Ham Radio An Easy Guide For Beginners - Steve Markelo
Ham Radio An Easy Guide For Beginners - Steve Markelo
Ham Radio An Easy Guide For Beginners - Steve Markelo
apply for the exam. You will also need to remember or apply some knowledge on
electricity, power, voltage, resistance and frequency. For the exam you will need 2
pencils, a pen, $20, passport or drivers license and alternatively social security
number, birth certificate, library card or a utility bill.
Ham Radio Equipment
After you have gotten your license you will need to get the equipment for the ham
radio. The ham radio is mostly made up of the transceiver, power supply, antenna,
antenna tuner and microphone or key.
Repeater
A repeater is a two way radio transmitter that will receive and retransmit on different
frequencies at the same time. For example from the antenna the repeater receives
transmission that goes to the duplexer and then the receiver receives input and the
controller will receive the audio while at the same time the controller transmits
audio to the transmitter which sends the rf output to the duplexer which then leaves
through the antenna.
Role of the Repeater
Repeater systems help curb the limit that is associated with radios because of the
antenna height. Repeaters transfers transmissions to a higher level. It increases the
coverage and range area and it improves transmitting of the signals.
Antenna
Repeaters use only one antenna. The antenna will receive and send out signals. To
have the clear coverage the antenna will need to be placed on a high place like a hill
or mountain. This improves the performance.
Antenna Regulations
There are different types of antennas such as vertical antennas, yagis, and dipole
among others. Depending on your location you may have different zoning laws
governing what sort of antennas can be put up in the area. Make sure you arent
going against the law.
Antenna Tuner
The antenna tuner will be able to create contact between the transceiver and the
antenna. If the two are not in line then power will be lost during transmission. The
antenna tuners are two types the manual tuner and the auto tuner. Using a manual
The controller basically controls the repeater. It will be in charge of the station ID
using the CW or voice, it is responsible for activating the transmitter and some
include DVR for the announcements and messages.
Set up and Operation
The microphone will be connected to the transmitter while the speaker will convert
signals to sound waves. When you are in a noisy area you will have to use
headphones while communicating. To lessen spurious emissions use a filter on the
transmitter.
Ham Radio Frequencies
The radio will work using two frequencies. This is because the repeater works as a
dual system receiving and transmitting signals while making sure the two are not
mixed. These ham band frequencies are 600 kHz apart.
Offset
The repeater needs to have two frequencies, one for transmitting and the other for
receiving. If the output frequency maybe below 147 MHz then the input frequency
will be 600 kHz lower and this would make it a negative offset. If the output
frequency is above 147 MHz then the input frequency will be 600 kHz above.
Role of the Offset
The offset is important for having different input and output frequencies. This helps
separate the transmission and input signals because the repeater has to work as a two
way system. The two frequencies are required to be isolated for the proper
functioning of the repeater and this role is done by duplexer.
PL and CTCSS Tone
PL stands for Private Line and was a term coined by Motorola and the industry
name is Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System, CTCSS. The Tone Squelch allows
the repeater to electronically respond to stations that only encode or send the proper
tone. When you key up the receiver of the repeater will only hear you if the right
tone has been set up.
Keying Up
When you key up a machine you set the machine to a transceiver frequency and you
call out a signal, the antenna will pick up the signal with an offset of 600 kHz and
then send it to the feed line to the duplexer. Then it went to the receiver and changed
into an audio that is sent to the transmitter and amplified into a radio signal. All
The repeater will only show the relative strength using the S meter. This means that
it wont be able to show the strength of the other signals coming from the different
repeaters that you are listening to.
Simplex Operation
The simplex operation refers to when you transmit and receive using the same
frequency. The simplex avoid holding up the repeater and it allows for direct
contact. Check the repeater input frequency to see if you will hear the other station
then you can use the simplex operation.
Safety against High Voltage
When dealing with a ham radio high voltage is needed to transmit signals. The
voltage can easily cause electrical shocks. To prevent the chances of getting shocked
you should use three wire electrical outlets because of earthing.
Putting up an Antenna
The antenna needs to be placed from a high point to avoid interference. When
climbing up to put up an antenna wear protective gear for your head and eyes in case
anything falls down. When climbing up a tower stay clear of power lines.
Antenna Installation
Ensure that the wires for the antenna are installed correctly. Then make sure you set
up the antenna at a lower level than the maximum height of the airports nearby.
Selecting frequency
Before you start using the radio you will need to set a frequency to communicate
with. To enter the right frequency then use the keypad or the VFO knob to enter the
correct frequency. Use the up and down buttons to select the right frequency.
Setting a favorite frequency
Whenever you want to use the repeater you can store the frequency in memory so as
to easily access it. You can then store the frequency in a memory channel. You can
store transmit and receive operating frequency, CTCSS tone frequency and transmit
power level.
CQ
CQ is the calling signal for any station out there. It is used when inquiring for other
stations. You can start with, CQ CQ CQ. This is W8 calling. And to respond to
any call from another station saying CQ respond to it using its ID. For example,
W8 this is C3 over.
Station Identification
It is important to have station identification because it shows that the transmission is
not an illegal unidentified transmission. Even when you are just testing the
equipment you must include the station identification.
Radio Frequency Interference
You radio may cause interference to other stations such as televisions or radios. To
correct radio frequency interference problem then snap-on ferrite chokes, low-pass
and high-pass filters and notch and band-pass filters. However if your neighbors
devices are causing interference to your ham radio, ask your neighbor to help you
identify the causative device, inform your neighbor of the rules and check that your
station is not the one with the problem. Sometimes you may interfere with other
stations communications identify your station and then move to another frequency.
During an emergency the FCC rules will apply to the use of a certain frequency.
Fixing a weak signal
You might be told that your signal is weak. You should check for the following: your
transmitter will have an off frequency, batteries may be low and your location could
be the problem. However using a digital signal will resolve the issues with
interference and noise.
Proper Language
When transmitting there are no set rules but it is required that you use proper
language and avoid obscenities. This is because obscenities may be offensive to
some individuals, young children may intercept transmission and the language is
generally not allowed by the FCC rules.
UHF/VHF Signals
These signals are quite reliable. However when inside a building it would be better
to transmit using UHF signals because they are shorter and are more likely to
penetrate the buildings surrounding.
Echo link
An echo link allows transmissions to happen between a computer and a radio
transmission. IRLP, Internet Radio Linking Project, stations are also able to transmit
data over the internet.
APRS
APRS means Automatic Position Reporting System which also uses a global
positioning system receiver and is used for sending location reports. If you qualify
as a technician you will also be able to send television signals.
Lithium ion battery
When using a mobile radio you should use rechargeable batteries. One of the
rechargeable types of batteries is lithium-ion. You should keep them dry, away from
physical damage and they should be recharged every 6 months.
Limitations of Handheld Devices
The hand held radios may be convenient to move around with as you communicate
but they also have their limitations. Some of these limitations include not being able
to transmit or receive signals effectively. This is because the rubber duck antenna
they come with is not as effective as the other types of antenna.