FAQ: What is Amateur Radio
- What is Amateur Radio
- What is a Radio Amateur
- How do I get licenced
- What are the different Types of Licence
- Is there a Morse Exam
What is Amateur Radio? Amateur Radio, is a hobby that encourages the experementation and understanding of radio communications. It also is a service that helps in times of local and national emergency. Whilst there are many amateur radios available to buy commercially many are reverting to building their own recievers, transmitters and transcievers. There are various modes of operation these include:
In Ireland the Amateur Radio license is called a "Radio Experementers license" Which I think actually sums the hobby up better than "Radio Amateur". Which many feel doesn't sum up their experience level.
What is a Radio Amateur? In a nutshell, A Radio Amateur is a person who is licensed to use an amateur radio transmitter to communicate with other amateurs around the world.
How Do I become Licenced? Firstly there are three levels of Licence, these are listed below. You need to either read the appropriate book and find an exam centre to sit the exam or alternatively, the best place to start looking for UK exams is the RSGB there site has a list of local clubs. Contact them and your on the road. If you happen to be lucky enough to live in the Lancaster / Morecambe area, then the Morecambe Bay ARS runs courses and exams.
What are the different licences?
The first is the Foundation Licence, for this you need to be able to pass a test. Don't worry there are 25 multiple choice questions to answer and you have 45 minutes to complete the test. When you have passed your Foundation Licence you will be able to get a callsign, and you will be able to transmit on certain bands with a maximum power of 10W output. The book for this is "Foundation Licence Now!" by Alan Betts (G0HIQ). You will get your results instantly!
Foundation Licence Now
The Intermediate License, for this you need to have passed your foundation license. Then you need to pass the test, which again is multiple choice questions. There are 45 questions this time and you have an hour and a half to complete it in. You then update your callsign and this allows you to upgrade your power output from 10W to 50W (on existing bands) and also allows theuse of extra bands. The book for this is "Intermediate Licence, Building on the Foundation", edited by Steve Hartley (G0FUW). You will get your results instantly!
Intermediate Licence: Building on the Foundation
The Full Licence is the final stage, although many would say this is the real beginning of amateur radio. To do this course you need to have passed both the foundation and intermediate exams. This course builds on topics covered in both the foundation and intermediate exams and requires a lot of study. The exam lasts for two hours, and has 62 questions, again multiple choice. The book you need to study for this is "Advance! The Full Licence Manual", edited by Alan Bets (G0HIQ) and Steve Hartley (G0FUW). Unlike the other licences you will not get your results instantly as they are sent to the RSGB and marked independently.
If you pass you are allowed to use full power in the UK, operate in international waters and abroad.
Advance: The Full Licence Manual
Is there a Morse Code Test? Although as part of the foundation course you have to be able to send and translate a little morse, there is no formal component in the exams.The RSGB has, however, introduced competancy tests for those interested in testing their ability.
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