and available online. Chances are, any conference or hamfest that presents speakers and training sessions will record and publish the videos for you to watch any time.
If you can take an in-person class to study for your FCC license exam, that is a good way to learn the material in-depth. You may prefer to study on your own, though. If that’s the way you choose, there are study books and online resources for you — I discuss them in Chapter 5. Some books are combined with online practice exams, such as the ARRL’s license manuals and the ARRL Exam Review for Ham Radio software.
Before you get started on getting a license, you should browse the available materials by doing an online search for ham radio license study. You’ll find quite a number of choices ranging from simple flash-cards to interactive videos. Some are free, and none are terribly expensive. Take a look at what’s available so you’ll be ready to go when you decide to dive in and get started!
Many new hams get their licenses to support public service activities. Does that sound like you! If so, you might be interested in getting some training on how hams organize themselves to provide that service. Many ham radio public service groups use the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) model, called NIMS for the National Incident Management System. The FEMA training website (the Emergency Management Institute — training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx) lists numerous free courses, some of which may be required to become part of a public service team. Start with the current version of course ICS-100 to learn about this common method of managing public service activities.
Web portals
Portals provide a comprehensive set of services and function as ham radio home pages. They feature news, informative articles, radio buy-and-sell pages, links to databases, reflectors, and many other useful services to hams. Here are three popular portals:
QRZ.com (the ham radio abbreviation for “Who is calling me?”) evolved from a call sign lookup service — what used to be a printed book known as a callbook — to the comprehensive site (www.qrz.com) that you see today. The call sign search features are incredibly useful, and the site offers a variety of call sign management functions.
eHam.net (www.eham.net) provides forums, articles, reviews, and classified ads for equipment sales. You will also find real-time links to a DX-station spotting system (frequencies of distant stations that are currently on the air) and the latest solar and ionospheric data that affects radio propagation.
DXcoffee.com (www.facebook.com/DxCoffee) is typical of a site with a theme. This site is all about the fun of DXing or trying to contact distant stations. There are hams traveling to exotic locations all the time. By watching a site like this, you’ll know when they’re going and their plans for operating. (DXing is discussed in more detail in Chapter 11.)
Joining Radio Clubs
To get in touch with other hams, find your local radio club! Although online help is convenient, there’s no substitute for in-person contact and making friends. The following are true for most hams and clubs:
Most hams belong to a general-interest club as well as one or two specialty groups.
Most local or regional clubs have in-person meetings, because membership is drawn largely from a single area.
Almost all clubs have a website or social media presence, some kind of newsletter, and usually an email distribution list or Twitter feed.
Specialty clubs focus on activities. Activities such as contesting, low-power operating, and high-altitude ballooning may have a much wider (even international) membership. See “Taking Part in Specialty Groups,” later in this chapter, for more information.
Before you start, remember that you don’t have to immediately join a club “for life.” You can attend a few meetings as a visitor to get a feel for the group. If you decide to join, most memberships are for a year and you can decide to renew or not. It’s very common to be a member of a few clubs before you find one or two that are right for you. And if you change your ham radio style later, you can join a different club!
Finding and choosing a club
Here’s one way to find ham radio clubs in your area:
1 Go to www.qrz.com/clubs then use the “List clubs in” menu to select your area, or enter a club name.
2 From the list of clubs in the database, click on the club name to go to their website.For an example club listing, see the nearby sidebar “Checking out a club.”
www.arrl.org/find-a-club. You can look up clubs by name or a keyword, by city/state/province/Zip Code, or by ARRL Section or Division.
If more than one club is available in your area, how do you make a choice? Consider these points when making a decision:
Which club has meetings that are most convenient for you? Check out the meeting times and places for each club.
Which club includes programs that include your interests? On the club’s website or newsletter, review recent programs and activities to see if they sound interesting. Are there any activities coming up you could take part in?
Which club has activities for new hams? General-interest and service clubs often have activities designed specifically to educate, train, and welcome new hams. These are good starter clubs for you.
Which club has informal “meet and greet” activities? Many clubs have an informal breakfast or after-work every so often. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to some of the members and ask questions without going to a full-blown meeting.
Which club feels most comfortable to you? Don’t be afraid to attend a meeting or two to find out what different clubs are like.
You’ll quickly find out that the problem isn’t finding clubs, but choosing among them. Unless a club has a strong personal-participation aspect, such as a public-service club, you can join as many as you want just to find out about that part of ham radio.
CHECKING OUT A CLUB
I found this listing for one of the largest clubs in western Washington state through the ARRL website:
Mike & Key Amateur Radio Club
City: Renton, WA
Call Sign: K7LED