QTH FN24lp -- Potsdam, NY 

What is Amateur Radio?

This hobby is has many more facets than the word communicate might normally connote. There are many communication modes all of which are dependent on the portion of the radio spectrum to be used. There are so many ways to participate in the hobby, most amateurs settle into only a few areas. There is also much still to be learned about communications, thus many amateurs are experimenters. Much of the commercial communication means currently in use were discovered and developed by amateur radio operator.

• Working QRP -- Low power HF Voice/CW

  Equipment to use:

  Packet Radio -- HF and VHF

  IC-735 100 Watt SSB and CW in all HF bands

  MFJ 9420 6 Watt SSB and CW in the 20 meter band (14 MHz)

  Amateur Radio Positioning System (APRS)

  Slow Scan TV

  Teletype and Amtor

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Above Referenced Information Follows

Operating QRP
Propagation of your own transmitter's signals to amateurs around the world is fairly easy in the High Frequency (HF) spectrum -- 3 MHz to 30 MHz. The main challenge is to do it at reasonable power levels. The typical amateur uses a transmitter with 100 watts output. Some use the maximum allowed -- 1500 Watts. QRP stations try to use power levels below 10 watts, with 1 to 5 watts being common. There are even those who use milliwatts.
I have a MFJ 9420 5-7 watt transceiver (combination receiver/transmitter) which operates in the 20 meter band (14 MHz). It has both Voice (SSB) and Morse code (CW) capabilities. I usually use CW because it uses less transmission bandwidth and thus will communicate further.
In the last 9 months using this QRP rig (very infrequently), I have communicated with 114 amateurs, 37 of them outside the USA in 23 countries: Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Canary Islands, Czech Republic, Columbia, Cuba, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Newfoundland, No. Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovinia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine.

American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
I am a member of the ARRL. It is the largest and oldest association of radio amateurs. It is organized for:

the promotion of interest in Amateur Radio communications and experimentation,

the establishment of networks to provide communications in event of disasters or other emergency,

the advancement of the radio art and of public welfare,

the representation of radio amateur in legislative matters, and

the maintenance of fraternalism and a high standard of conduct.

	I joined this association because it proposed to the FCC the establishment of an entrance class of radio amateur that required no Morse code. This proposal was adopted. It is called the No-Code Technician class. This class proposed by an organization of "old timers" -- most of which are devoted Morse code users -- knew that if one would get involved in Amateur Radio many would go on to learn code and upgrade their license class. They were right! Amateur Radio has expanded greatly since its adoption. Harry was the President of QCWA at the time, and is largely responsible for the license class.
Harry Dannals, W2HD