Getting started in amateur radio

Ok lets assume your new to the hobby and are a bit stuck as how to go about becoming an amateur. One of the first things you will need to do is enrol on a foundation course and sit a simple exam to allow you access to the amateur bands. This may sound daunting to some especially if the last exam you sat was at school and your an old sod like me ,but it really is simple at the entry level and if you have ever played around with cb and cb antennas then you will probably know half of whats needed now. There are three levels of amateur licence all of which have there own set of conditions. For example the foundation exam (entry level exam) limits the user to 10 watts of power. The more you advance through the exam structure the more "privaleges" you get. More power probably being the major factor for a lot of people upgrading. Joining a radio club may be a good idea too as this will introduce you to the hobby but it isn't everyones cup of tea.

You have your ticket, what now?

CAUTION.. Before setting out and spending all your money on what can potentially be a very expensive hobby you will need to decide what type of operating you want to do. If you simply want to make local contact to chat to mates or simply chat to people then 2m or 70 cm is probably the cheapest and easiest way to enter the hobby. You may even consider PMR which has a following and requires no licence. WARNING these bands as far as i am concerned are not amateur radio and if you decide to go this route then don't expect anything mind blowing. Personally i would rather give the hobby up if 2 and 70, PMR or cb was all i could use. Don't be missled by others who like these bands to convince you there a good starting point THEY ARE NOT and i have seen many people leave the hobby because they thought all the hobby had to offer was what they experienced on 2 and 70 fm. (PLEASE NOTE 2 AND 70CM SSB IS ANOTHER STORY) and is more like amateur radio. There are lots of avenues of amateur radio to explore with lots of modes and bands all with there own set of working requirements.

What equipment do you need?

See which radio? section. Again the type of operating and the bands you may wish to use will dictate the radio to a certain degree. As far as antennas go this will depend on what bands you want to work. You don't need to spend silly money on any antenna to get you started. Simple homemade antennas will work fine and are simple enough to construct. DON'T get dragged into the "i need this and that" trap to get started. A lot of radio gear simply isn't needed to get on the air and lots can be made keeping your money where you want it, in your pocket. Another trend which i myself don't understand is the "need" for all band coverage often using inadequate antennas for the job. I use 40m only 99% of the time and never find it "dead". At this stage in the sun spot cycle unless you are using directional antennas with gain most bands are a hit and miss affair. It would seem more productive to concentrate on a band that was "open" and have a dedicated antenna at least till conditions picked up. This is just my opinion only.

Will i be welcomed on the bands?

The simple answer is yes. Most licenced amateurs will give a newcomer a very good welcome to the hobby and will never (if they are a good amateur) shun you for asking questions. There seems to be a long standing debate /argument regarding m3's and m6 licence holders not being welcomed into the hobby with allsorts of alligations of abuse and ignorance being directed towards them. Even when i very first got licenced i never had any problems, maybe this was because i for one stayed away from 2 and 70 fm where a lot of handbags at dawn stuff goes on and secondly i entered the hobby with a little knowledge of operating procedure. Something which is lacking in many amateurs now unfortunantly.

So why the alledged abuse?

Bottom line is maybe some deserve it. Maybe some people are thick as pig shit and show no interest and/or knowledge and it annoys others with an interest in the hobby.