Ham Radio Introduction
Much of this information is from the ARRL

        Amateur Radio is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the Communications Act of 1934. It is also subject to numerous international agreements. All Amateur Radio operators must be licensed. In the U.S. there are three license classes. Each successive level of license comes with an expansion of privileges. Your entry into Amateur Radio begins with a Technician Class License.

      Ham radio provides the broadest and most powerful wireless communications capability available to any private citizen anywhere in the world

Who?
Ham radio is for anyone who likes to communicate with others
There are over 600,000 amateur radio operators in the United States
There are more than 2.5 million amateur radio operators around the world
Non-hams can listen to Ham Operators with receivers or radio scanners
There is no age restriction for Ham Radio Licences

Gear
Hams use many frequency bands across the radio spectrum
The FCC allocates these frequencies for amateur use.
Ham Radios operate from just above the AM broadcast band to the microwave region, in the gigahertz range

Most Ham radios are a transmitter and a receiver in one unit, called a transceiver.

There are many digital modes that can be used in ham radio, so modems can be used to communicate in various networks

Radioteletype, (RTTY) uses computers to send information

Morse code signals (a series of beeps) can sometimes get through when voice transmissions cannot.

Hams may use VHF FM, hand-held transceivers set to transmit on one frequency and receive on another frequency

They may use FM Repeaters to receive and re-broadcast signals to extend the range

Repeaters use antennas on top of mountains and high buildings.
The repeater receives a signal and rebroadcasts it on another frequency using many watts of power.
The repeater extends the range of the hand held ham radio to tens or hundreds of miles

Hams can also use their hand-held radios to communicate through an amateur radio satellite when it is overhead

CB Radios have a 5-watt transmit power limit, Ham Radios can use up to 1,500 watts

Ham radio antenna style and size depends on the frequency being used
The same antennas are used to both transmit and receive
Lower frequencies have longer wavelengths and need larger antennas

Skills
Earning a Ham Radio license requires passing an examination. You can get an entry level Amateur Radio Technician license by passing a 35-question multiple-choice examination. No Morse code test is required.

Ham Radio Training
Many books, online courses and computer software are available to self-study for the Amateur Radio licenses.

The written tests consist of 35 or 50 questions multiple choice exams

The Ham Radio Spectrum

From the AM radio band (1.6 MHz) to just above the citizens band (27 MHz)
These radio bands are often referred to as "short-wave"
short-waves "bounce" off the ionosphere from the transmitter to the receiver's antenna
During daylight, 15 to 27 MHz is a good band for long-distance communications
At night, the band from 1.6 to 15 MHz is good for long-distance communications

FM radio & TV stations frequencies are line-of-sight and limited to 40 or 50 miles

Electromagnetic Spectrum and US Radio Frequency Allocation

	U.S. Army Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) MARS is a Department of Defense sponsored program, established as a separately managed and operated program by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The program consists of licensed amateur radio operators who are interested in military communications on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications. We are headquartered at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and assigned to the Headquarters, United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th Signal Command (Army) (NETCOM/9th SC(A)), which directly reports to the Department of the Army's Chief Information Officer/G-6.
	Eastern Arizona Amateur Radio Society The Eastern Arizona Amateur Radio Society was founded in October of 1974, with the purpose of uniting the Amateurs in Southeastern Arizona and Southwestern New Mexico into a working group that would promote amateur radio in the region
At the present time, the club has FM repeaters on Heliograph Peak, at Mt. Graham, at an elevation of 10,028 ft on 146.30/90 Mhz [PL 141.3] and 442.825/7.825 Mhz [PL 100 & 141.3] Also on Heliograph Peak, there is a packet radio digipeater on 145.01 Mhz to be connected via microwave to Mt. Lemmon & Jacks PK. The club also sponsers a APRS radio on 144.39,the National APRS channel. Also operating on Heliograph are the 146.86 & 440.700 repeaters. Hub for the EAARS Network both have a PL of 141.3 Hz Visitors to the area are welcome to use the open repeaters.
	CQ Arizona Although this is a page generally for Amateur Radio Ops in Arizona, it's certainly open to all hams; this IS an International hobby after all. I hope you find something you can use to enhance your fun and knowledge. Radio AI7R "From No Code to Know Code"
	Pinal County Emergency Communications Group The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES. The only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license, is a sincere desire to serve. Because ARES is an amateur service, only amateurs are eligible for membership.
	Radio Society of Tucson Listing of all RST Repeaters
	University of Arizona Amateur Radio Club, K7UAZ
	American Radio Relay League Ham Radio inspires development innovation and experimentation with wireless communication. We do that with Amateur Radio. Getting the message through for your family and community. Amateur Radio is recognized as a resource by National Relief Organizations Celebrate communication worldwide via radio. You'll find every walk of life and every generation in ham radio
	Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (as AMSAT is officially known) was first formed in the District of Columbia in 1969 as an educational organization. Its goal was to foster Amateur Radio's participation in space research and communication. AMSAT was founded to continue the efforts, begun in 1961, by Project OSCAR, a west coast USA-based group which built and launched the very first Amateur Radio satellite, OSCAR, on December 12, 1961, barely four years after the launch of Russia's first Sputnik.