HAM RADIO FOR DUMMIES.

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	My Assumptions about You
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Ham Radio
	Chapter 1 Getting Acquainted with Ham Radio
		Exploring Ham Radio around the World
		Tuning into Ham Radio
			Using electronics and technology
			Joining the ham radio community
		Radiosport — Competing with Ham Radio
		Communicating through Ham Radio Contacts
			Ragchews
			Nets
		Citizen Science and HamSCI
	Chapter 2 Getting a Handle on Ham Radio Technology
		Getting to Know Basic Ham Radio Gear
		Building a Basic Ham Radio Station
			Basic stations
		Communication Technologies
		Understanding the Fundamentals of Radio Waves
			Frequency and wavelength
			The radio spectrum
		Dealing with Mother Nature
			Experiencing nature affecting radio waves
			Overcoming radio noise
	Chapter 3 Finding Other Hams: Your Support Group
		Finding and Being a Mentor
		Interacting in Online Communities
			Social media and blogs
			Videos, podcasts, and webinars
			Email reflectors
			Online training and instruction
			Web portals
		Joining Radio Clubs
			Finding and choosing a club
			Participating in meetings
			Getting more involved
		Exploring the ARRL
			ARRL benefits to you
			ARRL benefits to the hobby
			ARRL benefits to the public
		Taking Part in Specialty Groups
			On the Air — IOTA, SOTA, and POTA
			Young Hams — YOTA
			Competitive clubs
			Handiham
			AMSAT
			TAPR
			YLRL
			QRP clubs
		Attending Hamfests and Conventions
			Finding and preparing for hamfests
			Finding conventions and conferences
Part 2 Wading through the Licensing Process
	Chapter 4 Understanding the Licensing System
		Getting Acquainted with the Amateur Service
			FCC rules
			Ham radio frequency allocations
		Learning about Types of Licenses
			Technician class
			General class
			Amateur Extra class
			Grandfathered classes
		Getting Licensed
			Studying the exam questions
			Taking your license exam
			Volunteer examiner coordinators
			Volunteer examiners
		Receiving Your New Call Sign
			Call-sign prefixes and suffixes
			Class and call sign
	Chapter 5 Preparing for Your License Exam
		Getting a Grip on the Technician Exam
		Finding Study Resources
			Licensing classes
			Books, websites, and videos
			Online practice exams
		Locating Your Mentor
	Chapter 6 Taking the Exam
		Types of Exams
			Public in-person exams
			Remote exams
			Exams at events
			Exam sessions in homes and online
		Finding an Exam Session
		Registering with the Universal Licensing System (ULS)
		Getting to Exam Day
			What to have with you
			What to expect
			What to do after the exam
	Chapter 7 Obtaining Your License and Call Sign
		Completing Your Licensing Paperwork
		Finding Your Call Sign
			Searching the ULS database
			Searching other websites for call signs
			Printing your license
			Identifying with your new privileges
		Picking Your Own Call Sign
			Searching for available call signs
			Applying for a vanity call sign
		Maintaining Your License
Part 3 Hamming It Up
	Chapter 8 Receiving Signals
		Learning by Listening
			Finding out where to listen
			Understanding how bands are organized
		Using Your Receiver
			Tuning, and scanning with channels
			Continuous tuning with a knob
			Software-controlled tuning
			Listening on VHF and UHF
			Listening on HF
			Using beacon networks and contact maps
		Receiving Signals
			Receiving FM voice
			Receiving SSB voice
			Receiving digital voice
			Receiving digital or data modes
			Receiving Morse code
	Chapter 9 Basic Operating
		Understanding Contacts (QSOs)
			Common parts of contacts
			Casual contacts
			Nets and talk groups — On-the-air meetings
			Contests and DXing — Radiosport
			How contacts get started
			Joining a contact
			Failing to make contact
			During a contact
			Calling CQ
		Casual Conversation — Ragchewing
			Knowing where to chew
			Identifying a ragchewer
			Calling CQ for a ragchew
		Making Repeater and Simplex Contacts
			Understanding repeater basics
			Making a repeater contact
			Using access control
			Miscellaneous repeater features
			Maximizing your signal
			Setting up your radio
			Making a simplex contact
		Digital Voice Systems
			HF digital voice
			VHF/UHF digital voice
			Digital repeater networks
			The DMR system
		Casual Operating on HF
			HF bands
			Picking good times to operate
			Contacts on CW and digital modes
	Chapter 10 Public Service Operating
		Joining a Public Service Group
			Finding a public service group
			Volunteering for ARES
		Preparing for Emergencies and Disasters
			Knowing who
			Knowing where
			Knowing what
			Knowing how
		Operating in Emergencies and Disasters
			Reporting an accident or other incident
			Making and responding to distress calls
		Providing Public Service
			Weather monitoring and SKYWARN
			Parades and charity events
		Participating in Nets
			Checking in and out
			Exchanging information
			Tactical call signs
			Radio discipline
		Digital Message Networks
			Winlink — email by radio
			AREDN
			NBEMS
	Chapter 11 Operating Specialties
		Getting Digital
			Digital definitions
			WSJT modes — fast and slow
			FT8 and FT4
			PSK31 and PSK63
			Radioteletype (RTTY)
			Non-WSJT MFSK modes
			PACTOR, ARDOP, and VARA
			Packet radio
			APRS and tracking
		DXing — Chasing Distant Stations
			VHF/UHF DXing with a Technician license
			HF DXing with a General license
		Taking Part in Radio Contests
			Choosing a contest
			Operating in a contest
		Chasing Awards
			Finding awards and special events
			Logging contacts for awards
			Applying for awards
		Mastering Morse Code (CW)
			Learning Morse correctly
			Copying the code
			Pounding brass — sending Morse
			Making code contacts
		QRP (Low Power) and Portable Operating
			Getting started with QRP
			Portable operating
			Direction-finding (ARDF)
		Operating via Satellites
			Getting grounded in satellite basics
			Accessing satellites
		Seeing Things: Image Communication
			Slow-scan television
			Fast-scan television
Part 4 Building and Operating a Station That Works
	Chapter 12 Getting on the Air
		What Is a Station?
		Planning Your Station
			Deciding what you want to do
			Deciding how to operate
		Choosing a Radio
			Allocating your resources
			Software defined radios
			Radios for VHF and UHF operating
			Radios for HF operating
			Filtering and noise
		Choosing an Antenna
			Beam antennas
			VHF/UHF antennas
			HF antennas
			Feed line and connectors
		Supporting Your Antenna
			Antennas and trees
			Masts and tripods
			Towers
			Rotators
		Station Accessories
			Mikes, keys, and keyers
			Antenna system gadgets
			Digital mode interfaces
		Remote Control Stations
			Remote control rules
			Accessing a remote control station
		Upgrading Your Station
	Chapter 13 Organizing a Home Station
		Designing Your Station
			Keeping a station notebook
			Building in ergonomics
			Viewing some example ham stations
		Building in RF and Electrical Safety
			Electrical safety
			RF exposure
			First aid
		Grounding and Bonding
			AC and DC power
			Lightning
			RF management
	Chapter 14 Computers in Your Ham Station
		What Type of Computers Do Hams Use?
			Windows
			Linux
			Macintosh
			Android and iOS
			Microcontrollers
		What Do Ham Computers Do?
			Software-defined radio
			WSJT-X and fldigi
			Radio and remote control
			Hardware considerations
		Keeping a Log of Your Contacts
			Paper logging
			Computer logging
			Submitting a contest log
		Confirming Your Contacts
			QSL cards
			QSLing electronically
			Direct QSLing
			Using QSL managers
			Bureaus and QSL services
			Applying for awards
	Chapter 15 Operating Away from Home
		Mobile Stations
			HF mobile radios
			Mobile installations
			Mobile antennas
		Portable Operating
			Portable antennas
			Portable power
			Field Day
			Field Day “gotchas”
	Chapter 16 Hands-On Radio
		Acquiring Tools and Components
			Maintenance tools
			Repair and building tools
			Components for repairs and building
		Maintaining Your Station
		Overall Troubleshooting
		Troubleshooting Your Station
			Power problems
			RF problems
			Operational problems
		Troubleshooting RF Interference
			Dealing with interference to other equipment
			Dealing with interference to your equipment
		Building Equipment from a Kit
		Building Equipment from Scratch
Part 5 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 17 Ham Radio Jargon — Say What?
		Spoken Q-signals
		Contesting or Radiosport
		Antenna Varieties
		Feed Lines
		Antenna Tuners
		Repeater Operating
		Grid Squares
		Interference and Noise
		Connector Parts
		Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
	Chapter 18 Technical Fundamentals
		Electrical Units and Symbols
		Ohm’s Law
		Power
		Decibels
		Attenuation, Loss, and Gain
		Bandwidth
		Filters
		Antenna Patterns
		Standing Wave Ratio (SWR)
		Battery Characteristics
		Satellite Tracking
	Chapter 19 Tips for Masters
		Listening to Everything
		Learning How It Works
		Following the Protocol
		Keeping Your Axe Sharp
		Practice to Make Perfect
		Paying Attention to Detail
		Knowing What You Don’t Know
		Maintaining Radio Discipline
		Make Small Improvements Continuously
		Help Others and Accept Help from Others
Index
EULA