Ham radio has a long and important history. As society and technology continue to move on to new things, a small segment continues to enjoy the hobby as well as to educate and help during disasters.
WHAT IS HAM RADIO?
Ham radio is the the term coined for amateur radio enthusiasts who learn to operate radios as a hobby or for practical use. Hams - as operators are called - can use various methods for transmitting messages including Morse code via telegraph, voice transmission via radio or messages through a computer. New methods of transmitting television allow for images to be received around the world by hams. Some hams have contributed to the development of new technologies for other uses.
The term ‘ham’ has unknown origin although there are several theories.
WHO USES HAM RADIO?
Ham radio operators can be anyone - doctors, homemakers, truck drivers - who enjoys communicating with new friends. Hams can talk across town or around the world.
Ham radio was used by the military in the World Wars and by ships. The well known ‘SOS’ is just one of the codes that operators use to relay messages to one another.
In emergencies ham radio operators volunteer to assist with transmitting messages when normal communications are unavailable.
Hams are all over the world - even in space! While in orbit or on the space station astronauts have spoken with other operators as well as children, teachers and parents. The program is called ARISS, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.
Hams are young and old, men and women and of every background and occupation.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO START?
In the United States you must obtain a license from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).
To be licensed by the FCC you must pass an exam. The exam is administered by a volunteer ham operator and you are then mailed your license. You can often find websites or groups where you can locate a tutor who will answer questions or offer instruction before you take your exam. One such resource is the ARRL website (www.arl.org). The ARRL is the National Association for Amateur Radio and provides training and resources for getting started as well as updates and news for the ham radio community.
HOW MANY HAMS ARE THERE?
The ARRL site claims over 170,000 members. FCC licenses have been issued to over 600,000 individuals in the United States and there are over 3,000,000 hams in Japan and many more throughout the world according to statistics found at www.ah0a.org.
With so many people to talk to, there are even competitions to see how far away you can transmit and many other events within the community.
http://www.mywebconferecnespace.com An off topic to strict internet communication, but interesting to say the least.
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Satellite Radio – Its here! Satellite radio is a new service being offered by two companies, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Both companies are offering over 100 channels of streaming music and entertainment. High quality sound is achieved through the use of satellites orbiting high above. Satellite radio is commercial free and free from regulations by federal committees. The impossible, is now possible, hearing the same radio station across North America and from coast to coast. All made possible by XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio.
Normal radio has been around for decades and is part of many people’s lifestyle. This is changing. Regular radio is monitored and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, whom has fined several radio stations and media companies within the last 3-4 years. The FCC has only fined radio stations a maximum of $27,500 per show no matter how man profanities were aired.
Recently the FCC has been upping the ante and in conjunction with Congress has decided to raise the fine up to $500,000 per incident per station (Potter). A slap on the wrist has turned into a business-changing event. “Sexually explicit comments by Bubba the Love Sponge and Howard Stern could get a station in trouble — no doubt about it. Clear Channel Radio dropped both shock jocks this year after being hit with record fines.”(Potter) Recently Howard Stern has made a move to Sirius Satellite Radio in an effort to preserve his career and free speech. Consumers are reaching towards satellite radio as a way to hear unregulated news and content.
Recently XM Satellite Radio has claimed to have over 3 million subscribers paying $9.99 per month and Sirius claims to have over 1.3 million customers paying $12.95 per month. Many of those customers pay an additional $2.99 per month for premium content such as the upcoming Howard Stern Show.
Several normal radio stations and media outlets are realizing the potential to get their message across in a broad fashion. XM has launched a morning show, which is hosted by Bob Edwards, whom was fired earlier this year by National Public Radio. “The Bob Edwards Show” will air on a public satellite radio channel that also features news and programs from Public Radio International, among others. Sirius has its own public radio channel carrying NPR programs. Consumers and companies are demanding free speech and it seems that satellite radio is the vehicle.
XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have designed satellite broadcast systems that differ but they achieve the same high quality of satellite radio. A milestone of this success is the fact that satellite radio signals that are available across the United States and into Mexico and Canada. Rock and Roll – No it’s not a genre any more! XM Satellite Radio has two satellites named Rock and Roll, which remain in parallel geostationary orbit to provide radio coverage throughout the United States. Sirius Satellite Radio has chose to use three satellites in an inclined elliptical orbit. This configuration provides 16 hours per satellite of signal, which gives a great redundancy if any satellite were to fail. Playing it smart, Sirius and XM both have spare satellites, which can be called on in a moments notice if needed.
XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio have Earth based broadcast stations that are used to send up information to the satellites, which is then dispersed through out the globe. Sirius and XM both have disk jockeys that manage, create and program music which is then sent up to the satellites. The information is then taken in by the satellites and sent through a rebroadcast of the streams to earth. The Major advantage of this is that, unlike earth-based radio stations whose signals reach listeners 150 miles away, satellite radio signals have a huge reach, and are receivable anywhere within the continental United States and hundreds of miles in each direction of the borders. Satellite Radio is growing to become a worldwide network and offerings are growing throughout the world. XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio are making it happen.
Unregulated Satellite Radio is the answer for free speech in a government regulated airwaves arena. Not only can listeners hear unbiased information but also they can listen to it anywhere in the United States. Media giants are jumping to get the piece of the pie regarding satellite radio, as the new wave of the future is satellite radio.
Scott fish is the Owner of Satellite Radio Receivers Sirius and XM Reviews
Top Satellite Radio is a resource for consumers seeking the history and facts about satellite radio. We also sell electronics related to Satellite Radio. Quick Access: http://www.TopSatRadio.com
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