 Chapter 18: Technical Fundamentals 395 Chapter 19: Tips for Masters 405 Index 409