H. Ward Silver - Ham Radio For Dummies

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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 
 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!

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Ham radio conventions have a much broader slate of activities than hamfests do; they may include seminars, speakers, licensing test sessions, and demonstrations of new gear. Some conventions host competitive activities such as foxhunts or direction finding, or they may include a hamfest flea market along with the rest of the functions. Conventions usually have a theme, such as emergency operations, QRP, or digital radio transmissions. Similarly, hamfests may also include training opportunities, license exams, and presentations along with the flea markets.

Finding and preparing for hamfests

In the United States, the best place to find hamfests is ARRL’s Hamfests and Conventions Calendar ( www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar ). Search for events by location or ARRL Section or Division. The calendar usually lists about 100 hamfests. Most metropolitan areas have several good-size hamfests every year, even in the dead of winter.

Ham Radio For Dummies - изображение 79Although as this edition was written, many 2020 gatherings had been cancelled due to the pandemic, they will resume as soon as possible. In the meantime, lots of events are being conducted entirely online through Zoom or other multi-user platforms. This makes it hard to shop for used gear but it allows many more people to attend and take part in the programs. Some vendors are also taking advantage of the online format and creating a virtual “booth” for online sales and demos. Expect this format to continue even after the pandemic subsides.

After you have a hamfest in your sights, set your alarm for early morning, and get ready to be there at the opening bell. Although most are Saturday-only events, more and more are opening on Friday afternoon.

Be sure to bring the following things:

An admission ticket: You need a ticket, sold at the gate or by advance order through a website or email.

Money: Take cash. Commercial vendors can take credit cards but most individual sellers don’t.

Something to carry your purchases in: Take along a sturdy cloth sack, backpack, or another type of bag that can tolerate a little grime or dust.

A handheld or mobile radio: Most hamfests have a talk-in frequency, which is almost always a VHF or UHF repeater. The talk-in operator can give directions and updates on weather or parking. If you attend with a friend, and both of you take handheld radios, you can share tips about the stuff you find while walking the aisles.

Water and food: Don’t count on food being available, but the largest hamfests almost always have a food concession. Gourmet food is rarely available; expect the same level of quality that you’d find at a ballpark. Taking along a full water bottle is a good idea.

Buying equipment at hamfests After parking, waiting, and shuffling along in line, you finally make it inside the gates and you’re ready to bargain. No two hamfests are alike, of course, but here are some general guidelines to live by, particularly for hamfest newcomers:

If you’re new to ham radio, buddy up with a more experienced ham who can steer you around hamfest pitfalls.

Most prices are negotiable, especially as the sellers begin to think about packing up, but good deals go quickly. Don’t be afraid to make a reasonable offer and bargain!

Most vendors aren’t interested in trades unless they post a sign that they are willing to consider them.

Hamfests are good places to buy accessories for your radio, often for a fraction of the manufacturer’s price if they’re sold separately from the radio. Commercial vendors of new batteries often have good deals on spare battery packs.

Many hamfests have electricity available so that vendors can demonstrate equipment and maybe even a radio test bench. If a seller refuses to demonstrate a supposedly functional piece of gear or won’t open a piece of equipment for inspection, you may want to move along. Unless you really know what you’re doing, avoid antique radios. They often have quirks that can make using them a pain or that require impossible-to-get repair parts.

Don’t be afraid to ask what something is. Most of the time, the ham behind the table enjoys telling you about his or her wares, and even if you don’t buy it, the discussion may attract another buyer. Be familiar with the smell of burned or overheated electronics, especially transformers and sealed components. Direct replacements may be difficult to obtain.

If you know exactly what you’re looking for, check auction and radio swap sites such as ebay.com, eham.net, and qrz.com before and while attending the hamfest with your smartphone. You can get an idea of the going price and average condition, so you’re less likely to pay too much.

The commercial vendors will sell you accessories, tools, and parts on the spot, which saves you shipping charges. Don’t forget to look under the tables, where you can occasionally find some real treasures!

Finding conventions and conferences

Conventions tend to be more extravagant affairs, held in hotels or conventions centers, that are advertised in ham radio magazines as well as online. The main purposes are programs, speakers, and socializing.

The two largest ham radio conventions are the Hamvention ( www.hamvention.com ), held in Dayton and Xenia, Ohio in mid-May, and the Internationale Exhibition for Radio Amateurs ( www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de/ham-en ), held in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in late June or early July. Dayton regularly draws more than 20,000 hams; Friedrichshafen, nearly that many. Both events have mammoth flea markets, an astounding array of programs, internationally known speakers, and more displays than you can possibly see.

ARRL National and Division conventions (listed on the ARRL website at www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar ) are held all over the United States. Most states and ARRL Sections also host a convention or hamfest. Radio Amateurs of Canada ( www.rac.ca ) also hosts a national convention every year. These conventions typically attract a few hundred to a few thousand people and are designed to be family friendly. They also provide a venue for specialty groups to host conferences within the overall event. These smaller conferences offer extensive programs on regional disaster and emergency communications, direction finding, QRP, county hunting, wireless networking on ham bands, and so on. Table 3-2lists a number of the large regional conventions around the U.S.

TABLE 3-2Regional General-Interest Events

Region or State Name and Website
Florida Hamcation — Orlando ( www.hamcation.com )
California Pacificon — San Francisco Bay Area ( www.pacificon.org )
Oregon/Washington SeaPac — Seaside, OR ( www.seapac.org )
Colorado HamCon — Denver ( www.hamconcolorado.com )
New England Northeast HamXposition — Boston, MA ( www.hamxposition.org )
Missouri Winterfest — Collinsville, IL ( www.winterfest.slsrc.org )
Alabama Huntsville Hamfest ( www.hamfest.org )

Some conventions and conferences emphasize one of ham radio’s many facets, such as DXing, VHF and UHF operating, or digital technology. If you’re a fan of a certain mode or activity, treating yourself to a weekend convention is a great way to meet hams who share your tastes and to discover more about your interests. Table 3-3lists a few of the themed conventions held each year. There are many more; just search for your theme and ham radio conference or convention .

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