Ham radio | WorldCat.org
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
My Assumptions about You
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Ham Radio
Chapter 1 Getting Acquainted with Ham Radio
Exploring Ham Radio around the World
Tuning into Ham Radio
Using electronics and technology
Joining the ham radio community
Radiosport
Competing with Ham Radio
Communicating through Ham Radio Contacts
Ragchews
Nets
Citizen Science and HamSCI
Chapter 2 Getting a Handle on Ham Radio Technology
Getting to Know Basic Ham Radio Gear
Building a Basic Ham Radio Station
Basic stations
Communication Technologies
Understanding the Fundamentals of Radio Waves
Frequency and wavelength
The radio spectrum
Dealing with Mother Nature
Experiencing nature affecting radio waves
Overcoming radio noise
Chapter 3 Finding Other Hams: Your Support Group
Finding and Being a Mentor
Interacting in Online Communities
Social media and blogs
Videos, podcasts, and webinars
Email reflectors
Online training and instruction
Web portals
Joining Radio Clubs
Finding and choosing a club
Participating in meetings
Getting more involved
Exploring the ARRL
ARRL benefits to you
ARRL benefits to the hobby
ARRL benefits to the public
Taking Part in Specialty Groups
On the Air
IOTA, SOTA, and POTA
Young Hams
YOTA
Competitive clubs
Handiham
AMSAT
TAPR
YLRL
QRP clubs
Attending Hamfests and Conventions
Finding and preparing for hamfests
Finding conventions and conferences
Part 2 Wading through the Licensing Process
Chapter 4 Understanding the Licensing System
Getting Acquainted with the Amateur Service
FCC rules
Ham radio frequency allocations. Learning about Types of Licenses
Technician class
General class
Amateur Extra class
Grandfathered classes
Getting Licensed
Studying the exam questions
Taking your license exam
Volunteer examiner coordinators
Volunteer examiners
Receiving Your New Call Sign
Call-sign prefixes and suffixes
Class and call sign
Chapter 5 Preparing for Your License Exam
Getting a Grip on the Technician Exam
Finding Study Resources
Licensing classes
Books, websites, and videos
Online practice exams
Locating Your Mentor
Chapter 6 Taking the Exam
Types of Exams
Public in-person exams
Remote exams
Exams at events
Exam sessions in homes and online
Finding an Exam Session
Registering with the Universal Licensing System (ULS)
Getting to Exam Day
What to have with you
What to expect
What to do after the exam
Chapter 7 Obtaining Your License and Call Sign
Completing Your Licensing Paperwork
Finding Your Call Sign
Searching the ULS database
Searching other websites for call signs
Printing your license
Identifying with your new privileges
Picking Your Own Call Sign
Searching for available call signs
Applying for a vanity call sign
Maintaining Your License
Part 3 Hamming It Up
Chapter 8 Receiving Signals
Learning by Listening
Finding out where to listen
Understanding how bands are organized
Using Your Receiver
Tuning, and scanning with channels
Continuous tuning with a knob
Software-controlled tuning
Listening on VHF and UHF
Listening on HF
Using beacon networks and contact maps
Receiving Signals
Receiving FM voice
Receiving SSB voice
Receiving digital voice
Receiving digital or data modes
Receiving Morse code
Chapter 9 Basic Operating
Understanding Contacts (QSOs)
Common parts of contacts. Casual contacts
Nets and talk groups
On-the-air meetings
Contests and DXing
Radiosport
How contacts get started
Joining a contact
Failing to make contact
During a contact
Calling CQ
Casual Conversation
Ragchewing
Knowing where to chew
Identifying a ragchewer
Calling CQ for a ragchew
Making Repeater and Simplex Contacts
Understanding repeater basics
Making a repeater contact
Using access control
Miscellaneous repeater features
Maximizing your signal
Setting up your radio
Making a simplex contact
Digital Voice Systems
HF digital voice
VHF/UHF digital voice
Digital repeater networks
The DMR system
Casual Operating on HF
HF bands
Picking good times to operate
Contacts on CW and digital modes
Chapter 10 Public Service Operating
Joining a Public Service Group
Finding a public service group
Volunteering for ARES
Preparing for Emergencies and Disasters
Knowing who
Knowing where
Knowing what
Knowing how
Operating in Emergencies and Disasters
Reporting an accident or other incident
Making and responding to distress calls
Providing Public Service
Weather monitoring and SKYWARN
Parades and charity events
Participating in Nets
Checking in and out
Exchanging information
Tactical call signs
Radio discipline
Digital Message Networks
Winlink
email by radio
AREDN
NBEMS
Chapter 11 Operating Specialties
Getting Digital
Digital definitions
WSJT modes
fast and slow
FT8 and FT4
PSK31 and PSK63
Radioteletype (RTTY)
Non-WSJT MFSK modes
PACTOR, ARDOP, and VARA
Packet radio
APRS and tracking
DXing
Chasing Distant Stations
VHF/UHF DXing with a Technician license
HF DXing with a General license
Taking Part in Radio Contests
Choosing a contest. Operating in a contest
Chasing Awards
Finding awards and special events
Logging contacts for awards
Applying for awards
Mastering Morse Code (CW)
Learning Morse correctly
Copying the code
Pounding brass
sending Morse
Making code contacts
QRP (Low Power) and Portable Operating
Getting started with QRP
Portable operating
Direction-finding (ARDF)
Operating via Satellites
Getting grounded in satellite basics
Accessing satellites
Seeing Things: Image Communication
Slow-scan television
Fast-scan television
Part 4 Building and Operating a Station That Works
Chapter 12 Getting on the Air
What Is a Station?
Planning Your Station
Deciding what you want to do
Deciding how to operate
Choosing a Radio
Allocating your resources
Software defined radios
Radios for VHF and UHF operating
Radios for HF operating
Filtering and noise
Choosing an Antenna
Beam antennas
VHF/UHF antennas
HF antennas
Feed line and connectors
Supporting Your Antenna
Antennas and trees
Masts and tripods
Towers
Rotators
Station Accessories
Mikes, keys, and keyers
Antenna system gadgets
Digital mode interfaces
Remote Control Stations
Remote control rules
Accessing a remote control station
Upgrading Your Station
Chapter 13 Organizing a Home Station
Designing Your Station
Keeping a station notebook
Building in ergonomics
Viewing some example ham stations
Building in RF and Electrical Safety
Electrical safety
RF exposure
First aid
Grounding and Bonding
AC and DC power
Lightning
RF management
Chapter 14 Computers in Your Ham Station
What Type of Computers Do Hams Use?
Windows
Linux
Macintosh
Android and iOS
Microcontrollers
What Do Ham Computers Do?
Software-defined radio. WSJT-X and fldigi
Radio and remote control
Hardware considerations
Keeping a Log of Your Contacts
Paper logging
Computer logging
Submitting a contest log
Confirming Your Contacts
QSL cards
QSLing electronically
Direct QSLing
Using QSL managers
Bureaus and QSL services
Applying for awards
Chapter 15 Operating Away from Home
Mobile Stations
HF mobile radios
Mobile installations
Mobile antennas
Portable Operating
Portable antennas
Portable power
Field Day
Field Day "gotchas"
Chapter 16 Hands-On Radio
Acquiring Tools and Components
Maintenance tools
Repair and building tools
Components for repairs and building
Maintaining Your Station
Overall Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Your Station
Power problems
RF problems
Operational problems
Troubleshooting RF Interference
Dealing with interference to other equipment
Dealing with interference to your equipment
Building Equipment from a Kit
Building Equipment from Scratch
Part 5 The Part of Tens
Chapter 17 Ham Radio Jargon
Say What?
Spoken Q-signals
Contesting or Radiosport
Antenna Varieties
Feed Lines
Antenna Tuners
Repeater Operating
Grid Squares
Interference and Noise
Connector Parts
Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
Chapter 18 Technical Fundamentals
Electrical Units and Symbols
Ohm's Law
Power
Decibels
Attenuation, Loss, and Gain
Bandwidth
Filters
Antenna Patterns
Standing Wave Ratio (SWR)
Battery Characteristics
Satellite Tracking
Chapter 19 Tips for Masters
Listening to Everything
Learning How It Works
Following the Protocol
Keeping Your Axe Sharp
Practice to Make Perfect
Paying Attention to Detail
Knowing What You Don't Know
Maintaining Radio Discipline
Make Small Improvements Continuously