08-21-2008, 12:46 PM
Keep in mind that shortwave and amateur (ham) radio are two different things. Shortwave is merely listening and requires no FCC license whatsoever.
Until relatively recently, there were 5 classifications of ham licensing (Novice, Technician, General, Advanced and Amateur Extra). Each level required the applicant to pass a multiple-choice written test covering the technical and regulatory aspects of the hobby, and in the case of Novice, General and Extra, also a Morse Code test. (BTW, hams call it CW which stands for 'continuous wave'). The further a person progressed up the ladder, the more privileges he or she received. For example a Novice could only operate in a very small slice of the Amateur frequency spectrum and then only via CW, whereas an Extra Class could operate on any band or frequency using any permitted mode - CW, SSB, UHF, VHF, satelite, packet, etc.
I'll be honest. I've been an Extra for 28 years but would be hard pressed to tell you the difference between a capacitor and a resistor; and once I passed the 20 wpm code test, I threw the keyer away and haven't touched one since. I'm what the more technically oriented hobbyists call an 'appliance operator' - basically I just like to turn the transceiver on and talk. I don't much know or care how it works or why. What I'm saying is, the only talent required was the ability to take tests; and since ALL the potential questions and answers were published by the FCC, all a person had to do was study the test.
Now it appears that the code requirement has been dropped entirely making the task of becoming licensed even easier. The first place to investigate if you're interested in becoming a ham is www.arrl.org. The American Radio Relay League is the oldest and largest organization dedicated to the advancement of this activity.
As far as equipment goes, I'd say Kenwood, ICOM, and Yaesu are the most well known and respected manufacturers of radios. If you plan to talk and/or listen to traffic from other parts of the world, you'll need an HF radio that covers the 10 thru 160 meter bands. Most people that operate in this manner use a tri-band beam antenna that covers the 10/15/20 meter bands mounted on a tower or pole and a vertical antenna (essentially just a 30' or so whip) for the 40/80/160 meter bands. It's a BIG generalization, but pretty much the 10, 15 & 20 meter bands are used during daylight hours, whereas 40 thru 160 really only work at night.
The tower for a tri-bander can be had in many configurations: rigid, free-standing and guyed or non-guyed, fold over or crank up. IMHO one of these last two is the obvious choice - particularly a crank up. Depending upon the particular model or size they telescope up from around 10' high in the lowered position up to over 100' when extended. You also need a rotator motor on top of the tower to properly aim the antenna. I don't know that any one brand of beam or tower is any better than any other . . . there are literally hundreds out there. Not sure about Hawaii county, but some jurisdictions require a building permit for antenna construction.
Low-band verticals are made by numerous companies too, but the one I like and use myself is the Butternut HF2V..
aloha & 73,
Gene, WR6P
also/ex: VK4CEO, T26RP, T31AJ, V31EQ, WR6P/6Y5
_________________________
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
Until relatively recently, there were 5 classifications of ham licensing (Novice, Technician, General, Advanced and Amateur Extra). Each level required the applicant to pass a multiple-choice written test covering the technical and regulatory aspects of the hobby, and in the case of Novice, General and Extra, also a Morse Code test. (BTW, hams call it CW which stands for 'continuous wave'). The further a person progressed up the ladder, the more privileges he or she received. For example a Novice could only operate in a very small slice of the Amateur frequency spectrum and then only via CW, whereas an Extra Class could operate on any band or frequency using any permitted mode - CW, SSB, UHF, VHF, satelite, packet, etc.
I'll be honest. I've been an Extra for 28 years but would be hard pressed to tell you the difference between a capacitor and a resistor; and once I passed the 20 wpm code test, I threw the keyer away and haven't touched one since. I'm what the more technically oriented hobbyists call an 'appliance operator' - basically I just like to turn the transceiver on and talk. I don't much know or care how it works or why. What I'm saying is, the only talent required was the ability to take tests; and since ALL the potential questions and answers were published by the FCC, all a person had to do was study the test.
Now it appears that the code requirement has been dropped entirely making the task of becoming licensed even easier. The first place to investigate if you're interested in becoming a ham is www.arrl.org. The American Radio Relay League is the oldest and largest organization dedicated to the advancement of this activity.
As far as equipment goes, I'd say Kenwood, ICOM, and Yaesu are the most well known and respected manufacturers of radios. If you plan to talk and/or listen to traffic from other parts of the world, you'll need an HF radio that covers the 10 thru 160 meter bands. Most people that operate in this manner use a tri-band beam antenna that covers the 10/15/20 meter bands mounted on a tower or pole and a vertical antenna (essentially just a 30' or so whip) for the 40/80/160 meter bands. It's a BIG generalization, but pretty much the 10, 15 & 20 meter bands are used during daylight hours, whereas 40 thru 160 really only work at night.
The tower for a tri-bander can be had in many configurations: rigid, free-standing and guyed or non-guyed, fold over or crank up. IMHO one of these last two is the obvious choice - particularly a crank up. Depending upon the particular model or size they telescope up from around 10' high in the lowered position up to over 100' when extended. You also need a rotator motor on top of the tower to properly aim the antenna. I don't know that any one brand of beam or tower is any better than any other . . . there are literally hundreds out there. Not sure about Hawaii county, but some jurisdictions require a building permit for antenna construction.
Low-band verticals are made by numerous companies too, but the one I like and use myself is the Butternut HF2V..
aloha & 73,
Gene, WR6P
also/ex: VK4CEO, T26RP, T31AJ, V31EQ, WR6P/6Y5
_________________________
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
_________________________
"I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out? No." - Craig T. Nelson
"I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out? No." - Craig T. Nelson