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      Amateur Radio ?
[text partly from ARRL Amateur Radio Handbook 1983]

You have heard of it?

Every minute, of every hour of every day, 365 days a year, radio amateurs all over the world
communicate which each other. It's a way of discovering new friends while experimenting with
different and exiting new ways to advance the art of their hobby.
Amateur Radio has the ability to enhance international relations as does no other hobby.

Amateur Radio is an international hobby enjoyed by millions of private individuals and clubs for the
purpose of communicating with each other worldwide.
How else is it possible to talk to an engineer involved in a space program , a Tokyo businessman,
a farmer in Argentina, a student in Lebanon, a camper in a German forest or a sailor on board of a
ship in the middle of the Pacific?
And all without leaving your home, without using internet or mobile phone.
Only with Amateur Radio......that's how!

Amateur radio’s more famous members include King Hussein of Jordan, JY1 and his queen JY2,
King Bhumiphol Adulayadej of Thailand HS1A, King Carlos of Spain, EA0JC,
Senator Barry Goldwater K7UGA/K3UIG, the late Premier Rajiv Gandhi VU2RG and his wife
Sonia VU2SON, actor Marlon Brando FO5GJ, Astronauts Yuri Gagarin UA1LO,
Cliff Richard W2JOF, Cardinal Roger Mahoney W6QYI, among others. 

Also astronauts at International Space Stations belongs to the amateur radio community and keeps
contact  to amateur radio stations on earth.

Communication via satellite, shortwave and VHF/UHF/SHF, moon bouncing, meteor scatter, etc.
using Morse code, SSB, radio teletype, facsimile, slow scan television, television and more connect
people all over the world........independent from the system of government, religion and culture.
 
New digital operating modes enlarge the operating ability.

Many public  communication systems are based on developments by Radio Amateurs.
The first shortwave continental transmissions were done by Radio Amateurs. At this time governments, technicians and scientists reject the usage of shortwave for worldwide communications. 
Radio Amateurs disprove this wrong judgment.

Radio Amateurs have knowledge to built by oneself equipment and antenna systems. Considering measures for their equipment and operating modes to ensure electromagnetic compatibility and fulfill
the related regulations and laws.

All these knowledge has to be verified in official examinations for the license. 

To operate on shortwave most countries removed the proof of Morse code knowledge from their examination procedure.
Depending on the license grade and license type the claim to the technical knowledge increases.
 Later with your experience it is always possible to upgrade you license type for other frequency ranges, transmitting power, operating modes, etc.

If you like to join this worldwide community, try to find a Radio Amateur in your neighborhood. He can describe you this hobby in detail and explain you the procedure to get a Amateur Radio License.
And you can search the internet. You will find tons of information about this interesting hobby.

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Your radio, sophisticated selected transmission modes, your antenna and the physical
propagation are the only limits (and of course your license restrictions).
Therewith is communication possible without dependency on commercial communication systems and interfaces.
With battery operation you are even independent from public power supply.
 

Bye....
Thomas,
DG8FBV