Having an amateur radio licence allows you
to operate two-way radio from your home, car or yacht. You can communicate by
voice or computers (email) with other amateur radio stations all over the
world. You can send emails via HF and VHF amateur radio, through the global
amateur radio network, visit
www.winlink.org for details. You can also
send your position and have it displayed on the Internet so that anyone with
access to the Internet can see where you are,
click here to
see position reports.
Using amateur radio you are not permitted to
transmit any business type information. In the UK amateurs are allowed to
transmit third party greeting messages.
It has never been easier to
obtain an amateur radio licence, here in the U.K. there are 3 classes of
licence, fundamental license, Intermediate licence and full licence.
A
Fundamental licence is the allows you to operate on most amateurs frequencies,
but with restrictions. Unfortunately with a fundamental licence you are not
permitted to operate from a vessel at sea. To obtain and fundamental license
you need to pass a short fundamental license paper. Many amateur radio clubs
run foundation license courses and exams over a weekend.
Intermediate
licence allows you to operate of all amateur bands.
The full licence
offer all privileges, you can operate on all ham bands, even from your yacht.
To obtain a full licence you need to pass the City and Guilds Amateur Exam
which is held twice a year .
Click here for more information on obtaining a UK amateur
radio license.
Since 26 July
2003 radio amateurs in the UK no longer have to do a morse test.
For
more information on amateur radio visit the Radio Society of Great Britain web
site at
httm://www.rsgb.org or the American
Radio Realy L at
http://www.arrl.org
UK maritime mobile net There are many amateur radio nets on
the HF amateur bands. Here in the UK we have the UK maritime mobile net on
14303 kHz at 0800 and 1800 GMT. On this net you can receive weather
information, exchange messages and give you passage plan details to someone
ashore. It is a very good service and operates throughout the summer months.
European maritime mobile net The European maritime mobile
net on 14297.5 kHz at 1900 GMT most days. Many radio amateur yachtsmen in the
Mediterranean are on this frequency passing weather information, passage report
and general information. Language is Italian and English.
Pacific
Seafarer's net A daily net for sailors in the Pacific on 14313 kHz at
0325 UTC
Amateur Radio Bands and Frequencies
| Band |
Morse |
Data |
Phone |
SSTV |
| 160 |
1810 - 1838 |
1838 - 1842 kHz |
1842 -2000 LSB |
|
| 80 |
3500 - 3580 |
3580 - 3600 kHz |
3620 - 3800 LSB |
3730 - 3740 |
| 40 |
7000 - 7035 |
7035 - 7045 kHz |
7045 - 7200 LSB |
|
| 30 |
10100 - 10140 |
10140 - 10150 |
|
|
| 20 |
14000 - 14070 |
14070 - 14112 |
14112 - 14350 USB |
14225 - 14235 |
| 17 |
18068 - 18100 |
18100 - 18109 |
18111 - 18168 USB |
|
| 15 |
21000 - 21080 |
21080 - 21120 |
21151 - 21450 USB |
21335 - 21345 |
| 12 |
24890 - 24920 |
24920 - 24929 |
24931 - 24990 USB |
|
| 10 |
28000 - 28199 |
28050 - 28150 |
28200 - 29200 USB |
28675 - 28685 |
Morse = Morse Code
Data = emial and other
data modes
Phone = SSB radio telephone
SSTV = Slow Scan Television
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