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The need to communicate is one of the most basic urges of mankind. In fact, it is this urge that causes us to become the dominant life form on our planet. Since the dawn of time mankind has used alternative means of communication whenever possible. Of course, as the technology has progressed, communication has taken on different forms. Perhaps, one of the most popular forms of communication is by using ham radios.
Ham Radios require a license, which forces the student to undergo training and testing in radio theory and principals at the same time making the hobby fun. This often wets the students’ taste to such a degree that they are often motivated to work towards a high paying technical career such as an Electrical Engineer or RF Broadcast Engineer.
Ham radios are special that in order to perform well in the hobby, you need to fully understand the electrical and radio frequency concepts involved. Ham Radios are designed to be used over long distances by using wireless communication.
The essence of ham radios are radio frequency transmitters that are used to send radio signals over long distances. Hence, ham radios are analogous to short wave radios which allow you to communicate over long distances.
Most short wave ham radios start just above the AM range and go all the way to citizens band. In essence, ham radios start to operate just above 1.6 Megahertz and they end up working all the way up to the 27 MHz range.
In principle, the radio waves of ham radios have short wavelengths but high frequencies which cause them to be packed with energy. They bounce off the ionosphere instead of being absorbed and as a result, this causes them to be able to travel to long distances. In fact, you may be surprised at how easy it can be to communicate with someone over long distances.
It is not that surprising to talk over long distances with ham radios such as cross-country or even overseas. In some cases, you can also use ham radios to communicate with astronauts in the space station.
The use of the Ham Radio Equipment itself requires an understanding of radio frequency technology as well. Ham Radios are as ever complex as govt and often at times as technical as maintaining a broadcast station. The Icom IC-706MKIIG for example has hundreds of controls for both the transmit, receive, and audio characteristics of the signal. The Icom IC-706MKIIG is one of many such complex gear used by Amateur Radio Operators.
Hence, you can use ham radios for all kinds of amateur communication needs for educational and entertainment purposes.
You can use ham radios to further your education by speaking with people from different places. You can easily speak with other persons who speak foreign languages. Let’s say that you are learning Spanish or French. Then you can easily find other amateur ham operators overseas who will be able to speak French or Spanish with you. Thus, it is possible for you to advance your foreign language skills.
Moreover, if you are interested in a certain profession, you can easily find people in that profession and talk to them over a ham radio. You will be surprised at how open ham radio operators can be with each other as you will be able to get the help and the assistance that you need.
Speaking with other ham operators can be fun, as you would be able to meet multinational people all over your country and around the globe with a ham radio.
There are even special days in which teenagers everywhere will listen on their ham radios.