Ham Radio in the News

July 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment

One of the ways I gather information for this blog is Google Alerts. It sends me an e-mail every day with references to stories or web pages that have ham radio content. This includes newspaper stories that have found their way into online editions of the newspaper.

I’ve been slightly surprised by the number of articles. Every day, there seems to be one or two. Here are two that showed up today, for example:

  • Ham radio hangs on. This story from the Christian Science Monitor captures some of the essence of ham radio, including the do-it-yourself nature of our hobby and the camaraderie of our hobby.
  • Young ‘ham’ finds words are golden in radio contest. This story describes the efforts of 16-year old Matthew E. Morrison of Landisburg, who won several thousand dollars worth of amateur radio equipment from a radio club as a prize for an essay he wrote. He’s already licensed, but the story fails to give his callsign.

These are just two examples, and there are many more. If you all are interested, I’ll post links from time to time.

Filed Under: Promotion & PR, The Service

Amateur Radio Surges in Oz

July 8, 2011 by 2 Comments

The AgeAn article on the resurgence of amateur radio in Australia appeared yesterday in the newspaper The Age. Just like here in the states, the resurgence is attributed to the elimination of the Morse Code test and the new Foundation license, which is similar to our Technician Class license:

Wireless Institute of Australia spokesman Jim Linton (VK3PC) says one of the biggest things to happen to amateur radio is the removal of Morse code as a minimum requirement for an operator to obtain a licence.

The foundation licence is now simple enough for young children to acquire.

About 20,000 Australians have amateur radio licences, with increasing interest being shown by younger people and women.

”There was virtually no one interested before the arrival of the newest entry level,” Linton says. ”Now we have more activity on air, increased numbers being assessed and a higher level of club membership.”

Filed Under: The Service

World Amateur Radio Day April 18

April 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

From the ARRL…

Newington, CT. April 12, 2011 — The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), and its member societies representing over 150 countries around the world, will celebrate World Amateur Radio Day on April 18. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Amateur Radio: The first technology-based social network.”

Long before the Internet and smart phones, Amateur Radio operators, often called “hams,” have been talking, texting and sharing for decades. But unlike those commercial services, Amateur Radio continues to attract people world-wide by providing international communications for free. And because it does not need pre-established supporting infrastructure, these radio-savvy “amateurs” can reach out to friends in every corner of the world – and into space too.

Amateur Radio operators have been the leaders in developing many of today’s modern electronic and communications marvels. Today the citizens of Earth think of “wireless” as being the ubiquitous cellular phone – only made possible because of the pioneering work in radio technologies first explored by these “amateurs”. Many of our leading electrical engineers draw from their practical experiences as Amateur Radio operators as they continue to develop applications blending computers and radios. Ham Radio operators may be “amateur” because they are unpaid volunteers, but their skills and contributions to the world are of the highest order.

Calling, texting or even using old Morse code on the Amateur shortwave bands can result in chatting with other radio amateurs across town or far across the oceans. While hams have repeatedly been in the news for their life-saving communications services in disasters, a large part of their activities is the excitement and joy of contacting distant and remote areas of the world, learning directly about each others’ regions and lives and trying different ways to make radio contacts around the world.

Since 1925, the IARU has been instrumental in coordinating and representing Amateur Radio to the world. For information about the International Amateur Radio Union please see: www.IARU.org

Filed Under: ARRL, The Service

The Perennial Debate: Is Ham Radio Dying?

November 12, 2010 by 4 Comments

If you’ve been around ham radio for even a year or two, you’ve no doubt heard or participated in the debate as to whether or not ham radio is dying.  The question is as perennial as the grass.

Recently, this was a topic of discussion on the ARRL PR mailing list. Allen, W1AGP, the ARRL’s Media & PR Manager, generated this chart to show that ham radio is NOT dying:

Ham Radio is Not DyingThis chart is fairy dramatic, until you not the values on the y axis.  Even so, the good news is that the number of licensees is quickly approaching 700,000, and should surpass that number shortly.

Upon seeing this chart, Jerry, N9TU, did a little statistical analysis of his own, producing this chart, which shows the distribution of licensees in his zip code.

From this data, he deduces, “If this is an average sampling of deceased members, expired members and club licenses there are roughly 90,000 fewer licensees than shown in the data nationwide. I have no clue of the error rate involved with my data. Your results may vary.” My guess is that his zip code is probably pretty typical, and that his analysis is essentially correct.

There’s also the question of activity. Previously, I’ve guessed that nearly half of all licensees are inactive, and that if we could figure out a way to activate those hams, then we’d really be able to say that our hobby is not dying. It’s something worth thinking about, but there’s certainly no easy answer to this problem.  As  Yogi Berra is purported to have said, “If people don’t want to come out to the ball park, there’s nothing you can do to stop them.”

Overall, though, I think the numbers are headed in the right direction. Let’s all keep up the good work.

Filed Under: Promotion & PR, The Service Tagged With: ,

Think the Ham Bands are Safe? Read This.

October 18, 2010 by 6 Comments

The October 2010 issue of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineer’s (IEEE) Spectrum has an article titled, “The Great Radio Spectrum Famine.” The culprit, of course, is the wireless Internet. As more and more people buy smartphones, they demand more and more bandwidth.

The article states:

Regulators have few options to head off the coming bandwidth crisis. They can’t realistically expect to reduce demand. Nor can they expand the overall supply. That leaves the daunting chore of squeezing today’s users into narrower slices of the radio spectrum, thereby eking out more space for other things. That’s sometimes possible, but it’s not easy. To reengineer existing radio systems—or their users—is a bit like trying to overhaul a car’s engine while it’s barreling down the highway.

Policymakers, at least in private, sometimes hold out hope for a fourth option: that some game-changing technical breakthrough will save the day at the 11th hour. But nothing now on the drawing board suggests that technology alone can get us out of this predicament.

It goes on to target the swath of spectrum that’s currently the most coveted:

Every application of radio works best within a certain range of frequencies, and mobile broadband is no exception. Its sweet spot is relatively narrow, roughly in the range of 300 to 3500 megahertz. That’s because radio waves that are much above 3500 MHz (shorter than about 9 centimeters) do not penetrate well into buildings or through rugged terrain, leading to frustrating dead spots. Lower frequencies are better in this regard, but they require awkwardly large antennas for efficient transmission; 300 MHz is roughly the lowest frequency compatible with a reasonably efficient antenna that’s small enough to fit in a handheld device.

While the article doesn’t mention amateur radio in particular, read between the lines. No service is sacred. At the very least, this should make you think about joining the ARRL if you’re not already a member, and if you are, supporting the spectrum-defense activities a little more solidly.

Filed Under: The Service Tagged With:

Amateur Radio Ranks Are NOT Shrinking

October 8, 2010 by 2 Comments

Apologies To Ham Operators
Two weeks ago, Microwaves & RF, a magazine I frequently reference here, published an article titled, “Amateur Radio Ranks Are Shrinking.” Well, we all know this just isn’t true, and a number of hams quickly set the editor, Jack Browne straight.

Yesterday, Browne published the retraction below. Browne says, “In fact, the number of ham operators is growing and the membership in the ARRL is strong.” While the first part of that statement is certainly true, I still don’t think ARRL membership is as strong as it should be, but that will be the topic for another blog post.

Thanks, Jack, for the clarification!

Jack Browne
October 7, 2010

Two weeks ago, in this column, a statement was made that the ranks of amateur (ham) radio operators were shrinking. As it turns out, the number of licensed amateur radio operators is growing in the United States, as in membership in the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL). The comments on shrinking numbers were based on a misleading report from an industry company newsletter. In fact, the number of ham operators is growing and the membership in the ARRL is strong, as pointed out by a multitude of responses from spirited ham operators. My thanks and appreciation to all those who wrote back and helped to correct erroneous reporting at this end.

Further details on the growth numbers can be found in the Editorial for the October issue of Microwaves & RF, which indicate growth from 2008 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2010. Regarding the number of e-mails that came as a result of that “shrinking” report, it points out that the amateur radio community is not only growing, but a vibrant group, unwilling to sit back passively when misrepresented in the press. It is a group that understands fundamental RF communications and appreciates the elegance of making a direct connection with another operator. It is also a group that may prove vital to this nation’s security one day as an emergency communications network, should a severe national crisis occur.

Filed Under: The Service Tagged With:

18,270 New Licenses Issued Through June 2010

July 19, 2010 by 11 Comments

From the July 15, 2010 issue of the ARRL Letter:

With more than 18,000 new Amateur Radio licenses issued in the first half of this year — 18,270 to be exact — 2010 is shaping up to be a banner year for Amateur Radio. So far, the number of new licenses issued by the FCC in 2010 is outpacing the January-June 2009 totals by almost 8.5 percent; at this time last year, the FCC had issued 16,844 new licenses. As of June 30, 2010, there are 694,346 licensed Amateur Radio operators in the US, an almost 1 percent rise over all of calendar year 2009. Broken down by license class at the end of June 2010, there were 16,299 Novices, 342,064 Technicians, 154,284 Generals, 60,059 Advanced and 121,640 Amateur Extra licensees .

Read complete article.

I still think we’re not doing enough to help new hams get involvedin the hobby and really learn ham radio, but I suppose that having more hams is a good thing. Despite my rant five years about leaving no ham behind, I’ve found that many new hams are either reluctant to ask for help or just want to make their own way. I haven’t figured out which it is, but I do know that few of the students in my one-day class ever take me up on my offer of help.

What do you think?

Filed Under: Classes/Testing/Licensing, The Service Tagged With:

Ham Radio IS NOT a Dying Hobby

January 7, 2010 by 13 Comments

I really hate it when people ask me, “Ham radio? Do people still do that?” Yes, of course, we still do that. Not only that, ham radio is growing. Below, is the latest press release from the ARRL. Now, granted, this release does hype up the statistics, but the facts are there. Almost double the number of new licenses were issued in 2009 than in 2005, and there are now almost 700,000 licensed radio amateurs in the U.S.

2009 Sees Surge of New Amateur Radio Licensees

Newington, Conn., Jan 7, 2010 – 2009 was a banner year for new people getting Amateur Radio licensees in the US. Amateur Radio, often called “ham radio,” has been growing over recent years, but 2009 was a record. According to the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, the FCC issued more than 30,000 new ham radio licenses in 2009.

A total of 30,144 new licenses were granted in 2009, an increase of almost 7.5 percent from 2008. In 2005, 16,368 new hams joined Amateur Radio’s ranks; just five years later, that number had increased by almost 14,000 — a whopping 84 percent! The ARRL is the largest of several organizations trusted by the FCC to administer Amateur Radio license exams in the US.

“When looking at the statistics over the last 10 years, these are some the highest numbers we’ve seen,” explained Maria Somma, manager of the ARRL testing programs. “The total number of US amateurs has grown each year.” Currently there are 682,500 licensed Amateur Radio operators in the USA, an almost 3 percent rise over 2008. In 2008, there were 663,500 licensed amateurs; there were 655,800 in 2007. There are approximately 2.5 million Amateur Radio enthusiasts worldwide. It was also noted that a much higher percentage of licensees are going far beyond an entry-level license and earning higher class (and much more difficult) FCC Amateur Radio licenses. Despite the predictions of some commentators that Amateur Radio would be dying with the development of cell phones and the Internet, hams instead have taken and incorporated those digital and computer technologies into their wireless hobby, creating many new developments in the process.

Somma applauded all the volunteers whose “hard work and contribution of countless hours of time helps to ensure the future of Amateur Radio. I am delighted by these important achievements. 2009 was a very good year for Amateur Radio and I am excited by the promise of 2010.” For more information see http://www.Hello-Radio.org.

Filed Under: ARRL, Classes/Testing/Licensing, The Service Tagged With: ,

What Should Every Ham Know How to Do?

December 2, 2009 by 13 Comments

On the HamRadioHelpGroup mailing list, there was recently a discussion about using modulated CW on 2m. One fellow pointed out that MFJ sold a unit that would do this. When I pointed out that this box cost $100 and that they could do exactly the same thing with the $18 PicoKeyer from HamGadgets.Com, I got some flack that the PicoKeyer was a kit, and that some people might not be able to build it.

I pointed out that a couple of years ago our club held a construction night, and that several people who had never soldered before successfully completed the kit. I also pointed out that even if the ham didn’t have the proper tools, he or she could purchase a soldering iron, needle-nose pliers, and diagonal cutters, in addition to the kit, for less than $100.

That pretty much shut him up, but I got to thinking about what a ham should be able to do. This is the list I’ve come up with so far. This list does, of course, imply that a ham is physically capable of doing them. I would not expect hams that are physically disabled to be able to do everything on this list.

What Every Ham Should Know How to Do

  1. Solder. Every ham should know how to solder a connection, and by extension, build small kits and cables. Over the course of one’s ham career, this skill will save you a ton of time and money.
  2. Build a dipole antenna. The dipole is the simplest and most versatile antenna. Knowing how to build one and use one is an essential skill.
  3. Check into a net. Net operation is one of the most basic operating skills.
  4. Use a multimeter to measure voltage, current, and resistance and know what those measurements mean. This is the most basic skill used in troubleshooting, and at some point or another, you’re going to have to troubleshoot something.

These are just the first four things that occur to me. What do you think every ham should know how to do?

Filed Under: The Service

Computer Magazine Touts Ham Radio

October 30, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Computerworld, a computer trade magazine, is currently running the article, “Want to bone up on wireless tech? Try ham radio,” on its website. It’s saying what I’ve been saying all along that getting a ham radio license is a good thing for computer professionals, especially those involved with networking.

Here’s what the article has to say about innovation in ham radio:

Reviving innovation
Decades ago, amateur radio operators were on the forefront of scores of technological innovations, including television, digital communications, solid-state design and cellular networks. The hobby’s roots trace back to radio pioneers such as Guglielmo Marconi and FM-inventor Edwin Armstrong.

But in recent years, as many potential new hams were attracted to computers, the Internet and other technologies that they could explore without passing a licensing exam, some veteran hams worried that ham radio was at risk of gradually sliding into stagnation and was perhaps even on the road toward technological irrelevance. Over time, many old-timers worried, experimenters would gradually be replaced by hams more focused on the hobby’s operational aspects, such as restoring antique radios and providing communications services for community parades and other charity events.

Other hams, however, believed that the hobby was actually entering a new era of innovation, one driven by the same type of people lured away from ham radio by advancing digital technologies. They reasoned that a streamlined licensing system, capped by the FCC’s elimination of Morse code testing two years ago, would, over time, revitalize the hobby. This would happen by attracting technically skilled innovators who were interested in more than merely tapping a telegraph key.

It goes on to talk about how hams are working on interesting projects, such as new digital communications techniques, and how hams have parlayed their ham radio hobby into lifelong careers. One example they give is Joe Taylor, K1JT, who is a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.

Filed Under: Promotion & PR, The Service Tagged With:
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