Amateur radio is a diverse technologically based hobby with many facets, supported by worldwide international agreements. As a radio amateur, one can contact overseas stations on the shortwave bands (known as DX’ing), participate in radio sport, chat with amateur friends over the local VHF or UHF repeaters, design and/or build your own radios, antennas and accessories; try your hand at Morse Code (which is still as popular as ever although not compulsory), as well as combine radio, computer and software technologies. Some use their skills to provide disaster and public service communications.
And that’s only the start! You can make and use television equipment, fiddle with the Raspberry Pi, Arduino and similar things, study and research propagation, through to monitoring and using dedicated amateur space satellites – the sky is literally no limit!
Amateur radio is a great way to learn about communications technology and make friends all over the world. Getting involved in this fascinating hobby is easy and won’t cost and arm and a leg.
Why not come along to a BDARS meeting and have a chat about amateur radio and see how easy it is to get on the air and start chatting or experimenting !
Bromley & District Amateur Radio Society 