Commonly known
as Ham Radio, amateur radio has been the source of endless hours of
entertainment for many electronics enthusiasts. It’s almost like a
rite of passage for a follower in the ways of the chips; to be able
to assemble and operate a ham radio is what quite a few people have
already done. And yet, it is what sets the hobbyists from the sincere
lovers of electronics. The concept is as complex as the market have
made it simple; you can buy an entire ham radio set right off the
Internet, or you could wing it like the fanatics of old and start
from scratch! This article focuses on the middle road of assembling
the different parts and then work on the operation of it all.
THE ARRL
The American
Radio Relay League is the official association for amateur radio
operators across the U.S. Two books that you need before you start
your journey into ham radio are the “ARRL Operating Manual” and
the “ARRL Antenna Book”. Consider them your bibles on hamming and
refer to them as and when you require.
GETTING A
LICENSE
The most
critical step in owning your very own ham radio station is to get the
operating license. A Technician class license will allow you to use a
ham radio, depending on which level of license you earn. Licensing is
a tad different in the U.S. and Europe. You can get the details on
the Great Britain ham radio licensing procedure from rsgb.org.
For American
ham users, this site will guide you in taking the exams and earning
the license.
THE HAM
SHACK: STARTING UP
Once you get a
technician class license, you can operate a ham radio on the 6 meter
ham band and higher. You also have operating privileges on a few HF
bands. Most new ham operators start out on 2 meters, which is the
most popular VHF ham band.
The average 2
meter ham includes a small transceiver, an SWR/power meter, a coax,
and connecting cables. The final piece of the puzzle is the trusty
armchair that will soon become like a new home for you! Mount your
license on the closest wall and operate away!
But first,
back to the basics. Are there other ham operators you wish to
communicate with? Or would you be only broadcasting from your
station? These are the questions that you need to answer before you
know exactly which equipment to buy.
Transceiver
- Transceivers are commercially available and vary vastly in cost. A
single handheld can set you back by almost US$100. If in case you
need to set up a mobile station inside a van, the cost for the mobile
equipment will be a lot higher. If you’re an absolute beginner in
the ham world, my suggestion is to get some hands-on experience
before you choose your first rig. Contact your local ham operator or
dealer and ask them all the specific questions that you have. Or, you
could visit the local junk market or flea market and try to find a
used ring for a decent price.
Antenna -
One of the most important parts of your ham station is the antenna.
The piece that converts electrical signals into radio waves will
always be built for a specific band of use. The size of the antenna
needs to be just right in order to match the feeder and the
transmitter. It is only then that the power from the transmitter be
converted and radiated by the antenna. Using the wrong antenna will
only mean wastage of power as some of it will be reflected back to
the feeder.
SWR Meter -
You will need an SWR meter to adjust your antenna and match the
frequency you need to operate on.
Power
Supply - Larger and powerful radios require a DC vehicle battery
or a base power supply with an AC to DC convertor in order to supply
the radio. Operating manuals of your equipments will give you their
operating voltages, helping you fix the right magnitude for your
power supply. Average mobile ham radios require 12 to 15 volts DC.
Coax -
The output stage of any ham radio and all modern transceivers needs
an attachment of 50 ohm type coaxial cable. Commonly known as “coax”,
the cable becomes the main pipe for feeding rf from your radio to the
antenna. All in all, a poor antenna and coax will result in a poor
output signal, regardless of how good your transceiver is.
OPERATING A
HAM STATION: PROPAGATION AND COMPATIBILITY
Once you have
set up your ham radio, you can move on to figuring out the band of
operation. If your antenna can be mounted high up, you can easily
operate with VHF and UHF frequencies. The height reduces the number
of obstacles that the radio waves need to clear before hitting on a
receiver. The final stage is to attune your ham radio for
electromagnetic compatibility. This is necessary to avoid
interference between two pieces of electronic equipment. The many
things you need to take care of are:
- Moving the antenna away from household wiring and other antennas
- Making sure you have grounding in the ham shack
- Using appropriate filters to prevent RF signals from leaving the shack
- Using high immunity equipment that can withstand interference, in case you are located in a heavy interference area
And there you
have it! Once you’ve set up your own ham radio station, you’ve
opened for yourself a world of unlimited fun and contact! So set it
up and get ready to talk to the hams!
About the
Author: Arun Prabhu
Arun Prabhu is
a writer with Transparency Market Research – a market intelligence
firm based in the United States. His area of expertise includes
electronics and semiconductors, a field which he has studied for as
an engineer. With his background in the theoretical areas of
electronics, he seeks to impart knowledge about the realm of circuits
and hopes to learn more while doing so.
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