What is Amateur Radio
The following description of what is amateur radio is taken from the RSGB website
Amateur radio is a popular technical hobby that uses designated radio frequencies for non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communications. It is the only hobby governed by international treaty.
As a radio amateur you are able to transmit radio signals on a number of frequency bands allocated specifically to the radio amateurs.
Radio amateurs make use of their frequencies in a number of ways:
-
Contacting people all over the world by radio which often leads to developing international friendships
-
Technical experimentation — many of the leaps forward in radio technology have been initiated by radio amateurs
-
Competing in international competitions to test how effective your equipment is, and how good you are as an operator
-
Communication through amateur space satellites or with the International Space Station (which carries an amateur radio station)
-
Providing communications at times of emergencies and undertaking exercises to ensure you keep the capability to do so