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Chapter 2

Activities in

Amateur Radio

One of the best things about this passion

we call Amateur Radio is its

flexibility.

other words, Amateur Radio can be what-

ever

you

want it to be. Whether you are

looking for relaxation, excitement, or a

way to stretch your mental (and physical)

horizons, Amateur Radio can provide it.

This chapter was written by Larry Kollar,

with some new material by John Champa,

K8OCL, Stu Cohen, N1SC and Shawn

Reed, N1HOQ. Let’s take a brief tour

through the following topic areas:

Awards —

the individual and competi-

tive pursuits that make up the tradition we

call “paper chasing.”

Contests —

the challenge of on-the-air

competition.

Nets —

traffic nets,

where amateurs

pass messages on behalf of hams and

nonhams, and the

casual nets,

where

groups of people with common interests

meet on the air to swap equipment, anec-

dotes and information.

Ragchewing —

meeting new friends on

the air.

Amateur Radio Education —

Educat-

ing current and future hams brings in new

blood (and revitalizes old blood!); educat-

ing our neighbors about ham radio is good

for public relations and awareness.

ARRL Field Organization —

Amateur

Radio in general, and the ARRL in par-

ticular, depend on the volunteer spirit. As

part of the Field Organization, you can

exercise your administrative, speaking

and diplomatic skills in service of the

amateur community.

Emergency Communications —

When

disaster strikes, hams often have the only

reliable means to communicate with the

outside world. Practice and preparation are

key to fulfilling this mission.

DF (Direction Finding) —

If you’ve ever

wanted to know where a transmitter (hidden

or otherwise) is located, you’ll find that

DFing is an enjoyable and useful skill.

HSMM (High Speed Multimedia) —

Making contacts using video, voice, text,

and data simultaneously on the ham radio

version of a wireless Internet called the

Hinternet.

Satellite Operation —

You may be sur-

prised to learn that hams have their own

communications satellites! Satellite op-

eration can be great fun and a technical

challenge for those who want to operate on

the “final frontier.”

Repeaters —

Using and operating re-

peaters is one of the most popular activi-

ties for both new and old hams.

Image Communications —

Although

it’s fun to talk to other amateurs, it’s even

more fun to

see

them.

Digital Communications —

Use your

computer to communicate with stations

around your town or around the world.

VHF, UHF and Microwave Weak Sig-

nal Operating —

Explore the challenging,

quirky and surprising world above 50 MHz.

EME (Earth-Moon-Earth), Meteor

Scatter and Aurora —

Making contacts

by bouncing your signals off the moon, the

fiery trails of meteors and auroras.

Vintage Radio

— Use equipment from

Amateur Radio’s historic past to make

contacts, enhance troubleshooting skills

and put you in touch with ham radio’s

roots.

AWARDS

Winning awards, or “paper chasing,” is

a time-honored amateur tradition. For

those who enjoy individual pursuits or

friendly competition, the ARRL and other

organizations offer awards ranging from

the coveted to the humorous.

DX Awards

The two most popular DX awards are

DXCC (DX Century Club), sponsored by

the ARRL and WAC (Worked All Conti-

nents), sponsored by the International

Amateur Radio Union (IARU). The WAC

award is quite simple: All you have to do

is work one station on each of six conti-

nents. The DXCC is more challenging:

You must work at least one station in each

of 100 countries. You don’t need a huge

antenna or high power to participate and

have fun. A good place to start is during

one of the annual DX contests, when thou-

sands of DX stations are on the air and

seeking contacts.

Fig 2.1 — One of the most prized awards

in Amateur Radio: the DX Century Club.

Activities in Amateur Radio

2.1

Direct QSLs and DX Bureaus

Since DX stations are often inundated

with QSL cards (and QSL requests) from

US hams, it is financially impossible for

most of them to pay for the return postage.

Hams have hit upon several ways to

lighten the load on popular DX stations.

The fastest, but most expensive, way to

get QSL cards is the

direct

approach. You

send your QSL card, with the appropriate

number of International Reply Coupons

(IRCs) or one or more dollars and a self-

addressed airmail envelope to the DX sta-

tion. International Reply Coupons are

available from your local post office and

can be used nearly anywhere in the world

for return postage. Some DX hams prefer

that you send “green stamps” (dollar bills)

because they can be used to defray post-

ing, printing and other expenses. However,

it is illegal in some countries to possess

foreign currency. If you’re not sure, ask

the DX station or check DX Web sites to

see how much return postage is needed.

Some DX hams have recruited

QSL man-

agers,

hams who handle the QSL chores of

one or more DX stations. QSL managers are

convenient for everyone. The DX station need

only send batches of blank cards and a copy

of the logs; hams wanting that station’s card

need only send a First Class stamp for US

return postage and can expect a prompt reply.

(In the case of QSL managers located outside

the United States, you must still send IRCs or

dollars and a self-addressed return envelope.)

The easiest (and slowest) way to send

and receive large batches of QSL cards is

through the incoming and outgoing QSL

bureaus. The outgoing bureau is available

to ARRL members. The incoming bureaus

are available to all amateurs. Bureau in-

structions and addresses can be found on

the ARRL Web site.

Logbook of the World

Alternatively, you can submit your QSO

log electronically to ARRL’s Logbook of

The World (LoTW). All submissions are

free. You only pay when you “redeem” your

QSO credits for an award, such as DXCC or

Worked All States (WAS). Once you are

signed up as a Logbook user, you can submit

new contact records whenever you wish.

Your contacts will be matched against the

logs of other Logbook users. Whenever a

match occurs, you receive instant credit for

the contact. You can learn more about Log-

book of The World by visiting its Web site

www.arrl.org/lotw/.

DXpeditions

What does the avid DXer who has

worked them all (or almost all of them) do

for an encore? Answer:

become

the DX!

DXpeditions journey to countries with few

2.2

Chapter 2

or no hams, often making thousands of

contacts in the space of a few days.

In 1991, Albania opened its borders and

legalized Amateur Radio for the first time in

many years. To train the first new generation

of Albanian hams and to relieve the pileups

that were sure to happen, a contingent of

European and American hams organized a

DXpedition to Albania. The DXpedition

made over 10,000 contacts and changed

Albania from one of the rarest and most-

desired countries to an “easy one.”

In March/April 2004, one of the largest

DXpeditions ever organized completed

153,113 QSOs during a 25-day period from

tiny Rodriguez Island in the Indian Ocean.

With only one resident amateur, Rodriguez

is quite difficult to work for most hams, and

it counts as a separate country for the DXCC

award. The 3B9C DXpedition team worked

amateurs worldwide on all current HF bands,

including contacts on the 6-meter band.

3B9C even worked stations via EME (earth-

moon-earth) and satellite communications

on the 70-cm (432 MHz) UHF band.

But most DXpeditions are smaller affairs,

one or two operators who combine vacation

with some on-air fun. There is a DXpedition

handing out contacts from somewhere in the

world every day of the year. Activity often

peaks in conjunction with the major DX

contests. If you don’t want to drag your radio

and antennas along, there are even fully

equipped DX stations available for rental.

DX Nets

The beginning DXer can get a good jump

on DXCC by frequenting DX nets. On DX

nets, a net control station keeps track of

which DX stations have checked into the net.

He or she then allows a small group of opera-

tors to check in and work one of the DX

stations. This permits weaker stations to be

heard instead of being buried in a pileup.

Since the net control station does not toler-

ate net members making contacts out-of-

turn, beginning operators have a better

chance of snagging a new country. Nets and

frequencies on which they operate vary. For

the latest information on DX nets, check with

local DXers and DX bulletins.

WAS (Worked All States)

The WAS certificate is awarded to ama-

teurs who have QSL cards or Logbook of the

World confirmation from at least one opera-

tor in each of the 50 United States. Chasing

WAS is often a casual affair, although there

are also nets dedicated to operators who are

looking for particular states. Some people

try for Worked All States on a particular band

or mode.

Endorsements

The initial DXCC or WAS award does

not mean the end of the chase. There are

well over 300 DXCC countries. As you

reach certain levels in your country count,

you qualify for endorsements. Endorse-

ments arrive in the form of stickers that

you attach to your DXCC certificate.

WAS and DXCC offer endorsements for

single-band or single-mode operation. For

example, if you work all 50 United States

on the 15-m band, your certificate has an

endorsement for 15 m. DXCC is available

for Mixed, SSB, CW and RTTY modes.

Some people are working on all of them!

If you enjoy operating different bands,

consider 5BWAS for contacting all states

on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters. There’s

also a 5BDXCC for working DXCC on 5

bands.

If you just can’t get enough, check out

the ARRL DXCC Challenge, which in-

volves collecting DXCC countries on all

bands from 160 through 6 meters.

CONTESTS

Some people enjoy the thrill of compe-

tition, and Amateur Radio provides chal-

lenges at all levels in the form of operating

contests. Besides the competitive outlet,

contests have provided many hams with a

means to hone their operating skills under

less-than-optimum conditions. On the

VHF and higher bands, contests are one

way to stimulate activity on little-used

segments of the amateur spectrum.

This section briefly discusses a few

ARRL-sponsored contests. The

Contest Corral section of

QST

and

the contest calendar on the ARRL

Web site provide up-to-date infor-

mation on upcoming contests. The

ARRL also publishes the

National

Fig 2.2 — Work one station in

each of the 50 states and you’re

eligible for the ARRL’s Worked

All States (WAS) award.

Keeping a Log Book

Keeping a log of your on-air activity is optional, so why do it? Some of the

more important reasons for keeping a log include:

Legal protection

— If you can show a complete log of your activity, it can

help you deal with interference complaints. Good record keeping can help you

protect yourself if you are ever accused of intentional interference, or have a

problem with unauthorized use of your call sign.

Awards tracking

— A log helps you keep track of contacts required for

DXCC, WAS, or other awards. Keeping a log lets you quickly see how well you

are progressing toward your goal.

An operating diary

— A log book is a good place for recording general

information about your station. You may be able to tell just how well that new

antenna is working compared to the old one by comparing recent QSOs with

older contacts. The log book is also a logical place to record new acquisitions

(complete with serial numbers in case your gear is ever stolen). You can also

record other events (names and calls of visiting operators, license upgrades,

contests and so forth) in your log.

Paper and Computer Logs

Many hams, even those with computers, choose to keep their logs on paper.

Paper logs still offer several advantages (such as flexibility) and do not require

power. Paper logs also survive hard-drive crashes!

Preprinted log sheets are available, or you can create your own. Computers

with word processing and publishing software let you create customized log

sheets in no time.

On the other hand, computer logs offer many advantages, especially if you

enjoy contests, DX or awards chasing. For example, the computer can search

a log and instantly tell you whether you need a particular station for DXCC.

Contesters use computer logs to manage information during the contest and

weed out duplicate contacts before they happen. Computer logs can also tell

you at a glance how far along you are toward certain awards and help with

printing QSL labels. And of course computer logs make it easy to submit your

contacts to ARRL’s online Logbook of The World.

Computer logging programs are available from commercial vendors. Some

are general purpose programs, while others are optimized for contests, DXing

or other activities. Check the ads in

QST

and take a look at capabilities and

requirements before you choose.

Fig 2.3 — Elaine Larson, KD6DUT,

takes a turn at logging as Fred Martin,

KI6YN, works the paddles during the

Conejo Valley Amateur Radio Club’s

Field Day operation.

Contest Journal

(NCJ), which is good

reading for any serious (or semi-serious)

contester. For timely contest news and in-

formation, check out the

Contester’s Rate

Sheet

newsletter, published by e-mail and

on the ARRL Web site every two weeks.

Field Day

Every year on the fourth full weekend in

June, thousands of hams take to the hills,

forests, campsites and parking lots to par-

ticipate in Field Day. Field Day is not re-

ally a contest, although there is plenty of

good natured competition among clubs

and groups. The goal is not only to make

contacts, but also to make contacts under

conditions that simulate the aftermath of a

disaster. Most stations are set up outdoors

and use emergency power sources.

Many clubs and individuals have built

Field Day stations ranging from simple to

elaborate. If a real disaster were to strike,

those stations could be set up quickly,

wherever needed, and need not depend on

potentially unreliable commercial power!

Other Contests

Other popular contests include:

QSO Parties.

These are fairly relaxed

contests — good for beginners. There are

many state or regional QSO parties, and

others for clubs and special interests.

ARRL Sweepstakes.

This is a high-en-

ergy contest that brings thousands of op-

erators out of the woodwork each Novem-

ber. One weekend is dedicated to CW,

another to phone.

DX contests.

DX contests sponsored by

ARRL and others offer good opportunities

for amateurs to pursue their DXCC award

contacts. A good operator can work over

100 countries in a weekend!

VHF, UHF and microwave contests.

These contests are designed to stimulate

activity on the weak-signal portions of our

highest-frequency bands. The ARRL

VHF/UHF contests are held in January,

June and September. There is also a con-

test for 10 GHz and up operators, and an-

other one for EME (moonbounce) enthusi-

asts.

RTTY and digital mode contests.

RTTY

has never been more popular, thanks to

soundcards and software that make the

digital modes easy. RTTY contests spon-

sored by the ARRL and others provide a

great opportunity to try the mode and gar-

ner contacts for digital-mode WAS or

DXCC awards.

NETS

A net is simply a group of hams that

meet on a particular frequency at a par-

ticular time. Nets come in three flavors:

public service, traffic and special interest.

Public Service/Traffic Nets

Public service and traffic nets are part

of a tradition that dates back almost to the

dawn of Amateur Radio. The ARRL, in

fact, was formed to coordinate and pro-

mote the formation of traffic nets. In those

early days, nets were needed to communi-

cate over distances longer than a few

miles. (Thus the word “Relay” in Ameri-

can Radio Relay League.)

Public service and traffic nets benefit

hams and non-hams alike. Any noncom-

mercial message — birthday and holiday

greetings, personal information or a

friendly hello — may be sent anywhere in

the US and to foreign countries that have

third-party agreements with the United

States. ARES (emergency communica-

tion) groups often meet on scheduled local

nets to practice their skills.

The National Traffic System (NTS) over-

sees many of the existing traffic nets. Most

nets are local or regional. They use many

modes, from slow-speed CW nets in the HF

bands, to FM repeater nets on 2 m. Traffic is

also passed on various digital modes.

HF and Repeater Nets

HF nets usually cover a region, although

some span the entire country. This has ob-

vious advantages for amateurs sending

traffic over long distances. Repeater nets

usually cover only a local area, but some

Activities in Amateur Radio

2.3

linked repeater nets can cover several

states. Both types of nets work together to

speed traffic to its destination. For ex-

ample, think of the HF nets as a “trunk” or

highway that carries traffic quickly and

reliably toward its

approximate

destina-

tion. From there, the local and regional

nets take over and pass the traffic directly

to the city or town. Finally, a local ama-

teur delivers the message to the recipient.

Winlink,

a worldwide Amateur Radio

digital e-mail system, is becoming popu-

lar for emergency communications traffic

handling.

Winlink

offers the ability to pass

standard style e-mail messages and can be

connected to the Internet outside of the

disaster area.

Routine traffic handling keeps the Na-

tional Traffic System (NTS) prepared for

emergencies. In the wake of hurricanes, for-

est fires, earthquakes and other natural di-

sasters that cripple normal communications,

hams are called upon to carry thousands of

messages in and out of the stricken region.

The work that hams do during crisis situa-

tions ensures good relations with neighbors

and local governments.

Other Nets

Some nets exist for hams with common

interests inside and outside of Amateur Ra-

dio. Some examples include computers,

owners of Collins radio equipment, religious

groups and scattered friends and families.

Most nets meet on the 80- and 20-m phone

bands, where propagation is fairly predict-

able and there are no shortwave broadcast

stations to dodge.

RAGCHEWING

Ragchewing is the fine art of the long

contact. Old friends often get together on the

air to catch up on current events. Family

members use ham radio to keep in touch.

And, of course, new acquaintances get to

know each other!

In many cases, friends scattered across the

country get together to create ragchewing

nets. These nets are very informal and may

not make much sense to the outsider listen-

ing in.

AMATEUR RADIO EDUCATION

Elmering

(helping new and prospective

operators) is a traditional amateur activity.

Much of an amateurs’ educational efforts go

toward licensing (original and upgrading),

but there are other opportunities for educa-

tion, including public relations.

License Classes

Anyone can set up license classes. Many

Amateur Radio clubs hold periodic classes,

usually for the Technician elements. The

ARRL supports Registered Amateur Radio

2.4

Chapter 2

Fig 2.4 — The ARRL VEC processes tens of thousands of applications annually.

Instructors, but registration is not necessary

to conduct a class.

If you are looking for a class to attend, and

do not have an “Elmer” to answer your ques-

tions, check the ARRL Web site for classes,

clubs or volunteer examiners in your area. If

you’re an experienced ham, why not become

an instructor? Most classes will welcome

another helping hand, and if there are no

classes in your area, get one going!

Volunteer Examiners (VEs)

To become a VE, you must hold a General

or higher amateur license and be certified by

one of the VE Coordinators (VECs). The

ARRL supports the largest VE program in

the nation. Other organizations run VE pro-

grams on a national or regional basis. Gen-

eral and Advanced licensees on a VE team

must be supervised by at least one Extra

Class licensee. More information about the

VE program or becoming a VE is available

on the ARRL Web site.

School Presentations

Amateur Radio complements any school

program. Schoolchildren suddenly find that

Amateur Radio gives them a chance to apply

their studies immediately. The math and

science used in Amateur Radio applies

equally to the classroom. Even geography

takes on a new meaning when a student

works a new country!

Unfortunately, many schools do not have

an active Amateur Radio presence — and

that is why local volunteers are important.

An HF or satellite station, or even a 2-m

hand-held transceiver tuned to the local re-

peater, can prove an exciting and educational

experience for both the volunteer and the

students.

Thanks to NASA’s ARISS (Amateur Ra-

dio aboard International Space Station) pro-

gram, amateurs all over the nation have put

schoolchildren in direct contact with astro-

nauts. Who knows how many future scien-

tists received their inspiration while sitting

behind an amateur’s microphone?

ARRL FIELD ORGANIZATION

ARRL members elect the Board of Di-

rectors and the Section Managers (SMs).

Each Section Manager appoints volunteers

to posts that promote Amateur Radio

within that Section. (The United States is

divided into 15 ARRL

Divisions.

These

Divisions are further broken down into 71

Sections.)

A few of the posts include:

Assistant Section Managers —

ASMs

are appointed as necessary by the SM to

assist in responding to membership needs

within the Section.

Official Observers (OO) / Amateur Aux-

iliary —

Official Observers are authorized

by the FCC to monitor the amateur bands

for rules discrepancies or violations. The

Amateur Auxiliary is administered by Sec-

tion Managers and OO Coordinators, with

support from ARRL Headquarters.

Technical Coordinators (TC)

and

Technical Specialists (TS) —

Technical

Coordinators and Technical Specialists

assist hams with technical questions and

interference problems.

Fig 2.5 — Dry run just before an

International Space Station pass. Keilah

Meuser is practicing with others

looking on.

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

The FCC Rules list emergency commu-

nications as one of the purposes of the

Amateur Radio Service — and in reality,

the ability to provide emergency commu-

nications is a big justification for Amateur

Radio’s existence. Every year, natural and

man-made disasters launch the Amateur

Radio community into a real-life test of

individual and collective communications

skills. Despite the proliferation of cell

phones and other personal communica-

tions devices, Amateur Radio proves its

value over and over, year in and year out.

Amateur Radio operators have a long

tradition of operating from backup power

sources. Through events such as Field

Day, hams have cultivated the ability to

set up communication posts wherever they

are needed. Moreover, Amateur Radio can

provide computer networks (with over-

the-air links where needed) and provide

other services such as video (ATV) that no

other service can deploy on a wide scale.

One can argue, therefore, that widespread

technology makes Amateur Radio even

more crucial in a disaster situation.

If you are interested in participating in

this important public service, contact your

local EC (Emergency Coordinator) and find

out how to get involved. Contact informa-

tion is available for your local ARRL Sec-

tion leadership on the ARRL Web site. Plan

to participate in preparedness nets and a

yearly SET (Simulated Emergency Test).

ARES AND RACES

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service

(ARES) and the Radio Amateur Civil

Emergency Service (RACES) are the um-

brella organizations of Amateur Radio

emergency communications. The ARES is

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