Hello all! In this post, I'd like to talk a little about Ham Radio, and how it is used here, on the homestead. Almost 130 years ago, a fella named Hertz, proved that radio waves actually exist. Shortly after that, In the 1890s, another fella by the name of Marconi, put them to work as a way to convey information. (Although there is evidence that Tesla actually used radio waves before Marconi). Radio took off as many people starting building their own transmitters and receivers. When World War I, rolled around in 1917, congress put a stop to all unauthorized transmission, for fear of espionage. In 1919, after the war, the ban was lifted and the air ways were once again full of amateurs. The same thing happened in World War II. In 1961, the fist satelite carrying an ameature radio, was launched. This opened up a lot of possibilities, for radio enthusiasts. Since then, radio operators have been key players in disaster relief, search and rescue operations, and even working with the NAVY, in Antarctica.
Here on the homestead, we use ham to get updates on local weather conditions and alerts, ems alerts, and the well being of friends and family that are often unreachable by telephone. Also, it is a lot of fun to just sit down and listen to the world. For example, yesterday I listened to a fella in Norway talk to another fella in Hawaii. Ohio, being about half way between them, I was able to pick up a "bounce".
There are many different kinds of Ham radios, with many different capabilities. For example, This is a HF (High Frequency) radio. Its range is from a few miles, to all the way around the world.
Currently, I am monitoring the 40 meter band. There are many bands and modes to choose from, however, you must follow the AARL band plan. It is a gentleman's agreement on how and where to operate. Also, its a federal offence to operate out of the band limits.
This is a VHF radio. It is used for mostly local communication. (Max range of 50 to 75 miles).
There are many other radios that I use, including hand held (HTs), for hiking and for safety, while i'm in the woods, or just relaxing down by the creek. If you haven't considered radio, take a moment to do so. Just remember, you must have a licence to transmit, but anyone can listen to any frequency!
Best wishes 73
