A Hobby of a Thousand Hobbies!
One of the first steps in getting started with ham radio is figuring out where to start — there are so many options! Whether you are new to ham radio, or returning after a break from the hobby, this page helps you find your interests and offers some first steps.
Find Inspiration
Communicating via radio waves can take many forms. What catches your interest today?
* Make contacts with a hand-held device, a radio that sits on your desk, or through your computer
* Make contacts from your home, vehicle or in a campground or park
* Make contacts by using your voice, morse code, or through a digital mode
* Contact people within a short distance, across the state, across the country, or around the world
* Make casual contacts, work-related, emergency-related, or FEMA contacts
* Engage in longer conversations, short check-ins, or compete in contests
* Teach ham radio concepts to students, scouts, or co-workers
* Bounce radio waves from your antenna through the air, off a satellite, or off the moon
* Build all or any part of a radio system, such as home brew radios or antennas
Chances are you’ll try most or all of these on your ham radio journey.
Join the Conversation
One of the best ways to get comfortable with ham radio is to talk to people, watch videos, and find other online resources.
* Join us at any of our gatherings! We are a mix of new and long-time hams with a wide range of interests and experiences. And best of all, we love to talk about anything radio related.
* Attend a hamfest. These gatherings usually have a mix of presentations and people selling and swapping equipment. These are a great place to find radio equipment when you’re on a tight budget. You can search for “hamfest” or start here, https://www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar
* Using the topic that grabs your interest from the Inspiration list, search YouTube and Groups.io for more examples and conversations.
Study for your License
While we have a lot of fun in ham radio, there is a serious side. We participate in activities and contests to hone our skills so that if an emergency were to happen, we’d be ready to assist. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires assurance that we know what we are doing in the form of a license. A search online will reveal many sites that are helpful in studying for your first license. One good place to start is with the helps provided by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the primary national ham radio organization, https://www.arrl.org/studying-for-a-technician-license
Build the Foundation
New Ham Resources is list of links provided by the ARRL to get the new ham started.
ARRL Learning Center offers online, self-paced courses in four areas: Getting On the Air, Emergency Communications, Electronics and Technology, and Education and Instruction.
On The Air Magazine is one of four magazines published by the ARRL. It is specifically aimed at a new ham. As an ARRL member you will have access to all the back issues as well as the current one.
Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur, published by the International Amateur Radio Union, is a great place to learn the do’s and don’ts of operating on the air.
Get On The Air!
As simple as that sounds, getting on the air in any form for the first few times can be overwhelming. Joining in club activities is one of the best ways to get experience. We are happy to help out at any of our events. There are also programs that will help you find a mentor or teacher, called an “Elmer” in ham-speak, such as this list for Maine.
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