Becoming an Amateur Radio Operator is easy - lots of people are doing it, with little or no prior background in radio or electronics. Under the current rules (May 2011), the entry-level license is called "Technician." Applied to Amateur Radio, the term "Technician" is a misnomer - it does not mean you'll have to learn how to repair or service electronics. A licensed 2-way radio "technician" and a licensed "Amateur Radio Technician" are two different things.

As an Amateur Radio Operator, Technician class, you will be licensed to use VHF and UHF radio equipment and repeaters comparable to that used by local public agencies like Police and Fire departments. This will give you communications capability to participate in local roundtables, stay in contact with licensed family and friends, citizen patrols, volunteer programs like Citizen Corps, severe weather spotting, and emergency response teams providing backup and interoperability services to various public service and emergency response organizations. It allows you to become an active and effective volunteer communicator, assisting your community in times of need, and you'll make lots of new friends, too!

Amateur Radio is not like CB radio. Communications are polite and "family friendly," unlike CB, where conversations are often rude and vulgar. Amateur Technicians usually operate on VHF and UHF FM, using repeaters, just like police and other public service agencies. The communications are clear and reliable, unlike CB, and are not bothered by a roar of interference. FM radios use "squelch" that silences the radio between transmissions, again unlike CB, but like police radios. Using 2-meter FM radios is a purposeful and rewarding experience, not annoying nor frustrating like CB. Amateur Radio operators are trained, tested, and licensed, once again unlike CB.

Amateur Radio is strictly a non-commercial service. It may not be used for business or advertising. Businesses must use radios licensed and approved for the Business Radio Services, not the Amateur Radio Service.

The Technician class license gives you the ability to use any and all Amateur radio modes, like FM, single-sideband (SSB), digital, and even satellites and 2-way television, on VHF and UHF frequencies. This includes all the Amateur bands above 50 MHz. Technicians typically begin by purchasing a small hand-held radio and using 2-meter repeaters. Repeaters are devices located around the area that "repeat" or re-transmit your signal, so that you can reliably cover a large area using handheld, mobile, and base radios. The "repeater" is controlled by your radio and instantly repeats whatever you say, with greater power and range. Amateur repeaters typically use the same type of commercial repeater equipment used by police and other such agencies.

SUPPORT EMERGENCY and TRAFFIC NETS:
State/National emergency frequencies can be found on the Kansas A.R.E.S. page.

Emergency Communications - Are We Really Ready?
It's More Than Ham Radio Volunteers

2014 ARRL Contest Calendar

Also check out the General Calendar and the Contest Corral as well as the CQ Contest Calendar

Contest Corral - Includes Non-ARRL Contests