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What is Ham Radio? (click here)

What is Ham Radio? (click here)

What is Ham Radio?   Amateur Radio (ham radio) is a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics and communication together. People use ham radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones. It's fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need. You can set up a ham radio station anywhere! In a field... ...at a club station.... ...or at home. Although Amateur Radio operators get involved for many reasons, they all have in common a basic knowledge of radio technology and operating principles,...

Why should I get licensed? (click here)

Why should I get licensed? (click here)

Why should I get licensed? Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government. In the US there are three license classes—Technician, General and Extra. Technician License The Technician class license is the entry-level license of choice for most new ham radio operators. To earn the Technician license requires passing one examination totaling 35 questions on radio theory, regulations and operating practices. The license gives access to all Amateur Radio frequencies above...

Ham Radio History (click here)

Ham Radio History (click here)

In 1873, James Clerk Maxwell presented his theory of the electromagnetic field. In 1901 Guglielmo Marconi communicated across the Atlantic with a radio device using high power and giant antennas. To curb interference, Congress approved the Radio Act of 1912, which required amateurs to be licensed and restricted to the single wavelength of 200 meters. In 1914 the American Radio Relay League was founded by Hiram Percy Maxim, who found that messages could be sent more reliably over long distances if relay stations were organized. Transatlantic transmitting and receiving tests began in 1921 and by July 1960 the first two-way contact...

Your First Station (click here)

Your First Station (click here)

Your Amateur Radio station may change, but you have to start somewhere, right? Here are some fundamentals that all Amateur Radio stations have in common: Transceiver Power Supply Antenna System The Transceiver Selecting your transceiver will largely depend on how much you want to spend and what you hope to do. If you want to explore long-distance contacts on the HF bands, you’ll need an HF transceiver. If you are interested in chatting with local friends on the VHF or UHF bands, look for a VHF+ FM transceiver.  Build Your Own Radio Most hams buy their radios factory assembled,...

  • What is Ham Radio? (click here)

  • Why should I get licensed? (click here)

  • Ham Radio History (click here)

  • Your First Station (click here)

Your First Station (click here)

Your Amateur Radio station may change, but you have to start somewhere, right?

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Here are some fundamentals that all Amateur Radio stations have in common:

  • Transceiver
  • Power Supply
  • Antenna System

The Transceiver

Selecting your transceiver will largely depend on how much you want to spend and what you hope to do. If you want to explore long-distance contacts on the HF bands, you’ll need an HF transceiver. If you are interested in chatting with local friends on the VHF or UHF bands, look for a VHF+ FM transceiver.
 

Build Your Own Radio

Most hams buy their radios factory assembled, but you can design your own transceiver from scratch. There are also many transceiver kits available. Kit building is fun and educational and you’ll save a considerable amount of money in the process. If you think your technical skills are marginal, however, build your kit with the help of a more knowledgeable ham.

HF or VHF Antennas?

Antennas are subjects unto themselves. It all depends on whether you want to get started on the HF or VHF bands. See the sections below and make your choice!

Is QRP Right for You?

QRP enthusiasts operate at only 5 watts output or less. They tend to communicate using CW, but they also use digital modes and occasionally voice. rockmite_QRP_transceiver.JPGThe great advantage of QRP is cost. A QRP transceiver built from a kit can cost less than $200. Low power consumption is another major plus. QRP transceivers can be easily powered from batteries, which make them great for outdoor or emergency operating. The disadvantage of QRP is that you need a very good antenna to make contacts with reasonable ease. This isn’t to say that you can’t make QRP contacts with a poorer antenna (such as a small mobile antenna), but it will be much more difficult. Learn More

Station Power Supply

If you’re considering a handheld transceiver for use on VHF or UHF FM, most of these radios come with their own rechargeable batteries. But if you want to operate the radio without the battery, you may want to invest in a small dc power supply—13.8 volts (V) with a current capacity of about 3 amps (A) will do the job nicely. You can find these at retailers such as RadioShack for about $40 or less.

As you step up to larger radios with more output power, you’ll need larger power supplies to run them. Most of these transceivers do not have their own power supplies, so read their specifications before you buy. A transceiver with a maximum output power of 100 W will require about 25 A of current at 13.8 V when you are operating the radio at “full throttle.” That kind of power supply will cost about $100 to $200.

Don’t worry about buying a power supply with too much current capacity. Your equipment will only draw the current it needs—no more, no less. In fact, it is probably safe to say that you can never have too much current capacity. It may seem economically foolish to invest $200 in a 25-A power supply when all you want to power is a 5-W handheld radio. However, if you think you’ll be upgrading to a larger radio in the near future, you may want to get the big power supply today (especially if you find a great deal on a high-current supply).

When shopping for a power supply, beware of one potential stumbling block. Power supplies are often rated by their continuous and intermittent (ICS) current capacities. The figure you want to look at is the continuous rating—the amount of current the power supply can provide continuously. Don’t be misled by an advertisement that promises a fantastic deal on, say, a 30-A supply. Are those 30 amps provided intermittently—only for short periods of time--or continuously? You need continuous power, so check and be sure!

It is also worth mentioning that you’ll find two types of ham-grade power supplies for sale. The linear design uses a hefty transformer to shift the 120 V ac line voltage from your wall outlet to a lower voltage for later conversion to 13.8 V dc. These power supplies tend to be large and heavy, especially the high-current models.

Another approach to the power supply problem is the switching design. In the switching power supply, the ac line voltage is converted directly to dc and filtered. This high-voltage dc is then fed to a power oscillator that “switches” it on an off at a rate of about 20 to 500 kHz. The result is pulsating dc that can be applied to a transformer for conversation to 13.8 V or whatever is needed. The reason for doing this is that rapidly pulsating dc can be transformed to lower voltages without the need for large transformers. It is the transformer that accounts for most of the weight, size and cost of traditional linear power supplies. A switching power supply is much smaller and lighter, and usually less expensive. If you’re considering a switching power supply, look for models that boast low “RFI” (radio frequency interference).

 

Used with permission. http://www.arrl.org/your-first-station

Meetings

BCARA meetings are the 2nd Monday each month at 7pm.

Fairfield Township Administration Bldg. 6032 Morris Rd. Hamilton,OH 45011
This is located on the corner of Morris Rd and Millikin Rd.  Near Butler Tech.  Wheelchair accessible.
 Please join us on our new, high profile, repeater! Serving the entire Tri-State area @ 146.700(-) PL 123 Please check into our weekly Net: Tuesday's on 146.700(-)  PL 123.0 at 7:00pm

Solar Data

ARRL News

American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.
  • Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at minor storm levelsfor March 18, and then from March 27 and 27 all due to recurrentCoronal Hole influences.Solar activity was at low levels. Multiple C-Class flares wereobserved from newly numbered Region 4028. More spots are rotatingaround the Southeast limb that maybe connected to the spot group.The largest flare of the period was a C6.8 on March...

  • The ARRL San Joaquin Valley Section (SJV) conducted “Perfect Storm,” an amateur radio emergency exercise, on March 5 - 7.Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Dan Sohn, WL7COO, asked that a section-wide exercise be created that would engage both amateur radio operators and non-amateurs to become more active in their community's emergency preparedness and response capabilities.  There were 120 par...

  • ARRL Ham Radio Open House is a national event being hosted by local amateur radio clubs in April to coincide with World Amateur Radio Day on April 18. The event is designed to highlight technical innovations in ham radio, and show off the current state of the art. It will serve as a tool to tell the story of amateur radio being a pathway to tomorrow's technical careers. A site locator is now li...

  • The recipients of the 2025 Dayton Hamvention® Awards were announced on March 11, 2025. “The selection process was highly competitive, given the outstanding quality of nominations submitted this year. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners for 2025,” said Dayton Hamvention Awards Chair Michael Kalter, W8CI.Technical Achievement Award: Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXTDr. Kristina Coll...

  • Gerald E. “Gerry” Murphy, K8YUW, passed away on February 25, 2025. He was 88 years old, and the founder of the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN). According to a statement released by current HWN manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, Murphy, then 28 years old, was stationed at the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Center in Davisville, Rhode Island, in 1965. During his time off, he handled countless phon...