17-10-2023, 08:56 AM
(16-10-2023, 10:01 PM)Jez Wrote: My take on ham radio, and one of the main reasons I've never bothered with getting licenced, is that ALL equipment used MUST be home brewed. Hence amateur. Buying in the technical excellence of Yeasu etc is just not on... amateur, remember? If you can't/won't build it then you shouldn't use it.It's a very broad hobby. Amateur doesn't mean self constructed, it really means non-commercial operation. It used to be called the Wireless Experimenter licence in Ireland.
Some people are like stamp collectors; they simply collect contacts. No experimentation or building or chat.
Some are like "plumbers"; mysterious microwave gear.
Some specialise in VHF/UHF/SHF DX, more challenging than HF DX and might involve building aerial arrays.
Some only do CW, or only do FT8.
Some mostly operate vintage gear; sometimes AM only.
Some only use repeater networks while mobile.
There is aerial experimentation. Very different on HF and VHF or indeed SHF (dishes).
Earth Moon bounce at VHF.
Only Licenced Radio Amateurs can even modify a rig, never mind build one. The CB, PMR446, PMR864, Licence free GHz, local Radio, national broadcasters can not legally modify a transmitter or rig. They have to use a pre-approved one in most countries (FCC, CE, ETSI etc).
Meteor showers, Aurora, Solar Flares.
Amateur satellites.
So there are loads of reasons to have a license. Perhaps fewer to join the local National org, (ARRL, RSGB, IRTS etc) unless you what to use the QSL bureau.