A beginners guide to ham radio, and how to make your own in autodesk eagle. Many boaters never take the time to learn how to properly use one of the most important pieces of safety gear on board your boat. An introduction of how to turn on, set and use a vhf radio. This section details the functions of important operator controls which may be found on marine vhf radio equipment. Obviously a knowledge in operating a vhf transceiver is the most important. The 25 questions closely mirror the exam questions that could be. There are two main types of vhf marine radios for your boat.
There is also an oceanic mfhf radio station located east of lake taupo. In general, you should stay on standby on channel 16 at all times. Reserve calling on channel 16 for hailing and distress only. It explains how hf, even at the low power levels of packsets or vehicular radios, can be used for. Ever since getting licensed i have heard this book mentioned in hushed reverence as the definitive guide to dxing on the vhfuhf bands. A pass of 70 % to 79% is required to operate on amateur radio frequencies above 30 mhz. As a rough guide, your charter boat vhf has a range of about 10 miles if not obstructed by high hills.
The other two stations provide vhf radio coverage in the coastal waters of the chatham islands. This quiz is a 5 question taster question quiz, the quiz is timed at 5 minutes to answer all the questions. The success of the three previous editions of practical antenna handbook has been most gratifying. Many ham radio shacks have an allband hf vhf uhf radio backed up with a vhf uhf fm rig for using the local repeaters.
This interactive video tutorial will help you become more comfortable with your vhf a black fixedmount vhf. The upgrade of existing vhf and uhf radio network is intended for. The source of a vhf signal can be located so that you can be found even in fog. Disassemble the car weatherstripping around doors trim pieces along door, center column take heart. Wirelessly delivering data or power what are we doing with it. Before you purchase anything else, make sure you have a vhf marine radio. The kenwood 2000 series goes all the way to 1200 mhz. Channel 16 is for hailing and distress messaging only. Determine what features a marine radio needs for your type of boating. Radio theory the basics l differences between very high frequency vhf and ultra high frequency uhf. A handheld vhf will have a range of about 2 to 4 miles depending on the geographic configuration. L vhf has the advantage of being able to pass through bushes and trees l vhf has the disadvantage of not reliably passing through buildings l 2 watt vhf handheld radio is capable of transmitting understandably up to 30 miles, lineofsight radio theory the basics. It is meant to be monitored all the time while underway to assist in emergencies if necessary, to hear coast guard alerts for weather and hazards or restrictions to navigation, and to hear another vessel hailing you.
Many high frequency hf ham radios include 50, 144, and 440 mhz operations. Range to about 400 km using near vertical incidence skywave nvis. Hf, vhf, and uhf systems and technology microwave theory. Those requiring manual activation, the controls of which may simply be on or off. Vhf and uhf propagation is an entirely different subject. Most vhf marine radios also have instant access to noaa weather forecasts, 24 hours a day. Marine vhf radio channels the chart below summarizes a portion of the fcc rules 47 cfr 80. The basics of marine radio use to use your vhf, turn it on and pick a channel, set the squelch to the point where you dont hear any white noise, and begin talking. If theres an emergency on your boat, your most reliable lifeline to the outside world is the vhf radio. Gould, allocation of the radio frequency spectrum, ota contractor report, aug. Vhf fm basics amplitude modulation, which is the simplest and most obvious form of modulation varies the amplitude of the carrier so that it carries the sound information. Basic marine vhf radio procedure canada anyone operating a marine vhf radio in canadian waters must have a restricted operators certificate maritime obtainable through the canadian power and sail squadrons. Radio waves are just another form of light that travels at the same speed. Mar 10, 2017 its not often an amateur radio book from the mid90s is still so highly respected and sought after.
The beginners handbook of amateur radio clay laster, w5zpv fourth edition mcgrawhill new york san francisco washington, d. The energy in a radio wave is partly electric and partly magnetic, appearing as an electric field and a magnetic field wherever the wave travels. Of these stations, 28 provide vhf radio coverage throughout the coastal waters of new zealand. All about vhf radio taught me things that made my marine radio less intimidating and more valuable on the water alan d. Make and receive routine and emergency radio calls. To use your vhf, turn it on and pick a channel, set the squelch to the point where you dont hear any white noise, and begin talking. Our new crystalgraphics chart and diagram slides for powerpoint is a collection of over impressively designed datadriven chart and editable diagram s guaranteed to impress any audience. Frequency characteristics the different frequencies have different characteristics for specific purposes, and are subdivided into bands. It isnt surprising that frequency coordinators, arrl officials and arrl headquarter staff members, receive many questions concerning part 97 rules and. This booklet is based on extracts from the marine radio operators handbook. Ground and sky waves regardless of what type of antenna you are using, the radio waves emanating from. Oct 30, 2014 frequency is also a big part of the range youll achieve on a radio. It is the only communication device many pleasure boats are equipped with.
It allows instant communication between your boat and other boats, marinas, bridges, and the united states coast guard. L difference between amplitude modulation am and frequency modulation fm. The primary magtf vhf radio is the singlechannel ground and air borne radio. Meteorscatter references and source material is included to give licenced amateur radio operators a good start in. Programming vhfuhf radios programming a new vhfuhf radio usually proves to be a frustrating experience for most new amateur radio operators. If the radio cant operate directly from ac power youll need an external dc power supply. This document is a laymans tutorial on hf radio communications. For general recreational conversation, use the open channels.
Marine vhf radio operates at a frequency of approximately 156mhz, while mfhf single sideband or ssb radios operate at frequencies from about 2mhz to 22mhz. Radio operators handbook united states marine corps. In this first chapter, we explore those principles and the different ways in which people communicate. Download the vhfuhf dx book for free m0jcqs ham blog.
The ultimate guide to learning about radio communication and. Lesson provided by mike whitehouse, senior sailing instructor with the canadian yachting associat. This power makes purchasing a second radio just for vhfuhf operating less a necessity for the casual operator. The two frequency spectrums well primarily be talking about are vhf very high frequency 30 mhz 300 mhz and uhf ultra high frequency 300 mhz 3 ghz. Wardos experiences in ham radio contributed greatly to a 20year career in broadcast. Coverage improvement in the area of tma pula below 5000ft. Jessop vhf uhf manual radio society of great britain 1969 acrobat 7 pdf 20. Hf radios with vhf and even uhf coverage are available at higher cost. Beginners guide to ham radio, make your own eagle blog. Sound radio light harmful radiation vhf very high frequency uhf ultra high frequency shf super high frequency ehf extremely high frequency 4g cellular 56100 ghz 2. An antenna is a basic transducerelectric fields arise from a voltage rapidly changingmagnetic fields arise from a current rapidly changing. Ground and sky waves regardless of what type of antenna you are using, the. It is the only communication device many pleasure boats are equipped with, and it is required by law before you can put any other marine radio aboard. It was with surprise and delight that i noted that clerks in one radio.
Presented to the stamford amateur radio association by jon. Some basic knowledge of how radio waves travel will go a long way in making your hobby a more interesting and enjoyable one. Many ham radio shacks have an allband hfvhfuhf radio backed up with a. If you need to hail a vessel, name the vessel you are calling two or three times, state the name of your vessel and wait. Frequency modulation is slightly more subtle and as the name indicates it varies the frequency of the carrier in line with the variations in the modulating audio signal. Hand held lpluses and minuses of each lantennas lvertical lbeam yagi lcoax lsize lsignal loss ladditional equipment lpower supply lswr meter lantenna switch ltuner. Tune your radio to channel 16, which is constantly monitored by the uscg. The lowly vhf radio remains the most versatile communication device for a boat. Jun 05, 2012 the acma has produced an educational video for the recreational boating community about how, and why it is important, to operate your vhf marine radio correctly. A field is just energy stored in space in one form or. It presents reasons why hf radio should be considered as a communica. Oct 02, 2011 an introduction of how to turn on, set and use a vhf radio. Clerks in radio stores told me that this book was outselling other titles 2. Vhf uhf radios that operate in single sideband ssb, morse code cw, and fm modes are known as allmode or multimode to distinguish them from fmonly radios.
All amateur radiorelated projects, tips, tricks, and tools. Once the vessel responds, switch immediately to an authorized working channel. Packet radio primer communications training spokane valley january 2009 packet radio basics introduction to packet radio operation with emphasis on parameters and connecting with other stations, nodes, clusters, digis or bbs. Radio amateurs were thus relegated to the useless wavebands of 200 meters and down 1. It presents reasons why hf radio should be considered as a communications means and the unique advantages and versatility of the medium. Vhfuhf and repeaters the basics american radio relay. The amount of repeater shift and direction of repeater shift is a voluntary. Mcrp 3403b radio operators handbook training command. The acma has produced an educational video for the recreational boating community about how, and why it is important, to operate your vhf marine radio correctly. Not only will you learn how to use a vhf but youll also find out how the rescue 21 system works and how to use your digital selective calling dsc vhf in an emergency. A complete listing of all vhf channels and their uses can be found at the boatus foundation.
A pass of 80% or more allows access to all amateur radio frequencies including hf. All forms of communication follow the same basic principles. Guides to amateur radio for beginners category is a curation of 79 web resources on, what is dx, introduction to packet radio, psk for beginners. Technical specialist for a section team to be effective in one of the most important arenas in amateur radio, technology, there must be a cadre. However, you will find that in the nonus caribbean waters. The exam of 100 questions will be drawn from the basic question bank ric7. L the purpose of a repeater and when it would be necessary. Vhf provides a simplex communications system, which allows for line of sight communications between two ham radios. The vhfuhf dx book is one of these books if youre into vhfuhf dxing.
Contents introduction to the fourth edition ix 1 introduction to radio broadcasting and communications 1 2 radio wave propagation 5 3 transmission lines 59 4 the smith chart 95 5 fundamentals of radio antennas 123 6 highfrequency dipole and other doublet antennas 141 7 vertically polarized hf antennas 173 8 multiband and tunablewire antennas 203 9 longwire directional antennas 2. They confirmed that the types of people who buy the book meet the profile above. Communications are instant, and as long as youre within range and have battery power, few variables can interfere with the connection. We will also see in later chapters that the higher frequency and shorter wavelengths of vhf radios have a profound effect on radio range. How do i get the coax from the antenna to the radio. Vhfuhf and repeaters the basics the most popular amateur band is 2 meters, and the fastestgrowing license class is technician. Vhfuhf and repeaters the basics american radio relay league. This article will introduce you to the primary modes of hf propaga tion. We also look at radio waves and learn how radio technology is able to make your voice heard many miles away. All rules and procedures are for us waters, controlled by the coast guard.
Chart and diagram slides for powerpoint beautifully designed chart and diagram s for powerpoint with visually stunning graphics and animation effects. Ax has been a licensed ham since 1972 at the age of 17. Read your manual for specific features of your model. Off ice of technology assessment, 1991, based on richard g. West marine is committed to outfitting your life on the water. Meteorscatter vhf communications this is an introduction to meteorscatter amateur radio. Introduction to radio communications principles tait. A new radio must first be programmed for simplex and repeater operation before it can be used to communicate with local hams. Back to the basics your first vhf uhf station topics that will be covered. Ever since getting licensed i have heard this book mentioned in hushed reverence as the definitive guide to dxing on the vhf uhf bands. Just take two way radio digital voice systems for example. Vhfuhf nbems an introduction using fldigi and flmsg arrl ohio section technical coordinator. Heres how to use your vhf radio the right way so you can be understood, and get what you need.
The maritime radio service comprises 30 coastal vhf stations. Its not often an amateur radio book from the mid90s is still so highly respected and sought after. The presentation links to actual recorded meteorscatter contacts with videoaudio youtube links. Monitor channel 16 when you are not actively in conversation with someone else. A multiband dipole is an excellent and inexpensive antenna, connected to the radio through coaxial cable or openwire feed linethe latter will. Basic radio awareness introduction to radio communications principles. The frequencies you can operate on within these spectrums vary and well get into that shortly. Marine vhf radio operates at a frequency of approximately 156mhz, while mf hf single sideband or ssb radios operate at frequencies from about 2mhz to. Although not required in recreational boats under 65. To use your vhf, turn it on and pick a channel, set the squelch to the point where you dont hear any white noise, and begin. Its not just a great show with stephen kinglike paranormal activity wrapped up in an idealistic 80s town. Lesson provided by mike whitehouse, senior sailing instructor with the canadian yachting association.
Generally people dont think of radio frequency radiation in terms of discrete particles oscillating electrons and photons they typically use the wave model instead, as its much easier to use. Foreword this handbook is intended for the guidance of radio operators. Basic components of radio equipment the radio equipment for communication between two stations and the path the signal follows through the air is called a radio link. Beginners quick guide the basics of dmr digital mobile. Very high frequency vhf youll find vhf residing on the radio frequency spectrum between 30 to 300mhz, with the particular ham radio band reserved for 144148mhz. With over 250 store locations, 100,000 products in stock, and knowledgeable associates, trust west marine for your boating, sailing, fishing, or paddling needs. Gould, allocation of the radio frequency spectrum, ota contractor report. Appendix a radio communication basics 1263 vlf lf mf hf vhf uhf shf ehf l s c x k u k 3 khz 30 khz 300 khz 3000 khz 30 mhz 300 mhz 3000 mhz 30 ghz 300 ghz 3 mhz 3 ghz source.