What is HAM?

According to the Indian Wireless Telegraphs rules ham radio refers to: "A service of self training, inter-communication & technical investigations carried on by amateurs, that is, by persons duly authorized under these rules interested in radio techniques solely with a personal aim &without pecuniary interest."

 

 

Amateur radio. You've heard of it. Your probably know that amateur radio operators are also called hams. Every minute of every hour of every day, 365 days a year, radio amateurs all over the world communicate with each other. It's a way of discovering new friends while experimenting with different and exciting new ways to advance the art of their hobby. Ham radio is global fraternity of people with common and yet widely varying interests, able to exchange ideas and learn more about each other with every - on the air - contact. It is because of this reason that amateur radio has the ability to enhance international relations, as does no other hobby. The method, by which communication is accomplished, is as interesting as the people you get to meet are.

What do we do?

And what exactly does a ham talk about with other hams? Almost any topic : the weather, family & details about the equipment.

However third party messages, politics & religion are taboo. But it is not always for pleasure that hams indulge in. There are examples galore in which ham's provided efficient communication during emergencies such as floods, earthquakes, storms & other calamities..

Some facts :

Radio amateurs have always been in step, with the strides being made in the field of electronics & have contributed to it immensely by coming up with inventions & developments. Ham radio operators belong to a group of people having great interest in wireless communication technology. Even the great radio scientist Marconi was a school dropout, inspired by whom, hundreds of energetic people around the world came on-the-air with their own homemade radios. The reason why an amateur radio operator is called a ham is but a controversy. Some relate these three letters (HAM) to the names of great radio experimenters Hertz, Armstrong & Marconi. Another view is that HAM was the slang used by navigators for mischievous amateurs who used to interfere with maritime radio communication!! Today more than a million people all over the world have radio amateur's licenses. Of these Japan & US account for 2/3 of the entire Ham fraternity. In India the no. of hams is about 5000 which is very low compared to its population.