In order to celebrate the recent Amateur Radio Day for the 3,000,000 amateur radio operators, the enthusiasts, and more. . .
Amateur Radio
Amateur radio is and was essentially the first style of radio, coming from its roots of being “free radio”. But with every type of freedom comes responsibility, so some licensing is required in order to emit radio waves, unless they are in designated zones of the radio frequency, and at low enough wattage. Any other type of radio transmission is regulated heavily by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). With that licensing, you will be assigned a station name, just like any other radio station (municipal, police or other radio as well), and that station name (call letters, numbers) are just like any other American station, starting with an A, K, N, and W as callsign prefixes, and now also with two letter prefixes AA to AL. Here is a chart showing the regular transmission of amateur radio throughout the U.S. airwaves:
U.S. Amateur Radio Bands Allocations | ||
4160 METERS | ||
General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data, SSB (Phone), Image | 1.800- 2.000 MHz |
Amateur station operating at 1.900-2.000 MHz must not cause harmful interference to the radio location service and are afforded no protection from radiolocation operations. Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 1.800-1.830 CW, data and other narrow band modes. 1.810 QRP CW calling frequency. 1.830-1.840 CW, data and other narrow band modes, intercontinental QSOs only. 1.840-1.850 CW; SSB, SSTV and other wideband modes, intercontinental QSOs only 1.850-2.000 CW; phone, SSTV and other wideband modes 1.910 QRP SSB calling frequency. |
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80 METERS
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Novice Tech w/5wpm | CW Only | 3.675 – 3.725 MHz |
General | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 3.525 – 3.750 MHz 3.850 – 4.000 MHz |
Advanced | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 3.525 – 3.750 MHz 3.775 – 4.000 MHz |
Extra | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 3.500 – 3.750 MHz 3.750 – 4.000 MHz |
5.167.5 MHz (SSB Only): Alaska emergency use only. Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 3.560 QRP CW calling frequency. 3.590 RTTY DX. 3.580-3.620 Data. 3.620-3.635 Automatically controlled data stations. 3.710 QRP Novice/Technician CW calling frequency. 3.790-3.800 DX window. 3.845 SSTV. 3.885 AM calling frequency. 3.985 QRP SSB calling frequency. |
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40 METERS | ||
Novice Tech w/5wpm | CW Only | 7.100 – 7.150 MHz |
General* | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 7.025 – 7.150 MHz 7.225 – 7.300 MHz |
Advanced* | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 7.025 – 7.150 MHz 7.150 – 7.300 MHz |
Extra* | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 7.000 – 7.150 MHz 7.150 – 7.300 MHz |
* Phone operation is allowed on 7.025 – 7.100 MHz in Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and areas of the Caribbean south of 20° north latitude; and in Hawaii and areas near ITU Region 3, including Alaska. Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 7.040 RTTY DX; QRP CW calling frequency. 7.080-7.100 Data. 7.100-7.105 Automatically controlled data stations. 7.110 QRP Novice/Technician CW calling frequency. 7.171 SSTV. 7.285 QRP SSB calling frequency. 7.290 AM calling frequency. |
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30 METERS | ||
General | CW, RTTY, Data | 10.100 – 10.150 MHz |
Advanced | CW, RTTY, Data | 10.100 – 10.150 MHz |
Extra | CW, RTTY, Data | 10.100 – 10.150 MHz |
Maximum power on 30 meters is 200 watts PEP output. Amateurs must avoid interference to the fixed service outside the US. Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 10.106 QRP CW calling frequency. 10.130-10.140 Data. 10.140-10.150 Automatically controlled data stations. |
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20 METERS | ||
General | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 14.025 – 14.150 MHz 14.225 – 14.350 MHz |
Advanced | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 14.025 – 14.150 MHz 14.175 – 14.350 MHz |
Extra | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 14.000 – 14.150 MHz 14.150 – 14.350 MHz |
Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 14.060 QRP CW calling frequency. 14.070-14.095 Data. 14.095-14.0995 Automatically controlled data stations. 14.100 NCDXF/IARU beacons. 14.100-14.112 Automatically controlled data stations. 14.230 SSTV. 14.285 QRP SSB calling frequency. 14.286 AM calling frequency. |
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17 METERS | ||
General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 18.068 – 18.110 MHz 18.110 – 18.168 MHz |
Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 18.100-18.105 Data. 18.105-18.110 Automatically controlled data stations. |
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15 METERS | ||
Novice Tech w/5wpm | CW Only | 21.100 – 21.200 MHz |
General | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 21.025 – 21.200 MHz 21.300 – 21.450 MHz |
Advanced | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 21.025 – 21.200 MHz 21.225 – 21.450 MHz |
Extra | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 21.000 – 21.200 MHz 21.200 – 21.450 MHz |
Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 21.060 QRP CW calling frequency. 21.070-21.100 Data. 21.090-21.100 Automatically controlled data stations. 21.340 SSTV. 21.385 QRP SSB calling frequency. |
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12 METERS | ||
General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 24.890 – 24.930 MHz 24.930 – 24.990 MHz |
Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 24.920-24.925 Data. 24.925-24.930 Automatically controlled data stations. |
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10 METERS | ||
Novice Tech w/5wpm | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW | 28.100 – 28.300 MHz 28.300 – 28.500 MHz |
General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data SSB (Phone), CW, Image | 28.000 – 28.300 MHz 28.300 – 29.700 MHz |
Novices and Technicians are limited to 200 watts PEP output on 10 meters. Considerate Operator’s Frequency Guide 28.060 QRP CW calling frequency. 28.070-28.120 Data. 28.120-28.189 Automatically controlled data stations. 28.190-28.225 Beacons. 28.385 QRP SSB calling frequency. 28.680 SSTV. 29.000-29.200 AM. 29.300-29.510 Satellite downlinks. 29.520-29.580 Repeater inputs. 29.600 FM simplex. 29.620-29.680 Repeater outputs. |
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6 METERS
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Novice Tech w/5wpm Tech No Code General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data, MCW, Test, SSB (Phone), Image CW Only | 50.1 – 55.0 MHz 50.0 – 50.1 MHz |
No Miscellaneous Information Available | ||
2 METERS
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Novice Tech w/5wpm Tech No Code General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data, MCW, Test, SSB (Phone), Image CW Only | 144.1 – 148.0 MHz 144.0 – 144.1 MHz |
No Miscellaneous Information Available | ||
1.25 METERS
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Novice Tech w/5wpm Tech No Code General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data, MCW, Test, SSB (Phone), Image | 222.0 – 225.0 MHz |
Novices are limited to 25 watts PEP output from 222 to 225 MHz. | ||
70 CENTIMETERS
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Novice Tech w/5wpm Tech No Code General Advanced Extra | CW, RTTY, Data, MCW, Test, SSB (Phone), Image | 420.0 – 450.0 MHz |
No Miscellaneous Information Available |
Radio
Radio is technology of modulating, signaling and/or communicating using a radio wave, which is an electromagnetic waves in the low frequency just above the sound wave between 30 kHz and 300 GHz. The electronic wave is generated by a transmitter connected to an antenna which radiates the wave, and tuned by a radio tuner connected to a receiving antenna. Radio is used in communication, television, radar, navigation, remote controls, remote sensing and other variety of other applications. In the whole spectrum of energy, it all starts on the low end with
- Sound/resonance waves
- Radio waves
- Microwaves
Then the spectrum turns to rays as the perpendicular lines start to radiate in conjunction with the wave-fronts of the actual light or ray, and that points in the direction of the energy flow Leading into:
- Infrared rays
- Visible light rays
- Ultraviolet rays
- X-rays
- Gamma rays
- Cosmic rays
The Electromagnetic Spectrum – Radio Placement |
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Force
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Field
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Frequency
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Wavelength
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Static
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Static Electricity
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0 Hz
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—
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Low Frequency
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Traction Current
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.3 to 30 Hz
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10 million to 18,000 km
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Low Frequency
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Alternating Current (6,000 km=Municipal Electricity)
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60 Hz
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18,000 to 10 km
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RF
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Radio & Television
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30 kHz and 3 GHz
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10 km to 100 mm
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RF
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Microwaves
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3 GHz to 300 GHz
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10 mm to 1 mm
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RF
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Terahertz Waves
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300 GHz to 3 THz
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1 mm to 100 μm
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Thermal
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Infrared Waves
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3 THz to 300 THz
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100 μm to 1 μm
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Visible
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Visible Light
Violet: 380–450 nm (688–789 THz) Blue: 450–495 nm Green: 495–570 nm Yellow: 570–590 nm Orange: 590–620 nm Red: 620–750 nm (400–484 THz) |
300 THz to 315 Hz
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1 μm to 100 nm
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UV
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Ultraviolet Light
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315 Hz to 317 Hz
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100 nm to 1 nm
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Ionization
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X-rays
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317 Hz to 318 Hz
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1 nm to 100 pm
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Ionization
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Gamma Rays
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318 Hz to 320 Hz
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100 pm to 1 pm
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Ionization
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Cosmic Rays (Hard Gamma Rays)
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Over 320 Hz
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Over 1 pm
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Future of Amateur Radio
This is the biggest and most trying time for amateur radio. Every time you turn around, more and more bandwidth is given up and reassigned to provide a different service, in these technological times. I recommend making sure that your right to free radio is maintained. Write your Congress individual to keep them informed that there are a following of constituents who want amateur radio to stay on the air and a viable option for the constituents. I have always loved all radio, including amateur radio. My hope is that radio can continue for the next generation and beyond . . .
History of Radio
You are able to visit my web post concerning the history of radio to check out the beginning years, all the way through to the present days, and even some tips and pointers concerning radio contesting:
Happy National Radio Day – 2022 https://t.co/6PfkRc4Bb3
— Jerry Marquardt (@Versatileer) August 21, 2022
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National Amateur Radio Day
This is a cool one.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO DOES THIS. I WILL SHARE IT WITH HIM.