Technician Class

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Technician Class

• presented by the
• Salem Amateur Radio Club
• Salem, Oregon

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Introduction to the Course

• The purpose of this presentation is to acquaint
  you with the material necessary to obtain your,
  entry-level, Technician Class US Amateur Radio
  license.

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Course Philosophy

• Introduce the concepts of electricity and radio
  communications
• Well give you the info youll need to study and
  learn this week.
• 60 90 minutes of daily study will be required
• Practice and Quiz for Free!
• www.qrz.com
• www.aa9pw.com

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This Presentation furnished by

• Jeff Crabill, KK7LU
• Dean Davis, KL7OR
• With help from all members of the Salem Amateur
  Radio Club!

Presentation format adapted from Dana Wade
Massengill, KU4OJ
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Materials

• Ham Radio License Manual (ARRL)
• Gordon West is another source of licensing
  manuals.
• Lots of material is also available FREE on the
  Internet!

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Elmers

• An Elmer is an experienced amateur radio
  operator who helps you get started in amateur
  radio, study for your license exams or upgrades,
  or offers any similar encouragement.
• If you dont have an Elmer to mentor you, ask
  for one.

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The 10 Sub-Elements
(4) Rules (3) Communication Modes (2) Control
Op Duties (2) Special Operations (3) Good
Operating Practice (3) Emergency/Pub Service (5)
Basic Electronics (3) Radio Waves/Antennas (4)
Station Setup Operation (3) RF Safety
There are 392 questions in the pool. There are
35 questions on the test. We will use many real
test questions this weekend!
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Introduction to Amateur Radio

• The Entry-Level Technician License

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First of all, what is radio?

• Nature gave us the entire electro-magnetic
  spectrum.
• X-rays
• UV rays
• Infra-red
• Visible Light

• We use some of these waves to carry information.
• Television
• Radio (FM and AM)
• CB
• Walkie-Talkies
• Police/Fire
• Satellites

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(No Transcript)
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What Is Amateur Radio?

• Public service
• Emergency Communications
• Volunteers
• Goodwill between people!
• Access to all types of radio spectrum.

March of Dimes
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What Is Amateur Radio?

• Fun!
• Hobby
• Stress relief
• A place to make new friends
• A community
• A reliable alternative to cell phones!

Field Day June 2004
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What is Amateur Radio?

• A hobby!
• Radio communication
• Local, National, Worldwide
• Dozens of ways to communicate
• Voice, Morse Code, Digital, TV, Pictures
• Most importantly Reliable Communications for
  all needs!

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T1A09 What is the definition of an amateur radio
station? A. A station in a public radio service
used for radio communications B. A station using
radio communications for a commercial purpose C.
A station using equipment for training new
broadcast operators and technicians D. A station
in an Amateur Radio Service consisting of the
apparatus necessary for carrying on radio
communications
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Amateur Radio Licenses

• In order of privileges
• Technician
• Technician
• with Morse code
• General
• Amateur Extra

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Entry Level License (Technician)

• Written Exam (Element 2)
• No age requirement
• No Morse Code requirement
• Provides all operating privileges above 50 MHz,
  including the popular 2-meter band all modes
  including exotic data and satellite modes
• Changes are in the midst, however!

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Whats this about Morse Code?

• Element 1 The Code Test
• Copy five words a minute
• Gain HF privileges.
• Its the only code test anymore!
• Required for the General Class license.
• The Technician Test is Element 2

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T1A03 What classes of US amateur radio licenses
may currently be earned by examination? A.
Novice, Technician, General, Advanced B.
Technician, General, Advanced C. Technician,
General, Extra D. Technician, Tech Plus, General

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Why Amateur Radio?

• How the FCC Defines the Amateur Radio Service

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Sec. 97.1 Basis and purpose The rules and
regulations in this part are designed to provide
an amateur radio service having a fundamental
purpose as expressed in the following
principles (a) Recognition and enhancement of
the value of the amateur service to the public
as a voluntary non-commercial communication
service, particularly with respect to providing
emergency communications. (b) Continuation and
extension of the amateurs proven ability to
contribute to the advancement of the radio art.
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(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur
service through rules which provide for advancing
skills in both the communication and technical
phases of the art. (d) Expansion of the existing
reservoir within the amateur radio service of
trained operators, technicians and electronics
experts. (e) Continuation and extension of the
amateurs unique ability to enhance international
goodwill.
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T1A08 What are two of the five fundamental
purposes for the Amateur Radio Service? A. To
protect historical radio data, and help the
public understand radio history B. To aid foreign
countries in improving radio communications and
encourage visits from foreign hams C. To
modernize radio electronic design theory and
improve schematic drawings D. To increase the
number of trained radio operators and electronics
experts, and improve international goodwill
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Why do they call it Ham Radio?
Originally, ham was a derogatory term for
amateurs who inadvertently interfered with
commercial radio (before the spectrum was
regulated).
Not knowing it was a bad thing, amateurs adopted
the term and we still call ourselves hams.
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Rules (Sub-Element T1)

• Cant we all just get along?

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Courtesy and Common Sense

• With only a few exceptions that may seem silly,
  the rules are basically common sense
• No music (except from NASA)
• No payment, unless you are teaching in a school
• No profanity or obscenity, no exceptions!
• In a life or property threatening emergency, just
  about anything goes.

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About Your Call sign

• Amateur call signs in the US begin with the
  letters A, K, N or W
• Each call sign contains a one-digit number, zero
  through nine (0 9)
• The arrangement of letters indicates license
  class, with shorter calls going to higher license
  classes
• Licenses are good for 10 years
• There is a 2 year grace period for renewal

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Callsigns

• Fun Callsigns
• KA1THY
• KE1TH
• K9DOG
• N1CE
• K1TE
• KJ7EFF

• More
• N0PE
• N0DX
• N0EL
• KN0W
• W0MAN
• KR1S
• W8LES

• Salem Area
• KK7LU (Jeff)
• KL7OR (Dean)
• WA7ABU (Dan)
• W7PCD (Bobby)
• W7SAA (SARC)
• KD7TAZ (Taz)
• KE7ASM (Doug)

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US Call Areas
6-land
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ITU Regions
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Restrictions

• No music.
• No business or commercial communication.
• No broadcasting
• No codes or ciphers designed to hide meanings.
• No unidentified communications.
• No harmful interference.
• No foul language!

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T2A08 Which of the following one-way
communications may not be transmitted in the
Amateur Radio Service? A. Telecommand of model
craft B. Broadcasts intended for reception by the
general public C. Brief transmissions to make
adjustments to the station D. Morse code practice
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T1C11 Which of the following types of
communications are not permitted in the Amateur
Radio Service? A. Brief transmissions to make
adjustments to the station B. Brief transmissions
to establish two-way communications with other
stations C. Transmissions to assist persons
learning or improving proficiency in CW D.
Communications on a regular basis that could
reasonably be furnished alternatively through
other radio services
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Frequency Bands

• A band is a range of frequencies.
• The 2-meter band
• 144.0 MHz - 148.0 MHz
• The 23-cm band
• 1240 MHz - 1300 MHz
• The 10 meter band
• 28.0 MHz - 29.7 MHz

Dont worry about memorizing frequencies right
now. That comes with time spent on the radio
once youre licensed!
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T1D04 What government agency grants your amateur
radio license? A. The Department of Defense B.
The State Licensing Bureau C. The Department of
Commerce D. The Federal Communications Commission
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T1D06 What is the normal term for an amateur
station license grant? A. 5 years B. 7 years C.
10 years D. For the lifetime of the licensee
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T1A04 Who is a Volunteer Examiner? A. A
certified instructor who volunteers to examine
amateur teaching manuals B. An FCC employee who
accredits volunteers to administer amateur
license exams C. An amateur accredited by one or
more VECs who volunteers to administer amateur
license exams D. Any person who volunteers to
examine amateur station equipment
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T1D08 What is your responsibility as a station
licensee? A. You must allow another amateur to
operate your station upon request B. You must be
present whenever the station is operated C. You
must notify the FCC if another amateur acts as
the control operator D. Your station must be
operated in accordance with the FCC rules
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Methods of Communication(T6)

• How do we talk to each other?

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Electromagnetic Spectrum
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T4B04 Electromagnetic waves that oscillate more
than 20,000 times per second as they travel
through space are generally referred to as
what? A. Gravity waves B. Sound waves C. Radio
waves D. Gamma radiation
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T4B05 How fast does a radio wave travel through
space (in a vacuum)? A. At the speed of light
B. At the speed of sound C. Its speed is
inversely proportional to its wavelength D. Its
speed increases as the frequency increases
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Modulation

• Youve probably heard this word before!
• AM Amplitude Modulation
• FM Frequency Modulation
• Modulation
• The process of combining information and a radio
  signal.

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CW
In CW the telegraph key simply turns the
radio transmitter on and off to form the
Morse code characters
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• T6A01
• What are phone transmissions?
• The use of telephones to set up an amateur
  
• radio contact
• B. A phone patch between amateur radio and the
  telephone system
• C. Voice transmissions by radio
• D. Placing the telephone handset near a radio
  transceiver's microphone and speaker to relay a
  telephone call

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Phone

• Phone is any voice transmission
• This includes
• AM (amplitude modulation)
• SSB (single side band, similar to AM)
• FM (frequency modulation)

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Amplitude Modulation
An unmodulated RF carrier wave
A carrier wave AM modulated with a simple audio
tone
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AM and SSB
An unmodulated RF carrier requires
narrow bandwidth
Modulation of the carrier creates sidebands.
This requires more bandwidth. Transmitter power
is spread across this bandwidth
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AM and SSB
The carrier contains no audio information. The
sidebands contain duplicate audio information
By filtering out the carrier and one sideband, we
save spectrum and concentrate our RF energy into
a narrower bandwidth. SSB is therefore more
efficient.
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AM and SSB

• When SSB is not modulated (when you are not
  talking) the transmitter output power drops to
  almost nothing.
• When either AM or SSB is over-modulated the
  signal may cause splatter, and interfere with
  other stations.

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Frequency Modulation
Unmodulated carrier, full power at all times
Waveform of modulating signal
Modulated carrier with frequency deviation
and constant amplitude
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Frequency Modulation

• FM transmitters operate at full power at all
  times, even when you are not talking.
• When an FM transmitter over-modulates, the
  transmitted signal becomes so wide (bandwidth) it
  may interfere with adjacent channels. This is
  called over-deviation.

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Image

• Image transmissions include all modes that will
  produce a picture, either video or paper copy
  (like a FAX) at the receiver.
• These modes include
• SSTV (slow scan television)
• ATV (amateur television)
• FAX (facsimile)

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Image
Callsign of the sending station!
A sample amateur SSTV transmission.
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Digital Modes

• RTTY (radio teletype) was the forerunner of all
  modern digital mode transmission.
• PSK31
• Very popular digital mode
• Narrow (!) bandwidth
• CW
• The most basic digital mode

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A Packet Network

• With only a few watts, you can connect to an
  on-air network. Your data packets will be
  forwarded to hams all over the country.
• Packet type protocols include
• Packet and APRS
• CLOVER
• PACTOR
• G-TOR
• Basically, its email over the airwaves.

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Questions?